Release Of Magic: The Revelations of Oriceran (The Leira Chronicles Book 2)

by Martha Carr

  Leira smirked. “Don’t worry. I’m too much of a rule follower to change your ass into…” She stopped, trying to consider exactly what she would’ve turned him into.

  “And not that you exactly know how yet.”

  “And not that I exactly know how yet,” she admitted. “But I wouldn’t.”

  “But you’re still going to take the shortcut with the paperwork. I know you. Once you’ve made up your mind, and set the course, there’s very little that will make you turn back. Even common sense and apparently the chance of getting caught performing higgledy-piggledy.” Hagan wiggled his fingers in the air and rolled his eyes.

  “Please tell me that’s not what I look like when I perform magic.”

  Hagan ignored her and pushed away from his desk to get a better view of the captain’s office, which was still empty. “If you’re going to do it, you better do it now. This is your window and I’m not sure how long it’s going to last. I’ll be your lookout.”

  “It says something really good about our relationship that you didn’t make doing your paperwork part of the deal. Or you just knew I was going to do yours, too.”

  “Sister, after the past few days there is nothing in this world that I’m entirely sure of anymore. If I saw you levitate and spin around I don’t think I’d be surprised.”

  “I’m not sure flying is part of the deal.”

  “What about invisibility? Or x-ray vision? Oh, oh, oh, what about bending steel or shooting out spider webs from your wrists?” Hagan held up his arms and aimed his wrists at different parts of the room. “Zing! Ping! Wazing!”

  Leira couldn’t help herself, and smiled at him.

  Hagan stopped what he was doing. “Well, that’s new. You actually gave a genuine smile. I haven’t seen you do that much, if it didn’t involve dragging some felon off the hard pavement.”

  “Leira 2.0,” she said. She shook her head and gave her more usual crooked smile. “I know, I know. I’m evolving. I suppose it was bound to happen.”

  “I’m not sure you’re what Darwin ever had in mind in terms of evolution, but I’ll take it. Now, are we going to get this show on the road, or not? Let’s get this paperwork done.” Hagan rolled his chair around till he was sitting next to Leira. “This won’t throw off your spell or anything, will it? I don’t want to get any runoff. It’d be hard to explain to the wife, much less the Captain.”

  “Something tells me that won’t be a problem,” she replied. “But I can’t exactly guarantee it. Correk’s waiting for me back at the guesthouse and without him we’re just doing magic for jollies without a roadmap.”

  Hagan rolled his chair to the edge of the desk. “I’m still in. Let ‘er rip.”

  Leira stretched out her arms and shook her hands. “I’m sure those few inches will make all the difference.” She ignored Hagan and looked back at the screen again. She felt the warmth slide up from deep inside of her more easily this time. It was getting easier to call on the magic and conjure up what was becoming a familiar feeling.

  The energy rushed through her, feeling like it was filling her veins with something warm and tingly. Everything in the room became more distinct and she could focus on the task at hand. Thoughts about what happened yesterday or worries about what might come next dropped away. Hagan stared at her, his jaw dropping open as her eyes began to glow. The symbols appeared under her skin but this time they even vibrated.

  “Holy mother of God.” Hagan’s head turned side to side, looking at the monitor then Leira and back, wondering if this was after all, a good idea. “What if we’re unleashing something? You know, like those ancient mummy curses. I have got to stop watching those movies.” His hand instinctively drifted toward his gun, just in case.

  Leira was no longer paying attention to anything in the room except the computer screen. Every question in the report came to her without reading it. The answer came to her just as easily and at the same moment she thought it, it materialized on the screen.

  Hagan watched what was happening and saw page after page of the report getting filled out in just seconds. He was torn between two feelings. One of relief that he wouldn’t be spending his evening eating bad food, trying to stay awake and finding new ways to explain how they found the girl without having to use the words magic or hocus-pocus. The other was a feeling in the back of his mind that there was no way this could end well.

  “Maybe this will be more like X-Files than Independence Day. Right? No, the aliens all die in both of those,” he said. “I’m not going to let that happen to you.” He knew she wasn’t registering what he was saying, but he meant every word.

  “Done.”

  Hagan’s eyes widened. “Even mine?”

  “Yours, too.”

  “How’d you get past my password? Was it magic?”

  “It doesn’t take magic to figure out that your password is maple bacon and you never change it.” Leira stood up and stretched.” We should get out of here so we don’t have to look busy when someone walks through. I won’t hit the send button for a few more hours to at least buy us some credibility. We can’t do this all the time because they’d wonder how we suddenly learned to type so fast.”

  Hagan stood up and pulled his jacket off the back of his chair, folding it over his arm. “Agreed. You know, Leira,” he said as they made their way out. “This is more than my old brain can take in. At this point I’m just rolling with what happens and trusting that you won’t blow us up. Or if you do blow us up, I don’t see it coming.”

  “Always the optimist, Felix. I’ll do my best.”

  ***

  “Patsy, come take a look. There’s another blip on the screen. Our girl is getting a little loose with the abracadabra.” Lois pushed her glasses up her nose and frowned at screen.

  “Oh geez,” said Lois. “Any word back yet from that first report we sent in?”

  “Not that I know of. I even tried a couple spells to see if I could listen in but those government types aren’t as dumb as they used to be. It was all kind of muffled and hard to hear.”

  “So, what were you able to make out?”

  “That’s the oddest part. They didn’t seem all that upset. From what I could tell they see Leira Berens as a potential asset. Go figure.”

  “Go figure,” Lois echoed, amazed. “Just when you think you’ve heard everything.”

  “Next thing you know they’ll be offering her a job.”

  “Remember the old days when they used to burn us at the stake? Then they went through that whole stage of trying to cut us up and study us?” Lois shuddered.

  “Thank the heavens for Hogwarts and chocolate frogs.”

  “Yeah, but Rowling took a big chance spilling all of those inside secrets. Someone might have started to wonder how she knew so much.”

  “Humans are slow. Bet the gates are open for years before someone starts to ask those kinds of questions.”

  “In the meantime,” said Lois, lifting up her willow wand, “How about a little TV?” She waved her wand and the data pouring across the screen was replaced with The Price is Right.

  “Much better. Oooh, they’re still on the showcase.”

  “You think we should alert the big guys that the detective is using magic on a more regular basis?”

  “How do you think she’s able to pull so much energy?”

  “Now, that’s a very good question. Eight thousand! Say, eight thousand,” she yelled at the image of Drew Carey floating across the room. “Drat, I was over.”

  “Why didn’t you use your wand?”

  “Not as much fun. You’re right, let’s keep this to ourselves for a little longer. You still have that artifact your grandfather used to hear better? Let’s see if we can find out more before we rat out one of our own, just in case.”

  “Just in case.”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Leira pulled into the parking lot at Costco and turned off the engine. She was trying to choose her words carefully.

  “What?”
Correk looked at her. “I can see a lecture of some kind approaches. You didn’t have to come with me. Look, Scott gave me a map and a bus schedule.”

  “You can’t get in Costco without a membership card, and they all know it. It’s why they brought it up in the first place. They have a habit of testing new people to see how many favors they can get out of them before you say no. I’m the only one at Estelle’s who’s a member. It was their Christmas present to me last year.”

  “Interesting. An exclusive meeting hall for shopping. Oriceran has something similar but it has far darker intentions.”

  “This is more like shopping at Target but in bulk sizes. You show up to get a cake and push out a cart full of jeans, a few books, yoga pants, a case of beer and a twelve-pack of steaks. I usually end up with a shopping hangover.”

  “We can use your plastic card. It will be alright.”

  “You’re dying to see if they have an as seen on TV aisle, aren’t you? We can’t do that again. Look me in the eye. No!” She gave him a stern look and waved her finger sharply back and forth.

  “You could stand to relax a little more. It could only help you with learning magic. Okay, yes, I want to see more gadgets. They’re like cheap magic tricks for humans.”

  Leira rolled her eyes. “Tell me again, who exactly told you this would be a good idea? I want names. Fuck, it’s like giving a box of matches to a pyro and then being surprised at what happens next.”

  “Normally, I don’t find it useful to do what I think you Earthlings call tattle.”

  “Well, you’re going to have to do something about those ears or wear the hat again.” Leira pulled the knit hat out from under the seat, brushing off crumbs the troll left. She held it out to Correk, raising her eyebrows, giving it a shake.

  “You have another idea?”

  Correk didn’t answer. His eye glowed and symbols appeared around his hairline. His ears slowly rounded.

  “Whoa, did you just change the structure of your ear? You didn’t even say anything!”

  “No, it’s just an illusion. Not everything has to be spoken. Some things can just be felt, imagined. We call it a glamour spell. The gnomes lent me a book. If you touch them…hey! Don’t put out your hand.” He batted her hand away. “You’re not feeling up my ears. I assure you, the points are still there. Now, if that’s your last objection, let’s get in there!”

  “Way too excited about Costco.”

  The troll climbed out of Leira’s pocket, neatly rolling over the top of the front seat and into the back disappearing to the floorboards below.

  “You realize, that wasn’t a good sign. He looked like he had a plan before he went over the back of the seat.”

  Leira waited, but when it became clear Correk wasn’t going to answer she said, “Spill it. It was Mitzi, wasn’t it? She has a crush on you, you know. What she doesn’t realize is that if you keep buying in bulk like that, those six pack abs are going to become more like a tootsie pop.”

  “What?”

  “It’s a candy. Like a lollipop with a surprise inside. Hard on the outside.” Leira stopped herself at the last moment from pointing at the outline of Correk’s abs clearly showing through the long sleeve shirt. Instead, she knocked on her head. “But chewy on the inside. It doesn’t take long. One of our better weapons of warfare.”

  “They said you’d say that.”

  “Aha! I knew it!” Leira practically jumped off the front seat, banging her hand against the steering wheel, letting out a sharp honk from the horn. A mother dragging a reluctant toddler behind her jumped and turned around to glare at Leira.

  “Sorry,” Leira said, holding her hands up like she was under arrest. She lowered her hands and said, “I knew who the they are. It’s the usual list of suspects from the bar. Mike? Craig? They give you a list of their own?”

  A smile spread across Correk’s face.

  “Now what?”

  “I may be from another planet altogether but family operates pretty much the same way everywhere I’ve ever been. Well, maybe not for the gnomes. They don’t talk as much and they all look alike. I’m not even sure how they manage to tell each other apart. And they share everything…”

  “You have a point buried in there somewhere?” Leira turned in her seat and got up on her knees so she could get a better look over the seat. She could sense something was happening with the troll. That, and the loud chewing noises were causing her concern.

  “It’s like you’re in their clan. They’ve adopted you and you’ve accepted.” Correk pulled a list out of his pocket. “And yes, I have a list. They said it was the only way to shop in this large bazaar. I’m splitting a bag of tube socks with Craig, and Mike assures me you can get Cheetos shaped like little balls in giant containers. And I’m looking for the Double Stuffed Oreos.”

  “You look way too happy when you say these things. Oh damn, what have we done? You are a Light Elf in the royal court. You don’t wear tube socks or eat orange, crusty air.”

  “I believe the saying is, when on Earth, do as the humans do.”

  Leira leaned further over the seat till she could see the troll. He was chewing on an old green wad of gum.

  “Nom, nom, nom.” The troll was at first delighted, munching away, but then a look of confusion spread over his face. He pulled one end of the gum out of his mouth, watching it stretch. He pulled his fingers apart and stared at the gum stuck on them.

  Leira looked at the wet, sticky hairball and felt herself gag. The troll shook his hand, letting out a high-pitched exasperated squeak. It wasn’t long before the gum was stuck all over him.

  “Uh oh, yum fuck.”

  “He sounds defeated,” said Correk, glancing back.

  “He’s got gum in his green hair. This won’t end well.”

  “Give him a chance. They’re very resourceful.”

  The troll tried rubbing his hands on the floor. Crumbs and bits of dirt were ground into the gum, cutting down on the sticky texture. A happier, “Mah, fuck hmph.” He threw himself onto the floor of the car and rolled around like a log from one end to the other. The troll stopped and looked down at his body, now covered in a rainbow mashup of crumbs. He patted his belly and trilled softly.

  “I’ve seen gunshot wounds that weren’t that gross. Is it safe to try and take food away from a troll?” she asked. She slowly lowered her hand toward the troll’s mouth.

  “I wouldn’t. I’ve never known it to end well. What’s he eating?”

  Leira quickly took her hand back. “Fuzzy gum. I don’t suppose it’ll hurt him.”

  “Have you fed him lately?”

  Leira’s face warmed. “Oh crap! I guess I own this one. What do you feed a troll? Can they eat Kibble?” She slid back into her seat.

  “Not sure what a kibble is but they’re little tiny garbage dumps. Scavengers. They eat whatever they can find. On Oriceran it’s nuts and berries they find in the forest and the scraps others have thrown away. Works out well for everyone. Here,” he said, gesturing at the vast blacktop full of cars, “there’s not much forest. You’re going to have to find food for him.”

  “Then we’re in the right place to solve this one, both short term and… whatever the hell long term turns out to be. Fuck, I didn’t think of that till just now. Do trolls live a long time? No, wait! Don’t tell me!”

  “What’s a Topo Chico?”

  “A fancy Mexican fizzy water. That’s Estelle’s order, isn’t it?”

  “See? This is what I mean.” Correk slapped the piece of paper. “You really know these people, inside and out.”

  “They’ve all taken to you, too. Come on, we’d better get going. Looks like quite a list you’ve got. Who needed a giant bag of frozen fruit?” Leira opened the glove box and rooted around till she found a small rag with a few grease stains. “Better than nothing.”

  She leaned over the seat and scooped up the troll, wrapping him in the rag. “This time, he’s all yours. Think of it as shared custody. This trip was your ide
a, so you watch him.”

  “Fair enough, but he won’t listen to me like he listens to you.”

  “I can live with that.” Leira opened the car door.

  “So, we’re not going to talk about your mother yet. I was trying to wait but it hasn’t come up.” Correk got out of the car.

  “What is there to say? I keep rolling it around in my head. Trying to figure out how to get her out without anyone dragging her right back in again. I don’t have power of attorney over her. Even if I did, she was committed by the state.” Leira shook her head and started walking toward the oversized warehouse. “The only thing I’ve come up with is to magic her out of there.”

  “That’s not really a thing.” Correk caught up with Leira, even trying to find a pocket where he could keep the troll hidden and happy.

  “Hang on,” Leira said. She ran back to the Mustang and opened the trunk, pulling out a green hoodie. “This’ll work. Put it on and he can sit in the pocket. Do you really think we can’t use magic to get her out of there?” There was a catch in Leira’s voice.

  “There’s a limit to everything, I assure you. However, I suspect your powers are more than capable. Eventually. You don’t have enough control yet for us to be sure that we wouldn’t end up making things worse. Then, there’s the Silver Griffins.”

  “Someone would notice I messed with the order of things and send a bolt of magic.”

  “That’s one way of putting it.”

  “Do you have a better idea?” There was a hopeful note in Leira’s voice that wasn’t normally there. She wasn’t used to feeling so vulnerable and asking for help.

  Correk stopped near the entrance. He put his hand on Leira’s shoulder. “I have been a part of much more difficult journeys. We’ll find a way.”

  Leira stood still and closed her eyes, searching for the feeling that was always with her these days. The buzz of magic. We’ll find a way.