The Clearing: Origins

Chapter 23

Victor found the elita more intimidating in casual clothes as she sat propped on the jewel-toned sofa. Instead of her witches' robes, Princess wore jeans and a cashmere sweater of gold, which highlighted her silvery eyes. He crossed to her, noting the heels she wore took her over the six-foot mark. Victor, average height in his stocking feet, felt short in comparison.

Not understanding why he did it, Victor held out his arms to her. Princess grasped his forearms.

Greetings, Victor. Do you understand my thoughts?

It was strange hearing her voice inside his head. He nodded.

I understand this is new to you. I haven't spoken mind-to-mind like this since my counterpart, Elita Amir, was killed.

Victor concentrated on the budding words. So sorry. It... strange. Like... I... know... you... but don't.

The bond between our magics extends to us. I prefer mind-to-mind as distance doesn't matter, and lying is impossible. She smiled, releasing his forearms. But verbal communication might be best for now.

"Thanks for helping last night," he said with relief. Speaking mind to mind was heady stuff.

"Last night, we combined our powers to clean up and hide parts of your latest Disturbance. The minister sent me to investigate with Mistress Fawn and Gigi right after we left the scene. Fortunately—" The witch smirked. "Our efforts paid off."

Kristy settled herself on the arm of Victor's chair, her eyes wary as she watched them.

Victor frowned. "Who is—"

"Vickster! Mahalo!" An elf dressed in purple and orange onesie strolled in from the kitchen, an opened bag of chips in his hand. "Yo, looking amped, my dude! Much better than last night. Totally akaw!"

Kristy sighed. "Vic, this is—"

But Victor hopped up, running toward the elf. "Kenwylis!" The two hugged before engaging in the back-patting ritual common to the male-greeting rite. "It's good to see you, mate!"

Princess raised a finger. "Kenwylis, sit. I don't want to hear anything about chunders, headers, or whatever. Big boy words. Got it?"

The white-haired elf grinned as he released the teen. "Totally choka!" He dropped to the floor before the witch could say anything else.

"Kristy told me about your 'dream' while you were dressing." Princess leaned forward. "It seems we've acquired another adversary."

Victor resumed his seat, thrilled at the word 'we.'

"Barbeque chips! I'm beyond stoked." Kenwylis raised a chip-filled hand. "Ya think they're in cahoots?"

"Who?" asked Victor. He shrugged, then slid the genie onto his lap, hoping she would not protest. He remembered little Vic's words and took comfort in her presence. Kristy beamed at him and placed an arm around his neck.

"It took one visit to your school for me to detect a dark spell which we classify as illegal magic. I waited for the recipient, Maddox King, to come out, and I tested him. It was a vile spell. Maddox felt overly positive toward the genie and the reverse about you. I tracked the spell back through several false channels to Verde, the minister's secretary, and put a trace on her. Last night I tailed her but was interrupted when your ascension threw off the energy fields, causing a Disturbance."

"Ascension? So that's what fused the three magics." As much as he'd felt the column's activity in the last couple of months, it seemed wrong now to feel nothing.

"Your magic was a column, typical of One Magi children. When the magic matures, it fuses, no longer needing confinement," explained Princess. "But it's supposed to happen later in life."