A Tale of Two Tricksters

by Debbie Newcomb

  “Sounds like it’s not fine.”

  “I know,” Jenn replied. “I know. Believe me, Julie tells me the same thing.”

  “Julie? She’s the one who’s majoring in social work, right?”

  Jenn nodded.

  “Then she probably knows more about this than I do. I know you can take care of yourself, but if you need something, or if you think he’ll only listen to a guy, you let me know, okay?”

  “Sure,” Jenn said, remembering the times she or the other two had pretended that Charles was their boyfriend when they’d been out. There was once both Helen and Emma had been pretending that Charles was their boyfriend to keep two guys away. Jenn had laughed and then stepped in to pretend to be Helen’s girlfriend and punched the guy bothering her in the face. They’d had to leave the bar after that, but it was worth it.

  Jenn and Charles caught back up to Emma and Helen. “I think I’m going back to my dorm,” Jenn said.

  “It’s still early,” Helen protested.

  “I know, but I’m pretty tired. I’ll see you guys later, okay?” Jenn asked.

  “See ya,” Helen replied.

  “Good night,” Emma said.

  “Do you want me to walk you back?” Charles asked.

  Jenn shook her head and smiled. “No. I’m fine. It’s not far. Bye.” Jenn took the walk back to her dorm to clear her head. If she was going to keep seeing Luke, and it seemed like she was, then she had to get over her reaction to him. She knew part of the reason he kept heckling her was because she responded so strongly, but that didn’t make it easier to stop. Still, she could trick him by suddenly becoming disinterested. Maybe that was the way to look at this. If she stopped responding, he would probably stop being so over the top and that could solve the problem. Probably. Sighing, Jenn unlocked her dorm room and started getting ready for bed.

  **

  The next morning, Jenn saw Hank on the quad. “Hey,” she greeted him. “I never see you here.”

  “My class got cancelled today so I thought I’d head out here to study,” Hank explained, smiling.

  “Nice,” Jenn said.

  “Oh, did you hear about Perdita?” Hank asked.

  “I heard that her arm wouldn’t heal right,” Jenn said cautiously.

  “Now it will. Just the other day when Mom and Dad took her to the doctor again, there was a man there who said he could help her compulsion.”

  “Really?” Jenn asked. Most people who said things like that were liars, and she knew Starla and Daryl didn’t have money to spare on fakers.

  “It actually worked after just one session!” Hank cheered. “She’s back to herself, maybe a little braver, but she’s not climbing on everything anymore.”

  “That’s great!” Jenn said with a smile. The guilt she had been carrying began to ease. Even if she had caused this, it was fixed now.

  “Oh yes, Dr. Luke is a miracle worker.”

  “What was his name?” Jenn asked, her spine turning to ice.

  “Dr. Luke. He said he likes people to call him by his first name.”

  “Oh. Was he blonde, about so tall?” Jenn asked.

  “Yes. Do you know him?”

  “I think I might,” Jenn replied cautiously.

  “Then please thank him again for us. He didn’t even charge for it. Mom and Dad tried to pay him, but he wouldn’t take their money.”

  “Really?” Jenn asked, her anger rising.

  “Really, really,” Hank said with a smile.

  “That’s great,” Jenn said, lying through her teeth. “I’ll see you around.”

  “Bye,” Hank said. He was humming as he walked away.

  Jenn knew there was no way she could get into Luke’s cave until that evening, so she spent the rest of the day trying to avoid people and snapping at anyone who talked to her. Jenn and Julie weren’t planning on another training session tonight, but Jenn stomped down to the Velvet Tango Lounge that night anyway. She had barely walked in the door when Luke came over and guided her back to his cave. Jenn didn’t want to make a scene in a bar where everyone would likely take his side, so she waited until the door was closed behind them in the cave hallway.

  “Now then, my dear, what seems to be the trouble?” Luke asked calmly.

  “He’s going to play it cool, is he?” Jenn wondered. “Stay the hell away from my family,” Jenn spat.

  “Excuse me?” Luke asked.

  “Stay away from them. I don’t know how you found Perdita, but you will never talk to her or anyone else in my family ever again.”

  “But what if your parents want to meet me?” Luke asked with a grin.

  Jenn slapped him across the face. Luke staggered backward. It felt good, so Jenn did it again. She raised her hand a third time, but Luke grabbed both of her arms and shoved her back against the cave wall. Jenn hadn’t realized how strong he was before. She held onto her anger so she wouldn’t be terrified.

  “I asked if you wanted my help and you refused, but you weren’t doing anything to help her,” Luke explained, speaking very distinctly. “It was holding you back and making you never want to try magic again. I had to do something.”

  “You didn’t have to do a damn thing. You went behind my back and did something to my cousin. You should have left it alone.”

  “I was helping you and it was not easy. It took me a lot of effort to undo that wish.”

  “I don’t care how hard it was. You weren’t helping,” Jenn snapped. “You were changing things in my life without asking. Do you know how violating that is?”

  “You want to talk to me about violation?” Luke asked, leaning in closer. His anger was bubbling over, too. His hair went from light blond to dark black and his skin began to glow. His face began to look horribly scarred. “About someone hurting your family? Be my guest because, my dear, I can top anything you can say to me.”

  Jenn glared at him, trying to ignore his change in appearance. “I don’t know what happened to you and I don’t care. Don’t you dare pull that shit again. You’ve hurt my family and you’re hurting me. I’ve had enough of you.”

  Luke looked briefly confused and stepped back a pace. He slowly let go of Jenn’s arms. As he did, his glow faded until he looked the same as he always had. Jenn put her arms down and started massaging the life back into them. She really hoped he hadn’t bruised her and that he couldn’t see her shaking.

  “I was trying to help you,” Luke told her firmly.

  “Next time, talk to me first. Except,” Jenn considered, “I never want to see your face again.”

  “Please,” Luke said, putting his hand quickly on the wall in front of Jenn. She flinched and he hastily moved his hand. “I don’t do well with violence,” he said quietly. “My dear, you are the last person I want to hurt.”

  “Probably because you want me for something,” Jenn grumbled, stepping around him.

  “Now why would you think that?” Luke asked.

  “Because you keep deflecting when I bring it up,” Jenn said. She straightened her back and looked him in the eye. “Goodbye, Luke. Julie and I will not be coming back.”

  “Jenn,” Luke said, “you can’t deny that you have power and you’re going to need help harnessing it.”

  “Not from you,” Jenn interjected.

  Luke looked at her for a moment and deflated a little. “If you ever change your mind, please come find me,” Luke said.

  Jenn looked down at her red forearms. “I’m good, thanks.” She stepped past Luke to open the door, and she left.

  **

  Jenn made it back to her dorm room to a note from her roommate. She was staying at her boyfriend’s place tonight again, although it was hard for Jenn to read the note through the tears in her eyes. “Thank God,” Jenn said, falling onto her bed. She started shaking and distantly thought that this was the third time she’d gone into shock since this summer. Jenn grabbed her pillow so no one would hear her crying. Her phone started buzzing and, by habit, Jenn checked to see who was call
ing. It was Julie. Taking a deep breath, Jenn answered. “Hello?”

  “Hey, Jenn. I know we’re not scheduled to meet with Luke tonight, but I was wondering if you wanted to hang out.”

  “Not tonight, thanks,” Jenn said.

  “What’s up?” Julie asked.

  Jenn sobbed and tried to stop herself. “I’m just not feeling that great.” Jenn started crying again.

  “Are you in your dorm?” Julie asked.

  “Yes,” Jenn said.

  “Stay there. I’ll be over in fifteen minutes.”

  “You don’t have to-“

  “Are you saying you don’t want me there?” Julie asked quietly.

  Jenn thought for a moment. “No,” she said.

  “Then I’ll be there. Fifteen minutes, okay?”

  “Okay,” Jenn replied. She hung up. There was something comforting about knowing Julie was coming to see her. It was closer to ten minutes when someone knocked on Jenn’s door. Jenn jumped and looked through the peephole. It was Julie.

  Jenn opened the door and Julie stepped in to hug her. Julie shut the door behind her and the two of them stood like that while Jenn tried not to cry.

  “What happened?” Julie asked, when Jenn finally let her go.

  “I went to see Luke,” Jenn began.

  “If that asshole hurt you-“ Julie began.

  Jenn waved Julie’s objections away. Julie held Jenn’s hand and looked at her forearm. “That’s not nothing,” Julie said.

  Jenn nodded. “I’ve been intimidated by men before, but he’s got something more,” she said. “There’s a power there I didn’t know he had.” She started shaking.

  “Is it okay if I read your mind?” Julie asked, guiding Jenn to sit on her bed.

  Jenn nodded. She wasn’t going to be able to tell the story coherently anyway. Jenn waited for just a moment until Julie reacted.

  “How could he do that to you?” Julie snapped. “I’m going down there right now-“ She stopped herself and looked at Jenn. Julie settled herself back on the bed. “No, I’m not,” she amended. “I’m staying here with you.”

  “Thank you,” Jenn replied. “When he started glowing he-“ She tried to find the right words. “I feel like he was about to lose control and if he did, I wouldn’t be here right now.”

  Julie wrapped her arm around Jenn’s shoulders, but Jenn continued shaking. “I’m sorry for what I said before,” Julie said.

  “What did you say?” Jenn asked.

  “I asked if you loved Luke. I’m sorry that I asked it now.”

  Jenn laughed. “That’s not the worst thing that’s happened this summer by far.”

  Julie laughed a little too. “I suppose you’re right.” She looked around and saw a blanket loose at the end of the bed. She pulled it over hers and Jenn’s legs.

  “I’m in shock,” Jenn stated.

  “Yes, you are,” Julie agreed, “but it’s expected after something like that.”

  “It’s great to be normal,” Jenn replied, trying to make a joke.

  “What are we going to do?” Julie asked.

  “Well, I usually watch a TV show after Luke traumatizes me,” Jenn joked.

  “I meant long-term. But maybe you’re right. This really isn’t the time to plan.”

  “It’s really not,” Jenn agreed. She stood up long enough to get her laptop and got back on the bed. “If we’re going to be watching a show, we’ll need to reconfigure,” Jenn said. She and Julie ended up sitting at the top of her bed, leaning against the wall, with the laptop on their laps. “Have you seen this one before?” Jenn asked, clicking over to the show she was watching.

  “No,” Julie said. “I don’t watch as much TV as some people.”

  Jenn laughed. “We’ll have to fix that.” She clicked to the first episode. “You’ll love it.”

  It was several hours later when Julie said that she needed to get home. “Will you be okay?” Julie asked.

  “I think so,” Jenn said. “I don’t feel like I’m in shock anymore.”

  “Always a good thing,” Julie replied.

  “Julie?”

  “Yes?”

  “Thank you.”

  Julie smiled. “Of course. You know I’m always here for you.”

  Jenn smiled. “The same goes for you.”

  They hugged again and Julie left. Jenn turned out the light and settled back into her bed. She turned the volume down on her laptop, clicked over to the last episode she had watched, and let it play until she fell asleep.

  **

  Julie checked in with Jenn over text the next few days, but it wasn’t until the following week that the two saw each other again.

  “I’ve been thinking,” Jenn said, “Luke wanted you to find someone in particular with your magic, right?”

  “Probably,” Julie said. They had met at the Royal Latte again, but Jenn had given her real name to the barista this time.

  “So, what do you want to bet he wanted you to find Huginn and Muginn?”

  Julie’s eyes widened and she nodded. “That would make sense.”

  “Let’s try to find them first.”

  “How?” Julie asked.

  “Well,” Jenn thought. “You said there were other people who felt like Luke around, right?”

  “Yes,” Julie said cautiously. “There’s two kind of near here, it’s hard to tell geography when I’m in there. There are others, but they’re a long way away and I can’t really tell where.”

  “Luke must have come to this town for a reason, and I doubt it’s that bar. The two near here are probably the ones he’s looking for.”

  “Do you think they’re actually ravens?” Julie asked.

  Jenn shrugged. “A raven is a weird pet, but I suppose I’ve seen weirder.”

  “I can try to find them and see what they feel like,” Julie said. “Achi and Abe are both magical, but they feel different, you know? One of them flies and the other lives in water.”

  “I don’t know, but go on,” Jenn replied.

  Julie smiled. “So, I can see if those two minds feel like Achi, or if they feel more like Luke, which would mean they’re probably in a human form.”

  “I think I follow you,” Jenn said.

  “I’m just making this up as I go,” Julie confided.

  “That does not fill me with confidence,” Jenn replied.

  Julie shrugged. “Well, that’s all we’ve got right now, so I’m going to run with it.” She closed her eyes and slowed her breathing. Jenn hadn’t realized Julie was going to use her magic here and now. Jenn looked around the café, but no one seemed to care about what they were doing. Which was, Jenn had to admit, why they met here. Jenn had been prepared to tell someone they were LARPing if anyone asked, and she was a little disappointed she didn’t get to use her speech on anyone.

  Jenn watched Julie’s face for a change and she was not disappointed. “Found them,” Julie said quietly. She kept her eyes closed for another moment, and then opened them again. “They’re in human form, I think.”

  “Great,” Jenn said. “That will make this easier. Then we can talk to them and find out why Luke is trying to track them down.”

  “It’s strange, though,” Julie said. “There was one human in the house with them and seven who weren’t quite human but weren’t quite magic.”

  “Do you think those are their guards?”

  “I don’t know,” Julie said, her face clouding. “They’re in human form now, if that helps.”

  “Not really,” Jenn replied. “That makes it ten against two and I don’t like our odds.”

  “But with your silver tongue, we have nothing to fear,” Julie told her laughing.

  “We might be getting in way over our heads here,” Jenn said.

  “I didn’t expect caution from you,” Julie replied.

  “But,” Jenn continued, “if we don’t go, then Luke might get there first and we’ll never know why he wanted them. I think it will be better for Huginn and Muninn if we g
et there first.”

  “That’s what I was expecting,” Julie said. “Let’s run in there and fake it.”

  Jenn shrugged. “It’s worked for me so far.”

  “If we get into trouble, you can always call Luke,” Julie said.

  Jenn glared at her.

  “So that he can be a distraction while we leave,” Julie finished. “I thought you’d be fine with putting him in harm’s way.”

  “That part I’m fine with. I just do not want to call him.”

  “Fair,” Julie replied. “Then I can. He gave me his card too.”

  “Of course he did,” Jenn said. “Well, shall we rush in?”

  “Of course,” Julie replied, standing up.

  They left Royal Latte and went to Jenn’s car. “Hang on a sec,” Jenn said, opening the trunk. She dug through a lot of stuff, but eventually came up with two clipboards. They both had paper on them and Jenn found two pens a moment later.

  “Why clipboards?” Julie asked.

  “Because they make you look official,” Jenn answered. “You can get in anywhere with a clipboard if you pretend like you’re supposed to be there.”

  “Did you just give me a trade secret?” Julie asked in mock wonder.

  “It’s because I like you,” Jenn said, getting into her car.

  “I’ll try not to swoon,” Julie said, getting in and buckling her seat belt.

  Jenn laughed and left the parking lot. “You know how to get there, right?”

  “Mostly,” Julie said. She pulled out her phone and opened up the maps app. “It was over here,” she said.

  Jenn just drove until Julie gave her directions. She glanced over and noticed Julie’s eyes were closed.

  Suddenly, Julie’s phone said, “Recalculating. Turn right on Wright St.”

  “Did you just magic your GPS?” Jenn asked, turning right.

  “I think so?” Julie asked, staring at her phone.

  “I think that makes you a technopagan,” Jenn said.

  “A what?” Julie asked.

  “Although I’m not sure if that refers to the music or technology.” Jenn kept a straight face for a moment, and then laughed.