Left Hand Magic (35 page)
Authors: Nancy A. Collins
“You’re right,” I said with a sigh. “I just can’t help feeling sorry for her. Skal was a piece of shit, but his mother still loved him, even though she was no longer willing to shield him. But she doesn’t know what really happened to him, just like Bayard’s family will never know.”
“Speaking of which, I saw to it that the ‘missing funds’ from the KUP treasury were redistributed between the young centaur’s herd and Jarl’s widow,” Lady Syra reported. “Anonymously, of course.”
“What about Gus?” I asked.
“Since he was a Teamster, the union paid for his funeral and the ferryman,” she explained. “But I made sure he will have a proper monument in Necropolis. I did the same for Quid. Hopefully it will be enough to put their spirits to rest.”
“What about Esau?” I asked uneasily. “Do you think he’ll ever come back?”
“That is always a possibility,” the Witch Queen conceded. “After all, he’s not really dead—just trapped in another dimension. A really
unpleasant
one at that, from what you described.” She clucked her tongue in reproach. “He should have known better than to antagonize a demon, especially a Knight of the Infernal Court. They don’t forget insults, no matter how slight.”
unpleasant
one at that, from what you described.” She clucked her tongue in reproach. “He should have known better than to antagonize a demon, especially a Knight of the Infernal Court. They don’t forget insults, no matter how slight.”
“Do you miss him?”
Lady Syra glanced up at me, surprised by the question. “Yes, I guess I do. But I’ve been missing my brother for a long, long time. The Esau you cast into the hell he so richly deserved was not the one I grew up with. Ever since he lost poor Nita, he was never the same. . . .”
“Yeah, about that,” Hexe said, clearing his throat. “How is it that no one in the family ever mentioned Esau’s wife when I was growing up? It probably wouldn’t have changed how he treated me, but at least I would have had a better understanding of why he was such a miserable bastard.”
Lady Syra took a deep breath and let it out in a long, sad sigh. “It all happened so long ago, sweetie, years before you were born. Nita was a lovely woman, in both body and spirit. She was also a healer, by the way, and worked alongside Esau on his projects. He loved her so terribly, terribly much. When the psychic surgeons pronounced her brain-dead after what happened, he went quite mad for a while. That’s when Father decided to make me the Heir Apparent, of course. Esau recovered somewhat, after that, but he had become an adherent to the Left Hand Path, and we learned it was better never to mention Nita’s name around him. After a while, we stopped talking about her altogether. It was far less stressful that way.” Syra straightened up and clapped her hands, as if to dispel the old memories. “But enough about such sad things!” she exclaimed. “Let’s talk about something more cheerful! So, my dear, I hear you’ve been left destitute!”
“Mom!”
Hexe groaned in embarrassment.
Hexe groaned in embarrassment.
“It’s okay, baby.” I laughed. “It’s no big secret that my parents cut off my trust fund. I’ve landed a job working metal at Chiron’s blacksmith shop. It’s hard work, but I think I’m starting to get used to it.”
“It’s good to know that you can still make the rent,” she said with a chuckle. “But look at it this way—you may have lost a fortune, but you’ve gained magical powers! It might not be a win-win, but at least you’ve come out even.”
“Mr. Manto has this theory that my living in Golgotham, surrounded by magic, has triggered some latent ‘uncanny’ trait,” I explained. “He says I am touched by Hephaestus, the Blacksmith of the Gods, and that’s why I have the power to bring anything I create out of metal to life. Maybe he’s right. After all, the first Eresby who came to this country was the son of a blacksmith.”
“I always thought that Cyber-Panther of yours had a special spark,” Hexe said. “The other sculptures were merely animate, but it seemed to possess something resembling awareness.”
“Well, if your parents are foolish enough to cast you aside, then you’re more than welcome here.” Lady Syra smiled, reaching across the booth and giving my hand a squeeze.
I opened my mouth, but the tightness at the back of my throat made it impossible for me to speak. So I simply smiled, blinking back the tears that threatened to spill from my eyes, and squeezed her hand in return.
“So, you’re giving us your blessing? I thought you were worried about the ramifications of the next Witch King taking a human as his consort?” Hexe said.
“That was before you told me you saw a corona about her head,” she replied, her manner suddenly quite serious. “What you described is known as the Crown of Adon. It is a phenomenon that appears only to heirs to the throne and, even then, not to all of them.
“As you know, Adon was the ancient Kymeran goddess of love, mother to the first Witch King and protectress of the royal family. According to the Scroll of the Dragon Oracle, when a Witch King or Witch Queen is in the presence of the one the goddess has chosen for them, the Crown of Adon appears above their head as you described it—but only they, and they alone, can see it.
“Sadly, not every heir to the throne receives this vision. My father did not see a halo above my mother’s head, nor did my grandfather see one above my grandmother’s, and so forth, going back for centuries. Because so many of our ancestors have been denied this vision, the Crown of Adon has been labeled ‘apocryphal.’ But I know it is real, because I saw it shine above your father’s head the first time I laid eyes on him—and I still see it every time I look at him. Basically, what I’m trying to say is that you two are meant to be together, and no one, Kymeran or human, should keep you apart. Now, if you don’t mind, I think I will go take my own advice.” With that, Lady Syra slid out of the booth and made her way to the bar, where she slid her hand through the crook of Captain Horn’s arm.
“My dad’s a
cop
?” Hexe gasped in disbelief.
cop
?” Hexe gasped in disbelief.
“Your mother looks very happy,” I said, reaching over and pushing his jaw shut.
“Yes, she does,” he agreed, slipping an arm about my shoulders. “And, for once, I think I understand how she feels. I believe this calls for a drink, don’t you?” He laughed, motioning for one of the waitresses to come take our order.
The waitress, a buxom nymph dressed in a short skirt and a tight-fitting T-shirt bearing the Two-Headed Calf’s logo, hurried forward.
“Hi, my name is Eurydice. I’ll be your server tonight. Would you like to see our new menus?” she asked, handing us a pair of laminated trifolds.
Hexe frowned. “New menus?”
“Lafo decided he wanted to experiment with ethnic food,” the nymph said with a shrug. “To each his own, I guess.”
I opened up the menu, glossing over the familiar descriptions for Pig’s Face and Cabbage, Five Kinds of Snake Soup, and Fried Clams Sundae, wondering what could possibly be considered “ethnic food” in a Kymeran restaurant. I got my answer as my gaze dropped to the bottom. I blinked in surprise, my contentment now tempered by a touch of dismay.
Funny how a single word like “cheeseburger” can change everything.
Golgotham Glossary
Abdabs:
The frights/terrors; any number of creatures known for harassing/frightening humans. Used in Kymeran slang to connote annoyance, as in “Bloody abdabs!”
The frights/terrors; any number of creatures known for harassing/frightening humans. Used in Kymeran slang to connote annoyance, as in “Bloody abdabs!”
Ambi:
Someone who practices both Right and Left Hand disciplines.
Someone who practices both Right and Left Hand disciplines.
Bastet:
A shape-shifting race taking the form of different big cats, such as tiger, lion, and panther. Also known as the Children of Bast.
A shape-shifting race taking the form of different big cats, such as tiger, lion, and panther. Also known as the Children of Bast.
Cacozealot:
Someone suffering from misdirected zeal; an extremist devoted to the Left Hand Path.
Someone suffering from misdirected zeal; an extremist devoted to the Left Hand Path.
Centauride:
A female centaur; also known as a centau-ress.
A female centaur; also known as a centau-ress.
Charmer:
A wizard who creates charms for a living.
A wizard who creates charms for a living.
Chuff/Chuffing/Chuffed:
Euphemism for sexual intercourse.
Euphemism for sexual intercourse.
Come-hither:
A spell that calls a man or woman against his or her will, often during sleep or in an altered state of consciousness. Because of this, the subjects of come-hithers rarely have any memory of what happened to them once the spell is lifted. This spell is a favorite of date rapists and stalkers.
A spell that calls a man or woman against his or her will, often during sleep or in an altered state of consciousness. Because of this, the subjects of come-hithers rarely have any memory of what happened to them once the spell is lifted. This spell is a favorite of date rapists and stalkers.
Client:
Humans who pay to consult Kymeran witches and warlocks for any number of reasons.
Humans who pay to consult Kymeran witches and warlocks for any number of reasons.
Croggy:
A subordinate or acolyte.
A subordinate or acolyte.
Crossed:
Also known as cursed, afflicted, hexed, jinxed.
Also known as cursed, afflicted, hexed, jinxed.
Dexter/Dexie:
Someone who practices Right Hand magic, such as lifting curses and curing ailments. Right Hand magic is protective/defensive, as opposed to Left Hand magic, which is malicious/offensive.
Someone who practices Right Hand magic, such as lifting curses and curing ailments. Right Hand magic is protective/defensive, as opposed to Left Hand magic, which is malicious/offensive.
Dowser:
A psychic who specializes in finding lost things or locating fresh water.
A psychic who specializes in finding lost things or locating fresh water.
Fecker:
A contemptible person.
A contemptible person.
Gladeye:
The opposite of the Evil Eye. A charm that casts good fortune and success, especially in love and business, and protects against curses.
The opposite of the Evil Eye. A charm that casts good fortune and success, especially in love and business, and protects against curses.
Hamadryad:
A shy, seldom-seen nature-spirit who lives inside one particular tree, such as an oak, birch, ash, or sycamore. Because of the urban nature of New York City, only a handful of hamadryads live in Golgotham.
A shy, seldom-seen nature-spirit who lives inside one particular tree, such as an oak, birch, ash, or sycamore. Because of the urban nature of New York City, only a handful of hamadryads live in Golgotham.
Heavy Lifter:
One who can lift malignant curses.
One who can lift malignant curses.
Hedger:
Short for “hedgewitch” or “hedge doctor”; a wizard specializing in herbal treatments of various illnesses.
Short for “hedgewitch” or “hedge doctor”; a wizard specializing in herbal treatments of various illnesses.
Huldra:
Female member of the huldrefolk, one of the supernatural races living in Golgotham. They resemble beautiful young women, except for the cow tails growing from the base of their spines. The males of their kind, known as huldu, appear as handsome men, except for the tails of bulls growing from the base of their spines.
Female member of the huldrefolk, one of the supernatural races living in Golgotham. They resemble beautiful young women, except for the cow tails growing from the base of their spines. The males of their kind, known as huldu, appear as handsome men, except for the tails of bulls growing from the base of their spines.
Inflicted:
The state of having an illness or spate of misfortune supernatural in origin.
The state of having an illness or spate of misfortune supernatural in origin.
Inflictions:
A number of spiteful/socially embarrassing medical illnesses and physical conditions that are the result of supernatural agents. These curses mimic genuine physical and mental illnesses, such as cancer or schizophrenia, and require a diagnosis by a Kymeran healer. If the illness is natural in origin, the client is referred to a doctor. Also referred to as afflictions.
A number of spiteful/socially embarrassing medical illnesses and physical conditions that are the result of supernatural agents. These curses mimic genuine physical and mental illnesses, such as cancer or schizophrenia, and require a diagnosis by a Kymeran healer. If the illness is natural in origin, the client is referred to a doctor. Also referred to as afflictions.
Ipotane:
One of the supernatural races found in Golgotham. Humans from the waist up, they are horses from the waist down. Unlike centaurs, they have only two legs. They are often mistaken for satyrs, much to their disgust.
One of the supernatural races found in Golgotham. Humans from the waist up, they are horses from the waist down. Unlike centaurs, they have only two legs. They are often mistaken for satyrs, much to their disgust.
Juggler:
Someone who is known as a competent practitioner of both Right and Left Hand magic.
Someone who is known as a competent practitioner of both Right and Left Hand magic.
Lifter:
A witch or warlock who specializes in lifting curses.
A witch or warlock who specializes in lifting curses.
Ligature:
Magical binding using knotted cords that prevents someone from physically doing something.
Magical binding using knotted cords that prevents someone from physically doing something.
Maenads:
One of the supernatural races living in Golgotham. Maenads are female followers of Dionysius, the Greek god of wine. They go into ecstatic frenzies during which they lose all self-control and engage in sexual orgies, ritualistically hunt down wild animals (and occasionally men and children), tear them to pieces, and devour the raw flesh.
One of the supernatural races living in Golgotham. Maenads are female followers of Dionysius, the Greek god of wine. They go into ecstatic frenzies during which they lose all self-control and engage in sexual orgies, ritualistically hunt down wild animals (and occasionally men and children), tear them to pieces, and devour the raw flesh.
Misanthrope:
An antihuman bigot.
An antihuman bigot.
Munted:
Extremely drunk or otherwise intoxicated.
Extremely drunk or otherwise intoxicated.
Nump:
A fool. A derogatory racial slur directed at humans.
A fool. A derogatory racial slur directed at humans.
Peddler:
Short for “charm peddler”—a wizard who specializes in selling charmed objects for commercial gain.
Short for “charm peddler”—a wizard who specializes in selling charmed objects for commercial gain.
Pissing Contest:
A magic battle between drunken wizards.
A magic battle between drunken wizards.
PTU:
Short for Paranormal Threat Unit, a separate branch of the NYPD in charge of policing Golgotham and responding to paranormal/supernatural events throughout the triborough area.
Short for Paranormal Threat Unit, a separate branch of the NYPD in charge of policing Golgotham and responding to paranormal/supernatural events throughout the triborough area.
Pusher:
Short for “potion pusher”—a wizard who specializes in selling love potions, untraceable poisons, etc., for commercial gain.
Short for “potion pusher”—a wizard who specializes in selling love potions, untraceable poisons, etc., for commercial gain.
Satyr:
One of the supernatural races living in Golgotham. Satyrs are humans from the waist up; goats from the waist down. They also sport horns on their heads. They are notorious for being prone to gambling, drinking, and kidnapping beautiful women. Female satyrs are called fauns.
One of the supernatural races living in Golgotham. Satyrs are humans from the waist up; goats from the waist down. They also sport horns on their heads. They are notorious for being prone to gambling, drinking, and kidnapping beautiful women. Female satyrs are called fauns.
Slinging Blind:
Casting spells without regard to safety, usually due to panic or intoxication.
Casting spells without regard to safety, usually due to panic or intoxication.
Talent:
A natural magic ability, applying both to humans and Kymerans.
A natural magic ability, applying both to humans and Kymerans.
Widdershins:
The direction in which a curse must be turned in order to undo it.
The direction in which a curse must be turned in order to undo it.
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