Fredozy
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Chapter 51: Thank you
🕑 Added 2025-08-07 18:54:49 +0000 UTCThe soft hum of indie music played in the background, blending with the hiss of the espresso machine and the occasional murmur of conversations. Kai sat near the window of the dimly lit coffee shop, stirring his now-cold cup of black coffee absentmindedly. Julia sat across from him, scrolling through her phone, legs crossed, head slightly tilted as if lost in some silent thought. The chair beside him was empty he was waiting.
A soft ding vibrated his phone. He glanced at it and saw Alice's message:
"Trying to figure out a magical button. Heading to England. Plover's mansion. Let's see what turns up."
He read it twice, then leaned back into his chair, lips twitching into a dry smile.
This was it. The point in time where Quentin's beloved childhood author would begin his spiral into infamy. Christopher Plover once a celebrated writer, would soon be revealed as one of the most depraved and vile individuals in recent magical history. The truth about the children's disappearance… the mansion… everything. It still made Kai grit his teeth when he thought about it too long. Monsters often wore charming faces.
He typed quickly.
"Go ahead. I'll meet up with you later. Got something else to handle first."
He had just hit send when the door opened, the soft chime above it jingling lightly. Kai turned to the left and spotted the person he'd been waiting for.
Larry, tall and slim, dressed in his usual brown jacket and dark cap, walked in and gave him a slight nod.
"Boss," Larry greeted with a slight grin.
Kai leaned forward. "What's the update?"
Larry slid into the chair next to him. "Still no sign of Kady. We've checked everywhere—Brooklyn, Midtown, even the Lower East Side. She's not in New York."
Kai didn't look surprised. "She was a magician long before Brakebills ever scouted her. And with all that time around Marina? She probably learned a dozen ways to go completely off-grid."
Larry nodded, then added, "About the other thing… Tom found him."
Kai's brow lifted slightly. "And?"
"Well… we couldn't get close. This Richard guy has some sort of protective ward on him. Every time we try to approach, weird stuff happens."
"Weird like how?" Kai frowned.
Larry glanced around before leaning in closer. "Time skips. Spatial displacements. Tom ended up in a flower shop in Queens once. Another guy lost ten minutes and found himself sitting on a bench feeding birds."
Kai rubbed his temple slowly, sighing. "Damn magician."
Larry nodded in agreement. "But the other one though…"
A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
"We found her. The woman you wanted located. No protection spells. Nothing. She's basically a sitting duck. Currently staying at the Peregrine Convalescent Home."
Kai's smirk came quickly. "Well… isn't that considerate of her."
Before he could say anything more, Julia returned from the restroom, brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear.
"Kai," she called.
He turned, and when he looked back, Larry was already gone.
As Julia reached him, she raised an eyebrow. "Who was that?"
Kai shrugged casually. "Another magician. Helping out with a project."
Julia gave him a look. Not entirely buying it, but not pressing further either.
"I have to go meet my sister," she said, slinging her bag over her shoulder.
Kai reached into his coat pocket and handed her a neatly folded piece of paper.
"Here. Work on this."
She opened it and her brows lifted slightly. A smile curved her lips as she recognized the spell drawn in his immaculate, sharp handwriting.
"The cloaking spell," she murmured with a smirk. "Mmmn. I was just about to ask you about this one."
Her eyes lifted to meet his, a glint of amusement—and something else—dancing in them.
"You really do know how to gift a woman, don't you?"
She stepped back, still holding his gaze. "Well, what shall I give you, I wonder?" she added, voice low and sultry.
She turned and walked away before he could respond.
Kai stared after her, a smirk of his own curling onto his lips.
"Oh, I can think of a few things."
As the moon hung high and quiet over the city, Kai moved with vampiric speed, slipping like a shadow through the front gates of the Peregrain Convalescent Home. The faint scent of antiseptic and aged wood welcomed him as he passed through the empty reception hall, avoiding detection effortlessly. He glided past rooms, hallways, and dimly lit corners until he reached the door he sought. Without hesitation, he slid inside.
A soft click echoed behind him as he locked the door.
Inside the room, the gentle hum of the radiator was the only sound. An African American woman sat in a wheelchair, her silver-streaked hair catching the lamplight as she looked out the window toward the still night. She didn't acknowledge his presence.
Kai took a moment to observe her, then walked to her side.
"Hello, Kiera. My name is Kai," he said softly.
She remained unmoving, eyes focused beyond the window. Not a word, not a glance. Just silence.
Kai sighed. "Sorry about the intrusion, but—"
He moved in front of her, meeting her gaze with a calm intensity. With barely a flicker of effort, he breached her mental defenses. In the blink of an eye, he was no longer in the room but inside her mind.
The world around him twisted.
Now he stood in a mirrored version of the room—but it was hollow. The wheelchair was empty. The woman was gone.
Kai scanned the environment and said with an amused tone, "Hide and go seek, huh?"
He stepped into the hallway, calling out, "Kiera?"
A powerful force pushed against his consciousness like a wave trying to eject him. It brushed against him, harmlessly deflected. He exhaled in mild frustration. "I don't have time for this."
With a casual snap of his fingers, the illusion twisted and folded—and he found himself on a bench, seated beside Kiera once more.
She blinked rapidly, looking around in shock. "How did—?"
"Hello, Kiera," he said again. "Nice to meet you. I'm Kai."
She narrowed her eyes. "What do you want?"
Kai gave a smirk that didn't ease her worry. "Something simple. To prevent a mess that's about to unfold. One that could… well, hurt some people I care about."
She looked at him warily, but eventually sat down beside him. "What does that have to do with me?"
He looked at her, his gaze serious. "Everything, my dear. It has everything to do with you."
"How so?"
He sighed.
Suddenly, she found herself holding a warm cup of coffee, and a fresh croissant sat in her lap. She blinked, confused, then heard him say, "Get comfortable."
He sat upright, his expression darkening slightly. "You're working on a spell," he said. "Something layered… precise… ancient. It's a piece of what's needed to summon something that shouldn't be summoned."
She turned to him slowly, voice sharp. "How do you know that?"
He smiled slyly. "A magician never reveals their secrets."
He took a breath and continued. "What's being summoned… isn't just some demon or spirit. It's a god."
She blinked. "Holy shit."
"Yeah," he nodded, "but not quite the one you'd expect. No. This one… it's brutal. Unloving. It doesn't want followers, prayers, or offerings. It wants chaos. It is chaos."
She stared at him, her voice tense. "How do you even know that? And how do you know what's going to happen?"
Kai sighed, but didn't answer.
—
Time had passed.
Now, Kai sat silently. Kiera stared into the distance, hands resting on her lap, her voice softer now.
"Magic, to me, was a gift," she said. "I discovered it on my own back when I was at MIT. I didn't even think it was real until… well, you know how that goes. One experiment turns into a ritual, and suddenly you're seeing behind the veil."
She chuckled weakly.
"Even with all that, I loved it. Magic challenged me. It gave me a reason to push past what I thought was possible. To hope. To make the impossible real."
She paused, her eyes dimming slightly.
"But this?" she said, looking back at Kai. "What you've told me? No. This isn't what magic should be used for."
Kai tilted his head and replied with a half-sarcastic smirk, "Magic doesn't choose its wielder, unfortunately. Sometimes it falls into the wrong hands… sometimes it creates them."
Kiera let out an unexpected laugh.
He raised a brow. "What's funny?"
She smiled. "You're too young to be saying something that deep."
Kai chuckled, shaking his head. "The young can be quite knowledgeable too, you know."
She glanced at him, amused, and then took a breath.
"You know… this is nice," she said, quietly. "Having someone to talk to. Even if it's an intruder."
He smiled at that, then looked at her curiously. "If you had a wish… a place you'd rather be, when the end comes… where would you choose?"
She looked up, thoughtful.
"The Blue Lake Columbines," she said softly. "In Colorado. I've always wanted to see them. I heard the air there smells different. Clean. And the view… like something out of a dream."
She closed her eyes.
When she opened them again—she was lying on soft grass.
Before her lay a stretch of wildflowers—the vibrant blue columbines, Colorado's pride—swaying gently in a breeze that smelled of pine and freedom. Beyond them, snowcapped mountains stood proud under a rich blue sky, and the pristine lake shimmered in the distance.
She sat up, her eyes wide, overwhelmed by the beauty of it all.
Kai lay a few feet away on his back, arms behind his head, basking in the sun with a peaceful smile.
Kiera turned to him and whispered, "Thank you."
They stayed there a while.
Then she looked at the horizon and said, "I'm ready now."
Kai didn't move, didn't smile. He only said, softly, "I'm sorry."
She shook her head, her smile gentle.
"No… it's okay," she said. "Thank you for making it beautiful."
As his figure began to fade from the mindscape, the flowers swayed harder, and the skies began to blur.
Back in the room, the lights buzzed faintly.
Kai stood quietly, gazing at Kiera.
A single tear ran down her cheek, glistening under the room light.
Her face was peaceful, her chest no longer rising and falling.
And for the first time in a long while, she was smiling.
