Bound by Sorcery: A New Adult Urban Fantasy (The Half-Goddess Chronicles Book 1)

by Antara Mann

  I was relieved. “You scared me out of my wits, girl. Don’t joke like that anymore, especially not when I come home exhausted from a fight,” I scolded her.

  “I’m sorry, Alex. I didn’t mean to upset you. I just wanted to lighten your mood.”

  I waved my hand dismissively and drew nearer to Carlos. The explosion had knocked him unconscious, and he was hurt. We weren’t worried, though: A shifter’s inner animal wouldn’t let them come to too much harm, but it could take some time for him to recover. I decided to use my powers to help him heal faster. My healing powers worked slowly on me, but when applied to others they were always faster. Besides, my adrenaline and Naomi's concoction had given me an extra power boost. I touched the shifter’s chest and concentrated. Light yellow flickering waves flowed from my hand to Carlos’ skin, then I concentrated harder and the healing energy went deeper into his body. Gradually, his chalk-white face regained its natural, healthy color, and in a few moments, he opened his eyes. Seeing me and Naomi, he jumped.

  “What's happening? Where am I?”

  “Calm down, Carlos, you’re in my bookshop — I told you about the Steaming Cauldron, right? This is my best friend and business partner, Naomi Mitchell. Naomi — Carlos.”

  Carlos visibly relaxed; then he smiled amiably at Naomi and they shook hands, exchanging the usual courtesies.

  “It seems I blacked out back there. What happened outside the club?” he asked me. “I remember biting the telekinetic guy hard when an enormous explosion knocked me off my feet. And that’s where my memory ends.”

  I chuckled. “I’m responsible for that enormous explosion, and I teleported us here to a safe place. I caused too much damage and chaos over there.”

  “Aha.” Carlos rubbed his temples and said, “I have to get in touch with Brendan and tell him about the attack. I have the feeling it’s linked to our investigation.”

  “Or it could be that the incubus was somehow involved,” I suggested.

  “I don’t think so, but anything’s possible. At any rate, I didn’t like that club — there was something foul over there, apart from its name. Now, if you’ll excuse me, ladies, I’ll call Brendan.” With these words he stepped over to the shelves near the love potions, leaving Naomi and I on our own.

  She turned to me and said, “What’s bothering you? I can see there’s something.”

  I frowned. “To be honest, I don’t know what to think of that ambush. It could have something to do with the murder we’re investigating, but it could also be something entirely different.”

  “Well, you’ll figure it out soon enough, I’m sure.”

  I was pondering on the issue when Carlos interrupted my thoughts.

  “Alex, Brendan wants to talk to you.” Apparently he had relayed the events from the last half an hour to him. Shifters!

  Before I could reply, though, Brendan’s all-too-familiar voice sounded in my own head. “Alex, I just spoke with Carlos and he told me about your little adventure.”

  “Come on — little?”

  “Okay, a big one. Are you satisfied now?” he snapped.

  “Not yet, but it’s better not to belittle things.”

  For a second, Brendan remained silent, suppressing the angry outburst which I felt sure would be coming soon. “Did you get a good look at your attackers’ faces? Any impressions of them?”

  “Well, one was a telekinetic and the other was a dark wizard or something. I’m sure Carlos already told you that. The wizard was blond and had a magic rod, and the telekinetic wore a hood. I can’t remember anything else.”

  “Okay, that’s enough for now. Get some rest, both of you. Tomorrow morning at six we have а high-profile meeting with the Courts of Heaven and Hell at the Veil — Carlos has the details.”

  “What the fuck?” I protested, but Brendan had cut off our mental communication. Damned shifters and their supernatural abilities! I wanted to discuss my special magical skills with Awen, but he always found excuses to change or ignore the subject. Once we finished this case, though, I’d back Awen into a corner and demand to learn about my lineage and my mother. I had the right to fully know whom I descended from and who I was.

  “All done talking to Brendan?” Carlos asked.

  “Yes. He cut off the connection just when I was going to ask him about the Veil and tomorrow’s meeting. What is all that about? Brendan said you knew.”

  “Yes. Kai, the chief of the demons, is furious because of his devotee’s murder. So he’s called a meeting between the courts and us — the investigators. It seems like we are in for a party tomorrow,” Carlos said gravely.

  “Just when I thought it couldn’t get any worse,” I muttered.

  “I don’t want to upset you, Alex, but something tells me there are going to be more murders.” Carlos looked at me thoughtfully with his beautiful green tiger’s eyes.

  I shivered slightly.

  Chapter 7

  Before falling asleep that night, I tried to imagine the Veil. I pictured it as a posh place in dark colors and filled with magical runes, guarded by dragons or perhaps ferocious three-headed dogs, but I wasn’t prepared for what lay in store.

  At ten minutes to six the next morning, Carlos and I were waiting in front of a modern, futuristic-looking glass building located in a quiet Brooklyn neighborhood. A six-foot-tall ogre with a strange tattoo on his neck guarded the entrance, his biceps bulging even through his meticulous suit. He looked at us as if he had eaten glass for breakfast. When Brendan appeared, he showed his Magic Council ID badge and the ogre let us in. Passing by him I got the feeling he was made of either steel or marble. His magic felt like massive ocean waves — a tsunami. I understood why the Council had hired him — he looked invincible. Even I would probably have a hard time winning a battle against him, unless it was during the full moon.

  I refocused my thoughts on the narrow, blue-painted corridor we walked down. It led us to a magnificent hall, brightly lit, making me think of the splendor of an aristocratic house. The hall was lit with flaming torches, and in the center of the marble floor was a large cherrywood table. A few supernaturals sat before that grand table. Strong, ancient magic hit all my senses. It felt like taking a bath in a magic fountain; every supernatural’s magic was unique, and gave me a different feel or taste. The end result was a mixed one. However, one thing they all had in common was the potency of their magic.

  “Well, I wasn’t expecting this,” I said, mostly to myself. Brendan nodded at me and we sat at the very end of a table with a nameplate bearing the inscription ‘Magic Council.’ Farther along the table I saw nameplates for ‘Court of Heaven’ and ‘Court of Hell;’ most of the seats were empty.

  I couldn’t deny it: I was excited. Never in my life had I attended a meeting like this, between the two most powerful courts in the universe. It was definitely a privilege to be here. Many supernaturals would kill to witness such an historic event. Tales of past meetings had become the stuff of legends and myths.

  I looked around, examining the large hall in more detail. Runic symbols on the walls emanated extraordinary magic power which prickled like needles on my skin. Some of the runes were for protection, others for strength and concentration, and a few for peace, mutual understanding, and agreement. With the types of supernaturals who were about to gather here, peace and agreement would definitely be needed.

  Seated next to me, Carlos asked, “So what do you think?”

  “I’m dazed, to put it mildly,” I replied, still not able to divert my gaze from the runes carved into the walls around us.

  Carlos smiled. “I felt the same way the first time I was here.”

  “How many times have you been here?” I asked him.

  “Three, including today.”

  I was about to ask him about his previous visits to the Veil when the door opened and a dozen supernaturals burst in. The first thing to hit my senses was the taste of the newly arrived creatures’ magic: Never in my life had I felt such a diverse mix of magic.
It was as if someone had mixed the gentlest, softest magical vibrations with dark, monstrous, even killing magic — the feeling was unbearable, bordering on insanity, and I tried to turn off or blunt my magical radar. Awen and Brendan had told me that, in times of need, a supernatural could tune out their sense of magic, but I’d never done it before. I lacked the training. Maybe if the moon were full, the strange and unusual magic that manifested within me at that time would protect me, but the moon was still a small waxing crescent. I felt sick right away — my heart rate quickened and was nearly overcome with dizziness.

  Sensing my discomfort, Carlos whispered, “Connect with your magic center and imagine it is a shield against all the diverse magic around us.”

  I closed my eyes and connected with the thread inside of me. I felt the ancient magic surging within, more powerful than ever. It built a high wall between me and the supernaturals around us. I immediately felt better — my heartbeat normalized and the tingle in my head disappeared, along with the vertigo. I gave Carlos a thankful smile and he beamed at me. I did like this guy.

  “I think everyone is here, so let’s start our meeting,” said a tall, thin man, dressed all in black, as he took his seat. Although I had to admit he was extremely good-looking, something about him repelled me. From behind my protective magic wall I felt his energy, a wild, tumultuous, dark magic. I had never experienced such a strong energy before — even behind my protective wall, my hair stood on end. There was something unsettling about his magic — maybe that was what had made me feel so ill a few moments ago? I knew I was safe, though. This man was definitely a demon — I had noticed before that their magic had a very negative effect on me — and judging by the strength of his magic, he was a very high-ranking one, at that.

  A second man rose — his magic was a little more potent than average, but it felt nothing like the black-clad man’s, and I was relieved. He smoothed his suit down and began to speak.

  “I am Tomas Meyer, and I represent the Magic Council. We will serve as arbitrators between the two Courts. We are here at the request of the Court of Hell, to discuss the ritualistic murder of Daniel Stone. I now give the floor to the master of the Court of Hell, Kai Hellster.” He sat down next to Brendan, and the same tall, thin man in black stood up, his magic power mounting then breaking over me like a tsunami — thank magic I had a strong shield up; otherwise I wouldn’t have lasted long in his presence.

  “Thank you all for responding to our request to attend today, and thank you to the Magic Council for your prompt response and your efforts regarding this investigation. As I suppose you all know, one of our low-level worshipers — Daniel Stone, the CEO of UCB Bank — was killed the day before yesterday. As the investigators can attest, it was a supernatural murder. The symbol of the Holy Order of Shadows was carved on the victim’s chest. Correct?” He turned to our end of the table, and Brendan nodded with an inscrutable expression on his face.

  “So.” He cleared his throat and glanced at the papers in front of him, then continued, “given the prominence of the murdered human, as well as recent tensions between the demon Sukshmilla and the god Dibba and, last but not least, the use of the symbol of an ancient order whose mission had been to exterminate demons, I believe the murder was ordered by the Court of Heaven.” He had barely spoken the words when a wave of protests filled the room.

  Chaos reigned for a few moments before the Magic Council’s representative rose to intervene. He held up a hand for attention, then spoke. “Master Kai has made a serious accusation but let’s all remain calm. I’m giving the floor to the Mistress of the Court of Heaven, the Morrigan, to address the issues.”

  Everyone’s eyes turned toward the middle of the table, where a tall, black-haired woman in silver-white robes sat. I’d rarely seen anyone carry themselves so gracefully and with such dignity as this woman — but ‘woman’ was a misnomer. She was a goddess, I reminded myself, and I shouldn’t forget it.

  “Thank you, Tomas.” She didn’t rise as Kai had done, but stayed in her seat. “If it weren’t for the formality of this meeting, Kai, I wouldn’t even bother addressing your groundless accusations. It is typical of the demonic nature to create conflicts and strife, but our Court had nothing to do with that lost soul’s murder. Moreover, your Court has no evidence to support your bold speculation.”

  More commotion and heated comments followed, the loudest coming this time from the Court of Hell. The Magic Council’s representative intervened again, and gave the floor back to Kai.

  “I’m sure we will find evidence, Morrigan. The Holy Order of Shadows’ symbol hasn’t been seen for nearly a hundred years, so it stands to reason a supernatural was involved. Since it wasn’t one of our ranks, it must have been someone from your court.”

  Heated protests arose from the Court of Heaven. This reminded me more and more of a ping-pong game.

  “Then find the evidence and present it!” the Morrigan replied challengingly once Tomas had established order again. “Your theory is sheer insanity. Why would we want to break nearly one hundred years of peace between our two Courts? Or maybe it’s you who wants to break the peace.” Angry shouts arose from the Court of Hell, but the Morrigan’s voice sounded over them. “I say it is more likely that one of your own demons killed the man.”

  At these words, chaos again erupted. Demons were verbally attacking gods, hurling accusations at them and vice versa. After a few minutes of effort, Tomas established a temporary order.

  “Your words alone spell war,” Kai growled. His magical energy had intensified and was more powerful than ever. I wouldn’t want to cross him for the world, unless I was a goddess or something. For some unknown reason, in that moment my magic spontaneously tugged at my center, and I had to subdue it. This was unusual. I would have to have that talk with Awen, and soon. I needed to know who my mother was, and most importantly who the hell I was.

  “Isn’t it true, though?” The Morrigan's voice soared like a hawk in the stillness of the hall. “The Magic Council has informed me that the victim was a member of an occult club, the Hollow Skull. Any comments, dear?”

  I couldn’t help but smile at the sarcasm in her voice. Her magic felt very serene and, at the same time, powerful, like ocean waves — gentle and playful, but with the clear impression that they could turn into a deadly storm if need be.

  “Yes, Morrigan, dear, Daniel Stone was indeed a member of that club, but all evidence so far indicates that he was not killed by his fellow members. Isn’t that correct, Mr. Sax?” Kai turned to Brendan. Had the question been directed to me, I would probably have stuttered like an idiot in front of all those important supernaturals. Thank magic I wasn’t in charge of the investigation.

  “We are still conducting the investigation, and we are not ruling anything out. This case is more complicated than it seems,” the werewolf said.

  “Perhaps you need additional help, sergeant, is that the problem?” Kai sneered.

  “Kai, you’re very rude today. First you accuse me and my court of murdering your insignificant devotee, and now you’re goading the man leading the investigation.”

  “I’m giving you and your petty Court a week, in which time I expect Mr. Sax and his team to solve the murder and find the culprit. I demand that an independent supernatural help them on this case. It’s clear they are not able to handle it on their own,” the demon said.

  “Oh, you demand? Or what?” The Morrigan bared her teeth and magic surged from her, tasting of poison, destructive and ruthless. It hit the protective wall I’d summoned over me and I hoped the meeting would be over soon, that we’d all be safe and sound and the end of the world would be averted. A girl can dream.

  “Otherwise, I’ll assign some of my staff to investigate the case — and I believe neither you nor the Magic Council will like the results.”

  Raw magic flashed in the goddess’ eyes for a moment, making them gleam with a strange golden light. Then it disappeared as quickly as it had surfaced.

  “I d
on’t see why you’re so obsessed with this murder,” she retorted.

  “As I already said, we think it was a political murder, having a greater purpose and meaning.”

  The Morrigan sighed. “You’re insane, Kai, I’m telling you.”

  “If that’s true, then there’s no reason to worry, right? I request you comply. Now.” He wasn’t begging; he was demanding, as only a demon could.

  “I need some time to discuss your request with my court,” the Morrigan said.

  Kai nodded in agreement, and with that, a magical wall of air rose up to enclose the Court of Heaven and keep their discussion confidential. The conversation lasted not more than a minute or two, and the Morrigan, of course, was the central figure. When they were done, she removed the wall with a glance.

  “Kai, we have made a decision. Given the complexity of the assassination, the Magic Council needs at least fourteen days before you let your demons run amok in the city. We don’t mind an independent supernatural supervising the investigation, but there will be one condition: The Magic Council will choose him or her.”

  Kai exchanged glances with the demon sitting to his right, and accepted the terms.

  Tomas Meyer nodded to Brendan curtly and said, “The Magic Council believes the fae Kagan Griffith is the most suitable independent supernatural.” And with that, the choice was made.

  I recognized the family name; the Griffith family was one of our world’s dynastic families. The magic dynasties were families of ancient supernaturals, the most powerful to ever grace the earth. They had immense power over the rest of us magic users, and exerted massive influence on the human world. Of course, the general human populace didn’t know they were magical — ordinary humans knew them by their wealth and influence, but thought they were humans just like anyone else.

  Kai and the demons didn’t mind the choice of Kagan Griffith, but I cast a look at Brendan and he didn’t seem very happy. His male ego and sense of superiority as the head of the investigation would clearly suffer.