Madric blinked, then looked his nephew over. "Yes, Teine- what ring are you speaking of?"
Teine, and Marne too, pointed at Marne's right thumb. "This ring." Marne took it off and set it on the edge of Madric's desk. "I've had it forever. It was my mother's."
"Well, I'll be damned," Madric muttered under his breath.
Marne shrugged. "You can have a look at it, if you want. Just don't break it or keep it. I want it back. It was my mother's." he repeated.
Like a hawk pouncing on a field mouse, Madric swept up the ring and went to one of his workbenches, Hamoni trailing in his wake. The two of them pulled out some instruments, plus a bag of fine powder, began talking about "original magics" and guessing at the approximate age of the item in question. Their general consensus was that it was "very old, and primitive."
Teine, feeling overwhelmed and more than a little confused, padded over to stand next to Marne. Marne looked up at Teine, his expression somber.
"I wish you hadn't told him about the ring."
Teine frowned. "I'm sorry. I've never met anyone with even one magic item of their own before. You have two! And one of those was even made for you!" He hated the idea of so casually betraying something Marne would have liked to keep to himself. "So, " he asked sheepishly. "How long have you known the ring was magic?"
The strange boy sighed, a wistful expression on his alien features as he nodded. "I've always known. But it was nice to have a secret that was just for me."
Although Teine had never had any secrets of his own, he understood. "I'm really sorry."
Marne shrugged it off. "It's all right, I know you didn't mean to. Besides, now that the secret's out, maybe I can learn more about it. It feels... important... to me, somehow." He watched Hamoni and Madric for a minute, then asked them, "Can you read the inscription?"
"There's an inscription?"
The boy sighed, then grinned at Teine with a subtle hint of mischief in his alien eyes. "Yes. On the inside."
Teine couldn't help but wonder, so he asked: "How many other people know about that ring?"
"Your Amagorra noticed it, when she first came to work in the nursery," Marne told him. "Other than that, just us, and my Father. He gave it to me when my Mother died."
"But weren't you only a baby then? Or am I remembering wrong?"
"I remember everything," Marne insisted quietly. "I even remember Mother wearing it. She looked at it often, as if it were important to her."
Teine was becoming more intrigued by this story the more he heard, and really he didn't even care if it was true, or if Marne were making up details to fill in the natural gaps in a young child's memory. Then again, perhaps whatever kind of creature Marne was really could remember everything. "So, why can't people see these things? How does that kind of magic work?"
Marne glanced over his shoulder, as if to be sure Madric and Hamoni were still deeply involved in the examination, then he leaned closer to Teine. "I don't know all the details," he confided. "But I'll tell you what I know, as I understand it to be. The art of making things appear different than they are or concealing them completely is called 'illusion.'"
Although Teine had heard some of this before, he didn't dare interrupt the young Master to tell him so. He had a feeling that Marne's explanation would be simple, to the point, and useful to him in the future, even if it were for nothing more than his stories with Leis. Besides, Teine loved a good mystery.
"Illusions are one of the most simple, and therefore the most durable, magics out there, but they can be easily thwarted if a person is alert to their presence. For example, now that Madric and Hamoni know about the ring, they'll probably always be able to see it from now on." Marne hopped down from the stool to look out the window, before continuing. "It wouldn't surprise me one bit if that old ring was around for the last Awakening... or longer." Marne read Teine's skepticism on his face, and added an earnest, "It just feels that old."
"So, what does it do?"
Marne shrugged artlessly. "I don't know. It might have had another magical function at some point- or even still might- but could be so old that the illusion is the only thing that's left. Or," he continued, looking thoughtful. "It could continue to Awaken, like some of the other items that are turning up. I have strong feelings for it, it's my most prized possession, so who knows?" Marne gave him a sidelong, mischievous grin. "It could even be for 'ruling them all.'"
Teine chuckled. "If you ever call it 'Precious,' I promise you, I'm going to skip the tattling to Madric and just get straight to the running away from home."
Marne grinned, careful to keep that mouthful of dangerous-looking teeth well hidden under his closed lipped, shy smile. "You read those books, too?"
Teine nodded fervently. "I had a hard time getting used to all the racial slurs, but I suppose some people might actually talk like that in uncivilized lands. I don't think any of the races were called by their proper names even once."
"I wondered about that, too. Do you suppose the people in those stories were like us? Er... us Aoife, I mean. Some people believe they're historical, not fiction."
Teine thought about it for a second. He'd had a similar debate with Seymour once, after they'd both taken the same Ancient Literature and Mythology class. He decided it couldn't hurt to be bold with his opinion. He was beginning to trust Marne enough to disagree with him- and considering the gulf between their stations in life, that was really saying something.
"I think they're fine examples of epic storytelling," Teine told him. "But I believe they have to be fiction."
Interested, Marne turned from the window and tilted his head at him. "I agree with you, but I'm curious as to your line of reasoning."
Just as he was about to explain himself, Teine noticed that Madric and Hamoni had abandoned their tinkering with the ring and were approaching with both the ring and Marne's bracelet. Suddenly, he felt very self-conscious. It was one thing to share his half-baked theories with another boy, albeit one that owned him. It was quite another to broadcast his opinions loudly to adults and his betters.
"Ah, I'm quite relieved," Madric said. Without further preamble, he picked up Marne and plunked him back on the examination stool. "I'm hoping that if Marne gets someone he can talk to about some of his interests, he'll stop pestering his father to let him go to the University."
Marne submitted to the hoisting, but wrinkled his nose at Madric's suggestion. Even with his odd features, the expression was cute and whimsical. "I've already taken all the classes I want from the tutors I can get out here," he explained. The tone of his voice broadcast his frustration very clearly; it was the voice of a child who'd had his plans thwarted but was desperately trying to avoid giving the appearance of whining. "All three Ancient Literature classes were great! But the fourth is only taught at the University level-"
"Someday, someday," Madric consoled him, then changed the subject deftly. "So, how's your imaginary friend doing? I haven't heard you talk about her lately. Do you still see her?" His eyes danced with merriment. "Have you gotten her to show up for any of the little tea parties you throw for her?"
"We all take tea in the afternoon," Marne returned, raising an eyebrow. Teine could do nothing but marvel at Marne's sudden change in demeanor. The instant before, he'd been a supplicating child trying to win a key adult over to his point of view. Now, he was an adult taking offense at another adult's mocking. "If I choose to set a place for an absent friend, in her memory, it doesn't diminish my experience to the status of 'a little tea party.' If you had a good friend like Casey, you'd do it too."
"Easy, easy," Madric consoled. Teine noticed the magician's smile was still slightly patronizing. "I stand corrected."
"Also," Marne continued, without missing a beat. "Just because Casey and I only get to see each other when we're asleep does not mean she's imaginary."
Madric sighed, wiped the smile off his face, and seemed to face the remainder of his dressing down with good humor.
"And to answer your question: yes. I saw her last night, even."
Hamoni and Madric exchanged a look, then suddenly Hamoni began scribbling madly in her book. Madric's features had folded into a thoughtful frown. Teine could sense right away that something in the conversation was a matter of some gravity... at least to Hamoni. Madric still seemed more amused than serious.
"Well, that rules out possession, at least," Hamoni muttered, heaving a sigh. "The warding in the basement would prevent it."
Marne gave an annoyed little snort. "I'm not possessed, Hamoni. I might be some kind of strange monster that no-one's ever seen before, but I'm not possessed." Then, he turned to Madric, defiance in his eyes. "And she's not imaginary, either."
"And that puts us back at square one," Hamoni sighed. She handed the bracelet and ring to Madric, then excused herself from the room, closing the door behind her with some force as she left.
"Pshaw. All the drama," Madric muttered, waving the departed Aoife girl away. Then he turned to his nephew, trying to diffuse his discomfiture. "You're not a monster, Marne. You're just-"
"Just what?" Marne interrupted. Teine had watched Hamoni go, unable to stop himself from feeling badly for her. Obviously proving Marne's imaginary friend to be real was very important to her. As he turned back to see what Madric had in mind next, he decided he might ask her about it later. But it was Marne's reply to Madric that pulled him firmly back into the conversation. "Deformed? A freak? A Changeling?"
"I was going to say special," Madric volunteered. His tone was surprisingly gentle, and Teine was touched to realize that the magician cared very deeply for his nephew- no matter who or what he was.
While they'd been talking, Madric had absently slipped Marne's ring over his own finger and was pulling it off to give back to his nephew. When Marne took it back and put it on, Madric gasped.
"Did my eyes deceive me, or did that ring just change size to fit you?"
Marne shrugged. "Your eyes told the truth." He was starting to look bored.
The magician's eyes rolled back in his head, and Teine was afraid for a moment Madric was having a seizure, until he let out a whoop of joy and did a little dance. Marne tilted his head inquisitively at his uncle, then gave Teine a little shrug and shook his head in mock exasperation.
"Can I borrow your ring again?" Madric asked, holding out his hand with an eager, elated expression on his face. "If I can figure out that sizing enchantment, I can fix your bracelet so it will fit snugly and not bang around."
Marne nodded with real enthusiasm, and within an instant had pried the ring off his finger and given it back to Madric. "Do you want to have a look at its workings?" he asked his uncle.
"Do you think you're strong enough?" Madric asked. Skepticism and concern warred for control over his angular, handsome face. "It didn't seem important enough to bother with, until we realized it could change size."
Marne gave one of his trademark shrugs. "Sure. Well... at least for a while."
"A quick peek is all we'd need to get going," Madric answered. He looked thoughtful, as if trying to plan something out. "All right, here's what I think we should do-" He was interrupted by a polite chime from a wooden box that hung on the wall. "Oh, damn it all! Looks like your Father's returned from town." The magician looked as disappointed as a convict who'd been offered a pardon, only to find he was going to be executed after all.
Teine stole a quick glance at Marne to see if the child had any enthusiasm at the prospect of seeing his sire, and was unsurprised by Marne's seeming indifference. "I doubt he's in any hurry to seek me out," Marne replied. "So, we probably have a few minutes before I'm summoned."
Madric seemed to think quickly. "All right then, here's what we do," he said. "Marne, give me a quick look at the threads on that ring, then run off to find Hamoni and show her, too. Once she's seen, tell her we're going to work on your bracelet and send her up here. Then, if you're tired, you can take a nap in the Blue room. I had Pasha bring your things up from the basement this morning."
"Maybe later Teine and I can set up our own rooms." Marne suggested. "If they're mostly cleaned out, that is."
Nodding, Madric glanced back and forth between his nephew and Teine. "That's a good possibility. Now, show me the ring, so you can get going."
Obediently, Marne hopped off the stool, and advanced on his Uncle. Madric held the ring out on the palm of his hand. The magician seemed calm, but Teine couldn't help but notice Madric's hand tremoring ever so slightly with hidden excitement, and his stomach did a sympathetic pang of fluttering butterflies.
Marne placed his palm over Madric's hand, hovering less than an inch above the ring without touching it, then closed his eyes to concentrate. Teine found himself holding his breath. After three heartbeats, Marne whispered, "Now," and opened his eyes.
Teine gasped in wonderment and skittered back two steps at what he saw.
Teine, and Marne too, pointed at Marne's right thumb. "This ring." Marne took it off and set it on the edge of Madric's desk. "I've had it forever. It was my mother's."
"Well, I'll be damned," Madric muttered under his breath.
Marne shrugged. "You can have a look at it, if you want. Just don't break it or keep it. I want it back. It was my mother's." he repeated.
Like a hawk pouncing on a field mouse, Madric swept up the ring and went to one of his workbenches, Hamoni trailing in his wake. The two of them pulled out some instruments, plus a bag of fine powder, began talking about "original magics" and guessing at the approximate age of the item in question. Their general consensus was that it was "very old, and primitive."
Teine, feeling overwhelmed and more than a little confused, padded over to stand next to Marne. Marne looked up at Teine, his expression somber.
"I wish you hadn't told him about the ring."
Teine frowned. "I'm sorry. I've never met anyone with even one magic item of their own before. You have two! And one of those was even made for you!" He hated the idea of so casually betraying something Marne would have liked to keep to himself. "So, " he asked sheepishly. "How long have you known the ring was magic?"
The strange boy sighed, a wistful expression on his alien features as he nodded. "I've always known. But it was nice to have a secret that was just for me."
Although Teine had never had any secrets of his own, he understood. "I'm really sorry."
Marne shrugged it off. "It's all right, I know you didn't mean to. Besides, now that the secret's out, maybe I can learn more about it. It feels... important... to me, somehow." He watched Hamoni and Madric for a minute, then asked them, "Can you read the inscription?"
"There's an inscription?"
The boy sighed, then grinned at Teine with a subtle hint of mischief in his alien eyes. "Yes. On the inside."
Teine couldn't help but wonder, so he asked: "How many other people know about that ring?"
"Your Amagorra noticed it, when she first came to work in the nursery," Marne told him. "Other than that, just us, and my Father. He gave it to me when my Mother died."
"But weren't you only a baby then? Or am I remembering wrong?"
"I remember everything," Marne insisted quietly. "I even remember Mother wearing it. She looked at it often, as if it were important to her."
Teine was becoming more intrigued by this story the more he heard, and really he didn't even care if it was true, or if Marne were making up details to fill in the natural gaps in a young child's memory. Then again, perhaps whatever kind of creature Marne was really could remember everything. "So, why can't people see these things? How does that kind of magic work?"
Marne glanced over his shoulder, as if to be sure Madric and Hamoni were still deeply involved in the examination, then he leaned closer to Teine. "I don't know all the details," he confided. "But I'll tell you what I know, as I understand it to be. The art of making things appear different than they are or concealing them completely is called 'illusion.'"
Although Teine had heard some of this before, he didn't dare interrupt the young Master to tell him so. He had a feeling that Marne's explanation would be simple, to the point, and useful to him in the future, even if it were for nothing more than his stories with Leis. Besides, Teine loved a good mystery.
"Illusions are one of the most simple, and therefore the most durable, magics out there, but they can be easily thwarted if a person is alert to their presence. For example, now that Madric and Hamoni know about the ring, they'll probably always be able to see it from now on." Marne hopped down from the stool to look out the window, before continuing. "It wouldn't surprise me one bit if that old ring was around for the last Awakening... or longer." Marne read Teine's skepticism on his face, and added an earnest, "It just feels that old."
"So, what does it do?"
Marne shrugged artlessly. "I don't know. It might have had another magical function at some point- or even still might- but could be so old that the illusion is the only thing that's left. Or," he continued, looking thoughtful. "It could continue to Awaken, like some of the other items that are turning up. I have strong feelings for it, it's my most prized possession, so who knows?" Marne gave him a sidelong, mischievous grin. "It could even be for 'ruling them all.'"
Teine chuckled. "If you ever call it 'Precious,' I promise you, I'm going to skip the tattling to Madric and just get straight to the running away from home."
Marne grinned, careful to keep that mouthful of dangerous-looking teeth well hidden under his closed lipped, shy smile. "You read those books, too?"
Teine nodded fervently. "I had a hard time getting used to all the racial slurs, but I suppose some people might actually talk like that in uncivilized lands. I don't think any of the races were called by their proper names even once."
"I wondered about that, too. Do you suppose the people in those stories were like us? Er... us Aoife, I mean. Some people believe they're historical, not fiction."
Teine thought about it for a second. He'd had a similar debate with Seymour once, after they'd both taken the same Ancient Literature and Mythology class. He decided it couldn't hurt to be bold with his opinion. He was beginning to trust Marne enough to disagree with him- and considering the gulf between their stations in life, that was really saying something.
"I think they're fine examples of epic storytelling," Teine told him. "But I believe they have to be fiction."
Interested, Marne turned from the window and tilted his head at him. "I agree with you, but I'm curious as to your line of reasoning."
Just as he was about to explain himself, Teine noticed that Madric and Hamoni had abandoned their tinkering with the ring and were approaching with both the ring and Marne's bracelet. Suddenly, he felt very self-conscious. It was one thing to share his half-baked theories with another boy, albeit one that owned him. It was quite another to broadcast his opinions loudly to adults and his betters.
"Ah, I'm quite relieved," Madric said. Without further preamble, he picked up Marne and plunked him back on the examination stool. "I'm hoping that if Marne gets someone he can talk to about some of his interests, he'll stop pestering his father to let him go to the University."
Marne submitted to the hoisting, but wrinkled his nose at Madric's suggestion. Even with his odd features, the expression was cute and whimsical. "I've already taken all the classes I want from the tutors I can get out here," he explained. The tone of his voice broadcast his frustration very clearly; it was the voice of a child who'd had his plans thwarted but was desperately trying to avoid giving the appearance of whining. "All three Ancient Literature classes were great! But the fourth is only taught at the University level-"
"Someday, someday," Madric consoled him, then changed the subject deftly. "So, how's your imaginary friend doing? I haven't heard you talk about her lately. Do you still see her?" His eyes danced with merriment. "Have you gotten her to show up for any of the little tea parties you throw for her?"
"We all take tea in the afternoon," Marne returned, raising an eyebrow. Teine could do nothing but marvel at Marne's sudden change in demeanor. The instant before, he'd been a supplicating child trying to win a key adult over to his point of view. Now, he was an adult taking offense at another adult's mocking. "If I choose to set a place for an absent friend, in her memory, it doesn't diminish my experience to the status of 'a little tea party.' If you had a good friend like Casey, you'd do it too."
"Easy, easy," Madric consoled. Teine noticed the magician's smile was still slightly patronizing. "I stand corrected."
"Also," Marne continued, without missing a beat. "Just because Casey and I only get to see each other when we're asleep does not mean she's imaginary."
Madric sighed, wiped the smile off his face, and seemed to face the remainder of his dressing down with good humor.
"And to answer your question: yes. I saw her last night, even."
Hamoni and Madric exchanged a look, then suddenly Hamoni began scribbling madly in her book. Madric's features had folded into a thoughtful frown. Teine could sense right away that something in the conversation was a matter of some gravity... at least to Hamoni. Madric still seemed more amused than serious.
"Well, that rules out possession, at least," Hamoni muttered, heaving a sigh. "The warding in the basement would prevent it."
Marne gave an annoyed little snort. "I'm not possessed, Hamoni. I might be some kind of strange monster that no-one's ever seen before, but I'm not possessed." Then, he turned to Madric, defiance in his eyes. "And she's not imaginary, either."
"And that puts us back at square one," Hamoni sighed. She handed the bracelet and ring to Madric, then excused herself from the room, closing the door behind her with some force as she left.
"Pshaw. All the drama," Madric muttered, waving the departed Aoife girl away. Then he turned to his nephew, trying to diffuse his discomfiture. "You're not a monster, Marne. You're just-"
"Just what?" Marne interrupted. Teine had watched Hamoni go, unable to stop himself from feeling badly for her. Obviously proving Marne's imaginary friend to be real was very important to her. As he turned back to see what Madric had in mind next, he decided he might ask her about it later. But it was Marne's reply to Madric that pulled him firmly back into the conversation. "Deformed? A freak? A Changeling?"
"I was going to say special," Madric volunteered. His tone was surprisingly gentle, and Teine was touched to realize that the magician cared very deeply for his nephew- no matter who or what he was.
While they'd been talking, Madric had absently slipped Marne's ring over his own finger and was pulling it off to give back to his nephew. When Marne took it back and put it on, Madric gasped.
"Did my eyes deceive me, or did that ring just change size to fit you?"
Marne shrugged. "Your eyes told the truth." He was starting to look bored.
The magician's eyes rolled back in his head, and Teine was afraid for a moment Madric was having a seizure, until he let out a whoop of joy and did a little dance. Marne tilted his head inquisitively at his uncle, then gave Teine a little shrug and shook his head in mock exasperation.
"Can I borrow your ring again?" Madric asked, holding out his hand with an eager, elated expression on his face. "If I can figure out that sizing enchantment, I can fix your bracelet so it will fit snugly and not bang around."
Marne nodded with real enthusiasm, and within an instant had pried the ring off his finger and given it back to Madric. "Do you want to have a look at its workings?" he asked his uncle.
"Do you think you're strong enough?" Madric asked. Skepticism and concern warred for control over his angular, handsome face. "It didn't seem important enough to bother with, until we realized it could change size."
Marne gave one of his trademark shrugs. "Sure. Well... at least for a while."
"A quick peek is all we'd need to get going," Madric answered. He looked thoughtful, as if trying to plan something out. "All right, here's what I think we should do-" He was interrupted by a polite chime from a wooden box that hung on the wall. "Oh, damn it all! Looks like your Father's returned from town." The magician looked as disappointed as a convict who'd been offered a pardon, only to find he was going to be executed after all.
Teine stole a quick glance at Marne to see if the child had any enthusiasm at the prospect of seeing his sire, and was unsurprised by Marne's seeming indifference. "I doubt he's in any hurry to seek me out," Marne replied. "So, we probably have a few minutes before I'm summoned."
Madric seemed to think quickly. "All right then, here's what we do," he said. "Marne, give me a quick look at the threads on that ring, then run off to find Hamoni and show her, too. Once she's seen, tell her we're going to work on your bracelet and send her up here. Then, if you're tired, you can take a nap in the Blue room. I had Pasha bring your things up from the basement this morning."
"Maybe later Teine and I can set up our own rooms." Marne suggested. "If they're mostly cleaned out, that is."
Nodding, Madric glanced back and forth between his nephew and Teine. "That's a good possibility. Now, show me the ring, so you can get going."
Obediently, Marne hopped off the stool, and advanced on his Uncle. Madric held the ring out on the palm of his hand. The magician seemed calm, but Teine couldn't help but notice Madric's hand tremoring ever so slightly with hidden excitement, and his stomach did a sympathetic pang of fluttering butterflies.
Marne placed his palm over Madric's hand, hovering less than an inch above the ring without touching it, then closed his eyes to concentrate. Teine found himself holding his breath. After three heartbeats, Marne whispered, "Now," and opened his eyes.
Teine gasped in wonderment and skittered back two steps at what he saw.
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The Gilded Shackle is the first book in The Evermancer Saga, a series of online serial novels. Go go right to the most recent chapter, go to www.evermancer.com.
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