by Alex C Vick
"Some of Helex's magical families wanted to adopt the model, even then. My parents, along with the majority, disagreed because it was—it is—elitist. Not everyone can benefit."
Her brow furrowed. "Then I married Vidian, and I learned the real purpose of the Detection Spell."
"So you did know," said Art, sounding upset. "All this time."
I reached across to take his hand, and he leaned into me, sliding his other arm around my shoulders.
Adelle watched us, not quite hiding her shock at our closeness.
"I… I knew what I was told," she said. "What we are all told. Which is that the Bonding Spell does not work on cotidians."
"Really?" I said. "Is that true?"
"No," said Art. "It can't be. Every other spell works just the same. Although… I suppose the Bonding Spell is unique."
"I used to believe it," said Adelle. "The Board describes it as an inherited trap—enough magic to trigger the Detection Spell and to contract mage-sickness, but not enough to ignite a spark."
She looked at me. "I don't believe it anymore. When you arrived, Serena, with your bottle of impossible lumien, I hoped… I hoped it might be a solution. A way to end the procedure for good. I allowed you to observe Arin to demonstrate why we needed the source of that lumien.
"I didn't realise Gentus and Vidian would treat it as a threat. I would never have put you at risk by inviting you into the city had I known."
There was a short silence.
"Thank you," I said.
Art nodded. "Yes. Thank you. That helps."
"You told us you knew who we could go to," I said. "Who is it?"
"Petro," said Adelle.
"Petro?" I repeated. "Why him? He can't stand up to the Board of Mages, can he?"
"He could. If he chose to. He's the lead warden," she replied. "The other wardens are loyal to him."
"Even if he could, why would he?" said Art.
"Petro had the procedure when he was a teenager," said Adelle. "And his daughter is in the clinic now. She's on Arin's schedule for tomorrow. If you can give her a spark of magic, everything changes."
26 A Different Future
Adelle assured us only Vidian and Gentus knew about her forced sedation, saying it was likely she'd be able to enter the clinic unchallenged if she held her nerve. She retied her long brown plait and smoothed her clothes, using magic to remove the creases.
"Cleaning Spell?" I said to Art.
"Please," he agreed.
When we emerged from beneath the spinning cloud of energy, Adelle was staring.
"It really is silver," she said. "It's beautiful."
"Thanks," I said. "It used to be my favourite colour. Until recently. Now I'm more into purple for some reason."
Art ducked his head, grinning.
"So I see," she said. "And your liking for purple… How serious do you think it is? Your magic is obviously a good match for his. What about the rest?"
"Mother," said Art, his grin disappearing.
We hadn't told Adelle anything about our kiss, or what Gentus had forced us to admit with the Truth Spell. Apparently she was curious. Well, she would just have to wait until we were ready to talk about it. I gave Art a small smile.
"Art knows how I feel. That's enough for now."
He held my gaze—his eyes really are incredible—and I had to press my lips together to stop my smile from getting too big.
Adelle led the way to the clinic, and Art and I followed underneath my Invisibility Spell. She swept into the entrance as if she had every right to be there, waiting for the girl behind the counter to press the lever with an expectant look on her face. Once the counter lifted, Adelle made a show of checking the fastening on her left boot to give me and Art enough time to sneak through in front of her.
"Madame Bavois," came a slightly startled voice from behind us. "It is you. I thought I was mistaken…"
Adelle kept her face expressionless and turned to face Petro. "Just the person," she said calmly.
"What are you doing here?" he said. "I thought… Mister Bavois told me…"
"I have a gift for Tavia," said Adelle. "Please, won't you join me?"
And with that, she walked along the corridor. Petro didn't seem to know what to do at first, looking at the doorway and back again. Art stood silently next to me, his hand on my elbow. I didn't dare move in case Petro walked into us.
"Petro, are you coming inside?" said the girl, her hand hovering over the lever.
Petro seemed to make up his mind and entered the clinic. He walked fast, and we followed him as quickly as we could. I doubted we would have long before he grew suspicious.
Beyond the sign for Procedure Preparation And Aftercare was a long room similar in size and shape to the one we'd visited to see Peric and Savra. However, the layout was much less regimented, with beds arranged haphazardly and a group of chairs pulled together. Books, games, and half-eaten snacks were on the cabinets instead of spell bottles. There were six teenagers turned toward the entranceway, looking at Adelle and Petro with wary expressions.
"Father?" said a girl with shoulder-length blonde hair and dark eyes. "I wasn't expecting you until later."
She looked at Adelle and got to her feet. "Madame Bavois," she said, nodding. The other girls and boys got out of their chairs and made to return to their beds, but Adelle shook her head.
"Stay where you are, please," she said. "This affects all of you."
"Madame Bavois, I really think you should come back to the tower with me," said Petro.
He was in our way. Art and I resorted to climbing across one of the beds to get past. A boy on the edge of the group looked at the indentations we left on the covers with a puzzled expression.
"I have something for you," said Adelle, ignoring Petro.
"For me?" said Tavia. She looked at Adelle's empty hands and took a step backward. "My procedure's not until tomorrow."
"Madame Bavois," said Petro, raising his voice. I glanced back as he reached for his belt. The movement was smooth and fast. Two seconds later I could see the glint of a small spell bottle in his hand.
It seemed we were out of time. I dropped the Invisibility Spell. Ignoring Petro's shout of warning and the gasps from everyone else, I projected a series of Illumination Spells, like a multicoloured starburst. I turned in a circle, making sure my force field touched everyone. By the time I stopped, I was glowing from head to toe. Igniting so many sparks in quick succession was a heady sensation, and suppressing my magic was impossible.
Adelle grasped my arm. "Did it work?" she said urgently.
"Yes," I said. "For each and every one of them."
She sighed with relief, then froze as Petro twisted her arm behind her back and pressed the spell bottle to her neck.
"Keep away from my daughter," he said. "You too, Serena, Art."
"Father," said Tavia slowly. "Something's happened."
The other children murmured their agreement. The energy in the room was building as each force field grew around its brand-new spark. Everyone in the group looked to be about fifteen or sixteen. Like Art's had, their magic would become part of them very quickly now it had a focal point.
Petro's face darkened. "The only reason you're still conscious, Adelle, is so that you can undo whatever that was. Now."
"Petro," I said cautiously, "will you hear us out, please? It doesn't need to be undone. It was a good thing. A wonderful thing."
"No, it was unfiltered magic," he said, scowling. "And you're an escaped criminal."
"Please," said Adelle. "Give me five minutes to explain. Tavia and the rest of these children have not been harmed. I give you my word."
He didn't answer. Adelle took advantage of his silence to continue. In a few sentences she described the reality of the procedure and the Detection Spell, the conspiracy perpetrated by the creators of the sponsorship model, and the importance of acting fast to ensure it all came to an end. She didn't say where I came from. Just that my magic had been
sufficiently undamaged to break the cycle.
"The other territories are not complicit," she added. "If you and the wardens help us… if we spread the word across the city and arrest the culprits, we can fix it for future generations. Including your daughter."
Although Petro's face was blank with shock, his grip on Adelle hadn't lessened. He was good at his job.
"Why should I believe any of this?" he said.
"Father," said Tavia. She held out her hands. They were glowing. Her dark eyes shimmered with an overlay of purple-and-silver magic. Petro's mouth opened, but no sound came out.
"That's why," I said. "That's why you should believe it. All of it."
"And you'd better do something before my father and my grandfather wake up," said Art.
After that, Petro didn't hesitate. He and Adelle quickly made a plan. Vayl's perfect infrastructure would be its creators' undoing. The communication network, the wardens' access to bottled magic, the fact that all magicians lived in the tower… although it had been designed to ensure the seamless operation of the sponsorship model, it would also make it possible for Petro and Adelle to stop the guilty parties with minimal risk.
"What should we do?" said Tavia. "Father, I want to help."
"You can help me by keeping as far away from the tower as possible," said Petro.
Her face fell.
"She could go into the city," I suggested. "They all could."
"What for?" said Tavia.
I extended my force field until it touched her hand and she jumped. It would take her a while to learn that projected magic wasn't dangerous.
"For that," I said. "Mage-sickness needs to end, and the other children will trust you more than they'll trust someone with an amulet. Anyone who's been sick from the Detection Spell… if they're older than twelve and they haven't had the procedure, they're ready to be a magician. Like you."
She smiled slowly. "Like me," she repeated. "Father?"
Petro shook his head, then sighed. "All right. But only once we've secured the tower. I'll send a magi-gram to the clinic."
He turned to Adelle. "We should go."
"Yes," she agreed.
"And us?" said Art. "I suppose we have to keep away too?"
"For now," said Adelle. "If you can bear to. You've been through enough."
She patted Art a little awkwardly on the shoulder, then let out a small exclamation of shock when he pulled her into a brief hug. They smiled at each other.
"I know somewhere we can go," I suggested. "For the rest of the day, if you like."
"Where?" he said, confused. Then, "Oh. There. Yes," he added, grinning broadly, "I think I'd like that a lot."
Adelle watched us. Understanding dawned on her face too. "Be careful," she said. "And please come back."
"We will," said Art. "You be careful too."
Petro and Adelle left. Excited chattering broke out among the children—magicians—as they took turns seeing how far they could project the glow of magic from their hands.
"They won't hurt themselves, will they?" said Art in a low voice.
"Unlikely," I said. "It's not as if they know any spells yet. Besides, experimentation is half the fun."
We took the chance to visit the Ricard family on our way out. Peric was happy to see us. It was the most I'd ever seen him smile, but I didn't miss the glimmer of relief in his eyes that we'd returned so soon.
Marty hesitated at first, but after some murmured encouragement from Savra, he walked over to me and Art. Putting his head on one side, he looked up at us. His expression was solemn.
"You're going to be my new special friends. Mother and Papa said so."
I got a lump in my throat. "We are," I said. "We'll look after you, Marty. You can count on us."
He frowned. "You were supposed to bring more biscuits."
"Marty," said Savra.
"You're right," I told him, trying not to smile. "We'll come back later with biscuits."
Marty rolled his eyes. "Later. That's what grown-ups say when they mean never."
"I'm not a grown-up," I protested.
He stood closer, measuring the top of his head against my waist before giving me a sympathetic look.
I laughed.
"My mother is working on something today that will change Vayl for the better," said Art. "As soon as we're free to explain, you can decide how you want to spend your… er…"
"The next week or so," I finished. "It will be as special as we can make it. My brother and Claudia will help. Their place is really something."
Savra gave me a quizzical smile. "Your brother? I didn't think he lived in Vayl."
"It's hard to describe," I said. "But we can tell you more when we come back."
It wasn't only the island I wanted to show them. Galen's knowledge of magic was extensive. Now that we understood a little more about mage-sickness, I was hopeful he could work out a way to prolong their lives a little.
Art took hold of my hand and pulled me close, putting his chin on my shoulder as if it were something he'd done a hundred times before. My stomach kind of melted, and suddenly I wished we were alone.
Peric nodded slowly, giving us the same appraising look he'd used the day before. He smiled. "I look forward to hearing all about it. We'll see you soon?"
"Yes," said Art.
"With biscuits," prompted Marty.
"With biscuits," I agreed.
Before we left, I reached across to Peric's bedside cabinet and took the letter that was propped behind the spell bottles, unnoticed under its Distraction Spell. The paper rustled and Peric gave me a curious look.
"Just something that's not needed anymore," I told him.
"Hmm. I really do look forward to hearing all about it."
We left the clinic without incident. The girl at the desk seemed to be expecting us. Once outside, we made our way through the city at a brisk pace. There were lots of people going about their daily lives, but no sign of any disturbance or distress, which we took to be a good thing. Art pulled up his hood and walked with his head half lowered.
"Just in case," he said. "I don't want to be recognised now."
We approached the wall at a deserted spot some distance from the main doors, and we used Solo Transference to get across it. Art assured me there weren't any Protection Spells to worry about.
"No need," he said. "Magicians can't use their force fields this way, and cotidians wouldn't bother trying. There's no life inside the wall without sponsorship."
"That's going to change," I said.
"The sooner the better," he agreed.
Under cover of the forest outside the city, we relaxed. The sun was bright, and the branches provided welcome shade. When we reached the trees with the purple leaves, Art stopped, fascinated by the intensity of the living magic they produced.
He looked at me, his eyes glittering. "You know," he said, "I thought once I'd kissed you I'd be able to stop thinking about it, but it's actually the reverse."
"I do know," I said, stepping closer.
When his lips touched mine, I was lost. He tasted like magic. Like a spell that was sweet and fierce at the same time. His hands cradled my face, and I held onto his shoulders, feeling his muscles move underneath my fingers.
Vaguely, I became aware of a rustling noise.
"She'll be here. I told you we were early. I think—oh!"
Claudia's voice. I broke the kiss. Art and I were both glowing like Illumination Spells. Slowly, we turned.
Galen and Claudia were on the path a little way ahead. She had one hand over her mouth, holding back a laugh. Galen's arms were folded, and there was a look of brotherly disapproval on his face.
Art cleared his throat and tried to suppress his magic. "Are they…?" he said.
"My brother, Galen, and his wife, Claudia," I said. "This is Art. He's… we're…"
"It's pretty clear," said Galen, his expression not changing.
"Pleased to meet you, Art," said Claudia. She came over to hug
me, before giving Art such a genuine smile he couldn't help returning it, even as he glanced uneasily in Galen's direction.
"Oh, come on," Claudia went on, turning to Galen. "Lighten up. I know it's been a long three days, but this is a good thing. Serena's happy. And you'd almost convinced yourself her life was in danger."
"Ha, ha." I attempted a casual laugh. It wasn't believable, judging by Galen's scowl.
"Was your life in danger?" he said. His eyes glinted with magic.
I stepped closer to Art until we were shoulder to shoulder. "Don't do this, Gale. Let me explain what happened before you jump to conclusions. If you force me to choose, you might not like the outcome."
The silence stretched out for long seconds.
"I apologise," said Galen. He looked at Art. "To both of you."
"Really?" I said, still wary.
"It's your life. I said I would trust you, and I will. I do." He smiled. "It's just the learning curve keeps taking me by surprise. It's really good to see you, Serena."
I smiled back. Art nudged me with his elbow.
"I know," I said in a low voice. "You were right."
"What?" said Galen.
"It's a long story. I have so much to tell you. And I hope you can help us with something."
"Of course," he said immediately. "Whatever you need. Do… do I get a hug as well?"
I hugged him. His magic was as powerful and familiar as ever. Yet somehow it felt different. Lighter. I realised I trusted him too. Trusted that he would let me live my life the way I wanted.
Art and I followed Galen and Claudia back to the portal. Galen offered to make lunch while I showed Art around the island. Conversation, hesitant at first, gradually began to flow until it seemed like the four of us were going to get along better than I'd dared to hope.
"I like this," whispered Art, squeezing my hand.
"What?" I said.
"This. Meeting your family. No scorecards. No tenets. Just you and me."
I squeezed back. "Yes."
He exhaled. "I have no idea what's going to happen next."
"Is that OK?" I asked.
"I think so. Because I'm not a spectator to my own life anymore. I'm taking part."