Elements of Change

A Good Question

Maggie led them into her home and Ezo noticed the way Alvrey looked at everything, like it was all new to her. He'd assumed she'd visited with her former master before, but she was taking stock of everything almost as closely as Kammon.

The house was cozy with a large fireplace dominating the front room. It was open on both sides, and Maggie led them around to the back side. A large wooden table sat in the kitchen and Maggie pushed Alvrey down onto a bench while she grabbed the kettle. As she placed it over the fire, she looked back at Kammon and nodded. The other elementalist smiled politely, and Ezo watched as Kammon's flames concentrated on the kettle. It only took a moment before it whistled.

"A remarkable talent," she said softly. It was completely at odds with her greeting to them, but Ezo watched as she shooed Kammon to the table. Ezo sat next to him and waited as the healer made the tea.

When Ezo glanced at Kammon, he was looking around the cottage with interest, but without the usual tension he showed whenever they arrived at a new location. When Maggie set a mug in front of him, he drank deeply.

Ezo sniffed his lightly, and he didn't hide the wrinkle in his nose at the scent of Leria. Maggie stared at him and ignored the soft huff of laughter from beside him as he sipped. "Hey, this isn't bad," he said.

Maggie rolled her eyes as she set out a tray of bread, cheese, and berries for them. Ezo wasn't hungry, so he drank his tea and waited.

Maggie took a seat at the end of the table and looked at Alvrey. "I suppose you have a tale to tell me, Acolyte."

Alvrey smiled softly at the title, though she'd been a master for years in her own right. "I can't say much more than what we've already said. We came here seeking your help. You know who Kammon is, but Ezo is an elementalist who has never studied at the Imperium."

"How did he learn, then? Wait. Nevermind." She turned her eyes to Ezo. "You tell me your story."

He looked at her for a second in surprise before he spoke. "Um, my uncle was an elementalist. He came home to care for me after my parents died, and he taught me."

"Imperator Jacob of Fairhills," Kammon added softly.

Maggie leaned forward in her chair. "Jacob taught you?"

"Yes." It was disconcerting to see his uncle mentioned like that, but he pushed the feeling away for now. He still needed to find his uncle's personal journals. He hadn't forgotten that quest, but he seemed to stack up a fair number of them lately.

"And which element do you call yours?" she asked.

Ezo looked at Kammon, and he gave a curt nod. Most people wouldn't believe him if he said it, so instead, he pulled a trick from Kammon's training. He floated a ball of water overhead, followed quickly by the other elements.

Maggie's eyes widened as she whispered, "Jacob, what were you thinking?"

Under the table, Kammon lightly touched his hand. When Ezo looked at him, Kammon nodded his head toward Maggie. He wanted Ezo to show that, also.

Ezo let out a steadying breath as he pulled the gloves off his hands and set them on the table. His hand seemed human, but a healer would know what it was on sight. He felt vulnerable, but they'd come all this way to get her help. It had nothing to do with the Vow, but she should know the extent of what she was dealing with.

She sat up straight as she saw the hand of magic he'd produced without thought since his childhood. She shook her head and leaned closer, though she didn't touch him. A second later, she looked Ezo over, then turned her attention to Kammon. "And how did you get involved in all of this?"

"I was traveling through a small city. As I settled in that night, there was a flood, and Ezo rushed out to save them."

"We saved them," Ezo corrected.

"Ezo saved them, and I just happened to wander by to save a damn fool I thought was going to drown himself. But we bonded." Kammon gave him a fond smile and Ezo couldn't help but return it.

"You didn't try to walk away from it?" Maggie asked, breaking the moment between them.

"I did, but it was instantaneous. And it's grown into something...else. We've dealt with the bond-"

"How do you deal with the bond?" Maggie interrupted.

"You accept it," Kammon said with a small smile. "I tried not to, but in the end, the magic chose."

She considered it a moment before she waved her hand for him to continue speaking.

"The reason we came to you is because of the Vow. I told you outside that it is on Ezo, but he did not speak the words. We can't return to the Imperium to ask for help, so Alvrey brought us to you."

Maggie gave him a shrewd look. "What does the Imperium want with you?"

"They want me to kill for them again. I refused, and there is at least one War-Sworn who is hunting for us in their name."

"So you came looking for help, and I can expect trouble to follow on your heels. You certainly are the Harbinger, aren't you?" She took a sip from her mug, but Ezo noticed the way her lips curled up at the edge before she drank. For all the roughness, she liked Kammon.

"Why does this always happen?" Ezo asked softly.

Kammon turned concerned eyes to him and Ezo just shook his head. "Nothing. So Alvrey thought you might understand why I have the Vow."

"A good question. By not my first," Maggie said.

"What is the first, then?" Alvrey asked.

"Kammon is Disavowed. So, someone explain to me why the Vow sits in his bones like a newly uniformed War-Sworn?"

Author's Note:

Um... so this is the part where I remind you all that I'm a pantser and I did NOT see that coming :P These guys keep me on my toes!

Is Maggie seeing what's really there? Or is there something else happening that she's mistaken as the Vow?