Modern Magick

The Wonders of Vale: 18

'We have to get them out,' said Miranda, rejoining us. She was still bristling with fury, and stalked more than walked through the rain, her face a perfect thundercloud. 'We can't leave them like this.'

I hesitated, picturing the chaos we would create if we somehow broke the magickal bindings which held the griffins and their ilk spellbound. 'We—'

'Ves,' said Miranda. 'Help me or not as you choose, but I will not leave this town until these creatures are free.' Her fists balled as though she might hit me.

I raised my hands. 'Hey. We're on the same—' I stopped. I couldn't say we were on the same side anymore, because we... weren't. Were we? At least not technically. 'We have the same goals,' I said instead. 'I don't want to leave these poor beasts like this any more than you do — and I'm damned if I'll even think about leaving without Addie. But we have to think about this.'

Jay made a slight noise. When I glanced his way, he'd adopted an expression of bland innocence. 'I said nothing,' he informed me.

I made a face at him. 'I know I'm fond of barging in without thinking things through, and sometimes it's the best approach — you don't have time to over think, and basically talk yourself out of what has to be done. But you of all people know, Jay, that sometimes it's just insane. Isn't that what you keep telling me? And this is one of those times. This place is... way beyond us. We are far, far out of our magickal league here.'

'We could...' said Miranda, and stopped.

'Exactly,' I said. 'Em? Could you get anywhere near those enchantments? Even with the lyre?'

'I doubt it,' she said.

'Maybe we could do it together,' said Miranda, and looked at me with the eyes of hope. 'All four of us. We're strong as a group.'

Strong as a group. Fine words from the woman who'd very lately abandoned her group, and tossed us to the wolves to boot.

Not the time, Ves.

I pushed my ugly thoughts aside, and tried to consider the question on its own merits.

'Even as a group,' said Jay. 'We're outclassed. It's not even about quantity or potency of magick. Even if we were as strong in magick as the people here, we don't know what to do with it. It's beyond us in every conceivable way.'

He was right, painful though it always is to admit one's shortcomings.

A rather depressed silence fell. My eyes followed the passage of a far-off griffin as it soared helplessly upon the tossing winds.

'But,' said Emellana unexpectedly. 'We do know how to cause chaos.'

I looked at her.

'Or at least,' she amended, regarding me with a twinkle in her eyes, 'Ves does.'

Jay was ungentlemanly enough to smirk. 'Are you kidding? She's famous for it.'

'Positively legendary,' Emellana agreed.

'Hey,' I said. 'I'm standing right here.'

Jay beamed at me. 'And here's your chance to shine.'

'How would that even help?' I demanded. They weren't wrong. I probably could cause quite the ruckus, and the utter madness of the magick of Vale might aid rather than impede me. But what would it achieve?

'This is a system of perfect order,' said Jay. 'And it is beautifully done, perfectly maintained. Those beasts out there — the unicorns back on the farms — they could be clockwork pieces in a giant mechanical system. It's glorious. But the downside to such structures is, they do not adapt well.'