Missing Magic Read Online Free PDF Page B

sky?
    They’d arrived in the middle of the lush
meadow of wildflowers that stretched from the massive oak forest to
the castle. There were snapdragons and paintbrushes, daisies and
carnations, and more – a floral smorgasbord of brilliant hues and
intoxicating scents.
    “What the…” Dee sputtered. She spun out of
his grip, going into a crouch and instinctively reaching for a gun
that was no longer there. “How did you do that? Where are we?”
    He spread his arms. “My home. The home of the
Fae.”
    “What?” She went still, though her frowning
gaze continued to scan their surroundings. “This is ridiculous. Am
I hallucinating?”
    “No.” Watching her closely, he gestured at
the meadow. “You are in Rune.”
    “How? How is this possible? What’d you
do?”
    Since the simple answer was also truth, he
told her. “Magic. We’ve crossed the veil which separates our
words.”
    Another glance around them had her frown
deepening. “Beam me up, Scottie? Like that?”
    At his blank look, she made a rude sound.
“Star Trek. Look, whatever you’ve done, stop it. I want things to
be normal again. Real. Put me back where we were.”
    “In a moment.” He touched her shoulder,
making her jump. “Relax. Take a look around.”
    “Can’t.” While she talked, her gaze scanned
around them.
    “Nervous?”
    “Oh, please.” She gave him a look full of
scorn.
    “Take a deep breath. Look around. Then tell
me what you think of my home.”
    Glaring at him, she went still. Inhaled.
Exhaled. Loudly. The only other movement was the gentle breeze
ruffling her hair.
    “You want my opinion? Really?”
    “Yes.”
    “Fine, then. It’s so… silent,” she said, the
question in her voice wondering why without saying so. “Achingly
so.”
    Quiet? Startled, Cenrick considered. Then he
remembered when he’d first visited the world of humans as a child,
the noise there had overwhelmed me. It had not just been the
obvious ones, not the traffic sounds or the roar of the occasional
jet flying overhead. Instead, he’d been bothered by the ever
present hum of the electricity always on, of whirr and click and
growl of the many machines, constantly working. It had taken years
for him to grow used to such sounds.
    He’d once asked Alrick if this bothered him.
His brother had laughed and shaken his head no, telling Cenrick he
needed to use his eyes before he used his ears.
    And now, so many years later, this human
woman saw with her ears first, as he’d done. She’d noticed the
silence before she even commented on the raw beauty of his
home.
    “Now do you believe me?”
    “What does it matter?”
    “So you understand what Mick is, as well as
myself. I want your help. If seeing Rune gains your trust, both
Mick and I – as well as my people – benefit.”
    She did a double take. “Mick? Are you saying
he’s…”
    “Fae. Yes. We’re related, remember? I was
telling you the truth when I told you we’re cousins.”
    “How is that possible? We grew up together in
Trixon’s Children’s Home. Mick’s an orphan, just like me.”
    He sighed. “He’s Fae. His irresponsible
mother left him in the human world. By the time she decided to go
back for him, he was nearly grown.”
    “Then he knew ? All this time, he knew
he was a… Fae and didn’t tell me?”
    “He couldn’t. Not if he wished to remain in
your world.”
    She opened her mouth to speak, then closed
it.
    He couldn’t help but smile. Then, because she
still looked dazed, he touched her shoulder. “Please, take a look
around Rune. I promise you we won’t stay long.”
    “I—.”
    “Please.”
    With a sigh, she did as he requested. At
first, he mobile features showed no visible reaction, but he kept
watching and saw the change come over her as she gradually began to
take in the amazing natural beauty surrounding her. Her lovely eyes
softened with curiosity rather than hostility or fear and her lips
curved in the beginnings of a smile.
    Finally. After all, Rune