Charmed Vengeance

The sound of a pistol cocking ricocheted through the hold.

“I said strip. I might not be able to kill you princes— but that doesn’t mean I can’t relieve you of some body parts.” He gave them a mad grin, eyes gleaming, as his pistol focused on a region Steven wanted to keep free of bullet holes.

Steven and James removed their clothes, shoes, and socks. They were tied up and frog-marched at gunpoint down to the cargo bay by the rest of the unsavory crew. His heart pounded and his belly clenched with apprehension.

One of the unwashed air pirates opened the hatch. Steven couldn’t see what loomed on the other side but frigid air blast through onto all his bare bits.

“Out you go.” Igan cut their bonds then unceremoniously shoved them through the hatch.

Gritting his teeth, Steven prayed to the Bright Lady this ended well. A second later he hit the ground, hard, scraping his bare flesh. He looked up and saw the airship hovering above them, the sound of wind and engines roaring in his ears.

Igan waved at them from the ship, eyes dancing with mad delight. “Have a good quest.” He threw something at them. “Here’s your pen.”

Steven watched as his pen skittered across the strange triangular surface they’d landed on. He viewed his surrounds in a three-hundred and sixty degree turn and saw nothing but darkness. Wind whipped at his hair. Where were they?

“Hey, you said one thing. Where are my trousers?” James yelled up at the ship.

“These?” Igan dangled James’ trousers out the hatch then tossed them to the wind. The crew laughed maniacally as they flew out of reach and off the side of the building. The hatch snapped shut and the ship departed.

Steven stood, bracing himself in the still-present wind. He sucked in a sharp breath as he peered down at the lights of city below—far below—still busy even in the dark of night.

“Flying figs.” James stood beside him. “We’re in New York City. I’d know that skyline anywhere.”

“Language, James,” he snapped. They’d been dropped on top of the tallest building in sight. The winter wind nipped at him, goose flesh breaking out across his exposed skin. Steven picked up his pen, which became a sword, but was little help to them currently. Steven peered around the dark roof. “Any sign of your trousers?”

James shook his head sadly. “Let’s get off this roof.

Um, James, we’re naked.”

He rolled his eyes. “Yes, we are, genius. Which is why we’re turning into icicles. We need to get off the roof before the air patrol comes to investigate, get ourselves some clothes, and figure out what to do next.”

“So you propose we simply walk into the building stark naked.” Shivering, he wrapped his arms around himself. It was nice to see the old James returning. Still, part of him would rather turn into an icicle than be found naked by passersby.

James shrugged and held out his hands in an empty gesture. “You have a better idea, because I don’t know about you but I’m turning blue.”

Try as he might, a better idea didn’t come to him.

He couldn’t believe they were going to walk into a building in New York City in the nude. James had a point —they needed to get off the roof before they were found by the air patrol. Now that would probably end with jail and aethergraphs to Quinn, given they had no money, identification, shoes, or clothing.

Steven surveyed the skies looking for hovercops. None, yet. He thanked the Bright Lady that the way into the building was unlocked and thanked her again that the slight warmer stairwell it led to also stood empty. Still, he braced for discovery at any time.

James opened the door leading to the floor.

“What are you doing?” Steven hissed, clutching his pen and glancing around as if someone might appear out of thin air and drag them to the police.

“It’s late. I’m sure everyone’s gone home. Might as well start on the top floor.” Without even poking his head out the door first to look both ways, he strode into the hall as if he wore a suite of the finest clothing indeed of … nothing.

Steven hurried to keep up with him.

“Look for clothes, money, too.” James disappeared into an office.

In the darkness of the empty hallway she stood there, blinking. If only he could be as free as James. Also, the idea of stealing made him uneasy. However, they needed clothes. What choice did they have?

He crept toward the big double doors at the end of the hall, heart thumping so loud James could probably hear it. Gulping, he tried the knob. Locked. Sending out a tendril of magic he saw a flash of green and heard the lock click. He tried again. This time it opened easily.

Being earth court had its privileges. His gifts ran more toward plants and trees than metalworking, but this was easy enough.

Noli seemed to do well with both. Then again, she always had.

Giving his eyes a moment to adjust to the darkness because he was afraid to turn on the lamps, he surveyed the room. No, this room didn’t appear to hold anything useful other than treats in a crystal bowl on the desk.

Wait, the coat rack in the corner held an overcoat, a top hat, and a walking stick. Perfect. Nevertheless, they may look silly walking down the streets of New York with no trousers.

Strangely shaped offices lurked behind the waiting area. One by one, Steven poked through them, noting mentally that one had a morning coat and another, galoshes. He walked into another office. The desk held a neatly folded suit. Shoes sat on the floor.

Had the Bright Lady answered his prayers? She did work in mysterious ways.

Next to the suit sat a note. Jillian, 6 pm. Don’t forget the ring. Underneath the note was an address. Just his luck the occupant had brought a nicer suit of clothes for his evening on the town with his lady. Hopefully, he remembered the ring.

Mentally apologizing to the man meeting Jillian, Steven pulled on the trousers, shirt, vest, tie, and coat, feeling a little strange wearing someone else’s clothes. They were meant for daytime, the waist a little big and the sleeves long. This man also had a larger neck, but it was infinitely better than going naked. The shoes weren’t a bad fit, even if there were no socks.

The last office had a pointed end and offered a spectacular view of the city but only held an overcoat—a very fine wool one. Steven shrugged it on. The pockets contained a few coins and a book of matches. On his way out he grabbed the galoshes for James, making mental notes of the offices he’d taken things from. Somehow he’d find a way to replace them. Back in the reception area he shoved a few candies in his pocket and put on the top hat. A look in the mirror told him he didn’t do too badly. He took the other overcoat from the rack and returned to the hallway.

“Well, aren’t we fancy.” James appeared, wearing a rough worker’s uniform, a satchel slung over his arm. “Find anything for me?”

Steven held up the overcoat and galoshes. “Should we keep looking?”

James pulled on the galoshes. “Trade me shoes?”

“No.” He didn’t feel guilty either since James was responsible for them being in this mess in the first place. If they’d just avoided their kind as he’d wanted …

James pulled a few coins from the coat pocket. “I’ve got eleven cents. You?”

“Forty-three.” He dug into the suit jacket pocket and found seven more. “Sixty-one cents. We’re rich.”

James slung the satchel back over his shoulder, wiggling his galoshed feet comically. “I found some more in the desks, a few snacks, and some other things. I think we’ve got over a dollar now.”

That wouldn’t get them passage to Raleigh but it could get them to the air terminal where they could hopefully find work on a ship headed in that direction.

They crept down the stairs.

“I’m taking the elevator,” James huffed after several flights.

“There won’t be an operator this time of night. We’ll have to walk,” Steven snapped, though he secretly