Corrupted Magic is the second book in the Grimoire Society of Dark Acts series. Episode 24 is up on my Patreon—it’s pay-what-you-like—and it’ll go up three days later on Kindle Vella. Here’s an excerpt from this latest episode.
Finnegan relives the same day—will anything change, or will Knox’s sacrifice be in vain?
What Corrupted Magic is about:
Grimoire Society of Dark Acts’s hard-won defeat of the brutal Harpe brothers should have been a relief… But through a forced double blood-binding, Gertrude disappears right in front of their eyes. The Ruin Rats, a vicious magical street gang, is out for Dark Acts’s blood. Knox calls on the deadly gang from his past for help, but is the physical cost too high to pay? As if that’s not enough, a new corrupt form of magic is throwing the entire magical universe off balance.
Episode 24: Ripple Effect
FINNEGAN
“Then come with me and we’ll get you a weapon,” Finnegan said, grabbing the scalping knife off of its cushion on the tete-a-tete. Morton followed Finnegan out the library door.
Finnegan heard continued talking from the library, but Morton spoke over the fading voices.
“What’s your weapon of choice, Mr. Murphy?”
Finnegan glanced down at the scalping knife. “I don’t have one. I don’t have much experience with weapons. They’ve never held much interest to me.”
“Well if you’d ever like a lesson, please think of me first.”
A sharp pang of guilt hit Finnegan. I would ask Knox before anyone…if I ever see him again.
Finnegan heard hurried steps behind them as they reached the first parlor room, the debris of the door scattered about. His heart sank at the thought of everything that had happened with Knox. What he might be doing out there on his own, now that they all knew the truth behind the evil within the mace. Although Finnegan didn’t understand wholly, from what he could gather, something happened to Knox when he came in contact with or was even around Scriostóir and its wicked spirit. And that hazard, plus Knox getting his dangerous level of magic back without talking to anyone first, was what had really caused the rift.
This crack in their society almost physically hurt, the emotional soreness only increasing every hour.
Finnegan took a quick glance over his shoulder to find Humphrey with them as he stepped over the debris of the destroyed wooden door, yet to be replaced. Morton stared at it for a moment.
“Should I ask what happened here?” he tried.
“You shouldn’t,” Finnegan answered and left it at that. He paused his movements, a strange feeling overcoming him, like he’d done all of this before. There was a vague sense of what he’d do next, what would be said next, although he could just barely grasp it. Opening his mouth to speak, he wasn’t sure what to say, how to express it.
“Doesn’t it…” Humphrey started but shook his head and rubbed his chin.
“Go on, old man,” Finnegan encouraged, hoping perhaps he wasn’t alone.
“Doesn’t it seem like we’ve done all this before? It’s the oddest feeling…”
“I know what you mean,” Morton said. “I have that feeling too. You’re going to do something with that wall in there, aren’t you, Mr. Murphy?”
Finnegan was about to do just exactly that. And Morton had never stepped foot in this house before. It was impossible for him to know that.
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© Christie Stratos 2022