By Blood and Magic

by Jamie A. Waters

  The boy raced off with Nallia at his heels.

  Sabine put her plate aside and said, “We mean you no harm, and Malek’s not a demon. My friend is still with the ship, helping to oversee the repairs. When we were attacked, some of our companions were taken hostage. One of them is a part-dryad witch and a very dear friend of mine. We’re trying to save them.”

  “If your friends are lost at sea, why are you here?” Ryley gestured toward the desert in the distance. “There are no Merfolk in the Badlands.”

  Malek put his plate aside too, no longer interested in eating. Whatever happened in the next few minutes would dictate whether they would be allowed safe passage with this group. He stood, angling himself beside Sabine in a protective stance which would allow him easy access to draw his weapon. His movement caused both men to tense, but he wasn’t willing to remain passive in this situation.

  Sabine stood and put her hand on Malek’s arm in a silent gesture to hold. “We have reason to believe you’re the key to saving our friends.”

  Both Ryley and Tathaln exchanged another look. Ryley nodded and said, “I’m not sure how, but go on.”

  “I made a bargain with the Merfolk. In exchange for them releasing my friends, I agreed to locate a woman from their clan who went missing. A seer in Karga suggested you could lead us to her.”

  Tathaln’s shoulders relaxed slightly, but his hand still hadn’t left his weapon. “I’m afraid you’ve been misinformed. We have no Merfolk woman living among us.”

  Malek shook his head. “We don’t believe she’s with you either. We were told she was taken farther into the desert. Wherever your path takes you, we need to follow.”

  Ryley frowned. “I still don’t see the connection. As I mentioned to you back in the inn, we don’t know where we’re heading yet. We usually decide once we’re underway.”

  Sabine smiled, the gesture softening her features even more. “I understand your doubts. We share them too, but you’re our best chance at saving our friends. The seer said someone would approach us if I performed at the inn. That person was you.”

  Ryley shook his head. “I wasn’t the only one who approached you, Sabine. People who claim to be seers frequently mislead people for their own purposes. How do you know she’s not leading you on a foolish errand to rid their city of another magic user?”

  Sabine hesitated and then sighed. “Because she swore a blood oath to me. In exchange for information leading to us locating the missing Merfolk woman, I agreed to protect and shelter her granddaughter.”

  Ryley’s entire body went ramrod straight, and his eyes narrowed. “I knew you had a significant source of magic after I heard you sing last night, but what you’re suggesting shouldn’t be possible. How much Fae blood do you possess that you can bind someone with a blood oath?”

  Malek tensed, his hand going to the weapon at his side again. It was impossible to know how these people might react to Sabine. He didn’t know why she’d decided to reveal herself, but Sabine rarely did anything without good reason. He could try to shift into his dragon form if necessary, but he wasn’t sure he could change back easily. He’d been using too much of his power lately without giving himself enough time to recover.

  Sabine stood and held out her hand. “Blossom, show yourself.”

  Blossom zipped out from wherever she’d been hiding and landed on Sabine’s palm. The pixie waved at everyone and said, “Hiya!”

  “A pixie,” Tathaln whispered, staring at Blossom in wonder. “I’ve heard stories about them but never met one. My grandfather was Fae, but I don’t possess enough magic to sustain one.” He turned back toward Sabine, his eyes filling with avarice. “My lady, you are full of surprises.”

  “That’s what Nallia sensed from you last night,” Bruin said, approaching from a nearby wagon. His face was anything but friendly, and his curved sword was already in his hands. “You have enough magic to call the kumili to your side as well. Gina couldn’t figure out why our daughter would abandon safety to seek out a stranger.” His eyes narrowed. “Would you try to enslave us again, little Fae?”

  Malek had to give her credit; Sabine didn’t even flinch. She tossed back her hair and said, “I have no intention of trying to enslave anyone, Bruin. The kumili are a free people, and I respect that. I simply seek a… temporary alliance, if you will. In exchange, I will help you however I can while we travel with you.”

  Ryley studied Sabine for a long time and didn’t answer right away. Tathaln was still regarding Sabine with no small amount of desire, which set Malek’s teeth on edge. Bruin, however, didn’t appear pleased at the prospect of having them join the group.

  Malek released his weapon and held up his hands in a peaceable gesture. “I know you have no real reason to trust us, but everything Sabine has told you is the truth. She is, without doubt, one of the most loyal individuals I’ve ever met. You could not ask for a better ally at your side.”

  Ryley frowned. “You misled me from the first, and now you ask for our trust?”

  “You guys are stupid,” Blossom said, crossing her arms over her chest.

  Tathaln’s mouth twitched. “How so, little pixie?”

  “First of all, my name’s Blossom,” she said and flew to the part-Fae man. “Sabine didn’t want to trick you. She couldn’t tell you the truth back in Karga. There are bad people there who might try to hurt her.”

  Ryley arched his brow. “I suppose you have a point.”

  Blossom nodded and fluttered her wings. “I used to live in Esme’s garden behind her shop. She’s good people too. If you help us, you’ll be helping her.”

  Tathaln chuckled and held out his hand so Blossom could land on it. “They have my vote, especially if we can keep the pixie with us.”

  Bruin scowled. “I say no. I won’t have my wife and child put in danger by someone with close ties to the Fae. Give me one good reason why I should believe anything you say.”

  Sabine clasped her hands together and took a step toward Bruin. He tensed but made no other move toward her. She held his gaze and asked, “You wish to know the truth?”

  Bruin hesitated and then gave her a curt nod.

  Sabine released her glamour, revealing her true appearance. Even now, Malek couldn’t tear his gaze away from her. The sunlight caressed her hair, causing the strands of silver to shimmer brilliantly. The marks on her skin pulsed with the full scope of her remarkable power. All three men gasped. She immediately reapplied her glamour, leaving them with nothing more than a memory of her true appearance.

  Tathaln dropped to his knees, lowering his head in deference. “I apologize if I offended you.”

  “You didn’t, and obeisance isn’t necessary,” Sabine said and knelt beside Tathaln. She took his arm, brought him back to his feet, and gave him a sad smile. “I’m not here to force any of you to my will. You aren’t my subjects, but I would like to name you friends.”

  Bruin stared at her, the large man clearly shaken. It was apparent he was battling the urge to also fall to his knees. “Your markings. How is this possible? Your kind never leave Faerie.”

  Malek tensed and kept his hand on his weapon, prepared to defend himself and Sabine if these people decided to view her as a threat.

  “Not usually,” Sabine admitted quietly. “I was born in Faerie but fled my home more than ten years ago. Some of the Fae want me dead because I possess the magic of both the Seelie and Unseelie. They fear what they don’t understand. Like you, I’m simply trying to survive. None of you have anything to fear from me.”

  Ryley swallowed, clearly uneasy by her admission. “Why are you telling us this? We could have easily continued to believe you were only part-Fae.”

  Sabine straightened, her bearing regal. After seeing her like this, it was a wonder he’d ever believed her to be a member of Dax’s crew. She didn’t belong in this desert wasteland either. She was both of the light and dark, and as multi-faceted as the flicker of a flame.

  “You’re right,” she replied wit
h a sigh. “The kumili have always been skilled at discovering the truth. I could have continued the charade at great sacrifice to myself, but I chose to reveal myself because I would like to have you as allies.”

  “The Fae have been overlords to the kumili, never allies,” Bruin argued, but his tone lacked its earlier threatening cadence.

  Sabine tilted her head in acknowledgement of his words. “I wish it was otherwise, but all I can give you is my word. You know the Fae cannot lie.” She took another step toward Bruin, and Malek had to force himself to stop from yanking her back to safety. “I swear to you here and now: I will not make any demands upon you which are not freely given. As long as I travel with you, I will protect your daughter’s life as if she were my own.”

  Bruin inhaled sharply. “You would place an equal value on a kumili’s life?”

  Sabine nodded. “Yes. With your permission, I can even help ease Nallia’s transition into a human. There is no need for her to hold on to her animal form.”

  “If you don’t agree to keep the Fae woman with us, you’ll be sleeping outside our wagon for the next lunar cycle,” Gina said, approaching Bruin from behind. She gave Sabine a wide smile and nodded in appreciation. “Nallia is several years away yet from being able to shift for the first time. We’ve had too many close calls with hunters who want to mount her pelt on their walls. If you are willing to help my daughter, I will call you ally.”

  Bruin frowned and darted a quick glance at Gina. “She could force all of us permanently into our animal form.”

  Gina shook her head and gripped her husband’s arm. “She won’t. Look at her, Bruin. Use your sight and look.”

  Bruin turned back toward Sabine, and his eyelids drooped as he studied her. Malek wasn’t sure what Bruin was doing, but Sabine simply held the kumili’s gaze and waited. After a moment, Bruin bowed to Sabine. He thumped his fist against his chest and said, “You are welcome in our camp, Your Highness. I would be honored to travel with you.”

  Ryley’s brow furrowed, and he snapped, “Will someone tell me what in the name of the underworld is going on?”

  Bruin grinned and gestured toward Sabine. “Not only is this Fae a member of the royal line, she’s been touched by the gods themselves. If she had a mind to it, she could decimate all of us with only a thought. She comes to us in a gesture of friendship, and her energy shows no trace of malice or deceit. If she’s here and willing to name us friends, we’d be fools not to accept her offer.”

  Malek lowered his hand from his weapon, sensing the danger had passed.

  Ryley glanced around at the others who had gathered, but everyone seemed almost excited at the prospect of Malek and Sabine traveling with them. The camp leader shrugged and stepped forward, offering his hand in welcome. “Well, I suppose it’s decided. Welcome to the troupe. We have a lot of ground to cover today, and I’m sure you’re anxious to find this missing woman.”

  Sabine smiled and shook his hand. “I’m looking forward to it.”

  Sabine wound her braided hair and pinned it on top of her head. The midday heat was stifling, and not even the shade of the wagon offered any salvation.

  Blossom sprawled out on the wagon floor. Her translucent wings drooped as she begged, “Make a forest, Sabine. Pretty please?”

  “No forests, Blossom,” Sabine said and leaned back against the wall of the open wagon. Only a thin hide covering the top offered them a reprieve from the sun. They’d stopped traveling for the time being and were waiting out the hottest part of the day. The thontin used by the troupe to pull their wagons were accustomed to navigating the desert, but they refused to budge during these hours. Instead, they’d unhooked the creatures and allowed them to dig large holes in the sand where they were curled up and napping.

  “What about a tree? Just a little itty-bitty tree?”

  Sabine’s mouth twitched in a smile, and she shook her head. “No. If you’re not feeling well, I can give you a bit of magic. But I’m not making a forest.”

  Blossom flung out her hand and panted. “So hot. I’m melting. My wings are now stuck to the floor. It’s all over for me. You’ll have to go on without me.”

  Malek chuckled. “She’s got a flair for the dramatic, doesn’t she?”

  Sabine made a noise of agreement and looked up at the cloudless sky. It was too risky to make a forest, but she might be able to do something about the sun. Blossom might be exaggerating a bit, but pixies couldn’t tolerate extreme temperatures. She needed to conserve her strength, but she wasn’t sure Blossom could handle another several hours wandering the desert. Turning toward Malek, she asked, “Can you shield me?”

  He arched his brow. “You’re not seriously considering making a forest?”

  She shook her head. “No. But I can give us some cloud cover. It should cool things off enough so we can travel the rest of the way. Ryley said we’d probably arrive at one of the desert camps by morning. Maybe we can speed things up a bit and give everyone a bit of relief?”

  “It’s worth a try,” Malek said, scooting closer to her. He wrapped his hand around her neck, enveloping her with his magic. She paused, mildly surprised the additional heat wasn’t bothering her. Malek’s blood offering must have given her a substantial immunity to hot temperatures.

  Holding out her hands, she summoned her Seelie magic. It surged to the surface, demanding to be used. Staring up at the sky, she spiraled it outward, shooting it toward the sky in a wide array of power. The blue sky almost seemed to shimmer, and clouds formed where none had been present a moment earlier. The ground rumbled slightly, and a light sprinkle fell across the area.

  “Rain! You made it rain! Yippee!” Blossom hopped up and flew out of the wagon.

  Sabine laughed and climbed out the back of the wagon. A few of the other people traveling with the troupe joined them, exclaiming in wonder at the sight of a desert rain. Sabine lifted her head to the sky, allowing the light rainfall to coat her face. With the cloud cover and light rainfall, the temperature was already dropping.

  “You’re something of a miracle, you know that?” Malek said quietly from behind her, staring at the sky in wonder. “Seeing you do this kind of thing will never got old.”

  Sabine laughed and held out her hand, enjoying the feel of the raindrops. “It won’t last long. Ryley was telling me flash floods are always a danger out here, and I won’t risk putting anyone in peril. But it does feel nice.”

  Malek wrapped his arms around her, and she leaned back against him, enjoying the closeness. No one had ever touched her like this simply for the sake of holding her.

  The rain continued to fall, and even the two children were scampering around, laughing gleefully. Ryley approached them and grinned. “I’m assuming we have you to thank for this?”

  Sabine winced and shook her head. “Don’t ever thank a Fae.”

  He frowned. “Huh?”

  Tathaln approached from behind and slapped his hand on Ryley’s shoulder. “You’ll find yourself owing a life’s debt if you thank them for every little thing. I’ve warned you about it before.”

  Ryley scratched his head. “I thought you were kidding.”

  Tathaln chuckled. “Nope. You’re lucky you haven’t met any other Fae until now. Every time someone thanks me, it feels like an itch in the middle of my back. And I don’t have a fraction of Sabine’s magic.”

  “Strange customs,” Ryley said and shrugged. “Come on, Tathaln. Let’s go wake up the thontin and get underway. At this rate, we should make it to the desert camp before nightfall.”

  The two of them headed to where the thontin were slumbering. Malek’s hand caressed her midsection, sending a delicious shiver through her.

  “How did you deal with people thanking you when you lived in Akros?”

  Sabine shrugged. “It wasn’t an issue. Bane and Dax offset much of it. Most of their crews were too intimidated to even speak to me. I warned Edvar and the other children about such practices, and they made it a point never to say such things.�
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  Tobbin and Nallia ran toward them and skidded to a halt. “Where’d the pixie go?”

  Sabine glanced around, but she didn’t see any sign of Blossom. “I’m not sure. She should be back in a minute.”

  “Aww. We wanted to play hide-and-seek with her,” Tobbin muttered and kicked at the sand under his feet. Nallia yipped and danced around the boy.

  Sabine knelt beside Nallia and scratched her behind the ears. The young kumili stretched her paws out and purred from the attention. Sabine smiled and said, “I’m not sure you’re going to have time to play. Ryley and Tathaln just went to hook the thontin back up to the wagons. Now that it’s cooled off, we’re going to head out again.”

  Malek crouched beside the boy and said, “You know, my best friend has a tail just like yours.”

  Tobbin’s eyes widened. “Really?”

  Malek nodded. “Yep. He’s a wyvern named Levin.”

  Tobbin’s mouth dropped open. “That’s what Tathaln said I am!”

  “It appears you two have even more mysteries surrounding you,” Gina said as she approached. The dark-haired woman was carrying a small bag over her shoulder, and she didn’t seem the slightest bit fazed by the rainwater coming down.

  Malek tousled the boy’s hair and stood. “Nah. It’s not that mysterious. I’ve been friends with Levin for most of my life. When I met him, he wasn’t much older than Tobbin.”

  Gina put her hand on Tobbin’s shoulder and said, “Why don’t you ride up front with Bruin while he drives the wagon? I need to sit back here with Nallia and our new friends.”

  Tobbin’s lower lip jutted out in a pout. “But I want to hear more about the wyvern!”

  “Later, my sweet boy. We’ll have plenty of time for that tonight,” Gina said and gestured for him to go to the front of the caravan. “Bruin should be waking up the thontin. You can help him with the harnesses. Perhaps he will even let you drive.”

  Tobbin’s eyes lit up but then he hesitated, glancing back and forth between Malek and the thontin. Sabine bit back a smile at the boy’s reluctance. His parents might not live in the camp, but it was obvious every adult here cared deeply for him. They all seemed to take equal measures in raising both Tobbin and Nallia.