Magistaire Chronicles: Shadows of the Past

Chapter 30

She came to him while the children slept, bathing Zanius with her sharp chill. He'd only ever truly felt anything when she was around, but he didn't know what it was—fear, loathing, perhaps? Whatever the feeling, he hated it. He wished she'd disappear forever. Couldn't she see how much he suffered in her presence? What was he saying? Of course, she did, and she loved every second of it.

The wizard listened to the wind's pained shrieks and shivered, watching his fire erupt into the air while wringing his hands. It petered out as quickly as it swelled, leaving not the faintest trail of smoke behind.

Zanius straightened atop the felled tree he sat on, his orbs trembling in his pockets, clacking together as they tried to escape. A flute drowned out their sound, its melody freezing the wizard in place when he tried to rise. His mouth gaped but only gave way to thin sighs when he tried to speak.

"Ah ah, my little insect."

Zanius blinked, and she stood before him, every shadow cast by the moons and stars clinging to her. They slid down her black dress and leggings, pooling beneath her dancer's shoes. "There will be no speaking that name." She shook her finger at him like a scolding priestess, each wag sending knives into the wizard's chest. "You lost that right, remember?"

"You..." Strain weighed down Zanius' voice. "Begone..." He eyed the tear-shaped ocarina hanging from her neck, watching it sway from side to side. "I'll not look at you a second longer!"

She grabbed a fistful of his hair and jerked his head back, forcing him to stare into her cat-like eyes. Gravel filled her peppy voice. "You'll do as your god demands!"

Zanius gaped at the man staring down at him, his silver hair tied into a single braid draping down his shoulder. A flute as clear as a stream dangled from one of the loops in his knife-like ears, swinging from side to side. Releasing the wizard's hair from his grasp, he sat at the wizard's side.

"You would feign surprise?" He crossed a leg over his knee. "A new face isn't enough for me to hide from someone like you."

"Couldn't give it a rest?" Zanius used every muscle in his face to speak, his head throbbing. "No one else to make writhe in your presence?"

The cat-eyed figure shut his eyes and blew air from his pierced nose. "Imbecile," he huffed. "I am everywhere and everything at once, as all Gods are."

Zanius drew his brow together. "You're no God."

"I am as I said I am. The same as you, wouldn't you say?"

The wizard's gaze hardened, and he stared forward into the darkness of the night.

The figure's slit pupils shrank, and he looked to the treeline, grinning to reveal the magic symbols etched on his jagged teeth. "Playing protector, are we? Planning to safe keep that boy from me?" He laughed, the sound as soft as a whisper. "Do what you want, but you're going to fail, you and anyone who swears allegiance to Galdraenae."

"Oberon, Celeste, their destinies always lead them back to me." The cat-eyed figure leaned in closer, resting an arm on Zanius' shoulder. "I'll allow you to believe he's safe for now. But you're no savior, Zanius—all you are is mine, just as Elies, Hazelmere, and Liarra will be."

***********

Dull was the perfect description of Ayko's day since he awoke that morning—dull and frigid like the look in Ilta's eyes. What did he expect? He should have known that smile was a fluke. Still, what did she dream about? It must have been something good since she woke up after him, for once. Of course, Ayko had only awoken to relieve himself, but it still counted if he had anything to say about it.