Magic Spawn Origins

Magic Spawn: Chapter 13

by Meredith Skye

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Rian kept a close eye on Kyran all the way back to the camp. He'd been acting odd ever since he'd gone into the graveyard. And that was saying something—since Kye was a pretty strange kid to begin with.

Back at camp, they found Zane waiting for them impatiently.

"Feeling better?" asked Rian. He felt some satisfaction that Zane had missed the action. It seemed like a little justice at last on the bossy, rich kid.

"I'm fine," Zane said, annoyed. "I told her I scarcely had a scratch, but Grandma wouldn't listen. You had more wounds than me, why didn't she keep you here?"

Now, Haley hurried over to them, wearing her sexy, sleeveless evening gown. All the boys watched her. "Are you all right?" she asked Rian. His heart skipped a beat.

"Yes, I'm fine," he said, enjoying her attention. "Thanks." She returned his smile. Almost, Rian asked her right then if he could be her champion and fight for her in the upcoming tournament. He imagined her sitting up there on the throne in a beautiful long dress, looking like Eowyn from Lord of the Rings. He should have asked her—but the moment slipped away.

"And we're fine too, thanks for asking," said Ray, as he and Edward moved past them.

"What happened?" demanded Zane.

Edward strolled up. "Yep, it's a dark necromancer. I called it. We need another of those magic swords."

"Dark necromancer?" asked Harlan, who had joined them. "What ... is he a sorcerer or a wizard? How did he get here? Did he teleport or is there some sort of gateway that uses astral travel?"

Grandma Baggins smiled at him. "It's not a D & D adventure." In this group, even Grandma Baggins had experience at role-playing games.

Ray smiled. "Oh ... it will be."

"Most importantly, that dark necromancer is alive and well up in a crypt in the graveyard and he has one more skeleton with him," said Edward, trying to take charge of this situation. "Has it been quiet here?"

"Yes, in fact," said Zane, glancing around the campground area.

Kyran fidgeted impatiently. Was there more to this than Kyran had told them?

"You're asking all the wrong questions," said Kye in frustration. Everyone looked up a him. "I want to know why that necromancer killed my father, and who is my real mother?"

That got them all, even Ray stopped practicing hitting a pole with his ratan sword.

"What's he talking about?" demanded Harlan. For some reason, they looked at Rian for an explanation, as though Kye had taken leave of his senses.

"What?" asked Haley. "Honey, no. That's not what happened." She took Kye's arm as though he was a child. "Your mother loves you and no one killed your father. Right?"

"Umm," said Rian, "I'm not sure."

"My dad didn't fall off a cliff," said Kyran, insistent. "He was murdered!"

"Kyran—take it easy!" Rian ordered him. Maybe that was true, but he couldn't let Kyran get so riled up. He'd get out of control.

Everyone stared at Rian. "Maybe he's right. I don't know. Mom never would talk about it," said Rian.

"Are you sure?" the boy asked.

"Yes, I'm sure," said Rian. There was an awkward silence.

"Hmm, I never believed she'd been pregnant," said Grandma Baggins, thinking back. "Getting Kyran did seem rather sudden."