New School Magic

Chapter 3

She gave off a sense of physical strength. Her arms and legs carried some weight to them but for Harvey it was more how she walked with utter confidence. If someone saw her coming they would tend to move out of her way. It wouldn't be an overly concious move, but it happened just enough for Harvey to pick up on it.

"Is there somewhere we can talk?" asked Harvey. They had walked onto a slightly emptier street and the extra space allowed him to finally walk beside her.

"Your own 'skill-set' is pretty impressive," she said, mimicking his own phrase. "Can't say I've met a magician who could lift more than a fly. And half the time the fly's doing most of the work for those people."

"I'm not a magician," Harvey tried to lean close and spoke in hushed tones.

Connie scoffed. "What? 'course you are."

"No, I'm not. Look, can we just go somewhere?" Harvey pleaded.

"Where do you think I'm taking you?" she said it as if it was the most obvious thing. Harvey was silenced for a while.

They took another turning and came back out on the walkway beside the riverbank. Harvey turned about and walked backwards for a few steps, wondering if he could see the last of Connie's ice structures. He was a little disappointed to see they had walked too far along, losing sight of Hamridge & West behind a bend in the river. He straightened himself back, walking forwards again.

"So, if you're not a magician, what are you then? Or is it something you have, like a crazy gizmo or something." Connie lifted the edge of his jacket to check for hidden gadgets. Harvey snatched the jacket away.

"A Tymor Magicka. That's what I am and you're one too."

"A what-more what-icka?" she pulled a face as if he were a child inventing rude words.

"Tymor for short. I'll tell you more in a bit, I don't particuarly want to discuss it out here."

Connie came to a full stop and swung her head from side to side. The nearest person on the walk-way was metres ahead of them and well out of earshot. "Really?" she said before continueing on.

They followed another curved in the river and hundred of lights came into view and all of them on the river. Two large structures floated on the waters. Like a cross between a boat and an apartment block, they were three stories high including the main deck. Though they were large, they weren't the biggest things on these waters.

Connie pointed to the nearest. "There ya go, nearly there."

"You're taking us on to a River Block?" Harvey complained. He pulled a sour expression.

"What's wrong with a River Block?" asked Connie.

"The only reason something like that exists, is because one day boatmen figured out crooks might pay for homes that could sail out of reach of the police."

"Are you calling me a crook?" she asked, sounding genuinely offended. Harvey was tempted to point out that she still carried a sack of stolen goods. He held back, he still needed this girl on his side.

Connie grinned and threw her arm around Harvey's neck, pulling him down uncomfortably. "It's fine I swear! Half of the stories are rumours anyway."

"So there aren't hidden cargo holds full of weapons, drugs and money?" Harvey asked secptically. Connie didn't answer this time but laughed right in his ear.

The River Block was moored to a short jetty but had no bridge until Connie shouted to someone on board. They quickly unlocked an opening and slide down the walkway for them to climb. Connie saluted the man that had let them up and Harvey nodded his thanks.