by Martha Carr
“Bernie!” she yelled out. “Peaches! Peaches!” But he was still snoring in the other room, moving his feet in his sleep like he was running.
Maggie lifted the bat to her shoulder, leaping off the back steps and got ready to swing, giving it everything she had in her. The chickens were all out of their coop and were flapping their wings, flying up for a few inches and coming back down again.
The beast of a man put out his hand and stopped the bat in mid-swing, lifting it up higher, dragging Maggie off her feet with it. She swung around, kicking as hard as she could in every tender spot she could reach, finally making contact.
The giant dropped the bat, doubling over as Maggie landed on her side, rolling over to get to her feet and try swinging again.
“Wait, wait.” A booming voice came out of the man as he held up his hand. “Is this always the way you greet visitors to your house?”
“This week it is, especially if you show up in my backyard at sunrise unannounced.”
He gripped the bat around the barrel. “I can see your point. I come as a friend, an ally really. Did Bernie not mention us?”
Maggie stopped pulling on the bat and relaxed her stance. “You know Bernie? What are you?”
“Give me a minute. That was a pretty good kick.”
Maggie leaned the bat against the back porch and went back to the large man, her hands on her hips despite being dwarfed by his size. He finally got his breath back to his satisfaction and spread his arms wide, releasing a spray of dark blue bubbles, covering himself till he turned into a tall, slender man with long straight dark hair.
“The outfit changed sizes with you. That is a cool trick.” Maggie held out her hand to help him up and saw that he was still several inches taller than she was. “You don’t get to go any further till you tell me who you are and why the dramatic entrance. I saw the flash of light.”
“That was my way of knocking on your door.” He ran his hand through his hair. “I’m afraid it backfired on me. Let me start over. My name is Wilmark, and you are the Elemental.” He pointed to a crest printed on his tunic. “I’m part of a society, thousands of years old that was formed with the sole purpose of protecting the Elementals. We are known as the Knights of Godwin.”
Maggie stared at him, rubbing her temple. “What now? One break in to my garage and people are coming at me out of the woodwork.”
“You’ve already been attacked, I apologize. My arrival was delayed.”
“You drink coffee?” Maggie turned to go back up the stairs, grabbing the bat. She didn’t even wait for a response. “This will go better if you just say yes.”
“Then, yes.” He followed her up the steps and into the kitchen.
“Take it black? A secret group of knights are out there protecting the world. I kind of like knowing a bunch of Peabrains have my back.”
The knight smirked, clearing his throat. “Not all of us are Peabrains. I’m an elf.” He waved his hand over his ear, the light glowing around it for a moment as the ear grew more pointed. He waved it back and the ear rounded again. “It’s a simple light spell to make it easier to be among the common people.”
Maggie tilted her head, narrowing her gaze. “That outfit doesn’t make it tough to blend in?”
“I can tone it down when I have to. This seemed like the right moment to bring out the old outfit. We’ve been waiting to find one of your kind for a very long time. The records were all destroyed…”
“I heard about that from Bernie and Jack.”
“You’ve met Jack, too. Well then,” he got down on one knee and bowed his head.
“Whoa, what are you doing?” Maggie’s eyebrows were raised, wrinkling her forehead.
“I pledge my life to you, to protect you and keep you safe till the mission is complete and the engine of the ship is finally put back together. All of us who can rightfully say we are the Knights of Godwin, do the same. We are at your service, no matter what, no matter when.”
Maggie pressed her hands to her cheeks. “You can’t hang around me all day, or even part of the day. I’m a detective and there’s no way to explain you. I already have a boyfriend, or at least I think he is, so that excuse is out.”
“I don’t need to be right next to you all the time. We will be nearby, keeping watch.”
“Nothing creepy about that at all.”
“I can also help you to learn magic. I was a teacher before I was asked to be a knight.”
Maggie poured a cup of coffee, slurping it while it was still too hot. “There are still knights in this world. This is one of the weirder things this week.” She slurped again. “Trust me, that is saying something, too. Hey, how do I know this is the real you and not that large, hairy guy.”
The elf arched an eyebrow at her and tilted his head. “I suppose you’ll have to wait and find out. Do you know where the compass is?”
“I do but I’m not sure how to get it back.”
“Then that is our first quest. Are you ready? Is that what you’re going to wear into battle?”
“You were born in relatively recent times, right? Who talks like that? Hang on, I have to change, this is not my battle wear, and I have to wake up Bernie.”
The knight started to say something but Maggie stopped him. “I know what you’re going to say. Save the compass, save the world, and buy me more borrowed time.”
“Just hurry,” said Wilmark, looking out the window.
“You think I’m in real danger.” Maggie felt a familiar tingle on the back of her neck and looked past the knight, into the empty backyard. Find the compass, save the world. I can do this.
The story doesn’t end here. Maggie is on a quest to get the compass back, but will things work out with Jake? Will she be able to find the other Elementals and put it all together in time to save her own life? Continue the adventures with The Peabrain’s Magic on Thursday, May 9th.
Martha Carr testing a few things for the next book.
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Author Notes
Martha Carr March 29, 2019
The release of this first book in a new world is a kind of celebration for me. The ideas for The Peabrain Adventures series (maybe a universe) have been percolating in my own Peabrain for a few years now. It’s been a test of my mantra, everything happens when it’s supposed to… because I dragged my feet for a while.
I have talked about the series, asked others what they thought, wrote a short story to test the crowds, but have never actually gotten around to launching. (And more than one person has had an opinion about the series name – being me I responded by adding it to every title on every book… it’s how I roll)
Too many other things to do and elements of this story are very special to me. I wanted to do it justice.
But less than a month ago I finally quit my day job, which I loved, and brought a lot of organization into the new day job with a small team of people (Thank you Grace, Jynafer and Amanda). I have also finished moving into the dream house, unpacked and fixed whatever needed to be fixed. Even planted a lot of azaleas and a couple of trees. I’m out of excuses (for getting out there and dating more too, but that’s another story for a different day).
And one more thing that really clinched it. Last October, my very clever big sister, Diana, who I called ‘D’ died suddenly. D was the one who first taught me about Star Trek, and DC comics and making elaborate costumes and magic and flaming cherries jubilee. She was fun personified mixed with large servings of curiosity. She tackled her fear of heights by taking flying lessons. For the first month of lessons they just taxied, but eventually she flew everywhere in her Cessna.
We were a lot alike and looked a lot
alike too. (She was much better at math, however) Time ran out for her way too early, way before the adventures were over.
I stood by her bedside in the hospital and realized it was time for me to start. You see, the fun part of being here is taking on the new challenges, trying that creative thing, risking failure and realizing once again the sense of victory. And to do the whole thing with a crowd of people, the more the merrier.
In other words, it’s the experiences that count – not the things. That’s what D taught me.
Losing her is what got me to finally quit the day job and sit down and write. The sister in Peabrain, Diana is loosely based on D who read my books, still sent a check for my birthday long after I was grown, and an Advent calendar at Christmas, and always had a special way with the Offspring – my son, Louie.
And – bonus - writing the Peabrain series will be a chance to spend some more time with D and the memories and let it sink in – we are all magical, but we have to use it. It’s her gift to me to just keep going, reaching out for more to see what the world still has to offer.
The idea that human beings are naturally magical is something I’ve believed for a long time. Look at what we create, or the way we’ll come together and solve a problem, or sometimes say just the right thing to comfort someone in just the right moment. We’re amazing! But we can take it all for granted and forget.
So, Maggie Parker is starting to remember and step out of her protective shell. She’s even trying dating with Jake. (I may even learn a thing or two about that topic just writing about it.) Too bad that’s more complicated than she realizes – and it’s unfortunate the Earth wants to self-correct and wipe her off the planet. But maybe the compass can help her solve a few things. We’ll see… come on this trip with me – there’s a lot more adventures to follow.
By the way - Here’s my new mantra - Never leave what’s most important to the last moments. Do those now.
Other books by Martha Carr
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