Wayward Magic (Magic Underground Anthologies Book 2)

by Melinda Kucsera

  He produced a rib bone.

  Algernon nodded. “I found it in the catacombs under the sanctuary.”

  The moment his father sighed, Algernon suspected he’d made a mistake by venturing into that dark, creepy place.

  “Algie, the project Braylen wants me to work on…” Father sighed again. “This entire sect of the Order is trying to find a cure for death. And I believe in that. It’s a worthy goal. What I don’t believe in is throwing power around in an effort to muscle our way into immortality. We need to spend more time on research and less on trying every little thing anyone can think of.”

  “Does something like this not help with research?” Algernon pointed to the bone.

  Father twitched his mouth like he wanted to argue. “Yes, it can. That’s not the point, son. The point is, I don’t want you dragged into this without understanding what it is. Because the trouble with trying to achieve immortality is it costs lives. Usually not the ones you expect.

  “I’ve been resisting this piece of the project because it takes me away from you and your mother. Right now, we’re stuck here, so that concern is lessened, but it’s still there. This is still work, and it still takes my time and energy away from you both.”

  Algernon frowned. “But you travel with Mother all the time. You don’t see me that much.”

  “Lately, yes.” Father rubbed his eyes. “It looks like everything we left to handle this time was Miru’s doing. He attacked two of your grandmother’s ships to get our attention. It worked. But you know that’s unusual.”

  Shrugging, Algernon considered what he knew of Miru. The man had sent people to kidnap Algernon and his grandmother.

  He wanted the healing ring. But anyone would want that.

  “What does Miru really want? Is it just the ring? Did he only mean to use me as leverage to get it?”

  Father squeezed Algernon’s shoulder. “I’m fairly certain he only sees you as leverage, yes. If he ever got his hands on you, though, he’d discover what you’re capable of. At that point, he’d want much more from you. Let’s not allow that to happen. Don’t let him touch you. Avoid him whenever possible.

  “As to what he wants? He’s made quite clear that he’d like your mother and me to make several more rings for him. Which we aren’t willing to do. Not for someone with so few scruples.”

  Algernon nodded. “Does Braylen want you to make more rings?”

  “Not exactly.” Father twitched his mouth with indecision. “I don’t know if I should tell you the specifics.”

  “I won’t tell anyone.”

  “That’s not what I’m worried about.” Father shook his head. “I suppose you’ll find out eventually. He wants us to try to recreate it as an enchantment on a person, more or less. You can lose a ring, after all. But it’s not possible, as far as I know.”

  Holding up the rib bone, Father glanced at Algernon. “I want you to think carefully before agreeing to do anything for Braylen. Not because I think he’ll ask you to do something wrong. He’s a good man. Because he’ll convince you to give everything and then ask for more. You have to know your limits and stick to them.”

  “Yes, Father.” Algernon leaned into his father’s warmth. “I was thinking about going back into the catacombs to see if I can find more magically infused bones. Should I bring them to you instead of him?”

  Father crinkled his forehead. “Did you hear anything I just told you?”

  Algernon shrugged. “It’s just collecting bones. Whether you use them or not is up to you.”

  After a pause long enough to make Algernon question his word choice, Father said, “I suppose it’s safe enough to go down there as long as you don’t venture too deep. The enchantments on this sanctuary don’t extend through the entire crypt. Yes, bring them to me.”

  For one wild moment, Algernon considered telling his father about his nightmare. If he did, he’d admit he lost control in his sleep. Then he’d have to explain how he killed those people.

  “Just make sure you take your time and get enough to eat before you go back there.” Father patted Algernon’s shoulder as he stood. “And plan to have dinner with us.” He gave directions to his lab and left.

  Fresh silence pressed on Algernon, goading him to do something.

  He should’ve confessed his sins.

  He couldn’t confess his sins.

  Algernon fled the room and its mute accusations drenched in a memory of illusory blood. He passed Miru in the hall and ignored the man’s greeting.

  Miru belonged in the catacomb, condemned to a criminal’s burial out of the Creator’s grace. He’d orchestrated all of this. The blame belonged to him.

  The shame belonged to Algernon.

  He hurried down the stairs and used the key to open the squeaky gate. His light took a few moments to conjure. Shifting his perception and blocking out his apple scent required another few moments to accomplish.

  Ready for anything, he plunged into the chamber, this time turning right. Like the other side, it followed a repeating U-shape and held several empty sections before he discovered any skeletons.

  That smoky scent drew him deeper into the catacombs. Though he felt no boundary or other marker, a shiver crawled across his body.

  The air had chilled more than expected. If he came again, he’d wear a cloak or a heavier coat.

  Had he pressed too deep? No, surely he would smell the difference if he’d crossed out of the sanctuary.

  He noticed no other scents at all, in fact. Braylen had suggested Algernon would find several magical signatures among the bones. Maybe he had only guessed.

  Maybe Braylen knew more about the corpses than he’d said.

  No, on second thought, Algernon had every reason to believe Braylen knew a great deal about these skeletons and their lives.

  Algernon knew his abilities needed more practice and honing. Braylen might have offered this activity as much to give him a chance to work on his detection capability as to find useful bones.

  Braylen had, after all, asked about Algernon’s abilities. He and his father had answered honestly.

  With this thought, Algernon slowed his steps. He scanned each group of niches before moving on.

  Tiny fingers of odd little smells poked around the edges of his ability to sense them. One reminded him of apples, except cooked. Another suggested rotting meat. More flickered with sweat, oil, salt, or old fish.

  As he passed one niche, he plucked a knuckle bone smelling of brine and kept going. The smaller scents probably had less magic. He’d need several to equal his earlier find.

  He turned a corner with the smoke smell strong and clear to discover a mass of shadow in a vague person-like shape.

  It writhed in the air above a skeleton as if the soul tried and failed to break free of the bones.

  The shadow turned its head.

  Bones danced, making a much louder version of the crackling noise he’d heard before. Without distance to muffle it, the sound reminded him less of crumpling paper and more of death.

  Nothing he’d ever heard or seen had prepared Algernon to face this thing. He had no word to apply to it.

  This skeleton had an animate shadow.

  Impossible.

  “Look at that,” Miru said with breathless greed.

  Algernon jumped with a squeak and hit the niches behind him. His pulse thundered in his ears and he gasped for breath.

  He hadn’t heard anyone or anything other than the shadow’s scraping bones.

  Miru snorted. “Imagine you, a pathetic little boy, besting my people. Your grandmother probably did all the work.”

  No, she hadn’t. He wished she had. “I killed them,” Algernon blurted.

  “Did you?” Miru seemed so calm, confident, and smug. “I guess you’re not as stupid as you look. Do you know what that is?” He pointed at the shadow.

  Stupid. Miru considered him stupid.

  Though he’d defeated those people in his home partially because they’d underestimated
him, the label rankled.

  “I’ll take your adorable little pout concealing terror and rage as a no.” Miru pointed at the shadow again. “That’s the product of hubris, kid.”

  His stomach churning, Algernon turned to leave. He had one bone already.

  “I don’t think so.” Miru threw out an arm and caught Algernon before he could take more than a step. “We’re not leaving yet, Algernon.”

  “Let go.” Algernon wriggled to break free.

  “Not going to happen. Might as well relax and stop wasting your effort.”

  Algernon’s pulse throbbed at the base of his skull. “But the sanctuary prevents this. You can’t do anything to me.”

  Miru laughed, dark and dangerous. “This isn’t the sanctuary.”

  Panic flushed down Algernon’s spine. He’d felt safe. The sanctuary protected him. His parents and Satiuz Braylen protected him.

  Without realizing it, he’d wandered outside the sanctuary.

  That shiver.

  Braylen should’ve warned him.

  Father should’ve done a better job of warning him.

  What did it mean that neither had?

  “What do you want?” Algernon tried to speak normally but his voice failed to rise above a harsh whisper.

  Miru shrugged. “I was hired to do a job. Getting you and your parents to come here almost finished it. Not quite, but almost.”

  Someone had hired Miru to bring Algernon and his family to the sanctuary? Who? Why?

  “I thought I’d have to plot and plan to set up the last part. I thought it would take a while.” Miru chuckled. “Who knew you’d set yourself up within a day of arriving? Not me. But I’m not one to ignore an opportunity when it walks up and dances for me.”

  Algernon wanted to breathe, to flee, to fight but his body refused. He stood too close to Miru in a frozen panic. “What are you talking about?”

  Miru nodded at the shadow and its skeleton. “You came here for bones. Be a good dog and fetch the bone.”

  “I’m not touching that!” Algernon scurried backward and pulled his hands close to his body. He pressed against Miru’s grip.

  “Look at the big, bad killer here.” Miru snorted. “Sure, you took them all down yourself.”

  “I did! It’s giving me nightmares.”

  “Isn’t that cute? Nightmares. Are they just endless streams of dead puppies?” Miru held up a short, thin blade. “Get the bone or I slide this between your ribs.”

  Algernon froze, staring at the knife. “Why?”

  “I told you, Algernon. I have a job to do. Quit stalling and do yours.” He shoved Algernon toward the shadow.

  The shadow shifted, scraping the bones against the stone. Moaning grew from nothing to a deafening, piteous mewl then receded again.

  Recoiling from the sound, Algernon tentatively reached his hand toward the skeleton. When the shadow failed to react, he took a tiny step closer.

  With his hand only a few inches from the niche, he shook his head. “I can’t tell which bone it is,” he whined.

  “It’s the femur closest to you.”

  The shadow clung to the bigger bones with threads of darkness. “What if the shadow comes with it?”

  “Then I guess you get a new pet to hand over to your daddy.”

  Mention of his father reminded Algernon of his father’s gift. Miru’s knife would hurt, but it wouldn’t kill him.

  Algernon gulped and weighed his options.

  Letting Miru stab him sounded horrible. Interacting with an unknown shadow thing sounded horrible too.

  He glanced at Miru. “Will you at least tell me what it is?”

  Miru smirked at him. “Haven’t they told you anything, kid? These people are trying to live forever. That doesn’t come free.”

  How did Miru know about that? Father had made it sound secretive, like something not to tell strangers.

  Father had also warned him to avoid Miru.

  “You should see the look on your face.” Miru huffed a laugh. “Someone told you that much already, but they skipped the details. Get the bone and I’ll fill you in on the stuff they don’t want you to know.”

  The allure of forbidden knowledge tempted him. Algernon nodded and faced the shadow again.

  He ducked and held his head as far from the skeleton as possible. With a sharp, quick snap of his arm, he shoved his hand into the niche, grabbed the bone, and yanked it out.

  Bones and dust flew everywhere. The skeleton tumbled out of the niche with a clatter. Its shadow wailed and tore apart. Tiny shreds of darkness fluttered with the bones.

  Algernon skittered from the disaster. A shadow shard followed him, chasing the femur. He bumped into Miru.

  He should’ve run the other way.

  “Nice,” Miru hissed with glee. He wrapped a hand around Algernon’s neck and dragged him toward the gate. “Where’s the ring?”

  “You said you’d explain everything,” Algernon protested.

  Miru glanced over his shoulder with a grin. “Damn, are you gullible.” He stopped and pushed Algernon against the nearest niche.

  They’d reached the empty ones. Stone pressed against his back in a thick line.

  “But you know what? Despite your mom, an insufferable brat obsessed with fire, I like you. You’re not afraid to do whatever it takes. That’s one of my favorite qualities in a person.”

  Though Miru held him by the neck, Algernon could breathe. He held Miru’s arm out of reflex and frustration more than a serious need to make Miru stop.

  For the moment, Miru seemed willing to talk, and Algernon wanted to hear anything he had to say.

  The shadowy tatter fluttered around the femur like a confused bumblebee tethered to the bone. Where it bumped Algernon’s leg, it sent a tiny stab of frigid cold shooting through his flesh.

  Cocking his head to one side, Miru peered at Algernon. “Has anyone ever told you that your power center is really...strange? I’ll bet you have a hell of a time trying to control your magic.”

  No one had ever said any such thing to Algernon. And yes, he did have a hard time with control and finesse. “What do you mean?”

  “There’s something foreign all wrapped up in it. Would I ever love to strap you to a table and figure you out.”

  Algernon gulped at the growing thirst in Miru’s eyes. He groped for anything to distract the man. “Please tell me what the shadow is?”

  Miru raised an eyebrow. He let go of Algernon’s neck and grabbed his arm instead to raise the femur. “This thing?” He flicked the shadow with his knife.

  The blade passed through the darkness causing no apparent harm to either.

  He rolled his eyes. “They’re flinging around magic of all kinds. Can you imagine the arrogance of experimenting with death magic while knowingly standing over a mass grave? Stupid crap like this happens when you’re too focused on your own thing to see the bigger picture.”

  Algernon rubbed his neck. “What’s the bigger picture?”

  “The basics, kid. Causes have effects. Actions have reactions. You can’t make something from nothing. There’s always a price to pay.” Miru snared Algernon’s shoulder and shoved him forward without following as if he meant to release Algernon and linger in the catacombs. “Didn’t grandma teach you any of that?”

  Sharp pain lanced through Algernon’s lower back in a tiny pinprick near his spine.

  “Tell your mommy that no one makes a fool of me.” Miru held up two objects. In one hand, he dangled the key for the gate as if to tempt Algernon into a fight. The other held his thin knife, slick with blood.

  Algernon’s blood.

  “Now go run to daddy,” Miru taunted in a dark, low murmur. “He’ll make it all better.”

  The pain doubled for having seen his blood. Algernon staggered from Miru. Yes, he needed his father, the healer.

  Even more, he needed to do something to Miru. The idea of having to live in the same place with Miru after this burned his blood.

  Killing t
hose people had made him sick.

  To himself, surrounded by unfeeling stone and empty dirt, bleeding from a wound he doubted could kill him, he could admit they’d deserved it. Those people had earned their deaths.

  Deaths not slow and painful enough to repay the misery and suffering they’d caused.

  Outside of the sanctuary, they could fight. Algernon could attack this despicable man who’d sent terrible people after him.

  He wished he had a blade.

  “I see what you’re thinking,” Miru said as he flicked his blade to the side.

  Algernon’s blood spattered on the stone and the dirt.

  “You’re just a kid.” He examined the blade, giving the impression of ignoring Algernon. “I taught your mommy how to use magic properly, boy. She was a—”

  Algernon had one trick he’d learned to use well enough. It had saved his life against two of those terrible people who’d taken his home.

  With a flick of his wrist, a cord shot from his hand to slap Miru in the face and wrap around his body.

  Miru squawked. He flung the knife at Algernon.

  Algernon shifted to the side enough to avoid the blade, though it stung the tip of his partially pointed ear. He tugged on his cord.

  Miru fell. He grunted.

  The blade slammed into Algernon’s back, this time burying itself in his shoulder.

  Surprise. Pain. Rage.

  He hated Miru for scaring him. For stabbing him. For sending those people to kidnap him. For almost getting his grandmother killed. For harassing his parents. For causing the destruction of his home.

  Most of all, he hated that stupid smug smile on the man’s face.

  Like magic always did, the cord spiraled out of Algernon’s control. Power flowed from him, lighting the cord on fire.

  Without thinking, Algernon yanked on the cord, trying to release it.

  The cord sliced through Miru’s flesh. It cut him into pieces and filled the air with the stench of burning meat.

  Algernon froze. His head filled with static.