Magic, Mischief & Mayhem

By Brian MacDonald, Lynne Phillips and Tim Law

Magic, Mischief, and Mayhem is the second quarterly anthology from House of Loki. Magic, Mischief and Mayhem is not only the title of this book but it is also the motto for everything we do at House of Loki. This book is filled with fairies, dragons, wizards, and witches. We have stories based on fantasy and folklore from around the world by wri

• Language: English
• Publisher: House of Loki
• Release date: Nov 25, 2022
• ISBN: 9789198750720

Book preview

Foreword.

Magic, Mischief and Mayhem is the second quarterly anthology from House of Loki. Magic, Mischief and Mayhem is not only the title of this book but it is also the motto for everything we do at House of Loki.

This book is filled with fairies, dragons, wizards and witches. We have stories based on fantasy and folklore from around the world by writers from lots of different backgrounds. As soon as the authors saw the artwork for the cover by the amazing Greenspike, they were falling over themselves to tell the tales that it inspired.

Within these pages you will find crazy creatures, mythical monsters and weird witches. You’ll join characters that jump from tha page and take you for amazing adventures.

Please enjoy House Of LoKi Presents : Magic, Mischief & Mayhem

Callum Pearce

House Of LoKi

&

Nordic Press

Book Wyrm 2022

The Case Of Two Heads Being Worse Than One.

By Brian MacDonald.

Jack and Sparrow cheered along with the crowd. They had all just seen a truly impressive feat of strength from the circus strong man. Lifting the five-hundred-pound weight over his head should have been the big moment for the bald man dressed in a simple undershirt and woollen pants, but it was just a lead-up to his finale.

What’s he doing now? Sparrow questioned loudly as she clapped.

I’m not sure, but I think it may be why we’re here, Jack responded. He stopped clapping and crossed his arms thoughtfully.

Thank you! Thank you! the massively muscled performer called to the crowd. For my last show of strength, I ask that you sit in absolute silence.

The crowd made themselves comfortable with a low rumble.

Two large men emerged from the back of the tent, pushing a large object covered with a bright red sheet. The wheels squealed from the strain of its weight. They placed it to the strongman’s left and scrambled to the back, returning seconds later with an identically covered object to haul to his right.

The strong man flashed a beaming smile before he spoke again with a booming voice. Allow me to introduce my helpers today! I give you Adolphus and Burrage! He yanked the red sheets off the objects on both sides of him to reveal metal cages.

The cages did not contain what Jack and Sparrow were hired to find.

Neither of them had a large black cat that went by the name of Smokey.

Instead, both held massive dogs appearing to be carved out of ashen grey stone.

Gargoyles.

And the Gargoyles were growling and pacing with the rumble of granite rubbing against granite.

***

It had been an ordinary Tuesday in Boston when the case started. Horse-drawn carriages hustled through Dudley Square as the public bustled by the storefronts. 

Jack sat at a ramshackle desk in the backroom of the local bakery. He had gotten the room and desk in trade for his and Sparrow’s services with finding the thieves that had been stealing the baker’s early morning deliveries. It was not a great desk, but it had a chair that swivelled and that seemed more professional. Sparrow, for her part, sat in a rocking chair she had dragged out of a burnt-out house. It was a little blackened in spots, but still rocked fairly well.

So, it had been an ordinary day with Jack and Sparrow sitting in their chairs waiting for the door to open and the next case to appear.

They did not expect the door to be flung open and for a pigtailed and dirty-faced nine-year-old girl to storm in, chased by a huffing and puffing nanny. She was dressed in a cute white dress and had a pink bow in her hair. Her dress and bow were dirty and rumpled like she had spent the last hour rolling in the dirt.

Are you Jack of All Trades and The Sparrow? the girl demanded, hands on her hips.

We are, Jack tilted his head with a kind smile. How can we help you, little girl?

I’m not a little girl. I’m nine. My name is Helena and I want to hire you.

I see. Jack shot a quick questioning look at Sparrow who returned it with a shrug of her shoulders.

Someone stole my cat, Smokey. I went to the police, but they laughed at me. They said they didn’t solve missing cat cases.

I’m sorry they did that, Helena Jack murmured politely, trying to calm the small child so that she would go away. Detecting and Crime-Solving extraordinaires like Jack and Sparrow didn’t waste their time and considerable skills searching for missing pets.

There was one nice policeman. Officer Ross? He gave me your card and said you could help.

Did he now? Jack held back a wave of annoyance. The girl had no idea that Ross was his Uncle Charlie and that he’d probably had a laugh at sending her to bother them. He still hadn’t wrapped his brain around the idea that seventeen-year-old Jack and sixteen-year-old Sparrow were detectives that had solved a number of cases.

I can pay. She turned to her nanny with an outthrusted hand. Without a thought, the nanny pulled a child’s coin purse from her bag. Helena snapped open the purse and pulled out a roll of bills. She peeled off one crisp twenty-dollar bill after another.

Twenty dollars was a lot of money to most people in 1887. Ten dollars was. Actually, one dollar was a lot and most people didn’t see it pulled out by a child for any use much less from a wad of other bills. 

Jack fought valiantly to keep his jaw from hitting the desk from shock. He was able to mutter a thoughtful, I see, before she continued.

My Daddy is Frank Woolworth. He owns Woolworth’s 

***

That is quite a bit of money, Helena. Jack sat forward and readjusted his tophat absentmindedly. The money Helena was offering could pay for a better situation for both Jack and Sparrow. A better office. Better furniture. Jack could even help with the bills at home. His uncle and aunt had taken him and his siblings on when their parents passed away. Their apartment was small and filled will their own younger children. Money was tight, but it was a home filled with love. If Jack could make things easier for his family he’d do it without question.

Ahem. The nanny stepped forward, her spine straight and her chin held up like it was resting on a shelf. She was dark of skin and only a few years older than Jack. Missy Helena may use her money as she sees fit. Mr Woolworth said it was for her to spend. She nodded toward her ward and then stepped back to allow Helena to continue.

Will you take my case, now? Helena tapped the handful of bills on Jack’s desk.

Miss Helena, you have our absolute attention. Jack waved over Sparrow who, in turn, wandered over and sat on the edge of the desk. Tell us about your cat.

Smokey and I were taking tea in the front garden. It was a lovely day and we enjoy seeing the neighbours walk by in their daily pursuits. Nanny stepped away for more tea cakes… Smokey has a terrible sweet tooth… and then men jumped the fence and tried to steal him!

That must have been terrifying. Jack leaned closer to seem supportive. What did you do?

I stabbed one with my fork. Right in the leg.

"Boa Menina! Sparrow cheered and slapped her black bolero hat on the table, making the silver coins on it jingle. When Helena stared at her blankly, she smiled and said Good girl. In Portuguese," with a wink. The girl lit up with a proud smile.

And then he hit me. Knocked me to the ground. When his friend grabbed Smokey, I bit him. He threw me down. That’s why I’m dirty. Helena looked down at her clothes as if she only now noticed that she was a mess.

Dear lord. Jack eyed little Miss Woolworth and saw her truly for the first time. Bruises had begun to raise under the dirt on her face and arms. She had gone directly to the police after trying to fight off two men. You were very brave, Miss Helena.

Do you remember anything about the men? Sparrow dropped to the floor and crouched to get closer to Helena’s eye level. Perhaps a distinguishing feature? Hair colour? Clothing?

Yes, Helena frowned sternly. They were from Martine’s Magical Circus. I saw them throw Smokey in their animal carriage before they left.

***

The strongman bent down as a heavy metal bar was run through loops above the animal cages. Then, after adjusting the bar on his shoulders, he began to stand with a groan. The crowd held their breath collectively, fearful that he would stumble. If he fell, would he drop the cages? Would the gargoyles get free? Would they attack the crowd?

"Honestamente, Jack did you expect to see these…" Sparrow whispered out the side of her mouth to her friend.

Gargoyles?

"Yes. Gárgulas. Did you expect them?"

Honestly? No, Jack shook his head and frowned thoughtfully. I figured we would find a few animals done up and painted to look magical. Probably a donkey with a paper mache horn like a unicorn. Possibly even some rare animal from somewhere we hadn’t been. But not this.

The strongman stood up to his full height, balancing the swaying cages. The gargoyles, to their credit, sat in the middle of their cages. They very likely were trained to do so. How one trained a gargoyle Jack didn’t know. But, for that matter, he didn’t know where one got one of the monstrosities much less two.

With the cages balanced, the strongman proceeded to walk around the ring. He strode toward each section, bringing the caged stone creatures as close to the people as he could. Many recoiled with fear. Some fainted. But, the great majority of circus-goers oohed in excitement at being so close to creatures of myth and magic. Once every section had a good view of his feat of strength and the monsters involved, he returned to the middle of the ring and put the cages back exactly where he picked them up.

Friends! Family! Circus-goers! A voice tore through the excitement and in walked the ringmaster. Resplendent in a dashing top hat, suit, and deep purple cape he strode to the side of his strongman. Let’s give a round of applause for Mr Atlante, Unparalleled Master of Might and Magical Beasts!

The crowd exploded with applause.

Without turning from the ringmaster and Atlante, Sparrow tapped Jack’s arm.

 I think we’re going to have to be very careful, my friend

***

This doesn’t make any sense, grumbled Jack as he wandered the circus grounds with Sparrow. He was dressed in his second-best tuxedo, shined shoes, and his top hat. The suit was a year or two out of fashion and a bit oversized in places, but it fit the mood he was trying to set. He looked professional, even if he was at a circus trying to find a nine-year-old child’s lost cat.

Agreed, sighed Sparrow. She flitted to his right and then left, cutting through the crowd mulling around them, trying to see all the acts. These acts should be impossible. Did you see the horse show? Did you see the trainer fly in the air? On the back of a winged horse?

She was dressed in blousy bombacha pants, high boots, a work shirt, and a bright red bandana around her throat. A black bolero hat with silver pieces on the brim covered her pinned-up long dark hair. With a long-bladed Facón knife swinging from her hip, she looked dressed to join the circus and ride the flying horses. She was a gaucho, from Brazil, and had been practically raised on horseback. She rode better than men twice her age. Sparrow knew horses.

The flying horses were madness. Agreed. Jack nodded and rubbed his chin. But, gargoyles? Those are just stone statues. They were never meant to move, were they? I’ve never heard of one coming alive.

You’ve heard of flying horses?

In story books, sure. Jack kicked at a clump of dirt. Immediately regretting it when he realized it was a horse dropping, Jack looked for a place to clean his shoe toe.

"Mãe de Deus! So the circus has creatures of fantasies and nightmares?"

And Smokey. Jack stopped to rub his toe on a hay bale, hoping it would clean his shoe. It did. Mostly. And we have no idea why they would want a little black cat.

***

Jack and Sparrow slid behind a circus tent and made their way to a small encampment set up behind the show. Rows of horse-drawn carriages, bereft of their horses and held in place with parking spikes, lined both sides of dirt paths through trampled grass. Some carriages seemed to be set up as mobile rooms, almost tiny houses on wheels. Others had heavy iron bars, obviously in place to hold animals during transport. One looked different. While the other carriages were all the mottled brown of highly used and repaired transport, with brightly painted animals and the name of the circus on them, the other was not. It was dark. Black. With odd swirls and swoops of colour that could be writing in another language. It was not one that Jack had ever seen. In fact, he guessed that it was one that the maker of his hat had never experienced and that was saying something.

Put your back into it, Scotty! a voice snarled with a grunt from inside one of the tents.

Jack spun, looking for somewhere to hide. Sparrow was nowhere to be seen. Tico, Jack whisper-shouted the pet name of his best friend and partner, Where are you?

Down here, hissed a voice below him. To his surprise, a hand shot out from under the nearest animal carriage. Hide!

In that? Jack stared down at his friend, laying in what he presumed was grass, mud, and animal droppings.

"Does your hat make you Invisível my friend? Can it hide you in plain sight?"

No, Jack sighed, But the suit…

You can afford to get it cleaned, Sparrow hissed with a snap. If we get the cat. And you’re not caught.

Oh dear lord, Jack muttered as he crouched to the ground. Then, with a deep sigh, he dropped into the damp muddy ground and slid under the carriage.

Seconds later, squeaking wheels and groans heralded the return of the workers from the strongman’s show. 

Dammit, Scotty! a voice snarled from above them. Push!

I am, Jim! the other voice moaned in exhaustion. I’m giving it all I’ve got! 

There was another slow shriek of tires moving and then it quickened. Possibly they had gotten unstuck from some of the deeper mud. Within another minute or two, Scotty and Jim had moved their cart directly in front of the carriage Jack and Sparrow hid under. There was a rattling of metal that could only be keys retrieved and then used to open the barred vehicle.

Ya got the steak?

Damn dogs eat better than we do, grumbled Jim. The loud thump of something heavy landing on the floor reverberated over Jack. 

Better that than eating us. More rattling of keys and cage doors. Four heavy paws padded on the floor above them. The door slammed shut with a click. You seen what they did to Dave.

Poor Dave, tsk-tsked Jim. Then with another grumble he and Scotty dragged the cart towards the tent curtain, presumably to get the next gargoyle.

***

This dog is not painted, Jack. Sparrow pointed at the dog laying down in the barred cage.

Agreed. Jack tried to brush the accumulated muck off his suit but succeeded mostly in getting rid of the large chunks. The rest he seemed to have smeared worse into the fabric. His poor suit. Someone was going to pay for this. Someone besides himself, that is.

The poor thing is made of stone. I think he broke a tooth. Possibly he tried chewing the bars? Then, with a speed that Jack still couldn’t believe when he saw it, she thrust an arm into the cage and retrieved a piece of stone. She handed it to Jack.

Looks like a tooth to me, Jack examined. And it was a large, heavy one. From the colour of the stone, Jack guessed it might be granite. He placed it in his pocket for later