Breath (Scales 'n' Spells 2)

“Uh, hello. Nice to meet you?” He winced, as he didn’t mean to make that sound like a question. He just wasn’t sure if this conversation would go well. Read that as he was absolutely certain it wouldn’t.

“It is always a pleasure to meet a new mage. I look forward to doing so in person. I’m told the Jaeggi tried a spell of some sort to ambush you this morning.”

This, at least, he was comfortable answering. “Oh, yeah. The spell was designed to trap us in the car. It was rather cleverly disguised, really. What caught my eye was the morning sun. It hit at just the right angle to reflect part of the spell. And it was odd looking. Sort of distorted? I can’t really explain it.”

“Every spell we’ve seen the Jaeggi use so far has looked very odd. I know what you mean. It’s hard to explain in words. We’re not sure why their spellwork looks so. You were able to break the spell?”

“Yeah, it was easy to dismiss. I, um, borrowed some dragon’s breath from Baldewin to break the spell and put up a ward around us. Right now, I have a ward attached to the car itself. They won’t be able to use any spells to attack us so long as we’re inside the car.”

“A wise precaution on your part. What did you build the ward out of?”

“Reflected sunlight and dragon’s breath. It’s basically all I have to work with. Which means the ward is limited—it won’t protect against physical attacks, it’s not strong enough for that.” Tori mentally slapped himself. She probably knew that. Mouth, stop nervously babbling.

“Oh dear, just those elements on you? No wonder Alric wants me to send something with Cassie. Which masking spell do you want to use?”

This whole conversation was surreal. Tori had never in his life just sat with a mage and talked magic. And she did it so naturally with him that it felt almost normal. After a lifetime of being shunted to the side, ignored when he voiced an opinion on magic, it kept throwing him off-stride. “Um, I’m not sure what you call it. My clan called it Double Cover.”

“That name doesn’t ring any bells, no.”

“It’s a two-for-one spell. It encourages the viewer to skip over us, to look right past us, but it’s a subtle thing, and unless you’re really focusing, you don’t even realize the compulsion is there. It also masks all magical presence. Even seeking spells can’t detect us while under it. At least, most seeking spells.”

“That does sound like the right spell for the job. What do you need to create it?”

Tori’s confusion grew. She trusted him. She just trusted him to know his business, to be able to work a high-level spell. Was it because she didn’t know him? That had to be it.

But nothing about her tone suggested she was doubtful of his ability. Maybe he hadn’t said enough for her to realize? Tori’s eyes were good; he could see magic just fine. And he knew magical theory like no one else. It was his one true strength, his knowledge, as he’d studied it more than the average mage, trying to make up for his dyscalculia.

But no one else had ever believed that to be the case.

Swallowing hard, he kept speaking, mentally bracing himself for the other shoe to drop. “I’ll need rainbow mist—as large of a jar as you have, please—several pieces of a fallen star, song of a nightingale, and will o’ the wisp.”

“Can you use my dragon’s breath or fire to help build this spell?” Baldewin offered.

“Uh, no.” Tori faltered and mentally cursed himself. This was where he struggled every time. The math for building the spells. Explaining why something was unbalanced. Explaining what exactly made it an anti-spell. And it was because he couldn’t explain, he couldn’t break it down exactly, that he’d never been allowed to do the higher magics.

“Tori, correct me if I’m wrong, but it seems like this spell needs to have a foundation in at least four elements? Since each of what you listed off is wind, water, flame, and earth based.”

He huffed out a breath of relief. “Yes, exactly.”

“Baldewin, your offer is kind, but in this case, unwise. Dragon’s breath is very powerful. If Tori tried to use it, it would upset the power balance of the other elements and turn very quickly into an anti-spell.” Lisette gave a slight hum, as if thinking hard. “I think I have everything in stock on my own shelves. If not, I know Melissande does. She hoards everything. Worse than a dragon, that one. I’ll get you those ingredients as quickly as I can, I promise you. How much fallen star do you need?”

Tori was a touch slow to respond. She’d had to explain for him why it was unwise to use Baldewin’s offer, and still she trusted him? Trusted Tori to know what he was doing? Tori’s old teachers would have scoffed immediately and yanked the project out of his hands. He didn’t understand why Lisette still trusted him. Bemused, he shook the thought off and answered her. “A piece for every person. It will be attuned to each one, and I’ll have to craft a necklace for them to wear.”