Page 50 of Wind and Water
In agreement, Corell steps away and gives orders to his centaurs to rest for one hour.
Momma steps close. “Will you be alright, Liam?”
With a weak smile, Liam says, “Yes, Birdie. I’m fine.”
For the briefest moment, Momma’s eyes fire up the way they do right before she’s about to give me a long lecture. She kisses his cheek and sits with Corell and Jadar. I guess she decided he’s been through enough.
“I think you should explain to me how magic works.” I settle in beside him, and he wraps his arm around my shoulder.
“I don’t know how your magic works. All I know is that it’s linked to your desires and prayers. At least, that’s my guess. I’m no oracle.” Stretching his legs, he crosses his feet and leans back on the duffel bags.
“What about your magic? Why did you get so weak? I felt my own energy failing, but once I stopped expending the energy, my body was fine.” Like the true teacher’s daughter, I need to understand everything.
“Maybe your magic and your body are separate. For an elf, that’s not the case. We are wrapped and weaved with our magic. Small things are not an issue, but there are spells that wear us down. Today, I pushed a little too far, but I could not have let you stand alone. I’ll admit, I should have asked the centaurs for help, but this friendship with them is new, and I didn’t think of it in the moment.” He closes his eyes and holds me tighter.
“So, if you push your magic to its limit, it could kill you?” The last two words come out shaky.
“It is possible.” Liam opens his eyes and turns his head to meet my gaze. When he speaks again, his voice is soft and just for me. “I heard your thoughts and worries, sweetheart. I haveno desire to lose you either. You are a gift that I never expected to receive in my life. Leaving you or seeing you leave me would break me.”
Emotions well up within me, and a tear slides over my bottom lid. The future has no choice but to rip us apart.
The future is a tricky thing, my love.He kisses my forehead, letting his warm lips remain there an extra moment.
I release the worry of tomorrow and warm into his affection.
Adhar lands three feet away with a disgruntled caw. She hops close to Liam’s side with something in her mouth. She bobs her head and warbles some message. In my head, I hearhand.
“I think she wants you to open your hand.” It’s still odd to hear or sense the thoughts of a bird. Somehow, Adhar gives me a sense of order when she’s near.
“We’ll have to do some study on familiars when we get home.” He opens his hand a few inches above the ground in front of Adhar.
Cocking her pretty white head, she steps up and drops something from her mouth. It’s a small brownish berry. Strange.
Liam’s eyes widen. “Where did you find this?”
She nudges his hand with her beak.
“What is it?”
Looking from the berry to the raven, his voice is filled with wonder. “It’s a leighis berry.”
Unfamiliar with the name, I wait for more.
Liam studies the fruit as Adhar flaps her wings, agitated with his delay.
“I don’t know what that means, but she wants you to eat it.” I reach across and pet her head, trying to soothe her.
“Leighis berries are scarce. So much so that this is the first I’ve seen outside of a drawing in a book. It’s said they have remarkable healing properties.” Liam’s voice is filled with wonder.
Corell and several others have stopped what they’re doing to listen and watch.
“Do you think you should eat it?” As much as this bird has come to mean to me in the short time since she attached herself, I’m not sure of her motives or alliances.
“Would you eat something Adhar gave you because she insisted?”
Considering the question, I move my arm away from my lap, and Adhar hops onto my forearm and stares into my eyes as if she too is waiting for the answer. I scratch the feathers at the back of her head, and she lowers her crown for more attention. “I would. I believe she’s here to help us.”
Without another word, Liam pops the berry into his mouth, chews it twice, and swallows.
