by Al K. Line
Through the gloom I saw three figures approaching and my arm twitched, reaching for Wand without me having to think about it.
I tore the Velcro loose and gripped the warm wood tight, the connection between us welcome and instant. Just holding him gave me strength and confidence, not that I lacked either, which often did me no favors, but his power was mine, mine was his, and besides, it made me feel like a proper wizard.
"About time. It's been boring lately," said Wand, his tip shining bright even through the murk.
"You were out yesterday, last night in fact. Don't you remember?"
"Of course I remember. I remember things before you were born. I remember fae dancing around me naked when I was part of the unicorn tree. Young, nubile maidens they were, all bouncy and with golden hair. Faery dust fell like snow and I basked in their goodness, their magic, and they stroked me and I—"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Look, just be ready."
"I was born ready. I can handle these guys no problem. You should have let me sort them before."
"It was bad enough Beast fighting dogs on a motorway, last thing I needed was everyone seeing me using you and blasting the shit out of them in public."
"Spoilsport. It wouldn't have mattered. You know citizens only see what they want to see. They'd have convinced themselves you had a weapon, not a stick."
"Yeah, but why take the risk? And besides, it would have traumatized Sunshine more than she already is."
The three men approached, looking bedraggled, soaked through, collars up as if it could stop them getting wet. One limped, one of them couldn't move an arm by the way it hung unmoving, and the other just looked fed up with the weather.
They stopped several paces away and waited, like I was gonna ask if they wanted a coffee somewhere warm. Fat chance, although it did appeal.
"Where is she?" shouted one. "She needs to be with her own kind. With us. We can protect her. We know she's around here, we can sense her."
"Is that right? I don't know where she is. Just having a stroll, taking in the view."
We all looked at the deep cloud obscuring the horizon. Some view!
"She needs to be protected. She has to be. She's special, the greatest shifter for generations."
"And a little kid who wants to be with her dad. Can't you understand that? Leave them alone, she doesn't want to go back to that life. It isn't your choice to make."
"She's too young to decide for herself, she doesn't know what's best for her. We protect her, always have."
"Look, guys, I know you think you're doing the right thing, and I honestly don't want to kill you, but she doesn't want to go back. You don't get to decide. It's her dad that makes the decision, not you. And he wants her with him."
"He can't protect her like we can. He doesn't understand, he's not prepared to care for her, keep her safe."
I sighed, tried to remain calm, but they were doing my head in. "Tough, he's her family, he decides. Not you."
These dudes may have been caring in many ways, looking after Sunshine, but they did it because they thought she was important to their kind, for their own futures, not purely from love, and I sensed the change in them before they even reacted. They dropped as one and were all racing towards me on four legs in a heartbeat.
"Game on," I grinned.
"Woo hoo," whooped Wand as magic fried the rain.
Fun Times
"Arthur, where are you? Thought you were coming over? Steve's not answering, what's happening?"
"Sorry, got sidetracked," I said, putting a hand up to the shifters so they wouldn't eat me while I chatted. It didn't work, and I yelped, maybe squealed a little, then hung up and pocketed my phone, pleased to find Wand had been busy while I dealt with the munchkin.
One wolfhound spun away, yowling as its fur singed down to flesh that turned pink and blistered as Wand yanked my arm sideways and blasted the two coming in for a full-frontal attack. The magic arced, sucking energy from my very core, drawing on my will, my intent, my belief in this unknowable thing called magic and channeling it in a most deadly way.
As the silver energy evaporated the rain and arced, hitting both directly in the center of their foreheads, I got a shiver, a feeling of remorse that sometimes washed over me in times of battle.
What was I doing? Using such wondrous power for such base acts? Others did amazing things with their gifts, used magic to channel energy and mindfulness in wondrous ways, instilling power in artifacts, helping others, conjuring astonishing spells that amazed our kind for generations. Me, I just used it as a weapon most of the time. Sometimes I regretted the path I'd taken, the way I'd chosen to live my life.
But all good soldiers have such regrets, and that's what I was when you got right down to it. A soldier with no army, a loner, unencumbered. I guess many would call me a mercenary. Fighting the good fight, dealing with the bad guys, but damn it was exhilarating. The danger only added to the high, spurring me on to ever-increasing heights of madness in the pursuit of artifacts or cash, of adventure and mayhem.
I smiled as I readied to blast, as deep down I knew I'd made the right choice so many years ago. To be a fighter, to stand up for myself, to not be afraid, to never be afraid. And anyway, it beat stirring things in big pots and chucking stinky herbs in.
The two mutts stirred then sprang to their feet with surprising grace and agility, but one was limping and the other was almost hopping, guess that was the guy with the dodgy arm. It didn't stop them, it hardly even slowed them, and they sprang at me even as their fur burned and their heads weeped thick blood where the warning shot had burned skin but not chewed through bone and brain. They didn't know how lucky they were, that they could have been dead already if I wasn't in such a benevolent mood.
Which one had read the stories to Sunshine? I was trying to be good for her sake, to get them to stop without killing them, but they were trying my patience now and if it came down to me or them then it would definitely be them.
As Wand directed my arm, ready for another more intense channeling of mighty power, I screamed as pain engulfed my lower leg. A quick glance confirmed what I already knew. The damn wolfhound was clamped tight to my shin and shaking its head ferociously, with every intent of gnawing down to the bone and severing the limb. No way. I needed my legs for walking, it would be a right bitch without one. You can't have ferocious wizards hopping about the place, it wouldn't be seemly.
With a well-worn boot, I kicked him in the head but he clamped down tighter, making me sweat and curse. Wand quickly changed course as I focused my will and directed a tight beam of purple energy at the dog's side. The shock of it made the animal yelp and its grip loosened so I kicked him again and he rolled onto his side, a nasty wound burned through flesh his prize for munching on scrawny wizard.
Then the other two hit hard and heavy, right on my chest, bowling me over and sending the three of us toppling into a stack of lobster crates by the quayside. I grabbed one by the throat as vicious teeth snapped at my face, then squeezed as hard as I could but it made little difference apart from to hold it at bay enough for me to get a faceful of slobber.
Panicked, I rolled as the other scrabbled to its feet and loomed over me, ready to tear my throat out. Teeth came down and caught in a lobster pot as I moved just in time and as we tumbled I slammed the dog I had hold of hard against the soaked ground. An audible crack and the animal went limp for a second as light faded from its eyes, but then it regained consciousness and its limbs batted the air. Sharp claws capable of doing real damage scraped against my jacket but caught in the leather, tangling the animal and me with it.
Fed up with this nonsense, I released my hold and grabbed a lobster pot, slammed it down hard over the beast's head, then gained my feet and backed away for a breather.
The dog ran around mewling with the pot rammed tight over its snout, its pointy ears stuck through the sides. I sniggered as I turned my attention to the other dog still battle-ready and let Wand loose with wild abandon. Sig
ils flared, energy drew down my arm, and I was shunted back under the pressure of the expulsion as magic tore through the beast and ripped away flesh and bone.
The creature screamed, a terrible sound that combined the cries of a human with that of an animal in distress, a sound every animal lover hates. It made my insides quiver and it was all I could do to stop myself moving to its aid. But I couldn't, because this wasn't over.
As the lobster pot smashed, the other dog pounced, uncaring about its comrade when it was so deep into the fight.
I ducked as it leaped high. Its paws tapped on my hat like it was literally raining cats and dogs as it sailed overhead so I turned and punched up with Wand gripped tight, piercing its right hind leg just above the knee. The animal landed with a thud and lay still, panting raggedly.
As I watched, all three returned to human form. They were a sorry sight. Broken, torn, bleeding, covered in bruises. Bone was visible though one shifter's arm, another had a huge wound on his belly, and the third had a nasty, perfectly round hole in his thigh. Was this enough to stop them? How far would they take this?
I took several deep breaths to calm myself and stop the violence escalating, then moved away a little so all three could see me properly and me them.
"I get it, I really do. You cared for her for a long time, saw her grow up, but it isn't right. Maybe it never was, or maybe it was exactly what should have been done, but you don't have the right to imprison her. She doesn't want to be caged, you should understand that more than anyone. She wants to be with her dad and she wants her freedom. She needs it, she craves it, she has the right to have it, and she will have it."
"She'll be taken by others, used and abused."
"Maybe, but that's a risk she's willing to take and so is her dad. She has to be allowed a chance at happiness, at being a little girl, not held captive like a freak. Let her go, let her be. You did your jobs, you got her this far, now let her grow into a woman with a chance at a normal life."
"It'll never happen. You don't know what she can do, what she's capable of."
"Maybe not, but we don't get to decide. I don't want to fight you, but I will. This was nothing, a mere taster. Next time I see you, any of you," I warned, staring at each in turn, "I will assume you are my enemy, that your intent is to steal a child from her father, and I will kill you for that. Do you understand me?"
"It's a bad decision, she won't survive. She needs to be protected, away from others. She'll kill, hurt people, she can't control herself yet."
"My guess is, she does those things because she didn't want the life you all forced on her. Now it's her turn to choose. We good?"
The men looked to each other, undecided, which was understandable. They were in a real quandary and it must have been the hardest decision they'd ever had to make. I'd give them time, let them mull it over, it was that or kill them now.
"You think about it, but don't forget what I said."
I left them to their wounds and their thoughts. Hopefully I'd never see them again.
My phone rang again. Guess who?
More Annoyances
"Why did you hang up?" shrieked Vicky.
"Because I was fighting three shifters who want Sunshine back," I said calmly.
"You didn't let them take her, did you?" came the shrill call of the mini-menace.
"Of course not, you muppet. And anyway, she ran off, so nobody knows where she is."
"You let her run away? Where is she?"
"I just said, nobody knows."
"Then why aren't you looking for her?"
"Vicky, I am. The shifters sensed she was close, they must have tracked her, and they want her back. Or wanted, I'm not sure if they changed their minds. Why did you call?"
"You were coming over, you didn't arrive. Shall I come there?"
"And how will you do that?" I asked.
"Oh, yeah, long drive. Can you come get me?"
"I'm kinda busy. Maybe later after I find Sunshine, and Steve."
"Steve's missing too?" Vicky's voice couldn't have got any higher, my ear couldn't have hurt any more.
"Yes," I replied, exasperated. "He shifted and went to look for his daughter. Look, I'll call you later, okay? Let me find them then we'll come to the city. Not your house though, somewhere else."
"Like where?"
"I'll let you know." I hung up, then rubbed at my ear. Damn but that woman was loud at times. Those times being when she opened her mouth.
I checked over my shoulder but the shifters were gone.
Where to now? Where were they? Close, something told me that. This was all new to Sunshine, she didn't know where she was or where to go, so chances were high she'd stay in the small village while she calmed down. Maybe she'd just return home, or try to, but I couldn't risk her being taken. I definitely needed more information, to know if she'd created a stir in the magical community or if anybody knew or cared about her escape from captivity.
With no idea what else to do, I wandered around the village, marching up and down ancient cobbled streets, admiring the weathered stone cottages, the brightly colored paintwork, the potted plants outside the houses fronting the streets, the mild climate meaning everything was in full bloom already.
The tang of salt does something to you. The promise of the sea, the sense of space and freedom it signifies, opens neural pathways and makes you come alive. The wind blew strong, the waves crashed in the distance, gulls called to each other, and the ionized air made me feel energized and mighty, like I could take on the world.
But my legs still hurt from all the hills, and I hadn't found what I was looking for, so I took in deep lungfuls of air and kept on traipsing in the drizzle, thoroughly soaked but surprisingly light of spirit.
Too Old for This
I wandered, I strolled, I meandered, I loitered, and I even ran, but not very far or very fast, and only because an old woman came out waving a stick at me while I was admiring her geraniums.
What I didn't do is find Sunshine or Steve or even an open cafe. With the village exhausted as a hideout for the wayward uber-shifter, I moved on and drove from village to village up and down the coast before venturing inland and any which way I could think of where there were likely places to hole up and feel safe.
How far could she have roamed? I had to get it out of my head that she was still that fox-like creature. Maybe she'd changed into an animal that found it easy to cover large distances, or a bloody bird. Sunshine could have been anywhere but something niggled at the back of my mind and told me she was still close, that she was scared and lost and wouldn't just run hell for leather as far as possible.
No, she was close, I knew it, and so I continued my search, even called home to report in and earn a few bonus points in anticipation of screwing up later on, which I inevitably would.
Eventually, I was out of places to look so resorted to driving past the numerous remote houses dotted around the landscape. Most were locked up tight against the weather, the owners knowing early summer, even the full height of summer, was often like mid-winter. Smoke rose from chimneys as people hunkered down inside, or battled with the weather to tend farms or smallholdings, distant figures wrapped up in Barbour jackets and high Wellington boots, used to the weather but still preferring to be inside in the warm and so they hurried through their work best they could, dreaming of hot drinks and warm stew.
I found myself near the barn so decided to go in and take a seat where I would be dry but have freedom of movement. As I drew up outside and braced to make a dash for the doors to open up, I wondered why on earth I hadn't thought to check here first. It was only a few miles from the house, and Sunshine knew this place, so it was a likely point to head for. I'd been fixated on clothes, thinking she'd only go somewhere where she could nab something to wear, but what if I was wrong? Then I panicked because what if she thought she could go through the portal? No, she'd listened when I'd told her not to do it without being connected to me, but she was a kid, and maybe she wasn't rea
lly paying attention to the danger and the utter certainty of her death if she tried to go through.
Heedless of the rain, my heart fluttering, I ran for the barn doors and opened them up as fast as possible. Taking no chances, and knowing a few seconds would make no difference if the worst had happened, I drove the car in. I sat in the car, engine off, and braced myself for what I might discover.
After several deep breaths, I got out. The door shut with a clunk that echoed loudly in the silence. There was no sign of her, nothing disturbed, so I marched through to the back room, going fast in case my nerves got the better of me. Senses on high alert, relief washed over me before I even saw the gate because there was no lingering aftereffect of it having been used recently.
Nope, she hadn't gone through, and there were no nasty lumps or bits of child spread about, not that there really would be as she'd be disassembled into tiny atoms and spread who knew where, certainly not onto a straw-covered floor.
A slight rustle sent me running back into the main space although it was probably just a mouse pissed off with the rain same as everyone else. As I got into the room, I caught sight of something furry leaping from one bale to the next, bringing back a memory of the previous day when Sunshine had seemed so happy.
"Haha, just a mouse. Hello little mouse, are you keeping warm?"
Strangely, the tiny creature paused its mad dash and turned to look at me. Weird.
"Hey, little fella, what you up to? Got a nice bed in here somewhere have you? Maybe a family? You storing food for the winter, looking for goodies?" I fished about in my pockets until I found a handful of nuts, always good for an energy boost, and flung them onto the floor.
The mouse looked from me to the nuts then jumped down and scampered across the room. Guess the little dude was hungry.
