The Moonstone (Enchantment Book 1) (10 page)

"What exactly is the Academy?"

"It's a two-week training course, a sort of rite of passage for those who seek to become warriors. You know, for humans, having a child who wants to become a doctor or a lawyer becomes a source of pride for their parents. Well, for enchanters, becoming a warrior represents the same thing. I’m too much of a pacifist and solitary to be one of them. As for our quest, it's essential that you pick your own team."

"My team? Are we talking about a type of sport?"

"No, it's a combat team. Each group is made up of members, each one with a different sign. Normally most teams are missing a member with Ether as their sign, so teams are usually made up of four members. That's why your being Ether will make things easier. Not only will you be able to choose your own team, but you’ll also be the leader. Just imagine the advantage we'll have if we take off in search of the Emerald Table, they'll be able to help us."

"But don't warriors just fight?"

"There hasn't been a war between enchanters and humans for a long while. Starting one would cause us to blow our cover, and there are too few of us to risk it. As long as they pass their examinations each year, warriors are free to set out on just quests. They need to keep their magic and combat training up-to-date to prepare for the eventuality that war breaks out."

"And how do they make a living? Who do they work for?"

"Warriors have a right to free food, lodging and equipment. They are highly respected by enchanters because they make a promise to sacrifice their life to protect us in times of war. You'll see; you will be received like celebrities anywhere you go. For all other spending money, they usually fill other various contracts to earn money. Some defend cities, other protect important enchanters."

"What will we do once we find the table?"

"The most important is what we won't do. There are people in the world who think only of domination and would seek to rule the human race. We want peace once and for all. I think the best thing would be to use the tablet to negotiate a peace treaty between humans and enchanters, then the leaders would soften the laws concerning relations between humans and enchanters."

Charles rolls an old globe that sits on his desk.

"The world is certainly big enough for us all, and believe me, all that we want is to co-exist, to be allowed to mingle with humans without being reprimanded by our people."

"The Tablet only serves to keep evil enchanters' hopes of domination alive. We will be able to negotiate a treaty with regards to the laws between humans and enchanters and, therefore, re-establish peace. We should always be discreet and keep our warriors close at hand just in case. Humans are not ready to know the truth yet, and they could perceive us as a threat."

"So, I'll never be able to admit the truth to my parents?"

Charles lowers his eyes and shakes his head.

"They wouldn't understand, Lou, how could they? Put yourself in their shoes. Regardless of the amount they love you, and believe me, they love you deeply, they would never allow their only daughter to go into danger."

He looks at me skeptically as if saying the word danger might make me back up.

"I’ll stand my ground Charles, I owe this to my mother and don't you worry about it, I won't say anything to my parents, anyway, I doubt they would believe me."

He backs up his chair and smiles at me, offering me the jar full of caramels. Why would I deprive myself when I know I have such a vital need for them? I take two or three and walk toward the library on my right.

"All these books, Jules Verne, Shakespeare, Molière, aren't there any authors who are enchanters?"

Charles stands up, comes to join me and pulls Moby Dick off the shelf.

"I must have read this one a thousand times. Yes, Lou, we do have writers, but as a rule, they write historical stories that relate to our people’s past. There is nothing to compare to human literature, they are so...fragile!"

"And fragility is a prerequisite for writing a good book!?"

"Of course it is! We enchanters can recognize our emotions, but I have to tell you that we are rather neutral with regard our state of mind. We feel joy, love, and anger, but not in all its subtlety and nuances. I’m fascinated by the range of emotions humans can express; pride, sloth, envy, vanity, and most of all, fear."

"But sometimes I feel all those emotions, and me... I'm one of you, aren't I?"

"Humans raised you, and they had an influence on you. You were not born with those emotions; you acquired them. Maybe you’ve the same fascination for those emotions I do because you also love books, from what I’ve seen. But, just think for a moment, yes, you are a little worried, but real fear, I doubt it, if not, you wouldn't be here with me at this moment after all you went through yesterday. A normal human would have had a heart attack! Also, haven't you always felt different than the others, as if you couldn't relate to them? That's because you don't experience what they do."

His words strike home, and I blush and look away. I thought that I was taking after my father and that the daily drama just wasn't important to me.

"Does that mean that we’re insensitive beings?

Charles laughs and lightly pats my cheek.

"Far from it, it's simply that our emotions are honest and pure. That's probably why we love with our whole heart, and it's for eternity. All the small details and day-to-day routine that make a human feel the need to take a break are an absolute comfort to us."

I love the way he explains things; despite a rather young countenance, he speaks like an old sage.

"Why didn't you break your vow to the community? Why didn't they ban you like they did with Gisèle and Gertrude?

"Because I never did any against them. I was also lucky enough to fall in love with an enchanter, and not a human like Gertrude."

"And for Gisèle?"

"For Gisèle, it's mostly for personal reasons. Her twin sister had pity on a dying human child. She had the same gift I do and created a potion to save her, which worked. But, by treating her, she broke the pact, and another enchanter betrayed her. The Council banned her and killed the little girl. They said she meddled with free will and that the girl would have died otherwise. Gisèle's sister could not accept the idea that the child had been so savagely killed and committed suicide. Gisèle was disgusted with the Council and banished herself in front of the shocked Council members. Self-banishment never happens."

All of a sudden it made sense. All that Gisèle's had to endure in her past could explain her difficult character and I suddenly feel sympathy for the poor woman.

"That's so sad! But her sister...she felt pity for a human being?"

"Certain enchanters are more sensitive to human emotions than others and the more time we spend with them, the more they rub off on us.”

"Gisèle must resent humans, then."

"Not as much as she does enchanters. That's why she joined our cause. She wants to help re-establish the balance and help to bring down the Council."

A door slams in the distance, and then nothing. After a few seconds, light footsteps approach on the hardwood floors. I turn and spot a little ball of fur wriggling towards us.

"Mr. Merlin, how are you? And where is that little brat, Flicka?"

He picks up the furry little beast I identify as a ferret, its odor giving it away. Who is this Mr. Merlin?

"Is this a polymorph like Gertrude?"

"Oh, goodness, no. It's a ferret! Can't you tell?"

"How am I supposed to know what it is, given that yesterday Gertrude turned into a panther? If I hadn't seen her transform with my own eyes, I would never have known she wasn't a real one."

He hands me the ferret, me, the one who detests anything that looks like a rat. Not that they frighten me, but it's more that I find them disgusting. Regardless of my qualms, I accept the animal. How could I refuse a host who keeps me well stocked in candies and chocolates? The ferret approaches his clammy little snout to me, ignoring my apparent disdain, and nuzzles my neck while licking my ear.

"Blech! Can you take this little rodent back, please? He's licking me!" I say, handing the little animal back, who now looks at me with an expression that seems to say, "what's up with her?”

Hurried footsteps ring out in the hallway.

"Oh, that's where you are, you little knucklehead! I've been looking everywhere for you, didn't I tell you not to go and lick perfect strangers. One day someone is going to turn you into a shish-kebab."

A petite brunette with long straight hair enters the room and grabs the beast from my hands. She then wraps it around her neck like a scarf and Mr. Merlin offers her the same greeting he had given me only moments earlier.

"Hi, my name is Flicka! And you must be Lou. I'm so sorry about Merlin; he adores new faces. Oh, my, my! Caramels! Uncle, you know those are my favorites!" says the energetic young woman, grabbing the last two caramels to my dismay. It seems this is the niece that Charles told me about yesterday. She wears green tights and high leather boots with wings adorning the back of her calves. Her sweater is also green, and she wears a leather corset that is laced up the front. The cuffs of her sleeves are punctuated with bracelets that match the green of her clothing perfectly. Her features are delicate, and given her small stature, she seems to be light as a feather.

"Lou, this is my niece, she's the one who’s going to guide you in your new life, so you would be best to make friends with her. Flicka, bring Lou out to the lake, I'll join you in a few minutes, she needs to practice before we leave."

Charles leaves the room, and Flicka grabs me by the wrist, pulling me towards the exit at full speed.

"Come on, Lou, we need to bring out the little witch in you, and we don't have all day. I’m looking forward to our training, I've been dreaming about it for years, and now I'm of age, I'm dying to go."

She spits all this out at such high speed! I can't help but wonder at the incredible energy that lies within her tiny body. We end up standing next to the lake and at that moment I only have one wish, to run and jump into the water. As soon as I think it, the girl beside me stops and backs up a couple of steps, then, puts her hand over her mouth and looks me over as if I were a sculpture in progress.

"No, that won't do at all."

"What's wrong?"

"Your look! It's not at all credible, it's so...human!"

"Well, of course, it is! I was raised by them, didn't your uncle tell you?"

"Oh, yes, my little Tarzan, I know, but honestly, he didn't warn me there would be so much work to do!"

I'm beginning to realize that the two of us might find it hard to live together.

"Why did you call me Tarzan?"

"Because Tarzan was raised by monkeys and had to re-learn everything to become a human being."

"Are you comparing humans to monkeys? Are you kidding?"

"Oh, well obviously someone doesn't have a sense of humor this morning! Listen, I didn't mean to insult you, it was just a little joke. I adore humans and believe me; I just want to help you. It's true that enchanters are sometimes intolerant of humans. Most of those who you’ll cross paths with at the training session are taking the course to become warriors and secretly dream of world domination. They’ll be much less tolerant of the fact that you have human parents."

I believe I don't have a choice but to follow her advice because I have no intention of being bullied my first day there. And God knows how bad harassment can be when the bully has magical powers.

"Help me, then, instead of standing there bellyaching!"

"Yessss! I've been dreaming of this day since my Uncle told me about you. In fact, to be honest, he showed me your photo, and I brought a suitcase of clothing just for you. Follow me."

She takes me by the hand; clearly she likes to be in control. We enter the house under the questioning gaze of Charles.

"We won't be long, Uncle. I need to skip right to the metamorphosis stage of our plan."

Charles and Gertrude look at each other and give in with a shrug. We run up the stairs that lead to my makeshift bedroom.

"I love this spot; it's such a nice change from the city."

"You live in the city? Which one?" I inquire, intrigued.

"The city we’re going to together, the one where they’ll hold the training. It’s one of the largest enchanted cities in the country. It’s about an hour from here, you'll see, you'll love it."

"And how can you have your own city without anyone noticing it?"

"You're a curious little one, aren't you? I won't reveal all our secrets until I determine that you're not a spy sent here by the humans. Tell me, you're not, are you?"

She points her ferret at me as if it were a weapon.

"Answer me, if not, I'll order him to start back up with his wet welcome. Oh, Mr. Merlin, you want to kiss her earlobe, don't you?"

She puts him closer to my face and he begins to sniff me with his icy snout.

"Stop, stop! I'm not a spy; I swear it!"

She takes back the ferret and backs away.

"Ok, I believe you. Anyway, you don't have what it takes to be a credible liar. That's why you need my help."