Henry Rider: Clown Hunter

Chapter Twenty Six

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Chapter Twenty Six

"Jeez, did that thing sit on my head or something?" Ethan groaned.

We were back in McGus' house in Mauldibamm, the two of us straddling a bench so we could rest our legs until McGus got us unstuck. Ethan had woken up a couple minutes after we'd arrived, and had spent the whole time griping about his headache. For once, I didn't mind listening to it. The griping meant he was alive.

"That wasn't the maiam, boy," said McGus, sitting down next to us. "What you're feeling is a magical hangover."

"A hangover?" he asked, rubbing his forehead. "You mean I was drunk?"

"Drunk with power, maybe," I quipped.

McGus looked at me, and I felt a chill run down my spine. He hadn't seen the freaking Death Star laser Ethan had conjured, but the mess it had left was unmistakable. The crystal hammer was sitting on the table nearby, safely out of Ethan's reach. Ethan hadn't brought up what he'd done in the woods, and I was happy to leave it alone.

Because it scared me.

"Forget everything you think you know about magic," McGus said, leaning towards him. "Because every bit of it is wrong."

"I bought a book of spells—"

"And your first mistake was using it without any help!" McGus reached out and rapped him on the head. "Idiot!"

"Ow! Headache, remember?"

"And you're lucky that's all you got!" McGus shook his head. "You two are made for each other, you know that? You both pull ridiculous stunts without thinking about the consequences, you're both stubborn as a donkey with its hooves stuck in cement, and you're both just flat out stupid! I almost think I should leave you like this!"

"No!" Ethan and I yelled at the same time.

The old Green hummed in his throat, and then closed his eyes. Ethan glanced at me, and I motioned for him to wait. After a minute, McGus grimaced.

"You two're wrapped up like a burrito of trouble," he said.

A pit formed in my stomach. "Can you lift the curse?"

"Yeah, but it'll take a while." He pointed at something on my shoulder that I couldn't see, then traced it down to Ethan's hip. "It's all one big string, which is good. If there were multiple curses knotted up with this one, I wouldn't have the patience to even try. But one curse I should be able to break without too much trouble. Hopefully I'll have you free by morning."

"Good," said Ethan, squirming a little. "Because I still have to pee."

I paled. "Hurry, please, if you don't mind!"

McGus set to work, his hands raised and fingers twitching like he was plucking an invisible harp. Every once in a while, I would feel something tug against me. I hoped that meant it was working.

"Once this is over," I said a few minutes later, "I'm never hugging anyone again."

"Mhmm," Ethan said distractedly.

"I don't care if I'm at a family reunion, a funeral, or my own wedding. Handshakes for everybody. Handshakes, handshakes, handshakes. From now on, call me Mrs. Handshake!"

"You're not married," Ethan mumbled. The look in his eyes said he was already a million miles away. "So, if everything I think I know about magic is wrong, then what is magic?"