An Odd Sort of Magic

Chapter Nineteen

Victor was more than willing to help with the experiment. They weren't exactly sure how his powers worked, however.

After a few tests to make sure, they were ready to bring Drew in. He looked nervous.

"Is this really necessary?" He asked.

"Don't be a baby," Beta rolled her eyes. She seemed to have recovered considerably from the shock of fighting Ms. Shelling.

Arianna bounced up and down on her heels, "let's do this!"

"Her enthusiasm scares me," Drew muttered to no one in particular.

"Victor, stand about a yard away from Drew," Jayan said. He obliged.

"Now try to use your power," Kiya told him.

Victor had no difficulty, as Jayan had suspected, in raising a cloud of smoke.

Arianna coughed, "we get it. Lets cut the smoke machine, okay?"

Beta looked around, "never any duck tape when you need it."

Arianna yelped and stepped back. The smoke dispersed around their feet.

Kiya nodded, "I guess Jayan's theory was accurate."

"Are the big words really necessary?" Arianna asked. Kiya shot her a look.

Arianna raised her hands in a surrender gesture, "I'm just saying."

"So what's next?" Jayan asked, "Ms. Shelling is still here somewhere. She's got an army of magic casters. It wouldn't be all that hard for her to open another portal. And we wouldn't be any the wiser to it."

Kiya rubbed her fingers against her temples, "all this is giving me a headache. I need to think it through first. I'll get back to you."

"No," Beta's voice was firm, "we're all in this together, Kiya. Whether you like it or not, we need to work together. This whole thing is falling apart."

"She's right," Drew said, "the Underground is collapsing in on itself. We need to find Ms. Shelling and stop her. Before anyone else gets hurt."

"How do you propose we do that?" Kiya asked, standing up and pacing the floor, "walk up and ask her nicely?"

Jayan shuddered, "I can only think of one thing that will stop her. And I don't think any of us would be able to pull it off."

"We're perfectly capable of handling ourselves, Jayan," Arianna said, "we can do whatever it takes."

"Even take a life?" Jayan asked harshly, standing to tower over the blond, "you would kill someone?"

Arianna shrank down as if trying to make herself smaller. Drew looked away. The atmosphere had gone completely cold. And Jayan knew none of them had that power.

Kiya looked grim, "when Vanessa came to me with this idea, I didn't even think about how it might end."

Jayan held out a hand, "wait. This whole thing was Vanessa's idea?" 

Vanessa nodded, "I thought we told you. Kiya was the perfect choice, because I knew she could lead. If I hadn't known her power was to change appearances, I would have sworn it was persuasion."

"Kiya's really what kept me fighting," Drew admitted, "I wasn't crazy about it at first, but then I heard her talk about it, and I realized it had to follow her. I had to do what was right."

"I'm right here, you know," Kiya's voice was muffled. Jayan looked at her, and realized the redhead was crying.

Jayan put an arm around her, "I didn't know you when I first came here. But if you got all this accomplished when I was away, you must be a fast worker. And for what it's worth, I trust you."

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So I just wanted to say a very big thank you to the couple people reading this. I smile every time I see another read, so thank you. Even if you think this is terrible, if you've read far enough to see this, I just want to say thanks.

Oh, and here's a question I've been dying to ask. Who's your favorite character?