Born of Magic (Channeler Series) (9 page)

"So, you're the mystery girl, huh?" His voice was raspy and he spoke with a tone that seemed to project little concern for the world around him. The only things that seemed of any interest to him were the thoughts in his head, and my awaited response.

“I guess so, though I'm no mystery to myself."

He chuckled at my response. "Then you really are a mystery. To know one's self is a far greater mystery to me than where someone came from." He paused for a moment and strummed his beard. "What is your name?"

"Jasminis."

"Jasminis? Your parents are odd folk. They love you enough to honor you with such a beautiful name, yet allow you to run off and get yourself into a world of bruises. Where are you from?"

I found his statement of my parents unsettling, as I never really knew them, or at least had no memory of them. "I don't know my parents. The only memory I have of them is my name."

"What a good memory to have of them. However, you still haven't answered the question you’re more likely to know the answer to, given your abundance of self-knowledge. Where are you from?"

At first I couldn't tell if he was insulting me or joking around as Ralph sometimes would. Then he turned his head towards me and gave me a far more welcoming smile than Ralph ever had.

"I’m from Saltren."

"Saltren, never heard of it. Then again, there aren't many cities outside the northern coast that I’ve heard of. How’d you come to this place?"

"I was traveling, when I fell." I tried to avoid the question everyone was really inching towards, which is where the person that obviously led me here had gone. His sudden disappearance gave him a chance, but if they knew who he was it would only hinder his odds of completing his quest safely and returning for me.

Would he return for me? I began to question if he had any intention of this, or if he even would have the opportunity to if he were to be successful in stealing the gem. If he didn't return for me, what would happen? Would these people take me in somewhere? While I was able to survive on the streets of Saltren, I doubt I would have such luck in this cold harsh environment.

"Quite a long journey to make by yourself. Either you’re braver than I realized, or there’s another part to your story you don't seem to want to share. Either way, I’ll leave that to you."

Grateful he would allow me to keep my secret, I shifted the conversation. "What are you doing here?" I now noticed a good portion of his body was covered in a thick stack of blankets.

"Me? I’m just a sorry fisherman who couldn't keep his feet planted on the boat. The water here is extremely cold. I was lucky to had been pulled back aboard before freezing to death, although I do still suffer from frostbite on a good portion of my sad self." He lifted some of the blankets and revealed his foot, which was red and appeared swollen. The tips of his toes were discolored black and were shriveled up like chicken feet. I gasped at the sight of it and nearly vomited. He was amazingly calm about his condition.

"Don't worry. I don't feel any pain from this really—one of the effects of frostbite. Doctor says I’ll walk again, but doesn't recommend I return to sea. I told him I may as well not walk if that’s the case."

"Does that happen often?"

"What, fishermen falling off board? It happens, usually to the new ones or the older sea dogs like me. My legs aren't as sea worthy as they used to be." He laughed and nodded his head towards his still legs.

I found his indifferent company comforting, since I wasn’t pressured to answer as many questions as I had feared. The peace that existed between us was soon broken by the return of Meldar. I still needed to find his real name, I reminded myself, as he walked into the room with a big grin on his face.

"I figured you two would get along. How are you holding up Eldrin?" His focus was maintained on me.

"Not too bad, for a wet sea dog. The company you left me with wasn't all that bad either. Smart little one."

"Smart enough to end up out here, and in my care somehow." His eyes never left mine as he shot me a questioning glance, an obvious attempt at finding out a little more about me. "And how’s our little mystery guest holding up?"

By this point, I had figured there had already been a decent amount of talk surrounding my presence during my slumber, as well as my temporary naming of 'mystery guest'. "She's a little less of a mystery now, Aldred. She is Jasminis, from Saltren," Eldrin said. His gaze once more focused on the ceiling.

It was convenient not having to repeat my story to Aldred, not Meldar. He sat down at the foot of my bed. The wood in the rickety frame creaked and howled from his weight. "Well, Jasminis, how did you end up out here?"

"He probably won't buy 'traveling and fell' like I did," Eldrin said. He had a wide grin as he looked at me from the corner of his eye.

I took a deep breath, stalling for ideas as I prepared to go into my story, "I was traveling with a friend of mine, when I fell while coming through the tunnel."

"Where’s your friend now? And who is he, for that matter?" A couple follow up questions I was already anticipating.

"He’s the closest thing I’ve had to a parent in my entire life, and I’m not sure where he went," I admitted, unsure what they would take from that. I wanted them to at least feel pity for me, hoping they would leave me alone about the matter for now.

"Well, I’m not sure what kind of friend would leave you all alone if able to avoid it, but we’ll hope the best for them. I‘ll have some of Eldrin's men look for your friend. They have nothing better to do, with their captain recovering in my care."

I felt relieved, as I was done with explaining my appearance here for the time being, though I was certain this was not the last of it. I decided if I continued to remain uneasy, they’d probably be less likely to question me further, for the sake of my recovery. I once more had an unrelenting hunger that took precedence over all else. My stomach growled and Aldred knew what I needed. He saved me the unfamiliar awkwardness of asking for food, a request that was almost never answered back home, other than by my own close friends.

Aldred called out towards the door, "Nurse, could we have some food brought in here for the little one?"

"The old one as well, while you’re at it." Eldrin had not broken his focus on the ceiling, but the aliveness of his eyes showed he had broken from his internal thoughts.

A few moments later, the women I had originally seen after awakening the first time entered the room with two warm plates of fish and some sort of green leaf that covered the remaining area of the plate. "Fish and sea weed, dear. I find it easier to swallow the green stuff if you take a bite of fish with it."

I did as she suggested. The green seaweed bit my tongue with a ting of salt and left a slimy feeling down my throat, with an odor that matched its unpleasant taste. I quickly took a bite of fish while the sea weed was still in my mouth. The two seemed to complement one another as the taste of the sea weed was quickly overpowered by the taste of the fish, and the saline flavor only helped season the fish as well.

Aldred swiped a piece of seaweed off of my plate and chewed on it like a cow chewing cud. "We need to figure what to do with you while we search for your friend. Were you coming here to visit someone you both knew? Someone I could possibly put you in contact with?"

I shrugged at his question. I knew it was a subtle dance he was performing to find out why I was here. I could only hope his intent for this was in my best interest—it seemed to be. "No, he just enjoyed traveling and I had no other purpose than to join him."

"Well, our town’s probably a little different than any place you are from. Judging by your reaction to our food, you’ve probably never eaten Seporah or anything like it before, have you?"

I shook my head. "I’m from South of here. I’ve never been to a place so cold before."

"Well, here in Laharah, it’s always cold, I’m sorry to say. And most meals are like the ones you’ve had here, so get used to them. This is a fishing town; our people have been living on these narrow strips of land between the giant mountains and frozen sea for centuries."

As Aldred told me the story of his people, I found it very fascinating. They were so different from anyone I had ever heard of before. Aldred told me about their fishing seasons and regular expeditions that men like Eldrin would go on every year. He spoke of how plentiful their catches were, the boats returning with heaps of fish that would often last the year. He also told me of their traditional ceremonies that took place after a great catch, which always consisted of a big celebration and feast.

"You know, there’s one coming up soon, as all the other fishermen are supposed to be coming back soon. How’s the fishing this year Eldrin?" Aldred turned to Eldrin.

"Good as ever. Lots of big guys this year. Before I stumbled overboard there had already been a few more Seporah as well as a rare Talken whale. Those guys put up a fight, but nothing tastes better. One less this year brings even better catch next year; they eat more than their share of fish."

Aldred's eyes lit up at the news, "A good celebration this year then. Perhaps I should inform the village elders so they can prepare for an extra warm welcome. Fishing has never been better since that local boy mage decided to put his powers to use with our fishing expeditions."

"Aeden, yeah, from what I hear that kid can be a bit of a handful at times, but he always finds the best spots."

My ears perked up. I couldn't help but grow curious over the idea of another mage in the area. I wondered what his powers were and how he used them for their expeditions. Though it was extremely relieving to know how open they were with the idea of mages, I decided it was a good idea to continue to hide the fact that I was one as well. Aton often reminded me of the dangers of others finding out what I was.

"What’s a mage?" I hoped to hide my knowledge of the subject.

"Mages are people of magical abilities. I’m no expert, but I do know there aren't many here. The only two I know of are Aeden, and one of the elders."

"What’s Aeden's power?" I tried to hide just how curious I truly was.

"The boy can tell where the fish are. That's about all the twerp is good for, too," Eldrin said, cutting off Aldred before he could speak. "Ever since he found out about his ability, he feels like he should be treated like royalty."

"The kid’s a big help, but he has let it go to his head a bit. Can't say that I blame him. Thanks to him we never have a bad fishing season really anymore."

Eldrin grumbled, his obvious discontent with Aeden's attitude showed as he turned to face the wall.

Aldred leaned closer to me and whispered, "He’s just a little jealous. The kid's boat usually has the best catch. Before that, Eldrin's crew was always the best." He waves his arm at Eldrin, "The old sea dog’s a stubborn one."

I nodded and smiled, now determined to meet this other mage. I was curious as to what effects my ability may have on his power. "That sounds like an amazing ability. Could I meet him someday? I’ve heard of people with such powers before—mages as they’re called, I guess. I’ve always wanted to meet one." At first it seemed just like common interest that fueled my questions. However, I found some insatiable desire to find out more about this mage, and any other one that was out there.

Aldred laughed. I could tell he was ensuring his voice didn’t leave the two of us, "Don't let Eldrin hear you talking like that, he would be furious. But yes, you can see him at the celebration. There’s always a catch comparison, and the winning boat becomes the honorary crew of the feast. No doubt it will be Aeden's team. I'll take you to the celebration. it should only be a few days from now."

"Let the girl have her fun. Aeden could use yet another ego boost." Eldrin’s tone was bitter, full of spite. He kept his gaze at the wall.

I nodded and ate the lunch that the nurse had left next to my bed. I spent the remainder of the week in the hospital; my days consisting of much sleep and long conversations regarding fishing with Eldrin. From time to time he would bring up his discontent with Aeden, but I usually
was able to change the conversation before it grew into another rant. Eldrin made a comment about my ability to change the tides of conversation just as the sea did.

The day before the big celebration came soon enough. I had become so involved in my daily life in the hospital that I’d lost track of time, as well as why I had even come here to begin with. Aldred's visits became less frequent as he assisted with the preparation for the celebration. He did keep me informed of the festivities planned and assured me I would be well in time to join in.

I didn’t even think about the celebration itself, just about the opportunity to meet another mage. The idea of connecting with someone else that had probably faced similar struggles in learning the ways of their powers as I have was all I could focus on.

Night came and it was almost time for everything to begin. Aldred came in to check on me one last time before the night started. "Well little one, I think you’re well enough to join in, but there will be no Northern Palle for you." Aldred laughed and patted me on the back.

"Northern Palle?"

"Palle is a type of alcoholic beverage we make. It’s made from a type of sap and root that can be found in the mountains around here. They’re mixed together and fermented for some time in jugs. Once ready, it becomes an incredibly potent drink."

"I brought these for you, dear," the nurse said as she walked into the room, carrying with her a small fur coat similar to the one I had warn on my way here. This one was far cleaner and a light shade of gray. When I put it on I soon realized the difference. It was much thicker and firmer, but still allowed me to move easily. The fur from the collar nestled against my skin and tickled the back of my neck.

"You almost look like a local." Aldred pointed at my face, "outside of that pale skin of yours."

I smiled and thanked the nurse. We then finished getting ready together and the three of us made our way to the festival. Eldrin stayed behind; his bitterness had gotten the best of him. The town was a thick cluster of stone and mud huts, with a giant opening in the middle, at the center of which was a large fire pit. This is where they usually held the festival, I figured.

The area opened right at the edge of the water, next to the docks, where about twenty large fishing boats were docked. A flurry of people unloaded their catches into piles, each boat making sure they kept theirs separate. There were stands set up for each boat to place their fish. From there it was counted, sorted, weighed, and then would be frozen after the festival. With each stand there was also a tall tower with hooks attached to long ropes hanging down, reserved for any large fish that were caught. I had learned all about the festival over the past week from Eldrin, who had spent many years focused solely on the festival and displaying his prized catches to the town.

Paper lanterns were stung between all of the huts throughout the town. Once night came, flickering streams of light from the lanterns and fire pit filled the town. The celebration began first with a weighing of the largest catches. As expected, Aeden's crew had the biggest catch by far, with a thirty-three foot Seporah.

Aeden was named the honorary fisher for the third year in a row. He stood at the center of the festival and was given a large fur cloak as his prize. The light from the center fire lit his grinning face for me to see. He was short with dark hair, just like most of the men I had seen here. Across his face, however, were no markings like the others, only a large scar on his left cheek. I could see how proud of himself he was, as he stood there, soaking in the thunderous applause.