Free New Spark (Dark Magic Enforcer Book 3) by Al K. Line Page A

or whatever it was I'd taken from the troll. "He was eating one. His mind was reverting to its true nature so he ate one of these and he was back to being smart again."
    Rikka nodded. "I know what it is. It's a ball of brains. A smart pill."
    "That a technical term, is it?" I said, really not in the mood.
    "Don't push it, Spark, I'm having a bad day. Why do you think I wanted you for this?"
    "Because I can crack some heads and suck magic out of whoever is behind the fact the trolls are smart again? Nobody said anything about them being violent and cruel though."
    "They won't think of it as cruel, they will see it as a kindness."
    "That's what the one under the house said."
    "There you go then."
    I studied Rikka, looking for signs of emotion, but he was locked down, all business. "Why wouldn't they see it as anything but cruel?"
    "Because they believe in magic, are magic, and zombies are a perversion of that. They are creatures that were once alive but no longer are. Zombies hoard magic that belongs to the Empty, not part of them. However this virus started, way back in the history of time lost to us, something got severely corrupted. It's not how things are meant to be. They have never liked it, but they leave things alone, but with intelligence and the ability to act how they want, to reason and think things through, which is all new to them, they have done what they feel is right, what is best for us all. And you can't argue with that, Spark. Zombies are a danger to humanity."
    "I guess. But look what they did. It's barbaric."
    "Spark, they are trolls, not human beings. Are you telling me it's barbaric for a person to put a dog to rest when there is no hope for it? To help a sick bird pass gently when otherwise it will simply suffer until it dies?"
    "No, of course not!"
    "Then don't be so quick to judge. I don't think you are really, are you?" I shook my head. I wasn't.
    I was looking for something to explain what had happened, to make sense of it all.
    "They are trolls, born of the planet itself. Their ways are different, as are the ways of so many creatures we call Hidden. How can we judge when we can't even understand? They were saving us, saving the living humans from their own foolishness."
    "Maybe you're right. This one still tried to kill me though."
    "That's as may be, and we will find out why soon enough. Did you goad it?"
    "No, I didn't."
    "Somehow it saw you as a threat to its own survival then. They are fighters, after all. I'm not saying they are jolly fellows that don't like cracking heads, all I'm saying is that maybe what they did here wasn't malicious and cruel for cruelty's sake. I believe they were doing what they thought of as the right thing to give humanity the best possible chance of survival."
    "You could be right." My head was swimming. What a morning! Back for half a day and I was seriously reconsidering my return to the fold. I could have been at home with Kate, sorting out the mess of the garden, battling with chickens, staring at her bottom as it fought against her tight jeans like two perfect loaves of bread fresh from the oven, all warm and ready for me to sink my teeth into.
    "Spark? Hello?"
    "Sorry, I was miles away."
    "What are you smiling at?" Rikka asked suspiciously.
    "Nothing. Anyway, you haven't answered my question. Although I don't think you need to. The witches, right? This isn't wizard work, these lumps of smart pills, this is something the witches would do."
    "See," said Rikka, actually smiling and looking proud as though I'd just passed a spelling test, "I knew you were coming into your own. Of course it's the witches, we just have to find out why. They are up to something and it goes beyond just making the trolls brainy."
    "What about Tom Cruise here?" I said pointing at the pile.
    "Huh?"
    "Never mind. Doesn't matter. What about him?"
    "Leave him. There's nothing for us here. We have bigger fish to fry. Well, um..."
    "You mean I do."
    "That's my boy," Rikka slapped me on the