“She might as well ask for cake,” Vinca says to Darius.
He nods sagely. “And she’ll eat it too.”
“You two are not allowed to bond over mocking me to my face,” I grumble.
"Too late," Vinca says. She loops her arm through mine. "So about that arcane dragon… I am so ready for storytime!"
Chapter 15
The next day is when I seek out Luna Ash. Her hair is black like a raven, and her eyes glow ever so faintly, but otherwise, she looks like a human.
Her eyebrows arch as I approach her counter.
“Rebel, what brings you here?” she asks. “If you wish to know what I know of cainians, you should have called before coming because I know next to nothing.”
“Can you imbue gemstones to a weapon?”
Luna sighs and glances around. “Come to the back.”
I follow her to a small room filled with all kinds of bottles. I think they’re only filled with human medicine, but I could be wrong.
“Do not discuss business of that sort up front,” Luna says. “You’ve never done that before.”
“I’ve never had such an important topic to discuss before. No excuse, I know, and I apologize.”
“Yes, I can imbue gemstones into a weapon.”
“Oh, good.” I start to hand over the stone from the scepter and then hesitate, pulling my closed fist back. “This is very important.”
“So I gather,” she says dryly. “It’s been a long day already, Rebel.”
“Here.” I hand over the stone.
It’s large, nearly the size of my hand, an imperfect oval. A light green color, the stone has some black toward one end. Honestly, it’s not that pretty at all for being a gemstone.
The witch examines the stone, turning it over and over in her hand. Her thin eyebrows almost come together as she frowns.
“Can you do anything with it?” I ask, my hopes slowly dying. Her expression doesn’t give me any reason to believe that what I want is feasible.
“Do you know what this stone is from?” Luna asks quietly.
“A scepter that has magic.”
“Yes. The Skyfall.”
“Skyfall?”
“Some believe that Alene, the first witch ever, created Skyfall so that her human husband could be able to use magic. Others believe God gave it to humans so that they could protect themselves from the likes of those blessed with powers but also possessing corrupt minds and twisted desires. Who is to say for certain?”
"So, you know about the weapon."
“That I do. How did you come to possess this?”
“How did you know it’s from the scepter before I even told you?” I counter.
“I can feel the power residing within the stone. It’s so old, the magic ancient but potent yet.” There’s a quality of wonder and awe in her voice.
“Did the scepter have other stones?” I ask.
“Most likely.”
My shoulders slump.
“Do not worry. With this, it is possible to forge a new scepter.”
“Wonderful!”
“However…”
“Why is there always a however?” I groan.
“For a new scepter to be forged, the curse on the stone must first be removed.”
“There’s a curse on the stone? Who did that?”
“How did you come to possess this?”
“I attacked the arcane dragon guarding it. I thought we killed him, but he was starting to move after I got this, and we hightailed it out of there.”
“We?” Luna briefly glances away from the stone to look at me before refocusing on the stone.
“An arcane witch.”
“Smart,” she murmurs.
“The curse?” I prompt after she’s silent for a moment.
“Do you see the black?” She holds up the gemstone.
“Yes.”
“That’s the physical manifestation of the curse.”
“Did the dragon do it?”
“As far as I can tell, yes. It was a failsafe in case someone managed to take the scepter.”
“But the rest of it… We saw no signs of it.”
“Countless others have gone after the scepter. Most died, but it’s possible some took bits and pieces. Considering there hasn’t been any whisper or rumor of a second scepter, I’m inclined to believe this is the only piece truly necessary to replicate the scepter.”
“Curses can be broken, right? That’s not just the case in fairy tales, or is it?” I cross my arms so I don’t wring my hands.
“This stone is pure magic. Your arcane magic friend can make arcane blasts, yes?”
I nod.
“And there are those witches who can control the elements and create fire or water or rip holes in the earth and so on. This, however, is unlike any of that. This stone is magic.”
“Then why is a scepter needed to access the magic?”
“Because the magic is too uncontrollable in this form. I’m not even sure it can be accessed while in the stone only.”
“The dragon had arcane magic. He must have used that to curse the stone. Can an arcane witch remove the curse?”
“It is not so simple, I’m afraid.”
“Of course not.” I sigh.
“Not all hope is lost, although I do wonder if it would be wise to recreate the scepter.”
“I will tell you what I told the dragon. I want to take out the cainians and then destroy it.”
“You spoke to the arcane dragon?” she asks, her shock evident.
“Yeah, he wasn’t really in the listening mood.”
“I’m not surprised,” she deadpans. “There may be a way to remove the curse.”
“May? So it might not work?”
“It might work. Let’s focus on that,” Luna says. “There are certain items I can gather that may assist in removing the curse, but I need you to bring me the head of a glatisant.”
“A glatisant?” That sounds familiar, and it takes me a moment to recall where. “Isn’t that the same thing as the questing beast? Isn’t that a myth from Camelot?”
“You should know by now that most myths are not truly myths,” Luna scolds.
“Snake head, right?”
“Yes. Glatisants are large dangerous creatures with the head and neck of a serpent along with a leopard’s body, a deer’s feet, and a lion’s haunches. You will hear it before you see it.”
“It barks, right?”
"Yes. Last I heard, there is one in the desert of Mojave."
“Because that’s a small area.”
Luna blows air out of her dainty nose, but then the corners of her lips curl upward. “I guess it will be a quest for you to locate the questing beast. If I heard correctly, the one said to be there is called Frostclaw.”
Hmm. A lot of serpents are poisonous.
“Is Frostclaw poisonous?”
“No. Well, perhaps. I wouldn’t want to ingest him. He is venomous, extremely so. One bite, and you have, at most, an hour to live.”
“Awesome.”
Luna laughs. “I am a witch after all and a pharmacist at that. I can give you something that will help you.”
“What?”
Luna holds up a finger, leaves the room, and returns a few minutes later with a large pouch. I open it to see a large amethyst. I’m not a jeweler, but it looks genuine to me.
“Most gemstones contain small traces of magical energy within them. Not like the gemstone from the scepter. Remember, that is magic. The magic an amethyst contains is protection against poisons. Many witches who practice the healing arts will have one tucked into their pockets because they also help with meditation.”
“What might be good to prevent a weapon from breaking?” I ask. Darius hasn’t gotten me the weapon yet, so maybe I can give him more specifics.
“I would suggest pyrite. It’s known as the shield stone, and it also increases stamina.”
“Nice. Good to know.”
“What’s your
favorite gemstone?”
“Opal,” I say without hesitating.
“The opal is a powerful stone.”
“In what way?”
“The opal causes the wearer to grow. People aren’t the same after they use an opal for long periods of time.”
"People wear gemstones all the time in jewelry," I say.
“Not all gemstones are quite as magical as others. They aren’t all created equal. Also, they have to be activated.”
“How can I activate the amethyst?”
“You don’t have to worry about that. It’s already activated for when the time comes.”
“When the time comes?”
“Oh, you should be prepared to be exposed to the poison of the glatisant. To think otherwise would be foolhardy.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” I mutter.
“Trust me.”
“I wish you would trust me.”
“I do, or else I would not have shared what I know. Bring me its head.”
“You need the venom,” I assume.
“Yes, among other things to counteract the curse. The glatisant’s poison is crucial.”
“I won’t fail,” I assure her.
“Oh, I know you. You will either succeed or die.”
“I refuse to die.”
“You will one day, Rebel. We all will. No one can cheat death, not even grim reapers.”
After Luna proceeds to overshare about her family and even some of her clients—both humans and paranormal beings—I finally get out of there. Immediately, I go to my house to pack. A desert. Wow. That’s one terrain I haven’t been to before.
All I want is the chance to be able to have my revenge, and I will do whatever it takes, go wherever it takes, in order to achieve my goal.
As I go through my weapons to pick out the ones best suited for such a monster as the glatisant, there’s a knock on the door.
“Rebel?”
It’s Darius, only he doesn’t sound like himself. He sounds… weak.
I throw open the door and grimace because he doesn't just sound weak. He looks it too.
“You’ve seen better days.”
“That’s a nice how-you-do,” he grumbles. “I have something for you, but if you don’t want it…”
“What is it?” I ask eagerly.
“Nah. I’m not sure you deserve it.”
“I don’t, but you’re such a good, kind, wonderful fellow…”
“Buttering me up will get you nowhere.”
“Are you hungry? I can make you something to eat? No? So much for all that talk about a guy’s stomach.”
“I wouldn’t have thought you would want to worm your way into my heart.”
Oh. God. I forgot the entire saying.
My cheeks have to be bright red. I couldn’t be more embarrassed if I tried.
“I was just saying because you mentioned butter.”
Darius grimaces. “Can I come in already and sit down?”
“Sure. Of course.”
I resist the urge to help him in. He’s a proud witch, and I won’t insult him like that.
As if he’s elderly, he eases himself onto the couch slowly. His hand inches to his pocket, and he removes a golden yellow gemstone.
“It’s beautiful,” I gush.
“It’s a citrine.”
“What, ah, what properties does it have?”
He eyes me and says nothing.
“How did you find it? Or, rather, where?”
Darius clears his throat. “Can I have some water?”
“Sure, as long as I can have some answers.”
Before he can object, I hurry to the kitchen and pour him a tall glass of water. It’s filled so high I have to walk slowly back to him. He guzzles it down as if he’s dying of thirst. And here I thought it a stalling tactic.
“Are you okay?” I ask.
“I’m touched you care.”
“Darius, I’m serious. Where did you find the gemstone?” My eyes widen. “You couldn’t have gone back to the Rockies. There wasn’t time, and the dragon…”
“We did kill the dragon,” he says calmly.
“You went back!” I shriek.
“Just use the stone, okay?” He tries to hand it to me, but his hand trembles.
I enclose his hand in both of mine. “Darius, tell me what’s going on with you. Is the gemstone affecting you? You haven’t been cursed, have you?”
“I’m not cursed.”
“Then what’s the issue?”
“I… I’ve been poisoned.”
“How?”
“I found the citrine in the dragon’s stool.”
“You did what now?” I blink and force myself to not recoil. He doesn’t smell bad, so I hope that means he’s showered and washed after.
“The dragon’s stool is what poisoned me.”
“How?”
“Well, from what else I found in his stool, the dragon had a healthy diet of hemlock, poison ivy, and sumac.”
“Darius! After the hard time you gave me about going up against the dragon, you went back! When we thought he was still alive! Alone! What were you thinking?”
“I did it for you.”
“And you’re poisoned for it! I’m toxic, Darius. Can’t you see that?”
“You aren’t toxic.”
“Yes, I am. I’m not a good person. I’m a bounty hunter. I do what I’m told.”
“Not always. You pick and choose your assignments.”
“I’ve killed because of being paid to do so.”
“So have I. Paranormal executioner, remember?”
“Darius!”
“Rebel.”
He’s staring at me, at my lips. I’m paralyzed. Or am I? I don’t even know what’s happened, but when he leans closer, I don’t pull back. His forehead is touching mine, and I’m breathing as raspy as he is. I can’t do this. I shouldn’t.
I won’t.
I stand to break up whatever spell’s fallen over us from the near kiss. We had just been fighting! Why would we kiss?
“I’m going to find you an antidote,” I inform him. “Stay here. There are some pillows and blankets in the linen closet if you need them.”
I’ve never thought of myself as a coward before, but that’s exactly how I feel right now as I flee my own house and the witch I just might be falling for.
Chapter 16
Immediately, I drive over and return to the pharmacy. After all, if anyone is a healing witch, Luna is. Unfortunately, she isn’t there. A woman who looks like she can’t handle stress is slowly working. The line is only three people long, but it takes almost an hour for me to reach the front.
“Where’s Luna?” I demand. “She was just here earlier.”
“She should be here now,” the woman says. Her nametag reads Sharon. She wearily rubs her forehead. “Someone called her, and she had to leave for an emergency. She knows this is only my second day! I’m not supposed to be here by myself, but no. She ran out of here as soon as I got here.”
Great. That’s just fantastic. Clearly, something major came up, so Luna’s not an option.
What other witches do I trust? Mirella, of course, but chances are, she's too busy. Just in case, I do text her a message to give her a head's up at the very least.
There’s no immediate response, not that I thought there would be. Quickly, I dart out of the pharmacy, ignoring the look of surprise from Sharon, and scroll through my list of contacts. My thumb pauses at Tate Addington. Hmm. Like Luna, Tate’s actually a decent enough witch. He’s hired me several times, always to find him rare potion ingredients. Unlike Luna, he wouldn’t ever barter with me. The one time I asked, he had been furious.
“My ingredients are mine!” he shouted. “You can fetch yourself whatever you need or whatever your clients need.”
A bit of a temper, yes, and that’s why I opted for Luna in the first place. Plus, I don’t know. I wonder if he’s on the up and up. He tends to want ingredients for
seriously potent spells. Over time, I’ve learned which ingredients are super rare and which are potent, and he tended to want both. It’s been ages since he last called me up for a job.
Tate answers on the first ring. “Rebel, I’ve been meaning to call you.”
“You need me for a job? Great. I’ll get right on it. First, though, I need your help.”
“You need my help?”
“Yes. I’ll do your job for free…” I grimace and add, “and I’ll owe you one.”
“I suppose that will be all right. What exactly do you need?”
“I need an antidote for someone who has been poisoned from an arcane dragon’s stool. The dragon existed on a diet of poisonous plants apparently. Do you need me to bring him with?”
“No, no. Your friend is suffering from the Bleak Venom. Arcane dragons, rare as they are… How did he ever find one? I wasn’t sure many lived yet.”
“It’s a long story.”
Tate snorts. “I’m sure. Well, they do tend to eat poisons because arcane energy is so very powerful that they need the poisons to temper it.”
“But won’t that weaken them?”
“Only their magic and they will only eat enough to make it so that they can control their arcane power. Otherwise, it will cause them to basically become arcane bombs, and they might explode.”
“Has that ever happened?” I honestly don’t see how that could be possible.
“Oh, yes. There have been unexplained explosions before, haven’t there?”
“Yes,” I say slowly.
“Always explained as tests by the military, yes? Those giving those explanations are military men and women who are paranormal beings.”
"That makes a lot of sense," I murmur. It's mindboggling to think that paranormal beings can be anywhere in the world, including high-ranking officials. Probably politicians too.
“Come to my house,” Tate demands. “Your friend won’t have much time. He’ll need the antidote.”
“Do you need me to fetch you any ingredients?” I ask desperately.
“No, no. I believe I have everything here. Just come here. Remember, time is of the essence.”
He doesn’t have to tell me twice, and I drive over there like I’m a race car driver. In ten minutes flat, I’m knocking on his door.
Hunter's Revenge: A Mayhem of Magic World Story (Rebel, Supernatural Bounty Hunter Book 2) Page 10
