Unstoppable Liv Beaufont Boxed Set

by Sarah Noffke

  She pivoted and trotted away, not needing to be formally excused like before. She felt the eyes of the Councilors on her back as she headed for the Wall of Reflection. When she was almost through the door, she heard the flapping of the strange dragon. Only then did she wonder where the white tiger was that day.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  For over three hours, Liv tried to locate an entrance to the LA underground. Instead, she found mostly sleek, clean tunnels that led between government buildings. Although they were creepy and dark in their own way, there was absolutely no sign of any strange creatures trying to leech energy. These tunnels weren’t like the ones she’d heard of in Portland, Oregon that had been known for harboring smugglers back in the day. These had been used during Prohibition, but still, they looked harmless.

  When she’d given a security guard the slip for the tenth time, Liv decided it was time to give up for the night. She had work the next day, and if she showed up at Rory’s place exhausted again, he’d quit training her.

  In the morning, she was surprised to discover that Plato had left early. She eyed the black outfit Sophia had put her in with fondness as she changed into a clean pair of jeans and her favorite sweater.

  She stopped off at the Village Bakery, which should have been cited for filling the air with the smell of inviting, fresh-baked bread. Because of that intoxicating scent, she spent the last of her paycheck on a ham and cheese croissant with extra cheese and a protein shake. Liv had never gone through a paycheck this fast, but keeping up with her hunger was proving expensive. If she was living at the House of Seven, it wouldn’t have been such a big deal since her meals would be provided, but then she’d have to stomach annoying magicians.

  As she took a bite of the still-warm croissant, she smiled inwardly. Freedom and independence were worth more to her than anything else. She might not be rolling in cash, but she had a life she had built. That was more important to her.

  Once she had settled into her usual spot at the shop, Liv looked around aimlessly. There wasn’t anything to do for once. She’d used her magic to repair everything last night before she left, when John had gone early to get the parts ready to repair the truck. Since no new appliances had come in, Liv had her first moment of respite in a while. She leaned back in her chair, enjoying the peace and quiet for once when something poked her in the back.

  Leaning forward, she determined it was her bag. She reached into to find the source of her discomfort and pulled out the book Rory had loaned her, Mysterious Creatures. Laying her head against the volume, she pretended to sleep.

  “Reading while sleeping,” she said, shaking her head. “Yeah, right. Until then, I’ll have to just do it the old-fashioned way.”

  Liv opened the dusty book, impressed by the artwork that filled the first few pages. There was a map of a world that the author, Bermuda Laurens, had titled the “Original Planet.” The continents looked like Earth’s except that they were shaped slightly differently. There were also extra masses of land that Liv didn’t remember seeing on the regular globe.

  Liv continued to turn the pages and found something that struck her as odd, which was the dedication page. It read, “Dedicated to the Seven, for it is your mystery I cannot unlock, no matter how hard I try.”

  Liv looked down at the ring on her finger. The largest diamond caught the light overhead.

  “That makes two of us, Bermuda,” Liv said aloud.

  Liv hadn’t had much time to think about the clue of sorts that Ian had left behind. She’d tried to tell herself that he was only passing along a family heirloom, but if that was the case, he wouldn’t have had Sophia give it to her in secret. She didn’t know what kind of person Ian had become, but she remembered that he didn’t do anything without good reason. That was why she’d been careful to hide the ring in her pocket at the House of Seven. She desperately wanted to ask Clark about it, thinking he might know something, but she wasn’t sure he wouldn’t tell Adler or someone else.

  No, if Ian had asked Sophia to keep it a secret, he didn’t want anyone else to know about it.

  “What were you trying to tell me?” Liv asked aloud.

  Liv flipped through the thick book, which was full of beautiful drawings of different creatures. Everything from horvendi, a small and loyal breed of fairy, to sacros, a species of dwarf that was rarely ever seen.

  Liv had grown up around many different magical creatures, but nothing like these. Honestly, the ones she’d known were more like pets. She’d only met elves or fey on a number of occasions and it had never seemed like pleasant interactions between them and the magicians. After one such situation, everything had gone haywire in the House of Seven, and all the children were forbidden to interact with any advanced magical creatures from that point forward. It had been a silent war, Liv had realized later.

  She turned the page and found the introduction to the next chapter surprising. We are all creatures. However, there is a species among us that sees themselves as civilized and regards the rest of us as magical animals.

  It wasn’t hard to figure out who Bermuda was referring to. Actually, much of the book seemed to be a commentary on the magicians and how they held themselves separate from the rest. Liv didn’t have to wonder if Bermuda was held in high esteem among the House of Seven. They’d been trying to regulate the giants’ magic for a long time.

  Several pages farther in, Liv stopped at an image she recognized. Under it the caption read, This is how the magical lynx appears to most, although this is not its true form. The picture showed a common house cat, but the tip of its tail was white, as were the tops of its ears, just like Plato’s.

  Liv continued to read.

  Lynxes have been known for centuries to be the great secret-keepers. Whose secrets they keep, we may never know. They can take the form of a lion, a tiger, a bobcat, or a mountain lion, but they are most often seen in their most deceptive form: the domesticated house cat. They are masters at hiding and can disappear at will. Most believe them to possess more knowledge than they let on, and they tend to be very choosy who they share information with. Because of this, they are often seen as untrustworthy. Also, lynxes might have the ability to see through objects, which is why they are often associated with veiled truths. However, those who make friends with a lynx should be warned: they are not prone to friendly behavior. Therefore, if one makes your acquaintance and doesn’t leave, as lynxes are prone to do since they are natural nomads, you are a part of a secret they are trying to hide.

  Liv looked up suddenly, feeling as though she was being watched. “Plato, are you there?”

  Silence followed her question. Feeling self-conscious, Liv looked around. Was she a part of a secret Plato was hiding? And if so, what did she not know? He had arrived, seemingly out of nowhere, the day she had left the House of Seven. She had never asked about his presence and he hadn’t left her side since then, but now it felt necessary to question his purpose in her life. And yet, she worried that the more she did, the more likely she was to lose him. That thought was followed by a sinking feeling in her gut.

  Shutting the book, Liv gazed around the organized shop. There might be a lot she didn’t know about Plato, but at this point, she wasn’t sure it was necessary to find out anything new.

  Liv started to worry when her shift was over at John’s Repair Shop and she still hadn’t seen Plato. Was it possible that he was hurt? Maybe he knew that she’d read about his race in the book, and that had broken some sort of silent agreement between them. She couldn’t figure it out, and there was no way to track him down. She instinctively knew that if Plato wanted to be found, he would be. Otherwise, it was a hopeless cause.

  Dispirited but bent on making the most of the day, Liv showed up at Rory’s cottage right on time. Her stomach grumbled as she climbed the rickety porch. She hadn’t even gone home to eat, because, in truth, there was nothing in her pantry or refrigerator. She didn’t get paid for two more days, and although she could ask John for an advance, that
was not going to happen. He’d worry about her and try to give her a pay increase she didn’t deserve. No, Liv would just have to make do. She’d eat dinner at the House of Seven if she had to, or maybe Rory would teach her how to manifest her own food, although she doubted it. She knew from her childhood that creating food was a complex spell because food was one of the Three Requirements of Life.

  “Food/water, air, and sleep are the most complicated spells to cast,” her father had once told her. “To manifest food or take away air or put someone to sleep is extremely difficult. Magicians are strong and live for centuries, but we are susceptible to death if our basic needs aren’t met.”

  The door was open when Liv got to Rory’s house, and a thick, savory aroma wafted from the kitchen as she entered, as if it were there to tempt her.

  “Hey?” Liv called.

  “I’m back here,” Rory responded, peeking around the corner with something frilly hanging around his neck.

  Curiously, Liv trotted to the kitchen, her nose leading the way. “What are you making?”

  “Pies,” Rory answered, grunting as a pan banged against the oven.

  Liv came around the corner to find a sight she hadn’t expected. Rows upon rows of pies sat on cooling racks stacked all the way to the ceiling. Steam rose from the tops of the pies, sending various smells spiraling through the air.

  Rory stood in front of the oven, pulling out a large pie using floral oven mitts. He spun, his brow beading with sweat as he smelled the crust. Hanging around his neck and tied around his waist was a frilly apron decorated with birds and nests.

  He set the large pie on the bottom rack as Liv glanced at the dozens of others spread around the room.

  “Ummm, let’s start with the obvious question,” Liv began. “What are you doing?”

  Rory counted the pies. “I’m making pies.”

  “Why?” Liv asked.

  “To eat,” Rory stated simply, continuing to count.

  “Is this, like, your dinner tonight?”

  Rory shook his head. “I couldn’t eat all of these in one sitting.”

  Liv patted her stomach. She felt she was up for that challenge.

  Rory turned to face her. “Besides, I’m gluten-intolerant. It gives me an awful rash, and irritates my stomach for days if I have it.”

  “So who are all these pies for, then?”

  “Friends,” Rory replied, untying the apron and hanging it on a hook on the wall.

  “And again, has anyone ever told you that you remind them of their grandmother, with your floral prints and vintage kitchen?”

  Rory looked around at the room, which was decorated in mint greens and soft pinks. He shrugged. “I kept some of my grandmother’s effects, but I think this place has a nice balance of masculinity and femininity.”

  Liv didn’t really care to argue that point. “So these friends… Am I considered one of them?”

  “Is that your way of asking for a slice of pie?” Rory asked.

  Liv nodded, salivating from the intoxicating smell.

  “What would you like?” Rory pointed to the first row of pies. “We have chicken pot pie, meat pie, apple cinnamon, blueberry crumble, peach vanilla, cherry marmalade, and strawberry rhubarb.”

  Liv was stunned by the options. Her mouth hung open as her anticipation sought to burst out of her.

  “No time for pie,” Plato said from the entrance to the kitchen. “We’ve got work to do.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  “Plato, where have you been?” Liv asked, looking the cat over.

  “I found the network of tunnels,” he answered.

  “You’ve been off looking for those all this time?” Liv questioned.

  Rory looked at Liv and Plato, confusion growing on his face.

  “It didn’t make any sense that the tunnels were giving off readings of a leeching magical creature but that we couldn’t find evidence of it,” Plato stated. “So I investigated until I found what we were missing. Or rather, where.”

  “Are you going to tell me or make me guess?” Liv asked.

  Plato nodded in the direction of the front door. “I’ll show you.”

  Rory cut into the biggest of the pies and pulled out a steaming slice, sliding it onto a decorative plate. He handed it to Liv but looked directly at Plato.

  “She needs to eat, or she’ll be no good to either of us,” he said. “First chicken pot pie, then whatever else.”

  Plato sighed impatiently and disappeared into the living room.

  “Want to tell me what’s going on?” Rory asked Liv as she shoveled the still-steaming pie into her mouth, burning her tongue.

  Liv explained about the case she’d been assigned and handed Rory her digital codex with the notes.

  “So you went to this location in the underground and didn’t find anything?” Rory asked, reading the device.

  “Nothing out of the ordinary, but it sounds as though Plato has found a new lead.”

  Rory gave her a skeptical glance. “Firstly, it’s not like a lynx to be so helpful.”

  “Plato is different,” Liv said, polishing off the last of her pie and taking the glass of cold water Rory offered her right on cue.

  “And secondly, he’s talking an awful lot lately,” Rory continued.

  “Plato is different,” Liv repeated.

  “That’s the thing,” Rory said in a whisper. “Lynxes are never different. You read about him in the book I gave you? They are deceptive and self-serving. If he’s helping you, well…”

  “Do you think I’m part of a secret he’s hiding?”

  Rory regarded her uncertainly for a moment and then nodded. “That makes the most sense, but it’s never so straightforward. I’ll just caution you not to trust the creature.”

  Liv finished the glass of water, finally full after the wholesome meal. “There’s no one else alive I do trust.”

  Rory shook his head. “Oh, you’re one dumb human, but I’ll let it pass.” Rory swiped his hand at the row of pies, and they were instantly packaged in white cardboard boxes tied with ribbons.

  “Who are these friends you’re giving these to?” Liv asked.

  Rory ignored her. “What I don’t understand is, if the House of Seven got reports of leeching, why do they not have a better reading on where it was happening or who is doing it?”

  “Isn’t that my job to detect?”

  “Still, the report had to come from somewhere. Something about this doesn’t sound right to me,” Rory said, scratching his wide chin.

  “Well, why don’t you come with me and see what you think if you have such suspicions,” Liv offered.

  Rory gave her a quizzical glance. “You, a Warrior for the House of Seven, want to bring me along on one of your illustrious cases?”

  “I’ve been assigned what sounds like a bogus case in the sewage-filled underground of LA,” Liv stated. “I don’t know how illustrious this one will be.”

  Rory hesitated for a moment, considering Liv.

  “Hey, you do owe me a lesson.” She picked up a large leather jacket hanging on a dining room chair and nearly doubled over from the weight of the oversized garment. “I need you to teach me some more combat spells.” She tried to throw the jacket in Rory’s direction, but it fell short, landing at his feet.

  He directed his hand at the jacket, making it hover above the floor before it flew up to his outstretched hand. “If you want to learn how to do a trauma shot, you better get a whole lot stronger.”

  “Oh man, you’re not going to make me dig another hole, are you?”

  “Nope,” Rory said, striding toward the door. “I don’t have all day to sit around.”

  Liv followed Plato as he led the way through the tunnels she had spent hours investigating the day before. She didn’t have to read minds to know that he was less than thrilled about the giant accompanying them. Yes, Rory was suspicious of Plato, but he was also a source of information on other magical creatures, and Liv could use all the help she could
get solving this case.

  Plato stopped abruptly and Liv ran into him, then Rory rammed into her back. Looking up at Rory with pure disdain, Plato said, “Watch where you’re going.”

  The giant only shook his head, not looking offended.

  “This is what I found earlier,” Plato explained, indicating a solid wall.

  “Wow, a concrete wall that we walked past a bazillion times last night,” Liv exclaimed with mock amazement in her voice.

  “It has a glamour on it,” Rory said, walking straight up to the wall and putting his hand even with the surface.

  “Yes, I figured you could see through it, giant,” Plato stated dryly.

  Liv looked at the cat and Rory. “Does someone want to tell me what’s going on?”

  “Giants can’t be fooled by glamour or any magic used to deceive,” Plato explained.

  “Oh, so that’s why you don’t do anything to your house to make it look less run down,” Liv stated.

  Rory gave her an annoyed look. “And also because it’s wrong. Remember, it’s better for us to try to enjoy things as they are.”

  “Yes, I remember, but it doesn’t work for you anyway, so the point is a little less poetic than the first time you tried to make it.” Liv pointed to the wall. “But you can see through this? What’s on the other side?”

  “More tunnels,” Rory observed, ducking to peer at the wall.

  Liv shot Plato a look. “You think this is where the leechings are happening?”

  He nodded. “I know they are, but the giant is right that something is amiss. The House gave you this case, but the details aren’t specific enough. It seems like they are almost sending you on a wild goose hunt.”

  “Why would they do that?” Liv asked. “I’m a Warrior, meant to help and protect.”

  Rory put his head through the solid wall, and a moment later, he pulled it back through. “You’re a pain in the ass that they probably want to keep out of their hair until you’re better trained.”