Devon Monk - Magic in the Shadows

I pushed that unwanted thought and the ghost of a life I had not lived back behind the wall in my head.

“You sure you’re okay?” Stotts asked.

“Yeah,” I said. “Why?”

“You’re crying.”

Startled, I wiped the tear I had not felt off my face. “It’s just the wind,” I said.

I don’t know if he believed me, but he didn’t say any more as I watched, helpless hands deep in my pockets, as Violet and Kevin hurried through the rain to their car, got in, and drove away.

“ I’m going to go talk to Davy before he catches pneumonia,” I said to Stotts. It was as good an excuse as any to get out from under Stotts’ notice. Plus, Davy looked miserable out there.

“If you need me-”

“I’ll be right over there. If I need you, you’ll know. But I won’t. Davy’s a nice kid.” I headed down the gazebo stairs.

“Even nice kids do bad things,” Stotts said.

I ignored him and took a deep breath. The sharp, wet air filled my lungs and hurt a little. It felt good. Cleansing. Too bad I couldn’t inhale with my brain.

Davy didn’t move as I approached, which was a little weird. I wondered whether he was asleep on his feet. I hurried, and was just a few feet away when he spoke.

“What is it with you and Hounding in the rain?” he asked.

“Nobody told you to stand in it,” I said. “You could just sit in your car. You did drive over, right?”

“Yeah.” The way he had the hood of his coat drawn up, I couldn’t make out more than his chin, lips, and the tip of his nose.

“What are you doing here, Silvers?” I asked.

He finally moved, tilting his head so the low morning light could cast gray pallor over his skin.

“My job.” He smiled slightly, then winced like it hurt. As well it should. There was a reason he was hiding his face. A black and red bruise spread across his right cheek, and his eye was swollen shut.

“What happened to your face?” I asked. “Start a brawl at the pub last night?”

“I don’t start brawls; I end them.” He tried the smile again, but thought better of it. “But no. I caught up with Tomi last night.” He shrugged, like that should explain everything. Problem was, I didn’t know very much about his ex-girlfriend except she was a Hound who didn’t like the buddy system Pike had set up. Oh, and she hated me.

“And?” I prompted.

“We didn’t agree on a few things.”

“What things?”

“Me having depth perception for a few days.”

I blew out air, exasperated. “Davy. Don’t make me pull this out of you. Did she do this to you?”

He hitched one shoulder, uncomfortable. “We. .” He paused, looked off at Stotts, and I swear I saw fear cross his face.

“What, Davy?” I said, softer now, trying to coax it out of him nice-like, and resisting the urge to just yell at the boy until he told me what the hell was going on. “Tell me what she did, okay?” I could Influence him. It would be easy. A word, a tone, and a little magic, and he’d tell me anything I wanted to know. Would do anything I wanted him to do. But Influence was one of my dad’s favorite moves, and I didn’t want to be my dad any more than I had to be.

“What were you talking to her about? Your breakup?”

He sniffed and rubbed his hand down over his lips and chin.

“It wasn’t about that. We never-she never-wants to talk about that. It’s over, you know?”

“So why did you go talk to her?”

“She’s been mixed up with a guy. I think. And I think he’s using her. She says she Hounds for him. . but she’s-she’s a cutter,” he said, and I nodded to let him know I’d already figured that out.

“She’s doing it more. Worse.” He sniffed again and looked out into the rain. Then, finally, back at me. “Something’s wrong. She’s different. Ever since she started doing things, Hounding for him, cutting for him, she’s just not. Not the same.”

I’d seen this before. It was why I’d never gotten into a relationship with a Hound. Using magic meant it used you back. It caused you pain. Most Hounds could not afford to use a Proxy service, which meant most Hounds had to endure the pain of magic use. That led Hounds to a desperate search for pain relief. Booze, drugs, cutting, self-mutilation, food, exercise. Everything in excess. Anything to get away from the pain. Chronic pain management changed people. Then it left them dead.

“Do you want to talk to Stotts about it? Maybe get her into a program and checked out?”

He laughed, a short, hard exhale. “Right. Mr. Dot the i’s and Cross the Police Procedures? It doesn’t work that way. There isn’t a program for Hounds. Rehabs won’t take her-they don’t take anyone who won’t give up Hounding. And me telling her she’s screwed up didn’t work out how I pictured it.” He gave me the painful smile again.

“Listen,” I said. “I’m done with this job except for filing my report. Why don’t you go home? Get some sleep. Take some aspirin for your eye. Call me when you’re feeling better. I’ll take you out for lunch or something. We can talk about Tomi if you want. Try to come up with some ideas to help her.”

“I wasn’t looking for your pity. . ”

“Oh, for cripes’ sake, Davy,” I said calmly. “I don’t pity you. If you’re dumb enough to hunt down your ex-girlfriend and tell her you think she’s screwed up, while you were drunk-and no, there is no way you sobered up between the time I left you and that evening; I’m surprised you could even walk to find her, and I hope to hell you didn’t drive-then you should have known she would try to deck you.

“But you are my right-hand man in the pack I am now the leader of-thanks to you. You really are a meddler, aren’t you? Don’t answer that. And being my right-hand man means I get to tell you what to do, and you do it. So. Go home, Davy Silvers. Sleep. When you are conscious, call me.”

“And where does

listen to tedious lectures

fit in my job description?” he asked.

“Right after

stop being a smart-ass

.” I smiled, and so did he. Probably one of the stranger working relationships I’ve had, but then, no one before Pike had tried to organize the Hounds into any sort of group. And Pike mostly just made sure they kept tabs on each other. I had other things in mind for the Hounds. Especially with Beckstrom Enterprises’ money behind me.

“Fine.” He pushed away from the tree, carefully, I noted. If I had to guess, I’d say Tomi got in a few other hits besides the one to the face. Girl wore steel-toe boots, and she looked like the type who wouldn’t mind getting in a few kicks to the ribs, if the opportunity presented itself.

“Anything broken?” I asked. “Do you need to see a doctor?”

“Naw. Just bruises.” He grunted as he bent beneath a low-hanging limb.

Just bruises, my ass.

He pushed his soggy hood back and ran a hand through his short hair. His face was pale behind the vivid bruise, and moisture that might have been sweat covered his forehead. Kid was in pain but too damn stubborn to admit it.

Come to think of it, that was another trait you needed for Hounding. A colossal sense of denial.

“Well, don’t be stupid about it, okay?” I said. “If you need to get checked out, I’ll cover the bill.”

“Wait-you’re paying me now?”

“You’d have to actually

work

for me to pay you.”

“I’ll take that as a yes and go get some sleep like you told me to. On the clock.” He tugged his hood closer to his face. “See ya, boss man.”

I stepped back and he walked off toward the street, holding a hand up over his shoulder to acknowledge Stotts, who was strolling over to me.