Magic Born (16 page)

“
R
emember
, you have to maintain your element of surprise,” I told Alex. “Don’t stay too close. I’m pretty sure I can hold him off or at least distract him.”

“I know. I’ll let you handle yourself. At the same time you’re attacking him, I’ll leap on him from behind. He may be a sorcerer, but I’m pretty sure even sorcerers need their heads attached to their bodies.”

My stomach churned at the mention of what Alex would have to do, what I would have to see. In trying times, though, it was amazing what I was willing to stomach. “It’s five ’til eleven. You should get in position.”

Alex nodded and shifted. He ran to a spot we’d found earlier where he could crouch unseen behind some bushes. We didn’t have any realistic hope of winning a fight, and the element of surprise gave us the only edge we would have. Perhaps talking was really all Marcus wanted to do. Perhaps this was a giant misunderstanding. I had to hold on to any sliver of hope I could.

At exactly eleven o’clock, a man appeared on the horizon, walking toward me. My skin crawled when I saw him, and I knew this was the man who killed my mother. Long black hair was pulled up into a sloppy bun. Blue eyes focused on me with alarming intensity. He wore jeans and a green polo that looked brand new. In my mind, I’d expected something closer to the clothing Casper wore.

“Kat, how nice to finally meet you,” he said when he stopped five feet in front of me.

“I can’t say I feel the same.”

“Put your mind at ease. I am a wand-wielder, and as you can see, my wand is tucked safely away. I only wish to talk.”

The absence of a wand didn’t ease my mind. Casper had said Marcus was a sorcerer. I wouldn’t let him trick me into a false sense of security. “You’ll forgive me if I don’t take the word of a murderer.”

“Yes, that is the most sensible place to start, isn’t it? The unfortunate truth is that things did not have to go that way with your mother. Regrettably, we could not come to an agreement. I’m hoping you will be more reasonable. All I need is that necklace, and I’ll be on my way.”

“I may not know much, but I know this talisman is mine. It holds my magic and was bequeathed to me by my mother. You have no right to ask for it.”

“So I see a mage has been educating you. I had wondered where you got the cloaker device you’re using.”

I cursed myself for being such an idiot. He had no reason to believe that I’d been in contact with any mages. All he knew was that a panther shifter was protecting me. Knowledge is power, and I’d just given him a great deal. This was exactly why Casper had kicked me out: so I wouldn’t expose him and his operation. The best I could hope for now was that I didn’t reveal more than Marcus might have guessed.

“You know a shifter delivered the talisman to me. He also brought me a cloaker and taught me everything I know.”

“Ah, you mean the panther who’s hiding behind me?”

Alex sprang from his spot, but it was too late. In one swift motion, Marcus drew a wand and made short work of Alex, placing him under a binding spell. Then he held his arms out as if in surrender. “I don’t wish to hurt you, Kat. I merely wish to talk.”

I shot a torrent of ice arrows from my hands, but they didn’t even faze Marcus. With a flick of his wand, a protective shield appeared in front of him. I’d been counting on his distraction to hide the moment I disappeared. Too committed to the plan to change course now, I performed the concealment spell and ran to my left. Unless he had keen eyes, he wouldn’t be able to see me.

“Come now, Kat. That’s not going to solve anything. All I want is the talisman. Just give it to me, and I’ll leave you alone. I’ll even unbind this shifter boy for you. You’ve already proved quite willing to be agreeable when your friends are in jeopardy.”

I hadn’t anticipated Alex being a weakness, but it might have been better if he’d left me to do this on my own. I cast more ice arrows, my mind unable to recall another spell. Even coming at him from a completely different angle, Marcus easily blocked them.

“That’s all right, Kat, I can do this all day. I’m not so sure your friend will enjoy it.” A twist of his wrist and Alex let out a scream, a horrifying sound in his cat form.

“Stop!” I disengaged the concealment spell and revealed myself to him. “Leave him alone.”

“All I need is to remove that talisman from you. This doesn’t have to end the same way it did with your mother. Just let me—” He reached out his hand and the talisman reacted. A force of white light catapulted Marcus six feet in the air. He landed on the ground with a thud. The spell binding Alex broke, and he pounced on top of Marcus. Alex swiped with one of his great claws, carving deep grooves into Marcus’s face.

Marcus screamed, and then Alex was flying in the air. Marcus held him suspended a few feet off the ground.

“Don’t you worry, Kat. You’ll see me again soon. You’ve given me the information I need. I won’t fail next time.” He disappeared, using the same concealment spell I had. I saw his movement and tried to catch him as he ran away, but he had to be using some sort of enchantment to increase his speed. I threw everything I had at him: a whirlwind, a hailstorm, an energy burst whose damage I hadn’t been able to accurately measure yet. None of my spells hit their mark. When I lost sight of Marcus, Alex fell to the ground, the spell broken. He shifted into his human form and came to my side.

“What do you think he meant when he said I gave him what he needed?” I asked.

“I don’t know. Maybe nothing. But I believe him when he says he’ll return. We need to get out of here.”

I nodded and let Alex lead me to the car. “How long until he returns, do you think?”

“I’m guessing not long. He won’t want to risk us getting too far away or losing us through a portal to Elustria.”

I floored it on the way back to the freeway, a giant cloud of dust trailing the car down the dirt road. Every few seconds I glanced in the rear-view mirror, convinced I could see Marcus in pursuit. I’d survived my first encounter with an assassin. I didn’t know how long my big beginner’s luck would last.

B
ack at the hotel
, my laptop took forever to load The Codex, or maybe it was just nerves making it feel that way.

“What are you doing? Pack it up. We’re leaving.” Alex already had the shopping bag packed with my clothes and toiletries in his hand.

I’d had time to think on the drive back, and nothing had changed. I couldn’t run now for the same reason I couldn’t run before: other people’s lives were at risk. All I could do was come up with a better plan for the next time I met Marcus.

“I’m not running. I’m coming up with a game plan.”

“Are you crazy? He could’ve killed you.”

“You’re right, but he didn’t. He had a wand, so he’s not a sorcerer assassin like Casper thought. He says he wants the talisman, and I believe him. Why would he want me dead? The only reason is so he can remove the talisman from me.”

“Do you think you can figure out how to get it off before he comes back?” Alex’s skepticism made his question sound patronizing.

“No.” In some ways that would make things easier, but I wasn’t sure it would ultimately be better. If I’d learned anything during all this time, it was that the magic in my talisman was extraordinarily powerful. It didn’t belong in the hands of a murderer. “I’d give it to him if I thought it would stop the violence, but he wants it for its power. Maybe that’s why my mother gave it to me, to protect it, to keep it from falling into the wrong hands. I couldn’t abuse its power if I wanted to, but a man like that? One who terrorizes my friends? There’s no telling what he’d do with it.”

“So what exactly is your plan?”

“There has to be a way to beat him. There’s always a way. I just haven’t figured it out yet. You can either help me or you can stand there staring at me.”

Alex put the bag down and pulled the other chair around the table to sit next to me. He looked over my shoulder at the computer screen.

“Tell me how I can help.”

The attraction I felt for Alex in that moment was the strongest it had ever been. But it wasn’t the raw attraction that had been between us at the Armory. This was the overwhelming bond that could only be forged under the immense pressure we found ourselves under. We were partners in that moment, in every sense of the word. While I knew it would be better for me to die than GreyMist, who was an innocent in all of this, I had an overwhelming urge to live. A sense filled me that things were getting better, that if I could just crest this mountain peak, I’d have the entire world at my feet and someone standing next to me to enjoy it all.

* * *

A
fter hours of deliberation
, we settled on a rotation of spells and a general strategy, then headed to the desert to practice. This time we would use Alex’s senses to alert me to Marcus’s presence when he eventually found us. Until then, I’d be practicing.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Alex asked when we got out of the car. “I can find us a portal to Elustria.”

“Yes, I’m sure. He knows where GreyMist lives. I’m not going to leave her in danger.”

“Then we can bring her.”

“I can’t ask her to give up her life to be a second-class citizen in a foreign world. It’s not fair.” Grey would probably jump at the chance to go to a magical, alternate dimension, but the reality wouldn’t live up to the dream. A human didn’t belong in a world of magic. And I wouldn’t put my best friend in the position of deciding her future under duress.

“Please, I don’t want anything to happen to you.” Alex placed a hand on my shoulder, and his gaze pleaded with me to reconsider.

“Then let me practice. We don’t know how much time we have until he finds us.”

“Fine. When he gets here, I’ll growl. That’s your signal to stop practicing and get ready. Don’t worry about me. He won’t kill me, not when he can use me as leverage.”

Before I could say anything, he shifted and ran off to start his patrol. I tried not to think about the fact that I may have just seen him for the last time. A sentimental goodbye would have only cut into my practice time.

Spell after spell flowed through me. The talisman responded to my commands as if we’d worked together my entire life. The amber stone probably felt the threat, and it performed well under pressure. Earlier, I’d been unwilling to use fire because of all the dry brush around, but Alex and I had decided that a brush fire, even one that got out of control, would be better than Marcus getting his hands on my talisman. Anyone who was willing to kill for power shouldn’t be entrusted with any.

During practice, I successfully created a magma lake, threw fireballs from my hands, and rained fire from the sky. My control of water was more than adequate to douse the flames as long as I acted quickly. In the real fight, I wouldn’t bother. Even if the fire didn’t directly hit its target, it would produce enough heat to present a problem for Marcus. I practiced the sequence again, casting the magma lake, using a cyclone to carry the flames upward to obscure my target’s view, and then casting a fireball.

A roar sounded somewhere to my right. I swung around and crouched low, my eyes and ears on high alert for any threat. My instincts urged me to run to Alex, but the smart thing was to stay put. Marcus didn’t want Alex; he wanted me. If he was attacking Alex, it was to draw me to him, to force me to give up my advantage. I wouldn’t be foolish enough to fall for such a trap.

The stillness following the roar was more unsettling than the roar itself. I scanned the horizon, but I couldn’t see any sign of movement. Even the wind had ceased to blow. All I could hear was the sound of my breath and the ring of silence. My eyes darted from side to side, looking for Marcus. My thighs screamed from my crouched position, but I didn’t dare move.

A blinding pain cracked through my head. White light flooded my vision.

And then there was nothing.

D
ust tickled
my nostrils where I lay prone on the ground. My nose crinkled in preparation to sneeze, but I held it in. The last thing I remembered was Alex’s roar and then the bright flash of white. Until I knew where I was, sneezing did not seem wise. The light penetrating my eyelids was too dim to be outside in the middle of the day. Beneath my hands, I felt hardwood. I had no idea how much time had passed or where Marcus and Alex were.

A quick mental check of my body revealed no serious injuries other than a massive headache. None of my limbs bent in unnatural positions, so shock wasn’t hiding a broken bone. If I’d been bleeding enough to cause concern, I doubted I would have woken. Only after I thought I was in no immediate, physical danger did I notice what was missing: an ache where my pendant should be pressing into my chest.

Marcus had succeeded. I had lost my talisman.

A chair scratched across the floor. I wasn’t alone. As much as I wanted to maintain the charade that I was still passed out, I had to risk cracking open one of my eyelids to see where I was. The sound of the chair had come from in front of me. I could get away with a peek.

Light poured in through a single small window, illuminating motes of dust floating in the sunbeam. Outside the window, I could make out a tall pine tree. I wasn’t anywhere near where I’d been with Alex. The sparse furnishing and bare wood walls had a utilitarian feel, like a hunting cabin. A desk and chair stood a few feet in front of me. On the desk were marks where Marcus’s hands had wiped away the dust, and there sat my talisman. Beyond the desk, Marcus stood with his back toward me. A communication orb floated in front of him, and a woman’s face appeared.

I had to come up with a plan—not that my plans had worked out well so far, but it seemed the smart thing to do. I could play dead, and he might leave me alone. After all, he wanted the necklace, and he had it. But that meant letting him steal a part of me, the only part of my mother I had. I felt bereft without my talisman. I’d grown used to its weight lying on my chest. When I called out for magic, it responded like an old friend. Now when I called out, nothing but silence echoed back at me. Playing dead may save my life, but what kind of life was I returning to? If I fought now, there was every chance I’d die. It was likely. But I was likely to die either way. If he realized I was alive and conscious, he wouldn’t let me live. I’d seen too much. I couldn’t bear the thought of just lying there for him to kill me. If I died, I wanted to die fighting.

“I have the talisman, just like you asked for,” Marcus said.

“Excellent.” The woman in the orb spoke with a dignified air. “As soon as you deliver it, you will receive your payment. And what about Meglana?”

“Meglana proved difficult, but she ultimately succumbed.”

Flames of fury roared through my body and licked at my fingertips, my hand itching to hold my talisman in its palm. My only hope was to summon it to me, but without anything to direct the magic, I didn’t know if the talisman would respond. The necklace sat directly in the line of sight of the woman Marcus spoke with, so I’d have to wait until they were done. When they were, I would only have a few seconds. The spell would have to be performed silently. With every fiber of my being, I needed to command my talisman to come to me. I was the stone’s true owner. Surely it would recognize that.

“Very well,” the woman said. “We thank you for your service.”

“I don’t care about your thanks; I care about my payment.”

“Yes, Marcus, I figured. When you get back to Elustria, you will be paid, but don’t take any side trips with the talisman. We’ll expect you here tonight.”

“Trust me, I don’t plan to stay in this wretched world any longer than I have to.”

“I’ll have your payment waiting. Our business is done.” Her face disappeared, and I had my chance.

Come!
The talisman flew into my outstretched hand so fast that I was already performing the first spell in my sequence by the time Marcus turned around.

Magma lake, cyclone, fireball.

Without thinking, I went from spell to spell, performing them perfectly. The practice had paid off. Marcus’s stunned face could barely comprehend what was happening as he struggled to counter.

I wanted to place the talisman around my neck, where it belonged, but I didn’t dare stop the barrage of spells. I feared I’d drop the talisman or he’d somehow find a way to take it from my hand, but all of his attention was directed at blocking my attacks. His clothes were already falling victim to the flames. He’d have to first repel my spells before he could even think of casting any toward me.

“We can talk. You don’t need to do this. I didn’t kill you.” Marcus had the unique ability to snarl while pleading.

“I’ve heard all the talking I need to from you. I don’t believe for an instant you were going to let me live. Even if you were, you killed my mother.”

“She deserved to die.”

He picked a horrible time to speak. The rage coursing through me fueled the fireball I conjured to an intensity beyond my control. It flew from my hands and struck Marcus with lethal force. Not only did he fall over dead, the entire room went up in flames, trapping me in the corner.

Marcus’s lifeless eyes held my attention amid the inferno raging around me. I watched them, looking for any sign of life. They didn’t blink. The skin around them crinkled and puckered as it burned to a crisp.

Sweat drenched my clothes. My slick palm made holding onto the necklace difficult. Before my eyes, a clasp appeared on the broken chain. I secured it around my neck, and the stone took its rightful place on my chest.

I called down a torrent of water, but it was no match for the flames. The heat formed a wall almost as impenetrable as the fire. I had to get out, but there was no easy escape. The best option was to run through to the next room. I doused myself with water then summoned an ice shield, but I didn’t have faith that it would hold. I dashed across the floor, leaping over Marcus’s body, and slammed the door behind me. My heart raced with adrenaline, and I leaned my forehead against the door for a second, allowing the relief of my escape to wash over me.

When I turned around, Casper stood staring back at me.