CONTENTS

Dedication

Legal

Oriceran Map - USA

Oriceran Map

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Author Notes - Martha Carr

Author Notes - Michael Anderle

Other Books

Other Books A

Social Links

Series List

DEDICATION

From Martha

To everyone who still believes in magic

and all the possibilities that holds.

To all the readers who make this

entire ride so much fun.

And to my son, Louie and the wonderful Katie

who remind me all the time of what

really matters and how wonderful

life can be in any given moment.

And finally, a special thank you to

John Nelson of the Austin, Texas

Police Department

who patiently answers all of my questions.

I hope I made you proud.

Thank you for your service.

From Michael

To Family, Friends and

Those Who Love

To Read.

May We All Enjoy Grace

To Live The Life We Are

Called.

PROTECTION OF MAGIC Team

JIT Beta Readers

Erika Daly

Kimberly Boyer

Keith Verret

Alex Wilson

James Caplan

Kelly ODonnell

John Raisor

Joshua Ahles

Mickey Cocker

If we’ve missed anyone, please let us know!

PROTECTION OF MAGIC (this book) is a work of fiction.

All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Sometimes both.

This book Copyright © 2017  Martha Carr and Michael T. Anderle

Cover Design by John-Paul Balmet

Cover copyright © LMBPN Publishing

LMBPN Publishing supports the right to free expression and the value of copyright. The purpose of copyright is to encourage writers and artists to produce the creative works that enrich our culture.

The distribution of this book without permission is a theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like permission to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), please contact info@kurtherianbooks.com. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.

LMBPN Publishing

PMB 196, 2540 South Maryland Pkwy

Las Vegas, NV 89109

First US edition, August 2017

The Oriceran (and what happens within / characters / situations / worlds) are Copyright (c) 2017 by Martha Carr and LMPBN Publishing.

CHAPTER ONE

Leira grasped at her mother's hand, trying to reestablish the magical connection and find her grandmother one more time. But the hum of energy was gone.

"She was right there! I know it was real." Her heart was pounding. Leira looked around the patio as if she expected to see Mara standing by the corn hole game or lying in one of the hammocks near the fence. "Who the hell was that other woman? Is my grandmother in danger?"

Estelle watched them from the dining room inside, smoke curling around her red bouffant. She stubbed out a cigarette and left her perch to go see about a customer.

Eireka put her hand on Leira's knee, firmly pressing down. "She was there, you're right," she said, gently. She wasn't sure how to tell Leira and chose her words carefully. "My mother, your grandmother..." She took a breath, trying to keep the fear out of her voice. "That place we saw... She's in a place called the world in between. Have you heard of it?"

"Yes, Correk's mentioned it," she said, distracted. Leira kept looking around, wanting to believe she could find Mara, trying to shake off the dread from the dead woman. It was making it harder for her to channel the magic. She shook her head. "I don't know. He didn't say much. Made it sound horrible."

Eireka let out a shudder, her hand shaking on Leira's knee. Leira snapped her head around, studying her mother's face, just like she had done so many times to perps in an interrogation room. People always gave away so much information before they ever uttered a word.

"You're afraid. Tell me why," she said, sharply. It had been too many years without her mother and too many cases using her skills to get what she needed. The fastest route possible.

Eireka gave her daughter the same look in return. "I'm not a suspect, my dear, and I won't hide the truth from you."

Leira softened and asked again, this time more gently. "I'm sorry, habit. That fucking ghost that was with her. Wait, not a ghost. What the hell was that?" She shook her hands. "You're right. Tell me what's happened to Nana." The word, Nana, sounded strange to her after four years of not having a reason to say it. No one to say it to. The ache pounded in her chest.

"I'll tell you what I know. It's not much. There's a place between Earth and Oriceran, like a purgatory that captures both the living and the dead and holds them there, forever."

"I know, Correk's told me about it. Sounds more like hell."

"Well, you're right. Your Nana used to tell me stories about the place when I was little. She said it was the most feared place by anyone on either planet. The newly dead are said to never get the chance to pass through completely to the other side and the living are suspended in time, watching their loved ones grow, get old and die."

"They're in there together?"

"Yes, for all of time. Able to see both worlds but not really...anywhere."

Leira sat back, trying to take in the idea. Her eyes grew wide. Four years. Her grandmother must have been trapped for more than four years. Her body began to shake. "This is worse than death," she whispered.

Eireka didn't say anything, just kept her hand on Leira's leg, doing her best to ground her. It took Leira a moment to realize her mother was pushing energy through her leg. Leira made herself take a longer look at her mother's tired face.

She wasn't used to having someone else to be concerned with, worry about, wonder how they were doing. There was Hagan but he had Rose who did a far better job of hounding Hagan to eat better, get a little exercise. Not that it had much of an effect.

But her mother was here, sitting next to her. Leira finally noticed the pain in her eyes.

"Your mother is trapped in the world in between," she said. "I'm so sorry. This should be one of the happiest days for you."

Eireka's eyes filled with tears and she brushed a dark lock of hair off Leira's forehead. "Oh, baby girl, it is. It still is. Nothing can steal this away from me." Eireka shook her head, clearing away the rush of memories and of regret for things that she had missed. "But, my mother is trapped in an eternal waiting room and with the dead shoving her around. No," she said, shaking her head again. "Not good enough. I don't accept this." She stood, clenching her fists, the same defiant stance that Leira so often took. It startled Leira to see, even without her mother there when she was growing up, she was like her.

"No! We are Berens women," said Eireka. "We don't accept our fate. We do something about this. Leira, we're finding a way to get Mom out. You got me out, there has to be a way."

Leira took her hand. "Not that I'm not on board with the whole idea. I'm known for go first, find out everyone thought it couldn't be done, later. But, getting you away from stupid humans was difficult and now, we're moving into magically impossible."

"We're going to need help." The two women said it in unison, their one eyebrow arching the same way.

Estelle almost dropped the tray she was carrying, startled at the mirror images of mother and daughter. She clamped down on the cigarette trapped between her teeth, set the tray down with a thump on the top of the bar and yelled, "You need food! You're wanting eggs! Eat up because the lunch crowd will be here soon and I can't hold them back from sitting out in the sunshine."

***

"I smell food." Correk shut the door to the cottage behind him, looking at the two determined women standing in front of him. "Curious," he said, walking past them toward the food on the bar.

Leira looked at her mother. "Correk!"

"Good a place as any to start!" Eireka followed Correk over to the bar where he was already loading up a plate.

"You'll get some bacon, I told you that already," he said, annoyed with the troll peeking out of his pocket.

"Is he a good idea to have out here in the open with normies so close by?" Leira did her best to casually glance up at the row of windows.

"You mean the humans? Those are still your kind. Normies." Correk laughed. "Try leaving the troll behind when there's food. I've told you, any magic but yours doesn't work very well on him. Besides, he felt the disturbance and was wailing in there." Correk frowned and raised his eyebrows, waiting for an explanation.

"Yum fuck!" The troll was halfway out of Correk's pocket, a leg hitched over the opening when Correk plucked him by the scruff of his neck, depositing him in Leira's hands.

"Saved by Yumfuck. You need to feed him and put him down for a nap."

"I thought we got the kibble for just this reason."

"Try telling a troll that he's going to eat bland dog food when he can smell bacon. I'm not sure even a spell would keep him in his nest." Correk picked up a plate and scooped up the bacon, hesitated but then mumbled, "why not," and put another piece of bacon on his plate. "Craig and Lucy told me about something called an, all you can eat breakfast buffet. I would like to try that."

"You must have the metabolism of a hummingbird."

"Very astute of you and accurate. Same reason you are able to eat my leftover pizza, and yes, I noticed, and still get into your skinny jeans."

Leira stood by the plates, not moving, looking at Correk.

"What? What is it? Do I have something on my face?" He rubbed his hand over his day-old beard. Two women sitting at a table by the closest window smiled and waved at him. Correk looked confused and waved back. "What is going on with everyone this morning? This is related to the troll's outburst, isn't it? Someone want to tell me more?"

The troll squirmed in Leira's hands as she handed him back to Correk. "You have a pocket. Just give him some of your eggs."

"Insufferable," said Correk, spooning eggs into the troll's wide-open mouth.

"Yum, fuck," chirped the troll.

"Who taught him that?" asked Eireka.

"Your daughter," said Correk, laughing. "It's his name, now."

Leira ignored what Correk was saying, intent on telling him about Mara. She shifted her weight, not sure how to say it. Finally, she blurted it out. "I found my grandmother!"

Correk stopped mid-bite, turning to look at Leira. "I was only inside for an hour. How is that possible? The two of you need to be careful using magic at all, much less so close to your home, and out here." His annoyance was growing. "Well, where is she?"

"The world in between," said Eireka, gravely. "We combined our energy, not exactly using magic and apparently opened a space just big enough for my mother to show herself. That's it," she said, waving her hands. "We didn't get any kind of real message." There was a sound of disappointment in her voice.

Correk put down the bacon he was holding and wiped his hands on the napkin. "This is bad news, I'm sorry. I know how much you hoped to reunite more of your family. I'm really sorry, Leira."

"Now, hold on there a minute." Leira sat down on the bar stool next to him as Eireka pulled one around to face both of them.

Correk looked at the two of them suspiciously.

"You know it's not possible to get someone out of there. Even finding them, or take it another step, seeing them is very difficult from this side. You may have to find comfort with knowing where she is and do your best to let go." He looked at the two women in front of him and rolled his eyes. "What am I saying? Of course you won't drop it. Okay, fine, ask me. I was sent here to help you. Better than watching you do something dangerous without any kind of help."

Eireka hugged him around the neck. Leira felt a pang as she hesitated, unable to so easily do the same. Still, a smile came across her face.

"But, I'm still going to sit here and eat while you grill me, Detective."

"Special agent," said Leira. "Eat away, but try and swallow before you answer anything."

"Tell me what you saw," he said, tearing off a piece of bacon and sliding it into his pocket. A loud trill sounded. "Love of bacon knows no boundaries. More powerful than a portal," he said, sliding an entire piece into his mouth. The two women at the other table laughed and waved again.

Leira looked at her mother. "It's the elven blood. He gives off a kind of magnetism that makes humans loopy," said Eireka.

Leira looked at Correk, a grease stain across his cheek. "I don't see it."

Eireka smiled, looking at the two of them. "That's because you're part elven too. I'm surprised you haven't noticed men paying a little more attention to you."

"She doesn't notice much unless it involves a case, and particularly a dead body, and then she's on it. Or if you try to eat her Doritos." Leira elbowed him in the ribs, making him spit out the piece of bacon he had in his mouth. He ate it anyway.

"Gah, I do not see the appeal at all!" exclaimed Leira.

Eireka put a hand on each of them. "This makes me happy. You made another family, Leira. I wasn't sure what happened to you and after you stopped coming all the time..."

The smile dropped off of Leira's face. "I'm sorry...I was wrong...I..."

"It's okay, it's hard to know what to do with crazy." Eireka did her best to give Leira a reassuring smile. She didn't want to tell her daughter about the spell she used to keep her away just yet.

Correk wiped off his mouth. "Tell me what you saw in the vision. Exactly what you saw."

"A little too much," said Leira, shaking her head. "Nana was in a room but not like you or I might be. It was more like..."

"Two separate dimensions," said Eireka. "That's how I knew it was the world in between. I've had contact with others from that realm. There's a certain feeling that comes with it too. A cold chill that feels like an emptiness. Words fail, really."

"There was something familiar about the room. Can't quite place it though," said Leira.

"Was she easy to see? Did you see any clouds around her?" asked Correk.

"You mean like a weather pattern? No... you mean something sinister." Leira's eyes narrowed. "Yes, I saw Nana get pulled away by something and suddenly there was this woman there, begging me for help. A dead woman."

"What gave you a sense that she was dead?" asked Correk.

"The hole in the center of her forehead was a giveaway but even without that I would have known. I don't know, it was a feeling. Like the life force was gone from her. How did she do that to my grandmother?"

"Desperation, most likely. It can be a very powerful force. Was there a sense of darkness?"

"No...no there wasn't. Just sadness and an aching need. What a horrible fucking place," whispered Leira.

"The world in between has existed for as long as there have been portals. There are many ways that have been written about how to get sucked into the void but the most frequent one is attempting a portal when the gates are not open. There is a slight time glitch that occurs when the two worlds are pulling apart or coming together."

"Like that first night you sent me back and it wasn't that long after I left the guest house."

"That's right. That space sometimes leaves a random opening to a void." Correk gave off a shudder. "We know a few things about the glitch, like you can't arrive before you leave, on either side. There's no kind of time travel."

"No, there's something worse." Eireka looked grim. Correk put a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry. I know this is difficult."

Leira took a long look at Correk but stayed quiet. Who do you know in the world in between?

"Has anyone tried to see if they can use that glitch to their advantage?" asked Leira.

"It's wise not to try and play with the time line. I've never known it to end well," answered Correk.

"Has there ever been anyone to escape the world in between?" Leira sat back. Estelle was bustling behind the far end of the bar, getting ready for the lunch crowd that would be there soon enough.

"Don't mind me," yelled Estelle, not even bothering to look up. "No need to stop talking just because I arrived on the scene. I'm as good as a bear trap at keeping a secret, anyway." She stopped for a moment, bothering to take the dangling cigarette out of her mouth, blowing a perfect O into the air, one hand resting on her hip. She let out a cackle and took in a long drag, working her jaw as she blew out several more O's into the air.

"That is a very interesting woman. I wonder just how much she knows," said Correk, watching the smoke rise.

"Definitely more than she will ever tell us. You sure she's not one of yours?" asked Leira.

"Ours," he corrected. "No, but I see why you're asking."

Estelle wandered over, picking up the dirty dishes, the cigarette firmly back between her lips, smoke swirling around her red spiral of teased hair.

Leira saw the troll's tiny hand coming out to wipe bacon grease off the platter. She batted him away, acting like she saw a fly. Correk started and looked away, preferring not to notice what Estelle would do if she saw something tiny and furry on her patio.

Estelle took a look at the empty bacon platter and a good look at Correk, letting out a, "Hmph," as she picked up the tray and headed back inside.

"Clearly, she has a handle on you," said Leira, looking around to make sure no one had wandered onto the patio and settled into one of the hammocks. No one was nearby. "Do you know of anyone ever escaping the world in between? The living or the dead?"

"If the dead escaped they would move onto whatever afterlife there is and so, I can't say about them. I've never heard of anyone still living getting out of the void. But, if there was anyone who would know, it would be the Gnomes. They are the keepers of magical knowledge for all of Oriceran."

"I've heard of them. My mother used to talk about them," said Eireka, shifting in her chair. She glanced up at Leira.

"Nana must have gotten sucked in trying to go through a portal. You don't need to confirm that she traveled between the two worlds." Leira held up a hand. "That much is obvious. But, I'm starting to get the idea that she did it more than once. With this time glitch she could have been slipping away while I was in school and getting back, without anyone being the wiser."

"I know that look. You're on to something," said Correk. "I don't think your grandmother came to Oriceran as often as you think. She's a Light Elf. If she were a frequent visitor I would have heard of her at some point."

"Unless she was hiding her real identity. She was doing something illegal using portals like that."

"Commonly done," said Correk.

"I know, I get that. Still, she wouldn't have been advertising that she was coming over from Earth. But, it leaves a lot of open questions. The big one is why go over so often? Regular visits would mean she had an intention, a plan."

"The Wood Elves might know. They have their ways of seeing what others are up to."

"That's not the big question," said Eireka, irritated. "The big question is how to get her the hell out of there." Tears filled her eyes, catching Leira off guard.

"I'm sorry." Leira stumbled through her words. "I'm better at analyzing facts than I am at feelings. You're right. First things first. We figure out how to get Nana out of there and then just ask her what the hell she was thinking."

"You realize that there have been powerful practitioners of magic, kings even, who have tried to get beings out of the world in between and with utter failure?" Correk stood up, balling his hands into fists. "Damnable Gnomes refuse to say a word about anything locked in that vault. For thousands of years they have been the guardians of the darkest secrets."

So angry, every time the topic comes up, noticed Leira.

"Then we figure out a way to get them on our side or go around them." Leira felt the same mixture of magical energy and detective skills settle into place, the gears turning in her mind. Hagan was right. Use both sets of skills.

Correk only grew angrier, shaking his head.

"Okay, I get it. It won't be easy." Leira reached out to touch his hand but he pulled away from her, turning his back. That wasn't like him. Touched a nerve.

"I can see this is hard for you." Eireka's voice was gentle and she was almost singing the words.

She's using a spell, thought Leira. I can't even see how she's doing it. Doesn't matter.

"Can't make this about you." Leira cut off her mother, standing up to face him. Correk spun around, eyes glowing, ready for a fight. Leira knew she was pushing him but if he was going to help then they needed to get it out in the open, whatever it was. "You either tell me, tell us what has you so twisted or you set it aside and help... Or you get out of our way."

She let the energy build inside of her just enough to let her eyes glow. She was already getting better at regulating the amount of magic that could bubble to the surface. It was a friendly warning.

Correk startled, blinking his eyes and taking a step back. He wanted to say something but thought better of it.

So, it'll stay a mystery... for now, thought Leira.

His eyes returned to normal and he unclenched his fists.

"I'd rather do this with you." Leira held out her hand. "Cousin." She held his gaze, hoping...

Correk looked like he was still far away but he gently shook his head and took her hand. "You are very determined... Cousin. Fine, we will believe in the impossible."

"My mother is home and free and clear," said Leira. "And I found out not too long ago that part of me is from an entirely different dimension full of magic. I'm not sure what the definition of impossible is anymore."

Eireka pulled at her daughter's arm. "Sit back down. Estelle will be out here with a hose to make everyone play nice if we're not careful."

Leira let go of Correk's hand, snapping around to look at her mother. "I forgot you used to do that. If I got into a tangle with a neighborhood kid you used to spray us down!" An even mixture of grief and joy filled her chest. So many memories were locked carefully away. Some of them were starting to escape.

Eireka smiled. "I knew somewhere in that tiny body was a lot of powerful magic. Couldn't take the chance you'd suddenly light up like a Christmas tree. They'd have run home and told their parents!" Eireka let out a laugh. Even Correk relaxed into a smile.

"Fine," he said. "We will redefine impossible."

"As, yet to be done," said Leira.

"Then we start with a Willen. The Gnomes pride themselves on their integrity and are known for being meticulous. A bribe with them won't work. A threat even less. But on a Willen, both will work and they are as great a petty thief as the Gnomes are a watchdog."

"Why hasn't anyone bribed them before to find out the secrets of the world in between?" asked Leira.

"I'm sure it has been attempted. What they want must be very difficult to acquire."

"That's the first thing we do," said Eireka.

"Ask them what they want," said Leira.

"Most powerful question there is," answered her mother.

"You're finishing each other's thoughts. Not just as mother and daughter. Your energy is learning how to connect automatically. Checking in with each other. The urge has become so strong it's occurring before you can notice. The surge at Lavender Rock must have done it."

"How do we talk to a Willen?" asked Leira, changing the subject. She wasn't ready to take a deep dive into her feelings about her mother. Not yet. Eireka pressed her lips together into a thin line. Correk immediately regretted pointing out how well they were connecting.

"Okay, a Willen. Finding one will be easier than you think. We can talk to one right here on Earth. They're sneaky little bastards. That includes opening up small portals and sliding back and forth between the two worlds. The Dark Bazaar on Oriceran uses them as couriers all the time. We talk to the right one and we may get what we need. Or at least a step further."

"So, do we put out cheese? Look behind trash cans in alleys?"

"They're far too large to move around in the open like that. We go underground to the world that thrives right under your feet."

Leira's eyes widened. "You mean there's fucking more?" She looked down at her feet. "More magical creatures scurrying around down there?"

"Gets them even closer to the energy source," said Correk.

"Remember what you were saying a minute ago about redefining impossible and letting that go? Now would be a good time for you to embrace that, dear." Her mother crossed her arms and arched an eyebrow. Correk let out a snort.

Leira grimaced and folded her arms across her chest. "Fine. I embrace it all. We go find a Willen. Do we go find the nearest manhole cover? Take pizza with us?"

"They're not Ninja Turtles. Besides, we want a particularly skilled Willen. We go to the nearest kemana. The city underground is called Hilldale and is well established. It won't take long to single out the Willen we're looking for."

"Then Hilldale..." Leira's phone began to buzz. She looked down and saw it said, unknown. "Hello? Yes, General, I understand. I can leave now." She looked at her mother who gave her a half-hearted smile. "Right away, will do. Yes, sir." As usual, duty calls and I answer.

She hung up the phone. "I'm sorry. Correk, can you go without me? Take my mother. The two of you can figure it out." Don't let her out of your sight, she thought. Make sure she feels safe.

Eireka felt the small tremors of worry come off her daughter. She blinked hard, letting it pass through her. "We'll wait for you," she said. "It's okay." She held up her hand in protest. "Think about it. Time doesn't exist where my mother is and besides, this may be complicated. And as much as we don't want to say it, may not work at all. We'll wait for you," she said firmly.

"That dead woman."

"The world in between is filled with the dead as much as the living. You want to stay sane, you're going to have to let it be."

"Then I gotta go," said Leira, hesitating only for a second. "You two be okay together?"

"I think I can handle it," said Correk, rolling his eyes. "I'll show her around town."

"No CVS, no Costco."

"We're both grown and I'm older than you are by well over a hundred years. I'm not taking orders from someone who would still be a toddler in Oriceran years."

"You want Yumfuck with you? Take him. Don't leave him with the TV as a babysitter all day. Terrible influence. Next time he gets angry, which is inevitable, he'll chop off someone's head and put it in a box."

"I was going to say no, but you have a point," said Correk.

"But, we will get to the underground kemana to find a Willen as soon as possible," said Leira, already turning to go. "You have that cell phone I got at Costco? Keep it on so I can call and check on the two of you."

"If you insist. Go, we'll all be fine. We have a tiny beast and fireballs. Plus, your mother must know a spell or two. You have fewer elements in your arsenal. Should we be worried about you out there alone in the world?"

"We must be related. You are definitely annoying."

Correk smiled. "Then you can go and save the world now. Eireka and I will be fine. This will give us a chance to get to know each other better and reintroduce her to this world," said Correk, softly.

"It's okay. I've learned to be very patient,” said Eireka, shooing her daughter toward the door. She waited till Leira had gone through the gate. When she was sure she was gone, she turned and pointed a finger at Correk, walking toward him. "And don't think I won't stop trying to make contact with my mother."

Correk stepped back, arching an eyebrow. "Another trait of Leira's I can stop wondering about its origin." He tried to hide his concern.

"Nothing is going to stop me. She's my damn mother after all!"

He saw the same fierce look in her eyes that Leira had at least once a day. How much trouble will two of them bring? "Of course, well, let's get going. I'm sure Estelle wants her patio back and the troll has eaten enough bacon for now. Let's go."

CHAPTER TWO

Leira rushed to the address the general gave her over the phone. Normally, she was ready to go, already mulling over the facts she knew about a case, putting the beginning of a potential storyline together. But this time was different. The expectations were different.

I'm expected to use magic.

A thread of doubt ran through her. Something she wasn't used to, ever.

No Hagan beside me, no formal training on this magic shit.

She was adding up all the reasons taking the new job was really a bad idea as she turned onto Newning Avenue in the Travis Heights neighborhood on the South side of Austin. As an Austin homicide detective, it was never hard to find a place once she got a few blocks away. The hive of activity stretched out over a block with yellow police tape and patrol cars taking up room.

But this was different.

The street looked just as quiet as an average workday afternoon. Nothing out of place. Leira found herself glancing at houses as she drove by, looking for the house numbers, counting down till she got to the address. Clusters of short cacti were planted near the curb just in front of a stunted crepe myrtle tree.

The rancher looked like it had been recently remodeled and was well taken care of with new windows and not a single leaf on the front sidewalk. That meant nothing. Plenty of neat people have been known to kill someone, thought Leira.

There was nothing moving in the windows. No sound of anyone stirring. Leira pulled the Mustang in front of the house, taking in her surroundings. What crime happened here?

A black SUV further down the block blinked their lights at her.

"Okay, that makes me feel better. The Feds are still just as obvious as ever."

She pulled down the street, turning around at the end so she could park right behind them. A door opened but no one got out and after a few seconds Leira took the hint and got out, walking over to the car.

"Get in," said a man in a dark suit wearing reflective sunglasses. He slid over to make room.

A walking cliché.

"Show me some ID first."

"Can't you sense who we are or something?"

Leira gave them a dead fish look, glad she still had a reason to dish it out. The man reached into an inside pocket in his jacket and pulled out a thin wallet, flipping it open to show her an ID.

"Take off the glasses," she said, looking at the picture and back at him.

"Really?" he said, annoyed. He pulled down the sunglasses to reveal dark brown eyes.

"All the way, so I can see your face. You know what they say about getting in a car and stranger danger."

"Now you're just fucking with me for your own amusement."

"Isn't that what you're doing with all of this?" Leira finally slid into the car. She could see the driver smirking in the rear-view mirror.

"Hello," said the driver, turning around to offer his hand to shake. He looked like he was issued the same uniform of dark suit, reflective glasses, vinyl jacket as the man in the backseat. "Name's Fischer. We're your new coworkers. That's Cohen. He takes a little getting used to but he grows on you over time. So be careful." Fischer let out a laugh, covering his mouth with his fist.

Cohen grunted, his mouth pulled into a thin line. He was not amused. "As you saw," he said, putting his ID back in his pocket, "name is Alan Cohen. That's Jeff Fischer, a regular comedian and my partner, for now," he said, scowling at the reflection in the mirror. "This your first day?"

"Not even," said Leira. "I was supposed to start in a few days."

"We were told to give you this." Cohen pulled a black nylon jacket out of a paper bag on the floor. "Real nylon, no less," said Fischer. He snickered as Cohen handed it over. "Enough," said Cohen, glaring at Fischer.

Leira did her dead fish look on him and was tempted to ramp up the magic but it was too early. There would be plenty of time to make him shit his pants.

"What's so..." She flipped the jacket over and saw the white lettering across the back. PDA in large capital letters. "This somebody's idea of a joke?"

"In over two hundred years the federal government has never been known to have any kind of sense of humor. That stands for Paranormal Defense Agent."

"They didn't tell you much, did they?" Fischer twisted in his seat to get a better look at Leira, a wide, crooked smile on his face.

"And apparently you didn't ask," said Cohen. "You're an adjunct to the PDF. The Paranormal Defense Force, out of Alexandria, Virginia. Ever heard of the place? No? Not surprising. It's very hush hush. The powers that employ us don't want the average Joe walking around to find out someone can abracadabra him into a rabbit."

"Or can make him hand over all of his money and like it."

"No, that's not magic Fischer, that's your wife."

They both laughed, Fischer slapping Cohen on the shoulder.

"But they let you two in on it." Leira rolled her eyes, looking down at the jacket. Nylon. PDA, fuck me.

"I can't tell if it looks like you're asking for a public display of affection or to keep away." Fischer was sitting back, still chuckling. Leira looked up, a low-level glow to her eyes.

Might need to back the bozos up early.

Fischer choked on the spit in his mouth, letting out a soft gurgle as he shrunk back in the front seat.

"Gaaaawww! Goddammit!" Cohen fumbled for his gun. Leira sent the energy out ahead and gave him a solid shove, his head banging against the window.

"Are we done playing? I have better things to do than listen to you chickenheads. What the hell am I doing here?"

Fischer gasped for air, his mouth opening and closing like a goldfish out of its bowl.

"Take a deep breath, Fischer. Go on, you can do it, hold it in for just a second. Now let it out." Leira spoke to him in a soothing tone. If only to get something out of one of them so she could move on to her first case. "Let's try this again. Why am I here?"

Fischer gasped but he finally started talking. "There's a dead body in there. Federal witness. Looks a little too hinky."

Cohen rubbed the back of his head, his eyes still squeezed shut, wincing. "Doesn't help that she was the only witness to a big case against some mean drug dealers."

"So far, sounds very ordinary and unfortunate all the way around," said Leira, looking out at the quiet street.

"A call came down to have you come take a look. Feel around or something."

"Because two minutes ago I was a homicide detective. Okay, I can do that."

"Not just that. The victim was shot in the head but is laid out like she's a living doll. This isn't the crime scene. We can't find a drop of blood or any other kind of clue for that matter." Cohen tried a nervous smile.

Fischer tsked, "Don't try to make nice with her. She'll make your eyes roll back in your head. No offense," he added quickly, holding up his hands. "You just don't look like the kind who wants to be friends with everybody. It's a sort of compliment."

Leira let out an aggravated sigh. "I get it. Not paranormal necessarily, but not exactly normal. A sociopath mixed in with a drug case."

"That is the dilemma in front of us. We aren't even exactly sure if we're looking at a weird hit on a witness or just bad fucking luck and a serial killer picked our witness for his own sick, twisted reasons."

"Since the introductions are over, let's get out of the car and go take a look." Leira got out and stood on the sidewalk. Perfect first case. Her detective skills were definitely going to come in handy. The only thing that could have made it better was if Hagan was there running slowly just behind her. Not the same without him.

Let's see if there's any kind of trail. She took in a deep breath and took another look around but this time drawing in the energy from under her feet, just a little. Not enough to light up like a Christmas tree and alert anyone who might be watching from their window. No traces. Either the girl was laid out a while ago or someone knew how to cover their tracks.

Just as she was about to let the energy flow back down into the ground, the tail of something caught her attention. A clear, wide open trail of something that lacked any kind of feeling. Sociopath. It was eerie, like stepping into a black space where everything was observed.

"She's in this direction." Leira walked toward the tidy bungalow two houses down. The energy gently pulled her in that direction, seducing her, telling her everything would be alright. It was like being hypnotized. "This must be what it's like to believe one of these fuckers," she muttered, letting herself be pulled along by the steady, thin stream.

"Hey, how did you know?" asked Fischer, scrambling out of the car, jogging a little to keep up with her.

"Don't show how stupid you are," said Cohen, looking around as he walked faster. Cohen caught up to Leira and jumped in front of her. "Wait! We still need to use protocol going in there. We can't just barrel in like maintaining a crime scene doesn't matter anymore. Here," he said, pulling out blue paper booties and handing Leira a pair. "Take the gloves too but do me a favor, don't touch anything. We'll need to search for evidence."

"No one's been in there yet?" Leira got to the door and fit the booties around her favorite black and white Keds.

"Briefly. But they want to come back. The brass didn't want anything disturbed till you got the chance to do a walk through. It's all been kept quiet. Neighbors have no idea. We'll light the place up with tape and the ground troops once you're done. Something about not clouding the aura. That came straight from the PDF."

Leira drew her brows together, frowning at Cohen.

"Hey, those guys are like you," he said, waving a hand in her direction. "You know, magical aliens."

Leira shoved past him, walking into the house. "You have a weird way of welcoming someone to the job. Come on, you guys better hurry up and get off the street unless you want someone wondering why two guys in dark suits are hanging around in their neighborhood."

Fischer tripped up the stairs behind her. "Prepare yourself Agent Berens. Some real freaky-deaky going on in there."

"Some badass shit," said Cohen. They both stopped at the door.

"So now you finally stand back," said Leira, turning to look at them. "Okay, wait here, I'll go take a look. Will one of you at least go take the back in case there's someone who's been watching the place. And no, I don't know what's going to happen next. It doesn't work like that. We still have to do actual work. Go!"

Fischer took off round the back while Cohen stepped just inside the door where he wouldn't be seen from the street. "She's just inside the first room on the right," he said, pointing toward the hallway. He kept an eye on the street as Leira drew her gun, sliding around to the first bedroom on the right.

The room was painted in a deep Superman blue and there was still a Justice League poster taped to the wall. White plastic shades hung across the window, cutting the light in the room making it harder to clearly see the body neatly arranged on the chenille bedspread atop a double bed pushed into a corner of the room. She didn't want to raise the shades and give a neighbor the chance to see anything. Leira pulled out her pen light to get a better look but she already knew something about the victim.

It was the dead girl she had seen desperately reaching out to her from the world in between.

Leira gave off a shudder, the light shaking over the girl, casting shadows on the wall. "Steady Berens. Not your hundredth dead body. This one is even all neat and clean for you."

"Everything alright in there? Who you talking to?" Cohen's voice echoed down the hallway.

"Not the victim, if that's what you're asking," Leira yelled back, glad she was telling the truth, for now.

She ran the light over the girl's body. One clean hole in the center of her forehead just like in the vision. But the rest was different. The girl in the world in between was wearing jeans and a hoodie over a t-shirt. The body on the bed was decked out in a sea foam green party dress with a sash. Like a giant doll. Even her hair was neatly arranged. "This is not good. Someone went to a lot of trouble. But, why this house?"

"House is for sale." Cohen had quietly positioned himself in the doorway.

Leira started, shaking the light again.

"Huh, nice to know you can't read my mind."

"I'm gonna guess that's more of a blessing for me." Leira went back to scanning the girl's body. "Did you see these marks on her wrists? She was restrained but with something soft. Still, she pulled against them. Must have been in them a while. How long was she missing?"

"Not entirely sure," said Cohen, running a hand through his hair. "She wasn't due to testify and we thought she was safe. No one knew about her..."

"Okay, I get it. Not interested in placing blame. How old is she?"

"Just turned twenty. A kid. Name was Casey."

Leira reached out to move the girl's hair. A recent bruise was on her shoulder. Leira gently touched the bruise sending a jolt of energy through her body. She looked up, expecting to see the blue wall but instead there was a familiar gray swirling mist. "Fuck," Leira said quietly. She knew what she was looking at, an opening into the world in between. "Please don't be a portal." She braced herself, waiting to see what came next. "Maybe this is another way people just disappear."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Cohen stepped back out of the room and shouted at her from the hallway. "The goddamned temperature just dropped in there! What the hell are you doing? Communing with the dead? Magical shit can do that?"

The mist crept further into the room, enveloping Leira. She stomped one foot hard against the floor, grateful to still feel the cheap carpet underneath her shoes. Just a mist, okay. You only have one channel. Hunker down and get it done. No need to make this the exception. Let's go.

"Casey, are you in there?" she called out. Her energy went out ahead of her, searching in the mist. Leira could feel the emptiness of everything in front of her but somehow she still instinctively knew what to do. Let the energy lead her. "Casey, I'm here. I'm ready to listen," she said loudly.

The girl's face slowly emerged, still dressed in the hoodie and jeans. She was desperately trying to push her energy out toward Leira. "You don't have enough practice, do you? Fuck me," whispered Leira, as she settled down, feeling compassion for the girl, using it to draw up energy through her feet, lighting up the symbols along her hands and arms till they reached her face.

"Holy shit!" Cohen was yelling from the hallway but he didn't move, watching intently what was happening in the room. "A full on fucking ghost!"

The mist swirled around his ankles crawling up his legs. He pulled out his gun aiming it at the girl in the mist.

"Put your goddamned gun away!" Leira yelled. Her concentration was broken and she could feel the energy slipping away. "She's already dead, you fucking moron! I'd like to not join her! Leave if you have to but stop interfering!" Leira turned back to the girl, letting everything else fade into the background. "Casey," she whispered, "That's right, I know who you are."

The symbols along Leira's arms and on her face started to glow brighter. Her energy pulsed around the girl, drawing closer. The girl held out her hands to Leira but something got in her way. She pounded against the clear wall, leaving hand prints but not getting through, yelling but none of the sounds carried into the room.

"Not a portal." Leira felt a wave of relief.

The girl looked down at her body, shock coming over her. She pointed, jabbing again and again, shaking her head, tears filling her eyes.

"You can still feel everything. That's the sorrow I felt before." She wanted to pull back but resisted. The girl looked up at her and nodded. "And you can hear me, even if I can't hear you. Who did this to you?" Leira pushed harder, sending the flow of magic more tightly around the girl, crossing the barrier between her world and the world in between. An image started to come to her of a balding man, wearing round-rimmed spectacles. He looked surprisingly small but she could feel Casey's surprise at finding out he was freakishly strong. And angry. Images of the last moments flowed up the current of energy and into Leira. It was all she could do to hold on and watch another death scene. And unlike the death of Prince Rolim, this time she could feel it from the inside. She gasped as the gun fired off a shot at Casey. Leira ducked, even though she knew it was all in the past.

Suddenly, Leira's feet moved forward as if she was being pulled.

"No!" yelled Cohen, taking a step back into the room.

The tug was getting stronger. Something from the other side was hooking itself onto her magic and trying to pull her closer. Pull her to the other side. Is that even fucking possible?

Leira fought back, summoning the strong pulse of energy she had felt at Lavender Rock, shoving back at the energy while still trying to hang onto Casey. But the dead girl slipped backward, her arms outstretched toward Leira as a dark energy crept up the trail of magic Leira was leaving behind.

"Not fucking today!" she yelled, summoning feelings of courage to shove back as hard as she could at the advancing menace. Sparks crackled and popped in the center of it like a storm cloud about to throw off lightning. Leira held her arms out, her muscles aching, everything in her body tense as her feet started to slide forward again.

Not like this.

Cohen grabbed the doorknob with one hand and the back of Leira's pants with the other and pulled for all he was worth, sliding with her, his hand slipping off of the doorknob. The darkening cloud grew closer and there was a buzz in the room so loud it was making Leira's head hurt.

"Let go!" Leira yelled over the roar of the hum. "It'll take you too! There's no way out of there!" Her arms vibrated from the flow of energy as the pain from holding onto the stream shot up into her shoulders.

Her feet started to slip over the edge of a void where the floor ended. She didn't want to find out what that meant and doubled her efforts. But she was growing tired. "Let go!" she yelled again at Cohen, but he held on, grasping at the nearby bed, jostling Casey's dead body.

Suddenly, a second energy flow appeared, merging with hers, as the scent of lilacs came to her, growing stronger, pushing back at the amorphous beast. Tears poured down Leira's cheeks. "Nana" she whispered, her arms still aching from the effort. The beast roared and Leira felt the rumble through every cell of her being, wondering how loud it must sound on the other side.

Still, the combined energy held and the mist receded until Leira fell backwards into a heap on top of Cohen, knocking the wind out of both of them.

Leira rolled over, getting up on her hands and knees, trying to catch her breath. "Nana. No, enough." She stood up, feeling the ache between her shoulder blades. "Are you okay?"

Cohen was still lying on his back taking in air in short gulps.

"Take a deeper breath. You'll hyperventilate that way. There you go. Are you hurt?"

He finally sat up, leaning against the bed. Casey's cold arm slid over and tapped him on the back of the neck. He shuddered and moved down. "Yeah, yeah. What kind of mystery shitbag was that?"

Leira sat back. "I have no idea but I have an idea who killed the girl."

"I'm not sure it's worth it to take a shortcut like that!"

"What happened? What happened? Why did you guys toss the room?" Fischer came running into the room, his gun drawn, a look of panic on his face. "Somebody jump you? Killer come back?" He ran back out of the room, down the hallway, and came running back, gun still out.

"Put that away. We're okay," said Leira, stretching. Every square inch of her body ached.

"The hocus pocus got turned up a few notches," said Cohen, as Fischer helped him to get up.

"That was pretty brave of you. You didn't have to do that," said Leira. "I even told you to cut it out."

"Look, we're kind of assholes to newbies, granted. But we defend our own with our lives, if necessary. No exceptions. Welcome to the team," he said, holding out his hand.

"Hell of a first day," said Leira, shaking his hand.

"You want to tell me what cavalry that was that came in and saved our asses from the gates of hell?"

Leira hesitated.

"It's okay. We were told to expect secrets. They created a whole new level of clearance just for you." Cohen brushed off his pants. "Just tell me what we need to know. Who's the bastard who did this?" He pointed to the body. It was rolled onto one side.

"His name is Perry Jones. You'd pass right by him if you weren't looking for him. Casey's not his first kill. He didn't know she was an informant. And you're right. Talking to the dead is too dangerous. But there are easier ways to at least find Perry Jones. Give me a minute. His trail has a very distinct quality."

"Then we go get him?"

"Then we capture his ass."

"Welcome aboard, Agent Leira Berens. I'll buy lunch." Cohen pulled out a white handkerchief and wiped the sweat off his face. "Let's never do that again."

***

Leira drove slowly home, the nylon jacket with the large PDA on the seat next to her. Cohen told her to take a beat before stopping by the field office to fill out the paperwork. He was shaking his head when he said it. "Good luck. I hope they rewrote the little boxes you have to check off."

She was still shaken by the experience of almost getting dragged into a netherworld by something she couldn't quite explain.

"Malevolent." Leira said it out loud to try and shake off the feeling. She gripped the steering wheel tighter. "Not working," she said, between clenched teeth. "Nana." The feeling of her grandmother's energy streaming in to save her ass was still vibrating in her chest, making her teeth chatter.

A measure of fear always brought out defiance in Leira. But this time it was mixed with something sharp that threatened to break her heart. "No!" Leira hit the steering wheel, startling the driver in the car next to her as they waited at a light on 5th Street. Leira wasn't in a mood to make anyone feel better. She glared at the driver till he looked away.

Tears filled her eyes, catching her off guard. She sucked air in between her teeth and jackrabbited off the line when the light turned green, turning sharply and squealing the wheels.

"I'm fucking angry!" she screamed from inside the car. She pulled over to the curb and beat the steering wheel with her fists till the pain made her stop. "My grandmother deserves better." Leira hunted around on the floor of the car and found a napkin with a few familiar orange streaks across it. "Cheetos." She pressed her lips together, squeezing her eyes shut, feeling the pain wash over her. "Enough," she whispered, opening her eyes. "Okay, new agent for the Feds, we don't stare at problems. We go hunting for solutions. What would Hagan tell me? Look for clues. I can do this."

She shut her eyes again and let the scene replay in her mind. What did I miss while I was trying to save my hide? There it is. That thing broke apart. Wait... I can feel it.

Her eyes popped open. "Not one being. A mass of them. Well, well, well, the baddies have formed a band in the world in between. Okay, the start of a plan," she said, wiping snot off her nose with the napkin. She looked in the mirror and saw the start of an orange moustache. "Fuck! Stupid Cheetos dust! Like a dye pack went off on my face!" She scrambled for the glove compartment, pulling out the wipes. "Should have reached for these in the first place. Dammit!"

She pulled out a wipe and rubbed the smudge off her face, looking over at the empty seat next to her. "What would you say Hagan? Come on. Shit doesn't happen to you as much as it just happens. Get over yourself and let's figure out the next thing to do."

Leira sat back against the seat and breathed in deeply, letting go of some of the pain as she breathed out. "There has to be a solution." A bright white light suddenly filled the car. "What the fuck? First hell almost finds me and now heaven is tracking me down?"

"Thank you. I'm not usually associated with such a nice place." An elderly well-dressed man using a cane was taking mincing steps toward the corner. He turned and looked directly at Leira over half a block away. "I was wondering when you'd turn your attention to the answers instead of the problem. Could hear you from a block away. Sounded like a lot of whining." An ethereal white light swirled around him.

Leira's eyes grew wide and she realized he was creating sound tunnels. "Hey, excuse me! Big dark thing like jello, tried to turn me into the living dead." She threw up her hands, feeling a little ridiculous arguing with an old man standing so far away. "What are...?"

"Light Elf, if you have to ask. You need to learn to recognize your own family."

"You need to wait till you get a complete sentence. What are you doing? Why are you going to so much trouble to talk to me? Have we met?"

"That's a lot of questions. Like an old time interrogation. Look kid, I felt your pain and reached out to check on you. Could tell from the trail you left that you're family. Another Light Elf. Horrible place that world in between. Remember, just because someone hasn't found a solution is not the same as there being no solution to find. You may have to be resourceful but from the energy you give off, you may just have a shot." He leaned forward, both hands on his cane, chatting with Leira like they were standing next to each other. No one else meandering down the street even noticed. The entire time his body swirled with a white glow that reached all the way to the Mustang.

"I'm new to all of this."

"No shit. What? You didn't think the elderly swore? You're fucking right I do. I'm almost a thousand years old. Yes, a millennia. Your surprise tells me there is much for you to learn about yourself. I've earned the right to not have to dress it up for anybody. You're barely an Elven toddler and at least you've figured that one out. You have a potty mouth, child." He cackled, straightening up for a moment before going back to leaning.

"But you need to put a little more spit into it," he said. "Helps get the point across if you land a little something on someone. In the history of the world, nobody likes getting schmutz on themselves, especially when it's not their own. There you go, a smile, even if it's a small one."

"Who are you?" Leira resisted the urge to lean forward in order to make herself heard. Instead, she sat back, doing her best to relax and gather information.

"Much better. Sit back, listen. You don't know enough to be asking so many questions, anyway. Forget about it. My name is Turner Underwood. I'm known among certain magical locals as the Fixer. I carry a lot of knowledge up here." He tapped the brim of his hat. "Strange how life works. I'm starting to finally feel my age and wondered who would take my place. Just like that," he said, snapping his fingers, "there you are. Like a spell was cast! Who knows, maybe I'm better than I realize."

Leira's curiosity got the better of her. She turned off the car and opened her car door.

"No, no," he said, waving a finger "not now. Soon enough. But when we can be sure no eyes are on us. You need to learn more about who you are and what you can do before you even think about stepping into my shoes. Ask that Cousin of yours who's been hanging around to tell you more about the stories of Light Elves from thousands of years ago."

Leira started to interrupt him but an angry look passed across his face. "You insist on playing by the rules that you know," he said, slamming the tip of the cane against the hard concrete. "That will not work here! Mind your elders! Don't make me use a spell."

He gave a shake all over as if he was casting off a bad mood and started over, moving his hands quickly, bending his fingers. A thin streak of sparkling red and gold light shot through the sound tunnel straight to Leira's hand, pooling the light in the center of her palm.

A red poppy appeared, growing from a bud into a flower as if she was the soil, opening its petals. "What?" Leira watched in amazement.

"You learn a few things to dazzle the ladies with when you live to be my age. I need an edge of some kind over the younger Elves who've only been here for a few hundred years. They've still got their looks. I know how to make women smile. It's really the best kind of magic."

Leira lifted the flower and was surprised to find that it had a scent. "I do have so much to learn," she said, awe in her voice.

"I'll leave you with this. I sense a strong force is unleashed among us again. An unfriendly sort. I'd say more but I don't speak of certain things before I'm ready and I'm not ready. Too much information is lacking. It would just be speculation, which is worth nothing. For the addle-brained." He waved his hands in disgust, one hand still holding on to the cane, and made a face like he was tasting something sour."

"There may be some harder days ahead for you, my dear Leira. But occasionally take a look around, a real look around and notice how many of our kind are passing right by you. You may need all of us some day, Agent Berens. That's right, I know all about you. For now, I'm glad to see you survived the ordeal. Rough business. You take care of yourself. I'll find you when the time is right. Good day."

He tipped his hat and turned around, the cane tapping against the sidewalk as he continued on his way. Leira started the car back up and headed back into traffic. She got to the end of the block and looked to her left, hoping to spot Turner but he was nowhere to be seen.

"How did such an old man with a cane move that fast?" Leira drew on the energy from the ground beneath her, searching for his magic trail. She was met with a dazzling panorama of white light that made her blink till she realized the light wasn't blinding. "It's like he was everywhere at once."

A car honked behind her, two short taps. The Austin version of an angry driver. Leira gave a short wave in her rear-view mirror, saving the one finger salute for below the windshield.

"Childish!" rang in her ears. It was Turner, still speaking to her from a distance. Leira leaned forward, taking a look all the way around but couldn't see him.

"How?"

"There are amazing things in the world, Agent Berens, some good, some not so much. Just remember, if I could see you, then others might as well."

"Creepy thought," she whispered. She heard a raspy laughter that spread out through the white light as the car behind her honked again, this time a little longer. She turned the corner, the laughter still in her ears as the light flew back out again leaving everything looking a little duller.

Leira let out a sigh. "How many people have to absorb this much weird just to start a new job? Screw taking a beat. Might as well head to my new office and find out just how ready they are for the likes of me."

CHAPTER THREE

Eireka looked at the cell phone Leira left for Correk, marveling at all the apps on the screen. "They had most of these things before I was taken away, you know.” She laughed softly, pushing the button for Candy Crush. "What's the point of this one? I don't get it."

"Good, I'll stop worrying about you. It's virtual anesthesia. Will numb your brain within five minutes. You don't even need to count backward."

"This thing says someone has played it almost a hundred times already."

Correk hurriedly took the phone from her. "Yes, well, I was on a winning streak," he said, sheepishly, sitting down on the couch.

"You okay, Correk? Not enough bacon this morning?"

"Huh?" The troll looked up from the TV. He was wrapped in a wash cloth, watching Golden Girls, cackling every time Rose said anything.

"What are those orange dots all over his body? Are you sick little fellow?" Eireka reached out a finger to rub his head.

"Be careful. The way he eats he may bite down on the end of your finger. Those orange dots represent a large plastic container of cheese puffs I just bought from Costco. He dove down the center of them and ate until there was just dust left. I scrubbed off what I could."

The troll let out a large belch and smacked his lips together.

"What was all that screaming he was doing earlier?"

"Can't be sure." Correk tried to change the subject. "Did you try Words with Friends? You can play Scrabble with people from everywhere. Well, this world at least." He swiped, starting a game for her.

"But he even started to grow. He looked like an angry blue poodle. Like a punk rock star's idea of a pet. You were throwing spells right and left! Come on, what does all that mean?"

"That he's a pain in my ass and a standard issue troll."

Eireka took a long look at Correk, studying his face as he continued to play the game on the phone. The conversation was only reminding him of what he witnessed. The troll's sudden deep blue color was a sign. Leira was close to something dark enough it could sever the connection she had with the troll. The troll let out a painful roar as the blue had rapidly streamed out along his fur, covering every inch of him. There was very little that could tear the tie once a troll bonded.

Death, the world in between. He glanced up for a moment and smiled at Eireka, raising his eyebrows before looking back down at the different-colored gems, stacking and restacking them.

"It's like having a teenager in the house. Okay, keep your secrets. You and Leira really are like brother and sister more than cousins. If you need to protect her by saying nothing, I will live with that for now." Eireka took a step closer to Correk and leaned over until she was inches from his face. "But if my daughter is ever in danger and you don't tell me, I'll show you what a determined momma from Texas who knows a magical thing or two looks like protecting her cub. And let me clue you in, it's the Texas part you need to worry about most." Her voice came out low and even.

Correk swallowed hard and thought twice about telling Eireka that the troll had been dangerously close to growing into the size of a Yeti. It was bad enough he was wailing at the top of his lungs. Only Correk's constant spell surrounding the cottage kept any of the regulars who might be sitting on the patio from busting down the door. All he wanted to do now was call Leira to make sure she was still in one piece, or even alive. It was all he could do to stop himself from sending out a ball of light to search for her.

It wasn't until the troll started to calm down that Correk knew whatever had happened, it was passing. Still, he was worried. He looked over at the troll, his mouth wide open in a laugh, his tongue still orange.

"Should have never let you see where I was keeping my stash. Only redeeming thing about any of this is they were knock off Cheetos."

"Thbfttttt." The troll pressed his hands on either side of his cheeks and blew a raspberry at him, laughing.

"Tiny rodent."

The troll stood up, letting the washcloth fall off of him. "Yumfuck! Yumfuck! Yumfuck!" He marched around in circles, stomping his tiny feet, trilling his name, ending his outburst by bending over and farting in Correk's direction. A small orange cloud rose toward the ceiling.

"You think that'll leave a stain?" asked Eireka, looking up.

"I'm not going to look. Even a Light Elf has his limits, and I'm going to live far too long to have to that gem stored in my memory," said Correk. The phone suddenly rang in his hands, startling him as he tossed it into the air, fumbled it. "For the love of two moons!" He barely caught it, turning it over and over in his hands, trying to keep his Elven composure. It wasn't working.

By the grace of Tess, still be in one piece. Please Leira. It was the only thought running through his head. He took a deep breath and answered the phone.

"Hello?" He tried to take a casual stance, looking around the room while he waited for a response, making the situation even more awkward. "At last, where have you been?" Everything came out in a rush of words and at a much higher pitch than he intended. He plastered a smile on his face and looked at Eireka who was looking at the troll, looking at the ceiling.

"The troll seemed agitated earlier but I managed to daze him with an overdose of cheese puffs. Yes, my cheese puffs." He glanced at Eireka and did his best to sound casual. "Anything interesting happen so far on the job? Good first day? I realize they weren't the real thing but they were close. What do you mean Cheetos come in different varieties? There's a crunchy kind?" His relief at hearing her laugh flooded through him. She was alright, for now.

Eireka looked at Correk who was turning his back to her trying to whisper loudly into the phone. "I can't tell if something's gone wrong or you've been on this planet a minute too long. What has Leira done to you?"

Correk held up a finger. "Did you leave your Costco card? Wait a minute." He squeezed his eyes shut. A little focus. After all, you were sent here to protect her. "How was your day?" He said the words slowly and deliberately, letting himself sing them. "Well, congratulations are in order. You'll have to tell me all the details. I want to hear everything. I won't spoil my dinner. I don't think laughter is appropriate. Alright, I'm hanging up. I'm hanging up. If all you're going to do is...alright...we'll see you at dinner. Stop laughing!"

Correk felt the rest of the tension flow out of him. He would get the story out of her later all the same. Something dark happened. First that damnable necklace, now this. Something is stirring up the bottom dregs of magic. It's got something to do with the Dark Market.

"Correk. Correk. Where'd you go?" Eireka was waving at him, the troll standing on her shoulder, grinning at him. He blew another raspberry at Correk. Eireka picked Yumfuck up and gently placed him back down on the washcloth.

"Sorry, I was lost in thought. Thinking about Oriceran." He tried to hide the twinge of guilt that came over him. It was most of the truth. Somehow this is all connected. Oriceran and Earth, he thought. "We should get out of here for a while. Show you the city. See what's changed. You can probably show me a thing or two. I'm still a relative newcomer."

"Frankly, so am I in a lot of ways. Who knew the world would decide to change so much in just fifteen years. I mean, I saw commercials. That was practically the only thing to do in there." She stopped suddenly, pressing her lips together. Not going to think about that place. That's over.

"Then it's time to go see what all of that advertising left out," Correk said gently.

"Yumfuck!" The troll gleefully jumped off the arm of the couch, digging its tiny claws into Correk's sleeve, grinning up at him.

"Yes, even you." Correk was too relieved about Leira to care. The troll was happy and that meant Leira was fine and no sign of blue fur anywhere.

"You wearing those lace-up pants?" asked Eireka.

"Your daughter has the same issue with them. They're what everyone is wearing in Oriceran. Do you mind if we make just one stop before we head to South Congress?"

"Costco? Couldn't help overhearing. If you're getting crunchy Cheetos, I'm in. There was no such thing when they dragged me away. Bet a Light Elf was behind the idea."

Correk held out his arm for Eireka, depositing Yumfuck in his pocket. "You and I are going to get along well, Cousin. Let's go see what there is to see."

"You have a bag of treats for the troll?

"What a clever idea." Correk hit his forehead with the palm of his hand.

"I still remember what it was like to be Leira's mom. Those little goldfish crackers and hand wipes at all times."

Correk turned and put his hands on Eireka's shoulders. "You never stopped being her mother for a single minute. I've only known your daughter for a little while, and granted, I've known you even less time but I see the similarities and I can tell that you played a big part in making Leira strong enough to survive everything that got shoveled her way."

"Even while I was gone." There were tears in Eireka's eyes.

"Especially while you were gone. Leira is the sort who answers the call to duty first and with some inner belief that she can figure it out. She helps people. You did a good job. Now, yes, I think I'm going to wear my favorite britches. Rumor is, I will fit right into South Congress and they are remarkably comfortable. I'd say the yoga pants are even better but Leira has told me I'm not to wear them outside of the cottage."

Eireka suppressed a giggle as a tiny orange cloud puffed out of Correk's pocket.

"Oh, smell-a-vision no less." Eireka wrinkled her nose and waved her hand through the air.

Correk rolled his eyes and went and scooped up the Costco card and credit card Leira had left on the kitchen counter for them. There was a post-it note next to them that read, 'Show some restraint dude. No more As Seen on TV aisle for you'. He gave a half smile but it didn't spread all the way to his eyes. "You are getting very hard to protect, Cousin," he whispered.

"Ready?" Eireka appeared in the doorway.

"As ready as I'm going to be."

"Snack!" Yumfuck poked his head out of the pocket, leaning toward the refrigerator.

"Smart little beast." Eireka rubbed his tiny head and was rewarded with a trill.

"Clever like a Vegas magic act. Somewhat entertaining and you can never be sure what's about to happen next or where that thing you just had disappeared to but you have a vague idea, all the same."

"You know Vegas. Interesting. It's like Earth is your reality TV."

"Vegas has attracted a lot of Oricerans. All that glitter. It's our HGTV."

"I can see Leira used the TV as a babysitter for both of you."

Correk poured kibble into a baggy as the troll blew a wet raspberry trying to knock the baggie out of his hands.

"No point in taking it if he won't eat it. Try the stale popcorn in the bowl."

"The one with his butt print still in it."

"He doesn't seem to mind. Go for it. Won't hurt him. You like him, you know you do."

"It's their tiny secret weapon. You get used to their antics till the day seems a little hollow if something isn't rocketing off your shoulder or cackling at dawn in a shoe box right next to you." Correk pulled out a bowl of grapes from the refrigerator and put a handful into the baggie.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," the troll panted, holding out his hands for a grape. It was almost as big as his head but he managed to stuff it all into his mouth, biting down as the juice ran out of his mouth. He shut his eyes and gently trilled.

"You have wipes, right?"

"In bulk from Costco."

"That place really made a big impression on you. Have you seen a Walmart yet? I'm glad Leira has you, at least for now," said Eireka, gently smiling. "Now, let's roll.

***

They walked along South Congress past all of the shops set up to attract the tourists. Down the long hilly ribbon of a street they could see the state capital's copper dome in the distance.

"You were admirably restrained in Costco," said Eireka, eating from a bag of Cheetos Crunchy Cheddar Jalapeno. The little tiger on the front was wearing sunglasses and a cowboy hat. "Uh, spicy!" Eireka lifted her chin and closed her eyes, feeling the slight burn in her mouth. "This was one of the things I missed. Everything was so bland in there!"

"You have a little orange dust on the end of your nose. Wipe it off before the troll decides to help you." Correk bit into a spicy Doritos rolled like a crunchy Cheetos. He swallowed hard, his eyes watering. "This may be a little more spice than I'm accustomed to on Oriceran." He pounded on his chest and took out another one, biting down. "Can't stop eating them."

The phone began to buzz in his hand. "It's just a text from Leira. She wants to know if we're at Costco." He typed no, leaving a dark orange print and put the phone in a side pocket on his suede pants. "Usually holds a small weapon but makes a handy place to put the phone."

"If I remember correctly, Light Elves take rigorous honesty very seriously." Eireka watched him, a slight smile on her face.

"That was the truth. She'll have to ask better questions. Besides, if we take every phone call we'll never get out of here. All you'll remember of this day is me standing next to you, ignoring you, talking into the air. If we add a few selfies to the mix I fear my ears will permanently round themselves out."

"Uh huh, I see your point. Sorry, I'm a little rusty with the humor. Nice glamour though. These things are addictive." She bit down on another Cheetos. "No, don't give him one. I can't imagine that's a good idea."

"He's happily eating grapes. Besides, he's had his share of orange dust for the week, and I can't take the orange farts. It's like the troll is the sausage factory and I'm tired of seeing how the farts are made."

"What should we see next?" Eireka looked up at the large wooden sign shaped like a cowboy boot outside of Allens boots. "We need cowboy boots. On me. Come on, I have that large pile of money from the hospital. One splurge."

"A Light Elf in cowboy boots. Won't be ridiculous at all."

"Maybe they'll have a tiny pair for a doll that we can buy Yumfuck."

"Okay, now I'm intrigued." Correk tried brushing the orange powder off his hands but only managed to spread the crumbs around his front.

"Don't move! I remember this one." Eireka pulled out a wipe, gently dabbing the front of his tunic.

A young man wearing a Grateful Dead t-shirt walked by, his arm around his girlfriend. The girl was wearing a black lacy bra covered by a sheer top that only came halfway down her waist.

"Nice outfit, dude. You heard of..."

"Medieval Times, yes, very familiar. Like being home again," said Correk, as the couple kept walking down the street. Eireka giggled as she wiped off her fingers.

"Is that the only reason someone might dress like this on the streets?" he asked.

"Yes, yes it is." Eireka tried to do something resembling Leira's dead fish look but failed. She broke into laughter.

"Fine," he said, laughing, "then let's take it the rest of the way home and try some cowboy boots on this mother."

"You have been watching a lot of TV," said Eireka, rolling her eyes.

A tiny rallying cry erupted from Correk's pocket. "Motherfuckers!" Correk held open the door to the store.

"Nice ventriloquism," said an older woman wearing a white crocheted vest as she dropped a dollar in his hand. Eireka laughed as they wandered into the store and stood at the end of the aisles, their mouths open, staring at the rows upon rows of boots.

"Can I help you?"

A short young woman with a glossy dark ponytail and bright white teeth stood behind them. She was wearing jeans tucked into blue cowboy boots embroidered with gold thread.

"I want those," said Eireka, pointing at the woman's boots. The woman smiled as Correk stared at her teeth. Eireka caught him pulling in just a little magic. She gave him a hard tap on the arm. "She's not one of us. Those are human teeth or at least made by humans and glossed to perfection. No magic."

"I thought for sure that was a glamour."

Eireka shrugged. "Of sorts, just the human kind. Come on, let's try on some boots. Oh look, they do have little tiny red ones!"

"Those are for dollhouses. The little girls love them. You have one at home?" said the woman, still smiling as she pulled out a box. Eireka didn't even get a chance to answer. "Size seven, right? I can usually call 'em. What about you, big guy? Ready to join us here in Texas? Maybe start with some roach killer boots? Got just the pair for you. Have a seat." She pointed to a long bench. "I'll be right back. Don't move y'all," she said, as she disappeared around the corner, heading down a different aisle.

"Why do I feel compelled to obey her?" asked Correk, smiling.

"Texas women are not to be trifled with. Now you know where Leira got that from, along with her fierce loyalty. I wonder if I'll ever stop feeling guilty."

"I believe you will, with time. I have this theory. Maybe it comes from living so many years. The bigger picture is a lot bigger. At first, we make so many mistakes, step on other people most of the time without even meaning to. Sometimes things just happen and you end up separated from the people you love. But...," he held up a finger, "then life takes another turn and suddenly things change. You get these strange do-overs that don't exactly resemble what you missed or what you wrecked but they're so close, you know it's another chance. And if you can just let go and be in the moment it heals even the deepest wounds."

Eireka put a hand on Correk's arm. "Thank you for that. I suppose a hundred-year perspective comes in handy sometimes."

"Imagine how full of myself I'll be at five hundred years. Keep your eyes open for them, Eireka. You'll get your chance to share a few moments with Leira you thought were lost. No magic necessary."

"Like those teeth," she said, trying to smile.

"Oh, those teeth are amazing! Earth has the most interesting things to offer that don't exactly have a function but I get drawn to them anyway."

"Like a moth to a back porch light."

"Here we go." The young woman was back with a short pile of larger boxes. "Size twelve I'm betting. Try these on first. Learn to do a little two-stepping in these bad boys." She pulled out a pair of dark brown leather boots with a buckle across the ankle. "And with your love of costume, you add a pair of tight jeans, a flannel shirt and a cowboy hat and with that long hair, you'll fit right in. The ladies will be all over you," she said, giving him a long wink.

Correk started and looked down at the boots, doing his best not to make eye contact again.

"Here, let me help you with the boots."

"I've got it, thank you," he said, hurriedly. He floundered, pulling and twisting till he got both boots on and stood up, stamping his feet, his hands on his hips.

"I can already see it," said Eireka.

"What'd I tell you?" asked the woman.

Eireka turned and noticed a pair of boots sitting in a box by another bench, waiting to be reshelved. They were maroon with pearl white stitching in a series of dots up and down the boots. Eireka went over and pulled out a boot, rubbing a finger down the front, feeling the soft leather. Leira would love these. She let out a worried sigh.

"You should get them for her." Correk was standing next to her, standing a little taller in the boots. "She'll love them."

"I don't know. I used to know." A lump caught in her throat.

"She'll love them. Time she got out of running shoes from time to time. You've noticed what she wears on her hand."

Eireka looked up, holding her breath for a moment.

"My old ring. I noticed. The boots would be a start for all the things I couldn't buy her, didn't get to see her wear." She looked at the saleswoman still standing nearby.

"We'll take all three. Hand me the boxes and I'll go pay for them." Eireka held up her hand, stopping Correk before he could protest. "My treat, I insist. Let me do something nice for a cousin. Most I've been able to buy anyone in a long time was something out of a vending machine."

"Ain't that sweet." The young woman handed Correk her card. "You ever want to learn how to do a little dancing in those boots, you give me a call. Name's Brittany." She gave him another long, slow wink before stepping over the boxes, her hand already out, heading for another group of dazed tourists standing at the ends of the aisles, frozen to the spot. "Hi y'all, welcome to Allen's Boots. What are you looking for?" At the last moment, she turned around and blew Correk a kiss.

Eireka gave a crooked smile as she slid the boxes onto the counter. "Wear them out," she said to Correk, before he could pull of the boots. "I want this tiny pair too," she added, grabbing a pair of the small, hand-stitched red doll boots. She rubbed the soft maroon boots again, daring to hope. "A small do over," she whispered to herself, a catch in her throat.

CHAPTER FOUR

They wandered out onto South Congress as passerby looked Correk up and down. Correk was in his clothes from Oriceran and the cowboy boots, holding the shopping bags.

An older man harrumphed as he passed him, muttering, "Weird, even for Austin."

A couple of girls wearing UT hoodies smiled as they passed him, the shorter brunette turning around and saying, "I'd do him," as she looked right at him. Correk raised his eyebrows and was about to say something when a man holding a banjo next to his open case barked at him, "Move along man, you're taking away the focus. I'm working here!" The man rolled his eyes and did his best to shoo Correk away.

"Do I look that odd?"

"I can't decide if you look like a tourist who had a little too much cash to spend or a local who works at Medieval Times and just got off work. Nah, it's the tourist. Ooooh, hey, let's go over there!" Eireka was pointing across the street at a small parking lot in front of a church.

"Spoken like a Berens woman," said Correk, scowling. "What's over there?"

"The cupcake place. I haven't had one of those yet."

"I've never tried the earthly version of them. We have something that's a little cake on Oriceran made with honey. Delightful. Oh, okay we're going..."

Eireka was already running across the street as soon as the light changed, practically jogging down to the parked blue metallic Airstream with Cupcake Queen printed in maroon along the side in big letters. She got in the back of the short line scanning the wooden menu propped up near the Airstream.

"I'll take a Double Dose, no... wait, a Bachelor Button... or a Peachy Queen." She was wringing her hands, looking back at the sign and looking up at the young man in the window.

"Lady, it's just a cupcake. I work here and I don't get that excited."

Eireka fixed him with a determined glare. "Ever been without the freedom to make a choice about when to turn out the lights or when you can even use a bathroom or what you might want to have for lunch? Then kindly shut the fuck up till you do. I'll take one of each... to go."

"Double up on all the chocolate ones," said Correk, as he caught up to her. The man rolled his eyes and disappeared from the window for a minute, gathering the cupcakes.

"Those look nothing like an Oriceran small cake. I have to admit, human Earthlings have perfected the art of pointless food. Bravo," he said, doing a small bow.

Eireka laughed. "That bow kind of goes with your whole outfit. Hey, I have an idea. Can we try and find every kind of pointless food I haven't been able to eat for the past fifteen fucking years? Oh my God, goddammit, it even feels good to swear! Swear too much in there and it rattled the staff!" She opened her arms wide and leaned her head back, yelling, "I'm back motherfuckers!"

A tall, thin older woman neatly dressed in jeans and an expensive suede jacket, her neck draped in jewelry raised her water bottle to Eireka. "Happy to have you back in the fold, motherfucker." A large charm bracelet jangled on her wrist as she smiled and kept on walking. Eireka looked at Correk and smiled. "Something cool about human beings, right?"

The clerk was back at the window. "Yeah, yeah, kumbaya. Okay, come on, here's your order. Could you pay and kindly move away from my establishment? I asked nicely," he said, looking directly at Correk.

"She's the scary one," said Correk, opening the box and taking out one of the Double Dose, biting into the chocolate buttercream. "Oh my gawf," he said enthusiastically, his mouth full of cake. "There is so much to discover about your planet."

"Oh great, so crazy," said the young man. "Okay, move along."

Eireka took out the Peachy Queen, taking as big a bite as she could and breaking off a chunk for the troll, pushing it into Correk's pocket. A tiny "Yumfuck, ooooh yumfuck," could be heard, drawing smiles from the few people in line.

"You're super clever," said a thin young woman with straight brown hair that hung to her waist. She was smiling at Correk. "You like a street performer or something?"

"I'm an advisor to a king, actually."

"Okay, that's cool. Got to make your own reality sometimes," she said, nodding her head.

Another tall, thin girl in the back of the line leaned out to get a better look at Correk and gave him a smile, and a small wave. As he walked by her she said quietly, "Hello Cousin," a common Oriceran greeting among the Light Elves. "Tell everyone back home hello from Kaycee." She looked up at him through her eyelashes and let her eyes glow for just a second. Correk smiled and nodded and kept walking, taking another bite of the cupcake.

The young man in the Airstream was already busy grumbling at the next patron. At the last moment, before they got to the corner, Correk mumbled a spell under his breath and sent an annoying gnat to buzz around the young man's head for the rest of the day.

Eireka looked at him. "That's kind of juvenile, you know."

"Indeed. Best kind of magic some days."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, motherfucker." He raised his cupcake in a toast.

"That was awesome, wasn't it? Oooh, a crowd. Let's go see what's worth standing around for on the sidewalk."

"You know, Eireka, I think you're in the middle of your own personal do over," said Correk, content to do his best to keep up, just a few feet behind her. "You remind me more of a teenager," he said, catching up to her at the edge of the crowd.

"In Elven years I'm not even that old." She stood back from the front of the building and looked up. "The Continental Club. I remember this place! We used to sneak in here when I was a teenager way back in the 1980's. Geez, the last century. Look! It's Redd Volkaert!" she said, pointing to the white board propped up against the open door. "I saw him play his guitar back in the day! Let's go in!" Eireka didn't wait for an answer as she barreled past the doorman.

The large man sitting on the stool by the door just gave a slow, lazy smile and waved Correk on in, saying, "Happens all the time when the good ones are here. She's just feeling it. Redd still has that effect on the ladies. No cover charge, just remember to tip generously. Have a good time."

They found a small table at the back and two chairs. Correk put the box of cupcakes on the table and slid the shopping bags underneath. The crowd was an even mix of baby boomers and millennials in Austin's version of party clothes. Jeans, t-shirt and a jacket. A waitress came by and shouted over the music, "What'll you have?" squinting, as she listened for their order.

"Something local and a little different," shouted Eireka. "I'll let you choose."

"How about a Wild Bear? Ten months in oak barrels and just won a gold medal," shouted the waitress.

Leira gave her a thumbs up and Correk raised two fingers, nodding.

Eireka leaned in closer so she could be heard. Correk leaned down to listen. "Thank you for being willing to wander the streets with me," she said.

"I'm having quite the time. Thank you for being brave enough to head out into the street.  And for the boots," he said holding up a foot. The waitress was already back depositing two glasses on their table.

"Cheers," said Eireka. "Here's to whatever the future holds as long as its with my tribe, whatever that means."

"Well put," said Correk, taking a swallow. "Damn, that's good. Wonder how it would go with a cupcake."

"Let's find out." Eireka bit down into a Bachelor Buttons chocolate and cream cheese cupcake, washing it down with a swig of beer. She nodded, giving a shrug. "Not bad, not bad at all," she shouted, chocolate still clinging to her lips.

Redd swung into another song, leaning back with his guitar propped against his lap. He leaned forward in time to sing the chorus into the mic.

"What do you call that?" Correk swayed to the music.

Eireka laughed and leaned across the table. "Country music. Like a story set to a tune. A lot like the way Light Elves on Oriceran talk to each other when you think about it."

Redd was singing the chorus from a Waylon Jennings song. "Now you better do some thinkin' then you'll find, you got the only daddy that'll walk the line." He leaned back and played his six-string as Correk looked around, creating a tunnel between himself and Eireka and lighting up the other Oricerans in the room. The glowing figures dotted the room. Eireka touched his arm to connect her energy, helping him. She took a look around at the different spots of light.

"You know, there were a few magical people in the psych ward with me," she said, speaking into the tunnel. "Some fared better than others."

"Leira made it a condition of her new job that everyone is released. She'll make sure they live up to their word. Your daughter is very tenacious."

"She actually gets that from my mother." Eireka wiped her mouth with the small white napkin. She licked her lips and watched Redd sing for a moment. The pain washed across her face for just a moment.

"I can't promise you anything but I'll at least give it everything I have," said Correk.

"You have someone in there too, don't you?"

"An old friend. He fought alongside my father against Rhazdon. Dark magic ripped open an unstable portal during that last great battle. My friend, Malik, pushed my father out of the way but fell into the void. My father died anyway." Correk took a long swig from his beer. "I have never caught another glimpse of him. I don't even know if he was truly alive when he fell in or died from the spell that was aimed at my father." He shook his head. "Rhazdon caused so much harm. I’m grateful every day he was brought down in that fire."

"I'm sorry. You know exactly what I'm going through but you didn't say anything. You're a good friend. We'll find a way, together."

A small furry head suddenly appeared out of Correk's pocket. Eireka's eyes opened wide and she smiled despite her alarm. Correk looked down just in time to see the troll bound out of his pocket and bounce off the table and onto the floor, scrambling for the stage.

"Two moons!" shouted Correk, standing up, trying to catch a glimpse of green hair scampering by everyone's feet. "Damnable thing loves music. They all do. Almost as much as food."

He spotted the troll climbing up onto the stage and positioning himself just behind Redd, shaking his booty and singing along, occasionally yelling out his name.

"Excuse me, excuse me, excuse me." Correk worked his way through the packed house, trying to get up front. A man with a long handlebar moustache scowled at him but quickly went back to dancing.

Correk made his way closer to the stage. The drummer in the band spotted Yumfuck and started but noticed the troll was keeping time with him. "Look at that, even the rats around here like your music, Redd."

The crowd cheered and clapped in time with the music as Yumfuck spun on his back, jumping up to his feet, yelling, "Yumfuck!"

"Yumfuck!" yelled the crowd, who were doing their best to imitate the tiny fellow.

"Lookie there. A talking rat!"

"A dancing talking rat!"

"This town has everything!"

"I think I can die happy," said Redd, giving a weathered smile, "because now I've seen everything."

Correk made his way to the stage, nodding at Redd as he kept right on singing. Yumfuck was doing a mean imitation of a two-step right on the beat. "Damnable YouTube videos," muttered Correk, as he scooped up the troll mid box step.

The crowd let out a collective moan and there were even a few boos as Correk kept a firm grip around the troll's waist, trying to put him back in his pocket. But Yumfuck leaned forward, one leg hanging out of the pocket, squirming in Correk's hand and blew kisses with both paws as the crowd let out an even bigger cheer. Correk rolled his eyes and tried to smile, taking a bow, finally pushing the troll back in his pocket. The troll leaned over the top like he was in a box seat, waving at people, even giving a wink to an older woman who started, then let out a laugh.

"I know you can bring your dog into most places in Austin," said Redd into the mic. "I suppose a trained rat works just as well. Thanks for loving the music, Mister. You too little fella." He went right back to the lyrics and kept on singing as Correk made his way back to the table.

"Congratulations dude. You should be on America's Got Talent! You'd win!"

"I'd vote for you! Better than that regurgitator. All he did was throw stuff back up!"

"That was amazing. Love your outfit too. Got a whole thing going!"

"Does the rat have a costume?"

"How did you ever teach him to say, yumfuck? Didn't know a rat could talk!"

"Love the dye job! Look, my hair's blue!"

"Is he for sale? Pay top dollar!"

He finally made it back to the table where Eireka was calmly sitting in her seat, sipping her beer, smiling.

"You look rather peaceful considering a troll from another planet just put on a show for a lot of humans." Correk put his hand over the pocket. "Don't even think about it," he muttered into the pocket. The troll looked up at him and blew an extended raspberry, sticking out his tongue.

"I'm kind of surprised he doesn't just give you the finger."

"Your daughter does more of a verbal variety of swearing but I'm sure he'll learn that eventually from someone in traffic."

"You know, if this is what my first day is like, I can't imagine what comes next. But look at everyone... they just went with it so easily. No one's running for their life or trying to stomp out Yumfuck. Maybe the world has changed."

"Or Austin is living up to its quirky motto."

"Either way," said Eireka, determination on her face, "I have more hope than I expected."

"You are really a remarkable woman."

"I spent fifteen years thinking about days like these. I'm going to do my best to celebrate as much as possible. Especially a crowd chanting Yumfuck to a dancing troll, while a Light Elf from the royal court wearing cowboy boots tries to grab him off a stage," she said, with a snort. "Come on, we should go before the crowd starts yelling encore. Hang on, while I throw an extra twenty in the tip jar." A friend of the band was wandering through the crowd with an oversized clear plastic container and a hand-lettered sign that read, Tips taped to the side. Eireka dropped in the money and danced her way back to the table.

"Okay, I'm ready. What's next?"

CHAPTER FIVE

"Show me again." Eireka was sitting on the couch in the guest house in front of Leira's laptop surrounded by shopping bags. Correk was in the red velvet chair, still wearing his cowboy boots, sporting a gray felt Bailey cowboy hat on his head. He had removed the glamour, saving his energy and the hat was tilted back, his hair behind his pointed ears.

Leira kept glancing up, looking at him in the mix of Oriceran garb and Western wear, squinting at him. "What is going on here? What has happened to you? You're like a magical butterfly turning into something."

"I know there's an insult buried in there somewhere," said Correk.

"Come on, show me again," said her mother. "I want to see what people are wearing these days. You two are not good fashion barometers." She turned to Leira, drawing her brows together. "I saw a girl wearing a bra like it was a shirt! A lacy bra! No one seemed to notice."

"Oh, I noticed..." Correk gave a short cough.

"Nice. Where exactly did you take my mother?"

"Tourist central. South Congress Avenue. What do you think of the new kicks?" He held up a leg to show her.

"Don't do that. Don't try to be Earth hip. You're far, far, far too old for that."

Correk frowned and put his foot back down.

"What's for dinner?" asked Leira. "It was a long day." She made a point of not looking in Correk's direction. The troll climbed into her lap and curled up into a ball.

"We found a place called Taco Bell that makes a dinner you can hold from a Dorito!"

"Calm down there big guy. That's a little too too much excitement over a fast food taco. Show some dignity."

"Taco," trilled the troll.

"We already fed him," said Eireka.

"I'm not sure that matters in the scheme of things. I have no idea where he fits it all in that tiny little body. Of course, I think the same thing about you." She finally looked up at Correk who had his arms crossed.

"Leira, can you help me get it all out of the bags in the kitchen?" asked Correk

"Subtle. Sure. Can't you just add a good blink to those crossed arms and make them appear, presto change-o, right here?"

"You're stroking out again. Come help me."

"Go help him," said her mother.

"Your mother said you have to help," said Correk, a smirk on his face. He walked into the kitchen, doing a middling imitation of bow legs in his new boots.

"That is not happening! Don't get your magical feelings hurt. Don't pout, Mom'll see you." She glanced back at her mother, trying to delay going into the kitchen to have to face Correk.

"Go on, I'll be fine," said her mother.

Not you I'm worried about right at this moment.

"Okay, what do we have?" Leira still hoped she could quickly put out the food and go back to the living room.

"Not so fast. Tell me what happened."

"Don't know what you're talking about." Her voice was firm, even if she was picking at a taco, looking down at the counter, an intent look on her face.

"Whatever it was must have really scared you. Never known you not to look someone dead in the eye."

Her face popped up and she scowled at him, her eyes glowing for just a moment.

"That's more like it."

"Very clever. You're right, though."

"About what exactly?"

"I was that scared, maybe for the first time in my life and I don't back down. Not in my DNA."

"So, tell me."

She shook her head. "I'm not even sure what happened. The Feds wanted help figuring out who killed a big witness of theirs. I was just about to see if I could find a clue when..." She batted her hand in the air, holding back the mixture of anger and pain that rose into her chest at the memory of the afternoon.

Correk leaned back against the sink and waited. Leira smiled, thinking of Hagan and his tactics. Never be the first to speak. Alright, this one is mine anyway.

"The dead girl appeared. Not the first time either."

"What do you mean not the first time?" Correk's voice grew louder.

"Little lower or my mother will be in here and I'd like to spare her parts of this story if I can."

"What parts, exactly?"

"All the parts that involve me. Look, I didn't think it was really anything the first time. We saw my grandmother when I connected my energy to my mother."

"I know all this."

"Interrupt me and it takes twice as long. You were doing so well at using your patience skills."

Correk did his best not to say anything back to her.

"Much better," said Leira, glaring at him. "As I was saying, my grandmother managed to contact us from that netherworld but the moment I knew it was her, someone kind of spectrally thing shoved her out of the way."

"That girl," Correk whispered.

"Yes, but I just let that part go. There seemed to be bigger things on the table. Mom's return, my new job, my grandmother caught in fucking no-wheresville. But the dead body was that girl. And then, there she was in ghost form and the fucking agent with me could see her too. I didn't think that was possible."

"Not normally." Concern grew on Correk's face.

"So I improvised."

"You what? With the world in between?"

"You yell one more time and I stop talking till later. Got it?" She jabbed the air with her finger. Suddenly, she could feel how tired she was from keeping herself in one piece and still on this side of the veil. "What the hell did you think I was going to do on this job? Something weird is going to be coming up constantly and I'm going to have to think on my feet. So I thought on my feet! I sent my energy out ahead of me to investigate, feel her energy. Find out what asshole killed her."

"That's impossible." Correk slammed his hands down on the island between them. It only made Leira more determined.

"I found that gun, and there was the moron who kidnapped the little girl. Of course it's possible."

"You don't understand. It's not possible. You crossed over the barrier between here and there. This space and the world in between." He pointed to one space and then another. "You did it with magic. That's impossible."

"Well, I have a Fed who looked several years older in a matter of minutes who will back me up. He could see the whole thing. He saw the world in between, the dead girl and the black mist..."

Correk rubbed his face with the palms of his hands. "What happened when your energy went into the world in between? You know that's an extension of you. It can't be severed. It's as good as stepping into the world yourself." He was jabbing the air with his hand, the strain showing on his face.

"Totally get that. Especially when the black airy thing tried to pull the rest of me inside."

Correk gripped the sides of the island, the symbols lighting up his arms, and crawling up to his neck and face at record speed.

"If this was a cartoon I have a feeling steam would be coming out of your ears," said Leira, narrowing her eyes. "First, can we acknowledge that I'm standing right here. I didn't go over the edge, and there was a fucking edge. Boy, that's a weird thing you never get used to. Worse than that invisible castle you call home. The floor actually does end. Are you counting? That's a thing in Oriceran too? Take deeper breaths or you'll pass out."

"Stop babbling."

"Now that's rude. You want me to tell you what happened you're gonna have to put up with the color commentary. More worried I am, the more jokes I make and today was a regular stand-up routine. Okay, I'll get to the rest of the details."

"Do you let people you arrest talk to you this way?"

"Actually, yes. More they run on at the mouth the more likely they are to tell me exactly what I want to know. You could stand to learn a few things about interrogation."

Correk shut his eyes for a few seconds, tapping the top of the island.

"The counter top is from Lavender Rock, did you realize? I didn't at first. I wonder if it has any energy stored in it." She waited till Correk opened his eyes. He looked like he was ready to send a fireball in her direction. Leira gave him a crooked smile.

"You take fucking forever to realize when someone is messing with you." She said it very slowly, leaning over the counter at him.

"So, none of this is true? That's impossible. I saw what happened to the troll."

"No, it's true but I'm perfectly capable of telling you in a few sentences. Look, I can take care of myself, for the most part. This thing, whatever we're doing, I don't know, Starsky and Hutch meet the Jetsons isn't going to work if you get this worked up every time. Too much stress for both of us."

"You almost got pulled into a world where you most likely could never leave," he hissed.

"But didn't," she said with a hard nod. "Besides, Nana showed up like the cavalry and saved the day. Good thing too because I could not get the agent to let go of the back of my pants no matter how much I yelled. See, that vein is popping out on your forehead again. Everybody’s safe." She held her arms out to her sides. "Really, it was more like her energy showed up and combined with mine. It was just enough to do the trick. Whatever that black mist was, it was super powerful and nasty. Okay, I concede. Don't want to do that again. Ever." She waved her arms in front of her.

Correk let out a breath slowly. The symbols started to recede.

"Look, Hagan and I got into some pretty nasty scrapes while we were together. He even got shot not that long ago. But we were still effective because we saw each other as equals and knew we had to run into the fight, every time. Yes, I'm not as well trained on this new job as I'd like to be but there doesn't seem to be a crib sheet or an online course."

"I'm not going to be able to just watch you put yourself in harm’s way without any kind of help."

"Then teach me what you do know, as much as you can."

"That's the part that I don't like. Your abilities... your power is already surpassing what I've ever heard of, much less seen. And here on Earth, no less. I'm not sure I can teach you enough to keep you safe." My mission.

"Okay, this brings me to the last part of the day's events. Not a dark story. At least I don't think so and my detective skills are on point. Magic or no magic. It was just a strange little moment. I pulled over to just take a break after almost sliding into the world in between and a very old Light Elf down the block opened up one of those tunnels. Said he could feel my pain. Can you do that?"

"Not on Earth. Takes skill and energy."

"Well, he could here on Earth. He was talking to me like we were old friends. Started talking about dark things being stirred up. Said he had an idea but he wasn't going to say more till he was sure. He knew my name. He knew about you, too."

"Did he say his name?"

"Turner Underwood. Called himself the Fixer for the magical community."

Correk sagged in the center and leaned back hard against the sink with a thud.

"Are you okay? You know who that is?"

"It can't be." Correk's heart pounded in his chest.

"Okay, now you're doing it to me. I have to admit, it is annoying. What can't be?"

"That's the name of an old family friend who fought alongside my father."

"He was there when your father died?" It was Eireka standing in the doorway. "Where do we find him?" Eireka came and stood next to her daughter.

"We don't. He said he'd find us when the time is right."

Eireka wrapped an arm around Leira's shoulder, gently hugging her. "Tell me about how you almost died today."

Leira started and glared at Correk but she could tell by his surprise that he didn't tell Eireka.

"Like I don't know what it means when a troll goes blue. I knew but apparently unlike you," she said, pointing at Correk, "I have more faith in my daughter to pull off the impossible. So, tell me. What happened today?"

"Well, first, Nana saved my ass..."

CHAPTER SIX

The followers gathered on top of Camelback Mountain overlooking Phoenix, Arizona in the valley below them. The air was cold and crisp this time of year, especially this early in the morning. They were standing on the summit of the smallest mountain in the range. It was another kemana sitting on top of a large crystal burrowed deep into the Earth, topped by a mountain. Many in the magical community had even discovered over the past hundred years that it was easier to open a portal to Oriceran from on top of the smallest mountain. A rarity.

This particular spot had also acquired the nickname of the Dark Kemana. It was a favorite with those who wanted to revive the darker aspects of magic. The kemana drew dark magical practitioners from all over to the top of the rock. One long party. Most shot off harmless fireballs that petered out before they reached Phoenix down below.

Back when the gates were fully open the last time, a group of rogue witches and wizards practiced alchemy spells but only got as far as flipping around some of the geological layers of the smaller mountain. What the locals called the head of the camel. Large chunks of hard granite that were over a billion years old sat right on top of younger, softer sandstone that was only thirty million years old. That was supposed to be scientifically impossible. It was really just bored teenage witches and wizards.

The twenty hand-picked for the early morning incantation were their descendants. They were another sect of the new followers of Rhazdon's teachings and were assembled to help open a portal. The necklace needed to come back to Earth. Too many magical beings were hunting it. Besides, the Gnomes were particularly good at sniffing out powerful artifacts. The high priest who was starting up the movement again wanted the necklace moved and now.

The Dark Kemana was the perfect place to hand it over. It was more difficult for the Order of the Silver Griffins to patrol the area without someone ratting them out, and quickly.

A young short witch stood on the summit, excited to be leading the morning ritual. Finally, someone was smart enough to put me in charge. She looked out over the vista, the sky still dark and thought about all the stories of aliens moving the rocks. They were so close to the truth. She smiled, narrowing her eyes, tapping the palm of her hand with her wand made from a local Juniper tree, passed down to her from her grandmother. Among witches that was better than pearls and carried the same rule. In polite magical society, no one ever asked to handle someone else's wand.

The piece of granite beneath her feet was an artifact, fixed in place, absorbing all of the magic from generations of witches and wizards who had performed spells, small and large on the smaller mountain over the millennia, only adding to the kemana. The magic seeped too slowly back out of Earth to be of much use. But there were those in Phoenix hundreds of years ago who drafted a spell to draw it out faster. It worked to a point but even that limited success was powerful. The leeching spell, as it became known, was a closely guarded secret.

Through the ages, each family line of the original witches and wizards passed on the family legacy of spells. The Gnomes secreted away any artifacts and relics into the library vault on Oriceran and the Silver Griffins took the rest into their vault in Chicago.

The young witch smiled triumphantly. There were still a few pieces they didn't grab, and one large one in Phoenix they couldn't remove. She stomped her foot on the ground, feeling a spark of energy shoot up her leg. It's a good morning for a ritual. She walked around the perimeter, looking for any intruders that could interrupt their spell. The wind whipped around her bare legs, rustling her skirt. It was too cold for the outfit she was wearing. It couldn't be helped. She would have to go straight to work. Work life balance, she thought as she looked down the gravel path. All she saw in the darkness were trees and rocks.

The Silver Griffins were particularly vigilant in the Phoenix area and there were always rumors of moles infiltrating the older families. It all created an air of suspicion and mistrust that for some just added to the allure.

Other magical families who wanted nothing to do with the outlaw magic warned their offspring to stay away from the area, telling tales of mishaps with the powerful artifact or a spell gone wrong that left a young witch looking like a crone or a wizard sucked into the world in between. None of the stories were really true, but they served their purpose. The place became the bogeyman of small witches and wizards' dreams.

Lately, something had changed. The followers of Rhazdon were infiltrating the area in larger numbers, working on recruiting the entire community to their way of thinking. Purity of magical thought over ordinary humans.

"Stop your goofing around. There isn't much time left," said the young witch, flipping her blonde hair streaked with purple back over her shoulder.

A tall male Wood Elf with long stringy blonde hair nudged his friend, winking as he rolled his hands in front of his chest, one hand passing over the other, creating a small blue fireball no bigger than a marble. He let it bounce in the center of his hand for just a moment before he flicked it at a male Light Elf standing on the other side of the group.

The fireball bounced off the young man's cheek, exploding sparks in front of his face, singeing his left eyebrow. "Hey! What the fuck?" The air was scented with burning red hair. "Not cool, man! Not cool. You could have burned my uniform. I have to go to work after this!" He quickly brushed off the front of the blue shirt from a big box store, checking for any tiny embers he might have missed. "Bunch of assholes," he muttered, as they piled over to him, pushing and shoving, laughing as they gave him a friendly shove.

"Come on, we were just having fun."

"If I could find new friends I'd ditch you clowns," he said, already laughing, relieved his shirt was still intact. "You know they make us buy these shirts," he said, laughing.

"Who invited them?" asked a curvy witch with bright red lips and dark black hair, leaning in to whisper to the small clot of witches all gathered together near the designated spot.

"They're legacy going back thousands of years. We had no choice," said a young wizard, who looked bored and let out a long yawn.

"Well, something got watered down over the generations," sniffed another witch, wearing green cotton scrubs, her hair pulled back into a tight brown ponytail.

"Okay doorknobs, come on, the sun rises soon and we all have places to be." The short witch's voice was sharp and curt, fitting her normal role as a loan officer in a local bank. She clapped her hands together twice. "Keep it up and the next fireball will come from me and with a lot better aim!"

The young men sheepishly got into the circle, muttering amongst themselves.

"Bitches make angry witches," said the tall Wood Elf, getting snickers out of his friends. The short witch whipped out her wand and sliced the air with it, sending a spray of sparks that cut a dark line right in front of the young men, leaving the rubber tips on the front of their sneakers smoking. They stopped talking but took on a unified slouching and sullen stance to let her know they weren't happy, scowling at her from a distance.

The witch looked at her watch. "Thirty seconds. Here we go. Join hands everyone. Hannah, you come stand by me."

Hannah Beecham nervously slid over to the short witch, taking her hand. Rhazdon's followers had moved her out of Chicago as quickly as possible, moving her from house to house among loyal followers until she found herself in Phoenix, Arizona. Her head was still spinning from all of it.

She took the hand of the girl on her other side, who looked like she was about the same age, a tattoo of a raven on her shoulder partially hidden by her long, straight jet-black hair. Be brave Hannah, you can do this. She had repeated the same thing to herself for what seemed like a million times since the day she was recruited while hanging out in Welles Park.

The Chicago sect thought she was a weak link and might be interested in joining the new uprising. After all, didn't she have a distant cousin who was already in the cult? But others didn't trust her. They wanted a test and it had to be something that would leave no room for doubt. Leave no room for Hannah to change her mind later.

Help them steal the necklace.

Of course, by then, Hannah had already told everything to the head of the Chicago Order of the Silver Griffins, Lacey Trader, an older witch who was too old to go on missions anymore but still ran a tight ship.

She swore Hannah to secrecy, spying an opportunity that didn't come along very often. She held Hannah's hands in hers and looked her square in the eyes and asked, "Are you courageous enough to do this task knowing even your own family will think you've betrayed them?" Lacey didn't try to sell her on the idea or point out that in the end it was for the greater good. Hannah had to be sure all on her own.

Hannah nodded her head, slowly at first, gulping in air, never taking her eyes off Lacey's face.

"Good." Lacey gave her hands a good shake. "Because this will be one of the bravest things you ever have to do. I will help you as much as I can but we will not be able to tell anyone we know of a coming attack."

"But...but..." Hannah stammered.

"No, no! There can be no hint that you are not completely devoted to them. None. Your only advantages will be that you will know when the attack is coming making it possible for you to position yourself to steal the necklace. And no one in the Order will suspect your loyalty." Lacey brushed the hair off Hannah's forehead. "I admire you. Such bravery hasn't really been necessary for a long time. The Second World War, really. A lot of us went into battle during the big one, all over the world. But even then, we had each other. You are marching out there alone."

"I have you." Hannah's voice came out with a quiver but her gaze stayed strong.

"Yes, yes you do. I take it seriously how much trust you're placing in me. I will be the only one who holds your truth for you while you're gone. It's quite an honor!" She hugged the young witch, wrapping her arms around her and holding her tight for a moment. "Till we meet again. I'm proud of you Hannah Beecham. Remember those words when so many call you a traitor." It seemed like that was so long ago.

Hannah stood on top of the small mountain, the twinkling lights of Phoenix below. People were starting to rise for their day. She shivered in the cold as the girl with the tattoo squeezed her hand. They all shut their eyes and drew on the energy from the rock, letting it come up through their feet, swirling inside of them until it moved around the circle, traveling faster and faster.

The large pieces of granite strewn around the mountain emitted a low, silvery glow that sparkled as it let loose some of its stored magic.

Hannah felt the ground shift slightly under her feet and loosened her grip but the witches on either side of her squeezed her hand harder and she kept her position. Be brave, Hannah. She thought of Lacey and bit her lower lip, determined to keep going. I will not back up. I will not back up.

Suddenly, there was the sound of something sliding open and Hannah opened her eyes to see a portal in the center of the circle.

An elderly Gnome reached an arm through the portal, the necklace dangling from his hand.

"Take it!" he barked. Hannah could see a dense forest behind him. "Oriceran," she whispered.

"You! You take it," he snarled, looking directly at Hannah. The short witch next to her looked hurt and surprised, wounded at being overlooked.

"Sorry," whispered Hannah, as she let go of her hand and stepped forward, cautiously reaching for the necklace. She peered through the darkness at the high priest handing over the necklace. Lacey had warned her about making direct contact, skin to skin with anyone skilled at dark magic. There was always the possibility they would be able to see through to her truest self.

She let the artifact drop into her open hands. The heavy gold necklace shimmered in the early morning light.

"Protect it with your lives. Our entire movement depends on it," said the mysterious Gnome as he waved his hands, shutting the portal.

"I'll take that," snapped the short witch the second the portal was firmly shut. She was determined to take back her rightful place in the pecking order. "What did he see in you?" she whined.

"No idea." Hannah shook her head. The necklace was back on Earth but she still didn't know who was leading the new movement. An elderly Gnome on Oriceran. That wasn't enough information. Hannah wasn't even sure who was in charge of the movement on this planet but she was getting closer.

"Time to move it, people. We all have places to be. Well, most of us." The short witch curled her lip, looking at the gangly young men who were too busy retelling what they saw through the portal, already making up fantastic details that never happened.

"Little wrinkly dude was levitating!"

"You see the gold rings he was wearing? Guy must be loaded?"

"Yeah, doesn't have to work some shit job and last on Ramen noodles."

"You live in your mother's basement and she cooks for you. Every night."

"So, still have the shit job part. I want to be rich."

"Bet he can make his own gold."

"Bet he can turn on women."

"You've got the turn off women part down so well, you could show him how to do that."

"Surprised the Gnomes haven't asked you how you pull that one off, you're so good at it. Lock that secret away in their vault."

They shoved and poked and jostled each other till the short witch thought she would lose it and light up the rock with a bolt of lightning. She whipped out her juniper wand and waved it in their direction, letting out a low growl. That was enough to get them to shuffle in the direction of their cars, even if it didn't stop the jokes.

Hannah followed behind them, glad she would get a little time to herself where she could relax and be herself, even if she was all alone. She couldn't even contact Lacey. It was part of her instructions. Take no chances.

The short witch grabbed her by the arm, pulling her back and pressing her face close to Hannah's.

"Listen, I don't know what you did back there," she snarled, still grasping the necklace against her chest. "But when this story gets told I'm going to be the hero who retrieved the necklace. No mention of you. Got it?" Hannah could smell that morning's pepperoni pizza pocket on the witch's hot breath.

Something slithered over Hannah's foot in the near darkness. She looked down trying to catch a glimpse but was too slow. She knew rattlesnakes lived around the rock and felt a chill go down her spine, shaking her shoulders in the cold.

The short witch mistook it for fear and leered at Hannah. She had made her point.

"Sure. We can rewrite the history." Hannah straightened up and gave her a cold hard stare, standing firm. She could only be pushed so far in all this mess. "If that's what you need." She narrowed her eyes and felt in her pocket for her wand. A good dust up between two witches might just help her standing. She curled her fingers around the wand, ready for the fight.

"What the..."

The rock lit up with a blinding white light as a woman blocked the rest of the group's path off the summit. She was using a fireball as an enormous spotlight, bobbing in the air near Hannah and the short witch. Hannah shaded her eyes trying to get a better look at who was after them.

Doesn't matter who this is. Only Lacey knows the truth. I need to get out of here.

She could barely make out something writhing on the woman's head. She's an Atlantean.

"Looks like we have ourselves a little problem here? A little illegal use of magic for illicit purposes?" Almost everything the woman said sounded like a question. "My name is Katie Toler. I don't want there to be any confusion about what's about to happen? You are going to hand over the necklace and leave peaceably or else."

The short witch pulled out her wand ready to knock out the fireball.

"No, no, no," said Katie, shaking a finger in the air. "Not so fast. You didn't think I came alone to a nest of childish vermin, did you?" She snapped her fingers, flicking off the light from the fireball as it evaporated into the morning air. Hannah was left seeing spots in front of her as she tried to get accustomed to the lower lighting as quickly as possible. The sun was starting to rise into the sky.

A long thin tentacle climbed up Katie's leg till she could reach down and grab it, placing it back into the moving mass on her head.

Not a snake, thought Hannah. A tentacle!

"Hello psychobitches! Who wants to play?" The voice was heavily accented in French and was coming from behind Katie. A tall, black woman clad in black leather from head to toe stepped out from behind the Atlantean, an elderberry wand held lightly between two fingers as she smiled flirtatiously. "No one?"

"You need to introduce yourself, May. These are witches and wizards from some very old families. They were raised right. They don't talk to strangers?"

"Your twisted point taken. My bad. Where are my manners? My name..." said the woman, taking a few steps forward, her high heeled boots clicking on the granite, "...is May Sage, May for short. Hello pretty kitten." May ran the tip of her wand underneath the chin of a willowy young witch with long curly brown hair. "Honey, if you're going to bust into tears so easily this may not be the kind of group you want to hang with...ever. They tend to venture into the realm of darkness on a pretty regular basis." The girl's lips trembled as May gave her a cold look. "Your parents know you're here, my dear bitch?"

Katie smiled malevolently, still standing at the edge of the summit, her wand ready as she watched May move among the group.

"Once upon a happy ending..." sang May, taunting the remaining members of the cult trapped there, "there was a band of misguided magical youth..." She ran her wand down the arm of the tall Wood Elf who giggled from nerves. There was a sheen of sweat across his face. "You look a little scorched, young man," she said, running the end of her wand across his burned eyebrow. She ran her wand along the edge of her lip, suddenly baring her teeth at the young man who barked at her in return.

"Now that was an interesting reply, young man. You'll tell me, won't you? Who has the pretty necklace?" May smiled at him but the smile never reached her deep brown eyes. He pointed nervously at the short witch still standing close to Hannah.

"You little prick!" The short witch spat at him and took a step behind Hannah who stood her ground. Hannah still wasn't sure what side the two women were playing for, but she did know one thing. If she was going down today, she was going out fighting. No more slinking around.

At least my family will know I fought bravely. Make sure you tell them, Lacey. Hannah raised her wand, running the best battle spells through her mind, searching for a good one that could shoot fire. Excalibur...

She didn't get to finish the thought. One of the young wizards accidentally shot off his wand, sending out a spray of sparks and a small flame at Katie that she easily blocked, returning fire, letting it lick at the edges of their faces without really hurting them.

The others broke out their wands, combining streams and shooting more serious flames at Katie. She changed tactics and sent out a shining silver stream of energy that transformed itself into barbed wire, wrapping around the legs of a witch. The more the witch struggled, the more the magic barbs bit into her skin. Hannah knew she didn't have long before they would turn their wands in her direction. After all, the necklace was right behind her. She glanced over her shoulder and saw the short witch making her way off the side of the summit, scrambling down the rocky terrain.

Okay, not willing to fight for your friends. Good to know. "I suppose loyalty is too much to ask of this bunch," Hannah muttered, ready to do battle.

Hannah tried the spell again, taking in a deep breath of air, "Excalibur.." May sent out a spray of sparks that stung Hannah's lips and hands. "Dammit!" Hannah spit, brushing off her mouth. "Will I ever get out this goddamned spell!"

The firefight was raging in front of Hannah. Katie gave pursuit, flicking away the streams of fire as fast as they sprayed them at her, returning volleys of her own. May was helping her defend her position, slowly easing her way closer to Hannah.

Hannah raised her wand again, determined not to die without ever having said a complete spell but all at once, she could hear May's voice coming to her in the middle of the thunderous noise down a narrow tube of light. May had opened up a sound tunnel and was speaking easily to Hannah. No one else could hear them.

"Keep your wand up, girl! You're in a war zone!" May sent a shower of sparks just off Hannah's left shoulder, singeing her jacket. "Don't worry, I know who you are. Lacey is an old friend." She gave a wicked wink, smiling broadly while others around her were still trying to take her down. She turned and yelled "Excaliburation!" and blue fire sought out the nearest combatant. "That's how you do it," she said to Hannah, still smiling. "Confidence is everything in magic. You need to get out of here. You're too important to be captured."

"But the necklace got away."

"Just what I was hoping. The necklace is powerful and in the wrong hands is a dangerous weapon, and it's definitely in the wrong hands, but finding out who is behind all of this is even more important. We need them to feel like they have the upper hand. For now."

"An old Gnome. I saw an old Gnome."

"You saw him! He's getting bolder. Alright, I'll pass along the intel. Now, go. Till dawn do us part," she said, holding out her arm toward the rising sun. "Go! I'll hide your exit. Katie has no idea. Fewer that know the better, right?"

"Help me get out," said Hannah.

May spun around without answering her and sent out another blue flame just strong enough to burn the top of one of the wizard's pants, sending them down around his ankles. He tripped, trying to run away, and fell face first into the sandstone.

"Mmmmm, gotta love a little pratfall in the middle of some good May-hem. Yes, that's right! I said it!" She glanced over her shoulder to make sure Hannah was completely gone. "Alright, witches and wizards, I'd say you are all completely Scrooge McFucked! Who wants to surrender?"

The remaining members all dropped their wands and held up their hands, many of their fingers burned from the flames. Katie and May were untouched.

"Where's the necklace?" Katie asked, angrily.

"You asked me along to this party. This is your paying gig. I was just here as your backup, my friend. It got away." May drew her mouth into a thin line, her wand at the ready. "You done? We good?" Damn Atlanteans.

Katie scowled but answered, "Done. Fuck. Done and done. Sorry? Lost myself in that last fight. Dammit, necklace got away," she said, putting her palm to her forehead.

"That look is not a good one for you. We're not worriers, my friend. Come on, let's be off. I saw one of the little pricks call someone. Probably a parent. There will be a shit storm of wand wielders here any minute."

"We could take them, of course."

"Of course," said May, grinning. "But I'm getting hungry. Haven't had nearly enough coffee this morning. Let's get out of here. What do you say? Your mission is finished here."

"Kind of flamed out."

"Nice one and without caffeine. See? This is why we're friends."

"You're pretty much my only friend?"

"That's because I'm faster on the wand than you are so I don't buy those lovely little threats you like to hand out like candy and I can tolerate that tic you have of constantly asking non-questions."

"No idea what you mean?"

"Ooooh, I hear cars in the distance. Time to go. Listen kiddoes," said May, addressing the group. They were all huddling together, their wands still at their feet. The ground around them was singed with burn marks and a few were bleeding from small puncture wounds. "I see Katie got a little rough with you. Barbed wire spell is very effective, I must say. You absolutely deserved it." She scowled at them. "Any one of you picks up their wand and aims it at me while we're exiting, and I'll stop pulling my punches. That's right, those were softball fire bombs. Got it? Nod your heads. Very good. Next time, don't play with magic you don't understand."

"Enough with the public service announcement." Katie tilted her head to the side. "Let's go. I'll buy breakfast."

May followed her down the summit, running easily in her boots. "Damn right you'll buy. You're getting paid for this mayhem. They got halfway down the rocky path when they heard people coming in their direction.

"Hang on," said May, pulling Katie off the path with her as she waved her wand around both of them, turning in a tight circle, disguising them as a small stand of old spruce trees. "Hold very still and keep your pie hole closed," she whispered.

A group of angry parents bustled past them on the path, stumbling in the morning light. Many of them were dressed for work.

"Wait till I get my hands on Ronnie! This is the last straw! He will do his own laundry after this."

"What about the thing that showed up? Tentacles! You see the picture?" The man gave a shudder.

“Shhhh, don’t let anyone hear you say that. You know Rhazdon was an Atlantean!”

“Still…”

May gripped Katie's arm tightly. "Let them go," she whispered.

They waited until the parents were out of sight before quickly trekking down the mountain side. In the rush, May forgot to remove the spell as two trees made a break for a Ford Escort. It wasn't until the parking lot when May got in the car and saw her reflection in the rear-view mirror that she laughed and waved her wand, reversing the spell.

"Just your average morning," she said, starting up the car. "Where are we going for breakfast? How about a breakfast burrito?"

"I know you're a witch, but May you have the appetite of a Light Elf."

"And you're still buying," she said, as they sped out onto the road.

"The necklace," Katie said between clenched teeth as she performed a glamour spell of her own, transforming her hair into long blonde locks.

"Another day, my friend. We survive by focusing on the next thing in front of us and doing what we can, letting the rest go. Otherwise, you're fucked."

CHAPTER SEVEN

Leira got the call early in the morning. The necklace was in play again.

"I gotta go," she said, poking Correk in the shoulder. He was sound asleep on the couch, the troll snoring on his chest. "You'd think he was bonded with you these days," said Leira, putting the wash cloth back over the troll. He had taken to using it as a blanket. The troll let out a trill and curled up into a ball, it's eyes shut tight.

"You're not going to kiss it goodnight, are you?" Correk's eyes were open and he was watching her, amused.

Leira narrowed her eyes and weighed her options.

"You're thinking of trying an itching spell on me, aren't you? I'll tell your mother. In a heartbeat. No remorse." Correk sat up, gently scooping up the troll and laying him down in the shoe box on the floor. "You don't know those spells well enough, yet, anyway. You'd be just as likely to head off on your new job, scratching your armpits, or worse. Your nether regions."

"Leave my nether regions out of this. Now, all I want to do is just shoot you and be done with it. Go totally old school."

"Where do they have you going this time?" he whispered. "Best not to wake your mother."

Eireka was asleep in Leira's room. They were sharing a double bed for now. It still startled Leira every time she woke up and found her mother next to her, gently breathing, sleeping peacefully.

Leira hesitated. "Okay, I'm going to tell you but you can't come. It's official business and somehow you always end up in the middle of it."

Correk stood up, ready to go.

"That's the opposite of my telling you, you're not coming."

He headed into the kitchen grabbing a few of the Cheetos snack pack-sized bags.

"And that's not even remotely breakfast. What are you doing? Have I lost all authority in my own house?" She was whispering loudly, waving her arms until she noticed she had managed to waken the troll and he was standing in his nest, gleefully imitating her, waving his arms over his head.

"Is that what I look like?"

"Right down to the hair standing on end," said Correk, passing by her, heading out the door. "You coming? Say the spell over the troll, unless you think we may need him for back up, and let's go."

"Back up? You're really getting in deep, Bert."

"Call me Bert in front of anyone out there and you'll be walking in a cloud of gnats for the rest of the day. They'll float just around your head. Maybe even a few up your nose."

Leira tucked in the troll, saying, "Nesturnium," over him. She gently eased open her bedroom door, looking in on her mother and saw she was still asleep, the covers pulled up around her shoulders. Leira caught up with Correk at the door and pulled the door shut, locking it. Keep Mom safe. It was a constant thought.

"Your mother is also part Light Elf. She can take care of herself," said Correk, gently.

"Don't use the soft voice on me. Not this early in the morning," said Leira. "It just creeps me out."

"Try to be understanding."

"Try to get tazed."

"What did Hagan say at times like these?"

"Get the fuck over yourself, and where's my damn doughnuts?"

"Leira!" The regulars were lined up at the bar, all wearing their Pin Pushers bowling shirts.

"What are you all doing here this early?" she asked, waving to Estelle behind the bar.

Estelle grunted and blew smoke out the side of her mouth, never bothering to take the cigarette out of her mouth.

"We're celebrating! We won the local championship!" said Margaret.

"It's bloody Mary time," growled Estelle, pouring tomato juice into a glass. A small bit of ash, still smoldering, dropped into one of the glasses. Estelle swirled the glass and shrugged, pouring in a healthy amount of vodka, finishing it off with a dash of tabasco. "That'll put it out." She stuck a stalk of celery in the glasses and slid them all down, moving them around as she pushed them. "Looks like you'll just have to take a chance," she cackled.

Mitzi hesitated, Lemon clutched under her arm but Mike and Scott looked at each other and said in unison, "Whatever," grabbing a glass.

Lucy tried to hand Leira a glass but Leira held up a hand. "No, none for me. On my way to work."

"Aw, come on. You too Correk? You guys helped lead us to victory!" said Mike.

"New job calls."

"Hey, practice starts soon for the softball team. You're gonna be on the team, right?" asked Margaret.

"We're the Ice Cold Pitchers," said Scott.

"Mike wanted Sons of Pitches and Craig voted for the Good Wood but Estelle refused to sponsor the team unless we picked her choice," said Mitzi. "I said Bat Attitude."

"You started with Brokebat Mountain."

"Yeah, it's true, I did. That got voted down first."

"I buy the shirts," yelled Estelle from the other end of the bar. "She who has the gold makes the rules."

"I've got to run," said Leira.

"You'll play, though, right?" asked Margaret. Everyone looked back and forth at Correk and Leira.

"I do every year, don't I?"

"You want us to check on your mom?" Lucy called out. Leira was already almost to the gate.

Leira pictured them looking in the shoe box on the floor and wondering why she had tucked in a rat with green hair.

"No need. She'll emerge when she's ready."

It was a short walk to the Mustang, parked almost in front of the bar.

“When did they start calling you Correk?”

"When I made a point of telling them while you were out. No more Mr. Muppet. You're slipping. Even your luck only got you a spot to the side of the bar."

Leira rolled her eyes. "I'm feeling like you're not taking this whole, I work for the Feds and there's a case thing seriously. Okay, fine, yes. We may as well hoof it down there. It's a block, Correk. Get out of the car. I'm not driving a block."

He got out of the car and straightened his tunic, doing his best to look dignified. "It's not like you wouldn't find a place right in front of the trucks."

Leira glared at him but looked at his outfit and said, "Okay, get in." She started up the car and rolled the car down a block to a spot just to the side of the food court.

"Something is definitely off," said Correk, already opening the door before she turned off the car.

"What is up with your insistence on wearing the tunic and the cowboy boots? Is it picture day?"

"I have no idea what you're babbling about but this is the most comfortable outfit I have besides the yoga pants and you made rather rude remarks when I wore those the last time. Something about a lumpy butt."

"Oh yeah," said Leira, laughing. "You had tube socks caught in the pants. Static cling'll get you every time. If I buy you some comfortable good old fashioned blue jeans, will you wear them? You can still wear the boots!" She got out of the car and headed for the taco truck.

"I will try them. They must be comfortable. It's practically all people on Earth wear. Why are you heading straight for the taco truck?"

"That should tell you something. Jeans go with anything and are very comfortable. And you always walk around all of the trucks and then end up at the taco truck and we don't have time for your ritual this morning. You either walk straight over here or get nothing. This car pulls out in five minutes, either way."

Correk relented and followed her to the truck.

"The usual?" The man in the truck was already making three egg and bacon breakfast tacos without even waiting for Correk's reply. Leira gave him a dead fish look. "I'll take two," she said, handing over the money.

"You'll thank me later. I shaved at least ten minutes off all of that. Same results."

***

Leira and Correk stood in a non-descript building in downtown Austin surrounded by men and women in dark suits, all wearing serious, stony expressions. Fischer and Cohen were among them.

"Parasuckmydick is here," said Fischer. Cohen thumped the back of his head. Hard. "Hey!" He scowled, looking over at Leira. "Where's your official PDA jacket?" He sneered still wincing. Cohen thumped him again. He looked ready for a fight.

"Next time it's with something harder than my hand." Cohen glared at him, resting his hand on his holster.

"Public display of asshole," muttered Fischer under his breath. Cohen glanced over at him, scowling.

"It's in the trunk," said Leira. "This isn't official business. I'm here as a courtesy. It didn't come through the right channels." No General, no case. That's what he told me.

"We appreciate the courtesy, you know that, right?" asked Cohen, trying a small, friendly smile. It was too late. "Who's your friend?"

"You don't have the clearance for me to tell you."

Fischer looked around Leira at Correk who let his eyes glow momentarily, keeping his chin down so only Fischer could see him. He patted his chest with his fist and made a series of small hand gestures, nodding at Fischer.

"What the fuck was that about?" whispered Leira.

"He's annoying. That was our old Scouts salute."

"You have Scouts?"

"We taught you. Be prepared is a longstanding motto of Light Elves."

"If we could get started?" A man stood in front of them, holding an open file in his hands. "There was a firefight on one of the summits at the Camelback Mountain range. Not the first time that place has had magical activity. But the first time it went beyond the equivalent of fireworks. The fight was between a group of young magical aliens we've had our eye on for quite some time. Bunch of hooligans. And two adult female aliens. Excuse me, one alien, one magical kind of Earthling. They were all fighting over a certain necklace." He looked at Leira but she waited for him to finish. Correk was twitching at her side, every time the man said the word, alien.

"Okay, so all parties got away and this necklace is still in the wrong hands. It's some kind of magical weapon, as I understand it."

Correk started to interrupt him but Leira gave him a hard look.

"It's associated with two incidents in Chicago and is being passed around like a deadly football. We need to get it back."

He stopped talking, shutting the file and tried to hand it to Leira.

"Is it in Austin?"

"Not that we know of."

"Then not my jurisdiction."

"You don't get to decide..."

"I'm the only one who decides," she said, cutting him off. "You have no idea where that necklace is, do you? Who were the two other magical creatures who were on that summit?"

"One was an Agent May Sage, a witch who sometimes works with us and the other was someone named Katie Toler. We don't know her affiliation."

"Then you have it covered." Katie Toler, again. Has to be the Silver Griffins. "If they start to blow up Austin, call me. Better yet, you call the General the next time and clear this with him. You didn't, did you. I thought as much. I don't play outside of my jurisdiction." Not if I can help it, at least.

Leira left without waiting for a retort. They were just fishing and using her to get them leads they could take as their own. She'd seen it before. Not gonna happen.

She marched back to the car, clenching her fists, her face tense. She yanked open the door to the Mustang and slid in, pounding the steering wheel.

Correk slid into the passenger side. "You handled that brilliantly. The Silver Griffins must be involved. They're better equipped to deal with it."

"If they are, how did they lose the damn thing from their own secure vault?"

"A very good question. Worth finding out the answer. There has to be one out there.”

Leira shook her head in anger. "They saw us as a couple of freaks."

"Not everyone. Cohen certainly didn't."

Leira looked up. "You have a point. He risked his life to try and save me even when he didn't know what the hell was going on. That's pretty damn brave. There's another player on the board it looks like. May Sage. Have to hope she's not some magical bitch with a chip on her shoulder."

"Always the chance she could be an ally."

"Who has turned out to be a real ally for us, so far? Beyond my bowling team and a tiny bar owner?"

"That's not a bad start. The Silver Griffins are on our side, believe it or not. I know all about them. There's a similar order on Oriceran. The prophets put them together to help with the transition when the gates start to open again."

"We need to find that necklace."

"When we have a lead, we'll follow it. Wherever it takes us."

"Do you know anyone in the Silver Griffins on this side?"

"No, I don't, but Toni does. Remember? She mentioned a cousin that night at the Jackalope. We'll ask her. For now, we can go back to the house before your mother gets up and finds herself on a softball team."

"The Ice Cold Pitchers." Leira rolled her eyes. "They always try to make me catcher. I hate catcher." She let out a deep sigh. "Okay, I'll stand down."

"Good, then I have a question for you. Change of subject. Your mother wanted me to broach the subject."

"My mother. My mother asked you to speak for her."

Correk was too busy pulling a brochure out of the inside of his tunic.

"How many little pockets are in there? Is that magical or just great seamstresses?"

"Focus, Berens. This may even help you with finding a member of the Silver Griffins."

"Okay, now I'm listening. What have you got there?" She took the brochure from him. "Comicon. Of course you want to go to Comicon. Where did you get this?"

"Someone gave it to me when I was on South Congress with your mother. They thought we'd be interested. Don't make the joke. It's too obvious. You're better than that. I already said I'd try the jeans."

Leira looked at Correk and realized this was the most excited she'd seen him since he got shoved into her car. "Fine, we'll go. Although this is human beings dressed up as magical people. Super powers. I suppose that's kind of the same thing."

"You couldn't be more wrong. We know of these annual celebrations on Oriceran. It's a chance for the magical community cut off from Oriceran to be themselves out in public without raising suspicion."

"Kind of a fly your freak flag but in a crowd kind of thing."

"Half the time I swear you're not really speaking English."

"Don't poke me. I said we'll go. Buckle your seat belt."

"For the record, your mother did ask me to speak to you about it."

"Uh huh, and trolls fly. They don't, do they?"

CHAPTER EIGHT

Leira sat in Hagan's backyard at his old picnic table, the troll crawling through the flowers. They were still in perpetual bloom. There was a familiar pink box on the table between them.

"I'm surprised your little friend isn't over here gnawing his way through the cardboard." Hagan peeked inside the box, pulling out a cruller.

"I stuffed him full of them on the way over. Believe it or not, he can get full. Besides, I think he's missed being outdoors. Trolls live outdoors on Oriceran, and your garden has a magic spell on it. It must feel a little like home to him.

"How's your mom doing?"

"Weirdly fine as far as I can tell. It's only been a couple of days but she's calm, resolute. Ready to figure out how to save my grandmother."

"Sounds like you. Wait, what? Save your grandmother?" Hagan took another bite of his doughnut, chewing and talking. "She's alive? You found her? Way to bury the lead, Berens!"

"Ah, gah, some things never change. Chew, swallow, talk. In that order. We kind of found her in a way that only makes sense Oricerans’ are involved."

"What is she on the other world? That's a twist in the plot."

"Not exactly. Turns out there's a third option."

Hagan stood up suddenly, banging his legs on the table. The troll looked up from the flowers, yellow pollen smeared across the front of his face. "Motherfucker?"

"What are you like at home, Berens? That little recording device hasn't said anything that isn't blue." Hagan sat back down again. "Son of a bitch, I got glaze on my pants. I'll have to volunteer to do the laundry again so Rose doesn't see it. Third time this week!"

"I think Rose is on to you and has figured out a way to get you to help around the house."

A tiny "Son of a bitch" trilled out from underneath the pansies. Leira watched him roll on his back, doing dirt angels in the mulch.

"Thanks for that. He says whatever people say with gusto. I guess we're not the kind to yell sweet nothings."

"I like that about us. So, tell me. Where's your grandmother? What's this fucking third option?"

"Correk calls it the world in between. It's a kind of waystation, a netherworld. Not really here or there."

Hagan put his head in his hands. "Fuck me, that sounds godawful." He looked up. "What is in that kind of a place?"

"Nothing but beings. Can't even say just people." She shuddered even in the warm light pouring into the backyard thinking of the dark mass that had tried to pull her into the void. "It seems to suck in magical creatures of every kind. The living and the dead."

Hagan's eyes grew and his jaw dropped open. "So, is your grandmother living or dead?" Always like Hagan to get to the point. Leira relaxed. She liked it better when someone was direct with her. "I can't explain it but I can tell she's alive. It's like I can feel the energy and there's a difference."

"Well, when do we get her out?" Hagan clapped his hands together. "Come on, a weathered old human being is bound to be some help. I'm on board. All hands on deck."

Leira gave him her best dead fish look.

"You don't know how much I've missed that look. The mook they've saddled me with for a partner is so damn earnest. I tell him convoluted tall tales just to see how long it'll take him to catch on. I finally resorted to telling one in an English accent to clue him in and he still said nothing. I don't know, Berens."

"No one knows of anyone ever getting out. The living or the dead."

"Well, that's not gonna stop you! Have you sent in the troll?" He looked over his shoulder. "Hey, no eating the damn flowers!"

"Damn flowers," cooed the troll, gently holding the head of a yellow and purple pansy. He nibbled on the edges of the pansy, leaving most of it intact.

"You think Rose will notice?"

"Yes, but this time she can't blame you. I'm not sure what she'll blame but it won't be you."

"What's the game plan, Berens. You always have one." Hagan went back in the box, lifting the pink lid. The troll peeked out from under the flower resting on his head, looking up at the familiar box, trilling. Hagan pulled out an old dirty bastard covered in peanut butter, chocolate and crumbled Oreo cookies. "You introduced Correk to these things yet? He'd love them. Who wouldn't?"

The troll scampered across the lawn, carefully picking his way underneath the table, crawling up to the bench, keeping an eye on Hagan. He was doing his best to go unnoticed. He sat back in the shadows where the bench connected to the table, and waited, pressing his lips together. His eyes followed the doughnut in Hagan's hand.

"No, I've caused enough harm in that area already. My game plan is to figure out how to get a Gnome on Oriceran to cough up information. Apparently, they may literally hold the key but I'm going to have to ask a talking rat to help me."

Hagan stopped mid-bite, putting down the doughnut on a napkin. The troll watched through the cracks in the table as the doughnut was lowered onto the small white square of paper.

"Excuse you?" asked Hagan. "Fucking rats can talk? That won't give me nightmares. Like that movie, Ben, but worse. Oh geez."

The troll saw an opening and leapt for the edge of the table, digging in with his claws and throwing a leg over, rolling like a log till he was pressed up against the doughnut. He rolled his body against the chocolate, smearing it into his fur, until he was face first with the doughnut. He opened his mouth wide and bit down, wrapping his arms around a section of the deep-fried confection.

"Yum fuck," he said, his mouth full of doughnut.

"What the fuck?" Hagan grabbed the doughnut, lifting Yumfuck into the air with it. The troll quickly wrapped his legs around a piece of the doughnut, burying his face, the chocolate going up his nose. Hagan sputtered, "Son of a bitch," giving the old dirty bastard a series of fast little shakes like he was testing a thermometer. The troll hung in there.

"You really still want that one?" asked Leira, trying not to laugh.

"It's the principle of the thing!"

With every shake Yumfuck took another bite of the doughnut, swallowing as fast as he could, tunneling his way to the center, finally losing anything to hold onto with his arms till he was hanging upside down, his face covered in a mixture of pollen and chocolate.

"He must be in heaven right now." Leira wrinkled her nose. There was a bright orange and chocolate smear on the troll, his green hair sticking out the top. "Don't let him choke."

"Yeah, I'm in control of this situation."

The troll swung back and forth a few times like he was on an edible trapeze holding on with his legs as Hagan gave a few more shakes. On the last shake, the troll bent forward, swinging high enough to grab onto another section, burrowing his way through more doughnut.

"I give up," said Hagan, putting it down on the napkin. "You're the old dirty bastard." Hagan watched the doughnut shimmy on the table as the troll worked his way back up from the bottom.

A muffled, "bastard" could be heard from under the doughnut.

"He is really picking up those two syllable words faster and faster," said Leira.

"You sound like a proud parent." Hagan shook his head. "Fine, I concede defeat," said Hagan, wiping his hands on a napkin. "Plenty to go around, I suppose." He watched the troll roll over the top of what was left of the doughnut, biting into an Oreo piece.

"Yumfuck!"

"How long do trolls live? That little swearing machine could be around longer than the two of us, swearing at the world with a smile. Never mind. Fuck, it's easy to lose focus these days. A swearing troll steals my doughnuts and eats a few magical flowers, a rat that can talk and will help you find the answers to getting your grandmother out of a purgatory that a Gnome on another planet may have the answers to but won't tell. Do I have all of that right?"

"Remarkably accurate. Goes to show what a natural detective you are. Even when it gets super weird you can still put all of the pieces together. Your mook of a partner is lucky to have you. Give him time. You'll get him to be at least halfway decent."

"I'll tell you, Berens, I don't know if I have it in me to train another one. You were easy! A natural. Came on like gangbusters. Even better, you didn't need to discuss feelings. You didn't have any! I just had to get out of the way or yell slow down a few times. This one! He asks questions and holds up his phone to record the answers! What the hell is that about?"

"Rose will hunt me down if you have a stroke out here. Take a breath, get a different doughnut. There's another cruller in there. Grab it quick."

"Really, you should be bringing doubles at this point. The tiny beast can eat as much as I can. I'm oddly impressed." He mopped his face with a napkin, smearing chocolate across his forehead.

"Normally, I'd let you keep that," said Leira, leaning across with a clean napkin, "but I owe you for letting the little guy finish off an old dirty bastard." She pointed at his forehead. "And it won't be the squad room that sees it, it'll be Rose."

"What? Oh, yeah, far more dangerous. You stay till Rose gets back?"

"I have to go meet my new partner."

"Oh, great. Well, I wish you better luck than I'm having. Magical or non-magical?"

"The human variety. You better hide that box," she said, stepping out of the bench.

"I have a refrigerator in the basement for deer meat. Rose is opposed to my hunting in the first place. Refuses to have anything to do with it. Little does she know about the real estate I save in there for moments like this. Keeps me going, you know."

"That's sad, Hagan. Raise the bar a little. Come on Yumfuck." Leira grabbed a few napkins, scooping up the troll with what remained of the doughnut.

"Most of what's left is sticking to him."

"Just how he likes it."

"Goddamn right!"

"Goddamn right!" chirped the troll, smiling up at Hagan, blinking, his eyelashes coated in chocolate.

"Swearing as a second language. You need an old towel or something to set him on in the car? The Mustang deserves better than this."

"I have one in there just in case. Besides, I've been through this one with him already. He'll lick it all off before we get home."

"Everywhere? That is one clever little furry dude. Take care of yourself, Berens. Can you fix the flowers again before you go?"

Leira let the energy travel up through her and closed her eyes, imagining the flowers as whole as they spread out their petals, the tiny bite marks disappearing.

"Damn, I miss that. Those were the days."

"It was a week, at best."

"A very good week."

***

"At some point, an office would be a good idea." Leira was standing in the same empty warehouse sitting at the same wobbly card table and folding chairs. General Anderson sat across from her, his hat once again neatly lined up with his phone.

Next to him sat a middle-aged man in a dark suit, staring stony-faced at Leira. Behind him were the general's aides.

"I try not to fix what isn't broken as a general rule. But you have a point. You are an unexpected bit of good fortune for us. I'm afraid we didn't anticipate having you on board. Moving swiftly when it comes to infrastructure is not our strong suit. There is the added challenge of creating something that is more secure than your average black site. It all presents a challenge. Take a seat. Meet your new partner, Agent Rolfe."

Leira took a seat, glancing over at the stoic figure next to the general, knitting her brows. "Is this going to be your usual mode? I suppose that could actually work for me. Silent type. I'll bet you don't eat that much, either. Doughnuts? I may miss that. You'll have to watch me eat a lot of the time. Then there's coffee."

The agent just stared at her.

"This will be like not having a partner at all." Leira leaned her elbows on the desk, propping her chin in her hands. "Has he at least been briefed?"

The general gave a small smile. "Agent Cohen told us what happened. He will be filling out paperwork for a month of Sundays. Agent Rolfe was one of the few still willing to be your partner. He has been told the basics. You may want to fill him in further. He comes highly recommended and is very decorated. Served in three tours. He has the highest level of clearance we've created so you can tell him anything. Calm under pressure."

"That's good. What exactly are the basics?" Leira sat back in the metal folding chair. "That things will get all magicky? She moved her head side to side, while doing Hagan's version of magic hands. Still nothing. "You're like a block of ice."

The general smiled, coughing into his hand to hide it. "Before we end this meeting, I have a couple of things for you." He held up his hand, giving a short wave without looking back at the aides. One of them jumped forward, laying a briefcase down on the table in front of the general. The general opened it and pulled out a gun and a badge.

"Your standard issue Glock 40 and your new badge. Take care of both. I trust you can handle a .40? Of course you can. Forget I asked that. There's also more paperwork, even for you. There's always paperwork even when you classify all of it, redact most of it, and won't let anyone see any of it." He stood, extending his hand. "Well, good to see you again, Agent Berens. Perhaps by the next time we meet there will be walls and a better desk than this old table." Agent Rolfe stood up, raising his eyebrows as he looked at Leira.

"Not the real friendly kind, are you? You have to melt the ice cube a little." Leira slid the badge into her pocket and picked up the gun, feeling the heft in her hand. Not bad.

"There's no open case in Austin right now. Why don't the two of you just go to lunch, get to know each other a little. Before the magicky shit hits the fan, which I'm sure it will." The general picked up his hat, sliding it under his arm.

Leira stood up but instantly felt lightheaded. This is new. She could feel something probing at the edges, circling her. Trying to draw on her energy. Her instincts kicked in and she steadied her stance, resting her hands on the table, letting the gun down easily. Not good to be holding a weapon if you're going to pass out. This isn't good.

"Agent Berens, are you alright?" The general sounded muffled, his voice echoing in her head. It took some effort for her to lift her head. She held out her arms to try and steady herself. Something shoved her in the middle of her back, making her stumble forward. Agent Rolfe's eyes grew larger and he took a step away from her.

Leira studied his face and slowly turned, doing her best not to topple over in her fog. Her detective instincts were serving her well. Making her slow down, gather information. She was under attack but from something magical.

As she turned she saw a familiar face, bobbing in the middle of an empty warehouse, reaching out her arms. It was the dead girl, Casey, reaching out again from the void. There was another rip in the world in between.

"You shouldn't be able to do this," said Leira.

The general stepped forward, locking his arm with Leira. Everyone else stayed back.

"We caught your killer," he shouted into the growing dark mist.

"That's not what's happening," shouted Leira. The loud hum was back. Think faster, Leira. Put these pieces together. She looked up into Casey's eyes. "You're being used, aren't you? You're not trying to contact me. That thing is. It's looking for new customers. You can't get away, can you?"

The mist started to grow, enveloping the dead girl. Leira hesitated. "I will find a way to help you."

A look of resolve came over Casey's face. She shook her head, no, hard and focused, pushing out a wall of energy knocking Leira and the general back a few feet into a pile on the ground. Casey let out a cry of "Don't try" that echoed through the empty warehouse.

"I could hear her!" Leira scrambled to her feet as the mist started to move into the warehouse. Agent Rolfe pulled his weapon, aiming it straight at Casey.

"This shit's real!" he yelled.

"Stop, we have no idea what would happen to a bullet fired into that place!"

It was too late. Rolfe fired off three shots aimed straight at Casey who shut her eyes but didn't flinch. "She's already dead!" yelled the general in anger.

The bullets hit something solid just short of Casey and ricocheted around the warehouse, puncturing the metal sides. One bullet grazed the arm of one of the General's aides but drew no blood.

"I'm sorry." Casey's voice came through again, just as loud, echoing inside the space.

"You haven't done anything wrong," said Leira, yelling over the noise, stepping back from the encroaching mist. Suddenly she realized what she had missed before. A calm came over her. "In fact, you've helped me," she yelled. "I see a way, at least a next step!" It's the strength of the energy. This thing is able to rip open a hole and keeps looking for me. We can use that. "I will find a way..."

Leira wanted to reassure the girl but just as the darkness came over her a light appeared from behind the mist, edging it out, slicing through it effortlessly, bathing Casey in its glow. Suddenly, she was transformed and Leira could see what she must have looked like when she was alive. The wound in her forehead disappeared. A calm came over Casey.

"You have been so brave," shouted Leira over the noise. "You helped us find your killer and saved others from becoming his victim. I know you were trying to warn me about that darkness. It's okay, Casey. I got the clue you were trying to give me. There is a way, I can feel it. You've given me hope." The light shot through Casey, enveloping her as she faded into it, still smiling as the rip in the world in between closed. "Good job, Casey." Leira turned to the general who was back on his feet. She looked at Agent Rolfe, still holding his gun, his arms shaking.

"General," said Leira, "this isn't going to work for me. I'll need someone new." She gently took the gun out of Rolfe's hands, laying it down on the card table and picked up her new service revolver. "Not your fault, Rolfe. That was some messed up shit. Good rule of thumb, though. Don't try to shoot the already dead. The rules tend to be different."

"Leira." The general looked weary, picking up his hat off the floor. "You're a very special young woman. That was an amazing act of courage, even compassion."

"General, you were pretty impressive yourself. I suppose this means you're going to have even more trouble finding me a partner."

"That's a good estimation. You okay on your own for now?"

"I am and I have backup if I need it. Call me when you have a case. I'll be ready. Look forward to seeing the place when there's walls, minus the new bullet holes." She smiled at Rolfe who had stopped shaking and was running his hand through his hair. "Acting like a human being looks good on you, Rolfe. You should try it more often. I'll be seeing you." She slipped on her aviators and headed for the door.

CHAPTER NINE

"Why did we park so far away?" Eireka was standing at the entrance to the large hall in the convention center, a badge around her neck with a graphic on it of a non-descript super hero leaping through the air. She looked enthralled and wasn't really listening for the answer. She was clutching Leira's phone in her hand, too busy looking for someone in a costume to take a picture with.

"Do I bother to answer her? Pretty sure she's not listening to us," said Leira, smiling at her mother. She looked at Correk. "She made me bring the charger, just in case. God forbid we run out of battery and can't take a thousand pictures."

"And then just one more," said Correk, grinning. "Sure, answer her. I was wondering the same thing."

"That was the closest lot, Mom. This is a popular convention."

"That's nice, dear. Ooh, black Green Lantern." Eireka was waving the phone at the man, trying to get his attention. "Excuse me, sir..."

"It's going to be like watching a toddler all day. Oh crap, there goes the troll." Yumfuck dropped out of Correk's pocket landing neatly on his feet, balancing himself with his hands. He was off and running before Leira could reach down and scoop him up.

"Let her go. She'll be fine. The troll on the other hand will make friends with everyone before the day is through. He'll be in a hundred pictures."

"That'll be fun to explain. Aren't we worried anymore about magic being exposed?"

"We'll claim he's a teeny-tiny robot or animated. Cleverly deposited in the photo. It's Comicon!"

"You look a little giddy yourself there, Light Elf. I see you wore the full Oriceran outfit today. Good call. Even have on the cape."

"I've already gotten a compliment for my authenticity, a few winks from a woman in a Poison Ivy costume and a strange command to be backstage by one p.m.. I have no idea what that was about."

"Look at the flyer they gave us. What's at one p.m.? Oh, Chippenelves. My, my, you've been mistaken for a hunky dancer. I wonder if there's an ATM around here where I can get about forty dollars’ worth of ones. Oh look, right up against that wall."

"What's a Chippenelf?"

"I'm glad you asked. I will be happy to make sure we're at the right spot when one o'clock rolls around. Lately, I just feel luckier and luckier. Gonna have to get that phone back from Mom at some point."

"Leira, Leira, come take our picture together." Her mother already had her arm around the small-statured man dressed as Green Lantern in a padded costume.

"Ah, well, there you go. No worries about losing your mother in the crowd. You'll be her official photographer all day."

Leira gave him the dead fish look but really, she was happy. It was unsettling her. So much happy all the time. She found herself smiling for no reason standing in the kitchen that morning. Hagan would be worried if he had seen that one.

Leira snapped the picture, taking an extra one after her mother's worried look.

"Are you sure it was a good one?" asked Eireka.

Leira held her comment and took another picture. Eireka held out her hand for the phone and wandered away.

"She's not ignoring you so much as enjoying her bliss," Correk said, over her shoulder. "Careful, you're looking a little happy yourself. Might reach out and grab hold of you when you're not looking."

Leira watched her mother surround herself with an assortment of Batgirls of every height and size, asking a stranger to take a picture. She shook her head but couldn't suppress a smile.

She looked at Correk. "Speaking of things that can reach out and grab you. The thing was back and opened up another hole in the world in between. Don't throw up your corn dog. I didn't take the bait this time but I learned a few valuable nuggets."

"Can I get a picture with you?" A middle-aged woman in an all velour maroon outfit holding a shopping bag with rolled posters poking out was grinning at Correk, holding out her phone to Leira. "You take the picture?" She already had her arm around Correk's waist.

"I would be delighted to. Thank you for asking." Leira took the phone, smiling at Correk.

Quickly a short line fell in behind the woman as more people wanted a picture with the tall elf.

"Light Elf," said Correk, scowling at the teenager as he noticed the kid was holding up two fingers behind Correk's head. Another friend was photo bombing the picture in the back, grinning from ear to ear, his braces shining in the fluorescent light. Leira snapped away giving suggestions on poses.

"Try turning to the side just a little. Much better. Put out a leg? Oh, yeah, that has it."

Correk glared at her, mouthing, fireball but she gave him a crooked smile and said, "Get a little closer together. Little more, just settle on in. There you go."

The line finally faded away chasing after a well-endowed Batman. Correk pulled Leira toward the slower section with the boxes of older edition comic books. "The thing ripped another hole in the world in between?" he hissed, putting his face a little close to Leira's.

"Back it on up, just a little, hot dog breath. Yes, that's what I said." Leira scanned the crowd for Yumfuck and saw a group of ladies smiling and looking toward the floor. "I should have put a little pole with a flag on it on him. Okay, okay, yes, the big pile of very powerful dark energy showed up again. It doesn't look like anything but heavy dark fog but it feels like something. Like a lot of beings mashed together." Leira let out a sigh. "It was using that dead girl again, Casey. That's the lure. I didn't get that the first time but she wasn't contacting me of her own free will. I hope that still exists in that shit hole."

"Were there other witnesses?"

"Oh, a full regalia of G-men, guns at the ready. Though General Anderson was remarkably together and stood shoulder to shoulder with me. Well, almost shoulder to shoulder," she said, holding up a hand just under her shoulder. "He's not all that tall, remember?"

"Stop joking. Even in this place, that place of nothingness is not to be toyed with."

Leira grew more serious. "I can see you still don't trust me completely or you'd know I can handle myself. This protector thing you've got going on was cute for a minute and has been helpful once or twice, although I do have a permanent troll pet but you need to get this straight. I make the decisions for me and I don't take second guesses from fucking anyone."

Correk shut his eyes, rubbing his face.

"Don't do the weary elf thing to me, either," said Leira. "This is the way it is. Don't get me wrong. I'm glad you're here and I'm happy but the rules about who I am didn't suddenly all get thrown out the window. I'm a cop at heart." She placed a hand on her chest, leaning toward him. "Yeah, I'm some kind of paranormal super agent for the government now but in my core I'm still a detective. Always will be. And day one in detective school they tell you to act as a collective but mind your own shit. I'm gonna need you to respect that."

"Quite the speech."

"Well, I haven't had Hagan around to do one-liners with on a regular basis. The pressure was building. I was bound to blow. Do you want to know what I figured out or do you need to preen a little more so we know you're older than I am, know more about magic, can leap tall buildings in a single bound?"

"I know that one," he said, chastened. "Superman. You're right, I apologize," he said with a sweeping bow.

"What the fuck are you doing? A normal, I'm sorry will do for future reference. I'm figuring there will be a future apology from you at some point about something."

"Tell me what you found out."

"Two things," she said, holding up two fingers. "First one, there actually is a way out for the dead. Casey seemed to shift, like she made up her mind about something or found some courage to do the right thing. Not sure about that part just yet, but after she did that the darkness was taken over by a beautiful white light. There's really no other description for it. Don't go weird on me. I don't know what it was but she suddenly looked whole again. Alive. Happy. And then the light kind of took her over and she dissolved into it. Her energy just poof!" Leira spread her fingers in the air.

She caught a glimpse of her mother standing next to the pastel-colored yellow, blue and green VW van from Scooby Doo. There was an oversized Scooby Doo doll leaning out the driver's side window. Eireka was getting her picture taken with her arm around the dog.

"The dead can leave the world in between," said Correk, amazed, his eyes wide. "Two moons, in all these years no one has discovered that and you find out you have abilities and just like that..."

"Yes, I'm amazing. We've established that. Let's get back to the other, and frankly more important thing to me. There is a definite way to get Nana out of the world in between but it involves a bit of risk and we'll need help."

"I'm listening."

"Toni! You're here!" Leira spotted the large, fluffy afro bouncing her way. Toni threw open her arms, wrapping Leira in her embrace.

"Well, of course we're here! It's Comicon! It's reverse Halloween for us. We dress up like we normally look. You see that guy over there in the skin tight green suit with leaves all over himself. Wood Elf showing off. And the tall Ymir from Marvel Comics? That's a Crystal man from Oriceran walking around naked. Nobody can tell what's crystal and what he should be putting away. Although I admit, I've stood close to him a few times just to cool off in this crowd. He brings his own AC everywhere he goes. Just don't let him hug you tight, you know what I mean? You bring your mom?"

Leira pointed to Eireka chatting up one of the men from Beverly Hills 90210.

"Oooh, that's the cute one. Good job, Mom. She's not wasting any time. You turn on the magical antenna to figure out who's who yet? I figure it's at about seventy percent our folk and thirty percent humanoids out having a fun day. If they only knew they're rubbing elbows with the real deal!"

Toni's joy was infectious.

Leira took a deep breath to center herself in the middle of the noise, stepping off to the side and pulled in just enough energy to light up the magical beings in the room. More oversized fireflies everywhere. She smiled when she saw her mother light up and held out her hand to see there was light surrounding that as well.

"Like a giant reunion," she said, awe in her voice.

Correk stood back looking anxious. Leira knew he was busting at the seams to ask her about the world in between but Toni was who she needed to tell even more.

***

"Toni, if we brought together the crowd that was at the Jackalope, how much combined energy do you think we'd have?" Leira waited patiently for her answer. Let her answer...

"I don't know. Pretty powerful I would guess. That's not usually our thing. Dark magic is into that whole group orgasm."

"What if there was a good enough reason?" Leira's voice grew serious and Toni stopped looking out at the crowd.

"Like what kind of reason?" Toni tilted her head to one side, her afro brushing against her shoulder.

"Like breaking someone out of the world in between." Leira stood stock still. She had to get Toni on her side if anyone else would even consider the risk. Correk cleared his throat like he wanted to say something but Leira glared at him, narrowing her eyes. He moved his jaw around but said nothing.

"I have the beginning of an idea to break my grandmother out of the world in between."

Toni gasped and put her hand to her throat. "No one tangles with that place. That's impossible for anyone to escape. Living or dead." The smile had dropped off her face.

"That definitely seemed to be true but I have some evidence to the contrary. I saw a dead girl get out of there." It was all she could do to say the words as calmly as possible. She needed her usual cool demeanor if she was going to get the next part out and not chase off Toni in the process.

Toni grabbed her by the arms. "You are such a remarkable young lady! You're like the stories I heard about Light Elves from the past. And I mean distant past! Millennia ago!" She shook her head. "So crazy. Well, of course we could help you with something like that."

Here comes the hard part. "There's a catch. A big one. There's a sort of bad mambajamba dark mist thing rolling around in there too. Seems to be hunting me. We would have to combine our energy to fight it off long enough for my grandmother to get out."

Leira looked Toni straight in the eye and said, "And not get dragged in." Everyone needs to realize the bottom line.

"Hang on..." Toni drew back a step.

Here it comes, thought Leira, bracing herself for the no.

"This thing is hunting you," she said, pointing, making a sour face. "Did you tangle with it alone?" Toni was getting angrier and angrier. "How many times?"

"Twice," said Correk, finally speaking. Leira looked at him.

"Now you say something?"

"Twice! Did you bring backup at least the second time? We don't go out on things like this alone. Basic rule, learn it in preschool. No movie-style heroics!" Toni waited for her to answer.

"Oh, okay, you actually wanted an answer. Okay, I was doing my job and had no idea the freakish cloud was tracking me like a GPS or that it can show up at will. It was a surprise. I was surrounded by government humans at the time. It was fight it off or get eaten, so to speak. That last part was probably a little over the top."

Toni slapped both sides of her face with her hands. "My dear, when was this? Earlier today! Damn, girl and you managed to get away from it twice?"

"I feel we're getting a little off topic at this point." Leira smiled.

"Okay, sorry. Habit. I'm very passionate. Go on. Pinch me if I do it again." Toni leaned in, listening intently.

"I almost got pulled in the first time."

Toni leaned back, her hands in the air, rolling her eyes dramatically. Leira waited till she stopped.

"But my grandmother's energy showed up out of literally nowhere and combined with mine at the last crucial moment. Saved my ass. I could feel the pulse getting stronger and it seemed to cause the aerie beast, well pain. Like it can feel."

"That's a mass of pure dark energy," said Toni. "I've heard stories. Never knew if they were true. Of course it can feel. Magic works off of feelings. But dark magic does things to the air, the water, the earth. It leaves a residue that doesn't always go away. It sounds like somehow that residue is gathering itself together in the world in between. Two moons help us all!"

"It was super powerful. I wouldn't have been able to escape on my own."

"But your grandmother saved the day!"

"It was just enough to at least hurt the thing's feelings, as weird as that sounds. It wounded the dark magic. Sparks and everything and the hole to the world in between closed up. But then it showed up again and this time I understood. It's out to get me."

"I believe it." Toni threw up her hands.

"Going toward a mass of dark energy trying to destroy you is not considered sane behavior." Correk was doing his best to control his anger.

"And running from a fight because there's danger is not who I am," Leira retorted. "Besides, we get enough people to help us and that will move the odds in our favor. And rescue my grandmother. Can you find out how many would be willing to risk it?"

"Oh honey, there will be droves lining up to help. We're a tight knit community and you're one of us. And if this thing is after you, it's because it realizes how powerful your magic energy is and he's trying to contain it, maybe steal it. That's a good enough reason to stop him right there. I want you to be around so I can see where this magical ride takes you!" Toni threw her arms around Leira's neck. "I'll ask around but do we know when the dark thing will come for you next?"

"Not a clue. I'd also like to know what's it doing to open a hole like that between this world and the world in between. I don't want it dragging anyone else in there."

Toni gasped. "I didn't think of that!"

"And I want to see if we can get more people out."

"First your grandmother."

"But how to find her in all of that."

"Oh, that's fairly easy if she's also looking for you. You go where the humans think a place is haunted. Those aren't ghosts. That's a thin place between this world and the world in between."

"Like where?"

"Well, best one I know of is the Driskill Hotel downtown on 6th Street. Lots of sightings there. I've known of a few of our kind who rent the haunted rooms hoping to see a loved one. Some even say it worked. Something moved, they found something. You're talking about a whole different thing, though. You're trying to attract a monster. If you go down there, be careful. Remember, that thing is hunting you and a place like the Driskill could make it easier to pounce."

Correk looked at Leira and knew. She'll head there the first chance she gets. Okay, here's where I trust you.

CHAPTER TEN

Correk and Leira made a few more turns around the large convention center, occasionally catching sight of a small furry streak or hearing "Yumfuck!" over the crowd. No one seemed to be looking for a manager and at one point a small crowd of magical beings were chanting "Yumfuck!" Someone was spoon-feeding him ice cream.

They found her mother by the set of the Starship Enterprise standing next to someone with a very deep voice who towered over everyone else. They were dressed in a futuristic formal ball gown, platform shoes and pearls with an oversized blond bouffant wig and a five o'clock shadow. Her mother was holding up her phone and chatting away, still smiling. Her face has to hurt by now from all that smiling.

"Mom! Whatcha doing?"

"Leira! That's my daughter. That's her friend, Correk. This is Dixie Normous, the esthetician for the Enterprise."

"How you doing?" A booming voice came out as Dixie batted long false eyelashes.

"Quite well," said Leira.

"Take our picture!" Eireka wrapped an arm around Dixie's waist. She didn't even come up to Dixie's shoulder.

Leira made a quick swipe looking through the camera roll. "You've been busy."

"Come on, honey. Take the picture!"

"You better hurry. The Chippenelves are about to start. They're setting up. You in it?" growled Dixie, looking Correk up and down.

"He's been invited," said Leira, a crooked smile on her face. "Okay, everybody smile," she said, backing up enough to get all of Dixie in the picture. "Got it!"

"Great, okay hon' gotta go. Want a front row seat and those go fast. See you there, sugar." Dixie gave Correk a long wink.

"Come on. I want to see what everyone's talking about." Eireka grabbed Leira's hand and pulled her along as she followed Dixie Normous, Correk in tow behind them.

"This will not end well," he muttered.

They got to the main stage roped off at the sides but the crowd was already too packed to get near the front.

"Hey there, fox." A woman dressed as Catwoman in skin tight lycra rubbed up against Correk.

"Nice cape." Another woman in tights and a Wonder Woman suit wrapped his cape around her waist, pulling him closer and kissing him on the cheek.

"You look like a tasty pop-tart!" A woman cooed at Correk, squeezing the muscles in his arm.

"What's happening?" he shouted, trying to pull away from the increasing number of women.

"Someone's pulled a practical joke and used a charming spell," said a round little man dressed as Spiderman. "Light Elves charm is ratcheted up to obnoxious level. My guess is a Gnome did it. They get a little tired of the disrespect."

"You're a Gnome," said Correk.

The man shrugged and smiled and quickly moved into the crowd where it was easier to hide.

"Creative little prick," said Leira. "Have to give him that."

"You, backstage. They're about to start." A large muscled guard held open the velvet rope to let Correk pass.

"You'll be safer back there," said Leira, laughing, as they turned to go down the side.

"Only one helper," said the guard.

"You go, Mom, seriously. I'll worm my way closer. Go on!" Leira laughed again watching women reach out to paw Correk's muscular arms and tousle his hair. He grabbed onto Eireka's hand and headed toward the backstage.

"See you on the flip side," Leira called after them. "This day has definitely improved."

***

Leira stood at the back of the crowd, staying behind the pack of women, dancing and yelling, "Come on, take it off!" The line of men came out onto the stage as an old disco song, Disco Inferno blared over the loudspeakers.

Leira thought she heard something over the noise but wasn't sure until she felt something trying to scurry up her leg.

"Yumfuck!" The troll was calling to her, trying to get a better spot.

Leira pulled him off her leg and set him on her shoulder.

"Ladies and gentlemen..." The announcer was dressed like Elvis the later years and had a deep, leathery tan. He was holding a gold, jewel-encrusted mic with large rings on every finger.

"Okay, I suppose that's a look," said Leira. The women just below him were rubbing his boots.

"Definitely a Light Elf. The only explanation." Leira moved so she could get a better view behind two small women who were crying and screaming.

"Never been so grateful to be part Light Elf and immune to this nonsense."

An old man whose belly leaned far enough over his belt to hide the buckle sidled up next to her and blew her a kiss. Got to be an old wizard. Leira drew on the energy in the floor and lit up her eyes, smacking him in the back of the head with a magical swat. He looked surprised and slinked off.

She got on her tiptoes trying to spot Correk as the men started gyrating but he wasn't on the stage. Eireka was just off to the side, dancing in the wings, keeping her eye on the men.

"Mom, you're a Light Elf. The charm doesn't even work on you. What are you doing?"

The men moved around the stage, pulling off their shirts on cue, getting a loud cheer from the crowd but otherwise they stayed off the beat and occasionally bumped into each other.

"That is a hot mess of some nice man meat," said Leira. "They are lucky they're good looking."

They continued to bumble around the stage, as a tall Light Elf with long dark hair broke into a dance from Saturday Night Fever, shaking his hips, pointing a finger at the ceiling and then the floor, over and over again. Leira spotted Correk sticking his head out of the curtain shouting something at the dancers who continued to ignore him. The ladies at the skirt of the stage didn't seem to care. Some started throwing dollar bills.

"I knew that ATM was a good idea." The troll bounced on her shoulder, pointing its little arm at the ceiling, then the floor, shaking its butt.

"Oh, what's Correk doing. Oh, oh no." Leira covered her mouth with her hand, her eyebrows shooting up. "Oh, this has to be a spell." Correk had eased himself out on stage and was slowly starting to dance. The chorus started again, 'Burn baby burn, Burn that mother down', as something came over Correk. He strode to the lip of the stage, stood there with his hands on his hips for a moment and then on the upbeat of 'disco inferno' tore off his tunic.

"My God, I want to look away but I can't." Leira let out a loud, "Woooooooohoooooooo," waving wildly from the back of the audience. Eireka spotted her and gave a thumbs up.

Two of the muscular Chippenelves danced closer to Eireka and she reached out and felt their muscles, clapping in delight. One dancer stopped long enough to flex and let her squeeze his arm a little longer. She looks over the moon. Leira let out another yell, clapping her hands over her head.

Correk was busy undulating his midsection on the edge of the stage, perfectly timed to the music. A few of the other dancers were imitating him and the crowd was growing louder. People were clapping over their heads. Correk broke into a line dance, stepping to the right, gyrating his hips and waving to the women in the front.

"Holy crap! A two step! He got that off of YouTube!" She glanced at her shoulder and noticed the troll was rolling his stomach muscles, waving his arms over his head. "We are really bad parents," laughed Leira. "I'd feel worse but I think you're older than I am. And a troll."

"Woot! Woot! Yumfuck!" yelled the troll, leaning over and shaking his ass.

"What the hell is Correk doing now?" Leira moved to get a better view.

Correk had his arms behind his head and was gyrating near the crowd again. Eireka was stepping out further onto the stage, touching the dancers as they went by her, occasionally getting spun around by a dancer mashing his hips against hers.

"All this without alcohol."

The guard who had let Correk and her mother go backstage was making his way upfront, taking the side stairs, stepping onto the stage. The women down front started pawing his leg but he shook them off with a snarl. "Angry Wood Elf, maybe. Not good. I'd better get up there." Leira started pushing her way toward the front, the troll still bouncing on her shoulder.

"Excuse me, sorry, excuse me, just want to get by, that's my mother, don't have the bail money on me, excuse me, sorry, Yumfuck let go of him, excuse me, sorry."

She finally made it to the four side steps and ignored the boos from the women. She saw Toni bobbing in the crowd giving her two thumbs up and she smiled and quickly climbed the stairs, pulling her new badge out of her back pocket, flashing it at the dancers starting to move in on her, still gyrating their hips.

"Not today, big fella." She made her way to the back of the stage where the guard was doing his best to pull her mother off of a muscled dancer with thick wavy brown hair. His back was to the audience and he was doing a slow stomach roll as Leira's mother slid dollar bills into his Speedo, while running her other hand through his hair. He was smiling, curling his lip, singing, "Satisfaction came in a chain reaction," as the guard demanded Eireka leave the stage. No one was listening to him.

The crowd started chanting, "Take it off, take it off," at the guard, only making him more frustrated.

"Not another one!" he shouted, throwing up his hands.

Leira flashed her badge at him, flipping it closed. "That's my mother, sir. And the machine dancing in the front is with me too."

"The trained mouse yours?" She had forgotten for a moment that Yumfuck was on her shoulder. She smiled at the guard. "I'll get her..."

"You a circus family or escaped from a nut farm."

Leira felt a thin thread of anger spike up the middle of her chest and burn in her throat. Glowing symbols appeared on the backs of her hands and her eyes started to glow. Correk spun around to shake his ass at the crowd and saw Leira lighting up, glaring at the frightened guard. He stopped dancing and scooped his tunic off the ground as the crowd gave out a loud, collective groan. He shoved his way to the back, putting a hand on Leira's shoulder, hiding her from onlookers.

"Cousin," he said, evenly, "I suppose we've had our fun."

Leira held still for a moment, still staring down the trembling guard. "Not crazy," she hissed. "Got it?"

The guard vigorously nodded his head as Leira let Correk lead her away. He put an arm around Eireka's waist and pulled her off the stage with him.

"None of you come back," the guard meekly yelled, jabbing a finger in the air. Leira turned back around and he took a step back, pressing himself against the wall.

"That was worth the fifteen-year wait," said Eireka, brushing a wet lock of hair out of her face. "Wow, men do a better job of grooming these days."

"They call it manscaping, remember?" said Correk.

"What exactly were you doing on the computer? How long was I gone from the house?"

"Eireka asked me to show her. She's into abs. What? She's a grown woman."

"I have needs," said Eireka, giggling as Leira did her best not to sputter.

"My brain is melting." Leira looked at Correk still standing there shirtless, breathing hard from the dancing, his muscular torso moving up and down. I could get hypnotized by that. "Put your tunic back on," she said, doing her best to look away.

Leira pulled Eireka's arm away before she could run her hand along Correk's back. Still, Leira found herself taking a longer look. It's like he has twelve pack abs. Is that even possible? She shook her head. No, not gonna go there. She looked at her mother. Eireka was still smiling, covered in sweat. Her own and a few dancers.

"You had a good time, didn't you?" Leira felt the anger drain out of her. Not going to waste a moment, she thought.

"I did. That was quite the workout. I think I used up all my dollar bills. Totally worth it. Best investment I've made today."

Leira finally laughed and hugged her mother tight. The troll jumped from her shoulder into Correk's open hand.

"I'm soaked! I'll get you wet," said Eireka.

"I don't care." Leira looked over her mother's shoulder at Correk. "Nice moves, big man. I have a few more questions about Oriceran now, of course."

"Wouldn't you like to know."

"You've been holding out. You've got moves like Jagger."

"Mick didn't invent the moves. He just showed them to a grateful nation. He used to visit more often. I wonder how he's getting on these days."

"I suppose that one actually makes sense. Come on, let's go. That's enough for one day. You good, Mom? I think you got close to a hundred pictures and you were the groupie for the Chippenelves."

"I'm good. Whew! That was amazing! It hasn't even been a week of freedom!"

"We can't keep up this pace, Mom. Even as Elves. This will do me in."

"Live a little, daughter."

"Trust me, I'm already out of my box and someone took the box away and used it for origami. Let's get you home so you can wash off all that sweaty DNA."

"This was not a crime scene, my dear daughter. It was a happening."

Leira kissed her mother's forehead, holding her head in her hand. "Yeah, it was."

"Motherfuckers!" yelled the troll, holding up peace signs. He had tied the paper wrapper from a straw around his forehead.

"Ah, there you go, perfect ending," said Eireka.

"Yes, just like Woodstock. Don't say it," said Liera, pointing at Correk.

"Well, Jimi Hendrix..." muttered Correk, smiling.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Leira waited till Correk was in the shower. "Nesturnium," she said over the sleepy troll. She tucked the washcloth around him. He was holding a pair of her underwear in his arms. "I see that's still a thing," she whispered. "Going to have to make a run to Target." She went out into the living room where Eireka was sitting on the couch looking up pictures of shirtless men. Leira shook her head and smiled. "Try not to stare at those too long, Mom. Pace yourself. You know most men don't actually look like that."

"Light Elves do."

"Point taken. Are those all Light Elves? Never mind. That is a rabbit hole I don't have time for. I'll be back soon. Don't wait up if it gets late. I'll be fine." She kissed her mother on the top of her head. Her hair was still damp.

"At least be careful, okay?" Eireka held up her hand. "I'm not asking for an explanation. I know you can take care of yourself. Correk is used to a different world where the Elves naturally do most everything together. He can't imagine someone running toward danger alone. But I know you. Even though I haven't gotten to be around you for most of your life, I know you, and I believe in you. Go, be careful and come home to tell me all about it." A small do over. "Leira, if you need my help..."

Leira stopped, her hand on the doorknob.

"You can send out a stream of energy and I'll feel it. We're connected. All the women in our line are connected by the energy. It's how your grandmother knew you were in such grave danger. Even in there, she felt it. If you need me," she said, slowly, "send out a signal. Let me answer."

"Promise," Leira said softly, and she quietly slid out the door as the shower stopped, hurrying for the gate.

"Hey Leira!" One of the regulars called out to her.

"What have I told you about making her wave at you every fool time she comes and goes." Estelle shot out a wet bar towel, snapping it at someone.

"Estelle you still have a soft spot in my heart," said Scott. "Some day you're gonna end up in heaven."

"Well, I'll miss you people," grumbled Estelle, the cigarette bouncing between her teeth as she talked.

"Did she just say we were going to hell?" asked Lucy.

"Yeah, don't take it personally. She works that point into a conversation at least once a week," said Mike.

Leira hurried out the gate and got in the Mustang, quickly driving away. She made a quick stop, getting back into her car and called her old station. Detective Hagan was on a case down on 5th Street. Possible suicide the desk sergeant said, but no one was sure yet.

She looked at the pink box in her lap and turned off the engine. It was easier to walk the one block to the crime scene where her old partner was than to drive there. She turned the corner passing under the Driskill Hotel, looking up at the windows with the curved stone arches and was tempted to go in but she made a promise. Besides, she wanted to see Hagan.

She got up to the barricades and was about to lift the tape when she remembered she didn't work for the department anymore. She waited for an officer to approach, a new face, and pulled out her badge.

"What are the Feds doing here?" he asked, lifting the tape. "Looks like a straight-up suicide."

"Visiting a friend. Hagan nearby?"

"Strange place to pay a visit. He's right over there. Near the jumper."

Leira made her way over to the blue Chevy Tahoe with a large plastic sheet draped over it. The top of the Tahoe was caved in.

"What are you doing here? They don't have enough for you to do? Uh oh, the pink box on the job. This can't be good. Don't ruin doughnut time for me by always saying shit I don't want to hear."

"Hello to you too, Hagan. This is a makeup box for the doughnut Yumfuck got a hold of."

"Yeah, I noticed later the little fucker had licked a few others. I don't know how he does it. Fast as lightning. That's it? You drove all the way down here just to bring me food? If you were Rose I'd say this is my reoccurring dream but I generally wake up just as she hands me the pink box."

"Take the doughnuts asshole and stop telling me your innermost thoughts. I thought we had an agreement not to share like that."

"My bad. Thank you," he said, taking the box. "Why are you really here? Ah, crullers, we meet again."

"If I say I missed you and needed to bounce a few things off you, will you not make a thing out of it?"

"Guaranteed. Feelings are not my thing. Although, I have to admit, I am touched. Come on, let's get out of the way of the coroner. We can take a rest by my car. My partner is too busy chatting up those college seniors to notice he's on the job."

Leira looked over at the young detective, smiling and flirting with the two girls.

"There could be someone running behind him waving a pistol, he wouldn't see it unless the gun landed in someone's cleavage." Hagan sat the box down on top of his Dodge Charger. "Not a Mustang but it gets the job done," he said, patting the car.

Leira leaned against the hood. "How’s Rose doing? Her cold finally go away?”

“It’s dragging on but she’s holding her own. What’s up, Berens?”

“Remember when you said I could sort things out with you? That's why I'm here."

"Oh yeah? What's happened now? More of the walking dead visiting you?"

"Not so far. But I think I found a place to do a showdown with the thing that almost ate me. The Driskill Hotel."

"Right around the corner?" Hagan hooked a thumb over his shoulder. "No shit. Makes sense."

"Makes sense? Why is that?"

"Everybody knows it's haunted. I take it that's really your people."

"Nice. My people."

"You know what I mean. So what's the dilemma? Bet I can guess. You want to go barreling in there but the big magical Elf is not up for it. You got the bejeezus scared out of you even if you won't admit it and you're not even sure it's smart to just go prancing in there. Am I warm?"

"Pretty warm. I don't even have all the pieces yet."

"Oh yeah, the oversized talking rat. Where do you find one of those?"

"A Willen. To find that I will definitely need Correk's help. He says they're great thieves and will bargain you out of everything."

"You can take 'em. You bring coffee? You are slipping. So you find a talking rat, you make a deal and then..."

"And then, we trust the thieving rat does the impossible and steals from a group known for their ability to keep things locked away. And that's the easy part. If we get the intel we need, then we hold the Oriceran equivalent of a seance with a bunch of magical people from Austin holding hands..."

"Oh, this really is getting good."

"And we open the gates of hell, or a kind of a hell and hope that nobody gets sucked in and my grandmother is standing there, ready and waiting when we do. Easy peasy."

"Sounds like it. What are your other choices?"

"Walk away. Forget I found out where she is."

"Then we both know what you're gonna do. Come on, let's go take a walk. Yes, we're headed there. We won't go in. We'll just stroll by. Satisfy my curiosity and make you feel better. Peterson! Peterson!" Hagan called to his partner who finally peeled himself away from the ladies. "You thinking about retiring sometime soon? No? Then you might want to try working the job. Interview a few people who aren't female and in their twenties and bring back actual useful information this time. Now, I'm leaving this box with you and I've counted them. If one is even disturbed, you're bringing me doughnuts from Voodoo for a month. Got it? Don't care who does the disturbing, you protect these."

Peterson nodded, taking notes.

"Oh geez. You don't have to write that down, do you? Alright, I'll be back." Hagan walked off in frustration, lifting the tape for Leira.

"At least he's enthusiastic."

"Yeah, for anything with boobs. I'm telling you Leira, I have even looked at my retirement package once or twice. Come on, let's turn here. How're you adjusting with your mother?"

"Bit by bit. Not easy feeling like I'm responsible for someone else."

"First mistake. You're not. Take it from an old married guy with a smart wife and a former partner who could run faster than I can. You're there for each other but you don't help unless you hear a fucking question. Enough withering glares from Rose in our early years finally taught me that one."

"Another Hagan-ism I can tuck away."

"It'll save you from a lot of arguments and you'll end up learning how to back off anyway. Might as well start early. Besides, you're still the kid, even if you wear a weapon. I tell you what, treat her like you treat a partner. You know how to do that. Okay, look up, you can just about see the hotel already."

Leira stepped off the curb to see around a tree and looked up at the windows. In the moonlight she saw a figure at the window and almost looked away. There was something so familiar. She looked again, shading her eyes from the streetlight. All the women in my line are connected, thought Leira, sending her energy out before her, reaching up to the window. This way, I'll know for sure. Her energy unfurled, dancing a thin curling stream reaching up at the window pane that would go unnoticed by ordinary humans.

But there was no one in the room, not really. Mara floated in the thick ether of the world in between, gazing down at her granddaughter. Her patience had been rewarded. She had found her again.

The curl of energy came up and drifted into the room, strong enough to barely penetrate the veil between the two dimensions, wrapping itself around Mara. It was the first time in four years she had felt it so purely. It was love. She closed her eyes, soaking it in, sending out her own energy to meet it, letting the two mix together for a short time.

Leira felt the energy mixing with something and knew it was her grandmother. They had found a meeting place. Maybe this will work. The feeling of hope grew stronger in her chest. There is a way. Her face flushed from the rush of love that slid down the stream of magic and into her being.

Mara felt the connection return and let it linger for just a moment longer. She knew she couldn't stay. The dark mass of old magic was looking for both of them and her granddaughter's magic was powerful. It would attract attention in the world in between.

She let the tendrils slip away from her, sliding back down the side of the hotel and she moved through a wormhole quickly finding herself on the streets of San Francisco, watching the harbor seals in the bay.

"She's gone," said Leira, standing under the windows of the hotel. "She's gone, but it was her. She was there. I felt it." Her eyes shimmered in the streetlight. She looked back up at the window and saw the mist creeping up the glass. It was moments too late. Leira grabbed Hagan's hand. "Let's get out of here."

"Bogeymist back?"

"Yes, but that's actually good news. It won't see me coming."

"They never do, Berens. Dumb fucks."

***

Leira hurried home, coming into the dark guest cottage as quietly as she could. She dropped her purse onto the red velvet chair by the door and tiptoed across the floor toward Correk. She could hear the troll snoring in his shoe box on the floor by the couch. He gave out a trill and a giggle and curled up into a ball.

She took another step, pausing as one of the floorboard's creaked under her weight. She waited to see if anyone stirred before taking another step.

"The anticipation is killing me. Will you just walk over here?" Correk put a hand behind his head. Leira could see him arching that one eyebrow even in the near darkness.

Leira took the last few steps a little faster as Correk sat up and swung his legs around to make room for her, watching out for the troll's nest.

"Did you realize he gets a clean pair of your underwear every day? It's like he makes his bed."

"I did not. Really going to have to move going to Target up the list of things to do." Leira sat down next to Correk, already waving her hands, too excited to sit still. "I saw Nana! I saw her! She was in a window at the Driskill." She was whispering as loud as she dared.

Leira waited for Correk to lambaste her for going near the Driskill but he sat back against the couch, stifling a yawn, patiently waiting.

"I didn't go in."

"I didn't say anything."

"I feel judgment from you anyway."

"That's you projecting."

"Your TV viewing has moved on to Dr. Phil."

"Don't make this about me. But yes, the man gets right to the point, unlike you right now... in the middle of the night..."

"I went to see Hagan, I missed him."

"Understandable."

"And I told him what we're trying to do. He was at a crime scene right around the corner so we walked around the block, and there she was!" She pounded Correk's leg for emphasis. My God, that Elf has muscles for days. Focus, Leira. He's your cousin. She gave off a shudder.

"What was that for?"

"Nothing." She shook her head, feeling her face warming in the dark but quickly went back to talking with her hands, waving them around in the air, bouncing in her seat. "I think this may just work," she whispered. "I know where we need to tempt the dark mist to come after me and at the same time have a good shot at Nana being ready to go."

"You're determined to do this. We still need to find a Willen."

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. I want to go in the morning. There's no time to waste. That thing is hunting me and it'll keep trying so why give it so many chances. Toni's already talking to the community at large. All we still need is to gather background on the world in between."

"Don't you have to work?"

"Not if a magical bad guy doesn't appear. I'm on twenty-four, seven call."

"Where we're going there's no phone reception. You'll be out of range for a while."

"I'll let the general know. You up for this?"

"Of course, I said I'd help you. I meant it. Light Elves keep their word, no matter what."

"We leave at dawn."

"Fine, I'm not even going to ask. You realize we're going to a place that doesn't know what a dawn is. Not really."

"We can go now instead."

"Dawn it is. Make sure you bring cash. At least a hundred dollars. We'll need to exchange it once we get to our destination."

"Done and done. I keep a stash in the house for emergencies. And I'll leave Mom a note." We'll leave before she can insist on coming with us. Leira felt the excitement grow inside of her. Fucking feelings. Not all bad. Who knew?

CHAPTER TWELVE

Correk and Leira were out of the house early, just as they planned. A post-it note was left on the bathroom mirror.

'Off to see a Willen, back as soon as I can. Took Correk with me this time.'

"If you want this to work, this is necessary." Correk and Leira were walking across the dry, rocky terrain of Lavender Rock State Park. Correk stopped for a moment, looking in the direction of the oversized crystal in the distance and the direction of the rising sun, shading his eyes. He turned his back to the sun and planted his feet, drawing on the energy from the crystal as the glowing symbols appeared on his arms and his eyes glowed. He formed a ball of light in his hands, pinching at it till it flattened out, stretching it into a screen.

"Never seen you do that before." Leira got closer, peering over his arm so she could see what he was doing.

"There's a lot of things you've never seen me do. Let me focus." Correk moved his hands around the flat rectangle of blue light, moving his fingers as a map made of light overlaid the ground they were on. A bouncing red dot marked the spot where they were standing.

"You have your own apps," Leira whispered, her eyes widening.

Correk moved his fingers into different shapes again and another blue dot appeared with a connecting gold thread that glittered between the two points. Coordinates appeared on the virtual blue screen, pointing away from Lavender Rock.

"This is like an iPhone 25.0. How many bars do you need for that thing?" Leira reached out to touch it as Correk batted away her hand.

"It's not a toy. Light balls are very personal. Never touch someone else's light ball without asking first," he snapped.

"Got it. No means no when it comes to your light balls."

"And you wonder about your mother and her man-chest fetish."

"It's not a fetish, just a break in a long dry spell. She's burning off the top layers. She'll go local eventually."

Correk looked up from the small screen in front of him. "You have someone in mind?"

"Really? We're diving headfirst into my mother's old love life in the middle of a moonscape with a few trees as we're about to go to an underground world to look for a talking rat?"

"Most of our days sound like that description. I fit in topics when I can."

Leira drew her mouth into a straight line, mashing her lips together.

"Okay, moving on." Correk looked back at the screen.

"I don't know. There was someone but Mom hasn't said anything about him and I haven't told him she's out."

"A name? Seems a little cold hearted." Correk didn't look up. He tapped the screen and slid his finger across the top, gathering information.

"He works with Ralph. Donald Entin, another mechanic. I'll tell him, or I'll ask Mom if she wants him to know. I don't know. How did this get to be my business? Can we focus here?"

"That was my point about five minutes ago. Alright, we need to walk just a few yards in that direction. I have the address of someone who should be able to help us find the right Willen. You brought the cash, right?"

"There's an address out here? I live by the big red and beige rock. Can't miss it. Yes, yes, I brought the cash," she said, patting her pocket.

"And not your gun."

"Thought about it but something told me that was a bad first impression."

"It would have gotten us kicked out and banned for a month. This way."

They walked till they got to a cluster of nondescript boulders at the edge of the park.

"How did you even know this was here?" Leira squinted, looking around at the vast terrain of different-sized rocks, cacti and short, twisted trees in similar shades of brown or pale purples. "It all looks the same to me, and I'm from these parts."

"There is a detailed map available to anyone in our community. Shows the underground cities beneath all the kemanas in your world."

"I'm living in a giant nesting doll. You open one world and there's another. Oh wait, there's another world inside of that one."

"This is only the third kind of world, if you can call it that. It's really part of Earth, just underground."

"Everywhere."

Correk gave a half shrug. "Not exactly everywhere." He pointed to Lavender Rock in the distance. "They're all centered around the giant crystals that are pushed deep into the Earth. The last time the gates were fully open a lot of people from Oriceran wanted to stay. But some are not as suited to be out in public all the time. Like the Willens. They also wanted to make sure they had access to some level of magic better than what the Earth gave off naturally."

"So they fired up these beauties."

"Exactly. They poured magic into them, turning these spaces into something more than a relic. They're very powerful. It would be a lot easier to just show you." He looked at the screen again and back at the rocks. "It says we're right on top of the entrance. There it is!" He crouched down, holding his hand over his eyes as the sun rose slowly over the park. In front of him were three symbols carved into the rock. A circle, a square and the infinity symbol.

"What are those?" Leira bent over to get a better look.

"An alarm system as well as an entrance." Correk waved his hands and the screen in front of him changed into dust, blowing away in the strong breeze. He crouched down and gently pushed against the infinity symbol as the ground beneath their feet rumbled.

"What happens if you push the other two?" Leira put out her hands for balance, feeling the vibration in her legs.

"Knocked out in various ways. Electric shock. Magical sleeping gas. They're the alarm system."

"Like one method wasn't enough."

The air around them grew colder as rays of gold light spread out from between the pile of rocks in front of them, circling around them.

The rocks pulled apart as the ground beneath them ripped open, revealing a set of wide stone stairs that wound deep into the ground.

"Ladies first," said Correk, nodding his head.

Leira looked at him and at the steps. "Why not?" She headed down the stairs, her hand running along the wall. Everywhere she looked there were glowing lavender crystals embedded in the wall, lighting the way. She looked back at Correk who was only a step behind her, as the ground above magically closed over them without caving in. A fine shower of gold dust fell on their heads.

"Is every underground place like this? What do you call them? Towns? Cities?"

"They're just like places above ground. Some are hives of magical creatures living in caves, one on top of the other. Others are more like villages with a little more space. Depends on the place. The largest is in Santa Barbara. It's called Fairhaven. You'll find a little bit of everything there."

Leira kept walking down as the stairs curved round and round. The lower she got the more light came spilling up the stairs to greet them. "This is Texas, so I'm guessing things are more spread out down here."

"Accurate guess if the reviews I read were correct."

The noise picked up as Leira descended the stairs until they finally turned the corner and were greeted by a hearty, "Hello!" from a passing female Light Elf holding on to the hand of a youngster. Leira stopped in her tracks, her mouth open, staring at the scene in front of her.

"It's an entire fucking village!" she said in awe.

"It's actually a city. Welcome to the city of Hilldale."

She was looking at a town square deep under the ground just outside of Austin. In the center of the square was the large lavender crystal. "Lavender Rock is huge," whispered Leira.

It was giving off a glow bright enough to light everything around her. Grass surrounded the crystal, swaying back and forth. "I recognize that from Oriceran." She looked back at Correk.

"Everyone wants things that remind them of home," he said.

A paved road ran around the square and there were shops set back on every side, even flanking the large steps up to the surface.

"Coming by you, on your left." Leira stepped to her right to get out of the way as a large Kilomea came down the last steps carrying a stack of wooden boxes taller than Leira with peaches stamped on the side. He bustled off down the street, disappearing into the crowd that filled the streets.

"I take back what I said about wide-open spaces."

"This is the center of the town down here. There will be fewer people the further out we get. Come on, we need to go exchange your money. There's supposed to be a place on the opposite side of the square."

Leira walked along beside Correk looking in all the shop windows. The music store had guitars hanging in the window, playing themselves. The small art gallery showed paintings of Oriceran alongside Texas landscapes. The elves in one painting walked across the gilt frame and into the wooden frame of another to admire the hill country. A grocer was putting out a sandwich board by crates of fruit and vegetables with the deals of the day.

Most of the things for sale Leira recognized but there was a dark green oblong fruit the size of a peach she had never seen before. "What's that?" she asked the grocer.

He smiled, sweeping his hand across the top of the display. "Hairy limeolas. Very sweet this time of year. Actually, down here, year round! Two pintas," he said, holding up two fingers. "You need an exchange?"

"We do," said Correk, taking Leira by the elbow and bustling her inside, passing the grocer. "This is our first destination. It's a money exchange. Come on."

Leira kept looking to both sides, taking in all the strange produce, wanting to reach out and touch things. Another time. Singleness of purpose.

"We can come back sometime," Correk said, watching her pull her hand back from a box of bananas that were in the shape of a spiral. "We should come back here. You would learn more about the other part of who you are." He stepped up to the counter.

"I'll trade you twenty dollars for five pintas." Correk bargained with the grocer, glancing over at the sign with the day's exchange rate.

"Three," said the grocer, holding up three fingers that ended in claws.

A new creature, thought Leira. Looks almost human. I have so many questions.

"Five or I go down the street to your competitor. It's a fair exchange."

The grocer stared at Correk and glanced at Leira. She narrowed her eyes and stared back.

"Fine," he said, blinking. "Not bad," he said, smiling. "Today, you got me. Maybe next time, favor will be on my side."

Leira waited till Correk gave her a nod and she pulled out the cash laying it on the counter. The grocer laid down diamond-shaped pieces of metal with different symbols stamped in them. They were the same color as the crystal in the town square. He quickly scooped up her money.

Correk counted the pintas and put it in a leather pouch, drawing the strings. "Here, keep track of this. We'll need to bribe the Willen to even talk to us."

"Oh, Willens," snarled the grocer, wrinkling his nose. "Steal you blind!" He waved at them in dismissal but quickly went back to smiling. The Kilomea was in the back of the store putting down the crates of peaches and heading back out to the square. "Elves," he muttered as he passed them, looking Correk up and down. He nodded at Leira. Correk arched a brow and watched him pass but didn't say anything.

"No love lost?"

"He's a Bracken Kilomea. They come from the swamps, originally. They don't really like anyone but he seemed to admire you. Come on, time to go find a Willen."

They got back out to the square, dodging a gnome pushing a stroller with a baby gnome tucked inside, and a troll peering out that blew Leira a kiss.

"Trolls! There's more of them on Earth."

"Of course there are. They are choosy about who they agree to attach to but it happens all the time. For life."

"Yes, I got that part before, thank you."

They walked another block before Correk took Leira by the hand and pulled her down a side street where the light was dimmer, shaded by elm trees. Homes lined the street, pushed up against each other and painted in different pastel colors. Many of them were lavender.

"Trees underground. This is all very trippy. Do humans ever come down here?"

"They're not very welcome. A certain kind of anonymity is required for these places to survive and humans are too chatty and too easily spooked. Word would get out. You realize this isn't some kind of tourist attraction," he said, as they hurried along. Leira realized the paved streets were giving away to cobblestones and the houses were growing shabbier.

Correk was watching the house numbers, still holding onto her hand as they came to a worn-down wooden cottage with the white paint peeling off and the numbers one four one. Narrow, cement stairs twisting left and then right led up to the red front door with a large window on the top half of it.

"This is it. Our Willen lives here."

"With all the stealing they do, you'd think they'd have better digs."

"This is by choice. They like to go by unnoticed and live in areas where others are reluctant to visit. That and their idea of hygiene is disturbing."

"A lot of the humans I dealt with on the force would love it here." Leira headed up the stairs, easily navigating the twisting angles, running to the door, her fist raised, ready to knock. She looked at Correk who gave her a nod as she gave two sharp knocks.

The door opened a crack, a long, gray furry snout appearing, sniffing around the edge. Two beady eyes followed as the Willen worked his way cautiously around the door. He looked Correk and Leira up and down, his long claws still holding the door ajar.

"Elves, fine." He opened the door wide. "Do come in. Can't be too careful these days. So many making the crossing. Some bad elements."

Leira pressed down on Correk's arm, stopping him from asking what the Willen meant by bad element. They were there for a different reason.

"We're here to strike a deal," she said, pressing ahead. Leira was used to bargaining with cons. Just because this one has a tail and whiskers doesn't make it any different.

She handed Correk the pouch and he took out three coins, holding them in his palm. "For your consideration."

The Willen sniffed the air and walked over to Correk swiftly removing the coins and sliding them into the folds in his skin. Leira did her best not to stare at any of it. There was too much riding on getting his cooperation.

"I'm listening," said the Willen.

"We need information." Correk was slowly reeling out the information, drawing in the Willen.

"My favorite kind of deal."

"You have to go to Oriceran to get it."

The Willen sat back on its haunches, still upright. "This will cost you."

"We understand and are ready to bargain."

"I'll want something special. What do you want from Oriceran."

"We came to you for this because even above ground they say you can do anything." Correk needed to appeal to the Willen's ego before he said the next words. "We need you to steal the secrets of the world in between from the Gnomes who guard the library."

The Willen was unable to hide his surprise and he started sputtering. "Impossible. Ridiculous. Joke."

"Name your prize," Leira said evenly. She held her breath, saying nothing, waiting for the Willen's response.

The Willen rocked forward, rubbing his paws together. There's something he wants and can't get, thought Leira. She braced herself for the request.

"Bring my family here from New Jersey."

Leira looked at Correk and back at the Willen wondering if she heard right. Her brows drew together, puzzled. There has to be a catch. "How many Willen are we talking about?"

"Five," said the Willen, tapping his nails together, his whiskers twitching. "My wife, my boy, my mother and two uncles. Dad had unfortunate timing with the D train in New York City and is no longer with us."

"We bring your family here to you and you steal this information?" Leira gave the Willen her best icy stare. Better he doesn't realize how much she wanted this.

"Not as easy as you think. Four full grown Willens and even a medium-sized Willen are hard to hide, expensive to move. All under the noses of those Silver Griffins."

"Fine, we'll do it." We'll figure it out.

"First, you go to Oriceran for the information. We will start to arrange transportation."

"How do I know you won't double cross me?"

"That's more your bailiwick. If we don't have your family here when it's time for the exchange, then you don't tell us anything. But...," Correk's tone grew menacing. "We want everything. Every hidden book and scroll and mention of the world in between. Leave anything out and we ship Momma back to Jersey."

"Really need to pull you away from the TV," muttered Leira. "What is that? Real housewives?" Correk looked at her and shrugged. She shook her head.

"Deal," said the Willen, spitting into his paw and extending it for a shake. "It's the only way I do business."

Leira spit into her palm before Correk had a chance, shoving her hand on top of the wet fur, feeling the Willen's nails graze across her skin. "Deal," she said. "You have only two days."

"Then you have the same," said the Willen smiling, showing razor sharp, pointed teeth. "Better get a move on. My Uncle Flipper is old and doesn't move so fast. He'll be a hard one to get here in your time frame."

"You worry about getting past the lock on that vault. We'll worry about the Jersey Willens," said Correk.

The Willen wrote down an address and the directions to a kemana in Southern New Jersey and showed them to the door, jingling from the coins in the folds of his skin as he let them out, shutting the door behind them without even a goodbye.

Leira stood on the rickety porch, looking back at the front windows as a bright light shined out from behind the curtains.

"He's already opened a portal. He must be desperate to get his family back." Correk hurried down the steps. "Come on, you set a tight schedule."

"That black mist seems pretty determined. I don't want to fight it again before I'm ready and I don't want to miss what may be my only chance to rescue my grandmother. I took a chance."

There was a flash in the windows and the sounds of a sizzle, pop and a crack. The Willen was already on the other side.

Correk and Leira hurried back through the streets, stopping to buy a hairy limeola before they headed up the stairs.

"You have to eat that down here. Can't transport Oriceran produce above ground. Against the rules," said Correk. "Go on, bite into the rind. You'll see."

Leira bit into the limeola and was surprised to find it tasted like a sweet lime with a hint of orange. The hairy rind dissolved in her mouth and tasted like sugar. She took two more bites before throwing it into a trash can by the stairs. A Willen appeared out of nowhere, digging through the trash to retrieve the rest of the limeola, popping it into his mouth as Leira ran up the stairs toward the surface.

The ground opened up automatically as they approached the top and Leira was greeted with a rush of hot Texas air. The morning sun made her eyes hurt and it took a moment to adjust. The Earth rumbled under her feet as the rocks drew back together and everything around them grew still again.

"Like a trip to Oz," she said.

Correk was about to say something but Leira beat him to it. "Oh yeah, I totally see that one. Little people, wizard, path of gold. It's like human beings will buy whatever you're selling."

"So far," said Correk, as they hurried back in the direction of the car. There was a lot to do if they were going to move the Jersey Willens in time.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

"The Jersey Willens live in Atlantic City? Is it under a casino?" Leira ran her hand through her hair, frustrated. She was getting pulled in different directions.

"The address says Margate. The entrance to the kemana is under a hotel shaped like an elephant named Lucy." They were sitting in the guest house, explaining everything to Eireka.

"Are you making this up?"

"No, I've told you before..."

"Light Elves care about telling the truth." Leira finished the sentence for him.

"I've been to that kemana. It's very nice. You can hear the ocean through the walls and the crystal is the prettiest gray blue." Eireka was sitting cross legged on the couch. The troll was laying back on her leg.

Leira stared at her mother for a moment. "I can never catch up on all this information."

"Does it really matter, dear? You'll learn what you need to know."

"What we need to know is where Katie Toler is going to be next and how she's tracking the necklace. It'd be our chance to get there first. But..."

"We may be able to do both." Correk was pacing the room, wearing his new jeans and cowboy boots.

"Don't say portal. You said you can't go back in time with those."

"Don't be ridiculous. No portals. If we can get ahead of the Silver Griffins agent we can get the necklace and take it with us to move the Willens. It's risky but it's doable."

"I say we try."

"There's a third option. You let me help." Eireka fixed a steady, determined gaze on her daughter. "First of all, I understand magic better than you do. Second, moving the Jersey Willens isn't about magic anyway. It's logistics. I'm a born planner. They need to get from point A to point B in a short amount of time without anyone seeing them move. This is really quite easy."

"Explain." Leira sat forward on the edge of her chair.

"We either disguise the move as something rare and expensive or something dangerous and volatile. And we get the government to help us with the cover up."

"General Anderson..." Leira finally took in a deep breath of air.

"There you go. I knew you'd get it. He'd do it for you, Leira and keeping things from the public is second nature to the government. If we can borrow a transport plane, we throw the Willens in the back and fly to Texas. I can handle that. If anyone gives me grief I make them sing like a canary. It's really pretty and soothing but scares the shit out of humans." Eireka laughed, covering her mouth with her hand. The troll imitated her, rolling over and letting out a fart.

Leira waved a magazine to clear the air. "This is what happens when you feed a troll whatever he wants."

"They do them for fun," said Correk, trying to glance at the ceiling without being noticed.

Eireka took the magazine from Leira and grabbed both her hands. "I trusted you to be able to take care of yourself. Now you're going to need to trust me to do the same. I can do this. Go after that necklace. It needs to go home where it's safe and to give the queen some comfort. It carries in it some of the energy from her son. She should have at least that to remember him by."

"What do you think Cowboy Correk? Stop pacing."

"He looks like a native Texan. Get a twang on him and no one would question his roots," said Eireka admiring him.

"Mom." Leira rolled her eyes at her mother, getting another laugh from Eireka.

"Hopefully, I can teach you to loosen up, just a little."

Correk finally stopped, his hands on his hips. "I don't know. Willens are always looking for an angle and five of them..."

"Five of them who all want to get to the Lavender kemana. We have the same purpose. They'll try and steal what they can on the trip and probably scare a few of the Feds but that will only make the trip more interesting. Call the general. Make the arrangements and then go, get the necklace.

***

Leira and Correk tracked Katie Toler to an old abandoned Esso station in Shreveport, Louisiana but they got there too late. There was no sign of Katie or the necklace.

"No obvious signs," said Correk. "Wait, don't rush off. You wouldn't leave a murder scene without gathering what you could from the evidence."

Leira turned around and did what was becoming second nature. She centered herself, pulling up the energy from the Earth and let it flow through her, forgetting about the dirty tile walls all around her. It happened more easily now, pulsing through her faster. She spread out her arms and let the energy flow out from her, seeking out the magic trails left behind. There they are. As individual as fingerprints.

The different glittering trails swirled around the room, each one giving off different energy. Leira sought out Katie's trail first and knew it when she found it. Icy blue and sharp. She shut her eyes, absorbing the energy and felt the remnants of the different spells.

"I don't know what this means." She opened her eyes, still holding the magic steady.

"You're getting stronger, Cousin. You can hold the energy steady and interact with me. Well done. What are you sensing?"

"Incantations but I don't know them. I don't know what the words mean."

"You don't need to. It's not the spells that matter, it's their intention. You're Light Elf. We use spells as a convenience but we don't need them. Feel what's there. That's where your power is. Let your energy mix with the remnants of the Atlantean. It'll tell you what Katie was doing and what she was after."

Leira shut her eyes again, letting the trail of her energy swirl and mix with the remnants. "She fought her way out of here. Pretty nasty fight. Wait! She wasn't alone. I mean she had an ally. A witch. I recognize the kind of trail they leave."

"Very good, Cousin. Was either of them hurt? You'll feel pain and a kind of emptiness in the trails."

"Wounded but not seriously. There's anger, too. A lot of it. They still don't have the necklace." Leira opened her eyes, dropping her arms as the symbols faded. "She had to retreat. This was a waste of time."

"Not entirely. Try again. Read the other side but be careful of the darkness. Sometimes they are clever and leave boobytraps in the remnants for someone just like you. You'll have to really focus and steer your way around them."

"Like a video game." Leira took in a deep breath and shut her eyes, pulling the magic through herself again, seeking out the darker trails. They were easy to spot, popping and crackling with tangled knots in the flow. "Nothing goes in a straight line."

"One of the consequences of playing with dark magic. It tangles up your energy. Stay long enough and the knots become permanent. Keep going."

Leira cautiously approached the energy with her own, using the same skills she would have used entering a strange house for the first time. She looked at every angle, ready to pulse a blast of energy. She drew near a trail, nudging it with her own as a section bubbled and popped, sending out sparks. A boobytrap. Sparkling black and blue pieces flew through the air as Leira let her energy catch a piece absorbing it into hers. A sharp pain stabbed at her temple and she winced but held on, feeling for the intentions buried inside.

"They took the necklace to D.C. to hide it." Leira opened her eyes, still squinting from the pain.

Correk put his hands on both sides of her head as his fingertips glowed, pulling out the dark magic. The pain gradually receded.

"How do they live with that much pain all the time?" asked Leira, rubbing her forehead. "They've gone to Washington but I couldn't get an exact read on where. And one other thing was buried in there. A faint pale blue trail of a purer magic."

Correk looked up, concerned. "They have a captive?"

"Not sure. It was Hannah Beecham. She left a distress call, asking for help. I heard it clear as day. She said contact Lacey Trader in the Silver Griffins. She needs help."

“There’s no time to help the young witch. We need to call the Silver Griffins.”

“I don’t like it, but you’re right. Even if Hannah betrayed them, they should still know one of their own is in danger. And as much as I hate it, we let Katie Toler have a clear shot at taking back the necklace. We have a few Willens we need to worry about more,” said Leira.

***

Katie Toler was backed into a corner on a soccer field in Fort Ward, in Alexandria, Virginia, fighting three Rhazdon followers who were doing their best to escape with the prized necklace. The park was closed temporarily for repairs. A ruse set up by the followers so they could more easily hide the necklace beneath one of the monuments. It wasn't going as they planned.

Katie showed up before they could deposit the necklace and they were equally pinned down, holding on to the precious artifact, too afraid of the priest who led them to let it go and run. Katie was following a tip from an old friend of May's who had soured on the movement but was still friendly with some of the members. The necklace was being moved to somewhere just outside of D.C. temporarily.

Rumors abounded about where the necklace was but Katie was too smart to just chase leads and drove around the area till she got close enough to be able to follow the trail the powerful artifact was leaving. It had a strong signal all its own that went out for more than thirty miles.

Like bread crumbs through the forest to the gingerbread house. A nasty witch was at the end of this trail too, flanked by two wizards.

Pzzzzztttzzzttt! Brrrrzzzzzzzttttzzz!

The tendrils of electric fire snapped back and forth burning whatever it touched. Katie had already managed to take out a witch with a lasso of fire that left the witch crumpled on her side, still smoking but alive.

The sky directly above them was red and purple, the electricity being absorbed into the clouds and sent right back down to Earth again. From a distance it looked like a breathtaking force of nature in a small storm.

"Surrender the necklace and you can back out of here." Katie yelled across the distance between them. She stood out in the open, dressed in leather, her tendrils swirling around her head. She had come prepared for battle and wasn't backing down.

"Not gonna happen bitch!" yelled one of the wizards.

"May happen anyway but I'll have to step over your dead bodies to pick it up. Either way is fine by me." Katie snapped her arm back, using the trail of magic like a white hot whip, flicking it through the air over the length of the soccer field.

Snap!

The flame licked the neck of the wizard, drawing blood and leaving a trail of blisters. He jerked his hand back sending a spray of sparks across the soccer field, obliterating the netting around the goal as he fell to the ground.

Katie saw an opportunity and snapped the energy back again, hurling it forward with all her might, just long enough to grab the branch off a nearby oak tree, breaking it right at the trunk.

Craaaaaack!

She hurled the thick branch at the heads of the remaining witch and wizard.

The witch ducked just in time, leaves grazing her head but the wizard caught it full in the chest, lifting him off his feet and flying through the air before landing face first in the dirt. The witch helped to pull the branch off him as Katie advanced, still sending out a strong and steady flame. The wizard's nose was broken and he could barely see from the dirt in his eyes.

"Take the necklace and get out of here. I'll make sure you get away. I'll use our backup plan."

"Not that," said the witch. She was dressed in jeans and a light jacket and looked like she should be standing on the sidelines of the soccer field watching her kid score a goal, instead of hurling dark magic at an approaching agent of the Silver Griffins.

"The movement must succeed. We must bring Rhazdon's teachings back for the sake of magic before the gates open. Go!"

The white light was blinding the wizard as he mumbled the spell ending with, "...the pure of thought shall prevail."

The ground began to tremble and Katie stopped her advance, holding her arm steady. A look of concern came over her face but she wasn't backing up. It wasn't in her game plan.

The ground cracked open in small fissures all across the soccer field as shimmers of gray light poured out shooting straight up ten feet in the air, instantly changing to razor thin, sharp ice. Katie saw the cracks under her feet and without a second thought ran for the cover of the field house as fast as she could, the sheaths of ice making a slicing and swooshing sound right behind her. A blood curdling scream echoed against the ice behind her from the wizards trapped on the field.

"Open!" she shouted at the door in front of her, holding out her hand as the door flung itself open and she dove headfirst for the concrete floor inside, just as the last slice of tall deadly gray ice shot into the air at the entrance to the door.

She rolled over, looking at the opaque wall of ice up against the door. "I have to admit, I did not see that coming. You bitches play a little meaner than I realized. Drank the Kool Aid and everything." She picked herself up off the floor, brushing off the leather. Her mouth was set and she was already working on her next move.

"Might actually need reinforcements this time." She shook her head in amazement. "How is one necklace worth all this trouble?"

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

"Is it okay that I invited him?" Eireka had pulled her long hair back on the sides with two silver combs and was wearing a silk purple shirt that flattered her pale skin. Leira saw what her mother had on and realized her mother cared how the night went. No one wore silk to go eat pizza.

"Of course it's okay. We love Donald." Leira held the door open for her mother as they walked into Home Slice Pizza.

"I would have held the door," said Correk as he walked inside. The troll was left at home with a salad, happily stuffing cherry tomatoes in his mouth. There was a group consensus that he needed a break from faux food.

"There he is, Donald!" Eireka waved, smiling as she picked up her pace. A tall man with broad shoulders and thick silver hair stood up, sliding out of the booth, nervously wiping his hands on his jeans. He was just as Leira remembered him. Only the color of his hair had changed.

Geez, he's wearing his best duds too, thought Leira.

"Makes you wonder if they missed each other all these years." Correk stood next to Leira watching the two embrace. Donald looked like he was having trouble remembering how to hug someone.

“I don’t remember ever seeing him that nervous.”

"We should probably walk over there, don't you think?" Correk gave a gentle push in the small of Leira's back.

"Donald, hey, nice to see you again! Can you believe it?" Leira heard her own high-pitched voice. Let this all go well tonight. She hugged him, patting him on the back and stepped back.

Correk gave a small wave and slid into the booth, grabbing Leira's hand to pull her in next to him before she could sit by her mother.

"Well, I guess I'll sit next to you," said Donald, sliding in next to Eireka.

Leira leaned closer to Correk and whispered, "I think my life I didn't have is flashing before my eyes."

"Don't be so dramatic. Your mother is on a date with her grown daughter and a magic Elf from Oriceran. Perfectly normal."

Leira spit out a little of her water, coughing as Correk patted her hard on the back.

"You okay there, honey?" The waitress appeared at their table, gently patting Leira on the shoulder.

"Went down the wrong way," she managed to get out, still coughing a little.

"Everyone know what they want or you need a minute?"

"If the rest of you don't mind, I'd like to order for the table," said Donald, shyly glancing over at Eireka. "We used to have a usual," he said to the waitress.

Eireka's face lit up and she sat up straighter. "That's right! You remember." Her cheeks were flush as she let out a giggle.

Correk pressed his hand on top of Leira's sending a small jolt of energy through her.

"I'm not going to do something," she hissed quietly to him.

"I was more concerned you'd pass out from it all."

She drew up one side of her mouth but turned it into a crooked smile when her mother looked in her direction. This can be her night. I'll just be here for the pizza and to annoy Correk. That's more than enough.

"A large pepperoni and mushroom tried and true," said Donald, resting his hands on the table, then in his lap, then back on the table.

"This is painful," Leira whispered to Correk.

"Only for you," he replied, pushing her back on to her side of the seat.

"Sounds delicious," said Correk. "And a Dr. Pepper."

"You don't even know what pepperoni is," said Leira. "I'll have a Shiner Bock."

"I tried Cheetos and Twizzlers and Pop Tarts and that's all gone well. I'm sure this will too."

"Are you not from these parts?" asked Donald.

"This'll be even better than that stuff!" said the waitress.

"He's from New Zealand. They have their own kind of junk food there," Leira added quickly. "He's decided to stay here for the indefinite future." Eireka nodded, relieved.

"Oh, so like a resident alien. We'll take two Shiner Bocks," said Donald, nodding at the waitress.

"What?" Correk startled.

"Exactly like that," said Leira, laughing. Correk raised his eyebrows and looked at Leira who laughed even harder. He rolled his eyes.

Eireka was practically beaming.

I miss Hagan, thought Leira. All these feelings out in the open would be killing him more. At least that would be something to entertain me.

"Tell me about how you two met." Leira rested her arm on the table.

"Good for you," whispered Correk.

"Your mother had a flat tire on 5th Street during rush hour in the right-hand lane. Cars honking everywhere. You were strapped in your seat in the back, just as calm as could be. I pulled up expecting to see a frazzled mom gripping a steering wheel but instead..." He looked over at Eireka who smiled shyly. "Your eyes were shut and you had the most peaceful smile on your face."

"I was meditating," she said, not taking her eyes off Donald.

"He must have the best six pack abs of anyone in Austin," whispered Correk, "based on your mother's basic criteria."

Leira pinched his thigh hard adding a little zing of magic, still smiling at Donald and her mother, tilting her head to the side, smiling.

"Two moons!" shouted Correk, jumping in his seat.

"You okay over there?" Donald smiled easily, taking Eireka's hand in his. Eireka looked directly at Leira, arching an eyebrow and narrowing her eyes just long enough to get the message across. Leira shrugged and widened her eyes innocently.

"Anyway, that was all it took. I thought, I need to find out more about this beautiful lady and her peaceful kid. Didn't last nearly long enough." He looked down for a moment.

"It's okay, Donald. You can talk about it. They cleared my records and admitted they made a big mistake. Even paid a settlement." Eireka was still smiling at him but there was pain in her eyes. Donald gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

"Fifteen years for a mistake." His voice was barely above a whisper.

The waitress arrived with a pizza stand and the oversized thin crust pizza. She plopped white paper plates next to it and a pile of small white napkins. "Parmesan and pepper flakes are in the shakers. Right back with the beers and the Dr. Pepper," she said, wiping her hands on a towel tucked into the apron around her waist, already walking away. Donald took charge, passing out the pizza to the ladies first and slipping two large pieces onto a plate for Correk.

Correk bit into the pizza right away, grease dripping down his hand. "Hot! Hot! Hot!" He held his mouth open, fanning it with a napkin.

"Greenhorn. I told you not to do that the last time we ate here." Leira handed him his water and he filled his mouth with water still chewing. "Is that how they eat in New Zealand?" She drew out the last two words.

"Consequences of enthusiasm," said Eireka, moving her foot under the table till it brushed against Correk's foot and she could send a small amount of healing energy his way. He immediately felt better.

Everyone settled down and ate and the conversation died down. Eireka and Donald stole glances at each other and ate their pizza with forks and knives. Sure sign of a date at Home Slice.

"I'm the favorite," whispered Correk.

"If you need to think that," said Leira, opening her mouth as wide as she could to take in as much pizza as she could.

"That was oddly impressive," he said, louder, "Didn't know you had it in you."

"And now on you," said Eireka, laughing.

Leira looked down and saw the droplets of grease on her front.

"Price you pay," she said, her mouth full. She chewed just a little more and waited till Eireka and Donald stole another glance at each other before she nudged Correk and opened her mouth.

"See food. Get it? Seafood. See food?"

He rolled his eyes again at her. "Retribution will come when you least expect it and are probably asleep and will involve a troll."

"He would never turn on me."

"His services can be bought with a doughnut. We both know it. Sleep well tonight."

"You two known each other long? You seem like brother and sister."

Leira was about to answer when she felt a familiar rush of energy come right through her. She jerked, dropped her pizza on the plate and pressed her hands against the seat, trying to steady herself and look calm.

"Swallowed wrong." She was looking for a good cover as the surge grew stronger. She could sense the magic was surging, doing its best to protect her. Something magical and dangerous enough to threaten her was close. Please don't let it be that damnable dark mist. Not here. Not now. Not my favorite pizza joint.

Correk took another bite slowly, giving her a sidelong glance, trying to determine what to do next. The smile on Eireka's face became strained. Only Donald seemed oblivious.

She took a slow look around the room but couldn't see anything strange. No weird holes opening up by the pizza oven. She kept her breathing steady, taking long, slow breaths, her palms starting to sweat. This is not good, not fucking good.

She looked up at Correk just as her eyes glowed. His face gave him away for only a moment as he held her gaze, hiding the telltale sign from everyone around them. She did her best to smile and leaned closer to him, whispering. "I can't control it. What's happening? It feels like something dark is nearby, getting closer."

Correk pushed his leg against Leira's, drawing some of the energy into himself. His leg started to shake, rattling the table. Eireka put out her foot again, creating a triangle of energy, pressing it against her daughter.

"What's going on? This an earthquake?" Donald looked around at the other tables but no other table was shaking. He looked at Eireka but she was keeping her eyes on her daughter, no longer pretending to smile. Donald slowly looked at Leira, and saw the start of glowing symbols creeping up Leira's arm. Correk slipped her jacket around her shoulders. He put a hand on the table, pressing down hard to stop it from shaking.

"What the fuck is happening here?" Donald said, quietly, looking around to see who else noticed but they were too busy eating pizza.

"You want anything else?" asked the waitress, holding the check in her hands.

"No!" they all said in unison.

"I'll take that." Donald came halfway out of his seat, grabbing the check out of her hands. If we could get a box. Great." He kept smiling, waving the check as he sat back down.

The energy surged again, whipping through Leira and passing into Correk and through Eireka making a complete circuit. Leira felt her jaw tighten as she did her best to hold the magic down to a minimum as it sped faster and faster. The air rushed out of her and she suddenly relaxed, her jaw dropping open as she let out a long, "Ahhhhhhh."

Floating just over Donald and Eireka's head was her grandmother but she was covered in a thin film that separated her from Leira.

"The veil is getting thinner," said Correk, quietly, concern in his voice.

Donald turned and looked in the same direction but saw nothing. "What veil?" No one answered him.

"Leira...get help...you need to build the energy." It sounded like a repeated echo blending together. I can hear my grandmother.

"I can hear her! I know, I figured that out. I understand. I'll need reinforcements."

"I knew you could do it." The eerie blended echo came through but only Leira, Eireka and Correk could hear her. Donald kept looking around, a worried expression on his face.

"I'm gonna go pay the bill," he said, sliding out of the booth.

Mara smiled at her granddaughter just as the black mist crept around the edges. She gave a small wave and pulled back her energy, cutting off the connection. Leira fell back against the padded booth.

"This is not good," said Correk.

"Not fucking good at all." Leira was drenched in sweat. "That surge was amazing but how did that happen? I wasn't calling on magic or pulling it into me."

"Your grandmother used the connection we share to pull it out of you. Like a phone call, sort of," said Eireka, watching for Donald. "You think he just got in his car and drove off?"

"Not Donald but he'll want an explanation for the Addams Family reunion we just did." Leira wiped her face with a napkin. "Whew! I am hungry," she said, biting into her pizza. "Thank God, still warm."

"That's it," said Correk. "Back to eating. No trembles or feelings of warnings. No worries?"

"I already knew all of that," said Leira, taking another bite. "And that extra blast of energy was a rush!"

"She's on a magic high. The euphoria. It'll go down shortly. Surely you've seen that before," said Eireka.

Correk took another look at her. "Newbie," he said, trying not to sound worried.

Leira eyed him over the half-eaten slice in her hand. "I get it. Bad things this way come. But not this second, they don't. Come on, you've seen worse."

Correk looked at her and said slowly, "I'm not sure I ever have."

Leira stopped chewing and looked at him. "Well, that puts a different spin on it when you're put out by something magical." Leira put down the pizza and let out a breath. "This is a jammin feeling but I can think through it. Maybe. We knew all of this before we walked in here. Danger hasn't increased."

"The veil is getting thinner. That mass of dark energy is doing something that is making it easier for what's in the world in between to contact Earth. Maybe Oriceran as well. It's probably why you could hear your grandmother this time." Correk tapped his fingers on the table. "If the veil itself were pierced in either world. Torn in some permanent way. The dead and the living and whatever else is apparently in there could come spilling out to here."

"Oh. That is bad. You are killing my buzz. Very douchie move."

"Everybody still in one piece?" Donald stood by the table. He was ready to go.

"Sure, we can go." Eireka slid out of the booth.

Leira started to get up, still lightheaded from the burst of energy but Correk pulled her back into her seat.

"Give them a moment."

"Did we ruin the date?" asked Leira craning to try and see out the window.

"Well, we definitely made it interesting." The waitress appeared with a box and Correk threw in what remained of the pizza. "If Yumfuck smelled pizza on us and we didn't have any there would be hell to pay."

They waited till they saw Donald’s truck pull out of the parking lot before they ventured outside and found Eireka leaning against the Mustang.

"Everything okay?" Leira pressed the button to unlock the car.

"He was amazing, given what a shit show that was in there for the unacquainted."

"She means humans," said Leira, tripping over her feet.

"Not worn off yet." Correk gave a thin smile and held onto Leira while he balanced the box.

"You're smiling again so he must have believed you."

"Turns out he remembers the same kind of light show on me years ago when I thought I was alone in the bedroom but he never said anything. He was glad to get an explanation."

"Oooh, the bedroom," sang Leira.

"I'll drive," said Correk, taking the keys from her. "Can't hold your magic," he said, smiling but he looked back at Home Slice as the strain came across his face again. The veil is getting thin. Do the prophets know?

***

It was a beautiful day in Oriceran. The prophets decided they didn't want to miss it and cast a spell on the ceiling of their meeting room that showed a blue sky and several clouds passing overhead.

They were gathered in the private meeting room on the far side of the vast post office. Outside the gargoyles flew through the air putting mail in all of the thousands of mailboxes. Sending out passenger pigeons with the outgoing mail.

"We need a plan," said the Light Elf. "Something we can start teaching everyone so that when it's time to migrate to Earth, no one panics. If we start now, we can teach it in the schools. Make it part of the curriculum."

"We'll have to decide who goes first," said the Crystal prophet, blowing out a fine, cold mist of air. "We're talking about magical trafficking of an entire world. It will take time. Time the prophesies say we may not have before Oriceran is destroyed when the gates open and the magic drains toward Earth."

"Perhaps a lottery would work," said the Kilomea prophet.

"I'd be happy to come up with an outline." It was the old Gnome prophet sitting quietly in the back.

There had been rumors lately about a Gnome controlling the Dark Market. Some of the prophets were becoming suspicious even though most found it hard to believe a prophet would be involved in dark magic.

"All of us need to participate this time," said the Wood Elf prophet, breaking the awkward silence. "It will take all of us to foresee everything we'll need..."

"And everything that could go wrong..." chimed in a pixie, fluttering over her seat.

***

"We need to start. You've heard what's happening on Earth right now." The Arpak prophet fluttered his wings in irritation.

"The Atlantean attitude is making a return. There are followers on Earth chasing down the royal artifact. The necklace." The Light Elf spat out the words. "I thought we were done with the pure of thought mindlessness six hundred years ago."

"History seems to be repeating itself in a watered-down version. It's kids, hooligans, with nothing better to do," said the Wizard prophet.

The old Gnome bristled but hid his discontent.

"I have relatives in the Order here and they said it's mostly contained," said the Wizard.

"Mostly," said the Pixie. "But not entirely."

The Wood Elf looked around the room, his four irises moving in different directions.

"This is a secure room," said the Light Elf. "What have you heard? It's an open secret the Wood Elves have made a few trips. Now is not the time to be coy."

"You can't be too sure of anything these days." The Wood Elf's irises came back to the front. "More than one ancient site on Earth has been pulled down by scavengers looking for powerful artifacts hidden long ago. They're gathering as much energy as they can."

"To open the gates early!" squeaked the Pixie.

"Before we have a plan in place. That would be disastrous."

"Unless we can find a way to start moving our citizens early." The Pixie flew back and forth over her seat, her blue prophets robe fluttering behind her.

"Explains their fascination with the necklace but makes it worse that they have it.The Silver Griffins have been one step behind every time."

"For now," said the Gnome, rising to leave. "They have it for now. Things can change. We all know that. We should meet here again tomorrow." He walked gingerly down the steep stairs, headed for the door. "There is much to plan and if these interlopers are successful, not much time at all." He smiled graciously and nodded. "Good day everyone." You will never see me coming. No one will.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Correk and Leira picked up Katie's trail again in Forth Worth, Texas and took off, driving as fast as they could in the Mustang, the lights and sirens blaring the entire way but they were too late, again. They followed the trail out to Granbury, Texas to open prairie under a wide-open sky. This time Correk didn't even need to prompt Leira. She sensed Katie Toler's trail right away along with three more witches and wizards who fought alongside her. The Order of the Silver Griffins stepped in to help.

The remnants of magic they left behind pulsed in an entirely different way than the ones left by the new followers of Rhazdon. The Silver Griffins energy still flowed in smooth lines, easily tracing the path the energy took and left in Leira a feeling of purpose and courage.

The Rhazdon followers left a tangled knot of magical light that turned in on itself, flowing back and forth in search of something, emitting an aching desire to belong. A swirl of darkness that was slowly sucking in any streaks of light the magic still possessed.

A dark mist whorled around the dark remnants that reminded Leira of what she had seen and felt in the world in between. Still, there were remnants of something else in there too.

"Not all bad."

"That's rarely the case. The dark magic is doing its best to swallow the light but it's never a given that the darkness will succeed." Correk was tempted to help Leira but he held back. She was finding her way.

Leira let her magic swirl around the entrails just long enough to sense where they were headed next. The smell of burning sulphur filled her nose. The hope is getting squeezed out of their energy bit by bit. The dark magic is winning.

"They're getting desperate. Katie has them on the run. Even if she hasn't grabbed the necklace she's still stopped them from using it." Leira's ribbon of energy glittered as it turned and rolled, searching for answers. The darker, smoldering remnants of magic were unstable, giving off sparks.

Leira opened her eyes. "They've hidden it well. The followers are getting smarter. Someone is teaching them. The trail leads nowhere."

"They'll make themselves known again. It's becoming obvious they have plans for the necklace. Big plans of some sort. That amount of magic will be hard to hide."

"Last time it was used by a stupid human and blew two people into dust. What happens when a determined group of crafty magical people use it?"

"Let's stop them before we find that out." The thinning of the veil. That can't be it.

***

McIntire's Garden Center was in a long wooden building painted green and sat on a nondescript stretch of road in the middle of the old part of Georgetown, Texas, just north of Austin. The owner, Hoppy was considered the plant whisperer for miles around and was known for his ability to size up what a person was capable of keeping alive and for his low prices. People came from all over to talk to Hoppy about their yards.

Eireka chose the meeting spot because it was close to a small airport owned by the government that went largely unnoticed. It would be time to leave soon for New Jersey but there was someone she had to see first. Fifteen years was long enough to wait to explain.

She was wandering through the aisle that had the succulents looking for something small that she could put in a pot by Leira's door. Donald was nearby pretending to look at a lipstick plant in a hanging basket. He had agreed to meet her there to look for plants for Leira's guest house. He lifted one of the fragile stems with his finger to see if it had a scent as the small, red petals fell slowly to the ground, startling him.

He looked up sheepishly and smiled at Eireka.

"I'm not sure garage mechanics were meant to be playing with plants."

"Everyone should be surrounded by plants," said Eireka, smiling nervously. "They add something peaceful to the surroundings."

She moved on to the large potted ferns, excited to see a large silvery glade fern.

"This would be perfect for Leira's living room. The troll would love to sleep among the leaves." She felt the soft leaves between her fingers just as she realized what had slipped out. Troll. No time like the present to tell the truth. She turned to face Donald, planting her feet and clasping her hands in front of her. "You set the truth free..."

"And let it do its own work. I remember you used to say that all the time. Before..." He did his best to keep smiling.

Eireka was determined to get it all out. She was tired of apologizing to anyone for what she knew was the truth. She had paid enough.

"I'm not crazy." She crossed her arms over her chest, drawing her mouth into a determined thin line.

"I never said you were, ever." He started to put out a hand but hesitated. "So tell me the truth," he said, softly.

She relaxed her arms but kept the look of determination. "Magic is real. It's not only real, it's a part of my family, right down to their DNA. It's existed on Earth for thousands upon thousands of years. There's even an entire world out there called Oriceran where magic thrives." The words came out in a jumbled rush. There's so much I want to tell you.

She started to warm to the topic, loosening her arms so she could move her hands while she talked. "There are all sorts of different magical creatures. Even the bugs are different and can do more things! The plants can move to the sound of your voice and are fed by music." She lifted the stem of a fern, her face flushed with excitement. "Some of those very same creatures even live here on Earth, right around us, blending in so no one is afraid of them..."

"Like you."

Eireka stopped in mid-sentence, searching his face. "Oh hell, yes, like me." She smiled softly at Donald. "I never should have hid any of this from you. You deserved better than that."

Donald scuffed the ground with the heel of his cowboy boot. Austin's idea of work boots. "I could have told you what I saw all those years ago. Never forgave myself for not speaking up. Some part of me wondered if maybe I imagined it."

Eireka stepped toward him, close enough to put her hand on his arm. "You were never to blame for anything. All you've ever been is kind to me. To Leira."

He took her hand off his arm and held it, giving it a squeeze. "I'm sorry. I know you say I'm not responsible but you're standing on Texas soil and we stand up for each other. Come what may."

"Maybe we can start over."

"I'd like that." He was still holding her hand.

"Ask me anything."

"Okay, let's start with, what's a troll? Are they like those dolls I had as a kid?"

"Oh, they are so much more. So much more," she said laughing. "Wait till you hear his name!"

"Maybe you can tell me more over dinner tonight."

"I can't tonight. Everything's in place for me to finally move the Jersey Willens. I'm on a tight timeline. I'm acting as their personal escort. Longer story than I have time for right now. Matter of fact, I need to go. Rain check for the weekend?"

"It's a date. I'll pick you up at the gate house."

"You can meet the troll, and Estelle and Craig and Mike."

"It's nice to see you so happy." He squeezed her hand again.

Eireka leaned closer and gave him a small kiss. "Thank you, I mean it. Tell Hoppy I'll be back," she said.

"Thank you, Eireka."

"For what?"

"For giving me another chance."

"Donald, that goes both ways. Now, I have to run. The Jersey Willens are waiting."

"Do I want to know?"

"Yeah, no more secrets. But telling you about a talking family of oversized rats will take more time than I've got." Eireka laughed. "It'll get easier, you'll see."

***

Leira stood at the trunk of the Mustang in front of the white Italian-style villa, looking at the dark windbreaker in her hands, with the large white letters, PDA on the back trying to make up her mind. "Not today." She stuffed it back in the trunk and shut it. "Like being branded. No chance of going unnoticed somewhere until you want to be seen wearing that thing. PDA." She checked her phone again. Still no word from her mother since she texted her that they had safely loaded the Jersey Willen family onto the plane and were about to go wheels up.

"This will work." She had been repeating that mantra to herself for hours. She looked around at the grounds and took a deep breath. "Nice life if you can get it."

She was parked in front of the Contemporary Austin museum on the former grounds of the Driscoll Estate. Fourteen acres in the heart of the city overlooking Lake Austin. She glanced up at the nineteen-foot tall statue of a thin man made of metal, his head tilted back looking up at the sky. Tall palm trees loomed on either side of the statue. "Looks like someone finally found a better use for all the old tinfoil."

She walked briskly around the side of the house passing through more of the sculpture garden, arching an eyebrow at the nine-foot tall white rabbit dressed in a child's outfit, water pouring out of its eyes. "Definitely checking for magical people on this one."

She came around the corner and found everyone standing outside on the lawn next to a two-foot high square stone base.

"Freddy Krueger's little sister is here," muttered Fischer, moving behind the other three agents.

"I'm tired of thumping the back of your head. You keep it up, this time I'll throw you in the gaping hole thing that keeps showing up." Cohen shook his head at him. "Glad you could make it Agent Berens."

"Where's your jacket? Standard issue when we go out on calls." It was a female agent with blonde hair pulled back into a bun so tight it made her eyebrows a little higher. She turned her back for a moment to show the large FBI on the back of her blue windbreaker. The jacket made a loud rustling sound every time she moved.

"She's right. It's protocol for everyone. You have yours with you?" Cohen tried to give her a half smile.

"It's unavailable. We'll have to forge ahead without it this time. Why is everyone outside?"

"We're avoiding enclosed spaces when you're around." Fischer let out a guffaw and a couple of the other agents snickered.

"You really better hope the thing doesn't show up. I swear I'll push you in." Cohen made a loud slurp, demonstrating for Fischer how the hole could suck him right in. Fischer's face went pale thinking about the dark mist, and he moved a little further away from Leira.

Leira set her jaw, giving them all a hard look. She wasn't used to not being thought of as part of the team. This was going to be harder than she thought. Fine. I've figured out hard before. "Why did you call me in? What's happened?"

Cohen stepped closer to Leira, sliding his finger across an iPad, searching for an image. "The reason we're all out here is because of this glass and metal sculpture."

Leira looked at the image of a large fish standing on end made of colored glass and smooth silver, a giant hook in its mouth. She noticed they were standing next to the same base, now empty. "We're here because the fish was stolen? Wouldn't that be a straight robbery case for the Austin PD?"

"Normally, yes. But this is the footage from the security cameras of the robbery." Cohen slid his finger across the screen, pushing the triangle as the video slid into place. Glowing figures could be seen moving across the grass toward the sculpture, encircling the fish, slowly lifting it off the base. "See what I mean? Seems a little hinky. And, that's not just any fish. It's by some famous sculptor. Worth millions. The brass wants it returned before the museum or their insurance company asks too many questions and somehow we get around to paranormal witchcraft or something. Sorry. No offense."

"None taken. Witches might be offended but you'd have to ask one. Show me the video again." Leira watched it more closely, taking the tablet from Cohen's hands, playing it again and again. Leira shook her head. Something about this wasn't adding up to magical sticky fingers. The thieves are lifting the sculpture and walking away. Straining under the effort. “Back up," she said, lifting her arm to get them to step back against the tall hedges.

She turned her back to the agents, facing the empty base and centered herself, letting the energy flow through her. The symbols started to glow on her hands, spreading up her arms. She could hear the gasps behind her but let it go. Best to just get it over with and do her job. Let it be their problem. I have enough feelings to deal with already.

She sent the magic out ahead of her, searching for remnants of magic. Thought so, place is clean. Wait a minute. That's interesting.

There was a trail of frantic energy, the human variety. Harder to detect than magical remnants but it was there. Leira looked again at the tape but this time let the energy tell her what she was really looking at.

"Who was here when the statue was stolen?" Leira let the energy subside and turned around to face the agents. Most of them were doing their best to look casual but they were clustered together. Only Cohen was closer to normal, his hands on his hips.

"The security guard who works in the control room most of the night. He checked out and the cameras inside show him at his post the whole time. He's here now if you want to meet him."

"Lead the way. I have a theory."

The security room was in the back of the house off the original kitchen in what was the butler's pantry. The young security guard was sitting at his post, making a point of looking busy scanning the screens. Leira went and stood next to him but he didn't look up.

"You already know I have it figured out, don't you?" she asked.

"What?" He looked up doing his best blank look.

"That's not a very good poker face. You'll need to work on that. You know, funny thing. A while back I read this really cool article about LED lights and the different things they can be used for like messing with security cameras."

Leira watched his hand slip off the keyboard and shake a little as he tried to go back to what he was doing. "Can make an infrared mask on a baseball cap. All it takes. Now, I wonder if they looked in your place if that's what they'd find because you don't strike me as an evil genius. I'll bet there are clues lying right out in the open." Leira tilted her head to the side. "You thought no one would guess in time before you could slip away." She shook her head. "It never goes exactly as planned. Sit there quietly if you like but it's all starting to unravel. You obviously had help. Cooperating to find them and bring back that pricey fish is all you have left."

The young man's hands stopped moving over the keyboard. "I want a lawyer."

"You're gonna need one," she said.

"Not paranormal," she said in a low voice to Cohen. "Ordinary greedy human."

"I'll walk you out. Perkins, escort the suspect outside and call the local law enforcement." Cohen walked her around to her car. "You still made this all come together pretty quickly. And I can't say I'm sorry it was just clever technology this time. That black fog didn't roll in this time." He gave off a shudder.

"I still appreciate what you did that time."

"But it'd be nice if everyone else on your team weren't such fucking bitches. I get it," he said. "Fair enough."

Leira opened the car door. "Something like that."

"Well, Fischer's probably a terminal asshole. The rest, they'll get there. They don't know what to make of it all. I know I said all of this before. We grow on you, eventually."

"You seem to be rolling with it okay."

"I gave up a long time ago trying to control the world or predict the future. I just roll with whatever comes next."

"See you later Casper!" Fischer was walking the security guard around to the front, his hands behind him in handcuffs.

Fuck, I miss the sound of handcuffs. Leira watched him pull the man over toward the black SUV.

"Fischer, I swear to God, I will knock you into fucking Tuesday of next week." A vein was showing on Cohen's forehead and he was clenching a fist. Fischer was too far away and knew it. He snickered and kept walking, dragging the reluctant guard.

"Casper was a friendly ghost, motherfucker," said Leira evenly, letting her eyes glow for just a moment, sending out a stream of energy only she could see that gave Fischer a hard push in the center of his chest. Fischer's legs trembled and he stumbled over a rock, falling to one knee as he let go of the guard. The man took off running, his arms pinned behind him as two other agents easily ran him down, pulling him to the ground. Fischer picked himself up off, spitting on the ground as he sneered at Leira.

"Thank you for that. Not sure what you did, but thank you. That guy is a pain in my ass all day, every day. I think I owe you a beer." Cohen smiled at her.

"That one was on the house," said Leira sliding into her car. "Till we meet again."

"Bring your jacket next time. Protocol."

"I'll work on that," she said, starting the engine and easily gliding away. She rolled down the window and let her eyes glow one more time as she rolled past Fischer. "Boo," she said, just loud enough for him to hear. He started and jumped back. Leira smiled as she peeled down the road.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Leira rushed to the hangar as soon as she got the word that the next phase was ready to go. It was already getting later in the day. She wanted the delivery completed ahead of schedule and to have what the Willen needed as quickly as possible. The black mist was looking for her. She was determined to meet up with it on her terms the next time and with plenty of magical firepower. The sooner the better.

The five Jersey Willens were at the airport just outside of Austin clustered close together eyeing the humans around them. The youngest peered out from behind his mother. They were awaiting transport to the underground city of Hilldale. "They look anxious," said Leira to the guard who walked her inside. He rolled his eyes but didn't comment.

She watched the Willens start to separate and wander around the hangar. "Guess not. Clever cover." She shook her head. "No way to watch them all at the same time that way. Divide and steal blind."

Eireka was standing in the brightly lit large space, right next to the plane looking a little disheveled but still smiling, flanked by special agents. Everyone looked a little worn out.

"It was an interesting flight," said Eireka with a tired shrug. "Willens move around a lot," she said, meaningfully. One of the agents looked over at the female Willen, scowling. "She stole his wallet a few times. Kept having to get it back. I think he wanted to shoot her." Eireka let out a hiccup. "Oh damn, I get these..."

"When you're tired, I remember."

Eireka looked at Leira and gave a crooked smile. Takes time, Eireka reminded herself, and bit by bit we find our way back.

"That the missus?" Leira noticed something dangling out of the folds of the Willen's skin.

"That's the grandmother. See the long streak of gray hair down her back. That's apparently typical when they age. She talked a blue streak on the plane. Should have seen the agents. They were doing their best to take it all in. Can't be easy for a human. The missus is just behind her." Eireka nodded to the left of the older female Willen.

Leira walked over to the grandmother and put out her hand. "This will go better if you don't take anything from the people who are still trying to help you. Turn it over." She said it evenly, giving her best dead fish look.

The Willen looked at Leira, giving her a sidelong glance, sizing her up coolly. It was the same look she had gotten from a hundred different felons just before they cooperated. Only difference was this time it was coming from a rat the size of a dog who was looking her straight in the eye.

That's a little different. Good thing I'm growing comfortable with different as the new fucking normal. "I have time to wait. Do you?" It was a lie. The clock was ticking. But Leira was playing the odds that the Willen in front of her didn't know that part of the deal, yet.

The Willen gave an irritated high-pitched bark but slowly pulled the wallet out from deep inside a front fold, her claws scraping against the leather. She dropped it into Leira's open palm, letting a nail leave a thin, white scratch as she smiled at Leira. Leira just waited, not giving the oversized rodent the satisfaction. If you don't want to play their games, you have to not play. Another Hagan lesson. Fuck, this was always more fun with Hagan.

"This belong to someone? Don't be shy. A clever magical giant rat is brand new for all of us. Can't be expected to know what to do, especially when you're supposed to be watching them. Not locking them up." She held her arm out straight as an agent walked briskly over, his face reddening and took the wallet just as his badge fell out of another fold, clattering against the ground. Leira rolled her eyes. "Just kick it in his direction."

The Willen kept her eyes on Leira but picked the badge up with her foot and tossed it in the direction of the agent. He let it fall to the ground before he picked it up.

Just as the Willen put her foot back down, a service Glock slid out, falling to the ground. As the butt slammed against the concrete the Willen wrapped her claws around it, accidentally firing it. The bullet zinged through the air, passing by Leira's shoulder and lodging in the metal outer wall yards away. Leira barely flinched as her eyes opened a little wider.

"Son of a bitch!" someone yelled as guns were drawn pointing at the Willens. Leira kept her eyes on the mother in front of her.

"Take your foot slowly off the gun... and gently... slowly... nudge it this way. Everyone else, take a deep breath. Anyone shoots and you will have a big problem with me. I imagine someone has filled you in on my misadventures with dark mists and black holes. Breathe people." Doesn't matter that I didn't cause that gaping hole.

Eireka moved to the side of the Willen so she was blocking the view of some of the agents, staring them down. "Not today. There's too much at stake. You're going to let this one go," she said.

The Willen toed the gun over toward Leira and cautiously stepped back, giving Leira enough room to pick it up by the butt and hold it out in front of her. "Someone missing something?" The whole thing was finally pissing her off. Not everyone was lowering their gun and a few were looking like they had hit their limit of frustration.

Just as Leira was about to call on the energy and do something about it, her mother started to light up, her eyes glowing, her energy reaching out toward Leira for a boost.

Some of the guns pivoted toward Eireka.

Leira heard a few gasps. That gets old quickly. "We're on the same team people. You're not supposed to aim at us." Fear and exhaustion makes the stupid come out. She sensed her mother's request, could feel it in her chest and pulled in even more energy, flowing it out toward her mother.

"Never was, never will be," said Eireka, as she used the combined energy, sending it out as a pulsing wave over the room, erasing the last few minutes. Only the Willens remembered what had just happened. Leira and Eireka moved fast, rearranging everyone in the room to a more casual pose, putting away their guns and adjusting their faces into something less stern.

"A Silver Griffin said this would help." Leira curled up the corners of her mouth. Maybe this can change the mood of the room. Fuck me, I'm supposed to work with these people. It'd be nice if they weren't so afraid of me.

She looked over her shoulder at the Willens who were starting to move toward the still figures.

"Move a goddamn muscle and I'll forget all about this arrangement and send you underground myself. Only there won't be a city where you're going." She glared at the female who was clearly in charge. The female flicked her paw and they all moved closer together. "I've had enough," said Leira. "You aren't the only game in town. Fuck with me again and we will have a problem that you'll regret." She wasn't sure she meant it even if the thin stream of anger running through her wasn't leaving her with a whole lot of doubt. No one does something to threaten my mother.

The agents started to move again, looking around as if they were trying to remember what they were supposed to be doing, quickly getting back to standing guard. A large white van drove up, pulling into the hangar and two agents got out.

"Cohen, you are everywhere. New partner?" Fischer was nowhere to be seen. Leira was relieved. One less pain in her ass.

"Let's just say I convinced him to transfer," he said, frowning. "Are we ready to load everyone in?" He nodded at the Jersey Willens. Leira noticed he was doing his best to act like this was a normal mission.

"Ready as we'll ever be." Eireka walked toward the Willens, shooing them with her arms toward the van like she was trying to keep a small flock of sheep together.

"We understand what you're saying," said a male Willen. "You just have to ask."

"A talking rat that walks on two legs." Cohen shook his head. "And those live here on Earth?"

"For thousands of years."

"Great." He watched them lumber toward the van before turning back toward Leira. "We'll be driving you to Lavender Rock but I'm told we go as far as the parking lot and then wait. That what you want?"

Sounded just like something Hagan would say.

"We can take it from there. Humans are not exactly welcome where we go after that."

"Look, we got off on the wrong foot. Some of that is my fault. Getting used to magic being a real thing was harder than I expected. Can we start over? Most of these guys are good agents who want to do a good job. It's just a lot to take in, especially when things are going haywire."

Leira felt the hard piece of anger that had settled into her chest dissolve. "Fair enough."

"It's not an excuse but you had to know this wasn't going to be an easy adjustment. It's like a giant mind fuck frankly."

"We can start over. No one actually shot me. That shows a lot of restraint under the circumstances." She gave him a crooked smile.

"The general actually mentioned not pulling out our guns the first time something woo-woo happens." He ducked his chin down and looked up at her.

Leira looked at the agents nearby. Someone should tell them, she thought. Still, no one pulled the trigger. Not ratting out a fellow agent. Not for something like this. "We should go. Sooner we get this over with, the better. The clock is ticking."

They started walking toward the van as the oldest of the Willens, a male with grey around his whiskers pulled himself into the van as an agent pushed from behind. "I can do it," snarled the rat. The agent lifted his hands and backed up. "Pushing on my rear end like I was fresh bread. All handsy. And call me Uncle Flipper, everybody does."

"Not sure I'm gonna get used to that," said the agent, sweat across his brow. "Talking rats. Okay if I ride up front?"

Leira gave a quick nod. "That's probably best." He walked around and climbed in the passenger seat up front.

"You want to tell me what kind of deal you made with some rats?" asked Cohen.

"Way too complicated and not something I'm willing to do in range of the Willens. Everything is a bargaining chip for them. Loyalty is not their thing."

"Understood. Another time."

Leira turned to get in the van and noticed her mother was watching the two of them, her eyebrows raised.

"Lower your antennae, Mom. He's a coworker. You don't pee in the pool you swim in."

"I didn't say a thing." Eireka settled into a seat toward the front, helping the Willen next to her into a seatbelt.

Leira put her hand briefly on her shoulder and sent a short pulse of energy into her mother just like Correk had done for her at times. Her mother looked up and smiled. "Okay, I was thinking that."

Leira arched an eyebrow and kept moving toward the back. She took the middle seat in the last row where she could see everyone else and keep an eye on the crafty Willens. Being someone's daughter will take as much getting used to as magic. She let out a sigh and clicked her seatbelt. The younger female Willen looked first at Cohen and then at Leira and winked. "Great. Universal maternal meddling across the cosmos," muttered Leira as she settled in for the long ride to the outskirts of Austin and Lavender Rock.

***

Once they got out of the van and left the agents behind, the Willens gave up on walking and got down on all fours, scurrying across the rocks. Leira shined a flashlight over the rocks but the Willens raced ahead, trying to get out of the light. Their eyes did better in the darkness under the dim light of the starry sky.

"Do they know where they're headed?" asked Eireka

"They must. That's some pretty focused movement." Leira moved easily from rock to rock, keeping an eye on her mother. She was tempted to slow down to give her mother a chance to move more slowly over the uneven ground. Treat her like a partner. I'd run ahead of Hagan and trust he'd find his way. Not quite there yet. "There's maps in the magical world of all these places. I imagine the Willen who lives here sent them the coordinates."

"You think they send mail?" Eireka leaped from one rock to another. The Willens were barely in sight in front of them.

"All new to me too, Mom."

"You're doing your best to keep the snark to a minimum, aren't you."

"And it's killing me. There's a whole string of words I have kept to myself."

Eireka laughed as she leapt across another small divide and took off at a jog, getting ahead of Leira.

Leira was surprised as she watched the light from the flashlight bob in the distance, her mother easily closing the gap between them and the Willens. "Something else I have in common with you." She took off at a run, glad to finally be able to move faster, feel the muscles in her legs responding easily.

They saw the low yellow glow from the lantern in the distance marking the entrance to Hilldale. As they got closer the outline of Correk became more visible as the Willens swarmed around him.

"Back up. We don't go in. Your husband has to come out first. We have a deal." He stood in front of the symbols, refusing to move. The Willens backed up but the ground underneath shuddered and a gold mist came up from the ground, gathering around their ankles and they rushed forward again.

Correk quickly conjured a fireball in his hands, sending it into an arc of flame between himself and the Willens. "Back up!" The flame lingered, lighting up the faces for a moment before slowly fading. "That's your last warning."

Leira caught up to the group and stood beside the older female Willen. "We've kept our side of the bargain and from what I know, you have your own kind of integrity. A deal's a deal. We get the information we came for and then you get to go down those stairs. The deal will be done."

She looked up at Leira, her eyes narrowed. "You know the difference between a thief and a thug. Impressive. You're right. A deal's a deal and you rescued us from the humans and their guns. I only took a weapon, just in case. We don't normally trade in things that go bang. The risk is not worth the reward. But humans..."

"I get it. Natural enemies of sort." Not going to point out I'm part human. "Then we wait."

Before she could answer the ground trembled again and opened up, the stairs jutting out, one at a time, down into the Earth. It wasn't long before the Willen they had met poked his head above the surface, sniffing the air, his whiskers twitching as he hurriedly looked around. His eyes darted back and forth between his mother, and his wife and son. He waved a paw at his mother.

"He always was a momma's boy," said the grandmother Willen. Leira saw Eireka smile for just a moment. That's going to be a crowded house, thought Leira.

"You have the information we wanted?" Correk went and stood in front of the steps between the Willen and his family.

"I do, of sorts. It's not great news but I kept my part of the bargain." He pulled an old leather ledger out of the folds of his skin. It had an 'O' burned into the cover. "All there is. Almost cost me my tail." He whipped his tail around and gingerly held it in his hands. There was a splint halfway down where the long tail was bent at an angle. Red and purple bruising stretched out under the bandage.

"How did you get in the vault?" Correk asked, astonished. He took the ledger from the Willen.

"Not part of our deal. Nothing is impenetrable. Have to know the right person, grease the wheels. Cost me my winter's stash but it was worth it." He smiled at his family, rubbing his paws together. "We good?"

Correk carefully opened the ancient ledger and saw the words appear as he turned the pages. "This says the way can be opened but only from within and only with enough power."

Leira went and read over his shoulder. "That's like atom splitting kind of power. And only from within." She stepped back and looked at Correk. "That's how much energy that black mist must have. It's got to be thousands of years’ worth of dark magic sucked into that thing."

Correk was still turning pages, reading as fast as he could, searching for something they could use before he got out of the way of the Jersey Willens. "It says once the way is finally ripped asunder, those that fell in can get out. Just as I suspected."

"Even the dead?"

He didn't answer, turning the page. "The world in between acts as some kind of balance between Oriceran and Earth. It's apparently got a function. It takes in dark magic and holds it, along with those who get sucked in accidentally. Ripping open a hole lets all of that dark magic out."

"At once," whispered Leira.

Correk looked up at Leira. "That's why it's hunting you. You're the tipping point. You have an unusual amount of energy. It's unable to open a hole long enough to crawl out. But with you..."

"Great. I'm it's fucking holy grail. Is there any good news?"

"Hang on, something about the power of the inner light...A test of character..."

The air suddenly shimmered around them and there was the smell of ozone in the air reminding Leira of approaching rain. The Willens all let out a collective gasp and a look of fear came across the Willen's face. He looked to his mother.

"Run away!" she yelled, waving her paws at him, but he hesitated at the top of the stairs.

"What is it?" Leira looked back at the grandmother Willen who was holding her grandson close to her.

There was a snap and a crackle and a shower of silver sparks. A portal opened up near Correk and a Gnome snarled, "I'll take that!" snatching the ledger out of Correk’s hand before he could react. The poppy on the Gnome's derby bared its teeth and blew a raspberry at Correk. "You!" The Gnome leaned out of the portal, half of him in Oriceran and half of him on Earth.

Leira could see into the portal. There were row upon row of books that stretched up behind him. The Gnome was reaching out for the Willen. "Trevilsom Prison for the likes of you." Leira rushed to block the Gnome, slipping by Correk's outstretched hand as he tried to stop her.

The grandmother Willen barked and ran at the Gnome who turned, his hand just grazing the Willen on the stairs, just as Leira pulled him out of the way. They fell back, tumbling down the first few steps together. Leira held him down, crouching there as the Gnome shook his fist.

"If I ever see you on Oriceran again...," he yelled at the Willen, holding the ledger close. "House of Oriceran!" He looked at Correk and spit. "You know better!" Before Correk could answer the portal shrunk to the size of the head of a pin with another shower of sparks, ending with a loud pop.

The stars overhead became visible again as Leira helped up the Willen. "You in one piece?"

The Willen nodded and scurried up the stairs on all four, running to his family. They embraced until it was hard to tell where one Willen ended and another one started. Leira came up the stairs more slowly, trying to shake off the feeling their plan had failed. She made herself ask the question of Correk. "Did you see anything we can use?"

"No, not really," he said, his voice catching. "I'm sorry. I know you wanted..."

Leira balled her hands into fists, spinning around, her voice low and angry. One damn obstacle after another. "I'm not giving up. That's not my thing. You should know that about me by now. Same plan."

"The risk, Leira. If you got pulled in." Correk took a step toward her but she backed up, widening her stance.

"Even if it's the last good thing I do." Her voice was defiant.

"We do." Her mother went and stood by her side. "You'll need a lot of us."

Correk looked at the two women. "The greatest risk is to you Leira but I am honored to fight by your side." He put out his fist in front of him. "Even if it's the last good thing we do."

"What is this a fist bump kind of thing?" Leira swallowed hard, trying not to show how much it meant to her.

"No, woman! It's something we do before battle. You put your fist on top."

Leira put her fist on top of his.

"Well, now it's too late. The moment is gone."

"Go on, do the rest! There was more, wasn't there. Is there a slogan? Come on, shout it loud, nice and proud." Leira put her head back and howled like a wolf.

"Ridiculous." Correk rolled his eyes but he didn't remove his fist.

The Willen who had gotten his family back came over and put his paw on top of their fists. "If it's the last good thing we do. You saved my life. If you ever need a favor, on the house. You come look for me. Never seen anyone risk their life for a Willen before, least of all a Light Elf." He looked at Leira with tears in his eyes.

"Oh hell!" Correk leaned back and looked up toward the stars, opening his mouth wide to let out a guttural roar that started in his chest. The Willen's paw trembled but he held fast. Correk took in a deep breath and let it out again as Leira leaned back and howled and the Willen barked. Soon, all the Willens barked as the sound echoed down the stairs.

"If it's the last good thing we do," whispered Eireka smiling, tears in her eyes. "But please, don't let it be."

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

The sound of bird calls could be heard throughout the nondescript building in Alexandria, Virginia, home to the PDF.

"They're coming to get ya, Patsy." Lois cackled, leaning back in her swivel chair.

Lois took out her wand and waved it in front of the virtual screen, changing it back to the official government channel.

"Just when Hoda and Kathie Lee were gonna pick a winner. I sent in my entry this week, you know." She pushed her glasses back up her nose.

"You send one in every week," said Patsy.

"The prize was a gas grill with all the attachments. Earl would have loved that!"

"You know darn well you can charcoal something in under a minute with a wave of your wand right in your own kitchen."

"Last time I did that I smoked my best kitchen towel. The one that said, give peas a chance. Poof!" She waved her hand in the air. "Went up like that. I cussed a blue streak. Earl tried to find another one but came home with some godawful thing with cows and chickens on it. I don't collect cows and chickens, Patsy!"

"Uh oh, look Lois. They've come with reinforcements. That can't be good."

Lois rolled herself closer to the screen, scrunching up her nose to keep her glasses in place. General Anderson was with them. He glanced up at the security camera by the door. "That's not a battalion. That's not even enough for a good game of Bunko." She looked at Patsy tidying up the place.

"What in tarnation are you doing? They aren't coming to fire us. They need us. They like us. They see the two of us as relatively harmless." She arched an eyebrow doing her best imitation of sinister. "Foolish humans." She cackled again.

"Ever since all that trouble started with the necklace, and the skirmish with the Silver Griffins and then we had to help move those Willens! What next? These are not ordinary times!" She stopped long enough to eat a handful of green peanut M&Ms. The sound of birds grew louder.

"Oooh, you're eating your secret stash of green ones. You really are worried. Calm down, girl. Earl always says humans come in little groups like that when they have any kind of news, good or bad. Maybe it's good news!"

"When's the last time they marched in here to tell us good news? They'd make that young witch from down the hall come tell us. The one that's afraid of her own shadow. You know the one, Eloise. I think she's a distant cousin of somebody."

"And she's a witch! You think you're related to every witch and wizard out there," retorted Lois.

There was a knock at the door and Patsy and Lois looked at each other. The general had never bothered to knock before.

"A knock is good news," whispered Lois. "They want something. If they're firing you, they come in like you're suddenly trespassing on their property."

"Come in." Patsy sang out in her most congenial voice, quickly slipping her wand into her pocket. She bit her lower lip and kept her hand resting in her pocket, just in case.

The door swung wide and the general strode in, walking just under the screen, his hat under his arm. He was followed by more than his usual number of aides. Lois stayed seated, pursing her lips, sizing them up. "What can we do for you?" It was just like her to ask the obvious. Lois was only big on her own small talk.

The general gave a smile, making Lois roll her eyes. Patsy inched her wand out of her pocket just far enough to mumble a spell and send a hard poke in Lois' direction. Finally, her chance to get back at Lois.

"Sons of bitches!" Lois yelped, jumping out of her chair. Patsy's eyes grew wider as the aides jumped around the general, their hands on their guns.

"I told you so, Lois!"

The general was still standing there calmly, a smile planted firmly on his face. He was there on a mission and nothing was going to get in his way. "Well, that's not the first time I've been greeted that way. Ladies." He nodded as Lois rubbed her side and sat down, scowling at Patsy.

Patsy whispered, "Sorry, not sorry," and crossed her arms over her chest.

"We've come to offer you a new assignment. A promotion of sorts." The general paused, waiting for some kind of enthusiastic response.

"Well, is it a promotion or not?" Lois frowned as her glasses slid down her nose. It didn't help that she was also smarting from missing her show and her mid-morning snack. Whatever restraint she could usually muster was wearing thin. "Usually, when you government types use the words, of sorts, it means more work, no more money. Lay it out for us. We don't need the spin. What's gone wrong that you want us to fix?"

"Lois, hear the man out."

"Put your hand on your wand again and I'll fill your drawers with a peck of dirt till they hang between your knees."

The aides backed up behind the general but he still waited patiently. An aide whispered in his ear, "These are the two witches you wanted?" The general raised a hand, a momentary look of frustration passing across his face, as he batted the man away like a pesky gnat. He was determined to have things go right. He had heard stories about Lois and her abilities in her younger days. She had been a legend in the Silver Griffins. But he was going to keep that to himself a little longer. He cleared his throat and started again. "Ladies, your country needs you."

"Uh oh," said Lois. "They're drafting us. I have to say I did not see that coming. Makes sense though. We could clean things up, lickety split. I'm pretty sure I'm over the age limit. Hell, the weight limit for that matter." Her nerves had set in and she was talking faster and faster.

The general raised his hand again, briefly shutting his eyes. Lois abruptly shut her mouth, pressing her lips together, taking deep breaths. It didn't work. "Oh hell, say it already. Now you've even got me nervous and that is a tall task."

"We want to promote you to a new part of the PDF and make you PDAs to back up Agent Leira Berens." He said the words as fast as he could before he could be interrupted. But neither lady said a thing and instead just stared at him. He took in a deep breath and relaxed, warming to his topic. "You will have multiple responsibilities, of course. You've proven your abilities here at the PDF and kept this country safe from random acts of magic but the times have changed."

"I was just telling Patsy that!"

"Other countries have established their own PDFs and have been gathering artifacts."

Patsy scooped up another handful of green M&Ms, stuffing them into her mouth two at a time till she resembled a chipmunk.

"Suspicions are growing and we need two ladies just like you to monitor more than just the United States. We need you to fan out and look for signs of other governments getting into the magic game."

"We get to spy on humans?" Patsy could barely get out the words between all the candy in her mouth.

"Most definitely. And," he pointed a finger in the air, "assist Agent Berens when necessary." He gave a small cough, struggling to find the right words. "Human assistance for Agent Berens has not worked out."

"She scared the holy hell out of somebody, didn't she?" Lois tilted her head to one side.

The general let out a small shudder. "In a manner of speaking."

Lois eyed him suspiciously. "You asked the Silver Griffins to help you first but they turned you down, didn't they?"

He looked at her evenly. "I know you have connections with the Order so I won't be coy with you. We've tried a lot of other magical beings and there aren't a lot of people interested in helping us on such a big scale."

"Magical community has a long memory."

The general's smile slipped for a moment but he put it right back on his face. "Times have changed. We've learned a few things."

"So we were last on your list. That's what you're telling me." Lois made a face, scrunching up her nose to keep her glasses on straight.

"Not last and I know you can do it." He looked pointedly at Lois. "We're counting on you."

"Uh huh."

"I've given Agent Berens your direct line. Whatever she asks, if you can help, give it to her."

"Are we moving?" asked Patsy, a little chocolate dribbling down her chin.

"No, we can do everything from here. There may be some travel but having you close to Washington will be an asset to us as well. Your new assignment starts tomorrow," he said, turning to leave.

Lois leaned over in her chair and whispered loudly to Patsy, "Told you, no extra money."

"Oh, by the way, you'll now be part of the Senior Executive Service with the commensurate pay raise."

"Above a GS-15?" Patsy bit down hard on the M&Ms in her mouth as Lois almost fell out of her chair, gripping the arms. Her wand fell out of her pocket, rolling across the floor to the general's feet. He looked down at the worn branch.

"We'll be issuing you better wands as well. Those are willow wands, aren't they?"

"Oh, please say it..." Lois was still gripping the arms of her chair.

"The newer 3-D printed models will arrive later this week." He nodded to an aide who picked up the wand and held it out to Lois with two fingers. Lois took the wand and smiled mischievously at him and whispered a jumble of words that meant nothing. The aide's eyes widened and he stepped back, looking around, waiting for something to happen.

The general turned to go but looked back over his shoulder. "Of course, that's if you accept."

"We accept!" Lois shouted out the words as Patsy sputtered trying not to breathe in a peanut. The general smiled to himself, straightening his jacket and strode out of the room. The sound of bird calls could be heard following them down the hall as they left.

"Wipe your face, Patsy. We're executives now. We need to look the part."

"Why didn't you tell him you used to be with the Order till you retired? You have more skills than most of the witches out there!"

"I didn't hear a question, Patsy. You know I never talk about that, anyway. It's in the rules. Besides, it's easier if people underestimate you. They tend to say more than they should."

"He'll find out soon enough when you wave that wand around. There's stories about you."

"You poke me one more time like that and you'll learn first hand."

Patsy scooped a few more M&Ms in her mouth and sat down, thinking about the promotion.

"Will be nice to be back in the action, though. Still have a few tricks in me." Lois smiled at the thought. "Spy on humans, imagine that."

"Not like we weren't already."

"No, but now it's official and we're getting paid to do it."

"Makes you wonder what could happen next."

Lois shook her head, raising her eyebrows. "These days, just about anything, I suppose."

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

It was still early in the morning and the sky was overcast with a bright sundog set in the middle of a break in the clouds pouring light onto the patio at Estelle's. There was a sharp knock at the door of the guest house as Leira was walking out of the kitchen, a cup of coffee in her hand. Everyone else was still asleep.

"You in there?" It was Estelle's gravelly voice barking out a statement, more than a question. Leira opened the door quickly before Estelle could knock again and wake up anyone. Besides, Estelle had never shown up at Leira's door unannounced in the entire four years Leira lived in the guest house.

"You've had enough time to yourselves." Estelle was planted in front of the door. Leira stood there, holding the door open still in her pajamas, a cup of coffee in her hand doing her best to look unconcerned about anything. Where's the troll? She didn't dare look back to see if the troll was peeking out of his shoebox. If he was, Estelle was rolling with it.

"Morning Estelle. What time is it?"

The morning light was behind Estelle's tall red bouffant, partially hidden by the cloud of smoke that was perpetually floating around her head. Estelle twisted her mouth left to right. It wasn't like her to invade Leira's personal space. "Time to get on with things. Put on those fancy new boots and plant your asses at the bar by four sharp! There, I said it." She gave a hard nod and marched back toward the bar, not waiting for an answer.

Leira stood there for a moment, watching her go, just as the troll crawled onto her foot, rubbing his eyes. "Yumfuck." He yawned, opening his mouth wide. Leira looked down, taking a sip of her coffee as she slowly moved her foot back and gently shut the door. She scooped up the troll and tucked him back in his box, putting the washcloth back over him as he snuggled with a new pair of polka dot underwear. Leira had bought him his own supply at Target. "Yumfuck." He yawned again and lazily shut his eyes.

"Not even my weirdest morning."

"There's coffee?" Correk opened his eyes and sat up, stretching his back.

"It's early, go back to sleep. Estelle was just here telling us our plans for the day. We're hanging out at the bar later." Leira smiled and took another sip. So much family. Actually, not a bad way to start any day. She pushed thoughts of the upcoming confrontation with the dark mist out of her mind. Singleness of purpose. Correk started to get up but Leira put a hand on his shoulder. "Coffee coming right up."

***

Correk, Leira and Eireka showed up right on time as Estelle scrutinized what they were wearing, tapping her cigarette into an ashtray. There were already three beers waiting for them. Leira took a sip of the beer, glancing over at her mother. Eireka was sliding onto a stool, looking around at the bar. Still so strange having her here.

Estelle looked at Correk in his jeans and boots. "Better. Not that I minded the Robin Hood getup. Gotta let people stay in their comfort zones."

Leira spit out a little of her beer and looked up at Estelle who was arching a carefully drawn on eyebrow at her.

"Something to say?" The cigarette wobbled in her mouth as she talked.

Leira took another sip of her beer and sat down on a stool without saying a word.

"Thought so." Estelle disappeared into the bar, coming right back out with guacamole and chips and setting them on the bar in front of Eireka. "Eat up before the others get here. They tend to Hoover free food."

"Leira!" Craig and Scott came out the door from the bar, closely followed by Mike and Lucy. Leira could see Margaret and Kimberly through the window hustling to keep up with everyone.

Estelle took a long drag on her cigarette without ever taking it out of her mouth. "Too late!" She shrugged and threw up her hands, blowing smoke out the side of her mouth. She went back inside to see why a table was waving at her through the window. Leira watched her stand by them, hands on hips, nodding.

Feel like I forgot something. She took a sip of her beer as Margaret hugged her, pressing the bottle against her chest. She let the thought go. Can't be that important.

Everyone was there. No one was late. A few even slipped out of work early. Estelle put out the word that they would be celebrating at the start of happy hour. No one wanted to be on the bad side of Estelle and lose bar privileges. Besides, they all took their roles as Leira's family seriously.

"Here's to our newest member of the Leira Society. Welcome home, Eireka!" Mike raised up his Shiner Bock, already swirling around the last mouthful as everyone raised their drinks.

"About time!" Craig smiled and clapped Scott on the back.

"You'd think it was your mother that came home." Mitzi smiled as she rolled her eyes. The entire society was there to celebrate. Estelle appeared, setting another beer in front of Mike. She kept her right eye shut as the smoke from the cigarette between her teeth blew back in her face. She took it out of her mouth, tilting her head back as she blew a steady stream of smoke, admiring the sky. "Damn, I love Texas."

Everyone raised their glass again.

"To fucking Texas!" It was a common toast around the bar.

Estelle moved down the bar, swatting a man's hand as he was about to reach into the bowl of mixed nuts. "You wash your hands? Didn't think so. No pee-nuts at this establishment."

"It's a wonder people come back here," said Margaret.

"That's why they do," said Scott. "Your bitchy mother who serves you alcohol. Fond memories."

"That's sad, dude." Kimberly slid onto a stool next to Eireka who was already putting out her hand to shake. "We don't shake hands in these parts, honey. We hug." She was already enveloping Eireka in a tight embrace, giving her an extra squeeze. Mitzi took her turn next as the smell of lemons filled Eireka's nose.

Mitzi looked up in time to see the door to the guest house open a crack and shut again. "Should lock that door if the wind can blow it open."

Leira looked over at the guest house but didn't see anything and turned back to the bar. Along the fence, the troll scampered toward the gate, looking for a night out. Leira had forgotten to say the spell and he was in the mood to meet some new people. He ran for the street, stopping to roll in the mulch surrounding a small tree and lick a wrapper from an ice cream cone. Already a good night.

He turned right onto Rainey Street, weaving in and out of all the legs of people trying to get to happy hour at any one of the dozens of bars that dotted the street.

"What the hell?" The troll narrowly missed getting punted by a young man wearing a UT sweatshirt. He nipped his other ankle as he slipped past him. "Fuck, that rat just bit me!"

"What rat?" His friends turned to look but couldn't see anything. Yumfuck was safely tucked behind a tire of a nearby parked car, watching.

"Nothing there, man. Come on, you're fine." Someone put an arm around the man's shoulder and pulled him up the steps of a nearby bar.

Yumfuck emerged from behind the tire and picked up speed. He was halfway down the block in no time, staying close to the parked cars. He stopped at the corner of 6th Street gazing at the lights in the distance. "Ooooh, goddamn right!" he trilled. He headed down the hill in search of an adventure.

The lights of the bars got closer as he suddenly got a whiff of something familiar in the air and stopped outside of the Alamo Draft House, pressing his face against the bottom of the glass. Inside, he spotted the source of the smell. A large glass and metal machine pushing out fresh popcorn. The troll licked the glass, letting out a deep sigh. It was more popcorn than he'd ever seen.

He waited till someone opened the door and scurried in with them, dashing between children's feet and running around the end of the counter. The theater was having a special 35th anniversary showing of E.T. and the lobby was quickly filling. There was a line to get snacks and the three teenagers behind the counter were overwhelmed, moving as quickly as they could before the movie started. Children were touching everything, bouncing up and down with excitement.

It wasn't hard for a five-inch troll to slip in behind the straws and leap for the counter in the back, making his way toward the machine. A teenage girl in a red Alamo vest wearing a nametag that said, Christina, turned and looked directly at the troll just as he was pushing his way through the souvenir E.T. dolls. Yumfuck froze, keeping his eyes wide as she looked over, puzzled at all of the dolls. "Something isn't..."

"Miss! Can I get extra cheese on that? Will that take long?" A mother was drumming her fingers on the counter. "Tommy, don't touch that!" The straws clattered to the ground. Christina quickly grabbed the paper boat filling it with chips, already forgetting about the odd doll.

The troll let out the breath he was holding and ran the last few feet for the popcorn machine, doing a swan dive, headfirst over the top of the small plexiglass wall on the side, and into the warm pile, burrowing down to the bottom.

A silver scoop poked him in the butt as someone tried to scoop out popcorn to fill a large tub. He opened his mouth wide as the scoop shoved him toward a corner, filling his mouth with popcorn. He rolled over, happily crunching when the scoop found him again, jostling him around in the machine, bouncing him from corner to corner. "Huh? Oooh, wha? Motherfucker!" The scoop came neatly under him, lifting up a pile of popcorn, sending him briefly into the air, surprising him and the young man trying to fill a bucket.

The troll fell back toward the popcorn, smashing a few pieces as he settled down into the middle, looking up at the young man. "Yumfuck!" he trilled, leaping over the side of the machine and grabbing a filled bag as he hopped off the end of the counter.

The young man looked at the full machine dreading having to throw away so much popcorn without letting any of the moviegoers know there were rats in the theater. He was just reaching to pull over the trash can when an irate father yelled loud enough to be heard over the crowd.

"Where's my popcorn?" The man checked his phone. "It's not that hard a job! Where's your manager?"

The young man's hand froze in mid-air. He looked up at the redfaced man scowling at him. He gave a polite smile and reached for the popcorn tub instead, filling it to the brim. "Here you go, sir. Sorry for the wait." He was suddenly having a better night. "Enjoy."

"About time," the man snarled and took the bucket, herding his kids toward the theater.

Yumfuck was already in a back row and had pulled the bucket up onto a seat, making it look like it was saved. A group of small children celebrating a fifth birthday filed into the row, taking up the rest of the seats. The birthday girl's mother sat at the far end of the row, glad to finally be settled.

"There's a hair on this popcorn," said a man as he passed by the row.

The theater grew dark and the movie started as the troll crawled into the tub, sitting himself in the middle. The small girl next to him giggled. "Hello Mr. Mouse." She was wearing a Frozen t-shirt and a sparkly pink headband and looked at him with big brown eyes.

"Yumfuck!" The troll trilled at the child, smiling, as he threw popcorn into his mouth.

"Hello Yumfuck, you're cute." The troll trilled and sat up in the tub to get a better view of the screen. The girl giggled again and poked her neighbor. "Look, it's a talking mouse. His name is Yumfuck!"

"Yumfuck!" The troll sat up and waved at the two little girls. They nudged the next little girl who got out of her seat to take a look. "You're so cute!" she squealed.

"Get back in your seat, the movie's starting!" The mother at the end of the row waved her arm like she was directing traffic. The little girl went back to her seat, giggling, looking over at the troll. "Hi Yumfuck!" A man in front of the girl turned around, confused, looking at the small girl who smiled at him. He slowly turned back around and leaned toward his wife. "Did she just say..."

"Quiet, honey. Movie's starting. You know my rule. No talking again till the credits."

The movie started and the row quieted down as Yumfuck settled in, happily eating popcorn. He ate his way down till he couldn't see the screen as well and climbed out of the tub and onto the arm of the seat by the little girl. She gently rubbed his head, smiling at the troll who trilled for the rest of the movie.

The troll laughed and cried throughout the movie, earning a shush from the people in the next row. The little girl hid the troll, covering him gently with her hand until the people turned back around.

He choked up when E.T. was sick and the little girl picked him up, cuddling him in her hands. "There, there, Mr. Yumfuck," she cooed. He cheered, "Yea!" when E.T. got to go home, holding his little arms over his head.

The credits started to roll and the low lights along the bottom of the walls came on as the children in the row got up to leave. The little girl put the troll on the ground as he blew her a kiss. "Bye Mr. Yumfuck," she giggled.

The troll ran out of the row and headed for the lobby, stopping to grab a bag of red licorice and carry them home with him.

"What the hell?" Hagan was standing at the counter paying for the box of Raisinettes for Rose and a bag of Snickers bites for himself, as he saw a bag of licorice moving across the floor. "Son of a bitch!" Hagan laid an extra twenty on the counter. "Keep it. That should hopefully cover it. Trust me." He picked up the box of candy and went to find Rose. "Expensive little shit."

He passed a group of little girls gathered around a harried mother. "Who taught you that word?" she was saying in an aggravated tone.

"The talking mouse!" chirped a little girl. "Mr. Yumfuck! We love him!"

"Best birthday party ever!"

Hagan looked away and hurried by the little girls as the mother waved her arms in a frantic attempt to get the girls to stop talking.

"We love Mr. Yumfuck!"

Hagan picked up the pace and hustled to theater three.

***

The troll made his way home, easily retracing his steps and wriggled under the gate, staying close to the fence as he made his way back to the guest house. The patio was full and Leira and Eireka were surrounded by the regulars as Correk tried to explain to everyone what a game of Lutea ball looked like.

"Is that Norwegian or something?" asked Mike.

"We could start our own team," said Paul.

The troll got to the door of the guest house and jumped up, easily catching the handle and pulling down with his weight, opening the door just enough to slip back inside. Leira saw the door open slightly and just as quickly shut. "Fuck me," she whispered. "That's what I forgot." She got up to go check on things inside the guest house.

"Leira!" She looked over and saw Agent Cohen stepping onto the patio. Estelle was behind him, giving her a shrug.

"Cohen. Is there a case? Did I miss a call?" Leira walked over to meet him, hoping to put off introductions.

"No, no, nothing like that. I stopped by to just apologize again. Make sure we're good."

"Really? FBI agents check on fellow agents' feelings now. Full service." She stood in front of him, her hands on her hips, trying to block the view of the group behind her.

"Leira, who's your friend?" Mitzi appeared at her side. "I'm Mitzi, this is Lucy."

"Margaret." Margaret raised her hand, giving a small wave. "That's Kimberly."

"Nice to meet you."

Here it comes, thought Leira, ready with her answer.

"So, how do you know Leira?" Mitzi practically sang the words as everyone turned to listen.

"Work. He's part of the new task force." She gave them all a look and they nodded in unison. Scott held up a finger to his lips.

"That's hush hush, right?" asked Craig.

"Not if you keep doing that," said Mike.

"They know?" Alan looked worried and confused. Leira took him by the hand and steered him to the other end of the bar.

"No, they don't," she finally said. "Well, they know a little but really, no, they don't. You want to tell me why you're really here?"

He cleared his throat. "I don't like the way you got treated and well...I said I owed you that beer."

"I told you, you didn't have to..."

"Come on over!" Scott was waving his arm.

Leira looked at Correk who was arching an eyebrow, amused. She narrowed her eyes, trying to wipe the look off his face but his smile only grew.

"Have you met her mother? This is Eireka." Kimberly slid back onto her stool.

"Yes, we met," said Cohen. "Alan Cohen, nice to meet you," he said, shaking Craig's hand.

"Met the mother. Nice." Mitzi nodded, gently elbowing Lucy.

Estelle stepped up onto her stool behind the bar and put a Convict Hill beer down in front of Cohen.

"She orders for you," said Leira. "I guess you're staying."

"I guess I am, and I owe you that beer."

Estelle pulled the top off a Shiner Bock and set it down in front of Leira. "Enjoy." She wiped the counter around them.

Leira leaned closer to Cohen so no one else could hear her. "I don't pee in the pool I swim in."

"Good policy," he said, taking a sip of the beer. "Good beer, too."

"You play softball? What about that... what you call it Correk?"

"I give," muttered Leira, looking toward the guest house. The troll will just have to wait.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

The senior counsel of the Order of the Silver Griffins sat in a circle in folding chairs on the stage of the theater inside the Chicago Pumping Station. There was a silhouette of a giant white whale in silk mesh against a back wall. The repairs to the lobby were just about complete and the theater was reopening for a production of Moby Dick. The eight witches and wizards who had convened were unhappy with what they were hearing, to a person.

Lacey Trader was leading the meeting and was listening to Katie Toler tell the group the necklace had slipped through their hands, again. May Sage was shifting in one of the brown metal chairs next to her. "Is this all your group can afford? Doesn't give someone a lot of confidence in your old, revered organization. Fuck." May shifted to the left, crossing one thigh-high leather boot over the other.

Katie looked at her and let out a sigh. "Do you mind?"

"Fuck again, am I disturbing the meeting?" May looked around at the counsel. "We didn't get it. They haven't used it. End of story. Are we done now?" She leaned forward toward the wizard staring at her so the top of her blouse fell foward. "Better view?"

He reddened and sat back, looking over at Lacey.

"You're lucky you're worth the sass," said Katie as May put on dark sunglasses, sitting back in the chair. Katie turned back to Lacey. "May did pretty much cover it? Take the sour looks off your faces. We accomplished one big thing. They haven't been able to store it anywhere for long and they haven't been able to access the power of the artifact? We'll get them eventually. Only a matter of time and not much more time?"

"Didn't one of your own join the little anti-revolution? A young witch?" May slid the sunglasses partly down her nose and was staring at Lacey. "Little Hannah Beecham, or so I've heard. We saw her in Arizona. She was looking fit. Seemed to want to come home, but maybe I'm projecting." She smiled, sliding the glasses back up her nose. Her part of the meeting was done. Lacey now knew Hannah was still alright, at least for now but was looking for an extraction. Lacey did her best to hide any reaction.

"You're killing me here, girlfriend." Katie's tentacles swirled around in May's direction. May held up her hand and pretended to zip her lips shut.

"You have another week. Then we take over, again. You keep Ms. Sage with you." Lacey wanted Hannah out. If something happens to her...

"Works for me. I like money." May smiled. Katie rolled her eyes. "Fine," said Katie, "a week. We'll bring you the damn necklace and before someone manages to crack open the thing."

***

"What's wrong with the troll?" Correk peered into the shoebox. The troll was still asleep, smacking his lips in a dream. "He's usually up and annoying by now."

"Late night out." Leira went into the kitchen in search of more coffee. Her mother was sitting at the small kitchen table.

"You're wearing your cape in the kitchen. It's a little overkill. Is there coffee?"

"I just made more." Eireka shifted so Leira could get by her. Correk squeezed next to the refrigerator, getting down a mug. He elbowed Leira in the head.

"Really? This early?" Leira scowled. "And in the head? Your uniform is getting a little ripe. How do you clean those things on Oriceran? It'll be announcing itself soon."

"Sorry," he said, lowering his arm. "With magic. Very efficient."

Eireka watched them for a moment. "It'll be okay." They turned and looked at her. "It's just hours away. This big plan to save my mother. Scary shit. The world in between." She shook her head and put down her mug. "Hard to even take it all in. It'll be okay."

"Mom, that's way too big a promise to make. It's the world in between..."

"It'll be okay because we'll all be there together. We're making a stand as a family. Not just us." She waved a hand between herself and Correk and Leira. "Even more of our family. There will be so much magical energy there with us tonight, standing shoulder to shoulder. No questions asked but just because we need them. It'll be okay."

Leira nodded and said soberly, "Toni said everyone is in. No one turned her down." Leira hesitated. "I'm glad we had last night..."

"It's not our last night." Eireka got up and went and put a hand on each of them. "You don't need to go there. That wasn't our last night. We were just having a night at the bar with your other family. The human kind. They sent us off the best way they could to go into battle, even if they didn't know that's what they were doing. Just because they all showed up..." She said it again, firmly. "It'll be okay."

"Even if it's the last good thing we do." Leira said softly.

"I have to go back to Oriceran, even if it's just for a few hours. I need to recharge before tonight if I'm going to be of any real use." Correk's face grew serious. "I'll meet you at the hotel. You've reserved the room?"

"Same one I saw Nana at the window. You going to be okay with the Gnomes? They seemed pretty pissed off at you."

"There will be more than one hat spitting at me from the library but it'll be alright. The library is protected by the Light Elves and in the end they may not agree with what I did but they're powerless to do anything to me other than stop me from using their books. Even that can't be forever."

"You're still wearing the cowboy boots. Dying to show them off to your friends, aren't you?" Leira looked down and back up at Correk, trying to smile. No matter what anyone said, there was no assurance of which side would win the battle tonight and everything was at stake.

"You see right through me." Correk squeezed her hand. "I'll be back in time. Bring the troll. His kind have seen fighting before."

"That Cheetos-eating, orange-farting troll?"

"You saw the stains."

"Was drinking one of your Dr. Peppers and got to the bottom and lo and behold."

"You drank one of my Dr. Peppers?"

Leira smiled at Correk. "Go, Cousin. Tomorrow I'll take you to Costco and we'll load up. There's a cherry flavored Dr. Pepper too."

"Two moons!" Correk squeezed her hand again and let go, forming a ball of light between his hands, speaking into it. Leira put her hand on his arm, helping him to strengthen the energy he needed. The air in the kitchen began to shimmer and Correk opened his hands wider as a portal opened up, revealing the forest of Oriceran on the other side.

"Oriceran," gasped Eireka, tears in her eyes. "It's been so long..." She reached a hand through the portal to brush a nearby frond.

Leira looked at her mother. There's so much I don't know. She let go of Correk's arm.

"What is it you're always saying, Leira? Something about believing in a solution, no matter what. It's still true." Correk picked up his rucksack and stepped through the portal, giving a long look back. "I'll be back in time," he said, just as the portal closed.

***

Correk stepped into the forest, making his way to the nearest path. He made his way quickly toward the Light Castle, throwing off the glamour spell as he moved. There was no time to waste.

"They have to help," he muttered, as he hurried down the path. He got to the edge of the forest and his rucksack began to shake violently, pulling away from his hand. "What the hell?"

He opened the bag as a small green book shot out, hovering in the air for a moment and zipped through the air, returning itself to the library. "Two moons," he muttered. "A late book. One more mark against me. It will be a cycle of moons before they let me near the books again." He shook his head. "Doesn't matter." He hurried toward the castle. "I have to find a way to convince the king and queen to return with me. They have to help. Otherwise, this may just be the last good thing we do. I can't let that happen to Leira."

***

The prophets called an emergency meeting. The stars on the back of their robes were moving, staying in alignment with the virtual system of stars on the ceiling above them. The Light Elf prophet paced the front of the room, the stars gently turning on his back.

"The necklace is said to be back on Oriceran. But where?" He pounded his fist on the back of a chair.

"It's been reported on Earth, then Oriceran, then back on Earth," said the Pixie prophet. She was balanced on the arm of a chair. "The truth is, we don't know."

"We have to find it. That artifact could be the key to opening the portals early," said the Crystal prophet.

"We would have to give it back," said the Light Elf. "It's the right thing to do. Then petition Queen Saria to let us use it."

"And if she says no? This is far too important." The Kilomea's voice boomed through the chamber.

"How do you propose we find it?" It was the elderly Gnome prophet, his voice calm and measured. "The rumors are that even the Order of the Silver Griffins were unable to stop a ragtag bunch on Earth from getting away."

"There is some powerful dark magic behind all of this," said the Wood Elf.

"We have to find a way to flush out the necklace and the group that has it," said the Gnome, rubbing his chin.

"And how do you propose that?" asked the Light Elf.

"Ask them. Everyone keeps trying to take it from them but have any of us asked them what they want with it? What if our needs align more closely with theirs than we realize? This could all be a foolish race. We ask them. We go to Earth and ask them."

"Go to Earth," gasped the Pixie.

"It's about time we started to do something to build a bridge between our world and the humans. Start a conversation..." The Gnome let his voice trail off. The seed was planted. "We can start a rumor among the witches and wizards on Earth that we're willing to work with the renegades who have the necklace. See what it brings."

The Light Elf gave him a long, hard look. "You make a good point. At this point, we have nothing else. I reluctantly agree."

"Your integrity is duly noted," said the Gnome, an edge to his voice.

"Agreed," said the Crystal prophet. They went around the room and everyone consented.

"Then we should get busy talking to our sources. Something will surely come of it," said the Gnome. He got up to leave. He was tired of being in the room with them.

He left without another word and made the long journey home, finally reaching the small home in the woods where he could take off the painful spell and transform. He took off all of his clothes and stood in the center of the room, bending over in pain as the tentacles began to grow from his head and his bones stretched to accommodate the taller frame.

Rhazdon emerged, running her hands down her smooth Atlantean skin. "Those idiots," she said, scorn in her voice. "Never send an Elf to do an Atlantean's job." The tentacles bobbed on her head as she laughed, reaching for the longer robe. "Soon enough. This is all coming together. Soon enough."

CHAPTER TWENTY

Leira used the card key at room 302. She held her breath as she turned the handle and stepped inside the living room of the suite. She shut the door behind her and went to the window to look out at the street below. The troll crawled out of her jacket pocket and clambered up to her shoulder, holding on to the collar of her leather jacket.

She wanted to stand in the same place she saw her grandmother. So close.

She pressed her hand against the window pane. I will feel your hand in mine again. Tonight. She rested her head against the glass. The troll let out a sad trill.

Leira plucked him off her shoulder and held him in the palm of her hand, lifting him near her face. "Tonight, we run right into the gates of hell. You ready for that, little guy?" The troll held up his hand, sticking out his chest. "Are you giving me a tiny high five? I don't know why but that actually makes me feel better." She tapped his tiny hand with her finger. He smiled up at her. "Yumfuck!"

There was a soft knock at the door and she pulled herself away from the window to answer it.

"Your mother is a dynamo!" Toni was standing in the hallway with her mother, grasping her hand. She raised their hands in the air as if they had already won. "I just met her and I already love her!" Leira looked out into the hallway but they were the only two people who were there.

"Are you alone?" Leira calculated how much energy they would have if the community changed their mind and no one showed.

"Honey, there's more coming. They're parking the cars. You have to have some more faith in your family. We don't cut and run. We show up and blow up, or something like that. That sounded a lot better in the car."

There was a soft ding as the elevator doors opened and people poured out of it, all talking at once. Jack and Larry were in the front of the pack.

"There they are!" Larry pointed down the hall. The large group turned like a school of fish and followed behind him. To the average person it looked like an average neighborhood of friends was throwing a party in a hotel.

"More are right behind us. We wedged everyone we could into the elevator." Jack barreled into the room, looking around at the size of the two adjoining rooms. He stopped in the center, one hand on the top of his head, the other on a hip. "It'll be a tight fit but we can form a kind of infinity symbol or wavy eight. I think it'll work."

Leira heard the soft ding of the elevator again and peered down the hallway as another crowd of magical people piled into the hallway and waved as they spotted Leira standing by the hotel room door. She recognized a lot of them from the Jackalope.

They actually seem glad to be here. Determined but glad. Do they get why they're here?

By the time everyone was inside there were people standing in both rooms and the noise level had picked up till it was hard to hear over the din.

Toni clapped her hands together. "If you can hear this clap, stop talking." She repeated it till the wave of silence spread throughout the space.

Leira heard a soft knock at the door behind her and raised a finger to her lips, shaking her head.

"You think someone complained?" asked Larry. Toni hushed him.

Leira opened the door and standing in the hallway was Turner Underwood dressed in a neat, dark suit, and blue silk tie, holding his hat and cane. "What? You think I wouldn't have heard about this? Come on. Don't be foolish. I keep my ear to the ground. The Fixer not show up for such a grand occasion? No fucking way. Aside, please!" Turner strode into the room as the people parted, making a path for him wherever he chose to go.

"I take it you know everyone here already." Leira watched how they treated him with reverence.

"I knew their parents when they were just kids. Helped deliver a few. Hello Doris, how's the new job? That work out for you? Good to hear." He turned to Leira licking his lips, noticing the troll on her shoulder. "Hi ya, troll. Glad to see you. Small, but you can pack a punch and don't I know it! Okay, kid. This is your party. How about we get it started?"

"Why don't we form a..." Leira didn't get very far when the air in the center of the room started to shimmer. "Correk," she said with relief. The portal opened and Correk quickly stepped through. He quickly turned back to the portal and offered up his hand as Queen Saria came forward, taking his hand and stepping down into the room. People gasped and a murmur went around the room. Her long blue velvet gown brushed against the carpet. The crown on her head still only showed small green sprouts.

King Oriceran followed her out as the portal closed behind him. The Light Elves in the room did a small bow or curtsy as the king nodded. He turned around to see how many people were there, spotting Turner standing near Leira.

"Turner Underwood," he gasped, rushing to hug his old friend. "You're supposed to be..."

"Dead? I've heard. I keep a low profile but not that low. Good to see you my king. This has really become an occasion if you have decided to join us."

"Correk made a compelling argument." The queen looked around the room, not making eye contact with anyone. A cold, hard expression on her face.

No one was making a sound. Not even Larry who had crossed his arms over his chest with a finger pressed against his lips to keep himself from blurting something out.

"He said this would be our chance to talk to Rolim." Queen Saria looked at Leira, studying her. "Something about you has changed since I saw you last." The queen drew closer and put a hand on Leira's arm. Leira felt the buzz of energy pass through her. The queen lifted her chin, surprised, but still with an icy stare. "You are more powerful than I realized... and more clever. I underestimated you in a few different ways." She rubbed the chin of the troll and was rewarded with a soft trill. "I see you took a piece of Oriceran with you. To be expected, after all, given your bloodline." She waved her hand dismissively. "For another day."

"Leira, how can we be of service to you. Correk has told us what to expect but not your battle plan."

"You do have one, don't you?" The Queen turned her cold look back to Leira and was met with the same one from Eireka. "Interesting," said the queen, noticing the resemblance. "A lot has changed."

Leira ignored the taunt. She stepped into the center of the living room where the people in the bedroom could catch a glimpse of her as well.

"Everyone find a place where you can take a hand on either side of you so we form one continuous circle. We'll need to make sure we have a continuous circuit. That's very important. But don't take anyone's hand yet. Make sure you aren't touching anyone else in any way. The black mist is powerful and dark, full of dark magic but it can't think for itself. It can only feel and sense when magic is nearby. If it senses there is an overwhelming amount of magic in the room, it may not show itself. It has to think I'm alone."

Leira took a deep breath and let it out. "Once it appears, no one moves till Correk gives the word. No matter what happens. When he does, grab the hands next to you and hold on tight. Pull as much energy as you can from within yourself and let it flow around the circle till it builds to a critical mass and you can combine your energy with mine. You'll feel it happen. There won't be a lot of time. Our window of opportunity will be small."

"We won't fail you," Jack said in a determined voice. People nodded their heads all the way around the room, careful not to stand too close to each other.

"This is a very brave thing you're doing, young lady. Fixer worthy. Proud of you kid." Turner went and found a place along the wall. The queen and king went and stood next to him and everyone made room, adjusting their space till everyone fit, making a second circle in the living room near enough to connect to the bigger ring when the time was right. Correk and Eireka stood closest to Leira who turned and faced the window, surrounded by an entire magical community.

"You can do this." Eireka took Leira's face into her hands and kissed her forehead. "My beautiful girl. Send out your energy. All the women from our line will feel this tonight and you will feel their power running through you."

"Tonight, we fight with honor and to the end," said the king, nodding.

Correk looked at Leira and tried to smile. "Even if this is the last good thing we do." He managed a crooked smile, the resolute look in his eyes giving him away. He was ready for the battle ahead. "Our new battle cry," he whispered. "Rush in, ask questions later and kick some ass."

Leira lifted her chin. "Damn fucking straight we will." I'm ready.

Leira grounded herself, pulling in the energy from beneath her feet as the troll dropped to the ground next to her, a determined look on his tiny face. Leira's eyes began to glow and she stretched her arms out wide, the symbols glowing on the backs of her hands, riding up her arms and covering her neck. She sent the energy out ahead of her, feeling for any signs of her grandmother, looking for a connection.

It didn't take long to get an answer. Mara appeared in front of the window, watching Leira, holding her position. "You came." Mara's voice echoed in the room. She reached out toward Leira, bowing the layer between Earth and the world in between. The veil had grown even thinner.

Leira took a step toward her, doing her best to tempt the fog to come out, and it obliged. The black mist appeared at her arms, creeping up Mara's shoulders and around her ankles, seeking out the source of the energy, feeling its way toward Leira. It was accompanied by a loud buzz that only grew louder.

The mass of dark energy swirled around Mara's waist, hugging her but she didn't move, still staring at her granddaughter.

The troll growled and grew to the size of a large dog, its teeth bared but he stayed by Leira's side, waiting. Leira felt a tug as the mist swirled around her stream of energy, tying knots with her energy to pull her closer. Her feet started to slide across the floor and flashes of light sparked and snapped within the dense black mist. She dug deeper and pulled more energy through her, fighting off the airy darkness.

A surge of energy stronger than anything she had ever felt pulsed through her, and pushed back hard at the dark magic. The mist grew around Mara, making it harder for Leira to see her as it came into the room.

Come closer bitch.

It swirled, pushing out till it was almost touching Leira, finally tearing a hole in the world in between, creating an opening.

"Now!" yelled Correk, grabbing the queen's hand.

One hand grabbed another, around the room as everyone stood firm and the mist spread into the room, coiling around ankles. Correk's eyes glowed brighter. He poured out his energy around the room, joining the flow as it spun, building and building. The queen's eyes glowed an icy blue and she gripped the hands next to her giving over her magic to the fight.

Leira's feet slid forward again. The mist was starting to overtake her.

The energy in the room spun faster and faster till it burst forward into a ball of brilliant, white light that filled the room, enveloping Leira. "Come to me, Nana! Now!" She let the light flow through her and Correk watched as it pierced Leira in the middle of her back, blasting out in a sharp, single stream of blinding light from her chest. Her head flew back and she grimaced in pain, arching her back but she held her position, her arms out wide.

Correk let out a loud, guttural cry, pulling harder on everything within him, sending it all out in front of him.

The light sliced through the darkness with a thunderous clap.

The mist faltered and drew back as Mara emerged and fell into the room, pulling a young wizard with her.

The mist continued to recede as the light dazzled, pushing back the darkness.

Leira felt another presence. "It's not retreating! It's regrouping!" she yelled over the loud buzz.

Her arms began to vibrate from the effort. Things were taking an ugly turn. The living and the dead appeared at the tear in the world in between pushing each other to gain access to Earth. Leira could feel the darkness coursing through all of them. The dark magic they had practiced poisoned their energy till it squeezed the humanity out of them. They were writhing and twisting, making it difficult to tell where one body started and another ended. The warning from the Gnome's book. Whatever is in the world in between could get out. Leira felt the edges of their madness. There was nothing left of them but darkness.

The light coursing through her started to sputter. She was growing weary as the arms reached out to claw at her, climbing over her energy, looking for freedom.

The young wizard rolled out of the way of the mist's captives as Mara quickly took her place beside Leira, bringing her energy to the fight.

The light pulsed into the darkness, sending out a surge through Leira with a large crack of thunder. Someone flinched at the noise and the spiral of energy hesitated, weakening Leira even further. A dead man put a foot onto the carpet, smiling, a hole through the center of his chest big enough to put a fist through, reaching for Leira. The troll bared its teeth, growing and stretching till his head brushed the ceiling and he was bent forward, his claws outstretched. He opened his mouth and roared, drowning out the hum, swiping the dead man, ripping off his head and tossing him back into the darkness of the world in between in pieces.

The troll advanced, slamming a giant paw onto the ground, letting out another ferocious roar, rattling the windows, clawing at the darkness, shredding whatever was in his path. He put himself between the opening and Leira, blocking their path.

The pile of lost beings retreated, pulling back as two pinpoints of light appeared on either side of the mist. Queen Saria felt a familiar thread of energy coming closer. "Rolim!" The king grasped her hand tighter, stopping her from getting too close to the tear and being pulled inside. Prince Rolim emerged from the darkness, his eyes glowing, battling with the dark beings, sacrificing what was left of himself. It was possible for the dead to still suffer in the world in between.

"Rolim!" cried his mother, pulling away from the king, trying to get to her son, watching him be destroyed all over again.

But the second point of light grew brighter and out of the darkness came an older Light Elf with a long grey beard wearing a silver crown.

"It's true!" gasped Correk. The lost King of Oriceran rushed to his grandson's side. His eyes glowed and his arms were lit by symbols. He fought his way toward the ragged opening.

"The world in between only opens and closes from the inside," yelled Leira, as she looked at Correk. The old king was fighting to close the tear, even if it meant sacrificing his chance to live again outside of the world in between.

"Tonight we fight with honor and to the end!" he yelled, ripping apart the beings, cracking their limbs, pulling them off his grandson.

The troll roared again, reaching into the world in between, slashing the back of a dark being clinging to Prince Rolim, cutting the being to ribbons. "Mother Fucker!" roared the troll. Leira felt the rumble in her chest. The troll stomped a foot, shaking the room, dust from the ceiling raining down on everyone's head.

Leira could feel the darkness pull back. It was weakened and unable to hold open the tear much longer. Hang on.

The old king continued to fight, pushing the darkness back, the tear growing smaller.

"No," gasped Correk but the hole was closing and the veil was growing thicker. Prince Rolim fell to one side, suffering even as he lay dead.

Queen Saria finally freed herself from her husband's grasp and ran to the hole, reaching inside. It was just big enough for her to get her arm inside.

She wanted to feel her son's energy one more time. "My brave boy," she cried, her fingers grazing his foot. Please don't let him suffer.

A light gradually appeared behind him, enveloping the Prince. He stirred and lifted his head, pulling himself to his feet. Leira recognized the young prince she had seen in the vision. He was restored.

Queen Saria looked into the eyes of her son and saw the energy return to him. She strained to reach him as he smiled, putting out his hand till their fingertips touched and she felt a small wave of his energy fill her entire being. It was so familiar to her.

"Mother… I love you."

She looked at him and did her best to smile. "I love you with all that I am..." Her voice broke but she made herself say what she knew needed to be said. "And I send you on your way with peace. You can go. I'll be alright." Tears filled her eyes but she kept his gaze, smiling, letting her energy go out to him one last time. "My brave son."

The light grew till it enveloped him, drawing him in till he was gone. The king pulled his wife back just as the hole sucked in air from the room in a sudden gush, creating a whirlpool in the center of the room that spread to the bedroom till it reversed and turned in on itself, disappearing with a bang.

Several people collapsed on the floor, gasping for air. Larry threw open a window and checked on Jack and Toni. The troll gave one last stomp as he gradually shrunk back down to the size of a large dog, posting himself between Leira and everyone else.

"It's alright Yumfuck. The battle's over. She's alright." Correk pet the top of Yumfuck's head. The troll leaned against Leira and let out a mournful trill, shrinking even further till he was only five inches tall. Correk scooped him and put him on his shoulder. "Well done, my tiny friend. Very well done."

Leira ran to her grandmother and fell into her arms. The smell of lilacs was everywhere. Mara wrapped an arm around Leira and held out her other arm for her daughter. Eireka took her mother's hand and held it against her face.

Leira took a step back and looked at Mara, finally noticing the young wizard still on the floor, pressed against the wall.

"Wait a minute, I know you. I saw you at the... the bowling alley! That night!"

Ernie from the Order of the Silver Griffins sat on the carpet, his heart pounding, surprised to be feeling anything solid.

"You didn't have that before," she said.

There was a wide streak of silver through his dark hair. "Am I really free? Can they come back for us?" He looked around the room, blinking in the light.

Someone offered him a hand and helped him to get up. "You're gonna have quite the story to tell, young man," said Larry. "The women will love it! You were in the world in between and lived to tell about it!"

Ernie's eyes widened and he saw the possibilities. "I could be popular..." he gasped.

"I found him wandering in there getting pushed around by every magical thug that came along. I took a chance," said Mara. "Couldn't leave him in there."

"It fucking worked." It was starting to hit Leira what they had done.

"It fucking worked!" yelled Jack. An exhausted cheer went up from both rooms.

"Thank you." The queen stood in front of Leira, the hard edge at last gone from her voice. There were green vines wrapping themselves around her crown and small white flowers were blooming. The queen took off her signet ring and handed it to Leira, placing it in her palm. "I was wrong about you and I'm sorry. This ring contains some of my energy. More powerful than my son. Use it when you need to and it will aid you in whatever comes next."

Leira grasped her hand. "I'm sorry for everything you've lost. Thank you for being here, no matter the reason. You helped save someone in my family... I will never forget that."

Leira turned to thank everyone in the room and noticed someone was missing. Turner Underwood had already slipped out of the room without anyone noticing. I wonder what will bring you out of the woodwork again.

"I owe you all my life and the life of my grandmother," she said.

"That's what family does for each other, honey," said Toni. "You get it now?"

"I think I do," said Leira.

"E.T. phone home," trilled the troll, pointing to the ceiling.

"Where the hell did you go last night?" Leira put out her hand for the troll and he stepped into her palm. "Yumfuck," he trilled, curling up in a ball.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Leira spent the next few days staying close to home getting meals sent over from Estelle's kitchen. She gave her bed to her mother and grandmother and slept on an old air mattress in the living room. Correk offered the couch but she told him she was fine.

Every day she stood in front of the bathroom mirror where no one else could see her and looked at the two perfectly round scars the size of a fist. One on her back and one on her chest. A souvenir and a reminder. She touched one gingerly and felt a sharp twinge.

One morning she came out for more food and Estelle waved her over to the bar. She sat her down and pointed out the guest house was looking more like a hostel. To her credit, she didn't ask where her grandmother had been or what exactly brought her back. She was awfully good at reading what people needed.

"Your society will drill the story out of you. I'll just eavesdrop when they do." She let out a cackle. "Till then, do the right thing. Let those ladies find their own place, get reacquainted. Your mom can afford it. Make that tall drink of water find his own place too. Time for you to build a life of a different kind this time. A happy one." She blew a perfect 'O' and marched back inside the restaurant. Most conversations with Estelle didn't involve give and take.

"What do you know, Estelle?"

Eireka brought it up before Leira could say anything. She had found a house for rent not too far away big enough for her and Mara. Leira hugged her before her mother could plead her case. "It's okay. I'll be over there, you two will be over here. It's okay."

"You'll be busy with that big new job," said Eireka, brushing Leira's hair out of her face.

"Speaking of which, I gotta go. Duty calls."

"Go save the world, dear. We'll be here. There's time. Let's get pizza later."

"Maybe bring Donald?"

"That's an idea."

***

Leira pulled up to the familiar house, the black poodle barking in the front window. She tucked Yumfuck into her jacket pocket and draped two jackets over her arm, picking up the three pink boxes and balancing them under her chin as she got out of the Mustang. She went up the front steps and rang the doorbell, standing back as Hagan answered the door.

"Oh fuck me, three of those damned boxes. What, did you kill somebody? Am I the cleaner now? Not that I wouldn't do it but geez, don't ruin doughnuts."

"Doughnuts," trilled the troll from Leira's pocket.

"You brought the doughnut bandit with you. Couldn't find a magical babysitter? Come on in." There was a strain in his voice and sweat across his forehead.

"I gave him his own doughnut this time. Where's Rose? I came as soon as I could."

"She's upstairs. The damn cold has gone into her lungs. Doctors say it isn't good. They want her to go the hospital but you know Rose. Hates the place." Hagan was wringing his hands. Never saw him do that before.

The troll leaned out of Leira's pocket and offered his half-eaten doughnut.

"Take me to her." Leira rubbed the troll's head.

"You think you can help?"

Leira put the boxes down on a side table in the front hall, resting the jackets on top of them. "Let's find out. Correk told me what to do. I've got this."

They went up the stairs and Hagan led the way into the bedroom. Rose was propped up on pillows, coughing and flushed. Leira sat down on the edge of the bed and took her hand. "Don't be afraid," she said gently, sending out a small buzz of energy to relax her.

"Leira, why would I be afraid of you." Rose let out a hacking cough, doubling over.

Leira waited, settling herself as she pulled up the energy, her eyes glowing. The symbols appeared on the backs of her hands.

Rose's eyes grew wide but her chest immediately felt lighter and she took in a deep breath. It was working. Leira was pushing out the heavy energy, restoring Rose.

"How did you do that?" Rose's color was returning to normal.

"It's a lot like the flowers."

"What about the flowers?"

"Never mind that dear. Not important," said Hagan quickly. "Is it done?"

Leira got up from the side of the bed and let Hagan take her place.

"What flowers?"

"Well, you see..." Hagan shrugged, ready to confess.

Leira stood in the doorway letting her eyes glow again and quietly said, "Never was, never will be," as the couple froze right where they sat. She went downstairs and grabbed the boxes and the jacket, going back outside, waiting till she was sure the spell had worn off and rang the doorbell again.

Hagan came rushing to the door. "Leira, you'll never believe it. It's like a damn miracle! Rose is better! Damndest thing! Oh geez, what are you doing with all those doughnuts? What'd you kill somebody? And I see you brought the doughnut bandit with you. Come on in if you're coming. You stay out of sight. Rose is just feeling better."

The troll blew a raspberry. "Elliott..."

Hagan stared at him. "You owe me twenty bucks, at least."

Leira started to ask but changed her mind. She followed him in, putting the doughnuts back down on the side table, draping the jackets back over the boxes.

"I have an offer to make to you. Hear me out. I know you love being a detective."

"Stop right there." He held up his hand. "I was gonna tell you in some more formal way, you know, over a beer but I turned in my resignation. I'm telling you I can't take training another one. Rose is not thrilled with me but I hit the wall! I could retire but I don't think she wants me under foot all day."

"What if you could have a partner you didn't need to train?"

"You recommending somebody for your old job?"

"No, I'm recommending you for a new one with me."

"What? I'd chase magical creatures with you?" Hagan fluttered his fingers.

"Don't do your magic hands. I've told you that."

"The Feds know you're here?"

"Not only do they know, they gave me this to give to you. Standard uniform." She handed him one of the jackets. "I'm told you have to wear it. Or at least something like it."

"PDA? What exactly are we part of?"

"Paranormal Defense Agent. PDA. I didn't come up with it. There's a bump in pay and no more paperwork." Leira waggled her fingers. "It's okay when I do it."

"You have to wear one of these things?"

"Not exactly." Leira picked up the other jacket. It was leather with PDA in white across the back. "I came up with my own version. Still PDA but at least it's leather."

"You really think an old human like me can hold his own chasing down some magical something or others?"

"I'll bet my life on it." Leira inched the doughnuts closer to Hagan. "You in?"

He shrugged. "I'd be in without the doughnuts but it's a classy touch. Together again, huh? Not a bad ending to all of this. We got a case?"

"Remember that necklace? I have the files in my car. Correk has a few ideas. You want to take a ride?"

Hagan slipped on the jacket. "It fits! Let me check on Rose. You know, I've really missed that Mustang. You let me drive this time?"

"That's still a no."

Hagan started up the stairs.

"Hey Hagan." He stopped and looked down at Leira. "It's nice to have you back again."

"Same to you kid. More adventures await!"

"Wait till you hear..."

FINIS

Author Notes - Martha Carr

Written August 29th, 2017

It’s been a whirlwind around here lately. First, there has been the amazing response from so many fans of The Leira Chronicles. You guys have written me notes, left posts, written reviews… but not just to say how much you like the books but to send encouragement and to thank me for continuing to go for my dreams… and to say how much these books have made your days or nights a little better. There are no words to tell you how wonderful it has been or what a strong connection I feel from all of you. Who knew that I’d write about a funny troll and a tough young detective who turns out to be magical AND touch so many people. Life is very cool like that.

The other has been the flood in East Texas. I’m in Central Texas where we got plenty of rain and wind – and for some people flooding – but not like the devastation in other parts of the state. As I write this, the offspring is in Katy, Texas with friends and a boat rescuing as many people as they can from their flooded homes. So far, in just half a day they’ve taken out six or seven boat loads. I can already tell this experience is going to change his life and for the better.

Some of you who are reading this may be victims of the hurricane and flood and just starting to think about what to do next. May your next days be peaceful and so much easier – and if you send me your address a troll mug will be on its way to you too. It’s not much but if it makes you smile when you go for coffee, I’m happy to help. He’s a tough little dude and so are all of you. Today is a part of a long journey and this isn’t the last chapter. It’s just one of those middle ones that takes some courage to walk through to see what comes next.

In this book is one of my favorite things to do – Comicon! I have a few pictures (okay a lot more than a few) that I have taken over the years and will be sharing on my Facebook page this week. I remember the first time I took the offspring and I kept pointing to different characters and he could name them all. I got choked up and thought, I am a good mother. It’s a nerdette kind of a thing. It’s on my bucket list to someday be on a panel at Comicon… This came true so…

Last thing that almost happened this week… there was about 15 minutes where it looked like I might have accidentally lost this book. However, Magic Mike calmly figured out how to retrieve it. He wisely didn’t tell me till later that he wasn’t sure he could. That’s the new nickname for him – Magic Mike – (Chippenelves anyone?). I was so flustered afterwards that we both forgot to turn off Skype (I don’t know what happened on his end) and hours later when I sat down at the computer I wondered why I was watching Mr. Magic Mike walk across his living room drinking a Coke. That was a good laugh after almost losing an entire book! He mentioned something about backing up the manuscript the next time…

That’s it for now. I’m off to work on the next book in the series, keep checking in with the offspring and take Lois the Wonder Dog for a walk. And of course, keep chatting with all of you.

Author Notes - Michael Anderle

August 30th, 2017

Thank you! Not only did you read the book, and Martha’s Author Notes, but you made it all the way to mine, as well.

One of the things Martha didn’t mention is that she took time off to get this book done so damned fast. It has been a total of just about two and a half weeks from her previous book (out on the 14th). Remember, that was written, edited, and sent through the JIT team all in that amount of time, which is a phenomenal effort.

It wiped her out.

Fortunately for her, not so fortunately for us, she has more time to get the next book done. We are working on the beats for it Thursday, I believe. (Which is tomorrow, now that I look at the time which is about 12:45 AM.)

If you ever work with Martha, there is one aspect which is going to ‘shine’ and that is she can be very … uh… determined.

For example, she is wiped out mentally – the book is with Stephen Campbell to get to the JIT team (Just in Time) and she pings me…

“Is the cover good enough for creating a FB banner?”

So, I’m off to create a FB banner… She LOVES the Facebook banner.  Now I get…

“Love the FB Banner!  Can I have a this as a mug?  How about now? No? When? Ok…”

What feels like ten minutes later…

“Don’t forget the mug…”

I start mumbling under my breath.

Next morning, I’m working on the stuff for Ell Leigh Clarke’s Retribution release.

“Good morning! How are we doing on the mug?”

We aren’t.  Going on the mug, I mean. Not only because of the aforementioned release, but because I had FORGOT about the mug. I’m done w/ my email send out and decide to work on the mug design.

It doesn’t go too well. I can’t seem to get something I like.  A few hours later, I’m back at home working and we happen to be chatting about something.

“So, how is that mug going?” she asks me.

Grrrr….

I tell her that I’m going to let her go, and work on the mug.  By now (the phone call) it’s about 8:00 PM.

Forty minutes later, guess who pings me?  That’s right… It’s the Carr lady. Five minutes later I finally get her the link to the new mug and thank God, she likes it.

Otherwise, I was going to make a special mug with something rude on it and send her that. What do I get for all of this going-the-extra-mile effort?

I get the name ‘Magic Mike’…

Grrrrr….

;-)

One should never upset the person who can create merchandise and put it up for sale. Who KNOWS what I might do.

I have pictures of you Carr, and I’m not afraid to use them!

If you are curious about the new YumFuck Design.  Check them out, here: http://society6.com/product/got-troll_mug?

ORICERAN Updates

Just a quick note: We have two (2) new Oriceran releases coming out by the end of next week, be on the lookout!

Coming Soon from A.L. Knorr & Martha Carr

Descendant: Book One in the Kacy Chronicles - 9/8 When a locket opens a portal to an alternate universe, Jordan finds herself off on a magical adventure to find her long-lost mother. Facing off with interfering barmaids, terrifying harpies, and disorganized elves with a penchant for inventing magic... it's only the beginning.

Available now from Chrishaun Keller-Hanna

Labeled as a deserter, Duquesne “Duke” Cole found safety as a mechanic in the opulent land of Praina.

But when her simple ambitions lead her to retrieve a lost dagger, Duke finds herself trapped between a mysterious order and a greedy woman who will do anything to get what she wants…

http://amzn.to/2fRCS8x

Want more?

Join the email list here:

http://oriceran.com/email/

Find the Oriceran Universe on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/OriceranUniverse/

Find the Oriceran Universe on Pinterest:

https://www.pinterest.com/lmbpn/pins/

The email list will be a way to share upcoming news and let you know about giveaways and other fun stuff. The Facebook group is a way for us to connect faster – in other words, a chat, plus a way to share new spy tools, ways to keep your information safe, and other cool information and stories. Plus, from time to time I’ll share other great indie authors’ upcoming worlds of magic and adventure. Signing up for the email list is an easy way to ensure you receive all of the big news and make sure you don’t miss any major releases or updates.

Enjoy the new adventure!

Martha Carr and Michael Anderle 2017

Martha Carr Social

Website:  http://oriceran.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ChroniclesofLeira/

Michael Anderle Social

Website:  http://kurtherianbooks.com/

Email List:  http://kurtherianbooks.com/email-list/

Facebook Here:  https://www.facebook.com/TheKurtherianGambitBooks/

Michael Anderle

Kurtherian Gambit Series Titles Include:

First Arc

Death Becomes Her (01) - Queen Bitch (02) - Love Lost (03) - Bite This (04)

Never Forsaken (05) - Under My Heel (06) - Kneel Or Die (07)

Second Arc

We Will Build (08) - It’s Hell To Choose (09) - Release The Dogs of War (10)

Sued For Peace (11) - We Have Contact (12) - My Ride is a Bitch (13)

Don’t Cross This Line (14)

Third Arc (2017)

Never Submit (15) - Never Surrender (16) - Forever Defend (17)

Might Makes Right (18) - Ahead Full (19) - Capture Death (20)

Life Goes On (21)

**New Series**

The Second Dark Ages

The Dark Messiah (01)

The Darkest Night (02)

The Boris Chronicles

* With Paul C. Middleton *

Evacuation

Retaliation

Revelation

Restitution 2017

Reclaiming Honor

* With JUSTIN SLOAN *

Justice Is Calling (01)

Claimed By Honor (02)

Judgement Has Fallen (03)

Angel of Reckoning (04)

Born Into Flames (05)

Defending The Lost (06)

The Etheric Academy

* With TS PAUL *

ALPHA CLASS (01)

ALPHA CLASS - Engineering (02)

ALPHA CLASS (03) Coming soon

Terry Henry “TH” Walton Chronicles

* With CRAIG MARTELLE *

Nomad Found (01)

Nomad Redeemed (02)

Nomad Unleashed (03)

Nomad Supreme (04)

Nomad’s Fury (05)

Nomad’s Justice (06)

Nomad Avenged (07)

Nomad Mortis (08)

Nomad’s Force (09)

Nomad’s Galaxy (10)

Trials and Tribulations

* With Natalie Grey *

Risk Be Damned (01)

Damned to Hell (02)

Hell’s Worst Nightmare (03) coming soon

The Ascension Myth

* With Ell Leigh Clarke *

Awakened (01)

Activated (02)

Called (03)

Sanctioned (04)

Rebirth (05)

Retribution (06)

The Age of Magic

The Rise of Magic

* With CM Raymond / LE Barbant *

Restriction (01)

Reawakening (02)

Rebellion (03)

Revolution (04)

Unlawful Passage (05)

The Hidden Magic Chronicles

* With Justin Sloan *

Shades of Light (01)

Shades of Dark (02)

Storms of Magic

*With PT Hylton*

Storm Raiders (01)

Storm Callers (02)

Tales of the Feisty Druid

*With Candy Crum*

The Arcadian Druid (01)

The Undying Illusionist (02)

Path of Heroes

*With Brandon Barr*

Rogue Mage (01)

The Revelations of Oriceran

The Leira Chronicles

*With Martha Carr*

Quest for Magic (0)

Waking Magic (1)

Release of Magic (2)

Protection of Magic (3)

SHORT STORIES

Frank Kurns Stories of the Unknownworld 01 (7.5)

You Don’t Touch John’s Cousin

Frank Kurns Stories of the Unknownworld 02 (9.5)

Bitch’s Night Out

Bellatrix: Frank Kurns Stories of the Unknownworld 03 (13.25)

With Natalie Grey

AudioBooks

CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL LMBPN BOOKS ON AUDIBLE

Available at Audible.com and iTunes

The Kurtherian Gambit

Death Becomes Her - Available Now

Queen Bitch – Available Now

Love Lost – Available Now

Bite This - Available Now

Never Forsaken - Available Now

Under My Heel - Available Now

Kneel or Die - Available Now

Reclaiming Honor Series

Justice Is Calling

Claimed By Honor

Judgment Has Fallen

Angel of Reckoning

Terry Henry “TH” Walton Chronicles

Nomad Found

Nomad Redeemed

Nomad Unleashed

Nomad Supreme

Nomad’s Fury

The Etheric Academy

Alpha Class

Alpha Class 2

Anthologies

Glimpse

Honor in Death

(Michael’s First Few Days)

Beyond the Stars: At Galaxy's Edge

Tabitha’s Vacation

Table of Contents

Contents

Dedication

Legal

Oriceran Map - USA

Oriceran Map

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Author Notes - Martha Carr

Author Notes - Michael Anderle

Other Books

Other Books A

Social Links

Series List