Page 13 of Locked
So, I would click the randomize button on my blog site's homepage to look at random, suitable-for-Mother blogs that wouldn't throw up any red flags.
I started that process and quickly switched to the hidden browser window to type in a fast search for privacy spells.
The first results to come up weren't anything I didn't already know. They were full of basic, beginner magic. Stuff young magic users did to keep someone out of their diary.
What I needed, was something far stronger.
I needed a spell to hide that I was using my camera on my tablet. Because I knew for a fact Mother could somehow see when I was doing it. She had access to my tablet remotely and could tell what apps I'd opened. Upon clicking the video chat button for my chat app, it had asked for permission to use my camera.
So, she'd know if I opened up a video chat and then she might actually take my internet privileges away forever.
That wasn't something I even wanted tothinkabout, let alonebringabout.
I knew the magic had to exist. There were spells for everything. If I had to get skilled in computer magic, I would. It would be worth it to be able to actually see and talk to my guys on the regular.
I switched tabs, hit the next random blog button and opened up a new one, switching back to my hidden window and scanning down the list of search results. I saw 'webcam' as a featured word in one of the articles, so I opened the page, not holding my breath for positive results, but hoping a little anyway. I didn't have a webcam, but maybe the magic was similar for a tablet or phone camera.
"Huh…" I said aloud, leaning forward in my lounge chair.
"Did you find something?" Basil asked from his perch on the potting station.
"I foundnotnothing," I said. "I'm not sure if it's useful… but it might be…"
It was a spell to keep what happened on a webcam hidden. It involved some chants and some incense burning over the hardware, but I thought I could definitely try and modify it to work for my tablet's camera. It was basically the same thing as a webcam, except with sound. So I'd probably have to add some kind of auditory masking spell as well, but all in all, it looked like it might work.
Basil stretched, yawning before he replied. "Good. It's about time you saw those boyfriends of yours. Maybe they can team up and get us out of here."
"They'renotmy boyfriends," I scoffed. I might be calling them 'my guys,' but boyfriends was a bit of a stretch. 'Boyfriends' implied that there was some kind of an agreement between us. And I definitely had not discussed anything like that with any of them. No matter how much I might have wanted to.
Basil shot me a look. It was worth noting that cats didn't have eyebrows, but if they did, his would have been raised incredulously right then. "They're your boyfriends, Zelle. I hate to break it to you. You have three, handsome, half-elf boyfriends who would do anything for you."
"They can't break us out, Basil. You know what will happen."
He rolled his eyes. "Yes, I know. I remember. How could I ever forget?"
"And even if theydidcome over, they couldn't even be here all at once anyway. Mother has the magical tripwires fairly well secured. If we ever had more than two humanoid beings at once, the place would combust."
"Yeah, but it's not specific humans…" Basil reminded me. "So theycanvisit you. One at a time."
My heart skipped a beat at the very idea. Of course I'd daydreamed about it, I'd be lying if I said I hadn't. But every time I got my hopes up about anything, they got curbstomped soon after. So I simply shook my head, opting for the practical route.
"Right, and Mother would be able to smell if a guy had been here. Especially if a half-elf was here..." I shrugged. "Out of the question. She'd smell their elven magic and that'd be it. It'd be over."
"I thought just it was just Kinden who was a mage..."
"Not how it works, Baz. Kinden's the mage, but Rifyr and Sorrel both havesomeelven magic. Elves have inherent magic they're born with. And so do humans. And they're part of each. And Mother can definitely tell the difference, so…"
Basil was silent, still giving himself a bath. But I knew my cat better than to think he was just going to drop the matter entirely. "She's not what she says she is," he finally said.
It wasn't the first time he'd voiced this sentiment. He'd been of the mindset that Mother was a touch more than human ever since he'd been old enough to argue with me.
"She's a human, Basil," I replied. "She's a human witch. She'd have to be, or I could tell."
"Howcould you tell, though?" Basil asked. "You've never been around another human! You don't know!"
"Neither have you," I countered. "Does she smell different than me?"
"I think she's a faery."
