by Linsey Hall
Then I hurled it outward, forcing it into the ocean until I had control of a huge swath of it. I commanded it to rise up, and it did, a massive pillar that formed behind the witches.
It crashed down on them, driving them under the ocean’s surface.
Victory surged in my chest.
I had magic!
Good magic. Pure and clean and powerful.
But the witches wouldn’t be down for long. They’d rise again, as they had before. So I called on the water again. It surged tall, ready for them.
By the time the two figures rose out of the sea, there was a four-story building made of water behind them. It slammed down onto them again, driving them back under.
I tried again, calling on more water, ready to smash into the witches until they were no more. But it was harder now. I’d used so much energy already.
I didn’t have enough left.
Fear made my skin chill.
When the witches rose up this time, they flew right into the sky, rising up with their toes pointed toward the ground. It was creepy as hell. They threw out their hands, and an explosion of air whooshed from them, slamming me back into the rocks.
Pain flared in my back. Through bleary eyes, I saw the witches disappear into thin air.
They were gone.
“Rowan!” Bree cried. “Are you all right?”
Aching, I scrambled upright on the stone stairs. I looked down at the beach.
The fight was over. Demons lay scattered everywhere, and a few were swimming out to sea to get away from my friends. The witches were gone.
“I’m fine!” I climbed down the stairs. The two cuts on my leg ached like hell. I’d forgotten them in the rush of battle.
I pushed through the pain, wanting to catch one of the demons to ask them about my crazy magic. There was one racing toward the water, and I picked up speed, my lungs burning as I ran to catch him.
When he was ankle deep in the surf, I leapt on him. We crashed into the water, and it splashed up around us. Desperation fueled me, and I yanked at him until he turned over to face me. I straddled him, grabbing his collar and shaking.
“Do you see the dark magic in me?” I demanded.
He coughed and sputtered, his eyes wide. “What?”
“Do you see the dark magic?” I hissed, keeping my voice low. The other demon had seen it easily.
He squinted, then his eyes widened. “Yes. But it’s deep inside.”
Good. That meant I was repressing it. I could physically feel the difference, but I liked confirmation. “Where is it from? Is it demon magic?”
He shook his head. “I don’t know! It feels a bit old. You’ve had it a few years, at least. I think?”
He was confused and stressed, but the answers made sense. A few years would put it at my time with the Rebel Gods. Around the time they gave me some of their magic so I could do their evil deeds. As I’d feared, it wasn’t gone. I’d suspected all of this, and now it was confirmed.
But I was controlling it. By stopping the beasts from feedings, I now had it under control.
“Can I get rid of it?”
“Maybe?” He grimaced. “That’s above my paygrade, lady.”
He was right. He was just a regular demon, and this was from the Rebel Gods—dark magic practitioners who were far more powerful than him.
“How am I connected to the witches?”
“I don’t know!”
I believed him. He wouldn’t know, but I would have to figure it out. And I could. I could do anything I had to. Surviving the Rebel Gods had taught me that. I sucked in a ragged breath, focusing on the good. Then I drew my mother’s dagger and stabbed the demon in the heart, sending him back to his underworld.
Aching, I stood. The surf flowed around me as I staggered up the beach. My gaze fell on Maximus, who stood covered in blood. Apparently the battle had gotten fierce enough that he hadn’t had time to dodge all of the sticky red stuff. His gaze darted to mine, concern dissipating as he saw that I was standing. Everyone else looked alive, though there were definitely some ugly wounds.
Bree and Ana landed next to me on the beach, Ana shifting back to human just as she landed.
“We did it,” Ana said. “They can’t feed anymore.”
“Do you feel better?” Bree asked.
I nodded. “A lot better.” My gaze moved toward the dark night sky. The sun had fully set and the moon had risen while we fought. “They can’t feed anymore, so they won’t grow stronger. But I don’t think that’s the last we’ll see of them.”
In fact, I was sure of it.
16
Two days later, I leaned on the bar at the Whisky and Warlock, our favorite pub in the Grassmarket. It was a rabbit warren of a place, full of different rooms and corridors and several bars.
The Protectorate always gathered in a little room at the front, where the beamed ceiling was low and the fireplace roaring. The gleaming wooden bar was usually manned by Sophie, and tonight was no exception.
She wore a T-shirt that said Haggis or bust and grinned at me as she asked, “What’ll it be?”
“The usual for Ana, with a Pink Pumpkin for Bree.” We came here a few nights a week usually, and she was used to our order. Ana always got pink champagne—the cheaper the better, as far as she was concerned—and Bree got whatever the cocktail of the day was. Better if it was pink with a funny name. For such badasses, my sisters sure drank girly drinks. But then, the toughest folks I knew were usually girls, so that was hardly an insult. “What’s new on tap?”
Sophie leaned back and inspected the beer taps.
For myself, I was into trying different beers—the weirder the better. I’d had a Pink Peppercorn Saison once that was very good, and a banana nut stout. Maybe it was because I’d missed out on so much when I was in captivity, but it was fun.
“How about a honey Kolsch?” Her eyes met mine. “It’s from Germany.”
“Fantastic.”
As Sophie filled our order, I leaned back on the bar and surveyed the scene. As usual, Lavender, Angus, and my other classmates were there. They made a point not to look at me. I suppressed a grin. Jealous nitwits.
We’d succeeded—mostly—with the monsters, so Jude had given me a pat on the back. More successes like that and I might actually graduate from the Academy. I couldn’t believe it.
After the fight, we’d searched the old, desecrated church at the top of the mountain. There had been a nest, along with supplies for the demons and a collection of ancient golden jewelry. Greek writing decorated the walls—yet to be translated—and an unfamiliar symbol had been etched into the floor.
We were still trying to get to the bottom of it, but so far, we didn’t know what exactly those witches were or what they wanted. Maybe they were gone forever, though I doubted it.
The big thing was that we’d stopped them from being able to murder, so I was counting it as a victory.
I hadn’t seen Maximus since the fight, and I was itching to, but I didn’t know how to seek him out. Nor did I want to make the first move, because what would I say?
“Drinks are up.” Sophie’s voice came from behind me.
I turned and paid. “Thanks.”
She grinned and took the money. I grabbed the drinks, carefully balancing them on the way back to our little table by the fire. Ana and Bree made grabby hands at me, and I handed them their drinks.
I sat and caught Caro’s eye. She was at another table with Ali, Haris, Jude, and Hedy, and she waved. A bit of warmth spread through me. I was really starting to fit in here.
“Why are you grinning?” Bree asked.
I shrugged. “Until now, without any magic, I felt like such an outsider. Now, I feel a bit better.”
Bree smiled, though she looked a bit sad, too. “I’m glad you feel better now that you’re getting some of your magic, but you always fit here, Rowan. Caro and the rest aren’t acting any different.”
“Yeah, and Lavender’s just as much of a jerk as usual, so
that’s the same also.” Ana grinned.
I smiled at them.
“But really,” Bree said. “You proved yourself with your fighting skills and your potions long ago. And you’re cool. You’ve always fit.”
“Well, I feel like I fit a bit better, now.” Her words meant a lot to me, but I couldn’t help it. I felt more complete.
Bree raised her gleaming pink drink. “To Rowan’s Dragon God powers.”
Ana raised hers. “To Rowan suppressing the dark magic.”
I grinned and clinked my glass with theirs. It was still inside me—maybe it would always be—but as long as I had control of it, I would be okay.
“So you have no idea what god gave you power over water?” Ana asked.
“I don’t.”
“It was my first power, too,” Bree said.
“There are so many gods with power over water,” Ana said. “It could be anyone.”
“I’ll just have to hope I get more magic, and it becomes apparent which Pantheon I represent.”
“It’ll be a good one,” Bree said. “They all are.”
“Did you ever figure out who was sending you those secret letters?” Ana asked. “The ones that told you about the murders.”
I nodded, remembering the moment from earlier this morning when I’d learned the secret. Jude had found me in my apartment, working on my potions. “It was Jude. Apparently, she thought I was wasting my talent and had wanted to give me something to focus on. She knew I wanted to feel useful.”
“Jude does seem to know everything,” Ana said.
I just nodded. Honestly, it made me feel special that she’d chosen me. That she’d noticed me.
I liked it. All in all, it’d been a very good day.
I was still thinking about Jude when my gaze was caught by a large figure standing at the door.
Maximus.
I jumped to my feet embarrassingly quickly. “Be right back.”
I strode toward him, and he stepped back into an alcove in the hall. It was dark and quiet and hidden from the rest of the bar.
I followed him in. “Hey.”
“Hi.”
“Where have you been? After the battle, you just disappeared.”
“Had to sort things out with the Order. Report on my progress and things like that.”
I swallowed hard at the mention of the Order, and he seemed to notice.
His voice softened. “I didn’t tell them about you.”
“Good. I’ve got it under control, anyway.”
“But it’s not gone.”
“No. It’s not. I don’t know if it will ever be. It came from my time in captivity. But it’s deep inside me now, no longer causing problems. And with the witches unable to feed, I can control it.”
“It’s only been two days.”
“I can tell. It feels different.” I eyed him, feeling a mixture of attraction and mistrust. He hadn’t turned me in, and I mostly thought he wouldn’t. But still, it was hard not to worry. “Why have you been so nice to me?”
“I like you.” He shrugged. “Pretty simple, really.”
“But…why?”
“You’re tough and smart and inherently good. I can see that.”
“You didn’t think that initially.”
“At first, I didn’t trust you. But then it became clear that you aren’t even close to evil. Not even close. You’re one of the most impressive people I’ve met.”
I blushed, unsure of what to say. So I focused on the most important bits. He’d already said it, but I wanted extra confirmation. “So, you won’t tell the Order about me?”
“I don’t agree with everything they do. They’re too zealous when it comes to imprisoning those who are different. So, no, I won’t tell them. But you have to be careful, Rowan. No one should know what’s inside of you.”
“I know.”
His gaze turned intense. “I mean it. They’ll strike first and ask questions later. The darkness isn’t you, but a lot of people won’t make a distinction. I’ve spent enough time with the Order to realize that.”
“Why do you work for them, then? You don’t need the money.”
“I don’t. I wanted a job where I could do good for the world. And I do that when I work for the Order.”
“You should work for the Protectorate.” I almost slapped a hand over my mouth. Asking him to work for the Protectorate meant asking him to basically live in the same place I did, since nearly all Protectorate members lived at the castle. “I mean, they don’t imprison innocent people who happen to be a little weird.”
“They don’t.” He looked thoughtful. “But that’s a consideration for another time. I agreed to do a few jobs for the Order, and I’ll stick by my word on that.”
I nodded, understanding. He was honorable. He wouldn’t just switch it up and leave the Order hanging, even though I thought they were a bunch of bureaucratic jerks, and it wouldn’t be the worst thing.
“But how are you doing?” he asked, his gaze intent on me.
“Fine. You?” It was getting a little awkward now. The attraction was there, but not acknowledged.
I felt it, at least.
Someone passed by behind me, bumping into my back. I stumbled forward, my front pressing against Maximus. He reached up to steady me, his hands gripping me around my waist.
My breath caught in my throat, and I glanced up.
Heat had drifted into his eyes, and he licked his lips.
It was as if a curtain had fallen over us. Heat fogged my mind. All I could feel was his strong hands on my waist and his chest against mine.
Unable to help myself, I leaned up on my toes. He sucked in a ragged breath, clearly debating. Then his head swooped down and his lips pressed to mine.
Desire exploded within me. I threw myself into the kiss. His lips moved skillfully on mine, and my mind buzzed. Every inch of my skin tingled.
Abruptly, he pulled back. “This isn’t the place.”
I blinked.
But no, he was right. My colleagues were everywhere. My sisters. Anyone could walk by.
And had I really just kissed him?
We barely knew each other. I wasn’t even sure how much I liked him, or if I could trust him, no matter what he said.
I stepped away, breaking contact. I had no idea where to look, so I glued my stare over his right shoulder. “Um, I’ll see you around, okay?”
“Yeah. Sounds good.”
I stepped back, and he reached for my arm, then drew his hand back before making contact. “I won’t tell anyone about your dark magic. I mean that, so you don’t have to worry. But you need to keep it a secret. For your own safety.”
I nodded. “I will.”
With that, I turned and left. I could feel his gaze on me as I walked away, and wondered why I didn’t stay. It wasn’t every day you felt heat like that.
Except, I didn’t want to feel heat like that. Not now. Not when my life was such a mess. I needed to get my act together. And trusting… It was still hard. I liked being with him, but trusting him felt like a coat that didn’t quite fit. I wasn’t ready for that yet.
And he was right. I had much bigger things I needed to focus on. Like making sure I could really control my dark magic so that it stayed a secret. It was buried within me now, but it wasn’t gone. I could let the others know about my other magic—the good stuff—but never the darkness. And my new magic needed practice. A lot of it.
It was a challenge I was up to.
I’d have to be.
THANK YOU FOR READING!
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Excerpt Of Death Valley Magic
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br /> Death Valley Junction
Eight years before the events in Undercover Magic
Getting fired sucked. Especially when it was from a place as crappy as the Death’s Door Saloon.
“Don’t let the door hit you on the way out,” my ex-boss said.
“Screw you, Don.” I flipped him the bird and strode out into the sunlight that never gave Death Valley a break.
The door slammed behind me as I shoved on my sunglasses and stomped down the boardwalk with my hands stuffed in my pockets.
What was I going to tell my sisters? We needed this job.
There were roughly zero freaking jobs available in this postage stamp town, and I’d just given one up because I wouldn’t let the old timers pinch me on the butt when I brought them their beer.
Good going, Ana.
I kicked the dust on the ground and quickened my pace toward home, wondering if Bree and Rowan had heard from Uncle Joe yet. He wasn’t blood family—we had none of that left besides each other—but he was the closest thing to it and he’d been missing for three days.
Three days was a lifetime when you were crossing Death Valley. Uncle Joe made the perilous trip about once a month, delivering outlaws to Hider’s Haven. It was a dangerous trip on the best of days. But he should have been back by now.
Worry tugged at me as I made the short walk home. Death Valley Junction was a nothing town in the middle of Death Valley, the only all-supernatural city for hundreds of miles. It looked like it was right out of the old west, with low-slung wooden buildings, swinging saloon doors, and boardwalks stretching along the dirt roads.
Our house was at the end of town, a ramshackle thing that had last been repaired in the 1950s. As usual, Bree and Rowan were outside, working on the buggy. The buggy was a monster truck, the type of vehicle used to cross the valley, and it was our pride and joy.
Bree’s sturdy boots stuck out from underneath the front of the truck, and Rowan was at the side, painting Ravener poison onto the spikes that protruded from the doors.
“Hey, guys.”
Rowan turned. Confusion flashed in her green eyes, and she shoved her black hair back from her cheek. “Oh hell. What happened?”
