The Human Familiar (Familiar and the Mage Book 1)

by Honor Raconteur

  That was seriously harder to manage than she imagined. Or perhaps not. If she was anything like Rena and I, I’d lay odds that she’d survived the same sort of crazy situations. She might very well understand the feelings rocking through me right now.

  Gill came back in with firewood, and started a good blaze going in the little corner hearth fire. I had no idea if this was the couple’s bedroom but it didn’t look like it. More like a guest bedroom. Aside from the bed and the chair, there wasn’t anything else in here.

  “Bannen,” Mary ordered, eyes and hands still trained on Rena, “I have your friend well in hand. You let Gill properly bandage you up.”

  I really wanted to stay and see Rena seen to. I also recognized that if I didn’t get help for me soon, I wouldn’t be of any use at all later. Reluctantly, I pushed my way up to my feet. Then I paused, as of course the bond kicked up a fuss about leaving Rena here, out of sight. I snarled at it silently to shut up. Seriously. NOT HELPFUL.

  Gill gave me a look of his own. “Bond going berserk?”

  I grunted sourly in the affirmative.

  “Give us time to see to you both and warn me if you start feeling stabby,” he requested, not at all amused or condescending, but with the voice of a man that had been in my shoes. Many times.

  Strangely, that settled me some, enough to allow him to get a supportive arm around me and usher me back into the main room. The wood cutter and his wife were still there, hovering, more than a little anxious. I managed a smile for them. “Thank you very much. She’s helping my friend now.”

  Eva, who understood me, beamed. “Good.” She did a quick translation for her husband before asking Gill, “Do you need any help?”

  “You gave us all the help we needed by bringing them here,” Gill assured her. “Thank you, Eva. I’ll send word later tonight how they’re doing, if you like.”

  Perhaps Eva got a little attached to us during our short ride, or maybe she just wanted a good ending for her efforts. Either way, she brightened at this offer and said quickly, “Please.”

  “I’ll do so, then.”

  Sensing she was now a little in the way, Eva gave me a reassuring smile and ducked out of the cottage, dragging her husband with her.

  Gill more or less dropped me on a stool near the hearth. “Mary, how is she?”

  “Past the crucial stage,” Mary called back.

  She didn’t need to tell me that, as I could feel Rena’s magic flicker back to life. Nowhere near her normal strength, but enough that I could feel her without even turning my head. When that registered, the bond finally eased enough that I could breathe. Unhappy bond? Yes. Ready to leap to killing people? No. I’d take it.

  I knew from Gill’s face that he had asked the question on purpose, to settle me, and he moved on. “Alright, son, how bad is it?”

  For some reason, I gave him a cocky grin even though I felt more like crying and curling into a corner somewhere. “Not bad. Broken pinky toe on the right foot, four inch gash in my left leg, maybe two cracked ribs on the right side?”

  Snorting, Gill shook his head. “Ah, youth. Let me guess, you’ve done worse to yourself?”

  I pretended to consider this for a moment. “Actually, I think this might be a new record.”

  “That right? Well, it’ll make for a good story later.”

  “Won’t it?” I agreed amiably. I had a bad feeling I was becoming punch drunk from sleep deprivation. Or perhaps it was relief that we were finally in a safe place and getting the help we needed. Maybe even a combination of both.

  “Get out of those clothes as much as you can. I’ll fetch what we need.”

  My clothes were wrecked anyway. I carefully stripped down to just under breeches, as it was the only way he would be able to tend to all my injuries. As I took each piece off, I had to do some interesting contortions and careful, shallow breaths as putting my arms above my head hurt. Badly.

  He came back with a basket filled with medicine bottles, rolls of bandages, a jug of hot water and a wash cloth. Without a word, he saw to the gash in my leg first. Being used to injuries, I didn’t do more than wince as he cleaned the cut out. The ointment he put on top was cool and soothing, which I appreciated. He didn’t immediately bandage it, letting the ointment dry for a while as he bound up my broken toe.

  “Definitely broke it,” he agreed as he bound it to the neighboring toe. “It’s got a nice coloring of purple, green, and yellow.”

  “Lovely,” I agreed sarcastically. “I hate broken pinky toes.”

  “Always stubbing them on something,” he agreed in perfect understanding. “Especially after they’re half-healed. Alright, son, let’s see to those ribs.”

  I’d been sitting perfectly straight as hunching was a definite no-no. Lifting my arm as high as it would go, I tried to hold still as he carefully prodded at it with his fingertips. “Ow. Owww. Owowowowowowow.”

  “Likely not broken, just tenderized,” he concluded. “But they’ll take a month to heal, that I can promise you.”

  “Not the first time I’ve injured my ribs,” I sighed, resigned. A month was right on the money. A little longer if I did something stupid in the meantime.

  “We’ll wrap ’em just in case,” he said, reaching for a roll of bandages. “Could be they’re a little fractured, it’s hard to tell sometimes.”

  As he reached around me, confidently wrapping, I felt well enough to say a few words. “Thank you, both of you, for so readily taking us in. I’m not sure what would have become of us if you hadn’t.”

  “Always willing to help out the youngsters. We got in quite a few scrapes ourselves through the years, after all, and feel we should pass the kindness forward.” He knotted the bandage, reached for another one, and set about wrapping the leg. “Your Rena will be just fine. My wife has tended to many a young mage that pushed themselves too far. I’ll teach you a few tricks in case she ever does it again.”

  I liked the sound of that. “Thank you, sir.”

  “Just Gill is fine, son.” He had to push his way back up to his feet. “I’ll fetch you a shirt and pants to sleep in, alright? Your clothes are no better than rags after all that fighting you did.”

  “Can’t argue there,” I agreed.

  I woke up next to her.

  It was strange, but I registered Rena lying next to me before anything else. Her body heat, presence, steady breathing. The bond lay between us, finally peaceful, not entirely happy because we were both injured, but content enough to not pitch any fits. My eyes partially opened before I realized I was in the guest bedroom, on the same bed as Rena. Turning my head slowly on the pillow, I took a look at her. She wasn’t that void of light anymore, which was good. She didn’t glow strongly like normal either, nor did I expect her to after a single day, but she had a faint light about her that said her magic was recovering.

  With gentle fingers, I reached out and felt her forehead. She was no longer cold. Actually, she might be sweating a little which didn’t surprise me; the room was on the hot side. With a fire going strongly in the hearth and the door shut, it felt akin to an oven in here.

  Letting out a breath of relief, I took a better look at how we were situated. I lay literally shoulder to shoulder with her, and even though we weren’t touching in any way, it felt very intimate to be under the same covers. I’d feel guilty about where I was, if I could remember actually climbing into the bed to begin with. Try though I might, I honestly couldn’t remember getting into bed with her. Then again, considering my state yesterday, that didn’t surprise me much.

  Even if I couldn’t remember, it didn’t mean I felt it was right to stay where I was.

  I lifted my torso up and failed almost an inch off the mattress, I was that stiff. I had the impression that I had laid here a long time, much longer than the normal eight hours I normally slept.

  Right. Try again. Carefully, I lifted myself out of the bed, trying not to jostle or wake her in the process. It was a mite touchy with protesting ribs and a
bad leg, but I made it. Rena didn’t even flinch during all of this which told me she was out. Completely out.

  I let her be and shuffled toward the door. I struggled a little as the hem of the pants I’d borrowed dragged. Gill stood a good four inches taller than me, after all. The shirt was a mite tight around the shoulders, but considering our differences in size, it fit better than it should have. He must have given me the baggiest clothing he had.

  Opening the door quietly, I slipped through and closed it just as carefully, leaving it open a crack. I wanted to hear her when she woke up. I paused there, waiting for the bond to throw a fit, but it kept strangely quiet. Interesting. Magic supposedly had a sentient awareness to it. Did that mean the bond recognized this as a safe place?

  Not sure what to think of that idea, I decided not to question any gift horses in the mouth and moved away, looking for the kitchen. Considering the cottage was likely only four rooms, this wasn’t difficult. I traipsed through the main room, took a left, and there it was: kitchen.

  Gill was nowhere to be seen but Mary sat at the kitchen table, expertly peeling potatoes over a bowl. She looked up at my entrance with a calculating eye. “Finally awake, sleeping beauty?”

  I grinned at her. “Yes, ma’am. How long did I sleep?”

  “Eighteen hours.”

  My eyes nearly popped out of my head. I knew I was tired, but…that much?

  “You apparently needed it.” She waved me into the chair opposite her with a sharp come hither gesture. “I’ve got soup on the stove that’s still warm. I’ll get you a bowl.”

  While I was hurt, this woman was old enough that she should not be fetching and carrying for me. “Ma’am, I’ll—”

  She glared at me. “Sit.”

  I sat.

  A large bowl of soup, two biscuits and a large glass of cool water was set in front of me. I dug in with gusto as my stomach felt like a yawning pit of despair. Thankfully she was a good cook. Even if she hadn’t been, I’d likely have eaten it all, but I was glad it tasted good. “How long do you expect Rena to be asleep?”

  “We’ll need to wake her tonight if she’s not up on her own,” Mary responded, resuming peeling potatoes. “Magic recovery depends on the health of the body, and if she doesn’t have the nutrients she needs to function, it impedes her progress.”

  Made sense to me. “I’ll feed her tonight, one way or another, then.” The curiosity was eating me alive. I paused long enough in stuffing my face to ask carefully, “Gill is not just your husband, correct?”

  “Correct.” She also stopped peeling potatoes, returning my look with one of her own. “He is my familiar. As you are Rena’s familiar.”

  I let out an explosive breath. Even though I had expected that answer, it still astonished me to hear it. “We were told we were the only ones like this.”

  “Perhaps you are, in your country. In Turransky, however, there’s a Void Mage like me with a human familiar every generation or so. Rare, but not unheard of.” She glanced in the direction where Rena was still sleeping. “The question that I have is, why was a Void Mage born outside of Turransky? To my knowledge, that has never happened.”

  “I’d really like an answer to that as well.” And I was sure my curiosity would be nothing compared to Rena’s when she learned of this. “Ma’am, while we’re staying with you, can you teach Rena? She’s figured some stuff out on her own, but—”

  Mary held up a hand to stop me. “Don’t fret about that, young man. It is the duty of a Void Mage to teach the next generation. There’s usually no one else to act as a teacher, after all. The moment I realized what she is, I knew that I would be her mentor.”

  “I’m glad.” Even those words were an understatement. Happy, I went back to eating. Hmm, perhaps seconds were in order.

  “Don’t get too full on soup, I’m cooking dinner,” she warned me. “It’ll be done in an hour or so.”

  Oh. Well, in that case…. “Can I help?”

  She blinked at me. “Do you know how to cook, young man?”

  “Yes ma’am. Matter of survival. My mother can burn water.”

  She grinned. “In that case, peel the potatoes while I work on the rest.”

  Pushing my plate out of the way, I accepted the bowl and went to work on it. “All of these?”

  “With the way you eat? All of them.” She winked at me, amused at her own words. “It’s good you have skills in the kitchen. My Gill can only make three things, so when I’m sick or injured, it gets interesting. Rena’s lucky to have a husband that knows his way around a kitchen.”

  Husb—what, now? Freezing in mid-motion, I frowned at her. “I’m not her husband.”

  Mary waved an impatient hand at me. “Husband-to-be, then.”

  My confusion grew. “We’re not engaged.”

  That stopped her in her tracks. Mary turned to give me an incredulous look. “Of course you are.”

  Ever have that feeling you’re taking a test you didn’t study for? “Why by the deities would we be engaged?”

  “Because you’re her familiar. It’s tradition, young man. Whoever a Void Mage calls to them is automatically their spouse. Now, they may choose to just be engaged to each other for a year or two until they get to know each other better, but it’s a given they’ll get married.”

  My thoughts spun so chaotically that I couldn’t get a single word out. Me and Rena? Married? I was a little flabbergasted by this as she was only sixteen, I’m barely nineteen, and wasn’t that a little too young to be married? And why would you marry someone that you’re magically bound to? It doesn’t mean that you’ll fall in love with each other. Magic can’t force emotions. I love Rena dearly, I truly do, but the idea of…

  …the idea of marriage…

  …well, that was just…my mind started conjuring up possible images of what it would be like, having her as my wife. I had to admit, it seemed pretty good.

  The bond gave a happy shiver at the idea. Shut up, bond, you get no say in this.

  Mary had a knowing look that I literally couldn’t face. Instead, I buried my blushing cheeks in both hands and tried not to groan. I did not need that revelation of my feelings right now, thankyouverymuch. “I take it that’s why you put me in the bed with her? Because you thought we were married?”

  “You went willingly enough,” Mary chortled.

  “I don’t remember anything after Gill bandaged me up, that’s the state I was in,” I shot back, glaring at her over my fingertips.

  She seemed to realize exactly where my insecurities were and put a finger squarely on them. “It’ll be fine, young man. You’re handsome and have a good nature to you. Don’t worry, she’ll fall for you in record time.”

  Meddlesome old woman.

  Halfway through my second helping, I heard shuffling noises. I turned, carefully, and watched in amusement as Rena ambled in like a badly animated puppet. The bond gave a happy hum at seeing her up and moving. Her eyes were mostly glued shut so I had no idea how she navigated at all. In fact, I wouldn’t lay odds on her being awake. Sleepwalking? Deciding to test the theory, I greeted, “Good evening, Ren-ren.”

  “Ban-ban,” she returned readily, prying an eye open, “did we not learn from the last time you called me that?”

  “No, I did, but it’s still funny and I wanted to see if you were actually awake because trust me, right now, you do not look awake.”

  “I am totally aw—” she stopped short, both eyes popping open before crossing.

  “See, if you really were awake, you’d be freaking out at meeting Mary,” I concluded smugly. “I imagine it’s a lot like looking at an older mirror of yourself.”

  Mary gave me a withering look. “You calling me old, boy?”

  “Wise and benevolent version of yourself,” I corrected myself promptly, a half-smile pasted on my face.

  Gill sat there at the table, chuckling, idly pushing his spoon around in his bowl, as obviously the entertainment was more important than actually filling his stoma
ch.

  I took Rena in, not sure if I needed to be ready to spring up and catch her as she looked like a feather could knock her over, she was that surprised. Her mouth opened, closed, and then she really did stagger back a step, fetching against the doorframe and letting it support her. I rose and put a hand under her elbow, guiding her carefully forward. “Rena, this is Mary, the Void Mage, and her husband/familiar, Gill.”

  For the first time, Rena really took notice of Gill, and when she did she let out a breathless squeak as if she wasn’t sure how to react. She went senseless for a moment, eyes tracing and following something that only magicians could likely see. I maneuvered her into a chair as if she were a doll, and she let me, dropping into it without a single acknowledgement.

  Both Mary and Gill watched her with the same sort of intense fascination and it occurred to me belatedly that this might be the first time they had seen another Void Mage/human familiar partnering since they themselves had left Mary’s master. Which could likely have been fifty years ago, what with how ancient these two were.

  Putting a hand to her back, I leaned in and murmured against Rena’s ear, “Breathe. I do not need you fainting on me.”

  She sucked in a breath, stuttering on it a little, then another. “Am I dreaming?” she demanded, shaking her head as if to clear it.

  “Nope,” I said, popping the word at the end.

  “You sure?”

  “Want me to pinch you?”

  “Do and die.” The back and forth was automatic, she didn’t even glance my direction. “Magus Mary? Did I hear Bannen right, you are called a Void Mage?”

  Mary’s eyes filled with pity. “You poor child, do you not even know what you are?”

  “We heard a rumor that there were mages like me in Turransky,” Rena answered slowly, carefully, as if picking her way around the words, “but that was all. Corcoran has no record of magic like mine—ours.”

  Mary gave me a speaking glance and I dipped my chin a fraction, acknowledging it.

  “Yes, child,” Mary confirmed gently, “we are called Void Mages. We are rare but not unheard of. There is always at least one in every generation in Turransky. It is always the duty of the more senior of the Void Mages to take on anyone of the rising generation that has the same power, the same type of magic.”