The Leira Chronicles- The Complete Austin Series

by Martha Carr

  Correk gave a small wave and slid into the booth, grabbing Leira's hand to pull her in next to him before she could sit by her mother.

  "Well, I guess I'll sit next to you," said Donald, sliding in next to Eireka.

  Leira leaned closer to Correk and whispered, "I think my life I didn't have is flashing before my eyes."

  "Don't be so dramatic. Your mother is on a date with her grown daughter and a magic Elf from Oriceran. Perfectly normal."

  Leira spit out a little of her water, coughing as Correk patted her hard on the back.

  "You okay there, honey?" The waitress appeared at their table, gently patting Leira on the shoulder.

  "Went down the wrong way," she managed to get out, still coughing a little.

  "Everyone know what they want or you need a minute?"

  "If the rest of you don't mind, I'd like to order for the table," said Donald, shyly glancing over at Eireka. "We used to have a usual," he said to the waitress.

  Eireka's face lit up and she sat up straighter. "That's right! You remember." Her cheeks were flush as she let out a giggle.

  Correk pressed his hand on top of Leira's sending a small jolt of energy through her.

  "I'm not going to do something," she hissed quietly to him.

  "I was more concerned you'd pass out from it all."

  She drew up one side of her mouth but turned it into a crooked smile when her mother looked in her direction. This can be her night. I'll just be here for the pizza and to annoy Correk. That's more than enough.

  "A large pepperoni and mushroom tried and true," said Donald, resting his hands on the table, then in his lap, then back on the table.

  "This is painful," Leira whispered to Correk.

  "Only for you," he replied, pushing her back on to her side of the seat.

  "Sounds delicious," said Correk. "And a Dr. Pepper."

  "You don't even know what pepperoni is," said Leira. "I'll have a Shiner Bock."

  "I tried Cheetos and Twizzlers and Pop Tarts and that's all gone well. I'm sure this will too."

  "Are you not from these parts?" asked Donald.

  "This'll be even better than that stuff!" said the waitress.

  "He's from New Zealand. They have their own kind of junk food there," Leira added quickly. "He's decided to stay here for the indefinite future." Eireka nodded, relieved.

  "Oh, so like a resident alien. We'll take two Shiner Bocks," said Donald, nodding at the waitress.

  "What?" Correk startled.

  "Exactly like that," said Leira, laughing. Correk raised his eyebrows and looked at Leira who laughed even harder. He rolled his eyes.

  Eireka was practically beaming.

  I miss Hagan, thought Leira. All these feelings out in the open would be killing him more. At least that would be something to entertain me.

  "Tell me about how you two met." Leira rested her arm on the table.

  "Good for you," whispered Correk.

  "Your mother had a flat tire on 5th Street during rush hour in the right-hand lane. Cars honking everywhere. You were strapped in your seat in the back, just as calm as could be. I pulled up expecting to see a frazzled mom gripping a steering wheel but instead..." He looked over at Eireka who smiled shyly. "Your eyes were shut and you had the most peaceful smile on your face."

  "I was meditating," she said, not taking her eyes off Donald.

  "He must have the best six pack abs of anyone in Austin," whispered Correk, "based on your mother's basic criteria."

  Leira pinched his thigh hard adding a little zing of magic, still smiling at Donald and her mother, tilting her head to the side, smiling.

  "Two moons!" shouted Correk, jumping in his seat.

  "You okay over there?" Donald smiled easily, taking Eireka's hand in his. Eireka looked directly at Leira, arching an eyebrow and narrowing her eyes just long enough to get the message across. Leira shrugged and widened her eyes innocently.

  "Anyway, that was all it took. I thought, I need to find out more about this beautiful lady and her peaceful kid. Didn't last nearly long enough." He looked down for a moment.

  "It's okay, Donald. You can talk about it. They cleared my records and admitted they made a big mistake. Even paid a settlement." Eireka was still smiling at him but there was pain in her eyes. Donald gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

  "Fifteen years for a mistake." His voice was barely above a whisper.

  The waitress arrived with a pizza stand and the oversized thin crust pizza. She plopped white paper plates next to it and a pile of small white napkins. "Parmesan and pepper flakes are in the shakers. Right back with the beers and the Dr. Pepper," she said, wiping her hands on a towel tucked into the apron around her waist, already walking away. Donald took charge, passing out the pizza to the ladies first and slipping two large pieces onto a plate for Correk.

  Correk bit into the pizza right away, grease dripping down his hand. "Hot! Hot! Hot!" He held his mouth open, fanning it with a napkin.

  "Greenhorn. I told you not to do that the last time we ate here." Leira handed him his water and he filled his mouth with water still chewing. "Is that how they eat in New Zealand?" She drew out the last two words.

  "Consequences of enthusiasm," said Eireka, moving her foot under the table till it brushed against Correk's foot and she could send a small amount of healing energy his way. He immediately felt better.

  Everyone settled down and ate and the conversation died down. Eireka and Donald stole glances at each other and ate their pizza with forks and knives. Sure sign of a date at Home Slice.

  "I'm the favorite," whispered Correk.

  "If you need to think that," said Leira, opening her mouth as wide as she could to take in as much pizza as she could.

  "That was oddly impressive," he said, louder, "Didn't know you had it in you."

  "And now on you," said Eireka, laughing.

  Leira looked down and saw the droplets of grease on her front.

  "Price you pay," she said, her mouth full. She chewed just a little more and waited till Eireka and Donald stole another glance at each other before she nudged Correk and opened her mouth.

  "See food. Get it? Seafood. See food?"

  He rolled his eyes again at her. "Retribution will come when you least expect it and are probably asleep and will involve a troll."

  "He would never turn on me."

  "His services can be bought with a doughnut. We both know it. Sleep well tonight."

  "You two known each other long? You seem like brother and sister."

  Leira was about to answer when she felt a familiar rush of energy come right through her. She jerked, dropped her pizza on the plate and pressed her hands against the seat, trying to steady herself and look calm.

  "Swallowed wrong." She was looking for a good cover as the surge grew stronger. She could sense the magic was surging, doing its best to protect her. Something magical and dangerous enough to threaten her was close. Please don't let it be that damnable dark mist. Not here. Not now. Not my favorite pizza joint.

  Correk took another bite slowly, giving her a sidelong glance, trying to determine what to do next. The smile on Eireka's face became strained. Only Donald seemed oblivious.

  She took a slow look around the room but couldn't see anything strange. No weird holes opening up by the pizza oven. She kept her breathing steady, taking long, slow breaths, her palms starting to sweat. This is not good, not fucking good.

  She looked up at Correk just as her eyes glowed. His face gave him away for only a moment as he held her gaze, hiding the telltale sign from everyone around them. She did her best to smile and leaned closer to him, whispering. "I can't control it. What's happening? It feels like something dark is nearby, getting closer."

  Correk pushed his leg against Leira's, drawing some of the energy into himself. His leg started to shake, rattling the table. Eireka put out her foot again, creating a triangle of energy, pressing it against her daughter.

  "What's going on? This an earthquake?" Do
nald looked around at the other tables but no other table was shaking. He looked at Eireka but she was keeping her eyes on her daughter, no longer pretending to smile. Donald slowly looked at Leira, and saw the start of glowing symbols creeping up Leira's arm. Correk slipped her jacket around her shoulders. He put a hand on the table, pressing down hard to stop it from shaking.

  "What the fuck is happening here?" Donald said, quietly, looking around to see who else noticed but they were too busy eating pizza.

  "You want anything else?" asked the waitress, holding the check in her hands.

  "No!" they all said in unison.

  "I'll take that." Donald came halfway out of his seat, grabbing the check out of her hands. If we could get a box. Great." He kept smiling, waving the check as he sat back down.

  The energy surged again, whipping through Leira and passing into Correk and through Eireka making a complete circuit. Leira felt her jaw tighten as she did her best to hold the magic down to a minimum as it sped faster and faster. The air rushed out of her and she suddenly relaxed, her jaw dropping open as she let out a long, "Ahhhhhhh."

  Floating just over Donald and Eireka's head was her grandmother but she was covered in a thin film that separated her from Leira.

  "The veil is getting thinner," said Correk, quietly, concern in his voice.

  Donald turned and looked in the same direction but saw nothing. "What veil?" No one answered him.

  "Leira...get help...you need to build the energy." It sounded like a repeated echo blending together. I can hear my grandmother.

  "I can hear her! I know, I figured that out. I understand. I'll need reinforcements."

  "I knew you could do it." The eerie blended echo came through but only Leira, Eireka and Correk could hear her. Donald kept looking around, a worried expression on his face.

  "I'm gonna go pay the bill," he said, sliding out of the booth.

  Mara smiled at her granddaughter just as the black mist crept around the edges. She gave a small wave and pulled back her energy, cutting off the connection. Leira fell back against the padded booth.

  "This is not good," said Correk.

  "Not fucking good at all." Leira was drenched in sweat. "That surge was amazing but how did that happen? I wasn't calling on magic or pulling it into me."

  "Your grandmother used the connection we share to pull it out of you. Like a phone call, sort of," said Eireka, watching for Donald. "You think he just got in his car and drove off?"

  "Not Donald but he'll want an explanation for the Addams Family reunion we just did." Leira wiped her face with a napkin. "Whew! I am hungry," she said, biting into her pizza. "Thank God, still warm."

  "That's it," said Correk. "Back to eating. No trembles or feelings of warnings. No worries?"

  "I already knew all of that," said Leira, taking another bite. "And that extra blast of energy was a rush!"

  "She's on a magic high. The euphoria. It'll go down shortly. Surely you've seen that before," said Eireka.

  Correk took another look at her. "Newbie," he said, trying not to sound worried.

  Leira eyed him over the half-eaten slice in her hand. "I get it. Bad things this way come. But not this second, they don't. Come on, you've seen worse."

  Correk looked at her and said slowly, "I'm not sure I ever have."

  Leira stopped chewing and looked at him. "Well, that puts a different spin on it when you're put out by something magical." Leira put down the pizza and let out a breath. "This is a jammin feeling but I can think through it. Maybe. We knew all of this before we walked in here. Danger hasn't increased."

  "The veil is getting thinner. That mass of dark energy is doing something that is making it easier for what's in the world in between to contact Earth. Maybe Oriceran as well. It's probably why you could hear your grandmother this time." Correk tapped his fingers on the table. "If the veil itself were pierced in either world. Torn in some permanent way. The dead and the living and whatever else is apparently in there could come spilling out to here."

  "Oh. That is bad. You are killing my buzz. Very douchie move."

  "Everybody still in one piece?" Donald stood by the table. He was ready to go.

  "Sure, we can go." Eireka slid out of the booth.

  Leira started to get up, still lightheaded from the burst of energy but Correk pulled her back into her seat.

  "Give them a moment."

  "Did we ruin the date?" asked Leira craning to try and see out the window.

  "Well, we definitely made it interesting." The waitress appeared with a box and Correk threw in what remained of the pizza. "If Yumfuck smelled pizza on us and we didn't have any there would be hell to pay."

  They waited till they saw Donald’s truck pull out of the parking lot before they ventured outside and found Eireka leaning against the Mustang.

  "Everything okay?" Leira pressed the button to unlock the car.

  "He was amazing, given what a shit show that was in there for the unacquainted."

  "She means humans," said Leira, tripping over her feet.

  "Not worn off yet." Correk gave a thin smile and held onto Leira while he balanced the box.

  "You're smiling again so he must have believed you."

  "Turns out he remembers the same kind of light show on me years ago when I thought I was alone in the bedroom but he never said anything. He was glad to get an explanation."

  "Oooh, the bedroom," sang Leira.

  "I'll drive," said Correk, taking the keys from her. "Can't hold your magic," he said, smiling but he looked back at Home Slice as the strain came across his face again. The veil is getting thin. Do the prophets know?

  It was a beautiful day in Oriceran. The prophets decided they didn't want to miss it and cast a spell on the ceiling of their meeting room that showed a blue sky and several clouds passing overhead.

  They were gathered in the private meeting room on the far side of the vast post office. Outside the gargoyles flew through the air putting mail in all of the thousands of mailboxes. Sending out passenger pigeons with the outgoing mail.

  "We need a plan," said the Light Elf. "Something we can start teaching everyone so that when it's time to migrate to Earth, no one panics. If we start now, we can teach it in the schools. Make it part of the curriculum."

  "We'll have to decide who goes first," said the Crystal prophet, blowing out a fine, cold mist of air. "We're talking about magical trafficking of an entire world. It will take time. Time the prophesies say we may not have before Oriceran is destroyed when the gates open and the magic drains toward Earth."

  "Perhaps a lottery would work," said the Kilomea prophet.

  "I'd be happy to come up with an outline." It was the old Gnome prophet sitting quietly in the back.

  There had been rumors lately about a Gnome controlling the Dark Market. Some of the prophets were becoming suspicious even though most found it hard to believe a prophet would be involved in dark magic.

  "All of us need to participate this time," said the Wood Elf prophet, breaking the awkward silence. "It will take all of us to foresee everything we'll need..."

  "And everything that could go wrong..." chimed in a pixie, fluttering over her seat.

  "We need to start. You've heard what's happening on Earth right now." The Arpak prophet fluttered his wings in irritation.

  "The Atlantean attitude is making a return. There are followers on Earth chasing down the royal artifact. The necklace." The Light Elf spat out the words. "I thought we were done with the pure of thought mindlessness eight hundred years ago."

  "History seems to be repeating itself in a watered-down version. It's kids, hooligans, with nothing better to do," said the Wizard prophet.

  The old Gnome bristled but hid his discontent.

  "I have relatives in the Order here and they said it's mostly contained," said the Wizard.

  "Mostly," said the Pixie. "But not entirely."

  The Wood Elf looked around the room, his four irises moving in different directions.


  "This is a secure room," said the Light Elf. "What have you heard? It's an open secret the Wood Elves have made a few trips. Now is not the time to be coy."

  "You can't be too sure of anything these days." The Wood Elf's irises came back to the front. "More than one ancient site on Earth has been pulled down by scavengers looking for powerful artifacts hidden long ago. They're gathering as much energy as they can."

  "To open the gates early!" squeaked the Pixie.

  "Before we have a plan in place. That would be disastrous."

  "Unless we can find a way to start moving our citizens early." The Pixie flew back and forth over her seat, her blue prophets robe fluttering behind her.

  "Explains their fascination with the necklace but makes it worse that they have it.The Silver Griffins have been one step behind every time."

  "For now," said the Gnome, rising to leave. "They have it for now. Things can change. We all know that. We should meet here again tomorrow." He walked gingerly down the steep stairs, headed for the door. "There is much to plan and if these interlopers are successful, not much time at all." He smiled graciously and nodded. "Good day everyone." You will never see me coming. No one will.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Correk and Leira picked up Katie's trail again in Forth Worth, Texas and took off, driving as fast as they could in the Mustang, the lights and sirens blaring the entire way but they were too late, again. They followed the trail out to Granbury, Texas to open prairie under a wide-open sky. This time Correk didn't even need to prompt Leira. She sensed Katie Toler's trail right away along with three more witches and wizards who fought alongside her. The Order of the Silver Griffins stepped in to help.

  The remnants of magic they left behind pulsed in an entirely different way than the ones left by the new followers of Rhazdon. The Silver Griffins energy still flowed in smooth lines, easily tracing the path the energy took and left in Leira a feeling of purpose and courage.

  The Rhazdon followers left a tangled knot of magical light that turned in on itself, flowing back and forth in search of something, emitting an aching desire to belong. A swirl of darkness that was slowly sucking in any streaks of light the magic still possessed.