Magical Midlife Madness (Leveling Up 1)

“We all look the same,” Niamh said. “We just feel younger. Better luck next time if you wanted your looks back.”

“I have my looks back, I’m sure of it,” Edgar said with a gleaming, sharp-toothed smile.

“That’s because ugly suits you,” Niamh said.

“Why do I feel…” Austin flexed. Allll of him flexed, including his currently not-so-private bits.

Niamh flinched away and scowled. “Jaysus. That thing has its own time zone. Go get yer trousers and stow it away. Where are they? I’ll get them for ye.”

“Don’t leave me to explain…” Edgar watched in horror as Niamh walked away.

“Why do I feel…stronger?” Austin’s voice was rough. “Why am I faster?”

I spread my hands. “We all are.”

“Which makes sense, since you all are the masters or protectors of this house. You’re a part of it. I am not. Why am I reaping the benefits?”

Niamh was back in no time, tossing Austin’s sweats at him. “Because you made a show of protecting Jessie. You protected the house’s chosen with pure of heart, and so you are now a part of the house. You said you’d follow her. Well, you followed her. Be careful what you wish for.”

He turned to her, very slowly. The small hairs on my arms stood straight up.

“I said I would guard her. I did not say I wanted this magic.”

“I don’t understand. What’s the problem?” I asked. “The magic helps you.”

He stared down at me, slightly leaning. His huge hands were balled and muscle popped out all over his body. Power seethed from him. It crawled up my back and threatened to bow my spine. Holding his gaze was physically painful. Nearly impossible.

But I didn’t look away.

“I said I would help you. But I did not say I would enter into…” He gestured around me. “…this. I don’t need this magic. I don’t need a fountain of youth. I don’t need this trap.”

“Then you shouldn’t have put yourself in it,” Niamh said, nonchalant. “This isn’t Jessie’s fault. It’s yours. If you’re too dumb to see that, well then…”

I sensed action before it came.

A solid wall of pink manifested between Austin and Niamh. I was pretty sure I’d made that happen (I’d always liked pink), but I had no idea how. Austin’s hand jutted toward it, open to grab, and glanced off. He pulled back slowly, as though it cost him great effort, and pushed it down to his side.

He exhaled, and I could feel why. Again, no idea how. His rage was trying to burst him at the seams. The darkness inside of him was trying to lash out, to combat this perceived slight. To combat the fear he wouldn’t show.

I didn’t know what was happening here, with either of us, but I knew he was horribly unsettled. He hadn’t signed up to protect the house, he’d signed up to protect me, and somehow the wires had gotten crossed. He felt betrayed. His world had just been turned upside down, and he didn’t know how to handle it.

I couldn't say I blamed him. I’d entered into this bargain, not him. It seemed he was a spectator who’d gotten sucked into the turmoil.

“Go,” I said, laying my hand on his arm. He flinched and I withdrew my touch. “Go,” I repeated. “I don’t know what’s happening, but I’ll figure it out, and then I’ll figure out how to set you free, okay? There has to be a way.”

His gaze connected with mine and held it for a long moment. His sigh was soft, and his nod was slight.

A moment later, an enormous polar bear was running across the garden, trampling flowers. I suspected that was on purpose. I knew it was on purpose when he barreled through the edge of the labyrinth and fought his way out of the other side, tearing a big runway down the middle.

“That is completely uncalled for,” Edgar said. “I didn’t mess up his cabin, now did I?”

Niamh waved it away. “He wanted a new challenge in his life, he just hasn’t admitted it to himself yet. Give him time. He’ll come around. Come on. We have some serious cleanup to do.”

“I’ll go start digging graves,” Edgar said, then poofed into a swarm of insects.

“Blech!” I stumbled backward. “Gross.”

“It’s fine, he won’t run into you.” Niamh headed for the back door.

“No, no. There’s a doll infestation in there. Let’s stay at your house tonight.”Thirty-TwoNiamh wasn’t any more lenient in my terror of dolls than she had been with Austin. After much name calling and comments regarding my hysterics, we’d worked together to march the dolls back into their room of horror.

And when I say worked together, I mean that I hid behind her and let her talk me through controlling them (to some degree). No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t seem to make them self-destruct. It was a design flaw, I was positive.