Half Magic | Book 2

Twenty Seven: Lessons to Learn

"CAW!"

Thud.

I glared up at Puko, who was perched on my chest and looking at me with his good eye. He had startled me right out of Mila's tiny bed, and onto the floor. A giggle above me had me glaring at Schula next.

"I'm glad you're amused," I grumbled. 

"I'm not laughing at you," she giggled, keeping her eyes closed. "I'm just having a very funny dream."

Nassir at least tried to hide his laugh with a cough and he rolled over from his pile of blankets on the floor in front of the fire. 

I sighed and sat up, stretching and removing Puko from my chest. Mila's cabin was dark, not even the dawn sun was making it's way over the valley's high cliffs yet. Mila herself had given up her cabin to us and stayed with Gilly last night, so we had the place to ourselves. 

I got up and washed my face in the basin and crept out the door, letting my friends fall back asleep. Puko stayed on my shoulder the whole time. 

The morning air was almost crisp with a spring chill. It was pleasant after the time we spent in Sulls and the trek through the desert. But at least when I was in the desert I had a goal, a path laid out in front of me. Here I was conflicted. The valley filled me with an uncertainty. It didn't feel like I was getting anywhere. Sure I was going to learn some of the witching arts, but I wasn't here for that. I was here to find out how to fix the wards at the edge of the Wyldes. 

Puko pecked my temple and tugged at a bit of hair. 

"Ouch! Stop it. I'm not sulking if that's what you're thinking." I glared at him.

He stared back for a moment, and resumed pocking and prodding at me.

"Ugh, go on then." I shrugged him off my shoulder and he flapped away. "Go get yourself some breakfast or something, I'll be at Gilly's." 

"Caw." 

Puko flew off, his black wings catching the first traces of soft light that were finally coming over the horizon. He went off toward some tall grasses and I lost sight of him. I went on ahead to Gilly's cottage.

To my dismay, she was already up. I thought I could find a spot by the door and take a little nap until she woke up, but Gilly and Mila were sitting on the front porch, sitting and drinking tea. 

"Good morning," I tried to sound cheerful as I walked up to them but Mila's sharp eyes held onto me and she gave me a pointed look. 

"Did you sleep or did you stay up all night fretting about it?" Mila asked.

Gilly laughed and reached behind her with another cup and leaned over the edge of the porch enough to ladle some brew in from a small copper kettle over a fire pit. It must have been whatever they were drinking, and Gilly offered me one.

"Thank you," I took the cup and sat down with them. "I did have difficulties sleeping, but it wasn't because I was worried about my lessons."

"Oh?" Mila raised an eyebrow. 

I took a sip of the brew in the cup and nearly spit it out. "Ugh! What is this stuff?" 

"That, my dear Wren, is a potion," Gilly said with a wink. "One you're going to replicate today."

"So what does it do?" I asked, now eyeing it with suspicion. 

"It will aid you in remembering things as you learn," Mila said. "You had better get used to it, as you'll want to be drinking it each morning. You want to absorb what you can while you're here and leave with your answers, correct?"