Page 29 of Hybrid Heroics

Palmer nodded. “Yes. I’ll talk you through it.”

“Fuck me…” he blurted. “This is going to hurt, isn’t it?”

“A little.” The mage chuckled, enjoying his brother’s discomfort. “You need to look at the magic like knots.”

“Knots?”

“Yes. That’s how Sloane pulls everything apart.”

The warlock sighed, musing, “So you don’t know what we’re doing?”

“I do,” Palmer claimed. “Just shut up and follow the directions.”

Murphy huffed but closed his mouth.

“You might have to change your angle to see them. It might also be easier to touch the magic, but when you touch it, be ready to start pulling the threads apart. Think of it like... You know how you used to untangle Ma’s necklaces?”

“Yeah.”

“Just like that, but on a timer. You want to pick at them until you know which one will be the easiest to untangle. It’s likely the last strand that was added to the bunch.” Palmer nodded as he spoke. “You need to be easy, but fast. Yeah. Just like that.”

“Don’t say that,” Murph snapped, making me snort.

The mage cleared his throat. “Sorry. That was weird.”

“When I find the top thread?” his brother inquired.

“Pull it loose,” Palmer answered.

“And after that?”

“Keep unraveling them.”

While they were focused, I watched the way their mental signatures were cohesive as they worked. Palmer’s essence was a conundrum. On the one hand, it challenged everything around it, almost like it was squaring up to us, ready to fight. But it was also calculating, slowly rolling around as if looking for a better angle to attack.

Murphy’s was much the same, except a little clumsier. Or maybe he was nervous. I couldn’t be sure at the moment... Though I was fascinated by the similarities. It wasn’t often that I got to study siblings, only strangers.

“Notice that thread in the middle?” Palmer asked him. “It’s standing alone.”

I nodded, but they couldn’t see me. “I’ll bet that’s the one that holds this curse together. Pull it, Murph.”

“What if it explodes?” he nearly shouted, making me feel bad for Talia.

“It won’t,” Palmer assured him.

“Pull it, Murph,” I repeated, needing him to speed up. “Whatever it is, it’s getting angry. The threads are trying to piece themselves back together.”

Palmer’s essence brushed over those threads, causing them to whither and melt away. Fucking light magic…

How he ended up light while his siblings were dark was beyond me. I mean, I knew the reasons. But it was still weird. Murphy was definitely the least evil of the three of them. Miller being a nightwitch was pretty spot on, though. She could be a wicked bitch when she wanted to.

“Pull harder,” Palmer urged.

“Get out.” Murphy growled, exerting his mental strength. “When I pull, both of you get out. It’s going to knock you back.”

I didn’t feel like being magically thrown out the window at my back, so as soon as I felt Murphy’s presence surge forward, I rushed out, grabbing Palmer as I went. Murphy was slim seconds behind us.

Talia gasped and gagged as he was kicked from her mind.