Familiar Shadows: A tale from the Federal Witch Universe (Familiar Magic Book 1)

by Taki Drake

  Smiling broadly at the abashed cat, Dochin followed Henley into the cottage.

  A table surrounded by floor pillows had been set up in Henley’s workroom. The people accompanying Dochin quickly arranged the things that she needed for the scrying. Dascha was fascinated when the large lump carried by one of the other women proved to be a beautiful bowl. It was about two feet across and about half a foot deep. Made out of a form of glass, it was swirled with colors. The brilliance of the glaze paled beside the magical traces that coated it. It was almost too bright for Dascha to look at. The intense bright lights of powers rooted in the air mixed with the blues of water magic. This was old magic, continuous magic. Dascha got a sense of age from it that was awe-inspiring and humbling.

  The bowl was set on the table, and Dochin seated herself easily in front of it. She settled her garments and her position with the unconscious skill of thousands of repetitions. Waving her hand, she indicated that Henley should sit next to her, on the right side. Glancing up and raising an eyebrow at one of the men of her party, he nodded his head once and left the room.

  A few moments later, Dascha could feel the approach of Glenfrey. His low-level grumbling could be heard clearly in her mind. She understood his discomfort as soon as the door opened. As strong as he might be, the man that had accompanied the Seer struggled with the giant eagle’s weight. Glenfrey was carefully placed on the stone support behind Henley’s chair. A tall pillow had been placed in the chair on the left of the Seer.

  “Dascha, I need you to sit or stand here. It is very important for you to see the visions that come into the bowl.”

  << Can’t Henley and Glenfrey look for me? >>

  “No, you need to look for yourself. It will no good for my scrying to locate someone you cannot abide. I can only look for candidates, but you need to look for an emotional connection. Someone that can be to you what Henley is to Glenfrey.”

  There was nothing really to say after that. Dascha was quiet and observant, watching as a few careful drops were trickled into the scrying bowl, and the bowl was swirled. It was startling to see how the volume of liquid multiplied instantaneously and with every movement of the bowl. By the time that Dochin was done, the bowl was full.

  Dascha was fascinated by the overflowing wellspring of magic that came out of the bowl. The swirl of colors grew higher and higher spilling over the sides and going out to cover the floor. The small cat was pretty sure that others did not see things the way she did since no one mentioned it and no one did anything that would indicate that they saw it.

  The ceremony continued. Dascha was unclear on what some of the words meant in the chants that the Seer and those around the table performed. All she knew was that the bowl was pulling at something in the core of her heart and that pull was tugging her toward the bowl. It was a strange feeling and one she didn’t trust. Determined not to be manipulated, Dascha dug her claws into the pillow under her feet and set herself to endure.

  Flashes of visions skittered across the surface of the bowl’s liquid like leaves in the wind. These brief glimpses of many things and many people were confusing to Dascha. No rhyme or reason, just images. The display started to slow, and the tension in the room increased. A feeling of something just outside of view, something yearned for but unrealized, grew inside of Dascha.

  The tension increased until Dascha thought she was going to explode from it. The visions were slower now, and the humans around the table bent forward intently. Slower and slower the changes happened until a single vision stayed. There was a deep, joint indrawn breath. The Seer exclaimed, “Bolormaa! Daughter of my heart!”

  Dascha was bent forward staring intently into the bowl just like everyone else. There were two people in the vision. One was a woman very like the Seer at the table. Small in stature, sturdy in form, it was obvious that she was a daughter of the Mongols. The other human shown in the bowl was younger, much younger. It was not a woman, but a girl. Her dark hair and bright eyes traced some of the features of the older woman beside her.

  Henley was muttering, “Too young for a daughter, besides which I think her daughter is dead. Must be the granddaughter.”

  Dochin laughed, a strong, hearty laugh welling up from the center of her belly. “The circle comes all around again.”

  Dascha knew it was not a full explanation, but her attention was focused on the girl. The cat was conscious of a bubble of joy that was percolating up from the bottom of her paws to the tip of her ears. Her yearning had latched onto something. This girl, this girl was hers.

  Dochin looked over at Dascha. She smiled at what she saw and said, “I take it that I don’t have to ask you if this is the right one. Do I?”

  Dascha did not even hear the Seer. Her attention, her full focus, was pointed at the girl. When the Seer’s hand gesture started the bowl to swirl again, the cat meowed in protest. She didn’t want the vision to change. Instead, she wanted to continue looking at the girl. But others had needs from this vision also. Henley and Glenfrey watched intently as the perspective of the vision retreated, showing the surrounding landmarks and the view from overhead. It was what Glenfrey would need to get Dascha to her witch.

  The Seer was looking tired. These visions obviously draining and no one wanted to repay her kindness with a lack of consideration. Henley briefly consulted with Glenfrey and then informed the Seer that they had received all the information that they needed. And thanked her profusely.

  Dochin started to dismiss the vision. As the view of Bolormaa and her granddaughter dissolved, Dascha was startled to see another series of visions appear. These were like photographs, things that were stable and shown for just a short time. From the lack of surprise shown by the people in the room, Dascha thought perhaps that this happened frequently.

  The visions were of people and places that Dascha did not know. She had no way of connecting them to anything she did knew. However, the messages contained in those images was not directed at her. A soft cry from the Seer drew Dascha’s attention. The older woman’s face was wet with tears, but her face was wreathed in smiles. The cat was unsure why seeing someone walk out of a cave would cause such unbridled joy, but she was pleased that the Seer had some sort of good news.

  Chapter 6

  It’d been three days since Dochin had changed the course of Dascha’s life. Those days have been spent in preparation. Intense lessons, plans for contact, last heartfelt discussions. It’d been a packed three days. Once again, the cat felt balanced on the edge of the blade. Excited and scared.

  It was finally time for them to leave. Henley had surprised Dascha with a carefully crafted and magically reinforced harness so that her trip would be more comfortable. Dascha purred excessively in thanks and made a point of wearing the harness constantly. All of the guards and some of the villagers were present in front of the cottage as Glenfrey’s powerful wings lifted them up into the air. This would be Dascha’s first trip without the confusion and pain of an attack.

  Soaring on the thermals that let eagles look so lazy to those that walk on the ground, Dascha was impressed with how small the world was. The tiny lines of rivers, the smaller than mouse-sized dwellings of the cities and villages gave her a different perspective on the place of humans, and cats, in the whole grand scheme of things.

  The line that connected Glenfrey and Henley was still there, no matter how far they traveled away from the witch. Dascha could feel the comfort and care that radiated off that bond. She could only hope that hers would be as satisfying.

  The feeling of the air against her fur and the freshness of the cool wind added a level of exhilaration to the travel. The rhythm of Glenfrey’s wing beats formed a percussion that supported the music of the wind. The clouds sparkled with sunlight and flashed effervescence into Dascha’s eyes. The trip was magical. One of those things that would never come again.

  The landscape changed. The long rolling glory of the steppes had given way to denser forest interspersed with worked fields. Dascha knew that they w
ere approaching her destination. She could feel it in her bones, scented it in the winds.

  The giant eagle spiraled his way down into the thicker air closer to the ground. Just ahead of them Dascha could see an opening in the forest. It was close to the side of a small mountain or large hill. A rocky outcrop perched over the top of a large cave mouth.

  Dascha could see unusual aether lines that came out of the cave in many directions. That was a mystery that would bear examination on a different day, she promised herself. For now, the biggest change in her life was getting closer.

  The eagle landed easily beside the cave mouth. Dascha shook herself to remove the stiffness of the long trip and did a small amount of exploration. She avoided going into the cave. It would be too easy to get distracted, and she didn’t want to be distracted on this of all days.

  Turning to Glenfrey, she asked, << Now what? >>

  << Wait. It won’t be long. >>

  About to argue more with her overly calm friend, Dascha froze as the girl from the vision walked into the area. The young witch had a confused expression on her face, as if she had no understanding of why she felt the need to come to that particular spot, at that particular time.

  The shock of actually seeing the girl in reality, sent a massive wave through Dascha’s body. The air seemed to shudder and then click into a new focus. The song of the girl, her energy, her essence spilled from her, bubbling up like a sweet spring and touching everything around her.

  The rhythm of Dascha’s heart realigned. Something in the core of her reached forward and touched a hand, ephemeral but substantial that came from the heart and the mind of the girl. She could tell that the witch felt it too. She could see it in the small stumble that brought the human to a stop. The cat noticed how the defensive hunch of the girl's shoulders eased and relaxed. There was a bonding, a balance. The strength of both was increased.

  Dascha took a deep breath nodding toward Glenfrey the unspoken thanks that were too large for words. Moving forward with one last brief look of farewell, the small cat went to meet her witch.

  << <> >>

  It was the sound of a small meow that drew Zhanna. It was the end of a very strange day. All day long the girl had felt unsettled. Like something momentous was coming and she did not know what it was. Misfortunes and accidents had haunted her. Spilled drinks, broken glasses, forgotten items, those were the decorations for her day. She had not anticipated anything getting better until she could start a new morning, a new day.

  For some reason, she felt a strong need to go for a walk. One direction was as good as any other today. So she decided to walk over by the old cave mouth. Most of the village children avoided it. But Zhanna loved it. She never would go very far into it, but she would frequently dart in, pick up an interesting rock, and dart out. Her Baba just laughed at her, telling her that she had an explorer’s soul. Her brother was tolerant. He never made fun of her and he always listened to her. When she heard stories of her friends’ brothers, she knew that she was lucky. Very lucky, if she were honest with herself. It was just her, her brother, and her grandmother. The three of them were all that was left of a bigger family.

  Shaking off a frequently traveled and depressing line of thought, Zhanna looked around. What was that small meow? The girl was startled when a beautiful cat appeared directly in front of her. It had popped out of the scant brush at the side of the pathway. Dropping to her knees, Zhanna put her hand out and murmured coaxing to the animal. To her delight, the cat came immediately to her and rubbed its head against her.

  “Oh, you poor thing. You can’t stay out here, there are too many things that will eat you.” The girl ran her hand down the back of the cat. The small animal turned up its face and the brilliant green gaze caught that of the girl. Zhanna fell into the eyes, surrounded by the green and welcoming light.

  It was if she teetered for a moment on the edge, fright, and excitement tussling for control. Her mind and body were stable, but her emotions tipped over the edge and started falling, caught by the net of feeling and love. Comforted as an unacknowledged need was filled to the brim.

  The cat butted her head against Zhanna’s chin. Reaching up to touch the animal, the girl was surprised to feel the tears on her cheeks. Looking once more into the green-eyed gaze, Zhanna felt a subtle pattern of clicking, and then a confusing fusion of secret longing and unrealized needs.

  Dascha could see the growing bond. The connection was springing from both of them, slamming together and fusing, connecting their hearts and their heads. This bond didn’t look like Glenfrey and Henley’s. Just as she and Zhanna were different, so their bond was different.

  Zhanna rubbed her eyes. She must be coming down with some sort of illness. She could’ve sworn she saw glowing ropes of light, but that didn’t make any sense. Shaking her head to clear it, she picked the cat up and rose to her feet.

  Thank goodness, she had come for a walk. She felt so much better. Smiling down at the little bundle of soft fur that purred in her arms, Zhanna said, “Baba is going to love you. Once you meet her, you probably won’t want to even look at me. But at least you will be safe.”

  Dascha purred harder, smiling to herself, thinking, << This was going to be fun! >>

  << <> >>

  “Baba! Look what I brought you!” Zhanna ran up the stairs lightly and through the front door of her home. Entering into the kitchen, she held the cat up and said, “I found her, and she needs a home. We have to keep her, she’s too little to survive without us.”

  Zhanna’s grandmother, her Baba, wiped her hands on her apron and came toward her granddaughter with a smile on her face. Happy to see the bright cheerful and interested look on Zhanna, the woman at first didn’t really register the cat. Glancing down to see what Zhanna was waving at her, the woman came to a full stop in surprise.

  Whipping her eyes back up to her granddaughter’s face, the older woman demanded, “Where did you find her and what do you plan on doing with her?”

  Zhanna lost of little bit of her happy glow at the strange response from her grandmother. She responded, “I thought she would be a good pet for you. If you don’t like her, I will find someone else who will take her, but…”

  Her Baba interrupted her. “That cat could never be my pet. That, my lovely girl, is a familiar. Your familiar.”

  “Baba, that’s silly. None of the witches around here have familiars anymore.”

  “Perhaps they don’t deserve them. Nonetheless, you have one now and had better learn to work with her.”

  “But, Baba…”

  For the second time in just a few minutes, Zhanna was interrupted. Dascha had decided that this is the perfect opportunity to establish what would be going on in the future. Effortlessly hopping to the top of a small table beside the two women, the cat yowled.

  Shocked into silence by the strange sound, the two women turned in unison to stare at the cat. Looking back at them with her vivid green eyes, Dascha said, << Yes, I’m a familiar, Zhanna’s familiar. Now that we have that settled, what’s for supper? >>

  Author Introduction

  The mixture of technology and magic is where my mind and heart live. In today's world, I find expression in a mixture of engineering and creativity. In the worlds of my mind, technology and magic live tightly intertwined which provides a fertile ground for many story lines and series. Several of those planned for the next few months have been listed below. I am happily writing each of them, discovering new worlds, new situations and new challenges. The wonder for me is the number of readers that are enjoying my visions and tales.

  Enjoy the stories in the emerging genre of techmage! I hope that you visit often!

  Please feel free to contact me via email at taki@technologymage.com or visit my blog or my Amazon page. If you would like a mug or t-shirt from this series or any of the others that I write, please check out what is available on the Phoenix Prime Rising store!

  Unfettered Mage

  We Are Not Prey

  Fl
eet of the Mage - July 2017

  Spatial Delivery - Late 2017

  BattleMage Investigates

  An Attitude Adjustment

  Frozen Hands - August 2017

  Maritime Madness - TBD

  Badger Hole Bar

  Thru the Badger Hole - July 2017

  Passage Beyond - August 2017

  Becoming Sephera

  A Learning Experience

  You Just Go On - July 2017

  Life Rebuilt - Late Summer 2017

  New Paths - TBD

  Standard of Honor

  In the World of the Federal Witch

  Shade of Honor

  Familiar Shadows

  Coven Codex -July 2017

  A Confluence of Covens -TBD

  Cookbooks

  The Badger Hole Bar Food Cookbook

  Fergus Favorites Cookbook

  Marcella's Garden Cookbook

  Marcella’s Summer Bounty - coming soon!

  Tasting Sampler

  A Food Palate - Holiday Heartwarmers

  Anthologies

  The Expanding Universe: An Exploration of the Science Fiction Genre