Missiles & Magic

Maddie could feel caution creeping closer to the shrine. She moved to cover the entrance from view of the couple and raised her voice slightly.
"What happened?"
The young man started speaking, very dispassionately.
"You used that ritual we found, didn't you? It talked about binding souls to auspicious times. And you just... did it? To me?"
Ishanvi shrugged.
"Why? Because I was always talking about using magic and making our day special? You know I meant more like... fireworks? And maybe fluttering paper butterflies... or something. Not this!"
"You said lots. But we needed to act."
"So you did..."

Lioness sat across a table from Swan.
The director was looking through the last of the papers and the agent amused herself by trying to 'read' her superior.
Swan's shield was as strong as ever.
But for the first time it didn't seem threatening or daunting. Because for the first time it wasn't a competition.
Lioness had her own mode of protection now.
Perhaps it wasn't as impenetrable. But like Tortoise said, Lioness actually didn't like to hide, unless she had to.
And if she had to, well...
"You're not ready for your first mission," Swan interrupted her thoughts.
"But...!"

Maddie really didn't know how to feel about this.
So she didn't. She looked around, her flames eating emotions left and right, almost before she registered them.
Around her the Mehendi party was in full swing.
She sat in her best, expertly wrapped sari on a pillow, one of her hands being adorned with ornamental henna tattoos.
The lights twinkled, the ambient music played and every few moments a waiter with some finger food or something to drink stopped by.
"They both look so happy," the tattoo artist nodded towards the couple.
Maddie frowned, then nodded.
"Actually, they really are."

Ishanvi was very satisfied, even pleased, as she picked the scroll up. She then stretched her palm out for the wedding jewelry Maddie was still holding, her face uncompromising.
"Well, if you put it that way," Maddie mumbled, handing the things over. "I guess I should have been asking you for explanation."
She was focusing to catch any sign of the agency team.
"Or was it both of you?"
The man, looking a bit shell-shocked, shook his head.
"It won't hurt anyone. I wasn't going to let him get away," Ishanvi shrugged. "The wedding will make him complete too - literally."

The man scowled at the women, but didn't respond.
"I know it's hard to take in," Maddie turned to Ishanvi. "But you've worked with magic a bit, didn't you... so, this is some kind of that. I'm sure my friends can help figure it out and help you."
Suddenly there was a shift in the young woman. Her emotions grew darker and more powerful.
"I don't need your help. I just want my fiance!"
She grabbed the scroll before Maddie could stop her.
"I will go mad if I have to stay in my father's house any longer. It's hell!"

Maddie finished the simple mandala and threw the scroll to a wall. As she suspected, the man was drawn to the wall too, hitting it hard and staying pinned.
"Are you okay Prashad?" Ishanvi screamed in fear. "What have you done to him???"
"He's fine. It's a simple binding spell. It wouldn't have worked if his essence wasn't in the scroll though." Maddie shrugged. "Now, will you tell us both who you are and what did you want with her? 'Cause you don't seem like the 'ideal marriage' type."
"Essence? Scroll? What?" Ishanvi was apparently totally lost.
Maddie called backup.

"I'm so glad to see you!" Ishanvi gushed, once again making a move towards her fiance.
Maddie's arm caught her.
Irritation flashed through the scroll, hidden under her dhupatta.
"Will someone please explain what's going on?" the young woman pleaded.
Maddie didn't respond. Most people didn't hear emotions. That was her trump and she wasn't ready to play that card yet.
Instead her fingers found a stub of pencil in her pouch and she was quickly sketching on the scroll, just as the man started speaking.
"Your friend seems a bit paranoid. Perhaps she doesn't know as much about magic..."

"Who - or what - are you?" Maddie asked the man.
"I could ask you the same question," he replied and the scroll twinged with hostility.
Interesting Maddie thought.
"I don't remember inviting you."
"I wouldn't have made it without her," Ishanvi chimed in, timidly. "I'm not good with these... The second and third clues just..."
"You got the fourth by yourself," the man pointed out. "You don't give yourself enough credit, dear."
Lie the scroll telegraphed
The young woman blushed with pleasure at the compliment.
The scroll signaled impatience.
Maddie's fingers traced the paper gently.
Come on, give me one more...

Before Maddie could stop her, she grabbed the things.
There was a brief flare of magic, but nothing too bad or dangerous.
"I knew it!" the bride-to-be rejoiced, turning the scroll to her companion. "The DATE!"
Maddie touched the scroll, and the jewelry Ishanvi held out to her.
She felt the emotions on the items shift and change.
That's weird.
"I see you've passed my test, Ishanvi," a voice sounded from the entrance and the young woman made a move to throw herself into her lover's arms.
Maddie stepped in her path.
"What..."
"It's not him."
He has no emotions.

The shrine air felt stuffy with old magic and bottled up emotions. Maddie stopped on the threshold and took one last deep bracing breath.
The protective flames in her mind flickered to life.
Understand, don't feel.
There were stairs leading underground. The magic sang in her ears.
Something is off.
She couldn't sense any other person in the vicinity. So either Ishanvi was wrong, or...
"He's not here!"
The Indian woman was close to tears. But then the light of her torch found a small statue adorned with necklace and ring, holding a scroll and she squealed in delighted surprise.