chapter Eight
Meetings of Magic
Eramus entered the mill, the sound of the cranking waterwheel soothing his soul. Something about the familiar noise set his mind at ease, despite how anxious he was to visit the meadow. He and Evree had met there every day for the last week, but today's meeting would be with someone else entirely.
Morzaun—the mysterious man in the black cloak.
Eramus still wasn't certain he trusted him. The man seemed eager to teach him about magic and how to control his power, but people often offered assistance as a facade for their own selfish purposes.
A shadowed figure moved along the top floor. Ordin maneuvered down the ladder and jumped off a few feet from the bottom floor. Fine white dust covered his clothes, and sweat beaded on his forehead.
Eramus offered a warm smile, but the one Ordin returned was small and half-hearted. That wasn't good.
"Good morning, Ordin," he said, hoping he'd only imagined the lack of cheerfulness.
Ordin averted his gaze. "Hello, Eramus. I hope you are well?"
He'd be better if the man wasn't acting so unfriendly. "I'm fine. Are you well?"
Ordin finally looked up, his eyes full of sadness. The man had instructed him to return in one week to work the mill. Although the opportunity had allowed Eramus to spend time with Evree, the villagers' attitudes towards him had not changed, and Ordin could retract his plan to keep him on as his apprentice. Eramus's stomach flipped.
Ordin's shoulders slumped to accompany his heavy sigh. "I respect you too much not to be honest, Eramus. I know I said you would still have a place as my apprentice, but…" He closed his eyes and massaged the bridge of his nose. This definitely wasn't good.
"I understand if you've changed your mind," said Eramus. "You don't have to explain. I'll just—"
Eramus turned to walk away, but Ordin gripped his shoulder, his expression pained. "I haven't changed my mind, or at least I didn't want to. Arnan came to visit me earlier. He threatened to…" Ordin's eyes glazed, and it took several moments for him to continue. "He threatened to burn down the mill if I allowed you to stay."
"What!"
Heat flooded over Eramus's body. How could Arnan, the man meant to prioritize the village's best interests, threaten to destroy not only Ordin's livelihood, but the thing that helped all the people who lived here? Sure, they could grind the wheat by hand, but the process would require more time and more people. There simply weren't enough free bodies to accomplish the task and keep up with everything else the village needed.
"How could he do such a thing?" Eramus muttered. "He'd be punishing everyone."
Ordin shook his head. "I know, and I hope you will forgive me. Arnan may be the leader, but I don't dare assume his threat was empty. He seems to resent you, and I cannot risk losing the mill. It's too important to our community."
"No, it's not a risk worth taking. I'm sorry he threatened you at all. I'm sorry I can't help you."
"Perhaps one day he'll come to his senses," said Ordin. "I'd have you back in an instant."
"I appreciate that more than you know. I'd best leave in case Arnan's watching."
Eramus left Ordin standing in the mill with a frown. He needed to get out of there before his emotions got the better of him. A mixture of anger and sadness spread over his body, causing his skin to prickle. He focused on his steps. Allowing his emotions to control him would only draw out his power with unbridled force. Arnan was waiting for him to make a mistake and unleashing a wave of untamed magic inside the village would qualify.
He marched towards the grassy plain where flowers still dotted the landscape. He could release his magic freely here, without concern of mishaps. Eramus stopped in the center of the meadow and drew a deep breath. He closed his eyes. Warmth spread through his arms, but before he could do anything with the blue light that surrounded his hands, a soft voice filled his ears.
"I thought you were working at the mill today?"
His heart lurched. Evree stood just a few yards away, her hands clasped behind her back. She smiled, and the negative emotions immediately drained from him. "Evree. I…" Should he tell her? Arnan was her uncle, after all. The last thing he wanted was to create more drama. Besides, him getting upset about the situation was exactly what the man wanted.
"Turns out Ordin isn't ready to process the wheat just yet."
He hated lying to her, but he knew Evree. She wouldn't let her uncle's slight go unpunished. She'd have the entire village in an uproar. He loved how spirited she was, but now wasn't the time for it, not when the display would cause more problems than it solved.
"How fortunate for me," she said, closing the space between them.
Eramus mussed his hair. He was happy to see her, but had hoped she would forgo coming to the meadow today. Morzaun could appear at any moment, and he didn't trust the man enough to feel comfortable having Evree nearby.
"Evree, I've loved spending time with you the last few days, but…perhaps it would be best if you weren't here when I practiced my magic. The last thing I want is for you to get hurt. My powers are a little chaotic at times."
