Blowing Embers

Chapter 39

            Sevilen closed the door behind Shuu and Kallai as they slipped into his lab. Eyes wide, Kallai stared around the room, the first time she’d ever been inside of it. One large, arched window sat in the middle of the far wall, flanked on either side by massive bookshelves haphazardly stuffed with books and loose papers. In the centre of the room lay two tables, one covered in glass and metal instruments, tools and containers, some empty, some full of odd coloured liquids or smoke, the other in more papers, quills, ink wells, and dirty mugs with only a tiny clear spot along one edge that held a familiar looking box. It was the twin to Kallai’s, only the grey-blue of it differentiating it from hers.

           Shuu was also looking around, eyebrows up and forehead creased. His gaze found a discarded sandwich half, making him scrunch up his nose in disgust. “This room filthy is,” he said, taking a step closer to Kallai so that she could feel the heat of his skin. “We not should sit, I think.”

            A few whispered words from Sevilen, followed by a louder word of engagement drew their attention. A moment later, Kallai’s cousin smiled at both of them. “There. I’ve raised my full protections. No one should be able to breach the defenses and get in, at least, not for a while. Even the best of my colleagues would require a few hours, so we should be safe enough for the moment.”

            Kallai could feel some of the tension draining out of her, though her stomach remained tight. With both Sevilen and Shuu with her, she had hope they could get out of this, somehow. The two men were too powerful for any other outcome to be possible. “Will they have noticed we’re here already?”

            “No, and I’m hoping we’ll be on our way again before anyone thinks to look here, but I won’t gambled with your safety, dear one.”

            Shuu snorted. “Sudden defenses raise, people something happening will know.”

            Sevilen’s smile was hard and mocking. “That would be true, if the others here were capable of perceiving my protections. They’re lucky to notice and get an idea of the spells I’ve used in front of them without hiding the effects. Their intelligence leaves something to be desired, even for those lauded as experts. Now,” he said, a much kinder smiling on his face. “If what I’ve gathered from Kallai’s letters is true, you’d be the one with the more extensive training of both of you, correct?”

            “Yes,” he said, crossing his arms over his chest. “And?”

            “Is there any particular magic you can do that is especially impressive? Preferably something that is far beyond the capabilities of any Magi.”

            Shuu shrugged. “All of my magic more impressive than Magi magic is. Magi magic very weak is.”

            Sevillen frowned for a moment, humming slightly, before nodding. “Would you have a specific example you’d say is better than the rest?”

            “Air mages best at movement and transportation are. Anywhere my winds can reach, in an instant I can go. And back again in another moment. Why? What you are planning?”

            He grinned, the corners of his brown eyes crinkling up. “That’s perfect! And something that should be simple enough to use as proof,” he said, before turning to look at Kallai. “Would you have anything you’ve learned already that we could use?”

            Kallai bit her lip, shaking her head. “Not really. All I can really do is set things on fire. Oh, and if I set parts of myself on fire, it doesn’t hurt.”

            “Her fire she can shape,” Shuu added, nodding at her. “Her fire also she can move, in shape or not. Her only limit her imagination is.”

            “That’s wonderful,” Sevilen said, smiling again. “Both will work swimmingly. We just need to act fast, before things get out of hand. Neither of you requires special preparation for your magic, do you?” At their head shakes, he nodded. “Then I have a plan, one I hope will solve everything at once. I just need you two to trust me, trust that I have your best interests at heart. Can you do that?”

            While Kallai nodded eagerly, Shuu only snorted. “I Sparrow do follow. What she decides, I along with will go. You I not do know, so I not do trust. But one Magi alone easy enough to be rid of is, so your plan, if Sparrow agrees, I will follow.”

            Sevilen’s smile didn’t dim in the least. “Well, if that’s settled, let’s hop to it!”