deeper into her magic than probably any other seer in the world, but it was
dangerous. When she was a child, she had gone into a vision and couldn’t close
her sight for three years. Unfortunately, although she saw her parents’ deaths
and knew how to stop them, she couldn’t bring herself out in time to warn them.
I took the time to look around. Her tent was very
dark, as always, but I didn’t see any indication that her apprentice was with
her. Where is he ? Dessa was never supposed to be alone. A lot of people
wanted her dead and during her visions was the perfect time to strike.
“You have quite the adventure ahead of you,” Dessa
said, finally coming out of it.
“I’m going to defeat Magnus, the great wizard, and
prove to my family that I’m a real sorcerer.”
“Your plans have never gone as you expected.”
“But I’ve never been so willing to work hard before.
Mother will kill me if I don’t prove myself.”
“There is more than one way to skin a cat,” she said.
“She’s going to skin me?!”
She sighed. “I knew the first time I met you that you
were something special. Unfortunately, if I tell you outright what your fate
is, you will make the wrong choices. Even my powers are limited. I can see what
you are meant to do and the consequences of your choices, but not which choice
you will make, because you still have time to change your future. All I can
tell you is to be true to your heart and let Merlin guide you. He already knows
what you must do and he may be the only one who can help you achieve your
potential.”
That was actually the clearest information I had ever
gotten from Dessa. “And one of these choices leads to Mother skinning me?”
“One of the paths you face will lead to your mother
killing you, yes. Trust Merlin and follow your heart.”
“Sorcerers don’t follow their hearts. We have to be
conniving and ambitious at all times.”
“Why?”
“Because… reasons. I’ll try to listen to Merlin, but
I still don’t want to hurt anyone. I know I can be ruthless and dangerous like
my family without killing people or stealing from people who don’t have
anything to begin with.”
“You give your family too much credit. There is one
more thing I can tell you, however. What you seek is in the Island of Light.”
“That’s where Magnus is? Where is the Island of
Light?”
“Find a traveler who knows.”
I rolled my eyes. “Seriously? I’m in a hurry. Can’t
you just use your seer magic and tell me? If my brothers get there first---”
“Magnus’s castle is not easy to find. It goes
wherever it wants to go. You can walk endlessly in every direction and never
find him. Think of it as a journey instead of a destination.”
I sensed something approaching me. It was powerful,
ancient even, and definitely not my brothers. Being able to sense someone was
new to me, yet before I could figure out how I developed this ability, Merlin
appeared through the flap. It was him I had sensed, so I figured it was related
to hearing his words in my mind.
“ I think I have found a way to disguise your hair
temporarily without the use of a magician, which will be unaffected by your
magic .” There was a white cloth sack tied around his neck.
“How temporarily?”
I could feel his disapproving frown in my mind. “ Did
you run into trouble already ?” he asked, looking pointedly at Dessa.
“Yes, I did. My brothers are out there. This is
Dessa. I met her at a seers’ tournament a few years back. She’s a friend.
Dessa, as you know, this is Merlin. He’s a wizard, but he’s from a world where
wizards aren’t just good and he’s training me to be a sorcerer.”
“ You have seer friends ?” Merlin asked,
unimpressed.
“Of course. Just because we don’t do the same kind of
magic doesn’t mean we can’t help each other. My mother says it’s not right, but
she might be a little behind the times.”
Merlin sighed, which he seemed to be doing more and
more as he
dangerous. When she was a child, she had gone into a vision and couldn’t close
her sight for three years. Unfortunately, although she saw her parents’ deaths
and knew how to stop them, she couldn’t bring herself out in time to warn them.
I took the time to look around. Her tent was very
dark, as always, but I didn’t see any indication that her apprentice was with
her. Where is he ? Dessa was never supposed to be alone. A lot of people
wanted her dead and during her visions was the perfect time to strike.
“You have quite the adventure ahead of you,” Dessa
said, finally coming out of it.
“I’m going to defeat Magnus, the great wizard, and
prove to my family that I’m a real sorcerer.”
“Your plans have never gone as you expected.”
“But I’ve never been so willing to work hard before.
Mother will kill me if I don’t prove myself.”
“There is more than one way to skin a cat,” she said.
“She’s going to skin me?!”
She sighed. “I knew the first time I met you that you
were something special. Unfortunately, if I tell you outright what your fate
is, you will make the wrong choices. Even my powers are limited. I can see what
you are meant to do and the consequences of your choices, but not which choice
you will make, because you still have time to change your future. All I can
tell you is to be true to your heart and let Merlin guide you. He already knows
what you must do and he may be the only one who can help you achieve your
potential.”
That was actually the clearest information I had ever
gotten from Dessa. “And one of these choices leads to Mother skinning me?”
“One of the paths you face will lead to your mother
killing you, yes. Trust Merlin and follow your heart.”
“Sorcerers don’t follow their hearts. We have to be
conniving and ambitious at all times.”
“Why?”
“Because… reasons. I’ll try to listen to Merlin, but
I still don’t want to hurt anyone. I know I can be ruthless and dangerous like
my family without killing people or stealing from people who don’t have
anything to begin with.”
“You give your family too much credit. There is one
more thing I can tell you, however. What you seek is in the Island of Light.”
“That’s where Magnus is? Where is the Island of
Light?”
“Find a traveler who knows.”
I rolled my eyes. “Seriously? I’m in a hurry. Can’t
you just use your seer magic and tell me? If my brothers get there first---”
“Magnus’s castle is not easy to find. It goes
wherever it wants to go. You can walk endlessly in every direction and never
find him. Think of it as a journey instead of a destination.”
I sensed something approaching me. It was powerful,
ancient even, and definitely not my brothers. Being able to sense someone was
new to me, yet before I could figure out how I developed this ability, Merlin
appeared through the flap. It was him I had sensed, so I figured it was related
to hearing his words in my mind.
“ I think I have found a way to disguise your hair
temporarily without the use of a magician, which will be unaffected by your
magic .” There was a white cloth sack tied around his neck.
“How temporarily?”
I could feel his disapproving frown in my mind. “ Did
you run into trouble already ?” he asked, looking pointedly at Dessa.
“Yes, I did. My brothers are out there. This is
Dessa. I met her at a seers’ tournament a few years back. She’s a friend.
Dessa, as you know, this is Merlin. He’s a wizard, but he’s from a world where
wizards aren’t just good and he’s training me to be a sorcerer.”
“ You have seer friends ?” Merlin asked,
unimpressed.
“Of course. Just because we don’t do the same kind of
magic doesn’t mean we can’t help each other. My mother says it’s not right, but
she might be a little behind the times.”
Merlin sighed, which he seemed to be doing more and
more as he
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