remained in the car.
“Are you not coming?” she asked.
Grim shook his head. “I came up with a lead which I want to follow up. You two go and find out what you can about the Lamina, and where it’s hidden. I’ll be back in a few hours, just wait for my call.” They nodded, and he escaped around the corner, leaving a grey trail of smoke in his wake.
“I think you made him grumpy,” said Patience, “that his life is way less interesting than yours.”
Mercy chuckled and then became serious. “Oh, Grim certainly has a few tales worth telling. Although, I think the majority of them he will want to keep to himself. The Great War is a time that I think he would rather forget.”
Patience couldn’t contain her shock. “Grim fought in The Great War? Which side was he on?”
“We all did, though he was a general,” she said, “one of the best.... and don’t worry. He was on the side of the pro-mortal sorcerers.” Patience tried not to seem too relieved. Wars were a strange thing. Years later when it is over and everyone lives in harmony again, in theory everyone forgives and forgets, but can they truly get away from the horrific experiences they went through.
What did she know about war? The only war she had ever seen was on the news, and even that seemed so distant, like it wasn’t real.
She unlocked the house with her spare key and went inside, straight away prioritising the creation of a cup of tea over finding the most dangerous weapon in the world. Many had told her before to get her priorities straight. She usually ignored them.
Patience handed a mug to Mercy and they both sat down on the sofa. She considered flicking on the television and finding out what was going on in the mortal world – she had become so detached from it –
but decided against it. She would rather just listen to more of Mercy’s stories.
However, when she looked up, Mercy was staring at her with accusation in her eyes. Something was wrong, for a moment her pupils flashed a milky white and then she shook her head as though she had just woken up.
“Are you okay?” asked Patience.
Mercy smiled. “Yeah, I’m fine. My magic just gives me some insight occasionally. I see things, truths.”
“What did you see?” said Patience, “something about my uncle?”
“No,” said Mercy, “it was about you, a secret you’ve been keeping. You know, that ring on your finger.”
Patience looked down at it. In truth, she had almost forgotten it was there, it’s not like it had been useful or allowed her to perform any feats which saved her life. It had just been a regular, old piece of jewellery. “I forgot about that,” she said.
“So, you have a wand,” said Mercy. She paused for a moment. Then her face softened as a wide smile spread from ear to ear. “That is so cool, where’d you get it?”
Patience relaxed a little. “My uncle left it with the note that was in his study. I guessed he wanted me to have it, so I put it on. But I didn’t want to tell Grim. I realise he was hesitant to bring me into this world.
If he knew I was seeking the means to do magic, then he might take it away and bring me home. I can’t forget this world, not now.” Patience realised how stupid it was saying that to Mercy, a woman who could literally make anyone ‘forget anything’.
“Of course you do, that’s normal. But I really do suggest that you tell Grim,” she said.
“Why?”
Mercy grinned. “So that it’s not so much a shock when you start shooting out fireballs to defend yourself.” Patience jumped up excitedly, she was going to learn magic. “Get up and stand in the centre there.” Patience did as she said.
“Are you able to teach me?” she asked, “you’re a clairvoyant, not an elemental. Surely you don’t know how to throw fireballs.”
Mercy nodded. “When we’re younger it is normal to try lots of aspects of magic before settling upon a single discipline. I’m going to teach you an elemental ability, but that doesn’t mean you are tied to that one discipline for the rest of your life. You have a little while to decide yet.”
Patience readied herself, normally she dedicated a large percentage of her brain trying to come up with witty quips, but at this point she was fully focused on the task. She tried to remain calm and not get taken over by excitement, she was determined to make this work.
“Okay,” said Mercy, “just relax and listen to what I tell you. Right now you have magical energy swirling around your body, even mortals have a bit of it, but you come from a magical family, so you should have more. So, the first step is to find this energy, feel it. Close your eyes.” Patience did as she was told, hoping that this wasn’t some joke to make her look silly. “Just concentrate, now that you are aware of it, the energy will make itself known to you.”
She screwed up her face in concentration, thinking about those loose bits of energy floating around inside her. Then she felt different, like a tickling sensation that spread across her entire torso.
“I feel it,” she said quickly, “it’s there.”
“Good, so now that you know it’s there you have to co-ordinate it. Coax it into your hand.”
“How do I do that?”
Mercy had stood up, Patience could hear her standing opposite as she breathed steadily. “The magic is a part of you, in effect, it is you. Which means that it reacts to stimulation of your brain.”
“You mean I just have to think about it?”
“Kind of,” she said, “if you will it to happen then it will. Just let it slide along you, up your arm and into your hand. Try that for me.”
This part wasn’t as easy as simply discovering the energy. It seemed like every time she managed to get it to move, it would snap back like an elastic band, away from where she wanted it.
“It takes practice,” said Mercy, “most don’t master it until months of training.” Patience refused to let it beat her though. Her face was so screwed up by this point that she probably looked ridiculous. Then a wave of relief spread through her as the energy flowed smoothly as though the pressure had built up enough for it to just tear through her body wherever she wanted it to go.
“I’ve got it,” she cried, “it’s in my hands.”
“Okay, you’re nearly there. Now, do the same, but lead it into your fingers. This will take more delicate movements because the openings aren’t as wide as those that lead up your arm.”
Since she had done it once, it was far easier to ease the energy in delicately. They now seemed to obey her like a trained dog, it was working with her rather than against her. Finally, she felt her fingers tingle to signal that she had been successful.
“Click your fingers,” instructed Mercy. Patience did so, producing a spark which evaporated into the air. “And again.” The second time was more successful. After the click, Patience felt her fingers start to heat up until they felt like they were burning, but this was all overshadowed by the hovering flame that erupted in her palm.
“Oh my God,” she squealed, “I did it.”
Mercy grinned proudly. “Yes you did.” She showed her how to get rid of it, pushing her palms together until the fire completely died out. It was sad to see it go, but she was still buzzing with adrenaline. She practiced a few times more, getting faster with each conjuring. Now she might actually be able to defend herself if they got into another fight, no, WHEN they get into another fight. It was only a matter of time with Grim.
“You picked that up quicker than I thought,” said Mercy, a glamorous smile filling her mouth, “but we have been distracted.”
“You’re right,” said Patience, kind of disappointed that her magic casting had come to an end, “I suppose we better go and get that journal.”
Mercy followed Patience up to the entrance of the study, perching against the wall as she waited for her to return from the magical barrier with the journal.
As Patience went ahead, she felt nerves grip her as she realised this was the first time she’d been back since her
uncle went missing. It sent chills through her. Especially when she looked around the study, finding it exactly how it would have been on any of her regular visits to his house. It all lay un-tampered, everything it its right place. Even the journal which was in the drawer of his desk, as it always was.
As she held it in her hand, Patience realised how small it was. It was unmistakably leather, with a cover of two crossed over pieces held together by a small gold sealer.
How could something so small contain information so valuable, she thought, this little book could either save or destroy the world, and her uncle had kept it in his study all this time.
There was a ringing noise from outside. Patience wandered out to Mercy who was on the phone. She passed it to Patience. “It’s for you.”
She took it, pressing it to her ear. “Hello.”
“We really need to get you a new phone,” said the familiar voice of Grim, “but anyway.... how is the search going?” She considered telling him about the magic, but decided it was probably something best discussed in person.
“It’s alright,” she replied bluntly, “though we haven’t found anything yet.”
There was a pause of silence before Grim spoke. “Well I followed up on that lead, and I think I’ve gotten somewhere. I’m going to pick you up in ten minutes.”
“What about the Lamina?”
“Why doesn’t Mercy stay to read through the book, then we’ll pick her up afterwards?”
“Alright, see you in ten then.” She hung up