“He touched you,” Hana said in awe. She raised her hand to his forehead but didn’t touch it, checking for warmth. Her eyes widened as she said, “I swear he burned you but there’s no sign, no heat, not even a mark.”
“You don’t have time to dawdle,” Ophidian’s voice echoed in the hallway. They looked around but could not find him. Ophidian chuckled. “I’m a god. I can send my voice where I will.”
“We’d better get back,” Angus said, glancing around nervously. Hana nodded jerkily and let Angus lead them down the corridor. Outside the study, Hana said, “We’ve got the balloons almost ready.”
“We’re still working on the spells,” Angus told her. He made a face. “Reedis showed us his magic.”
“Can I see?” Hana said.
Angus shrugged and pushed open the door.
“Which god calls you?” Reedis asked Angus excitedly, rising from his chair. He caught Angus’ look and frowned. “Surely there’s a god?”
“Ophidian touched me,” Angus said, “but I don’t think he claims me.”
“Correct,” Ophidian said, pushing himself away from the wall where he was suddenly standing.
“Not everyone is called by a god,” Annabelle said, glancing up to the ceiling where two bundles were bouncing, trying to rise higher.
“Some are called by many,” Reedis said in agreement. “And some use their knowledge of many gods to create their magic.”
Ophidian gave the mage a very toothy smile. Reedis glanced away, relieved to spot Hana, and said to her, “How are the balloons?”
“Almost done,” Hana said. She looked up to the ceiling. “Those are flying?”
“Floating,” Reedis said. He glanced to Annabelle. “She’s got two of them floating by herself and is about to try a third.”
“It’s Angus’ turn,” Ophidian said. He vanished.
Reedis looked at the spot where Ophidian had been and blinked in astonishment.
Annabelle waved her hand in a strange gesture —
“That’s magic,” Angus said even as Annabelle completed her motion and one of the cloth bundles fell toward the ground. She grabbed it before it hit the floor and tossed it to Angus.
“It is,” she agreed. She nodded toward the bundle. “Now it’s your turn.”
Angus eyed the cloth tied at its corners around a small rock doubtfully.
“Throw it up, close your eyes and imagine it floating,” Annabelle suggested.
“Or close your eyes, throw it up and imagine,” Reedis countered. Annabelle gave him a look and the mage shrugged. “The order doesn’t matter, only the result.”
Angus sighed, closed his eyes and threw the bundle up. Clunk! It hit the ground.
“Again,” Reedis said.
Angus tried again. And again.
“Maybe you should open your eyes,” Annabelle suggested. “At least that way you can catch it.”
Angus tried. This time he caught it. And the next time.
“If Ophidian touched you and left the mark as Hana here says, then I would imagine he’s given you some fire magic,” Reedis said. “Can you imagine the air getting hotter, holding up the bundle?”
“Here,” Hana said, holding up a hand and twisting it quietly. With a whoosh a small hand-sized funnel of air appeared right above her hand. She gently moved her hand toward Angus and released the funnel. “Try making this hot.”
“I don’t know how,” Angus said.
“It’s different for everyone,” Reedis told him. He glanced toward Annabelle, adding, “Sometimes it can take days to learn the first spell.”
“Or months,” Annabelle said with a frown. She pursed her lips. “If Angus can’t make the spell, can you and I do it ourselves?”
Before Reedis could answer, there was a bright flash and a loud burning sound as the bundle Angus had thrown up burst into flame and turned into ash.
“Well, it’s a start,” Reedis said as the ashes rained down onto the floor in a small pile.
“I got so mad at everyone thinking I couldn’t do it,” Angus said in a tight voice.
“Try the funnel,” Hana said in a kind voice, pointing to the funnel of air hovering near Angus.
Angus frowned and clenched his jaw. He raised a hand and pointed a finger at the funnel. A moment later it became a roaring jet of hot air that thrust to the ceiling and punched a hole in it. Angus dropped his hand in horror.
“Ophidian’s flame!” Reedis exclaimed, staring at Angus with alarm. “You have Ophidian’s flame!”
“I’m sorry,” Angus said. “I was just —”
“Don’t be sorry!” Annabelle said.
“This is amazing!” Reedis said, shaking his head. “I never expected to be able to work with Ophidian’s flame directly —”
“You’re welcome,” Ophidian’s voice came quietly from the corner where he’d last been. He appeared long enough to wink at Angus, saying, “It won’t last. Use it while you can.”
He was gone before Angus could open his mouth.
“Yes,” Reedis said, “I think we should start to work now.”
“Thank you Hana,” Angus said to the dark-eyed girl.
Hana shook her head. “I didn’t do anything.”
Angus shook his head. “You believed in me.”
Hana smiled, “Always.”
“Ahem,” Reedis interjected.
“Hana, perhaps you can see how the others are doing,” Annabelle suggested, rising from her chair, stepping over the pile of ash, and guiding the young woman to the door. “I think we can finish on our own.”
Hana gave Angus a nervous look, then expanded it to include Reedis. “I-I didn’t mean to —”
“And you didn’t,” Reedis assured her. “You were a great help.”
Annabelle escorted her out the door and stayed long enough to tell the younger girl, “I think Angus is a bit nervous around you.”
“But — I —”
“He’s a sweet lad,” Annabelle interrupted, smiling. “But with you here, he won’t get any work done.” She nodded to Hana. “And neither will you.”
“I… yes,” Hana said. “It’s just that —”
“You like him,” Annabelle said. Hana blushed. “It’s okay to like him. He seems to like you, too.”
“He does?”
“He’d be a fool if he didn’t,” Annabelle assured her fiercely. She waved a hand down the corridor. “If we can conquer this serpent, you two will have years to see each other. But if we don’t…”
Hana nodded firmly and turned away, walking briskly back down the corridor.
#
“Perfect!” Reedis cried in joy at the end of the afternoon. “I can’t believe I hadn’t thought of this before.”
“It’s because you needed help,” Annabelle told him.
“And because I hadn’t your —” and Reedis nodded to Angus and Annabelle in turn “— brilliant skills and aid.” He waved to the table. There were five stones on the table. They had started the day as regular stones picked up outside the rebuilt stables. Now they were quite a bit more. “With these, we shall be able to make any balloon fly.”
“Float,” Annabelle corrected. “Ophidian is quite firm on that distinction.”
Reedis waved a hand dismissively. He stood up, scooped the stones into his pocket and gestured the others out. “Let’s see if the others are done.”
Angus needed no prompting and headed quickly out and down the corridor to find Hana and the others.
#
“Five!” Ford called proudly to the others when they entered the sewing room that he occupied along with Krea Wymarc, Nestor, and Hana. He pointed in turn to the five separate bundles. “We’re done, how about you?”
“Done,” Reedis told him, moving closer to inspect one of the completed balloons. He examine
d the seams critically, felt inside for the circular cap at the top, and grunted in satisfaction. “Looks good.”
“The test will be in the using,” Krea Wymarc said.
“We should eat first,” Hana said, moving toward Angus and smiling at him.
“It will be getting dark soon,” Ford warned. “Perhaps we should try them now and eat after.”
The others reluctantly agreed. Ford grabbed a balloon, gesturing to Annabelle, Reedis, Nestor, and Angus to get theirs.
“The front doors are closest,” Wymarc said, holding open the double doors and pointing in their direction.
“We’re not dressed for the cold,” Hana said.
“There’s a coat closet near the entrance,” Wymarc told her. “There should be something there for everyone.” She jerked her head toward the exit, commanding action.
The others hustled out in front of her. As she closed the door, she said, “Ophidian, no doubt you’ll want to observe.”
A chuckle followed her out of the room.
#
It took them longer to bundle up in great coats, grab fur-lined caps, wrap scarves around their necks and find warm gloves which fit than Ford would have liked but, at last, they were ready to brave the cold of the frozen world outside the House of Life and Death.
Wymarc frowned as the cold winds chafed them when they moved out of the courtyard. She turned Krea’s head to Hana and said, “Hana, dear, you’ll want to be ready if anyone gets blown away.” Hana’s eyes widened in alarm. “Anyway, you’ll need the practice.”
“I’ll go first,” Reedis said, unfolding the harness of his balloon. It was not what he expected and he gaped at captain Ford. “Richard…?”
Ford smiled. “I recall my previous experience,” he said with a wince. “Krea Wymarc and I came up with a more secure fastening.” He wrapped the belt around his waist. Two straps dangled down and these he wrapped around his legs, fastening them up to the belt. Two other straps went over his shoulders — one on either side — and tied into the center part of the belt. “This is much more secure and less…” his smile grew strained “... constricting, shall we say?”
“Oh, what a brilliant idea!” Annabelle said, adjusting the straps around herself. The balloon hung down from her shoulders.
With a frown at the new development, Reedis struggled to get himself harnessed in, muttering, “But the other way was easier.”
“Quicker, too,” Ford agreed affably. “But not, my good mage, as safe or comfortable.”
“There is that,” Reedis conceded as he finished his fastenings. Defensively, he added, “The original was intended for emergencies only.”
“Indeed,” Ford said. “And now that we’re all safely strapped in, Reedis, how do we proceed?”
Reedis lifted his thick coat and fumbled in his trouser pocket with much effort and grunting before retrieving the five stones. He frowned as he passed one to Ford, saying, “Can you tie that securely into your harness?”
Ford looked at the small stone quizzically.
“You’ll need to be able to touch it,” Annabelle warned.
“Can we put it in a pocket?” Ford asked.
Reedis shook his head. “It must touch the harness or the balloon.”
“Why not sew it into the balloon?” Hana asked.
“Actually,” Reedis said, “it really only needs one touch to the balloon or the harness when you use it.” He touched his stone to his belt and said, “Fill.”
The balloon above him suddenly rose and stood taut at the top of his harness.
Ford, Hana, Nestor and Krea Wymarc gasped in astonishment. Annabelle and Angus both looked pleased.
“That’s the readying spell,” Reedis said proudly.
“And to empty it?” Ford asked.
Reedis smiled at him, touching the stone to his harness and saying, “Empty.” The balloon went limp and folded back down over the mage’s shoulder.
“And to go up?” Nestor asked, eyeing his balloon respectfully.
“‘Up,’” Annabelle said.
“So, ‘down’ to go down?” Ford guessed. He frowned. “But how fast? And how do we rise faster?”
“Repeat the word,” Reedis said. “Each time the speed will double.” He placed his stone against his harness once more. “Fill.” The balloon inflated. Then he smiled at the others. “Up.” And a moment later, his feet left the ground.
“Reedis!” Ford cried angrily. “Get back down here!”
Alarmed, the mage looked down.
“The wind is blowing you into the building!” Ford called.
“Oh!” Reedis said, suddenly realizing his plight.
“Fill,” Ford commanded his balloon. “Up, up, up!” And Ford soared into the sky.
“Hana!” Wymarc cried in Krea’s voice, pointing to the two balloons. “Blow them away!”
Hana frowned, raised her hands and shot winds toward the two errant balloons. The first caught Reedis and pushed him back towards them but the second missed as Ford’s balloon zipped past her aiming point.
With a cry, Krea Wymarc ran out into the snow, took two steps, leapt — and flew upwards in wyvern form. With Krea’s urging, Wymarc banked sharply and beat their wings mightily pulling their body up higher and higher until they were well above Ford.
“Don’t puncture the balloon!” Reedis’ voice carried up to them in warning.
With a screech of disgust, Wymarc fell down toward Ford, talons extended. Triumphantly, Wymarc grabbed the man’s feet and then cried in surprise as the man and the balloon tried to pull the wyvern upwards.
“Empty, Richard, empty!” Reedis called from far below.
“Empty!” Ford dutifully shouted. The balloon became limp and the man immediately fell below Krea Wymarc, tugging the wyvern earthwards alarmingly by his feet. A moment later, Ford said, “Fill.” They stopped falling, the balloon pulling Ford upright, tight against Krea Wymarc’s chest.
“Now, just one ‘down’,” Reedis ordered. Ford said the word and could feel his ankles pushing against the wyvern’s talons. “Wymarc, can you bring him back down closer to the ground? Then you should be able to let go.”
Krea Wymarc screeched in agreement and started a slow descent, matching the pull of the charmed balloon until she was just above the humans. With another cry, she released Ford and pulled upwards and to the right, sharply. She completed her turn in time to see Ford touch the ground and his balloon droop, unfilled, over his shoulders.
“I suppose it’s best if you remain aloft,” Reedis called from the ground up to the wyvern. “In case we have any more accidents.”
Wymarc screeched in agreement, circling easily over the others.
With much less excitement, Annabelle, Angus, Reedis, and, finally, Nestor, all completed quick trials and returned safely to the ground. Only Nestor had to be wafted back to safety by Hana, as the winds had started to pick up with the last of the evening’s light.
“That went well,” Reedis said when they’d returned inside, depositing their outdoor garb back into the changing room.
“Except for the beginning,” Ford said ruefully. He glanced to Krea, saying, “Wymarc, I’m sorry to have caused you such trouble.”
“It does seem to be your nature,” Wymarc said with Krea’s voice. She quirked Krea’s lips upwards, adding, “It was rather enjoyable, all the same. I like a challenge.”
“Well,” Ford said, “I’ll do my best to be more boring tomorrow.”
“I don’t know if that will be possible,” Wymarc warned. She gestured toward the dining hall. “But, in the meantime, we should eat and rest.”
#
After dinner they went to the library. Books were piled four high on the center table. Nestor had consumed most of them, followed by Reedis, and, surprisingly, captain Ford.
“So what do we know?”
Richard said as they gathered near the table. He glanced toward Krea Wymarc. “Wymarc, is there anything you remember about Pallas?”
Krea’s lips formed a frown as Wymarc’s response. “Eveen Pallas was one of the kindest twin-souls I’d ever met,” Wymarc said with Krea’s voice. “But I got the impression that most of that was due to Eveen who was a sweet soul and wouldn’t hurt anyone.”
“The serpent we saw killed eighteen men before Arolan intervened,” Richard said grimly. “The water around our ship was red with blood.”
Krea Wymarc shuddered and nodded slowly. “I’d heard that about Pallas,” Wymarc said. “The serpent had acquired an appetite for human flesh thousands of years of ago and never quite repented of it.” She cast Ford a worried look. “She scents and remembers smells.” She paused, wrestling with herself before adding, “She’ll remember your scent.”
“Can we use it to lure her?” Richard asked. Before the others could protest, he raised a hand. “I can’t see that we have any other choice, particularly if she’s near the sea.”
“You make a good point,” Ophidian’s silky voice said in agreement. He was standing opposite Ford, giving the other a speculative look. He bared many teeth in a what could not be mistaken as a smile. “There was a time when I would have relished your flesh.”
“You’ve gotten over that, father,” Wymarc reminded him sternly, raising one of Krea’s hands dismissively.
“I know,” Ophidian said. “But Pallas was before that time.”
“You’ve cried many times, haven’t you?” Annabelle asked.
Ophidian glared at her for a fulminating moment, then turned back to Ford. “She would want you, maybe more than anything.”
“Then we shall give her what she wishes,” Ford said lightly.
“Richard!” Reedis cried in surprise.
Ford raised a hand, palm out. “We shall lure her with my scent,” he said. He nodded to Hana, “Perhaps you could help in spreading it?”
“I could blow a wind behind you,” Hana agreed reluctantly.
“And when she strikes?” Ophidian asked.
“She is very fast,” Wymarc added in warning.
“I’ll float upwards, out of her reach,” Ford said, “leaving the rest of you to capture her.”
Twin Soul Series Omnibus 2: Books 6-10 Page 12