Page 39 of Shift of Destiny
“And the rest?” she asked, tilting her head toward the box.
“I called a few old acquaintances and cashed in a favor. We serious collectors ofobjets magiquesall know each other. These were what I could find quickly. There may be more.”
She touched the mirror because it called to her, which reminded her of the little mirror she’d broken but had saved her anyway. She handed the precious box to Chance, then pulled out the brass frame from her back pocket. She unwrapped its bandanna covering and held it out to Mr. Maxen. It looked sad with only one corner of mirror left.
“I found this in your backyard, and it broke when Richie jumped me. How much do I owe you for it?” She hoped it wasn’t too high, or she’d be paying it off forever.
He picked it up and examined it with his fingers and eyes. “Nothing. It’s not mine.”
“It’s magic, though, isn’t it?” She frowned. “Can it be fixed? Maybe I can find the owner.”
Mr. Maxen shook his head. “The only magic I sense in it is yours. Otherwise, it’s just an old shaving mirror that yellowed with time.”
Chance put a hand on her shoulder. “Just-in-time magic, remember? You needed it to get out of the cave, and your magic found a way. The wolves even let you keep it because it looked like a broken tourist trinket.”
“Huh,” she said, for lack of anything more cogent. She needed time for thinking.
Chance turned to Mr. Maxen. “Did you find the charm I told you about?”
Once again, she was lost.
“Yes, right where you said it would be,” Mr. Maxen replied. “Nasty piece of work, that. I’ve locked it in the shielded vault for now. Stolen alpha power is extremely valuable on the black market.”
“You’re talking about the small thingie that was in Pruhon’s ass?” At Mr. Maxen’s nod, she continued. “It was weird, sensing its presence and having the knowledge sort of pop into my head. I didn’t even know what alpha power was until I felt it. And when Pruhon was fighting Chance, I got the impression that the witch who made it did it out of revenge, but I don’t know for what. It felt really ancient. Centuries, maybe.” Realizing what she’d said to a two-thousand-year-old elf, she hastily added, “Not ancient. Mature. Seasoned. Experienced.”
“Ancient will do, Ms. Graham. It is, after all, the truth as far as humans understand it.” He crossed his arms. “Do you have any questions?”
“So many, I can’t think of any of them,” she said ruefully. “Except one. What’s a ‘demesne’? An estate or something? That’s where Shiloh said the djinn guards came from, and where the town armory is.”
“They are lands in a different plane. Fairies create them.” He tilted his head thoughtfully. “Think of them as cul-de-sacs of other dimensions that are glued to this one by gateways. The glade is full of them.” He waved a circling finger. “My workroom is a modified version of a tiny demesne, so the accumulation of magic from these objects doesn’t tempt anyone.”
“Glade?” She shook her head. She had so much to learn, and maybe unlearn, too.
Mr. Maxen smiled. “Sort of like the wards on this building, but on a much larger scale. Elves can pool their magic to create a perimeter. They tie themselves to the land, and the land to them. They draw strength from the land and living things, and protect them in return. This glade was created in the early 1800s by a company of like-minded elves and their paramours, who were fleeing their own disapproving clans, and a cabal of English alchemists who wanted their magic. They first offered sanctuary to fairies and other magic users in need who could also help defend the glade. Now, we’re a beacon of hope in this part of the world. Kotoyeesinay is one of the more diverse sanctuaries on the continent, probably because the New World attracted the adventurous.”
“Like you?” asked Chance. She could tell he was guessing, but it felt right.
“Perhaps.” Mr. Maxen raised one shoulder slightly. “Many of us here are unique, and don’t fit in elsewhere.”
“What did the Native Americans think of all this?” Moira asked. “This valley seems like prime summer camping ground to me.”
He laced his fingers together. “The town founders came to an understanding with both the Arapaho and the Ute.” He frowned. “To our shame, we did not do well by our accommodating friends. We thought it enough to warn them not to trust the government’s negotiators, and did not stop the Army from forcibly herding our proud allies into the Utah territory, like they were wild horses to be broken and penned.” He sighed. “That’s why we made the valley into a reservation land trust and built the casino. Its profits fund tribal scholarships. It’s our atonement.”
“I respect that.” She appreciated people who admitted a mistake and tried to make up for it.
Mr. Maxen gave her a considering look. “Will you stay in Kotoyeesinay, do you think?”
She looked to Chance, then back to Mr. Maxen. “We’ll have to get back to you on that, but I’ll be here on time tomorrow, if you still need my help in the shop.” She pointed to the ceiling. “And we’ll finish your guest quarters.”
His mouth twitched with a smile. “Very good, Ms. Graham.”
