by G. R. Lyons
“But he did not die?” Master Ross asked.
Ryley shook his head.
“Well, thank gods for that.” When Ryley looked back up, Master Ross was smiling again. “I assume, then, that you are here to finally receive your training?”
Ryley nodded.
“Excellent. Then we shall get you settled in and begin your first lesson.”
Ryley blinked. Just like that? Holy shit.
“Come,” Master Ross beckoned. “We shall find you accommodations.”
The mage turned away down one of the paths, and Ryley hurried to follow. They walked for only a few minutes in utter silence before Master Ross held out a hand and gestured at a low hillside.
“Here we are.”
Ryley frowned. Here they were what, exactly? He couldn't see anything but more garden.
But Master Ross continued forward and waved his hand. Ryley didn't spot the door until it began to open inward, the wood and wrought iron so cleverly masked by the lush growth all around it that Ryley would have never known there was a door there had it not been pointed out to him.
He followed Master Ross inside, and found a cozy library built into the hillside, the space illuminated with hundreds of candles as well as…
Windows.
Ryley blinked dumbly, staring at them. He darted back outside, trying to spot the windows from out there, but after squinting for several minutes, he could barely make out even a hint of glass, the craftsmanship so cunning that it left the impression of nature having gone entirely untouched by human hands.
He walked back inside in awe.
Master Ross gave him a knowing smirk, then turned to a man seated behind a counter. “Good day to you, Master Baase.”
“And to you as well, Master Ross,” the older man replied.
“May I introduce Novice Skye,” Master Ross said, holding out a hand toward Ryley. “He has come to begin his training and requires lodging.”
Master Baase leaned down and hefted an enormous ledger, dropping it on the counter with a dusty thunk. He carefully flipped back the cover and turned the creaky pages until he came to the last few entries. The man ran a finger down the lines, each entry inked by someone with the most exquisite penmanship Ryley had ever seen, then came to a stop with a solemn look on his face.
“Here in Ainswick,” Master Baase said, looking up at Master Ross, “the only available cottage is Eventide.”
Master Ross's smile faded, and both magi made a curious gesture simultaneously: Each man lifted a hand to his own chest, then to his forehead, then the air above his head before slowly lowering his arm back to his side.
“Master Raksdel,” Master Ross murmured. “May he be at peace.”
Ryley raised his eyebrows, feeling completely lost, but before he could say anything, Master Ross shook his head before giving Master Baase a sharp nod. “That will do.”
Master Baase grunted, then picked up a pen, dipped it into a pot of ink, and neatly wrote out a new line in his ledger, putting down Ryley's name.
This was all just too weird.
“Thank you, Master Baase,” Master Ross said, taking Ryley by the arm and steering him toward the door.
“Uh, yeah, thanks,” Ryley added, just to be polite. He wasn't quite sure what he was thanking the man for. Master Baase gave him a gruff nod just before the door closed, blocking him from Ryley's view.
“This way,” Master Ross said cheerfully, leading the way once again. Ryley secured his grip on his bag and followed.
They wandered through a few more gardens before Ryley asked, “What's Ainswick?”
Master Ross glanced over his shoulder. “Ainswick is the name of this village.”
Ryley frowned. “What village?”
The mage chuckled. “They are difficult to see at first, I grant you. You will learn to see them in time. This is Ainswick.” He pointed ahead of them. “The next village east is Fairview.” He pointed back. “West of us is Chatterson–” He broke off and chuckled again. “There will be a map you can study in your cottage, if you like.”
Ryley frowned, thinking. “Eventide?”
“Yes. That is the name of your home.” Master Ross grimaced. “I fear it has been unoccupied for quite some time. Nearly five decades, I believe. However, its owner recently passed. Not inside the cottage, mind you,” Master Ross hurried to add. Then he got a shy smile on his face. “Perhaps I shall tell you Eventide's romantic history after you are settled.”
Between the murmur of that voice and the sudden heat in the man's gaze, Ryley almost stopped in his tracks. Fuck. He did not need temptation thrown his way.
Asher, he thought, his entire body clenching with renewed guilt. He had to focus on Asher. He couldn't let himself hurt anyone ever again.
“Oh dear,” Master Ross said, tearing Ryley out of his thoughts.
“What?”
The mage looked up. “It appears we are expecting rain.” He glanced at Ryley. “This could make for an interesting night.”
Ryley frowned, looking up at the sky. He hadn't even realized it was slowly getting darker until Master Ross pointed it out, and now he saw the clouds steadily rolling in, blocking out the suns. He looked back at the mage. “Interesting, how?”
Master Ross smirked at him and kept walking.
Ryley followed, neither of them saying another word until the mage came to a stop, gesturing at another door. This one Ryley could actually see. The place wasn't so well-hidden as Master Baase's library. Though built partially into the hillside, the door clearly opened into a small cottage, complete with overgrown garden beds on either side. Even the windows were easily discernible.
“Welcome to Eventide,” Master Ross said with a smile. “This will be your living.”
Ryley raised his eyebrows. That was a strange thing to call it. “My living?”
“Yes. The place is granted to you for the duration of your life. Hence, your living.”
“Seriously?”
“Of course. Every mage will always have a home here on Jadu'n, no matter whence he hails. Now.” Master Ross gestured for Ryley to join him closer to the door, then gave an elegant wave of his hand. “We begin your training.”
“Already?”
Master Ross nodded. “Your first task is to open this door.”
Ryley scoffed. Seriously? That was all he had to do? Open a door? He chuckled and shook his head, then took a step closer, reaching for the door handle.
That was when he realized there wasn't one. Ryley frowned, looking over every inch of the door, but there wasn't a handle to be seen. He felt all around, thinking it might just be difficult to see, yet still couldn't find one.
“The hells?”
He pushed on the door, thinking it might swing into the cottage, but nothing happened. Then he tried digging his fingertips into the tiny space between the door and the frame, trying to open it outward, but it wouldn't budge.
Ryley panted out a breath and lowered his hands. “I don't get it.”
Master Ross smirked. “Opening a door is the simplest magic one can perform, which is why it is the first spell you shall master. I am quite curious to see how you do. I have never heard of an adult novice before. I am afraid you begin with a bit of a disadvantage. Children are so quick to learn, are they not? I do believe this shall prove an exciting challenge for us both. To teach an adult…” The man trailed off, a wistful smile on his face as he slowly shook his head. “Well,” he said, brightening, “I shall return tomorrow to check on you.” With that, Master Ross turned on his heel and started to walk away.
“Wait…tomorrow?” Ryley asked.
Master Ross stopped. “Yes. Of course.”
Ryley blinked. “How long is this supposed to take?”
Master Ross tilted his head, thinking. “It depends. The record is twenty-six hours, thirty-four minutes. Most novices, though, require at least a few days.”
Ryley gaped at him. “Days?” The man couldn't be serious, could he?
“Ye
s, days. You shall stand there without food or rest until you accomplish it, even if it requires days. It is how everyone begins.”
“But all I want to learn is how to control my power!” Ryley insisted. “To keep it from getting out again.”
“Yes, and you shall start here.” Master Ross turned and started to walk away again.
“But I don't care about being able to use magic to open a damned door!” Ryley yelled. “I don't care about using spells!”
Master Ross whirled back. “The point is not the spell. The point is the lesson behind the spell.” He began to leave again.
“What does that even mean?”
Master Ross stopped, turned around, and sighed. “It is not about being able to use magic to open the door. It is about your determination. Your focus. It is about how hard you are willing to work to learn the skills we can teach you. The door to the knowledge you seek is there,” he went on, gesturing at the thing he expected Ryley to somehow magically open. “Are you willing to put in the work to open that door? Or are you going to give up and walk away?”
Ryley deflated. “Oh.”
Master Ross nodded. “That is the lesson. Once you demonstrate that you are willing to do what is necessary to learn—once you show the dedication required, rather than giving up and walking away—then your real training begins. Oh. Here.” The mage waved his hand, and a gold chain appeared, dangling from his fist. He opened his hand, revealing a pocketwatch. “For you. It will note the time when you accomplish the task.”
Ryley frowned. “I already have a watch,” he said. Sure, the thing was still set to Agorani time, but that could be easily adjusted.
Master Ross smirked. “I believe yours ceased to function the moment you passed through the Gate.”
Ryley's frown deepened, and he glanced at his wrist. Sure enough, the display on his electronic watch was nothing but static. The thing would do him no good there. Ryley sighed, unclasped the watch, and tucked it into his bag, then glanced at the mechanical pocketwatch before shoving it into the pocket of his jeans. Master Ross gave him an encouraging nod, and walked away.
Ryley watched him go, then turned back to face the door. This was going to take days? Good gods. No wonder it was the first lesson. If a novice gave up in frustration at this point, he'd never get anywhere.
But Ryley had to. He had to get his magic under control, and if that meant standing in front of this door for a few days straight before he got the damned thing open, he was bloody well going to do it.
He set down his bag, faced the door, and tried to begin.
Then the rain came.
Chapter 19
RYLEY WAS completely soaked, and he'd only been at it for an hour.
The rain wasn't even coming down very hard. It really wasn't much more than a drizzle, but it hadn't let up for a second, leaving Ryley wet all the way through to his skin.
And still he stood there, gritting his teeth, trying to figure out how to open a damned door with no magical training whatsoever.
Some lesson! With every passing minute, as more and more frustration set in, he better understood Master Ross's words. He could easily imagine someone giving up on this task after just a few hours. How anyone had persisted for days was beyond him. What kind of desperation would that take?
Ryley sighed. The kind that he had, apparently. Uncomfortable as he was, he knew he wasn't going to move from that spot until he got that gods-damned door open. Taking a deep breath, he tried again.
“Ryley?”
Ryley yelped and whirled around. That was one voice he did not expect to hear. Ryley blinked, staring at the big man in one of his usual three-piece suits, standing there under an umbrella.
“Vic?”
“What are you doing?” Vic asked.
Ryley gestured helplessly at the door. “Trying to get this door open so I can go inside.”
“Why don't you–” Vic started to ask, then glanced at the door. “Oh.” He frowned. “There's no handle.”
“Yeah,” Ryley scoffed. “That's the whole point.”
Vic looked at him again, his brow drawn with concern as he gave him a once-over. “How long have you been out here?”
“About an hour.”
“Ryley, you shouldn't be out here. I know it's not that cold, but you could get sick–”
Ryley held up a hand. “I have to do this.”
Vic studied him for a moment through narrowed eyes, then sighed and shook his head. “Asher's awake.”
Ryley felt that like a punch to the gut. He swallowed hard, and managed to ask, “Yeah?”
Vic nodded. “He thinks you've abandoned him, just like his father.”
“Fuck,” Ryley breathed, hugging himself. “I didn't want that.”
“Then why did you just leave?”
“Because I–” Ryley started to yell, throwing his hands up in the air, only to let them fall to his sides with a sigh. “I have to fix this. I hurt him, Vic. I almost killed the man I–”
Ryley broke off, but Vic managed to finish the sentence for him anyway: “The man you love.”
Ryley held his breath, trying to read Vic's expression, then nodded. “I almost killed him,” he repeated. “I can't let anything like that ever happen again. I have to get this under control, whatever it takes.”
Vic seemed lost in thought for a moment before he asked, “How long do you think that'll be?”
Ryley barked a humorless laugh. “I have no idea. This?” He gestured at the door. “I'm looking at days, apparently. Who knows how long the rest of it will take? I'll probably be here for months, for all I know.”
“Shit. Ry–”
“Would you do something for me? I know I left him a note, but…Would you tell Asher I'll always love him, but he'd be better off with someone else? Someone safe. And that I want him to be happy, whatever that means for him.”
Vic shook his head. “He loves you, Ry. He hasn't said it, but I could see it in his face. He'll wait for you.”
“He shouldn't,” Ryley insisted, crossing his arms over his chest, feeling like his heart might explode from the pain. He missed Asher so much, but he couldn't be around the man. Not if he was a danger to him.
Vic seemed to think something over again, then gave a decisive nod. “You do whatever you have to do, but don't give up on you and Asher just yet. You guys are good together.” Ryley started to protest, so Vic held up the hand that wasn't clutching the umbrella. “Just focus on that. Then come home.”
With that, Vic turned and strolled away, leaving Ryley alone in the rain. Ryley watched him go, already missing Vic's soothing presence, missing Asher, missing his life, even though he'd only been gone for a few hours.
It seemed more like a lifetime.
But Vic was right. Ryley straightened, fresh determination shooting up his spine as he glanced back at the door. If he just kept focused on why he was there, he could get through anything.
Ryley squared off with the door, channeling everything into one point of concentration. He thought of Asher, his friends, his work. After a few hours, he even thought of the simple, desperate need to be indoors, warm and dry. Ryley focused, pouring every ounce of motivation into the thought of making that door open by sheer willpower alone.
The latch clicked.
Ryley let out a shout of joy, jumping in the air and pumping his fist when he saw the door move. He darted forward before the latch could catch again, and pushed the door wide, snatching up his bag and ducking inside, out of the rain. He dropped his bag on the floor and pushed the door shut behind him.
The place smelled musty, and everything seemed to be covered in dust, but Ryley didn't care. He'd done it. He was inside.
Now all he wanted was sleep. The need slammed into him hard when he realized he'd already been awake more than twenty-four hours because of the overnight wait in the hospital. Being in a different time zone, it was evening on Jadu'n, anyway. Perfect time to go to bed.
Ryley checked out the little cottage
and found the bedroom. He gave the bed a cursory glance. The sheets looked old and stiff, but there didn't seem to be any sign of bugs or anything. Not that it really would have stopped him from lying down. Then again, despite how musty and unused the whole cottage felt, the entire place seemed free of intrusion. Not a sign of mice or bugs anywhere. Weird.
Then again, it was a magical Isle. And Ryley was too tired to care. He struggled out of his wet clothes, draped them over the bed's footboard, carefully set the pocketwatch aside on a dusty nightstand after he remembered it was in his jeans, then collapsed naked onto the bed.
He barely got a chance to process the musty smell of the sheets before he was asleep.
The next thing he knew was the annoying sound of a knock, jarring him awake.
“Mr. Skye? Are you in there?”
Ryley groaned and settled back down on the bed. He didn't want to be disturbed. In fact, he didn't want to get up ever again.
“Mr. Skye?” The voice was closer that time, like coming from another room rather than from outside.
Wait, outside? Where the hells am I? Ryley tried to peel his eyes open, but sleep kept threatening to draw him back down.
“Mr. Sk– Oh. Oh dear.”
Ryley blinked heavily, trying to force his eyes open. He saw a man standing in the doorway, and it all started slowly coming back to him: Asher's pain, the hospital, coming to Jadu'n, having to open the door, then finally collapsing into bed.
Naked.
“Shit!” Ryley scrabbled at the sheets, trying to sit up and cover himself at the same time without getting tangled. He looked up at Master Ross and found the man watching him hungrily, his pupils blown wide. “Sorry.”
Master Ross pressed a hand to his chest and cleared his throat. “Please, do not apologize,” he murmured, raking his eyes over Ryley's body. Ryley clutched the sheet tighter around his waist. The mage coughed. “Forgive me, I–” He blinked, then glanced around and shook his head. “I came to check your progress, and when I did not find you outside…Well, I was not sure if you had abandoned the task or actually succeeded.” He smiled. “I see it is the latter. Though you must be exhausted, dear boy. I shall leave you to sleep, and return again later.”