Monsters & Magic

Cora ran hard to keep up with Idris, heading toward the cry for help.

An old woman, deep blue cloak askew, sat on the ground breathing hard. Thin gray hair done in a neat braid like a halo on top of her head. “Oh, thank the Ancient Magic!” she said in a breath.

They hurried down a side street that connected two larger streets as the shout came again, urgent and loud.

Her mind conjured up an image of a Shadow-Walker looming over a boy that looked like Marin. She gritted her teeth and steeled herself, expecting the worst. When they emerged onto the main street, they stopped short.

“What happened?” Idris asked, glancing up and down the street before approaching.

Cora followed carefully, waiting for the Shadow-Walkers from her imagination to spring on them.

“Well, the rain stopped so I thought I would go for a walk, maybe to the market. Then I fell.” She looked around, an unreadable expression on her face. “I think I hurt my ankle.”

“May I look at it?” Idris waited for her to nod before moving toward her feet. “Which one?”

“The right one, dear.” She pointed to her foot, just sticking out below the hem of a thin dress.

Cora watched as Idris felt the woman’s foot first and then slowly made his way toward her ankle. He stopped when she sucked in a breath.

“Ooh. That’s it. Ouch,” she said, making a face.

“It’s swelling up fast. I am going to take you to Mattias. He will get you fixed up.” Idris slid an arm under her knees and another arm behind her back and stood, lifting the old woman off the ground.

“Oh my, no. I would hate to take any of your precious time,” she said. Her voice reminded Cora of the wealthy shoppers back in the city. They were always oozy and dramatic.

He shook his head. “Cora and I don’t have anywhere we need to be now. We don’t mind.”

He met Cora’s eyes and she remembered what he had told her when she had asked why. “It’s my responsibility to help the people of Phaedra.”

“Of course.” Cora tried to sound sincere, but her words came out sounding sarcastic instead.

The old woman sent her a scathing look that lasted barely a second before turning her dark eyes back on Idris. “If you insist. Thank you, Idris.”

“It’s not a problem,” he responded.

Cora stared at the woman as they started up the street, wondering she had imagined the look.

She had plenty of practice catching the body language of others and was no stranger to unwarranted hatred, but whether it was because of her response, or some other reason she did not know.

She avoided the old woman’s gaze, lost in her own thoughts until they arrived in front of the healer’s door.

“Cora, would you mind knocking?” Idris asked, stepping aside to let her pass.

Delta came to mind. The woman had all but shouted at her, insisting that she should not be there. It was a stark contrast to their first meeting.

“Oh. Um, sure…” She raised a fist and knocked on the rough wood three times.

She could hear Seth’s voice before he answered.

A look of surprise crossed his face as he swung the door open to let them in. “You’re back!”

“Yeah,” Cora said, stepping inside and out of the way so Idris could carry the woman inside.

“Matt! Someone’s here to see you,” Seth called as he closed the door behind them.

“Stop calling me that.” The healer emerged from the cot room, a scowl on his face as he wiped his hands on a rag. He paused when he saw them. “Oh! Come on back and tell me what happened.”

“She fell,” Idris explained, crossing the room.

“I believe I hurt my ankle,” the old woman chimed in, her voice dripping sweet again. “Can you fix it?”

Mattias nodded. “I can. Come and sit down here…” The three disappeared into the cot room.

“Where’s Delta?” Cora asked, looking around. She had expected to be verbally attacked again as soon as they walked in.

“She’s still asleep,” Seth answered with a shrug.

“Oh.”

“I don’t know why she’s so angry with you. It’s not like her situation is your fault.” He motioned toward the colored cushions. “Hey, do you know how to play cards?”

“No,” she said flatly, crossing her arms.

“Wanna learn?” Seth asked, a grin suddenly on his face.

“I don’t know.” She glanced toward the cot room door as Idris emerged, alone.

“Mattias is almost done getting Nora fixed up. I don’t want her trying to walk to the market on her own,” he explained.

“Can you take me home first?” Cora asked. Home… The word felt strange on her lips. Never before had she had the ability to make such a request.

He shook his head. “There won’t be enough time. She’s ready to go, and I don’t want to make Mattias host her longer than he has to.” He glanced back at the cot room and Cora wondered what he thought of the old woman.

“Then I’d rather stay here.” She took a step toward the colored cushions.

He raised his brows. “Are you sure?”

Cora nodded.

They all watched as Mattias helped the old woman out of the cot room. “All better!” she said. “Thanks to you wonderful men.”

Beside her, the healer closed his eyes and took in a slow breath before opening them again. “You’re welcome, Nora. Please be careful in the future.”

“Oh, I will,” she assured him.

“I will walk you to the market,” Idris said, moving toward the door. “I’ll come back for you then, Cora.”

“Yeah, okay.” She gave a short nod and then turned and headed for the cushions without bothering to watch them leave. “Show me your card game, Seth.” She picked a vibrant blue pillow with gold tassels on each of its corners and sat down. It was more firm than she had expected, its surface more coarse than the clothing she wore.

“It’s not my card game, it’s a card game. Lots of people know it,” Seth corrected. He plopped down on the emerald green cushion beside her and paused. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

“You tell me. That lady looked at me like I was trying to steal something precious from her. I haven’t stolen a thing since I came here! What is her problem?” Her voice rose as she spoke, more emotion seeping out than what she had intended.

Seth shuffled his cards in silence before responding; a move she had not thought possible for him. “I don’t know. Are you sure she was looking at you?”

“Yes.” Cora crossed her arms.

“That sounds really weird... Maybe she was having a bad day,” he suggested. “She did fall and hurt her leg.”

“Whatever.” Cora rolled her eyes and watched as he dealt the cards. She did not believe him, but the energy for a fight was gone, so she dropped the subject. “I don’t really want to play,” she said.

“What do you want to do?” he asked.

“I want you to show me the way back.” The words came out before she could stop them.

Seth sat up and stared at her. “What?”

“Nothing. Never mind.” She tried to backtrack regretting her words instantly.

“Why would you want to go back?” he pressed, recovering and beginning to pick up the cards on the floor.

She lowered her voice and turned her eyes on the floor at her feet. “I don’t,” she answered honestly. “but I don’t belong here.”

“Who said that?” Seth asked.

Cora looked at him and then at the door separating them from Delta, and shrugged.

“She’s just upset,” he argued. “Don’t listen to what she says.”

She sighed. “Yeah. Sure.”

“Cora,” Mattias called, interrupting the argument.

“What?” She turned toward the table where he stood, eager for a distraction.

“If you are going to stay here, I have work for you,” he said, indicating a pot on the table in front of him. A wooden handle stuck out like a mast on one of the boats at the dock.

She got up without hesitation and approached the table. The admission that had spilled from her left her feeling raw and exposed and she was grateful for an excuse to get away from Seth and focus on something else. “What do you need?”

A steaming mixture sat on the table in a large pot, a wooden spoon sticking out over the top. On its surface, what looked like green and brown dust floated, spinning around with the current.

“What is it?” she asked.

“It’s the base for the salve I make. I have had several requests for more lately,” he explained as he dumped a bag of what looked like tiny pebbles into the pot.

She wrinkled her nose. “It stinks.”

“Not for long,” he said, passing her the wooden spoon. “It needs constant stirring until the ingredients are fully incorporated. The smell will change as that happens.”

“Oh.” She stuck the spoon in the liquid and slowly moved it around the pot. The steam that rose left her skin hot and sticky. She made a face. At least it got her out of talking to Seth for a while.

“What about me?” he asked, joining them at the table.

Mattias raised a brow. “Did you ever finish what you were working on before they got here?”

“Oh! No.” He sounded surprised and Cora wondered what he could possibly have been working on.

“You might go do that now then,” Mattias suggested.

“Right.” Seth hesitated, mouth open like he had something else to say. Then he closed it and hurried off into the sleeping room, pushing the door shut behind him.

“What was that all about?” Cora asked.

“He is supposed to be practicing with magic,” Mattias answered, turning his attention to the counter and the few dishes in the bin needing washed.

“How does he practice with magic?” The image that came to mind first was one of a street performer back in the city, doing tricks in exchange for coins thrown into his hat. She had used opportunities like that more than once to pickpocket unsuspecting shoppers. It was always a great distraction.

“He’ll have to show you sometime,” Mattias answered without looking at her.

She turned her attention back to the contents of the pot which was changing rapidly, thickening, and the smell was becoming sweeter and more mild. “Right.”

By the time Idris returned, she had finished stirring and was helping Mattias distribute the salve into small clay jars. It was hot work but she found herself enjoying it all the same.

Mattias held the hot pot so that she could scoop out the last of its contents when the knock came. “Seth, get the door,” he called.

Cora watched as Seth burst out of the sleeping room and dashed across to the door. He swung it open for Idris with a short, “Hi.” He closed the door behind Idris and led the way over to the table. His face was red and sweat covered his forehead, sticking his hair down so he looked like he had just walked through a rain storm.

“What’s with you?” Cora asked before she could stop herself.

Seth laughed and wiped the sweat from his face with the back of his hand. “Nothing. Just practicing.”

Idris looked sideways at him, then addressed Cora. “Are you ready to go?”

“Almost,” she said, scraping the rest of the salve into the last bottle.

“Thank you for your help,” Mattias said. He set the pot down and wiped his hands on a rag that lay at the edge of the table.

“Yeah,” Cora answered awkwardly. You asked for it. It wasn’t like I offered. She took a step back from the table. “Now I’m ready.”

“Alright,” Idris said, a hint of a smile creeping onto his face. “Let’s go then.”

“See you soon!” Seth called when they got to the door.

“Yeah, yeah,” Cora answered as she and Idris stepped outside, heading for home.