Mirror Bound

I asked: 'What would it cost to make a bronze or copper boiler of this size?' He replied: 'I don't think it can be done, copper and bronze are not strong enough to make a hollow vessel this size. But I wonder if iron is, I don't know if this thing will hold up.

I'd probably install several smaller ones in a series I guess, it also prevents total shutdown if one fails. That would cost about half again what this cost, and ornaments would be extra of course. Not too tired?'

I wasn't. Practising magic every day clearly improved my supply of power. I collected the latest, and nearly last, calculations and drawings at the cabin, and told Paul: 'This job is rapidly approaching its finish, I'm sure I can get another one, but I wonder if I should try to get one step ahead instead. Thanks to the magic I probably could.'

Now Paul turned towards me and said seriously: 'May I ask you to consider quitting it altogether?' My face must have reflected my shock, for I was really disappointed in him: 'What would I want to do that for? To marry you and have children?'

He took my hand and soothingly said: 'Please don't mistake my words, though I'd love to marry you and, yes, in time have children, I didn't mean you should give up your job to be with me.

Actually I do mean you should give up your job to be with me, but only your job, not your work.

I want us to go into business together, make buildings and innovations together, you're an engineer, you can test my ideas, calculate if they're realistic and of course think of your own innovations. We are both sides of a coin, you plan it, I build it. Will you please consider it?'

Relieved that I had misunderstood, and happy he wanted to marry me, I told him: 'I will.' Of course I did that on purpose, my revenge for the shock he gave me.

But he didn't take the bait, he just smiled affably and embraced me, to my distress, for I didn't want to spoil my image of sexlessness, but neither did I want to reject him.

So I tried to answer it as neutrally as possible, and he noticed and said: 'Sorry, I forgot. No hanky panky on the work-floor. Though we've had plenty on mine.'

'And we will again. Let's get the bicycles and go home, I'm all for lunch,' I said.

'And I'm dying for a few kisses, to make up for what I've missed here,' was his unexpected comment. I looked at him in surprise, and observed: 'You really are different.'

'I hope it's an improvement?' he queried. 'We'll have to see about that,' I said, but actually I was thrilled. I might love this new Paul even more, if that was at all possible.

We collected the bicycles and pedalled home. I was still thrilled by the speed and ease with which we moved, and again, I did not see anyone look at me specifically, people stared but I thought mainly at the idea of travelling on two wheels.

Before we knew it we were back home, putting the bicycles away in the shed and entering the workshop through the back door. Lukas was still working, whistling a merry tune, filing a tiny casting.

He looked up, smiled at us and said: 'Let me finish this tiny ornament and I'll join you for lunch.' Paul ruffled his hair, I kissed him on the cheek, and we went upstairs to prepare lunch. But there was not much more to do than make coffee and get the perishables from the cellar, for Lukas had laid out most of what we needed already.

That left us with a few moments, and I asked Paul: 'This counts as a workplace, doesn't it?' He nodded, and I embraced him and kissed him passionately, my hands in his curls and his exiting scent in my nose. Of course he returned my affection with fervour, and we enjoyed a few minutes of intimacy.

When Lukas came in, we had a nice lunch, I changed into something less formal, and we retrieved the bicycles and set off. Lukas kept up easily, I had not realised how fast he could run, he didn't show any strain staying just ahead of us, it looked more like a jog than a run. In the run-down neighbourhood, people stared as much, but the roads seemed one big pothole, so I needed all my attention on the road and didn't see a lot of them.

We did manage to cross, and soon were pedalling past the industrial terrain, which was easier because there was no traffic there to spoil the road, it was overgrown with low grass, but not littered with potholes. The neighbourhood past the factory had quite a nice road, of course the factory needed easy access for supplies. Soon we reached Sir Nomes' estate and turned into the gate.

Chapter 30

The gatekeeper waved us past him, and we continued to cycle and run through the woods. At a nice straight stretch of road, I stopped the bicycle and clearly demonstrated its use to Lukas.

He got on, hoofs still in the shoes, one on the pedal and one on the ground. Then he set off, managing to catch the second pedal on his first try.

He disappeared in the distance, and came back in due time, pedalling really quickly. Just past us, he used the pedal to brake, and even got his foot on the ground before he fell. Of course he was a natural, physical exercise was his thing.

Unclamping the shoes one by one he tried it without them, and when he came back he observed that with shoes was preferable, as long as the clamps would hold. Paul assured him they would, so he did another lap with shoes, stopping it right in front of us with an abrupt brake and a slide.

Paul laughed and said: 'Go make your own bicycle to mistreat, truant!' Lukas replied: 'I may, with rougher tires so I can cross those hills.

Though I can run as fast as the thing goes, I think I'll go for a run now, then swim, then chase George a little.' I said: 'I hope you catch him. You'll tell us about it, won't you?' Already on the move he called: 'I will, every sordid detail, until your ears burn!'

I really loved that cheeky fellow!

The two of us left the bicycles against a tree, then went further into the open grassland. When we were well-removed from the road, Paul started my third lesson on fireballs, with only personal shields.

I conjured one on my hand twice, this was not very tiring anymore, then with Paul's consent gathered energy from outside my own body, and built another one, imagined its heat, then willed it to be, feeling energy flow into my body.

The ball was a beauty, searing hot and totally in my control, but the colour was wrong, it was green instead of the blue I had gotten used to. It didn't feel wrong, so I kept it for a while then dissipated it.

Only then did I see Paul's face in an expression of stunned amazement. 'What did I do?' I asked him, afraid something had gone wrong.

He blanked out for a moment, then laid a hand on me, contacted my mind, and at that moment I realised I had not felt that most intimate of connections before, when I raised the fireball. This time, the close contact with his mind did not turn me on as much, I guess I was distracted, and besides, we had done this so often now that it was easy to turn off the heat, as it were.

'So what was that about?' I asked.

Paul said: 'You know about innate magic, you know how to reach mine, and you know some mages steal power by capturing souls. Needless to say that is not allowed in any community, black mages are pariah's, always alone.

But there is another source of power, and that is life itself. Everything living gives off a tiny bit of energy to the environment. But there are a lot of living beings in most places, and all that energy concentrates to little streams of energy called ley-lines.

The ley-lines in turn connect to form nodes.

From the nodes, the energy dissipates, there are several theories where it goes, but that is not our issue today. Our issue is, that only certain mage gifted people can reach for the ley-lines to tap that power. When these mages attain a certain competence, they may even tap a node, though that is always dangerous to the mage and to the environment, for it is a lot of energy to handle, like a lightning bolt.

When you reached out for energy I expected you to access my store of personal energy, the closest source easily available to you. But your talent picked a different source, it tapped a ley-line that lies in this field, causing your fireball to glow green instead of blue, the colour of most personal magic. You are not supposed to be able to access that kind of energy until you reach master status, it is very singular that you should be able to handle it already.

But you did handle it, I saw your control over it. Can you see the ley-lines if you use sight? I looked around with sight, and did indeed see green glowing lines follow the contours of the landscape, like streams and rivers.

Following one towards the mansion I learned why the manor was placed where it was: a shiny node was directly below it, a nice clean source of power right under their home. Of course I didn't touch it, though I supposed I could have, but the lightning simile had rightfully frightened me.

Paul of course had followed my gaze, and when I looked at him he was still slightly alarmed, letting out a large sigh: 'I feared for a moment that you were going to touch that node.'

I said: 'I did not feel up to wrestling lightning yet.'

And he wrapped me in his arms, relieved, quite nervous still. 'Even a ley-line should be too strong for you, unreachable actually, but you handled it just fine.'

He released me, then asked: 'Can you find my power?' I reached out again, using sight this time, and corrected myself from the ley-line to Paul's power, clearly visible and indeed blue. I touched it, immediately feeling a mixture between pride of my capability and fear of my inexperience.

And, over all, love, so much love. It hit me right in my soul, and I could not but react to it, I flung myself at Paul and had to kiss him.

Before we knew it we were in the grass, kissing, groping. But Paul might have changed since the night before, he still had his iron will, and before our groping turned into serious love-making he asked me: 'How about flinging some fireballs first?

I can't overtax your energy anymore, you have a near unlimited supply now.'

Flinging fireballs did sound tempting, so we got up, shook the grass out of our clothes, and Paul demonstrated how I should throw a fireball. I emulated him slowly, using ley-line power, and flung my fireball quite a nice ways.

One more time, and Paul suggested a duel. He didn't trust my own shield yet, so he built one inside mine, to take over if mine should fail. He shielded himself as well, and we were off. His first ball was blue and medium size, and it hit my shields because I didn't know how to stop it.

The power dissipating from the shield confronted me with what we were dealing with, making me extra careful. Paul told me to actively stop the ball by taking its energy and either fling it back in the shape of a fireball, or direct it into my shields, strengthening them.

He shot off another one, and I managed to send half to the shield, the rest of the energy dissipated off it.

Then another one, and I managed to do the other thing, I sent the energy back to him, tingeing my fireball dark green, and he let mine dissipate from the shield, to demonstrate the effect. Then I flung another one, and he caught it and sent the energy back. I shot another one, and he sent the energy into his shields, tingeing them dark green where the energy found its path, very educating.

Then he fired two in quick succession and I caught one and had to let the other one go. My shield still held.

I fired one off, and another one, it was easy now, caught one, sent it to my shield, which exploded. I was happy with Paul's shield, I can tell you, for I felt the force of the blow fling me to the ground.

Paul was with me instantly, dismissing his shields, holding on to me again. 'This is damned difficult Melissa, every time something threatens you I go to pieces.'

I remembered the life expectancy of a guardian and said dryly: 'Better get used to it then, or we'll both die young.' This made him laugh in a rather strained way, and I added: 'I was safe, love, your shield held. What did I do wrong?

I thought it was great fun, and it clearly is great practice, for me and for you too, in trusting me, and trusting your teaching. You're doing great!' He let go a little, and said: 'You pushed the energy in the shield too quickly, it couldn't handle it and exploded. Next time, let it flow in by itself.'

'And shoot a fireball at the same time? I need more practice, that much is clear.' So we spent another half hour shooting fireballs at each other, and at the end of that half hour even Paul had some trust in my handling of my shields.

We sat down in the grass together and I asked: 'Will Lukas be able to shoot fireballs?' Paul replied: 'I don't know, I've never had any experience with an empathic talent, and if his really is powered by love, I find it hard to imagine he could use it to do violence. I'm hoping George can help me with his training, he has seen so much more of the world than I have.'

I winked at Paul and observed: 'If Lukas has his way, he's getting training from George already, only of a totally different nature.'

'Actually not, my dear, I just realise that if love does indeed power Lukas' talent, what he is planning to do with George may turn into a lesson in magic after all,' Paul now said, and then, looking straight at me, he smiled and said: 'You quite liked to watch us yesterday, didn't you?' I recalled the feeling it gave me, kissed Paul intensely, then replied: 'It turned me on like nothing else, to see you finally touch him.

Though I was shocked at first at your style, I admit, but he seemed to like it a lot. He liked to be dominated I guess, but only by you, I think, and only with love. Seeing you kneel before him was very enticing.'

'If I hadn't known what he was, his size would have scared me, I think. And his energy at the end, is he always like that? Can you enjoy making love to me when you're used to such size and such a performance?'

Paul sounded a bit insecure now, so I told him the truth: 'He is very skilled, but you are too. His loving is terrific sport, you and me share more love. Your love-making feels as good to me as his, the size looks impressive, it doesn't feel differently though. He never has the patience to let me spoil him. The way he stood still and let you caress him for half an hour was really exceptional, maybe the occasion was so special to him that he managed. I sure loved to watch that.'

He didn't speak anymore, his mind touched mine and I embraced the contact, letting his love and his growing fervour fill me up.

The sun was in the sky, and the birds were going about their business around us, as we made love in the grass, forgetting about everything but each other.

When we got to the mansion, I was again struck by its pleasant lack of grandioseness. It looked like it had always been there, part of the landscape, one with the trees and the gardens surrounding it. It just felt right.

'Does this place make you feel peaceful?' I asked Paul. I saw a fleeting look of pain cross his face, quickly replaced by sincere hope, as he answered: 'It used to for a long time, it felt more like home than the place where I was born and grew up. Then for a long time that made it even more painful to be here, but though I remember the pain well, it is now further removed from me. I have good hopes I will soon start to feel the peace again.'

I squeezed his hand, and he gave me a little kiss. We were met by Frances, who invited us to have coffee with her in her lovely garden, which of course we accepted, hoping we'd get some more new about the faeries, but I wanted to get to know her better as well.

She said: 'George will not be here for some time yet, I think. He was trying to charm your friend Lukas, though I'm not entirely sure who was chasing whom. George likes to think he's still on top of things, but it seems to me that your friend can be very subtle, and my handsome husband may find himself the party being chased.'

Paul loosened up a lot now, and laughed merrily: 'Oh Frances, you've lost none of your sharpness. Lukas has indeed announced to us that he was going to chase George today, see if he had any interesting tricks up his sleeve. And he may learn a lot more than he expects, since we think love is the key to his talent.

They'll have an interesting time, for Lukas is very fast, he'll certainly catch George. Maybe I should remove my shield from him, George can take care of him if needed.' And he blanked out for a few seconds.

When he came back to himself, Frances took both his hands and said: 'Paul, I owe you a profound apology. Ilsa told me about what happened yesterday, and I feel responsible for my share of your unhappy time here.

We should have supported your feelings straight away, and checked her grief immediately. Instead we let it paralyse her and drive you away into a life of loneliness. I hope you can forgive us, too.' Paul got up, embraced her and told her: 'Thank you Frances, it means a lot to me. I have been very lonely, but I'm happy now, and I want to share that happiness with you.'

I could easily see the deep love she had for him, in a way she really was his mother, and I hoped they would be able to repair the damage their relationship had suffered. I could see what Lukas had liked so much about her, and I also hoped he would get over the weird start of their acquaintance, but somehow I was sure he'd manage.

Now she broke my thoughts by saying: 'I have not really welcomed you to the family yet, Melissa, but I'd like to do so now. I can see Paul is in very much in love with you, and you with him. I hope you two will visit us often, or maybe I should say, the three of you, for somehow Lukas belongs to you too.'

It was astonishing to hear Paul say: 'He does. When all's said and done, he's ours.'

I could have wept for joy to hear him say that, but that was not my style, so I just gave him my most dazzling smile ever, and I could see it land very solidly.

After some of their fabulous coffee and a piece of fruit pie, Frances had some news on the faeries she and George were going to set free. The four that belonged to the trees that Jonas still had the photographs of had come back with them to the estate, and they were reunited with their tree or group of trees, most of which would probably survive their ordeal.

They could not remember much of what had happened, but Frances had managed to convince the remaining faeries to tell them again and again until they knew why their trees and their own bodies needed extra care. It appeared that the faeries themselves were more social than they had expected, they were really concerned about each other.

Jonas had also managed to track down five more photographs, all owned by different private parties, and they were going after those in the afternoon, convincing the owner to lend them the plate for an hour, finding the faerie, freeing its soul, taking the photograph back, then returning the faerie to where it belonged.

Frances realised the faeries would fly from anyone but herself, so she was prepared to free them herself if they retrieved the photographs from the factory. We set a time to meet up outside the factory, in the neighbourhood that separated their manor from the factory.

Chapter 31

George and Lukas now came in, hair still wet from swimming, expression of smug satisfaction on either face. I had to agree with Lukas that George was a rather striking figure, the grey in his hair and the lines in his face adding to his charisma rather than lessening it.

Still, Lukas didn't seem deferential to him, if anything I'd say George was the one showing signs of infatuation, Lukas was his normal self among nobility, very self-assured but still polite and well-spoken.