Bad Luck Genie: An Urban Fantasy Folly by AE McKenna

Author:AE McKenna [McKenna, AE]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Strikethrough Publications
Published: 2020-11-03T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

I clutched Malware’s arm, my heart pounding so hard against my chest I was sure it’d break free any second. No one had ever held a gun on me before, and I couldn’t tear my eyes from it. While I knew clinging to him was a bad idea, I couldn’t let go.

Sigvald dropped from the platform like it was nothing and approached Mom. “Is Goldie even your real name?”

“Does it matter?” she said. “I helped—”

He slapped her, and the crack echoed in the small chamber. I tore my gaze from the gun to Mom. She held her jaw, eyes narrowed, and I recognized the signs of Mama Bear coming out. I shifted to go to her, and goon number one’s gun leveled on me. I gulped, my heart stalling then hammering my ribs. Malware stepped in front of me, and one’s gun drifted away from me to Malware. I didn’t like that any better. I didn’t like any of this. I gripped the back of his sweatshirt.

Sigvald walked a circle around Mom, inspecting the sarcophagus. “You took my map. You erased my file on Rasputin and stole the money from my Cayman Islands account.”

I winced. None of that sounded like Mom. He had the wrong person.

She tucked her thumbs in her belt loops and shrugged. “To be fair, I moved that money for you and raised half of it myself.”

Goons one through three dropped to the cavern floor, not nearly as gracefully as Sigvald the supervillain. I’d only give them a five out of ten if this were the djinni Olympics.

Malware snorted.

Sigvald gestured at us, or at least at Malware. “You’ve been working with that lightlighter all along?”

Malware tensed. “You’re on the radar, sure. More of a bonus if we catch you, but nothing too important.”

Sigvald whirled and laughed. He had the perfect villain laugh. Maniacal and deep, and he could laugh for a good minute, too. Goon number four sniggered from his position on the platform.

“Who’s cowering behind you?” Sigvald glanced my way but didn’t seem to care about me.

“Our tour guide for the cave.” Mom kept her face impassive, and wouldn’t meet my eyes. “She’s human.”

“Oh.” Sigvald took a step back, his face taking on a grave expression. “Then I better be careful not to break Lantern canon. Geeze, that would be bad.” He scowled, his scar puckering along the side of his cheek. “Do you think I care about any of that, you two-faced penny pincher?”

“I can open a door to the Summer Court any time,” Malware said. “Do you really want to press this any further?”

Goon one froze, but two and three advanced on us.

Sigvald scowled. “Here? In an amusement park? They’re more likely to slam the door shut than risk iron poisoning.”

Malware nudged me back to the side of the sarcophagus, still keeping me shielded behind him. I made a mental note to bake him all the pizza pies he wanted if we got out of this alive.

Mom yanked her gun free and fired, then ducked behind a stone pillar.

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