Black Magic Read Online Free Page B

silk button-down shirt. He gave Zach a grin that made Zach think of a spider in a web, though he didn’t know why since spiders don’t smile.
    “C’mon in,” Lyle said. “Lyle Miller’s the name.”
    Zach gave him a quick snap of his head in return. “Zach.”
    “Welcome to the shop,” Lyle said.
    “Dude,” Zach said with a quick glance around, “you got nothing to sell.”
    Lyle slid off the counter and stepped to the front display window.
    “It’s called ‘just-in-time inventory’ in the business world,” Lyle said. “I only carry what I need to sell.”
    He reached in through a door in the back of the window display and pulled out the three rings. He looped one through his arm and it slid down to his elbow. He held the other two, one in each hand.
    “ Bakshokah shuey ,” Lyle said. He swung the two rings together. When they touched each other they rang instead of clinked, like someone had struck a musical triangle. He handed them to Zach. Zach tugged at them and they remained united.
    “So what’s the trick?”
    “No trick,” Lyle said. He took the rings from Zach, scooped them side by side, and peeled them apart. “It’s magic.”
    “Bull. There’s always a trick.” He took the rings from Lyle and examined each one. Flawless, continuous metal. He slammed them together and they would not join.
    “It doesn’t work because you don’t believe,” Lyle said. “And you won’t believe because it doesn’t work. A nasty cycle. Elements attuned to magic can do amazing things. But without belief, you cannot channel the power to make the magic happen.”
    Lyle reached into his pocket and pulled out a polished gold coin the size of a quarter. The edges were uneven and engravings worn, as if the coin had passed through millions of hands over hundreds of years. He tossed it to Zach.
    “Put that in your pocket,” he said. “And then try again.”
    Zach had enough of this weird dude doing party tricks in his empty store. He tossed back the coin and turned to return the rings to the display.
    “I can see how you would be afraid,” Lyle said. He bounced the coin in his hand. “The power of magic intimidates the weak.”
    Zach spun back to face Lyle.
    “I ain’t afraid of nothing.”
    Lyle delivered a victorious smirk and tossed the coin back to Zach. Zach slipped it in his pocket.
    “Now,” Lyle said. “Focus.”
    Zach felt like an idiot. He held one ring in each hand. He closed his eyes. Nothing.
    “The phrase,” Lyle said. “ Bakshokah shuey . Say it.”
    This was so lame. “ Bakshokah shuey .” Zach sighed.
    The coin in his pocket warmed. His arms tingled, like they bristled with static electricity. He swung the rings together. When they hit they emitted a high musical note. But Zach didn’t feel them hit. He opened his eyes. His heart skipped a beat. The rings were joined.
    “Awesome,” he whispered.
    He let one of the linked rings drop. He flipped the other off his wrist and into his palm.  
    “ Bakshokah shuey ,” he said with conviction. This time he felt the tingle right away, like the magic had found its path of least resistance and now sought it out on its own. Something in the back of his brain purred like a kitten. The two rings pulled toward each other as if magnetized. He let them swing together. Ping! A chain of three.
    Zach’s jaw went slack.
    “Feel that power?” Lyle said.
    Zach nodded as if drugged. The exhilaration of channeling the magic was beyond description.
    “There’s more where that came from,” Lyle said.
    “Bring it on, dude.”
    “In good time,” Lyle said. “You have some friends who might also enjoy learning some magic?”
    “Hell, yeah,” Zach said.
    “Have them come by,” Lyle said. “One at a time.”
    Zach was afraid of the answer to his next question.
    “What do these rings cost?”
    “How much do you have?”
    Zach paused at the odd answer. He pulled his cash from his pocket.
    “Eight bucks,” he said.
    “Lucky for you they