Rivals

by Phil Stern

  “Oh, so you think I should have been arrested?”

  “Of course not!” she shot back. “Barbara over-reacted on Earth, and she under-reacted here! She’s too emotional and complacent, and the universe has passed her...” Jerking her head back, Tiffany suddenly found herself staring at the now-laboring houndfly, which had deliberately drifted between them. “Marissa, how long are you going to keep him waiting?”

  Sighing, Marissa held out an arm, the houndfly gratefully settling on her wrist. With a contented buzz, the hound-like face stared up at the sorceress in obvious rapture, drinking in her magical essence.

  “Well, at least somebody respects me. Maybe even likes me.” Smiling down at the huge insect, Marissa then looked up at her fellow witch. “Even if it’s just a houndfly.”

  Incredulous, Tiffany could only shake her head. “Are you serious?” she demanded. “You’re my best friend! There’s no one, in this Coven or any other, I’d rather have with me in a tough spot.”

  “I wanted to come and get you,” she quietly insisted, now thoughtfully studying a second houndfly on her arm. “In Zarth. But they wouldn’t let me.”

  “And I appreciate that. More than you know.” First gripping her friend’s arm, Tiffany then gently stroked a houndfly’s wing. “But isn’t it obvious that Barbara needs us now, far more than we need her?”

  Marissa laughed. “You could say that!”

  “So let’s just get through this, okay? Can we do that?”

  Gently shaking her arm, the houndflies slowly flew off. “Well, at least we gained some valuable intelligence from Grund. The ruby coven has definitely been here.”

  “Yeah. That’s not good news. Now we definitely need to make a deal with the Pyrons.” Pausing, Tiffany listened to the sharp crack of a stick some distance off. There was plenty of animal life in these woods, but you never knew. “Are you and Solia going to be all right?”

  “What?” Frowning, the last vestiges of earth fire left Marissa’s eyes. “Oh, that was nothing. We’ll be fine.”

  “And Barbara?”

  “Well...” Trailing off, her friend finally sighed. “All right. I’ll try. But she better not try negotiating with any werewolves again.”

  “Agreed,” Tiffany firmly replied. “Trust me, I couldn’t take that again either.”

  Giggling, the two brunettes then rejoined their companions, the four of them striking off for the village across the field.

  *****

  Standing in the middle of Tiffany’s living room on Earth, Adrina coolly looked about. There were definitely residual traces of ruby magic floating about, with burn marks on the wall and carpet. Clearly, one of her ruby sisters had been in some type of conflict here.

  Yet the Zarth assassin could barely sense any magic relating to earth stones. Oh, there were some faint, residual traces, but it was clearly several days old.

  Which told her two very important things. First of all, this Tiffany was a very, very talented magician, leaving almost no power signature. But secondly, whoever had subdued Valensa, if indeed that’s who’d been defeated here, had done so by non-magical means.

  Adrina didn’t think much of the younger Smith sister, but it was hard to imagine how she’d been defeated in such a manner. Something very strange was at work here.

  Well, if Valensa had been overpowered, her magical power source might have been taken away. That would explain why it was strangely silent now. It might also mean...

  It took only a minute for Adrina to recover the ruby stone from Blake’s gun safe, ripping off the door with a burst of red fire. Holding the necklace up in the afternoon sunlight, sparkles of red light reflected around the room from the stone’s surface.

  Frowning, the Zarth warrior tucked the necklace into her inside coat pocket, on the opposite side from her handgun.

  There’s no way an enemy sorceress would have defeated a magical opponent and just left her stone here. And seeing how Tiffany’s live-in lover was the only other person in residence, it wasn’t difficult to figure out who had gotten the drop on the renegade ruby witch.

  Which meant that Valensa was almost certainly still alive. Powerless for now, but if the Haven Coven managed to break her ruby addiction and successfully convert her to their own form of magic...

  Quickly exiting the apartment, Adrina pounded down the stairs to her rented car. If she didn’t find and eliminate Valensa soon, she could become a much bigger threat than anyone possibly realized.

  *****

  By the time they were two hours north of Philadelphia, Valensa was clearly in a bad way. Tied up in the back seat, she was shaking and crying, bitterly demanding that they turn around and recover her ruby stone. Grimly keeping his eyes on the road, the police detective kept the car at an even sixty miles per hour.

  What on earth was he doing? At best this was assault, battery, and kidnaping. And who knew what additional federal charges might apply once they crossed state lines? Clearly, if this little escapade came to the attention of the authorities, the end of his promising law enforcement career might be the least of Blake’s worries.

  But then again, his “victim” was a magical alien from another dimension, not to mention a member of a recognized criminal organization. In fact, since the public dustup between Tiffany and the ruby girls in Mobile two weeks before, every law enforcement and intelligence agency in the country had joined in the “witch hunt,” as everyone laughingly called it.

  So who knew? Maybe if things did go horribly wrong he might actually get a medal, with Valensa herself spending the rest of her life in some government lab.

  But that definitely wasn’t the plan. Tiffany wanted her sister alive and isolated, both from her wacky “coven” and that damnable red rock. She also wanted him to do others things to Valensa. I mean, they seemed innocent enough to Blake, but still...

  Oh, and he was also, under no circumstances, to reveal Valensa’s presence to his girlfriend’s own “sisters,” should any of those remarkable ladies happen to cross his path. As if he would really have any way of resisting Tiffany’s powerful friends should they choose to intervene.

  “Let me go!” his captive screeched, kicking at the back door. “And give me my stone back!”

  Well, if nothing else, Blake was remembering why he was so desperate to get out of narcotics. “Just quiet down back there.”

  “You jerk!” Valensa snarled from the back seat. “I’ll kill you for this! I swear I will!”

  “Tiffany, this is getting crazy.” Mumbling to himself, Blake once again checked the rearview mirror for tails. “You need to get back here, and you need to do it now.”

  Adding a little more speed, they continued on their way in the direction of Blake’s cabin in upstate New York.

  *****

  Sighing, Eleanor eased herself into a favorite chair within her Haven home. Taking a moment to simply enjoy sitting down, she then consulted an electronic pad containing the latest intelligence reports from Earth.

  They’d successfully infiltrated the dimension late last night, thirty-six sorceresses now scouring Earth in pairs. Unfortunately, it hadn’t taken long to uncover evidence of a strong ruby presence. A few teams had even reported Zarth operatives attempting to track them, though they’d managed to disengage without incident.

  Still, it was impossible to know if Claire was actually keeping her word. Under the terms of her truce with Tiffany, the ruby coven was merely to maintain “normal” levels on Earth. But what was normal? For all they knew, there could be hundreds of enemy witches living in the enormous mid-tech society. Despite her brave words at the Conclave, it was all very disheartening.

  But there was one very unsettling report from the team tasked with watching Tiffany’s home in Philadelphia. The surveillance had nothing to do with Tiffany herself, per se, but with tailing any Zarth operatives who might wander by. After all, the ruby coven also knew of the apartment, and would presumably send someone to check things out.

  Sure enough, a Zarth
girl had soon shown up. But instead of just strolling past, she’d openly entered the building and walked straight up to Tiffany’s residence. After staying a short while the witch had come down again, hopped into an automobile, and left. As of now, two sorceresses were tracking the ruby interloper.

  Pictures of the enemy operative revealed a hardened, powerful girl at the height of her power. Clearly, this was one of Claire’s top people. Letting the pad drop into her lap, Eleanor thoughtfully stared out the window.

  How was it that a ruby sorceress could openly drop by Tiffany’s apartment, as if her arrival was expected and almost welcomed? And where was this Blake character, who had apparently cleared out just before her own witches had arrived? Suddenly very disquieted, Eleanor slowly took another sip of tea.

  She loved Tiffany Smith like a daughter, and indeed considered her the most capable young sorceress she’d ever known. But in light of recent events, the Coven Leader had to ask herself a very tough question. Could, in fact, Tiffany be a traitor in their midst?

  Up until now Eleanor had firmly defended Tiffany’s conduct to their Coven-mates, rejecting out of hand any doubts as to her dramatic escape from Zarth. Perhaps it all seemed unlikely...having her earth stone taken away, overwhelming Claire with a disguised Coven Stick, and then striking a deal to maintain a temporary truce...yet still plausible. After all, Tiffany was very talented and highly resourceful. And if some of their sisters had privately doubted this tale? Well, cattiness and jealousy wasn’t entirely unknown among their ranks, particularly among those who spent most of their time in Haven anyway.

  No, Eleanor hadn’t even considered whether Tiffany was being less than fully honest. By the stone, she’d even taken the young woman into her full confidence right after the Conclave, revealing her own fears of continued unrest and possible disloyalty within the Coven! Had that been a horrible mistake? Perhaps so.

  Wincing in sudden pain, Eleanor rubbed her left knee, shattered so many years ago in some long forgotten dimension. As usual, it only flared up when the Coven Leader was under great stress. Actually, it hadn’t felt this bad in a few years. Since sending Tiffany and the others out after Lord Gensrow, in fact.

  Taking a deep breath, the Coven Leader brutally forced all emotion from her mind. In light of this new intelligence, she needed to evaluate things rationally, setting aside her own preconceived notions and sentiments. Only then would a clear picture emerge.

  Yes, it was certainly possible that, instead of defeating Claire and escaping from Zarth, Tiffany had actually become a willing double agent. Perhaps this was even a more likely scenario. If that were the case, everything Tiffany now saw and heard was being funneled right to Claire herself. It would be treason of the highest order, putting them all in horrific danger.

  Okay, so how could Tiffany have been turned? Perhaps a promise of safety for her newly-discovered sister Valensa, who was now conveniently missing. Maybe it was simply an overt appreciation of her obvious talents? After all, the Coven had never done anything to officially celebrate Tiffany’s victory over Lord Gensrow. At the time, Eleanor had felt they all just needed to move on. Maybe that had been a mistake.

  But there was another motive for such treachery on Tiffany’s part, now as obvious as it was insidious. Blake, the young man she “loved” on Earth. Not only might Tiffany have tired of the bitter disapproval expressed by many of her sisters, but the lingering possibility of being ordered out of Earth provided a constant threat of permanent loss. Such a situation could well lead to hopelessly divided loyalties.

  So Claire merely promises acceptance of Tiffany’s odd lifestyle. And if she actually helped the ruby coven secure control of the dimension? Well, then Tiffany could stay on Earth forever with Blake.

  And as crazy as that all sounded, stranger things have happened. Love for a mundane man could warp your whole perspective. That was just one reason, among many, why it considered so perverse.

  Idly staring out the window, Eleanor now felt herself relax just a bit. No, it just didn’t fit. She’d known Tiffany her entire adult life, and couldn’t believe the young enchantress she knew and loved would betray them all. However, even the vague possibility couldn’t be ignored.

  Tomorrow evening the Coven Leader would travel to Earth herself to meet with Claire. With any luck, a permanent accord would be hammered out, ending any immediate threat of open war.

  Tiffany Smith would be at her side in those negotiations, in the same room with the ruby coven leader. If there was any secret accord between the two women, they wouldn’t be able to hide it from her. Of that, Eleanor was certain.

  And if treachery was the order of the day? Firmly putting down the cup and saucer, the Elder let her eyes drift closed. In that case, the consequences for both the Coven as a whole, and Tiffany personally, were too horrible to contemplate.

  *****

  As it turned out, Henar was an interesting place. Easily avoiding the electronic defenses designed to deter marauding werewolves, the four sorceresses passed through the main town “gate” facing the magical forest. The human guards smiled and nodded, granting them access without question.

  They soon found themselves walking down the main street, featuring uneven wooden buildings in long, continuous blocks. Along with the dirt roads, little tree cover, and horses both hitched and ridden about, it almost reminded Tiffany of an old Western-type town.

  Yet initial impressions could be deceiving. For starters, a multitude of happy, healthy families proudly strutted about, the children gawking and pointing at the Haven witches. Electric lights and other mid-tech contrivances could be seen within some businesses. There was even an art store on one corner, the pretty canvasses displayed for all to see. Factor in all the tiny dragons strutting and zooming around, and it was a long way from the wild west. At least, one that an Earth-native would recognize, anyway.

  But Henar was clearly a “frontier” community in another sense, with traces of magic mixed into the generally mundane setting. Some minor talents actually performed on the street for tips. As they strolled by, in fact, a girl proudly formed a floating, glowing ball of light before a gathered crowd, the audience politely applauding her efforts. Upon seeing the jeans, boots, and earth stones of the sorceresses, however, she quickly ended her impromptu show before fleeing down an alley.

  This made Tiffany a little sad. Unlike many of her sisters, she wasn’t offended by mild forms of local magic, even though such people were often more charlatan than talent.

  Still, the good residents of Henar clearly knew the difference between “yokels,” as Marissa disdainfully called them, and a full-fledged sorceress. Everyone respectfully cleared out of their path, with only a few so bold as to even nod at them directly. Indeed, when they entered an upscale bistro for lunch, the restauranteur promptly told them that anything they wished would be on the house.

  “What’s the deal?” Solia asked, smiling at a group of men across the café as they sat down. “We must have done these people a good turn at some point.”

  “We helped with a famine here once.” Shrugging, Barbara settled back in her chair. “In any event they like us, which is refreshing.”

  “Well, there’s definitely a frontier flavor to the place, so they’re used to strangers,” Tiffany added, inspecting the rough glass in the large front window by their table. “And being on the border of an openly magical forest, I’m sure our reputation as werewolf fighters is reassuring to them.”

  Frowning, Marissa watched one of the men hesitantly get up and begin wandering over. “It appears they also know our reputation for other things.”

  “Yeah, well, we don’t have any time for that.” Suavely casting a minor spell, Tiffany caused the man to turn around and sit down again. “Given what happened with Grund, I’ll feel better when we meet up with our Coven-mates at the Pyron encampment.”

  “I will too.” Having regained her customary swagger, Barbara nodded at a shop on the other side of the street. “We can pick up some h
overbikes there and just take the main road down to the river lands.”

  “Hoverbikes?” Solia raised an eyebrow. “In Peth?”

  “Sure.” With a forced smile, the older woman leaned back. “Why not?”

  “That would seem a little advanced for this culture,” Tiffany observed.

  “Now, now. Don’t tell me you’re afraid of a little hard riding, dear,” Barbara loftily replied. “That would be a shame.”

  “Don’t worry, Tiffany can ride with the best of them.” Grinning mischievously, Marissa swatted her friend on the hand. “At least, she used to.”

  The tall brunette pointedly shook out her napkin, putting the knife and fork beside her plate. “Are we talking about hoverbikes here, or something else?”

  “What do you think?” First taking a bite of her salad, Marissa then looked quizzically at her.

  “What’s his name?” Feigning puzzlement, Barbara raised an eyebrow. “Block? Bloke? I’m not quite sure.”

  “Blake,” Tiffany sighed. “His name is Blake.”

  “Yeah, well, even you won’t care what his name is when we reach that Pyron village.” Giggling, Solia waved to a young girl staring at them in wonder from the next table. “But as to actual hoverbikes, I can outride any of you. So don’t be too disappointed when I reach the bridge first.”

  “We’ll see about that,” Marissa sweetly replied. “Won’t we?”

  Well, Tiffany ruefully thought as their main courses arrived, at least everyone was in a better mood. Though why, she idly wondered, had Barbara so skillfully changed the subject when asked how advanced technology like hoverbikes were in Peth?

  Soon finishing their meal, the four women then thanked the proprietor and strolled across the street.

  Sure enough, they were able to purchase hoverbikes from the Henar shop. Sleek and powerful, the four jet-propelled craft were soon hovering expectantly over the street outside, humming with suppressed power.

  It was probably best, Tiffany soon decided, not to ask any additional, awkward questions. Obviously, the hoverbikes were an instance of cross-dimensional contamination, having been surreptitiously shipped in from a more advanced world.