Magic Void Read online

  Magic Void

  Oz in Space Book Two

  Michelle Hercules

  Contents

  Land of Oz Map

  1. Dorothy

  2. Dorothy

  3. Dorothy

  4. Lennox

  5. Dorothy

  6. Dorothy

  7. Kevvan

  8. Dorothy

  9. Darius

  10. Reo

  11. Dorothy

  12. Darius

  13. Dorothy

  14. Kevvan

  15. Darius

  16. Lennox

  17. Kevvan

  18. Reo

  19. Dorothy

  20. Reo

  21. Dorothy

  22. Dorothy

  23. Dorothy

  24. Dorothy

  25. Darius

  26. Dorothy

  27. Kevvan

  28. Lennox

  29. Dorothy

  30. Dorothy

  31. Dorothy

  32. Kevvan

  33. Dorothy

  34. Dorothy

  35. Dorothy

  36. Dorothy

  Places, Creatures, and Objects

  About the Author

  Also by Michelle Hercules

  Magic Void © 2019 by Michelle Hercules

  All rights reserved.

  Visit my website at

  www.michellehercules.com

  Cover Artist: Mansik Yang

  Typography: Book Cover Luv

  Editor: Jovana Shirley, Unforeseen Editing

  Proofreading: Jenn Lockwood Editing

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Land of Oz Map

  1

  Dorothy

  Round and round my brain goes as if it were stuck in a hamster’s wheel. My tongue is thick in my unbearably dry mouth. I can’t find the words to reply to the prince’s statement.

  He’s the Raven Witch’s son. How can that be possible?

  The once pristine and modern alchemy laboratory is now partially charred and broken. The pungent odor of smoke fills my nose, offering a grim parallel to the prince’s truth.

  Suddenly, Kevvan jumps to my side, and my already overactive heart leapfrogs to my throat. He roughly wraps his arms around my body and drags me far away from Prince Lennox. I don’t react right away. It seems every response in my body has a ten-second delay, like an outer-space communication channel.

  “Wait. What are you doing?” I finally ask, pressing my feet on the stone floor and refusing to move another inch.

  Kevvan’s hold on me tightens, but at least he stops pulling me. “You can’t be near him. We have to leave Emerald City at once.”

  His voice is high-pitched and laced with panic. Maybe witnessing the violence triggered his PTSD symptoms. Trapped as I am in his arms, it’s difficult for me to turn so I can look at his face, but I manage.

  “Kevvan, calm down. You’re not thinking straight.”

  He drops his eyes to mine, revealing pupils that are contracted to nothing but slits. His muscles are tense around his mouth, and deep creases have formed on his forehead.

  What can I say or do to ease off that unsettled mask he’s now wearing?

  “I’m not going to hurt Dorothy or any of you,” Prince Lennox announces, earning a derisive laugh from Reo.

  Kevvan growls, peeling his lips back to reveal sharp fangs. He lets go of me, only to shove me back and use his body as a shield. “Who do you take us for? You would have fried Reo with your tainted powers if I hadn’t slashed you across the face.”

  I walk around Kevvan in time to see Prince Lennox touch the three gashes on his cheek, smearing his fingers with blood. He stares at the smear for a couple of heartbeats in silence. When he finally speaks, it is with a voice devoid of the royal confidence I’ve come to associate with him. It’s small and meek. “I’ll be forever grateful for your intervention.”

  “How can you be the Raven Witch’s son?” Reo asks, eyeballing the prince without hiding his suspicion.

  The prince glances down, and his long blond hair frames his face in a way that we can no longer see the green blemish he attempted to hide by wearing a mask. His stance shows defeat—over what, I still have to unveil.

  Despite his lies and what he did to Reo and Kevvan, I can’t bring myself to dislike him. On the contrary, his actions resonate with me—the real me. When we locked gazes while he was possessed by the dark magic, I saw, in his eyes, the truth. Everything he has ever done had the best intentions behind it. Just like me when I sent my parents and Aunt Em to their doom. The Old Earth saying, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions,” couldn’t be more appropriate to describe my life.

  Prince Lennox and I are kindred spirits. There’s a connection between us, whether I want there to be one or not.

  “The Raven Witch wasn’t always called by that name. Before the magic turned her evil, she was known as Catriona of Ev, from the Land of Ev.” The prince pauses, turning toward the dormant starship. “She was the queen of Emerald City.”

  “You’ve gotta be kidding me.” Reo stares at the prince for a couple of seconds before he looks away with a shake of his head.

  “I don’t understand. Does that mean Princess Esmeralda is also her daughter?” I ask.

  “No. She’s my half-sister. When my mother turned her back on her family to chase absolute power, she forsook her name.” Prince Lennox looks over his shoulder, locking his gaze with mine. “My father declared her dead when he banished her from Emerald City.” The prince’s voice is cold and tight now, mirroring the steely glint in his eyes.

  “Did she just leave you behind?” I ask, unable to fathom a parent who would willingly abandon their kids.

  He laughs bitterly, glancing down at the shards of broken glass and debris on the floor. “My father didn’t give her a choice. Why would he?”

  “She did try to kidnap Lennox when he was around six years old,” Darius chimes in.

  Prince Lennox whips his face back up to stare at Darius. No hint of any feelings—good or bad—shows on his pale skin. And his eyes, which were so full of emotions not too long ago, are as flat as an ironing board and impossible to read.

  “What happened?” I divide my attention between Darius and the prince, trying to put together the pieces of this puzzle. Most likely, sharing his family’s dark secrets with us is not easy for Prince Lennox, but my curiosity has always trumped courtesy.

  Darius looks at me, his beautiful face solemn and hard. “She failed.”

  I’d say that was obvious, but Prince Lennox shakes his head. “No, she didn’t.”

  “What do you mean, cousin?”

  “She didn’t want to take me away. She wanted to make sure I had the same tainted magic she possessed.”

  “Are you saying that you were born with magic?” I ask, and then I glimpse quickly at Darius, remembering our conversation.

  The magic he was able to yield he’d learned through the study of alchemy. But he mentioned the folks who had magic in them. He believed I was one of those people, which obviously isn’t true.

  His eyes seem to be telling me that he still believes I was born with some kind of power despite the fact that I failed to bring his starship to life.

  “Yes,” Prince Lennox replies, pulling my attention back to hi
m.

  A jolt of awareness makes my heart skip a beat before renewed hope fills my chest. “That means you could give life to the starships.”

  The prince laughs without humor. “I don’t think you’re listening to what I’m saying. My magic is evil. If I use it to bring the starships to life, I’d be creating monsters.”

  “But—” I begin to say, but he cuts me off.

  “The Raven Witch was pregnant with me when she started experimenting with the rare crystals discovered in the Zaphyra mountain range. I think that’s how I got the magic. Either way, it’s not natural, hence why it’s wicked. You saw what it’s like.”

  “Fuck! Some of us felt it, too.” Reo rubs his human arm up and down as if he’s still in pain from the prince’s attack.

  I should be crushed. Prince Lennox just shot my resurrected hope right between the eyes. But an idea has sprouted in my head. It’s crazy and dangerous, but it’s worth a shot.

  “The only problem with your magic is that it’s tainted, just like the Red Witch’s crystals were. What if I could purify it?”

  No one speaks for several beats. Watching their expressions, I’m sure I’ve shocked them all, but I think Lennox is the most surprised. He’s frozen with his mouth agape, resembling a statue. He doesn’t seem to be breathing at all.

  Just as I’m about to lose my nerve and demand a reply, Reo advances in my direction, no longer cradling his arm. Instead, he’s throwing daggers from his eyes in my direction.

  “Are. You. Fucking. Mad?” Each word is punctuated by one menacing stride toward me.

  Kevvan moves, blocking Reo’s way. My very own hellioncat shield. “Don’t you dare talk to Dorothy like that.” His voice comes out in a strangled growl, the warning clear in his tone.

  “Oh, look who has found his courage now,” Reo sneers.

  My energy levels are running on empty, but I can’t stay here and let others fight my battles. I’m not a damsel in distress.

  “I’m not crazy,” I say loud enough to command everyone’s attention. “I know the risks, but they are mine to take.”

  Kevvan turns to watch me with wide eyes. The glower coming from Reo doesn’t lessen. He seems more furious than ever.

  Why do they care so much anyway?

  “You’re not strong enough. What good will you be to anyone if you’re dead?”

  Reo’s words are akin to a dagger splitting my heart in two. It increases the weight of the guilt I carry in my chest so terribly that it feels like a boulder is crushing it, which in turn makes me angry as hell.

  “I’m dying anyway!” The words tumble out of my mouth like a river breaking through a dam.

  The shadow of agony that appears on Kevvan’s and Darius’s faces makes me regret being so loose with my tongue. Ashamed of my lack of control, I pivot where I stand, wanting to be anywhere but here. I only manage to take a few steps toward the exit door when someone grabs my arm and whirls me around. Reo.

  “How long?” His face reveals nothing.

  His bionic eye is more unnerving than ever, so I focus on his dark brown human eye. It’s not impartial or cold, but I can’t decipher the emotion shining there.

  “A few months with the medication.”

  “And without?” He narrows his eyes a fraction.

  “Weeks.”

  His eyebrows twitch while he clamps his jaw hard. He releases my arm, taking a step back. But he doesn’t break eye contact, nor do I.

  “I don’t understand. Are you ill, Dorothy?” Prince Lennox asks, breaking the charged moment between Reo and me.

  The cyborg glances away first, and only then do I face my other companions.

  “Yes. I was diagnosed with a rare disease when I was five years old. There’s no cure where I come from, only medication that will prolong my life span. But the drugs only work for so long before they become useless.”

  The prince winces slightly, a gesture that I immediately associate with pity, which I hate. It’s the reason I don’t like to talk about my illness.

  “I’m so sorry. Perhaps we can find a cure here in Oz.” The prince glances at Darius. “My cousin is the most brilliant alchemist I know. I’m sure he can help.”

  “You’re at war. I’m not going to impose my burden on you,” I reply.

  “It’s not a burden.” Darius takes a step toward me but stops abruptly. “I’d do anything to help you.”

  My eyes begin to burn, and my throat feels tight. Damn it, Darius. Why do you have to weaken my defenses? As a matter of fact, why do all these men have the power to do so?

  “Regardless, I won’t let you risk your life for me.” The prince returns to the original topic—me purifying his magic.

  I throw my hands up in the air. “You’re so frustrating. Don’t you get it? I need to get to Mirus. It’s the only chance I have to find a cure for this disease.”

  “So you can get better,” Kevvan says.

  With a shake of my head, I reply, “No. It’s too late for me. The disease has progressed too far. But it’s not too late for my cousin Adrian, or anyone else who might have it in the early stages.”

  “I don’t accept that,” Darius states simply.

  Placing my hands on my hips, I reply, “Your non-acceptance doesn’t change the reality.”

  “Since I met you, you’ve always been the one to never falter, never give up. Why have you given up on yourself?” he asks.

  I open my mouth to answer, but I can’t find the words. Is he right? Have I given up on myself?

  Hard footsteps on the level above us break my train of thought, and a sense of alarm takes hold of me.

  “I thought you said no one knew about this place besides you and the prince.” Reo assumes a defensive stance, eyeing the platform.

  “No one should know.” The prince walks toward the stairs with Darius by his side.

  When Princess Esmeralda appears on the edge, I can hear a collective release of breath.

  “How did you find us?” the prince asks.

  “Oh, you thought I didn’t know about your secret lab?” She raises an arrogant eyebrow and smirks at her brother.

  “Obviously.” Prince Lennox folds his arms in front of his chest and proceeds to glower at the teen.

  Apparently unbothered by her brother’s scowl, Princess Esmeralda takes the stairs down toward us. When she steps onto our level, she reaches behind her mask and unties the knot. Her mask comes down, proving that I was right. She’s very young, maybe even younger than I originally pegged her to be. She’s also extremely pretty. I look like a boring broom next to her.

  “What are you doing?” Prince Lennox asks, alarmed.

  “Why do I have to keep wearing my mask when you have already lost yours? I don’t have anything to hide.”

  “Why did you come here? Did something happen?” Darius interrupts the royal siblings’ bicker.

  “Of course something happened. I wouldn’t have climbed all those stairs for nothing.” She waves her hand to emphasize her point.

  “Are you going to spill it on your own, or does someone have to tip you over?” Reo asks, clearly showing he has zero patience left to give.

  The princess twists her face into a scowl, huffing a little. Her expression of disdain reminds me of my cousin Sabrina, and, in consequence, of Adrian, too. An invisible dagger twists into my chest, piercing skin and bone. Massaging my chest to get rid of the phantom pain won’t help, but I try just the same.

  “We’ve received a skull-encrypted message from Gillikin Country,” the princess continues. “The Aerial Kingdom has fallen.”

  In the blink of an eye, what was once an already heavily charged atmosphere becomes impregnated with a great sense of doom.

  Prince Lennox’s face blanches. “No.”

  “Impossible,” Darius mumbles.

  “Shit.” Reo runs a hand through his hair, his eyes seriously troubled.

  “Ally?” I ask.

  The prince pierces me with his hard blue gaze. “Our biggest ally.
Without them, we’re lost.”

  2

  Dorothy

  “Are you sure about that?” Kevvan asks, the only one who doesn’t look like the world is ending despite his current panic-prone nature.

  Prince Lennox pinches his eyebrows together and faces my friend as if he’s gone mad. “That the Aerial Kingdom is our biggest ally? I’m damn sure of that.”

  Kevvan blinks a couple of times, seeming a little lost by the prince’s reply. “My question was meant for the princess.”

  “That’s what the message said,” Princess Esmeralda replies with a tap of her heel on the floor and a scowl for the ages.

  “What did the message say exactly?” Darius asks.

  Sighing loudly, she stares at the ceiling for a second and puts her hands on her hips. When she faces us again, she’s the epitome of a pissed-off teenager who is about to throw a tantrum. I hope not. We have enough mercurial personalities in this group as is. Adding royal brat to the mix would be as explosive as throwing batteries into a fire.

  She takes the time to aim a few glowers in Reo and Kevvan’s direction before answering, “The Raven Witch launched a massive attack on all major cities in the countries still opposing her. The Aerial Kingdom took the brunt of it. Now, the mayor of Gillikin Country can’t get ahold of anyone in the Cloud Palace.”

  “But did the message actually spell out the words, ‘The Aerial Kingdom has fallen’?” Reo presses, his eyes narrowing slightly.

  “Yes! I’m not a child. I know what I read.”

  “Who sent the message?” Darius moves closer to his cousin, speaking in a calm manner, as if he’s afraid to offend the princess to the point of no return.

  “Mayor Guyere.”

  Darius trades a meaningful glance with the prince. The princess doesn’t miss it.

  “What?” she snaps.

  With a wave of his hand, the prince replies, “Mayor Guyere is a fickle man, prone to exaggeration. It’s possible he’s making things worse than they truly are.”