Of Caverns and Casters ✓ [TLRQ #1]

Chapter 48 - Aster

Last night's snow covers everything outside the window in a thick layer of white. I wince, imagining sludging through that on my way home—worse, camping in it on my way to the next town. What kind of idiot was I to come north just before winter? Frustration seethes at the heavy clouds that promise another storm soon. I have to get back, and I can't do it sitting in an inn a mile from where I was captured!

But I can't do it if I get lost in the Draón wilderness either. My jaw clenches. Whether I'm trapped weathering the snowstorms or frozen to death in one, Amarris gets to wreak whatever havoc she has planned, and my family has no warning to prepare. There has to be another way.

Steps tap down the stairs, and I glance over to see Leavi. I greet her from my spot on the couch, and she walks over. "What happened last night?" I ask. "I never saw you after you went to change." Between her disappearance yesterday and her thievery of my materials, I am lost with this girl.

Unease sparks in her eyes, and she fumbles for an explanation. "I didn't feel much like dancing anymore," she finally answers.

Not understanding but also not wanting to press her, I nod.

"Speaking of things that didn't happen," she says, "we never got a chance to talk about what happened the night-before-last. You said you'd explain."

"I'm sorry. With the appearance of the kra'kaa, I suppose we forgot. What would you like to know?"

She sits beside me. "How did any of it happen? How was it possible?"

I look at her helplessly. "I'm not sure what you want me to say, Leavi. I've told you before—it's magic."

"But how?"

"'How' what? All of magic? That's quite a lot." I give her a small smile.

"How does it work?" she bursts.

I run a hand through my hair. "Well, there's a lot of magic theory I could try to explain, but it might take a while. Where do you want me to begin?"

She pauses, eyes wide, as if flummoxed by the infinite number of starting places. "How is it possible?" she stresses.

I drop my hand, realizing for the first time what an interesting situation this is. Here is someone without any biases truly asking about the workings of magic. And as much as I don't know the answer for certain, this is a chance to have an open, honest discussion about it. No prejudices, no fear, no theories baked in from lifelong scholarship—just an open mind.

I lean forward. "There are many theories as to how magic is initially able to work. The one I suppose I believe the most is that magic is a fundamental part of how the world works, just like science. But it's different than science, since it operates on certain different rules—that is to say, magic has several rules outside of and that go against science."

She pauses, quiet, lips tight.

"Are you alright?"

She takes a deep breath and nods. "Yes, I am. I just—" She breaks off, and I wait patiently until she eventually continues with, "What were those voices I heard?"