Guardians Of Magic: The Revelations of Oriceran (The Leira Chronicles Book 8)

by Martha Carr

  “Then where are we going where no one would notice?”

  “There…” Leira pointed to the Starbucks still a block away. “Our way to get to Chicago and this time without the long drive. That coffee shop is like the magical community’s version of a bus stop. Finally, an answer to why we needed a Starbucks every few blocks. I have it on good authority the whole thing is owned by a Wizarding family. Apparently, Seattle is a hub for that kind of thing.”

  “I’m surprised I didn’t know more about this. I know everything about the kemanas and the cities.”

  Leira looked both ways and didn’t see a car coming as she scooted across against the light with Correk in tow behind her. “Lacey said the transit system is hush, hush. Those are her exact words. It’s more vulnerable to sabotage and too many dark players are out there. The whole thing is covered in spells and there are absolutely no humans allowed. They can’t even touch anything without going poof!” Leira threw her hands up in the air as they got to the door of the Starbucks.

  “Poof… you know, we could make all of this simpler and take a portal. I’ve learned a few new things from Turner’s books.”

  “No portals on Earth. It’s too risky, especially when there’s something cool that will get us there in just about the same amount of time without the threat of eternally hanging in Jello. Oooh, I’m getting coffee before we head out.”

  “Get me that lemon cake and a grande cappuccino with a half shot of caramel and soy milk.”

  Leira turned around and gave him a pained look. “How do you even know all of that? I’m getting you black coffee and you can add cream if you want. Okay, the lemon cake as well but only because we’re hitting the road.” The line moved forward quickly. “I thought I’d miss Hagan more but it’s like having his soul mate along with me. I appreciate that the Universe saw fit to fill the void.”

  “What’ll it be?” A frazzled young woman looked up as Correk leaned in and said quickly, “a grande cappuccino with a half shot of caramel and soy milk and a piece of that lemon cake.”

  Leira gave them both a dead fish look. “A large black coffee for me.”

  “Name?”

  “Correk.”

  “Are you paying for it too?” Leira pulled out her wallet from her purse and dug around for her credit card.

  They went and waited with the crowd of students and people on their way to work, easily blending in with the crowd around them.

  “Check out the beings around us…” whispered Correk, leaning toward Leira.

  “Your breath smells faintly of burnt Cheetos. You eating your feelings today?”

  “I ate the last of my supply looking through one of those spell books. Accidentally started a small fire in Turner’s trash can. Minor issue. Nothing important was harmed. Take a better look around.” He gave Leira a nudge as she let the smallest amount of magic flow through her and saw the energy light up, dotting the crowd all around her. It was an even mix. A Wood Elf right next to her sensed Leira’s energy and gave her a wink. “How you doin?”

  Leira frowned and shook her head but before she could answer a young man in a green apron came and set two cups down with a slice of cake wrapped in wax paper.

  “Core Ick? Your order’s up.”

  Leira slid through the crowd, stepping in front of a large woman with a feather boa around her neck and a backpack full of books. Leira saw the tip of a pecan wood wand poking out between her books.

  “Core Ick?” asked the young man. “Cool name. Sounds like a band.”

  Leira pressed her lips together and grabbed the coffee, handing Correk’s cup back to him, with the cake balanced on top of the lid. “Thanks,” she said, taking Correk by the arm and leading him toward the restrooms.

  “Please tell me the entrance isn’t in the bathroom. We’re not getting flushed down something? If you say yes, I’m opening a portal and leaving without you.” Correk slipped the wrapped cake in his pocket and sipped the hot cappuccino as he looked around for another door.

  “I can see we dipped into the Harry Potter of it all somewhere in your past. This isn’t a fairytale, and no one gets flushed. If you’d relax you’d see where we’re going.” Leira took a deep breath as the cement block wall at the end of the narrow hall became wavy lines and a woman standing by the ladies room door looked right through them, no longer able to see them as a spritz of chocolate filled the air.

  Leira pulled Correk toward the wall just beyond the bathrooms and kept walking without pausing, heading right into the wall. Correk suddenly got a strong whiff of chocolate as they slipped through to the other side. “Not at all what I expected the bathrooms to smell like. Not bad…”

  Leira rolled her eyes as she pulled him through. “There’s a glamour there that keeps out the humans. Feels like a solid wall to them. It even puts out a mist that erases what they see or hear by the bathrooms so no one’s ever seen vanishing into thin air. Probably for the best by a bathroom where everyone’s drinking coffee.”

  “That smell of chocolate.” Correk looked around at the cavernous opening and the commuters hustling to get to different parts of the globe. Different Elves, Witches and Gnomes rushed past him clutching children’s hands or briefcases or shopping bags as they climbed stairs to even higher tracks, or descended down a maze of stairs into the depths below.

  In the distance were another set of stairs heading in every direction with lines of commuters heading up the stairs to a different Starbucks just a few blocks away, always near a train or bus line.

  Leira took a sidelong glance at Correk, giving him a crooked smile. “You know, for once it’s kind of nice to see you in awe at anything magical. I didn’t even know that was possible. You’re having a time with magic this week, aren’t you? Blowing things up, setting things on fire and finding out there was still a lot left to learn.”

  Correk’s head was tilted back and he was looking up at the artificial blue sky and clouds passing overhead giving everything a much cheerier facade. “Reminds me of the post office back home.” He turned around and was startled to see a stand selling newspapers, magazines and candy in an alcove where the Starbucks had been on the other side.

  “Yeah, I don’t get that whole time and space thing with that one, either,” said Leira. “I’ve just decided to let some of this go for now. Maybe one of Turner’s books will explain it to you. Come on, these steps take a while and you’re in the way.” Leira pulled Correk toward the staircase as more commuters continued to come in and stream around them, some of them giving Leira a dirty look or a loud ‘tsk’ as they hurried on to their destination.

  They fell into line behind a tall, lanky Wizard who was wearing pants that left his ankles bare and a jacket that ended just before his wrists. They went down two twisting flights as the Wizard made a left turn and headed off in another direction and they found themselves behind a small Gnome woman wearing purple Crocs and jeans, carrying a large HEB shopping bag, muttering to herself the entire way.

  “If I don’t get home by lunchtime, I won’t get the roast in the oven on time. If that doesn’t happen dinner won’t start on time and then the presentation will have to wait. Oh, bother. Maybe if I take the number two line I’ll get home a little faster. But then I’ll have to walk a few extra blocks. Of course, I could use just a teensy amount of magic and move the roast along a little faster. Who would know? What’s the harm?” The small Gnome realized she was talking too loud about using magic and looked up suspiciously to see who was around her, smiling at Correk even as she continued to nimbly descend the stairs. They all got to a juncture with a sign pointing to the right that had a large red two on it and another pointing to the left with a blue B on it. The Gnome hesitated but only for a moment before rushing off to the right.

  Leira took Correk by the hand and pulled him further down the stairs.

  “How do you know your way so well?” He looked over the edge at the open space on every side of the stairs. “What is holding up everything?” Everywhere he looked wer
e different staircases and walkways humming with activity but no signs of a berm or a wall or even a beam stretching into the darkness.

  “Full of questions. Lacey Trader gave me a map. Those other routes are headed to other places,” Leira said over her shoulder. “Some of them cross oceans and go under mountains.” Leira was easily taking the stairs, keeping in time with the other fast-moving commuters. “All of it was created the last time the gates were open and kept hidden all this time. Look, there’s where we’re headed.”

  At the bottom was a string of rail cars all polished and shiny with the number 58 painted in gold on the side, shimmering and vibrating. They took the remaining steps down as Leira hurried toward the rail car and grabbed the last seat, holding a place for Correk. Commuters crowded in until even the aisles were packed.

  “Do you mind?” A short, round older Gnome with a brushy brown moustache rested his briefcase by Correk’s feet and pulled out his hat and gloves, putting them on. “Might as well get ready,” he said, smiling.

  Correk leaned toward Leira. “Tell me again why we needed to meet with Lacey in person and a phone call wouldn’t do?”

  “I would have preferred that too. Mom’s bridal shower is tomorrow and there’s a few things left to do. But Lacey Trader thinks there may be traitors among the ranks. She’s not sure but she wonders if someone is feeding the old families bits of information. Everyone is related to everyone else somehow, anyway. The old families have filtered into a lot of places over the years.”

  “Like the phones, I take it.”

  “Or worse and would it be that hard to use a little magic to listen in when you wanted to? Lacey has made it a new policy that she won’t say anything outside of the walls of the Silver Griffins headquarters where the spells can ward off eavesdroppers.” Leira leaned forward to get a better look at the Gnome whose face was level with Correk’s. The Gnome gave Leira a nod and held onto the pole as the train gave off a loud thrust of steam and started moving forward, pressing Leira back against the seat. Everyone in the aisles braced themselves and leaned against the poles or the seats, familiar with the lurch. All of it was a routine part of their day.

  “How the rail cars work is another mystery to me since there’s no engine as far as I can tell.” Leira looked out the windows on the side at the landscape passing by in a blur.

  “This entire rail car is an artifact, I imagine, or running off a crystal from a nearby kemana or both.” Correk leaned as far as he could toward Leira, turning away from the Gnome.

  “You think anyone knows you’re the new Fixer?” whispered Leira. “It’s like you’re a celebrity in these parts.”

  “No, I don’t and today’s not the day to tell them. Let me figure out how to do a tenth of the spells in those books without leaving burn marks and then I can hand out business cards.”

  “Very old school of you. Pretty sure the native population does that over their phones now. You think they get reception down here?”

  The rail car started to slow as everyone leaned forward and steam surrounded the car.

  “That was no time at all. Not sure I like it as much. No reason to bring along snacks.” Correk waited for some of the passengers in the aisle to move out before he stood up.

  Leira followed him out, easily falling in line again with the commuters. “Granted, not much of a road trip. Come on, we have another hike up the stairs.”

  The lines of commuters heading up the stairs moved along at a steady pace as an Elf waved to a friend heading down the stairs, a delighted smile on her face. “Kerry! Kerry, hi! What are the odds?” she shouted. Kerry looked up and waved a mittened hand back, even as she continued down the stairs.

  Beings peeled off at different levels, heading to catch a different rail car or to come up at a different Starbucks as Leira and Correk continued to climb.

  Close to the top Leira watched a Wizard in a puffy jacket deftly reach into the back pocket of a balding Wizard in a green coat right in front of him, sliding out a wallet with two fingers. Leira shoved the Witch in front of her gently to the side and pushed her way to the Wizard, tightly grabbing him by the elbow. Correk wound his way up just behind her.

  Feels good to grab a petty thief for once. She squeezed his arm hard enough to get a squeal as he dropped the wallet.

  “Hey, that’s mine!” The balding Wizard reached down to retrieve his wallet as the entire, snaking line came to a halt and everyone leaned over the sides to get a better look at what was slowing down their ascent. Correk heard the grumbling behind him and turned around to give a cold, hard stare to the offenders who quickly looked away. This is not going to go like Leira thinks it will. He looked at the turned faces. But, they understand. A short stay in Trevilsom.

  “You and I are going to become fast friends,” said Leira, keeping her grip on the man’s arm.

  “No need,” said an older, round Witch in glasses who appeared by her side, pushing her way through the crowd. “I’ll take it from here.” The Witch showed her badge with two silver-colored Griffins intertwined as the thief’s face became ashen. “You were warned, Boris. Come on.” Stairs just to the right began to light up as the Witch made her way with Boris, pulling him out of the crowd.

  “Okay, now I’m not sure I did the right thing.” Leira watched the two disappear into the distance as everyone commenced climbing the stairs again.

  “The Silver Griffins don’t brook with any kind of criminal behavior, but they’ll be fair.”

  “I’m not sure we’d define fair the same way.”

  “You’re probably right. They’ve never been known for just giving someone a ticket.”

  “Come on, we’re at our destination,” said Leira, still looking back.

  Correk took Leira by the elbow, steering her away from some grumbling commuters. At the top they were met by a Witch who walked them through a different exit from everyone flowing around them and Leira felt the same pull through the darkness as it gradually gave way to the light and she was back in the same paneled room.

  Correk watched Leira step through the passageway before stepping back and making his way through the Starbucks and out to the street where he saw the Witch dragging a wilted Boris toward a minivan for transport. The cold spring Chicago wind whipped at his face.

  “No time like the present to try out a spell,” he muttered. “Luci tenebras. Dimittas.” Correk’s eyes glowed momentarily as he bent his thumb and forefinger into a square. Fog seeped out of the ground filling the air on one side of the street. The Witch looked back startled to realize she wasn’t holding anything anymore and Boris was nowhere in sight. The witch removed her glasses, wiping off the dampness from the sudden fog, peering into the gray cloud. “Well of all the…”

  Correk led Boris away from the fog, toward the Red Line stop, pulling him out of the isolated fog. “You get what I’m guessing is a fifth or sixth chance, Boris. Don’t waste it. Call this number if you want to stay out of trouble and find real work. They’ll help you.” Correk pressed a card into Boris’ palm with the number of a network Turner Underwood created a long time ago to help magical beings.

  He gave Boris a shove toward the subway stairs. “Hurry…” Boris hesitated, his mouth open and clutching the card but he got his wits about him and took off at a run. Correk turned and walked back into the thick fog as it parted to either side for him and he easily found his way back to the Starbucks. He paused at the back wall, letting himself relax and watched the wall dissolve and the scent of chocolate filled the air. He walked through and took a sharp left toward the door Leira went through and opened it, looking into the darkness. “I suppose this is what Turner meant. Be the calm. Rule number one of being a Fixer.” He stepped forward, enveloped by the darkness as the door shut behind him. Be the calm.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Correk emerged into the light just as Leira was turning around to go back for him. She recognized the look on his face. It was the same one Hagan gave her every time he needed her to have his back and ask
questions later. Leira turned back and rested her hands on her hips, as Correk came and stood by her side.

  Turner Underwood was waiting for them, sitting in a brown leather upholstered wingback chair. It was brought in from another room especially for him. Age has its privileges. Lacey was sitting behind her desk, a plate of cookies between the two of them.

  “Coffee is coming,” said Lacey. “Have a seat. We can get started. Everyone knows each other here so we can skip the formalities. There’s no time these days, anyway for all the niceties. The wizarding families had a meeting that was mandatory attendance. All the old lines were there, of course. The consequences of being a no-show make the Silver Griffins look mild-mannered.”

  Leira gave a sidelong glance to Correk as she took a mug of coffee from the Witch who came into the room carrying a tray.

  Turner lifted his shaggy head, his hands resting on his cane and cleared his throat before speaking. “It was quite the performance… I hear. Fortunately, we have a few spies of our own who are willing to serve the greater good. Or at least the side that isn’t interested in pummeling humanity into submission. But we needed you both here for a reason.” Turner looked at Leira with a patient, kind smile.

  Leira sat back in the hard wooden chair, her hands wrapped around the mug, the bracelet sliding down her wrist. This isn’t going to be good.

  “Their star attraction for the meetup wasn’t even invited.” Turner tapped his cane softly against the floor. “That would be you, Leira. Your name and face were taught to every attendee. They see you as their greatest threat to securing their power.”

  “Not to sound braggy but that’s not news, exactly. That Wizard who got dragged to the other side… he’s one of their own, isn’t he?”

  “He was the head of the entire network. Their leader of many years and thought to be invincible… till you.”

  “He must have told the families about me. He already had a bee in his bonnet about me before the world in between made him its bitch. How does this change things?”