Techromancy Scrolls: Adept (25 page)

I shrugged in indifference, I was no stranger to scars and I knew I would never be beautiful. She concentrated again, she looked worn out and had to strain. I watched in wonder while the blisters seemed to reduce as the red and burned skin slowly returned to a healthy pink. There was a little twisted flesh on my palms and left thumb left over, but it was nothing compared to the scarring that would have resulted had the burns healed naturally.

I realized I could feel again. A lot of my sense of touch in my hands had been numbed and deadened by the burns and I realized that when I was feeling her magics flow across my fingers, it was my magics I was feeling it with, not my hands. She slumped and her mists seemed to dissipate like a morning fog burned off in the sunlight.

Then she stepped to a cupboard on the wall that separated the space and opened a door. She rummaged around and found a nightdress and handed it to me as she said, “That was all I could do for you tonight. I can try to help more after I get some sleep.”

I slipped on the nightdress and smiled at her. “You have done more than enough already Sylvia, I don't know how I could ever thank you.”

She placed a hand on my arm and smiled. “You are very sweet Laney. Now get some sleep. I will have your things sent out for cleaning and repair.”

I squinted at her. “Mother Udele said I was to see her after you were done with me.”

She pushed me back on the bed and pulled the blanket up over me and said with a wry grin, “She can see you in the morning after you sleep. You need that as much as what I did to heal properly and she knows it.” Then she chuckled. “Besides, it'll do the old woman good to have to wait on someone for a change.” The playful and devious look on her face made me smile.

I couldn't argue if I wanted too as I felt my eyes getting extremely heavy as she turned down the lamps, I was beyond exhausted. I was barely cognizant of her picking up all my gear and opening the door and calling out, “Eli.” Then she said in Gypsy, “Please have our guest's things tended to right away.”

I heard, “Good night Laney,” as I drifted off to sleep with Celeste on my mind.

I awoke in a sweat, to a child sitting on top of me, shaking my shoulder. “Lady... lady, you were screaming.” I opened my eyes to an overly cute little boy who reminded me of a younger Jace. I recognized him as the boy in the tree the prior night.

I felt warm bodies pressed up next to me, and looked down. A small girl perhaps three or four was curled up against my chest, asleep, and of all things two of the tiniest goats I had ever seen. I almost laughed. There were itsy bitsy goats in bed with me. They little boy shooed them off the bed and hopped off with them.

What had Sylvia called him last night? Oh yeah. I looked at the little boy and said in Gypsy, “I'm sorry Eli. Just a bad dream.” He grinned and then I almost jumped out of my skin when I looked over to see Dru, Sylvia, and Elaine eating at the small table by the stove just a couple feet away.

Dru was grinning so wide as he ate it was almost comical. Sylvia said, “Good you are awake. Let's get some food into you and we can go see Mother.”

I looked around at them then sat up carefully, cradling the little girls head and putting a pillow under it as I slid out of the bed. I smiled at the adults then back at the girl and Sylvia said softly, “Ingr, my heir.” That was Gypsy for an angel. Then she looked at the little rascal who was playing with the goats. “Eli you apparently know.”

I looked around for my things as Dru vacated a chair. All I could see was my sword laying atop its scabbard. The blade had been nicked and dulled by its fall from the cliff last I saw it. Now it was freshly polished and honed to a fine edge with some sort of white symbols etched into it, and adorning the fresh leather on the hilt.

It was crowded in there, a little smaller than my cottage was. Then I remembered it was two rooms so there was actually more room in it than our cottage and that again amazed me about these little homes on wheels. He motioned for me to sit as he licked something off his finger.

I started to argue, “Mother Udele wanted to see me, won't she be...”

Sylvia cut me off as she shook her head. “It is a good lesson in patience for her.” Elaine chuckled at that, as Sylvia shooed Dru off with a grin for him. “Out with you, take Eli. You've lounged around enough this morning you lazy lout. You need to bring the Altii to her.”

The boy opened the door and a gust of chill air hit me and I shivered as the men of the house vacated, taking the tiny goats with them. Dru gave a flamboyant bow to us all then chuckled as he shut the door.

I looked at the women with a small smile on my lips. “I've never seen such tiny goats, and their hair was so long. Are they good eating?”

I must have said something wrong as Sylvia blanched and Elaine chuckled at her reaction and said, “Goodness no child, they are pets. We harvest their hair twice a year for fiber for thread and yarn. They are Mini Silkies and won't get much larger, they sleep inside away from predators.” Then the woman added with a smirk, “Not a lot of meat there to eat anyway.”

Sylvia tried to fight a smile as she slapped the woman's shoulder playfully. “Mother. Don't let Ingr hear you speaking like that.” Which got me a wink from her mother.

The healer patted the table as she stood and retrieved a bowl of some divine smelling porridge with maple syrup on it, and a cornmeal muffin from a hooded warmer by the stove. She then poured me a mug of apple cider. I looked at the women and said, “Thank you so very much for everything you have done for me. I don't know how I can ever repay you.” Then I perked up. “I have coin!”

The elder waved me off. “It is what human beings do for one another. Would you not do the same if we turned up in need on your doorstep?” I thought of it and she was right, I wouldn't turn away someone in need if I could help. I nodded and she smiled and pointed at the food.

It was quite good and I was apparently starving. I had to stop myself from scarfing it down, I remembered mother drilling into me that there was no excuse for bad manners. I paced myself and felt a little self-conscious as the women watched me eat.

When I had soaked up the last of the syrup with the last bite of corn muffin and washed it down with cider, I gathered the bowl and mug. Elaine took them from me and I protested, “At least let me help clean up. It is the least I can do.”

Sylvia smiled and returned to the wall cupboard with the clothing in it saying, “That can wait until Mother speaks with you. Here, get dressed, your clothing should be mended and cleaned before midday.”

She handed me a dress. And what a dress it was. Soft and light material dyed in rich purples and yellows and greens. It had long billowy sleeves and went down to my feet and the women chuckled as I cinched the waist with the sash. I looked at them and furrowed my brow. Sylvia said, “You are little larger than a girl. That one comes to my knees.” I crinkled my nose at her. Was everyone in this world of ours bigger than me?

Then she gave me some rabbit skin boots and a dyed pelt coat with a hood. It was almost overly warm in the heated wagon. I looked at her and she stood so I went toward the door. She cleared her throat and pointed at my sword. I shook my head. “I do not need to be walking around your camp armed. I'm your guest and I shall not offend.”

She shook her head and handed it to me. “It would be a bigger insult if you did not. It is part of you. You are a warrior woman of the Altii.”

I almost laughed as I lashed the belt around my waist and slid the scabbard around to my left hip and accepted the sword and looked at it and said with a grin, “I'm no warrior woman. I'm a simple chicken farmer who fate decided to play a trick upon. It was either become a squire, or face the stockade for using magic. I am now beholden to the most wonderful woman. A true warrior woman.”

Elaine paused at that and cocked her head with a wistful smile on her face. “You speak of her fondly.”

I nodded and slid my sword into the scabbard. Then Sylvia took my arm and led me out into the crisp morning air. Sylvia said, “I can attend to your bruises after you meet with Mother. I have regained my strength.” I absently pressed my hand on my chest and nodded. They were just bruises, she didn't need to exert herself for something that would heal on its own.

I looked at the immense stone overhang the camp was under then to the forest, it had stopped raining sometime during the night. There had to be twenty wagons and there were dozens of people moving about, just like in a village. Most stopped to look at me with curiosity. I looked at the healer. “There are so many.”

She said as we walked, “There are two hundred and five in this band of the Lupei family, with eleven others just like this. We are one of the smaller families, but more possess The Gift in the Lupei family than any other clan.” She had pride in her voice.

That was less than three thousand, not even half the size of Wexbury Keep. They were indeed a small clan when it was estimated to be over seventy thousand Mountain Gypsies that traveled the ranges of the Inhabitable Lands. But looking around it seemed to be a huge number of people out and about doing various chores. A group of children were playing some sort of game with sticks and a barrel hoop.

We stepped up to one of the rounded wagons as the woman from the previous night, Mother Udele, stepped out to greet us like she knew we were coming. She put a hand out to me. “Come child.” I looked at Sylvia who prompted me with her eyes, and I took the old woman's wrinkled hand. She held the door open while I stepped inside.

She looked back with a sly smile to the healer. “Keeping me waiting like this child? You're just lucky you are my favorite or you'd be on ox duty for a week.”

Sylvia shot back with a smirk, “I love you too you old crone. It does you good to wait.” Then to me, “Come back to my wagon when Mother is done with you and your gear should be there by then. The metal-smiths say you have some wondrous toys.” I nodded with a grin then swallowed hard when Mother shut the door.

She looked at me and smiled, putting me at ease. “It is okay child, I do not bite. I hear your name is Laney, yes?” I nodded and she inclined her head in greeting as she sat at a table that had possibly the most intricately woven lace cloth covering it, draping down to just above the ground. A small wooden box was secured to the wall just at tabletop level. She motioned for me to take a seat. “I am glad to see you looking better than last night Laney. You may call me Mother or Udele.”

I looked around and the walls were all covered with hanging tapestries that the artisans in the keep would drool over. There were chests and cupboards stacked up along one wall. This wagon too had a dividing wall and a wood stove to keep it warm though there was no fire burning and the place was quite toasty.

I nodded remembering my manners and bowed my head as I sat. “It is a pleasure to meet with you, Mother.” I couldn't bring myself to use her name, it seemed disrespectful not to use her title. Then I added, “I thank your clan for everything you have done for me.”

She waved it off like Sylvia had. “It is what people do for one another.” I really liked their philosophy, I wish more people thought that way, then expeditions like ours to forge defense pacts would not be needed.

She looked at me and tilted her head, her blue eyes much sharper than I would have thought to see in someone her age. It was rare for someone in modern times to live into their sixties. Non magic wielders saw an average of sixty-two years. Magic users though, depending on their power, could live to almost a hundred or more in some rare cases. I guessed that was the case here since I had felt such power from the woman the previous night. However, I felt nothing from her but curiosity as she sat across from me.

Then she spoke, “You are elemental, like the touched of the people. May I see?”

I wasn't sure what she was asking. “My magic?”

She nodded and held both hands out. I tentatively laid my hands on hers and she gave a gentle squeeze. I took two breaths then I pulled my power forth. She blinked then smiled widely. I saw white mist cloud her eyes until they were solid white.

She said in English, “I have only seen such an amber signature once. A great Altii many years past. A man of great compassion for his fellow man. Tannis of Wexbury. He gave all, that his people may live. You are of his blood?”

I smiled thinking about Sir Tannis, Hero of the Realm, and what I had recently learned. I said, “My grandfather.” Then I prompted, “What do you mean by elemental?”

She smiled and then sighed and took on a teaching tone as she said, “You Altii are so young still. All magiks have their roots in the elements. You see the colors of magik, yes?” I nodded and she said, “They are from the six base elements.”

I interrupted, I knew this much. “There are but five. Earth - green, Fire - red, Air - black, Water – blue, and Nature - purple. Depending on the mix in any particular Techromancer, the colors vary across the rainbow.” I smiled thinking myself clever.

She chuckled. “In the loosest sense yes. But the element lost to most Altii is the magik of the people. The spirit element. White magics. But even the people don't know all there is to know about magiks, take you, for instance, how do you explain amber energy? The yellow that dominates it is unknown to us.”

I tried to wrap my head around what she was saying, there were six elemental magics, not five? And she pronounced magic with a hard k. She saw me working through it. Then she said, “I can taste your strong affinity for earth, but something more that binds it to your very core. And...” then she smiled as her eyes returned to blue. “And what has your power in flux, unresolved. You have not yet blossomed.”

Blossomed? Oh, did she mean. “But I ignited a couple months back.”

She shook her head. “That awakened what you call your Techromancer magiks. I am speaking of the magik of the people, it wars inside of you, needing release. I fear your other energies are interfering. You must allow the two to coexist or you will be stuck in between like this.”

Then she opened the box and pulled out what looked like a clear glob of melted glass about the size of a fist and she put it on the table. I could see white wisps of energy dancing within it. She smiled at my surprise and said, “The energies of the spirit are much more versatile and malleable than the energies you wield, it can be imbued into objects as tools for the people, charms, wards...” Her lips twitched into a wicked smile. “...curses.”

She smiled at my reaction then said, “You Altii are starting to realize the potential of your energies and are beginning to build crude tools to do the same. Like when you capture a magik spark to power your machines.” That caused me to raise my eyebrows, so we were starting to realize what the Mountain Gypsies seem to have mastered long ago.

She looked at the glass on the table and said, “That is a seeing stone. Those blessed or cursed with the Sight like you and I can use it to focus our sight to reveal possible futures.”

I whispered in awe, “Possible futures? Not the actual future?”

She shook her head with a gentle smile. “No child. People have free will, and depending on decisions they make at the moment, they can alter the outcome. What we see is what will come to pass if a person's decisions remain the same.”

Then she said something mother, Donovan, Fredrick, and my Lady Celeste have all said. “Even the smallest thing can have a huge effect on the outcome of any event. You kick a pebble off a path as you walk and the fastest horse in your realm, who was fated to split a hoof on the pebble, is spared the pain. So instead of going to the livery to have it checked, that horse and its rider are tasked to deliver medicines to stem a plague. Being the fastest horse, he arrives a day before any others could have, saving dozens that would have died had you left the pebble be. That single, seemingly unimportant decision, made all the difference.”