Page 49 of Shattered Magic

Asta paused and frowned. “I can pay you. It was a nice first time, considering that you were tired from work.”

Steerik blinked. “First time?”

She blushed and headed for the door. “I... never mind. Text me your rate, and I will send it to you. No problem.” She smiled and shrugged. “Good night, and drive safe.”

She left her apartment and headed to her car. She got in and got on the road. The last few hours had been pleasant, but she had to focus.

Asta focused on the drive and went as fast as her car would allow. When she arrived at the outlook near the mountain, Gen and Eon were waiting. They both smiled at her, and together, they made a plan to deal with the maelstrom that was swirling above.

Gen looked calm and sombre, ready to take action. Asta was ready to act as bait, and Eon was ready to snag the girls and get them to safety while Gen worked on confinement.

They did their thing away from the convoy of parent vehicles who were trying to call in air support to rescue their girls.

Asta watched as Eon walked to the overlook and stepped over the safety rail. She started to grow and let her legs dangle while getting over a hundred feet tall.

Gen and Asta jumped onto her shoulders, and Eon climbed out of the ravine and began to jog along toward the mountain, growing as she went.

Eon moved carefully across the plain to the foothills.

Asta turned on her glow to get the spirit’s attention. There was something wrong with the aura of the wild energy swirling above.

“Gen!”

“Yeah?”

“Not a spirit! That is Borealis.”

“Aw, fuck. If I had known, I would have skipped dinner.” Gen nodded. “Right, Eon’s gathering them. Can you call him over?”

Gen stood on Eon’s shoulder and got her wings out. Thick, leathery wings emerged, and Gen crouched.

Asta pulled on the spirit’s energy and got his attention. Lust flared along their connection, and she grimaced as he darted toward her. “Now!”

Gen jumped into his path and flew into the path of the wind with her mouth wide, inhaling the elemental god. She closed her mouth with a snap and turned to fly back to the cars. Gen never hung around after she ate something or someone.

Asta held onto Eon as she turned back to the parked families, and her long legs got them there in two minutes. The guides were gently placed with their families, the grimoire they had used was confiscated, and Eon shifted and shrank down to her normal height as she and Asta made their way back to their cars.

Gen was kneeling next to her car, and as Asta watched, she vomited a swirling grey sphere. She panted and looked up at him. “I hate eating gods.”

Asta looked at the sphere. “Is that him?”

“Yeah, don’t get too close. He has a thing for recent maidens.”

Eon’s head whipped toward Asta. “Recent maiden? When did that happen?”

“Uh, tonight. It’s fine. It was casual. No promises, no affection.”

Eon blinked. “Aw, I wished for more for you.”

“It was fine.” Asta shrugged, and she blushed. “He was kind.”

Eon hugged her. “Right. You waited so long I thought it would be lights and sirens.”

Asta shrugged. “That was never my ideal situation. I settled for mutual attraction.”

“But tons of guys are attracted to you.”

“And I am not attracted to them. It was a pretty simple equation. He finished work, and I invited him over.” Asta looked at Gen. “Are you okay?”