The Lost Mage (18 page)

“I don’t know. I was summoned to a small forest. Then I walked a few blocks and came to a street lined with buildings. That’s where I met Mrowley. Then we went back to the woods to sleep. The next morning, we walked for quite some time looking for help wanted signs before I found Sean’s.”

“Okay, this street where you met Mrowley – were the building tall or short?”

“Not as tall as the ones here. Maybe about the height of the ones on Sean’s block.”

Thinking of the historic location of Sean’s Pub led Nora to believe that the woods Darakin was referring to were in a park located near another historic area marked by brownstones and other low buildings. She narrowed her search to that area before opening up a second browser window to look up the addresses around each of the florist shops she found.

After some time of looking, she exclaimed, “I think I’ve got it!”

“You do?”

“Yes, this florist shop is very close to a seafood restaurant.”

“That covers the flower and fish smells, but what about the weird smells Mrowley mentioned?”

“Yeah, that one had me going for awhile, but I think I’ve found it. This place,” she pointed to the screen, “Pandora’s Box.”

“What’s that?”

“It’s a New Age shop.”

“What does New Age mean?”

“It means things like the occult, the supernatural and the magical. A lot of people have gotten into that stuff the past couple of years.”

“Humph. Well, there’s nothing new about magic. It’s older than the human race.”

“That may be, Darakin, but this society is very technological and magic has a limited place in it. At any rate, these shops usually burn incense and such. That must be what Mrowley calls weird smells.”

“Well, it’s worth a try.”

“It is. The thing is …”

“What?” Darakin asked in concern.

“Well, if we’re going to make it there and back in time for work, you’re going to have to get on the subway.”

“The mechanical dragon? No way.”

“Darakin, the only other choice is the bus or a taxi. Taxis are too expensive and buses aren’t as fast.”

“Nora, I am not stepping into the belly of that beast.”

She huffed in frustration. “Fine, we’ll take the bus. But no talking about magic while we’re on it. You’ll scare the other riders.”

“Okay.”

Nora led Darakin out of the shop to the nearest bus stop. They waited for a few minutes until their bus arrived. Nora stepped forward, trying to tug the hesitating Darakin along with her.

“What’s wrong now?”

“It doesn’t look safe. And Mrowley’s family disappeared in a mechanical beast.”

“Ach, you big baby, just get on the bus, would you?”

“What about Mrowley’s family?”

“Darakin, they left him intentionally. They moved and didn’t bother to take him with them. Now let’s go.” She tugged at his arm.

The bus driver spoke up in annoyance. “Lady, I’m graded on how close I keep to the schedule. You and the weirdo need to get on or step back.”

“We’re getting on and I’m guessing you’re not graded on courtesy.” She pulled Darakin forward more forcefully than she intended and he hit the door. “Darakin, I’m sorry, but if you don’t get on the bus now, we’re not going.”

Holding his hand to the bump on his forehead, Darakin took a cautious step onto the bus. The driver pulled the doors closed before Darakin could change his mind. He followed Nora down the aisle and sat down next to her, looking apprehensively out the window at the passing scenery.

As the bus approached a corner, Nora took hold of the rail next to her. The bus swayed to the side as it turned and Darakin gasped as he slid away from Nora on the slippery bench. Nora chuckled as he jumped up before he slid any further. “You might want to brace yourself on the turns, love.” She laughed again as Darakin lurched forward with the motion of the turning bus. He clutched the bar in front of him in a white-knuckled embrace.

When Nora finally stood to get off the bus, Darakin let out a sigh of relief and followed.

“I can’t wait to see what happens when I finally get you on the subway.”

“Never.”

Nora didn’t reply. She looked around to get her bearings and headed off down a street with Darakin following.

“Does any of this look familiar?”

“Well, it was dark and it was all so strange and new.”

“So no? Fine, let’s go check out the shops and see if that helps.” She walked a little farther and stopped under a sign that read, Pandora’s Box. “Weird smells. I’ll tell you what – the cat’s directions may seem simple to us, but they’re pretty good descriptions.”

Darakin took a sniff. “Myrrh? Now that’s a scent I know and I don’t remember it that night.”

“Look at the shop hours,” she pointed to the sign on the door. “They close at five o’clock, there wouldn’t have been anything to smell when you were here. But Mrowley either smelled the residue or that’s just how he knew this area.”

“Point taken.” He peered in the window. Incense burners, small statuettes, stones, herbs and smudge sticks lined the walls. “Can we go in?”

“You want to look in there?”

“It’s full of magic supplies, Nora. Things I’m used to.”

“Okay, but just a few minutes.”

A small chime attached to the door signaled their entrance.  A tall woman dressed in a flowing white dress with a white lace shawl around her shoulders stepped out of the backroom. She stopped short as she spotted the tall, silver-haired mage and her eyes widened. “You have the most awesome aura I’ve ever seen!”

“Well, I
am
a mage. Are you Pandora?”

She laughed. “No, my name is Ravenwynd.”

Nora scoffed. “Raven wind?” She said each word deliberately.

“No, it’s one word and it’s wynd with a y.”

Nora rolled her eyes. The woman turned to look at Darakin.

“What can I help you with?” Ignoring Nora, she took hold of Darakin’s arm and led him around the store. Nora’s eyes narrowed in jealousy as she watched them.

“Um, I just wanted to look at what you have.”

“Where are you from? I can’t place your accent.”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

“Try me, honey.”

Nora scoffed in irritation and called across the small shop, “He’s a mage who was summoned from a different realm and now he has to look for some demon that may have come here, too.”

“Really? You’re from another realm? I’ve heard it was possible to travel between, but I never met anyone, I mean I never hoped to meet anyone who actually did it! That’s incredible. You must tell me about the spell.”

“Pfft. Figures.” Nora’s irritation was impossible to conceal.

Ravenwynd turned to glare at Nora before asking Darakin, “Why do you travel with someone who obviously has no idea what a glorious, magical being you are?”

“It’s my understanding that magic is not common in this realm.”

“It is in my circle, honey. You’ve just been traveling in the wrong company.”

Nora headed toward the door. “Okay, that’s it. Darakin, if you want my help, we need to get started. We’re running out of time.”

Ravenwynd saw the longing in Darakin’s eyes as he looked back at Nora and knew that he would follow her out. “Wait! I’m sorry; maybe I can help you with something. You said you were looking for a demon?”

Darakin stopped and looked at Ravenwynd. “Yes, have you seen one?”

“Well, no, but I’ll certainly keep my ears and eyes open.”

“I would be most obliged. I need to get some more information first, but I may be back for supplies.”

“Okay, you are welcome,” she looked at Nora, “You’re
both
welcome to come back any time.”

“Yeah right,” Nora said beneath her breath.

The couple stepped out of the store and turned to the right. Nora said nothing as they walked.

“Have I done something wrong?” Darakin asked.

“No,” Nora replied but her tone belied her words.

“Really? Because I’m sensing something in your voice.”

“Well, a being as magical as you should surely be able to figure it out,” Nora mocked.

“Okay, now I know you’re mad. I just don’t know what I did wrong.”

Nora shrugged. “You’ve done nothing wrong. Go back and let her lead you around the store, telling you what a magnificent specimen you are.”

Darakin stopped walking and held Nora’s arm so she couldn’t continue. “Nora? Talk to me, please.”

“She obviously had the hots for you.”

“The hots? What does that mean?”

“She’s into you, Darakin. She wants to do that thing that we do together every night. With you. Can’t you see that? For a supposed magical person, you’re pretty oblivious to what’s going on around you.”

“Nora, what we do at night … what we share – I don’t want to do that with anyone but you. I just thought maybe Ravenwynd –” he stopped short at Nora’s scoff. “What?”

“Ravenwynd? What kind of silly name is that?” She mocked Ravenwynd’s high-pitched voice as she said, “It’s one word, wynd with a y.” She reverted back to her normal voice. “She’s one of those New Age wackos that claims some woodland spirit spoke to them in a trance and told them their true name. Then they pick something like Ravenwynd so they sound mysterious. Her real name is probably Gertrude or something.”

“I’m sorry. Clearly you’ve taken a dislike to her and I don’t want to upset you, but there are woodland spirits.”

“Not now, Darakin. I’ve no mind for this right now.” She started walking down the street again.

Darakin took some long strides to catch up to her. “Okay, okay. But let’s keep the shop in mind. It is possible I’m going to need some supplies in the future. We don’t know.”