by Simone Pond
Table of Contents
Wrath of MagicThe Mysterium Chronicles Book 3An Urban Fantasy Novel
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Author’s Note
BY SIMONE POND
Wrath of Magic
The Mysterium Chronicles Book 3
An Urban Fantasy Novel
by Simone Pond
Ktown Waters Publishing
Copyright © 2017 Simone Pond
All rights reserved. Published in the United States by Ktown Waters Publishing, Los Angeles, CA.
ISBN-13: 978-1545492208
ISBN-10: 1545492204
Cover Design: Rebecca Frank
Editing: Peter Stier Jr., Emily Nemchick, Kat Deloian
Formatting: Polgarus Studio
For more information about Simone Pond, visit: simonepond.com
Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Author’s Note
BY SIMONE POND
CHAPTER ONE
“We didn’t get left behind … You made the choice to go after Magnus. If we had stayed with the ship, we would’ve gone with the others.” Benjamin’s words circled in my mind for another five to ten minutes before I finally stood up.
“Let’s go,” I said.
“To the safe place?” he asked, letting me assist him. His right arm hung in the makeshift sling and though he tried to put on a brave face, pain flickered across his brow.
“Yeah. Unless you have a better idea.”
“Is your magic replenished yet?” he asked.
I closed my eyes and searched deep within for the spark of violet light that lived in my core and fueled my powers. But my resources were spent from teleporting us out of the river.
“I’ve got nothing,” I said.
Benjamin frowned and stared off toward the trees that undoubtedly would lead into the black heart of the city where mayhem and decadence flowed abundant. “So a stroll through the Madlands it is. And both of us completely powerless.”
I didn’t like the idea either, but we didn’t have a choice. We needed to get his arm healed up and wait for my magic to restore itself. I didn’t want to be outside once the sun went down in the Madlands.
“Come on.” I wrapped my arm around his good shoulder and we ambled through the rocky sand.
“Whoa, what’s that?” Benjamin pointed about a hundred feet away.
I cupped my palm over my eyes and searched in the direction he pointed and noticed something glinting in the sand of the riverbank. Something golden. I had him wait while I ran off to check it out, having a pretty good idea what it was. When I reached the spot and squatted down to pull the object from the sand, I was hit with a wave of relief and dread. My seventh golden star—the one I’d used to destroy Magnus’s cruiser. I was relieved to have the vitally powerful weapon in my hands, but having it confirmed what I had already known: Magnus was still alive. Did that warlock ever die? I ran back over to Benjamin and held up the star.
“Well, at least we have this,” I said.
“I have a feeling you’re not supposed to use it just yet.”
I laughed. “Yeah, well. Don’t worry, I’m holding on to this thing for dear life. And when we reach the Ancient One I’m going to ask for a specific set of instructions.”
Benjamin huffed lightly. “I don’t think that’s how it works, boss. But go right ahead and ask.”
We headed toward the trees, with me leading the way through the brush. The bramble wasn’t too thick or unruly, so it didn’t take long to navigate our way through. We made it to the city while the sun was still out and the worst of the derelicts were still behind closed doors. But we still needed to walk down the main drag to reach the safe place. Benjamin and I stood on the edge of town next to a mangled building, staring off toward our final destination. The dilapidated warehouse about seven blocks down the road wouldn’t be a concern anywhere else except the Madlands. The streets weren’t too busy, just a few stragglers roaming in and out of the bars, clubs, and shops. Trouble was, we didn’t know what type of stragglers we were dealing with. The city was made up of a concoction of vampires, witches, shifters, harlots, warlocks, and other ungodly beasts.
“I wish Matthias had picked a meeting place off the beaten trail,” said Benjamin.
I wish he hadn’t mentioned Matthias’s name because the mere thought of him sent my head reeling. I wanted to be with him in Shteim'esrei. Safe and far away from the dreaded evil permeating throughout the Confederated Six like a virus. I longed to be in Matthias’s strong embrace, celebrating the fulfillment of the prophecy with the rest of the Ancients. Instead, I was stuck in the worst city with an injured eagle shifter and no magic to pull from. I refused to believe that was my destiny and I promised myself—and Matthias—that I’d find a way to him. First, we had to get to my father in the Red Mountains. Well, first we had to get to the safe place and bunker up for a few days while Benjamin’s arm healed.
I stepped away from the wall, feigning some confidence because one of us had to. “I’ve got the star. And by now these fools must know who I am. They won’t mess with us.”
Benjamin laughed. “Your status only makes you more desirable to capture or slay. But yeah, we should make a break for it while the sun’s still out. Before it gets too ugly.”
I threaded my arm through the crook of his good one and nestled closer to him, resting my head on his enormous shoulder. “Let’s stick close together. Maybe if they think we’re together together they’ll steer clear.”
He tugged me in closer and I felt safe snuggled up against his brawny body. “Whatever you think will work, boss. I just need to get to the safe place fast—I’m about tapped out.”
“You’re not gonna drop boss, huh?”
We started walking toward the street, Benjamin chuckling. “Nah. Your reaction is priceless.”
The first block wasn’t too bad, but that’s only because most of the racier places weren’t open
for business yet. The few residents that passed by hardly glanced in our direction, too out of it to register our presence. Trash was piled high in the gutters and loose pieces blew past. Large metal barrels sat on the corners with flames dancing from the opening. I guessed that was their version of street lights. The closer we got to the hub of the city, the thicker the stench became, like a rotten swamp or upended graveyard of decaying bodies. I remembered to keep my eyes directly ahead and to avoid any glancing into the passing alleys where the worst of the worst went down.
“You doing okay?” I whispered up to Benjamin.
“Mm hmm. But we got someone on our six.”
I slowly turned my head and looked over my left shoulder. A tall figure in a hooded cloak trailed a good distance behind us. His face was a shadow and he walked with a limp. This gave me some solace because I knew we’d be able to outrun the lurker if it came to that. Also, I didn’t get the sense this hooded man was dangerous.
“I’m more concerned about the threesome of witches staring us down,” I said, gesturing with my chin to the brothel on our right.
Benjamin looked over to the two-story building and up to the second-floor balcony where three women stood dangling their legs provocatively over the iron railing above. They wore red-and-black-striped burlesque-style dresses with their bosoms completely exposed over the tops of their corsets. Their sharp laughter intertwined with clouds of smoke from their cigarettes and filtered into the filthy streets below.
One of the ladies leaned over the side and cooed down to Benjamin, “Why are you wasting your time with that clapper when you could have three beauties for the price of one?”
The lanky one in the middle stared at us with laser-like focus; her wavy red hair seemed to ripple though there wasn’t a breeze. “We can fix that arm up for you right away, handsome.”
“I’m fine, ladies,” said Benjamin.
I quickened our pace. The witches had drawn some unwanted attention and more of them were lining up along the balcony. We were able to mosey past the brothel without any additional interruptions, but I knew that was too easy. When we reached the corner the threesome of witches stood barricading our path across the street. Yep. Definitely too easy.
“Ooo, you’re even more good-lookin’ up close,” purred the petite, curly-brown-haired witch. She stood on her tippy toes and leaned into Benjamin’s neck, inhaling deeply.
I jerked him away, not wanting to become subject to any of their witchy spells. “We need to be somewhere.”
The tall one with cascading red hair stepped forward. Her green eyes glinted like emeralds, and a chill rushed over my body. She blew a silvery gray cloud of smoke into our faces. When I went to my pocket to remove the golden star, my arms wouldn’t move. The witch had paralyzed me.
“Looks like you’re not going anywhere anytime soon,” said the fiery redhead.
I tried to speak, but even my vocal cords were frozen. The witch shrieked with laughter, the pitch piercing my ears. I prayed for my magic to return so I could break through her spell and send her soaring down the middle of the street. The other two came around Benjamin and slipped him out of my frozen grip. He was able to move, yet he didn’t seem in control of his motions. The petite witch with the curly hair tugged his sling and the other one wrapped her slender arm around Benjamin’s waist and ushered him forward.
Stop! I yelled in my head. Don’t go!
The redhead said some gibberish and was about to wave her hand in the air when a blast came from the other side of the street. I wasn’t sure what it was because the impact knocked me clean on my ass and since I was still under the witch’s spell, I remained on the pavement like a fallen tree. Seconds later, Benjamin crawled over to me, hoisted me over his left shoulder and took off through an alley.
Not the alley, for Ancients’ sakes.
The spell stayed with me so I couldn’t close my eyes. As Benjamin raced through the rancid-smelling alley I got to see everything. Things nobody should have to bear witness to. Things that can never be unseen. Body parts strewn about the blood-spattered cement. Entrails and guts, eyeballs and teeth, chunks of brain matter. My stomach rolled with bile and since I didn’t want to throw up all over Benjamin’s back, I forced myself to think about happy things. Like … like … Oh, man. There were people copulating right against the buildings, while three feet over someone was bludgeoning a person. The sounds of agony, utter chaos, and ecstasy echoed all around us.
“You okay?” asked Benjamin.
All I could manage was a grunt. Then finally my eyelids were mine again and I was able to close them.
“That was crazy,” he panted as he came to a stop.
I opened my eyes to find him walking again and turning down a corner into an even darker and more harrowing alleyway.
Why was he going deeper into the labyrinth of wickedness?
“Did you see what happened?” he asked. “That dude who was trailing us sent some sort of crazy-ass blast right at us. I don’t know who he was aiming for, but I took the opportunity to grab you and get the hell out of there.”
I wanted to thank him, but I was still unable to speak. And if I could talk, I would’ve yelled for him to stop going deeper into the madness. To turn around and get us out of that alley. But maybe it was better that my mouth wasn’t working so Benjamin could concentrate. Because before I knew it, this gruesome back alley maze had led us directly to the giant blue door of the dilapidated warehouse where Matthias had set up the safe place.
He set me down on the gritty cement. “Need my good hand.” He typed into the keypad until the blue door made a clicking sound and opened. Then he hoisted me up again, and I heard the strain in his grunt as he rose. All of the extraneous activity was the last thing Benjamin needed. But the brave eagle shifter got us inside, locked the door, and carried me up the rickety metal staircase.
Inside the safe place, he dropped me onto one of the black leather couches, then collapsed to the ground. We remained like that for the next hour until the witch’s paralyzing spell wore off and I was able to pick him up and get him into one of the beds in the back.
“You’re in bad shape,” I said, inspecting his arm.
Benjamin’s light brown skin had turned dark purple and the bones were knotting up. Sweat poured from his face as he moaned in the bed. The arm needed to be set and he needed antibiotics. Definitely pain meds. I had some skills, but not the level he required. If he was ever going to fly again, he needed professional help. This meant I’d have to go back out into the mean streets of the Madlands … after dark.
CHAPTER TWO
Sunset had made its final call. The last traces of light slipped behind the Red Mountains and the orange horizon snapped shut, winking to a purplish black. I stood outside the warehouse in fresh attire: ass-kicking boots, durable black trousers, and a jacket that felt like it was made of Kevlar. I wasn’t taking any chances out there in the craziness. My magic might’ve been restored, but something wasn’t right with my powers. I couldn’t even teleport from one end of the warehouse to the other.
“Something’s wrong,” I’d told Benjamin.
“Yeah, I’m dying,” he mumbled in his delirium.
“No. My magic isn’t working. I mean, some of it is, like my shield is working, but I can’t teleport.”
“Just go get someone, Jordan … You’ll be fine … You’re the Chosen One.”
“Maybe my ‘Chosen One’ mission is over?” I half-joked.
He moaned, then passed out, leaving me no choice but to venture outside.
Standing in front of the warehouse, I witnessed the streets come to life with all walks of insanity. I sure hoped Benjamin was right and that my status with the Ancient One would give me some kind of clout. I just needed to find someone who could help my eagle shifter friend without getting myself killed in the process. I had searched the internet for potential places and the best match—with the least gruesome inventory—was a shop six blocks away called the Achish Apothecary. The we
bsite claimed to use the most organic herbs and minerals, as well as the freshest ingredients like hair, tears, saliva, blood, skin, and fat from both animal and human. I gagged as I recalled passing similar shops on my first visit to the Madlands, and seeing hundreds of jars containing body parts lined up in the shop windows.
I gazed to the heavens, though the sky was pitch black without a single star, including the guiding star. I trusted it was there behind the shroud of darkness hovering over this despicable city. “Don’t let me down.”
I stuck to the middle of the street, holding the golden star in plain sight, figuring this would show those fiends I wasn’t afraid of them and that they were better off staying away. If they hadn’t heard of me by now, they soon would. News traveled fast in the Confederated Six, and though the Madlands was off the grid, they were abreast of what was happening. They’d hear about the ship of Ancients making it through the Rankin Canal. And they’d hear about my battle with Counselor Magnus and how I sacrificed my own passage to keep him from getting through and fulfilling the ancient prophecy. Either they’d have a semblance of respect for the Chosen One, or they’d want to rip me to shreds. Or both. That’s how this place rolled. No sides. No loyalty. I, of course, was hoping for the former, but preparing for the latter.
The six blocks to the Achish Apothecary took much concentration, listening for footsteps, trying to catch anything unusual out of the corner of my eyes, and gauging my senses. I hoped my shield would appear the second trouble arose, but it was best to be on hyper alert. You never knew who would creep up on you and block your magic.
By the time I reached the shop with the carved wooden sign that creaked as it hung from two rusty chains above the entrance, I was exhausted. The storefront windows were packed with hundreds of multi-colored jars of liquid with floaters bobbing in them. I tried not to look too closely and pushed through the front door. The soft jingle of a bell announced my arrival.
A trail of green smoke rolled up the aisle and swirled in front of me, rapidly forming into the figure of a male. A decrepit man, who looked to be nine hundred years old with a white beard reaching his belly and long, wispy hair to match, stood hunched in front of me, barely reaching my shoulders. His gnarled knuckles gripping the ball of a wooden cane that was probably the only thing keeping him upright. His blue eyes were as pale as salt as he took me in, seeming to read every line in my face for clues.
