Enchanted Twist: An Urban Fantasy Action Adventure (Scions of Magic Book 7)

by TR Cameron

  He twitched and muttered, “Ow. Stop it. Broken. Are you stupid?”

  Tears of relief streamed down her face as she shouted for Wymarc to portal out and get help. She wound her arms carefully around her partner, put her head on the pavement beside his, and sent every ounce of love she could muster across the enduring connection between them.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Styrris Malniet was in a rage and privately, Shenni found it deeply amusing. She kept her face serious and nodded while he ranted about the Leblanc girl, the Leblanc family, and any number of other topics. In the corner, Matriarch Cormier huddled quietly and looked decidedly sick.

  I’m not sure what or who compelled her to agree to this marriage, but it’s starting to look like her best outcome is the fall of Malniet—or at least the demise of its patriarch.

  He segued into the need for her to provide him with additional resources and she raised a hand. Instantly, he stopped speaking and apparently retained some mental presence in spite of his fury. “Our arrangement is clear, Styrris. You have a task to accomplish and have committed to do so. Don’t come crying to me because it’s harder than you expected.”

  The man—clearly accustomed to using his authority as a bludgeon—scowled at her. “I was under the impression that we were partners in this.”

  She shook her head. “Then your impression was incorrect. You are one of my subjects and while you and your house have unique things to offer, that does not make you my equal. You would be wise to remember that.”

  His eyes took on a sleepy look, and she could almost hear him mentally committing to her defeat after he had eradicated the Leblancs. You’re welcome to try, old man.

  “What do you, in your infinite wisdom, suggest I should do, Empress?” he asked after a moment.

  The Empress shrugged. “Your ambush failed and clearly, you underestimated the girl. It seems like you would be wise to accept her offer of an early resolution.” He gaped and she laughed. “Yes, Styrris, I’ve heard about it. I dare say everyone has.” She looked at the woman who cringed in the corner. “Have you?”

  “Yes, Empress,” the matriarch replied reluctantly. “I have.”

  Shenni raised a hand. “See? It’s public knowledge now. And given the stunning failure of your family to deal with her when you had the element of surprise, I think you should perhaps try a different tactic.”

  He folded his arms and glared at her. “Such as?”

  “Call in any favors you are owed to secure the best fighters you can find. Limit the final battle to that number. In the meantime, try to remove her allies by whatever means necessary.”

  “And will you assist with this?”

  She smiled. “My Champion is already working on that, although she might not realize it.”

  Usha struck, parried, and evaded invisible enemies in the darkened gymnasium. The school was closed for the weekend, which permitted her more practice time in the space than usual. She had funneled some of the gang’s money to the neighborhood since the day she’d taken over.

  This area was home to more Atlantean immigrants than any other part of the city. They had come for new lives and had stayed separate from her organization, which was fine with her. All of them were normal folks from the kinds of places where she grew up, rather than from under the dome. The only thing she asked in return was to use the school gym when the kids didn’t, which meant evenings on most weekdays and now that she was training more intensively, weekends as well.

  With each action, she visualized a different enemy. Before, it had been Grisham and the members of his gang and occasionally, well-remembered opponents from the tournament that had made her Champion. But today, she saw only two people.

  Mostly, she battled Leblanc, who wielded her reforged house sword. The Atlantean leader couldn’t shatter it as she’d done before because only one of the magically enchanted weapons could destroy another and her blade was not magical in the least. It was sharp, effective, and as familiar as her own hands but mundane. As a result, the fights in her mind were drawn-out affairs, full of counters, kicks, and every other technique she knew to win an advantage over an opponent. She wondered if the fact that even her own brain wouldn’t provide her with a victory should concern her.

  The other person she saw at the end of her blade was one she’d never anticipated—Empress Shenni, her face locked in the look of displeasure she’d worn while she banished her loyal Champion from New Atlantis. She found she couldn’t strike the woman and could only defend against the heirloom sword of House Rivette as it sought her life. Finally, dripping with sweat and filled with anger that had no focus, she quit swinging and dropped to the floor. Her mind was a whirl of uncontrolled thoughts, but she constantly returned to the same one.

  First, Leblanc. Then, I’ll know what to do next.

  At that same moment, Danna and Ozahl sat on the couch in their living room, shared a bottle of Merlot, and imagined what their future in New Atlantis would be like. They’d heard about the fight in the Garden District and had agreed it was an unsophisticated move.

  “If anything will get to her before you do,” the mage said, “it’ll be a knife in the dark, not a brawl on the street.”

  She nodded. “Especially after that. Now, she’ll be on her guard against everything. Even if we wanted to eliminate her ahead of time, the idiot Malniets have ruined any chance of it.”

  He grinned. “Well, love, I guess it’s good you decided to play fair, then, isn’t it?”

  “Yes, though ‘fair’ might be a strong word, all things considered.” She chuckled.

  “Oh, really?” He turned on the couch to face her fully. “What are you up to, Danna darling?”

  She laughed and pursed her lips in an air kiss. “Only time will tell, my love. I never will.”

  In his mansion after meeting the infernal woman who currently occupied the throne, Styrris was no less angry than he had been at any other time that day. His best people—the most accomplished fighters outside the main Malniet bloodline—had failed. Sure, they almost succeeded, or so they said. He wondered how hard they’d tried. Loyalty was increasingly difficult to come by.

  He considered whether it would be worth simply giving the Leblanc girl what she wanted. The plan to dispossess that family had met with failure, and he’d set his sights on Cormier instead. He was sure everyone assumed his future bride would outlast him. Unfortunately for her, that would not be the case. Before he left this world, he would see at least one more house led by his relatives.

  If he played the situation with Leblanc right, it could be two. Part of him knew it was greedy and the rest of him didn’t care. When the days behind outnumbered the days ahead, one grew bold.

  No, I won’t give the girl what she wants. I’ll do as the Empress suggests. Accept the challenge and find the best fighters available. He smiled as a new thought occurred to him. And I’ll try to have Matriarch Leblanc killed before, again as Shenni suggests. If the attempt fails, it shouldn’t be hard to make sure the evidence points to the palace rather than me.

  He sank into his chair, called for a bottle of wine, and stared into the flickering flames. Oh, yes, this will work out nicely. Leblanc falls, or the Empress falls. Either way, I win.

  Chapter Thirty

  Zeb smiled a welcome at Tanyith and Kendra when they entered the bar. They had both let their hair grow since he’d first met them, which he saw as a sign of their shared contentment. In the same way that old couples grew to resemble one another, they had begun a journey down that path. His was no longer in the ludicrous pompadour, either, but had been slicked back in a more dignified style.

  “It’s good to see you,” he said and retrieved two glasses.

  They sat as he pulled a drink for each of them from his homebrew cask, which was a mead today but a perilously strong one. Even he had to watch his intake, and that said it all.

  “How are you?” Kendra asked.

  He shrugged and handed them the drinks, then drew a shor
t one for himself. “Good, good. Things have been mostly quiet, although I think Janice is a little tired from working such long days.”

  Their heads turned to find the server, who did a great job taking care of the customers, as always. She wasn’t as entertaining as Cali, though, and the tavern was less exuberant because of it.

  Tanyith must have thought the same because he asked, “Will Cali come back to work soon?”

  The dwarf nodded. “She’ll take on a few days, she said. That’ll be good and give everyone else a break.”

  “Except the customers,” Kendra quipped, and they all laughed.

  Zeb stroked his beard thoughtfully. “Hey, Tanyith, you’re not all that busy lately, right?”

  The man chuckled and it had a tinge of embarrassment to it. “I’d say that’s accurate. Mainly, I wait for my girlfriend to get home.” The couple exchanged a grin. “I don’t lack money at the moment but I’ll admit I’m a little bored. Why do you ask?”

  “I thought maybe you could spend a few days a week here in the afternoons to help out. You’re a natural with people and you’d be able to pick it up fast. After a while, I might even be willing to teach you how to brew.”

  Tanyith took a sip as he considered the offer. When he could, Zeb tried to match his requirements with others’ needs. It was why he’d hired Cali, despite her lack of experience, when she’d needed something to focus her energy on. He’d done the same for Janice when her freelance art career hadn’t been enough to make ends meet while her husband decided what he wanted to do with his professional life. It was apparent that the former prisoner wasn’t on a particular path other than supporting Cali and having a routine to keep him steady certainly wouldn’t hurt.

  Finally, the man nodded. “I’d love that. When do I start?”

  He grinned. “Tomorrow at nine in the morning. You get to help me with the stew.”

  “Perfect.” His body language sent the same message, which told him he’d made the right choice yet again.

  His internal voice intruded. “Once you have a group of people who are able to take over for you, maybe you can get back to what you’re really good at.” Involuntarily, he looked at the battle-ax that he’d returned to her place above the bar. No. That part of my life is in the past.

  Laughter echoed inside. “Sure it is. Keep telling yourself that.”

  For the first time, Cali was able to visit Stonesreach without having to walk the whole way from the tunnel. Nylotte had met her at the Bulldog in New Orleans and portaled her to the Kemana. They talked quietly as they walked to Alessand’s shop, but the Dark Elf clearly understood that her mind couldn’t focus on any thoughts other than the sword.

  Even Fyre, who trotted at her side, didn’t try to talk to her. It felt like the end of a long journey, although she knew it wasn’t. At best, it was the middle. Okay, maybe two-thirds of the way. But she still had significant challenges to deal with.

  The master craftsman waited for them in his front room and led them to the back. A large table stood in the center made of stone with carvings that filled every surface, runes and letters in yet another alphabet she didn’t recognize. On it lay the pieces of the sword she’d already delivered, correctly arranged. She shrugged her backpack off, removed the last two shards, and handed them to him.

  He set them in place and nudged all the fragments together so it went from the appearance of an assemblage of separate items to looking like a single weapon with many cracks in it. He nodded. “Okay. The moment of truth. Please step back.”

  They complied, and a shimmering force shield spread in a circle from the surface beneath the shards. Only then did she notice the carvings on the floor, which matched some of those on the table. Alessand closed his eyes and extended his hands toward the sword.

  A piece rose into the air, followed shortly by another. As the second neared the first, the edges appeared to turn to liquid and flow together, and after a flash of brilliance, they were one. The process repeated as he reconstructed the blade one section at a time until only the hilt was left.

  Nylotte leaned closer to her and whispered, “Don’t be alarmed, but this is the pivotal moment, the hardest part.”

  Concern sparked in her mind. “How come?”

  The Drow shrugged. “I have no idea. That’s what he said.”

  Cali sighed, exasperated. “Why are you telling me this when I can’t do anything about it?”

  The woman responded with a wicked smile. “Because it’s fun to watch you worry.”

  Her snarled response was preempted by a growing incandescence that covered the two remaining pieces on the table. She had to close her eyes against the glow and when she opened them, the sword master stood with his hand extended as the weapon, now fully repaired, descended into it.

  The shield fell and he rested the blade across his forearm and turned to present it to her. “I believe this belongs to you, Matriarch Leblanc.”

  She grasped the hilt and a surge of emotion flowed through her at the knowledge that she’d reclaimed a piece of her parents’ history and solved half the puzzle of her brother’s release. It took a long moment before she managed to force the words out. “Thank you.”

  He nodded. “You’re welcome.”

  “What will you do now?” Nylotte asked.

  Cali stared at the tip of the sword, which looked sharp enough to cut through reality itself. A certainty of purpose replaced her emotional response to receiving the weapon. When she spoke, it felt like making a vow. “I’ll learn as much as possible about how to fight with a sword so that I can stick this into Styrris Malniet and twist it until he tells me how to free Atreo.”

  The story doesn’t end here. Join us for the exciting conclusion to the series in The Last Dance!

  Magic Ops

  If you enjoyed this book, you may also enjoy the first series from T.R. Cameron, also set in the Oriceran Universe. The Federal Agents of Magic series begins with Magic Ops and it’s available now at Amazon and through Kindle Unlimited.

  FBI Agent Diana Sheen is an agent with a secret…

  …She carries a badge and a troll, along with a little magic.

  But her Most Wanted List is going to take a little extra effort.

  She’ll have to embrace her powers and up her game to take down new threats,

  Not to mention deal with the troll that’s adopted her.

  All signs point to a serious threat lurking just beyond sight, pulling the strings to put the forces of good in harm’s way.

  Magic or mundane, you break the law, and Diana’s gonna find you, tag you and bring you in. Watch out magical baddies, this agent can level the playing field.

  It’s all in a day’s work for the newest Federal Agent of Magic.

  Available now at Amazon and through Kindle Unlimited

  Author Notes - TR Cameron

  April 5, 2020

  Thank you for reading the seventh book in the Scions of Magic series! Things are accelerating like a runaway train, and I hope you’re excited to see how it ends!

  March felt like it lasted about ninety days. I am lucky enough that I can work from home, as can my wife, and my kid is homeschooled, so we’re all together. I can’t imagine what it’s like to be living a “normal” life in this situation. For all of you who are still out and about making the world go ‘round, thank you so much for your efforts.

  I’ve been finding mental balance through entertainment; I’m sure many are in the same boat. Rereading books that I love, rewatching shows and movies, seeking comfort in the familiar. We’re currently moving onto season 3 of Justified, which is perhaps the best-written show on television, ever. Some people might counter with The Wire for that particular distinction, and I can respect that, too. In my book, The Expanse is up there, too.

  I started a new video game, Jedi: Fallen Order. I’ve been selecting media content lately mainly based on story, and so far this one is really good. I’m a fan of both Wars and Trek, so for me this fills in a gap between The Clone Wa
rs and A New Hope nicely.

  My kid and I had grand plans for the summer involving travel, amusement parks, and a family wedding. The wedding is postponed, the idea of being around crowds at an amusement park is currently beyond daunting, and since the travel was mostly for amusement parks, it looks like a plan B will be required.

  I’m hoping the world comes out the other side of the current experience with the realization that what has really made a difference so far, what really matters, is community. The connection to others, however we can do so, is being proven again and again to be a vital part of thriving in the world, physically and emotionally. I think many of us who are “readers” already know that – it’s so fundamental to so many of the stories we write and read.

  This is a place where we as a group were definitely ahead of the curve, especially those who have read science fiction and fantasy where such ideas are commonly explored from a variety of viewpoints.

  Okay, off the soapbox. I hope you are well, and I hope you do all you can to stay well. Many adventures lie ahead.

  Until next time, Joys upon joys to you and yours – so may it be.

  PS: If you’d like to chat with me, here’s the place. I check in daily or more: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorTRCameron. Often I put up interesting and/or silly content there, as well. For more info on my books, and to join my reader’s group, please visit www.trcameron.com.