by Shea Berkley
“Right. It’ll be easy.” I sigh. What am I saying? It won’t be. “Trying to find something that sounds too good to be true could easily be a huge waste of time. Why do I get the feeling my dad is playing me?”
Leo pushes his dark hair out of his eyes. “He wouldn’t. Not about this. He really does care about Teag.”
“I don’t.” I look at him, completely serious. “Not this much.”
“Yes, you do.” He sounds confident. He knows me better than I do. “Kera believes in you. I’ve seen you do the craziest stuff and not bat an eye, and all because of her. She’s made you care, even when you didn’t want to. So don’t lie. Kera’s worth all the shit you’ve been through and more.”
He’s right. “She means everything to me.” Kera thinks I’m better than what I am, and I want to be. For her.
We get out and walk toward a flight of concrete stairs that leads to the second floor. “Girls. They make us crazy, bro.”
“For sure, dude.”
I feel calmer now, like I’m not alone. Leo gets the chaos I’m in. He’s experienced it and is willing to stick by my side to the end. I just hope the end hasn’t already commenced. We’ve been gone two days. A lot can happen in two days. We need to figure this out fast and get back.
I lead Leo to room number 22. He raises his hand to knock, but I stop him. The walkway is clear. It’s late afternoon. Everyone here is probably just waking up and getting ready for another late night. Not even a maid is in sight.
“Are you going to bust it in?”
I shake my head. My hand glows and the door magically opens.
“Oh, right. Cool. I forgot you can do that.”
We enter the room, and I close the door. Mom is still passed out on the bed. Her clothes are scattered everywhere. Leo finds her suitcase, and I toss it onto the other bed. A little magic, and clothes and accessories fly until the suitcase is neatly packed. I do the same trick with all her toiletries, tucking them into a smaller case.
When I come out of the bathroom, Leo is sitting on the empty bed. He stands and looks at Mom. “Bro, your mom can sleep. Are you going to wake her?”
“And have her fight us all the way there? No thanks.” The sleeping spell I placed on her is still in place, so I wrap her in a blanket and pick her up. She mutters in her sleep, and I tell her everything is fine. She believes me and settles into my arms. I carry her out. Leo follows with her bags. We pass a man coming out of his room. He steps out of our way and stares after us. I pick up the pace, not wanting to hang around here any longer than we need to.
“What about her car?” Leo asks when we get to the Jeep.
She’d keep the magic close, so I feel no shame in saying, “It’s a piece of trash and so is what’s in the trailer. Leave ’em.”
Leo tosses the suitcases in the back while I secure Mom in the backseat. When we both get in, Leo starts the car and backs out, shaking his head in disbelief. “What’s it say about a place where two guys can take an unconscious woman out of her hotel room and nobody says a thing?”
The man we passed is still hanging outside his room, just leaning on the railing as he smokes a cigarette and stares down at us. He’s making Leo nervous.
“Don’t worry about him. He saw two paramedics load a woman on a stretcher and put her in an ambulance.”
“You can do that?” Leo sounds impressed.
“It’s one guy.” I look back as Leo turns into the street. The guy flicks his cigarette over the railing and returns to his room. “The challenge will be carrying Mom through a huge crowd. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that’s going to be risky.”
“The problem is you don’t think you can create an illusion that’ll affect hundreds of people at once, right?”
I nod. It’s just too risky at this point to try it for the first time.
“So why not concentrate on your mom?”
“What, like create an illusion only for her?”
“Yeah. Make it dreamlike.”
I turn the idea over in my head. We pass a billboard with an image of Charlize Theron selling sunglasses and an idea sparks. “Leo…you’re brilliant. I’ve got just the dream she’ll love. Are you ready to help me make her fantasy come true?”
“Just so long as it’s legal, I’m in.”
One moment we’re dressed in regular clothes, the next we’re in black suits and crisp white shirts looking very bodyguardish.
We pull into the front, and as Leo hands over the keys to the valet, I open the back door and wake up Mom by saying in my most professional voice, “Ma’am. We’re here.”
Gone are her nightclothes and messy hair and in their place are a stylish hairdo and the trendy outfit I spotted on Charlize Theron’s billboard ad, sunglasses and all. She swings her leg out, baring a long length of skin. The tall heel of her strappy sandal digs into the road, and she holds out her hand. I grab it and help her out. The jersey tank dress she’s wearing is model-perfect, and so is Mom. She looks amazing, the way I know she could if she’d get her act together. I create a line of photographers and fans calling her name as we sweep her inside the casino hotel. Once inside, I can relax the illusion and get rid of the fans and photogs and hustle her to the elevators.
She’s great, like I knew she’d be, movie star attitude and all. She always wanted to be an actress, then I came along, and ruined that dream. She never said it outright, but she didn’t have to. It was there, in her eyes, the sound of her voice and her mood change. I grew up knowing my birth had destroyed her dreams. It was a messed-up thing to do to a kid, but Mom never really thought about how things affected me. Her attention was always centered inward.
We get her inside, no problem. The illusion starts to thin and real people take their place. Mom doesn’t notice, just like I’d hoped she wouldn’t. Behind the sunglasses, her smile shines so bright, she actually stops people in their tracks. One woman even takes her picture. For real. Mom stops and poses and another flash pops. Then another and another. She blows a kiss to the gathering crowd and laughs.
These people actually believe Mom is someone famous. No magic required. Cool. I lean close. “Your appointment, ma’am. You don’t want to be late.”
She nods. “Of course.”
I’m in front of her, leading her through the growing crowd of onlookers who’ve stopped to stare. Leo’s behind us, pulling her luggage that I’ve magically turned into very expensive designer bags. The plan is working beautifully until Mom suddenly veers to the right. Out of the corner of my eye, I see her grab a guy by the arm and autograph his shirt.
The man’s wife squeals with pleasure, gushing about how much she loved Mom in The Mummy. The crowd thickens.
I turn to Leo. “We need to get to the elevator. Now.”
The stunned man blinks as she ends her name in a flourish and kisses him on the cheek as his wife takes a picture. I take Mom by the arm and gently steer her toward the private elevators. By this time, she’s gathered an impressively large crowd and they are all snapping pictures and trying to get her attention.
When we finally get her in the elevator, people are clapping and Mom’s waving even while the doors close. Leo and I face each other in the universal bodyguard position of hands clasped in front of us as Mom stands between us, lapping up the praise. As the elevator starts to go up, she sighs and looks between Leo and me. “Well, that was fun, wasn’t it?”
“As always,” I say, trying to hide the sarcasm that creeps into my voice. Mom would have been a perfect reality TV star. She loves attention and goes after it with gusto few people possess outside the Hollywood D-list.
“I was talking to my agent the other day and he thinks I’m more popular than Anne Hathaway.” She leans back and runs her hands back and forth along the rail that runs the circumference of the inside of the elevator. “Anne Hathaway. That’s big.”
“Wow,” Leo breathes and stares at me. He’s got a stupid grin on his face, and I have to look away. Mom is eating this illusion up.
/> A sudden frown creases her forehead. “Ugh! These heels.” She slips out of her shoes and dangles them by the straps. “Pretty, but hardly practical.”
Her whole outfit easily costs over five grand. Trust her to find something to complain about. I’m tempted to switch her into a grungy top and dirty pair of overalls and watch the meltdown that’ll follow, but now is not the time to play out any revenge fantasies I harbor. I’m trying to be a good son…and save a whole other world from being consumed by death. “You can change when we get to your room.”
The doors open at our floor and we walk into the suite. As soon as the front door closes, I bring her out of her fantasy. She stops mid-prance toward the couch, like a child who’s suddenly lost sight of her parents.
She looks from the strappy shoes to her expensive dress and then the luxurious room. “What’s going on? Where am I?” When she turns and sees me, she wraps her arms around her torso and takes a frightened step back. Nothing says I’m glad to see you like a freaked-out expression and closed body language.
I suddenly have a serious craving for a shot of absinthe. “Hi, Mom.”
“Dylan?” Anger slowly erodes the confusion in her eyes. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing. I just—”
She looks again at her dress, feels the expensive material, and her face flushes red. “Oh my God. What did you do to me?”
“He didn’t do anything. We’re just trying to help,” Leo says in my defense. Mom and I stare at him, and he shuffles his feet uncomfortably. “I should leave, huh? Okay, I’m just going to put these bags in the third bedroom.” He picks one up and takes off.
When he’s gone, I turn to Mom. “I didn’t do anything except drag you out of that hellhole you were staying in. Do you want to go back?”
It’s clear her feelings are hurt, she’s angry, and she’s scared. Why do I never generate happy feelings from her? She runs her hand along the marble top of the entry table, a suspicious look on her face. “How can you afford this place?”
Leo returns for the other bag as I say, “Relax. I’m not a felon.”
Leo gives a light snort as he grabs the other bag. “Technically, she is.” Leo shoots up straight, eyes big. “I just said that aloud, didn’t I?” He grimaces and takes the other bag into the room.
He’s pointed out the elephant in the room. Might as well go with it. “Augustus says hi. That must’ve been some meltdown you had. Once the sheriff knew I was your kid, he couldn’t wait for me to leave town.”
“You’ve been following me?” Her skin drains of color. “Baun sent you, didn’t he?”
“He doesn’t know I’m here.” She doesn’t look convinced until I say, “Grandma sent me. She wants you to come home.”
The bitterness that flows from her makes me rethink that part of my mission. Mom’s face scrunches up as though she smells something sour. “This is…what? An intervention?”
“A rescue. Seriously, from what I’ve seen, you need one.”
“I’ve made some solid contacts here.”
All I’ve ever wanted to do is be the son she wants. But how can I when she pushes me away all the time? I give up and my anger flips into high gear. “To do what? Date ’em, roll ’em, and dump ’em in the desert? Was Augustus your test to see how you liked it? He’s a decent guy. Why’d you mess him up like that?”
“Mess him up? You think I messed him up?” Her eyes glaze with that crazy look I’ve tried to forget. She spies a crystal vase full of fresh flowers and snatches it up before I can even think to intercept her. “Let me show you what a real mess I can make.”
I dodge the vase and it lands with a thud behind me. Water and flowers scatter all over the floor. I hold up my hands and infuse her with a sense of calm. “Mom, calm down.”
It doesn’t work. It’s like she’s immune to my suggestion and gets even more irritated.
“Who the hell do you think you are?” In rapid succession, she chucks her shoes at me. I easily bat them away. She quickly scours the area for more ammunition and picks up the basket of complimentary fruit.
“Not the fruit,” I cry just before she starts lobbing apples, pears, and clusters of grapes at me.
Leo comes out of the room and Mom aims at him. He ducks as a pear and the mini-pineapple I’d been saving for my afternoon snack barely miss his head.
Pitted dates and a few kiwis fly like grenades, exploding on impact. With the fruit gone, the basket sails in my direction before she goes for the remote. I duck and it bounces off the wall behind me. A pillow flies Leo’s way, and then a heavy glass bowl filled with lemony scented potpourri barely misses my head and shatters on the floor, its contents mixing with the water, fresh flowers, and seriously bruised fruit.
Mom makes a dash for the kitchen, and I shout for Leo to stop her. She has great aim and has sent more than one ex-boyfriend to the emergency room. If she gets a hold of knives, this will get seriously bloody.
Leo grabs her around the waist, lifts her up unceremoniously, and tosses her into her room. Her screams are cut short when he snatches the door closed. I create a lock and we both sag against the walls on either side of the door.
“Dude, that was epic.”
He has no idea. “She was just getting started.”
We can hear her sobling, a combination of sobbing and yelling, on the other side of the door, begging me to let her go. When I don’t immediately do what she wants, she starts blaming me for her losing her temper. “You can’t keep me here. It’s illegal.”
“Did you learn that in your stint in jail?” I yell back, regretting the jab as soon as it’s out when I hear her tearing through the room.
“What do we do now?” Leo asks.
“She’ll calm down soon. She always does.”
But that was before, when she still felt some form of responsibility toward me. I don’t really know the woman behind the door.
I push away from the wall. “We’ll give her an hour.”
“And then?” Leo follows me.
Stooping in front of the shattered crystal pieces, I touch the ground. The pieces quiver and then reassemble back into a bowl. It’s perfect in every way. I can’t allow Mom to dictate our relationship anymore. I stand and look at Leo. “We’ll find the magic with or without her help.”
A frown transforms his usually optimistic face. “That sounds ominous, bro.”
I stare at the damage Mom’s done, and think of the damage she’ll inadvertently cause if I can’t find that magic. “I don’t have time to deal with her messed-up issues anymore. People are dying. An hour is all I’m willing to give her.”
Part Two
Trapped, for all to see.
Yet here I stand,
Waiting, watching, wondering,
Who really holds the key?
What Is, Isn’t Good
They’d been back in the city less than ten minutes and somehow Baun knew. He’d actually sent Lucinda to fetch Kera.
It was nearing afternoon. The streets were almost cleaned of the signs of battle—magic had made easy work of what could have been an arduous project—and life had begun to move again. People were out and about, and if not exactly enjoying the day, they had accepted what had been left for them.
All Kera wanted was to find Dylan and admit what she’d done. Better for him to hear it from her than someone else. “What does Baun want?”
A tsking sound filled the air. “Baun? Such disrespect toward your king.”
She was too tired for Lucinda’s games. “The council and Dylan rule. Until Baun earns his people’s trust, he is a figurehead at best.” She watched a frown dig into Lucinda’s forehead and waited. When it was clear the woman wasn’t inclined to answer her, she repeated herself. “What does he want?”
Lucinda swept her long white braid over her shoulder and cocked a knowing brow at Kera. “Are you not the all-powerful one now? Surely you know. Or have you been so busy seeking vengeance your other senses have dulled?”
A Lutin
e in a huff was something to avoid, but Kera was beyond caring. “Is this about the Seven Sisters? Your friends are alive…in a manner of speaking.” She wished differently, but a promise had been given.
Lucinda grabbed Kera so quickly, she didn’t have time to react. One moment they were in the middle of a busy street, the next they were in a darkened, shadowy room filled with Nightmare Men. Kera didn’t understand. What was their enemy doing gathered together in one place? Was an attack imminent? She tried to free her wrist from Lucinda’s punishing grip, but when the Nightmare Men didn’t move to attack, she realized she and Lucinda were invisible, a trick the Lutine had used on Kera before, and she instantly stopped struggling.
Lucinda slowly lifted her lips into a tooth-baring smile that showed no sign of humor. “The first sign of evil. Denying the evil within you. Look around. They were all once-powerful firsts.”
Kera’s gaze flickered over the nearest Nightmare Man. Everything about him repulsed her. How could something so disgusting have once been a being known for beauty and laughter and light? It wasn’t possible. “You lie.”
Lucinda twisted until she stood behind Kera and leaned in to whisper, “For once, I don’t have to.” Clutching Kera’s shoulders from behind, she pointed Kera at the bone- and sinew-covered men. “This is what real evil looks like when it’s let loose. Their souls are stained pitch-black, and the dark magic they harbor slowly eats them alive, a virus they cannot cure. They’ve been relegated to wander the edge of life, only finding freedom with the ring your king possesses. Where they got that ring is a mystery, but it sets them free in the light, something they desire more than anything.”
Kera instinctively jerked back, not wanting to get too close. “Navar never looked like them.” She’d seen Navar more often than most people before he’d died and he’d looked like any other first.
A knowing grin crossed Lucinda’s face. “Navar was cleverer than most. His glamour was very powerful.”
