I ignored the slight dig. “Martha’s sister said the EMT’s were in here.”
“She did,” Niki agreed. “I just hadn’t expected…this.” Niki spread his arms. “Belle could have at least straightened up a little.”
“As if you would have taken the time to do that if it had been your son who’d been rushed to the hospital.”
Niki’s eyes widened before softening. “You have a point.” Inhaling, Niki centered himself. Arms outstretched, Niki’s fingers similarly spread. Magic swirled, focusing when Niki quietly spoke words I didn’t understand. His fingers moved, making a design in the air before he drew his hand back, slamming his palm into the sigil hovering midair.
Magic rushed into the room, slipping into every nook and cranny. Head tilted back and arms thrown out wide, I relished the feel of Niki’s warmth as his directed magic washed over me. I shivered as pleasant tingles danced up and down my spine.
“There,” Niki said. “It’s under the bed.”
I could have told him as much without the light show, but I loved how Niki’s magical incursions felt. I adored watching him work and marveled at how much the magic enjoyed being guided and used.
Going down on hands and knees, Niki lifted the bed skirt. A flash of magic illuminated the area under the bed. Visually, the charm appeared innocuous enough. But I could feel the sticky, disgusting magic Niki’s work had been twisted into and this time when I shivered, it wasn’t from pleasure.
The charm had most likely been kicked under the bed, smack dab in the middle. Too far for Niki’s arm to reach. Without a thought, I shifted into my fox form and wiggled under the bed. Niki didn’t try and stop me. We both knew this charm couldn’t harm me.
Snatching it in my mouth, I trotted out from under the bed, transforming back into my humanoid form as soon as I was free. Plucking the charm from my mouth, I stared at the tainted object. The used charm appeared a dull, dark and stormy gray blue. Silver threads wove their way around the stone that had once been a brilliant aquamarine.
Niki’s hand hovered above mine. Dark blue magic swirled around his fingers, directing their intent into the stone. The grimace pulling Niki’s mouth and tightening his eyes didn’t look good. The red creeping up his neck and peppering his cheeks spoke of anger as much as it did disgust.
“Niki?” I placed my free hand on his chest. “Talk to me.”
Niki angrily shook his head. “I am so furious that words are beyond me.” With a low, nearly feral growl, Niki pulled his hand back and turned away. “This is…it is beyond heinous. The charm was meant to relieve the chronic pain of debilitating migraines. It is a painful human malady. Lydia’s mother suffered from them. She was my inspiration for creating such a charm. It is one of the longer acting ones. It… For many, it actually solves their migraine problems. The charm is meant to seek out the root cause and dismantle the pain pathways leading from it. This,” Niki pointed at the charm, “has been horribly corrupted.”
“What does it do now?” I twisted the cold piece of stone, lifting it to the light and exposing even more of its cloudiness.
“It still seeks out the root of the migraine, but instead of breaking down the pain pathways, it amplifies them.”
My tails flicked. “I thought warlocks could only do destructive magic.” That sounded a lot like witchcraft instead.
Niki waved me off. “It is amazing what destruction can do and the definitions held within. This is not beyond a warlock’s capabilities, although why one would ever wish to do something like this is beyond comprehension.”
Niki’s fingers clenched into fists. “They must be stopped.” Closing the distance between us, Niki’s gaze remained focused on the tainted charm. “I cannot allow this to continue.”
“Can you fix it?”
His nod was hesitant. “I believe so, but it will be difficult and…draining.” Niki visibly cringed. “I need to be back inmy workshop, behind my wards. I don’t trust Danzig and his minions enough to attempt this where I am more vulnerable.”
My grin was wide and a little wicked. “Back home it is.” Before Niki could protest, I grabbed his wrist and transported us back to Perna Harbor and the house I’d claimed as home.
“Gaia, I’m going to be sick.” Niki hunched over a little further than before.
“You really shouldn’t have eaten whatever it was that made you feel so ill, Niki.” I tsked while heading to his workshop, malevolent charm still in hand. “Am I going to have to start dictating your diet as well?”
“Gaia save me. You eat like a trash panda. If I start eating like you, not even my warlock constitution will be able to protect me. Besides, it’s nothing I ate, it’s?—”
“You just insulted raccoons the world over. Scavengers are important to maintain the ecosystem. Honestly, Niki, don’t you care about the environment?” I hummed as I tuned out whatever Niki said next. I’d give him a pass. We all said things we didn’t mean when we didn’t feel well.
Setting the disgusting charm on Niki’s worktable, I didn’t think I imagined the heavy thunk it made when landing. The charm was slight enough that it should have barely made a light clinking sound.
When Niki sat down to start work, I gripped his shoulders and offered, “I’ll get you some of that disgusting ginger ale that you seem to enjoy. It typically settles your tummy.” I ran my fingers through his hair, noting its sweaty dampness near his temples.
“Thank you,” Niki huffed, making me beam.
“You are very welcome!” I danced off toward the kitchen and grabbed a can of ginger ale. Honestly, I had no idea how Niki stomached the stuff, let alone why it seemed to settle his stomach when it turned and twisted mine.
Glass of ice and can in hand, I made my way back to Niki’s work room. Unsurprisingly, he was already hunched over the charm, fingers twitching as magical strands wove around the charm, poking and prodding it now and again.
