Fire Angels

Chapter 14 Part 2 Dally

At midday I went downstairs to take midday dinner and Ren Mara and his journeyman sat down with us. Only Hamel and his family ate upstairs to keep out of the way.

"It was not wise of you to come in your mages robes, Enna Dion," laughed Ren Mara. He was a man full of happy laughter. "Three people already have been in to ask me if that was the Demonslayer they just saw coming in."

"Oh no Ren Mara, what did you say?" said Silva. I don't want a pack of busy neighbors poking their noses in here."

"I denied it and told them that they should look at those cheap ribbons that came in yesterday. And every one of them bought some, taking as long as they could because they all hoped to see the Demonslayer. I tell you Enna Dion, if you wear your robes next time we will have wonderful sales. He chuckled again, while Silva smiled fondly at him from the other end of the table.

"Now Dion, I have an important matter to ask you about," said Silva after the meal was over. "It's Dally. When do young mages usually start to show powers?"

"With girls, it's usually the onset of their bleeding? Why has Dally...?"

"It's not come yet, but I think she's already showing signs of power. That's possible, isn't it?"

The more powerful the mage, the earlier the onset of the powers. There had never been a time when I couldn't remember being able to use magic, although my powers increased dramatically after puberty.

"I haven't seen her do anything yet, but I know she can sense the presence of magic" continued Silva. "That day when you healed my headache - when I woke up Dally was curled up on the bed beside me with her hand on my head. And later I kept having to chase her out of your rooms. Something there fascinated her. She said you had writing on the walls."

The runes! Dally had seen the runes which were usually only visible using magic. Then I remembered the day when I had made the runes; how I had heard someone come into the room behind me. She might have seen them then.

"If she turns out to be powerful, do you think you could take her under your wing and teach her? It would have meant so much to Tasha. Dally is a difficult child, but she's sweet when you get to know her."

"I've been thinking I should take a look at her," I said. "Tasha asked me to protect her when she died."

"Let's go up and see her now then," said Silva getting up from the table.

I remembered Karac's gift to Dally then and I took it out of the basket and showed it to Silva who pulled a face.

"He's still trying, is he?" she said. "Dally was horrible to him when he came here. Tasha always told her terrible things about him. I don't think she realizes how much Tasha loved him as well and I don't know how to explain it to her. Well I suppose we can only try giving it to her."

Dally had not come down to eat even though Silva had sent for her. We found her sitting in the bedroom she shared with Needra at the top of the house.

Contrary to Silva's expectations, Dally accepted the gift with pleasure. It was a pretty little necklace and she put it on with a cry of delight and ran to the mirror to look at herself. As I watched her preening in the mirror, I saw a look of distress cross her face. She turned quickly away from her reflection and by the time she was facing us, the look of distress had been replaced by one of slyness.

"Tell my Uncle, thank you," she said. And tell him it's a lovely color. It was my mother's favorite and I'm sure she would have liked it. Tell him that exactly."

What a horrible child I thought involuntarily and pushed the thought away because I could see clearly what pain lay behind her words.

"Oh Dally. Must you be so mean?" said Silva, with a long suffering look. "He's trying to be friends with you."