Double Dead Magic

4

Arjun and Tonya entered a wooden elevator. Tonya's stomach rose as they dropped. Was it safe to travel in an oversized packing crate? Through gaps between the boards, aged timber and marble flashed by until they sank beneath the building.

"Are you excited?" Marta beamed at Arjun.

Her first-year nemesis hadn't changed. She had the same long dark hair and ruddy lips. The same diver's body and Napoleon complex. The prison bracelet digging into her ankle would cause Tonya less pain than Marta.

"You need to know a few things." Marta's eyes sparkled, delighted to impress Arjun with her superior knowledge. "Three kinds of Old Families built Loon Lake, but only Mods are cool. We study magic and believe in using it openly. Pures are uptight goody goodies who have magical ability but never use it. Trads are hypocrites who practice magic but never in front of Mundanes."

"Like me."

"No, you're a Mod now. Your ability is soaking up Loon Lake magic, but it will take time to discover your powers." Marta tried to throw an arm around Arjun's wide shoulders but was too short, so she put a hand on his arm. She quirked her head at Tonya and whispered loudly, "Watch out for fakes like her. She says she's a Pure—but she's done worse magic than any of us."

Tonya inhaled slowly through her nose. Old Family factions and their stupid rules. If it were up to Tonya, everyone would use magic.

Too bad the only thing Mods, Trads, and Pures agreed on was that Tonya deserved punishment. It wasn't fair. The only time Tonya had used her powers was in the fight against a dangerous revenant, Jack Waldock. To show their infinite gratitude, the City Council held a tribunal and charged her with unlawful magic use.

Ignorant busybodies.

But that was Loon Lake for you—rules, rules, tradition, and politics. Poor Arjun was stepping on a hornet's nest.

With a shudder, the elevator sank to the bottom floor and opened into a dark corridor hewn from raw earth. Without reinforcement, how did it not collapse? Tonya reached out to feel the wall, but Marta grabbed her wrist.

"No touching." She grinned. "You're still officially a Pure, remember? This is Mod and Trad territory. If the hallway senses an intruder, it might bury you."

"You're not serious."

Marta chuckled.

"What about me?" Arjun hesitated, staring at the ceiling.

"Don't worry." Marta put her arm through Arjun's. "From now on, you're with us."

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Thanks for reading. Watch for an update next Wednesday.

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