Bardic Chords

By Mary Kit Caelsto

Torn between two words, Tory trains with the Musimagium and with Diego, a "Mad Bard". Diego is pushing her to learn how to create magic without her clarinet, almost as if he knows something is going to happen. And maybe he does. Alamar is acting strange, regressing into an almost child-like state. And none of her Musimagium mentors will allow her to do anything about the prison complex where she'd found Alamar. Any action is all tied up in red tape.

With the help of Pito, her magical bearded dragon, Tory works to get to the bottom of it. But when Alamar disappears and Tory has had enough of being told no, she decides to take matters into her own hands. Will her rash actions cost her everything, including her life?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mary Kit Caelsto
• Release date: Aug 25, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005228378

Book preview

Bardic Chords

A Radio Arcanum Story

Mary Kit Caelsto

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Also by

Bardic Chords

Preview: Songs and Horns

Preview: Hidden

Preview: Tonic Chords

About The Author

The scanning, uploading and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized editions and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated. Permission is granted to make ONE backup copy for archival purposes.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, places, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

BARDIC CHORDS

Copyright © Mary Kit Caelsto, 2021

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Cover Art © 2022

Book formatting by Epona Author Solutions (http://www.eponaauthorsolutions.com)

Electronic Publication Date: August 2022

This book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the author.

Also by the Author

Fantasy/Magic Realism

World of Radio Arcanum

Hidden

Tonic Chords

Bardic Chords

Songs & Wings

Discovery of Songs

Of Songs & Horns

Songs & Paperwork

Songs & Fury

Touch of Magic and Roses

The Pegasus Enchantment

The Pegasus Project

Pegasus In Flight

Pegasus Gathered (coming soon)

Chasing Neptune’s Cat

Tempus Magic

Draco Magus

Women’s Fiction

Noble Dreams Series

Steady on Course

Standing on Course

Correction on Course

Walking on Course

Course Perfect

Shadbelly Faults

Husband On Board

Double Clear

Riding Double

Rosettes & Rompers

Crossed Rails

International Obstacles

Baby Green

Mare Stare

Future Courses

Western Star Series

Spins Are Wild

Turn & Burn

In the Chute

Back In The Saddle

Winning It All

Romance & Racehorses

Racing Home

Claiming His Irish Trainer

His Irish Proposal

Roping Paige

Cardinal Oaks Series

Flying Changes

Field Obstacles

Water Hazard

Time Faults

Winning Finish

Chapter One

Pito lunged from my shoulder to snatch a fly in midair, disturbing my concentration, and I pulled away from my deep connection with the node. I blinked and opened my eyes to a world overlayed with the rainbow hues of magic splashed over everything like some kind of crazy psychedelic mushroom trip. I’d done that once. Gathered the wrong mushrooms, and whee. Didn’t want to do that again. A huge anaconda stared me in the face, so close that when it flicked its tongue the forked end brushed my cheek.

Argh! I scooted back to Diego’s riotous laughter. Damn it, I growled as bearded dragon claws grabbed me and left tiny pinpricks on my shoulder. Will you stop doing that? I asked Mother, the giant anaconda who was the guardian of my little corner of the Costa Rican rain forest. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it.

Mother gaped her jaws, revealing lots of backwards curving teeth. I think she was trying to grin, but on a snake it just looked creepy. You must keep your focus.

I know, I sighed. This was just harder than I’d expected. Play music, do magic, that I had down really well. Influence people, wipe their minds, sure I could do that. Never mind that the Musimagium would just as soon send me back to the states with my abilities stripped from me, both musical and magical. I’d also lose Pito, and I refused to let that happen.

There will be times when you won’t have an instrument handy. Or you will have to improvise with another one. This is good. They do not teach you real feel for magic anymore. They rely on instruments so that they can more easily control the magic. Diego whispered something to a nearby tree and then broke off a green branch. With the end of his knife he frayed the end. Here. Set this on fire.

I don’t have—

Diego’s look quelled the comment I was about to make about not having a lighter on me. He wanted me to use magic.

I took several deep breaths, certain that among the three of us we could keep the forest, and my cabin, from burning down in case I got, shall we say, a little exuberant, in my working. I first reached with my magical senses into the earth, tapping into the node that lay nearby so I didn’t deplete my own energy. Then, I reached for the end of the stick with an image of a small, carefully controlled flame licking at the frayed ends. Maybe my motions were a bit exaggerated and labeled me as a novice at this, but hey, I was. No shame in learning. Conjured by my intent, a small flame burned on the frayed end of the stick.

I smiled.

Very good, Diego said. Now, can you put it out.

That, to my way of thinking, was easier. I imagined a wet blanket draping over the end of the stick and the flame snuffing out to a wisp of smoke. I waited a moment, then two, and the flame still burned brightly. With a thought I tightened the wet blanket, twisting it on the end, then for good measure envisioning a bucket of water dousing the end of the stick.

The flame surged higher.

Hey, I said, more determined than ever to complete this task. I sensed it then, Diego feeding the fire through the stick, as if a gas line had been laid, and he’d turned it up to counteract. Two could play at that game.

I magically cut the line at the end of the stick, sensing the magic falling, landing on the forest floor only to spark a fire in the leaves. Shit. I hadn’t expected that to happen and now I had two flames to deal with. I tried to smother the flame in the leaves. Instead, it grew.

Okay, Diego. A little help here. Panic started to rise within me. One of my biggest fears was fire, some idiot camping in the rainforest and setting the entire thing ablaze. Dewain had sent photographs of the destruction in Brazil and that was the last thing I wanted to happen here.

The mad bard chuckled. But you’re doing so well.

Ha ha. I took a deep, smoky breath. In an offensive situation I’d go for the mage, but knocking Diego out probably wasn’t the first thing I should do. I needed to choke the magic off before it reached the fire. "Quae," I said, humming the chorus to Mr. Sandman in my mind. Then, as if tucking it into bed, I magically draped a blanket over the fire in the leaves. It sputtered into char and smoke.

Then, with Diego’s magic contained to a small circle around him, I ought to just take the stick and run away with it. That’d be juvenile and while I wasn’t against such stunts, I also didn’t want to do so with Mother watching. Keeping the refrain going in my mind, I envisioned the blanket once more draping over the end of the stick. This time, I envisioned the air leaving beneath the blanket as if someone were deflating a balloon. The flame sputtered and died.

Very nice, Diego said. You didn’t panic, and you took care of it without going on the attack. Magic is not a battle. Even when we’re facing those who wish to harm us, we should always find ways to resolve the situation. I know you had no choice, Tory, but Alamar will live with the consequences of your actions for the rest of his life. His abilities will always be diminished. Diego tossed the stick onto the ground.

Rustling behind me announced Mother’s departure, her smaller rainbow boas slithering around her.

Be well, I said, acknowledging her.

My stomach rumbled. Sweat dripped down the back of my neck, and I went to the cooler sitting on a stump and pulled out a bottle of water, draining it in a couple of swallows.

You need to rest, as do I. Diego turned. And I see that you will not get that rest.

The thud of a car door confirmed his words.

Diego hiked back toward the road. I’d learned