The Prodigal Mage Part 36

Come on, said Da, grabbing his shirt-sleeve. Reckon its easier to show you than tell you.

They went to the Weather Chamber.

Awestruck, silent, Rafel stared around the sunlit room. Hed never set foot in this place. Hed wanted to, often enough. Hed even dreamed of sneaking in, with Goose, back when they were sprats. But something always stopped him. Some instinct, some deep, nameless feeling, that to come here without Da, to come here uninvited, would be to cross a line one he could never cross back over.

Da was looking at him, almostalmost anxious. You feel it, dont you? You can feel what were done here for six hundred b.l.o.o.d.y years. Even though the Weather Magic aint burned into your bones.

The air in the gla.s.s-domed chamber was cool and dry, and it thrummed against his bare skin like a drumbeat in the distance. Echoes of power. Echoes of pain. Echoes of voices, screaming in the night.

Yes, he said softly. I can feel it.

Ha, said Da, briefly pleased. Knew you would, sprat. Then he nodded, scowling. And thats the Weather map. Sinkin b.l.o.o.d.y thing.

Moving closer, he stared at the map, marvelling. He didnt know much about itDa never said, nor Mama. Darran had never seen it, but hed known a few stories and told them once or twice. Hed called it beautiful, and he was right. A pity about the scattered patches of blight marring its intricate details.

Touch it, said Da.

Startled, he looked up. Me? But Touch it, Da insisted. Then tell me what you feel.

Hesitant, he reached out one finger to the mapthen s.n.a.t.c.hed his hand back, gagging, and scrubbed it over his mouth as though hed just bitten into something rotten. The map felt like Westwailing, like the magics spat out by the whirlpools and the waterspouts and Dragonteeth Reef. Diseased. Rancid. Bloated black, like a corpse.

Morg.

Da was nodding. Aye, Morgs in there, the b.a.s.t.a.r.d. But dyou feel anythin else?

I dont know, he said, his belly churning. He wanted to retch.

Touch it again, sprat, said Da. For as long as you can stand.

That was the last thing he wanted to do, but it was Da asking, so I dont know, he said again, when his guts finally stopped heaving. At first I thought it was dead, but But you aint sure? Da said, watching him closely. You reckon you might feel a tiny spark of somethin, buried under the blight?

I think so. Then he shrugged. Or could be Im just imagining it. Sighing, Da came to stand beside him. Pressed his palm flat to the map. His tired face tightened with revulsion. You aint, he said at last, through gritted teeth. There be a spark of power there. Almost burned out now. You be good all right, sprat, if you can feel it.

The compliment warmed him. The look in Das eyes killed that warmth. What does it mean? I thought all Lurs Weather Magic was long gone. I thought it died with Morg, when the Wall came down.

Da sighed again. That be what we told folk, Rafe. Me and Pellen and your ma. We thought it were safest that way, see? We thought the worst were behind us, and Lur were free of Doranen meddling. We thought.

Chilled, he stared at the map. You were wrong?

Aye, sprat, said Da, sounding so sad. We were wrong.

And with a whispered word, and a tracery of burning sigils, Da made snow fall beneath the chambers gla.s.s-domed roof.

The stunned delight in Rafels face as he watched the snow fall made the pain of calling it not matter. Made it hardly hurt at all. Asher felt the trickling blood on his lips, tasted it on his tongue, and didnt care. Rafe were smiling. They were talking again.

Whatever else comes, at least we got that much.

Da, itsitsI want to do that, said Rafe, his voice hushed, fingers reaching to touch the tiny, drifting white flakes. Show me how to do that.

Simple pleasure died. Shaking his head, he banished the snow. Cant, sprat.

Hurt, Rafel stared at him, snowflakes melting in the palm of his hand. Why not?

The Weather Magics lost. It be long dead and gone.

But you just said As good as, he added. Whats left of it be in me. And when I die, itll be dead for good.

But that means it aint dead now, Rafe argued. So you could teach me. Da Closing his eyes, Asher took a deep breath. Sorry, sprat. Sorry. But I wont curse you with this. Weather Magic cant be learned like other Doranen magic, Rafe. I be the last WeatherWorker of Lur.

Disappointed, Rafe hunched his shoulders. Then why did you bring me here?

Cause I got to break a promise to your ma, and I dont want to do it alone.

Da Rafe stamped about a bit, just like he used to when he were a sprat, and thwarted. Stop turning everything into a b.l.o.o.d.y riddle, would you? Just tell me what were doing here, simple and straight out, or Im leaving.

He had to smile, even though he were sick with nerves. With the echoes of pain. Sink me, you got a mouth on you.

Sink me, Rafe retorted. Look, Da! Im walking to the door He stepped in front of his son. Pressed one palm flat to Rafes chest. No, you aint.

Da Rafe turned away. No more games. It aint been a good day and He turned back again. Please. No more games.

The pain in his son, for Goose, were like a knife stuck in his own heart. Forgive me, sprat. I wouldve spared you if I could. Rafe, the last time things went bad in Lur, I came up here and I put em to rights by pourin more Weather Magic into that b.l.o.o.d.y map.

Rafels mouth fell open. You what? Buthow?

So he explained. Told his son the truth of what had happened when he were a boy of ten, holding nowt back.

So you werent bedridden with an ague those weeks, Rafe said, when the tale was told. When me and Deenie were sent off with Uncle Pellen and Charis for that jaunt down to the Dingles.

He shook his head. No, that were a taradiddle. Like I told youI nigh on killed mself fuddlin with the Weather map. Your ma He winced, remembering. She aint never been so fratched at me her whole life. But I didnt have a choice, Rafe. Just like I aint got a choice now.

Swallowing, Rafel looked at the Weather map. You want to do it again?

No, I dont b.l.o.o.d.y want to! he snapped. But if I dontwell see the end of Lur. A lot of folksll die. And if Pinttes expedition does make it back home across them mountains, what theyll find He grimaced. Rafe, I got to do it.

Da Rafel stamped about a bit more. Theres got to be something else we can do. You said it yourselfyoure not strong enough for this.

Admitting it hurt, but his pride werent something Lur could afford just now. I know, Rafe. That be why I need you.

Rafe stopped his stamping. Da, you promised Mama. If you do this, she wont forgive you.

Rafe He gave his son a weary smile. One of these days Ill sit you down and Ill tell you some of the things your ma and me have forgiven each other. Sh.e.l.l be fratched, I dont deny it but sh.e.l.l get over it. Aint n.o.body knows Lur comes first better than your ma.

Folding his arms tight, Rafe started pacing again. I still say you could be wrong. If what you say is true, Deenie wouldve felt something. You know what shes like. Shed be in tears all over the place or waking us all up with nightmares. So I reckon Then youd reckon wrong, sprat, he said quietly. Cause for one thing, last time this happened I started feelin things were goin wrong long afore anyone else. And for another, I be the WeatherWorker.

Which means what, Da? said Rafe, challenging. You want me to help you, then I want to know. His eyes narrowed. No more secrets, remember? After Westwailing you owe me that much.

You owe me. The sprat was so angry. No matter how he explained why he and Dath had tampered with him, Rafe might never understand. But right now there werent time for explanations. Explanations would have to wait.

A sudden, clutching fear. Rafe, you aint been trying anything, have you? You aint snuck off to To what, Da? Play? Rafes fingers curled to fists. And if I have?

Rafe Dont worry, Da. I know better. I know whats inside me is b.l.o.o.d.y dangerous.

Sick with relief, he nodded. Well work this out, sprat. I promise. When Lurs sorted, well work this out.

Rafe nodded. We surely will, Da.

Right. Well. About bein WeatherWorker. It means I feel things different. Good as you are, Rafe, you cant feel everythin. And what I feel He didnt try to hide his shiver. Rafe, once things have gone from bad to worse, Im feared theyll bring Lur to an end. Not just the land, sprat, but the people with it. Im feared whats comin will set us at each others throats.

But Da, were peaceful, said Rafe, shaking his head. We always have been. I dont believe wed Rafe, think, he said, desperate. We only be peaceful cause there aint nowt to fight on. But with the reefs magic havin wrecked every harbour, and no more fishin, and crops that aint yieldin what we need em to yielddyou reckon well survive another calamity with the weather? More floods, more sick, drowned stock, more folk washed out of their homes? Dyou reckon there wont be hunger and panic and folk branglin in the streets? Dyou reckon the Doranen wont start thinkin on how life werent this complicated when they were in charge?

Rafe looked at him, uncertain. Butwe got laws, Da. They wouldntthey couldnt Course they would. Course they could. Laws only protect folk when everyone abides by em. But if them as be stronger wakes up one mornin and decides they dont fancy followin them laws no morewhats to stop em from doin whatever they b.l.o.o.d.y like?

It broke his heart, stripping Rafel of his belief that life were safe and always would be. I fought Morg so this wouldnt happen again. Gar died so none of us would be frighted again. So were the fightin and the dyin for nowt, in the end? Were that the harsh lesson Lur was bein taught?

Da Rafe folded his arms, his jaw stubbornly clenched. Say I agree with you. Say things are set to turn as bad as you think. That doesnt mean you should risk your life again. At leastnot before you have to. Not before its clear there really aint no other choice.

Rafel, I told you No! Rafe said, and started his pacing. You can wait a bit longer, Da. At least till Deenie feels something too. I heard everything you said, I did, butbut could be you cant exactly trust what you feel. I mean, youre fretted about Uncle Pellen, and you aint over what happened down in Westwailing, and maybe doing this right now, Da, maybe it aint such a good idea.

Oh, Rafe. And maybe, he said, if I can get some more power into that b.l.o.o.d.y Weather map, and stop the weather failin on us, therell be time for you to ride after Goose and tell him he dont need to go over them mountains. His da told me all about it, Rafe, how the brewers be worried for their oats and their barley and their b.l.o.o.d.y hops. So if I fix things here Shocked, Rafe stopped his pacing. Da I know you be scared hes goin to die somewhere out there, he said. So if I wont let you go with himand Rafe, I never willthen I reckon I ought to try my best to keep him out of mischief.

Tears filled his sons eyes. But Da what if you die?

I wont, he said. Not with you here. Cause that be your job, eh? Keepin an eye on me. Makin sure I dont die.

Thats my job? said Rafe, incredulous. When I dont know the first b.l.o.o.d.y thing about Weather Magic? Da He shrugged. You might not have the Weather Magic but you got the potential for it. You can feel it in the map. And there be all that power in you, that I might need to borrow again. He tried to smile. If you dont mind.

Mind? Da, dont be b.l.o.o.d.y stupid. Rafe took a deep breath. Blew it out, hard. So, what do I do? What do you do? How does it work, you putting power into that map?

I dont rightly know, he admitted. Just it be part of the Weather Magic. Part of me. All you got to do is not let me go too far. Stop me afore I pour all of mself into the b.l.o.o.d.y thing. Cause itll suck me dry if I aint careful.

This is mad, Rafe muttered, and half-turned away. Da He took one step towards his son, and stopped. You can do this, Rafe. You can. I got faith in you.

Slowly, very slowly, Rafe turned back. Have you?

The doubt in his sons eyes was a punishment. Do I deserve it? Probly. Hidin your magic werent never about trustin you. I only did it to keep you safe.

Rafe nodded. I know.

But you be fratched anyway, he said. And you dont forgive me. A glitter in Rafes eyes. Say you were wrong, Da.

But I werent. I was wrong.

Say youre sorry.

I aint sorry, and I never b.l.o.o.d.y will be. Im sorry, Rafel.

Silence in the chamber. In the dome-filtered sunshine, Barls Weather map gleamed, slowly dying.

All right, said Rafe. But youre telling Mama this was all your idea.

He tousled his sons short hair, in pa.s.sing. You drive a hard b.l.o.o.d.y bargain, sprat. Now lets get ourselves settled, eh? And well do what we can do to save this sorry b.l.o.o.d.y kingdom, afore its too late.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO.

Pa.s.s me the tea caddy, Deenie? said Charis, as she swished freshly boiled water in the pot to warm it.

Deenie took the caddy down from its shelf above Chariss kitchen bench, prised off its lid, made sure the scoop was in there, then handed it over.

Thanks, said Charis, with a half-hearted smile.

Watching her toss careless scoops of loose dried peppermint leaves into the teapot, feeling her friends strictly concealed upset, she blinked back tears. Mama might not be a proper pother, Charis, but she knows all about herbs and possets. Im sure Uncle Pellen will feel better soon.

Charis nodded. Im sure, too.

Except she wasnt. Deenie could feel that she wasnt, just as she could feel Uncle Pellens slowly failing spirit and Mas terrible, wrenching griefnot only for her friend, but for her husband and son, as well. Their feelings tangled inside her, making it hard to breathe. Making her head hurt, and her throat. After weeks of Das misery and Rafels rage it was enough to make her burst into sobs.

I hate feeling things. I wish I could snap my fingers and turn into stone.

No-one could tell her why she was like this. Not Pother Kerril, not Pother Nix, not even Mama or Da. He said it was cause she was special. As though somehow that would make it all right. Well, it didnt. She didnt want to be special, not if it meant living the rest of her life feeling other peoples hurts like they were her own. And the older she got, the harder she felt them, as though the seed of her feeling things grew as she grew.

What will it be like when Ive finished my growing? I dont want to find out. I want to find a way to stop it.

Not even Charis properly understood, and she was a mage with power. She said she knew how it felt. But even when she was weepy with what she could feel in Lur, it wasnt the same. No-one was the same.

No-one is like me, not even Da.

The loneliness of that was almost too hard to bear.

With the boiling water added to the teapot, Charis swirled it round a few times then set the tea aside to draw. Im so glad you bought that shawl, Deenie. That shade of blue is so pretty on you.

Deenie glanced at the kitchen table, where she and Mama had carelessly dropped their parcels. I do love it. But I wish youd bought the green one.

I didnt need it, said Charis, putting the lid back on the tea caddy. I have a green shawl already. And besides Besides what? she prompted.

Nothing, said Charis, and made herself smile. Maybe next time. Anyway, its fun to look at things without buying them.

Charis She hesitated. I dont want to pry. But they were close as sisters. Charis, is itis it money?

No! said Charis, quickly, hotlybut then her face crumpled, and she nodded. The possets Papa needs now, the herbs are so rare. Especially with the rain and the flooding. Its not that there isnt money, there is, butI dont know how long it has to last, Deenie. I dont know how long Oh, Charis, she whispered. Im so sorry. I wish With a heartbreaking effort, Charis banished her fears. Blinked back the tears, tilted her chin, and carefully untied her frilly yellow ap.r.o.n and hung it on its hook by the muslin-curtained kitchen window.

I meant to ask you before, hows Rafel? I never see him around. Well, just that once in the street the other day, b.u.t.thats not the same.