“Whoa. That was weird.”
“You okay?”
She put a hand to her head. “Yeah. I… It was like the feeling I had when that nymph hit on me.”
Owen’s brow furrowed. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m okay. It’s gone now.”
“What feeling, Esme?”
She saw how serious he was. “I felt…disoriented. Both times, with Joe and now, it was like gravity got…wonky for a second. Kind of like vertigo.”
Owen’s eyes widened. “Ada!”
The white-robed woman strode over with a wrinkled brow. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Esme insisted. “I was just dizzy. It’s gone now.”
Ada’s expression changed to one of surprise and concern. She looked at Owen. “My lord, gather a team.”
Owen glanced at Esme but asked Ada, “Are you sure she’s ready? I don’t want to rush-”
“Guys! What are you talking about?”
Ada took a breath, refocused on Esme, and explained. “That sensation was from a rift opening.”
Esme understood at once. “Alterni sense when rifts open. That’s what it feels like? I thought there’d be magic sparks or something.”
Owen shook his head. “We natives can’t feel it, but the alterni always describe it as a sense of vertigo.”
Frustrated, Esme glared over at Roman. “Why didn’t you tell me that? If I’d known-”
“Focus,” Ada ordered. She raised an eyebrow above her glasses. “I assume you’ve already perfected how to draw the senso to help you locate the new rift?”
Esme tried to hide a grin.
“And the termino?”
“Yeah.”
“I thought so.” Ada turned to the king. “My lord, you saw Esme’s trial, same as I. She’s more than ready. I think we’ve delayed long enough.”
Owen still hesitated.
Esme prepared herself. “Owen, I’m ready. You need me, and I can’t sit here again while you go fight. Please.”
The overprotective king called to the Master Conjuri. “Are you sure she’s ready for the field? You only gave her the castorca yesterday.”
Roman pulled out of his own thoughts and stepped forward. “I believe she’s ready, my lord. Esme just proved she may be the strongest alterni in centuries.” He locked gazes with Owen a long moment, his eyes communicating something to the king.
Esme looked from conjuri to king and back again.
Good gods, what are they hiding now?
Whatever it was, the king seemed to be bending.
“Please, Owen.”
He finally nodded and ran a hand through his hair. “We need to gather a team. Let’s go, alterni. Time to earn your allowance.”
Esme turned to Ada and lifted her castorca with a questioning look.
“It’s yours now. Wear it with pride.” Ada smiled at Esme with an encouraging nod. “May the luck of the jinn go with you.”
Esme swallowed and hurried to catch up with the king.
Esme sat in the back of the cavali truck and tried not to puke. Partially this was from the senso spell she’d cast before they got on the road. Mostly it was nerves.
“You still feel it pulling you east, alterni?” called Owen from across the truck. He’d put on the rest of his SWAT-like cavali uniform, complete with pads, helmet, and holstered guns.
Esme only had the fortitude to nod at him. The driver made a turn, and Esme grabbed her seat to hold herself in place. She needed full range of motion to cast, so, after arguing with Owen, she’d only added knee pads to her cavali-black pants, boots, and T-shirt. Her castorca wouldn’t fit under shirt sleeves anyway, and she didn’t want anything hampering her ability to cast. Esme wore her hair back in a tight bun, but she’d opted to not wear a helmet because it limited her field of vision. Owen hadn’t been happy about that decision either.
Beside her, the rest of their team prepared for whatever lay ahead. Davis was a well-built elf with a long blond ponytail. Benja was the woman with brown braids and jinn tattoos whom Esme had encountered pushing a gurney weeks ago. Max and Dax Hoffman were also here, whispering to each other and sliding glances her way.
Esme tried to ignore them.
It’s my first mission. Of course the Hoffman brothers are here. If I make any mistakes, they’ll never let me forget it.
Owen was watching her face. “What made you move to Florida?”
“Huh?”
He said louder, “Why did you move to Florida?”
“I heard you the first time, but what the hell does that have to do with riding out to hunt malevolenci?”
The four cavali looked at her in surprise. This was not, apparently, how people spoke to the king. Davis shuffled away from Esme, and she noticed the elf’s ears tucked under his helmet. But she’d ceased getting excited about paranormals. This was all a little too real now.
Owen leaned forward on his elbows. “I’m not the type to order you to focus on the mission and get over your nerves. You need a distraction. So, why did you move to Florida?”
Esme took a breath as the driver made another turn. “My mom died, and I needed a change of scenery.”
“What about your dad?”
“Left when I was a teenager. He was a journalist who brought my mom over from Pakistan when they got married. But he couldn’t get rid of his wanderlust. He left us and divorced my mom, saying he thought she should be free to move on with her life. It was a load of crap. He traveled the globe and left us stuck in Kansas City, a world away from Mom’s home. Haven’t seen him since I was fourteen.”
“Hmm. I’m guessing you have a bit of his wanderlust yourself.” Owen smiled. “Good thing you don’t have any daddy issues.”
She made a face at him. “Are you freakin’ kidding me? How do you always say the wrong thing?”
This earned another look from the jinn woman.
Owen snorted a laugh.
Esme gave him a sarcastic grin. “But, yeah, no daddy issues here. It’s not like I have a need to please the men in my life, my lord.”
Owen chuckled. “Back to Florida… It’s nice along the coasts. And way more interesting than Kansas.”
“Not more interesting than your Kansas.”
“Maybe not. You like it there, in your Florida?”
She nodded. “I’d only been there a year before some big storms hit, and it was cool how the community came together to help each other out. That made me love Florida even more.”
“We talking hurricanes?”
“Yeah… The climate back home was going nuts when I left.”
“Too bad. But I bet you’ll love our Florida too. I’m a big fan of the Keys.” Owen leaned back like he hadn’t a care in the world. “Island. Water. Island. Water. It’s beautiful. And I don’t mind admitting Key West is a blast.”
She rolled her eyes. “You would love Key West. It’s like Vegas with a lower electric bill.”
He laughed. “Don’t judge me too much. I’ve needed to unwind after most trips to Florida. I only make it over there when the Bermuda Triangle acts up.”
Esme’s eyes widened. “Wait, that’s really a thing here?”
“It’s a thing in your world too, I’d bet. Every world has a connection there – weird stuff happens because it’s a multi-universal linking point. When we perform the summono, somehow our magic pulls you alterni through that link. I’m sure you noticed the bubbles of light when the others came and went. I don’t understand how it works, but…ya know, magic.”
She wondered about this.
The Bermuda Triangle… How many other unexplainable phenomenon on my Earth are because of connections with other worlds?
“Anyway, Florida’s nice,” said Owen. “If… Once we get things settled down around here, we should go sometime.”
Their truck turned and slowed to a stop. The cavali took this as the signal to pile out, so Esme joined them and climbed out the back of the truck. The Hoffman brothers, the elf cavali, t
he jinn woman, and their huge driver raised guns and fanned out.
Esme scanned the vacant, moonlit riverside park. The sky overhead was free of clouds, but the glow from the city behind them obscured any stars. The city looked peaceful, its twinkling lights the only movement. Along the sidewalk by the water, trees rustled in a faint breeze.
This is the Missouri River, not the Kansas… I think.
Across the river, a smoke-spewing rift hung over a rocky bank. Esme didn’t see any malevolenci. Then again, the rift had been open almost an hour – plenty of time for demons to sneak through and wander off.
Or they could be hiding over there, waiting to take us out…
It was hard to tell from across the river. The rift’s bank and land beyond looked to be undeveloped. Bushes, rocks, and trees provided a hundred places for malevolenci to spring from.
Max whispered to his brother, “Looks like the new alterni led us to the right spot.”
Esme took a breath.
At least I’ve done this much without screwing up.
“Psst.” Owen caught her attention and pointed at a nearer block of apartments overlooking the park and river.
Esme understood what he wanted and crept over in front of the buildings. With her castorca held out, she gathered her fingers together, pulled in magic, and burned an illuso into the dirt. It sparked when completed, and Esme summoned more magic to toss at the symbol again and again. Waves of crackling light rose to shield them and the river from view. If anyone looked this way now, they’d see only the usual scenery.
“Good.”
Esme jumped. Owen had snuck up behind her. He must’ve already given orders to his cavali, and the armed team ran down the sidewalk toward a bridge spanning the river. Owen motioned for Esme to follow, and they headed upstream to a smaller footbridge.
She jogged beside him, staying alert. With a look over her shoulder, she saw the rest of their team crossing the larger bridge.
“Why didn’t we drive to the other side?”
“Needed to put the illuso on this side in case we get the river involved.” Owen picked up the pace as they stepped onto the bridge. “Stay close. Demons might’ve already come this way.”
Esme had made this realization herself, and she tried to avoid the narrow spaces between the boards.
I can just imagine a spindlox leg poking through to get me. Yikes, we’re making a lot of noise!
Owen apparently thought the best way to cross was quickly, no matter the lack of stealth. Esme was glad for her hours on the treadmill, and by the time they reached the far side of the river she was only a little winded. They jumped over a rail and slid down loose rocks, then paused.
King and alterni stood surveying the rocky, tree-covered embankment, but there was no sign of life. The rift hung in the air farther ahead, so they picked their approach slowly, scanning for danger. Owen had his pistol drawn, and Esme kept her castorca ready.
Owen whispered, “You know the termino, right?”
Esme nodded.
“Then close this rift and let’s get hunting whatever came through.”
Esme took a breath and went over to the rift. It wasn’t big enough to let a bentaforx through – that was her first bit of relief all night. She knew Owen was covering her back, so she made herself slow down and concentrate as she pictured the termino symbol. The smoking rift shrouded the area, and its lightning shocks caused her to jump at least twice.
Get on with it, Esme told herself.
She stretched her castorca toward the cloudy, smoky rift and gathered her fingertips together. Magic surged into her hand, and she began to draw the termino across the rift’s gaping mouth. Sparkling light lingered like a long-exposure image. When she was done, the most complex of magic symbols hung in the air before her. It glowed and sparked along each curving, spiraling line.
Okay. It looks like the symbol in the books. Let’s see if I cast the spell right…
Esme held her castorca hand, palm out, in front of her face and made fast, smooth circles. This exposed different parts of the symbol to her line of sight at a time. The termino blurred with her movements, spiraling faster and faster as her hand spun. Then the symbol crackled, now sucking in the rift behind it. The rift’s smoke was swallowed first, then the rift itself began to collapse. The edges cracked and flaked apart. In a blink, like bursting glass, the whole rift shattered and was sucked into the spiraling symbol. The termino crackled, and in a flash the whole anomaly collapsed on itself and disappeared.
The scenery was now completely normal. No more rift. Only open air, moonlight, and the trees, rocks, river, and bridge in the distance.
Esme looked back to discover Owen looking pleased.
A twig snapped.
Owen swung inland with his gun raised, and Esme pivoted and held her castorca ready. When nothing jumped out at them, Owen crept forward through the low brush. Esme stepped around rocks to follow beside him. They entered a small cluster of trees and moved side by side, scanning for malevolenci.
Shriek!
This came from overhead, and Esme looked to see a swarm of spindlox descending from branches. Owen got off three rounds, dropping a demon with each shot. Esme cast freezing spells at two more and slammed them into the ground, shattering the demons on impact. Five more made it to the dirt untouched, and their legs moved amazingly fast as they charged, pincers clacking.
Owen kicked the nearest spindlox before firing at its mouth and shattering the pincers. With another shot, its head exploded. He fought another and used a decent freezing spell of his own before kicking it apart. One demon wrapped its legs around Owen’s knee, and he pulled a long knife and sliced off the top half of the thing’s body. Its legs released, and the body fell dead.
Esme made a whirlwind and swept away the rest as they jumped at her. She threw them high overhead back toward the river, where they landed with small splashes, never to resurface.
Oops. What if…
“They don’t swim, do they?”
“No. Good move.” Owen checked his gun and pointed ahead into the trees. “Something else is moving up there.”
Esme turned again and followed him. They entered a thicker cluster of trees and paused, listening. Esme couldn’t see, so she flicked her fingers to bring up a small flame. At once, the light reflected against something behind the undergrowth. It was an enormous eye, trained on the man ahead of her.
“Owen!”
Too late. A huge felicox roared and leapt from the brush. It slammed into Owen, tackling him to the ground, and he lost his gun from the force of the blow. The great cat’s tail whipped into Esme, and she fell backwards against a tree. Her head hit hard, but she sat up and looked back at Owen. His leg was pinned under the beast. The felicox seemed content to snarl at Owen for the moment.
With his back on the dirt, Owen searched frantically until he spotted Esme where she lay. His eyes widened in fear, but Esme knew from the look on his face that he was worried about her.
“Get out of here, Esme!”
The blood-red felicox roared and swatted at Owen’s arm with its clawed paw. It seemed to be playing with its food. Owen’s sleeve ripped open like it was tissue, and blood spurted onto his face.
Esme scrambled to her feet.
The felicox spun off Owen, grinding his pinned leg into the ground, and Owen cried out.
No! I need to get it away from him before I can hit it with spells! If I accidentally hit Owen…
“Here kitty, kitty!” she yelled while waving her arms.
The demon flattened its ears at her, roared, and looked ready to pounce.
“No! Esme, run!” Owen panicked, and he used his good arm to punch the felicox in the back leg.
The angry demon lifted its tail and smacked Owen hard in the face. Owen went limp, and his head fell back to the ground.
“Owen!”
He didn’t move.
The felicox must’ve known its first victim was out cold, and it stepped off Owen and crept to
ward Esme. She backed into a tree, not taking her eyes off the demon. When the snarling cat was within reach, it opened its mouth and let out a purring, hissing sound. Esme froze in shock, remembering what she’d read about the felicox’s hypnotic language.
“Saaaaah. Tiiiiih. Naaaaah.”
Smoke wafted off the demon and flaked to the ground. Esme tried to focus, but the felicox’s low purring rippled through her head.
“Saaaaah. Tiiiiih. Naaaaah.”
From the way the demon’s back legs crouched, Esme knew it was going to pounce.
With more instinct than conscious thought, Esme lifted her castorca toward the felicox and separated her fingers. Curling them like she was gripping a ball, she pulled her arm back and thrust it forward. Dagger-sharp shards of glass shot out the ends of her fingers and flew into the felicox’s chest.
The beast roared in pain and staggered to the side, blood as red as its coat now dripping from its chest. It swatted at Esme before losing its balance, and a claw caught her pant leg. The force of the blow tore the pants and pulled her forward, but it didn’t hit skin.
While the felicox staggered, Esme used the distraction to hurry between the demon and Owen. The felicox turned to keep her in sight and roared, but its roar had a wheeze to it now. Still, it held its footing. The beast flattened its ears, and its beady red eyes focused on Esme.
“Saaaaah. Tiiiiih-” The felicox broke off in a wheeze and coughed a spray of blood.
Esme panted for breath.
It’s not going to stop. Not until one of us is dead. My head… If I pass out… I need to kill this thing fast, or I’m dead and Owen’s next!
In pure desperation, Esme lifted her castorca arm and pointed her fingers straight up into the sky. She felt magic swell in her hand. The vibrations grew so strong that Esme thought her whole hand might be burning. When she couldn’t hold it anymore, Esme swung her arm like she was throwing a baseball, albeit with her fingers stiff and pointed forward.
The felicox emitted one more wheezing roar. Then her spell hit. A rippling wave of light from her throw lit the air, penetrated the felicox, and split the demon in half. Blood gushed from the bisected cat, and both halves toppled to the ground.
Alterni Page 13
