Enchantress Awakening: Part One of the Book of Water (The Elemental Cycle 1) (24 page)

“How many people know?”

“None but you have made it plain. Cynric, who so loves the tales of Albion, has long suspected. Aldred must have questioned the concurrence of our talents.”

“He presumed you were a relation.”

“He told you that? Hmmm. Is that what convinced you?”

“Not alone. I knew from the moment I told you of it that you too had met with Loreliath. The Tovrik I have seen since then is not the jester you display in your shows. Most of all it was Rosamund who convinced me.”

“She has suspicions?”

“No, but seeing just a little of her skills in your art revealed how simple a trick it would be for you to assume a role that tricks people into missing what should be so apparent. Today hearing you speak of the Kingdom, though you tried to do it plainly, I felt the pain of someone who was there at the time. That is the part I cannot fathom but you said yourself, wizards have their ways.”

“You are correct in all but one assumption.”

“What is that?”

“It is no simple trick.” There was a twinkle in Tovrik’s eyes at this admission. “As with all things you see to the heart of the Art of Illusion. All illusionists are tricksters making play with things that are not there.” A solid dark grey sword appeared in Tovrik’s hand from coalescing smoke of the same hue. “Were I to swing this at you, do you imagine it would hurt?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“It appears like a real sword with real weight and real edges.”

“Yet you know it is not. You know with all your mind that it is an illusion.” Caleigh looked again at the sword and in parts it appeared less than solid, while its edges seem to lose some of their distinction. “So would it hurt?”

“I believe so.”

“As much as a real sword?”

“No.”

“Quite. I daresay this sword could still harm you, but that knowledge you possess would spare you from some harm.” The sword paled to translucence then vanished.

“How is this different to summoning?”

“It is a lie compared to the truth. If I could summon a sword it would be real, it would have crossed into the plain of reality like a newborn child. When an illusion is conjured it is always a lie and the bigger the lie the more power it takes to work it.” Tovrik held his palm aloft and a ball of purple fire erupted into life hanging several inches above the skin. Hot air radiated out from all around the leaping tongues of off colour flame.

“Why is it purple?”

“That is a good question that surprisingly few people ask. As it is a lie there is always some concession that has to be made to the lie. Most conjurers would bring forth a perfectly believable yellow and orange fire that would look most lifelike but lack any real heat. I choose to make a concession to the colour instead. As with most spells, the less reality has to be stretched the easier the spell is to cast and maintain.”

“Is a purple flame not a bigger lie than a lifelike one?”

“No, the flame itself is the lie; the unlikely colour gives people the chance to see the truth that it is, in fact, an illusion. Think of it in terms of your own art. Persuading someone to do something they want to do is fairly easy as you are asking them to be true to themselves. On the other hand, persuading someone to do something to which they are opposed requires them to accept a version of reality that is untrue, which is why is takes more power. You may wonder how I have lived so long, again the lie I have wrought makes concessions to the truth.”

“Well, you do not look...err, one hundred?”

“One hundred years and four and twenty, and I thank you for saying so.” Tovrik pulled out a wand from around the head of his staff, one of four he kept there. “I trust you not to speak of this spell to others. As far as I know, I am the only one who knows it.”

“I shall not speak of it.”

“I could look any way I please: I could appear beautiful, strong and youthful, I could take the form of a woman or a monster if I had the desire. Many illusionists can create a visage that is false but if you touch it you will feel the same flesh that was there before. Some can alter their form temporarily a few can even curse others to take the form of other creatures.”

“You mean those tales of princes being turned into frogs are true?”

“I have never heard of it happening to a prince but, in theory, such would be possible.”

“Forever or just for a time?”

“Well, if you recall the tale it is until he is kissed by a woman. With such curses there must always be a condition, some concession to the truth. Admittedly, it would take a powerful curse indeed to impose a condition that outlandish. Also, the mere act of turning a person into a frog would take a powerful wizard for similar reasons. A man and a frog are very different creatures.”

“What would be an easy creature to change a man into?”

“Something roughly man-sized and similar in anatomy.”

“Such as...?”

“A dog or a large hog, perhaps a large cat like a panther. Of all creatures that come to mind I imagine an ape would be the easiest thing, having limbs like unto a man.” Tovrik could see by her expression Caleigh had heard of neither a panther of an ape. “I shall lend you one of my books on animals so you can see for yourself.”

“I would like that.”

“In any event, I am straying from the point. There are a few wizards who can work curses such as these but I have yet to meet another who can change and maintain that change over time. Now, Caleigh, after all I have told you can you not guess how I have lived this long?”

“I have an idea. Caerddyn was old when he disappeared but Tovrik was once a young man so you must have changed yourself into a young man.”

“Quite so.”

“But...?”

“Why do I not stay young?”

“Well...yes.”

“It is hard for the young to understand I’m sure. Hard for most perhaps. Why would any, if they had the gift of eternal youth spurn it and allow themselves to grow old? I may not lack in intellectual vanity yet I can fairly say physical vanity is not one of my flaws. I only asked time to accept the lie of my youth once. Likewise, I did not change my features from those I had as a young man. Fortunately, even those old enough to remember Caerddyn are fooled easily enough by a change of hair and different beard and that requires no magic to keep up.”

“So you are happy to let yourself age again. I admire that; most would use this power endlessly.”

“Which is why I do not let everyone know I have this power. I think if I had stayed young some would start to notice and I would have no peace from demands to make everyone perfect and forever young. Yet I am not without some fear of ageing, the outside may wither over time but I keep my insides fresh. Otherwise, I would not have stood for this long boasting of my cleverness without a chair.” Tovrik finished with a chuckle. Caleigh smiled in union with him.

“Could you keep people young if you wished?”

“Maybe, for a time perhaps then I would have to work the spell over and again.”

“I envy you this skill.”

“Why? You are young and many times more beautiful than I ever was.”

“Not for myself. I think more of Cynric’s wounded leg, of Ellie’s cousin, who was trodden on by an ox, of Dame Edith, feeling herself unable to match the youthful girls she imagines to be more deserving of her husband. What of Saebald, could this spell have mended his shredded lungs?”

“Those are hard cases to answer.”

“Forgive me, I did not mean to suggest that you should have done these things.”

“Nonetheless, it deserves an answer for it is something you will have to face many times as your power grows. First of all, this power of mine does not heal and it does not always succeed, being as it is an immensely difficult spell to work. I have offered to help Cynric with his leg and he has no interest in it.”

“Why?”

“He received that wound on a day a score of his riders, close friends and kin amongst them, died. The wound itself he took saving a number more. To him his wound is a fair payment for being allowed to save those he did and a reminder of those he lost. Ellie’s cousin I cannot speak for other than to say the illusion may only work for so long, mayhap long enough for truthful healing to happen. Imagine I made him hale for a time only for him to fall back into ill health as soon as the spell faded. Would he thank me for reminding him of what he had lost? And Dame Edith, with her youth returned would still compare herself unfavourably with others for that is how she sees herself whether it is true or no.”

“Yes, I think you are right.”

“And with Saebald, I could not unshatter his bones nor unpierce his flesh. A metamorphosis of one who is hale and aware can be trial enough, to attempt to do so with a dying man would be futile.”

“Then I can understand why you do not share this knowledge. When will you reveal to the others here that you are Caerddyn?”

“You believe I should?”

“I believe that our cause would be stronger if we could rally around Caerddyn as well as the message of Loreliath.”

“That time may come, for the meantime secrecy aids us more than fame.”

24. Control and Abandon

The next week the lunchtime gathering was the busiest it had yet been in Elevered. In addition to the newcomers of Bryn and Rhiannon, Gideon had returned from his wanders in the west to re-join them at the table. Elevered as a castle was growing too, below the Enchanting wing of the library the potions room that was previously the sole domain of druidry was expanded to make room for Rhiannon’s new work and, likewise, the forge was given a further annex to house Bryn’s wares. Higher up in the castle further space was being made to create a common bathroom reminiscent of those they had encountered in Minerva after Caleigh convinced Caerddyn, or so she called him when in private, that some would prefer a larger space to wash than in the wooden tubs that were brought to their rooms.

After lunch Caleigh went up to the practice room as per Tovrik’s instructions and to her slight surprise found not Vaughn but Gideon waiting for her. “It’s been a while, has it not?” Gideon said in way of greeting.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                “It seems like years. I thought you were relieved not to be teaching anymore or have you missed giving lessons?” Caleigh asked playfully.

“I’ve missed my student a little perhaps but this was Vaughn’s suggestion. We want to work on improving your defences and he thought that would be better demonstrated by one whose defences can still outmatch your growing power. Vaughn is a good wizard so if he speaks truly you have indeed come a long way in a short time. Thusly this leaves only Tovrik, Mabon and myself. Mabon will continue your lessons eventually but we thought it best if you were able to start with someone more familiar.”

“I know not what to say. I am shocked that Vaughn thinks I have progressed so far.”

“Do not get too far ahead of yourself. Vaughn could still easily best you in a duel. Raw power is not everything.”

“I doubt it not for a single moment.”

“My apologies, I know you are not vain about your gift. I meant merely to remind you that talent, skill and craft are all different.”

“I am sure, for example Aethelbald can match me at duelling yet you do not reckon him highly as a wizard.”

“I may have to revise my opinion on that. He has improved greatly since you arrived. I see you have your own wand now.”

“Aldred made it for me.”

“Then it will be of the highest quality. Use it to make a shield spell.” Caleigh held her wand out and about its tip the air rippled faintly to form a disk invisible to mundane eyes.

“The shield spell is good but it can be broken.” Gideon flicked a shudder spark at the shield; the spark fizzled around where it touched eating up the energy field then disappearing “And does not provide protection against all kinds of spells.” Gideon lifted his palm and Caleigh became airborne for a second and then hit the ground again unsteadily. “That is why we need to be able to protect ourselves when our shielding fails. Reform the shield then cast a spell at me.” The shield shimmered into place then from Caleigh’s wand a spark flew at Gideon. No shield intercepted it and it travelled unimpeded to Gideon’s hand. On impact he shook his hand slightly but managed to hold onto his wand and maintain control. “Keep casting” He bid.

“
Enervate
.” Caleigh cried and a pin width stream of white-blue energy arced at Gideon before being diverted on the edge of the wand into the wall where it dissipated harmlessly. At a nod from the older wizard Caleigh continued her attack. “
Exanimate
” A bolt of crackling red energy rushed from Caleigh’s wand with great speed hitting Gideon’s crossed palm and wand almost instantly and turning back with the same pace towards her coiling chaotically as it passed through her shield. She fell back weakly yet still retaining a full grip on her senses and from a sitting position looked up at Gideon quizzically.

“I should be happy, that was the first time I have performed that spell with success and yet instead I am on the floor again. Why did my shield fail?”

“It did not fail. You are not sprawled and dazed. It did not succeed wholly either because your magical power far outstrips your control of your defences at present.”

“I have a feeling this will be a lesson long in learning.” Caleigh sighed rising to her feet.

“Which is why we must give you more than one line of defence.” Gideon gave her enough time to resettle herself before resuming. “This time I shall attack you and you will have no shield. Use your wand to block.”

“
Anivate
.” The shudder spark shot out from Gideon’s wand; Caleigh put up her wand to stop it. For a moment she felt her wrist shuddering and fingers start to twitch. “Force it into the wand.” The wand vibrated for a fraction of a heartbeat then slipped out of her fingers onto the floor.

“I couldn’t control it.”

“Not this time. It will come with practice and we shall practice for a while longer yet but more importantly when you leave here you must continue to train your mind.”

“How can I do that?”

“Remember our first lessons when I told you to clear your mind?”

“Yes, do I have to start again?”

“No, I want you to remember that sense of peace despite distractions around you.”

“Can you give me an example?”

“Try not to laugh the next time someone amuses you.”

“That doesn’t sound fun. Must I learn dullness?”

“Not at all, the skill is not to divest yourself of the enjoyment but to sever it from your outward reaction. I am by no means suggesting that you do this forever, just once or twice.”

“Very well.”

For the following days Caleigh tried various ways to divorce her expressions from her feelings with varying degrees of success. Stifling her laughter was possible, stifling her laughter without losing the fun was somewhat harder because part of the fun of shared amusement was that it was shared. She could prick herself with a knife point and not yelp for which there seemed to be neither gain in the cause nor the end since she had no other occasion to perform this trick. What she needed was a real test of her resolve by means of her powers and in Elevered she always felt protected from being overcome like she had been in Minerva.

The solution came to her when trying to learn the fundamentals of charms in potion form with Rhiannon. “With the right ingredients could I make potions that carry the charms I can perform?”

“Yes, if you assisted me with the enchantment then it would be much easier than if I did it alone.”

“I am happy to help.” Caleigh gave her an encouraging hug around the hips and watched her smile. Even a couple of weeks away from the cruel regime of the priestesses had worked wonders on her. Her bruises had faded and her skin was cleaner having been relieved of working next to pipes every day. She had gained a tiny bit of weight and already looked the haler for it. Rhiannon was naturally on the waifish side and would never be full of figure. Nonetheless, just a little bit of care had enabled her fragile prettiness to really shine through. “What would happen if I consumed a potion of my own charisma charm whilst performing the charm at the same time?”

“I do not know rightly, maybe that you would feel the effect twofold.” Caleigh wondered at this, would a double dosage of her charm test her control enough to make a breakthrough with her defensive spells?

Her practical defence sessions were increased from three to six times a week with Mabon taking the alternative lessons to focus purely on improving her shielding while Gideon continued teaching her about absorbing and blocking spells. Mabon, as she expected, did not have Vaughn’s learn-by-doing approach nor Gideon’s mix of philosophy and experiment. He believed in the discipline of extensive study supported with thorough preparation. For the first few sessions they did not perform any spells, focussing instead on memorising how the human body was put together and the names for all the rocks and metals that lived within the earth. Although grateful for the new knowledge Caleigh could not help but feel the main aim of these exercises was to turn her mind to mush. Mabon hinted as much might in fact be the case. “Magic is the supreme act of creativity. There are only two real defences once it has been turned in your direction; one, immense willpower and two, rigid mental discipline. In short, that burst of creativity must be met with a wall of dreariness and disbelief.”

“How may I disbelieve in magic when I know it to exist?”

“That does not mean you should permit it to fool you.” The trouble was magic did take her in; it fascinated her and teased her senses. In Elevered of all places it seemed an impossible task to remain down-to-earth, particularly as every other day Gideon would demonstrate its wonder with typical flair. Though she enjoyed these lessons more she did not feel she made any more progress in them. The end of October reared into view and the sudden waxing of her powers she felt during her trip to Minerva started to look like a distant memory.

“That is the main reason why it is so important to teach you how to learn control.” Gideon answered when she shared this concern.

“What do you mean?”

“It is important that you learn how to defend yourself from other wizards, it is true, but most of the time while you are in Elevered that is not our first concern. What troubles us most is the danger you may pose to yourself if your powers continue to develop beyond your control. Vaughn told me what happened to you the first night you stayed at Minerva?”

“Everything?”

“He told me that you were almost killed trying to perform the phoenix charm.”

“I was not trying to do it.”

“Then that is all the more concerning. Have you studied that charm in detail?”

“I have read a bit about it since I’ve been back.”

“Then you should know that through study no wizard would attempt that spell until they had first learned how to protect themselves from heat and charmed the fire so that it does not burn themselves and everything within touch.”

“Can you teach me that then? If this is the control I need.”

“Yes, it compliments what we have done so there is no conflict. It is better we do it in this room where you cannot be harmed than anywhere else. I should confess I can only help you so much. The phoenix charm in its full is a spell only Enchanters can perform.”

“It matters not, as you said, it is the parts before that I need to learn.”

“Can you bring it forth?” Gideon stepped back to allow room. Caleigh tried to make the flame appear to no avail. Closing her eyes she tried to picture herself washing before all the bathers in the great bath room, her moments with Vaughn and with Gideon and all the rush of desires that swam her way that night in Minerva. Still no flame appeared.

“I cannot do it.”

“Hmm, maybe that is well. Perhaps you will be able to come to it through study this time.”

“That’s not what I mean. I can do it but not here where I feel safe and protected.” Gideon frowned thoughtfully. He tapped his palm then spoke words of a tongue unknown to Caleigh. Fire flared forth around his hand lapping hungrily up into the air. With a flex of his fingers the fire vanished and he turned back to his student.

“It appears I come to this spell from a different direction to you. We shall have to think on this.”

Caleigh was not too disheartened and had initially found some success in protecting herself from heat until the reality of being burnt broke her concentration and caused the spell to break with it. The reason she was not too disheartened had little to do with that, however, the cause for her pleasure was that the charisma potion was nearly ready. Having spent several days with Rhiannon demonstrating the spell and after going through sheaf after sheaf of the library scrolls and what they had taken from Minerva, Rhiannon was able to find the necessary ingredients from the castle stores.

Sunday was a welcome relief; today she had no punishing practice sessions and after the evening meal she would get to try the new potion. Rhiannon came directly to Caleigh’s chamber as they were not sure what effect it might have on bystanders. The potion was in a small phial and was of glowing pink, swirling like something halfway between a mist and liquid. “How much should I drink?”

“A full mouthful should be enough...err, I think.” The pair exchanged nervous grins then Caleigh swigged back enough liquid to fill her cheeks.

“I’m not sure what to exp...” The room swirled out of focus and she was watching Aethelbald furiously beating his rod with the memory of Caleigh’s nude form firmly etched in his head. Caleigh smiled inwardly at the thought she had retained his interest. Various scenes from the village below flitted past her never pausing for long enough for her to identify any of the couples in congress. Then she was with Penric, also attending to himself while imagining walking into a bath house to see herself, Ellie and Rosamund all naked and awaiting him.
Be not greedy Penric
. Penric was gone and Ellie was before her instead, kneeling on all fours atop her bed with Tamric entering her from behind.
Ellie, you little harlot! Think of Penric!
A voice echoed in her head, a voice calling her name. Her room snapped back into focus and she was lying on her bed looking up at a concerned Rhiannon leaning over her and clearing her hair from her face.