doing."
"You know how to do that?" Zhimosom asked.
"How do you think I found you?" Rotiaqua laughed the pleasant laugh Zhimosom had heard from her that first night.
"I don't know. I wasn't doing anything but opening myself to the fire, and there you were."
"I was searching for someone like me," Rotiaqua said. "We can do the same with the Wizard."
"Will he be able to see us?"
"Not if we're careful." Rotiaqua reached her hand out of the fire. "Care to try?"
Zhimosom was worried. Rotiaqua had been able to see him. She had even held the contact open when he wanted to flee. If this Wizard were powerful, he might be able to do the same. Then what would happen to them? "I would like to, but I fear I am still a little weak. I don't want to risk it just yet."
"Tomorrow, then. I'll contact you when I can."
Zhimosom felt the contact break and, once again, he was alone in his room.
By the next evening, Zhimosom felt his strength returning. He sat before the fireplace staring at the flames as he so often did at home. He let his mind drift through memories of the hovel he shared with Zheet that was now only a pile of ashes. He felt a tug, a familiar presence. He opened himself to it and Rotiaqua's face appeared in the flames.
"How are you feeling?" she asked.
"I'm fine. I think I'm almost back to normal."
"I'm glad to hear that. Are they taking good care of you?"
"They are. I am grateful for all your assistance. I thought I was going to lose my hand." He absentmindedly rubbed his writs as he talked.
"We Wizards have to stick together." She winked at him from the flames. "I feel your power and it's growing quickly. Soon, your power will surpass my own. That's why I need your help. I'm afraid of the Wizard my father has allowed into our lives. He's powerful, but there's something strange about him."
"How can I help?" Zhimosom asked. He was only a poor farmer and wasn't even sure where he was going to find his next meal, once her generous support ran out.
"Can you sense the Wizard? Can you tell me if he is evil or benign?"
"I don’t' know how to sense magic. Can you show me how you do it?" Zhimosom followed her lead. He reached out with his senses and traced the route her magic took. He felt the presence of the Wizard in the castle, but it was indistinct and insubstantial. "I can sense him, but nothing more."
Rotiaqua held her hand out to him. Zhimosom was taken aback when the hand extended out of the flame and became solid. He reached out and gingerly took it in his own.
Her grasp was firm but not too strong. Her hand looked fragile and smooth next to his. He felt the slight plumpness beneath her firm flesh, and then the power surge hit him.
Without warning, he found he could sense her whole being. Her magic was open to him and he could feel what she was feeling. Zhimosom was shocked. What had happened? Somehow, their magic had linked together. He knew her much more intimately than anyone he'd ever known before. He was instantly comfortable, at home with the bright golden glow of her power as much as he was with his own.
He saw her reaction. She was just as shocked as he was.
"What was that?" Zhimosom asked.
"I don't know." She smiled at him. "I can sense where you are, and how you're feeling."
Zhimosom drew back slightly without even thinking. He looked at her in amazement for a few moments, and then relaxed. It seemed their fate was tied together somehow.
Rotiaqua sat quietly as Zhimosom absorbed the shock before she leaned in to speak.
"We need to find out what that Priest is up to. I can lead you."
Together they reached out to probe the Wizard. She guided his examination as they found the room in the castle where the Wizard sat. He perched on a chair, bending over something on the table before him. The setting moon cast a shaft of illumination on the wall behind the Wizard.
Zhimosom shifted his perspective until he could see what the Wizard was doing. On the table before him was a rabbit,
"You know how to do that?" Zhimosom asked.
"How do you think I found you?" Rotiaqua laughed the pleasant laugh Zhimosom had heard from her that first night.
"I don't know. I wasn't doing anything but opening myself to the fire, and there you were."
"I was searching for someone like me," Rotiaqua said. "We can do the same with the Wizard."
"Will he be able to see us?"
"Not if we're careful." Rotiaqua reached her hand out of the fire. "Care to try?"
Zhimosom was worried. Rotiaqua had been able to see him. She had even held the contact open when he wanted to flee. If this Wizard were powerful, he might be able to do the same. Then what would happen to them? "I would like to, but I fear I am still a little weak. I don't want to risk it just yet."
"Tomorrow, then. I'll contact you when I can."
Zhimosom felt the contact break and, once again, he was alone in his room.
By the next evening, Zhimosom felt his strength returning. He sat before the fireplace staring at the flames as he so often did at home. He let his mind drift through memories of the hovel he shared with Zheet that was now only a pile of ashes. He felt a tug, a familiar presence. He opened himself to it and Rotiaqua's face appeared in the flames.
"How are you feeling?" she asked.
"I'm fine. I think I'm almost back to normal."
"I'm glad to hear that. Are they taking good care of you?"
"They are. I am grateful for all your assistance. I thought I was going to lose my hand." He absentmindedly rubbed his writs as he talked.
"We Wizards have to stick together." She winked at him from the flames. "I feel your power and it's growing quickly. Soon, your power will surpass my own. That's why I need your help. I'm afraid of the Wizard my father has allowed into our lives. He's powerful, but there's something strange about him."
"How can I help?" Zhimosom asked. He was only a poor farmer and wasn't even sure where he was going to find his next meal, once her generous support ran out.
"Can you sense the Wizard? Can you tell me if he is evil or benign?"
"I don’t' know how to sense magic. Can you show me how you do it?" Zhimosom followed her lead. He reached out with his senses and traced the route her magic took. He felt the presence of the Wizard in the castle, but it was indistinct and insubstantial. "I can sense him, but nothing more."
Rotiaqua held her hand out to him. Zhimosom was taken aback when the hand extended out of the flame and became solid. He reached out and gingerly took it in his own.
Her grasp was firm but not too strong. Her hand looked fragile and smooth next to his. He felt the slight plumpness beneath her firm flesh, and then the power surge hit him.
Without warning, he found he could sense her whole being. Her magic was open to him and he could feel what she was feeling. Zhimosom was shocked. What had happened? Somehow, their magic had linked together. He knew her much more intimately than anyone he'd ever known before. He was instantly comfortable, at home with the bright golden glow of her power as much as he was with his own.
He saw her reaction. She was just as shocked as he was.
"What was that?" Zhimosom asked.
"I don't know." She smiled at him. "I can sense where you are, and how you're feeling."
Zhimosom drew back slightly without even thinking. He looked at her in amazement for a few moments, and then relaxed. It seemed their fate was tied together somehow.
Rotiaqua sat quietly as Zhimosom absorbed the shock before she leaned in to speak.
"We need to find out what that Priest is up to. I can lead you."
Together they reached out to probe the Wizard. She guided his examination as they found the room in the castle where the Wizard sat. He perched on a chair, bending over something on the table before him. The setting moon cast a shaft of illumination on the wall behind the Wizard.
Zhimosom shifted his perspective until he could see what the Wizard was doing. On the table before him was a rabbit,
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