Mage Massacres: The Chronicles of Sloane King by M.F. Adele

Author:M.F. Adele [Adele, M.F.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Langston Press LLC
Published: 2021-07-01T16:00:00+00:00

15

Vaughn

Friday, June 12th

Evening

* * *

An enormous black butterfly popped into existence, floating above Sloane’s head. His wingspan was more expansive than the length of my hand. He artfully perched on her right shoulder, shielding himself from the breeze.

“Now, repeat what you said a moment ago,” she requested, fighting for focus after her confrontation with Annette.

“Did you read those books you brought home from Hell?” Palmer inquired.

“No,” she drawled. “But I know you did, and you’ll tell me all the important bits.”

When he stared blankly at her, she grinned sardonically. “What? When have I had time to read, Palmer? I still haven’t finished the book I started a month ago. Do you know how hard it is to stop a sci-fi book in the middle of the story? I’m going to have to start at the beginning again.”

He waited for her rant to end before calling her out. “That book was worn. It’s not the first time you’ve read it.”

Sloane shook her head. “That’s not the point.”

“I know,” he agreed. “The books from Hell, Love. Could ya focus for a minute?”

“I mean, if it’s just one or two.” She shrugged. “Maybe. It’s a steep price to pay, but I’ll do it for you.”

Palmer covered his mouth to hide his amusement. “Some of the books you stole—”

“Borrowed,” she corrected.

“Had a bit of insight into pedmars. Did you know they were shifters?”

We all witnessed the second he gained Lo’s undivided attention. Her shoulders rolled back as a pink dome appeared around us. Fierce determination stormed over her features, but her gaze held a hint of sadness.

The butterfly turned into the hellish version of an elephant, still flapping his ears as if they’d been his wings. Pete chirped at Sloane, mussing her hair with his trunk. When she didn’t swat at him, he chittered his teeth at the mage.

“Pete is a shifter?” she questioned quietly. “He’s not an animal, but a person?”

Palmer nodded. “One book mentioned that pedmars used to shift into ‘huge human-ish forms’, calling them giants. Another suggested they lost the ability to shift due to a curse. I haven’t been able to find anything conclusive on it, but it got me thinking.”

The mage threw his arms open wide. “This is the Giant’s Causeway.”

“I gathered that,” she sassed.

He shrugged before dropping his hands to his sides. “We know that legends aren’t always make-believe stories told to children. If that were the case, then you wouldn’t exist, Love. I think the legend of Fionn mac Cumhaill—Finn mac Cool—will shed some light on Pete. Or at least the giants’ history.”

She nodded along with him; but I didn’t know enough about Earthly legends to recognize the name alone. So, I just listened, soaking in his explanation in hopes that it would make sense.

“Irish folklore mentions pagan gods and heroes turning into fairies and giants.”

“I knew that,” she admitted. “I didn’t know that particular tale was Irish folklore. It’s something Lilith used to talk about often. Though it’s not just a story for her; she saw it happening.

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