by Lacy Danes
He placed the tiny thing on his shoulder. The bird wobbled, then moved close to his neck.
The nest he lifted was created of twig and mud in the shape of a bowl. He walked over to the desk and pulled out a small tray of bottles from a drawer.
He scraped a bit of the nest into a bowl and sprinkled sage and glittering copper oil onto the nest debris. If he could find where the nest came from, he could locate the owner of such a splendid bird. “Lokalisere.”
A book of maps fell off the third shelf. The pages fell open. Ferrous walked to the book and picked it up. A hundred-year-old book of the northern isles. He set the book down on the table. “Lokalisere.” He poured the oil and nest scrapings onto the book page. The oil pooled and shifted, settling on a small isle off the coast of ice.
Astrid leaned in. “The word you said was ‘locate’, correct?”
He nodded. “Very good.” She was a quick learner. Nothing surprised her. But he worried for her at this fragile time. Beginning to learn magic and power and the mistakes one can make with the earth’s gifts could change a person forever. He stared down at the oil he had just poured and at the simple casting he’d just performed. “The Is-Midtergang.”
Astrid’s eyes sparkled, and she smiled. “Regina said her sister was near there, and a weather witch. Do you think the raven is from her?”
The small bird cawed a long loud cry.
A window opened in light before him. Ferrous froze.
“Show me.” Ferrous stepped into the light before him. “Tell me what you wish me to see.”
A jolt of energy shook down Ferrous’s body, and in the light, a black wing flapped. A hiss echoed.
He flapped his wings harder and drifted back. A large round stone room with arched windows and a colored glass ceiling. The glass ceiling’s colors depicted the rising sun over a mountain of pure white. Below the mountain lay a large cave filled with treasures of the earth and sky.
A woman with copper-colored hair that hung down to her waist stood naked in the middle. “Come to me. Come see.” She held up her hand, and small birds fluttered about her.
He wanted to get closer to see what they were. They were unlike anything he had encountered before. They flew fast, darting about in a colorful whirl. The loud hiss and a smaller black wing covered his vision. The light closed, and he stood in the library once more.
“Are you well?” Astrid rushed to his side and grasped his hand. The raven hopped down from Ferrous’s shoulder and onto her arm. “Your eyes rolled back into your head.”
“I am. But I need to leave. That vision held meaning for the Zir.”
Ilmir entered the library. “Where are you going?”
“On a journey. Is-Midtergang.”
“The Isle of Ice? Why would you go there?”
“A calling.” He looked from Astrid to Ilmir. “I trust you to show restraint and help Astrid. She has new gifts and…”
“Marcus is a cad dressed up as a witch.” Ilmir shoved fisted hands into his coat pockets.
Ferrous’s lips curled up into a smile. Ilmir would watch over her. There was a softness to him when she was near.
“I will be fine,” Astrid said in an annoyed tone and shook her head. She kissed Ferrous on the cheek. “I will tell you everything I have learned when you return.”
The day had passed in a whirl of packing for Ferrous’s voyage. Ilmir made a show of trying to help, but in the end left for Samgor’s to get away from all the clatter. He hovered in air form above the carriage as his brothers, their mates and Grandmum all slowly approached Convent Hall. He would be a shadow tonight, and no one would know. It was the only thing about being Zir that was uncomplicated for him. Air and becoming invisible to everyone were marvelous things.
Astrid wore the dress that was the color of the warmth of the sun on her skin when she walked the pebbled beach. She did not want to be on the shore now. She did, however, love the feeling.
Celeste had insisted on having her hair pulled back and braided into two long braids that twisted together. They had been pinned to the back of her head. Everything was neat and formal.
Ilmir would have approved. But where was Ilmir? This was Astrid’s special night, and she had not seen him since this morning’s bird folly.
She fidgeted with a fold of her silk skirt. The fabric and design did not chafe, but oh how she wished to be back in her simple white shirt and brown walking skirts.
She had wanted Ilmir here in the carriage with her on the way to the theater. The family was with her as they always were. Yet without him here, her mind wandered… She shook her head as if to knock the memories of last night from her mind. She would do exactly as she wished on her name day, experience the city and the theater.
Marcus would meet them tonight. Excitement bubbled through her at the thought of all he could teach her if she let him. If she was a good student, she would learn to create sun where there was none, rain where there was drought, snow in the middle of summer when the heat was too much.
A grin bloomed on her face. She was finally able to contribute to this family, and she wanted to learn to do so much more with her new skills. Ferrous could help her, but he had left today for information on the Zir. Marcus was experienced with the weather; he could continue to teach her for now.
The door to the carriage opened, and she slid her white-satin-gloved fingers into the footman’s similarly gloved hand. She stepped out onto the cobbled walk that led up the theater steps. The torches that lined the walk flickered in the light fall breeze, making the walk and steps dance and shine. Beautiful. She caught her breath, and the scent of lilacs filled her nostrils.
Was that Ilmir? She tipped her head up. There was no mist or haze.
Grandmum wrapped her hand about Astrid’s forearm, and Astrid jumped. “We are so happy to be here with you to experience this.”
A smile burst to her lips, and she laughed. Her heart raced. She wanted to run up the steps and into the theater, taking in every detail big and small. “Tonight is grand.” She would see the show, smell the perfumes that hung in the space from the well-dressed people attending.
She dreamt of the music and actors, the people all dressed in their finest silks, jewels, with powdered breasts and faces. She would see and experience all that and more tonight.
Maybe she would see a couple indulging in the stories Grandmum told of the dalliances that happened in the boxes, behind the curtains and in the alcoves in the halls.
The sensation of Ilmir kissing her for the first time last night coursed through her veins. The lilac smell of him that drifted about her moments before added flutters to her stomach.
She sighed. She looked around for that purple haze he traveled in when hiding in air. Beyond the torches’ flames, black obsidian night shown. A chill raced up her spine.
The next carriage pulled up, and Fina, Madoc, Celeste and Jordan all stepped out onto the cobbles.
“A wonderful night,” Fina said as she and Madoc stepped up next to Astrid.
“Filled with prospects.” Celeste pointed to the top of the steps, where two men stood.
Both were dressed impeccably in dark suits and fancy cravats. Marcus’s red hair shone like fire. The other man was easy to identify too. A good arm’s length shorter than Marcus, the once Duke of Hudson was not hard to identify, with his golden hair and sunken cheekbones. What was he doing here? He didn’t go to public events anymore, as he was too recognizable by his one-time peers.
“Why is Hudson here?” A small pinprick of panic touched her stomach, and it flip-flopped.
Celeste stood next to her, and they both turned to Madoc, Hudson’s oldest friend.
“I have not one inkling. I am as surprised as you.” Madoc shrugged. “I am certain there is a pressing reason.”
They all walked forward.
Marcus came down the steps to great the
m. “I am delighted to see you again.”
Astrid smiled. She would tell him about last night and the wind. “I have been reading.”
“Excellent.” He leaned in close to her. “You shall get a chance to practice tonight as well.” He eased back and winked.
“That would be grand.” She wanted to learn so much. She wanted to learn it all. But she needed to be practical. She could only learn so much in one day. They continued up the steps, and Hudson disappeared. She glanced around.
Marcus offered her his arm. “I do so hope you are not looking for Ilmir.”
“No.” She slipped her hand about his forearm. Why would he inquire about Ilmir?
“He did not like me, nor I him. I would truly hate for him to interfere with an eventful evening.” His tone deepened with each word he said.
Her eyebrows rose. “He is part of this family.” And more. He too taught her the language, the elements, and passion.
“But you are just a ward, correct? Not truly from their blood.”
She nodded. “That does not matter. They are the only family I have. Each member is unique and wonderful in their own way.”
Marcus scoffed. “Very well, then.”
They entered the theater, where the air hung hot and moist. A deep-green-and-gold-patterned cloth covered the walls, and on the floor shone a rich, polished black stone. The numbing roar of people chattering echoed in the space.
Amazing. The hairs on her arms stood, and she beamed a huge smile at Grandmum. “Do you think anyone will recognize you?”
“No. I look younger now than I did before I transitioned. I do fear for Hudson, though. He is thinner but the same as the day he married Celeste.”
She often forgot that Celeste had been Hudson’s second wife for a short time before she met Jordan. Hudson was still so in love with his first wife. The pain of her loss showed in his eyes when he spoke of her. It was as if a piece of his soul had been brutally cut from his body. To love as intensely as that made him truly part of the Zir family. They all loved to completion. To madness. Ilmir had said he loved her. Did his love go to the same depth?
“The theater is open,” a man’s deep baritone voice bellowed.
They all headed in the same direction as the others, but as they neared the seats, Grandmum pointed to the stairs to the left. They climbed the long hall with sweeping dark curtains pulled back by ropes along the right side. Each drawn curtain provided a glimpse of a small box of seats and a view out over the theater below. Jordan and Celeste walked in front of her, and they turned into a box that was three back from the stage.
Astrid and Marcus sat in the first row with Grandmum. The rest sat in the row behind.
Astrid stared out over the people as they took their seats. Grandmum grabbed her gloved hand. “So many firsts for you in one adventure. Your emotions and mind must be flying to the rafters.”
“Indeed. If you only knew how much has changed, and all in ways I have never imagined, but want.” She scooted to the edge of her seat and inhaled deeply, wishing for the scent of lilac.
The theater curtains closed for the first act, and Astrid turned to Marcus. “That was delightful.”
He nodded. “So it was.”
Grandmum stood, and so did Fina and Celeste. Fina placed her hand on Astrid’s shoulder. “It is warm in here. I need to step out.”
Astrid turned toward her. Fina’s cheeks were flushed a fiery red. “That is fine. I would like to stay here and watch all the people,” Astrid said.
They all left the box, and Marcus placed his hand over hers on her lap. “We should help with cooling things down in here a bit. How do you think you should go about that?”
She had done this last night, but with a twist. This should be easy. “To create a breeze. You only need air. This place is filled with air.”
“True. But when using your powers, until you know them well, after one element of a storm comes another. From your try last night, you channel a lot of light into all you do. So Vi bliver bundet til han løslader dig.”
“You said that last night.”
“Correct. It means we are bound together.”
“The last bit says until he releases me… Who is he?” She pushed to standing.
“The bind made you read with haste. I should have known.” He stood. “Luftslag. Magten kommer til os. Køl dette sted.” Walking behind her, he placed his fingers on her elbows. “Your power comes from your hands. Let me help you control them…”
“I’m not certain. You just said air battles. Power come to us. Cool this place. What are air battles?”
“Trust. It is just as important in our bond as it is in your family. Say the words.” He tightened his grip on her elbows, and the joints heated. “Say them.”
“Luftslag. Magten kommer til os. Køl dette sted.” Energy whipped through her, up to her head. Pain spiked through her temples, and light opened in the ceiling, shining on the small box.
Below, people screeched. She stared over the rail to the open space below. Hudson walked down the center aisle. Her throat closed. What was he doing with a torch in his hands?
His eyes were black, and his skin held the tone of the dead. He was possessed. Even from this distance she could see that.
The wind blew hard and circled in the small space, creating a buffer between them and the world of horror that unfolded before her.
The flame flickered in Hudson’s hands, and ember spilled onto an elderly woman’s skirts. The light in the box ceiling cracked down to her hands and formed the ball of light that her power created. Marcus’s fingernails dug into her elbows “Belysning at flame.” His body jerked.
Light spun out from the ball in threads to the theater ceiling. It disappeared into the wood and ornate plaster. Astrid screeched and struggled to pull free from Marcus’s hold. He held fast and wrapped his right leg about her thigh, pulling her body back full against him.
A loud crack came from above her, and the scent of lilacs drifted by in the wind. Ilmir. No. She had smelled that same scent earlier, and he was not here.
People ran from below.
The ceiling glowed and then expanded in a red and yellow fractured bubble, then retracted and burst into flames.
Screams came from all around. Free from Marcus’s grip, she spun, and Marcus was gone. Flames jumped and ran along the theater walls to the floor. The ornate green-and-gold wall coverings glimmered red like blood. She needed to do something. She couldn’t just let people die. She needed to create rain. “Regne.”
She had no water. No oil. She had no way to make it rain. Panic closed off her throat, and she gulped for air. Where were Celeste and Jordan?
“Jordan! Jordan! Jordan!” she screamed. They were water.
He was nowhere, and the smoke grew thick. Her eyes burned, as did her throat. She coughed and coughed more. She needed to leave. If she could find Jordan outside, she could change this.
She turned and ran out of the box. People pushed and shoved in the small hall and all the way down the steps. Coughing and screams, mixed with the snapping of wood breaking, consumed the theater. She made her way to the entrance hall. An eerie roar came from above. She stared up at the ceiling. Pieces of the wood and plaster crumbled, tumbling to the polished black floor. She stood frozen. She’d caused this. How…?
People ran past and out of the theater until she stood alone.
More pieces crashed to the floor around her.
The shine on the floor reflected the glow from the ceiling above, and in the reflection, a ghost of a skeleton drifted in the smoke. The jaw opened and closed. “Thank you. Without you, several promises that were broken would have gone unfulfilled. Now I have avenged those words.”
“What do you mean?” she screamed into the smoke. Her lungs burned, and a fit of coughs racked her chest. She bent over at the waist and coughed up black mucu
s and blood. She glanced back up at the ceiling as another section fell, completely blocking the door.
Panic seized her muscles, and she darted for the small sliver of the door that still stood open. She pushed herself through, snagging her arm on a jagged piece wood.
Once outside, the smoke eased, but chaos surrounded her. The well-dressed ladies and gentlemen whom she had watched from the box screamed and punched, trying to get into carriages that were not their own. A hand wrapped about her elbow, gripping into the cut she’d just received. “Ouch.” She spun about.
“Where is Madoc?” Fina stood before her, her eyes huge with panic. She did not let up on her arm as she stared back at the fire. “He went in. Fire does not harm us, but he wouldn’t let me… Did you see him?”
“No. If I could find Jordan or Celeste… The theater needs water. I could create rain if I had water.”
“You would need the sea to put that out.” Celeste’s voice came from the other side of her.
“Oh, you are here. I need water. I need to put this out. My power started this, I cannot…”
“I cannot create water, Astrid. I can control it but not create it. “
“What about the river? Could you bring the river here?”
“No.” She shook her head. “Think of the flooding and damage, the other possible deaths that would happen from that. We need to leave. Grandmum is in our coach three streets down. The men will be fine. We must think of our own safety.” Celeste pulled on Astrid’s other arm. “Come. Come.”
Fina’s grip tightened on her arm. “Madoc will be fine… Madoc will be fine.” She moved forward but continued to stare back at the building engulfed in flames.
They made their way back to the city house, where they all collapsed in the library. The butler brought tea and water, and herbs for the cuts and scrapes that each of them had.
Grandmum sat quietly, not saying a word.