VoodooMoon by June Stevens Page A

charging crystals to bring in more money, but I doubt he’d planned to pay her much, if any, more than he had been.
    “I see.” Ian’s tone was still quit neutral. “If you will excuse me a moment.”
    He turned from the man to what seemed like a empty space. I felt a slight disruption of energy as Ian focused his power.
    “Good morning to you madam. You had something you wished me to know?” he said to the air. He stood silent for several minutes, occasionally nodding or saying “Hmmm.”
    Finally he said, “Thank you so much for letting me know. I will make sure things are taken care of. I bid you a wonderful day, Madame.”
    He turned back to the shopkeeper. “Mr. Fegley, did you know that spirits are attracted energy? And that crystal shops, with all of their charged, and even uncharged, crystals are full of magical energy and that makes them a haven for spirits?”
    “Umm, no, I did not know that.” Fegley stammered.
    Ian’s smile was a bit feral, but his tone was still neutral and professional. “It’s true. You have several spirits that have taken up residence here. One of those, a very pleasant lady, has taken it upon herself to tell me a bit about your shop. Now, enough with that. On to the business I need to attend to. I believe the Necromancer’s Guild has a standing account with you?”
    “Oh, yes sir.” His greedy smile was back. “I have an order I am currently working to fulfill, as a matter of fact.”
    “Cancel it.”
    “Umm, excuse me?” Fegley asked nervously.
    Ian’s tone dropped from cool to chilly. “I said cancel it. I will have official paperwork and any pending payments sent over this afternoon, but you can, as of this moment, consider the account canceled. I should also inform you that you shop will officially be added to the list of shops and merchants which all registered necromancers are discouraged from doing business with.”
    Fegley’s florid complexion went so white I thought he might pass out. “I, I, You…” He spluttered and slammed his hand on the wood countertop. “You can’t do that.”
    Ian calmly planted his hands on the counter and leaned forward, much like Fegley had earlier during his tirade at Millie. His voice was low and deadly. “I assure you Mr. Fegley, I certainly can. And though I cannot stop the Black Blade Guard, The Senate, the Healer’s Guild, or the City Guard from procuring their crystals from your shop, however, I can let their procurement agents know the tactics you use in your shop. I’m sure they will be as horrified as I am that you have taken advantage of a poor girl who needs to help her family by forcing her to work six days a week, sixteen hours a day for a measly five bucks, when she should have been working half that and earning at least twenty times that.
    “If that doesn’t appall them, I’m sure they will be disturbed by the fact that you weed out the most inferior and cracked crystals to put into to your weekly bulk orders, like those for the organizations I named. You can be assured they will all be informed. The city-guard will also be informed that black-market smugglers often deliver crates to your back door. I’m sure they will be interested in inspecting your stock to identify where some of your higher end crystals originate. Good day Mr. Fegley.”
    Fegley went from pale white to beet red. He sputtered, but no coherent words came out.
    Ian turned to me and Millie. Millie’s tears had dried up and I was staring at him with shock and amazement. “Now, ladies, I believe we have some business ourselves?” He made a dramatic sweeping, bowing gesture towards the door.
    I saw the corners of Millie’s mouth quirk into a half smile as she quietly exited the shop, not even looking back at Fegley. I shot Ian a quick quizzical look as I followed the girl out the door, but his face was completely blank.
    I knew from the look on Fegley’s face everything Ian had said was true, so I knew there had obviously been a spirit