Fortune Telling Monkeys & A Saxophone Player

Just another Monday

The plane flew low overhead as Layla scrolled through the top ten news articles on her watch. The usual influencers pretending to be something they aren't. Except for-

"Bollocks, no, seriously. This is going to be a problem" Layla swore as she pulled up the third most popular article. The article filled the screen of her watch.

NEW: Helen Grezen touts her increased fortune on listening to her pet Spider Monkey

Helen Grezen, of Keeping up with the Grezens: Next Generation, is now a household name. Her line of beauty care and clothing is found in every closet. How did she do it? The surprising answer- she listened to what her spider monkey, Javier, told her. Scroll down for more details on where she found her fortune telling monkey.

Layla dismissed the notification and growled. The goats around her sneeze snorted and took off towards the bridge.
"Come On Goaties, I didn't mean to scare you. Just stupid humans doing stupid things."

The boss was going to be so mad.

Layla rolled her shoulders and looked at the sky.

"Why, why do you test me so?" The dense fog rolled around her as she sipped her coffee. The day just started and she knew it was going to be a long one.

Her watched vibrated and she looked down. The Boss was calling. Normally, the boss didn't wake up before noon. The assistant must have seen the article and deemed it necessary to tell The Boss.

"Hello?" Layla waited as The Boss cleared her throat.

"Is that how you greet potential clients?" The Boss's voice was ice down Layla's spine and frost on the tips of her fingers. Layla shivered and pulled her heavy sweatshirt closer to her body.

"No m'am, it's not." Layla avoided clearing her throat even though there was a tickle that made her want to cough. The goats around Layla moved away from her and back towards the squat barn. It seemed like they sensed the danger on the other side of the call.

"Then let's try this again. Don't act like your students. You know better." The cold voice chilled Layla's blood and she let out a small cough. Layla had to remember that mornings made The Boss cranky.

"Good Morning District Attorney Mavis, how might I help you this morning?" Layla bit her lip as she meandered behind the goats. The herd of 12 goats was a rainbow of browns. She knew every goat by name but most people said she had a herd of brown goats. They were more than just brown goats. They were her brown goats. As an animal mage she needed the bond that the goats provided.

"Bondswoman Layla, I have need of your services. Off the record, of course. Layla, stop fixating on the goats and please listen. A story was just published in the Daily Times. It was about a fortune telling monkey." The voice on the other end was less frigid. It almost sounded as if the district attorney was trying not to laugh. It did sound strange when the D.A. said it. Who would have thought a fortune telling monkey would cause problems.

"I was just looking at the article when you called. Do you think it is connected to what the smuggling ring I've been chasing? There have been reports of people using unsanctioned portals between worlds." Layla shooed the goats back into the barn yard and closed the wrought iron gates. The red cement barn was a welcome sight. She would heat up some tea and study the latest reports. The D.A. would expect her to hunt tonight.

"I have seen the reports as well. The Assistant told me that there are watchers looking for the holes. It seems as though a tear appears and disappears before the watchers can tag it. There is magic afoot and I don't like it."

"I don't like it either. Have you spoken to the council about it? The pact requires that the worlds don't intersect more than they already have. This business with the monkey is a volition of the pact. It is right on the front page. Everyone in the council will know about it." Layla signed and continued "I will start my hunt tonight." Layla left the goats in their barnyard and went into the small office that overlooked their yard. She sat down in front of her computer and took a breath.

"Pay attention to your surroundings. There is more going on here. We don't want to create an event." D.A. Mavis hung up and Layla rolled her eyes. The D.A. must be pissed about this. I'd done months of research tracking the ring smuggling magical animals. All of that work was worthless if I didn't catch the ring. Layla looked outside as she heard the clacking of horns. The biggest goats were sparing like heavy weight fighters. She smiled at her computer screen as the sounds of her animals reminded her why she did what she did.

Tonight would be the night she found the person peddling animals from the Faerie World. She had to find them tonight because it was the only way the bounty would be paid. Layla pulled up the documents on her computer and sighed. She should probably shower. She definitely smelled like a barnyard. She'd have to find clean clothes as well. Layla had to have a clean uniform somewhere. She sent several documents to her phone and closed the laptop.

It was time to start sorting through what she knew. Layla pulled out her phone and scrolled through her contacts.

"Ok, yes I am so glad I saved her number." Layla pressed called and waited for the phone to ring.

"You've reached the phone of Dog Trainer Anna Bellevue. Please leave a message after the tone. BEEP"

"Hi Anna, this is Layla Akkadi, we spoke several weeks ago. As you heard I have goats that are trained to pull carts. I wanted to follow up. Please give me a call at 370-546-5898. Thank you."

Layla looked at her note on the bulletin board, Anna was the dog trainer for Helen Grezen's housekeeper. It was a stretch but Layla hoped Anna would be able to get her in touch with Helen. The fortune telling monkey was a problem. The people smuggling the monkey in area also a problem. However, the fact that they could smuggle the monkey into the mundane world undetected was the biggest problem. The worlds were separated for a reason,

The council deemed the separation necessary. If magic funneled into the mundane world then who knows what havoc would happen. The world thrived on technology. It was a mess but it was all Layla knew. Layla looked out at her homestead. Off to the right was her two horses. One small and fleet footed, the other stout with big hooves. The larger horse was the one she rode into town on.  Layla disliked cars and the fact that they were full of machinery. Layla preferred the slow moving horse that handled all terrain equally. He was an older draft horse cross that a friend sold her.

The goats were in their paddock jumping on the picnic table and logs. She reach for the horses and goats with her magic. The sense of life and happiness flowed back to her. She used their connection to bolster her magic reserves. Her animals were a blessing. If she were to require a quick spike in magic she would have to sacrifice one of her goats. It wasn't a pleasant thought but it sat in her mind as she watched them play. 

The downside to being an animal mage was that connecting with living things meant there were sacrifices that might need to be made. Layla shook her head to clear her thoughts from the morose. She paced to the small kitchenette and refilled her mug with more tea. It was just after 10 am, she had until sun down to prepare for the hunt.