City Of The Slain: A Shattered Spell, #2

By Robert G. Culp

With Marley captured…

 

…A new hero must rise.

But will their secrets save Mirrorville or destroy it?

 

Reyna never believed in magic or demons, until her life became an actual horror movie. With the weight of two worlds on her shoulders, she'll have to face the impossible or die trying.

 

Easy, right?

 

…Not really. As if having two sets of alternate memories about to drive her insane wasn't enough, Reyna is the only one who can possibly save her sister from a sociopathic sorcerer who has an obsession with shadow magic. She thought her night couldn't get any worse, until every secret she's kept hidden starts to slowly unravel before her eyes.

 

In a city of secrets, only the slain find peace.

 

You'll love this incredible Young Adult Urban Fantasy short story because this is one tale where the magic and suspense will surpass your wildest dreams… or nightmares.

• Language: English
• Publisher: STEEL HOUSE PUBLISHING
• Release date: Oct 28, 2022
• ISBN: 9798215052990

Robert G. Culp

Robert G. Culp was born in the small town of Stuttgart, Arkansas and is the award-winning author of The Mystic Brat Journals, a series of three titles with a fourth in progress. The books follow students at a top secret government school, where teenagers are taught to fight the mythical, mystical, and cursed dangers that surround the world. His two novella series, A Shattered Spell and The Fallen, are also set within the same continuity. In his free time Robert enjoys watching TV shows and films, reading Urban Fantasy books, comic books and online fanfiction, while researching Greek mythology, supernatural legends and Arthurian lore. His greatest achievement is to make his readers happy and entertain them with a few pages of pure escapism.

Book preview

1

Hope

At first their was only darkness... then Marley suspended in chains, shrieking for help... Mitchell bleeding out in Jeb’s arms... Anna in a circle of blue flames... Armie falling off the top of a skyscraper... with Shade finally standing before those of them who remained cackling as the evil Wizard declared triumphantly:

The time has come!

Yes, it has... Jeb heard himself mutter. And then, as quickly as these visions came, a bright light quickly eclipsed them all.

Jeb?

...Huh...?

Wake up, you dumbass!

Jeb felt a bucket of cold water splash on his face, awakening him immediately. Jeb blinked rapidly and gave an annoyed shiver. What the hell, Mitchell?

Jeb was lying on the floor of the psychic’s condemned building. Apparently, he passed out after she showed him the glimpses of Mirrorville’s future, of everyone’s future. The psychic was gone and so were her box and chair. In fact, the only thing remaining of Anastasia were small shards of her glassy hair littered around Jeb’s body.

Mitchell stood above Jeb and somewhat sighed in relief that his little brother was at least alive. Jeb made a mental note just to be thankful that Mitchell was showing any sign of familial love. But what surprised Jeb the most was that it wasn’t Marley who stood beside his brother. It was Reyna. Clad in a solid black leather jacket, her SkyFly jersey underneath, ripped blue-jeans, and sneakers. She also sported several bloody cuts on her face and a bruise on her temple. This could only mean one thing: something terrible happened. As usual.

Where’s Marley? Jeb grunted as he stood up. Damn’t, his body was sore.

Captured, said Mitchell. Which you would have known if you weren’t busy trying to sneak a peek at the future. Tell me, how is Anastasia?

Still creepy as ever, shrugged Jeb, rolling his shoulders to work out his aching muscles. Just please don’t say that Shade’s the one who captured her.

Not sure Anastasia’s his type, Mitchell replied.

Not her, growled Jeb. Marley.

Well, who else would capture her? Mitchell rolled his eyes, clearly tired of stating what he thought was the obvious.

How could you let that happen? Jeb snarled. Do you have any idea what you’ve done?

This was going to happen eventually, said Mitchell. It was only a matter of when.

I don’t care! said Jeb furiously. She doesn’t have enough training to use her God Relic properly!

I know, sighed Mitchell. She’s letting fear override her judgement. I thought that she would have more courage than this. She was always so fiery in Mercynville. I never once saw her hands tremble like that, let alone suffer through such a severe anxiety attack. Mitchell cut his eyes at Reyna, who refused to meet his gaze, looking down impatiently at her feet. Apparently going through the mirror transferred some of Reyna’s... more problematic coping mechanisms to Marley. In all honesty, it actually explains a lot about —

Do you have any idea what we’ve put her through in the last week alone? Jeb said with a form of rage that he had never felt before. Because of us, she’s lost almost everything important to her and blames herself for it! For the first time in her life —  Marley is suffering through such an extreme amount of guilt and remorse that it’s about to eat her up inside. I’ve been in her dreams — and in some cases deep into her subconscious — she’s not someone use to letting her emotions out directly! She would always keep the majority of her stress bottled up on the inside — and now she literally can’t! Even if it means survival! It’s something she’s never experienced until now! And if Shade murders her tonight, it will fall on our shoulders!

We both know that if he kills her before she relinquishes the God Relic to him, it’ll render the ring utterly useless. He’ll probably torture her for hours before it comes to that, said Mitchell, thoughtfully.

Torture? said Reyna with a look of horror and contention. Do either of you even care about what happens to Marley? You talk like this is just another day’s work. But this is my sister! Who knows what loathsome things that maniac is doing to her right now! So, you both need to get your sorry asses in line and do — do — do something!

She’s right, said Mitchell. Reyna remembers everything from both realms now. I guess it’s given her some form of clarity... and maybe even some of Marley’s fire. Plus, she does have a God Relic of her own.

What? asked Jeb in disbelief.

You’ve missed quite a lot during your little nap, said Mitchell with the faintest hint of a sneer. But neither of you needs to worry. This time I have a plan. One that Ignotus Shade will never see coming...

I SHOULD HAVE SEEN it coming, Marley thought to herself as she hung suspended in chains in a deep, damp, and dark tunnel. She should have known that eventually Shade would reveal himself and attack. Marley tried for the better half of an hour to blast herself free with her magic, to no avail. Now and then, her ring would glow faintly and then quickly fizzle out. It seemed as if her God Relic was the equivalent of a one-hit wonder. 

So far, the Ozzy Osbourne wannabe had left Marley alone in the darkness. She was constantly fighting the urge to scream out in pain. It felt as if all of Marley’s ribs had shattered the moment of her capture. Hell, it even hurt to breathe. 

And now I’m going to die wearing Reyna’s clothes, Marley looked down at her violet blouse bearing the creed: Musicals Are My Life.  Her gaze shifted to the sparkly glittered jeans with a painful groan. The ultimate humiliating death.

Are you enjoying your rest, my darling?

Shade had entered the tunnel and, for the first time, Marley saw the man who made her life hell. Who took her father away.  He was tall and thin with a black goatee, pale white