After the Flood 1: Blood and Magic

by Lena Austin

  Knowing how much she stank, Kella selected the strongest-smelling soap from her choices. It smelled pleasantly of juniper and herbs, so she shampooed with it, as well. She luxuriated in her soak until her skin wrinkled and turned white.

  A large, horn comb lay across the towels, obviously intended for her use. With much yanking and groaning, she managed to untangle her hair before braiding it in a sensible style. Her clothes didn’t reek too badly, so she put them back on, having no alternative. “I’ll make clothes later,” she vowed.

  Kella padded in bare feet straight to the kitchen, intent upon making a stew. She was positive she could create the small items she’d need, but found a pantry door she’d overlooked when she first inspected the kitchen.

  Inside, it was well stocked with onions, potatoes, carrots, and sacks of flour, sugar, and other dry goods. A small, stone cold larder occupied one corner of the pantry, and inside she found carefully wrapped meats. A small venison roast was snatched out with a cry of delight.

  In one cabinet, not far from the big fireplace, she found a large pot. She filled it with cold water from the little waterfall, and hung it from the hook in the fireplace. She laid the fire from the stack of wood to the side, and used a tiny spark of magic to kindle it.

  “Now, that’s practical magic,” she exclaimed, proud of herself. Humming a jaunty tune, she created a large knife and chopped vegetables. “This is a much more pleasant way to cook! It’s probably possible to go ahead and create full meals using just magic, but it wouldn’t be half the fun.”

  Dumping the vegetables to simmer in the water took a couple of trips while she considered how best to cook the meat. She spied a large, black metal sheet on top of an equally large metal box on legs. There was a door in the box, but nothing was inside. Shrugging, she decided to heat the metal sheet using magic, the same way she heated the water for her bath. Soon the meat sizzled cheerfully on the metal sheet in fine bits. A wooden spoon was easy to create to stir things, as was a small barrel to hold the vegetable peelings.

  “This is ever so much easier, now that I’m not exhausting myself to make a teacup!” Since the thought reminded her, she made herself a teacup steaming with her favorite brew. “I could really get to like being a sorceress.”

  “I’m glad you like it.” Tanne leaned casually against the doorframe, looking refreshed. “Are you ready for your final lesson?”

  Chapter Ten

  Kella skipped out behind Tanne, swinging her basket. She was so happy to be free of the censorious gaze of the Vampire priesthood. It did not matter what she learned or how, as long as she wasn’t constantly wrong for every small mistake. Tanne laughed at her errors.

  She eyed Tanne’s broad back, with its rippling play of muscles. No insult to Sedna, but Tanne was much more pleasant to look at. His teaching was not limited by any tradition, or any fears of heresy. It seemed to flow from lesson to lesson, one building upon the other.

  What was more, it was all practical things. She fingered her acolyte’s medallion. Kella considered herself a religious person, and truly believed that all things flowed from the God and Goddess. However, Tanne treated magic as if it were little more than any other creative thing, like the weavings on a loom or the shaping of metal in the smithy. As if it were a craft, with no religious overtones.

  Tanne stopped and turned, allowing Kella to catch up. This time, he’d chosen a place on the opposite side of the meadow. She checked the sun. By her estimate, they were in the north portion of the meadow, where rolling hills began in place of the great cliffs. Tanne pointed to the rolling hills, now falling into shadow as the sun began its descent.

  “Do you see those hills? The Elves live there. They aren’t a problem. The Dwarves aren’t, either. But the Trolls can get a little territorial.” At her squeak of fear, he shook his head. “They wouldn’t eat you. If you would like to visit the Elves or Dwarves, just have me along to keep the Trolls at bay. Unfortunately, shields don’t work on Trolls. Without me, there might be a moment of confusion that would leave you more than a bit bruised.”

  Kella mulled this over. “I see. It also would not be advisable to hunt there. I wouldn’t want to take their food.”

  “Yes, they get a little upset about that. The woods south of the cave are good for hunting, and the Werewolves won’t mind.” His voice took on that lecturing tone that signified the lesson would begin. “Now, about shields. You already know what one feels like when it is set to be permeable. There’s one around your village, and there’s another at our cave entrance. Do you remember the shield I put on you when you first heard thoughts?”

  Kella grimaced. It was an ugly memory. “Yes.”

  “Well, you’re about to learn how to do it for yourself.”

  “Do I make my energy ball?” Kella stepped forward eagerly, but stopped when Tanne raised his hand.

  “Yes, you do. Stay there, where you have room to work without my body interfering. Including another person in the shield is a later lesson.”

  “Oh! Well then!” Kella stepped back a pace, leaving half-again her length between them.

  Tanne grinned slyly. “Is that where you are most comfortable? Everyone has a space around them they prefer to remain clear of other beings. Some, you will not mind standing right beside you or in physical contact. But most beings you hold at this distance away from you?”

  Kella wanted desperately to reassure him that he could come much closer. That had not been the question. “I prefer this distance apart when I don’t know others well. Is that the answer you seek?”

  “Good. That is the size your shield should be, then. Ground yourself. Excellent.” His voice became soft and low. “I wish you to find the center of yourself. It should be in your lower belly. You know it instinctively. It will be like an empty spot. Do you feel it?”

  Kella closed her eyes and sought inside her own body. It was odd to find that black, empty place just above her womb. “I found it. What is it?” Then she remembered what he’d said. “The center of myself? Then why is it empty?”

  “Many beings never know they are off balance inside themselves. Those are the most likely to suffer emotional turmoil and unhappiness, because they have not fit their spirit inside their skin. If you are calm enough to feel your center, then you can check it to make sure you are not off balance.”

  “Then I am off balance. How do I fix this?” She accepted this odd bit of knowledge. It made little sense, this idea that a spirit could be off balance. Nevertheless, it never hurt to attempt what a teacher said to do. Sometimes the learning came with the doing, not the explanation.

  “I want you to pretend to squash your spirit into a ball and toss it into that hole. Make it fit. I assure you, only your spirit will fit that space perfectly.”

  Kella concentrated. It was an easy enough vision to set in her mind’s eye. Like a doll made of cloth, she pretended to stuff herself in the hole. She heard an audible click inside her own head. She jerked. “Oh! How odd!” Her eyes popped open. “Tanne! That felt funny!”

  He nodded. “I’m sure it did. It always does, the first time. There is a measurable result, however. Look at your ground with your magical eyes.” He pointed down at her feet.

  Bending down, Kella unfocused her eyes, and then gasped. “My grounding is bigger and more powerful! Why, I feel stronger!” She placed her hands protectively over her newly found center.

  Tanne chuckled. “So you shall, until you allow it to get off balance again. If I am not mistaken, the priesthood taught you to meditate daily, didn’t they?”

  “Well, certainly! Every morning when the sun rises.” She felt guilty. She’d not meditated in days.

  “Then, why don’t you check your center when you meditate? You seem to appreciate efficiency. Now, I’m going to put up my shield during the next part of this lesson.”

  Kella raised her eyebrows. That was astute of him. “Yes, I do. I’ll start in the morning.”

  “Good! Let’s move on. Now that you know the
shape inside your skin, you’re ready to shield. Make your energy ball, pulling the power from your ground. Good. I can see you are not using your own resources. You do not have to actually make the ball in your hand. Can you simply envision the ball inside you?”

  She smiled to herself. She had never explained to Tanne or even Sedna how she’d made the wall of fire. Kella nodded for Tanne’s benefit. “I can, indeed!”

  “Do you think you can expand that energy, making it larger and thinner, until you are inside the ball?”

  Inside her own ball? “Well, why not?” It was just like making a green glass sphere, like a glass blower made. She pretended she blew upon the energy, and believed it would expand. To her amazement, it did with a mere imagined breath! Her eyes were half-shut, the better to pretend, but this also made her magical eyes see better. The sphere stopped a little short of where Tanne said was her comfortable space. “Hmph! Well, that was easier than I thought it would be!” It was as if she looked through a very thin green haze.

  Tanne eyed it critically. He even gave it a poke with a finger, and got a mild jolt even Kella felt. He examined it thoroughly, and pointed to her feet. “You missed a spot.”

  Kella looked down. Her feet were not covered in the clear green haze. “Oh!” She imagined the green ball growing until the hole closed, and she was completely encased.

  “Good job! Have you told it what you wish to hear, and what you do not? What you want to admit within is up to you. It could be so hard and thick you can’t even see out, if you make it so.” He crouched down and picked up a long blade of grass to munch upon.

  Kella wrinkled her nose at such a display of vegetarianism. “No, I hadn’t. I …” She stopped and held up her hand. “Tanne, I can hear thoughts again. Someone is in pain, over there!” She pointed at a copse of trees between the cliff edge and the hills of the Trolls.

  Tanne snapped erect, and turned where she pointed. After a few seconds, he muttered what sounded like, “Oh, no! Not again!” He took off running, not bothering to change form.

  Kella stared for a moment, yanked her shield back into herself, and pulled in her ground. All of this took precious seconds. “Ack! Wait for me!” She snatched up her basket and pelted after him, gathering her skirts around her knees as she ran.

  The copse was small, a mere stand of a few young oaks. Tanne disappeared within, but only a few steps inside, Kella found a small clearing with two large boulders at the other end.

  Tanne knelt next to the body of a man whose simple brown shirt was torn and partially burned off his back. Brown leather pants covered the lower half of his body, as well as brown boots. Even the leather of the pants and boots bore scorch marks. He was face down in the dirt, but Tanne rolled him gently over. Tanne cursed softly under his breath.

  The man moaned, but seemed unconscious. His face was unmarked, save for a blackened left eye and a split lip. His brown, wavy hair, however, bore the distinct stench of fire. There were no fangs, no pointed ears, and no horn button.

  “Tanne! Is that a human?” Kella tried to keep the disgust from her voice.

  Tanne chuckled, but did not stop his minute examination of every wound and burn. “No, it only looks like one. Dammit, Le-An, must you do this?”

  Large, soft brown eyes, glazed with pain, opened. The lips twitched into what might be called a smile before the man winced. “I’m so sorry, old friend.” The voice was mellow and smooth. “You know how lonely I get.”

  The pain, both emotional and physical, which radiated from the man made Kella’s eyes well up with tears of pity. Whoever this Le-An was, Tanne knew him. Moreover, he was so terribly lonely that he risked his life to ease it in some manner. She brushed away the hair that fell over this poor man’s forehead, in comfort.

  The brown eyes widened and looked at her for the first time. A croak issued from Le-an’s bloodied lips. “Whoa!” The man’s gaze raked her face and traveled down to rest on her bosom before returning to her face. “If I had known such beauty existed here at home, I never would have left!” His eyes rolled back in his head as he slid into true unconsciousness.

  Tanne snickered. “Too late, old pal.” He smiled at Kella. “It looks like we have our first healing guest.”

  Kella, nonplussed by the man’s lusty gaze, shrugged. “I suppose we do. Are you going to disappear us home? I don’t think he can walk.”

  “I think that would be wise. When we get there, will you create a bed in the main room for Le-An?”

  Kella swelled with pride. “I’m certain I can!”

  “Good. Touch Le-An’s forehead again.” He placed his hand on the man’s unburned chest.

  Kella obeyed, and an eye-blink later, found herself standing in the cavern. Le-An’s body hovered in midair. She stared for a moment in wonder, and then snatched her hand away.

  Knowing Tanne was watching her, she made sure to ground, checked her center, and pulled a trickle of power until she felt she had enough. She had a firm idea of what she wanted for a bed, and she kept that picture in her mind as she released the ball. “Bed!” she whispered to her ball.

  To her joy and pride, a perfect replica of the bed she wanted appeared. It had longer legs than a normal bed, so that Le-An would be at an easier height to work on. Blacksmith’s hoops fit into the sides, forming a rounded tent above where Le-An would lay when the sheet covered it. The softest sheets and pillows she could imagine covered it. With a proud grin, Kella turned to Tanne.

  Tanne’s jaw hung open. He gathered his wits visibly and examined the bed. “That’s an odd bed, Kella.”

  Kella shrugged. No doubt he’d never seen one like it, so she wasn’t offended. “It is what we Vampires use in the temple when someone is burned. The sheet does not touch sensitive skin, and allows a breeze to pass over the skin to cool it.” She gestured, pointing to the bed. “Put him on his stomach. The burns seem worse on his back. Don’t you agree? I’ll go get the honey.” She turned to go to the kitchen, when a strangled sound behind her made her stop and look over her shoulder.

  Tanne stood with Le-An’s body still hovering next to him. “Why do we need honey? I doubt Le-An will want to eat.”

  Kella put her hands on her hips and felt her lips twitch. Herbalism was her specialty, and she wanted desperately to show she did have some skills. “Honey, smeared on a burn, takes away the pain and acts like a bandage.”

  “Oh. I was just going to heal with magic.” Tanne considered, staring into the air for a moment. “Le-An is in no danger, and I can take away any pain the honey does not. I admit, I’m curious to see how honey does this.”

  “I don’t mind.” The slurred voice was Le-An’s. “I’ve never seen non-magical healing, myself. If it takes away the pain, I’m willing.” He moaned. “But do hurry. This hurts.”

  Kella ran for the pantry and found the honey jar she remembered from her explorations. The stew smelled savory, and she promised it a stir after Le-An was comfortable. Snatching up a wooden ladle, she quickly returned.

  Le-An was now comfortably settled in the bed, and his clothes had been removed. An extra sheet from the foot of the bed modestly covered his rump, but nothing else. The sheet that had been covering the hoops now draped over the hoop at Le-An’s feet.

  Tanne stepped politely back and allowed Kella to stand where Le-An could see her. Kella poised the honey jar over the worst burns on Le-An’s back. “Here comes the honey. Try to hold still.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Le-An screwed up his face as if he prepared for worse pain.

  Kella poured the honey thickly and generously, using the ladle only to move any of the sticky stuff that oozed where she did not want it. She’d done this many times in the temple and knew just how much was needed.

  After the first surprised gasp, Le-An’s body relaxed. “Hey, it works!”

  Kella smiled down at the man. “I’m glad you like it. Sleep now.” She turned her proud gaze up to Tanne. “Would you be kind enough to make a table with a tray on it? We’ll need to keep applying h
oney as needed.”

  A table appeared with a metal tray any smith would have been proud to claim upon it. Kella set the jar down. Tanne was not smiling at her accomplishment. Had she offended him? Her smile vanished, drowned in disappointment and worry.

  “I’m going to go stir the stew,” she offered meekly.

  Tanne nodded, his face sober as a priest. She trudged into the kitchen, wondering how to apologize.

  She hadn’t meant to offend Tanne! She was only tired of feeling like a complete ignoramus when she did have some skills! Herbal healing was what she loved, and it would be a shame not to use it upon occasion. Kella bit her lip and stirred the stew perhaps more vigorously than necessary.

  She tasted the stew to see if it needed more seasoning, when Le-An’s voice floated clearly to her sensitive hearing. “Damn, Tanne! That’s one spectacular young lady! Beautiful and skilled! I’m impressed.”

  Tanne’s voice came out as a soft growl. “Mine.”

  “Oh, I know that!” Le-An’s voice was gaining strength now that he wasn’t in pain. “Forgive me if I hope to have a chance someday with her.”

  Tanne’s chuckle still held an edge Kella could clearly hear. “I doubt you’ll have a chance, my friend. Especially once you reveal what you really are.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Kella stood rooted to the spot, the spoon halfway to her lips, torn between amusement and disgust. Le-An didn’t attract her in the slightest, though he was a finely formed … whatever he was.

  Before Kella could move, Le-An’s voice chuckled.

  “Spoilsport.” He sighed, loudly. “I suppose you’re quite right, though. You stay honest with that one. Those Vamp wenches have no compulsion about ripping your throat out when you truly annoy them.”

  Kella saw her chance to put an end to this masculine division of the spoils. She certainly was no prize to be sorted and discussed. She put the ladle down and marched back into the main room. “That’s very true. But then again, Tanne already has a fair inkling of my temper.” Her sweet smile fooled neither male. She walked until she stood on the opposite side of the bed from Tanne.