by Martha Carr
“It’s working,” said Correk relieved. He could feel the magic subsiding inside of her, draining back into the earth. Leira curled her fingers into fists and let out her breath in a gasp as she fell forward into Correk’s arms.
“It worked,” she said, smiling as the symbols finally faded. She pushed herself off Correk and found her footing. Correk managed a smile as Jackson watched the two of them together. Turner leaned closer to Jackson and whispered, “You’ve missed far too many years to make a comment. Focus on the win here.”
Leira looked down at the bracelet. A thin wisp of smoke was coming from it. “Thank you, Louie. I owe you big for this. I owe all of you.”
“Don’t say it.” Jackson put his hand on Louie’s shoulder. “This one was gratis.”
“Leira, it’s only a temporary fix. This doesn’t solve the issue long-term. It only buys us time.”
“Just like you, Turner to bring the party down at your first opportunity,” Jackson scowled. “How about we take the win?”
Leira was still smiling, relieved and still feeling the remains of the bliss from the magic. “This is enough for today. I can take this for now. I’ll dig in for a longer solution, but for now, I’m grateful.”
FINIS
Author Notes - Martha Carr
Written January 28, 2018
The start of the New Year opened with a bang for me. I ended the year wondering if I should go back to Chicago (the place I consider my hometown) or move into Austin, closer to the Offspring, Louie and the Wonderful Katie. Eeny, meeny, miny, moe. So, I took off for my old hometown to get a little Chicago Christmas under my belt and be surrounded by old friends. Maybe it would help me decide.
It was a wonderful time that showed me how connected I am to people in the world. My family is mostly made up of people I’m not blood related to – some of you can probably relate. But I also saw that my life had moved on and somewhere in there I became a Texan. Plus, navigating icy wooden stairs is tricky and walking the playful Lois Lane on ice seemed like a no go.
So back in Texas and on a whim my realtor friend, Sheila and I took off to look at a subdivision in Southeast Austin one Sunday afternoon two weeks ago. Didn’t really see anything… the best offering would have meant I’d spend most of my day in a dark room. Sheila looked at me and said, “It’s like a cubicle.” On another whim with only a half hour to go I said, “Let’s go across the main street and look at the fancy houses in that other subdivision.”
You can probably see where this is going, but hang on… It gets better. We went in the model home and noticed that the garage was already converted. BIG CLUE. They were almost sold out. The ceilings were super high and the finishes were fancier than I’m used to and we walked around with our mouths open, laughing and touching everything. Okay, 3rd whim… I asked the realtor who had an Eastern European accent so thick we had to lean in and listen carefully – was there anything left? Yes, one rancher…
Then she listed everything about the house and I could see good ol’ Sheila glancing at me sideways because the woman was listing everything I hoped for… including a bay window in the bedroom. Long and short, Sheila talked them down by A LOT over the next few days, figuring they were done and wanted out. And… I bought a house! (It’s being built and pictures will keep coming on my FB page and in the Martha Carr Fan Group) It’s a better house than I have ever lived in as a child or an adult. I keep taking deep breaths and telling myself, all is well, you pre-qualified. It’s okay.
BIG TRUTH is I am able to do all of this because of all of you – and Magic Mike. This past year has changed my life inside and out, and now it’s going to help change my address. I’m a kid who grew up in a kind of public housing (rectory, campus housing) and then lived in a variety of apartments… and this wonderful house. But as Sheila’s husband said… this house is a whole other level. One dream after another keeps coming true as if magic were real. And like I’ve said before… we’re just getting started.
There’s the Open House for Austin-area Veterans the day before this book comes out with a Kindle raffle, giving away some stickers and books and food and of course cake. There has to be cake. If all goes well that will become a model for a strange US book tour that will wind through where you guys, THE FANS said you’re mostly located. One fan made a great suggestion to do a signing in a bar that resembles Estelle’s. We’re looking into adding that…
In the meantime, Magic Mike is hard at work on The Amazing Mr. Brownstone series in the Oriceran Universe. I’m really looking forward to that one… and we have a few other ideas up our sleeve. Thanks for making ALL OF THIS POSSIBLE!
More adventures to follow.
Martha
Author Notes - Michael Anderle
Written January 29, 2018
First, thank you for not only reading this story, but reading the author notes here at the back as well!
I’ve said this before (probably in previous author notes in this series) but it pleases the ever-loving-fuck out of me to have played a part in Martha’s success.
Why you ask?
Because I am a firm believer that leaving behind those older in our society is a stupid-assed, short-sighted strategy.
Granted, some of those older people are pains-in-the-asses (but so are some of the younger people in our world.) There is no minimum or maximum age limit for someone to say, “I know what the hell I’m doing, and I don’t care what you tell me.”
Sixteen or sixty-five, the same attitude can be found in both.
However, rant aside, Martha is a talented author who had toed the line for the traditional model for so many years and did it ‘their way.’
Until she tossed off the shackles of the system, gave them a “Heigh-ho, fuck you Joe, I’m off to write about…” A female Austin, Tx detective that swears like a sailor and a troll named Yumfuck
Yeah, cause THAT would have made the agents and editors / publishers at the big houses stand on their chairs, screaming that they wanted to publish this series!
(Yes, I know, we are both shaking our heads at that actually playing out.)
However, we did it. She and I worked out the story, the world (Universe) and she believed enough in me to take some of it on faith.
And some of it by hard-headedness.
Either way, Martha is just about seven (7) months into her Oriceran Universe effort and together, she and I can smile, wave our middle-fingers to those who didn’t believe in her and enjoy the fact that we DID create a fan favorite swearing detective with a troll who has a penchant for causing mischief.
And it has been a best-selling series, with over 15,000 books sold and 8,000,000 pages read in Kindle Unlimited.
In just half a year.
More is coming from this dynamo, so thank you for cheering her on in her ‘old age’ and please, try to keep her attention with you on Facebook. Because if you don’t, she will turn that attention back to me and I’ve had enough little arrows stuck in me when she’s bored.
Thank-you-very-much.
Now, before you start harassing me about calling her old, SHE is the one who likes to point out that she is often the oldest in the group (I’m 50 – but she calls me just a child.)
It’s when Stephen Campbell (Zen Master Walking ™) is around that she keeps her mouth shut about age.
Ok, I’m off to continue falling asleep. Except, this time I’m going to fall asleep in my bed, instead of using my laptop as a pillow.
Love you guys and gals!
Ad Aeternitatem,
Michael
Enemies Of Magic
Leira Chronicles Book Seven
Chapter One
Correk felt the last shivers of magic drain away from Leira. He looked at the smile on her face and thought twice about saying anything. "Fuck it." He took her by the arm, walking away from the others across the grass of Turner's velvety lawn.
Leira's smile grew broader. "Correk, did you just say fuck? Wow, I am really rubbing off on you." She put her hand
s on her hips, standing straighter as the bracelet slid down her wrist, resting against her hand.
He was flustered, searching for the right words. "You didn't cure a disease, you can stand down. No parade is coming."
"No, but I managed to remove a stick." Her laugh came out easy and relaxed. "Why are you still holding on to my arm, big guy?" She looked down at her arm and up at Correk, a crooked smile on her face. Correk's fingers were pressing into her arm.
Jackson watched them from afar as Turner went on about the present state of magic on Earth. He was barely listening, giving an occasional "Uh huh." His focus was on his newly found daughter and the way she looked at the tall Elf.
Correk reluctantly dropped his hand, letting his fingers graze her hand. "You heard what Turner Underwood said. This is only a temporary fix." He leaned in closer to make his point. "And one that could fail." Please take it seriously.
"I can read your mind by that wrinkle across your forehead. I'm taking it seriously." She tapped the side of her head. "Well aware that things could go south at any moment. That's been the message from the very beginning when you and the King made a sudden visit at the hospital." The smile faded a little from her face. "Frankly, long before that day. Remember, I grew up with a mother that was supposed to be crazy and then had my grandmother disappear without a trace one day. I know things can suddenly change." She took a step back a step, holding her hands out wide at her side. "For this one moment, right here, I'm going to enjoy this feeling because the reverse is also true. Dammit, things can also weirdly go right. I'm not asking you to give me this one, Correk. It's mine and I'm claiming it."
Correk smiled despite his growing concern, the wrinkles deepening around his eyes. "A form of deadly optimism."
Turner snapped his fingers in front of Jackson's face, close to his eyes, startling him. He stumbled back a step and blushed right up to his pointed ears, visible through his long hair. "Snap out of it! She's grown already and probably better at handling tricky situations than you are."
Jackson rubbed the back of his neck, feeling sheepish. "That goes without saying. She's a marvel but that's what I'd expect from a Berens woman."
"One more reminder for you. Eireka is happy, finally. She's earned it." He held up his hand to stop Jackson and tapped his cane hard against the floor. "Doesn't matter that this wasn't exactly your doing. Fifteen years in a mental hospital because she told the world that magic is real. Let her have this peace."
Jackson took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "It will take some time to adjust to having so much more and all at an arm’s length."
Turner clapped his hand down on Jackson's shoulder. "Well said, my friend. What, you're surprised? Yes, we're friends, we have been all along. Your stubborn streak got in the way but in the end, I came to see that you made the right decision. You were never meant to be a Fixer."
Leira's ears perked up and she caught the last words. "You were supposed to be a Fixer?"
Jackson walked closer toward Leira despite Turner clearing his throat in the background. "Once upon a time I was a rising star in Elven land. It was a long time ago in a land far, far away." Jackson swallowed hard, watching his daughter laugh. His eyes shined for a moment, wet with tears as he blinked, hiding the sadness rising in his throat. He smiled and looked at her. At least she's happy. Now, if we can all help her learn how to be safe.
"I was a student of Turner Underwood's, much like you,” said Jackson. “I'm afraid I flunked out at some point and went my own way. It was a moment in time when Turner was still willing to mentor the occasional Elf on Oriceran. Never liked venturing too far from home. My dog needs me." And I met Eireka and thought my life was going in a completely different direction.
"If we can break up the storytelling and get back to the work at hand." Turner leaned forward on his cane as he grew solemn. "There are a few troubling developments that can't be overlooked and are out of the Silver Griffins purview. The first being the local population's desire to grab artifacts and use them to create a Frankenstein kind of magic."
"You mean the people of Earth. Quite a large local population." Leira ran her hand through her dark bangs. The bracelet glimmered briefly, unnoticed as Leira felt a pang of something strange pass through her from somewhere else. She gave a slight shake to her head. What the fuck was that? Ignore it for now. Too many helping hands right in front of me. "You wave something like unlimited power under human beings' noses and they tend to go ga-ga. It's an aphrodisiac to them. Mix in the possibility of living a helluva lot longer and their motivation goes through the roof in a very dark way. General Anderson has been filling me and Hagan in on reports that a few rogue companies think they can come up with some magic elixir or machine. It's the Sneetches come to life."
All three Elves looked at her with puzzled expressions.
"Oh, come on. Sneetches? Dr. Seuss? Horton hearing that Who. Thought for sure that guy was an Elf or some kind of Wizard. You're playing with me, right? Some have stars on their bellies. When the dude couldn't make something rhyme he made up the word! All that weird shit he came up with and none of it was from magic. Wow..."
"It's like you stroke out on occasion." Correk hid his smile behind his fist as he pretended to cough.
"I know what I'm getting all of you for Christmas. Hell, I may not wait that long! You are missing out on Yertle and green eggs and the pants with nobody inside of them." She said the last part in a spooky voice, holding up her hands by her face and waggling her fingers, her eyes wide. "Okay, I give." She dropped her hands. "Bottom line is human beings have a strange fascination with living longer that stretches way back to when they first showed up on this planet. That wrinkle may be tougher to pull them away from than any other."
Correk crossed his arms. "Then the idea needs to be contained and squashed as fast as possible."
Turner finished the thought. "Before the idea leaks out to the populace at large and takes hold as even a hint of a possibility."
"And becomes something on the 'as seen on TV' aisle," Correk added.
Leira gave him a crooked smile. "I really have rubbed off on you. Taught you a few valuable things about my world. Yes, this is my world. Doesn't matter where my ancestors came from. This planet has a way of growing on you and then there's Texas... But this particular fight is not yours, gentlemen. Not one of you comes from Earth in any way shape or form. Closest would be Turner, and you have other things to do." Leira nodded in Correk's direction. "This is PDF business, at least for now. There's already too many beings of every kind wrapped up in the artifacts war. This country actually does have a dog in this fight and General Anderson is already expecting the PDF to spearhead the battle."
"You'll ask if you need help?" Jackson wrinkled his forehead even as he marveled at Leira's calm command.
"Cross my heart," she said, making an X across the left side of her chest.
"We have other things to attend to, Correk. There's a lot to learn if you're to be the next Fixer and not as much time as I'd like." Turner took out a linen handkerchief from his back pocket and wiped his forehead, sliding it back into his pocket. Leira saw a glimmer of how tired the elderly Elf was becoming but knew better than to say anything. Let him call his own shots. If he needs help, he'll ask.
"I could help you two, you know," said Jackson. "It's either that or I'm going sightseeing around town."
Turner looked him up and down. "You have a point. There's still enough people who think the idea of magic is just a reality show headline without much merit."
"I'm honored that you think I could be the tipping point into the truth all by myself."
"Wouldn't be the first time," huffed Turner.
"I can tell there's a few good stories I'd like to hear," said Leira. "That will have to wait for another father and daughter moment. Maybe we can cook up s'mores by the guest house one of these days."
"Finally, something I'm familiar with. A good s'more. I've made my share of those over a campfire."
"Of course, you know what those are... What is it with cheap and easy food and Elves?" Leira tilted her head and smiled. A surge passed through her again. A feeling she didn't recognize. The jewel in the bracelet dimly glowed. She let it pass through, not calling on magic. No need to alert the forces and let my eyes glow. Dead giveaway there's a ghost in the system. What was that? Felt like something was reaching out to me for help.
Turner doffed his hat and dipped it as he said goodbye. "We will meet again, Leira for another lesson. Till then, gentlemen follow me."
Correk hesitated, wanting to say something to Leira but he could feel the eyes of Turner and Jackson watching him. "Pizza later?”
"Sounds good. We can ask my mother and Nana if they want to go."
Correk opened his mouth to say something but stopped. Jackson let out a snort of laughter behind him. "Why was I worried?" he muttered to himself as Turner poked him hard in the side with the head of his cane.
"Sure," Correk finally said, as he patted Leira's shoulder. She looked at him puzzled and patted him back, tapping him on the shoulder.
"Okay, then." She shrugged, waiting for him to say something more.
"Interesting mating rituals on Earth," Jackson whispered. "Battling dark forces with moments of terror followed by awkward jokes. Not sure which one inflicts greater pain. It's like they're each other's chastity belt." He let out another snort. "I suppose that should make me feel relieved."
"Come on, Correk. We're burning daylight. Leira, you're distracting my pupil. Time for you to go." He waved his hands at her.
Leira looked from Correk to Turner, her brows knit together. "Pizza later," she said, and turned to go.
Jackson rolled his eyes and slapped Correk on the back. "I know what lesson we should start with or you're going to be a very lonely Elf. Not a good look on a Fixer."
