by Sarah Noffke
“That was to help save your magitech shop too,” Liv argued.
“You asked me to make a computer for the giant Rory that was his size,” Alicia went on.
“He kept breaking the one he had writing his great American novel, which I need to read and can’t if he can’t write it,” Liv stated with defiance.
“You asked me to help you craft magitech that would pull Clark’s bedsheets off while he was on his mattress and in the middle of sleep,” the woman sang in her thick Italian accent.
Liv laughed. “Well, that’s good clean fun. I thought you’d like the opportunity to use your powers for trickery.”
The brunette glared at Liv, her long hair falling over one eye. However, Sophia spied the smile she was hiding. “My point is that it’s not true that you’ve never asked me for anything.”
“I also introduced you to John Carraway,” Liv said with confidence. “I asked you to love him with your whole heart and make him as happy as he deserved. So yes, you’re right, and I’ve obviously taken advantage of your kindness.” She threw up a hand dismissively. “Forget that I asked for anything at all.”
Alicia slumped. “Oh, you crafty little magician, pulling that card.”
Liv victoriously smiled as Sophia took a place beside her. “I’m only stating the facts.”
Alicia smiled pleasantly at Sophia before returning her attention to Liv. “I simply think that knowing too much about your unborn baby isn’t a good idea.”
Liv threw her head back and groaned. “Please don’t tell me you’re one of the types who thinks I should wait until the child is born to know its gender? I took you for a reasonable person who liked knowledge when it was available to you.”
Alicia smiled, picked up a tool, and tinkered with a small device. “I’m all for knowing the child’s gender, but that’s not what you’re after.”
Sophia looked between the scientist and Liv. “What’s this about?”
Liv sighed. “I simply want Alicia to come up with some magitech that will tell me a little information about my baby.”
Alicia glanced at Sophia and dryly clarified, “She wants me to tell her the genetic makeup of the child to ensure there are no abnormalities and if there’s anything askew that the genie did when he granted her wish.”
Liv threw her hands up. “Can you blame me? I put everything up to chance, trusting that genie, and now I don’t know if I’m carrying a litter of kittens or a mortal or an actual squash.” She turned to face her sister. “You know how crafty those damn genies are. It got me worrying. Then I realized our resident expert in all things magitech could simply give me a device that gave some insight on Billy.”
Sophia blinked at her sister. “You named the baby Bill?”
“For now,” Liv replied. “It works for a girl or a boy, and I like the way Clark grimaces when I say it. I think he’d rather the child have a posh name like Preston or Esmeralda or something unpronounceable or hard to spell. He likes things that inconvenience the world like indestructible plastic packaging covering electronics that’s also impossible to saw through and open.”
“You have a lot of opinions,” Alicia observed, seemingly amused as she screwed a wire into place on the gadget she was working on.
“You have no idea,” Liv remarked. “Don’t even get me started on daylight savings time or fat-free products or…” She gasped suddenly. “Or Door Dash delivery drivers who forget the ranch dressing.”
“I feel like you’re getting yourself overly worked up about this.” Alicia shook her head at Liv.
The magician whipped around to face her. “I put it in bold letters in the delivery instructions. REMEMBER THE RANCH DRESSING. What did he not remember?”
“I’m guessing the ranch dressing,” Sophia answered.
Liv nodded.
“Maybe he felt like you were shouting at him and therefore he did it to show you to be respectful,” Alicia teased.
“Hey, I didn’t even really want the pizza that I ordered,” Liv argued. “I wanted ranch with a side of pizza. Guess what I got? A pizza pie of sadness.”
“We don’t even have this ranch dressing in Italy,” Alicia imparted.
“Now is not the time to fix your country’s problems, Alicia.” Liv tapped the table in front of the scientist. “Baby information device. Will you please save me months of stress and agonizing and make it for me? Pretty please? I’ll never ask you for anything else ever. Well, unless Stefan starts snoring in his old age. Then we’ll need a device for that. And maybe a magitech muzzle for Sophia’s dragon, Thomas.”
Alicia and Sophia both laughed.
Liv turned to her sister. “It would only be for the holidays so that he didn’t eat my baby.”
“He’s more likely to lick Billy clean and teach the child how to play Just Dance,” Sophia wryly countered.
“Probably because he thinks he can best a baby,” Liv stated. “My baby will be able to dance.” She returned her attention to Alicia and pressed her hands together again. “Please? Will you please do this for me? It can’t be too hard for you, you genius, amazing woman who has the shiniest hair and prettiest accent.”
Alicia rolled her eyes but smiled. “Fine, I’ll do it.”
“Yes!” Liv exclaimed, throwing a victorious fist into the air. “Now I’ll be able to sleep once I learn that the baby is okay.”
“You know that the baby isn’t a demon, which was the reason for making a wish,” Sophia argued.
“Yeah, but then I got to thinking that maybe the genie did something else to my child.” Liv’s face constricted. “Like, what if Billy wants to play sports? Oh no, I think I’d rather have a demon baby. I can’t stand on the side of a soccer field every Saturday. It will crush the soul that I’m not sure I have.”
Alicia and Sophia laughed.
“I’m sure that Billy will be fine and healthy in every way,” Sophia soothed.
“That’s what I asked for from the genie,” Liv replied. “Still, the mischievous little jerk could be giving me a healthy baby who has other flaws.” She clapped a hand on Sophia’s arm, her face quite serious. “Billy might grow up to work at one of those pyramid scheme businesses. Then every time we get a Facebook message from them, we’ll know it’s because they want us to buy their overpriced wares by attending a Facebook party. They’ll probably be trying to sell us nail wraps, weight loss products, and also anti-aging stuff. We’ll have no choice but to phase Billy out because they never learned that you don’t sell your overpriced face cream that’s ‘direct from the distributor. We have no overhead’ bullshit to family members.”
“Oh, for the love of all that’s holy,” Alicia shrilled. “I’ll make you the device, but I don’t think it’s going to tell you what career path your child will take. Or if it did, that you could do anything about it. It’ll be limited to race, gender, and all other metrics that indicate health and size.”
“That will work,” Liv sang, victorious.
The scientist shook her head at Liv before looking directly at Sophia. “I’m sure you and your sister have business. I’ll leave so you two can chat.”
Sophia shook her head. “Although it’s nice to be entertained in the way only Liv can, I’m here to see you.”
Alicia blinked at her in surprise. “You are? Why is that?”
“Well, after you’re done making this magitech device for Liv,” Sophia began, “or while or before, I hoped you could make me a similar device.”
“Oh?” Alicia and Liv said together, intrigued.
“Yeah,” Sophia went on. “I need to be able to tell information about a dragon before it’s hatched. Specifically, I need to be able to determine whether it’s good or bad.”
Chapter Nineteen
Alicia sighed, suddenly looking overwhelmed. “How come one Beaufont sister asks me for magitech regarding seeing information on an unborn baby? Then the other sister asks for similar magitech for an unhatched dragon?”
“Because we’re cute like that,”
Liv replied.
“Did you two plan this?” Alicia pointed at Sophia and Liv.
“We don’t have to,” Liv demurred. “It’s the magic that is us.”
Sophia giggled. “Yeah, and it’s funny timing. I was planning on asking you for this. There are a lot of dragon eggs hatching at the Gullington, and they appear to be all demons.”
“Like Harry,” Liv joked.
Sophia rolled her eyes at her sister. “Lunis isn’t a demon dragon.”
“Then why does he chew with his mouth open when he eats?” Liv challenged. “I’ve met enough demons to know that’s a common trait amongst them.”
“We’re working on his manners.” Sophia laughed. “I’ve threatened to send him to Cotillion school if he doesn’t shape up.”
Liv nodded as if this was a good idea. “I can see Freddy trying to balance a book on his head and walk upright without dropping it. You’ll make a lady out of him eventually.”
“Either that or he’ll drag me over to the dark side,” Sophia remarked, returning her attention to the very patient scientist who was listening to the ridiculous exchange and appearing quite amused. “The demon dragons hatching all at once could severely throw off the balance of good and bad in the world. We thought that if there was a way to know whether a dragon was predestined to be an angel or a demon, we could inhibit the latter from hatching too many at a time.”
“How will you do that?” Alicia asked curiously.
“There are various ways,” Sophia answered. “It’s usually about environment. If it’s too cold or bright, a dragon usually can’t mature in their shell enough to hatch.”
“Yeah, High-Maintenance Harold got a lava pit built for him in Rory’s yard,” Liv explained.
Sophia nodded. “We think that if we know which eggs are which we can time when they hatch and ensure that there’s an even number of angels versus demon dragons.”
“It’s a good idea.” Alicia grabbed a pencil from behind her ear and started to sketch something on a pad lying on the workstation. “I’ll need a few things from you.”
Sophia pulled two vials of blood from her cloak. “How about samples from a demon and angel dragon?”
A smile sprang to Alicia’s face. “That’s perfect! That’s exactly what I was going to need.”
Sophia sighed with relief. “Good, I’m glad you needed that because if you didn’t, then I would have gotten clawed up by a demon dragon getting the sample all for nothing.”
“Plato does the same to me when I have to give him his worm medicine,” Liv joked.
Sophia laughed. “I know it’s a new project, Alicia, and on top of your one for Liv, but do you think you can help with this?”
The scientist thought for a moment. “I can’t make any promises about it working, but I can put this on top of my priority list.” She glanced at Liv. “If you’re okay with that? Then I can work on your project right after. I dare say I can use similar magitech so this might make it easier to create what you’re asking for.”
Liv nodded. “Yeah, I can wait to find out if I’m having a Billy who loves reality television or prefers crime dramas. Controlling the dragon population is a more important priority.”
Alicia let out a breath, picked up the pad, and went back to work scribbling out notes. “Okay, I’ll get right to work on this device, which I’m thinking will be an orb of sorts.”
“Demeanor predictor orb,” Liv joked. “I like the sound of that.”
“DPO for short,” Sophia added.
Fully focused, Alicia strode for the back room, scribbling as she did. “You two work out the name. I’ll get to work on the device.”
Sophia waited until Alicia had left, then she turned to Liv and grinned. “In the meantime, I have a diabolical plan I’d like to hatch with you if you’re game.”
Chapter Twenty
Liv rubbed her hands together, an eager look in her eyes. “Yes, I’m always down for a diabolical plan, especially with you. Lay it on me.”
“Well, I’m finally at my limit with the House of Fourteen after getting yet another meeting ‘request.’” Sophia put air quotes over the last word.
Nodding, Liv understood right away. “Yeah, the Council, or some of the Council, I should say, are concerned about all these building wars all over the world. On top of that, mortal crimes are on the rise. The grumps on the Council seem to think that the Dragon Elite is involved or dragonriders at least.”
“I guessed as much,” Sophia stated dryly. “I’m aware of how some of the Council continuously makes your life difficult.”
“That’s putting it mildly,” Liv retorted. “Bianca Mantovani is a first-class witch, and I meant to say something else there, but I’m working on my vocabulary before Billy gets here.”
Sophia laughed. “Good call. I followed you. Maybe you can come up with different, less colorful words when you mean to curse.”
“Like calling people a dried-out tadpole bottom or a scurvy-looking suck spunk-bubble?” Liv jibed.
Sophia chuckled. “Something like that.”
“Yeah, and we already know that Lorenzo Rosario is a waffle-jacker,” Liv stated.
“That one you need to change,” Sophia replied. “That means a girl so pretty that you don’t mind if she steals food off your plate.”
Liv pursed her lips. “You learn something every day. Anyway, we know that Lorenzo is a scoundrel after he double-crossed the Dragon Elite with that politician.”
Sophia nodded. “I’m certain that Marty Martinez is in the evil club as well.”
“Who I’m not certain of is Haro Takahashi,” Liv added. “I’ve never been able to tell about that guy. His brother was one of the best warriors the House of Fourteen has ever known. Haro doesn’t always vote the way I think he should, but Akio said it was because he had his reasons.”
“Well, I have a way of finding out,” Sophia stated triumphantly and pulled out the map that Rudolf had helped her to create. It was a thick piece of parchment, and like the other map that Rudolf had made to find the genie’s lamp, it was interactive and full of detail. Most importantly, it looked old.
“You have my attention.” Liv tilted her head, intrigued.
“I got to thinking that although the House of Fourteen is better since the Sinclairs are gone—”
“That’s the understatement of the century,” Liv interrupted with a laugh.
“Totally,” Sophia continued. “As I was saying, there are still problems in the House, and that trickles over to your job and the magical communities you all govern. If I’m going to make the world a better place, I think I—no, we—need to clean house. I suspect that there are those on the Council who are corrupt and use the power for personal gain.”
“I know they do,” Liv stated.
Sophia nodded. “Plus, they undermine my mission as a Dragon Elite and don’t respect my authority over them.”
“Can you blame them?” Liv chuckled. “You’re all of a minute old and ride a dragon, and your roommate is none other than Mother Nature.”
A grin spread on Sophia’s face. “Not to mention, that who knows how many cases they don’t give you because it would interfere with one of their selfish agendas?”
“I like where this is going, but I’m still not following you. Do I need that map to do that?” Liv pointed at the piece of parchment in Sophia’s hands.
“No, this is how we’re going to figure out who needs to be displaced from the Council. You see, I know the laws governing the families that make up the House of Fourteen and that we can’t simply kick Bianca off the Council for being a toad-licker.”
“Although that’s exactly what she is and deserves to be sent back to the swamps,” Liv replied.
“Regardless, we must have cause to get rid of a person,” Sophia went on, having done her homework on the subject. “Like the Dragon Elite with the Rogue Riders, we need evidence that they’re corrupt.”
“That’s where the map comes in, I’m guessing?” Liv’s at
tention returned to the parchment.
“Correct.” Sophia handed it over to Liv, finally granting her permission to study it more closely. “Instead of arbitrarily sentencing the ones we think are evil, we give them a chance to prove their intentions.”
Liv studied the map, her eyes going wide. “You’re giving them enough rope to hang themselves.”
“You can use a rope to save yourself or hang yourself,” Sophia corrected. “If they’re evil, they’ll use the map to gain power and deceive. If they aren’t, they won’t. It’s that simple.”
“This is genius!” Liv exclaimed.
Sophia beamed with pride. “Thank you. If they do go for the bait—”
“Which they will,” Liv cut in.
“There will be sufficient evidence to prove that they don’t deserve to be on the Council anymore,” Sophia stated with confidence.
“Hopefully, we’ll have learned our lesson and use better parameters for electing their replacements,” Liv said, enthusiasm written on her face. “Wow, I’m so excited thinking how much easier my job will be when I don’t have to deal with the bull…bologna that those Councilors dish out to me at every meeting.”
Sophia grinned. “In turn, the magical community and hopefully the world will be better, and my job will be easier.”
“You know, Soph, I always knew you had the power to make the world a better place, but I never dreamed you’d do it so soon.”
“Thank you, but there’s still a lot to accomplish,” Sophia replied.
Liv nodded. “Yeah, for one, like how we’re going to get them to take the bait.”
Sophia reached into her cloak and withdrew the diary from her ancestor, Oscar Beaufont. “For that, I have another plan.”
“Oh, I can’t wait to hear all about this.” Liv’s eyes were alight with excitement.
“I’ll tell you about it on the way. Shall we trot off to the House of Fourteen? I don’t want to keep the Council waiting after the meeting ‘request.’”
