Something Old, Something New

6

"And you level trees and alter people's memories." Iris' voice was faint and sad.

"Only when I have to."

"Is this why you don't get hangovers?" Merlin laughed slightly.

"Yes, this is why I don't get hangovers."

"So you cheat." That was so alike what Arthur had said that for a moment Merlin was in a different place entirely. He was pulled back to reality by a hand taking his. It was Iris. "Why didn't you tell me?" That was always the question, and the answer was always the same.

"I was scared. I didn't know how you would react."

"You didn't trust me?"

"Of course I trust you, but it's not exactly like telling you that I'm a little different. I was literally born over a thousand years ago with magical powers."

"Thousands of years ago?" Merlin could tell that this was all becoming just a little too much, and just in time, he heard sirens coming.

"I promise I'll answer any and all questions you have, but right now we have to deal with this." He gestured vaguely toward everything, and she laughed slightly.

"I'm holding you to that."

"I would expect nothing less."

"That was adorable," Johnson said. I had forgotten that he was there. Iris looked between us and the betrayal was back.

"You told him?"

"He found out on his own."

"And you didn't erase his memory?"

"I tried, and was rebuffed. I could have done it anyway, but I have a policy of not doing it unless I have to, and if he had magic as well, I wasn't worried about him telling anyone."

"You have powers too?" Johnson shuffled his feet.

"Not very strong ones." The police cars came up the road just then, and all talk of magical powers ceased.

By the time they were finished at the warehouse, night had fallen and they were all exhausted, but he didn't care, because Iris elected to ride back with him. All was right in the world, besides the fact that someone was still murdering people and dressing them to look like Merlin's friends. Other than that though, everything was right in the world.

"So what exactly can you do?" Iris asked. Merlin had driven back to his flat. She said she was fine with staying there. Merlin chuckled.

"Technically, anything, but there are a lot of things that I shouldn't do."

"Like what?" Merlin unlocked the door to his flat and they stepped inside.

"Necromancy's always a big no-no, love spells are a bad idea, that sort of thing."

"Are those things considered dark magic? Is that a thing? Is dark magic a thing?"

"Yes."

"Have you ever done dark magic?"

"Of course I have."

"Really? When?"

"World War I."

"Why?"

"We were losing, and I got upset. Big wave of dark magic. It felt amazing, and terrifying, and I never did it again."

"So that wasn't what happened today?"

"No. That was just regular pent up energy. I hadn't used any real magic in a very long time, and so I get kind of volatile, especially when emotions are involved." Merlin was starting to get really tired. They had moved to the couch. Iris opened her mouth to ask another question, but Merlin interrupted her. "I know I promised to answer all your questions, but I'm really tired, so can we do this in the morning?"