Natural Mage (Magical Mayhem Trilogy, #2)

by K.F. Breene

Magic jumped and danced within the room, all different colors and patterns. Swirls and mini-explosions, it was beauty in movement. I felt his body against mine, the silk at my back, the heated air between us and the chill beyond. I felt connected, utterly. Balanced, completely. At one with him and my surroundings.

“What the hell?” Reagan shouted through the door. “You get a boyfriend and suddenly I can’t kick open your door without breaking shit? That ain’t right, Penny. That ain’t right.

“Obviously no regrets, but with all the hubbub the world makes about losing your virginity, you’d think there would be balloons and dancing monkeys or something. But nope, just some pain, eventually followed by soreness.”

We know to listen to my mother. Man, did you just hear what I said? And to think, I thought one day I wouldn’t have to. Congratulations, universe, you win.”

“Let’s see how he likes secrets. And it’s day, so when the shenanigans wake him up, he’ll be half panicked, knowing I did something stupid.” “You two have such a strange relationship.”

“Your turn to play strongman, huh?” Reagan wrinkled her nose and put up her hands. “There is something else out that way. Do you see it?” “What do you mean, my turn to play strongman?” I waited by his door. “Dual-mages.” She waggled her finger in our direction. “You switch off the different hats, right?” “We’re not a dual-mage.” She put up her hand to block the sun. “Not yet, but something changed after you left the bar. You’re acting like the Bankses. I can see it. Hell, I can feel constant shifting between you. It’s pleasant. I like when your rage shifts around. That’s the most fun.”

“It’s for show. Let’s go, Emery. Your lady love is about to lose it.” “Oh, I’ve lost it. It’s gone. Long gone. And you know what?”

Emery might not have meant it at the time, but his advice to focus on my will was the most important advice he ever could’ve given me.

There was no time to marvel at the crazy chick who had a lot more power than anticipated. Even knowing what she was, I was awe-struck. It was time to catch these mages with their pants down.

Reagan had a very strange imagination. Weirder, even, than mine.

I needed less heinous spells. Killing someone didn’t have to be so colorful.

We would’ve never been able to do this without her. Not with all the vampires, shifters, and mages who were friendly to us in New Orleans. She was our ace in the hole. More powerful than anyone in the Brink, I had no doubt. And the only way we’d have a prayer of taking down the Mages’ Guild permanently. Emery and I owed her our lives and our freedoms,

Her path has been set. Her journey is in motion. He will complete the pyramid of power. The curse breaker will join the oath takers and forge a bond in blood. It is in this union that the way forward shall be writ. That they shall all learn their highest level of power, and balance the kingdom. Reagan’s was the path that had been set, because it was my journey in motion. Emery completed our pyramid of power. I stopped and scanned the field littered with enemy bodies. Emery and I were still learning to work together. We hadn’t even boosted our power by officially joining as a dual-mage team. Reagan, too, was still learning, if what she’d said earlier was true. And together we’d downed an army. Shivers coated my body. Pyramid of power, indeed. Reagan fell to her hands and knees.

his brother had always said women were stronger in the field, their strength of will hardier than the roots of an oak, pushing them past their own distress to help those around them. “That’s why God gave the gift of birth to woman,” his brother always said, “because he could trust in mothers the most.”

“Darius will never let me near one of his cars again.” Penny followed her gaze. “But, I mean…that’s fair, I feel like. You ruin every one of them.”

“That would all have been doable, but let’s be honest, I know those parts of my magic pretty well. This was a great opportunity to practice my less-used powers. I figured I’d go for it. Fool the brain with the eyes, further confuse the brain with solid walls they could no longer see, trapping them in, then kill them with the fire dragons—”

Penny backed up. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Don’t include me in your crazy.” “Too late. Your mother said I should.”

Reagan’s smile, which had sprouted when Penny slapped at her hand, grew. “You get me.” “No, I don’t.” “You do. You get me.” “I don’t even get what you’re talking about. I just stated facts. And asked questions.”

“Training is going to get a lot worse now that she can show all her powers,” Penny mumbled. “See?” Reagan took her phone from her back pocket. “This is why I love Penny. I create a huge illusion, with fire-spitting dragons—” “More like Dumbo’s un-talked-about uncle—” Penny mumbled. “—move fire through the air, lift her in the air, and all she can think about is how I’ll torment her in training.” “That’s a strange reason to love someone.” Penny

“It’s far from over,” he said, connecting eyes with Penny. “Either we keep running, or we do forcefully what my brother tried to do delicately. Either we spend our life in the wild, or we stand our ground, ask our friends for help, and claim the ultimate vengeance for our loved ones.”

“It isn’t the ultimate vengeance. It’s doing the right thing. We have to tear it down, yes, but so it can be rebuilt. We have the power to do it, and the scars to make it personal—those things make it our responsibility.” Penny shifted, her stance widening. Magic whispered around them, blending in with the breeze. “This time, they came to us. Next time…” Reagan smiled. “We go to them,” Emery

“Good girl.” Then, to ruin the moment, “Do not get pregnant or I will kill you. With my bare hands.”

He handled my crazy with laughter, and I ignored most everything he did unless it pertained directly to me,

“Worst case, we’ll just sic Darius’s girlfriend on him. She’ll be more than happy to ruin his life.”

“I simply stated my observation that men who stand on street corners and gawk at women might someday find themselves castrated and thrown down a well.”

In that moment, I saw it. His eyes flicked to her and softened, the deep light of emotion shining within them. A small smile curved her lips. While she always tried to make his life hell, and he tried to manipulate hers, they were doing it out of mutual adoration. Their relationship was still weird. Strong and deep, sure, but still weird.

I frowned at them and opened my mouth to interject, but Marie flashed me a hard stare and Callie lightly shook her head. Emery took my hand, and I could tell something was at work that I didn’t understand. As usual. I’d be surprised the day I did understand everything.

I have gleaned, we are heading into some turbulent times.” Her gaze rooted to Reagan. “This happens in cycles, of course. Powers awaken, or are found…” Reagan’s eyes started to burn now, but Ja just smiled. “Stands are made. Agendas pushed. Kingdoms toppled. Darius is amassing some serious players in anticipation of what’s to come, as any well-positioned elder ought to. I am late to the game.”