She raised an eyebrow at him. ‘But surely it is too hot for you to be outside?’
‘It might be too hot here,’ he said, ‘but I know somewhere we can go that’s really cool.’
Getting colder
Kora wriggled her toes and sighed with pleasure. She was sitting on a flat, grey rock in the shade of a sprawling weeping willow tree, her bare feet dangling into the clear water of a bubbling creek. She wondered how the water gushing down the tiny creek could be so cold when everything else here was so hot.
She sucked in a long breath and leaned back against the trunk of the tree. She was getting used to the myriad of Earthly smells. At least the damp odour of the rocks and the mouldy leaves that had piled up under the trees was a welcome relief from breathing in the parched air.
‘Why don’t you join me, Kora?’ David’s voice was muffled by the sound of the water cascading around him.
‘No, thank you,’ she replied, gazing across the creek to where he reclined under a little waterfall. The water crashed down onto the top of his head and streamed down his bare chest and shoulders. Kora tipped her head sideways to study him. He certainly had broad shoulders. His arms were tanned a dark, golden brown, but the pale white skin on his chest in the shape of his T-shirt made her smile. Humans were truly strange creatures.
He had been in the water for nearly an hour now and she could see goose bumps appearing along his arms. She supposed having to chop wood and mend fences without magic would give someone muscles that rippled like David’s did. He pushed his dripping hair back out of his eyes and she saw that the skin on his hands had wrinkled from being in the water too long.
Abruptly she realised that David was watching her watching him and she dropped her eyes back to the water. ‘How far from Panda Rock are we?’ she asked.
‘Not far,’ he said, waving vaguely off to his left. ‘It’s about a kilometre that way.’
‘You know, I still have not seen the panda-shaped mountain.’
He pushed himself up out of the creek. ‘We can go see it now if you like,’ he said, picking up his dry T-shirt and pulling it on over his head. ‘We only need to walk a little way.’ He shook his head vigorously like a dog and droplets of water flew in every direction, splattering her.
She leaned away from the flying droplets and David grinned. ‘We can get a great view of Panda Rock from down there,’ he said, pointing down the hill through the trees. ‘The angle’s just right and you can see the entire outline of the bear.’
‘I would like that.’ She followed David, ducking under branches and weaving between the trees. As they emerged from the shade into the bright sunlight the familiar wall of heat greeted them. Kora immediately channelled a tiny trickle of magic to protect herself. But it seemed only seconds before David’s wet hair and shorts had dried and droplets of sweat were dripping down his face.
They trudged down to the base of the slope. Kora turned and gazed up at the strangely shaped hill. It looked as though the rocks had tumbled down out of the sky, piling awkwardly up one on top of the other, to form the unlikely shape of a panda.
‘It is beautiful, David.’
The rocks rounded out from the base to form the panda’s rotund belly, skimmed back in on themselves to form a much thinner neck, and then curved smoothly out again to create the shape of a panda’s chubby, cute face.
‘And see,’ said David, pointing up towards the panda’s head. ‘It’s smiling.’
‘So it is,’ Kora replied, smiling herself. The deep fissures in the rocks curved around the base of the panda’s face creating the illusion of a serene smile. ‘I did not expect it to look quite so much like a real panda.’
When she finally glanced back at David, she found him eyeing her thoughtfully. ‘How come you’re not sweating?’ he asked. His own hair was clumped in sweaty strands down the sides of his face. His eyes narrowed at her. ‘Are you using magic to keep cool?’
‘Yes.’ She smiled smugly. ‘But for a weather shield to work it must attach to a person, and you know I cannot use magic on a human.’
David’s brow furrowed. She waited, one eyebrow raised. She could see he was trying to think of a way to get what he wanted. Then his eyes lit up, his face triumphant.
He looked convinced that he had somehow beaten her at her own game. ‘Kora,’ he ordered, his voice smug. ‘I wish for a fresh, cool breeze to blow on me.’
A twist of fear shot through her. ‘No, David!’ But the command had been clear and specific. Her bands glowed as she resisted the order. ‘Unwish it, David,’ she pleaded. ‘It’s dangerous.’
The power grew steadily in her chest and her bands tightened. ‘David, please,’ she begged. ‘Quickly.’ But he didn’t speak. He just stared dumbly at her as she battled against the wish. She couldn’t hold out much longer against it. Her power rumbled, mingling with the fear twisting through her. Her body arched with the pain of resisting.
‘David!’ she screamed. She was vaguely aware of him standing frozen, gaping at her. Stupid, slow-reacting humans! She could no longer contain the power and it surged from her chest in a torrent. At once the nearby trees bent over in the wind and the leaves and dust stirred off the ground and swirled around their feet.
The breeze was cool and strong and David’s long hair lifted off his face as it flowed over him. Perhaps it was this burst of fresh, cold air that finally brought him to his senses. ‘I wish for the wind to stop,’ he blurted quickly. And as suddenly as it began, it vanished. Immediately the heavy, oppressive heat pressed down on them once more.
Exhausted from the battle against her own magic, Kora could barely stand. She bent over at the waist, resting her hands on her knees, and blew out a long, unsteady breath.
David tipped his head to one side as he contemplated her.
She remained hunched over, panting with the pain and effort of resisting his command.
She didn’t look up but she could feel his penetrating blue gaze as he studied her.
‘Kora?’
She lifted her dark eyes wearily. ‘What?’
He dragged a shaky hand through his hair. ‘What just happened?’
Run!
The heat was overwhelming. Without the use of her magic, sweat ran freely down her back and dripped across her forehead.
‘Can’t I have just one wish?’ David called back to her.
‘No, no magic,’ she panted. ‘Just run!’
David’s long legs carried him much faster than hers possibly could. Her heart thumped in her chest and she could feel her pulse pounding in her ears. She twisted her head around to scan behind them and tripped, landing face first in the scorching hot dirt.
She heard his footsteps make their way back to her.
‘Here,’ he was breathing hard. ‘Take my hand.’
She pushed the long dark hair that stuck to her face away to glare at him. This was all his stupid fault. But she accepted his hand and allowed him to pull her to her feet. He kept hold of her hand. Half-running, half-dragging her along with him, she tried her best to keep up. It felt like they had been running for hours, not minutes. Her knees were cut from the fall and a thin trickle of blood oozed down her leg.
‘Are we safe yet?’ David asked raggedly.
‘No!’ Kora yanked her hand from his and stopped for a moment. She put her hands on her hips and leaned forward. Breathing hard, she wondered if she was actually going to be sick.
David’s eyes searched the landscape. ‘Can we hide somewhere here?’
She shook her head but soon stopped as the ground spun dizzily. ‘Not far enough away yet.’
He grasped her hand tightly. ‘Come on, then.’
He set a gruelling pace. Her legs scrambled numbly after him. She had never relied on her physical body this way before. She had never needed to and it made her feel vulnerable. Weak. Her mouth was dry and her lungs ached. They had come a long way but she knew it was still not far enough.
She could feel herself getting humiliatingly slower
. David was dragging her more than she was running. Her arm no longer felt as if it belonged to her and she wondered if he had pulled it from its socket.
‘I can see the house.’ David’s speed increased despite the fact that they were now headed uphill. Her legs gave way from under her and she fell again to the ground. Her sweaty hand slipped out of David’s grasp and she rolled until she landed shoulder first against a hard sharp rock. Pain pierced through her.
‘Kora?’ David was bending over her. ‘Are you all right?’
She couldn’t speak at first. ‘My shoulder,’ she finally croaked.
‘Can we use your magic now?’
‘Not yet.’ She bit down on her lip and tried to push herself up, but before she knew it David’s hands were under her and she was swung up onto his back.
‘What are you doing?’
‘What does it look like I’m doing?’ He wound his arms so that his hands gripped tightly to her legs, holding her in place on his back. ‘I’m giving you a piggyback. Try to hang on.’
She pushed against him but that just made the shooting pain in her shoulder worse. ‘Put me down.’
He was already taking long strides up the hill. ‘No.’
‘I am too heavy for you to carry.’
His skin was already reddened from heat and now it darkened further with the exertion of carrying her. ‘I’ll manage,’ he said. ‘I’m human.’
Exhausted and sick with pain she gave up. She doubted she would be able to make the rest of the way to the house relying on just her own physical body. How did humans live like this, every day with no magic?
Breathing hard, he made no attempt to speak to her but his pace never slowed. He made his way, dripping with sweat, face set in determined lines, steadily and surely towards the house.
He let go of her leg to push open the front door and then kicked it closed behind them. ‘What now?’ he rasped.
‘Wish us into my globe.’
The moment he wished she closed her eyes and very carefully, using the most minuscule amount of magic possible, they shimmered.
The pirate
Amurru shuffled out of one of the darkened corners of her globe. ‘What has happened, Empress?’ He glanced at David then back to her. ‘You are hurt?’
She was slumped on David’s back, her head over one shoulder. ‘Set me down.’
He looked bewildered but swung her carefully off his back and onto a bed of gold cushions. ‘Is it safe now?’
Amurru’s ears twitched but his yellow eyes stayed fixed on her. ‘Why do you not use your magic to heal yourself, Empress?’
‘Idiot here wished for a cool wind.’ She threw a scornful look at David, but then felt bad when she saw the lines of exhaustion that etched his face.
Amurru’s head drooped. ‘This is grave.’
‘We are safe now, aren’t we?’ David slumped down on the floor of her globe. ‘We didn’t use any magic.’
She ignored him. Stupid, idiotic, clueless human! Her power rumbled around inside her.
Amurru’s head jerked up. ‘Control, Empress.’
She took a steadying breath. ‘Yes, you are right.’ She closed her eyes for a moment and then, using the smallest amount of power that she could, she made a viewing portal appear.
‘That’s Panda Rock.’ David stepped nearer to the viewing portal. ‘What are all those people doing there?’
‘Not people,’ she said. ‘Genies.’
‘So many.’ Amurru’s voice filled with sadness. ‘He has harnessed even more in the last two days.’
‘Rihando looks miserable.’
‘He is very loyal to your family.’ Amurru shuffled himself over until he was almost touching her. ‘This would be killing him.’
‘Are you talking about that bigger one in the red coat, or the one that looks like a mad pirate?’
‘The red coat,’ said Kora. ‘The mad pirate is Vennum.’
Vennum turned in their direction. He had dark oily hair and wild, crazed eyes. His disfigured arms were gesturing madly revealing purple scars and fresh welts that crisscrossed their way up and down his flesh.
‘Do you think Vennum knows it was you at Panda Rock?’ asked David.
The sound coming through to them was a jumble of angry voices. Amurru’s ears twitched. ‘They are not sure. They are arguing amongst themselves.’
David paced her globe. ‘Are we safe in here?’
‘I do not know.’ She let out a sigh. ‘But we did not leave a magic trail for them to follow.’
‘You did well to not wish for anything during your escape,’ said Amurru. ‘Otherwise Vennum would have killed you by now.’
David swallowed. ‘And this is all my fault?’ He looked unsure. ‘Because I wished for a cool wind?’
‘Vennum was monitoring Earth for the use of excessive power.’
‘And a cool wind would take a lot of power?’
‘Any control of the elements would show as a power spike.’
‘It is fortunate it was only a breeze, Empress.’ Amurru’s focus was still on the conversation outside. ‘They cannot now be sure that it was you.’
‘What does he mean? How would they know it was you? Couldn’t it have been any genie?’ asked David.
‘Most genies can summon a breeze, that is why they are uncertain.’ She looked him in the eyes. ‘How much the elements are controlled shows how powerful the genie is.’
‘So if I had wished for a hurricane, Vennum would know it was you?’
‘Yes.’
‘Because yours would be so fierce?’
Her eyes glittered. ‘Because I am the most powerful genie on Genesia.’
‘If you are the most powerful genie then can’t you use your magic to stop them if they find us?’
‘I will try. But I am one genie against many.’ She gestured towards the viewing portal.
‘Why don’t you just kill him?’
‘I wish. But it simply is not possible for a genie to kill a human.’ She scowled at Vennum through the portal. ‘And Vennum is human enough that it includes him!’
David breathed in through his nose and dropped his arms to his side. ‘I’m sorry, Kora.’
His apology surprised her. Genies were seldom sorry for anything and certainly never said so.
‘If Vennum finds me, wish yourself to a hiding spot and then wish me unharnessed.’ She sighed. ‘I should be able to hold them off long enough for you to run.’
‘But then Vennum could harness you. Can’t you just magic us all away now?’
‘They would notice and follow any use of magic.’
‘What about that?’ David pointed at the viewing portal. ‘Doesn’t that leave a trail?’
‘I am using a tiny amount of magic. If there were only one genie out there, they would probably be able to detect it. But because there are so many of them, and they are quite a distance away, it is not strong enough for them to be able to notice that it is not coming from one of them.’
David began to pace her globe. ‘So every time you use magic it leaves a trail?’
‘Yes, but the trail disappears after a while.’
‘And Vennum can see the trail?’
‘Not see it. Sense it. And not Vennum, but his genies.’
‘So if the trail we would have left going to Panda Rock has disappeared,’ David kept pacing, ‘and we didn’t use any magic to get back, and they didn’t see us, then we should be safe, right?’
‘Maybe.’ Kora huffed. ‘I wish they would stop yelling at each other. I cannot tell what they are saying.
Amurru’s ear turned and his face wrinkled with concentration. ‘Rihando has told Vennum that whatever genie was here has gone but Vennum has found your footprints and wants to follow them.’
She looked at the human. He had carried her over a kilometre up a hill, and then apologised to her. She may not be fond of humans but she would no longer like to see him dead. ‘If they come, David, unharness me.’
He folded his arms. �
�No.’
‘I am powerful and Vennum will kill you.’
‘I know you don’t think much of me.’ She saw the anger flood his face. ‘But I am not about to leave you, powerful or not, to face that slimeball alone.’
She stared back at his angry eyes. What was he thinking? That he was going to be able to protect her from Vennum? Her mind raced as she tried to come up with a plan. She would not be able to hold that many genies off for long.
She felt Amurru stiffen beside her. ‘Vennum is decided, Empress. He intends to follow the tracks.’
She reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder. ‘If the time comes, Amurru. Will you tell my family that I love them?’ She glanced up at David. ‘And tell my parents,’ she stumbled over the aching in her throat, ‘tell them I am sorry.’
Amurru’s short stumpy fingers rested on her hand. ‘You have my word, Empress.’
David squared his shoulders. ‘They’re headed this way!’
Tracks
David burst out laughing.
She looked at him in disbelief. What was wrong with him? ‘I am glad your imminent death amuses you.’
‘I don’t suppose genies spend much time hunting.’ David pointed at the viewing portal. The genies were spreading out now, splashing around in the creek and pointing at the ground. ‘They’re not our tracks.’
‘He is right, Empress. They cannot agree on a direction.’ Amurru’s ears swivelled, slowly making sense of the jumbled, shouting voices coming through the portal. ‘They fight amongst themselves again.’
She blew out a long slow breath. Her shoulder was excruciating and her knees were bloody and sore. When her eyes landed on David she could see the dark red stain that covered his shirt where her shoulder had been pressed against him.
She watched Vennum in the viewing portal. His arms were flapping madly and pure rage emanated from him. A sword appeared in his hand and in a movement too fast to follow he whirled around, slicing the blade across the face of the nearest genie, leaving a long, ragged, bloody slash. The genie let out a bloodcurdling scream, flinging his hands up to cover the gaping wound on his face. Then, with a final roar of rage, Vennum and the genies all disappeared, and the forest fell silent.
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