Abducted [W&W Book 3]

Chapter 30

The two women cleaned up the kitchen and then Ildri followed Maxine outside.  She had thought that they might immediately go to a clearing, but Maxine first led her around the back of the building.  She picked up a couple of baskets sitting in a haphazard pile and handed one to Ildri.  Then she walked into the forest with three rabbits and Ildri trailing behind her.

While they walked, Maxine talked.  Her tone was different than the friendly and mildly amused way she usually spoke, a more serious tone.  Ildri listened quietly.

"You said that you spent some time learning about wizard magic when you were younger, correct?"

"Yes," agreed Ildri.

"Wizard magic is a bit different than the magic of witchery.  Were you taught of internal and external magic?"

"I guess so."

"You've probably heard that wizards are internal magic users and that witches and warlocks are external magic users, stealers of magic."

Of course Ildri had heard something like that.  Everyone knew that, but she did not want to admit it.  Even more she did not want to admit that she had harbored a similar prejudice against Anya.  Would she have been so angry about Anya's betrayal if Anya had not also been a witch?  She felt shame well up in her at the thought and felt a heat cross her cheeks.

Maxine looked at Ildri understandingly and Ildri wondered if she knew how Ildri was feeling.  The woman sometimes seemed to have otherworldly knowledge, much like Lord Wildwood.  Yet even if Maxine had an idea what Ildri was thinking, she did not reprimand Ildri, instead she continued speaking.  "That is true, to some extent.  But our magic is no different than a wizard's power in that it can also be misused greatly.  If we misuse our power we can kill, but a wizard can do just as much damage.  As can a sword in the hand of a warrior, a dagger in the hand of a thief."

Maxine looked at Ildri for a moment.  "Magic is power and with any power we must take care to be responsible."

Ildri felt she was expected to respond although she did not know what to say.  It seemed as if Maxine was cautioning her more than anything else.  "I understand," Ildri agreed awkwardly.

Maxine nodded and continued.  "As to the distinction between external and inherent# magic, there really is none.  All magic is inherent.  It does not simply float around in space waiting to be used.  Magic is inherent in living creatures, it is attached to life.  There is magic in plants and fungus, in insects, fish and animals.  Humans, too have magic.  A wizardress uses the magic that is inside herself only.  A witch does the same as well, but she uses her inherent magic to gather the magic of plants or animals.  A witch can, in sum, achieve greater effect because she does not only rely only on what is inside her."

Ildri had never heard such things before, but she thought with dismay that it sounded at least as difficult as wizardry was.  Would she be able to manage to learn when she had already failed once?  She felt disappointment at the thought.  What would it be like to return to Wildwood with all her grand ideas in dust?  Probably as bad as if she simply quit.  She did not want to do either, but could she somehow succeed at her foolhardy plan?  She should have just stayed at Wildwood.

"One does not have to kill to use the magic inside of animals.  Even plants, although it is most often easier to pluck a certain herb.  It does not hurt them if done in moderation and an animal or plant will rebuild its magic in time.  A witch's familiar often shares magic with her, too."

"Do your rabbits?" Ildri asked.

"They do indeed.  Elizabeth likes doing it the most, but the other two are comfortable with it."  Maxine turned her attention to the trail.  "Now, the first thing I need you to do is to learn to recognize some of your most common ingredients.  Do you know what hearthorn is?"