Ex Magica by Gayle Porter

Author:Gayle Porter
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: science fiction fantasy, fantasy for young adults, fantasy for teens, fantasy novels for teens, science fiction books for teens, action adventure books for women, fantasy novels for young adults
Publisher: Porter Creative

Mallory’s eyebrows raised. “A saw?”

The nurse herded her toward the room with a smile. “’Course, honey! How do you think casts come off? Used to be the sprites would handle the sawing. They have little spinning blades. But we wouldn’t trust them not to take your arm with it, so now the doctors are sawing things themselves. Don’t worry, there’ve only been a few nicks. Nothing serious. And besides, if the doctor does cut too deep, you’re in a hospital—we’ll fix it right up!”

Mallory’s eyes widened to match her raised eyebrows, but there did not turn out to be much to worry about. Doctor Navarro appeared with a small handsaw and hacked the cast off with no muss. A cleaning sprite appeared out of nowhere and vacuumed up the pieces of cast, chips of bark, a butter knife, and plaster powder off the floor then disappeared just as quickly. She looked at her right arm, and a stranger’s arm was in its place. The arm was pale white and slightly shriveled. She wiggled her fingers and marveled that the wiggling mass of flesh was even attached to her. Then pins and needles rushed through her hand. She squirmed and shook her fingers trying to get rid of the sensation.

Doctor Navarro nodded, “You might notice a bit of tingling as more blood flow reaches your fingers. Make sure you get some sun, but not too much, because you don’t want a burn. Before you know it, you won’t be able to tell the difference. Also, please wash that arm now. There’s a sink and soap right over there.” She plugged her nose and waved her hand in front of her face.

Mallory lifted her newly-freed right arm to her nose, and it smelled a bit like a piece of musty old cheese. She jumped up and ran to the sink and started washing, and washing, and washing. Even with the hospital’s antiseptic soap, it was hard to get the musty smell off her arm, but eventually her arm at least smelled more like soap than a dirty sock. When she turned around, Doctor Navarro was gone, and the old nurse was standing impatiently by the door. Mallory quickly wiped around the sink, and the nurse led Mallory back to the waiting room and Caleb.

Caleb was sitting in the plaid chair, slumping with his shoulders hunched up by his ears and his legs spread out. His hands were clasped on top of his chest, and he was staring at the Dikaió ceiling light intently. Mallory looked up and saw the object of Caleb’s interest. A green and blue dragonfly had slipped inside the hospital, and it was perched upside down on the light. The girl and the dragonfly regarded one another for a moment; its small globular eyes tracking her movements, gauging the threat she might pose. Mallory’s eyes traced the feathery veins in the dragonfly’s wings in fascination. Her chest tightened, and she thought of her grandmother and about the curse she had put on her, which was now the whole city’s curse.

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