Blind folk see the Fairies,
Oh, better far than we,
Who miss the shining of their wings
Because our eyes are filled with things
We do not wish to see.
~Rose Fyleman
“Tonight, we start your magical defense training.” That can’t be taken as anything other than an order and it makes me laugh. There are times when he doesn’t mean to sound bossy but this time it’s on purpose and arguing with him won’t get me anywhere.
“What got that rock rolling?”
“He tried to use magic on you and you didn’t feel the slightest hint of it. If I had not been there to stop it, you would be with him right this moment.”
Oh, that’s not good. Really not good. “What was he trying to do?”
“Spell you into looking at him with guppy eyes.” He runs a hand through his hair. “Enrapture is a potent spell and if I had been on a hunt…” His voice trails off.
I might not know much about magical defense, not for lack of him trying to teach me, but because as a kid I was a know-it-all who thought that since I didn’t really have magic I’d never need to know how to defend myself with it. The only thing I learned how to do back then was mental shields. But I did pay attention to what things are.
“They last days at most, eventually I’d come out of it and cut his balls off.”
“Yes, and then be executed by his father for it.” He stops walking and faces me, and I swear the world hushes around him. “One-on-one I can take the king, Keri, but I can’t stop his entire force. He employs some major powerhouses and combined they’re too much—even for me.”
Hearing him admit that he’s not all powerful makes me a little nervous. Yes, logically I’m fully aware that there is always someone bigger and badder in the world, but Ciar is and always will be the most powerful creature I know.
To have him say he can’t beat something changes the game.
“Okay, teach this magical defense crap to me. I want to learn everything about it.”
I instantly regret my words as I go flying backwards, my body connecting to the ground with a solid whump sound.
“First lesson, monster girl. Always be prepared.”
I take the hand he holds out with a dirty look at the smug smile on his face, he pulls me to my feet and I tense when he moves. Laughing, he starts walking again and I silently mouth insults at his back.
As we walk I dust off the singed threads off my shirt, he did that on purpose knowing darn well I can’t shoot fireballs. I can only blow up water bottles. Wait.
Focusing on the back of his pants and only distracted for a few seconds by the view, I whisper my word and wait for the blow out. Nothing happens. Biting my tongue, I try again this time with more umph. Nothing.
“And this is why you learn magical defense.” His words float over his shoulder and I swear he’s grinning again.
Anger flares in my stomach and I laugh in shock when the back of his pants disintegrates, leaving his lovely bum hanging out for the entire world to see. Instead of reacting like anyone else in his situation he keeps walking with confidence and absolute disregard for everyone staring and admiring his bare butt.
I’m even staring at it. Pulling my eyes away I try to zap him again, but this time it feels like I’m hitting a brick wall.
“Not taking any chances this time. Now it’s your turn.” Right before I impact with the sidewalk, again, I manage to twist myself mid-air to land with grace, okay mostly with grace. At least I didn’t hit my face. Pushing myself to my feet I glare at him.
“You know darn well I don’t know how to—” His eyes flash with intent. Ducking to the side I manage to avoid the fireball that came out of nowhere. “Hey!”
“You’re using your eyes too much. Magic isn’t always going to be visible. Open your other senses,” he eyes me, “the ones I know you have now.” He’s using that teacher voice that I hate.
I also can’t deny its effectiveness.
On the way home, I end up on the ground often, but I’m starting to get a sense of when someone is trying to sneak magic at me. It’s not going to be easy, Ciar says that it can take months for me to be able to stop a spell like Enrapture.
But I’ll know it’s being cast which gives me a chance to do something. That’s more than I have now. I need to find out more on what the heck a Fate Caller is.
“We can go talk to the Old Man Under the Hill.” I make a face at Ciar’s suggestion. “He is the historian of Faerie and might have the answers we need to truly understand what you are. What I know is very limited and your conditions are different than his were.”
There are rumors about the OMUTH, mostly scary ones but those don’t concern me, it’s the cost of information. He makes you give up something valuable and I’m not talking monetarily.
He stops and looks at me. “He owes me a favor,” Ciar says softly, breaking into the horrible thoughts I’m having about the OMUTH wanting my feet as payment.
“What’d you do? Kill someone for him?” I tease. Ciar looks at me but says nothing, instead he starts walking again.
I jog to catch up with him. “Hey… holy meatballs you did!”