The Pyramid of Souls (16 page)
Read The Pyramid of Souls Online
Authors: Erica Kirov
After the twins left, Nick watched from the wings. The Parisian clan had a fantastic bit: their alligator grew to forty feet long, then ate one of the magicians whole before transforming into twenty suitcases and being carried off by twenty magicians dressed in flashy suits from the Jazz Age.
There was wild applause.
And then it was Irina's turn.
She stepped onto the desolate tundra, alone, pitiful. By the time she was dancing her
pas de deux
with the polar bear, magicians in the audience were clutching tissues.
pas de deux
with the polar bear, magicians in the audience were clutching tissues.
It was time for Nick, Isabella, and Penelope to perform their magic. But they had decided, in light of recent events, that they would do something different—something to honor Penelope and Miranda and all their sacrifices to tend the Pyramid of Souls for centuries.
The stage was transformed into a desert. Penelope rode in mightily, her footfalls powerful, with Isabella on her back arms spread wide.
And Nick flew from the farthest reaches of the back of the theater on the wings of hundreds of ravens, who then dropped him on Penelope's back.
As Penelope rose up on her two hind legs, the ravens took flight and circled the theater.
Then Nick whistled for Maslow, who thundered onstage. Nick and Isabella leaped onto Maslow's bare back, and with a wave to Penelope, they took off into the desert.
As Nick cast his spell, the ravens all flapped down onto Penelope's back. The elephant sprouted wings and took flight, before disappearing behind the curtains.
The applause was thunderous.
In fact, it was so loud that Nick could barely hear anything else.
He, Damian, Irina, and Isabella all walked to the front of the curtain and bowed. They held hands, and he felt something special. Like the sensation of the thread he had felt when the raven had tried to make a connection to him, he felt something binding them. Their ties were now as strong as swords forged in the ancient magic fires.
He belonged here. He always had. As if something had been missing his entire nomadic life with his father. Something as powerful as magic and belief.
Then he saw Theo in the wings. His cousin was not as triumphant as the stars on the stage. Nick saw a look of pride but also of great worry. Because Theo the historian always knew.
His family may have won the competition…
But the real battle was still not won.
And for that, Nick would have to live up to his destiny.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Erica Kirov is an American writer of Russian descent. She lives in Virginia with her family, her menagerie of disobedient dogs, a peculiar hedgehog, a chatty parrot, a kitten named Pumpkin, and a snake. Most days you can find her furiously typing away on her next Magickeepers book. She loves to hear from her readers—you can visit her at
www.magickeepers.com
, or you can write her at
[email protected]
.
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