Magic's Love

by Alexandra Von Burg

  “In what way?” Lila demanded. She had kept her magic close, she was sure.

  Sebastian looked uncomfortable.

  “We could feel---we were affected by your...magic’s release.”

  Sebastian emphasised the one word that would guarantee that Lila and Evan got his meaning. Lila blushed deeply, and Evan grinned from ear to ear.

  “How did James take it?” he asked, sounding gleeful.

  Sebastian gave him a flat look of disapproval.

  Lila covered her face with her hands and Evan put his arm around her and kissed her neck.

  “I am sorry Teacher,” Lila said into her hands. She was mortified.

  “Lila, Angel, don’t let others dictate how you feel. Be proud to be a beautiful woman in love.” Evan rubbed her back to sooth her. “It’s not a crime to love another.”

  “I agree with Evan, Lila, you should not feel shame, especially from something that has been ordained by the prophecy.”

  Lila and Evan both looked at Sebastian questioningly. Sebastian had been thinking about the second part of the prophecy for some time now, and he agreed with Lunal’s interpretation. He was convinced that it meant something very specific, albeit unconventional. He had even called the abbey and spoken to the oracle about the prophecy and his suspicions, but the oracle had not commented at the time, and not spoken to him since. He wasn’t sure if now was the time to bring it to Lila and Evan.

  “What do you mean, Sebastian?” Lila asked, and then cringed as if she wished she hadn’t.

  “Aye, Bastian, speak your thoughts,” Evan said.

  Sebastian sighed, caught in a trap of his own making. He gathered his thoughts before speaking of the delicate subject out loud.

  “First, may I ask if you completed the blood bond?”

  “Aye, we did.”

  Sebastian nodded.

  “The second part of the prophecy tells us that the Chosen One will bind itself to the other elements. I think this means that the Chosen One is also one of the elements. If I were to assign an element to you, Lila, I would call you Air. The way your magic creates a light, and your emotions affect others around you, it is the only one that fits.

  “If I were then to assign an element to a vampire, I would call him Earth, as blood and death are both absorbed by the earth, making it his domain.

  “You are also a mage, and the term for a mage bonding to another has always been known as a binding. Never mind that a mage has never bound himself to a non mage before, I have also never heard of a mage having the ability to choose and reject lovers with their magic. I can see your magic, Lila. Not with my eyes, but with my own magic, and I can see that binding yourself to Evan has made you more than you were yesterday.”

  Lila’s temperature rose as she listened to Sebastian’s interpretation of the prophecy. Everything he said sounded reasonable, but it was what he hadn’t said that had her stomach tying itself into knots. It sounded way too close to Lunal’s version. If she was to bind herself to the elements, ALL of them, then there were two more to go. Did Sebastaian really think that she would be able to bind with two others the way she had with Evan? Evan must have felt her distress, because he held her closer to him, possession warring with comfort.

  “So what about the other two elements?” Evan asked.

  “Indeed,” Sebastian said. He gave them an apologetic look. “My interpretation expects that two more ‘elements’ will attract Lila’s attention and bind to her so that she may fulfill her destiny as the Chosen One.”

  Evan did not like hearing the words ‘attract’ or ‘bind’ in regard with Lila, and apparently, neither did she. Lila turned her face into Evan’s shoulder and wrapped her arms around him to hold him tightly. He tightened his own hold on her and tried not to share his dismay with her.

  “I’m sorry, Student, I shouldn’t have brought this up so soon after---” Sebastian cut himself off. He was the worst kind of jackass, bringing worry to his student when she should be enjoying her recent binding.

  “I shouldn’t have said anything, I should have waited for the Oracle to speak. Forgive me.”

  Lila jerked her head up.

  “Can I speak to the Oracle? Will he see me?”

  Sebastian’s mouth opened but no words came out. He closed it and opened it again before his brain engaged.

  “I don’t know, we can call and ask for an audience for you.”

  “Let’s do that then, as soon as possible.”

  Sebastian nodded.

  The three of them sat in silence for a few minutes, contemplating everything they’d spoken of. Then Sebastian’s thoughts turned to his personal desires of having a house full of family and a lively home life. Lila felt like a daughter to him, but Sebastian subscribed to the traditions from his youth, some 268 years ago. Marriage for a woman from his time meant that she would leave her family completely and become a daughter and caretaker to her husband’s family. Sebastian could not help being overcome by a feeling of abandonment over Lila and Evan’s binding. It was absurd, since he’d only known Lila for a few months, but he felt the sadness anyway. He looked at Evan when he asked, “Where will you live?”

  Evan studied his long time colleague, trying to decipher his question. Hesitantly he answered, “Where ever Lila wants to.” Then understanding struck him and he added, “Do you think she’ll leave you before her training is complete?”

  “I—I don’t know. Women often---“ He cut himself off before earning a verbal lashing from Lila about modern women, but it was already too late.

  “Seriously Bastian?” she said with a look of disgust on her pretty face.

  “I’m sorry,” he said. “Bad habits die slowly.”

  He stared down at his plate contemplating how to proceed. What did he hope for Lila, for himself, for the prophecy?

  “If you are so inclined,” he said finally, “I would like the two of you to consider living here with me. At least until Lila’s training is complete, and you have a safe abode.”

  Sebastian looked at Evan then with the hope that all their history and animosity could perhaps be bridged with this bond. It wasn’t that they disliked each other. They had known one another for centuries, being more or less employed in the same business of war and protection. It was more that they had not always fought on the same side, and had developed a healthy distrust of one another.

  Evan looked at Lila, and knowing the love that she felt for her teacher, he held his free hand out to Sebastian. Relieved, Sebastian reached a hand for each of them, clasping Evan’s in one hand and Lila’s shirt covered arm with the other. Swallowing the lump in his throat, Sebastian looked at Lila.

  “You are an exceptional student, Lila, and the daughter I’ll never have. I will be forever grateful for you being in my life, and I vow to always keep you safe to the best of my abilities; you and your chosen mate will always find shelter in my house, food at my table, and my guard at your backs.”

  He spoke the vow formally, and again, Lila got an impression of knights and alliances and chivalry. She would always have to remind herself that these men were from another time and thought differently from modern men. She also promised herself to bring them into the 21st century, if only to cope a little bit better with the modern woman.

  “Sebastian, if you are okay with Evan being my mate, then I would gladly stay here.”

  The relief that showed on Sebastian’s face at this declaration almost made Lila laugh.

  “I am very happy to have you both here, Student. We may, however, consider soundproofing your room.” Sebastian said wryly.

  All three of them laughed.

  Chapter 10

  October

  Leonard Weston, Shifter Council Head of the western territories, was not happy. Why hadn’t the Chosen One revealed herself in his territory? Things would have been so much easier for him if she had. He wouldn’t have to rely on greedy alphas and their pack of incompetents, or conniving mages who wanted control of the Chosen One themselves. Trying
to orchestrate this mission from such a distance was truly frustrating. He was going to have to get his own people closer if his plan was going to work. Then he had an epiphany: he could send a handful of strong men to Buffalo to take over the idiot’s pack, and from there they could watch for the opportunity he was looking for…

  Sebastian should not have been surprised that the oracle was so willing to see the Chosen One. It only took one phone call to his old abbot to get her an audience. The next day he was driving Lila, Evan, and himself an hour upstate to visit the cloistered sanctuary where mages still dwelt, studied, and taught the young.

  He parked the Mercedes in the small parking area to the side of the outer stone wall, and guided Lila and Evan through the main gate, which was open in anticipation of their visit. Just inside the gate, an acolyte stood at attention and greeted the visitors with a low bow. A nearby stool indicated that he had most likely been sent to wait for them.

  “The Abbot and the Oracle will receive you in the great hall,” he told Sebastian, and then ran ahead to warn that the visitors had arrived.

  Sebastian led them through the entry hall and out to a cloistered garden that was already bare and waiting for snow. It would have been a gloomy sight, except for the center fountain that gurgled melodiously down three tiers of carved stone nymphs into a wide pool. They turned left off the cloister, and left again into the first open doorway. Inside was a large, mostly empty room. The floor was covered in rugs and the walls had tapestries. Opposite them, a man sized fireplace held a crackling fire in it, warming at least that end of the room. An old man sat in one of two wingback chairs, wearing a dark robe, and a younger man stood by him, wearing a white robe.

  The two mages reminded Lila of how strangely magic affected time in their world. Aging was a completely individual thing. The Abbot, Sebastian told her, was around 400 years old, only a hundred years older than Alexander, yet the man looked to be in his eighties, while Xander remained a youthful thirty-something. In contrast, the oracle was chronologically about 450 years, and looked like he was nineteen. But his eyes held all the knowledge of every Oracle who came before him.

  Sebastian walked up to the old man and bowed deeply.

  “Abbot, I am pleased to introduce you to my student, Lila, and her mate, Evan.”

  Though old, the Abbot’s eyes were alert, and his clear blue gaze took in Lila and Evan.

  “You honour us with your visit, Chosen One,” he said bowing his head to Lila.

  “Thank you for seeing me,” Lila said, bowing her head to him.

  “We are your servants,” he said, holding his hand out to the younger man who helped him to stand.

  “I and my friend Sebastian will walk while you speak with the oracle.”

  The old man allowed the younger to hand him over to Sebastian who offered his elbow and led the abbot outside.

  The younger man stood tall and slim in his wool robes. His face was narrow and his features sharp. He had long dirty blond hair that hung down past his shoulders, framing his beautiful face that looked neither wholly masculine, or feminine. His eyes were violet, and when he looked at Lila it was as if he looked into her soul. He took her hand in his, and Lila was mildly surprised that she did not shock him.

  “Welcome Lila, Chosen One. We have much to discuss. Please sit with me.”

  He guided her into one of the chairs, and then dragged the other very close so that when they sat, their knees were touching. The Oracle took her hands in both of his and closed his eyes as if reading something on the back of his eyelids. Lila looked at Evan, who stepped close to her protectively. The Oracle smiled. Whether it was because of Evan’s body language, or something he saw in his mind, Lila couldn’t tell. It was a few minutes before he spoke.

  “You have chosen well with your first mate, Lila. You are well suited for each other. You have strengthened each other, and the trials ahead will only bind you closer together.”

  Lila wanted to ask what the trials would be, and why he called Evan her first mate, but she was afraid of breaking the Oracle’s concentration and possibly losing some vital piece of information to come.

  “There will be much for you to overcome in the future, both together and individually. Do not let others' opinions sway your faith in each other.”

  Lila stopped herself from huffing out a breath of frustration. The Oracle sounded just like her mother when she was reading someone’s fortune, speaking mostly vague words that could be interpreted in ten different ways. As if he sensed her frustration, the Oracle smiled, and opened his eyes.

  “You have questions, Chosen One.”

  “Yes,” she said a little forcefully, and then took a breath to calm herself. “About the prophecy and what it means.”

  “It means that you are needed to restore balance to our world.”

  Lila clenched her jaw so she wouldn’t snap a retort.

  “The part about binding to the elements.”

  The Oracle’s mouth turned up in a smile, but his eyes remained sympathetic.

  “Do not fear this part of the prophecy, Lila, as it will bring you nothing but happiness in the end.

  “You are correct in thinking that you will have two more mates.”

  Lila’s heart tightened anxiously at this, and she wanted to reach for Evan, but the Oracle held her hands. She reached for Evan through their bond, and she found him just as anxious as she was, so she sent him her devotion, and he sent back his love.

  “The four of you represent the four elements. Your task will need the strength of four combined to...recalibrate the imbalance that has been done to magic.”

  “Where is the imbalance? How can I find it?”

  “For now, it is everywhere and nowhere, but it will eventually gather in one place and attempt to take over all of magic. For now you must learn all that you can from your teachers and search for your mates.”

  Lila waited to hear more, but nothing came.

  “What about my shocking touch? Will I be able to control that?”

  The question seemed to be one that the Oracle was not expecting. He looked like he had to think about it before answering.

  “Some day you may control it, but for now it protects you. You cannot control the part of your magic that attracts, can you?”

  “No.”

  “The two go hand in hand. When you can control the attraction magic, you will also control the blocking magic.”

  “If the two magics work against each other, why do I have them?”

  The Oracle shrugged.

  “It brings your allies in, but reminds them that no one can take what is not freely given.”

  Lila thought she understood. She’d never made friends so easily before, when she was just human. Her attraction magic must work on anyone who is not inherently bad. The electric shock was there to keep the men at arms length.

  “Does that mean that my attraction magic is not manipulating Evan to want me? That it simply brought him close enough to allow things to happen naturally?”

  The Oracle looked at Evan now.

  “Yes, I think that is exactly what it did.”

  “So if I wasn’t the Chosen One, Evan would still have been attracted to me if we had met some other way.”

  The Oracle smiled.

  “Lila, you are asking about matters of the heart from someone who has only read the stories, not ever experienced it first hand.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry.”

  “It’s all right, my purpose during this life is specific. Maybe the Fates will grant me the joy of experiencing passionate love in a future life,” the Oracle spoke this without regret.

  Lila looked down and saw that the Oracle was still holding her hands.

  “Why can you touch me?”

  “I am not...sexually attracted to you. Nor do I mean you harm.”

  “So a gay man could probably touch me without getting zapped?”

  “Maybe, but I don’t recommend you walk around testing fealty with your touch. Not until
you have all your mates.”

  Lila’s chest tightened again.

  “Lila, do not fear the love that awaits you,” the Oracle said gently.

  “I don’t. I fear what will happen between Evan and I if I am forced to take another mate.”

  “You will not be forced into mating, Lila,” the Oracle seemed to search for the right words to make her understand.

  “It will happen, but it will feel right. For all of you. It will be a proper mating of four, a circle binding all of you to each other, not just them to you.”

  “It doesn’t seem possible-human nature-”

  “You’re not human anymore, Lila,” the Oracle said tenderly, ”And don’t forget that magic will help you find the right mates to complete your family.”

  Family. Lila had not thought of it that way before.

  “Why am I infertile?”

  Lila had no idea she was going to ask that question until it was out of her mouth.

  The Oracle thought again.

  “I can’t see the answer to that yet.”

  “Yet?”

  “Mm,.. I assume it means that you don’t need that answer right now. I shall remember the question for future meditations.

  “Go now, your teacher is waiting for you.”

  The beautiful young man gave Lila’s hands a light squeeze and let go of them to lean back into his chair and close his eyes, dismissing her.

  Lila stood and took the hand that Evan held out for her. The comfort of her magic and his love for her shot up her arm and into her heart. The two of them walked quietly out the door and into the cloister where Sebastian was standing like a soldier at ease. Wordlessly, the three of them walked back through the gate to the parking area and got into the car.

  No one spoke until they were back on the highway.

  “Did you get what you came for, Student?” Sebastian asked, glancing at her in the rear view mirror.

  “Mostly. I guess.”

  Chapter 11

  October

  The night of the Masquerade party, Lila banished Evan from her room so she could get dressed without him leering at her. She had discovered that the stretchy crushed velvet of her dress showed every lump and bulge, so there was no way to wear anything under it and still look smooth. Luckily, her long wig would cover the fact that she was going braless. Most likely no one would notice her lack of panty lines.