“Yet you supported my uncle, even when you thought he had chosen to cast one.”
Eversleigh grimaced. “It is hard to give up years of friendship on discovery of one poor decision made many years before. I am glad we can now acquit him of casting the spell of his free will. Still, if he had not spent years campaigning against binding spells, I might not have been able to forgive him at the time.”
“I did not mean to raise a painful subject.” Darcy had enough pain of his own. “I will remember your advice. Faerie might provide a temporary refuge, but I cannot see myself spending the remainder of my life there.”
“I hope it will not come to that.”
So did Darcy. “How long do I have?”
“Until they ask for your testimony, there is no need for concern. Afterwards I hope they will follow the usual protocol of informing the Collegium before taking action, but I cannot guarantee they will not attempt to act on their own. I suggest you take precautions against being caught unawares. Either Lord Matlock or I will be checking on you regularly, and we will remove a spell if one has been cast.”
Darcy would still have lost control over himself and his body. Nothing would be the same again. He understood all too well why Elizabeth had feared being spellbound even when she knew it would be removed. “You were not able to remove the binding on Anne de Bourgh.”
Eversleigh turned his hands palm up. “That spell was of Lord Matlock’s devising, and he is the best spellmaster we have. These men are far less skilled.” He smiled suddenly, a tense smile. “I am also not above asking Aelfric for help. You saw what quick work he made of the spell on Miss de Bourgh.”
Darcy stared into his untouched port. “Do you know how long it took me to learn to control my elemental powers? When I was a boy,anything I tried to drink turned into a whirlpool in my glass. Water jumped out of buckets when I walked past, and there were buckets of water everywhere because I also accidentally set things ablaze. My mother would not pour tea when I was in the room. When I had nightmares, the lake outside my window would overflow its banks. I prayed every night for God to take this curse for me. My father worked with me daily to teach me control, but I did not want to watch every thought I had or every step I took. I wanted to run and play like other children, but they would not be allowed to play with me because if I became angry, a sinkhole might open under them. When I finally learned the control I needed, I was sent off to school where everyone said I was too serious. When other boys were cruel to me, I could have made the contents of their chamberpots fly up in their faces or their ink spill, but I did not because that would be the wrong use of my powers. I know I have not made the wells of men I dislike run dry because I take great care to keep that from happening, always checking to make certain I am not affecting the flow of water deep in the earth. I always envied men like you who could learn to use their powers when I had to learn not to use mine, which is very much like learning not to breathe.”
“I had no idea.”
But the words would not stop now that he had let them loose. “Do you know why elemental mages are so rare? Most of them die as children. They drown in their own beds while asleep or are burned alive by fires they started but could not put out. I had servants watching me every minute, day and night. I was never alone. I learned illusion to hide myself from those prying eyes. And now these workaday mages who have never done anything more than set locks or build wards are sitting in judgment on me, and I can do nothing about it. Sometimes I think Miss Bennet is right, and the Collegium is rotten to the core. I wonder how many other petty sorcerers like Sir Lewis de Bourgh may be hiding their sins by participating in the Collegium.”
“I have been wondering that as well.” Eversleigh frowned. “Darcy, I hate to ask you this, but is there any possibility you might have acted on the water while you were asleep?”
Darcy wanted to hit him. “No,” he said savagely. “My power works on the water nearest me. A clever servant came up with a solution. There are always five basins of water in my bedroom, one on each side of the bed and one beneath it. Now the worst I can do in my sleep is to soak the floors.”
Eversleigh seemed to relax slightly. “I am sorry. It sounds like a curse.”
Uncomfortable, Darcy said, “Sometimes it is easier and not so burdensome. It does not weigh on me as much when I am with other mages. Some more than others – both you and George Wickham somehow relieve the pressure.”
“Anyone else? Perhaps there is a pattern. Your cousins and uncle?”
“No more than any other mage. Miss Elizabeth’s presence makes it easier, and the pressure goes away completely when her cat is on my lap.”
“The phouka?” Eversleigh leaned forward.
“The very one.”
Eversleigh’s eyes narrowed. “I have an idea. May I try an experiment?”
“If you wish, but I have tried everything.”
He stripped off his gloves. “Give me your hand.” When Darcy obeyed, Eversleigh put his fingers on the inside of his wrist. “Does that make any difference?”
The awareness of water all around him faded. He could still sense its presence, but it took effort. “Yes,” he said hesitantly. “What spell are you using?”
“No spell. I am doing nothing apart from being myself, which isto say being half-fay.” He released Darcy’s wrist and produced a snuff box from his pocket and a ring from his finger. He placed them both on the little table beside Darcy. “Try holding each of them, one at a time.”
Darcy picked up the enamel snuff box and sent his senses for water. Was it a tiny bit better than usual? No, that was just wishful thinking. “No difference.”
“Try the ring.”
The incised gold band was still warm from Eversleigh’s hand. Startled, Darcy said, “Yes. That helps.” Could there truly be a source of relief?
“It is of fay manufacture, a gift from my father. The snuff box is just a snuff box. Perhaps the reason you are more comfortable around mages is because they all have traces of fay blood. I have more than that, and I wonder if Wickham may as well. The phouka is pure fay, as is the ring.”
Darcy said slowly, “Elizabeth had some inert elfshot. Touching that helped, too.”
“Perhaps the fay influence neutralizes some of your elemental sensitivity.” Eversleigh pocketed the snuff box. “Keep the ring until I can find you something else from Faerie. I have some items at home that would serve.”
