by R A Lindo
“We’re lucky,” I say, leaning into Conrad for a hug. “Lucky to have all this.”
“Amazingly lucky,” Conrad adds, “and I’m lucky to have you.”
“I know,” I reply with a flirtatious smile, getting the expected laugh from Conrad. “Let’s end the night with a race — get Noah’s blood boiling in a different way.”
Conrad laughs again, placing an arm around my waist as he calls over to Noah and Lucy. “Last one back to Founders’ Quad has to check on Odin in The Velynx.”
That gets everyone moving — The Velynx located at the end of Quibbs Causeway where the Mantzils live: a place we can all navigate but never choose to. I mean, who wants a splitting headache for a week?
Conrad’s already in the air, dipping down to glide over the water, the claws of his Williynx touching the water. “Come on lover boy!” Conrad calls out to Noah, pleased his friend has snapped out of his moment of self-pity. “Night Rangers don’t rest! Unless you’ve missed the Mantzils, that is.”
That’s enough to kick Noah into action, following close behind Lucy as the four us form a line, gliding across the water running under The Sinking Bridge that glimmers in the evening light. I let out a yelp of laughter as Laieya joins in the fun, spinning me three times as she rises higher, trying to get ahead of Conrad who responds by going under water on Erivan, reappearing way ahead of us.
“Cheating!” Noah calls out, his purple suit jacket whipping in the wind, soft flakes of snow falling over his hair and clothes.
The old Noah’s back now, singing whilst patting his fire-red companion into furious flight: a friend appreciating another form of love.
A few weeks pass until we reach the day mum mentioned on my last visit: Jacob’s birthday. I promised I’d be there and Jacob’s reminded me of it loads of times. My brother’s been there more for me more than anyone else in my life, so I’m not going to miss his birthday although how it’s going to play out at mum’s is another question.
It’s Jacob’s idea to have his birthday party at mum’s — a chance to rebuild a bond that I still think is permanently broken. I’m less forgiving than my brother, believing some sins are unforgivable. Either way, today’s not about me so I collect the present and card from my bed, preparing to meet Conrad on the ground floor of The Cendryll.
Thoughts on family always send me into a bit of a spin, so I’ve spent the morning on the fourth floor, preparing myself for a return to the twisted building on the margins of Society Square. Returning there always makes me think of Isiah Renn and the sacrifices he made for the Society, including leaving his house to mum — not something she necessarily deserves.
The expected sound comes from my bedside table, my Scribberal signalling new communication. A Scribberal is the main communication device in the Society: a silver container you receive notes and letters in. It’s a secure way of keeping things in house, meaning no above-ground trickery can access any communication travelling within our secret world.
I lift the lid of the Scribberal to see the note from Jacob. We’re waiting by The Seating Station the note reads. It’s Jacob’s way of saying ‘hurry up’ so I check my hair in the mirror and leave the bedroom, heading for the ground floor.
“Ready?” Jacob asks, meeting me by the lift with Conrad.
I decided taking the spiral staircase would probably lead to a lot of polite hellos, making me even later — not the best start to your brother’s birthday.
“Yep.”
“What’s the present?” Jacob asks with a smile, no longer wearing the tie required for teaching duties.
He’s asked Farraday to look after his class: a scarred Society legend with more magic in his little finger than most have in their entire repertoire. I’ve got a soft spot for Farraday: the man who trained me and saved my life on more than one occasion.
“Are we staying long?” I ask.
“Guppy,” comes Conrad’s reply.
“Let’s just enjoy the day, okay?” Jacob adds, his tired expression suggesting the challenges his class is posing.
He needs my support so I park my self-centred concerns, linking arms with my brother. I offer him a smile as the three of us head towards the closest Perium, situated behind The Seating Station. We’ll be at mum’s in less than five minutes.
My mum is more engaging on this visit, clearly going to a lot of effort to make Jacob feel special. She’s made a lot of mistakes but I know I need to get over this, learning that judging every mistake people make forces you to look at your own flaws, and I’ve got plenty.
The presents remain on the kitchen table, bringing a smile to my face every time Jacob glances at them. His attention is always on the needs of others, even on his birthday. He checks in on Conrad, offering him more cake and Jysyn Juice, only stopping when I give him a look.
He’s the kindest person I know, finally the focus of a birthday party without tension or resentment: a unique experience in the Grayling household.
“Are you going to open your presents?” mum asks as she cuts more cake — a vision of maternal attentiveness that gives me hope for the future.
“When I get home,” Jacob replies, referring to his fifth-floor quarters in The Cendryll.
“You can’t open them when you get home,” I challenge. “We need to watch; it’s part of the fun.”
“Just in case you don’t like mine, Guppy chose it,” Conrad adds with a mischievous look in my direction.
“I’m sure I’ll love them all,” Jacob replies, finally relenting and reaching for the presents.
The rule on presents is no magic: one of the few situations where the above-ground world triumphs. It’s not much fun getting an artefact or a book on charms: things we see every day. Presents are meant to be novel — unique and unexpected — so the most boring, ordinary presents are the best ones.
Jacob opens my present first, building up the tension as he unwraps the box in slow motion. “I bet it’s a watch,” he says, smiling in anticipation. “A bracelet …”
He inspects the bracelet, making sure I haven’t broken the no-magic rule, which I haven’t. It’s an ordinary silver bracelet except for one thing: the photograph hidden in the small compartment you click open. Jacob works this out after a few seconds, taking care to work the compartment open — his expression softening at the sight of the photograph inside. “It’s perfect,” he says, staring at the photo until mum asks to have a look at the bracelet.
The tiny photograph is of the three of us — Jacob, mum and me — sitting in the above-ground house we lived in until I was thirteen. It’s a picture I’ve kept all these years, keeping it hidden away in various drawers. I thought Jacob’s birthday was a perfect time to get it back out, fixing it in a place where it would always be visited.
Mum studies the photo in silence, running a finger over it as if she’s struggling to recognise herself. It’s where we once were and are struggling to return to, but if Jacob’s willing to try so should I.
Conrad watches the intimate moment, probably thinking of a family he no longer has: a constant reminder to be thankful for what I’ve got. As I help Jacob to put the bracelet on, mum goes into the kitchen to make more tea, thanking us for coming as she does: a step in the right direction.
With presents opened and the kitchen table cleared, a few games are played until mum and Jacob start to fade, leading us to say our goodbyes as the afternoon sun rests on the horizon. Cympgus’ will transport us back to The Cendryll, although Conrad seems set on a different idea.
“I’ll leave you here,” Jacob says, offering hugs as he utters ‘Whereabouts’ to generate a portal Perium. “Thanks for the presents and drop by more often: the students love seeing you.”
“What about tomorrow?” Conrad offers. “Round Two of Rucklz.”
“You’re on,” Jacob replies as he walks up the glowing steps, vanishing into thin air.
With Jacob on the way back to The Cendryll, Conrad turns to me with a familiar look of mischief in his eyes.
“What look?” he replies as he generates his own Cympgus: a glittering bridge stretching ahead of us. “I say we see where the bridge leads, and leave Noah and Lucy to the night ranging later. You never know, it might help Lucy to express her feelings for Noah.”
I smile at the idea of another day of discovery with Conrad, hoping our friends find something more than shifty witches and wizards on their evening travels. You can’t force love but there’s nothing wrong with giving it a helping hand, and I think Lucy will appreciate the alone time with Noah.
We’ll also need to track down Neve Blin soon but that can wait for another day, so I park thoughts of dangerous Domitus and take Conrad’s hand, stepping onto the shimmering bridge, stretching as far as the eye can see — ready to transport us to wherever our hearts desire.
Teaser Chapter Book 2
Merrymopes milkshake and ice cream parlour rests quietly in the evening light. We’re preparing to start night duties on the track of Neve Blin, the reason we’re here instead of Pat’s Caff — the usual meeting point for Night Rangers. Noah’s got himself embroiled in another bet, throwing more Kyals at the likely hiding place of Neve Blin.
Rumour has it the Ex Domitus is holed up in The Royisin Heights, blending into the underground world there with the help of a disfigurement charm. Conrad isn’t arguing that Neve isn’t there; his bet is that she won’t be when we finally catch up with her.
I don’t care either way and, thankfully, neither does Lucy, rolling her eyes at me as Noah and Conrad argue on the stake they’re willing to bet, deciding on arm wrestling contest to decide. It looks like we’re in for a long night.
We don’t usually meet up here but I suggested it, thinking it might give Lucy and Noah more time to talk Conrad says I need to tread carefully, suggesting if I force things between them it could break up our Night Ranger crew. Treading carefully isn’t my forte so I see this as a perfect opportunity to improve.
The Merrymope twins who run the place are parked away on the upper floors of a building as colourful as its owners — red and white running along the walls and furniture. Like Pat’s Caff, Merrymopes has normal hours and Night Ranger hours: a welcome dose of tranquillity for the exhausted society soldier.
The four of us sit in the private booth sectioned off from the main customer area, out of the sight of prying eyes. Now, it’s just a case of passing the time before duty calls, taking us to The Royisin Heights.
With the arm wrestling in full swing, I study my Follygrin, hoping to catch sight of Neve Blin, but she’s mastered whatever disguise she’s using. Closing the Follygrin, I ask Lucy how things are in The Leverin — the faculty she and Noah are based in — getting friendly but brief answers.
Lucy’s been unusually quiet recently, probably due to her hidden feelings for Noah. Not as hidden as they once were after Zoe Tallis brought the first tinges of jealously to the fore. Lucy’s pretty and funny but a bit of a mystery in the romantic realm of things. I wasn’t sure she even liked boys until Noah finally got a date with Zoe Tallis.
We don’t talk about ‘the date’ although that hasn’t stopped us hanging out in Rebel’s Rest which opens until the early hours. Noah ignores Zoe when we’re there and the four of us avoid the topic altogether. There’s always something shady going to keep us occupied, meaning it doesn’t get awkward between Noah and Zoe.
With a pause in the boys’ arm wrestling, conversation returns to their bet
“You’ll be out of Kyals soon, the way you’re going on,” Conrad comments, finally winning the arm wrestle.
“Getting cold feet?” Noah prompts, spinning his Vaspyl in his hand.
The Vaspyl transforms from a small, silver horse to a candle for our table: a nice touch improved by Lucy’s utterance of ‘Flori’, adding flowers to the table.
“A romantic dinner for four,” Noah jokes, drawing laughter from us all.
Conrad sits alongside me in the leather booth, his right hand rubbing my lower back — a simple touch of intimacy that I appreciate. He’s attentive and handsome and very much my boy.
“So,” he says to Noah “you’re betting we definitely find Neve in The Royisin Heights?” Conrad asks again, concerned Noah’s getting hooked on betting on every eventuality.
“Yep. Where else is she going to go?”
“Anywhere she can hide,” Lucy counters, tapping her feet on the red-and-white striped floor.
“Then place your bets,” Noah encourages, brushing his floppy fringe away from his eyes.
“I can’t take any more money off you; it’s embarrassing,” Lucy teases.
“I’ll take the bet,” Conrad agrees, “but only if you don’t sulk when I win.”
“Deal,” Noah says with a smile, offering a handshake before he locks Conrad in another arm wrestle, the friends adding a touch of magic with the flight charm as the flowers wrap around their hands, lifting them off their feet.
Lucy rolls her eyes, trying to hide that fact her attention’s on Noah. He’s clearly the boy she wants and with Zoe Tallis is out of picture, she might just get her chance. I’m still thinking about how I should broach the subject of Noah with her, but Conrad’s warned me against it, reminding me that Noah’s one of his best friends and won’t thank me for it.
I say it’s worth a try, knowing how much better Night Ranging is when romance is added to the mix. I study Lucy out of the corner of my eye, watching as she adjusts the flower clip in her cropped, black hair: a pretty, pixie girl on a mission to capture more than malevs and Melackin.
She laughs at the sight of Conrad and Noah spinning in mid-air together, holding hands as if they’re perfecting a dance … an arm wrestle turning into a comedy act. Neve Blin returns to my thoughts as the morning moon rests above Society Square.
My money’s on her staying put in The Royisin Heights, probably regretting her choice of tempting us into a duel. Friendly duels are okay but our little fire fight in Drandok wasn’t of the friendly kind. No doubt, Neve will have something else up her sleeve when we finally track her down. I’ll have my own surprise ready — a little reminder of why I’m called The Fire Witch.
With Conrad and Noah over their mid-air wrestling match, we prepare to leave Merrymopes for The Royisin Heights. No door is needed to make this journey this morning, Merrymopes offering its own unique Perium to all Society realms. I place my penchant bracelet on the brass edge of the booth we’re sitting in, listening to the bell ringing on the counter.
It rings of its own accord again, causing the entire room to shudder as the red-and-white leather booth descends through the gap beneath our feet. Once we get lower, we see the familiar sight of a large, circular room revolving at speed.
The only other thing in the room is the brass barrier framing it, stopping people from getting injured when they mistime their jump. The Revolving Room is another wonder of the S.P.M.A., a unique Perium accessible to the chosen few.
I used it a lot in my early days when being an underage witch was more of a problem. Then, it was advisable to travel unseen, particularly if I wasn’t in the company of adults which was always the aim. Secret travel isn’t required now but I still like the thrill of certain Periums: The Revolving Room being one them.
The fun is in jumping on and staying on, the room spinning so quickly it’s easy to mistime your jump and be sent flying. There’s a way of slowing the room down, though, which is what Conrad does now by placing his penchant ring on the iron dock we’re standing on.
We time our jump as The Revolving Room gathers speed, making our way to the middle where a brass dial waits to transport us to our destination. Instead of doing this, we stay on longer than needed, laughing as the room tilts and throws us off balance. The Fixilia charm takes care of this, freezing us to the spot.
“The first person to move buys the Jysyn Juice tonight,” Conrad prompts, causing us to lock into Night Ranger mode: intense and still as The Revolving Room clatters in t
he surrounding space.
Even breathing’s uncomfortable when you use the Fixilia charm, making our ‘no moving’ game strangely sadistic, but a bit of pain is no burden for a Society soldier. We all remain perfectly still until The Revolving Room jolts suddenly, throwing Noah forwards with a yell of frustration.
“Every time!” he shouts, referring to his streak of bad luck on recent bets.
He can drown his sorrows with Jysyn Juice later. We’ve got a Domitus in hiding to track down.
“Let’s go,” I say, as we deactivate our Fixilia charms.
I reach for the brass dial in the centre of the spinning structure, dialling the required letters. Seconds later, the expected image forms in one of the doorways — the signal to move towards it and jump through: Night Rangers on a mission to end a duel with a Domitus once and for all.
About the Author
I’m the author of the Kaira Renn series and The Fire Witch Chronicles, both set in The Society for the Preservation of Magical Artefacts. (S.P.M.A.)
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Also by R.A. Lindo
The Fire Witch Chronicles
Shadow Strike: Book 2
Rising Fires: Book 3
Kaira Renn Series
The Rise of the Ameedis: A Fantasy Prequel
The Sign of the Symean: Kaira Renn Book 1
The Gilweean Gateway: Kaira Renn Book 2
The Legend of the Terrecet: Kaira Renn Book 3