The Half-Assed Wizard by Jonas Gary

Author:Jonas, Gary [Jonas, Gary]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Tags: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Denton & White
Published: 2017-06-04T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

I knew something was wrong as soon as Michael pulled up in front of the house. The inside lights were all out, which made sense for the time, but the porch light illuminated a note taped to the front door. Wind rippled the page. Why would there be a note on the front door?

“Houston, we have a problem,” I said, as I slid out of the car.

Michael followed me to the door.

I pulled the note down. It read, Sorry about the mess.

The door wasn’t locked. I entered the house and flipped the light switch.

The living room was indeed a mess. Mangani, my rug, was partially rolled up, but some asshole had driven spikes through it, pinning it to the floor. The sofa was out of place, and a table and lamp had been knocked over.

“Sabrina?” I called. “You home?”

No answer.

“Mangani?”

The rug twitched.

Michael pointed to one of the spikes. Another note had been speared there.

I hurried to the spike with the paper.

We have your cousin. We’ll be in touch.

I handed the paper to Michael then yanked the spike from the floor. Mangani rolled up over the other spikes, devouring them, then unfurled to her normal position.

“Sorry, Mangani,” I said.

The rug waved a corner at me. She was fine.

But what about Sabrina?

“Wait here. I’ll check the house,” Michael said, and swept through the downstairs in no time. He shot up the stairs, calling her name.

A few minutes later, he came down. “Sabrina’s room is almost as messy as yours, but I suspect hers was from a struggle, while yours is in its natural state.”

“No more notes?”

He shook his head.

“One more place to check. If she knew they were coming, she might have gone down to the basement.”

“An underground basement in Galveston?”

“Magic,” I said.

“That would have to be some serious magic.”

I moved down the hall, knocked three times to reveal the door, then opened it. Michael and I descended into the basement. It looked exactly the same as the last time I’d been down here.

“Impressive. The magic is reinforcing the walls,” Michael said.

“You can feel that?” I asked.

“No,” he said and pointed to a sigil on the wall. “That’s some intricate and powerful magic. The sigil makes the walls adjust to the ground. The arrows up and to the sides with those symbols are drawn in wizard blood. This house will withstand some major hurricanes.”

“How do you know it’s wizard blood?”

“I can smell it.”

“Yeah, okay. Don’t go licking the walls.”

“Wizard blood would kill me,” Michael said. “I want a cure, not death.”

“Good to know.”

I moved around. The guitar was in place. The sewing table was fine, the laundry basket with the blankets were right there on top.

I flipped the basket over and let the blankets fall on the floor, but the basket felt lighter than it should have. I turned it back over and the bottom was no longer sealed. I could see the three inch gap because someone had managed to open it.

“Shit,” I said. I shook my head and stamped my feet.

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