City of Magic: The Complete Series by Helen Harper (book club recommendations TXT) 📕

‘I’m magical,’ I said. ‘Am I a freak?’

The woman swallowed then she lifted up her chin. ‘Maybe,’ she said.

She had pluck, I’d give her that. By my side, Monroe growled out a warning. I didn’t know if it was for me or for the woman but I didn’t care.

I smiled slowly. ‘In that case,’ I said, ‘you’re a freak too. In fact, you’re all freaks.’

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ someone called.

I laughed humourlessly. ‘This city is filled with magic.’ I raised my hands and trailed them through the air. ‘It’s in the air we breathe. It’s in the water we drink.’ I took a step forward then thought better of it as I nearly toppled off my perch. But I still grinned. ‘I gained magic through sleeping next to a powerful object. I didn’t mean to do it. I didn’t know I was doing it. But I still did it. Did you all really think you could stay here and not be affected by magic in the same way?’

Several people exchanged glances, their bafflement growing.

‘That’s right!’ I shouted. ‘We’re all magical freaks now!’

Until Monroe and I went up City Tower, I hadn’t fully realised that the blue aura surrounding Monroe’s community was only slightly stronger than the blue aura here. The people here had magic running through their veins now, just like I did. Cath’s actions the previous night had confirmed it.

My smile grew even wider until I probably looked like some kind of crazed creature. ‘It turns out magic is like the common cold. And, like the common cold, there’s no cure for it.’

The muttering grew. ‘She’s nuts. She’s finally lost it.’ Then one of the younger men flicked out his hand. A bolt of something green shot up into the air and exploded into a cascading rainbow of colour over his head.

‘She’s right,’ he said. ‘I thought it was only me but I can do magic. I can do … things.’

A few others nodded. Apparently he wasn’t the only one who’d been experimenting.

‘You see?’ I said. ‘By choosing to stay in Manchester, you’ve chosen to accept the consequences – and the consequences are that we’re all enchanters. We’re all witches and wizards or whatever the hell you want to call us.’ My voice hardened. ‘We’re in this together, no matter who or what we are.’ I glared. ‘Unless you try to hurt or maim or kill another person. Do that, and I will find out who you are and there will be consequences. This might be a magical society but it’s not a lawless one. Justice will be dispensed.’ I wasn’t sure anyone was paying much attention; they were all too flabbergasted by the revelation that they had their own magic.

Monroe reached over and squeezed my hand. ‘Go on,’ I said to him. ‘Say it.’

‘Say what, sunshine?’

‘“I told you so”. Say “I told you so”.’ I looked down at him.

His blue eyes crinkled at the corners. ‘I wouldn’t dare,’ he smiled. ‘You’re pretty scary when you get going.’ His expression altered and his gaze dropped. ‘If I wasn’t such a dangerous person to be around, we’d be good together.’

I pulled my hand away. ‘So now we can’t be around each other because of one daft theory? Because you might not be able to contain your wolf? Monroe, if that was an issue, it would have already caused problems. It’s not the issue. I was wrong.’

‘I told you. I have too many deaths on my conscience. I won’t put you in danger too.’

I opened my mouth to continue arguing when there was an inarticulate shout from near the car. It was Anna – and from her tone it was important. I hopped down from my vantage point. All around me, people were buzzing, staring at their fingers, trying to get magic to spout forth. Some were successful; others needed more practice.

I ignored them and pushed my way through. ‘What is it?’ I asked her. ‘What’s the problem? Do you know him?’

Anna’s body language was stiff and unyielding and her lips were pressed together in a thin, taut line. ‘I vaguely recognise his face. But that’s not it, Charley. That’s not the problem.’

I stared at her. ‘Then what?’

She pointed down at the corpse. The car door was open and one of his arms was dangling out of it. It wasn’t a pleasant picture – I’ll give you that – but I still didn’t see what the problem was.

‘His tattoo,’ Anna said. ‘Look at his tattoo.’

I glanced down at the body’s bare forearm. It wasn’t a large design but it was certainly distinct: a dagger wrapped in barbed wire and dripping blood.

‘It’s the same,’ Anna told me. ‘It’s exactly the same as the doodle in Valerie’s diary. This is the third man she was sleeping with. The one I couldn’t find.’ Her face was pale as she paused so we could consider the ramifications. ‘What are the odds that these deaths are unconnected?’

A grim darkness descended on me. ‘Not good. Not good at all.’ Just how much blood and sorrow was Julie responsible for? I shook my head. We had to find her before anyone else got hurt. I didn’t know what she was doing or how she was doing it, but she was involved. She had to be.

I spun round again and started marching in the opposite direction, ignoring the bustle of excited people. Yeah, they had magic – but we also had a murderer in our midst.

‘Where are you going?’ Lizzy asked, catching up. Anna was right beside her.

‘Julie’s house,’ I bit out. ‘Even if she’s not there, there might be some clue or some evidence about what she’s done. These deaths are tied together. I can’t see how or why, but they’re linked somehow.’

Monroe joined us, his features as dark as my thoughts. ‘You think she might have persuaded Philip to go after Valerie?’

‘Perhaps. Maybe she helped him and that’s why every last drop of Valerie’s blood was gone.’

‘There was only one set of puncture