Magic Void Read online

  “You don’t know that.” Princess Esmeralda pulls at her sleeves in a jerky manner, reminding me of myself. I tend to fidget with clothing or inane objects when I’m feeling cornered or nervous, too.

  “I hate to agree with Royal Pain. The Aerial Kingdom is too strong, plus Queen Orin is the Air Witch. They wouldn’t fall so easily,” Reo says.

  “Royal Pain?” The prince raises an eyebrow.

  Darius shakes his head. “Everyone gets a nickname with that one. His is Metal Pants.”

  While the group is getting distracted by unimportant things, such as nicknames, my brain is whirring. It’s no coincidence the attack to Emerald City’s strongest ally came a day after the Raven Witch almost breached through the barrier of the city of emeralds.

  “Lack of communication doesn’t mean annihilation. If the attack was full-blown, their infrastructure was most likely compromised,” I say.

  The prince stares without blinking, analyzing either me or what I said. I don’t know which one makes me feel more on display.

  “Dorothy is right. We must find another way to communicate with them. They might need assistance.”

  “And how do you plan to do that if their communications are cut off?” Reo asks.

  Prince Lennox turns to Darius. “With a little help of alchemy.”

  I still don’t comprehend exactly how the study of alchemy can grant Darius magical powers. I have a vague idea of how it works, but the study of it was considered by most on New Earth a fable pursued only by the unhinged.

  Reo lets out a grunt, and his face twists into a grimace. He presses his open palm against the metal plaque embedded to the side of his head as he takes a wobbly sidestep to his right, reaching a table nearby. He leans against it while his body hunches forward.

  “What’s wrong with him?” Princess Esmeralda asks.

  Worried that Reo will collapse at any moment, I move in his direction. It’s possible Prince Lennox’s magic did more damage to him than we originally thought.

  I stop in front of him. “Reo? Are you all right?”

  He doesn’t answer right away. I want to take his hand, touch him somehow, but something holds me back.

  “Stay away.” His reply comes out as a strangled growl.

  “You’re in pain. Let me help you.” Ignoring my self-preservation instinct, I attempt to grab his arm, but he flinches out of my reach.

  “Damn it, Dorothy. Why can’t you ever listen?” He pierces me with a stare as brittle and cold as ice.

  Crack. A dark fissure appears on the shield around my heart. I can’t let him see it, so I lift my chin with jaw locked tight.

  The agony shining in his eyes—even his bionic one, which, at the moment, is just as dark as his human eye—is hard to miss. The eerie blue light that indicates the digital composition of it is dimmed to the point that it’s almost invisible.

  “Because I’m a glutton for punishment, obviously,” I say.

  The muscles around his mouth tense before he bends over with a loud cry of pain. He’s clutching his head with both hands now.

  Kevvan and Darius both appear on each of my sides, but it’s Darius who takes my hand in his and begins to pull me away from Reo.

  “You should heed to his warning,” he says.

  “We have to help him.” I dig my feet down, refusing to move from my spot.

  A loud gasp from Princess Esmeralda makes me look at her. I find her gaze trained on Reo. Following her line of sight, I catch the bright light coming from the palm of his bionic hand. His weapon has ignited. Why? When Reo lifts his face, he reveals a glowing red, robotic eye. I realize I’m not staring at the man I’ve come to care for. I’m staring at a killing machine.

  REO

  There is no warning, no incoming communication that I could have attempted to block first. For that reason, I can’t hide my reaction to the pain, which is greater than the previous times. My brain feels like it’s swollen, and my skull seems to squeeze tight around it. My employer has never done this before, and for that reason, I know no one here is safe.

  Dorothy comes near, exuding worry and kindness despite what I told her a minute ago. I don’t deserve her concern. All she should have reserved for me is disdain.

  “Stay away from me.” I push the words out, wincing with each syllable.

  She tries to touch me instead, and I want to curse at her, call her names. She’s a foolish girl, but if I hurt her, not even true death will grant me peace.

  “Damn it, Dorothy. Why can’t you ever listen?” I finally bring my eyes to her face, reading so much hurt in her stare that it makes me sick.

  Kevvan and Darius finally come to their senses and attempt to save Dorothy from me. I want to urge Kevvan to throw her over his massive shoulder and bolt out of the lab. I can feel my control slipping away.

  In a last effort to stop what’s happening, I try to call my employer while I can still use my faculties. The low beeping sound in my head, which indicates a communication link attempt, seems to go on forever.

  Finally, her annoyed voice comes through the connection. “You’re too late, cyborg.”

  “Too late for what?”

  She laughs. “You really believed you could hide the truth from me? You’ve found the wizard, but you’ve failed to carry out your mission.”

  “There’s no wizard.”

  “Oh, but there is. And you’re going to kill him whether you want to or not.”

  “No, I won’t.”

  I’m surprised by my statement. Up until that moment, I hadn’t made up my mind about what to do in regard to the wizard.

  “After everything you’ve gone through, I’m a little disappointed about your naivety. Did you really believe I would send my best weapon free without means to control it?”

  Another flash of brutal pain flares through my skull. I double over, clutching my head between my hands. Then, my vision turns red, and the warning that my system is being overridden remotely flashes in the small screen in front of my bionic eye.

  Fuck that bitch.

  Everything becomes clear to me. There aren’t other spies inside Emerald City. My employer somehow established a link to my mainboard, which granted her access to everything I saw, every conversation I had.

  “You’re finally catching up. Too bad you can’t do anything to stop me now.”

  Those are the final words before the command comes.

  KILL THE PRINCE.

  My weapon ignites of its own accord, and my bionic functions take over my human resolve. When I glance up, Dorothy’s expression changes to one of fear. In the back of my head, I register the pain her reaction causes to my human heart, but it’s dulled, thanks to the boss from hell controlling my strings.

  I raise my arm, pointing it at Prince Lennox. With a grunt, I try to stop what’s happening to me, but the will of the machine seems to be stronger than my own. Maybe because I’ve suppressed my human side for far too long.

  “Reo, please, don’t do it,” Dorothy pleads, making me pause.

  I glimpse at her, trying to convey somehow how very sorry I am. Since I met her, I’ve gone out of my way to make her despise me. I wanted her to see the darkness that lurked beneath my skin and metal parts. Ironically, I never wanted her to see me like this—the real monster that Reo Kurogane had become.

  “I can’t stop it,” I say, and every syllable hurts like a mother. “Run.”

  My bionic hand becomes warmer and the low humming louder. In another second, the prince will be toast.

  Why isn’t he moving from the blast range? Is he an idiot?

  “Lennox, get out of the way!” his sister shouts.

  Instead of heeding to her warning, he simply narrows his gaze as if he’s bracing for it. From the corner of my eye, I catch Kevvan moving toward me. He’s going to tackle me, but I fire before he can. The blast leaves my hand a split second before my body takes the brunt of a feral beast pounce. I fall on my side with the hellioncat on top of me. The roar of the blast’s impact
makes my ears pound, turning Dorothy’s and Princess Esmeralda’s screams into an unintelligible buzz.

  The acrid smell of smoke fills my nostrils, which makes no sense.

  I have a vague notion of fighting to break free from Kevvan’s hold, but despite my superhuman strength, I’m not a match for the hellioncat.

  “Stop fighting me, you fool,” Kevvan grunts.

  “I can’t,” I breathe out. “She’s controlling me.”

  “Who?” he asks.

  “You must render me unconscious,” I say.

  Kevvan is pressing the side of my face against the cold floor, preventing me from seeing what’s going on around me. A pair of fancy boots comes running toward us, which my system immediately associates with a threat. I buckle and thrash more savagely than before. Kevvan loses his hold on me, sliding off to the side. I manage to sit up, ready to fire at whoever comes at me.

  The last thing I see is Darius’s bright blue energy sphere careening in my direction.

  3

  Dorothy

  The air is heavy with an almost impenetrable feeling of doom. No one has spoken a word since we entered Prince Lennox’s private meeting chamber. Most of us are sitting at a round table, a group of dejected individuals who seem to be trapped in our own turbulent thoughts.

  Despite dealing with the aftermath of events that are now yanking my convictions in opposite directions, my brain has found the time to notice the intricate design of mandalas and flowers on the table. Fucking squirrel brain.

  Prince Lennox is in front of a cabinet of glass shelves and mirror panels, stocked from top to bottom with different bottles of liquor. A green marble counter juts out from the cabinet, featuring a collection of crystal decanters of varying sizes. Almost absentmindedly, the prince selects one with a dark liquid. The glass is completely full when he brings it to his lips and drinks it all in one gulp.

  “Do you think getting drunk is wise, brother?” Princess Esmeralda asks.

  The prince turns, holding in his hand the empty glass. “Considering I was almost pulverized by a cyborg, I’d say one drink is warranted.”

  “You should be glad Darius’s invention worked,” the princess grumbles, folding her arms in front of her chest.

  Prince Lennox glances at the metal bracelet on his arm, which was concealed before by his jacket’s long sleeve. He has now ditched the outer garment and rolled up the sleeves of the silk shirt he had underneath, displaying not only the thick gold bracelet on his left wrist, but also corded muscles I couldn’t have guessed he possessed.

  I didn’t understand why the prince had stood his ground when Reo pointed his weaponized hand in his direction. Only when Reo fired and Prince Lennox raised his energy shield did his motivation become clear. The bracelet created the translucent protection, which blocked the laser blast from Reo’s weapon. The shot ricocheted, hitting the table behind Reo instead. If Kevvan hadn’t tackled him to the ground, Reo would have been hit by his own blast.

  “Do you think that Reo was working for the Raven Witch?” Kevvan peers at me, his eyes full-on displaying his concern.

  Another chink appears on my invisible armor. Could Reo be working for our enemy? So many possibilities, so many doubts. And yet, I can’t voice them.

  “No,” I answer.

  “How do you know?” Darius angles his body to mine.

  “If he were, he wouldn’t have helped us restore the protective shield surrounding Emerald City.” The reasoning easily rolls off my tongue, but I know it’s not solid proof that Reo isn’t working for the witch.

  Darius lets out a shaky breath and rubs his face. “I don’t know what to think anymore. He said she was controlling him. If not the Raven Witch, who would want Lennox dead?”

  I tap my fingers against the table, becoming inexplicably wrapped up in the geometric design on the surface. Why am I unwilling to accept that Reo is in cahoots with the big villain of the story?

  “We’ll ask him when he comes around,” I reply, lacking conviction.

  “Are you sure you want him to wake up?” Kevvan leans his elbows on the table, giving me a meaningful glance. “We don’t know if he won’t still be under his owner’s control.”

  My mind rebels against that thought. But I’m not sure if he will ever regain control. Most cyborgs I’ve come across were under the employ of the Star Freedom Alliance and no longer owners of their own destiny. It was foolish of me to believe Reo was free from someone’s grasp. Maybe it was only my wishful thinking. Maybe I wanted to believe he still had possession of his own conscience.

  “The Raven Witch is not behind this attack on my life.” Prince Lennox refills his glass and then sloshes the drink around the crystal container as he stares at it. “She doesn’t want me dead. She wants me to join her.”

  The tightness around my heart lessens—an illogical reaction. Reo is still under the control of someone with nefarious intentions.

  “That presents an even bigger problem then,” Princess Esmeralda says. When all eyes are on her, she continues. “Whoever was controlling the cyborg now knows about Lennox’s secret. We have no choice but to bring Reo back and try to find out who she is. We can’t let anyone else know about my brother’s lineage.”

  “Forgive me, but why is that so terrible?” I ask.

  Darius and Princess Esmeralda look at me as if I have lost my mind.

  “I mean, why would Prince Lennox be held responsible for the actions of his mother?” I amend.

  Darius opens his mouth to reply, but the prince answers first. “Look at me, Dorothy.” He points at the green blemish on his face. “This is the sign that I’m as wicked as she is.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “The tainted magic turned the Raven Witch’s skin green. Everyone in Oz associates that as the mark of evil,” Darius explains.

  “The Red Witch was as white as a ghost. Why didn’t she turn green?” I watch Darius first and then switch my attention to Prince Lennox.

  “She wasn’t exposed to the same crystals the Raven Witch was.” The prince takes a sip of his drink. “Even the crystals you recovered from her body and then were able to purify weren’t as powerful as the ones the Raven Witch possesses. It’s the reason I can’t let you attempt to purify my magic.”

  I stand up, feeling restless and impotent. Two conditions I hate.

  “I’m going to see Reo,” I announce.

  “What? Are you crazy?” Darius says, getting up from his chair as well.

  “I can’t just sit here and do nothing.”

  “Then, I’m coming with you.” Darius moves to my side, determination etched on his face.

  “You should stay, cousin,” Prince Lennox chimes in. “You must attempt to contact the Aerial Kingdom, using your magic. Our other problems have not suddenly vanished because we’ve gained new ones.”

  Darius’s expression falls as swiftly as his resolve vanishes. He’s worried about me, and he should be. Going after Reo without knowing who I’ll find is not the safest decision—not by a long shot. But Darius has responsibilities, and that should trump affection. Always.

  My conscience laughs in a derisive manner. I’m such a hypocrite. I can’t remember the last time I put duty over love.

  “I’ll come with you, Dorothy,” Kevvan offers.

  With a clench of his jaw, Darius looks at his cousin. “What do you want to do about Reo?”

  The prince finishes his drink before replying. “I dislike the notion of bringing Reo back from his induced sleep, but we need answers only he can provide.” He unclasps his special bracelet and walks toward me. “Take this,” he says, offering me the gadget. “I can’t order my guards to accompany you. We must keep what happened in the lab a secret. But I can’t let any harm come to you, either.”

  “I can protect Dorothy,” Kevvan replies.

  Prince Lennox glances briefly in his direction. “I’m sure you can, but extra precautions can’t hurt.”

  I inspect the accessory before clasping i
t above my medical bracelet. “How does it work?”

  The prince moves closer, invading my personal space. “Press this button to activate the shield.”

  His proximity makes me uncomfortable, but mostly because Darius is in the room, and honestly, the prince didn’t need to get that close to show me how his device operates. I chance a glance at Darius, and sure enough, he’s glowering at his cousin.

  I take a step back when the prince won’t. “Thank you.”

  “Do you still remember the way?” he asks.

  “Yes.”

  I make a motion to turn, but the prince holds my hand. “Wait. You need a key to open the door.”

  From underneath his shirt, Prince Lennox pulls a silver chain from which an adorned key hangs. He takes the jewelry off and places it around my neck himself, once again coming awfully close.

  He takes the key into his hand and runs his index finger over the small emerald at its center. “This is no ordinary key. There’s magic inside the emerald.”

  Licking my suddenly dry lips, I croak, “Will it work even for those who don’t have magic?”

  His lips twist into a grin. “No. But you and I know you do have some type of magic.”

  I make the mistake of lifting my eyes to his. Not a trace of the red remains, but it doesn’t mean his stare is devoid of mischief. I swallow hard, pulling the key from his grasp and increasing the distance between us with a back step.

  “Well, we shall see,” I say.

  “Is it me, or did the room just get warmer all of a sudden?” Princess Esmeralda fans herself with her hand, and in my current state, it takes me a few seconds to grasp her meaning. She’s totally implying that there’s something going on between her brother and me.

  To hide my consternation, I clear my throat and then face the girl, making sure I don’t glimpse in Darius’s direction. “If it doesn’t work, I’ll come back. Good luck trying to contact your allies.”

  With Kevvan by my side, I take the secret passageway that brought us to the prince’s chamber after we secured Reo in his current location. We couldn’t leave him in the lab and risk him waking up and destroying everything. So, with Kevvan’s help, we brought Reo to a different section of the palace, accessible via narrow stairs and hallways only a few people know about. The secret chamber had been designed to function as a panic room, a place for the royal family to hide if the palace was ever invaded.