by Martha Carr
“Nothing,” he spit out, frustrated. He remembered something Turner Underwood had told him more than once when he was first training. There will be times when nothing is simple, and you don’t know what spell to choose. That is when you will need to tune into your own instincts and trust that something is guiding you.
Correk took a deep breath and tried the easiest spell he knew for removing dark magic. The dark spots shimmered for a moment but quickly returned to their static state and even seemed to be a little bigger. He pressed his lips together, flexing his hands and tried again with a more powerful spell that came with the potential drawback of damaging the boy’s magic. Nothing, but no harm to Bryce either. Correk let out the breath he was holding but could feel the time inching by and the danger growing.
“Wait, this is different than normal dark magic. Time is the difference. It comes from a place without time.” Correk flipped through the book and found it on the next to last page. “To Place an Object on a Different Plane and Remain the Same.” The words spilled down the page, explaining how to freeze the virus in place and take away the element of time, but not remove it. “Best used with solid objects,” he read, closing the book. “Well, not this time. Trust my own instincts,” he muttered. “Here we go.” He spread his fingers wide and curled them into fists, opening them again and following the instructions to the letter. Energy flowed through his body, his hands glowing as he moved his hands through the stream of magic, this time, swirling it in a counter-clockwise direction.
“Aperi ianuam. Creare spatium.” The inky dark spaces flipped in on themselves swirling in the same direction and shrinking down until they disappeared with a pop. “Secure aternam.” Correk watched the flow of magic restore itself and the teenager stir, his legs jerking as the magic inside of him continued to heal.
Correk sat back on his heels and waited for Bryce to regain consciousness, blinking his eyes and groaning as the young wizard stretched out his arms and legs. “What happened?”
“You were very sick,” said Correk.
The boy startled and shook his head trying to clear his mind. “You’re the Fixer! I was rescued by the Fixer! You’re real!”
“Who gave you that conjurer’s wheel?”
Bryce pushed himself up on one elbow, his face warming. “I traded for it at school with another magical. I gave him my baseball card collection. He said it had been in his family for a long time and would help me become more powerful.”
Correk helped him to sit up. “He was telling you the truth, but it shouldn’t be in anyone’s hands. You came close to being pulled into the world in between.”
The boy turned ashen, hunching his shoulders and ducking as if something had suddenly swung at him. He swallowed hard and his eyes glistened. “I just wanted to be more powerful. I’m supposed to be going to a new school for magicals and I know almost nothing. I didn’t want to look stupid.”
Bryce tried to stand, almost falling back as Correk caught him, helping him to sit down in a chair.
“This time things had a happy ending. That won’t always be the case.” He lifted a tag on the trunk and smiled when he saw, School of Necessary Magic. “You’re going to be okay. I know the new headmistress of this place. Her name is Mara Berens and she has a pretty good sense of humor and knows how to help a kid navigate the world.”
Bryce let out a shudder, the color returning to his face.
“Bryce, there’s a lot of time for you to grow stronger as a wizard. Be patient, try and ask more questions, and trust that you’ll learn what you need to know. It won’t hurt if you have some fun while you’re at it.”
“I’m really sorry for all this trouble. Do you have to tell my parents? I’m supposed to be going to a going away party and they will ground me till I leave for school if they find out.”
Correk rubbed the back of his head and raised his brows. “No, not this time. We can keep this between us, but I’ll give you a little piece of advice about Mara. She doesn’t abide by anyone keeping things from her, but she’ll fight till the end for someone who’s doing the best they can.”
Bryce let out a sigh and rubbed his face. “I lost my baseball card collection.”
Correk took a few pintas out of his pocket. “When you get to school you can use these to start a new collection of Louper cards. You’ll see, it’s a lot cooler game.”
“I met the Fixer,” whispered Bryce. “You’re like a superhero.”
“So I’ve been told.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Wolfstan Humphrey sat at his desk, stewing over who could have taken the necklace. What really bothered him was how close they came into his inner sanctum and left no trail. “Magicals,” he snarled. “Leira Berens,” he spit out. “Witches.”
Nothing was going the way he wanted. He ran the list through his head again and again. Harkin was still free. There was dissension and gossip among the corporations that made up the alliance Fleeker had so carefully crafted to trade in Oriceran goods. He ticked the annoyances off on his fingers.
The Dark Families are falling apart and can’t be trusted, and Sirius is useless. He shook his head, his lip curling in rage. Leira Berens lives. “And someone stole from me,” he shouted, bringing his fist down on his desk, rattling it against the floor.
His assistant came all the way to the door and saw the dark mood his boss was in, turned and quietly crept back down the hall. It wasn’t worth it.
Wolfstan stood at the window in his office at Fleeker watching employees come and go, letting the hours pass, running the problem through his head. His assistant braved a second try lightly tapping on the door but Wolfstan gave a flick of his wrist without bothering to turn around and the aide fled, grateful to have gotten off so easily.
Finally, a smile that was more of a leer settled on his face. “First the traitor.” He let out a satisfied sigh, linking his hands behind his back. “I’m overthinking it. There’s a traitor somewhere within these walls who’s watching me. Let them find something. I’ll trap them like a bear in the woods.”
Lily sat on her stool at her workstation, her shoulders sagging, staring at her microscope, her hands folded in her lap. She had been like that on and off all day, finding it difficult to concentrate. The necklace was still in her pocket. “It can’t be true,” she muttered.
“What?” Another biologist passing behind her and stopped, waiting for her to repeat herself.
Lily nervously shook her head, straightening her safety goggles. “Just wrestling a wrinkle with one of my experiments, Billy.”
“It’ll come to you, Lily. The answers always do.” He smiled and kept walking, humming to himself, his paper booties making a shoop shoop along the floor.
Lily bit her lip and stood up, stretching her back. “I’ll be right back, Claire.” She went through the first set of doors, discarding her biohazard suit and booties and getting her purse out of her locker, stepping up to the next set of doors and waiting for the soft whoosh as they opened far enough for her to slip through. She pressed her fingers against the spot where the chip was just under her skin, her chest tightening. She walked with her head down along the familiar path to the ladies’ room, only looking up long enough to nod at a coworker headed in the opposite direction.
She got closer to the vents at the southeast corner of the center of the building and smelled a heavy floral perfume. She slowed down trying to place it and realized where she had smelled it before. “Oriceran,” she whispered, looking around to see if anyone else had noticed. She glanced up as she passed directly underneath and saw small particles of yellow floating in the air above her. Vella pollen. That can’t be. It’s illegal on both worlds.
Lily ducked into the ladies’ room to pull out her phone, looking at her Aunt Lois’ number. “What if I’m wrong? The Silver Griffins will come marching in here and there’ll be a reasonable explanation and my career will be over. All those years of school and loans.” She slid the phone back in her purse and unzipped the inside pocket,
looking down at the necklace. The ache grew in her chest. “I need proof.”
“Of what?” Fran Shockley came out of a stall adjusting her bra.
“That something actually worked. Sorry,” she said, trying to smile, “can’t say more than that. You know, clearance.”
“Sure, of course,” said Fran, stepping up to the sink and holding her hands under the soap dispenser.
Lily pulled her purse close to her chest and walked back out of the bathroom, sliding her wand out and holding it by her side, pushing most of it up her sleeve. She passed back under the cloud of pollen holding her breath, careful not to breathe in the hallucinogen and walked to an empty alcove. She slid out her wand and tapped the chip, redirecting the information it was putting out to read as if she was on her stool in the lab. “Please let me be wrong. I like this job,” she muttered, straightening her shoulders and standing up straight. She gave a small jerk to the wand, the end lighting up and whispered just loud enough for the spell to work. “Finders keepers, losers weepers.” One of the first spells any witch or wizard learned and was taught to every human child. That way if a young witch was overheard, no one would ever notice.
The wand vibrated in her hand and she slid it back up her sleeve, walking toward the stairs, opening the heavy door and going out to the landing. “Might as well try going up, first,” she muttered, looking up the center toward the top. She started up the stairs and felt the wand’s vibrations pick up ever so slightly. At the next floor she opened the door and leaned out as the vibration smoothed out. “Not here.” She stepped back and gently shut the door, trudging up the next flight as the vibration continued to build.
Two more flights and two more stops at the door before the vibrations finally picked up even further at the tenth floor. Lily stepped out onto the floor and walked to the next turn where the smell of the Vella flower was even stronger. She stopped, listening for any sound of people. She hesitated when she heard nothing. She checked her watch and saw that the cafeteria wouldn’t be open yet and there was no town hall meeting.
The yellow pollen floated over her head, seeping out of the labs that she knew were just down the hall. She bit her lip again, working up her courage and was about to turn the corner when the air shimmered next to her and she pressed herself back against the wall, wondering if she should run.
A portal burst open and Correk stepped out, grabbing Lily by both arms, dragging her toward him. He lifted her up into his arms without saying a word, whispering, “Quiet,” as he stepped back through, letting the portal close just as quickly. Lily was too afraid to take a breath, much less make a sound as he put her down in the kitchen of the townhouse on N Street.
“You’re the Fixer, aren’t you?” Lily finally squeaked out. “What just happened?”
“You were walking into a trap, Lily Sharpton and there was no time to spare. Why would Wolfstan Humphrey be after you?”
Lily pressed her lips together but let the wand slide out of her sleeve, putting it down on the kitchen table. She opened her purse and reached into the little pocket, pulling out the necklace with the dried blood and held it out for Correk to see. “I found this in his desk. What does it all mean?” she asked. “I wanted to say something, but I don’t know. I needed to be sure.”
Correk carefully took the necklace from her hand and saw the royal seal on one side. He held it up by the chain, letting it dangle and turn to reveal the name on the back. “Fraekin.” Correk felt a weight lift from his chest and brushed away a tear. He dropped the chain into his other hand and grabbed Lily, hugging her tight. “Thank you,” he whispered into her hair, surprised at how much it meant to him.
Wolfstan Humphrey came running down the short hallway, a laugh caught in his throat as he came around the corner and found the space empty. He turned around and looked back the other way, running back to the door at the stairs and looked up and down but saw no one. His eyes glowed as he searched for the magical that had used the child’s spell to trace the pollen but there was no sign of anyone.
Things were really not going Wolfstan’s way, but he had faced worse, like Trevilsom Prison and still come out on top. It was just going to take a little more effort and a faster timeline, maybe a few more sacrifices by others, but he would get the respect he deserved, or kill everyone trying.
Chapter Twenty-Six
“I’m tired of waiting.” Queen Saria stood at the end of one of the stacks, peering around both sides for a Gnome. “I need a spell, and I want it now.”
A Gnome peered around the corner, the poppy on his hat baring its teeth at the queen and growling. “You know we can’t do that,” said the Gnome, unwilling to come out any further.
The queen crossed her arms over her chest. “Do it or else.”
“I’m afraid I’m going to have to go with, or else.”
The queen’s eyes were hooded, and she arched her brows, the vines on her crown curling and turning black at the tips. “Fine. I have other resources at my disposal. I will call out the guards.”
“You promised Correk.”
“I promised to give him time,” shouted the queen, her voice icy. “Time is up!” She picked up a book, drawing out the gnome who held out his hands in a prayer, pleading.
“No, not that one. It’s a delightful little book and one of a kind.” The poppy on his bowler hissed and growled at the queen.
“All of the books in here are one of a kind.”
“Then you see my point.”
The queen pulled back her hand, ready to throw the book when a portal opened behind her. She whipped around, still clutching it high in the air, surprised to see Correk stepping through with the young, Lily Sharpton. “You are late,” she said, evenly, finally lowering the book. The Gnome reached out for the book, making it slip from the queen’s grasp and fly through the air to him. She glanced back at the gnome, narrowing her eyes and he ducked back behind the stack, out of sight.
“This had better be good. My patience is running out,” said the queen, waiting for the pair to come closer to her.
Lily stayed frozen on the spot where the portal had closed, her mouth open, taking glances at the horses moving in the painting on the wall.
“Why do you keep bringing these uninitiated magicals into the palace, Correk? First Leira Berens, now… Who is this child? A witch?”
“Lily… Lily Sharpton,” the witch stuttered.
“Lily has something to tell you that will give you the name of the real killer.” Correk put his hand firmly in the square of her back and steadily pushed her forward. “Tell her what you found.”
“I am a biologist at Fleeker Corporation on… on the other world.” Lily leaned to the right to get a better glimpse of the Gnomes who were peeking around the stacks at her, the poppies all blowing raspberries at her.
The queen shook her head. “I don’t need a bio. Give me the name.”
“Your majesty, a little forbearance,” said Correk. “It will make sense momentarily.”
“I was looking for some fliers and it was a simple spell, but instead it took me into a different office. The CEO’s office and to a drawer where I found this.” Lily opened her hand and held up the necklace with drops of dried blood clinging to it.
The queen’s expression changed, and she lifted her chin walking closer to Lily, looking at the name, Fraekin, dangling back and forth. The queen looked Lily up and down and put her hand on the witch’s arm, her eyes glowing as she wove a thin stream of magic around the witch. “You’re not lying.” Queen Saria let go and held out her hand, waiting for Lily to drop the necklace into it. “Give me the name,” she said as the cold metal settled in her palm and she closed her fingers around it.
“Wolfstan Humphrey,” whispered Lily. “I found it in his desk.”
The vines on the queen’s crown grew blacker and her chest moved up and down as she breathed faster with anger. “Wolfstan Humphrey, the parasite.” Her eyes widened with surprise. “I believe I may have made a deal with that devil. Well
, I’m going to correct that and hunt that bastard down.” She looked at Correk, not saying anything for a moment, searching for the right words. “I owe you and Harkin an amends. I was wrong. I should not have jumped to conclusions. I’m afraid the past has made me more jaded than I’d like to admit. Tell your father he is welcome back in this world and in this court. Let this be the start of a new day. We have all suffered enough, and Wolfstan Humphrey has not. I will see to it that he does.”
Lily sat across from Leira and Correk at their kitchen table in the townhouse on N Street. “You don’t have to do this,” said Leira. “You probably shouldn’t do this. You’re not trained for warfare, you’re a biologist who just happens to be a witch.”
“I loved that job,” said Lily, brushing away a tear. “Just days ago, I went to work, proud of what I was doing. Wolfstan Humphrey stole that from me.” She held out her hands, moving them as she spoke. “And that’s the least of what he’s done. He has to be stopped.” She took a sip of the warm Dr. Pepper, trying to settle her stomach. “I’m the only one who can walk into Fleeker without raising the alarm. You need me and you know you do.”
Leira reached out for her hand and squeezed it. “What do you think, Correk?”
“I think Lily gets to decide for herself. But you realize Wolfstan is playing for keeps. If he finds out, I may not get there in time, again.”
“He’s the one who got Lacey killed, isn’t he? And there’s more, I can tell.” She shook her head. “I know some of what we’ve been working on and if there’s magic involved, dark magic then this could be really bad. I’m going back and I’m finding out the truth, and then I’m telling everyone.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever known anyone braver, Lily,” said Leira.