Free The Lost Mage by Amy Difar Page A

better,” he said with relief as he zipped them up.
     
    “Good,” Nora’s disappointed voice belied her words.
     
    After finding a shirt and some underwear for him, Nora borrowed a pair of scissors from the clerk to cut off the tags so Darakin could wear his new clothing out of the store.
     
    As they were walking back toward Nora’s apartment, her cell phone went off, playing the pop tune she had selected as her ringtone. Darakin jumped in alarm.
     
    “How is music playing from your pocket?”
     
    She laughed. “It’s my ring tone. It lets me know that … oh never mind. I have to answer it.”
     
    She hit a button and put the phone to her ear. “Hello?”
     
    “Hello,” Darakin said in confusion.
     
    “Not you.”
     
    “Not me?”
     
    “No.” She turned her attention back to the phone. “Sorry, Sean. What’s that?” After a brief pause. “So, not tonight, either? Jaysus, I’ll be needing a handout if this continues. Can we come in tomorrow?” There was another pause. “Okay. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
     
    She pressed a button on the phone. “That was Sean.”
     
    Darakin spun around looking at the people. “Where?”
     
    “On the phone. Let me guess? No phones at home, either?”
     
    The mage just stared at her blankly.
     
    “Okay, without going into detail, Sean has a phone,” she held her phone up as an exhibit, “and I have a phone. He calls the number to my phone and we can talk to each other, even though we’re not together.”
     
    Darakin reached out to touch the phone in amazement. “And you expect me to believe that this is not magic?”
     
    “Nope. Just a phone.” She put the device back in her pocket. “We can’t go to work tonight again. The INS didn’t show last night and the word is that they’ll be there today.”
     
    “But I am in need of those dollars. I must work.”
     
    “Me too, Darakin, but you won’t be able to work from a jail cell, will you now?”
     
    “No. Is it okay if Mrowley and I stay the night again?”
     
    “Of course. In fact, I’m thinking you should stay there until you find a proper place to stay, not that little room at Sean’s.”
     
    “That’s very kind of you, Nora.”
     
    “It’s nothing.” Nora blushed, hoping that he didn’t realize how much she wanted him to stay with her.
     

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Eleven
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    “I know. Let’s go to a movie,” Nora said as they walked along the street. Before Darakin could respond, she added, “I know, I know, you probably don’t know what that is. Well, it’s like the TV, you know the magic box, but on a much bigger screen. Trust me, you’ll like it.”
     
    “Okay,” Darakin said.
     
    “It’s good that it’s still early; we’ll get matinee prices.”
     
    Nora turned and headed toward the local movie theatre. When they stood in front of the ticket booth, she looked at the listings to make a selection. The first movie was a romantic comedy. No way, she thought. That’s a date movie. He hasn’t asked me out and I’m not going to be the first one to make dating overtures.
     
    The second movie was a big-budget science fiction picture about robots taking over the world. Christ, she thought, he freaked out about a train. I think robot overlords would send him over the edge.
     
    The third movie was an animated children’s picture. There’s no way in hell I’m going to try to explain to him that the cartoon mouse isn’t real or magical .
     
    The next choice was a disaster flick about a flood destroying much of the world. Elements destroying the world? With his Elemental War thing? Pass.
     
    The last option was a fantasy picture that promised beautiful, medieval landscapes and sorcery. Now that seems right up his alley.
     
    Nora stepped up to the window and bought two tickets, before leading Darakin into the theatre’s dark interior. Out of the corner of her eye, she