A Tale of Two Tricksters

by Debbie Newcomb

  “True. When?” Julie texted back.

  “3?” Jenn asked.

  “Sure,” Julie replied.

  Jenn managed to make it through her classes and the time to go came along sooner than she thought it would. She ran to her car to go pick up Julie.

  “So, what’s the plan?” Julie asked as Jenn drove back to the boys’ house.

  “Gut Luke if he shows up,” Jenn replied.

  Julie sighed. “Anything else?”

  “Well, I suppose we could wish for them to remember who they used to be,” Jenn said after a moment.

  “Aren’t you worried what would happen to them?” Julie asked.

  “Of course I am,” Jenn replied. She realized she was gripping the steering wheel too hard. “I’m really hesitant about using my magic when I don’t really understand it yet, but it’s the only idea I’ve got.”

  Julie considered. “I’ve been thinking about this since yesterday and I can’t think of a better plan, either. Besides trying to kidnap them.”

  “That would be a terrible idea,” Jenn replied.

  “Yes, it would,” Julie agreed. “So, what, do we show up and ask to talk to just those two?”

  “We could make the wish on them from the car,” Jenn replied, “and then run into the house after it’s done.”

  “How will we know when it’s done?”

  “When we see two ravens flying out the window,” Jenn joked. She considered for a moment. “It seems to be pretty quick. I don’t think we’d really have to wait at all.”

  “So, we get there, make the wish, and run in?” Julie asked.

  “That’s pretty much my plan,” Jenn agreed. They were getting close to the house. Jenn tried to think of how to word the wish so it went exactly as they wanted. Soon enough, they came to the house and parked across the street.

  “Jenn, they’re not there,” Julie said quietly.

  “What?” Jenn asked, unbuckling her seatbelt.

  “Maybe they’ve got class,” Julie said.

  “That bastard beat us,” Jenn said, looking at the house where the front door stood open. In a moment, she was out of the car and running up to the house. The girl who lived there came out to meet her.

  “Are you here to take the rest of my brothers?!” she yelled.

  “What do you mean?” Julie asked, behind Jenn.

  “That man who was here with you before. He came here and asked to see my brothers again for the survey. Then he…he…turned two of them into ravens.” The girl looked disoriented and she started to fall. Jenn caught her, then quickly put her on the ground, leaning against the house, and stepped back. She did not want to grant this girl’s wishes.

  “We believe you,” Julie told the girl.

  The girl nodded distractedly. “I’ve seen that before. Before now. The rest of my brothers. All seven turned to ravens.” She put her hand up to pull her hair away from her face and Jenn noticed the girl was missing a pinky, but that seemed to have happened long ago.

  Jenn began to get worried this girl had gotten a concussion.

  “I was so young when it happened, but I went out to save them,” the girl began. “I went to the sun, but he was so scary. I went to the moon, but she was no help. I went to the stars…” Her face relaxed and she stopped speaking for a moment. “…they were lovely,” she continued. “They gave me a drumstick to open the door in the mountain with. When I got there, the drumstick was gone.”

  “Just like Luke,” Jenn growled, but Julie hushed her.

  “But I had to open the lock,” the girl continued like she hadn’t been interrupted. “All I had was my pinky,” she held up her hand and stared at it. “My pinky finger. It fit in the lock so well and turned, but then it wouldn’t come back out.” The girl shivered. “So I left it there. Inside, I found their meal and I took a little from each plate. I left our mother’s engagement ring in their cup so they would know it was me. When they came back, all seven became human again and we went home, but there were nine now. Nine brothers.” The girl, confused, looked up at Julie. “How did I get two more brothers?”

  “The man who was with us yesterday brought them to you then,” Julie said.

  “He was trying to hide them and he found them again,” Jenn said. “That bastard.”

  “But they’re my brothers,” the girl protested.

  “Where are the rest of your brothers?” Jenn asked.

  “Inside,” the girl told her. “They’ve become ravens again, but my mother has her engagement ring, so I don’t know what I am to do.”

  Jenn looked at Julie. They both stood up and went inside. The boys had draped themselves across the furniture as humans; as ravens, they stood almost at attention. It was eerie having seven ravens staring you down in complete silence inside a house.

  “What do we do?” Jenn asked quietly.

  Julie was silent for a moment. “They’ve done this before,” she began slowly, “maybe if I can remind them how they changed back the first time…”

  “And how will you do that?” Jenn asked.

  Julie turned, slowly, to face her. “I’ll have to read their minds and pull up the right memory.”

  “You’ll have to what?” Jenn asked, incredulous. “You’ve never done that before.”

  “I know,” Julie replied, “but what else can we do?”

  “Go after the other two,” Jenn replied. “You can bet Luke’s got them, and I bet they’re in his cave right now.”

  “We can’t leave them,” Julie scolded her, “and this plan is a lot better than trying to wish them human again.” For a moment, Jenn and Julie stared each other down.

  Jenn sighed. “Fine, but if your plan doesn’t work, we’re leaving.”

  “All right,” Julie agreed. She slowly sat down and leaned against the wall. She closed her eyes and started breathing more slowly and deeply. Jenn stared down the ravens. If any of them tried to move against Julie, they’d have to deal with her.

  For several long moments, nothing happened. Jenn became more and more unnerved by the constant stares of the birds. Then, as one, their heads twitched to the side. It looked like a motion birds did frequently, but Jenn had never seen seven ravens do it at once together. Their heads twitched the other way. Their beaks all opened, but nothing came out. Jenn edged toward Julie but didn’t touch her just in case Julie was the one doing this. From outside, the girl picked herself up and limped into the living room.

  “My brothers,” she murmured.

  Julie inhaled sharply. Then, all at once, the air was full of swirling feathers and a bright light. When Jenn was able to see again, there were no more ravens in the room. There weren’t even any feathers. There were just seven confused teenage boys and one teenage girl crying and trying to hug them all at once.

  “My brothers!” she said, turning to Jenn and Julie. “You brought them back!”

  “Of course we did,” Jenn replied, helping Julie stand up and head to the door.

  “Where are you going?” the girl asked.

  “To get the other two,” Julie replied over her shoulder. Jenn had to help her walk to the car and Julie settled herself into the car seat with a sigh.

  “Are you okay?” Jenn asked.

  Julie shook her head. “I’m drained,” she replied. “I didn’t realize it would be that hard.”

  “I did try to warn you,” Jenn said, driving away.

  “This is not the time for I told you so,” Julie replied.

  “I know,” Jenn said, looking at the road. “How do you think we’ll get into the Velvet Tango Lounge?”

  “Do you think he’d take them back there?” Julie asked.

  “Well, he certainly didn’t hide what he did here. I think he wants us to come and find him, so he’ll probably be exactly where we expect him to be.”

  “Why do you think he wants us to find him?” Julie asked.

  “As soon as I met Luke, I knew he was the kind of person who uses people,” Jenn began. “He’s got a plan for every
interaction to either make him better off, or to trick the other person. Every. Interaction.”

  “Except with you,” Julie told her.

  Jenn nodded. “What’s so damn special about me?” she asked. “He wants to use me for something big.”

  “Or maybe, in his twisted, abusive way, he’s in love with you,” Julie replied.

  “It could be both!” Jenn snapped. She sighed. “God, I hope it’s not both.”

  “He’s certainly been trying,” Julie said.

  Jenn shook her head. “Either way. He told me I had magic within five minutes of meeting me. Accused me of it, really. He keeps saying I’m powerful and that he wants to train me how to use my power.”

  “You’re part of his plan,” Julie realized.

  Jenn nodded. “I’m not sure what he wants me to do, but you can bet he wants it to happen now.”

  “So we’re playing into his hands?” Julie asked.

  Jenn shrugged. “I’d rather go meet him on my terms rather than have him follow me.”

  “…or have him hurt me to get to you,” Julie added softly.

  A muscle jumped in Jenn’s jaw. “I don’t think he’s above that,” she said at last.

  “So having me with you will make me safer?” Julie asked.

  “Maybe,” Jenn said. “I can try to protect you.” As an afterthought, she said, “And you can have my mace.”

  “You did use it on him before,” Julie agreed. “What about you?” Julie asked.

  “He won’t hurt me,” Jenn said.

  “You mean like he’s already done?” Julie asked.

  “He’s more likely to hurt you,” Jenn amended. “With me, it’s an accident. With you, it could be a plan.”

  Julie nodded, but her lips were in a thin line.

  Jenn slid into a parking space and shot out of the car. She waited for Julie at the top of the stairs to the Velvet Tango Lounge and handed Julie her can of mace. “So, are we breaking in?” Julie asked.

  “Maybe,” Jenn replied. They made their way down the stairs. Jenn tried the door and it opened under her hand. She took a deep breath. She would have to try not to lose her temper at Luke. That would only make things worse. She took another breath. Julie’s hand slid into hers and Jenn gave it a squeeze. The two of them walked in together.

  The lights were on, but the sunlight coming in through the few windows was brighter.

  “Good afternoon, ladies,” Luke said from the bar. “I’ve been waiting for you.” He saluted them with his glass and drank from it.

  “What does one drink after turning nine boys into ravens?” Jenn asked icily.

  Luke shrugged. “It was easier to turn them all at once since they’d been turned into humans together.”

  “Was it really?” Jenn asked, standing in front of him.

  Luke shrugged and tilted his glass a little. “It brought you back to me,” he replied.

  “I am here to find out what you think you’re playing at,” Jenn told him.

  “Simply righting a wrong,” Luke said.

  “A wrong that you caused,” Jenn snapped.

  Julie put a hand on Jenn’s shoulder. “What happened with them?” she asked Luke.

  “It was a typical story of a sister saving her fowl brothers,” Luke said with a shrug. “I saw an opening and I took it.”

  “So, you managed to kidnap Huginn and Muninn and turn them into humans?” Jenn asked incredulously. “Was Odin mad?” she taunted.

  “Oh, he was as angry as I’ve ever seen him,” Luke replied with a laugh. “My brother was always one to overreact.”

  “Your brother?” Jenn asked, her mind whizzing with that she knew of Norse mythology. “Odin?”

  “Oh yes,” Luke replied. “I was wondering if you would figure this part out or not.” He smiled a dazzling smile at Julie. “My apologies.” Then, all at once, he was glowing again. His hair became a dark, glowing black and he lit up the room. It was like the night Jenn had slapped him, but this was even stronger. It would have been beautiful, except that his face was horribly scarred and there were small circular scars above and below his lips. Like his mouth had once been sewn shut.

  “Loki?!” Jenn yelled.

  “At your service, my dear,” Luke replied with a bow.

  Jenn looked at Julie to see her reaction, but she had crumpled to the ground. “Julie!” Jenn bent down to try to help her friend.

  “Don’t worry about her,” Luke commanded. “Mortals can’t handle the full manifestation of a god.”

  “Mortals?” Jenn asked, standing up. “Then what am I?”

  “An interesting puzzle,” Luke replied with a grin. “I knew from the start that you were a half-breed of some sort, but I couldn’t tell what.”

  “Half white, half Chinese,” Jenn snapped.

  “That’s not what I meant,” Luke replied gently. “Part of you was human, but part of you was so much more. You had a level of magic I’ve rarely seen. I asked Abe if he could tell, but he was little help. It wasn’t until I realized that you were granting wishes that I realized what you were.”

  “A fairy godmother?” Jenn asked sarcastically.

  Luke laughed. “Oh goodness no. You’re half djinn, my dear.”

  “Djinn?” Jenn asked. “Don’t you mean genie?”

  Luke looked at her for a moment, and then laughed a little. “So you don’t know. My dear, a genie is the tamed version of what was never meant to be tamed. Djinns live to cause discord and mayhem. They were all trapped in bottles and made to grant wishes, but the third wish always had to be to put the djinn back in the bottle, or they would be free again.”

  Jenn felt her back prickling. “So, I’m a monster,” she said.

  “Not at all,” Luke said, standing. “You’re wonderful.”

  Jenn took a step back.

  “I have a proposition for you, my dear,” Luke said.

  “Not interested,” Jenn snapped.

  “Poor choice of words,” Luke replied apologetically, but with a glint in his eye. “I am trying to make a world for those with magic.”

  “Excuse me?” Jenn asked.

  “For far too long, we’ve been relegated to the shadows,” Luke told her. “Hiding our skills, terrified that a human without magic would find us. It has to end and I know how to end it.”

  “I’ll just bet you do,” Jenn muttered.

  “The other gods don’t see this the way I do,” Luke told her. “Odin, greedy as he is, wants all magic to be kept to the gods and to be kept hidden so humans don’t surpass him.”

  “Aren’t you worried about that?” Jenn asked.

  Luke grinned. “I welcome the challenge.”

  Jenn was having trouble wrapping her mind around all of this. “So, you stole Huginn and Muninn from Odin and hid them with a human family. Then, I’m assuming you forgot about them while you raised a magical army. Eventually, Odin realized you had to be the one who kidnapped them, so he charged you with finding them, but your army wasn’t ready yet.” The pieces fell into place for Jenn. “You had to be powerful to defeat the gods without an army, and I haven’t seen a giant anywhere. So, you needed someone with power to rival a god who would change the world with you.” Jenn tried to keep the anger out of her voice. “You needed me.”

  “Right on the nose,” Luke replied with a grin. “It all fits together when you see the bigger picture, doesn’t it? Our goals are the same, my dear. We both want to create a world where Julie can be who she is without having to worry about being labelled insane. A world where you can be who you are without having to worry any time someone touches you.” He reached out and traced the edge of Jenn’s cheek. Jenn snapped her face away. Luke smiled at her. “Your magic only works for mortals. Even if we are touching, you’re unable to grant a wish for me.”

  Jenn remembered Luke trying this. He had wished that she would trust him. A bad feeling began in Jenn’s gut, but she did her best to hide it. “I guess we have to keep it even,” Jenn replied flatly.

&
nbsp; “It’s part of Solomon’s seal,” Luke replied, as if this were a detail. “Later, we can remove the seal entirely, but things are moving too fast now to attempt that.”

  “Of course they are,” Jenn thought. “What things?” she asked.

  “Now that I’ve found Huginn and Muninn, Odin won’t be far behind,” Luke told her. “We need to act when he’s here on Midgard.”

  “We?” Jenn asked.

  “Yes,” Luke replied, stepping slowly toward her. “Together, you and I can remake this world so no one has to hide in the shadows again. Together, we can defeat the gods and give Julie a world where she won’t be treated as different. Achi can fly in the sun again. Abe can swim where he likes and teach anyone. And you…” Luke placed his hands on Jenn’s shoulders, “you can be whatever you wish to be. You’ve felt the battle between your two halves your whole life. Wouldn’t it be nice to set that aside and just be one Jenn and leave aside the loneliness that difference causes? In this new world, there’s no more feeling alone in a crowd, or counting your friends on one hand. You can finally feel like you belong.”

  Jenn took a deep, shaking breath. It was like he knew her secret wishes. He spoke to exactly what appealed to her. She was so tired of feeling alone when she was with her friends.

  “Jenn,” Luke said, drawing her gaze to his face instantly, “help me make this a reality for you and for everyone. Julie could use her mind-reading to be a better social worker and not have to lie about it. You could make magic happen for businesses and negotiate the best contract for everyone involved, but the best by far for you. Think about it. You have to choose to be human or djinn. Free your djinn-self and make this new world a reality for Julie.”

  His eyes were almost hypnotic and Jenn felt herself falling into his words. Gradually, she could feel the two halves of herself: human and djinn. The two had learned to coexist but had never thrived together because she had never acknowledged half of herself. It was strange that she had never noticed it before. Jenn took a deep breath. No more battling. She could choose one or the other and she could make this world into whatever she wanted it to be.

  “My dear,” Luke said gently. “What kind of a world would it be without magic?”