“It’ll never happen. Sadie knows we owe you for taking a helluva risk to save one of our idiots.”
Not having much choice, I decided to follow his lead. While we were waiting, I asked, “Why does a Celtic clan have a black woman as its leader?”
“People of every race come to California to find a better life, including a surprising number of southerners like Sadie. When the last council president moved to New York City, the clan held an election. Sadie won. Basically, this clan is Irish in heritage, but it’s open to witches of every race and color.”
A few minutes later, the councilmembers reentered the room and took their seats.
“The Council has considered the question of whether Wanda deserves any punishment for her conduct and reached a decision,” Hawkins said. “She will remain a slave for period of three weeks, and during that time, she will perform the normal housekeeping duties.” Hawkins slammed down a gavel. “The Council is in recess.”
The council members left the room. After they were gone, Margaret snorted. As she stormed past me on her way out, she muttered, “Can’t stand the smell of you. Take a shower.”
Ian grinned. “Please, take the sorcerer’s power. Do you know the time-honored phrase?”
I did, but only because of few of my gladiator fights had been winner-take-all. I turned to the blond. “I hereby claim the spoils of victory.”
The lovely flow of warm energy began, and I basked in the glow. Now I had some power again. I could fight many sorcerers, including hopefully, Dana’s owner.
When I’d received back the sorcerer’s power, Ian said, “Please officially turn your slaves over to me as the clan’s duly authorized representative.”
I did so.
To them, he said, “Report to Clara Bowe in the general manager’s office for further instructions.”
Wanda and the sorcerer walked out together. That left me and Ian alone. He patted me on the arm.
“The Council will probably keep the sorcerer for a year before cutting him loose. His work is worth at least ten grand. Do you want cash or a check?”
Chapter 5
HIS QUESTION HAD surprised me. “Having lived that life, I couldn’t possibly accept payment for another human being.”
Ian shrugged. “Then we thank you for your generosity. By the way, do you have any money?”
It was a sore subject. “Only a few bucks, but I still can’t sell someone.”
“Understandable, but I can help you out with your cash flow problem. Your most recent master was living beyond his means, but he still managed to acquire a net worth of about a hundred and fifty grand. Under our standard terms of engagement, the clan takes a third off the top, and I get the rest. I usually take what’s left and distribute the other half to the poor bastards the sorcerer has injured. In this case, you are one of the beneficiaries, along with the male gladiator, the four women in the harem, and the three house slaves. Fifty grand divided by nine means you get $5,555. So, I ask again, cash or check?”
Sharing Tanner’s wealth didn’t bother me a bit, and I definitely needed money to live. “It’s very generous of you to provide reparations for the horrors sorcerers inflict on their slaves. Cash would be great, if you have it.”
He took me to another part of the building where Gracie was working. We passed by a secretary who waved at Ian and scowled at me.
“Gracie’s our clan’s head accountant,” he said. Then he described for her how he wanted to divide up his winnings from his last battle.
Gracie opened the small wall safe and took out a metal box filled with cash. She counted out fifty-five Benjamins and gave me a few smaller bills to make up the rest. It made a tidy pile, far more money than I’d ever seen before, and she put it in a manila envelope for me. That gave me enough to live on while finding Dana, Cara, and Mom.
I thanked Ian and Gracie for their help. Having been treated like shit for so long, it was getting harder and harder to put into words how I appreciated this clan’s generosity. I did my best, then stood to take that cash back to my room.
Ian stood, too. “Let’s head over to the party together. They must be wondering where Moira is.”
“I’m just finishing up,” Gracie said.
“Not me.” I stepped back. “I need to perform more research about where my mom and sisters are.”
Ian shook his head and took my hand in a very firm grip. “We celebrate wins like yours over sorcerers. That money in your hands comes with strings attached. And if you join our clan, you’ll get lots more money and find even more strings tying you up.”
Which was exactly why I had no intention of sticking around for long. But I needed this money to live on while I looked for my family. “How about I make a quick appearance, then slip away?”
“Sure, if by quick, you mean hours.” His grip didn’t loosen any as he dragged me to my doom.
-o-o-o-
WHEN IAN, GRACIE, and I reached the courtyard, the large bird I’d seen earlier screeched at us. Ian waved at it, and the bird flew right at us. My heart rose into my throat. Was it attacking? Then it landed on Ian’s arm.
I put my hand to my chest. “That bird had me worried. Most animals seem to hate me.”
Ian chuckled. “This is Lazarus. I saved his life once, and he’s very loyal.”
I reached out a hand and stroked his dark brown feathers. “Is he an eagle?”
“Yep, a golden.”
“You own him?”
Ian looked the bird in the eye. “Do I own you? Nah. Nobody owns him. I do feed him from time to time, and I installed a shelter on one end of the gazebo so he could stay dry in the rain. Mostly, though, he prefers to roost in trees.”
Gracie pipped up behind us. She said, “Your lovely and charming wife is wondering where you are. She claims you left your phone off again.”
He checked. “Oops. Dead battery. Tell her we’re on our way with our prisoner, I mean our guest of honor.”
He tossed the bird into the air, and it flew off. “I can promise you, Moira, the worst that will happen at this party is some folks might ignore you, but damned few. The grumblers just won’t come. In fact, since you dislike attention so much anyway, you’ll probably prefer that no one likes you enough to come.”
“There’s a happy thought,” I said. “I’ll bet they’re plotting at this very moment to drown the sorceress and be done with me.”
He chuckled. “No water fights allowed. We keep everything friendly.”
The three of us wound our way through the gardens, and he stopped at one point to smell a pink rose climbing a trellis.
I followed his example, and the delicate scent soothed my raw feelings. In two hours, this celebration would just be another bad memory to forget.
Gracie patted my back. “We’re really harmless.”
I knew bullshit when I heard it because I’d heard it often. Sorcerers lie as easily as they breathe. Witches obviously weren’t above shading the truth either.
The sun was bright overhead by then, making it a particularly warm January day. Large swatches of chrysanthemums bloomed along the path leading to the gazebo, but they were fall flowers. That confirmed my suspicion about enchanted blooms.
Inside the gazebo, the air was cooler, but it was still bright thanks to many skylights. The floor was redwood, and it was covered with dozens of glass tables surrounded by padded wicker chairs. These folks definitely lived in style.
At a guess, fifty people were partying hard, and loudspeakers were blasting Ozzy’s Mr. Crowley. That song was a favorite at gladiator parties, so I didn’t care for it.
I asked Gracie, “Do you think they might be willing to play something quieter and happier?”
She grinned. “You’re queen for the day. What kind of music do you like?”
Nobody had asked me what I’d preferred in so long that I had to take a moment to think. “How about Van Morrison? He’s a good Irishman.”
She no
dded and walked away. A moment later, Ozzy stopped in mid-scream. Then Van began singing about the Celtic New Year. Much better.
Christina and several of her friends ran up to me. Each of them carried a boat drink, which I hoped was non-alcoholic. That girl was supercharged enough already. She hugged me around the waist and squealed.
“You kicked his heinie!” she said. “I wish I could’ve seen it.”
One of the ways magic protected kids was they couldn’t see magical fights any more than the Normals could. My fight had been surprisingly bloodless, but that was unusual, so the kids needed protection.
One of the other girls asked, “What happened to your hair?”
I’d left my hat in the council room. “It went up in smoke,” I said.
The girls crinkled up their noses, and I understood how they felt. “I know I look frightful. Is there anybody around here who can give me my real hair back?”
“Stacy’s mom knows glamour,” one little blonde girl said.
I looked at Ian, and he nodded. “Very talented. Let me see if she’s here.”
He wandered off, and more kids came in twos and threes to surround. That was fine. In my experience, they tended to be much less judgmental than adults.
Christina said, “Tell us how you did it.”
I wasn’t going to get into the blow-by-blow, which might freak out some of the kiddies, so I told them about noticing the couple outside and realizing Wanda was off with some guy. Just as I got to the part where I pulled her away from the sorcerer, Ian returned with a tall, smiling redhead.
“This is Maureen Danaher,” he said. “She’s gifted with glamour.”
The woman stuck out her hand freely enough, so I shook it and introduced myself. “I was wearing awful, blood-red hair for over six years, then a fireball took it. Could you give me back my original color?”
She looked me up and down like she was planning to buy me. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a person with blood-red hair before. No wonder you want something different. Ian said your former owners wanted you to look savage?”
I nodded. “Men loved to watch me fight for some reason, and the wild hair seems to be as likely the cause as anything. I’ll take whatever else you can manage.”
Maureen grinned. “I can manage virtually anything. What shade would you like?
I had no idea. “My original color was light brown, but it's been so long since I've seen myself that way I probably wouldn't recognize the right shade anymore.”
Maureen shook her head. “Brown is boooorrrring. You have a fascinating face. Just a little jazzing it up would make a world of difference, after getting rid of those scars.”
My face had taken a beating over the years, but I didn’t want to go crazy either. “Just give me normal hair and skin. No other changes. I’m not looking for romance, just my family.
Maureen rubbed her chin. “So, you like brown hair? How about Anne Hathaway? Or Sophia Vergara? Or you could go lighter, like Sarah Michelle Geller? Or darker, like Selena Gomez. Your face is long like Jennifer Lopez’s. I definitely see you as J. Lo.”
I glanced at Ian to get his reaction, and he was fighting a laugh.
“I definitely can’t see myself as J. Lo.”
Maureen glanced at the girls. “Suggestions, ladies.”
Never the shy one, Christina stuck her hand up in the air. “Moira should go dark blonde, like Angelina Jolie or Gisele Bündchen.”
Several of the other girls suggested names, but I had to admit that both Angelina and Gisele were tough women. Why not be a dirty blonde again? I'd certainly been nasty enough for the last six years.
I held up my hand. “I'll take Gisele's hair, but not the face.”
Maureen rubbed her hands together. “Fine, now everybody quiet for a minute. I need to concentrate.”
Surprisingly, all the kids listened to her. I glanced at Ian to see if I was making a big mistake.
He shrugged. “While we’re waiting, what would you like to drink?”
The southwestern style of this place gave me an idea. “How are the margaritas?”
“Terrific. Rocks with salt?”
I nodded.
He took off, and Maureen stayed there with her eyes closed, as still as a statue. Adults started to gather around us, apparently waiting for the spectacle of her turning me into what I’d look like if I hadn’t been a fighter. I was curious myself.
The woman opened her eyes and placed her hands over my ears. Then she began an incantation in Irish.
The folks surrounding us oohed and aahed as my scalp tingled. I supposed Maureen was changing the follicles so the new color would grow out naturally.
Christina said, “Lighter,” but Laura hushed her up. “Maureen’s got this.”
After a few minutes, people began to clap, and soon the gazebo was full of cheers. Not for me. I probably hadn’t improved any in their eyes, but for their witch’s skill with glamour.
“Does someone have a compact mirror?” I asked.
Maureen pulled a five-inch round mirror from her huge purse. “Not bad, if I say so myself.”
I was a dirty blonde with a face I hoped my mom and sisters would recognize. No more scars. My bangs had vanished, and my hair was divided down the middle like the über-model’s. Now all I needed was an over-muscled football player to satisfy my basic needs.
I shouldn’t have thought that thought because Frank stepped forward out of the crowd and clapped. “Moira, I’m in love.”
I put up my fists. “Back off, bird brain, or you’ll never love another.”
But he stood his ground until Ian gave him a tiny motion with his head to retreat.
“Thank you,” I said to Maureen, “from the bottom of my heart.”
Ian handed me my margarita and said, “I propose a toast, to a quick-thinking witch and the woman who revealed Moira’s inner beauty.”
Most of the adults and kids I'd met at the aquarium showed up for the party. Ian took me around, presumably because he was still schmoozing me to join his security team. I said hello again to the few I knew and tried to memorize lots of other names. When we came upon Gracie again, she was sitting with a handful of older folks sharing a plate of cocktail shrimp.
I wasn't sure which subjects were safe and which weren't. They all steered clear of magic, so I did the same. Then I thought of the things I'd need as a modern American. “Gracie, do you have any ideas on where I could get a car?”
“Sure,” she said. “We have several we’re looking to sell. Clan members get a special price, and I’m sure the Council would approve extending that courtesy to you. Do you have a driver's license?”
It was one of the things Mom made sure I got early, but I hadn't driven since I turned eighteen. I wasn't going to tell her that and look like a fool. “Of course, I was born and raised in California.”
Either because my voice sounded a little off, or she understood the sorcerer world better than I thought. She looked at me askance.
“The drivers here are pretty damned crazy, you know?” she said. “If you haven't driven a lot lately, you really ought to think about taking a few lessons.”
I'd already began to add up in my mind the costs of living alone, and that fifty-five hundred bucks wasn’t going to last long. “I think I'll be okay. I want to watch my expenses.”
Ian pointed a finger at me. “The drivers around here have gotten much crazier lately. You ought to ask Philippe. He teaches all our teens to drive, and he might give you a deal if you ask him nicely. Maybe take him out to dinner.”
He did seem like a sweet guy, the opposite of Frank. “I'll talk to him about it the next time I see him.”
Which turned out to be ten minutes later when Ian and I moved to Philippe’s table. Unsurprisingly, he was surrounded by a half-dozen teenage girls and four starry-eyed women. Ian and I sat and listened to their conversation about a recent performance of Shakespeare's Richard III.
Although Philippe wasn't leading man handsome, he had a relaxed way of including everyone in the conversation. He asked lots of questions to draw people out and seemed genuinely interested in their answers. What a refreshing change from most of the men I’ve met.
During a break in the conversation, he smiled at me, and I felt like I was the only lady for miles around. “Congratulations, again, on your fabulous victory. I know Wanda well, and I'm sure she's incredibly grateful that you saved her from a fate worse than death.”
I knew exactly what I’d saved her from, and he wasn’t exaggerating. “It was my pleasure.”
He kept talking to me alone, and I began to sense that his fan club was getting antsy. So, I cut to the chase before moving on. “By the way, I hear you teach driving. Being free now, I plan to buy a car. My driving skills might be a little rusty, so I was wondering if you could help me?”
He beamed. “Absolutely. I could have been as much of a victim as Wanda was, so I’m delighted to teach you for nothing.”
I was hoping for a deal but didn’t expect such a gift. He deserved something for his time. “How about I’ll take you out to dinner somewhere. You can pick the place.”
“Perfect,” he said. “Tomorrow, I will be finished with my classes at two p.m.”
“I’ll be ready.”
He nodded and the conversation drifted back to local theater productions. I’d never seen one, so I wasn’t qualified to comment, but I wasn’t inclined to leave Philippe behind either. Then Ian rose and led me away.
-o-o-o-
AT THE END of two hours, I asked Ian, “Have I put in enough of an appearance?”
“Sure, and despite your best efforts, you made many new friends. Congratulations.”
I wasn’t so sure about the friendship thing. Growing up among sorcerers had twisted my views of my fellow man, and it would take more than one friendly get-together to change that, particularly when it came to men. At least with sorcerers, I’d always known where I stood.
Witches and normal men were still a mystery. I needed a lot of time to know whether I could trust them. As for Philippe, he seemed different, but I was looking for a sex partner, not a long-term lover or a husband.
Freedom (The Sorcerers' Scourge Book 4) Page 5
