The Lightning-Struck Heart (Tales From Verania 1)

“Excuse me?” I might have squeaked.

“Turn them back.”

“How?”

Morgan shrugged. “That’s up to you to figure out.”

I frowned at him. “That’s not helpful at all.”

“No, I suppose it isn’t.” But he wouldn’t say anything else.

I looked up at my mom and dad. They both had narrowed eyes that told me in no uncertain terms that I better change the assholes back from stone or I was going to be grounded for at least the next month, if not longer.

I grumbled at them but pulled away to stand in front of Nox. By now, a large crowd had gathered at the mouth of the alleyway, which made things all that much worse, because I could hear my name getting whispered over and over again. I was pretty sure I was going to make a fool of myself and be pooping in a bucket by sundown.

Since I didn’t know what I was doing at all and figured I might as well try and fake it as much as possible, I raised my hands, palms out toward the stone teenagers, and shouted, “Malakasham!”

Morgan said, “What.”

“Flora Bora Slam!”

Morgan said, “Flora Bora Slam?” It sounded like he was choking.

“Abra Wham!”

Morgan said, “What are you doing?”

I squinted up at him. “Saying magic words until magic happens?”

“Magic words?”

“Isn’t that how magic happens? You say magic words and magic stuff happens. Like people turning to stone and exploding nipples.”

“I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t be because of Flora Bora Slam,” he said dryly.

“Pfft,” I muttered. “Like you know.” Oh, but wait. He was the King’s Wizard. “Okay, so, you would know.”

“Flora Bora Slam,” he said again, rolling his eyes.

“Well, I’m all out of ideas.”

He looked incredulous. “That was your idea?”

“Yes. It might have gone better in my head.”

“I have a feeling that sums up your life perfectly.”

Since I was too young to understand I was being insulted, I beamed and said, “Thank you!”

“Colors, Sam. Do you remember seeing any colors?”

I frowned. “Colors? What do you mean? I didn’t see any….”

I’d caught his attention. “Sam?” he said quietly.

“There was… green,” I said. “Like. This green that was out of the corner of my eye. It reminded me of trees and grass.”

He nodded and something akin to wonderment flickered across his face. “Earth. Stone. Can you find it again?”