I hugged her back, holding her tight. She had once gone to Rest while I was still awake. It had been hell during that time. I completely understood. I whispered, “Sounds like a plan to me.”
She continued to hold me tight.
Eventually, I cleared my throat. “Adelie, hello? Naked here, remember?”
Her strong grip loosened, and she released me. “Fine. Fine.”
I waggled my brows. “I know I’m fine. I look damn good for being almost a thousand.”
Her brown eyes lifted skyward in exasperation. “Here we go. Gwen is back.”
S’Kir
Land of the Unseen Gods
“Wise and intelligent beyond our understanding, the protective magic raised the mountain and locked the gates, forever.”
The children followed the images in the book as they carefully turned in an arc so they could all see.
“Although, in the silence of night, if you listen with your magic and your heart, you can hear the rocks whispering, love must awaken. Once love awakens, then our wisdom will shine, and two worlds will unite.”
I slowly closed the book and smiled at the children sitting in the half circle. They started clapping, and as young as they were the applause was enthusiastic.
A bit too much so for a little one named Bershat.
His joyful hands conjured the small magic he had started to show. He startled himself with the little fireworks sparking from his fingers, his wide eyes adorable of his small face.
“Oh, my! Bershat!” I chuckled. Placing the ancient book to the side, I took hold of the young boy’s hands in mine. Frightened, he quivered as tears appeared in the corners of his eyes. I murmured, “No, no, Bershat. You’re fine. It’s just a bit of your magic. You’re nearly seven now, and it’s going to start happening. It’s a good thing!”
He whispered in awe, “Magic, Miss Raven? Like the story?”
“Oh, yes. Yes, just like that. Wise and intelligent, but magic is in all of us. And yours is starting to appear. It means you’re growing up.”
I glanced at the students—the oldest of the children at the temple and the joy of my day. “Your parents have trusted me to teach you all you need to know before your magic appears. And when I see your magic, as I have in Bershat, I know that it’s almost time to send you to the S’Kir Amphat School. There you’ll have different lessons. You’ll get to learn to use your magic and grow it.”
Holding my hand up, I pulled in a little of my magic. I spun a small, glittering tornado for all of them to see.
As the children were transfixed and enchanted by the whirling glitter, I smiled to myself as I looked around at these little minds. As one of the youngest acolytes—honored keepers of the Temple of the Lost God—my job was to teach the children until they showed their magic. Bershat would move to the Amphat School in a few weeks.
Dispelling the glitter, I clapped my hands to make sure the students were listening. “All right, everyone, I think we’ve had enough excitement for today. Let’s get your jackets and head on home. Remember to tell your parents about your lessons and that we’ll have a recital next week.”
My little prodigies leapt to their feet and raced for their jackets and bags. Each of their items hung near the entrance of the temple classroom.
I kept an eye on them as they tumbled out of the brightly colored room onto the walkways of S’Kir Prime, our capital city.
“Miss Raven?” Tillini, the youngest of this class, stood sheepish, clutching a book to her chest.
“Yes, Tilli?”
“Miss Raven, will I ever get my magic?”
“Of course, Tilli. Why would you think that you wouldn’t?”
“Because I don’t have a daddy.”
I knelt down, my heart trembling with her innocence. “You do have a daddy, Tilli. He died on the Mountain Watch, remember?”
“Doesn’t that take my magic away?”
“Goodness, Tilli. Who told you that?”
“Griffin.”
Of course, Griffin. I would have a talk with him before class tomorrow. He was a storyteller, and I had been desperately trying to redirect his stories away from his classmates. He didn’t need to scare them.
“That’s not true. Your father died in an accident on the mountain. But that doesn’t mean you aren’t going to have magic.”
“Really?”
“Absolutely.”
Her whole attitude changed. “Thank you, Miss Raven!” She skipped off and jumped down the full set of stairs. Every student jumped down the stairs, and every student nearly gave me a heart attack when they did.
My own sweater and bag waited by the door, and after retrieving them, I made my way back through the temple. I walked by the altar, made my daily obeisance to the Lost God, and ambled out into the city, thinking about my life.
I loved the students, but I had decisions to make.
Not fully a priestess, I wasn’t sure I wanted to move on from acolyte status. I respected the temple, but dedicating my life, my long immortal life, to a lost god didn’t always seem a good idea. I had too much fun being able to leave at the end of the day. I enjoyed time with my friends, the theater, swimming, and excellent restaurants.
Becoming entirely dedicated to the God, I would have to give up my life as I knew it now for hours of scrying, constant research, hours of waiting and watching, trekking to the gate and the mountain to examine either for change.
Only a few of my acquaintances would become the other acolytes and priests dedicated to the Lost God with me.
“Deep in thought again, my lady?”
A step away from crashing into one of my oldest and dearest friends, I looked up just in time and pulled to a halt.
Happy to see him, I grinned. “Always, Elex. It’s the nature of the acolyte to spend time in contemplation.”
Elex had such a kind smile, it reaching all the way to his eyes. “Methinks you’re considering finding a teaching position soon that isn’t in the temple. And you’re wondering what kind of trouble we can get into tonight.”
Smirking, I teased, “Trouble? In S’Kir? How dare you suggest such a thing!” S’Kir Prime did have its problems, as was the nature of the mischievous druids, but never more than a small share.
He nodded in the direction of another street. “Come on. We have reservations for dinner, and then we’re going to head over to the Mountain Park for games. Is your leg feeling better?”
“Oh, no.” I huffed. “We’re not playing that game again, are we, Elex? Oh, please no.”
Still laughing, he put his arm around me. “No, no. We’re going to watch a better team play. We’re clearly not cut out for it. But there are a few leagues, and we can watch them battle it out.”
My terror at playing that silly game where I’d hurt myself must have been evident on my face. Elex continued to chuckle at me even as we walked into the restaurant.
Dinner was exquisite, as always. Drez, the head chef, was magic with food. Every year, her fare became more and more amazing, and, our group, her willing guinea pigs. Always trying new combinations and new spices, sauces, and techniques on us, but none of us complained—not for food that magnificent.
Heading for the Mountain Park, our friends—Jallina and Arik—ran from another street to catch up with us.