The Cost of Magic

by S T G Hill

  Such disloyalty could not be left unanswered.

  Perhaps another millennium locked away in this tiny vessel? Belt considered the lamp.

  A knock at his office door interrupted his judgment. The knock echoed out over the now sparse shelves of the office. Shelves once lined with ancient and powerful artifacts.

  This war, this girl, extracted a heavy price. Belt paid gladly, for he knew what reward awaited at the end.

  The door to the office swung open on silent hinges. “Come inside, Caspian.”

  The white-haired boy peered furtively around as he walked towards his master. Ever since that business at the headquarters he’d been like that.

  Belt didn’t care for such boyhood petulance, but he also didn’t have the time to properly suss out the cause and stomp it out.

  “How is Thorn?” Belt asked.

  Caspian stopped in front of his desk, looking at the lamp. “Fine.”

  Still jealous, Belt could tell. He had, of course, fostered that jealousy. It brought out the best in Caspian. Made him strive for the sort of power that Belt found useful.

  “Then why are you here?” Belt peered over his steepled fingers.

  “An Errant’s come to see you. The woman from before,” Caspian said.

  “Then bring her,” Belt told him.

  Caspian turned on his heel and left the office. He considered the lamp again while he wondered what business an Errant could have with him that day.

  He had given them their assignments. A small, easily foiled attack on Sourcewell. A larger attack on a Council outpost in Edinburgh to make it look like they were taking advantage of the disarray caused by the girl’s rescue.

  All things to stoke Council fears and put them ever deeper in his pocket.

  Nor had he neglected to pay the Errants, he knew. They had received their magic that they craved so much. Just enough to leave them wanting even more, of course.

  The woman came into his office. Marta. She would have been quite pretty if not for her gaunt features, her sunken eyes, and her sallow skin.

  She must have thought the same when she laid eyes on Belt, who smiled at her shock.

  “The costs of magic,” Belt said, “Now, will you tell me why you’ve come or do I need to pull it from your thoughts?”

  Marta shook her head. Belt was not gentle when he rummaged through a mind.

  “It’s my sister. She sent a message to me,” Marta said.

  Belt nodded, “I have long suspected she would do so.” It had been one of the reasons Belt made Marta his primary point of contact for his Errant mercenaries.

  Marta, usually so strong-willed when it came to little acts of disobedience and defiance, looked away from Belt, “She wants my help. With the Omenborn.”

  Belt leaned back in his chair and raised an eyebrow, “And how is it she believes that you can be of assistance in such matters?”

  Marta swallowed, still not looking Belt in the eye. She wore a patchwork blouse over a skirt, and her right hand moved to her chest, just below her throat.

  “I don’t want Arabella hurt,” Marta said.

  Belt considered her for a moment. Then he lifted one hand a crooked a finger at her in a come here motion.

  She didn’t have a choice in the matter. Invisible forces wrapped around her, lifted her from the floor, and glided her to just in front of Belt’s desk.

  He saw the subtle glow in her eyes from this distance. The one that marked all magical addicts.

  “That depends entirely upon how pleased I am with what you have to tell me. And what you have hidden in that locket.”

  Marta’s skeletal fingers tightened around the small impression the locket made at the base of her throat.

  “She gave… something to me long ago, when my taste for magic became a problem for her. Her message says she can use it to give the Omenborn her powers back. And then…”

  “And then the Omenborn will defeat me, end the war, and all will be peace and harmony,” Belt finished for her. “Now what did Arabella give you? What is so valuable that you did not trade it to feed your addiction long ago?”

  His spell shifted so that it pinned Marta’s arms at her sides. With a thought, Belt drifted the locket out from beneath Marta’s blouse.

  It was a simple piece of jewellery. Tarnished silver with a light floral pattern engraved in it. It hung from a delicate silver chain.

  Belt twirled one index finger in the air. The little clasp that held the locket shut twisted, and the locket opened.

  Belt’s eyebrows shot up. A small white fragment no bigger than a pebble from a stream sat within, looking like a chip from some pure white marble. But it wasn’t marble.

  Belt looked up at Marta, who now stared at him with wide and frightened eyes. “I am disappointed, Miss Thrace, that you never disclosed to me that you possessed a fragment of unicorn horn.”

  “Arabella got it for me, she thought it would help…”

  “With your addiction. Yes, I can see how she thought that might work. And it may have, if you were stronger of character,” Belt said, impressed that she had retained so valuable a magical object, “She wants you to give this to her.”

  Marta nodded even though Belt hadn’t said it as a question. “I won’t. Of course I won’t. I thought that you should know, was all.”

  With a few quick thoughts, Belt closed the locket and tucked it back into place and simultaneously placed Marta back on her feet, released her from his hold.

  “But you will give it to her. You will go to her as she’s asked and give her the fragment.”

  She frowned, her lips a circle of surprise, “But why?”

  He met her eyes, a small smile playing across his lips, “Because it serves me that you do so.”

  With the Gem of Orlyon out of the Omenborn, Belt knew that he could capture her. She was powerful, of course. But untrained. The Gem would no longer protect her when it was no longer bound to her.

  And with Thorn in his clutches, he knew just how to neuter that power of hers as well. It was almost too easy.

  He would have the Omenborn and the Gem both. And soon.

  He’d have Caspian fetch Thorn for him and make the last preparations when he dismissed Marta.

  Marta’s already pallid face paled further when she beheld Belt’s pleased smile. “I’ll do it. But only if you agree not to hurt Arabella.”

  “Go now. Go to your sister. Find out where they are hiding and tell me when you return,” Belt said.

  “And Arabella?” Marta said.

  “I will treat your sister as she deserves to be treated,” Belt said.

  Marta left, and Belt once more turned his attention to the lamp and its disloyal genie.

  Chapter 47

  Arabella came back inside from the courtyard garden. “She’s coming.”

  Ellie and Matilda had been watching from the study window, neither of them calm enough to sit in the executive chair.

  Ellie’s breath caught. “That’s amazing!” she managed when her throat unlocked.

  Even Matilda breathed a sigh at the news, and a smile touched her face so girlish and unrestrained that Ellie took note of it.

  “When?” Matilda said.

  “Now. Very soon, anyway,” Arabella said.

  “So quick?” Ellie frowned. She’d hoped it would be fast, but this was beyond hope.

  “Her message was brief, but she said that Belt keeps his Errants on a tight leash and that she can’t get away for long. And that if she doesn’t come now then she won’t have another window for weeks.”

  “We can’t wait that long!” Matilda said, her initial smile turning to apprehension.

  Arabella looked at her, “I know. And that’s why I agreed to it.”

  Something tickled at the back of Ellie’s mind. Her own apprehensions and suspicions. “And you trust her?”

  Arabella turned her attention to Ellie, “She told me she still has the fragment, even after all these years. You were right, Ellie. Right about me
and right about her. Yes, I trust her.”

  “Are we meeting her here?” Matilda demanded, cutting straight to the point.

  “Yes. I think that with a few of the proper precautions, the basement here should be a great place to extract the Gem. Then Ellie will have her magic back, we’ll have the Gem, and we’ll have Marta feeding us inside information about Belt’s operation. Then we’ll get Thorn back.”

  “And then we’ll stop Belt and stop the war,” Ellie said. Her whole body tingled when the vista of possibilities opened in front of her mind’s eye.

  The Gem stayed quiet, a silent pressure at the back of her thoughts.

  But not for much longer.

  Ellie thought that that would make her happy. And it did, sort of. Except…

  Arabella noticed the slight frown Ellie wore, “Everything okay?”

  Ellie shook it off, “Yeah, it’s nothing. Just nerves I guess.”

  Which sounded true even to herself. After all, Belt said that removing the Gem wouldn’t be the most pleasant of experiences.

  But Ellie had lived through plenty of unpleasant experiences. What was one more?

  And still… She didn’t like something about this. But what other choice do we have?

  The answer was none, of course. Unless you counted surrendering to Darius Belt as a choice.

  They went ahead and told the Pitarellis about it.

  “We should probably clear out then, I think,” Grant said.

  Arabella smiled at him, “You know, I think you might have a touch of prognosticative ability.”

  “No magic,” Grant replied, “Just lots of experience. Comes down to the same thing, I guess.”

  “I want to stay,” Peter said.

  And Ellie wanted him to stay as well, but she knew that that wasn’t the best idea. “It might be dangerous for people without magic. Go with your dad. I’ll get in touch when it’s all done.”

  Grant gave a lopsided grin and clapped a hand on his son’s shoulder, “I can see why you like this one, Pete.”

  As usual, Peter’s cheeks flushed. Even Matilda, in her dark mood, smiled at that.

  “We still can’t thank you enough for letting us stay here,” Arabella said.

  And then it was Grant’s turn to go a little rosy in the cheeks. Ellie couldn’t help grinning. Everything is going so well!

  Grant scratched at the back of his head, “Yeah well, I still don’t totally understand all this business, but Peter believes in you guys so I do too. Though I’m still not quite sure why I haven’t gone to the captain with all this…”

  Ellie knew why, recalling the way Arabella put her hand over his when they first arrived here. She didn’t think it had taken much magical nudging to bring Grant around to their side of things, though.

  Then he dropped the schoolboy crush and came over to Ellie, kneeling down so that he put his eyes on level with hers.

  “You’ve seen a lot for a girl your age,” he said, “Too much, I think. I gotta tell you, I knew Walt and Brenda pretty well. I knew what they wanted for you, and I know they were pretty good judges of character. They’d be proud of you for standing up for all this, I think.”

  “Thanks,” was all Ellie could manage.

  Every night when she dreamed she still saw them standing up in front of her, defying Belt to take her from them. New pressure pushed at the back of her eyes.

  Grant put his hands on his knees and levered himself back to a standing position with a sigh. “And kid? Be careful.”

  Peter hugged her, and she hugged him back.

  “Text me as soon as it’s over. Right that very moment!” he whispered into her ear.

  “I will,” she said. Then, before they parted, “Don’t worry, it’ll all be over soon. And then…”

  He pulled back. “And then.” He winked.

  Matilda made a retching sound which Ellie found oddly comforting. Matilda was returning to her old self. She was getting her magic back.

  All was right in the world. Or about to be, anyway.

  Chapter 48

  “She’s here!” Arabella said, peering out through the window by the front door. With a light touch against the wall, she removed some of the warding from the house so that Marta could see them.

  Ellie and Matilda jerked to their feet from the couch. The TV played some more news, but neither of them had been listening.

  Ellie looked out at the street, now illuminated by the streetlights, but caught only a glimpse of a figure coming up the stoop.

  Arabella opened the door and the two of them paused, just looking at each other.

  Arabella moved first, gathering her sister into a hug. Ellie recognized the gaunt face that pressed into Arabella’s shoulder.

  “You,” Ellie breathed, moving an involuntary step backwards so that she bumped against the couch.

  She didn’t know why she hadn’t put it together right away. Marta. She knew that name. Knew that face.

  Arabella heard Ellie tone and when they stepped hugging she looked back at Ellie with a quizzical expression.

  Ellie swallowed hard. “She was one of the ones that attacked Sourcewell. She… touched me.”

  Ellie’s ankle, the one Marta had grabbed, gave a sudden, cold throb of muscle memory.

  “I knew you were different,” Marta said in her accented voice.

  Now that she and Arabella stood so close, Ellie could see the familiar likeness. Even though Marta’s addiction had hollowed her features out.

  Once again, a shiver of distrust, of warning, ran down Ellie’s spine.

  Marta stepped forward, her skirt swaying around her legs, “I didn’t know everything then, not like I do now. But I want Darius Belt stopped.” She looked at Arabella, reaching for her with one hand as though she could hardly believe her eyes, “I’m sorry. I won’t let him hurt you anymore.”

  “I’m glad,” Arabella took her sister’s hand. Her eyes glistened with barely contained tears.

  “Did you bring it?” Matilda asked, “The horn?”

  “I bring it with me everywhere I go,” Marta said. Then she pulled on the thin silver chain wrapped around her neck, tugging a locket out from beneath her blouse.

  “I still can’t believe you kept it all this time,” Arabella said, bringing her hand up to her mouth.

  “But I did,” Marta opened the locket.

  The room seemed to brighten when she revealed that small shard of ivory horn. And again, Ellie shivered.

  “I can’t tell you how much this means. And how much it’s going to help,” Arabella said, holding out her hand.

  With some reverence. Marta plucked the horn fragment from its bed in the locket and placed it gently on Arabella’s waiting palm.

  Arabella closed her eyes and a ghost of a smile touched her lips. “I forgot just how powerful its magic is.”

  “Let’s hope it’s enough,” Matilda said, “The basement’s ready. Can we save all the sappy reunion stuff for after we know this wasn’t also all for nothing?”

  Arabella closed her fingers around the fragment and turned to Ellie, “Are you ready? Is there anything you want or need first?”

  Ellie swallowed against the rapid beat of her heart. She hadn’t felt this way since her one and only rollercoaster ride.

  It was the same sensation she felt as the train slowly, painfully crawled its way up the steep hill towards the sudden drop on the other side. Her stomach swam with it.

  “Now’s as good a time as any, I guess,” she said.

  ***

  Matilda had cleared the basement, pressing all the furniture and old cardboard boxes full of storage junk against the walls.

  A broad rug now sat in the center of the room.

  Marta and Matilda stayed by the staircase, away from that rug. Ellie and Arabella moved onto it, into the center.

  Ellie sat down, Indian-style with her legs crossed, while Arabella knelt in front of her.

  She’d explained to Arabella what she’d remembered of Belt doing. Holding t
he horn against one side of her head and using his own magic against the other.

  “This will work,” Arabella noticed Ellie’s nerves.

  “I know,” Ellie said. Her eyes went over Arabella’s shoulder, peering at Marta.

  The gaunt Errant seemed even more nervous than Ellie.

  Why? Ellie wondered.

  Perhaps she wanted to mend things with Arabella so badly that she needed this to work almost as much as Ellie.

  Or maybe… Ellie didn’t finish the thought. Her body relayed an incredible, confused array of emotions at her and she just couldn’t process them anymore.

  “Ready?” Arabella asked.

  Ellie took a deep breath and then blew her cheeks out. It helped a little. She nodded. Her mouth went dry and she couldn’t talk.

  She could feel the magic of the horn. Or thought she could, anyway.

  “If it gets too bad give me a sign and I’ll pull back,” Arabella told her.

  It was a lie, of course. Comforting, but a lie nonetheless. They both knew it. There could be no pulling back.

  They needed the Gem. They needed Ellie’s magic.

  “Just do it,” Ellie croaked. She sounded a million years old with her froggy, dry voice.

  “It’ll be okay. Everything is going to be okay,” Arabella whispered so that only Ellie could hear.

  Then she put the hand holding the horn fragment against the left side of Ellie’s head. She opened her fingers so that it pressed directly to Ellie’s scalp.

  The world changed when she grasped Ellie’s face with her other hand and let some raw magic pour into her.

  Ellie didn’t know it, but her whole body went rigid and she stopped breathing. Her eyes stayed wide open but didn’t see. A stray teared tumbled its way down her left cheek.

  It was different than with Belt. Different because this time Ellie wasn’t fighting it.

  She stood in a dark and still place. So dark she thought she couldn’t see. But she could.

  A smoky figure stood ahead of her on this featureless plain. It reminded her of the genie, but seemed somehow more solid.

  And also more familiar. Ellie strained, trying to place that familiarity.