“We just received this from a concerned witch who was running in Central Park.”
Lex rubs his chin. “Have you dispatched a team to bring him in?”
“Yes, sir. I got word moments ago that Sarah Gump and Tully Capra just arrived in Central Park. They are making their way in.”
Captain Fairborne has a wry grin cross his face. “This will be a coup for us. We have multiple open cases of deaths of local witches and wizards.”
“I agree that this will be a coup, sir,” Director Keegan says. He looks over his shoulder. There is a flash on the stream. “We need to get back to work.”
“Alright, Jack. Let me know when Aurick is in custody and heading here.”
“Will do, sir.”
AURICK RAISES HIS HEAD from the ground. He shakes the cobwebs out of his head. There is still residual smoke rising from his body. His vision is blurry.
“That jerk,” Aurick mutters as he braces himself.
There are two blurry images moving towards him. Pain emanates through him. He blinks his eyes a few times.
The blurry figures come towards him and grow in his field of view. He raises a brow as he sees their mouths move but can’t hear a word.
“I’m sorry,” Aurick says. “I can’t hear you.”
“I said get to your feet, Aurick,” screams Tully. He is a balding man with thin shoulder length hair. His hair is pulled back into a short ponytail. He points his cherrywood wand at Aurick.
Aurick leans in. “Excuse me? You want me to do what? I was zapped with a lightning strike from behind. My hearing is shot for now and my vision is blurry.”
Tully looks over at his partner, Sarah. She is smaller than Tully, but physically much stronger. Her curly red locks are in disarray and hang down to the small of her back. She is shorter than Tully by half a foot. She rolls her eyes in disgust.
Sarah walks over to Aurick. She jerks him to his feet. “Get up, Aurick. You are coming with us.”
“Is that so,” Aurick says in response to Sarah. “I may have lost my sight and hearing things in a distance temporarily. But I have not lost my skills. They require neither.”
Aurick turns his hip to his right and tosses Sarah into Tully. Sarah slams into Tully both slam into the ground. Aurick stands up.
“This is not the first time I have lost senses to a wizard or witch, officers,” Aurick says. “I doubt it will be the last. He taps his left wrist guard. Then he twists a dial on the armguard. As he begins to disappear, Aurick salutes Sarah and Tully. “Later.”
Tully pushes Sarah off him. She rolls onto the grass. Both look up at where Aurick was standing. “Damnit!”
“Calm down, Tully,” Sarah says. “We knew this wouldn’t be easy.”
“I know. You and I have been chasing him for some time now.”
Sarah laughs. “We will get him one day. One day he will slip up.”
“I hope so.”
AURICK APPEARS BACK AT his apartment. He slams into the floor of his living room. He is huffing. Pain courses throughout his body. Sweat drips from his hair.
“What the hell is going on,” Aurick mutters. “How the hell did they get the jump on me?”
He removes the scarf covering his mouth and throws it onto the floor. There is a scar crossing his lips from a mystical burn he sustained in a fight with a very powerful witch. Aurick spits out blood.
He looks at the blood stain on the tan carpet. Aurick slams his fist onto the floor. “Damn! This is going to be hard to get out of the carpet.”
There is a ring from his phone. Aurick reaches into his pocket. He sees the caller ID. The caller ID reads Malachai. His hand shakes.
Aurick drops the phone. The phone continues to ring and ring.
There is an uneasy feeling that goes through Aurick. He reaches and picks up the phone. He answers the call.
“What is it, Malachai?”
“They are coming for you,” Malachai says.
“Who the MLE? They already tried and I escaped.”
“If it were only that simple, Aurick,” Malachai responds. “There are other forces at play that are after you and the Maybins.”
“Who? Who are these people?”
“I can’t say over the phone. These things can be tracked. Meet me at the Gobblestone in one hour,” Malachai tells him.
“As much as I’d like to say no. This is in my best interest,” Aurick responds. “I will be there. But I will not be dressed in my usual attire. I am going to make sure that I stand out much less.”
“Fine. Just be there.”
“I will.”
MALACHAI GETS OFF THE phone with Aurick. He places his phone in his pocket and walks back over to a chair in his study. Another man sitting on a love seat looks up. There is concern on his face.
“Is everything in place, Malachai?”
Malachai looks at the sharply dressed man, who looks like a lawyer. There is resignation on the face of Malachai. He sighs. “Yes. Everything is set to go, Orion.”
“Good. We will soon cut all the weak links that we are associated with,” Orion says as he stands up. He, then, straightens his jacket and tie. “You need to get ready to head out Malachai. You need not to be late for your meeting with our friend Aurick.”
A smile crosses Malachai’s face. “As you wish, bossman.”
Thirteen
CALISTA TAKES A DEEP breath as they all exit the portal into her home from the Central Park in Bramby. They hear a crashing sound. Calista turns her head to see Percival standing in shock with a silver tray barely in his gloved hands.
Calista raises a brow. “Percival, are you okay?”
“Madam, I did not expect you back so soon,” he replies.
“I know,” Calista says. “Clean up this mess. Then, show our guests to their rooms.”
“It is good to see you again, Master Jonas,” Percival says as he nods to Jonas, who stands behind his sister.
“It is good to see you again as well, Percival.”
Lindsey and Brianne look around the room.
Percival bends down and, then, pauses for a moment. He looks up at Calista. “Will our guests require more than one room, madam?”
“No, they are a married couple,” Calista replies. She squats down and looks Percival in the eye. She whispers with her nose within an inch of Percival’s. “Meet me tonight after your duties are done.”
Percival smiles. “As you wish, madam.”
Jonas raises a brow as he tries to listen in on Calista’s conversation. She, then, rises to her feet. There is a smile on her face. “What was that all about?”
“Don’t you worry, Jonas,” Calista answers. She motions for them all to follow. “Now, come. Let’s get some refreshments. Follow me to the kitchen.”
“Okay...”
Lindsey and Brianne look at one another with a look of confusion on their faces. “What was that all about?”
“Don’t know, Lin,” Brianne shrugs her shoulders. “There is something odd about the way Calista acts towards her butler.”
“I noticed, Bri,” Lindsey says as they walk down the hallway.
The end of the hallway opens into a large sitting area. Calista motions to everyone. “Please take a seat.”
Lindsey looks around the room. “This is a real nice place, Calista.”
“Thank you. I like the finer things in life, Mr. Maybin,” Calista says as she starts to walk away. “Would anyone like a drink?”
“Thank you, Calista. That would be lovely,” Brianne responds.
“Sounds good, sis.”
“Would appreciate it,” Lindsey says.
Calista walks away from everyone. There is a wicked smile that crosses her face. She reaches into her pocket for her phone. Without looking at her phone she begins typing a message.
ORION FEELS HIS PHONE buzz. He looks down to see a message come in. THE MAYBINS ARE HERE WITH ME AS IS JONAS. SEND AURICK, RAGNOR, AND CALDREN.
Orion rubs his chin. “Cali, what game are you playing? My father will n
ot appreciate you killing them.”
He looks back down at the phone. Orion types into the phone. I WILL SEND THEM SOON.
A reply comes back within a moment. WHEN? THEY WILL START GETTING SUSPICIOUS SOON.
Orion shakes his head. He types in a reply. ONCE I CONTACT THEM ALL, I WILL SEND THEM. I WILL NOTIFY YOU ONCE THEY ARE ON THE WAY.
Calista sends another reply. OKAY. MAKE IS ASAP.
Orion sighs as he reads the message. WILL DO. LOVE YOU.
A response comes back. Orion raises a brow. LOVE YOU, TOO. YOUR FATHER SENDS HIS LOVE.
CALISTA STOPS POURING THE drinks for a minute. She hangs her head. There is worry on her face. “Why do I have to do this?”
- You know why, Cali – A voice enters her head.
Calista winces as pain strikes her head. She gulps as her head continues to hang. “Why, Jonas?”
- You have an unhealthy infatuation with Jonas, Cali. You know that. We cannot have anyone that can connect the dots to us. That is why these folks need to be eliminated immediately. –
Calista shakes her head. “My brother and my friends?”
- Cali, my dear, do not presume to think of the Maybins as your friends. It has been some time since you have even spent time with them. –
“I have known Brianne since I was a child.”
- Cali, Cali, Cali. You know what to do. Get it done. –
Calista sighs heavily with resignation in her voice. “Yes, father.”
Fourteen
AURICK LIES ON HIS couch. He is sleeping when his phone begins to buzz. HE opens his eyes. And reaches out to his coffee table. He grabs the phone and looks at the message. The message is from Malachai.
YOU NEED TO HEAD TO CARVER MANOR ASAP.
Aurick raises a brow. Something seems off to him. “Carver Manor? I thought he and I were meeting soon. Why send me there?”
He, then, types into his phone. CARVER MANOR? WHAT FOR? I THOUGHT WE WERE MEETING.
Aurick gets an immediate response from Malachai. BECAUSE YOUR PRESENCE THERE HAS BEEN REQUESTED BY OUR LEADER. PLANS HAVE CHANGED, MY FRIEND.
WHAT LEADER? Aurick types into his phone.
Malachai’s request is angry. STOP ASKING QUESTIONS! JUST GET YOUR ASS THERE!
Aurick raises a brow. He is even more suspicious than before. He sits up. “I better be ready for a fight. I get the feeling that this is not going to go well.”
FINE. BUT I AM NOT GOING UNARMED.
Malachai responds. BE CAREFUL. THIS MAY BE A TRAP.
Aurick responds. I WILL.
Aurick rises to his feet. He slides his phone into his left back pocket. He shakes his head. “Of all places, Carver Manor. I know for a fact that I will be walking into a trap of some sorts. But I can’t help thinking this is going to far worse than I expect.”
He walks across the carpet to his kitchen table. Upon the table sits his armor and weapons. Aurick shakes his head. I sometimes hate this job.
He puts on his shirt and armor. Then, he puts on his gloves and gauntlets. This is followed by him putting on his socks and shoes. Lastly, Aurick slides his swords onto the sheathes attached to the back of his armor.
Aurick sighs as he pulls his shoulder length hair back into a ponytail. Then, he pulls the scarf over his mouth and nose to hide his scars.
There is an innate fear that screams inside Aurick for him not to go ahead with the requested action. This is stupid, Aurick. You know it is but, yet, you are still going because of your curiosity.
Aurick looks down at the left gauntlet. There is a device that looks like a watch. He sets the coordinates on the device. Then, he turns the dial. Within a few moments, Aurick disappears.
FALLON GETS A MESSAGE from Orion on his phone. He raises a brow. Then, he bites his lower lip. There is excitement on his face when his turns towards Caldren and Ragnor.
“Well, I guess the mission I have for you two will have to wait,” Fallon says.
“You brought us all the way down here to tell us that,” Caldren exclaims.
“No, you dunderhead, I did not. I guess got a message from Orion. There are other plans for you and your friend, Caldren.” There is a stern look on Fallon’s face.
“Oh,” Caldren says with a look of shock on his face. “So? What are we needed to be doing?”
Ragnor waits for the answer from Fallon with his arms crossed. Fallon smiles. He has a vague idea of what may happen to Caldren and Ragnor, but is unwilling to share his thoughts.
“You two are directed to head immediately to Carver Manor.”
Ragnor raises a brow. “Carver Manor? What for?”
“The message did not say,” Fallon says. “It just told me to send you two there."
Ragnor looks over at Caldren. “Well, we best be going then.”
Caldren looks at Ragnor. He gulps. “Teleporting again?”
“Yep,” Ragnor says. “You get used to it after a while.”
Caldren shakes his head. Ragnor removes some powder from a pouch on his belt. He tosses is down as he chants the spell. In a flash of light both Caldren and Ragnor disappear.
Fallon salutes them as the dust dissipates. “Good Luck, you two. You are walking into a trap.”
CALISTA SITS WITH HER brother and the Maybins in the sitting room of her house. There are three extra cups sitting on the coffee table.
“I still don’t know why there are three extra cups here,” Jonas asks.
“We still have some guests who have yet to arrive, Jonas,” Calista answers. She, then, raises her right hand while thinking of a teleportation redirect spell. She snaps her fingers. A portal opens in the sitting room.
Everyone turns to the portal. Lindsey turns towards Brianne. “What the hell is going on?”
Calista smiles. “You will all find out what is going on in a few short moments.”
Aurick emerges first from the portal. There is confusion on his face. “What the hell is going on?”
“Welcome,” Calista says. “Take a seat, Aurick. Relax. We are all friends here.”
Aurick looks around the room. He sees all familiar faces. He is on guard. “I don’t trust you.”
Calista stares at Aurick. “I said sit!” Anger is in her voice.
Aurick is taken aback by her reaction. He removes his sword. “You dare tell me what to do, witch!”
“Yes, I do,” Calista sets her cup down on the table next to her chair. She, then, raises to her feet. She glares at Aurick as she removes her wand. “I said sit.” She points her wand at Aurick. Aurick, then, drops to one knee.
“What are you doing to me,” Aurick asks. “I thought all spells were audible.” He winces as the pain is intense.
“You are here as my guest. I don’t allow any disrespect in my home.” Calista twists her wand. Aurick cringes and winces as the pain continues. He drops to both knees. Aurick closes both eyes as the pain continues to increase. “Do you understand?”
“Yes,” Aurick barely manages to get out. Calista releases him. Aurick drops to his hands and knees. He clutches his chest. He looks up at Calista. He glares at her. Calista smiles back with a wry grin. This witch is good. She is pure evil with pleasant demeanor on top. I wonder...
THERE IS A POP AND two more enter the sitting room. Everyone turns to the see Caldren and Ragnor emerge from the portal. The portal closes behind them. Caldren and Ragnor look around the room. They remove their wands and get into defensive positions.
Caldren and Ragnor quickly flick and swish their wands. They cry out together. “Amddiffyniad!” An invisible field surrounds them.
Calista shakes her head. She sips on her tea. She removes the cup from her lips and sighs. “Gentlemen, you can relax. You were called here by me.”
Caldren and Ragnor straighten up. Both cross their arms. Calista raises a brow. Caldren grimaces. There is anger on his face. “Who the hell do you think you are?”
Calista removes her wand. She licks and swishes her wand with elegant grace. “Dileu amddiffyniad.”
Caldren and Ragnor reach out and grab their wands. They, then, rise to their feet. Both are huffing in disgust.
Ragnor glares at Calista. His teeth are clenched. “That was cold, ma’am.”
Calista looks around the room. An evil, wry grin crosses her face. “No, that wasn’t. But this will be.” She sets down her cup. She rises to her feet.
She twirls her wand and points it at every person in the room while chanting. “Draenio bywyd.”
Everyone starts clutching their chest. All with cups drop them onto the ground. The cups break. Calista begins laughing.
Jonas looks up at Calista with shock on his face. “Why?”
Calista walks over to her brother. She squats down. “Oh, dear brother. I need to eliminate all my enemies. Unfortunately for you, you happen to be one.”
She stands up and walks over to her seat. She notices everyone passing out. Percival stands in the hallway entrance to the sitting room. He raises a brow. “I think that will do, my love.”
Calista nods her head. “Yes, I agree.” She twirls her wand and chants. “Diwedd y draen.” She walks across the room over to Percival. He removes his wand from his sleeve. “No need to hide who you are anymore.”
“Yes, I know.” Percival leans down and takes Calista in his free hand. His kisses Calista passionately. “Let me take care of them now. They will no longer be a threat our family.”
Calista looks down at the body of her brother. “Shame he couldn’t join us.”
Percival shakes his head. “You have always had an unhealthy infatuation with Jonas. I don’t care for it at all.”
Calista smiles. “You are right after all. Father agrees with you.”
“I know,” Percival says with a bit of authority in his voice. He then swishes his wand back and forth. “Cof chwythu.”
The Magical Book of Wands Page 44
