Cyborg Heart

by Anna Lewis

  “Today, I thought we’d begin by discussing the foundations of magic,” she began, figuring that by jumping right in, she’d get right onto familiar territory. Cut the nerves in half with a sword blade. “Magic is rooted in the four elements. Does anyone know the four elements?” she glanced around. The older student raised his hand immediately.

  “Yes?” Nessa asked, glancing over at him. He smiled at her. Damn. He was gorgeous. He had the chiseled good looks that Nessa was particularly attracted to. She tried to ignore it. He was her student for goodness’ sakes! His bright blue eyes shone. Ugh.

  “Fire, water, air, earth,” he said. “Although I believe you are missing one.”

  “Oh?” Nessa’ smile fell.

  “The spirit,” he pointed out.

  “Spirit has long been debated,” Nessa replied. “It cannot be harnessed unless by a Necromancer. It is forbidden to manipulate spirit magic without proper training.”

  “So then, it is, arguably, the fifth element,” he said.

  “Arguably,” she admitted. “I cannot teach it in a beginning class, however.”

  “Have you ever worked with it?” He asked, arching an eyebrow. Oh, how irksome! She couldn’t admit to it without forfeiting her position!

  “It is forbidden,” she replied, shooting him a frosty look. He sat back in his seat, biting his pencil. She looked out among her other students, who were watching with interest.

  “Why is it forbidden?” A girl asked, raising her hand as she spoke.

  “There are laws which govern magic, as you well know,” Nessa replied, choosing not to address her impertinence. “Spirit magic has been forbidden since the rise of the Death’s Head Necromancer in 1882. He dabbled in magic which he could not contain. It overcame him slowly, eventually possessing him. It claimed many lives until he was finally bound to the spirit realm by Arcturus Spot in 1887. By royal decree, spirit magic was declared illegal that same year.

  “Spirit magic is very dangerous. It is not to be trifled with.” As she said it, she felt the urge to try it herself. Was she not a genius? Was she not one of the strongest practitioners that the university had seen in ages? She didn’t think that she was a Necromancer, but then, Spot hadn’t been, either, and he had manipulated spirit magic in order to bind the Necromancer. She smiled at all of her students as she focused on the elemental magics which could be controlled.

  “So, this class will focus on the four which are not criminal. I will begin with earth, as that is the one which is the easiest to manipulate.” She held up her hand over the terracotta pot of soil that she had brought into the classroom earlier that day. At a word, the soil began to lift from the pot. She could feel the surge of her power flowing over her skin, radiating from the center of her palm. There was a murmur from the class as it took the shape of a very realistic looking squirrel. Nessa smiled. It was one of her best tricks.

  At the end of the class, all of her students stood, filing out of the classroom. Nessa watched as they left. As the final students exited, someone cleared their throat next to her. She turned in surprise to face the older student. She looked at him questioningly. He smiled his heart-stoppingly beautiful grin.

  “Yes?” she asked, feeling her throat go dry.

  “I’m sorry,” he said. “Um, I’m not actually one of your students.” Now Nessa frowned.

  “Then you shouldn’t be here,” she snapped. She crossed her arms over her chest. She opened her mouth to threaten him with calling campus security. He held up his hand, as if he knew exactly what she was about to say.

  “I’m with the government,” he said. He looked to the side and then back at her. “I mean, I am the government.” He laughed a little and Nessa frowned. She didn’t enjoy being toyed with. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

  “So?” She raised her eyebrow and widened her eyes. Lots of people had heard about her. He smiled at her, completely unfazed and unthreatened.

  “We are looking for someone of your skill,” he said.

  “We who? Who are you?” She asked. “What do you want from me?” He smiled again. He held out his hand. She looked at it.

  “I am, formally, His Royal Highness, Crown Prince Imrahil I,” he said simply. Nessa’s eyes shot up to his face in shock. He was studying her face. “Your parents were Necromancers, who worked with my father. Naturally, you would be one as well, given the hereditary nature of the power.”

  “You’re joking,” she said, not sure which part of what he had said that she was referring to. Her mouth dropped open. She searched for something to say and was shocked to find her mind utterly blank.

  “No,” he replied. “You may call me Ra. Most people do.” He paused, as if waiting for her to say something. She could think of nothing—things rarely shocked her. She had been rude to a crown prince. She was a Necromancer. That was illegal. Was being rude to a prince illegal as well? Rats. She reminded herself to close her mouth. Her teeth clicked sharply as they snapped together.

  “Why are you here?” Nessa asked, finally finding her voice.

  “We need your help,” he replied, running a hand absent-mindedly over his hair. “I asked you about spirit magic for a purpose.”

  “Yes?” Nessa did not like where this was going.

  “Recently, my brother has been sensing a new power—a stronger power than the Necromancer in the past,” he studied Nessa as he spoke, gauging her reaction. She tried to keep her look impassive. “This Necromancer is trying to call up a demon. One who seeks to enter the land of the living and destroy it. It is an ancient power—one that is strong enough to do serious damage.”

  “I don’t see how I could help you,” Nessa replied doubtfully.

  “We need someone who is strong,” Ra said. “We have heard a lot about you. Well, Charlie has, and that’s saying a lot because he rarely leaves the palace.” He laughed nervously. Nessa frowned.

  “Why doesn’t he leave?” she asked. She had heard of the other prince, but not many had ever seen him. It was rumored that Ra’s twin brother was malformed—an aberration as a result of an indiscretion on the queen’s part.

  “I know what you may have heard,” Ra said slowly. “But none of that is true. Charlie is special. There’s nothing wrong with him. He’s a sensitive—a very powerful one. Going out among people is just really difficult for him. He can’t touch people without having some sort of vision. It’s just easier for him to remain among his books. He wears gloves… all of the time.”

  “Is that why you’re the crown prince?” Nessa bit her lip. That was probably taking too many liberties with a royal. But then, she had never been in the presence of a royal before. She did not know the social protocol. Ra waved it away.

  “Yes and no,” he said, unbothered by her question. “I was born three minutes before Charlie.”

  “Ah,” Nessa said. “I still don’t see—” He raised his hand to stop her.

  “Charlie has seen that you are the one to stop this.”

  “Oh.”

  “He says that you have the power to harness the spirit magic.”

  “Only me.” She could not believe what she was hearing. She had never attempted spirit magic in her life.

  “Only you.”

  “How accurate are Charlie’s visions?”

  “Very.” He said it with such certainty. “Your parents were particularly strong Necromancers.”

  “Why wouldn’t they tell me this?”

  “It’s illegal.” He shrugged.

  “And I won’t be arrested for working this spirit magic?”

  “Why would we do that to you?”

  “I’ve never dealt with royals before,” she replied. “I only know what I’ve read in books. In the past, royals have been known to be a bit… unreliable.”

  “That would be my great-great grandmother,” Ra replied. “She had a penchant for beheading people. We prefer to burn people.” He smiled easily at her. She could not tell whether he was joking or not.

  “I see,” she replied
slowly, trying to figure out the best way to say no.

  “Please come and meet Charlie,” Ra said. He wasn’t begging. He definitely expected her to go. He wasn’t the type of person that was denied what he wanted. She could tell that he definitely expected her to go. She had to admit to herself, though—she was intrigued. She wanted to meet the mysterious hidden prince. She wanted to see him for herself. More than that, though, she wanted to dabble in spirit magic. She had for quite some time. She had wanted to try her own strength. She figured that she could do it. The allure of power that most people were not able to harness was tempting. Her confidence in her own abilities was high.

  “Alright,” she said, and he smiled. He had expected it. “But I want a promise from you that I will not be burned for breaking the law.” He nodded once.

  “You have my word as crown prince.”

  Nessa fought rolling her eyes. She had the feeling that she was going to hear that often.

  ***

  The palace was a large stone monstrosity. It was fortified dark granite on the outside, seemingly impenetrable. On the inside, however, it was elegantly decorated, with cream-colored walls and gold and crimson accents. Nessa looked around her. The lush crimson carpet beneath her feet was soft as butter. It hushed the clack of her stiletto heels. There were grand, mullioned windows that let the sun shine through, and golden silk curtains hung beside them, spilling onto the floors. The walls were hung with tapestries that depicted scenes with golden dragons.

  “Are these your ancestors?” she asked Ra.

  “Of course,” he replied. “All royals of this country are golden dragons. We were gifted the ability to shift in times when the country needs to be protected.”

  “Are both you and your brother shifters?” she asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Do you have any other abilities?”

  “I get the distinct feeling that you are studying me, Professor,” he teased lightly. Nessa flushed red.

  “It is the Academic’s curse,” she replied, refusing to be ruffled. “We must study all whom we come in contact with. And, anyway, I’m not a full professor yet.”

  “No?” he looked at her.

  “No. This was to be my first semester as a student teacher,” she replied. “Another semester, and I would have been offered the professorship.”

  “You seem confident,” he remarked. She looked him in the eye.

  “I deserve it.”

  He seemed taken aback by her utter and blunt certainty for a second. He recovered quickly, however. He led her down the hallway to a dark mahogany door. He opened it and held it for her as she passed. There was a large flight of stairs behind it. They climbed it in silence.

  At the top of the stairs, there was another door. It was painted crimson, with sleek gloss paint. Ra opened this one, as well, letting Nessa pass him. She gasped when she saw what was behind it.

  She found herself in a circular tower room. It was filled with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, which were absolutely magnificent. In the center of the room, there was a model of the solar system, sculpted from bronze. It was moving of its own accord, in order to tell the watcher where certain alignments were occurring—like a clock, but for a clairvoyant. Beneath the bronze clock, there was a table, which was covered in open books. The table was surrounded by comfortable-looking plush armchairs. One of them was occupied by Ra’s double—the same chiseled features, sparkling blue eyes, and brown hair. He smiled at Nessa, and immediately, she could spot the subtle differences.

  Where Ra was confident, Charlie was hesitant. Clearly, he did not meet people on a regular basis. He stood up from the chair, standing awkwardly, waiting to see what she would do. He was an observer, much like Nessa. She smiled. She liked him already.

  “Hello,” Nessa said. Ra’s clothing was contemporary fashion—a well-cut oxford shirt and jeans. Charlie was dressed in a black t-shirt, and what appeared to be plaid pajama bottoms. He wore no shoes. She looked for his hands, but they were both in his pockets.

  “Hi,” Charlie replied. He shrugged his shoulders. “We’ve met before. Although, you weren’t awake.”

  “I see,” Nessa said. “What happened?”

  “I asked you to come,” he said. Nessa couldn’t recall this happening. “You promised that you would.”

  “I don’t remember,” she said. He smiled.

  “Most people don’t,” he assured her. “Do you want me to show you?”

  “Yes,” she said. He walked over to her. He held out his hand. It was covered in a soft, white glove. Nessa stared at it.

  “Go on,” he said. “Take it.” He smiled at her. He was kind, she could tell. Nessa reached out. The second that her hand touched his, she felt a jolt of electricity. The room with the books faded away. She was suddenly in a place—it was like being inside of a thundercloud, lit with blue. Charlie was there, holding her hand.

  “It was right here,” he said.

  “What did you tell me?” She asked, a sense of unreality overwhelming her.

  “I told you that there would be a coming storm,” he said. “I told you that I had seen you in a vision, fighting at the forefront.”

  “Why me?” She asked, and he cocked his head to the side, smiling.

  “You know your inner strengths. You’ve wanted to try spirit magic for a long time,” he said. “Your chance is coming. You are special, but you know that. Just like I am special, and Ra.”

  “How am I special?” She asked. She knew that she was talented, but special?

  “You are the only one who can manipulate spirit magic without being taken over, Nessa,” he said excitedly. “You can control it.”

  “Am I a Necromancer?” Her heart was pounding.

  “You are,” he said.

  “How do you know?” she asked. His only answer was a smile.

  “Let’s go back. Ra will be wondering where we’ve gotten to.” He reached out his hand, and Nessa took it. They were back in the tower room.

  “Did you tell her?” Ra asked. Charlie nodded.

  “Of course.” Ra nodded and turned to Nessa.

  “Officially, you will be working as a contractor for the government. We don’t need this to get out unless the other Necromancer threatens society as a whole. We also don’t want it to get out that we are condoning the use of spirit magic. We don’t need others to begin to experiment with it.”

  “How am I a Necromancer?” Nessa asked. “Isn’t that a genetic ability?”

  “Your parents were known Necromancers. They worked for the government,” he said. “I told you this.” Nessa thought back to all of those parties that were held. She thought back to all of the money that they’d always had. She frowned.

  “How did they die?” The brothers looked down at the floor.

  “They didn’t,” Charlie said. “They’re still alive. On the spirit plane.”

  “What?” Nessa’s stomach was roiling. This was far too much information.

  “They went in to get this Necromancer. We believed that she had been killed with them,” Ra said. “However, she must have survived. They needed to take down her entire fortress. It collapsed.”

  “You’re sending me to finish what my parents failed to do,” she inferred.

  “Yes,” Ra replied. “They were the most powerful Necromancers in the world. Until the rise of Ravenna. She has returned. She has your parents. She is feeding off of their powers. You’re the only one who can stop her and get them out of there.”

  “Then what do I need you for?”

  “Charlie is a powerful seer. He can help you get there. I am the stronger dragon,” Ra explained. “I can protect you.” Nessa sat down in one of the armchairs. She felt deeply overwhelmed. She looked at Charlie, who was studying her curiously.

  “So, they just call you Charlie?” she asked him.

  “Yep.” He seemed pleased with this.

  “How do you not have any fancy titles?” she asked him.

  “I was born a few minutes too
late for that,” Charlie replied lightly. “I was the gifted one, however.”

  “I got the titles,” Ra said. “Charlie got the talents.”

  “Oh?” Nessa glanced back and forth between them.

  “I am a sensitive,” Charlie explained with a shrug. “I am a seer.”

  “What happens when your gloves aren’t on?” Nessa asked. Charlie’s smile faltered.

  “He can’t control it as well,” Ra supplied quickly. Obviously, something had happened, Nessa reasoned. Charlie’s powers were stronger gloveless.

  “Are you really dragons?” She asked, tactfully changing the subject. “Or is that a myth?”

  “No,” Ra replied. “That’s really true.” There was a fiery gleam that shot through his eyes. His pupils turned to reptilian slits for a moment—it was so quickly that Nessa felt like she might have imagined it.

  “All royals are dragons,” Charlie explained. “It’s so that we can protect the country should the need arise.”

  “I told you this on the way in,” Ra said.

  “Yes, but I thought you were making things up,” Nessa replied. “There’s a fine line between myth and tradition.”

  “Always the academic,” Ra stated wryly.

  “Have you ever—” Nessa began.

  “Not yet,” Charlie replied. “But the time for that is coming soon.”

  “So what do I get for agreeing to help you?” Nessa asked.

  “Your parents returned to you,” Ra said.

  “If she has been feeding off of them, then they will not live much longer,” Nessa replied.

  “What do you want?” Ra asked, ever the politician.