by Kali Harper
“You’ll learn your limits,” Sammy purred, nuzzling my arm as he did.
“I know my limits,” I told him, stroking his fur, “but I can’t help it if I’m being chased.”
“Care to explain where that thing came from?” Lance asked, taking on his more common role as detective. “Sammy said something about Richard?”
“Oh no! Laura. We have to go.”
Lance stopped me before I could stand up. “Not yet you don’t. Take a few breaths.”
“No, you don’t understand. He’s been pushing folks out of Fairmount ever since his term started.”
“That’s one heck of an accusation, Astrid.”
“It’s true. Caleb told me.”
“The old Oswald’s kid? Astrid, come on. You know he can’t be trusted.”
“According to everyone else maybe, but he was extremely kind to us. When I mentioned Morpheus’ banishment—”
“You told him?”
I held up my hand and continued. “Will you let me finish? Caleb said no one ever leaves Fairmount unless they’re asked to. What if Richard asked Morpheus to leave, then banished him when he refused?”
“The mayor of Fairmount? Are you crazy? Richard’s run Fairmount for years.”
“And he’s been forcing folks to leave for just as long.”
“Accusations like this could relieve you of your magic for good. Questioning the mayor of Fairmount is unheard of, even before Richard. If you question him, you question the Celestials, and they’re the most powerful beings we have.”
“Where do you think that thing came from? There are no Celestials, Lance. They’ve been replaced!”
“Your magic’s going to your head,” he warned me, getting to his feet.
“Funny seeing as I don’t have all of it.” I stood and wobbled a bit, but I didn’t fall. “Think what you want, but I know what I saw. He summoned those, those… things and sent them after us.”
“Why would Richard be working with hunters?” Lance asked, clearly not convinced.
“I don’t know!” And I was starting to realize Lance wasn’t going to help. “Forget it. I’m going home. Come on, Sammy.”
“Astrid, wait.”
Whatever he had to say, I didn’t hear it because I’d already gone, walking through a portal Sammy opened for me on the side of a tree. I didn’t care how he did it, where he’d come from, or where we’d end up. So long as it isn’t here.
Okay, going right to the mayor’s office wasn’t what I had in mind, but it’s exactly where we ended up. The office itself was empty, the room dark save for the light coming in through the back window. It was nearly dusk, and if Richard wasn’t here, he would be soon. I had no idea how he’d sided with the hunters or where the Celestials had gone, but I had a feeling we wouldn’t find any answers in his office.
“The gargoyles,” Sammy said, padding over to one of the pedestals before pushing it with his paws. The platform shook, nearly dropping one of the statues to the floor.
“Sammy, don’t do that.” I corrected the statue and turned away when he did it again. This time I was a second too late and the sculpture fell to the floor, its head breaking from its shoulders. Sammy did it to another one, and another, and another, until all the gargoyles were broken in half, their pieces littered across the floor. “And the point of that was…?”
“Just wait.” He puffed out his chest, and as I crossed my arms over my chest, a soft breeze filled the room. In a flash, the spirits of witches and wizards appeared around us.
“Sammy, are these—”
“The Celestials Lance told you about,” Sammy said with a nod. “I thought something was off when we came in here before, but I couldn’t place it and I couldn’t investigate with the mayor around.”
“And you never thought to tell me?” If his portal brought us here, why hadn’t he done it before?
He jumped onto the desk in front of me and knocked everything to the floor, being a cat more than anything else. “I had, but also didn’t need your projections blowing our cover. Which, I might add, was a very good idea.”
“Good thinking. I’m sorry I left you on guard duty with Izzy.”
“I was never far,” he purred, his ears swiveling toward the door to Richard’s office as heavy footfalls came from the other side. “He’s here.”
Looking around the room for a place to hide, I realized the only thing I could do was huddle under the desk. I sat behind it instead, trying to remain calm as the golden doorknob turned, then clicked. Sammy stood in front of me, no doubt holding whatever wards he could in place as the Celestials watched over us. None of them said a word, but I knew they were there. The air beside me warmed, and while I couldn’t see them, I knew they were still in the room, likely wanting their revenge as much as I wanted to forget this whole thing ever happened.
“You,” Richard said, pointing at me as he quickly closed the door to his office. “I sent you away.”
“Chased me away,” I corrected him, “but I suppose that’s what you do to everyone who questions you, isn’t it? Is that why you banished Morpheus? Because he refused to leave and challenged your authority? Such a small, insecure man. You had all the power, and instead of helping a city many love, you dismantled it.”
“Watch what you say. We don’t know if there’s anything else hiding in here with him,” Sammy warned, holding his ground as he stood on the desk.
“The city’s corrupt and needs a fresh start, though I suppose I could take care of you, first.”
“You mean like the fresh start Laura should’ve had?”
“Don’t you question my loyalties. I tried to reverse what had happened to her. I begged Morpheus to give her magic back.”
“But he wouldn’t do it because he knew you had another agenda.” Laura’s earlier comment was starting to make sense. “Using your own mother to get your way? I never knew a child could run for mayor. Do you need her to change your diapers as well?”
“Enough!” he cried out, waving his arm in front of him as the room warmed around us. My heart beat slowed, almost stopped completely as Richard changed the fabric of time. I wondered then if he could reverse it, but if he could, it never happened. As soon as he closed the distance between us, the Celestials made themselves known, casting a web around him, holding him in place until Lance arrived.
He took longer than I’d expected, but then, he didn’t have Sammy or his portal, so he likely had to fly back by broomstick on his own. And he hates heights, I thought, his eyes meeting mine from across the room.
“Celestials?” Lance looked from me to the spectrals around the room which he could obviously see. They looked a lot like Maggie, only not as transparent.
“We were imprisoned,” one of them said, his voice echoing off the walls, “but are now free, thanks to you.” His last words were directed at Sammy who was as frozen as I was.
“Imprisoned? How?” Lance asked him, keeping a cautious eye on Richard as he struggled to get free.
“A trick,” another said, “a terrible trick.”
“It was a trap, and we walked right into it,” said another.
“So this entire time, you’ve let hunters roam the streets?” Lance glared at Richard. “Why? What unholy reason did you have for siding with such things?”
“Because life isn’t fair. My mother never should’ve lost her magic like that,” Richard replied.
“And you thought removing the Celestials would let you have your way?”
“No, I thought getting rid of Morpheus would. She was against this from the beginning, but have you seen her? Her lack of magic’s killing her. I had to do something!”
Lance shook his head and removed the trinket from his pocket. Looking to one of the Celestials, he said, “He may deserve a fair trial, but these do not. Do with them what you will, so long as they aren’t free to hunt the younger generations of our kind.”
The Celestial took the trinket and closed a hand around it. When he opened his hand again,
the trinket was gone. “Rest assured, they’ll harm no one else. As for him, are you sure? We could keep him with us if you like.” His eyes hardened at Richard.
“I’d sooner put him in a dark cell than allow him to watch over our streets, even as a prisoner.” Lance removed a pair of cuffs from his pocket and slapped them on either of Richard’s wrist behind his back. The metal glowed with magic as soon as the Celestials released their hold on the mayor. “You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say…” Lance’s voice trailed off as he led Richard out of the room, leaving both me and Sammy behind to talk to the Celestials.
“How can we ever repay you?” the main one asked, smiling down at me.
“Is there any chance we can get Morpheus back? I hear it’s quite the ordeal.”
“It is,” he agreed, “but with a little help from our friends, I’m sure we can put things right back to the way they were.”
Epilogue
“Where’s Mark?” I asked Lucy as we all gathered in Fairmount Square. “I thought you said he was coming.”
“He’s getting things situated at the house,” Lucy said, not looking at me as she took my hand in hers.
“Situated for what?”
“Shh, it’s starting.” She nodded to the center of the group, her eyes fixed on the Celestials before us.
All of Fairmount and Emberdale had gathered inside Fairmount Square as Morpheus’ shop was much too small and the time still out of place with him gone. Beside me, Maggie smiled, her spectral form hovering between me and Lucy as everyone else joined hands. The entire gang had come out to help with the ritual, including Ida, Harris, Connie, and Mr. Clark. The Celestials stood inside the circle, holding hands the same way everyone else did. Darien, Caleb, and everyone from under Fairmount made an even larger circle around us, leaving us with three full circles and a handful of familiars including Sammy.
When Cornelius, the oldest and more graying of the Celestials, explained the ritual, I’d never imagined this. The square was so full, I could only see half the circle as the other half was down the hill. Cornelius was adamant about it. According to him, the circle was the most powerful of gatherings when compared to everyone standing in one place.
The ritual started once everyone was in position. The trinket Lance had handed over to Cornelius was a lot like a Canundrum. The only difference with this one was we’d never be able to unlock it as there was no name to summon them by. The Celestials made sure to lock it away with no hint of where or when in time it had gone.
My projections were slowly getting under control thanks to a little help from Sammy and a bit guidance from Lance who showed me how to shield my thoughts the same way Sammy’s ward had imprisoned the creature. It was a lot of work, but Sammy promised once my first trial was over, I’d have a better understanding of my magic and be more capable of hiding my thoughts on my own without his help.
I hoped so. The projections were starting to go both ways. I’d caught Sammy’s thoughts in my head multiple times, along with a few of Darby’s and even one of Maggie’s.
So, as we all joined hands and closed our eyes, I begged—I wished for a way to keep my thoughts my own. Lucy squeezed my hand, likely hearing my thoughts, and as I focused on her, a soothing calm overcame me. It wasn’t until I opened my eyes when I realized the calm wasn’t coming from her but Cornelius who was looking right at me, his kind eyes warm and bright as he completed the ritual.
Releasing Lucy’s hand, I watched wide-eyed as a bright light shown in the very center of our gathering. When it finally cleared, a dog appeared in front of us. He had short stubby legs, long droopy ears, and howled like a Basset Hound. His white and brown coloring completed the look, but I never thought he’d talk.
“You’re a fool if you think you can—” he cut himself off, looking around at those of us who had come to bring him back from the other side. “Celestials?” His tail wagged behind him. “I don’t... How? Richard was right… there.”
“Welcome back, Morpheus,” Darien said, walking toward the hound. “The city hasn’t been the same without you.”
“Darien? Cornelius? What’s going on? The last thing I remember is sitting in my office.”
“Glad to have you back,” Darien said, petting the dog before excusing himself. “I need to go take care of a few things, but I think this group here can answer most of your questions.” Then, in a low whisper, he added, “Go easy on them, will you? They just saved your hide.”
Morpheus watched Darien go and thanked the Celestials before they returned to their posts around Fairmount. As folks returned to their respective lives, Lance, Sammy, Darby, Lucy, Izzy, and I stayed behind along with Maggie whom only I could see. Seeing Morpheus waddle toward us was almost too much, and I couldn’t help but smile.
“What’s so funny?” he barked, the simple action causing his front paws to lift off the ground.
“I’m sorry, I wasn’t expecting—”
“A dog? How about this?” He shifted into a hairy troll, complete with warts on his nose and horns all down his back.
“No, no. The Basset Hound’s perfect,” I said, shielding my eyes from the other form. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend.”
“Offend? Don’t be ridiculous. As I understand it, I have you to thank for setting me free.”
“There’s a lot of that going around,” I admitted. “I did what anyone else would’ve done.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure of that, but I thank you all the same. And you two,” he directed his attention to Darby and Izzy who were currently holding hands, “I suppose an apology is in order. The Canundrum was never meant for you.”
“We know,” Darby said, “but to be fair, I shouldn’t have been there anyway.” I could see she was struggling with her wish to have Izzy in Emberdale with her, but in the end, Darby kept whatever concerns she had for her friend to herself.
“I should also apologize for being so quick to judge,” he went on, sitting back on his haunches in front of her. “It’s not something the Celestials or I take lightly, bringing a human into the fold. However, removing one’s memory as closely knit as Izzy’s would be unwise and have terrible repercussions. Removing her knowledge of our world would remove her feelings for you, which we’d never do.”
“She… she can stay?” Darby asked.
“Yes. Sadly, she has no magical abilities of her own. I’m sorry, but not even I can change that, though I wish I could.”
Darby’s face lit up as she dropped to her knees, throwing her arms around Morpheus before crying into his fur. “Thank you. Thank you so much. I won’t ever ask for her to have magic ever again.”
“And you,” Morpheus continued, looking to Sammy whose chest was puffed out so far, I could’ve sworn he’d put on another twenty pounds, “keep a sharp eye on that one there. She’ll do great things one of these days.”
“About her trial,” Lucy cut in, speaking before I could stop her. “If it wouldn’t be too much to ask—”
“Far as I’m concerned, the first trial’s already done. She can have her broom so long as she promises to use it responsibly.”
“Meaning no flying after hunters,” Lance said with a laugh.
“Hey, I wasn’t chasing anyone. I was running away,” I told them, crossing my arms over my chest.
Lance shrugged and dismissed my comment altogether as he turned to leave. “Come by my office later. I have something for you.”
Heat rose into my cheeks, and as I watched him go, I couldn’t help the butterflies in my stomach. It could be anything, Astrid, I chided myself, not realizing I’d projected again, and this time, Lance heard it.
“Don’t worry,” Sammy said. “We’ll get it under control.”
“That you will,” Morpheus agreed, “and if you aren’t too busy, I can place a temporary lock on your thoughts until you do. It would only take a moment and is quite painless.”
“You can’t tell me why they’re happening?” I asked him as he slowly padded away fr
om the group.
“Your magic’s evolving. It might not seem like it now, but your projections along with the link you have to Sammy’s mind is a gift. You’ll understand in time once you get a handle on them. That said, trying to shield your thoughts with conjuration spells will only leave you drained and more likely to do it in the future. I can teach you, but not now. Go rest and be with your family. And don’t worry, you’ll be able to help Maggie soon enough.” He laughed. “I may put a lock on your thoughts, but I can still hear them. Your intentions are in the right place, Astrid, but try not to push yourself so hard. You’ll get there in time.”
“You wouldn’t happen to have a time frame for me, would you?”
“Soon,” was all he said, turning away before heading back toward The Magician’s Closet.
As the group slowly dispersed, I couldn’t shake the feeling everything was about to change. Morpheus was back, Izzy wasn’t getting her memory wiped, and from what I’d heard, Darien was going to take over Richard’s job as mayor of Fairmount. I didn’t know him personally, but if Lance and Caleb spoke highly of him, then I had no reason to worry. With the Celestials back where they belonged, it seemed as though everything was in order.
So why was I so sick to the stomach? Nausea climbed into the back of my throat as I watched everyone go back to their happy lives. Sammy stayed with me, his ears swiveling every which way even though I knew he was doing whatever he could to read my thoughts.
Without me realizing it, Morpheus had placed a lock on them, keeping my projections under control until I could do it myself. I knew this because I couldn’t hear Sammy’s thoughts, let alone talk to him mind-to-mind.
I never thought I’d say this, but I already missed having him in my head, giving me advice even if I hadn’t asked for it. We had a connection, and while it could be maddening at times, hearing him behind my own thoughts always gave me a sense calm I couldn’t reach otherwise.
“I don’t know about you,” Sammy said, stretching out his front paws with a yawn, “but I could go for a nap.”
