Page 45 of A Tale of Mirth & Magic

She made a few abrupt motions with her hands. The bangle-cuffs twirled Maerryl’s body around and sent her on a quick march back down the road. Her arms swung stiffly at her sides and her legs jerked like a marionette.

“Gahhh!” Maerryl shouted. Furiously, she yelled over her shoulder, “You’ll pay for this, Elikki!”

“Bye! Hope we never see you again!” Elikki waved cheerily at the woman as she disappeared around a bend in the path, trees swallowing her up, the last of her spitting curses fading away.

“Well, that’s done,” she said, slapping her palms together. “The charm should last at least until she gets to Legus. Should we have a snack?”

I stared at her. She looked tired, weariness pulling down her shoulders and gathering in the tightness of her mouth.

“How did you even do that? It seemed so… easy. But I’ve seen magic worked before. There’s lots of spells and… and runes. And it takes ages to do something that powerful.”

Elikki reached for the waterskin, taking a long swill. Thinking carefully for a while, she then said, “I’ve had those bangles for a long time. Years. I made them myself from a block of silver I won in a card game. It was more about convincing them I need their help with this than anything. And pouring my will in to make it stick. But it definitely wasn’t easy,” she said with a long sigh, stretching out her neck muscles.

“Incredible. Did you ever have formal training? Try to become certified?”

I caught a flash of irritation, but I could tell it wasn’t directed at me. “When I was younger, yes. Found a master through the Artisans Guild after I joined. She’s a metal mage like me, working with bronze sculptures, but it quickly became apparent that my magic is strange. Difficult to control.” She reached to fidget with a bracelet that was no longer there. “I’ve never really been able to use my power in the proper way—my mentor basically wrote me off as a lost cause after a year of failing to improve beyond simple spells—but friendly metal has always felt more malleable. Alive. It’s hard to explain.”

“El, I’m definitely no expert, but the magic I’ve seen you do while we’ve been together… it’s not nothing. It’s strong. Confident and self-assured. I think you have more control over your power than you realize.” I paused, trying to find the right way to say this. “It just seems to go a bit, um, violent at times. Have you thought that maybe it’s not your magical will that’s the problem, but… but your anger?”

Elikki blinked at me, seeming to consider my words. Then she wobbled over to a large rock by the side of the road and sank down with a groan.

“Goddess, but I’m tired,” she said. “Do we have time for a quick nap?”

I shook my head. Leading Pebble over to her, I held out my hand. She took it.

I wanted to ask her more about her magic, her time training with this mentor, everything. But Elikki seemed like she was about to pass out from exhaustion. Holding the stirrup steady, I waited as she clambered up from the rock into the saddle. I grabbed a few things from Saho’s basket and then patted Pebble’s neck, leading her forward on the road.

“Listen,” she said. “I’m really sorry about earlier. Throwing the knife.”

I swallowed, remembering the way the blade had whistled past me.

“I know,” I said.

“It was just instinct. Reflexes. I didn’t mean anything by it.”

Her voice was strung tight. She gripped the reins with white fingers. I placed one hand over hers as we walked together through the quiet wood.

“I know. It’s okay. We’re okay.” I slipped my hand away and passed her a buttery nut muffin.

We were going to be okay.

15

ELIKKI

I was not fucking okay.

Was this some kind of twisted cosmic payback for past crimes? I haven’t even done anything that bad! Yes, stolen a few goods here and there. When necessary. Broke a few hearts. Maybe some light arson and breaking of bones.

But enough to deserve this kind of punishment from the gods?

No!

Yet now I was a wanted woman with a bounty on her head. Running from the law. Who had also gotten a sweet, innocent bookkeeper mixed up in her mess. And now, I guess, also a couple of new friends were involved in this disastrous shit pile of stupidity.

Truly, it’s a shock no one sticks around me for long.

Over and over, I replayed that horrible moment when I’d almost stabbed Barra. The way he’d looked at me, so shocked. Almost frightened of me. Self-defense instincts were all well and good, but I could have really hurt him. Killed him, even. And Maerryl too… I could see now that I’d gone too far. They were both right.