Feral Magic Read online

  J.E. Reed

  Feral Magic

  The Chronopoint Chronicles: Origins

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  About the Author

  Cover Design: Brosedesignz

  FERAL MAGIC

  Copyright © 2020 J.E. REED

  All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without written permission of the publisher.

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

  Visit the author at jereedbooks.com

  Facebook: J.E.Reed.author

  Twitter: J_E_Reed_author

  Instagram: jereed_kiuno

  To Mandy, for teaching me life is meant to be lived.

  YOLO.

  Chapter One

  Three months before Kiuno…

  Vixin prowled through the forest with feather-light steps, running her fingertips over the rough tree bark while scanning the area for any signs of life. She’d seen nothing but animals for hours. Animals that didn’t seem to be as frightened of a human’s presence as they should have been.

  Her skin prickled as a chilly breeze ruffled her red hair and she resisted the shudder that ran down her spine. Her brows scrunched as she ran her hands over delicate budding leaves and lingered on a thorn. Whatever this place was, it certainly didn’t feel like a dream.

  She scanned the forest again, running her eyes up and down trunks before double checking the foliage beneath. All wrong. Everything about this place was wrong. The bushes. The trees. None of it grew together. Not anywhere in the world she knew anyway. And she knew a lot. Geography was a subject she studied intensely, not only for school purposes, but for survival. One never knew where they could end up. Plane crashes. Train derailments. She’d read all the stories.

  Vixin fingered the leaf again. Spring. Early, if she were to guess from the temperature. But that didn’t make sense. She’d looked at the calendar last night. January fifteenth. In two days, she was to undertake another test from her father. She’d been waiting for it, preparing for months.

  Could he have planned a surprise test instead? Try to make her panic and falter under the pressure?

  She crouched and glanced toward the bracelet encircling her wrist. A braided leather strap went through a single tan stone. ‘Vixin’ had been engraved on the surface.

  It wasn’t her actual name, of course, but she’d used it enough times that it didn’t bother her to use it now.

  Especially since she couldn’t recall her own.

  Vixin huffed and stood, examining the treetops for what seemed to be the hundredth time. She’d already run her fingers through her hair, searching for a bump that might indicate she’d hit her head. Her father always stopped her tests if she injured herself. That was the only way he’d agree to them. And if she couldn’t recall her name, then there was a good chance she’d had some kind of mishap.

  But her father wasn’t here.

  And her father was always there. It didn’t matter how difficult the exercise proved. Nor the climate. He never left her unattended.

  Which only meant one thing.

  This wasn’t a training exercise.

  Vixin stepped over a twig, careful of her footing. She didn’t want to be tracked, and though it was a hard-learned skill, she wasn’t about to risk it. If anyone was trying to follow her, they’d have a hard time of it.

  She searched the ground, continuing her trek through the woods. Still nothing human, but at least there’d be enough food should she be stuck out here for a few days. Judging from the chill in the air, the nights would be cold, which meant a fire. And a fire could attract unwanted attention.

  She’d have to be careful.

  Shouting had her falling back, pressing herself against a tree. She waited, surveying her surroundings.

  Vixin remained still and the shouting shifted to screams. Maybe someone had fallen and injured themselves. She didn’t particularly care, but at the very least she might get some answers.

  Vixin crawled from behind the tree and stalked toward the voice. She kept her steps quiet, her breathing even.

  Whimpering followed, and she pressed herself against another tree to examine the scene.

  Six lanky men stood over two hunkering figures. Her gaze roamed toward those on the ground, and she noted their bound hands and the scraps over their body. One even sported a black eye.

  “Please, stop.” The black-eyed boy bent his head to the ground. Vixin snorted. She’d die long before begging for anything. Her gaze shifted to his bound companion, but his blank stare told her enough. He’d given up, accepted defeat. At least he was willing to take his punishment in silence.

  Vixin took to examining the captors, surprised to find them in relatively normal attire. Skinny jeans, poorly dyed hair, and T-shirts with logos she recognized from one band or another. Not men at all. Boys. Bullies.

  One flipped a knife in his hand and Vixin turned away. She didn’t need to get involved. It wasn’t her business whether they were actually bullies or just dealing out punishment. She needed to focus on herself, figure out the situation at hand.

  A twig snapped and Vixin cursed. She whirled, her hand reflexively reaching for her hunting knife, but it wrapped around empty air. She took a step back and dropped into a stance. Weapon or no, she could still fight off an attacker.

  The young man before her was a bit thicker than his companions, and his hair was greased back with far too much product to label him as a threat. But the way his eyes roamed over her body made her want to cram his teeth down his throat.

  He raised his voice rather than lunging for her. “Looks like we have another one.”

  He inclined his head toward those behind her, an indication to walk. She could have run. Could have easily planted her knee in his groin and sprinted through the woods without worry, but something had her turning toward the other six. Her father would disapprove, but maybe she’d learn something. If not, the fight would at least warm her up.

  Upon seeing her, the one with the black eye pleaded. “Help us, please.”

  The tall one with the knife laughed and pointed the blade toward her. “What do you expect a girl to do? Look at her. She’s smaller than I am.” Vixin wasn’t sure which one she wanted to punch first. Greasy hair or loudmouth. “She couldn’t hurt a fly.” He licked his lips. “But I bet she screams better than you do.”

  That caught her attention. Vixin stared him down, taking in his form. Eighteen. Nineteen maybe. All of them seemed about that age, though the boy trying to threaten her looked as though he hadn’t eaten in a month. Pale skin, lack of muscle. Yet annoyingly, probably popular among his clique of friends. Such was one of the many reasons her generation annoyed her so. No one knew what to value anymore.

  A subtle nod toward his greasy companion sent a thrill of excitement coursing through her body. Vixin spun on her heel as he reached for her. She gripped his wrist, ducked beneath his arm, and wrenched the limb behind his back. He cried out, but not before she kicked his knee in and sent him to the ground. Vixin placed her body
on top of his, twisting his wrist as a reminder to keep still if he didn’t want it broken.

  Loudmouth gaped at her a moment, then tsked and grabbed the young man with a black eye. He pressed the blade to his captive’s collarbone. “Let him go or your friend paints the ground.”

  Vixin couldn’t help the giggle that escaped her throat. “Friend? I don’t even know who they are.” She nodded toward the blade. “And your hold on the knife is wrong.” She tilted her head and pointed with her free hand. “It needs to be higher if you plan to slit the artery.”

  His face tinted and he threw his captive to the ground before lunging for her. Vixin released his companion and stepped back, smirking when her would-be assailant tripped over his ally. Loudmouth scrambled back to his feet and ran at her, swinging wildly. His nostrils flared as he missed time and time again. Vixin smiled at his growing frustration.

  He swung again, throwing himself off balance, and Vixin shot forward. She gripped his wrist and twisted. He cried out, dropped the blade, and she snatched it from the air before dancing away.

  He gaped at her as she twirled the knife between her fingers. “Thanks for this.” Vixin grimaced upon examining it. “You couldn’t have at least sharpened it?”

  “You stupid—”

  Vixin dashed forward and had him on his knees before he could finish his sentence. She placed the small blade over the pulse in his neck. “This is where the carotid is and with just a tiny flick of the wrist,” she moved to add emphasis.

  “I’m sorry,” he sputtered. His eyes danced between his companions, pleading for them to do something. “We were just playing around, right guys?”

  Vixin glanced at the two on the ground and then shoved him forward. “Sure you were.” She pocketed the knife and pivoted from the scene. They wouldn’t be able to tell her anything useful. In fact, they probably thought this was all some kind of elaborate joke and had no idea dinner wouldn’t be served on a silver platter.

  “What are you waiting for?” he roared. “Get her!”

  Vixin huffed and ducked to avoid—her eyes widened. Was that a sword? She’d just let these bastards off easy and they were going to cut off her head?

  She shot her foot out, sweeping her attacker’s legs before rolling to place some distance between herself and the other six. What the hell was wrong with them?

  Thankfully, only one had a sword and he scrambled to his feet in a way that told her she had nothing to worry about. Playing around indeed. If they were willing to come at her like that—well—they wouldn’t be getting off so easy after all.

  Five charged at once, two with pitiful weapons, the other three with their fists. Honestly, what group of men attacked a young woman?

  Vixin ducked, dodged, and spun around her opponents with ease. She half wondered why her father had bothered training her so hard if this was all she’d have to contend with.

  She counted the seconds, knowing exactly when and where their wild swings would strike and how to pivot herself around them so they’d all look like fools.

  Her fist collided with the first’s jaw followed closely with an elbow to his solar plexus. She slammed her knee into the next one’s groin and broke the third’s nose with the palm of her hand.

  The remaining two faltered, glancing from their friends on the ground to the girl still standing without a scratch.

  Vixin walked toward them and they stepped back, creating a wide berth for her to stroll through. She picked up the two knives that had fallen on the ground. Not the best quality, but at least it’d be better than nothing. Vixin stuffed one in her boot and twirled the other between her fingers.

  She turned to leave. “Untie us.” Vixin tilted her head back to the one with a black eye. He tried struggling to his feet, but failed and she realized they, too, were bound. “Please, just give me a knife.”

  Vixin huffed and wiped the sheen of sweat from her brow before marching over. Her attackers still hadn’t moved, and if they remained where they were, then she wouldn’t bother with them. She had more important things to do anyway.

  Taking pity on his bound state, Vixin sawed at the ropes binding his wrists, then dropped the knife in the dirt for him to do the rest.

  She turned toward loudmouth and could have sworn he’d taken a few steps behind his nearest companion. “If I see you again, I’ll be splitting that artery of yours and you’ll get to see first-hand exactly how long it takes someone to paint the ground.” He swallowed hard and she spun on her heel before stomping away.

  Chapter Two

  Vixin rubbed her temple. Dusk was settling fast, and despite the distance she’d placed between herself and the boys that’d formed that pitiful excuse for a gang, she couldn’t shake the two she’d rescued.

  They’d been following her for hours, maintaining a safe distance as they strolled through dense foliage and thorns. Vixin purposefully tried taking difficult routes, hoping it might deter their pursuit. Sadly, it didn’t.

  She glanced toward the setting sun. She couldn’t keep going if she planned to make camp, and she hadn’t found any clues that might help her solve the mystery at hand.

  Vixin stopped and turned with a huff. “What do you want?”

  A long pause, then the two approached her carefully. The one with a black eye wrung his hands together, seeming to look everywhere except at her. “We didn’t really know where else to go.” He gestured at their surroundings. “I thought we could tag along with you?”

  “Why?”

  Excitement bloomed in his gaze. “Because what you did back there was badass!” When she didn’t respond, he cleared his throat and gave her a sheepish smile. “And we don’t really know what we’re doing.”

  “So your plan is to use me as a bodyguard? Hate to break it to you, but if we’re attacked, I’m not saving your sorry asses.”

  Fear flickered in his gaze. “We’ll put ourselves to use. Do whatever you tell us.” He glanced at his companion. “Won’t we?” He looked back at her. “Please, just let us tag along. Whatever you need, we’ll be happy to do it.”

  Vixin sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. She was tired and the thought of having someone do the heavy lifting didn’t seem so bad. “Fine. Go gather firewood and if you can manage it, try not to sound like a herd of elephants in the process.”

  He saluted her. “Yes ma'am.” He crashed through the forest, dragging his friend with him. There went her stealth. At least they’d make a good decoy.

  Less than twenty minutes later, and with far more noise than should have been humanly possible, the two deposited their third armful of wood at her side. She gave it a sidelong glance.

  “I take it neither of you knows how to start a fire?”

  “Uh, not really.” She huffed and he quickly added. “But I can learn.”

  “By the time you learn it’ll be morning.” She headed back into the woods, pulling apart bark and gathering a small pile of twigs. They watched her with the intensity of a cat stalking its prey. Within a few minutes she had a spark, then the fire was roaring. Both looked at her as if she were some kind of alien creature left behind for their entertainment.

  She poked the fire with a stick, shifting the logs to let it breathe. “Can either of you hunt?” Black eye shook his head. “Find water?” Again, a shake of the head. She huffed again. “Then what good are you to me?”

  “We can learn. We’re willing to learn.” He elbowed his companion. “Right?”

  She glanced at the silent boy. Now that she got a good look at him, he seemed younger than the others. Fourteen or fifteen, if she were to guess. He still had his head down, hung in defeat and his eyes were red, likely from crying. Vixin turned back to the fire. “Is your friend a mute?”

  “Huh? No, he just...isn’t sure what to make of all this.”

  “Did he tell you that?”

  “Not in so many words.”

  “Hey kid.” He glanced up at her but didn’t hold her gaze. “If you think getting beat up is the worst thing t
hat could happen out here, you’re dead wrong. Suck it up, we don’t have time for your crybaby nonsense.”

  “Hey—”

  She interrupted him. “I’m not going to coddle either of you. If he doesn’t learn to speak for himself, then he’s going to die out here. Plain and simple.”

  He opened his mouth to argue but changed the topic instead. “Do you know where we are?”

  Vixin used one of the knives to pick at her nails. “Not a clue, but I know survival. I know I haven’t seen a human track for miles apart from the winners you ran across earlier. I know this place seems strange and I know the animals around her haven't been hunted.” She threw another log on the fire. “I don’t suppose you know any more than that?”

  He shook his head. “Just woke up here this morning and he was by my side.” He tilted his head toward the silent one.

  “You don’t know him?”

  “Not really, we just met this morning. Walked a bit then those guys jumped us.”

  “Why?”

  “Said they wanted our money, but neither of us had any, so they started beating us. I don’t really get it.”

  “People like that enjoy making others feel powerless.”

  “That’s terrible.”

  She shrugged. “It’s nothing new.”

  Silence stretched between them and the fire popped. “I’m Anton by the way.” He gestured to his silent companion. “And this is,” he hesitated, and Vixin raised a brow. “Well, I’ve taken to calling him Blitz.”

  “What?”

  Anton scratched the back of his head. “His bracelet says Blitzer.”

  Vixin let out a roaring laugh, “Blitzer? What kind of name is that?”

  “A gamertag,” Blitz answered. “It’s always been my gamertag.”

  She stopped laughing. “Gamertag for what?”

  He shrugged, pulling his knees into his chest. “For everything.”

  Her gaze shifted to Anton. “And yours?”