Shifters And Glyphs

by Bauer, Christina;

  In other words, will I officially start the ceremony? Tough question, really.

  It’s my choice, but I certainly didn’t come all this way not to finish the ceremony. Still, it’s the give your bounty part that holds me up. I’ve heard this phrase before. It’s another way of saying: let us drain the magic from your soul. A chill of fear runs up my neck.

  Calibur gave his bounty. After that, he died.

  The world takes on a dream-like quality. Around the obelisks, the colored beams of light seem to dim. The air smells dry and filled with spices. A realization hits me.

  I want to live.

  My gaze locks with Knox’s once more. He looks like some kind of god as he stands before an obelisk, his body seemingly made of gold. Every ounce of my mate’s focus stays trained on me while his voice echoes across the desert.

  “Trust your instincts, Bry.”

  I take in a shaky breath. Trust my instincts. I know what Knox means. We can figure this out; Knox has my back. Turning, I refocus my attention once more to the Void. When I speak, my voice is calm and low.

  “Yes, I will do this.”

  The Void nods slowly. “Now you shall all raise your arms. None shall move until the ceremony is over, unless …” He scans the landscape.

  Unfortunately, I have a pretty good idea who the Void’s looking for. I swallow past the bands of fear constricting my throat. “Unless the Shadowvin arrive,” I finish for him.

  “Yes.” The Void lowers his voice to a growl. “They are evil. They kept me from you.”

  I open my mouth, ready to say, Hey, that would’ve been really helpful to share before now, but I close my mouth instead. Now isn’t the time for that particular discussion.

  “I do not see them,” says the Void. “For now.”

  An idea sparks. If the Void can be some kind of Shadowvin-detector, that could come in handy. “Can you—” I begin.

  “The time for speech is over. We must begin the ceremony proper.” The Void raises his arms into a V shape. I don’t will this to happen, but my own arms rise into the same form. The same thing happens with my wardens as well.

  “Can’t move over here,” says Elle.

  “Same here,” adds Alec.

  “Me, too,” says Knox. “What about you, Bry?”

  “I’m stuck too,” I reply. “The Void says this has to happen for the ceremony to fully begin.”

  The Colonel takes another puff from his cigar. “Don’t worry, y’all. I got you.”

  Now that everyone’s arms are up, the Void turns back to me. “You will give up your bounty. I will guide you through the ceremony.”

  A smidgeon of tension eases from my body. “Guidance would be great. How will this work?”

  Tendrils of white smoke curl up from the cloud-covered ground. These cords of white mist curl in on themselves, transforming into a familiar shape.

  Hieroglyphs.

  The symbols read: “Speak my words to begin. Then I shall focus your power and count down to the end. That is all I can do.” Once I finish reading them, the glyphs vanish.

  I scan the faces of my wardens, wondering if anyone else caught the Void’s smoky message.

  “Did you guys see that?” I ask.

  “What?” asks Knox.

  “The Void—he spoke to me through smoke glyphs. Says he’ll help me through the ceremony.”

  “Help.” Knox narrows his eyes. “Yeah.” Although he’s speaking to me, Knox keeps glaring at the Void like the supernatural guy will attack me at any second. And sadly, my mate could very well be right.

  My mate may not trust the Void, but I’m thrilled about the offer of help. Warmth and hope spread through my chest. I could almost hug the Void. That is, if he weren’t an eight-foot-tall all-white smoke monster looming right in front of me. Did I mention he’s really frightening looking? Well, he is. It’s an effort, but I give the Void another shaky smile.

  “Thank you,” I say.

  The Void doesn’t reply. Instead, his body melts into a whirlpool of white mist that slowly spins around my feet.

  And the magic inside my body goes berserk.

  My pulse speeds. Red, gold, and silver … all the strands of power within my soul now come to life. In my mind’s eye, these tiny cords dance, whirl, and expand. The rhythm reminds me of the drum roll before an execution. My nerves fray with worry. Those magical threads are preparing to do something.

  Trouble is, I have no idea what.

  Within me, my wolf paces an anxious line. “What’s happening? Is our mate all right?”

  “Knox is fine,” I reply. “Our magic’s going a little haywire, that’s all.”

  With an electric crackle, my inner lines of magic suddenly turn visible, shooting out from me in every direction. My fingertips, chest, and toes—even the strands of my hair—every inch of me erupts with threads of power. Pain tears across my skin. The tiny cords burn me as they move in their wild rush to flee. It’s agonizing, and more than that, it’s wrong. There’s too much power and no control. A question echoes through every corner of my soul.

  How am I ever going to survive this?

  Chapter 33

  More cords of magic burst from my body: red, silver, and gold. Soon, I’m surrounded in a haze of power and light. As each colored line leaves my skin, it’s like I’m being torn apart from the inside out. My inner wolf whimpers in pain. The poor thing feels the hurt, too. Although my mind is hazy with agony, I remember the Void’s instructions.

  “Speak my words to begin. Then I shall focus your power and count down to the end. That is all I can do.”

  At least, the instructions here are clear. Speak his words. Thankfully, the Void isn’t a big talker, so there’s no question what to say here.

  Focusing past the tearing pain, I talk in a loud, clear voice. “Dark to light. Day to night. Magic to Void. I give my bounty.”

  Moments ago, the Void had melted into a swirl of smoke around my feet. Now that cloud rises until the Void becomes a white column that churns around my entire body, forcing my wild magic to take the same shape. Within seconds, my undifferentiated power becomes a rod of multicolored energy that streams toward the dark clouds. Red, silver, and gold … all the lines of magic are there and winding together. The hurt slowly vanishes.

  Inside my soul, my wolf howls in delight. “We’re so beautiful! Our magic colors the night sky!” For my part, I’m just glad the pain has vanished. Whatever else the Void does, he focused my power and took the hurt away.

  The mists of the Void then lower. Within seconds, he returns to his state as a whirlpool surrounding my feet. Although the Void has receded, my power stays focused in a column. Good. The intertwined threads of magic weave through the storm clouds, reminding me of random bright threads in a sheet of dark fabric.

  My mind clears. A sense of rightness overtakes me. This is what’s supposed to happen. The magic inside me is flowing into the world. Only trouble is, it’s still an undifferentiated mess. Worry bunches up my shoulders. I said the words; isn’t the ceremony supposed to start?

  That’s when the pyramids change.

  The colored eye at the top of each obelisk glows more brightly. Instantly, the mixed-up power inside my column of magic breaks apart, forming three distinct channels: red, silver, and gold. Each channel recedes from the clouds and re-enters my body. Closing my eyes, I picture the threads within me. They’re no longer a jumble of lines. Instead, the powers are clustered by type and color.

  Three sets of Magicorum.

  Three lines of power organized inside me.

  My mouth falls open with surprise. I knew the pyramids would somehow change undifferentiated power into each of the three types of Magicorum. Somehow, I didn’t expect that would happen inside my soul.

  Deep rumbles fill the air, the noise as strong as the beating of a thousand kettledrums. The ground vibrates. Something’s happening under the earth once more. Little by little, the obelisk behind Alec moves.

  It spins.

&
nbsp; Alec tries to turn his head but can’t. “Guys, what’s going on behind me?” he asks.

  “Your obelisk is turning around,” answers Elle.

  Alec’s features turn slack with shock. “Because of course it is.”

  “The power must move out of me in stages,” I explain. “I’m guessing you’re first.”

  Alec frowns. “Is it going to hurt, you think?”

  “I don’t—” Before I get a chance to answer, lines of red power burst out of my ribcage, wind down my arm, and then zoom off my fingertips.

  After that, they go straight toward Alec.

  More and more tiny threads of my crimson power whip off my hand, cross the desert, and then connect with Alec’s fingers. From there, the red threads wind across his arm and chest.

  Inside my soul, my wolf growls. “Is our friend safe?”

  This time, I’m not so sure of the answer. “Alec,” I call. “Are you all right?”

  “Surprisingly fine,” he replies.

  Then, line after line of crimson power leaves Alec’s free hand and slams into the obelisk behind him. Now, there’s a clear arc of power that starts with me, crosses Alec’s arm and chest, and zooms into the structure behind him. Great bolts of lightning-style magic wind around the length of the obelisk, covering it in cords of red light.

  Wow. Just—wow.

  A memory appears. My aunties once took me on a tour of a power plant in New Jersey. I suppose it was their way of trying to act parental, considering how they rarely allowed me to leave the penthouse. When I was there, I saw rows of metal rods lined up inside the power plant. The bars gleamed with sparks as electric energy coiled up and down their lengths.

  That’s what these obelisks remind me of now: supernatural rods that conduct not electricity, but magic. Taking in the scene, my sense of rightness deepens.

  Now, this is what’s supposed to happen.

  This obelisk will store the power of witch and warlock magic. It’s draining the red power from me. I remember the glyphs I translated from the Book of Isis. They’d always list witch-warlock power, then fairy, and then shifter. That wasn’t a coincidence. The chain of events becomes even clearer in my mind.

  First, my red power will drain.

  Then fairy energy will leave me.

  And finally shifter magic will go.

  I shiver, trying not to think about what that will mean.

  My death.

  Definitely.

  Maybe.

  I shake my head.

  No dark thoughts now, Bry. You’ll trust your instincts and figure it out.

  I force myself to focus on what this ceremony will deliver. Once today is done, the annual ceremony of the wardens will release a little more Magicorum energy from the obelisks into the world. This very place will become the new Fountain of Youth, driving magic and power for a new age.

  What a legacy.

  Tendrils of smoke rise from the swirling haze by my feet. It’s the Void, trying to communicate again. The misty cords take the shape of a single hieroglyph.

  “Ten.”

  Understanding fills my mind. The Void said he would count down to the end of the ceremony. That’s exactly what he’s doing now. Like before, the ceremony will drain each warden in turn, and now the clock is officially ticking. My heart lurches in my chest.

  Please, let this be a countdown to my future legacy, not just the end of my current life.

  Power continues to flow into Alec and his obelisk. At the same time, thinner lines of colored magic connect me to Elle and Knox, keeping them in place and ready for their turn. Together, my wardens are guarding the fountain’s power.

  No, not guarding.

  Now that the ceremony is in action, I see what the phrase guarding the fountain really means. My wardens are here to channel my energy into the safety of the correct pyramid. All the while, the Colonel watches from the sidelines, grinning from ear to ear.

  A sense of peace and calm infuses my soul. This is what I was born to do—bring magic back into the world. As every strand of energy leaves my body, it’s as if another burden lifts from my soul. Alec’s pyramid glows more brightly as more arcs of red power zoom around and inside it.

  A name appears in my mind’s eye: Calibur. He was the first recorded fountain, and going through this ceremony was enough to kill him. Would it kill me as well? It doesn’t feel like it—at least, not at the moment.

  The next hieroglyph appears before me.

  “Nine.”

  Fresh waves of red power stream up the obelisk behind Alec. Only eight more numbers, and this ceremony is over. My body feels so light and joyful, it’s as if I could float off the ground. Things are going so smoothly, it all seems too good to be true.

  And then, it is.

  Suddenly, lines of darkness drip down Alec’s obelisk. The flow of crimson power and magic slows. My energy needs to go into my wardens and then into the obelisks. Now, it’s stuck. The power is entering my wardens, but it’s not leaving to get stored in the obelisk behind them. A chill of terror seeps into my bones. My wardens lose their look of calm. Like me, they all gaze about in terror.

  The Shadowvin are coming.

  Even worse, Elle isn’t protected by glyphs, not like Alec and Knox. Sure, the Colonel has agreed to defend her, but suddenly, that seems like a thin plan. These are three Shadowvin we’re talking about here. Plus, the Colonel’s magic hasn’t been working perfectly these days. Back in New York, he needed my help just to fight some pixies in our kitchen. Why did I think he could singlehandedly fight a trio of super ghosts on demand? Every nerve ending in my body goes on alert.

  This is such a bad idea.

  Inside my soul, my wolf howls with fear. “Elle is our friend. We must defend her!”

  Out of reflex, I try to race over to my best friend. Still, I can’t do more than flinch. Magic keeps my body locked in place. Panic zings through my nervous system. I scan Alec, Knox, and Elle. All three of them are straining to move as well. None of them can do more than twitch.

  Oh, no.

  Colonel Mallory steps closer to Elle, his arms raised. Silver clouds of fae magic swirl around his hands. “Hang on,” he calls to Elle. “I got you, sugar.”

  My inner wolf flattens her ears and growls. “Our best friend,” she whispers. “We must fight for her.”

  “Trying.” I wrench my muscles with more force, but I still can’t move.

  Darkness seeps down each of the obelisks. A moment later, the three Shadowvin materialize at the base of each structure. Moving in unison, the tall, transparent figures swoop across the sands, pausing to stand in a small cluster right before my best friend. Fresh adrenaline pumps through me. I twist and writhe harder, but it’s no use. Moving simply isn’t possible.

  The Shadowvin close in on Elle. Terror lights up my dear friend’s eyes. I focus on the Colonel, who’s been building up his magic all this time.

  “Do it, now!” I cry. “Help Elle!”

  The Colonel releases the fairy dust from his arms. A haze of silver power flies off his hands. As the magic speeds through the air, the dust takes the form of long rods. These misty bolts slam into the desert around the Shadowvin, forming a makeshift prison. More bars cross the top, boxing them in. I scan Alec’s obelisk. Even though the Shadowvin are locked up, his obelisk is still dark.

  The power transfer has stalled.

  So has the ceremony.

  Not good.

  The Colonel turns to me, his face contorted with strain. “My magic isn’t working too well for me today, sugar. I can’t hold this for very long. Y’all better hurry.”

  “On it,” I say.

  The Shadowvin slam against the bars of their prison, but they can’t escape. Not yet, anyway. Unfortunately, the Colonel is already looking pale and wobbly. He won’t last much longer. Unlike the situation with the pixies back home, I can’t help the Colonel with extra power. That said, there is still something I can do.

  Get this ceremony over as quickly as possible
.

  The ceremony has begun by moving power from me into Alec’s obelisk. That’s the best place to start. Closing my eyes, I reach into my soul, picturing the many stands of red magic inside me. With all my focus, I will the witch and warlock power to flow out of my deepest being. A burst of crimson light shines as fresh magic zooms off my fingertips, moving into Alec and then his pyramid.

  Sweat lines the Colonel’s brow. His entire body trembles with effort. I’ve seen this before. Even though the containment spell has left the Colonel’s hands, he still needs to send in fresh energy to keep it going.

  That won’t be easy.

  I inspect the flow of energy from Alec to his obelisk. It’s not the steady flow that happened a minute ago, though. A sickly thread of power winds from Alec’s fingertips into the structure behind him. Thanks to the Shadowvin, all the obelisks are dark; none of them can accept my power and light. At this rate, the first phase of the ceremony won’t finish anytime soon.

  We’re running out of time.

  With a moan, the Colonel crumples to his knees. The bars of the supernatural prison start to fade. My heart tumbles.

  The Shadowvin won’t be confined much longer.

  The three dark spirits stare at Elle with hungry eyes. There’s no question in my mind what they wish to do: possess her like they did Knox.

  I redouble my efforts, pulling on more strands of witch and warlock magic inside me. We simply have to finish the ceremony before the Colonel’s containment spell collapses. Although I pull more power, the Shadowvin are still somehow dampening the connection from Alec to his darkened obelisk. I can’t drain my other kinds of magic until witch-warlock is gone. Plus, the Void hasn’t called out another number. Every cell in my body feels weighed down with lead.

  The ceremony still isn’t going fast enough.

  Moving in unison, the Shadowvin attack the prison around them. Their misty forms howl with rage. The air turns thick with the force of their counter spells. It’s too much. Groaning, the Colonel crumples on his side. From this far away, I can’t even tell if he’s still breathing.

  “Colonel!” I cry. “Are you all right?”

  No response.