L.F-Hist.Novelist Episode Two Hundred and Twenty-Four: Wands
Episode Two Hundred and Twenty-Four: Wands
“What type of magic?” I asked again, without meaning to.“They can jump start someone's magical career, or be used as an alternative to using one's own power.” He shrugged. “I make them in my spare time and imbue them with some magic when I travel between worlds.”
“So they have traveler magic in them,” I said.
“Never! I would do no such thing,” He jerked back, and his voice came out fearful as he glanced around. “The Travelers are their own. These only have magic from the tree added.”
The Cat practically smiled at his reaction.
“Calm down, this isn’t a trap,” I added, taking a sip of my drink. I pointed at the one with crystals. “What about that one?”
I wanted to touch it, but resisted.
“It has crystals from one of the elemental worlds; it's for someone who resonates with it.” He stepped in closer, but stared back at the Cat. “What do I get for them?”
This wasn’t how transactions usually went, and he spoke like he knew the Cat could talk. It reminded me of Alas, but different somehow.
“Tell him I can give him a map, and it might get him home.”
I froze at the Cat’s voice, then warmth washed through me as I used my magic.
The guy jumped as the wave crashed over him, again fearfully glancing around the room. A line connected him to a stack of maps I hadn’t noticed in the corner.
“Freaking fates,” muttered the guy, stepping closer to the door. “You can just have them. I don’t want to deal with their BS.”
“That was me. You need the map he’s offering. But, what do you mean, might get him home?” I asked, staring at the Cat.
“I’m looking for a way home,” the customer said. “I took the offer after my unfortunate tenure to see the universe, but that doesn’t mean I know where I am.” Now he stared at me like I was someone important. “I want to get back home, but I can’t find my way. I’ve found all sorts of other things, but not home.”
“Sable, he needs to earn his way home,” interrupted the Cat. “This is the closest he has come to getting a lead on the way. He isn't as innocent as he seems.”
“What’d you do to piss off the fates?” I asked him. This time, I turned to face him fully. I wanted the entire story about all of this, and the wands on the counter. While I wanted to snag the crystal one, it didn’t distract me from this. It felt important.
His eyes went wide, but his lips moved even as he tried to stop himself. “I violated my contract with the Cat, and didn’t serve my entire year.”
“You were a Shopkeeper…”
He nodded. “For, like, five days, then I bailed. Walked right out the door and didn’t come back.”
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The Cat let out a sigh.
“So now I have to fix what I broke.”
My brain stuttered as I took in what he’d just said. He had signed the contract for a year and didn’t serve the time. So now he was stuck like the Cat. Holy smokes.
That must be why I couldn’t leave the shop.
“How long have you been trapped?” I asked. The question hung in the air.
“I’m not trapped, really, just unable to find my way back home.” He swallowed hard, and his eyes didn’t look as appealing as before.
The Cat padded closer to me. “He is serving his time, just like me.”
“But how does he know when it's over?” I asked no one and everyone, not sure who could, or would, answer.
“I’ll end up at home, I think.” He set both hands on the counter. “I want the map. Can I have the map and go?”
The map flew through the air and landed on the counter.
The Cat nodded at him.
He snagged it, along with his drink, and turned to leave.
Yet, all I wanted was for him to end up home. He must have been wandering the universes for a long while to discover that all he wanted to do was be back where he’d come from.
He opened the door and the map fell from his hands. The cup slipped as well, but he caught it.
“Not possible,” he said in awe. He stepped out and the door snapped shut behind him, leaving the map inside.
A wave of energy washed out of me, and I slumped to my stool.
“Sable, what did you do?” asked the Cat, in a panicked voice. “He, he…”
“It is what it is Cat,” I muttered, taking a sip of my drink. I patted the counter. “Don’t you think I’d do the same for you if I could?”
Tired. I was very tired.
“I think I need a nap.”
“You do,” said the Cat, he nudged my hand. “Come on, we can do the next part tomorrow.”
I held onto my boba cup for dear life as I stood and turned to the hallway. The doorway behind me now entered my room. The couple of steps made me shake, and I thankfully set the cup down before crawling onto my bed.
Rest. I was out before my head hit the pillow.
#
Sable’s eyes closed almost as soon as she landed on her bed. Her magic had almost completely emptied out.
I waited until her breathing steadied then pushed a bit of healing energy into her. At the very least, it would increase her recovery speed. Then I set wards around her. If anything magical entered, I would know. Once that was taken care of, I left and nudged the door closed.
The dragon stared at me from the doorway into the living room.
“Is she okay?” asked the little one. “Big magic.”
“Very big magic, but she will be fine. Sleep, then food.” She had to be fine. Something as little as this wouldn’t take out Sable.
Indigo nodded at me, then headed back into the living room and the table where the laptop sat.
I headed to the banister and stared down below.
The dust covered books sank into the floors and storage. Bits floated in the air, but were swept away as the shop went to work.
The wands sat on the counter like always after a visit with him, but this time he was gone. Really gone. The shop had opened the door to his world. Somehow he was free. And she had done it.
Everything inside me shook at the thought of them harming her for the action. It shouldn’t have been possible. But the same went for the strange shop from earlier, and finding candy I’d created for my children. Which hadn’t been in the book.
For now, I’d stand guard. It was what I could do.
Nothing could touch her in the room, not with my wards. The only power still completely mine was the ability to protect, but only the Shopkeeper.
But that, I would do. They wouldn’t touch her with me standing guard. They would .