Old Bony Blue Eyes

Old Bony Blue Eyes

by

Lita Burke

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, business establishments, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2013 by Lita Burke

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 - Befuddlement

Chapter 2 - Old Goon Marley

Chapter 3 - Ice Devils

Chapter 4 - Boy Secrets

Chapter 5 - Lady Luck’s Wager

Chapter 6 - Elf-brat Hands

Chapter 7 - Fly in the Bellies of Birds

Chapter 8 - Madam Philotes

Chapter 9 - Charon and Mephistopheles

Chapter 10 - Enthrallment

Chapter 11 - Dragon Singer

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Chapter One

Befuddlement, Norman Bar Island

Bright ducked, but much too late.

The Goon’s backhanded swipe landed on Bright’s temple, snapped his head back, and sent the smaller half-elf tumbling. He smacked against their airship’s reception room wall. Bright bounced off and landed face down. Get up and fight back? For the moment, impossible. He would instead sing a spell to freeze the Goon and get out of this mess.

The magic died on his lips before he uttered two words.

Then he must flee. Bright knew spells that did not need sung rhymes. Reverse glamour was the most useful. He would invoke that enchantment, vanish from the Goon’s sight, and crawl to safety.

Again, the ability to work magic deserted him.

Why all this befuddlement? Bright was normally a quick-witted and talented wizard’s assistant. Bugger the self-praise. He rolled to his side, ripped open his shirt, and yanked out his medallion.

The Goon’s footsteps neared. Bright peered through his long blond hair. His attacker lifted a foot. The Goon’s heavy shoes had iron-shod soles. Mercifully, Mistress Time remembered her clockworks magician. Time slowed.

When left with no other magical recourse, there was only one spell Bright needed. The oh-so-clever wizard who created this medallion had bewitched it to remember this spell even when Bright could work no other.

Wizard Kadmeion, help me.

This is imperative. Please.

Fortunate for him, brief and sloppy rhymes worked in urgent situations. Despite the summons, his wizard still might not arrive in time. Bright curled up to protect himself. He took a deep breath.

Mistress Time abandoned him.

Events speeded up.

The Goon’s iron foot sailed toward his head.

A flash.

Then, darkness.

Chapter Two

Old Goon Marley, Norman Bar Island

Kadmeion flung a vial at the Goon’s feet, then shrieked curses. The ampoule burst. It flashed, then spewed a purple vapor that reeked of wood rot and spoiled apples. The wizard’s harsh words transformed into ugly bat-like creatures that flapped around the room on leathery wings. The Goon staggered away from Bright and dropped a package.

"Goon, leave the ground and forsake steady soil

Hover like smoke while your intent I foil."

The Goon levitated a foot off the floor. He kicked, flailed his arms, and swore. He went nowhere. Being no magician, the Goon’s bad language was only noise. Kadmeion gestured. The Goon’s tirade cut off in mid word.

Kadmeion’s weredog familiar trotted in. Furgo-dog saw the floating Goon and growled.

Please watch him, Furgo. Bark if he gets away.

Bright coughed from the billowing purple smoke. The wizard whispered a phrase to disperse it. Kadmeion went to his assistant, placed a hand on Bright’s back, and did a rapid magical assessment of his condition. The wizard pressed his lips together.

Bright?

Kadmeion. Glad you came.

You have some interesting damage, but not urgent, methinks. Let’s see to our visitor first. Can you stand?

Not easily.

Kadmeion helped Bright get to his feet. His assistant was unsteady, but it would have been much worse if the wizard had not deflected the Goon’s kick away from Bright’s head. He voiced a silent thanks to Mistress Time. She had given Kadmeion speed, and Bright’s attacker slowness, at the critical moment.

Now to Goon business. Kadmeion turned, put hands on hips, and studied their visitor. This homunculus had a strained face, disheveled clothes, and had recently lost weight. The wizard narrowed his eyes and looked beyond the Goon’s body to the minor demon animating it. Oh. That was why it acted so poorly.

Who sent you, Sir Goon? Kadmeion asked.

Her Ladyship Betrayal.

Five of the six curses landed on the Goon and stuck like bird droppings. The remaining curse flapped around the Goon’s head. The homunculus batted it away. The airborne curse circled back, seeking a target on the Goon’s forehead.

Betrayal the Dragon? Kadmeion asked. What does that overgrown heap of lizard’s scales want?

She has a gift for you.

What?

I don’t know. Only supposed to deliver it.

Next time, give your package to Sir Bright. You’re to do it politely.

The Goon shrugged.

You can’t be polite?

Why? He is a half-breed. Inferior.

"The term for a human with an elf parent is narfleet. It doesn’t matter what your prejudices are. I will not have demons insulting my assistant. Or any of my charges, for that matter."

The Goon shook his head. You don’t understand, Sir Wizard.

Don’t insult me. I understand your situation better than you do. Kadmeion indicated the dropped package. Is that my gift from the dragon?

Yes.

Kadmeion addressed his familiar. Would you please take Her Ladyship’s gift to Bright?

Furgo-dog trotted to the package, grabbed it by the binding string, and dragged it to Bright’s feet. The narfleet picked it up.

Did the dragon have a message for me? Kadmeion asked.

Just the gift, the Goon said.

How long has your demon been in this automaton?

Three decades, Sir Wizard.

Just what Kadmeion suspected. This Goon was an old homunculus. It explained his behavior toward Bright, but did not excuse it.

What is your name? Kadmeion asked.

Marley.

You’ve been away from the Nether Plains for a long time.

I miss my home.

Are you tired of this animation?

I’m bored, Marley said. I only run errands. And I don’t like being two things.

A demon and automation?

I’m just a half-breed, like your servant.

"Sir Bright is not a servant. Kadmeion thought for a moment. Which wizard summoned your demon?"

The Goon named a sorceress.

She died five years ago, Kadmeion said. Didn’t you know?

The Goon frowned. No one told me. I went on an errand a long time ago, and she wasn’t there when I returned. I have searched for her ever since.

Because your magician died, you can ask the Magic Guild to release you.

Too much bother. You do it, wizard.

Kadmeion’s hands curled into fists. "I will not. Your doings have consequences."

Why not?

You hit my assistant.

You want an apology?

That would be civil, Kadmeion said. Then you can go.

So I apologize and you release my demon?

Kadmeion crossed his arms. Think again.

Why not?

I don’t want to squander my magic on you.

I apologize. There. Now release my demon.

"Remember your place, Goon Marley. You will not make demands of me." Kadmeion spread his arms wide, signaling the start of a high wizardry spell. Time for this nuisance to go about his business. Kadmeion sang these words.

"Demon Marley, Goon Marley, hear my spell,

Seek Magic Guild cessation, Please help, them tell.

Float from my presence, to gangplank, then street,

Tarry no more til Guild mages you meet."

Marley sailed across the room to the door. For a moment, he clung to the doorframe and protested his treatment. Kadmeion’s spell was much stronger than the Goon’s grip. He broke loose and disappeared towards the gangplank.

Kadmeion followed the Goon’s progress in his mind’s eye. The wizard tended the Levitation spell until Marley was a good thirty paces down the pier. Without preamble, Kadmeion stopped the spell. It mattered not whether the Goon took a tumble. Bright had suffered much worse at the Goon’s hands. Marley could keep the bats, too.

I liked the purple smoke, Bright said. Must be new.

I’m experimenting. I added a sliver of apple wood to give it strength.

You might add more next time. Marley only staggered back. He didn’t fall.

I had to be careful. Didn’t want too much. Otherwise, the smoke would have blackened your face for a week.

You’ll figure it out. What about milady’s gift?

I see a note. Would you read it while I open the package?

Bright slipped the envelope free and handed the rest to the wizard. Kadmeion walked to a nearby table, set the package down, and went to work on the binding string.

It says ‘To Wizard Kadmeion, from Betrayal the Dragon.’

That’s all?

I’m suspicious. It’s not like a dragon to be so uncommunicative.

The wizard folded back the stiff paper. He lifted a dragon’s claw from the wrappings. The ebony talon glistened with embedded red streaks. What a powerful and flattering gift, especially coming from a dracon.

The claw has writing on its base, Kadmeion. It says ‘The time has come for wizardry.’

Kadmeion’s gut clenched. The dragon had summoned him. No denying this call. We will leave immediately.

I’ll tell Copernicus. Bright headed toward the doorway.

Wait.

Bright stopped and turned back.

Furgo, Kadmeion said. Would you go topside and ask Copernicus to prepare a new course? Bright will be along soon to give him the details.

Furgo-dog barked once, then trotted from the room.

What’s on your mind, Kadmeion?

Goon Marley’s unfinished business.

Bright shrugged. You were justified turning him into a turnip, but you showed restraint. Sending him to the Magic Guild for help was the proper approach.

I’m filing a complaint with the Guild. I won’t tolerate Goons hitting you.

Bright touched his puffy cheek where Marley had hit him. I appreciate it.

Incredibly, this worn-out Goon somehow affected your magical ability. I’m going to fix it.

Bright clasped his medallion and closed his eyes. Go ahead.

Kadmeion paused and composed a rhyme. He sang this healing spell.

"What magical illness bothers you now?

Wolverhampton Brighton, shall we see how

An old Goon with world-weary demon

Hurt you afore becoming a freeman.

A strike, then a fall

Somehow changed it all

But I will make your magic whole, again."

His wizardry magic flowed to Bright, and a long moment of delicious lunacy soaked Kadmeion’s bones. Of all wizardry spells, none was as twisty as healing another magician’s ability.

He found the weak points in Bright’s magical capacity where invading spells had taken hold. Kadmeion removed the dissonances and filled the cracks with his magic. Bright’s effervescent elf enchantments would now function better. Kadmeion then adjusted his assistant’s protection spells, found no other magical concerns, and stopped his healing magic.

Bright released a sigh, opened his eyes, and tucked his medallion away. I didn’t realize I had so many things amiss.

Five years is a long time for a Goon to be without a guardian to tend his magical needs. All unknowing, he had picked up several tiny disharmonies. Because of them, Marley did not feel well. His situation had gotten so bad, his demon wanted to return to the Nether Plains.

So he hit me to be rid of them?

Kadmeion nodded. Marley’s blow transferred his trifling magical hurts to you. We can’t have a Goon at large who will strike others because of this. Now he will get a guardian magician from the Guild or they will release his demon. I’ve also fixed your medallion spells so that won’t happen to you again.

I’m grateful, Kadmeion.

Tending your magical matters is my responsibility, Bright. It’s what your wizard is supposed to do.

His assistant gave him a grin and left for the pilot house. Kadmeion went the other direction down the airship’s central hallway to their shared office. The wizard settled in and resumed the magical inventory paperwork he had abandoned at Bright’s summons.

Kadmeion sensed the airship undock, slip away from the benign spells of the Norman Bar aerodrome, and enter the free air above the high seas. Now that they were away from the confusing magical tangle of an inhabited island, his airship’s spells shifted and provided other protections. Wise troublemakers avoided a wizard’s airborne home. The foolish ones were quickly educated.

A humming, fused with the jingling of tiny magical bells, came from the direction of the quercetum. Only a magician could hear these chimes. To mundanes, a fairy’s flight sounded like a hummingbird. His tiny charge paused outside the office door.

Kadmeion smiled. Please join me, Izlyesende.

The airship’s only boy-fey buzzed in, hovered for a moment over Kadmeion’s desk, and settled atop the wizard’s paperwork. The fey straightened, stretched, and grinned. How fare you, Kadmeion?

I’m well.

We heard the commotion, but stayed away because fairies have no influence over demons.

Thank you for your caution. I didn’t need injured fey, too.

How is Bright? Izlyesende asked.

He had a few magical wounds, but I fixed them.

Bright came to the quercetum a few minutes ago, seeking Tessa-marine and Allura-ella. He wanted their help with his blackened eye.

Good, Kadmeion said. They will dote on him.

We three adore Bright, no secret there. Which creates a problem for me.

What is wrong?

Izlyesende clasped his hands and shifted his weight from foot to foot. Elf magic especially pleases girl-fey. It makes them affectionate. Both will want my intimate attentions later.

Fey are polyamorous, so what is the problem?

I have two girlfriends to please tonight, and I don’t have enough magical stamina to do a good job.

Elf magicians valued fey-folk because their sparkle enhanced elf enchantments, like glamour. Conversely, most human magicians could not be bothered to keep fairies. Humans considered fey magic to be fluff and not worth the effort. Kadmeion found them charming. They also boosted Bright’s native narfleet magic and were useful when ensorcelling dragons. Keeping his fey-folk happy was necessary.

I should evaluate your magical wellbeing, Kadmeion said. May I look before I supply you for a romantic evening?

The boy-fey grinned. Assess us when necessary, Kadmeion. We owe our continued existence to your generosity.

Because fairies were no larger than the length of his hand from wrist to fingertips, Kadmeion took a spectacle’s case from his desk drawer, put on the lenses, and adjusted the loupes until