She returned to the main room and gathered up a fresh cloth bandage from a drawer and went back to the small boy. Judging by the progress of the wound, it needed only a light dressing. Air would be more important than herbs at this stage, so it could dry out and close properly. She wrapped it carefully and went back to the Tanners.
“Joey should be fine in a few days,” she told them. “It wasn’t as serious as you described.”
Tracy frowned. “Your son said he might die.”
Erisa put a hint of condescension into her smile. “My son is a quick learner, but he lacks experience. Boys his age enjoy excitement too much. It might have been serious if you had waited longer, but fortunately you didn’t. I’ll keep Joey for a day or two and he can go home after that.”
“I’ll stay with my son,” declared Tracy.
It took Erisa almost a quarter of an hour to convince both of the Tanners that there was no need for them to spend the night. Their home, after all, was less than twenty minutes away, and Erisa’s house didn’t have any extra beds or other accommodations for two extra people.
“I’ll be back in the morning,” conceded Tracy at last. She had been the more difficult of the two to convince.
Erisa nodded. “That’s fine, but there’s no rush to get up early. You haven’t slept. Whenever you wake up will be all right, or even the next day. I’ll take good care of Joey.”
As soon as they had left, Erisa climbed into bed next to her son. She made sure to leave her curtain drawn, though. She was tired, but she wanted to get up early. There was someone she needed to see before the Tanners returned.
Chapter 5
Will woke slowly. The sunlight was streaming through the window of what he soon recognized was his mother’s room. From the angle of the shadows, he could tell it was quite late, close to noon, though he had no idea why he would have slept so long. When he tried to sit up, the room began to spin, and he quickly lay back down.
Why am I so tired? he wondered. He had quite a few other questions as well, such as how had he gotten in the bed, whether his mother was home, and how Joey was doing?
It was about then that he became aware of the voices talking outside the room, which answered one of his questions. His mother was definitely home. Holding perfectly still, Will strained to make out their words.
“You’re lucky he isn’t dead, Erisa,” said an older male voice, one he recognized as belonging to the hermit.
“How was I to know he’d do that?” returned his mother. “You said this wasn’t supposed to happen.”
The old man sighed. “I said it wasn’t likely. Left on their own, they usually go on to live normal lives. Stressful events have a way of bringing these things out. If he was grown, this wouldn’t have occurred. Puberty is a sensitive time.”
“Next time I’ll take him with me,” said Erisa, “and to hell with my business.”
“There won’t be a next time.”
Erisa’s voice went up in alarm. “What do you mean?”
“He’ll have to come with me,” answered the old man. “He can’t stay here any longer.”
“He’s my son!”
The hermit’s voice grew harsh. “Do you think you can protect him? The first time is always uncertain, but now that it’s happened once, it will happen again. The next time he probably will kill himself, or worse, be noticed. If word gets out, they’ll either lock him up for unlicensed magic or execute him as a warlock.”
His mother sounded angry when she replied, “My son is no warlock!”
“Do you think they’ll care or bother to check?” pointed out the old man. “Besides, no one starts out a warlock. If he fully awakens, who knows what might happen? They’ll be on him like flies on shit, all sweet words and irresistible temptation.”
“You don’t know that,” Erisa argued, but she didn’t sound confident.
“The hell I don’t!” swore the hermit. “They’re everywhere, even in this house. Just because you can’t see or hear them doesn’t mean they don’t exist. If he learns to notice them, they’ll notice him right back. Do you think a thirteen-year-old boy has the maturity to make sound decisions?”
“So, what? You’ll make him like you?”
“Hah!” said the old man, raising his voice. “You think I’d train that pox-ridden bastard’s son? That I’d teach him the keys to power? Not likely. I’ll teach him enough to hide. With a little luck, he could still have a normal life.”
“Oh? You’ve finally given up on your private war?” asked Erisa.
The old man snorted. “I gave up on the world a long time ago, just like it gave up on me. As far as I’m concerned, it and everyone in it can all go to hell. It’s none of my concern.”
“You still sound bitter,” Erisa pointed out. “You’ve never given up your grudge. That kind of hatred will shorten your life.”
The hermit laughed sourly. “My life is almost done. And it isn’t a grudge—I simply don’t give a fuck anymore. I’m not bitter, I just don’t care. I did my best and all they want is easy power to further their stupid games, like mud-covered swine fighting for slop.”
“If you really don’t care, why are you helping us?” asked Erisa.
“That’s your misconception,” said the old man. “I’m not helping you. If I leave this alone, he might do something and draw them down on the village. Then I’d have to move again. I’m getting too old for that crap. I just want to live out the last of my days with what little dignity I have left. I’m doing this because it’s less trouble than the alternative. I don’t give two shits about your little bastard in there.”
“Don’t forget what I said before,” warned Erisa. “If you hurt him, I’ll shout your name from one end of—”
“That threat is getting old, girl,” interrupted the old man. “If I were as cold hearted as that I’d just get rid of both of you, especially with you continually trying to extort me for help. It would be a damn sight easier than putting up with an apprentice. Give me a couple of years. By the time he’s fifteen, he’ll know enough to hide it. After that, you can have him back and I can get on with forgetting the world and all the stupid people in it.”
Will heard the door open and immediately closed his eyes, pretending to still be asleep. Heavy footsteps sounded as the old man crossed the room to his bedside.
“You’ll have to do better than that boy,” said the old man. “Get up. You’re coming with me.”
Erisa put her hand on the hermit’s shoulder. “He’s still sleeping. Let him rest.”
“I may be ancient, but I’m not addled. He’s been awake for several minutes. There isn’t even a trace of dreaming about him.” The bed shook suddenly as the old man kicked the mattress. “Get up, boy. I don’t have any more time to waste on you. We’re leaving.”
Will opened his eyes warily. He was pretty sure his acting had been perfect. “How did you know?”
The old man smiled down at him maliciously. “That’s one of several things you’ll have to learn, or else…”