by Martha Carr
"Leira, have you been to the Air and Space museum yet?"
Leira opened her mouth to answer but Angel was already launching into a rundown of the best exhibits. Leira closed her mouth with a smile, feeling the last of her tension melting away. A perfect day, still.
They walked together down the wide boulevard to get to the restaurant, occasionally answering Angel's short questions.
Mostly Correk and Leira listened to the description of their new hometown through her eyes. Leira felt herself relax in a way she hadn't done in years. Just for tonight. Give me this one night.
They were shown to a table by a wall covered in faded blue shiplap near a clear plexiglass wall that held up wine bottles resting on clear pegs.
"It's nice, right?" Angel slid into her chair, her gold hoop earrings swinging and catching the soft overhead light.
"All the ingredients here are sourced locally," said Matt. "You two are from Texas, right? That's a big change. East Coast in a company town where politics is the company."
"I kind of like it," said Leira, peering at the menu. "Fewer trucks and boots but people are a lot alike."
"I take it you don't have to deal with lobbyists, then," said Matt, smiling.
The waiter came over to the table, dressed in a white shirt and black tie, a white apron tied at the waist. "Would you all care to start with wine?"
"What about a Chardonnay?" asked Angel, nodding at everyone. "We can get a bottle for the table. Does that work?"
"We have a crisp Chardonnay from Upper Shirley vineyard."
The waiter quickly returned with the bottle, filling glasses after it passed muster with Angel. "None for me," said Matt, placing his hand above his glass. "Sparkling water would be great."
"A little wine and I slow down a little," said Angel. "Like my motor was greased or something."
"That's why I keep some handy in the house," said Matt, laughing, as Angel swatted at him.
"Do you guys have kids?" asked Angel, despite the frown from Matt. "What? I thought I heard a child laughing in your house the other day."
"Must have been the TV," said Correk, taking a long sip from his wine and swallowing.
"What do you do for a living, Matt?" Leira shrugged at Correk, trying to change the subject.
"I'm an ER doc at GW University Hospital. It keeps me pretty busy. I spend an entire shift giving orders as fast as I can, moving as fast as I can."
"It's why he lets me talk so much," said Angel with a wink. "We're a pot and a lid. A perfect match."
"As soon as I walk out the doors all I want to do is slow down, notice everything, listen to anything but the sound of my own voice."
"I do their books, I’m in accounts receivable. That's where we met, in the cafeteria." Angel picked up her menu at the sight of the waiter returning to their table. "Could we have a few more minutes?"
He gave a quick nod and quickly retreated.
Angel leaned over the table. "The halibut is my favorite here."
"And the gouda and grits are my cheat for the week any time I can get it," said Matt. "What do you do Correk?"
Leira saw Correk freeze for a moment and relax again, sliding into the cover story. "I work for the No Say Agency." He pressed his lips together, not adding another word. The awkward silence hung there for a moment and for once, Leira filled it.
"I was a homicide detective back in Austin. I'm still figuring out what's next for me."
Leira reached for a roll, the same time as Matt, her knuckles brushing against the top of his hand. A spark traveled up her fingers and settled in her elbow. There it is again.
She smiled and waited for him to take a roll first, unable to see any hesitation. She smiled at Correk and looked at her menu, the question growing in her mind. What kind of magical leaves no trail?
"I am so full." Leira sat back, her hand on her belly, licking her lips. "This has been a very good day."
"It has, hasn't it?" asked Angel, clapping her hands together. "We should do this again."
"How about our house?" asked Correk, finishing the last of the wine in his glass.
Leira did her best to hide her surprise, mentally trying to count how much wine Correk had drunk. "Yeah, that would be great. We can... well, we can order out really well."
"That would do," laughed Matt. "Oh, hey, great timing. That's my pants buzzing." He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. "Shit, they're getting hammered." He stood up and Correk rose, putting his napkin on the table.
"No, you guys stay," said Angel. "You two look like you could use a little time alone," she said, smiling. "We'll grab an Uber and Matt can drop me off."
Matt got out his wallet but Correk was faster, handing a credit card to the waiter. "This one's on us. You were nice enough to tell us all about DC."
"It makes it feel more like home. Thank you," said Leira.
"If you two aren't the cutest." Angel leaned over to hug Leira in the same tight embrace as before. She scooped her purse off the table, smoothing out her dress. "Do you do yoga? That could be next on our list."
“We’ve got to go, hon,” said Matt, nodding his head toward the door.
Angel and Matt were gone in a flurry of words and waving goodbye as Correk sat back down. "There's a list?" asked Correk, with an amused smile.
"It would probably take an Angel with a list to get me to do normal shit. She's like an Estelle on happy pills and without the cloud of smoke."
"You sound like you're looking forward to it. What have you done with my Leira?"
"Okay, fuck off. I'm still in here."
"That's better. You were giving me the willies."
"Did you notice anything weird about Matt? When I shook his hand there was a zing of energy that went straight up my arm."
"No, I didn't notice anything. Maybe he has that spark of humanity, like you."
Leira stood up, stretching her back. "Can that happen? I never thought of that."
"It's still a little early. You want to get dessert on the way home?"
"I would rather do something that's a little more custom for just you and me," said Leira.
"The fun under an ocean wasn't enough for you today?"
"Down big man. I was talking about the other worldly, spooky kind." They walked toward the door holding hands. "I think I found another thin place in the world."
The smile slipped from Correk's face. "You want to rescue Ossonia."
"As soon as possible. It's the end of a perfect day. Finding this could make it even better. It's hope that what happened in Paris could have a slightly different ending."
"Then let's do it. I'm your ride or die."
"I'm not positive you're using that right, but I appreciate the sentiment."
Wolfstan sat with his back to his desk, looking out the large windows at the manicured grounds to the Fleeker entrance far below. "Soon, Harkin will be back where he belongs in Trevilsom Prison and I will earn a place in the royal court. Irony abounds." He chuckled, turning his chair around and pulling in enough energy to make his eyes glow, sending a sprinkling of magic into the lock of the thin drawer on the right.
Click, click, tink.
He slid open the drawer, the sides of his mouth curling into a smile that froze in place. At first, he stared at the empty space, unable to believe someone had made it all the way into his office and into this drawer. He slammed his fist onto the desk. "The second damn infiltration!" He stood up, pacing behind his desk, shoving his chair out of the way. His assistant came running into the room, but he shooed the nervous young man away.
"Don't let me be disturbed." He waited till the door was closed and then searched the room for the telltale signs of a magical. "A clever magical," he sneered. He crouched down and ran his fingers over the few remaining marbles of Lily's magic, dabbing at it and pressing it to his tongue. "A witch." He spit on the carpet, wiping his tongue on a handkerchief from his back pocket. "I'll find you soon enough. No one is getting in my way. Not when I'm finally this cl
ose to everything."
Chapter Sixteen
Leira and Correk stood in front of the old house at 1799 New York Avenue. "This is it," said Leira. "Now we just have to break inside and go upstairs."
"You're a lot of fun on a date. How can you be sure no one's home?"
"The place has an inch of dust on everything and nothing sitting on any counters. No one's living here right now."
Correk waited for a jogger to pass behind them and get far enough away. "You think the ghosts drove them off?"
"Good question." Leira started to walk toward the house but Correk grabbed her hand.
"Every time you get anywhere near the world in between, the dark mist comes out to play. We need to proceed with extreme caution."
"Nothing appeared the last time I was here. Not a whiff, not a hum, nothing." She bit her bottom lip, raising her eyebrows. Can't shake the feeling someone was following me. Probably not true.
"That only makes me wonder when something hairy or slimy will try and crash the party." Correk watched the second story windows but there was no movement, no shadowy figures.
"We will both be on guard in there. This is only a fact finding trip. There's a lot to figure out before we try a rescue. We have to figure out how to find Ossonia first, then see if we can even pierce the veil. It's not like it's gotten any easier despite the creatures that have crawled out of there."
"I don't want to give Perrom any false hope."
"Then we don't tell him till we have something real that has some kind of chance of working." Leira smiled and nodded at a woman walking her schnauzer. "Let's get inside before someone starts to wonder why we're staring up at an empty house." Leira took off at a run in her sandals and dress, easily making it to the steps. "Race you to the front door."
Correk smiled but walked up more slowly, scanning the ground for trails of other magicals. A thrum of energy passed along the back of his neck, making him uneasy but no trails. "Nothing," he muttered, catching up with Leira. "Make it quick," he said. "You can do the honors."
Leira gave a crooked smile and her eyes glowed as she touched the handle, the lock turning with a click. The door popped open and the pair slid inside, Correk shutting the door behind them. "We make a great team."
"At breaking in places? Kind of not our thing."
Leira snorted and started up the stairs. "Can you feel the temperature change? It gets colder the higher you go up the stairs." She took the last few stairs at a run, jogging toward the bedroom where she had seen the woman on the other side.
"Only in our family would the chance of running into the dead make you run faster toward them." Correk still kept his slower pace, using the skills Turner Underwood had taught him, checking the area. "Still nothing." He gave a slight shake of his head but stopped short. The rumble of energy passed along the back of his neck again. His breathing slowed down, and he listened for the slightest sound. Nothing.
Leira poked her head out of the room. "Are you coming? What are you doing out here?" She saw the look of concern on his face and came all the way out into the hallway, looking over the banister for any sign of trouble. "I don't sense anything."
"Something's off. I've felt a power surge twice."
"The tables have turned. You're now the cool kid with the really weird powers," said Leira, her eyes glowing as she sent out a stream of energy. "Nope, I've got nothing. How are you doing that?"
"Turner Underwood. When I started learning to be the Fixer, he taught me how to feel the streams of magic all the time on a low level. Then when somebody's in trouble..."
"You feel it. You're like a kind of telegraph machine."
"Or Twitter if you want to join me in this century." Correk walked by Leira into the bedroom, putting his hand against the wall. A shock went up his arm, setting off tiny sparks.
"Oooh, I saw that one," said Leira, following him back into the room and putting her hand on the wall. "Wow, still nothing. I'm not sure I like being left out of the party."
"Is that what we're calling mayhem now?" He lifted his chin. "You party plenty without me."
"Okay, I can share. You ready to do this thing?" Leira rubbed her hands together in the darkened room. The only light was coming from the bare windows overlooking the street.
"There's nothing here. I don't sense anything."
"Yeah, but I have an idea." Leira stood in the center of the room. "This is where the woman was pushing out from the world in between, and we both know that place has it bad for me."
"I'm vetoing this idea."
But it was too late. Leira was letting the energy flow through her and the symbols along her arms were flipping over. Slow at first but picking up speed.
Correk read the symbols and stepped closer to Leira, his muscles tense. "Your magic can't read the future this time. It must be running up against the endless time in the world in between."
Leira opened her mouth to say something but instead sucked in, air filling her lungs, the pressure mounting against her chest. She rocked back on her heels doing her best to clear her mind and let the magic lead. Don't panic, hold steady.
Unsure what to do, Correk placed his hand on Leira's shoulder but there was no magic to siphon off.
Her head felt lighter and the room was growing fuzzy as she dropped to her knees. The air in the room was still pushing into her mouth, suffocating her.
Leira squeezed her eyes shut and called out to the one person who might be able to help. Another Jasper Elf. Dad, I need you.
There were pinpoints of light flashing in her brain as she struggled to stay conscious and Correk began uttering ancient spells, to no avail.
A weak spot in the room the size of a quarter began to shimmer, bulging out toward Leira.
Leira opened her eyes, staring at Correk, her lips turning blue as a stream of glittering silver energy wrapped around them both, climbing up Leira's body and circling her head, eventually pushing back at the shimmering circle.
A blue flame spread across the circle, pulling it wider. Faces could be seen squeezing together behind it. The pressure eased on Leira's chest and the air rushed out of her lungs, giving her the chance to take in small sips of air. Correk crouched between her and the opening, staring at the tormented and trapped beings.
He reached his hand out, but the heat of the flame made him pull back.
"Dad... Dad... Dad..." Leira spit out, unable to get enough oxygen to say much more.
"Is that your father's energy?" Correk watched with wonder as Jackson's light surrounded the growing opening, thinning it out till the faces became more visible. "There is a way," he said, awed.
The Jasper Elf's energy wound a tighter and tighter circle, closing down the opening until it was just a pinhole, disappearing altogether. The swirl of shimmering light circled back around Leira, finally pulling back out of the room.
Leira fell back, lying flat on the floor, still taking in longer and longer breaths, blowing out all the air before trying again. "That was new," she said, hoarsely. "Just when I think I know what the hallway from hell can throw at me, it comes up with a new twist."
"I think I see a way to get Ossonia out, if we can find her," said Correk excitedly.
Leira turned her head to get a better look at him, finally breathing easier. "You and I are having very different experiences." She pushed herself up to a sitting position, letting Correk help her to her feet. "Next time we come here, I'm wearing pants."
"You and your father together. Two Jasper Elves. I think you could punch a hole through and make a door."
Leira leaned against Correk's muscled chest. "Dad. He showed up pretty fast. Thank goodness."
Correk wrapped his arms around Leira, pressing her closer. "I spent so many years thinking family was unnecessary. I think I may have been wrong. Both our fathers may prove to be the answer to a few different questions."
Leira smiled, patting his chest. "Now you're talking. See, still a perfect evening. Okay, okay, there was that five minutes but out of twent
y-four hours, not bad odds."
"Really good ones if you're talking about us," said Correk, kissing the top of her head. "Ossonia, we are coming for you."
Chapter Seventeen
Toby Wheeler stood in the darkness of the city street, tapping his wand against his shaking leg. "Why didn't I quit when I had the chance?"
"Because you never learned how to do anything else and you would have starved." Isabel was dressed in a long dark trench coat, cinched at the waist.
"What's with the Jane Bond look?"
"Deflects water," she said, pulling out her wand. "I figure it'll do the same with canine blood."
Toby let out a frustrated sigh, walking a circle around Isabel. "How long are we supposed to wait here? What makes anyone think we'll even spot a shifter?"
"Can you stop your whining? You make it hard to hear anything else. It's bad enough I got stuck with you just because I was in close proximity"
"Hey, I know what I'm doing. I'm an asset."
"We'll see. But I'm betting if it goes south, I can run faster than you, and that's all I'll need."
"Thanks, Cousin."
"Shhhh, wait." Isabel lifted her chin, listening, her wand held out in front of her. "Something is coming toward us. Are you crying?"
"No, the wind blew in my face."
"You'd better get ready. It's looking like the informant was right. This is a regular route for a few of our furry friends."
Toby peered through the starless night trying to hold his wand steady. "Hey, that's just a man," he whispered.
"Just wait."
The tall figure was silhouetted against the trees as he walked down Luzon Avenue and turned onto Nebraska where Isabel and Toby were waiting.
A sliver of moon hung in the sky, barely lighting anything below. Toby watched pensively as the man took off for a jog toward the park.
