The Lost Mage (49 page)

Well, after I saw the giant’s light ray hit the demon thingy, I thought I’d have charbroiled lizard for dinner.

Darakin looked at the steamy, gooey remains of the krekdapop and laughed. “Sorry, I’ll help you find some lizard when we get home, okay?”

At the mention of his return to his realm, Nora stepped back. In an instant her demeanor went from relieved to angry.

“We should be going. Someone might come to investigate that lightning strike or the fire.” She started walking away.

Darakin picked up Mrowley and rushed to catch up to her. “Are you …”

“Am I what?”

“Are you coming with us to see the, um …?”

“The what? The dryad? You want to know if I’ll come watch you and Mrowley leave, do you?”

“Well, yes,” Darakin looked at his feet, not wanting to look her in the eye.

Though she wanted to be home in the privacy of her bedroom where she could have a good cry, she couldn’t bear to give up another few minutes with him. “Aye, I’ll come.”

“Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.”

“To whom?”

“What?”

“To whom should I not mention it?”

“Nobody,” she sighed. “It’s just an expression we use here. When someone says thank you, you can say don’t mention it, if it wasn’t a bother or anything. Of course, in this case, it is a bother because it’s, I mean my heart is … oh, never mind.”

Darakin said nothing. He wished things had been different – that he’d met her in his own realm where his magic worked and he felt like a man who was able to support a wife. Wait, wife? Where did that come from? He shook his head.

Dude, what’s she trying to say?

“She’s going to miss us,” Darakin whispered to the cat.

Oh,
Mrowley whispered back.
I’m gonna miss her, too.

The trio headed into the woods, where they’d found the dryad. Nora wondered if she’d be able to find her way back out as Darakin expertly moved through the dark woods. The thunder and lightning had passed and all that remained was the gentle rain that barely penetrated the treetops.

“Can I hold Mrowley for a few minutes?” she asked in a choked voice.

“Of course, how thoughtless of me. I’m sorry.” He handed the cat to Nora, who held him in her arms in such a way that she could also use her hand to pet him as they walked.

Mrowley purred, enjoying the comfort of Nora’s touch.

After the better part of an hour, they heard the sound of the raindrops hitting water and Nora knew they’d arrived at the small lake where they’d found the dryad. Darakin stopped and turned to her.

“Nora –”

“Don’t. There’s nothing to say. You don’t belong here. I get it. And I wouldn’t belong in your world, so if I were to go with you, we’d be in the same boat.”

“What boat?”

Noooo. No boats! Darakin, you said we wouldn’t go in the water.

“What’s wrong with him?” Nora asked.

“He’s afraid –”

Dude! Not afraid. I just don’t like ‘em.

“I’m sorry, he’s not afraid, he just doesn’t like boats.”

She let out a small, bitter laugh. “I know I said I wouldn’t, but I think I actually will miss having to explain all of our expressions to you. The same boat means we’d be in the same circumstance.”

Phew.

“Ah.”

The two of them stood there, looking at each other, not knowing what to say. Finally, Darakin broke the silence. “Well, I guess this is it …”

A single tear fell from Nora’s eye and she handed Mrowley to Darakin. He leaned forward and kissed her. She pulled him into her arms and hugged him tightly.

A muffled voice cried out from between them.
Hey! Cat here … can’t breathe …
Mrowley managed to jump free of Darakin’s grasp and sat watching as the two embraced and kissed.

After what seemed like hours to the little cat, they separated.  “I’ll always love you, Nora.”

“Me too. Now go. All this delaying is making me think you don’t really want to go.”

“I don’t. I wish I could fit in here. But I don’t. I have to go.”

“Well then, be quick about it. Off with you.” She shooed him away with her hands.

He bent and picked up Mrowley again, before turning and walking away. Mrowley sat up and rested his paws on Darakin’s shoulder.

“Is she still there?” Darakin asked.

Yep. I think she’s leaking again, though. How come she’s not coming with us?

“Mrowley, what part of this situation have you missed? We’ve realized that neither of us fits in the other’s world, so we need to part company.”

Wait, you mean we’ll never see her again?

“Probably not.”

But I like her.

Darakin let out a sad laugh that was almost a cry. “Me too.” He felt his eyes starting to water.

Hey! You’re leaking, too.

“Yes, I am.”

Cats don’t leak.

“They droop, though. You said you were drooping the other night.”

Yes. I think I’m drooping now.

The mage kept walking, not trusting himself to speak while he struggled to gain control of his emotions.

The dryad stepped out from behind a tree. Just as before, her long hair fell gracefully around her body keeping her covered. From her location, Nora watched, her admiration of the creature mingled with jealousy as she greeted Darakin. Nora couldn’t help but wonder if the two of them would remain together when they went back to their realm.

“Mage, you’ve returned,” the dryad said.

“Yes.”

“Is the demon dead, then?”

“Yes.”

Wow! She’s pretty.

The dryad laughed. “As are you, little cat.”

Mrowley’s face reflected his pleasure. He didn’t even get mad that she’d called him “little”.
She understands me, too!

She smiled. “I understand all languages.” She looked back at Darakin. “This storm was your creation?”

“Yes.”

“It was a bizarre storm.”

“I know. I don’t really know how to balance the rain, thunder and lightning.”

“True, but how resourceful of you to return to your shamanic roots.”

“Thank you. Actually, Mrowley here gave me the idea.”

“What an astonishing little creature he is!”

Mrowley preened at the praise of the gorgeous nymph, again ignoring the word “little.”

The dryad looked back at the place where Nora still stood, watching. “You return without her?”

“Yes. We’ve realized that we don’t fit in each other’s worlds.”

Darakin and Mrowley both turned to look at Nora, who burst into tears as she saw their faces.

Dude? I … I can’t … I mean, thank you for wanting to take me and I know I would’ve liked to hunt all those mousies, and that village that makes all that rat stuff sounds awesome and I’m really gonna miss having someone to talk to, but I can’t go.

“No?” Darakin looked at the cat.

Look at her. I can’t leave her. Please, don’t be mad. I’ll stay and keep her company. Is that okay?

Once again, a feeling of loneliness welled up inside the mage, but his heart was breaking at leaving Nora alone, so he reassured the cat, saying, “Of course, Mrowley.” He gave the cat a hug and then stooped to put him on the ground.

Mrowley turned to leave but the dryad spoke up. “So, you have the opportunity to stay with someone who actually understands you and to be free in the woods to hunt as you please, yet you choose instead to remain tethered to a person who has to guess at your desires? And you do this all because her sadness is too much for you to bear?”

Yes.

“What a noble creature you are! I would grant you a blessing, cat, before you return to her.”

A blessing?

“Yes, like a wish. What would you like?”

Ooh! A big mousie. No wait, a steak. Oh wait, no – a giant lizard. But not like the gooey one. A roasted one. Or maybe a …

The dryad laughed. “Such simple wishes. I can do much more and will. I grant you long life. You will live far beyond your kin’s norm so that you may keep your human company for many years to come.”

No lizard then?
The cat asked in disappointment.

“Mrowley, she’s given you much better than that. Now thank her.” Darakin said, his voice breaking with emotion.

Thank you.

“You’re welcome, Mrowley.”

The cat turned and ran toward Nora, who cried even harder as the cat jumped into her arms. “You’re staying with me?” She hugged him.

Yes,
the cat squeaked.
Can’t … breathe … again.

At his cries, she loosened her grip. “It’s a steak dinner you’ll be having tonight, Mrowley.”

Yay! I
am
getting my wish.

“I don’t know what you’re saying, little kitty, but I’ll do my best to make you happy.”

Mrowley purred and rubbed against her hand.
So you should.