by Logan Jacobs
“I would love to be a bigger part of your story,” he sighed, “but I believe this is the point where our stories diverge. You should move on, make sure you’re well away before the Magesterium can send more trackers. Once you’re outside the city, it will make things harder for them.”
“We can help you move,” I offered.
“No,” Evan insisted as he smiled at Sorcha. “And your lady friend knows it.”
“Yes,” she admitted quietly as she looked at the floor much as the gaggle of children had done. “We do need to move on. It won’t take the Magesterium long to regroup. But at least you’ll be able to continue your work.”
“I’m glad for that,” Evan sighed. “Well, I guess I should wish you good luck.”
“Are we leaving right now?” I asked in surprise. “Isn’t it getting a little late to head for the river?”
“But, I can help you with that,” Evan declared. “I’ll have someone guide you to the river.”
“You don’t need to do that,” I started to protest. “We’ll leave in the morning after we’ve helped you clean up.”
“Of course, you need to leave now, and of course, I need to send a guide,” Evan snorted. “You suck at this whole finding the river thing.”
Evan shot to his feet and marched over to the door. He paused and listened for a moment, then nodded.
“Riley!” he yelled in a surprisingly strong voice.
Evan retreated to the armchair where he plopped down and closed his eyes. Sorcha and I exchanged another round of puzzled looks as we tried to decide what to do. A few moments later, the young mage I had surprised when I went hunting the red robes’ leader barreled into the room and stopped in front of Evan.
He pushed a few strands of blonde hair from his face and straightened his jacket. He licked his lips nervously and waited for Evan to acknowledge him.
“So,” Evan said when he finally opened his eyes. “Our friends here need someone to guide them to the river.”
“Oh, ah,” Riley stuttered, clearly surprised by the request. “I was going to help move the science equipment.”
“Tsk,” Evan replied. “You’ll have plenty of time to moon over Tricia. Right now, we need to be sure that Hex and Sorcha reach the river.”
Riley looked disappointed with the new assignment, but he gave Evan a nod.
“When do you want to leave?” he asked me and Sorcha.
“Right away,” Evan ordered.
“Of course,” Riley agreed. “Shall we meet by the doors in fifteen minutes?”
“That would be fine,” Sorcha reassured him.
Riley nodded to us, waved at Evan and then bolted from the room.
“He’s a good kid,” Evan assured us. “He just thinks he’s in love.”
“Is he?” Sorcha asked.
“Probably,” the old mage admitted, “but they’re still in that hormonal phase, so who knows.”
“Well, I guess we should get our packs,” I suggested since I had no interest in discussing poor Riley’s possible love life, though Sorcha and Evan both looked as if they were ready to dissect the potential romance. Sorcha rolled her eyes at my suggestion, but she also gave me a friendly nudge with her elbow. I was sure I was about to be accused of another bit of male misbehavior, but Evan spoke first.
“Take care of each other,” the old man whispered. For once, Evan didn’t hop to his feet. He shook our hands and let Sorcha kiss him on the forehead. He winked at her, then held my hand again.
We nodded, then Evan ordered us from the room. We found our bags, and Rayne appeared with more water and some extra food. She and Sorcha hugged, before they both turned speculative glances in my direction. Rayne finally gave me a nod before she started up the stairs. I started to ask what exactly the two women had discussed while I had been digging holes, but Riley appeared with his own laden satchel.
“We can get pretty far before we’ll have to stop,” Riley announced. “And they’ll make it hard for anyone to track you from here.”
“Sounds good,” I replied.
We slipped out while the rest of Evan’s army cleaned up the school. I was surprised to see that a watery sun was still up, though barely. We slipped away from the school and the small groups of locals who had come to investigate now that the battle seemed to be over. A few tried to ask us questions, but Riley had taken Evan’s orders to heart, and he moved onward at a fast pace without offering a single response.
Riley steered us away from the canal, and instead, we walked along a tree-lined path that meandered past small farms and pastures, collections of houses and small businesses, and the occasional reminder of the pre-magic world. We stopped near a public well at one point and sat under the shade of an oak tree to drink some water.
“How much further?” Sorcha asked as we watched a farmer feed his pigs.
“We’ll stop soon,” Riley replied as he glanced at the darkening sky. “There’s a good site just ahead, and usually other travelers that will help keep watch during the night. We’ll reach the river tomorrow.”
“I was hoping to be out of the city by the end of the day since Evan made such a point of sending us onward,” I sighed. “It feels like we’re never going to get out of this place.”
Riley shifted uncomfortably and glanced at the sky again.
“I guess we could try to keep going,” he offered.
“No,” Sorcha said firmly. “The mages won’t be traveling at night either. Not if they don’t have a specific goal. It’s too dangerous, even for them. And we all need to rest. It won’t do us any good to reach the river in this state.”
“You’re right,” I conceded. “We’ll just get an early start tomorrow.”
Riley looked relieved as he tucked his flask back into his pack. We lingered a few more minutes while Sorcha went to chat with the farmer. When she came back, she held up a small packet.
“What’s that?” I asked.
“Reaper seed,” she said. “It’s common around here but harder to come by on the west coast. We can use it for trade as we make our journey.”
“If the gypsies are at the site tonight, they’ll have more,” Riley suggested. “And they have different versions, like smoked and peppered.”
“What’s the big deal about reaper seed?” I asked. “I know some people like to chew it.”
“In mages, it can help increase your powers,” Sorcha replied. “But you have to be careful with the dosage. Too much, and it can drive you crazy until it wears off.”
“And this is what we’re going to trade?” I asked in mock surprise.
“It’s worth more than gold in some places,” Sorcha sniffed, and Riley nodded in agreement.
“How come I’ve never heard about this before?” I inquired.
“Mages don’t talk about it outside mage circles,” Riley explained. “And not all mages even know. The Magesterium regulates its use among mages, and those who are less adept aren’t allowed to use it.”
“That seems backward,” I noted. “If you’re not adept, wouldn’t you need it more?”
“But you’re less likely to have any sort of control when it kicks in,” Sorcha explained.
“Got it,” I said.
Sorcha made a point of burying the packet deep inside her satchel. Riley nodded in approval, but I couldn’t help but snicker. It seemed a bit much for some reaper seeds, but the other two mages gave me stern looks. I shrugged and stood up slowly, and Riley followed suit.
Riley took the lead again as we continued along the path. Despite its well-worn surface, it became difficult to navigate in the dark. We had to slow down or risk a fall over an old root or bit of rock. We were all getting anxious, and I was ready to suggest that we simply set up camp in one of the fields that we passed, but as we came over the crest of a small hill, Riley pointed ahead to a flat field surrounded by a low stone wall. There were several tents and wagons already set up on the grass and Riley smiled as he took in the scene.
“The gypsies?” Sorch
a asked.
“They’re really nice,” Riley said. “And we’ll be safer with them around.”
“Do they really just travel from town to town for no reason?” I asked.
I’d heard about the gypsies, but the most contact I’d ever had with them was in passing on the trail. Trail bosses didn’t trust the gypsies, and the gypsies had no love for long cattle drives, so the two sides tended to avoid each other. The gypsies claimed that they traced their lineage back centuries to roving performers that had once wandered across Europe. They had survived persecution, internment, hatred, and general ill treatment. They also had reputations for being thieves and practitioners of black magic, and the few people I knew who had encountered gypsies often reported missing items not long after.
“They do,” Riley replied as he led us toward the camp. “And while sometimes they do take things, that’s only in certain circumstances.”
“And how do we know they won’t take anything tonight?” I pressed.
Riley merely grinned, then scanned the tents. He spotted something and set off toward a dark blue tent set up near the edge of the encampment. Sorcha and I followed after him and tried to look inconspicuous among the bright clothes and noisy chatter. Most of the people in the camp were busy, though they watched our progress across the field with interest, and a few clearly recognized Riley. Riley returned their greetings with his own, and then we were at the blue tent.
Two men stood near the flap, one older, one younger. They spoke in a language I didn’t recognize, and when Riley stopped in front of them, he said something in the same language. The men both grunted, then one pointed toward me and Sorcha.
“My friends,” Riley quickly assured them.
The men looked at us with suspicion, but Riley said something else in their language. The older man laughed, then held the flap open so we could all step inside. I expected it to be dark inside, and maybe smokey if there was a fire, but the interior was brightly lit with mage lights, and colorful rugs and pillows had been placed on the ground. A dark skinned, dark haired woman sat in the middle of the pillows in front of a low table. She had a series of cards laid out on the table and she studied them as if they might reveal a great secret.
“Ah, I’m glad to see you here,” the woman said without looking up. Her voice was heavily accented, and when she finally looked at us, I realized her eyes were so dark they were nearly black. “It means the school was victorious.”
“At a cost,” Riley agreed. “But the children are safe.”
“That is good,” the woman replied with a nod. “And these are the mages that Talia told you about?”
“They are,” Riley assured her.
The woman eyed us carefully, then nodded again. She gathered up the cards and set them aside.
“Sit,” she ordered. “We’ll eat, enjoy some wine. Tomorrow, we will see you on the next leg of your journey, and Riley, you will be able to return to your young lady.”
“Evan said…” Riley started to protest.
“We will see to it,” the woman repeated sternly.
“Yes, Madame Gadzo,” Riley quickly assented.
“Now, sit,” she repeated. “I’m too old to have to keep looking up at you.”
Riley quickly dropped into the pillows, and Sorcha and I joined him. The pillows were surprisingly firm yet comfortable. Madame Gadzo eyed us, and when Sorcha started to speak, the older woman gave her a stern look that could have stopped a charging bull.
“So,” Madame Gadzo finally said. “You have a long journey ahead.”
“We do,” Sorcha agreed in a hesitant voice after a moment of silence.
“We will do what we can to help you,” the madame declared.
“Thank you,” I replied when Madame Gadzo turned to look at me. “But, um, why are you so interested in helping us?”
Riley looked appalled that I would ask, but Sorcha watched the gypsy carefully. I tried not to fidget under her dark gaze, and I wondered why on earth I had even asked that question. But Madame Gadzo merely studied me for a moment, then tapped a finger on her table.
“We have a debt to repay,” Madame Gadzo replied and then quelled any follow-up questions with another hard stare.
At that point, the flap was opened again and a young woman in a bright orange dress stepped in with a covered tray. A young boy followed behind her carrying three of the small tables. He carefully set one in front of each guest, along with silverware and a napkin. When he was done, the woman knelt down and uncovered the tray. She held the tray out toward Madame Gadzo first, who accepted a plate from the tray along with several slices of bread. The woman then held the tray out to each of us, and we each took a plate in turn and bread from the basket.
With the food distributed, the woman and the boy left. A moment later, one of the men who had been standing outside came in with a bottle of wine and four glasses. He filled each glass one at a time, and passed them around, starting with Madame Gadzo. He left the bottle with Madame Gadzo, then retreated from the tent.
Madame Gadzo said a prayer, at least I think that’s what it was, though it was in their strange foreign language, so I couldn’t be sure. When she was done, she sniffed at the food, prodded it with her spoon and then took a bite. She contemplated it, then nodded. At that signal, Riley picked up his spoon, as did Sorcha and I, and we all started to eat.
It was a thick stew, filled with venison, potatoes, carrots, and plenty of rosemary. There was something spicy as well that gave it just a bit of a kick. The wine was on the sweet side, so we ended up with the perfect balance of heat and sweet. Very little was said as we worked our way through our dinner, and I noticed that I wasn’t the only one who scraped up the last bit of liquid with my last slice of bread.
At some unseen signal, the woman in the orange dress returned and placed our empty plates on the tray. She disappeared through the flap, leaving us with the last of the wine.
“You should go out and enjoy the evening,” Madame Gadzo suggested. “Hearn is with us tonight, and he is an excellent singer.”
Riley stood up quickly, though Sorcha and I were a little slower getting to our feet. Madame Gadzo waved a finger at me and pointed to the cushion I had just vacated.
“You should stay,” she said imperiously. “I wish to give you a reading.”
I looked over at Sorcha, who started to study the older woman more closely. She gave me a slight nod, to show that the gypsy woman had a magical ability. Madame Gadzo caught the movement and looked offended for a moment. Riley left first, while Sorcha followed slowly behind. When Madame Gadzo seemed satisfied that they were indeed gone, she pulled out the deck of cards and signaled me to sit closer. I pulled a cushion in front of her table and sat down.
“I didn’t think anyone still used cards to do readings,” I said as she started to lay out the cards, face down.
“Sometimes,” the gypsy mused, “the old ways can reveal more.”
With that, she started to turn the cards over. They weren’t playing cards, but something else. They each had a scene painted on the flip side, most depicting grisly images like a man hanging from a noose. I thought for sure I was about to have a horrible prediction for my future, judging by the images, but Madame Gadzo didn’t appear concerned. She moved the cards around, uttered a few strange words, then finally looked at me.
“You are on a long and dangerous road,” she said. “You will meet many challenges along the way.”
“Um, okay,” I replied. That didn’t require any great magical skill to deduce, and I started to think I should have stuck with Sorcha and gone to hear the singer.
Madame Gadzo frowned, as if I had said that last part aloud, and for a moment, I thought I had.
“There are many forces who will follow you,” she continued. “Some good, some bad.”
“The Magesterium,” I supplied, which was also obvious.
“And others,” she agreed.
“Any tips?” I asked glibly.
Madame Gadzo
laid down another round of cards and shifted them around. She frowned as she turned each over, then finally looked at me. She held my gaze for several heartbeats, then placed one more card on the table. She turned it over slowly and let out a hiss when she saw the image.
“What?” I demanded. I had to admit, she was a good actress, if not the best seer I had ever encountered.
“There is a man,” she responded. “He will tell you many things, things that you will want to hear, but everything he tells you will be a lie. You must ignore what he tells you, no matter how much you want it to be true. If you believe him, you will be lost, and the dark forces will conquer this world.”
Okay, I thought, that was more specific, though still not very helpful. And I really wished people would stop telling me that the fate of the world rested on my shoulders. I was still trying to adjust to the idea that I was a mage, much less that I was supposed to save the world from evil. But, I reminded myself, this was all part of the act. She probably had similar predictions for everyone.
“The man will follow you,” Madame Gadzo continued. “He is coming even now.”
“Can’t you tell me anything else?” I asked. “Something useful?”
Madame Gadzo consulted the cards again, then uttered something that sounded like it might be a spell. For a brief moment, I thought there might have been a glint of green light in her eyes, and then she swept the cards from the table and returned them to the rest of the stack.
“The man who follows you has one blue eye and one brown eye,” Madame Gadzo proclaimed.
I was frozen in place like I was encased in ice, and Madame Gadzo had a satisfied look on her face. She leaned back in her cushions and waited for me to speak.
But I had nothing to say. For better or worse, the man I had sought since that fateful day now sought me in turn. I wasn’t a little kid any more, though, and I would be ready for him, whenever and wherever he appeared.
Chapter 15
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Sorcha whispered in my ear when I finally joined her and Riley at the campfire, along with enough gypsies to fill a small town.