A Slave to Magic (21 page)

Returning to the others, Kwil hopped down from Dirnda’s
back, visibly out of breath. “Amazing,” he managed to say. He could see Nera
was still upset, so he laid a reassuring hand on her shoulder. She smiled in
spite of herself, glad to see that her friend had returned unharmed. She could
not stay angry when there was no need.

Laughing, Dirnda said, “Thank you for introducing
us, Seela. The boy is quite amusing. Feel free to visit any time.” He glanced
at Nera and flashed a toothy smile before galloping away.

Seela waved a paw in goodbye. “It’s getting late,”
she said. “We should get back.”

Still reeling from his wild ride through the
forest, Kwil was all smiles as they walked back to the cabin. Bubbling with
energy, he continued his practice late into the night, not stopping until he
was completely void of magic. Collapsing onto his bed, he dreamed of magic in
various forms, watching spellbound as it shifted and swirled before him. The
stars themselves twisted and swayed, dancing to the magic of the forest.

A
fter a week of
practicing around the clock, Kwil perfected his shape-shifting spell. He could
now transform himself into a Gatan at a moment’s notice, and hold the spell for
several hours. No more bare patches or uncontrollable tail twitches.

“All right then, let’s see it,” Seela said, crossing
her paws.

Kwil gave a glance at Nera, who was watching over
the top of her book. All of his practice had been done in private, and she was
anxious to see her friend’s new look.

Visualizing himself as a Gatan, Kwil immediately
began to change. On top of his skin, silver-gray fur erupted, covering his body
in a shining pelt. Dark stripes added themselves over the gray, giving him a
more distinguished look. His eyes became yellow, and his whiskers grew long. A
slender tail protruded from his backside, laying gently at rest under his
command.

“Bravo!” Seela cried, beaming with pride.

Nera jumped from her seat, her hands clutched over
her mouth.

“What do you think?” Kwil asked her.

“You’re actually kind of handsome,” she replied.

“I’m not handsome when I’m human?” he asked,
feigning insult.

“Well, not really,” she replied honestly. “You’re
kind of pink and hairless.”

Kwil laughed, unfazed by her remark.

Seela placed her paws on each side of Kwil’s face.
“You look marvelous,” she said. “Simply marvelous.” With a sigh, she added, “It
amazes me how far you’ve come since your arrival.” The statement was true. Ever
since he arrived, he’d hardly stopped studying and practicing for a minute.
Over the past few months, he had blossomed into a fine sorcerer, one capable of
as much or more than any graduate of the College. Seela suspected he was far
more dedicated than most of those students. Like Nera, many of them had not
enrolled by choice. Kwil’s love of magic and innate abilities gave him an edge
over the others. Whether it took a day or a year, he would master any spell she
offered him. “You haven’t been neglecting your fire practice have you?” she
asked, cocking her head to the side. After all, he intended to master the
element. It wouldn’t do to let his practice slip.

“Not at all,” he responded. With a blink of his
eyes, he transformed his fur to orange, appearing as if he were glowing with
fire. Heat radiated from his pelt, his eyes flashing red. Turning up his palms,
fire appeared in each hand, rising to the height of his chin. He allowed the
flames to dance and sputter before releasing them, launching them high into the
air and snuffing them before they reached the floor.

Nera clapped her hands, impressed by the sudden
change. She had witnessed his practice with fire magic, and she knew he could
be quite dangerous when he wanted to. Luckily, he was only putting on a show
for now.

Seela did not reply, so Kwil performed another
spell. Glancing around the cabin, he located every candle present. Without
moving a muscle, he lit them simultaneously, including the ones upstairs.

Seela’s stoic expression gave way to a crooked
grin. “Well done,” she said. “Now put them out before you burn down my cabin.”

Kwil obeyed, snuffing out the candles all at once.
Changing back to his human form, he looked upon his master. “Would you say I’ve
earned a day or two off?” he asked, grinning.

The question came as a surprise to Seela. Kwil had
never even expressed an interest in taking a break. “I don’t see why not,” she
replied after a slight pause. “But what are you planning to do if you’re not
studying?”

“I’d like to explore the forest,” he replied. “Get
to know the surroundings and any creatures that might be around,” he added.
“I’m hoping Nera will join me.”

Nera looked at him with surprise. He was usually
content to have his nose stuck in a book. Yearning for adventure wasn’t exactly
in his character.

“Will you come along?” he asked.

Nodding, she replied, “Of course I will.”

“I suppose you can take care of yourselves,” Seela
said. “You’ve certainly earned a day or two off, but don’t stay away too long.
Make sure you’re practicing as well. I wouldn’t want you to become rusty.”
Pleased that her student was ready to explore the surroundings, she began
planning in her mind what to do with her time without him. A long soak in the
tub sounded like a good start.

“We won’t be gone more than two days,” he
promised.

Nera caught sight of a sparkle in his eye, one
that spoke of secrets. Kwil was planning something, and she couldn’t guess what
it was. It was clear he didn’t want Seela to know about it, but Nera was
determined to find out.

Seela trotted off upstairs while Kwil collected
some food items for the trip. He didn’t hear Nera approaching from behind.

“All right,” she said. “Seela’s gone upstairs, so
tell me what you’re planning. What’s this trip really about?”

Kwil glanced around the room before retrieving a
bit of parchment from his pocket. “This,” he said, passing it to her.

Unfolding the parchment, Nera asked, “What is this
place?” A location was marked on the map, obviously the destination Kwil had in
mind.

“It’s Seela’s childhood home,” Kwil replied. “I
want to retrieve the medallion she spoke of.”

Nera remembered Seela’s story and the medallion
she had been forced to leave behind. “It’s sweet of you, Kwil, but how are you
going to convince her uncle to give it to you?”

“I don’t plan to ask,” he replied, grinning. These
months of learning had given him new confidence. Master wizard or not, he was
ready to face any obstacle to retrieve this treasure for Seela. She had given
him his dream, and he would give her this gift in gratitude.

“This is dangerous, Kwil,” Nera said, unsure
whether she wanted to go along with him. “Humans can’t just go barging into a
noble lord’s manor. You could be killed.”

“I don’t plan to go as a human,” he replied. “No
one’s going to suspect me.”

“This is insane,” she commented. “Are you sure you
can do this?”

“Nera, I’ve never been more confident of anything
in my life,” he said sincerely. “I’m ready to do this. Please come with me.” He
had not forgotten Seela’s words. Nera’s friendship was essential if he was to
achieve his destiny. Without her, he might not succeed.

“Of course I will,” she replied. How could she
refuse? He might get into trouble, and who else would be there to help him? He
was her dearest friend, and if he felt himself ready to face this man, she
would help in any way she could.

“Master Arsden’s manor is only a two-day walk from
here,” Kwil began. “But we can get there much faster if Dirnda will help us.”

“Wait a minute,” Nera said, recognizing the name.
“Seela’s uncle is Master Arsden?”

“Yes,” Kwil replied. “Do you know him?”

“I know of him,” Nera said. “He’s a slave breeder.
A wealthy one. There will be guards everywhere.” Not only did he need guards to
keep the slaves in line, he needed them to avoid theft. Bands of thieves had
been known to steal slaves by the dozen and take them to smaller markets
throughout the land. That way they avoided regulations and questions.

“Then we’ll just have to be extra careful,” Kwil
decided. Even if the place was secure, he would find a way in.

“I hope you know what you’re doing,” Nera said.
Slinging her bag over her shoulder, she led the way out the door and into the
forest.

Side by side, the two headed to the same location
where they had first met Dirnda. Summer’s heat penetrated the dense forest, and
the humidity had risen to an uncomfortable level. Kwil wondered how long it
would take a master of air magic to alter the weather, but since Seela had never
made such an offer, he decided it must be incredibly difficult. Or perhaps it
took a team of wizards like the island elves he had read about. His thoughts
turned to visiting them someday, maybe even finding his long-lost elven
relatives.

A loud whistle from Nera brought him out of his
reverie. She had paused a few steps ahead of him and seen no trace of the puca.
But Dirnda hadn’t gone far. Hearing the whistle, he galloped into sight,
appearing from deep within the forest.

With a toss of his long, black mane, Dirnda said,
“It’s good to see you both again. What brings you to this part of the forest?”

“I would ask a favor of you,” Kwil replied,
hopeful the puca would be willing to listen.

“Favor?” Dirnda echoed. “I owe you no such thing.”

“I know that,” Kwil said, “but I need your help.
Will you at least hear me out?”

The puca thought a moment, his orange eyes staring
through the young mage. “Very well,” he eventually replied.

“We wish to retrieve a medallion for Mistress
Seela,” Kwil explained. “If you could give us a ride to her family home, we
would be in your debt.”

Nera’s eyes shifted nervously. She wasn’t sure she
wanted the puca’s help. A creature given to tricks, she wasn’t sure he could be
trusted long enough to be of assistance. He might gallop off, leaving them at
the side of the road merely because he thought it would be funny.

After a moment’s consideration, Dirnda said, “I
will do this, but you must promise to do something for me in return.”

“What do you need?” Kwil asked. Whatever the puca
needed, Kwil would do it.

“I don’t need anything right now,” Dirnda replied.
“I’ll name the favor later, and you must come through for me, no matter what.”

“Agreed,” Kwil replied without hesitation.

Nera sighed and looked at the ground. She didn’t
like the idea of agreeing to perform some unknown task. There was no way of
knowing what the puca would ask for. “I don’t think that’s wise,” she whispered
to Kwil.

“It’s the only way,” he replied. “If we’re gone
too long, Seela might worry and come looking for us. And riding there will save
energy that we might need.” He was well aware that he might have to fight his
way in, and he intended to arrive at full strength.

“I just hope you aren’t getting in over your
head,” she muttered.

Kwil climbed onto Dirnda’s back and reached a hand
down to assist Nera. She took a seat behind him, her arms wrapped tightly
around his waist. Laying a hand on Dirnda’s neck, Kwil transmitted the location
of the manor, the image of the map moving from one mind to the other.

The puca lunged forward, speeding through the
forest, sending dirt and strands of grass flying in his wake. Nera pressed her
face against Kwil’s back and squeezed her eyes shut. The puca maneuvered
dangerously close to the trees, adjusting course without losing speed. Paying
no heed to the comfort of the riders, he galloped on, his thoughts fixated on
his destination.

Exhilarated by the puca’s speed, Kwil watched as
the twisted trees of the Dark Forest thinned, becoming a brighter, more
inviting section of woods. The miles passed by, and in two hours’ time, they
had cleared the forest altogether. Trees grew sparsely in this area, meadows
and open spaces instead appearing before his eyes.

Though the puca did not slow, the ride became
smoother as they entered the fields. Nera dared to open her eyes, looking upon
pastures of green as they sped by. Sheep and cattle came in and out of view,
fading to tiny dots on the horizon. The air was crisp and clean, the sun bright
overhead as they flew across the countryside, never slowing.

Nera’s heart pounded in her chest, her hands still
firmly clasped around her friend. As they reached the road, Dirnda made a hard
left, turning away from the heavily traveled path in favor of the green
pastures. Nera felt herself slipping, nearly coming off the side of the steed.
Kwil felt the tug at his waist and cast white magic over his friend, willing
her to stay put. Feeling the magic’s pull, she whispered a quick thanks in his
ear, but the pounding of the puca’s hooves prevented the mage from hearing it.

The lack of obstacles allowed Dirnda to increase
his speed, his hooves nearly flying over the soft earth. The landscape changed
from scenic to a blur, forcing them to close their eyes to ward off dizziness.
Kwil turned his attention to his magic, practically gluing Nera and himself to
the stallion’s back.

Dirnda pressed on without a care, loving every
minute of the race. Running was his freedom—the time when he was most alive.

Shortly before sunset, the trio arrived within
sight of Master Arsden’s manor. Nestled safely behind a tall iron fence, the
compound stretched out before them. It was easily three times the size of the
Orva manor, and Kwil realized that it might take longer than expected to locate
the medallion. It could be anywhere within the manor, and if Arsden would not
give up the information, Kwil might be in for a long search. He searched his
mind for a spell that would help him locate it, but could not recall anything
useful. Without knowing what the medallion looked like, he wondered how he would
be able to visualize it and connect with it through magic. He kept these
worries to himself, not wanting to trouble Nera or give her cause to insist
they return home. He would simply have to find a way.

Relieved that the ride was over, Nera dismounted
and resisted the urge to kiss the ground. It had certainly shaved hours off their
travel, but she would have preferred a slower pace. She was not looking forward
to the return journey.

“Will you wait for us?” Kwil asked the puca.

“I don’t have all night,” Dirnda replied. “How
long will this take?” He pawed at the ground, anxious to continue moving.

“I’m not sure,” Kwil replied. “But we might need
to get away quickly. I’m not sure we can do it without you.”

Dirnda grunted and stamped the ground. “Fine,” he said.
“I will try to stay in the area.”

“Thanks,” Kwil said. It wasn’t the firmest of
promises, but he would take it.

Nera watched as Dirnda circled and trotted away
from the manor. “What now?” she asked. “How do we get inside?”