A Hungry Magic Must Feed

Screams rent the air and Merrick jerked awake. “Merry?” He pulled himself up, scrambling from his bedroll to check on his sister bundled up in the back of the wagon. “Merry?”

Another skull-splitting shriek filled the air and, in a panic, he ripped off the blankets from her heated body. The icy boots he had generated to bring down her fever was clinging to her legs. “What’s wrong, Merry?”

She cried out incoherently, rolling back and forth. He jumped into the wagon beside her, worried about her fever, and that he shouldn’t have stopped at the side of the road to rest, and that he wouldn’t make it to Callista’s house in time. He held Merry’s shoulders down, noticing that her cheeks were still flushed, her hair sweat soaked, and her eyes clenched tight. A vision of his mother on her death bed blinked behind his eyes before disappearing. “Merry, tell me what’s wrong!” 

As the sound of his voice penetrated her brain, she gritted through clenched teeth, “Merrick, it hurts. It burns. You have to get it off. Please!”

He eyed her body and noticed something he hadn’t before. The glossy freeze on her legs was climbing higher. When they had stopped for the night a few hours prior, he had encased her feet and ankles. The glassy encasements were now above her knees. 

He frowned in confusion. “But…what?”

The ice climbed another inch and she screamed again. 

“I can’t think, Merry. You have to be quiet!”

Her voice rose again and without thinking, Merrick slapped her hard, her head banging against the wagon floor. She lost consciousness, silence falling around them, and he breathed a deep sigh, holding his hands above her legs.

He felt his magic surge and the freezing sheen on her legs receded. But he could feel how reluctant it was. In the moonlight, her legs glittered and he put his hands directly on her. He sucked in a breath, the power searing his palms as he commanded it to leave his sister alone.

The greedy energy tried to wrest control from him, to climb higher on her body and feed off of her. He frowned. Feed? Part of him knew that his magic was ferociously hungry but when he had experimented on his own, he had been able to control it. Alone on the border between Kragh and Creigh, a day away from the help his sister needed, it was refusing to obey.

Prickles of sweat rose on his forehead as he tried to master the power.

The ice receded back to her ankles, leaving flaming red burn marks. 

Merry moaned, shifting her head. “Merrick? Please, make it stop hurting.”

The intense cold wasn’t letting go of her. Remembering the little that the healers could do to help first his father and then his mother, he hated to admit that only a healer could do something. He knew he needed help from a stronger elemental. He hoped to the Stone God that Callista knew someone. He jumped down and grabbed his bag, rummaging through it until he found a small corked vial. 

Leaving everything strewn on the ground, he jumped back into the wagon with Merry. Merrick used his teeth to pull the cork and leaned closer to her. “Merry, I’m going to give you a sleeping potion. It will let you rest, alright? We’re really close to Callista’s and she’ll have a healer to help you.”

Merry’s voice was hoarse. “You won’t leave, will you?”

He paused, surprised how her words mirrored his own desperate plea to his mother not so long ago. “Don’t worry, Merry. I’ll make sure you’re taken care of.”

Merrick held her head and gave her measured sip. Her blue eyes held his, the color and shape so similar it was like looking into a mirror. He felt an unwanted surge of guilt until her eyes fluttered closed. 

He set her down and stoppered the vial again, shoving it into a pocket. He stretched his hands over the ice at her feet again, pushing with all his strength to get rid of it. It shrank back further but still retained its hold. Finally, exhausted, he let it go.

Merrick was too tired to drive the wagon in the dark. He eyed the night sky and figured he had a few hours to sleep before they could leave. He grabbed his blankets and climbed into the wagon, concerned that pain would override Merry’s sleep. He wanted to be close enough to feel her move if she woke up and needed more of the potion.

He settled into the corner of the wagon, his knobby knees drawn up to his chest and dozed until the morning light brightened the edges of the sky.

He woke without moving, holding himself completely still while he sensed around him for danger. When he didn’t feel any, he scrutinized Merry’s flushed face, found it unchanged, and got off the wagon to gather his belongings. He watered the horse, filled their canteens, and continued their trek.

He eyed the craggy landscape. It wasn’t supposed to take this long to get from the manor to the mountain home where their cousin resided, but they had encountered a skirmish and had to go around. The detour had them crossing a half-hearted stream that he had frozen for their passage and while he had been proud to be able to do it, it had taken more energy than he had anticipated.

Merry’s fever had been steadily rising until last night, and after pushing himself and the horse as far as possible, they had stopped to rest. Her feverish mumbling had scared him and he had tried to bring it down the only way he could. 

He had no idea the icy force would react the way it did. He pushed away the worry, convincing himself it was pointless and wasted energy.

Merrick kept the horse at a steady pace, knowing that if he was careful, they would be to safety by the end of the day. As the horse plodded, he let his thoughts drift to the ice magic latched on on Merry’s legs. 

When his elemental abilities had appeared last year, he had been confused. His brother had suggested he read whatever he could find in the library. The more he had studied, the more excited he had been. The books delved into the power of magic-users and their role in the creation of Omnos Island. He had begun experimenting further afield from the manor and with each new skill, he had grown heady with power.

A smile lifted his lips. His only limitation was the weakness he felt after each session. But he had found herbs to bolster his energy. He had found exercises to strengthen his scrawny body. He had created menus of protein rich foods. His precious books had provided all the information he needed. People were weak and when you needed them the most, they left. Books did no such thing.

He glanced back at his sister. She lay still and he pulled out a piece of jerky to gnaw on. Kip, their housekeeper, and Kallie, their cook, had both insisted that he needed to be trained by an elemental. He could do it himself.

Merrick frowned. Except for this strange surge that wouldn’t let Merry go. He mulled over the problem for the rest of the way, stopping twice to dose Merry so he didn't have to hear her scream with pain.

When they pulled in front of the Creigh house as the sun was setting, Merrick slumped into his seat, staring at the imposing facade. Although he was tired, his spine stiffened when people began flooding out. At the head of the group was a tall, regal woman who could only be the woman of the house, his cousin, Callista. 

“My dear boy, come in! Come inside.”

”Merry needs help.” He gestured behind him to the wagon bed and Callista beckoned to two men in plain clothing who had exited with her. 

“Nat. Benj. Take the poor girl to one of the spare bedrooms. Marri, summon the healer.” She turned her attention back to Merrick. “Come inside. There’s food and a place for you to rest.”

He eyed her, his hands clenched around the reins. “Thank you. I’ll take care of the horse and come inside after.” 

She nodded briskly and gestured to the path that led to the back. “Take the wagon through there. Terrance will show you where everything is. I’ll have a plate of supper prepared for you.”

Merrick lifted his chin and narrowed his eyes, trying to ignore his growling stomach. Without giving him a chance to argue, Callista stalked into the house, following the litter that bore Merry inside.

He stared at the bright lights that spilled out of the open door, scanning the rest of the dark windows. The door closed behind them and in the gloom, he scanned the face of the house again, admiring the camouflage. The stately house was made from dark gray stone and with the lights hidden from the doors and windows, it blended into the mountain behind. 

He drove the wagon around, took care of the horse, and slid into the kitchen door without drawing attention to himself, even though with the activity, he probably would have gone unnoticed if he hadn’t stumbled over a bucket by the door. The cook beckoned him to the table and a plate of food. He sat down and began eating, listening to the conversations flowing around him.

”The healer just arrived and she’s never seen anything like it.”

”Mistress, too. But the poor girl’s in such pain.”

”Did you see her legs?”

”She might not be able to walk.”

The bite of food in Merrick’s throat threatened to come back up. Not walk? From his magic? He put his fork down. He was only trying to help her fever go down. He almost jumped out of his skin when he felt a hand on his shoulder. 

He turned to meet the placid gaze of his cousin’s husband, Henry. “Merrick, is it?”

Merrick nodded.

”You’re a brave young man, bringing your sister over the border with all the fighting going on.”

Merrick didn't’ say anything. He knew it wasn’t bravery but necessity. His sister needed help and he was there to see she got it.

“The healer and my wife have a few questions for you. Are you done?”

Merrick pushed the half-eaten plate away. “Yes.”

They walked in silence up the stairs and down the hall to a dimly lit room. In the center of a large bed, Merry was shivering, pain-filled moans escaping from her lips. 

Callista stood beside the bed, her hand on a young woman’s shoulder. The woman was frowning in concentration but they both looked at him when he walked in. Callista lifted her chin, examining him and he felt a pang of fear that he squelched.

”Ah. I didn’t see it before. You were right, Healer.”

The healer narrowed her eyes at him and then glanced at Merry’s uncovered feet that were still encased in a thick layer of ice, the skin underneath black. “This is your work?”

He crossed his arms. “Perhaps.”

”Who trained you?”

”Why?”

”Because they failed. It’s as if you’ve had no training at all.”

Merrick raised an eyebrow, not willing to tell her that he had learned everything from his books and trial by error. This was a greater error than normal and he couldn’t imagine Merry unable to run around as she loved to do. “Can you help her?”

The Healer scrutinized his haughty expression and his crossed arms and huffed. “I can but you need to take your magic back. Get on the other side of your sister.”

He bristled at her tone, sure that she couldn't’ be that much older than he was. But then he glanced at Merry, shifting uncomfortably, and did as the healer commanded..

”Put your hands above her feet and don’t move them no matter what.”

Again, he took umbrage with her tone but did as she said, holding his hands over Merry’s feet just like he had done last night. 

The healer hovered her hands over his and Callista rested both her hands on the healer’s shoulders. 

“Blessed Goddess, hear our prayer.

This girl has pain she cannot bear.

Ice cold magic has a hold

And won’t release it’s biting fold.

This boy must take his power back. 

He alone this hunger tracks.

Icy pain, leave the child.

Leave her warmth, her magic wild.

Feed on something bigger, stronger.

This small child won’t last much longer.

Air and water, fire, earth,

magic found is magic’s worth.

Blessed Goddess, hear our plea.

As we ask, please let it be.”

The energy beneath his hands strained against the healer's magical pull. He examined the feeling with curiosity until she snarled, “Pull it back to you, boy!”

He startled and yanked at it, shocked when it snapped back, obeying him. The ice around Merry’s feet melted into a wet pool. 

Immediately, the healer nudged his hands out of the way and rested her own on Merry’s blackened skin. 

Behind her, Callista rested her other hand on her shoulder and as the healer chanted under her breath, Callista visibly paled. 

Merrick watched them work together and quickly deduced that Callista was feeding power to the healer. When they were done, both of them pale and shaking with exhaustion, Merry was resting calmly in a deep sleep.

Callista released the healer and when she staggered, her husband cradled her against his chest. “Callie?”

”Just tired, my love.” She sagged in his arms and he lifted her off her feet. Before he left the room, he eyed the healer. “And you, Healer?”

”I’ll be fine resting on the chair.”

Henry nodded and left the room with his wife, Merrick’s gaze locked on their retreating forms. He remained kneeling on the bed as the healer slumped into a nearby chair.

“You don’t have a trainer, do you?” 

He shook his head. “I can learn by myself.”

“Your magic’s strong. It didn’t do your bidding when you tried to get it off your sister, did it?”

He looked down at Merry, tempted to wrap his fingers around her arm, just to reassure himself that she was alright. He glanced at her ruined feet, stretched his fingers, and gripped his knees. “I can figure out how to control it.”

The healer sat in silence and he felt her disapproval. Finally, he met her piercing gaze. “Our magic reflects ourselves. Yours is hungry. It latched on to your sister’s magic because it wanted to consume it. What type does she have?”

“As far as I know, she has none. Nothing me or my brother have seen, anyways.”

“Pffft. She’s as strong as you are, boy. You’re threatened by her whether you want to admit it or not.”

“I don’t care about any of her supposed magic. She’s no threat to me.”

The healer lifted her eyebrows, her voice softer. “Your magic seems to think so.”

His scowl deepened. “She’s my younger sister. I’m not scared of her.”

The healer didn’t reply, watching as he clambered off the bed and brushed off his clothes. He looked at Merry’s frail body and barely kept the sneer off of his face. His eyes were caught by her still black feet. “Will she be able to walk?”

“I’ll be able to heal her, now that the power you hold isn’t feeding off of her. But it will take a while.”

He lifted his chin and clenched his jaw, reading the censure in her voice. “Very well. See that you do so.”

He stalked to the door and the healer had the audacity to chuckle. “And where will I find you when your sister asks?”

He kept his back to her, refusing to look back at his sister. “I’m going back to Kragh.”

“You’d leave her here with strangers?”

“She’ll be fine.” He didn’t wait for her response, backtracking through the kitchen and into the stables, maneuvering through the shadows to the horse. It stood, asleep in a stall and at the sight, he sagged against the stall door. The days of travel, the magical energy he had used, the sheer effort it had taken to get Merry to safety hit him all at once. 

Merrick was too tired to go back now and fleetingly, he wished that it had been Maerwen who had taken on the responsibility. He was only twelve. He didn’t know about little girls. He shook his head, remembering Maerwen’s baffled look when Kip and Kallie had said Merry needed a healer. He guessed his brother knew even less about it and he had promised mother to take care of Merry.

He pondered his promise. She was safe with people who knew how to take care of her. He didn’t get his sister, always happy and laughing. She was better off and he shoved the worried load off of his shoulders. He needed at least one night of rest. 

He clambered into the back of the wagon and planned for the next day, internally shunting the responsibility for his sister to the women here. Relieved, he was already plotting the books he wanted to read, the different exercises to build his muscles, and the magical experiments he would try when he got back. He was smart enough and soon he would be strong enough. He didn’t need a human trainer. He didn’t need a teacher. He didn’t need anyone.

As he wrapped the blanket around himself, the hunger rose in his chest and he pushed it down. When it subsided at his command, he shivered with delight, not noticing the ice lining the edges of the wagon.