The Magi Lunations: Maebry's Vision

Nineteen

12th Day of Stag Moon

Dr. Norwich's desk was covered with star maps. She guzzled tea like she'd been up all night.

"Sit. Sit," she commanded.

"What's all this?"

"My wife helped me discreetly pull some maps of stellar collisions. Did you know the Corporeals just saw these for the first time a few years ago? I had no idea. I knew Einstein had predicted them. I just can't believe their technology is only now seeing them. Alas," she drained her ergonomic teacup, "she informed me that there are several different kinds of stellar collisions. I thought studying these might give you some insight into your vision."

She turned four old maps, hand drawn by Balthasars, toward me.

"Which one looks the most like your vision?"

I grimaced. "I'd say this one."

Dr. Norwich smiled. "That woman is so brilliant...She said that's what you'd seen. This is apparently what the Corporeals call a neutron star merger. It's what happens when neutron stars orbit too closely and eventually they get sucked into each other's power. This either leads to a black hole or a new star. To the Corporeals, it looks like a tiny flash of light, but as Magi we can see the paths of stars already. To us, it appears like an – "

"An explosion in the sky."

She leaned forward with her restrained enthusiasm. "Yes. Today the Balthasars interpret whether or not the stellar collision is a good or a bad omen based on whether it results in the birth of a new star or a black hole. So if –"

"If I'm really looking through Terah's eyes, even if I can't translate what he's writing, I can interpret the meaning of the vision based on whether or not he sees a black hole or a new star."

"Smart girl. So we've got to work harder. We've got to get to the very end of your vision. You've got to see if he looks up or not."

Dr. Norwich forced me through yoga poses, lit candles, and chanted – but no visions appeared today.

"Keep working in the crypt. You're close to controlling your powers. Just be patient."

+

"For Balthasars, what's the difference between stellar collisions?"

Esperanza adjusted her glasses. "The outcome – a black hole means it's a bad omen, a new star means it's a good omen. Why?"

I calibrated my language carefully, "Can you...How could someone tell the difference without equipment?"

She frowned. "With Magi eyes, you can see quick bright emissions of light – that's the gamma rays – if a new star spirals together. But it's over super quick, and even with our eyes, you might not see it. With our telescopes, black holes look more like a lunar eclipse, and new stars combining looks like a woven infinity symbol."

"Why do you ask?"

I shrugged. "Just curious."

13th Day of Stag Moon

"You don't need to send a Dear-John-break-up letter to someone you've met one time."

I sighed.

I'd been trying to explain to Biltmore that I needed to tell Yohana what was going on between us. He had the right to know.