Broken Engagements #2
My words find not just the councilman but also my intended targets all along the beach.
Elven weapons clatter into the sand. Warlocks and witches working with the councilman drop their hands.
The individuals I take to be Fae stop fighting, although a few of them are smart enough to disappear.
Whatever the councilman is offering isn’t worth facing down a siren.
“Do not move. You will not harm anyone else on this beach,” I instruct, my voice aiming true and hitting only those who have come to harm my friends and my home.
No pain stabs my head. No blood gushes from my nose. There is only joy. The joy of using my song at its full strength, and to help others.
“You will submit yourselves to formal investigation by the Magikai or your species’ governing bodies, and you will admit to any and all illegal dealings and illicit activities. You will never come back to this beach again, or seek out anyone you have met here.”
Starla walks past the father who would have killed her if the necklace’s magic hadn’t evaporated his lightning strike.
“I should end you here and now.” Her fingers spark, and for just a moment I think she might do it.
Then she lets her hands drop.
“But I’m not you. I’m going to let you face every consequence you’ve earned.”
She walks away from him, and he opens his mouth, but I shut it for her.
“Silence, Councilman Taylor.”
Starla smiles at me.
“It’s like a statue garden of creeps and creepettes.” She winds her way through a few of our assailants, stuck and frozen by my commands.
“Leena! Look at this! Pretty sure I recognize this guy from Leon’s group. How about that! Remember, one of the warlocks who got away with him?” The witch grins, and then clocks him right in his frozen face.
I suppose she has to let her anger out somehow.
“Oh, spectacular, we can still hit them?” Never pulls back her leg to dropkick someone.
“Stop!” I yell. “Let’s just start dealing with this mess.”
“If we were free, we’d bury you all,” a witch near Never sneers. The Were pretends to lose control of the foot and kicks someone after all.
“Quiet!” I instruct the rest of the captives.
Not having chaos or pain follow my magic is indescribable. Like it’s a central part of me that’s been missing, and I can use it as easily as I can breathe.
“Is anyone handling any stragglers who might be waiting in the wings?” Ji-hwan asks.
“I’ll go with you to check,” Brody volunteers.
“Me too.” Cannon, back in his skin, raises a hand in the air and the three of them take off down the beach.
Never surveys the absolute chaos that is disturbed sand, glass sculptures made by lightning strikes, and frozen supernaturals, who will have to be moved somewhere since human beach-goers will need to be able to get back in this area eventually.
“The Magikai are going to be so pissed about all this hubbub. What a mess.” She’s grinning from ear to ear.
“Didn’t you say she cleaned that organization up? Didn’t she work for them? Doesn’t she have friends there?” I pepper Jackal with questions.
He just shrugs.
“She likes chaos. What can I say?”
The Carolina Beach coven members begin to disperse, making sure that our perimeter stays secure.
Keegan offers to take Pickles back to the bar.
“You are the best dog. I am going to feed you pickles and bacon for breakfast tomorrow,” I croon at him before he’s carried off the beach, his head held high in triumph.
Malcolm goes with Shanell and Never to work on contacting the Magikai and planning on how to transport the criminals off the beach.
Pretty soon, there’s only a few of us left by the water.
Starla stands at my side, voice quiet.
“Can I speak with him once more before we leave?”
No need to ask who she means.
“You want me to undo his gag now, or would you like to say anything first?” I ask.
“Good point.” She takes a deep breath, grabbing Exos’s hands and walking over to her father.
“This is Exos. He’s not my bodyguard. He’s my boyfriend.
You already knew that, of course, but you didn’t care.
You have never cared about me or my wishes.
You’ve only cared what use I can be of to you.
The answer is none. I am my own witch. I’m not marrying anyone right now, and if I decide to, it will be someone I choose for myself.
You will not be invited to the wedding. In fact, you will never see me again.
To be quite frank, I’m only telling you this because I know it’ll piss you right off, and you deserve that.
If it makes me petty, so be it. All right, Leena. ”
“Speak.”
Councilman Taylor works his mouth around for a moment, then lets loose.
“I will get out of this. I have so many powerful people under my thumb it’s not funny, and when I do, you will wish you had said yes to the generous offer I had arranged for you, you impudent child. You will be brought back under my control, and when that—”
“It’ll be a cold day in an Alabama summer before that happens,” Starla shouts over him, Southern accent dripping from her voice.
“The expression, my overly-Americanized child, is ‘cold day in hell.’”
Starla just shakes her head.
“A cold Alabama summer is even less likely.”
“You are truly useless.”
“Funny you should say that. Did you know that breaking Leena’s curse might mean our family’s ability will return? What do you think, should I try it out on you and see what happens?”
He pales, watching her fingers dance with sparks.
Starla frowns.
“Don’t worry. I wouldn’t waste my time. I have just one more thing to say to you.
You may have powerful friends, but I have people I trust around me.
You want to come for me? You’ll never get close.
My friends will make sure of it. I don’t care what the Magikai decide to do with you, but I really, really hope you have the life you deserve.
Although I sure as heck won’t be there to see it. ”
“Have what you need?” I ask.
“Sure do,” Starla confirms.
She spins on her heel, walking away hand in hand with Exos. The councilman screams after her.
“You little ingrate! Get back here, or I’ll—”
Grammy Pearl brings her rabbit cane down on his head with more force than anyone would credit the old witch with having. His eyes roll as he falls to the ground unconscious. Grammy puts a hand over her mouth.
“Oh dearie me, you did say we were done fighting. I didn’t mean to hit him quite so hard. An accident, of course.”
I roll my eyes.
“Of course.”
“Well, best be catching up to my granddaughter, and also helping Shanell with this mess. A coven leader’s duties are never done.” She totters across the sands, humming happily to herself.
I let out a deep breath.
“Ready for things to go back to normal?” Jackal asks.
I’m not even sure I know what that is anymore. Months ago, I would have said running my dive company, wishing for a dog I was never going to get, happily being friends with Starla while quietly regretting that I had no other social circle, and worrying about anything and everything.
I still ruminate on things, and I will never stop worrying.
But I’m out here living my life, and I have people to support me through even the hardest situations.
“Ready to move forward together,” I say.
We turn to leave the beach, and I’m more than happy to allow the Magikai to clean up the remaining mess.
There’s a groan behind us, then a growl.
I turn to see Claude, on his knees and then rising to his feet.
My jaw drops. There’s no way he could fight my song, surely.
I’m too busy questioning how he’s managing it for my instincts to warn me of the danger in time. The warlock’s whole form glows with magic as he channels his key, running toward me at full-strength with his hands reaching for my neck.
Jackal’s fur rips across him with a speed I’ve never seen. The hyena leaps for his throat.