Magic Heist

by Mary Karlik

  Layla’s heart climbed to her throat. “I could.”

  The elf’s face ignited with excitement, and he rose from his chair.

  Layla released Ian’s arm, took one step closer to the dais, and hoped the elf couldn’t detect the sheer terror that ran beneath her skin. “But I am not an entertainer. It would be crass to show off my skills at a sophisticated party such as this.”

  Meaban tilted his head back and laughed. “I like you. Tell me—is the human yours?”

  “Aye. And in the interest of full disclosure, you should know he’s not just a simple human.”

  The elf rested his cheek in his hand. “Aye. So, the rumors are true. A dragon-shifter and a murdering magic harvester fuman. What an exciting duo to add to our party of criminals.” He swept his hand toward the crowd. “Welcome. And enjoy. We’ll start the auction soon.”

  Layla’s eyes were drawn to that hand gesturing across the crowd. All those jewels blurred his fingers with the movement. It was unnatural—even for magic. “Thank you. And where are the fairies for the auction?”

  He looked at the tall, thin man. “My man will show you.”

  Ian bowed and Layla curtseyed before they turned to follow the man. He led them to a curtained-off area across from the dais. Behind heavy red curtains were rows of fairies in glass containers. Some of the containers were ornate with etchings in the glass while others were plain with filigree tops. In all of them were fairies who’d been altered in some way to enhance their appearance. Wings were dyed and opened too wide. The fey were suspended in awkward unnatural poses. But unlike the fey they’d saved from Fauth, they weren’t posed with flowers or props.

  The man spoke to Ian. “Precisely on the hour, the curtain will be drawn for inspection. On the half hour, the auction begins. The fairies are brought out one at a time. There will be a few chosen for tonight’s entertainment.”

  Tonight’s entertainment—meaning they were going to take magic for the pleasure of the bidders. Everything inside Layla tensed, and anger replaced the fear that had kept her feeling fragile, as if one misstep would bring the whole scheme crashing to disaster.

  No. She wouldn’t let it happen. They would steal the wand and free the fairies and there would be no loss of life tonight.

  She tightened her grip on Ian’s arm and sucked in a breath. “It’s beautiful.”

  At the very back of the room was a raised, velvet-covered pedestal, and spinning above that pedestal was the silver wand.

  A slow smile spread on the man’s face. “Aye. The wand of the Honors. The pride of the Trident Elves.”

  “You have one minute to arrange your merchandise.” The man bowed low and left the area.

  Ian opened the lid to the box. “Keep watch, lads.”

  Buzzard sounded through his earpiece. “The crowd is focused on Meaban.”

  Ian lifted Fiona from the box and set her on the table.

  Layla released the catch holding the base to the glass and removed the globe from the fairy.

  Fiona huffed a sigh. “I thought for sure he was going to kill me.”

  Layla shook her head. “I wouldn’t have let him. Are you okay?”

  “Aye. And ready to use my magic if need be.”

  Ian set the second fairy on the display. “Let’s hope you won’t have to.”

  Buzzard spoke in Ian’s ear. “Fifteen seconds.”

  Ian lifted Fergus from the box. “Everybody in place?”

  Fiona nodded, and Layla covered her with the globe.

  Ian shoved the box under the display table and took Layla’s hand just as the curtain opened.

  The bidders rushed to study the fairies on display. They compared the fairies as if they were comparing fruit. Discussing the quality of the skin, the ripeness of the fairy itself, and the sweetness or sourness of the magic they hoped to take.

  Layla swayed, and Ian slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her close to his side. It was nauseating to think his species and hers would view these living breathing, loving creatures as nothing more than a commodity.

  He spoke softly in her ear. “Let’s give them space to look.”

  She straightened her back and opened her wings. Half of her right wing touched his back. Pleasure rippled from the tips of her wing to the center of her back straight to her core. She dared a glance at him. Had he felt it, too?

  He squeezed her waist and guided her away from the display area to a corner of the room. She wanted to wrap her arms around him and fall against his chest. She wanted to feel safe. To feel loved.

  Instead, she pulled from him, opened her wings wide and crisp, and hoped she looked every bit the heartless fairy trafficker she was supposed to be. “Thank you for taking me from that display of horror.”

  Ian stood by her side and watched the crowd. “You’re doing great. It’s almost over.”

  “And the dragon?”

  “I feel him, but he’s quiet for the most part.”

  When the chime sounded, Meaban stood from his chair and looked over the room. “Time. Close the curtains.”

  Ian sucked in a deep breath. “Stay focused.”

  Finn quipped through the earpiece, “Are you speaking to the lads or yourself?”

  “Both.”

  “Welcome to this very special auction. And welcome to our new guests.” Meaban’s words filled the room.

  Layla curtseyed and Ian swept into an overexaggerated bow.

  Meaban bowed back and continued. “Who will be the highest bidder of the evening? What will they do with their magic? Create an empire, destroy their enemies? Time will tell. But, before we begin the auction, how about a little sample?”

  The elf gave a quick nod toward the thin man holding a dome-covered platter. The man lifted the dome, and on the platter, trussed like a Cornish hen, was Robbie.

  Layla held her breath to keep from crying out, from knocking the platter out of the man’s hands. Somehow, she managed to remain stoic.

  Fear shone in Robbie’s eyes as his gaze darted around the room. He struggled to his knees. His mouth was gagged, his wings were bound against his back, his feet were shackled at the ankles, and his hands tied in front.

  The crowd laughed, and Layla’s stomach churned.

  A woman yelled, “Look how the wee lad struggles.”

  The man next to her added, “Does he want his mummy?”

  Another man laughed and said, “I think I killed his mummy last week. Beautiful magic it was, too.”

  The crowd roared with laughter, and Robbie wet himself.

  Layla’s heart ached for him. No living thing deserved this.

  Meaban smiled. “Aye. This one is bound to put up a fight. But let’s not be too hasty. Our first game will be Away With The Fairy. The lad must be passed around until the chime sounds. Whoever is left holding the fairy gets the prize.”

  The thin man held out the platter, and a chubby human with stubby fingers lifted Robbie from the plate. “What do you think, dear?”

  A rail-thin woman wearing long, black gloves poked Robbie in the stomach. “I don’t know. I’d rather wait and get the full magic experience. The bleeding of the magic makes me squirm.”

  A fuman called to the man holding Robbie. “Let me have a look, mate.”

  The man tossed Robbie across the room. As soon as he was caught, he was launched into the air again. And every time Robbie was tossed, the crowd followed the arc of his flight with the pitch of their voices. And with each toss, Layla’s heart notched further into her throat. It was horrific.

  But it was also the perfect distraction to execute their plan.

  Layla hooked her hand on Ian’s arm and let him lead her to the curtain hiding the rest of the fairies. She ducked in long enough to shoot a wave of blue magic at the wand removing the wards protecting it. Then, she joined Finn at the back of the room.

  It was up to Ian to nab the wand. The fairies they’d brought would free the others. It would take seconds, and then with a wave of the silver wand, they’d
be out of there.

  Somewhere along the way, Robbie’s gag loosened. He screamed as he sailed from one creature to the next. Excitement grew as he continued around the room. They knew the game was about to end and a winner would be chosen.

  Then to Layla’s horror, he headed toward her. She caught him to avoid being smacked in the face. And as she did so, the chime sounded.

  Meaban stood. “We have a winner.”

  Layla was too stunned to smile much less move.

  “Come forward with your prize.” Meaban pulled a kilt pin from his plaid. “His magic is on the house.”

  Her mind went white. She couldn’t see, couldn’t hear, couldn’t speak. Then one-by-one, her senses clicked into place.

  Her pulse pounded, and her fingers trembled as she took the pin from the elf.

  All of the moisture had been sucked out of her mouth by the fear that raged through her. “I would rather take his magic in private.” Her voice was husky, and her dry lips made a smacking noise.

  Meaban showed jagged teeth behind his golden lips—not quite a snarl but definitely not a smile. “You misunderstand. You don’t get all of his magic. You get the pleasure of the kill. Everyone knows the magic from the kill is the best.”

  The thin man held out a silver tray filled with straws.

  She bit her lip and took the straw.

  From where she stood, she saw Ian next to the curtain. She couldn’t see the rest of their group but hoped they were in position.

  Layla held the dagger-shaped pin over Robbie’s heart.

  The crowd began to chant, “Marbh!” It was horrible hearing the crowd so hungry for the fairy’s death, but to hear the word in fairy language added another level of cruelty.

  “Wait! She is not who you think she is!” Robbie struggled against the ropes that bound him. His voice was drowned by the chants.

  Meaban leaned forward. “Well, get on with it.”

  In the next second, questions and scenarios zipped through Layla’s mind. Could she freeze the room? One person, yes. A whole room? Doubtful. She raised the dagger. If Ian didn’t signal that he had the wand, she’d do what she had to do.

  Hesitating, she willed Ian’s signal. But it didn’t come.

  Robbie screamed, “She’s going to steal the wand!”

  The crowd went quiet.

  The elf sat back. “Steal the wand?” He laughed and shook his head at Layla. “Really?”

  Layla tipped her head at the elf. “To have the wand would be every fairy’s dream. That’s why this night is so special. But I’m not foolish enough to steal it. Besides, why would I want the wand when I can steal as much magic as I wish?”

  Meaban’s eyes widened as he drew in a sharp breath, and she sensed he realized the depth of her power. Was he surprised? Fearful? Or a mixture of both?

  He licked his lips and spoke with an excited rasp. “Show us your skill. You may have all of this creature’s magic. It would be a treat to see a harvester in action.”

  The earpieces had gone silent, and Layla couldn’t see Ian or the rest of the team. She desperately wanted to risk a quick scan of the crowd but was afraid if she looked for him, Meaban would get suspicious.

  She closed her eyes and reached her magic into Robbie. Not strong enough to expose her blue flow—just energy entering his mind. He pushed her out almost as fast as she entered. She managed to leave two words in his consciousness. “Don’t fight.” But she wanted to tell him that she wouldn’t steal his magic if he didn’t fight. She just wanted to buy time.

  If he fought, his flow would be easier to lock onto. And once she locked on, her magic would naturally travel down the path to his soul, to the very point his magic was anchored.

  Robbie stared at her with cold, hard eyes. “I won’t gift you my magic. If you want it, you’ll have to take it.”

  “I expect nothing less.” She would try not to take his magic. She’d try to stop before it reached his soul. The onlookers would never know. It would be agony for Robbie, but he would live and his magic would remain intact.

  It was risky, but unless Ian appeared with the wand, it was the best chance they had. She lifted a finger, and her blue flow entered the center of Robbie’s chest. His scream echoed through the room. The crowd seemed stunned by the horror of it. Layla’s heart ached, and her conscience begged her to stop. But she couldn’t. She had to make it look real.

  His magic fought hers, but it was no match. Her blue flow easily wrapped around his and crawled toward his essence.

  A scuffle erupted from the back of the crowd. She looked up to see Ian nod at her with crimson eyes.

  He was about to shift. There was going to be battle. She hoped he had the wand as she ripped her flow from Robbie and shot it at the elf on the dais.

  The force hit Meaban hard, knocking him back. It didn’t take her long to realize that he had no magic to connect to.

  She pulled her flow from him and hit him with a stun spell. Or that’s what she tried to do. Instead of the spell stunning the elf, it washed over him and absorbed into his skin. His eyes held a blue glow, and his face formed a maniacal grin. “I assume that was not what you intended.”

  He laughed and flicked his hand. A blue ball shot across the room, knocking Robbie from her hands.

  Layla fairy-sized and dove into the crowd to find Ian.

  Chaos erupted. People ran to grab fairies. And when they found the globes empty, they threw the glass at each other.

  A pair of hands caught Layla. She human-sized and swung her fist hard, clocking the human just beneath his right eye. It wasn’t until she heard the moan that she realized she’d hit Jack.

  He shook the hit off and grabbed her hand. “This way.” He pulled her behind the curtain next to a dark alcove. Something wasn’t right. This wasn’t part of the plan.

  She heaved deep breaths. “Where are the others?”

  “We’re here. Just waiting on Ian.” Finn spoke from the shadows, but why would he be hiding?

  “No. That’s not how we work.” She peered into the darkness but couldn’t see anything.

  “He needs us to be together when he returns.” Buzzard’s voice came from deep in the alcove.

  She looked at Jack. “Are you sure the others are in that alcove?”

  Jack wrinkled his forehead, and then his eyes widened. “Buzzard, come forward so I can see you.”

  “I can’t do that. We’re to stay hidden until Ian returns.”

  “Where is Ian?” She scanned the area and saw Finn and Buzzard run just outside the curtained room. “This is a trick.”

  She barely got the words out before the tall, thin man grabbed her from behind and pinned her against his front. “I need that wand, and the only way I’ll get it is by having you.”

  Layla fairy-sized and shot a freeze spell at him.

  Jack shook his head. “I’m sorry. Finn’s voice spoke from that alcove. He told me to get you. It never occurred to me that it wasn’t really him.”

  “That doesn’t matter now.” A twinge of pain shot through her, and she knew Ian had shifted. His roar echoed through the building followed by screams. “We need to get to Ian.”

  She human-sized and ran with Jack toward the dragon’s screeches.

  When they crossed to the other side of the curtain, they came to a full stop.

  Ian’s dragon form was trapped in a metal net. Finn and Buzzard were outside the net. And in a shoulder-to-shoulder circle around them stood Trident Elves with nocked bows.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Ian’s heart raced as he struggled against the weight of the metal net that pressed into his dragon hide like magical shrink wrap. Frustration rose from his gut. He should have been more careful. He should have known there was a trap. The signs were there.

  It had been easy for Layla to remove the protection ward from the wand. He’d eased into the room and taken the wand while Buzzard and Jack helped free the fairies.

  A Trident Elf appeared behind the curtain and made a
show at trying to stop him, but looking back, it was almost as if he wanted Ian to take the wand.

  Ian had intended to hand the wand off to Finn before he shifted. But he’d been sloppy with the transfer, and Finn dropped the wand. It rolled across the marble floor. The Trident Elf and Hamish scrambled after it. He thought Hamish got the wand, but he couldn’t be sure.

  When the freed fairies saw him in dragon form, they retreated to a corner, apparently afraid he’d eat them. No amount of coaxing from Buzzard would get them to follow him to the door. Then Tridents poured into the room, and he saw Layla and Jack run past him. He tried to warn them, but it came out as a roar. The next thing he knew, metal crashed around him, and the chaos quieted.

  He scanned the scene for Layla and Hamish. Buzzard and Finn stood between the net and the Trident Elves that surrounded them. The partygoers stood behind the wall of elves, some still holding empty globes, others with gaping mouths. A few looked amused at the situation. But they were all silent. The whole place was silent, but excitement and anticipation crackled in the air. Ian saw it in their eyes. The partygoers had been denied a chance to purchase a fairy and were hungry to see him tortured. The situation was desperate, but until everyone on his team was dead, it wasn’t over.

  Besides, Layla had magic. And if they were lucky, Hamish had the wand. Between the two of them and Jack, hopefully, they’d figure a way out of this mess.

  Meaban stood from his chair on the dais. “Well, this has been an interesting turn of events.”

  Layla popped her wings wide and held her head high as she strode to the dais. She stopped in front of Meaban. “You have my dragon.” Her words were strong and her tone heavy with contempt.

  Meaban peered down at her. “You have my wand. I want it back.”

  “I can’t do that. Too many lives are at stake.” She opened and closed her hands. Ian knew that move. She was about to blast him with some major magic.

  Meaban swept a hand toward Finn, Buzzard, and Ian. “Your friend’s lives are at stake if I don’t get it back.”

  “You misunderstand. The dragons want the wand. If they get it, they’ll be unleashed on both the human and magic world. It won’t just be human lives they take.”