Magic in Her Hands

by Jessica Elias

  "So you are going to explain what's going on, right?" Isela asked, knowing she was on the other side of borderline rude. "What the hell was that?"

  Priscilla sighed. "They're the Faceless."

  Isela snorted. Well, the name did fit.

  "Yeah, I know. I didn't come up with the name." Priscilla stretched. "They're clay humans made and thrown at their target with only one thought: kill."

  "Clay human… a homunculus?"

  "That's the English word? I wasn't sure. But yes, a homunculus."

  Isela nodded. "Okay. So… who's making them?"

  "I don't think they're being made… anymore." Priscilla frowned. "Or if they are, not on this plane of existence. But people can summon them. Which…" She sighed, leaning forward. "It's something I've seen a lot, even when I lived in Japan."

  Isela rubbed her face. "You aren't making any sense. What's going on, Priscilla?"

  Priscilla opened her mouth, then looked up as Masaru came back with two glasses. She murmured something, taking the glass as Isela took the other glass. With a small sip, Priscilla made a face. "He always thinks I don't need alcohol, even when I specifically ask," she muttered.

  "And what about telling me what's going on?"

  "You get really bitchy when you're upset, you know that?" Priscilla raised an eyebrow. "What's going on is you're caught up between me and someone trying to use and/or kill me. And the reason for that is I have the ability to make contracts with queens."

  Isela blinked. "Like, real life, or-"

  "Supernatural. The queens don't just make contract with anyone. You have to be particularly powerful to do so. Whoever out there wants to use that power." Priscilla sighed. "Ever since I made a contract with Tamamo-no-Mae back in Japan, people have been after me. I was scared when I moved to America, because Tamamo-no-Mae didn't want to come with me. I thought I was defenseless."

  "Contract being…?" Isela spread her hands

  "You made one as well, with the horse. You asked for its help, and it's helping you. We're not sure yet what the price is…." Priscilla took a sip, considering. "I wonder if your horse is also Fae," she muttered. "For some reason, the Fae have been really active here. I would have thought it would be Spanish/Mexican beings, but it's the Fae."

  "Fae… do you mean like fairies?"

  "Ehhh." Priscilla made a face. "I guess? I'm not the one to talk to about what's the difference. I just know when I looked up who came to me to make a contract, she was Fae."

  Isela took a sip out of her glass, a little surprised at the mint taste. Mint water? "And who do you have?"

  "A Queen of the Fae, of the Seelie courts." Priscilla closed her eyes. "I can't say her name since she would take that as being summoned, but you get the idea. I contracted with another queen."

  "Let me get this straight." Isela put down her glass. "Someone is after you because you're like super powerful and have a contract with someone super powerful. And somehow I made a contract with a freaking horse. And Laura tried to kill me for-"

  "Wait, Laura?" Priscilla blinked. "Laura tried to kill you? Who is she contracted with?"

  "Um…" Isela frowned, thinking. "Bean… Nighe? Wait, did you know she had made a contract?"

  Priscilla nodded. "I can sense contracts. I knew she had made one, but I wasn't sure if she was friendly or not. Damn it." She put her glass down on the coffee table. "Why are they pulling you into this mess? Why does Laura want you killed?"

  Isela shrugged. "I guess my telling her the dress didn't work on her was insulting her? I don't know."

  "I don't understand this," Priscilla muttered. "And someone killed Caren too. Why are they going after the people around me? This doesn't make sense."

  "Caren's dead?" Well, that explained why she hadn't come into work.

  Priscilla nodded. "I won't let them kill you too," she said, her voice intense. "I'm not going to let any of them kill anyone."

  Isela nodded, taking another sip of the mint water. "Okay, but really," she said, putting her own glass down on the table. "Who is the guy you're with?"

  "Masaru?" Priscilla looked over at where he stood against the wall. "He's my bodyguard. He's been keeping me safe ever since we made our first contracts."

  "He has a contract too?" Isela blinked. "Who's his?"

  Priscilla blew out a frustrated breath. "Again, if I told you, she'd think that I was summoning her. Both Masaru and his contract take me very seriously and I actually have summoned her by accident. I don't want to do that here and have her think of you as a threat."

  "No, that wouldn't be good," Isela murmured. She barely even knew what to do with Kelpie, and she didn't want to hurt Priscilla. Ever. "Okay, so… what now?"

  Priscilla sighed. "How many sick days do you have?"

  "I can't take off of work! Do you know how much still needs to be done? If I take off, it all goes to Patrick!"

  "We're going to have to risk it," Priscilla told her, sounding angry. "You're not going to get caught up in this anymore. You're going to stay here with Masaru while I-"

  "Hime-sama." Masaru spoke up, then, in lightly accented English, "You're not going back to work as well."

  "I keep telling you, I can take care of myself." Priscilla switched to Japanese, her voice steadily getting more and more heated as she argued with Masaru. Isela just picked up her glass again, taking a sip. Finally, Priscilla groaned. "Fine. Isela, we're both staying here while Masaru does some leg work." She sat back on the couch. "We're both calling out of work on Monday."

  "I can't even go home?" Isela blinked.

  "You barely know how to use your Fae, and she doesn't seem to be that strong. You're going to stay here until we figure this out. And hopefully…" Priscilla closed her eyes. "Your contract with your Fae will dissolve as soon as we take care of who's trying to kill you."

  Isela felt Kelpie stir within her, as if wanting to say something about that. "Priscilla…"

  "You don't deserve to be a part of this. And I'm going to do what I can to free you from it." Priscilla opened her eyes, smiling sadly. "It'll be over soon enough. And you can go back to your normal life."

  "Okay…" Isela took another sip of water. She would be free of this uncomfortable wetness and a horse beating her from the inside. No one would be trying to kill her. She'd be free to go back to work and do normal things. And all she had to do was stay put until that happened. "I haven't taken any time off yet, so I still have my full sick and vacation days."

  "With any luck, you won't use any." Priscilla picked up her glass, but didn't take a sip. "I'm really sorry about this. This will be sorted as soon as possible."

  Isela nodded, looking down at her glass.

  She just had to deal with this until it was all taken care of. She could do this.

  Isela took a sip.

  Just deal with this a little longer.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Chapter 11

  Isela's first thought after 'oh god, I'm in a puddle of sweat' as she woke up was 'my knees hurt.' When she raised her head, her mind not catching up quite yet, she saw she was laying on a couch, her knees bent in a way she wasn't used to. Slowly, she sat up, feeling her back ache with the motion. Why was she sleeping on the couch? Was it the only way she could have slept for the first time in days?

  … Wait. This wasn't her couch.

  Isela looked around, trying to piece together where she was. Then her eyes grew wide and she pulled up her blouse sleeves to look at her arms.

  Exactly as she expected. She was bruised. Kelpie had bruised her trying to get out. Which meant she was at Priscilla's place. Isela shook her head, remembering what Priscilla had talked about the previous night. All of it seemed like it was a dream, but no. She was really living it. Priscilla herself had to live it every day. She didn't understand how, but Priscilla every day dealt with the possibility of someone trying to kill her and having to make plans in case that happened.

  Isela stood, stretching. According to Priscilla, she should be safe here.
At least safe enough that she got a full night of sleep for once. Though, in some ways, she wondered if Priscilla herself would be safe. If the people after Priscilla, or Laura, got desperate enough, they would come right for her in her own home. Though, Priscilla did say she was very strong…

  How would Priscilla know how strong she was? Isela shook her head. Did that mean Isela was weak because she made a contract with something other than a queen? What did it all mean?

  She turned as she heard someone move behind her, seeing Priscilla walk out with her short dark hair mussed from sleep and wearing a purple camisole with black pajama bottoms over her slender body. Priscilla didn't say anything as she went to the kitchen, staggering slightly. After a moment, Isela heard a sound like water boiling, and shortly after the oh so welcome scent of coffee. That she could use right about now. She stood up, heading for the kitchen for some coffee.

  Priscilla was staring at the coffee pot as if it would make it brew faster, a coffee mug by her hands. She turned as she heard Isela, blinking sleepily. "Hey," she said, her voice drowsy before going to stare at the coffee pot.

  "You okay, Priscilla?"

  "Need coffee." Once the machine finished, she nearly yanked the carafe out and poured herself a cup. And then, just like that, black, she took a sip, closing her eyes. Isela shuddered a little. She could never drink black coffee.

  But it was time to drink some form of coffee. "Where do you keep your cups?"

  Priscilla freed a hand and pointed, taking another sip.

  It was so funny to see sleepy Priscilla. She was usually so vibrant that this ended up being kind of… cute. Isela grabbed a mug and searched for some sugar and milk. Where could any of this be… in fact, there wasn't really a lot of stuff in Priscilla's place. Did she even really live here?

  "I have some creamer," Priscilla said, sounding more awake. "Check the pantry."

  Isela opened the pantry, seeing the box of Dunkin Donuts single serving creamer. Hazelnut flavored. "Why do you have this if you drink your coffee black?" Isela asked, grabbing one.

  "My first cup I always drink black," she explained. "I'm usually too tired to remember cream and sugar. Any more cups I drink I put in creamer."

  Huh. Isela nodded, pouring a cup and adding the creamer to it. "Does Masaru drink coffee?"

  Priscilla shook her head. "He prefers tea. We have some tea leaves somewhere, I think."

  "I never knew you had a man in your life," Isela murmured, taking a sip of her coffee. "You kept that really under wraps."

  "That's what he prefers. He's more a…" Priscilla muttered under her breath, a string of Japanese. "Well, I guess you could say bodyguard. I think also knight would work considering he calls me a princess."

  "Is that what 'hime-sama' means?"

  "Yeah."

  "So… am I actually in the presence of royalty here, or…"

  Priscilla laughed. "It's just something he calls me because of my power."

  Isela nodded. Considering how powerful Priscilla said she was, it kind of made sense to consider her as some kind of… princess. But at the same time, she seemed so real and down to Earth and just there that Isela couldn't help but see her as a very tired woman that dealt with a lot of crap.

  Priscilla finished her coffee, stretching. "I'm going to take a shower. If you need to take one, there's a shower by Masaru's room. He should have already left to find something so you can shower in peace."

  "Can Masaru pick up some clothing from my place. I mean…" Isela plucked at her blouse. "It gets kind of old to wear my work clothes and I'm too big to fit into yours."

  "Huh? Yeah. He'll just need your key but he could do that. Sorry, I didn't think of it."

  Isela waved one hand. As long as she got her clothes, it didn't matter.

  Priscilla smiled sheepishly. "Well… hey, you watch TV?"

  "Sometimes… why?"

  "I got Netflix and Hulu. Want to watch something before Masaru gets back?"

  Isela thought about it and nodded. It didn't sound half bad at all. It would keep her busy and not think about how unbelievable things had gotten or the fact she had to hide from it all. And when she looked at Priscilla, she could tell that was exactly how she was thinking as well.

  "Good! Let me shower and we'll get ready." Priscilla smiled at her.

  And Isela smiled back. At least she had good company.

  ------

  Priscilla could hear Isela taking her shower as she dialed Masaru's number. She couldn't believe she had forgotten a simple thing like clothing for Isela. The phone rang as she held it to her ear, and then a click as Masaru picked up. "Hello, hime-sama?"

  "Hey. Could you come back home and pick up Isela's keys? She needs clothes other than her work clothes."

  "Certainly, hime-sama." Masaru sounded a little… distracted.

  "Something wrong?" Masaru distracted didn't bode well.

  "I've examined your place of business," he told her. "The Lady is still agitated. And I can't find any Faceless bodies."

  "Either Isela didn't kill one or someone took their bodies. And I doubt Laura would be smart enough to do that."

  "One doesn't have to be smart to know to do that," Masaru pointed out. "But I do agree that it seems like Laura would not be the one to do it. By what you told me, I would think she wouldn't think of it to fulfill what she desires. No, this seems to be the work of the other Queen. I believe she gave them different abilities, and one may be the ability not to leave bodies."

  Priscilla let out a long breath. "Great."

  "Please stay at home, hime-sama. I'll be back as soon as possible."

  "Yeah." Priscilla heard the shower cut off, Isela done washing up. "I'll see you soon." Isela exited the bathroom wearing her work clothes again, toweling of her long dark hair, and Priscilla called out, "Masaru should be back soon to get your keys."

  "Oh good." She smiled, a very pretty curve of lips.

  Priscilla smiled back, her mind racing with thoughts. She had gotten Isela caught up in this somehow. She had to stop it, get Isela out.

  "I have popcorn, if you want some while we watch something."

  Until then, she had to protect Isela with all her might.

  ------

  Isela laughed as the episode of Parks and Recreation ended. "This was such a good show," she said, sighing. "I can't believe this is my first time watching it."

  Priscilla smiled at her, holding the remote. "It's one of my favorites. I don't have cable so I've had to watch it like this on Hulu. Best decision I've ever made."

  "Oh yeah." Isela nodded, picking up a slice of apple from the plate in front of them and biting into it. "Mm. So when's Masaru going to get back?"

  Priscilla shrugged. "Sometime tonight. He has to see if his Fae picks anything up." She sighed, playing with her pajama bottom's leg cuff. "I thought I was going to be free from all of this, Isela," she said quietly. "I moved from Japan to get away from this. And now- all of this is coming back and I have to hold all this magic back in my hands. I don't want it, and I don't want you caught up in it. I don't want anyone caught up in this, even Laura." She rubbed her face. "I just want this over with."

  "Hey." Isela took one hand. "It'll be over soon. We'll figure it out."