Funny Tragic Crazy Magic (Tragic Magic Book 1) (18 page)

The
first thing I did was try to pick Joe up, to see if I could bring him to my
car, but he weighed a lot, and it was impossible. I did a
transformation
rune on him and changed him into Meg. His clothes hung off her tiny frame, so I
rolled up the pants, and the sleeves, and then picked her up. Much easier.

I
ran back inside and got my coat, my mom’s credit card, and a few changes of
clothes. When I got back to the car, Joe was still asleep in Meg’s tiny body.
Everything was still, but I had this feeling that someone was watching me. Not
an Instinct, just someone. It didn’t feel right, if that makes sense.

I
backed up, and kept my eyes open to my surroundings. I think the adrenaline
helped, as I was exhausted mentally, emotionally, and most of all physically.

If
it took Giara three hours, that meant she was driving from Chicago, so I wanted
to go the other way, except… Wouldn’t that be predictable? Maybe what I should
do was go right toward her, maybe take the airport in Chicago.

If
I drove past her, then… I could
transform
my own face, but she would
recognize the car. Maybe I should ditch it and borrow someone else’s…

Was
I really just considering grand theft auto? Apparently, Joe had been a worse
influence on me than I thought. What I needed was a car that I know would be
full of gas, and I only knew one person who was as anal retentive as I was.

Ryan.

I
drove through the streets of my town, parked my car around the corner from
Ryan’s house, and lifted Joe’s body. Meg’s head rolled until her nose brushed
against my neck as I trudged up the perfect gingerbread pathway to the garage.
They had locked the doors to their white Toyota Sienna, but I ignored it and
drew the rune for
open
. Then, I tossed Joe in the passenger seat.

These
rubes made it too easy, I thought. What I wouldn’t give for a guard dog just to
spice things up.

Ha.
I giggled to myself in that tired way that I only giggle when it’s almost two
in the morning and I’m about to commit a felony. I put the
silence
rune
on the hood of the minivan, and then on my own hand, completing the circle.

Christmas
music came on as I started the van with the rune for
fire
. I revved the
engine, confident that the rune would block out the noise, and then drove down
the street. I switched the radio to my favorite oldies station, and blasted
seventies rock in hopes Joe would wake up and complain to me.

About
twenty minutes out of Plymouth, I reapplied Joe’s rune. I transformed my face
to that of Meg’s mom, who I found out had a much better voice than I did. I
enjoyed singing along to the radio, and anyone awake in my car would have
enjoyed listening to me sing, because it was, honestly, pretty amazing.

Now
I hope no one thinks I am in anyway condoning criminal behavior. It’s bad.
Don’t break the law. Anyway, any time you break a law there are consequences,
and please know I found that one out for myself. I’m not just repeating a
public service announcement.

I
passed Giara about an hour out of Plymouth. She didn’t even glance at me, which
was good, because if she did she would have seen I was glaring at her, and that
might have given the whole thing away.

Joe
stirred once right outside Chicago, and I shouted at him, but he never woke up.

I
abandoned Ryan’s minivan in the O’Hare Airport parking garage, reapplied Joe’s
transformation
rune, and then, looking around to make sure no one was following me, I tried to
pick up Joe again. My arms though had had it, and I don’t think I could have
carried him to the next car, let alone into the airport.

“Stay
here,” I whispered. I put the rune for
invisibility
on his arm and
walked out of the car.

Please
keep him safe
, I thought, but there wasn’t anyone
there to help him, except me. The parking lot looked empty, but it didn’t feel
that way. I felt like people watched me from every direction even if I couldn’t
see the eyes.

Inside
the airport, I felt better. The florescent lights felt reassuring. I used my
mom’s credit card reserved only for emergencies to buy a ticket economy class
to Paris. I had my passport, but I knew Joe didn’t have one. I had no clue how
I was going to get him on the plane. Maybe I could use the
invisibility
rune on him, or
transform
him to look like luggage. I don’t know.

I
was so tired.

The
next plane left at 5:20 p.m. I had fourteen hours to wait. On the other hand, I
guess there were fourteen hours until they could find me.

I
went back to the car and got in. I wiped the air, but Joe didn’t reappear. I
reached my hand toward where Joe should be, and there was nothing but air under
my fingers.

Joe
wasn’t invisible. He just wasn’t there.

By
this point, I was so exhausted that all I could do for a couple of minutes was
cry. I know, not proactive at all. In my defense, it had been a very long day,
and I’m the kind of girl who needs her sleep.

When
even crying was too much for me, I sat, numb and frozen, in the driver’s seat
of Ryan’s minivan. Which I had stolen. Oh man, I was in so much trouble.

I
got out of the car, and I felt again like I was being watched.

Did
someone follow me? The only threat that was close enough, and suspicious enough
to follow me would be Ash.

I
whispered, “Are you sure you want to do this?”

No
one answered, so I repeated, “I said, are you sure you want to do this?” in a
much louder, more threatening voice.

There
was movement to the left of me. I saw a flash of a red cap. The Grandfathers.

“I’m
coming peacefully,” I said. “You don’t need to hit me again, Ash.”

There
was movement to my right. Yes, Ash was there. I put my hands behind my head, as
they do in the movies, and then cleared my throat, “Where’s Joe?”

“That
is not your concern,” a man behind me said.

I
turned. It was the man who had worn the business suit as he warmed his hands in
front of the fire.

“Miles,”
I said with a nod, showing respect I didn’t feel. He stood taller. “Where’s
Joe?”

“How
is that your business, hmm?” asked a voice from out of my line of sight.

I
closed my eyes. I would know that voice anywhere. It was Leo.

Fury
filled my body with adrenaline. I pointed my finger without looking at him.

“That
is close enough.” I said. I turned to face him; “I swear if you come any
closer, I will destroy you.”

Leo
looked at me with a grin, as if I just told the most hilarious joke. I wasn’t
kidding. He looked at my face and then took a step back.

“Larissa,
you can put your arms down,” a voice in front of me said.

A
line of runelight rippled over the open air as his
invisibility
rune
ended, and Robert appeared in front of me. All around me, the men took a
respectful stance.

“We
only wish to talk,” Robert said.

“How
did you find me?”

“We’ve
had eyes on you,” Robert replied.

I
growled under my breath.

“Where’s
Joe?” I asked again.

“He
is not your concern…”

My
fingers drew the rune for
truth
in the air and then threw. Robert
swished his hand, and the runelight fell like rain, brushing against his skin,
but not landing. How did he do that?

He
walked to me. I drew another rune, this one for
stay
, and I threw it at
him. He wiped his fingers again; my runelight fell harmlessly to the ground
again. He kept walking until he reached me. He drew the rune for
stay
on
my arm. My body rebelled against me, but I lifted my arm and wiped it off.

The
men behind me started whispering, and Robert glanced back at them. While he was
distracted, I drew the rune for
stay
on his arm, and then with
transformation
I turned him into Giara.

Leo
fell on the ground laughing. Robert tried to wipe the runelight away, but my
runes stuck.

“Robert,”
I said, inching closer to him. Giara’s face turned toward me. “Where… is… Joe?”

“Don’t
hurt him. He can still be taught.” Giara’s voice pleaded the words I would say
to her.

“I
would never hurt him.” I said. “Where is he?”

“He’s
safe,” Robert said.

I
sighed, “Yeah, I don’t trust you.”

I
looked around me. Seven grown men stood in a circle surrounding me, just one
seventeen year-old girl. Anyone looking on would think that I was the one who
should feel threatened. But their faces spelled out that they were the ones
scared of me. Well, I did have their strongest Mage under my control. They all
had the same expression, except Ash. Ash looked reluctant. He looked… ashamed.

“Ash,”
I said.

He
glanced at me and then looked away.

“Ash,
where is your son?”

Leo
looked sharply at Ash, and then let out an explosive laugh that twisted to a
giggle.

“A
son. Hmmm?” Leo kept giggling.

“Stop,”
I commanded him, but Leo ignored me.

“I
have a grandson,” Leo said between giggles. I glanced at Ash. He was looking
down at the ground.

Leo
was Ash’s father.

My
least favorite person in the world was related to my favorite. Leo was Joe’s
grandfather. Hooray for irony.

“Look,
gentleman, I’m tired, and when I’m tired I get cranky. Okay?” I smiled, and the
men stepped backwards. “Now, I’m gonna give you the benefit of the doubt, and
assume you were just trying to protect Joe from a Grandmother. I get that,
since that’s what I am trying to do.”

They
looked at me as if they weren’t clear on what was happening.

“Don’t
tell me you weren’t listening through the walls?” I said.

They
clearly didn’t know what I was talking about. The Grandfathers must not have
known the
eavesdropping
rune. Whoops, guess I just spilled a Witch
secret. My bad.

I
sighed, “Giara is coming to kill Joe, and I’m not gonna let that happen. Now,
give him back to me. We have a plane to catch.”

“Where
are you going?” Giara’s voice coming from Robert sent a chill down my back.

I
wiped my fingers and the
transformation
fell. Then with a whim of trust,
I released the
stay
rune as well. He smiled at me and moved his hands,
scratching a spot on his nose. His eyes were kind. He hadn’t been anything but
nice to me. Maybe I could trust him.

“I’m
going to the Grandmothers’ Study, to steal back my mom’s notebook,” I said.

“You
are not a Grandmother?” Miles asked, his British accent coming out more than
before.

I
shook my head. “Not yet.”

“I…”
Miles looked once at Robert, panic in his eyes as if awaiting a decision on his
life. He turned back to me, “I am so sorry we allowed Leo… to an innocent.” He
looked at Robert. “I swear, Robert, I didn’t know.”

“This
one has surprised us all,” Robert replied, and Miles’ shoulders relaxed.
“Child,” Robert started, but I glared, and he rephrased, “Larissa, perhaps we
could help you.”

“What?”
I said.

“You’re
not the only one who the Grandmothers have stolen from,” Robert said. “They
have a few things of ours as well.”

“I’m
not giving you the
killing
runes.” I said firmly.

“Of
course not,” Robert answered, looking shocked at the very thought. “We wouldn’t
dream of asking for those. I simply wished to help you take away something that
doesn’t belong to them.”

“That’s
it? That’s all you want to do?” I asked suspiciously.

“Yes.”

“So
you would help me and Joe get to Paris to retrieve my mom’s notebook and then
see us home.”

“We
would help you.”

“No,
thanks.” I said.

Robert
sighed. “Larissa, you and I aren’t enemies. The Grandmothers have taken so much
from us both. They’ve taken our home, the lives of our friends. They’ve taken
the lives of innocents and broken the Law of Peace. If they retain these few
trinkets of ours, I fear Giara might do our world serious damage.”

“Look,”
I said, “it’s nothing personal; it’s just not my war to fight.”

“Your
family was a casualty of this war, how can you say it’s not personal?” Ash
asked.

“Now
Ash, that’s unfair.” Robert said, stepping toward him, “This is Larissa’s
choice. That’s important. There must always be a choice.”

I
took a step back. “My mom used to say that.”

“Your
mom was an advocate of peace,” Robert said. “She and I were often similar in
our opinions. Now, young one, I tell you truthfully, without us, you will not
gain your mother’s notebook. Without you, we won’t gain back what we need to
keep this world safe. So tell me, will you let us help you?”

Leo
stopped laughing, but other than him, the others looked honest, eager, and
maybe a little repentant.

“I...
I don’t know, will you tell me where Joe is?”

“Of
course,” Robert said. “You and I have no quarrel, young one. We are not on
opposite sides. You will take our help,” I did not like the bossy way he said
that. “Think of it as a way to repay you for the unkindness you have suffered
at our hands.”

“I...”
I didn’t know what to do.

“I
will only return Joe to you, if you accept our help. If you arrived unassisted,
it would be like handing him over to the Grandmothers.” The way he said
“Grandmothers” made it clear how deep his hatred for them went. “We protect our
own.” He looked at me as if he was waiting for a response.

I
swallowed, and then nodded
once.        

Ash
looked at Robert, and Robert dipped his head with a wide smile on his face. Ash
waved his fingers, and a ripple of runelight appeared on the cement in the
parking garage. The
transformation
rune had ended, so it wasn’t Meg’s
face, it was Joe’s, still sleeping, his clothing rolled back down. He looked so
peaceful, so relaxed. Although… His face looked flushed, and his cheeks were a
brilliant red. Something was wrong. I walked to him; the men parted and let me
through. Joe’s cheeks were burning up, so hot against my fingers that my heart
sped up in fear. Would performing the
love
rune kill him before Giara
had a chance to?

“He
has a fever,” I said. “Does anyone have any ibuprofen?”

The
men laughed, which I did not find amusing.

“Leo,”
Robert commanded.

“No!”
Leo said, with a dead serious face.

Robert
looked at him, and I could see the sternness on his face. “Heal him.”

“Can
I at least kick him first? Hmm?” Leo asked.

Robert
and I both turned to him with murder in our eyes. He would not hurt Joe. I
would not allow it. Leo didn’t seem to notice either of our fury.

“Slap
him at least? Hmm.”

“Dad,”
Ash said. I glanced back at him. “Please.”

“Oh,
all right,” Leo said with a smile, pointing at Ash with a withered finger. “But
whose gonna take his beating later to pay for it?”

“I
will,” Ash said without any expression on his face, but I could see his Adam’s
apple dip when he swallowed.

Leo
giggled with a look of anticipation.

“You
always were my favorite, Ashford,” he said as he moved in and put his hands on
Joe’s feet. He smelled disgusting.

“Excuse
me, darling,” he said to me, “You’re in my way.”

I
moved with a sickening feeling in my stomach for allowing Leo to put his foul
hands on Joe.

I
glanced at Ash. What must have it been like to grow up with a father like Leo?
He said his dad was horrible, but… Leo? The worst single hour of my life was
Ash’s entire life growing up, at least until he ran away. Moreover, his mother
was the kind of woman who would marry Leo. Who in their right mind would chain
themselves to a man like that? What kind of a woman was she?

Joe
stirred as the healing took effect. I pushed that man out of my way, and my
fingers felt dirty where they touched him. I didn’t care. Joe was waking up.

“Joe,”
I whispered, my fingers running through his sweat-filled hair. His eyelids
fluttered. “Joe, wake up.”

He
didn’t open his eyes, but he spoke, “Hey.”

I
laughed once, and it was more a sigh than a laugh. It was all okay. I was
surrounded by Mages I didn’t trust, men who hit me, made me bleed, haunted my
dreams and my thoughts, but I didn’t care.

Joe
was awake.