Magic Heist

by Mary Karlik

  Ian raised his brows. “Aye. The banshee. It was pure frightening, but it didn’t try to harm us. What happened in there—” he pointed toward the bedroom, “—could have killed us.”

  Layla pulled the chair out and sat. “The red dragon tried to come through. Flames reached through the barrier into my room.”

  “When the scene disappeared, it was if it had never happened.” Ian poured a whisky and sat at the end of the table. “No residual smoke, nothing burned. Just a room full of jumbled up furniture.”

  Finn sat next to Layla. “Dorach said the dragons were good at predicting the shifts. I don’t think it was a warning. I think it was after you.”

  Buzzard looked at Layla. “Do you think it’s a coincidence this shift came after the Trident Elves tried to assassinate you?”

  Layla laid her bow and arrow on the table in front of her. “I don’t know.” She spun the arrow until it pointed at Hamish. “What else do you know about the Trident Elves?”

  Finn answered. “They’re from the north valley, not far from the Dark Forest. Nasty mercenaries.”

  Hamish nodded. “Aye. They showed up here maybe twenty years ago. If there is something bad, they’re likely to be involved.”

  “Like fairy trafficking,” Layla said.

  Buzzard sighed. “At least we know one of the groups bringing in fey.”

  Layla’s gaze drifted to Finn and back to Buzzard. “While I was at the Magic Market, I learned that the Tridents have the wand.”

  Hamish looked up at Layla. “Wand?”

  “Aye. It’s supposed to create and destroy portals.”

  Hamish sucked in air through his teeth. “If it’s the one I know of, it won’t be easy to get.”

  “Help us, and I’ll take you back with us.” Finn’s tone rode somewhere between a plea and a threat.

  The troll picked at the table with a green-tipped fingernail. “I don’t want to go back.” He looked between Finn, Ian, and Layla. “I want my magic, and I want to live in the human world.”

  Layla shook her head. “I can’t give you your magic back.”

  Hamish’s eyes drooped. “Aye, I know. If you can get me to a safe place away from the likes of the Tridents, I’ll help you.”

  “Tell us what you know.” Ian glanced at his team. “And we’ll do our best to keep you safe.”

  Hamish nodded. “There are fey sold on the street. Believe me, the magical creatures who’ve had their powers stripped are desperate for them.”

  Layla narrowed her eyes at the troll. “I didn’t see any fairies on your special television.”

  “You wouldn’t have. The street level fairies aren’t sold in the open market. But that’s low level. The big money is the Trident’s auction. This is where the wealthiest of the humans play. That’s where the big roller traffickers will be. That’s where the wand will be.”

  Ian dropped his chair on four legs and looked at Hamish. “When is the next auction?”

  “Tomorrow.”

  “Can you get us an invite to the auction?” Ian was already planning. Layla could see it in his eyes.

  Hamish scratched his chin. “I can get you into the fairy market. Getting an invitation to the auction is quite another thing.”

  “You said wealthy humans bid for the fairies.” Buzzard looked at Ian. “It wouldn’t be the first time we went undercover as one of the elite.”

  Ian spread his hands on the table. “How do we get invited?”

  The troll shook his head. “You don't understand. Even if I can get you an invite, they’ll vet you, and they’ll use magic to do it.”

  Buzzard pressed. “So how do we get past the vetting?”

  “To get into the auction? You won’t.” Hamish rubbed his hand across his mouth. “I think I can get you into the Trident’s show room. If things go well there, maybe I can get you into the auction.”

  Ian sat back. “Good. How do we make things go well?”

  “Normally I’d say start slow—work your way in by purchasing a fairy here and there.”

  “Start slow. Take our time and meanwhile all the fairies we’ve rescued die.” Layla bit the words out which earned a look from both Finn and Ian. She couldn’t help it. Dragging information from the troll was getting old fast.

  “Is there any reason we can’t buy more than one fairy?” Ian’s words were sharp with frustration.

  “That’s probably your best shot. But then there’s the vetting. They’ll want to see you take the magic. They’ll make you kill one.”

  “No. We’ll figure a way around it.” The words shot from Layla. “There will be no more fairies dying. We lost one, and that was one too many.”

  Ian looked at the team. “I want to check out that market.”

  “It’ll be shut by now,” Hamish said. “You’ll have to wait until morning.”

  Ian stood. “We’ll go first thing.”

  Buzzard eyed Hamish. “Do humans find their way to the market?”

  Hamish nodded. “Quite a few.”

  Ian rubbed his neck. “You said humans are at the auction.”

  “Aye.” Hamish looked at Layla. “And, there are others like you there.”

  “Like me? You mean—fuman.” Layla bit the word.

  “Aye. A human with a half-caste fairy is not all that uncommon.” Hamish drained the rest of his whisky. “It’s awful to think of, but there are fairies who buy their own to replenish their fading magic.”

  Layla set her jaw. “But fairies can’t kill.”

  “Aye. But they can force the fairies to give them magic.”

  “Didn’t you say forced magic always has consequences?” Sadness crossed Ian’s face, and Layla wondered if he was thinking of the consequences Miranda had experienced from magic she’d stolen.

  “Only a true harvester can take magic without consequences,” Layla said.

  Ian gave Layla a sideways look. “A half-fairy and a dragon-shifter might give us a little street cred.”

  “It could work.” Layla winked. “Just keep your dragon tucked away.”

  “Duly noted.” He gave her a sloppy salute, and the tension she’d felt since the Trident’s attack lost its hold. They were forming a plan. It was a step toward getting the wand.

  Theo looked up from his computer. “If I could see the screen in Hamish’s flat, I could run surveillance.”

  Layla patted the coin in her pocket. “The coin is set for his flat. I can get us there.”

  Buzzard poured another drink. “I can’t believe I’m saying this. I want to come with you to the market.”

  Jack nodded. “My skills could come in handy.”

  Ian looked around the table. “Good. While we’re buying fairies, you two have a look around the market. See what you can find out about the Trident Elves.”

  Hamish shook his head. “Two huge humans wandering the market would be too memorable.”

  Ian looked at Layla. “Idea?”

  She squinted at the men. “They’re big enough to pass as ogres. We just need a wee disguise. It needs to be more substantial than a glamour. They’re great for humans who don’t know magic. They see what they want to see. But the magical creatures can see the signs if they look hard enough.”

  Finn winked at her. “Remember in school when you had a fancy-dress party? I disguised you as a flying seahorse.”

  Layla laughed. “But the one you used only lasted an hour.”

  Finn cut his eyes away from Layla. “Yeah. Sorry about that.”

  “Can you make it last longer?” Buzzard asked.

  “Aye.” He shrugged at Layla. “I’m a bit more practiced than when I was a lad.”

  Ian turned to Hamish. “What time does the market open?”

  “Half nine. The Trident showroom opens at ten.”

  Ian shifted his gaze to Finn. “How much time do you need to disguise Buzzard and Jack?”

  “The spell isn’t complicated, but it does take time. Maybe an hour.”

  Ian stood. “I want everybody
back here by half seven. That should give us plenty of time to prepare and review.”

  The team gathered their things and filed out of the flat.

  Ian looked at Finn and Hamish. “We’re a little short on beds.”

  Hamish tottered to the blue sofa in the lounge. “This is perfect for me.”

  Finn smiled. “The floor in here is fine.”

  Layla laid a hand on Finn’s arm. “You’ll do no such thing. I can fairy-size, and you can have my room. My bed is plenty big for you.”

  “Fine.” Ian almost spat the word.

  Layla jerked her hand from Finn’s arm and turned to Ian.

  His face reddened as he looked at his watch. “We only have a few hours before morning. Let’s get some rest.”

  It was obvious that Ian was bothered that Layla let Finn have her room, but Finn was her best mate. There was no way she was going to let him sleep on the floor when there was a perfectly good bed available. She led him to her room and sat on the end of the bed. “Are you okay? You look terrible.”

  “I’m still knackered from the healing.”

  “And?” Layla prodded. It wasn’t just fatigue she saw. There was uneasiness in his expression.

  “I don’t know. This whole scheme has me nervous.” Finn’s eyes flashed black for a few seconds. “I don’t like the idea of you posing as a couple with Ian.”

  “Why?”

  “He’s not safe.”

  “Ian would never harm me.”

  Finn looked at her with hard eyes. “What about the dragon? The one he has trouble containing. I’m pretty sure that dragon would like nothing more than to harm you.”

  Layla raised her chin and took a deep breath. “I trust Ian with my life.”

  Finn stepped back. “I see.”

  “You see what?”

  “You’re heart blind, lass.”

  There was no malice in those words, but they cut straight into her heart. Or maybe it wasn’t the words, but the look of rejection that accompanied them.

  He sat in the chair. “Don’t look so shocked. I knew your soul was bonded with his. I just didn’t know he owned your soul and heart.” He blew out a long sigh and looked away.

  Pain filled Layla’s chest. “Finn. I…”

  “Don’t say it.”

  She wanted to ask if they were okay. But she didn’t. She just stood there twisting her hands and wishing she’d never brought the conversation up.

  “We have an early start tomorrow. Let’s get some rest.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  At exactly half seven the next morning, the team arrived, and Ian’s flat filled with nervous activity. Buzzard and Jack looked like they were in a lineup as they stood with their backs against the wall and waited for Finn to transform them into ogres.

  Buzzard rubbed his palm across his scalp. “Does it have to be an ogre?”

  Finn answered, “I could transform you into an elf, but our language is complicated. It would be hard for you to fake it. Ogres aren’t very smart, so as long as you can grunt, you’ll probably be okay.”

  Jack smirked. “Should be natural enough for you.”

  Buzzard folded his arms. “Just get on with it.”

  Ian took a long sip from his coffee. “How soon before they go ogre?”

  “Another ten minutes,” Finn said.

  Ian poured another cup and joined Theo at the kitchen table. His gaze went to the sofa where Hamish sat sipping tea. “I don’t trust the troll.”

  “He’s a slippery one. I think he’d sell his mum if it benefited him.”

  Layla entered the lounge from her room. Ian stood when he saw her. He couldn’t help it. Her entrance was like something from a Hollywood film.

  She wore a silky, cobalt-colored frock that had belonged to Miranda. A few alterations to accommodate her wings and the dress fit her spectacularly. Her mass of curly, white hair tumbled down her back, all the way to the base of her wings. The contrast of the deep blue of the dress with the shimmery white of her hair was stunning.

  She flashed a smile Ian’s way. “You look very smart kitted out in your dress kilt.”

  Ian gave a half shrug. “It’s the easiest if I have to go dragon. That dress is stunning.”

  Finn stopped mid-spell and turned to her. “Forget the dress. You’re stunning.”

  Layla grinned and twirled. “Thank you.”

  A look passed between Finn and Layla, and Ian’s heart pinched just a bit. There was a bond between the elf and the fairy forged from years of shared history. And no matter how much Ian tried to deny it, he felt like he was on the outside of an inside joke.

  Adding to that little pinch, Layla walked past Ian and stood behind Finn to watch the process. When it was finished, she turned to Buzzard. “You look horrible. How do you feel?”

  Buzzard stared at his huge meaty hands. “Not much different.”

  Jack lifted one foot then the other. “Clunky.”

  Finn nodded. “Good. Ogres aren’t known for their agility. You want to do everything slow. Remember, you’re not bright, and it takes a few seconds to react to anything.”

  Ian pushed his juvenile jealousy aside and appraised the men. Nothing about them looked human. “How long will the spell last?”

  Finn answered, “Hopefully, a few hours. But I can’t guarantee it.”

  Ian nodded. “Let’s move.”

  Hamish circled Ian. “Wait. If you’re going to purchase fairies, you need to do more than dress the part. You need to look the part.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “If you’re going as a human, you need to look like a man with money. Having hair to the middle of your back makes you look more elf than human.”

  Ian looked around the room. “Anybody good enough with scissors to cut a straight line?”

  Hamish nodded “I can do it. Cover him with a sheet, bring me scissors, and stand back.”

  When the troll finished, he stood back and assessed his efforts. “What do you think?”

  Ian ran his hands through his hair. “It’s been a wee while since I’ve had hair this short.” He looked at Layla. “How do I look?”

  “I like the collar length. And you do look like a human who’s all business. Well done.”

  “Good.” Ian stood and pulled the sheet from around his neck. “I’ll get this pile of hair cleaned up.”

  “I’ve got it.” Jack swept the mess and joined the circle in the middle of the lounge.

  Ian held up the coin with his left and took Layla’s hand with his right. “Hold hands.”

  “Wait.” Layla dropped his hand. “Are you sure I can’t have my weapons?”

  Ian knew Layla hated the idea of not having her weapons. But if they were going to pass as a couple wishing to buy high-end fey, she had to leave them.

  Before he answered, she held up her hand. “I know. I have my sgian dubh in the pocket of my frock. But couldn’t Finn take Tormed?

  Ian looked at the elf. “Your sword and his? Two swords would be a bit unusual, don’t you think?”

  “I have an idea.” Layla held out her hand, and her sword shot to her palm. She held out the other hand and called her bow and quiver to her. She fairy sized and flew them to Ian. “Now they fit in your pocket.”

  Finn stepped forward and held out his palm. “If he goes dragon, you’ll never see them again. I can slip them in my pocket.” He looked at Ian with a hard set to his eyes. “And I think I should come with you and Layla.”

  Ian’s muscles bunched in his neck. “That’s not part of the plan.”

  “But it should be. If that dragon takes over, things could go bad fast. For Layla’s sake, I should be there.”

  Buzzard looked at Ian. “He has a point.”

  They were right. The dragon had been manageable since he’d returned. But Dorach had warned him that it wouldn’t stay quiet. And he worried it was saving its strength. If it caught him even a little off guard, the results could be disastrous. Truth be known, it was irresponsible for h
im to think about going to that sale without proper backup.

  Finn stepped back. “Look, mate, I won’t interfere. I’ll stand behind you like a guard. Everybody in the magic world knows elves are warriors.”

  Ian smiled. “Aye. Makes sense.” He handed the weapons to the elf. “Now, if there are no more changes, let’s be on our way.”

  Ian took Layla’s hand again and tried not to be annoyed that Finn took the other one. “Remember, no matter what, don’t let go.”

  Ian dropped the coin in his left pocket, and the room spun like an amusement park ride. Centrifugal force threatened to break them apart, but they all managed to hang on.

  When the room settled, Ian scanned his companions. “Everybody okay?”

  Hamish broke the hold and ran around the flat. “I’m home.” He started toward a doorway across from the lounge. “I haven’t had fresh clothes in weeks. Give me a few to change.”

  Ian checked the time on his mobile phone. “Be quick.”

  Hamish looked at Layla. “Could you lift the glamour on my flat? Just on the inside—so I can see my clothes.”

  “So that’s why all the cupboards were empty.” Layla waved her arms around the room. “I think that should do it.”

  Hamish smiled and ran to the bedroom.

  Layla picked up the remote and flicked on the telly. The Magic Market came into view. She handed the remote to Theo. “Concentrate on a booth or item in the booth, and it’ll bring it into focus.”

  Theo moved in front of the screen, and a dream catcher came into view.

  Ian’s chest tightened at the sight of the spider design in the center of the circle. When they’d first met, his flatmate Miranda kept a dream catcher hanging in the window of her room. She’d said it was a part of her New Mexican-American culture. She’d lost it when she moved into his flat. He’d replaced it, but she’d never hung the new one up. He wasn’t even sure she’d kept it.

  It didn’t really matter now. Fauth had made her into a dragon. And now she was dead. He’d tried to contact her mom, but she was as missing as her daughter. He breathed a heavy sigh. “Try to focus on something else.”

  Theo nodded and brought another item to the screen. A passage appeared.