Blade of the Guild

By Renee Joiner

Blade Verick: Street magician turned reluctant guardian of a legacy he never wanted.

Blade Verick, a charismatic street magician, thrives on charming crowds and lightening wallets. His carefree world turns upside down when he encounters the cold presence of a Hunter, drawing him into a hidden realm of magic and danger.

Inheriting a powerful and mysterious book from his mentor, Blade becomes the reluctant protector of a legacy he never sought. His already complicated life spirals out of control when his nascent, unmanageable magic accidentally destroys the spellbook, scattering its secrets.

Blade delves into the enigmatic Guild Underground, seeking help to harness his powers. His path crosses with a striking null gatekeeper whose assistance comes at a steep price: awakening her own prohibited magic.

With too much already at stake, Blade grapples with the cost of her aid, the turmoil of his newfound abilities, and the revelation that his life, already a precarious juggling act, may span more than a single existence.

This thrilling adventure is perfect for fans of The Magicians meets Now You See Me, blending the allure of street magic with the mysteries of a hidden magical world.

Join Blade Verick on his whirlwind journey through magic, mystery, and unexpected legacies. Grab your copy now and dive into a story where every choice comes with a cost, and every trick has its price.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Oshun Publications, LLC
• Release date: Sep 23, 2022
• ISBN: 9781956319477

Renee Joiner

Renee Joiner has been in love with the supernatural for longer than she can remember, so it is no surprise that she is an author of paranormal urban fantasy. Although she discovered her passion for writing when she was only twelve years old, she didn’t make her writing debut until many years into the future. Adventurous and fun-loving, she enjoys traveling to new places, exploring new sights and meeting new people. Thus, she delights in creating fantastical worlds that are sure to give her readers an escape from the real world while simultaneously providing thrilling entertainment. Besides her special knack for writing, you'll also find a passion for metaphysics spirituality which she has been nurturing for over four decades. Renee hails from New York and currently resides with her husband in their empty nest—unless you count their three adorable fur babies—in Florida. She enjoys adding to her sea of knowledge and thus spends her free time learning new things.

Book preview

ONE

The Man with Green Eyes

Washington Street is the busiest street in the city, situated in the center of the more unseemly part of the city. Still, many tourists flock there for one reason or another.

The traffic either moved fast or slow there, and, depending on the attitude of the drivers for that day, it was very noisy. Engines rev, edging cars to move forward and fill that one-inch gap between them and the vehicles in front. Horns honk as a sign of displeasure and sometimes as a warning.

On the slow days, the smoke and exhaust fumes make it almost impossible to spot the vendors. They set up shop along the street every day from the earliest hours in the morning till just before the sun starts to set. The strange and unusual vendors were usually what attracted the tourists. Everything you could want and anything you didn’t know you wanted could be found on Washington Street.

The locals who walk and know this street daily didn’t care for the vendors much. They walked down the sidewalk, keeping their eyes fixed on the floor, and didn’t care who they crashed into on their way. This street wasn’t made for their enjoyment.

On this particular day, the vendors have their hands full, pitching their many products and services to the tourists filling up the street. A dog, its fur mangled and tattered with mud, chased down a cat as they danced and weaved through the crowd. A child screamed as the cat ducked beneath its legs, and the dog rushed into it, knocking the child to the ground.

The cat ran up the side of the parked cab, and the dog wasn’t too shy to follow after it. The driver of the cab wasn’t too preoccupied with this. The old lady with the hunched back and sizeable faux fur jacket haggling him for change was more concerning. Her hunched back made the old lady look as small as a child, but the large jacket made her look like a disproportionate, giant frog.

A slender, tall woman was waiting for the now-empty cab to finally be available. The bags underneath her eyes looked heavy enough to weigh her down. Her hair hadn’t seen a brush in days. There was the smallest amount of spit-up on her shoulder. The two screaming children clinging to her legs and the crying baby in her arms were excuses for her appearance.

A crowd was forming among the stray dogs chasing down their meal for the day, the old lady haggling with the poor cab driver, and the overworked mother who just needed someone to give her a break.

On the corner of Washington Street, just before turning into Cirque Lane, Blade stood at the center of the crowd of tourists gathering around him to watch the show. Blade was a performer. It was in his blood. The way he moved his hands, the elegance in the way he stepped, and the confidence with which he held himself were all ingredients in the recipe for a street magician.

Although the crowd gathered around Blade as he performed his tricks, he kept his focus on three women. The two blondes and brunette were eyeing him the whole time. With a wave of his hand, he had them giggling and clapping. Blade made sure to focus more on the brunette. All three were beautiful enough for his eyes, but the brunette was especially flirty. With every flutter of her lashes and blush of her cheeks, he knew he had a good chance of convincing her he was good enough for the losing change she had in her pocket. If he was lucky enough, he could even get her number.

Blade held out his hand, revealing a small, silver coin in the middle of his palm. It was smaller than the nail on his thumb and had the eye of a crow carved into its side. The coin trick was simple, but the ladies loved it.

He played with the coin a bit, flicking it from one finger to the next. It flipped over and under his knuckles, catching the sun and sending small sparks of sunlight dancing between his fingers. He returned the coin to the palm of his hand and quickly cupped his other hand over it.

He glanced up, shooting a wink towards the brunette and receiving a giggle. He pulled his hands apart, his right hand hovering above his left hand, and in the center of them sat the coin, floating in midair. A soft gasp erupted from the crowd. Slowly, he moved his hands from side to side; pulling them further apart to make sure no one mistook this act for a cheap trick. His fingertips tingled as energy flowed inside him and curved around the coin.

No one could see the energy; to Blade, it was just something he felt. It was something he knew was there. The energy pulsed through his hands, and with a flick of his wrist, he sent it surging through the coin. In the blink of an eye, the coin was gone. Cheers and gasps came from the growing crowd, and one of the blondes Blade had his eye on hopped back with a chuckle.

Blade pulled his sleeves back, showing even the smallest movements. That was the biggest trick. Holding the audience’s attention and building up the tension until finally releasing it with the big finale. In this instance, the finale wasn’t that big or impressive, but Blade can make his audience think that it was by denying them what they desired for a little longer.

He leaned forward, reaching his hand out towards the brunette. His wrist slid gently past her ear, reaching behind her head. He twisted his hand, snapped his fingers, and with a surge of energy rushing through his veins, the coin reappeared, balancing on the tip of his index finger.

The crowd applauded, and Blade soaked in their praise. He made a show of being modest at first, shaking his head and denying his brilliance. Still, he accepted their applause eventually with a stylish bow and wave of his hand. Blade bowed a few more times, and, rising up from the third and final bow, he froze.

Something caught his eye. It wasn’t the brunette winking at him as she dropped a folded piece of paper which most likely contained her number on it, along with a few coins, into the black fedora he had sitting on the pavement. There was something far more interesting that drew his attention.

A flash of light. A quick flash was there one second and gone the next. It was bright and cold, so Blade couldn’t have mistaken it for a car door or mirror catching a glint of sunlight and reflecting it into his eyes. He would have compared it to a sudden flash of lightning if he didn’t know better.

Blade’s eyes were drawn in the direction of the flash. He spotted the door to a barbershop just across the street from where he was performing. He’d had the barbershop in his sights the whole time. He’d only lost sight of it as he lowered himself for a bow. Still, he knew the man standing before the barbershop had not been there before.

Even if Blade hadn’t been paying attention, it wouldn’t have been easy to miss this man. His pale, white face made him stand out. It was as if he’d dipped his face into a bucket of bleach just so he could resemble a snow-covered floor. There was a scar running across his face as well. It started just below his left eye, curved downward in a jagged fashion across his left cheek, and disappeared around the back of his neck. With all of this, his piercing emerald green eyes stood out the most. They were staring directly at Blade.

Blade rose slowly from his final bow, his eyes fixed on the man. Those eyes seemed to catch the sun and reflect it back at him. They resemble two polished jewels one would find in a tale of deadly pirates and cursed treasure.

A feeling fell over Blade suddenly, like a wave that made the hairs on his neck and arms stand up while making him shiver beneath the midday sun. The man locked eyes with him, and Blade couldn’t turn away. He was frozen as he drowned in the wave that washed over him. What was this uncomfortable feeling that he couldn’t seem to shake?

Blade knew he had felt like this, but the answers to where, when, and why escaped him. His hand was stuck deep in his jacket pocket, fidgeting with the coin he’d just used in his show. The crowd screamed, especially the women, but their cries were drowned out by his heart pumping in his chest. The man with the green eyes didn’t flinch, he didn’t move, and he didn’t blink.