The Magic Wakes

by Charity Bradford

  No. Is that important?

  A new image entered her mind, Prince Stefan Romero Sandoval, standing on one of the palace balconies. Time flew backward and she saw two boys running through the palace hallways. The young prince and Landry, a few years after his father died.

  The prince is your cousin? Talia leaned back and searched Landry’s face for a family resemblance. She never thought he might be royalty, although his linage explained his confidence with command.

  Yes, my mother was the king’s sister, Ellyor. Stefan is no longer the prince of Sendek, he is now King. Shortly after the Dragumon attacked, King Frederick passed away. He was like a father to me. It’s like being orphaned all over again.

  Talia knew what he meant. She remembered when her brother Roan died. As hard as it had been to lose her parents, his death was worse because it left her utterly alone. It was as if the loss ripped out her soul, leaving her numb and scared to love again. Time healed the wound, but Landry’s loss sliced it back open.

  Talia fought to gain control over herself. She knew what they both needed.

  Landry, come with me.

  Getting to her feet, she pulled Landry to his and led him back into the trees. Keeping Landry’s hands in hers, she let his emotions wash over her—mingling with her memories. Using the raw power from those feelings, she pushed them out and the trees put the pain to song.

  The sound started low, more of a moaning hum than a note. But it expanded to fill the space between the trees. There were no words, no particular rhythm or pattern to the melody. Its very cadence, naturally wild and free, built slowly as the trees matched the sorrowful tune with the grief in Landry’s heart.

  He closed his eyes and let the song engulf him. He needed to feel the pain, and then move on. When he reached the brink of depression, Talia asked the trees to change the direction of the song. She led them through happier images from Landry’s memory.

  His father sweeping him off his feet and spinning him in the air. A picture of his mother. Skipping classes to hang out with Stefan.

  She brought them to the forefront of his mind and the trees put voice to them. The tempo picked up and all the voices ascended. The sound swirled around them. Talia reached outward until she found a moth flying high above.

  Pulling from the tiny life, she wrapped the feeling of flight around Landry so he could feel the lifting power. They breathed in unison until the moment Landry let go of his loss.

  The trees dropped out and sent a warning shock wave through them. Talia gasped and Landry moved to shield her from the approaching danger.

  “Someone’s here. . .”

  “I am here. That was impressive. It gives me hope that I will not have to teach you as much as I thought. You have been gone a long time. Perhaps you have forgotten we are at war?” Jaron turned and walked back to the shuttle without waiting to see if they would follow.

  “We won’t have time to test everyone in depth tomorrow, but I want to know the extent of your abilities.” Jaron placed two wooden boxes and a candle on the gleaming black table.

  The boxes looked ancient. They had delicately carved designs on the sides. One showed a garden scene of plants, vines, and winding paths leading to a square building in the center. The swirls on the second one reminded Talia of waves. The candle base shimmered with carved flames.

  Two worlds. Glittering technology surrounded them, but the boxes were heavy with magical history. Talia was drawn to the boxes as if they had their own gravity. They called to her, beckoned her to explore the possibilities.

  Jaron sat down and pressed his hands together. “Landry, open the garden box.”

  Landry reached out, and lifted the lid of the box. Talia leaned forward to see it filled half full with rich brown earth. It looked fine and soft, and Talia immediately wanted to run her fingers through it. Even her toes wiggled in her shoes as she imagined sinking into dirt so soft.

  “Now, hold both hands in front of you, palms up.” Jaron intoned and Landry obeyed.

  Jaron placed his palm above one of Landry’s, closed his eyes and hummed. It wasn’t a tune, but a soft low sound that reminded Talia of a cat she had found in the forest years ago. Without opening his eyes, Jaron scooped up some dirt and poured it into Landry’s other palm.

  Landry’s brow furrowed as he glanced from the dirt to Jaron. After a few moments, Jaron frowned, opened his eyes and turned to Talia.

  “Your turn.”

  Landry dumped the soil into the box and dusted his hands over it while Talia leaned in with palms up. When Jaron placed his palm above hers, prickly warmth moved through it. She closed her eyes too.

  As the dirt trickled into her palm, Talia’s entire body relaxed and a sigh escaped. The receptors in her skin registered every particle as they piled up in her hand, warm and full of energy.

  “You may pour it back into the box now.” Jaron spoke softly.

  Talia jumped. “Oh. Right.” The dirt slid from her palm into the container.

  Jaron nodded to Landry who replaced the latch and opened the second box. It contained water. This time they held one hand over the box and Jaron conducted a similar test in relative silence. He never explained himself or what he hoped to learn.

  Three more tests and Talia’s eyelids felt like sandpaper every time she blinked. She had long since stopped fidgeting in her seat, and now slumped in it instead.

  Jaron put the boxes away. “Now that I know your strengths we can begin.”

  “Our strengths? How can you—” Landry fell silent as Jaron cut him off.

  “The tests are ancient, and always correct. You are a conduit or transferor. When you touch another mage, you can access their abilities to use as your own, or magnify their power as they use magic.”

  “And me?” Even her voice came out slow.

  “You are rooted deep in nature. Its energy flows through you in a way I’ve never seen though.”

  “Great. How is my ability to talk to trees going to stop the Dragumon? Am I going to talk them to death?” she scowled.

  “Perhaps.” Jaron said.

  Talia blew out a huff of air and shook her head. He couldn’t be serious. And yet he looked at her steadily, as straight-faced as ever. Talia had a sudden urge to stick her tongue out at him. Before she could act, Landry took her hand in his.

  Easy. You’re just tired. Then out loud, “Jaron, neither of us understand how our abilities will help.”

  “Be patient, your powers are the ones we will need the most. I hope there are others with your abilities, more magnifiers. We will spread you out among the others to boost the magical power we need for the unbinding. Let’s start with our first lesson.”

  “We need sleep or we won’t be able to remember anything you teach us.” Landry stood up and nodded to Talia. Jaron followed the look and nodded his head.

  “You’re right. We’ll stop now, but we begin first thing in the morning. Tomorrow, I’ll teach you a renewal spell so you will not need as much rest.” With that said, Jaron stalked off to his sleeping quarters leaving them alone at the table.

  “Well, he could at least point us in the direction of somewhere to sleep.” Landry helped Talia to her feet. “This ship doesn’t look like it has any other quarters. Where do you want to rest?”

  “It’s warm outside. I think I would like to sleep somewhere out there. It’ll be easier to watch the sunsrise that way.”

  “Can I come with you?” His voice was hesitant.

  Warmth rushed through Talia. “Yes.”

  Once again silence settled around them. Talia’s stomach fluttered strangely and she couldn’t look into Landry’s face without blushing. They left the shuttle and looked for a soft spot of grass.

  “This looks as good as it gets.” Talia fought back the urge to giggle, exhaustion clouding her mind.

  “Wait here, I think I saw some blankets on the ship.” Landry rushed off and returned within minutes with two thin sheets of mylar and a pillow. “I found a pillow, here you go.” He ha
nded the pillow and one of the sheets to Talia.

  “It’s a large pillow if you want to share it.” The words tumbled out before she thought about them. Grateful for the darkness, she hoped Landry couldn’t hear her heart pounding. He stood close enough that Talia could feel the heat from his body. If he tried to look inside her mind it would be easy.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes.”

  Landry spread one sheet on the ground and placed the pillow in the middle. He paused a moment before laying down on one side and waited for Talia to join him. Her heart and mind battled each other. Habit paralyzed her. Told her to run. But he also made her feel safe.

  She lay down beside him, spreading the second sheet over both of them. The crinkle of the thin blanket echoed the feeling running through Talia. She stared at the stars shining through the leaves of the tree, holding her breath. Her body was aware of the length of him just inches away. Strong. Firm. He held his breath too.

  Talia turned toward Landry and rested her hand on his chest. That simple movement eased the tension, and they both relaxed.

  Now that the Dragumon are a reality, what will I dream about?

  Landry moved his arm and Talia moved closer, resting her head on his chest. It was surprisingly natural and calming at the same time it sent a thrill through her body.

  You can dream of a happier future. One where we’ve defeated the Dragumon.

  She listened to his words, but the undercurrent of things not said filled her mind. The fact he needed her earlier meant a great deal to both of them, and although neither was ready to admit more, the potential permeated the air around them.

  Chapter 29

  Talia woke before dawn. The ground was hard and cold, but part of her body was warm. She bolted upright, throwing someone’s arm off her in the process.

  “What is it?” Landry sat up too.

  “Sorry, I didn’t know where I was.” Talia relaxed. She remembered falling asleep after one kiss. Sighing, she stretched her legs. Exhaustion still weighed her down, but the sunsrise approached.

  “The sunsrise is coming. Will you come with me?”

  “I’d like that.”

  Within minutes, they stood at the edge of the forest waiting for the sky to lighten. A quick look at Joharadin in the distance showed empty skies. The smoke had dissipated, but the skylanes remained empty. The rising of the suns jerked Talia’s attention away from the ghost town.

  With their minds connected, Landry felt the subtle changes in the air as the suns neared the horizon, and Talia watched the play of light that she had only felt previously. The first of Sendek’s suns rose, the second only moments behind it. As they rose into the sky, tendrils of light reached into the shadowy places chasing away the darkness. They danced across the span between the horizon and the couple waiting for them.

  Landry closed his eyes as the energy surrounded them. Talia could feel every muscle in his body relax with his arms wrapped around her. The light cleansed the tension and soreness until nothing remained but hope, strength, and the power to do what was needed.

  When the light returned to normal, Landry spoke to her mind. Thank you for sharing this with me.

  You’re getting good at controlling our mind-to-mind communications. I forgot you might be listening to my thoughts.

  His laughter sounded low and soft in her ear. I promise I was not eaves dropping. I won’t take advantage of your trust, no matter how tempting it might be.

  Good. I don’t want to worry about what you might find in there while I’m trying to save the world. Talia spun around in his arms, winked at him, and then ducked out of his hold. She needed to run.

  She called to him over her shoulder, “Let’s get to work.”

  “Now, tell me what you know about your magic,” Jaron asked Talia.

  She glanced at Landry and saw his eyebrows rise. “Um, I don’t know that I’ve ever thought about it much. It’s just there when I need it.”

  “All right, how do you use it and how do you feel afterward?”

  “When I talk with the trees it just happens. I can’t even remember the first time I did it. Their voices are just inside me, not even my head really, but in all of me.”

  “Do you feel tired afterward, or get headaches?”

  “No, I usually feel stronger, lighter, if that makes any sense.”

  “Interesting. What other ways has your magic manifested?” Jaron rested his arms on his chair, but pressed his fingers together in front of him.

  Talia looked at Landry again and he nodded once. Jaron leaned forward and peered at her as if trying to see deep into her soul. The pale blue of his eyes flickered with an inky darkness before clearing again. A shiver ran through Talia, but this man was the only chance she had to learn about magic.

  “I can glean energy from nature, but mostly I pull from the sunsrise. And I have dreams.”

  Jaron inhaled slowly and held it before exhaling, cocking his head to the side. “The suns renew your energy, but what about the dreams?”

  “The dreams leave me weak and empty inside. Most of the time there are physical consequences. Burns, blisters, broken bones. It depends on what happens to me in the dream.”

  Jaron’s lips slowly turned upward until laughter spilled out. The low sound echoed around the room as he relaxed into the chair.

  Landry stood and glared at Jaron. “Why is that funny? You said you were going to teach us how to defeat the Dragumon. You’re wasting our time.”

  Jaron waved Landry back to his seat. “Sit and let me explain.”

  Landry sat, but the scowl stayed on his face. Talia touched his arm and he released the tension in his shoulders.

  “We’re on a time line here,” Talia spoke evenly.

  “Yes, more than you know. I’ve spent time researching your planet’s history, and I never hoped to be this lucky.” He chuckled again.

  “What does luck and history have to do with my magic?” Talia growled at him.

  “Everything.” Jaron smirked and looked up at the ceiling.

  Talia rolled her eyes and pushed away from the table.

  Jaron talked as she ordered lemon water from his metabolizer. “I believe Talia and her abilities are a special case. An exception to the rules so to speak. It is rare, but there is a precedent set throughout your magical archives.”

  “I’d love to see these archives sometime, but back up. We don’t know what the rules are.” Landry leaned forward.

  “The rules are simple. Some people have the potential to work magic others do not. On my planet we isolated the genetic code responsible, but we were never able to replicate it.”

  Genetics were not Talia’s strong point, but the idea of a magic gene interested her. “Do you think it’s the same gene here?”

  “There’s no way to know without testing, but I find your theory on the period of birth fascinating. It will be interesting to see how many of the people on your list have the gift.” Jaron leaned back in his chair. “Anyway, the second rule you need to know is that magic is simply the movement of energy.”

  He paused again to let that sink in. “All the rules you associate with energy apply. When you call it to you for shaping, you pull it away from somewhere or something.”

  “So, every time I drank the sunsrise, I drained life from something else?” A sinking feeling settled in her shoulders.

  “Yes, and no. As I said before, I believe you are a rare case. We will get to you in a minute. Every wizard, excuse me, mage, as your planet called them, has talent or aptitude in specific areas. This simply refers to the elements you pull from by instinct.”

  “And what are these elements? You didn’t tell us last night only that I was rooted in the earth and Landry was a transferor.” Talia asked.

  “I keep forgetting you have no knowledge at all. It’s surprising how strong your talent is with so little training. There are five elements: Earth, Air, Water, Fire, and Spirit. You may exhibit potential in all, one, or any combination of the f
ive.”

  “And where did you decide we fall?” Landry asked with a lift of his brows.

  “Talia showed high aptitude in Earth and Fire. Earth gives you strength and stability, but the unpredictable power of Fire also rages through your veins. It’s a great combination once you learn to control it. Unfortunately, you will always battle the contradictory urges. The dreams are a result of Spirit.”

  “And me?” Landry continued to ask the questions.

  “Straight Spirit. You channel other people instead of pulling from the other elements. In some ways, this is the best gift because you don’t suffer the effects of pulling the energy to you. The host mage does.”

  Landry scowled again. “That doesn’t seem right.”

  Jaron shrugged and his eyes flashed black. “There will be a time when you need the strength of many elements. You’ll be glad you can borrow from the strongest mages and use them all at once. And you will do it.”

  “Maybe not.” Landry shrugged and looked away.

  “Trust me you will. I would have to save my wife.”

  The silence grew heavy and uncomfortable before Jaron cleared his throat and continued.

  “With practice, you will learn to enter other minds without the physical contact you need now. I can teach you a chant to strengthen the connection and allow you to control another from inside their own thoughts.”

  “Again, why would I want to do that?” Landry crossed his arms over his chest and one side of his mouth curled up, wrinkling his nose.

  “There are lots of reasons, but your survival and the knowledge of how to prevent another from controlling you should be enough reason to learn.”

  Landry relaxed, his face smoothing once more.

  When the men fell silent, Talia returned them to the original topic. “Jaron, why do you think I’m a special case?”

  “The records mentioned several mages throughout Sendek’s history with gifts similar to yours. It was clear that these gifts are rare, or at least the combination is rare. When you pull renewing energy from the trees you are not stealing from them. It is freely given and so returns to them after moving through you.” He paused to stare at her. “You break the rules.”