Suzanne Lazear - Charmed Vengeance

“I think we’ve got ourselves more helpers, what did you think they were?” Steven winced as another stream of bullets flew past. At this moment he didn’t dare use magic. Not yet.

“Come out, come out where ever you are,” one of the men called.

James’ eyes widened. “Flying figs, you mean they actually want to kill us? But outright killing us is against quest rules.”

“Since when has she ever played by the rules?” The words tasted bitter in his mouth.

“Why aren’t you leaving?” Hattie cried, firing more. “Oh hells bells, I’m out.” Her empty pistol made clicking noises.

“Dance for us,” one man leered.

“Could we go back inside and take off?” Steven called to the ladies. An airship was faster than a flying car…right?

“I think we should try to get back onto the ship, if at least to use our gatling gun,” Hittie called back.

James huddled next to him. “I think we need to use magic to crash it,” he whispered. “Do you know a spell to make the engine seize?”

“Why would I know that?” It was difficult not to roll his eyes in annoyance.

“Um, because you always help Noli.”

“I never used magic to help her fix things, not even once.” He was quite proud of that—learning to blend in seamlessly with the mortals and not use his magic unless it was part of his lessons or at his father or Quinn’s direction.

James made a face of disgust. “There’s no time to be a fussy old bodger. We need to do something. Are you going to do it or am I?”

“I’ll do it,” Steven huffed as the spray of bullets crept closer. Of all the idiotic things. Then again, what choice did they have? Not that he knew what to do.

Closing his eyes, he muttered a few choice words under his breath. Magic tingled up his hand as he felt the air around him charge making the hairs on his arms stand on end.

Taking a deep breath, he opened his eyes, releasing the pent-up pure magic at the flying car. The invisible bolt of magical energy zipped through the air, searing the Dragon in half as easily as he might cut a loaf of bread. Screams from the vehicle bounced off the rocks as the front half and the back half fell from the ground in different directions.

“Let’s get out of here,” Steven called as the Dragon crashed, the screams and curses of the men curdling the air, which still prickled with lingering magic.

Hattie stood there, frozen, mouth handing open.

“Good one, Captain Subtle,” James hissed.

He hadn’t known what else to do.

“You’re right.” Hittie gritted her jaw. “Come on, Hattie, let’s get out of here.” She looked back at the wreckage and shook her head. “I don’t want to be here when they get to us.”

If they lived.

Fear gripped him, rooting him to the spot. He could have killed those men. But they had been trying to kill him. Also, hopefully they were Fae and not human.

Either way, he couldn’t let them hurt Hittie and Hattie.

“Think later.” James shoved him toward the airship.

They got inside. Hittie fired up the engines and Hattie took off into the sky, leaving their assailants behind.

“What happened back there?” Hattie’s voice went soft, eyes on the currently empty sky.

Steven’s heart sank as he crowded onto the tiny bridge. How did he explain what he did? “Deseret has pockets of aether. Aether has been known to do strange things.”

Yes, that worked. Aether caused all sorts of problems from disappearances to spurring war and creativity. What the mortals called aether was actually magic leaking from the Otherworld.

“I … I suppose so.” Hattie looked pale, hands gripping the steering wheel so tight her knuckles went white.

“Whatever it was, I’m glad we’re out of there,” Hittie replied. “I hope the ship holds.”

“Me, too,” Steven replied.

“They were after you?” Hittie’s eyebrows rose as she looked him up and down as if trying to figure out who would want to kill him—and why.

Steven gulped. “I think they were.”

“Who’d want to kill you?” Hattie’s hands relaxed a little.

“Well, it’s either our mother or our uncle,” James replied, chipper as usual.

Hittie nodded in some gesture halfway between approval and acceptance. “Some family. Now, let’s see if we can make our way to San Fran without any more problems.”

Their lack of probing questions felt like a weight lifting from his shoulders.

Steven smiled. “Yes, that’s an excellent idea.”

As far as Kevighn knew they were out of Deseret, but he wasn’t sure. That made the bridge of the Vixen’s Revenge no less tense as they sped toward their destination. He manned the front guns, Asa and Thad were taking turns operating the back guns, which were up top. In the distance, the sun threatened to consider rising.

“I have a feeling they’ve got Hayden’s Follies. It’s been hours since we’ve seen them.” Jeff’s voice went quiet, eyes on the currently empty horizon while he steered the ship.

Captain Vix’s lips pressed together until they went white. She bowed her head and closed her eyes as if praying to whomever mortal air pirates worshiped.

“Should we look for them?” Kevighn asked from his gunner’s post.

“No,” the captain replied. “We can’t risk it. But if they don’t appear in San Fran soon after we do, we’ll send out a search.”

Jeff gave Captain Vix a long look. “Hittie and Hattie are the most resilient people we know, they’ll be fine.”

Someone stirred in the doorway. “Are we out of Deseret yet?”

Magnolia leaned against the door frame. The last time he’d seen her in that green and brown dress had been back in the Otherworld, when she’d told him she’d chosen that whelp of a prince over him. This time her hair was bound, not as free and wild as he remembered. Grease streaked her pale cheek and she held a wrench in her hand.

Though no longer mortal, she was still his Magnolia.

“Noli, you should be below,” Vix scolded from her captain’s chair.

“The girls are asleep, and I was feeling trapped. I’ll go below again in a moment. I just—”

“It’s quiet right now, Captain,” Jeff reassured, surveying the horizon again with his eyes.

Kevighn tried to think of a reason to keep her up here, even for a few moments. “Would you like to learn how to gun? There’s no one around, it might prove helpful one day,” he added when Vix and Jeff frowned.

“I was always taught that you had to learn how to call first,” Vix replied. “Usually someone calls the targets and then the front gunner knows where to aim,” she explained. “You use the numbers of a clock. If something is at 2 o’clock, he would fire there.” Her hand gestured toward the panoramic window.

“What about if it’s behind us?” Magnolia replied.

“That’s what back gunners are for,” Jeff told her. “Noli, if you want to help you could make us all some coffee. You’re getting pretty good at it.” He smiled. “Then, I suppose I can teach you to call targets if you truly are interested in learning.”

“Coffee?” Her nose scrunched up in one of her cute faces. “I suppose I could do that.” She disappeared.

Kevighn caught Jeff following her with a concerned look.

“Is she all right?” he said softly to Jeff, remembering his very odd encounter with the other Magnolia. Did they know? Probably not.

“My sister is none of your concern, Mr. Silver,” Jeff snapped, eyes flashing. “I’m unsure exactly what your relationship is with—”

Kevighn held up a hand, hoping to stave off any conflict. “The last thing I’d ever do is hurt her. I promise. She told me all about you.”

His eyes narrowed. “Did she?”

“She did–which is why I sought you out over anyone else when I needed a job. Magnolia is one of the most honorable people I know, and she idolizes you.” He might as well tell him the truth. “I didn’t know she was here, honest. I figured she was with your mother.”

Jeff shot him a look that rivaled the high queen’s angry face. “If I ever find out differently … ”

“Of course.” Kevighn understood where Jeff was coming from. “I had a sister once, too, you know.” He looked away. One day he would find that earth court bastard and make him pay.

Kevighn walked into the galley and Magnolia handed him a cup of coffee.

“I appreciate it.” He took the steaming mug from her. She’d already brought Vix and Jeff cups and he wanted to escape their scrutiny.

“Who hurt Creideamh? You never told me.” Magnolia took a sip of her own coffee as she leaned against the wooden table.

“Just an earth court prat,” he brushed off, not quite ready to say his name out loud. To remember.

Steel eyes gazed up at him as her hands wrapped around the mug like she wished to steal its warmth. “It wasn’t V’s father, right?”

“No. It’s complicated, but it wasn’t him.” Though, they, too, had a score to settle.

She sipped her coffee, cup clutched with both hands. “Will you kill him one day?”

The Otherworldly bloodthirstiness in her voice made him warm with happiness. Yes, she could easily fit into his world—even if he joined the dark court. In fact, Ciarán was probably the one person who could help her with her little sprite problem.

“One day.” He couldn’t help but smile at the sweet thought of revenge.

“Jeff,” Vix yelped from the bridge. “Are those air patrol cannon ships? Starboard side?”

“I think so,” Jeff replied after a long silence. “Our decoy is nowhere in sight, we should presume we’re on our own.”

Kevighn’s insides froze. Just because they were out of Deseret didn’t mean they were out of danger. Cannon ships were the fear of all air pirates. A few well-placed cannon balls could sink this ship in seconds and no one onboard could do anything about it.