Authors: Ann Macela
Tags: #General, #Fiction, #Fantasy, #Paranormal, #Romance, #Suspense
Wild Magic (6 page)
Attack. Counter. Attack again. Counter again.
She had no idea how long they battled.
A cheer rose when facets finally began to die once more. Slowly, so slowly, the Cataclysm Stone began to shrink.
At the last, the smooth face collapsed in upon the flame, and the Stone lost facets at an accelerated rate. It dwindled rapidly to a six-sided cube, then a four-sided pyramid on a square base, and finally to a triangular structure of only four facets.
“Strike now!” Fergus thundered. “One, two, THREE!”
Irenee threw every bit of energy she could grab into her blade’s beam. Blinding white light hit the dying Stone from all sides.
A shrill cry of rage and despair filled the room as the black flame flared one more time. What was left of the Stone disintegrated into a small pile of ashes.
The cry continued until only its echo reverberated off the walls.
Finally, silence, except for everyone’s harsh breathing.
Irenee let her hands fall to her sides, dissipating her blade. So drained she couldn’t have even cast
flamma
to light a candle, she looked straight across the remains of the Stone at Fergus and said, “Well, that was exciting.”
flamma
to light a candle, she looked straight across the remains of the Stone at Fergus and said, “Well, that was exciting.”
Then she fainted into her father’s arms.
CHAPTER FOUR
“Alton!” Bruce let himself into the Finster mansion and put the keys into his pocket. He’d been jolted out of a sound sleep by the sure knowledge something was horribly wrong. He had the distinct impression his Stone was calling to him. Since it never had before, he thought the feeling must have come from the bad dream he’d been having—until the phone rang.
The house was silent. The caterers had all left, and the staff had gone to bed.
“Alton?” Bruce called again. “Where are you? What’s so important to get me over here at two thirty in the morning?”
“Here.” Alton appeared in the hall and beckoned him into the study. His cousin looked like shit—pale skin, dark shadows under his eyes, his hair sticking up, his clothes disheveled. Quite a contrast to the debonair host he’d been at the party.
“What’s the matter?” Bruce asked as he entered the room.
“It’s gone,” Alton wailed. He pointed to the corner of the room where Granddad’s old safe lay. The rug was folded back, and the safe’s door was open. “You gotta help me.”
Bruce looked around the room. Except for the safe, nothing seemed disturbed or out of place. “Take it easy. What’s gone? What are you talking about?”
Alton handed him a piece of paper.
Bruce glanced at the paper, and his center contracted into a cold, hard ball. Displayed on a black pentagon, the Defender golden shield with two silver long swords across it practically leaped off the page. He quickly moved over to the desk to read it under the light.
NOTICE OF CONFISCATIONBy order of the High and Defender Councils:Alton Finster:You are hereby notified that the Defenders have confiscated an evil magic item or items found to be in your possession.This seizure was made in accordance with Section LX, Paragraph 1, of the Practitioner Constitution; Section XII, Paragraph 2, of the Rules Concerning Magic Items, the High Council Procedures; Section II, Paragraph 1, of the Defenders Mission; and your oath as freely given on your eighteenth birthday to abide by all practitioner laws, rules, and codes of ethics.The item or items will be destroyed as quickly as possible.Note: If you have attempted to or have actually used the item to cast spells:You may be physically or mentally harmed in the destruction process.Your magic level may be decreased by the destruction process.You may be in need of medical attention after the item is destroyed.By authority of Section XII, Paragraph 10, of the Rules Concerning Magic Items, the High Council Procedures; Section III, Paragraph 5, of the Defenders Mission; and your oath referenced above, neither you nor any member of your family may sue or otherwise attempt revenge on the High Council, the Defenders, or any other person involved in this seizure and destruction. If you take any such action, none of the above are liable for the outcome, which may result in greater physical harm to you, up to and including your death.Members of the High and Defender Councils will call at their earliest convenience to investigate your possession of this item and to determine the effects it may have had on you, your actions, your environment, and other persons.You may be subject to a fine and/or a censure and/or required to make restitution for harmful effects caused by you, the item, or you and the item acting in concert.It is in your best interest to cooperate with the investigation.Sword and Defender
The freeze in his center became an arctic blast that almost congealed his gut. Bruce waved the sheet of paper at his cousin. “What the hell is this, Alton? What did they confiscate?”
“It was here before. They must have taken it during the gala, but the door was locked,” Alton mumbled while he paced around the room, gesturing wildly.
“Alton!” Bruce grabbed him by the shoulders and gave him a shake. “Stop it. Tell me what happened. What’s missing? What evil item did they take? How did they get into the basements without somebody noticing?”
Alton seemed to deflate. He pointed over to the open floor safe and shook his head. “I had my Stone in there. I’ve been using it lately to make sure the deal went through—the new one with the Iranian group.”
“You had your
Stone
up here? You
used
it up here? You
left
it up here in the safe?” Bruce’s voice rose, and he shook Alton harder with each question. Finally he flung his cousin into a chair. “You damn idiot! You shit-for-brains fool! How many times have I told you to
never
cast a spell with your Stone
anywhere
except in the shielded room downstairs? And
never
without me, without our using the Stones together for maximum power? And
never
to take it out of that room?”
Stone
up here? You
used
it up here? You
left
it up here in the safe?” Bruce’s voice rose, and he shook Alton harder with each question. Finally he flung his cousin into a chair. “You damn idiot! You shit-for-brains fool! How many times have I told you to
never
cast a spell with your Stone
anywhere
except in the shielded room downstairs? And
never
without me, without our using the Stones together for maximum power? And
never
to take it out of that room?”
“I know,” Alton sniveled. “The deal looked like it was going bad. Their numbers weren’t adding up. You’ve been out of town for the past month, and the people from the gala were driving me crazy, and the Iranians were pressuring me for answers. So I cast a few spells to get the weapons buyers off my back.”
Bruce ran a hand through his hair. What a time for Alton to develop an independent streak. He thought he’d cured the jackass of acting on his own initiative long ago. “You’re all wrong about the deal, but that’s not the most important thing. Why did you keep your Stone here?
It was only yours, wasn’t it?
Alton, if you brought mine upstairs and they took it, so help me ...”
It was only yours, wasn’t it?
Alton, if you brought mine upstairs and they took it, so help me ...”
“No, no, it was only mine. You know yours doesn’t like me. It won’t let me use it like you can do with mine. Besides, I like having mine around. It feels good. I feel good.”
“Goddamnit, you’re addicted to it. I’ve warned you about the dangers, haven’t I?”
Alton wiped his face with his sleeve. “How did the Defenders find out? We’ve had the Stones for twenty-five years, and we’ve used them over and over again. We wouldn’t have been able to build that side of the business without them.”
“How the hell should I know how the Defenders do anything? Maybe they have antennas on the Hancock Building or the Sears Tower to pick up spells being cast with items like the Stones. Granddad told us in the red book to never take them out of the special room, remember? He obviously had a reason. I did what he said. Why didn’t you?”
“Oh, my God. The red book.” Alton’s face went even paler. He jumped up and ran over to the safe, knelt, and rummaged through the remaining contents. “It’s not here.”
“They got the book, too? Oh, great, just great.” Bruce took a deep breath and concentrated on getting hold of himself before he really did kill his cousin.
Think, man.
“Look, maybe it’s not so bad. They probably can’t read it. We couldn’t—not until we took over the Stones. They conferred the power on us.”
Think, man.
“Look, maybe it’s not so bad. They probably can’t read it. We couldn’t—not until we took over the Stones. They conferred the power on us.”
“How can we get mine back? The letter says they’re going to destroy it.” Alton stood up and went back to slump in his chair.
“Who specifically took it? When exactly?”
Alton leaned forward and put his head in his hands. He spoke slowly, as if reciting his actions carefully. “I know my Stone was here before the gala because I looked at it during the afternoon. There were people, gala organizers, caterers all over the place for the last three days. I kept the study locked and posted a guard to make sure none of them had access to the private parts of the house. Somebody must have taken it during the party. But who? It could have been any guest or staff. Maybe we can ask the guards who patrolled the hall if they saw someone.”
“Wonderful. We’ll have to compare the entire guest and staff lists to the practitioner registry to find our likely culprit.”
“The registry doesn’t tell who’s a Defender. Except for the people on the Defender Council and Whipple, their names don’t get broadcast around.” Alton was whining now, and Bruce wanted to slug him to shut his cousin up. The man was such a wimp.
“No, but it will help us narrow the field, and I have a couple of sources for gossip.” Bruce started pacing between the desk and the door while he ran through possibilities and probabilities—not, however, about retrieving the idiot’s piece. The notice of confiscation said Alton’s Stone would be destroyed as soon as possible. They could be working on killing it this very minute. Probably were. No, that Stone was gone.
His
, however, remained. His, the larger piece, with the greater power to go with his higher magical level. His magic center seemed smug all of a sudden—exactly like it was when he was casting spells with the Stone. His Stone. He’d miss having Alton’s piece to boost his power, but he didn’t really need it.
, however, remained. His, the larger piece, with the greater power to go with his higher magical level. His magic center seemed smug all of a sudden—exactly like it was when he was casting spells with the Stone. His Stone. He’d miss having Alton’s piece to boost his power, but he didn’t really need it.
He almost laughed. Without his Stone, Alton would cease to be a nuisance, would have to get out of his way completely, even as a figurehead. Bruce would be the one in complete, unquestioning control. He’d finally get what was due him. Looks like Granddad’s prophecy was going to come true. He’d be in charge of the companies—and
all
their activities.
all
their activities.
Bruce stood staring at the door and beyond it, contemplating his wonderful future, when a strange noise, a drawn-out grunt from Alton, turned him around to face his cousin.
Alton gasped, groaned, and fell out of his chair to the floor. He curled up in the fetal position and began moaning and rocking from side to side.
“What happened? What’s going on? What do you feel?” Bruce leaned over him without touching him. Alton was obviously in pain. The Defenders must be destroying the Stone, right this minute. He had no idea what would happen to Alton when they did, and he’d be damned if he was going to hang on to the man and get caught in a backlash.
Alton rocked more violently, his moans became shouts, and his eyes were wide open but focused on somewhere out of the study. “No! No! I won’t let you! Bitch! Son of a bitch!”
“What, Alton? Who? Do you see someone? Who’s the bitch?”
Alton looked up at him, seemed to actually see him. “Re-re-red ... B-b-b ... I- ... Sa ...”
“Who, Alton? Read? Read what? A book? The red book? You what? You say what?”
The writhing man shook his head and began to shout again. “No! You can’t! I’ll get you, I’ll get you!”
He reached out and grabbed Bruce, who recoiled and fought to free himself as enormous fear, pain, and anger spread through him from Alton’s grip. He had to kick Alton in the ribs to break loose, and he retreated across the room until he was sure his cousin wouldn’t be able to seize him again.
Alton yelled and thrashed around, cursing, trying to cast spells on whoever was tormenting him. At times he seemed to be dodging a missile; at others, he was plainly taking a direct hit.
Bruce moved a chair and a small table out of Alton’s way, but did not approach him. He needed to find out who the bitch or the son of a bitch was—or were. As powerful as the smaller Stone was, he assumed it would take more than one Defender to kill it. He wanted to know his enemies. It was quickly clear, however, that Alton could not supply the information.
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