The Dragon Nimbus Novels: Volume II

joined them and held the child close against her side. “If she doesn’t want to talk about it, don’t push it. When she’s comfortable enough with us to talk, she will. Don’t upset her.” She glared at Nimbulan.
    Nimbulan returned Myri’s stare with love. He recognized the blooming of her maternal instincts and wished they could have children of their own. Children with her pale blond hair and beautifully expressive eyes. They showed hints of purple now, blue when she was sated with sex, fiery green when she healed. He longed for children he could teach to carry on the legacy of honorable magic, neutral in the realm of politics. The lack of his own children became a deep and empty ache.
    He mentally shook himself free of the delusion. Denied children of their own because of their magic, they could only accept and love the ones the Stargods brought to them. Powwell and Kalen.
    “It’s important that he knows what Ackerly is doing, Kalen.” Powwell encouraged the girl. “If you don’t tell him, I will.”
    Kalen’s eyes flashed in anger at the boy. Powwell backed off and dropped his gaze to the ground. The boy might speak for them both, but clearly the girl was in control. Interesting relationship.
    “Ackerly was teaching me to work a summons through a glass and a flame. He wanted me to try sending witchfire with the summons. He wanted me to burn whole armies. He wanted me to murder innocent people with magic and then collect gold for it. He’s evil, and Moncriith is right when he says demons control magicians. I don’t want to be evil. I don’t want to hurt people!” Kalen buried her face in Myri’s skirt. Huge sobs sent shudders down her small body.
    “If Moncriith is right, then why were you so eager to get away from him?” Nimbulan asked. He touched the child’s back with a comforting hand. Her sobs eased a little.
    “Don’t press her, Nimbulan,” Myri said, stroking her hair.
    “Moncriith is as evil as Ackerly. He wants to burn all magicians, not just the evil ones. He does it to fulfill a vision from the Stargods—or so he says. Ackerly does it for gold. Moncriith wanted to burn me, too, after we found you. That’s why we ran away from him. I don’t want to be a magician. I wish I’d never been born.”
    “Don’t ever say that, Kalen. Don’t even think it!” Myri knelt down and faced her, nose to nose. “Moncriith made me feel the same way. I spent my whole life running away. Now I have found a home and a man who loves me.” She reached a hand to Nimbulan and blushed. “Moncriith is wrong, Kalen. Magic isn’t evil. It’s how we use it for good or ill that matters. As long as you use your magic for good, you are good.”
    “That’s why I started the school, Kalen. I wanted to teach magicians how to act for good, for peace, so that we could end the wars and make magic a tool of Life and Healing, not of destruction. Magic is a wonderful gift. We must use it to help those who don’t have the gift rather than for our own power and glory. Moncriith has a magic gift. He think’s he’s using it for the good of all, but he’s not.” Nimbulan explained to himself as well as Myri and the children.
    “Moncriith thinks all magicians are worthless, except for himself.” Powwell spat on the ground. “He wants to be a priest-king of Coronnan. I think he wants to be a god-king instead.”
    Nimbulan could see the boy’s quick mind working, putting pieces together.
    “All people have value, Powwell. Those who have magic, and those who don’t. All of us were created by the Stargods for a reason. Sometimes it’s hard to find the reason and make the most of it. But we have to try.” I have to take the Rover ritual back to the school. I have to continue my work. I can’t do it alone. Will Myri go with me, or will she cling to her new home?

Chapter 28
     
    M yri took Kalen’s hand and started forward on the path. Her little fingers felt cold against Myri’s palm. Questions clouded Kalen’s eyes. She needed time to absorb all the things they’d said about magic and self-worth. Myri hoped the little girl could believe it in time.
    Saber ferns, rotting limbs, and rocks blurred and drifted out of Myri’s vision to reveal a path of sorts. Kalen kept looking forward and back, off to the side, through wide-open eyes then half-closed lids, straight on and out of the corners.
    Myri almost laughed at her puzzlement. She had no idea why none of her companions could see the path.
    A