God of Magic 6

by Logan Jacobs

  “How did he eat all this so quickly?” Yvaine asked in wonder as she held up an empty jar.

  I heard voices back in the yard again, and the three of us glanced at each other. Dehn opened the door a hair and glanced outside.

  “The two men are walking towards the barn again,” he said in what passed for a whisper with him.

  “Crap,” I muttered. “We’ll have to go around the barn to get back to the horses.”

  “Give it a minute,” Yvaine replied. “Maybe they’re just checking on the dogs.”

  “They already checked on the dogs,” Dehn grumbled.

  “Can we at least make it to the back of the barn without being seen?” I asked.

  “I think so,” Dehn replied. “Maderel didn’t come out with them.”

  Dehn pulled the door open a little further, and after a quick scan, darted outside. Yvaine followed Dehn outside, as I snatched up Merlin. The puca squawked in protest, but I held tight and darted out the door. I pulled it shut, then took off across the yard.

  The dogs were barking again, and I really hoped it was because the men had gone back into the barn and not because they heard us sloshing across the yard. I joined Yvaine and Dehn at the stack of hay bales again and was panting hard after the sprint.

  “I really hope no one saw us,” I said between breaths.

  “The two men are inside,” Yvaine replied as she sucked in a big lungful of air. “That just leaves Maderel.”

  “He would have come out if he’d seen us,” Dehn panted.

  We heard more voices again, this time leaving the barn. After a moment, the voices faded, and the dogs stopped barking. Dehn stuck his head around the corner of the barn, then signalled for us to follow him. We sprinted across the yard again, this time heading for the road, and the safety of the bushes that lined it.

  We retreated to the gate much more quickly than we had made our arrival. We scurried through the same crack, and Dehn managed to pull it closed. I no longer cared about scratches from the grass, and neither, apparently, did Dehn or Yvaine. We ran back along the path and almost tumbled over each other when we hit the hard-packed earth of the main road.

  There was still no one else on the road, and the sleet had started falling again. I pulled my hood up, and tightened my grip on Merlin, who’d started squirming. We walked quickly back to the glen where we had left the horses and found them waiting patiently for our return. We mounted and trotted back to the Peppin road.

  I finally released Merlin, and he stuck his head out from under my cloak. He had a large smear of something purple along one cheek, which he proceeded to eat as he pulled it from his fur. I pulled him the rest of the way out and saw several more blotches of jam. I also noticed that he was now wearing a necklace.

  It was a very simple thing. A silver chain with a small pendant. The pendant reminded me of a sand dollar, though it was more square in shape than round.

  “You just couldn’t resist,” I complained as I held the puca up by the scruff of his neck. Merlin chittered and managed to look ashamed. “You can’t run off like that when we’re really doing surveillance. You’ll get us killed.”

  Merlin looked very sad at that.

  “He’s a puca,” Dehn sniffed. “He’s just a dumb animal.”

  Merlin stuck his tongue out.

  “We’ll have to train him,” Yvaine sighed.

  Merlin squinted at her, then stuck his tongue out again.

  “You and I are going to have a talk tonight, kiddo,” I told the puca. He turned sad eyes on me, and I tucked him back inside my cloak.

  “Your clothes are going to be covered in preserves,” Yvaine pointed out.

  “It will be a new challenge for Lena,” I replied.

  The rest of the trip was spent discussing what we had seen and heard at the farm. Yvaine and Dehn told me that dog fights were legal, up to a point. The contestants were supposed to wear muzzles that made it impossible for the dogs to do much more than nip each other. They were also restricted by size. Werehounds would never be allowed in a legal dog fight.

  As we talked, we passed a small pasture bordered by a few trees and a stone wall. A flock of sheep were nestled quietly in the field, and a collie stood watch nearby. A large shrub with tusks had sprouted near a tree, complete with a matching hat and scarf set.

  “Should we spoil his fun?” I asked after we’d ridden past.

  “Oh, let him have his moment,” Yvaine replied. “He spent a great deal of time finding the perfect camouflage outfit last night.”

  “I don’t think he knows what camouflage means,” Dehn said. “It’s supposed to conceal you.”

  “He’s working on it,” Yvaine asserted. “He’ll do better in the spring, when he can use brighter colors.”

  “Great,” Dehn snickered. “If we get in a fight in the middle of a poppy field, who’ll blend right in.”

  “We all have things we can work on,” I noted. “For now, we’ll let Maruk enjoy his handiwork.”

  “I wonder what Maderel will think when he sees him,” Yvaine pondered.

  “That the neighborhood is going to hell,” Dehn laughed.

  The sleet had stopped by the time we made it back to the city gate. The guard on duty recognized us and waved us through without bothering to leave the warmth of the guardroom. We rode on to the stables, where we helped brush off our mounts, and offered them an excessive amount of treats for the time they had been forced to spend outside.

  As we approached the guildhall, I spotted a familiar child lurking across the street. I darted in front of a wagon, and walked up to the sooty, grime-infested child.

  “So where have you been all day?” he asked querulously. “You know I only deliver notes directly to the person who’s supposed to get it.”

  “I wasn’t expecting you today,” I replied.

  “Well, you should’ve been,” he griped. He held his palm out again, and I dug around in my pack until I found a silver coin. I held it up, and he suddenly looked much happier.

  “Thank you for waiting around in such weather,” I told him as I placed the coin in his palm.

  “Thank you, wizard,” he said as he handed me the note.

  “I’m not a--” I tried to say, but he darted away before I could say another word.

  I opened the envelope and pulled out the paper. There was just one word: Yes.

  I walked across the street where Yvaine and Dehn stood waiting for me in front of the guild hall.

  “Who was that?” Yvaine asked.

  “The bearer of good tidings,” I replied. “And possibly the answer to our problem.”

  Yvaine and Dehn started to ask questions, but I raised my hand.

  “I’ll explain everything,” I promised. “Team meeting tonight after dinner. And no excuses. Everyone has to be there.”

  “I’ll spread the word,” Yvaine said as we stepped inside.

  “As for you,” I said as I looked at the puca. “I think it’s time to give you a bath.”

  Chapter 5

  We gathered in front of the fireplace after dinner. The sleet had given way to snow once again, but the wind was still blowing hard through the city streets. I could hear it whistling in the chimney even with the roaring flames that Emeline kept going.

  All the Shadow Foxes were there except Merlin. He was still in my room, curled up in a corner with the three softest blankets he could find, determined to ignore me since his bath. At least he was clean again, which was more than I could say about the clothes I’d been wearing during our expedition.

  “So the test went well today,” Lavinia remarked, “except for the puca.”

  “Where is he anyway?” Aerin asked as she peered around the room.

  “Snoozing,” I replied. “And recovering from his bath.”

  “Did Maderel go anywhere else after he left the estate?” Yvaine asked.

  “Straight back to the city,” Maruk replied. “Two stops inside the gates to pick up a few essentials and then back to the Tower.�
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  “And no one was spotted,” Lavinia repeated as she looked around the room.

  “Nope,” Dehn said. “We’re good.”

  “I’m glad the paper works,” Emeline remarked. “The pen is brilliant.”

  “I think I could adapt it for other things,” Lena mused. “Maybe something you could use to change the color of your hair. You could have streaks of lavender and blue.”

  I opened my mouth automatically to suggest she keep thinking about it and then realized it wasn’t a half-bad idea. I glanced at Aerin, and I could see she was just as surprised as I was.

  “That’s actually pretty good,” Aerin admitted slowly.

  “That way you could attract lots of butterflies,” Lena added.

  “And there it is,” Aerin sighed.

  “Now that we’ve covered the day’s excitement,” Yvaine interrupted. “I believe Gabriel has news to share.”

  “Yes,” I admitted. I glanced around the room and saw that everyone had focused their attention on me. “I’ve found someone who can help us with the heist.”

  The Foxes looked at each other, and I could see their confusion.

  “Do we need help?” Aerin asked. “I mean, we’ve claimed plenty of bounties before.”

  “And we’ve taken down creatures that were a lot scarier than a mage,” Dehn added.

  “True,” I admitted. “But this is something that’s going to require a bit more finesse than just barging in, killing a few monsters, and then riding back to the hall.”

  Aerin and Dehn began to protest that we didn’t need to do anything differently, while Lavinia declared that we were capable of finesse when we needed it. Maruk and Yvaine argued that between the two of them, they were certain they could develop a more stealthy attack.

  “He’s right,” Emeline finally shouted. The rest of the Foxes fell silent and looked at the fire mage in surprise. “What we’re talking about doing, breaking into the tower to steal something, we’ve never done anything like this. We’ll be thieves, not a guild on a bounty. And we won’t be breaking into some moldy old crypt that nobody cares about. This is the Academy Tower. It’s well-protected, and there are people around it all the time. And there are lots of good people in the Academy, like Lain and Purple Polly, that I don’t want to see get hurt.”

  “I agree with Emeline,” Lena said. “This has to be something that’s done quietly. We don’t want to end up in a big fight with every mage turned against us.”

  “All right,” Maruk conceded gently. “I agree. We don’t want to take on every mage. But I don’t know if we really need to bring in someone new.”

  “Think of it as a consultant,” I replied. “Someone who can tell us what to look for, how to avoid traps, how to get in and out without drawing attention to ourselves.”

  “Right, because we blend in so well,” Lavinia huffed.

  “That’s just it,” I pointed out. “As a rule, we don’t. And everyone in Ovrista knows what we look like, which makes our job that much harder.”

  “So who is this consultant?” Dehn asked suspiciously.

  “Imogen Kurlew,” I replied.

  “Wait, the jewel thief we captured?” Aerin asked.

  “That’s the one,” I agreed.

  “She’s in jail,” Aerin declared.

  “And I’ve agreed to help break her out,” I said.

  “Well,” Yvaine finally said to end the stunned silence, “this has certainly gotten interesting.”

  “So now we’re doing a jailbreak, too?” Lavinia declared. “This whole thing just keeps getting crazier and crazier.”

  “It makes sense,” Maruk mused. “She’s certainly proven her ability to steal heavily guarded items.”

  “Until she met us,” Lavinia pointed out.

  “Until she met Gabriel,” Yvaine clarified. “If Gabriel hadn’t been there, I doubt we would have caught her.”

  The Foxes went quiet again as they pondered this statement. I noticed that Dehn was staring fiercely at the fire, and he refused to look at me.

  “Dehn,” I finally called out. “I promise, we’ll try not to hurt any of the guard if we can avoid it.”

  “Pffft,” the halfling snarled as he folded his arms across his chest. “Most of that lot are useless anyway.”

  “So what’s wrong?” I pressed.

  “She’s a thief,” he declared. “She’s a criminal. I may not be a member of the guard any more, but I still respect the law.”

  “Look, if there was anyone else who could help us, I would take it,” I said. “But she’s the best there is, and probably the only real shot we have at pulling this off.”

  “We can always arrest her again later,” Lena added.

  “Umm… sure,” I murmured.

  “Fine,” Dehn huffed. “But I refuse to be nice to her.”

  “You have a nice side?” Lavinia snickered. “How come you never share it with us?”

  “I guess you’ll want me to get you inside the jail,” Dehn groused.

  “Actually, we may have a way to get in that won’t require any elaborate plans,” I replied.

  “Ooooh, are we going to start a fight?” Aerin asked.

  “No,” I said. “There’s a party.”

  “Now I’m lost,” Aerin remarked.

  “Raynald has decided to celebrate his brilliant actions in capturing the world-renowned jewel thief by throwing a party,” I explained. “In the jail, so he can show off his prize.”

  “That seems a bit bourgeois,” Maruk commented.

  “But just like Raynald,” Yvaine sighed.

  “We still need an invitation,” Emeline pointed out.

  “Yes, we do,” I replied as I smiled at Yvaine.

  “Oh, I can take care of that,” Yvaine agreed. “If nothing else works, I’ll threaten to tell his parents what really happened to their priceless collection of Xildanar pottery.”

  “We can start working on our plan in the morning,” I said as I stretched. “Lavinia can be in charge of that. Any other news to report?”

  There were noes and headshakes all around. One by one, the Foxes dispersed to their own rooms. I caught up with Lena as she was heading up the stairs and wrapped an arm around her waist.

  “Do you have anything that will clean jam stains out of clothing?” I asked.

  “Maybe,” the elf said thoughtfully. “Um, but it might make the fabric itchy for a few days.”

  “Good thing I have other shirts I can wear,” I replied.

  “Well, I’ll need that shirt then,” she said, and then her eyes roamed over my chest.

  We stopped in front of my door, and I slid my hand down her back. She turned her face up to mine, and a smile played across her very full lips. I pulled her inside the room and gently closed the door behind us.

  The first thing I removed was the scarf that held her hair. The honeyed tresses fell around her shoulders, and I ran my fingers through the silky river. She was still smiling, not the full California girl smile she usually had, but something more secretive, more seductive. I leaned into her and pressed my mouth against hers. She responded immediately and pushed back just as hard.

  I carried her to the bed, where we quickly tossed aside our clothes. I took a moment to admire the rich golden tones of her skin, and then I was on top of her, my face nuzzled into her neck as my mouth tasted the sweetness of the sweat on her neck. My penis rubbed against her thighs, and the friction drove me crazy. I was so engorged that it was almost painful.

  “Do it,” Lena begged as she spread her legs apart. “I need you in me.”

  I slid inside, and the feel of her moist clit made me groan in pleasure. She smiled at the sound and brought my lips down to hers. My hips moved with a tempo all their own, and she moved with them. It felt like she was molded to my body, our two bodies now one giant ball of pure pleasure.

  “Yes,” she cried out as I pounded into an erogenous zone. She buried her face against my chest for a moment, and then I felt her tongue slide acro
ss my throat.

  “More,” she said as I felt her heat building.

  “Always,” I replied.

  “Oh, that’s it. So good.” She was nearing her climax, and I balanced myself over her on my knees and elbows. I could see the moment when she hit the peak. Her eyes were wide with wonder, and she arched into my penis.

  “I’m going to--“

  “Yes! Please cum in me, Gabriel!”

  I grunted and then groaned as my seed spilled out like a half dozen ocean waves, and she shivered as my warm cum filled her accepting body.

  When Lena sank back onto the bed, I carefully lowered myself to her. She pulled me in for a long, wet kiss, and then another. She reached down between my legs, and I could feel her nimble fingers rub my shaft with long, hard strokes. I growled in response and looked into her eyes.

  “Again,” she insisted.

  This time, she wrapped her legs around my waist, and used them to set the pace. She held me on the edge while her hands worked their magic. Sweat poured off me as I tried to grind against her, but she held me firm. I was frantic by the time she finally let me all the way in, and I drove into her even harder this time. She pushed against me, and I was working the sweet spot against her warm tightness again for all I was worth.

  She made one low, long, continuous moan as I rocked back and forth, and then she was calling my name, over and over again as she neared her orgasm. I wrapped her in my arms, holding her heat against me as she flung her head back and cried out. When I felt her body finally go slack, I let go, and rolled to one side.

  “Can we do that again?” she asked.

  “As many times as you want,” I replied as I traced her jawline with my finger.

  She laughed and moved on top of me. She traced a path with her fingers from the tip of my shoulder to my abs. She glowed in the darkness of the room, and I reached up and ran a finger along the edge of one ear. She hissed, then dropped her head. I smiled and teased her a little as I dragged a fingertip ever so slowly along the full length. When I finally reached the tip, she leaned in for another deep kiss.

  I spent the next two hours learning all of her vulnerable spots. By the time we were finished, I knew all her favorite places and exactly how to touch them. I also learned that my quiet, slightly ditzy elf had her own knack for finding my hot spots. I lost count of the times she climaxed, but I filled her womb with my seed a good four times during the night, and I wonder if, like Yvaine, Lena has also stopped taking her moon weed so that she would give me a child.