Deciding that whatever is causing it is not within my grasp to comprehend, I traverse through my garden to where I left off yesterday. My boots sink into the tilled soil, reminding me of my sole purpose—the perfectly tended garden that I both love and despise. The crushing weight of reality that I’ll never escape.
But before I can kneel into the dirt, a crash on the far side of my territory has me jumping upright.
Ludo, my animal familiar, who’s perched haphazardly on my shoulder, squeaks in alarm. I run a finger under his chin to hischest to calm us both. He pushes both his appreciation and love through our bond.
I turn toward the noise to see a person. Their prone body is unmoving, buried amongst the leaf litter and debris on the ground. From this distance, it’s hard to gather any information on them. So, I rush over, my long strides eating up the distance.
I’m too focused on the person that I don’t notice how rapidly I reach the edge of my territory. The muscles in my legs lock up, rooting me to the spot.
“How did they get here?” I glance at Ludo on my left shoulder.
He taps his large hind feet in a confused response, but his eyes and ears never leave the stranger.
Straining my eyes, I try to gather any details about them in the dark. The few torches in my territory aren’t enough to illuminate their distance.
Could this be a trick? A ploy to fuck with the witch in the woods.
A small gust of wind brings the smell of blood to my nose, my nostrils flare out wide and my instincts urge me to help them. I’ve been out here, separated, away from civilization for so long that I’m surprised my desire to help hasn’t dwindled. Old habits, I suppose, don’t die.
“Go to them, my old friend.” I say it like a statement, but Ludo knows he can always deny my requests. That’s what it means to be bonded, our souls are connected in a way that allows us to know the other’s needs innately.
I place my open hand in front of him, and he hops onto my waiting palm. Slowly, I squat low to the ground and allow him to hop out into the grass. The black eyes, almost too large for his head, of my kangaroo rat familiar stare up at me, waiting for what he knows is going to happen. The trust he puts into me fills me with joy.
Let’s hope that trust isn’t misplaced.
My eyes dance around the runes along the backs of my hands. The symbols that allow me to channel and use my magic more effectively appear almost foreign now. I curl and stretch out my fingers, nerves tickling just under my skin. I’m about to stretch a muscle I haven’t used in ages. My breath hitches briefly, curious if I can still harness the aether.
What if Mother Earth has forgotten about me? Or worse. What if she’s abandoned me?
Ludo pushes his love through our bond, filling my chest with warmth. I place my hand flat over the spot, a carefree smile curls up my lips. I send my love and appreciation back to him, making him spin in a little circle; his long tail swirling around him. When he faces me again, he stares back up at me, patiently waiting for me to settle and perform the spell.
Taking a deep breath, I channel my energy to my center. The current beneath my skin assures me that I haven’t lost my touch. In fact, it feels like returning a limb; my magic is a part of me as much as any other appendage. My right hand waves left to right in a figure-eight pattern. A golden aura slowly emerges from the runes as a smile spreads across my face.
“Mutatio.” The Latin rolls off my tongue as the power vibrates out of me.
The golden shroud of energy surrounds Ludo’s small body and transforms him into a medium-sized bear. His slightly larger ears and long tail are still remnants of his true form.
“Retrieve them for me?” I ask.
Ludo’s large, tan head dips in acknowledgement before he saunters off toward the injured stranger.
I try to take a step with him, but my feet are frozen to the spot.
Dammit.
I know from previous trials that if I try to push past this paralysis that it will only lead to debilitating agony. So, instead, I pace along the boundary while Ludo grabs the stranger by theirshirt collar and drags them over the invisible line. I rush to their side and am taken aback.
It’s a boy—er, a man.
It’s not the spread of injuries marring his features that causes my misstep, but how handsome he is. The dirt and dried blood do nothing to detract from his beauty.
Ludo continues to drag the man into my sanctuary, and I follow closely behind them. Sanctuary is perhaps a stretch; it’s more of an outcropping of rocks and trees I’ve tied together to provide shelter. The markings around the entrance help protect anyone inside, preventing any being with mal-intent from passing through. A shiver runs down my spine as I cross the wards protecting my home.
Ludo drags the man to my bedroll; which is exactly as it sounds, a thin grass stuffed mattress and a loose cloth covering. I wave my hand over Ludo’s larger body to allow him to shift back into his much smaller true form.
Kneeling by the poor wretch, I assess his injuries quickly with a wave of my hand to find nothing broken nor any severe bleeding within him. He took a hard strike to his head and his ankle appears swollen. The remaining injuries I can see are bruises and minor cuts.
I quickly retrieve a bowl of water and a rag to clean him as best as I can. With as much caution as I can, I assure that the cloth is the only thing touching him. His satiny-looking flesh begs me to stroke it. It’s nearly worth the risk to see what would happen. It’s been so long since I’ve even tried.
