To the Victor: Tales of Magic and Adventure

By Cathleen Townsend

How can a feral refrigerator find a reason to exist?

Can love overcome a dragon bent on domination beyond his wildest dreams?

Do house hobs make the best burglars?

How do unicorns live forever?

And is a platypus bound by the constraints of time and space like everyone else?

In these fourteen short stories, all these questions will be answered and more. So dive in and discover characters and settings both familiar and strange. And when you're done, don't forget to leave pizza and beer out for the jobsite elves.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cathleen Townsend
• Release date: Jun 23, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393783428

Book preview

To the Victor:

Tales of Magic and Adventure

Cathleen Townsend

Copyright © 2019 Cathleen Townsend

All rights reserved.

Published by Phoenix Flight Press

THIS BOOK IS COMPRISED of works of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

For Marachelle, who was there for many of these stories from the very beginning.

Contents

Anemone

We Are Eagles

Feral Refrigerator

Oak

Tool Thief

Leviathan

Agretan

To the Victor Go the Spoils

Cave Rendezvous

Cappuccino and the Great Heist

Resolved

Unicorn

Platypus

Time Out

Stolen Legacy excerpt

About the Author

Anemone

THE WAVES SPARKLED in the sunlight, mocking Joshua’s feeble attempt at swimming. An albatross circled overhead, remote, untouchable in the vast blue desert that was the sky.

The rain had fallen in sheets, destroying visibility and making it impossible to work on deck. Their fishing boat had turned broadside to the waves. The horrible tearing sound of the vessel ripping apart, punctuated with cries of alarm from his crewmates, had all been swallowed by the fury of the raging wind and sea. But since the storm cleared, not a single drop had fallen. For almost two days.

Joshua was afloat, although he was beginning to believe everyone else had met a more merciful end. He dipped his head to splash some water on his cracked lips, wincing as the salt stung. Nothing helped. His self-inflating vest had saved his life, but if he was smart, he’d take it off and end the burning thirst.

He’d never been smart.

He’d tried looking for fish—hell, he was hungry enough to try raw seagull—but nothing came within reach. His whole world consisted of the lapping waves and bright sun that made his eyes throb in sympathy with his lips.

Still, if he quit looking for food, he might as well lose the vest. He scanned the endless expanse of surrounding ocean, wincing at the reflected light.

It was particularly bright to the left.

He closed his eyes, but the thought hammered at him. It was brighter. Something was different there.

Anything different might help.

He dug into the water, desperation lending him strength for a few sure strokes. His hand closed around something round and hard.

He brought it up to his face and his heart sunk. It was a fishing float—a glass one. They were a rarity now that everyone had switched over to plastic. On any other day, he’d be excited. Today it was another failed hope.

Give that back!

His head snapped up, and he blinked. He had to be hallucinating. He was looking into two sea-green eyes in a face framed with hair the color of kelp. But he bit his lip, and the salty blood lent him the moisture to croak, No.

It’s mine! You can’t have it.

She sounded like a child for all that she had a woman’s breasts. Usually that would command his complete attention, but right now he’d gladly trade the sight for a glass of water.

Joshua forced his voice to work. What’s it worth to you? Can you take me back to land? She must have a boat out here somewhere, although it couldn’t be bigger than a kayak. He didn’t care if it was an inner tube, as long as she had something to drink.

Land is a long way away, she said doubtfully. It’s just a ball.

Take me back to your boat, then, for God’s sake. I’ll trade you for a bottle of water.

She shook her head. I don’t have a boat, and there’s water all around you. Now give me back my ball!

Why was she playing games with him? Couldn’t she see he was dying? Get me to land, or find another toy.

Fine, she snapped. I will!" She dove and a silvery tail splashed.

Joshua squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed them. Now he was seeing mermaids. But he hung onto the float anyway. The Coast Guard might still come, with their big, beautiful boats carrying many bottles of water. Then he could show everyone the float when he told them the tale. It would make a great fishing story, even though their catch was feeding crabs at the bottom of the sea.

He sighed—the captain was there, too. And Jim and Steve. And if he didn’t get some water soon, he’d be joining them. He drifted, unable to fight it any longer. But he didn’t unfasten the vest, and he didn’t let go of the float.

A head popped up out of the waves. I’ll take you partway, but you have to give me my ball first.

That was enough to raise the ghost of a smile. I don’t think so. Take me to where I can at least see land. As long as it was his hallucination, he wasn’t going to be a fool. Crazy was bad enough.

She swam off again, and Joshua’s head dropped. She was annoying, but at least she was something to think about besides his dry mouth and burning lips.

His head was shoved over, and Joshua looked up, sputtering. Right at a smiling dolphin.

Well, what are you waiting for? Grab his dorsal fin. The girl’s head popped up next to him.

Joshua tucked the float into his vest and tentatively reached for the dolphin. It didn’t back away but tolerated his touch. It even allowed him to clumsily clamber up across its back.

He held on with everything he had left. It was a glorious experience, even in his present condition. He was riding a dolphin, something almost as hard to believe as a mermaid. But the feel of the dolphin surging beneath him was real. The wake of their passage was real. This was happening.

And then he lost his grip and slid off.

The dolphin returned, and its whistles carried a distinctly scolding tone. I’m sorry, Joshua said. I’ll try harder.

But the days afloat had taken their toll. He slid off three more times, and the girl demanded, What’s wrong with you? I thought you wanted to reach land.

I do, he croaked. It’s just...I’m weak. I’ll keep trying. Each attempt seemed to take more than he had left. He reached wearily toward the circling fin and the girl gasped.

No, don’t!

A dolphin breached the waves right in front of him. Other dolphins were leaping, ramming into what he now saw was a Mako shark. He searched his pockets, but his knife hadn’t made it.

The shark