Trajectory

His phone rang and he looked at it to see it was his dad. That was a conversation he wasn’t looking forward to, but it had to happen.

“Hey, Dad,” he said really cheerily. “How the hell are you?”

“Cut the shit, son, why did you let Zaziella out of the home? They were keeping her there for a reason. She’s crazy, or have you completely forgotten what I told you?”

“Dad, I haven’t forgotten, but I don’t think she’s crazy. She truly believes she’s magic. Why didn’t you tell me Grandma had magic in her?”

“Because she didn’t, she was crazy and she rubbed off on my sister. What do you expect when you have a mother who encourages you to practice magic and lives in a fantasy world?”

“Dad, I think you know more than you’re letting on. I’ve seen some things lately that made me question everything I’ve ever known.”

“Son, don’t get sucked into her delusions. I can’t control what you do. You’re twenty years old, but my sister isn’t right. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll take her back before something bad happens.”

“Okay, Dad, great chat. I love you and I’ll call you tomorrow.” Brent put the cheer back in his voice.

“Son.” His dad sounded serious. He hung up. Zazie wasn’t that crazy and it seemed like his dad was in denial. Maybe he’d come around, but right now he had to get ready to go and see Chloe. He needed her to know how he felt.

The gentleman watched through the window as Chloe showed up for work. She had no clue who had killed her friend and that’s how it needed to stay. At first he’d thought she would be no threat at all and that Brent would go and tell everyone what she was, starting the reveal. He soon realized that Brent wasn’t going to tell anyone and he had a wizard for an aunt, so he would be more accepting. He needed to expose them to humans who would be scared of them.

Now he worried that Chloe might actually be a threat, because the little nuthatch was curious. He’d have to keep a close eye on her for a little bit until his plan could really get underway. He’d picked out his next victim and he would make sure there was a much more public place when they shifted this time. There was an annual festival that a certain Rob Hamil liked to enter his weird statue creations in, and being that he was her father, she would be there to support him. The whole family could be scared into shifting if his plan went right and maybe, just maybe, there would be some more in the crowd.

Walking into the Barcade, he kept his eye on her. She was a pretty girl. Such a shame she was a dirty shifter bitch who needed to be exposed. He sat at the bar and waited for her to see him and then smiled when she looked up.

Zazie walked in and over to the bar where Chloe was standing. He wondered why she was coming in without her nephew. He’d need to pay attention to the conversation and make sure Zazie’s dumbass didn’t stick her nose where it didn’t belong.

“Hi, Mrs. Perry,” Chloe said, smiling that sweet smile she had despite the bags beneath her eyes and redness of her face from crying.

“How are you holding up, sweetheart? Call me Aunt Z.”

“I’m doing okay, holding it together. I still think I’m in denial about the whole thing.”

“Don’t you worry about that idiot nephew of mine, he’ll come around.”

“Oh, I meant denial about Layla, but yeah, I’m not sure about that.”

“Listen, Chloe, I’m going to figure out who killed her for you.” That got the gentleman’s interest as his ears perked up and he tried nonchalantly to lean in and listen harder. “I’m going to use my magic and I’ll get to the bottom of things.”

That wouldn’t do. He was going to have to get rid of Zazie sooner than later. First, he needed Chloe to forget all about the conversation. He’d wait until the nosey bitch left to do the spell, though, because Zazie would feel it and know he was near. She had looked in his direction a couple times since she’d been there, like she could feel magic around but couldn’t put her finger on it. He didn’t want her to see him.

“You really are a wizard.” Chloe smiled at her. “I wasn’t sure you were serious when you said Brent was.”

“I think he is, but his father’s against magic, he’d never admit it to him. Good thing he has me.” She thumped her chest and finished the whiskey Chloe had sat in front of her.

“Yes,” Chloe said, “good thing. I do want to know who killed her and who shot at us.”

“Bye, dear, we’ll know soon enough,” Zazie said and left her money on the bar as she walked away. Once she was gone, he waited until Chloe went back to doing her side work to start his memory hazing magic.

He called the dark around him and felt it move through his veins. Concentrating, he whispered as he stared at her, “Memories are fleeting, memories are gone, make this day a dream, and hazy till dawn.”

He’d have to watch her, making sure she did the job without looking strange and that she went straight home after her shift so her little boyfriend and his auntie didn’t realize she was spelled upon.

It wouldn’t be too difficult. He’d just walk her home and then make sure she went to bed. He wouldn’t be able to move on Zazie yet. He’d need to be smart about it, but the crazy wiz had to go before she ruined all his carefully laid out plans.

Like a gnat that kept trying to fly in your eye, he watched as Brent Perry walked in the bar and made his way over to her.

“Damn it,” he hissed. She was angry with him, so maybe if she was aloof he’d just think she was still mad. Chloe wouldn’t remember anything someone said to her until the next day, so it didn’t matter what he said. It was kind of funny. He wasn’t close enough to hear what he was saying, but he wished he were. It wasn’t possible for Zazie to find out who he was yet and where he was hiding. She wouldn’t have enough time to get her full magic back. He’d take her out before she ever had a chance. He would just watch for now and plot. He loved plotting.

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