Page 6 of Starfall (Stand Alone Tales #20)

E mery jerked away from Rowen and whirled to face the attacker. Three warlocks were facing her, and one had the white eyes of a seer. Nosey fucker.

Rowen asked, What are you doing, Penrose?

That woman is an ogre. I can see it.

His companion stated loudly, Ogres are not allowed in township limits.

Emery was softly growling as they approached.

Rowen eased to the side and put himself in front of her. What do you three think you are doing?

Penrose said, Do you know what the bounty is on her teeth alone?

Oh, shit. They want me for parts.

Hunter sauntered up, and Orla stood next to Emery and took her hand. Gentlemen, what the hell do you think you are doing at this party?

Penrose glanced at him with nervous energy radiating from him. We have found an ogre. We are claiming the bounty on her.

Hunter nodded. I see. Hold on while I make a call.

A shimmering disc appeared in the air, and Kelnen was getting into formalwear in front of the mirror. Hunter, what do you need?

Three would-be ogre hunters have arrived and are laying claim to Emery. Would you be willing to mediate before you continue to the city party?

I will certainly mediate, but I was coming to your party. Krys looks forward to being out in some fresh air. Maven and her lot are coming as well. Expect us within twenty minutes. Krys has to help me with this damned tie .

Thank you. Hunter inclined his head. We will guard her until your arrival.

Emery muttered, I don t need to be guarded; I just need a challenge space. They can even use projections so no blood is spilled.

Hunter nodded. I will take that under advisement. I will create an arena because we aren t getting out of this without a fight.

Fifty metres away, snow began to roil and expand in a wide column of wind.

Ty and Robert wandered over and asked, What s going on?

Emery stated calmly, They want to chop me up for parts.

Penrose spluttered. We just want to extract her fangs and claws and maybe some hair. She s worth a fortune.

Emery looked at him and knew there was hate in her eyes.

Rowen said softly, You don t want to go down this road, Penrose.

Penrose s white gaze was locked with hers. He took a step back. Look at that. She s a monster.

Rowen glanced at her and smiled. She s beautiful.

A distance away, two portals appeared, and Kelnen and Krys emerged from one and Mavin, Olmin, and Argo were with her. Kelnen frowned and stepped forward. Pardon our speed, but we all agreed this was time-sensitive. Hunter, thank you for hosting us.

Hunter nodded. So, how do we settle this?

Kelnen shrugged. It has to be trial by combat.

Emery smiled. Good, but can they use projections or simulacrums? I don t want to start the year with a death on my hands. One was enough.

Hunter looked to where the arena was forming. It will be ready in a few minutes.

One of Penrose s companions said, We can do live attacks. I am confident that we can take her.

Kelnen lifted his brows. You think you will all be allowed to attack her at once? Really? That isn t happening.

Olmin shook his head. Challenges are one-on-one only.

The three warlocks paused. Penrose asked, What?

Yes. She s in good standing with the community, has not committed any crimes against the citizenry, and has strong ties within our gathering here. There is no reason for her to face three of you at once.

Emery said softly, I don t mind. I just want them using projections. I don t want to create blood vendettas.

Olmin nodded. I agree.

Penrose blinked. But we want to face her directly.

You will, but you will use projections. Emery is a much more effective killer than you are. I have seen her in action. Emery, do you have a second?

Orla shot her hand in the air. Me. Me. Me!

Emery chuckled. Do you have to pee, or do you know the answer?

Orla snorted. Both. Don t start before I finish in the restroom. Back in a minute.

Orla shot across the field toward the trailer with lavatories that had been rented for the event.

Hunter was grinning. This will be interesting.

Rowen looked at her. I can be your second.

Seasons are immune from combat. You know that; I know that. You have to remain avatars, untouched and separate.

I was looking forward to breaking the touching streak.

She grinned. I have been working out logistics. You are very tall.

Well, the fun thing is that if we are lying down, we will line up just fine.

She blinked and fanned her face. The mental images are a little much.

He grinned. Once it becomes a habit, it will be less petrifying.

It isn t that. I have this weird urge to count all your muscles, and I know I am going to lose track and have to start over.

His eyes warmed as he stared at her.

Orla came sprinting back, which was hilarious with her evening gown. Done. Ready.

Emery smiled. Did you wash your hands?

Orla paused, and Emery sent up a flare of ogre fire to wrap around her friend s hands. The puppy stood and yipped, so she did the same for him.

When Orla was clean and Emery had stopped chortling, they hugged and then nodded to the heads of the magical community in the area. Emery nodded. Ready.

Rowen looked at her. You don t have to do this.

I do. This will seal the issue. Once this challenge is done, they can t come back and do it again.

You are sure you will win?

She grinned.

He smiled and kissed her cheek. I am giving you the luck I can.

Thank you, but I ve got this. She looked at Orla. Can you make my dress a little less vulnerable?

I think I can manage something. I will remember this one, though; it s stunning.

Emery held still as Orla focused, and the corset thickened and dress shortened into a saloon-styled affair. It left her legs clothed in leather leggings that covered her legs to her boots.

Orla grinned. I like it. Now mine. She changed into a long tunic in silver with snowflakes all over it.

She was wearing boots and looked like she was looking for a fight.

Orla, you are my second. I don t want you getting that dress messy. Where is your mother?

Over at the buffet by the shrimp.

Think again. Emery smiled and said, Turn around.

Orla, what do you think you are doing?

Orla whirled and faced her recently reappeared mother. I am going to help a friend if she needs it.

Her mother was standing with her eyes narrowed. Good. She suffered at your father s hands just like you did. Well, not the same, but she did go through a very specific torment because of him. You two are bonded, and because of that, go nuts and don t let one of those manifestations stand. Warlocks are morons.

Emery grinned and started to walk to the battlefield. Orla caught up to her and linked arms. Emery called out, So are we doing this, or are you three the little bitches that I see when I look at you? I own an animal shelter. I know a bitch when I see one.

Orla was laughing, and when they got to the polished round in the snow, they waited.

Hunter and Rowen walked up. Hunter was carrying the puppy.

Orla muttered, I wonder if they heard you.

The three warlocks in question were bristling with indignation as they stood at the other side of the snow arena. Partygoers were wandering over to watch whatever was about to occur. Olmin and Kelnen were both there with their arms crossed.

Their wives and Olmin s familiar were standing nearby.

Emery watched as the three on the other side decided who went first. When they had their fight order sorted, Orla chuckled. You aren t going to leave one for me, are you?

Emery laughed. Hopefully not. The chance to beat the hell out of three warlocks as part of a Yule celebration? That comes along once in three lifetimes.

Orla chuckled. Here come the introductions.

Olmin looked at the warlocks. What do you declare in front of these witnesses?

Penrose stated, She is an ogre and useful for the magics that she can provide from her body. She is not allowed here. Her kind has been banned from this area for the last century and a half. It is our right to take her.

Kelnen turned to her. Emery, what do you declare in front of these witnesses.

I, Emery, ogre born, was conceived using the magic of a warlock-sanctioned event. He stole away and used the magic of the evening to assault and impregnate my mother, who did not survive the birth. I was raised by mortals and by those who recognized what I was and helped me to manage what roared out of me. The only contact I had with my paternal side was the night they died. But sure. I have ogre power. Now, let s see what I can do.

Orla called out, If I can t fight, I am controlling the soundtrack.

Kelnen laughed. Agreed. Emery, are you ready?

Emery shifted and felt her swords ready themselves. Yup.

She walked onto the field and waited. The three warlocks stepped forward together, and Rowen yelled, Hey!

Emery didn t look away as the three men began to generate their avatars. It s fine, Rowen. Now, we find out which one is the warlock and which two are the familiars.

There was a gasp and an ooooooh from the watchers.

It was easy to bait warlocks under forty. They were all dick and ego. Easy prey.

Penrose sent his spectre outward, charging at her. The music theme of a martial arts video game began to blast, and Emery reached over her shoulders to grab her swords as she calmly moved toward him. An instant before he got to her, she straightened, stopped moving, and lit the swords with ogre fire. She started twirling them, and when he was close enough for contact, she simply cut his spectre s head off.

There was silence under the music, and then, the crowd cheered. She looked at the other two that had just generated avatars while Penrose was passed out on the ground.

She cocked her head. I don t make this offer lightly, but you can both take me on at the same time.

Orla hooted with laughter.

The other two warlocks lasted longer, but that was just because Emery was showing off. Ogre blades were not common, and she wanted to make sure that the warlocks and shifters got a solid look. Her body and movements were why battle-training ogres was forbidden. She jumped, slashed, backflipped, and finally slid between them, cutting the spectres in two. They dissipated, and their warlocks dropped.

She stood up, extinguished the flames, and slid the blades along her back, letting them disappear into the space between magic and skin.

Emery walked back to Rowen s side. Now, where were we before we were so rudely interrupted?

He was blinking. You have ogre fire? His expression was impossible to understand.

Yeah, but you know I am half ogre. Sudden nauseating doubt assailed her. I didn t know it was that big a deal.

She started to back away from him, unable to decipher what was going on in his features. This wasn t an expression she had seen before.

She bumped into Orla standing with a grinning Winter, and she knew her eyes were wild. I don t know what s going on.

Orla tried to grab her, but Emery stepped back. She looked around, and then, her panic and insecurity about the evening snapped, and she ran. When she left the weather-controlled bubble that Winter had crafted, the icy snap surrounded her. She looked left and right then headed for the nearest cross street. She was going home.

* * * *

R owen was still locked in place with shock. Ogre fire. That much power with no proper training was so fucking dangerous it wasn t even funny. She had handled it like she had been born to it, which he supposed she had.

When she had bounced up to him with a big smile and flirty look in her eyes, he had been stuck with the ramifications of her fire. She said something, and he mumbled something about her fire. He saw the flickering of pain and confusion in her eyes, and then, she bolted.

Orla looked at him. What did you say?

I said something about her ogre fire. I don t know what. He pressed a fist into his forehead. He looked up and looked around. Where did she go?

Hunter sighed. Where you can t follow until dawn. We are locked in.

Rowen frowned. What?

She s out of the barrier.

Orla frowned. I will go get her.

Hunter looked at her. I don t want you to go.

Gabi walked up with her limp exaggerated on the snow. Where is Emery? I wanted to congratulate her. She was amazing.

Rowen nodded. She was. Did you know she had ogre fire?

Gabi shrugged. No, but I am not surprised.

Orla muttered, What is the big deal of ogre fire?

Hunter touched her arm. It means she is a ruler. It hasn t been seen for fifteen hundred years during the last wave of the ogre attacks.

But there aren t any other ogres in the area.

She won t just rule ogres. Anything she wishes to acquire will fall to her charms.

Orla paused and then looked to Rowen. You asshole!

He blinked. What?

Gabi said, You have been drawing her picture since you were twelve. Do you think the fire arranged that? The fire didn t manifest until you were nineteen if we are using your timeline.

Rowen blinked. Oh. Right.

And you have been verbally sparring with her ever since you opened the gym.

He frowned. Yes, that s... oh fuck, what have I done?

Orla looked behind him and said, Rowen, can you put a hard pulse through your magic right now? Through anything connected to it?

He frowned but nodded. Twenty feet away, a woman screamed and clutched her head.

Got her. Thanks. Hunter s partner sprinted over to the woman who was blinking and clutching her head. As Rowen watched, Orla blasted the woman with starlight, and he felt clear.

What the actual fuck? Rowen s mind was clear, and he was looking around for Emery.

Hunter scowled. What happened?

No idea.

Gabi grunted. I know what that was. It was a repulsion spell based on one aspect of Emery that made you uneasy. It rippled until there was fear and disgust on your face.

Rowen s eyes burned, and he turned and walked to the woman who Orla had knocked over.

Orla had the woman in glowing cuffs and said, Rowen, this is Amelie Norwalk, one of Emery s bullies. Also, incidentally, her adopted sister via Emery s adoption.

He looked, and memories stirred. Amy. You have a membership at the gym.

She looked at him and tried to look seductive. I am a way better choice than she is.

His mind was completely clear. You are a nasty little worm. I would not choose you if you were the last woman on earth. Your corruption oozes out of your pores. I can smell it.

Amy paused and smirked. Well, she won t have you now. How could she when you rejected her so publicly?

You did this on purpose?

She doesn t deserve anything good. She s ogre born, and she killed her mother. Amy sniffed as if that made sense.

Orla grimaced. Amy is a bully. She only eased up when Emery learned to mask her appearance. Pretty sure tonight is the first night that Emery has been out as herself since she was fourteen.

He was going to act, but Ty snapped his fingers. A tree trunk began to wrap around Amy, and she started screaming as the bark took her over. Then silence.

That will hold her. How can we get Emery back here? Ty scowled.

Orla looked at Rowen. He stared back. Shit. I can text her.

He picked up his phone and started texting.