The Magic Thieves (7 page)

Elryk winked at his mate, letting him know he understood and appreciated Kaythan's words and support. He just saw one major problem that no amount of support could solve, so he turned back to Arith.

"This is all very well, but how am I going to retrieve the Muyd'Othar without my magic? It seems to be blocked and I have no idea how to get it back.” It was rather embarrassing to talk about, but it wasn't as though he had any sort of choice if he wanted to solve this problem. “Is it caused by the mate bond?"

"I think you're right. That seems to be the cause of the problem.” Arith frowned. “Somehow it must have interfered in your ability to reconnect with the gateway's energies. When you came back into their range, your magic should have returned. If we had enough time we could let the mate bond stabilise and wait for your magic abilities to return on their own. But I don't think we can afford to wait. The Xoh'kas are also trying to find the Shield. If they get to it before you do, they will surely destroy it. You have absolutely no time to lose."

"So how do we do this? It sounds rather hopeless to me.” Kaythan was tense and obviously still worried about their safety.

"Two things. One is that you have to work together, use both your strengths to overcome the initial disadvantage of no magic. Nobody else who may be looking for the Magic Key has that advantage, since there are no other mated pairs young enough to attempt this quest.” Arith leant forward in his armchair. “But more importantly, the Muyd'Zel, itself, will help restore Elryk's magic as you progress. It's been divided into five pieces, one for each type of magic. Obtaining each piece will result in the ability to gain access to the next location as well as reawaken and strengthen Elryk's magical abilities in the type of magic recovered."

"So how do we find that first piece? As you know the revealing spell you gave Kaythan didn't work. At least, I wasn't able to make it work for me.” Elryk felt totally naked without his magic and wasn't sure he could go anywhere potentially dangerous while unprotected and exposed like that.

"That's where my friend Nysat Pak'odiz comes in.” Arith grinned. “Like me, he comes from the era before the Xoh'kas. He was one of the wizards involved in creating the Muyd'Zel. He may be a lot younger than I am but he's a very powerful earth wizard. He has agreed to help you retrieve the first piece of the Magic Key and to make sure that it awakens that part of your magic inside you. Each of the next pieces will build on that until all of them can fuse and restore you fully."

Arith got up and walked to the back of the room. Near the glass door where they'd entered, he waved his hands in a complicated pattern, then bent down and pulled up a trapdoor that must have been hidden before.

When Arith stepped aside, another man climbed out of the hole in the floor. He was broad-shouldered with massive arms and legs. He looked solid and strong. He wore a short light brown robe, tied off with a green belt, over dark brown pants and brown leather boots. His hair was long and pulled back into a neat braid. His brown eyes twinkled with life and humour as he slowly approached the couch Elryk and Kaythan sat on.

"You must be Nysat?” Elryk felt a little shiver travel down his spine. This man was quite clearly a very powerful wizard.

"I am indeed, young Elryk.” Nysat smiled, revealing perfect teeth and two dimples in his ruddy cheeks.

"Please, take a seat, old friend.” Arith had made his way back from the trapdoor and pointed at a second easy chair next to his own. “Would you like some refreshments?"

"No thank you, I'm fine.” Nysat laughed, a deep rumble emanating from his wide chest. “The trip wasn't long enough to require refuelling my reserves."

"Travelling through those tunnels of yours always makes me very thirsty.” Arith grinned and took his previous seat, sinking back into the cushions.

"I prefer them to your clouds. Using them as transportation always makes me dizzy.” Nysat let loose a booming laugh and sat down in the second easy chair. Luckily, it magically adjusted itself to the larger man's bulk as he sank back.

"To each his own, I guess.” Arith turned serious. “We really appreciate you coming out of hiding to help us out."

"You've been in hiding?” Elryk immediately felt for the other man, knowing what that was like from his years on Earth.

"Yes, well, I'm not exactly the ruling family's most favourite person.” Nysat winked. “Haven't been for over two hundred years. Once they found out that I was one of the wizards responsible for constructing the Muyd'Zel I became a criminal in their eyes. Since I had to avoid them using me to discover how to use the Magic Key for their own purposes, I decided to make myself scarce until the time was right to overthrow them."

"And that time is now?” Elryk couldn't quite believe he was supposed to be the one to fix the situation. It all made sense on an intellectual level, but that was as far as his understanding went. Believing it in his heart was far more difficult.

"Most definitely.” Nysat looked at him with an intensity that was almost scary. “I may not be a seer, but what I know about you confirms that you have potential. Of course, I'd need to touch you to find out for sure."

Kaythan growled.

"Now, now.” Nysat grinned and stared at Kaythan for a change. “You know that's how earth magic works."

"Doesn't mean I have to like it.” Kaythan clenched his teeth. “Crap, this mate bond is going to drive me crazy before we can do any good."

"It does take some getting used to. All I can tell you is that it'll bring out the best in both of you and will become your strongest defence against anyone and anything.” Nysat tilted his head. “It's such a wondrous thing though, to see a new one in action after so long. I wish I were lucky enough to find my mate."

"You will, old friend.” Arith smiled.

"Is that a prediction?” Nysat looked so hopeful it was almost funny.

"Yes.” Arith nodded.

"When?” Nysat moved to the edge of his seat.

"Soon.” Arith rubbed his temples. “Very soon."

"Oh. Can't happen soon enough for me.” Nysat closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then looked back up. “Right, let's focus on the most immediate problem. You need to retrieve the first piece of the Magic Key, and you have to get to it before the Xoh'kas. They may not have the benefit of my knowledge, but they've been sniffing around the historical records for years and sooner or later they will figure it out."

"So where did you hide it?” Elryk couldn't wait to start rebuilding his magic. He'd never gotten used to it not being there, not even during his three years of self-imposed banishment on Earth.

"It is no longer in the world we know.” Nysat grinned. “We transported the pieces into the temple of Tah'Muyd, which exists entirely inside the magical realm. It's only accessible to wizards of the highest power, and the chambers containing the pieces of the Muyd'Zel have been additionally sealed. We also placed a guardian in charge of each chamber and corresponding piece of the key. They each have detailed instructions about the very limited conditions under which they can release them."

"Sounds complicated.” Kaythan grimaced.

"It's not supposed to be easy, and whoever wants to retrieve all the pieces will need both courage and skill to survive the various tests.” Nysat looked at Kaythan, then at Elryk. “Are you ready?"

"Yes.” Elryk spoke at the same time as Kaythan.

"I will transport you into the first chamber and will deal with the guardian for you. All you need to do is dig up a small wooden box, which contains the earth magic part of the key. Everything else will become obvious once you have absorbed it.” Nysat rose and held out his hands.

After a last look at Arith to say goodbye, Elryk got up, pulling Kaythan with him. Once they'd made a circle by touching hands, Nysat mumbled a spell and with a loud booming sound, Arith's home was replaced with a meadow filled with wild flowers, buzzing insects and a beautiful forest bordering it on two sides.

Blinking to get used to the brilliant sunshine, Elryk looked around to see a tall, stick-like creature walking towards them. It looked like a cross between a human and a tree, its head a mass of tangled vines and new branches sprouting on its branch-like arms and legs.

Nysat touched one of its arms, and a wooden shovel formed, which he passed to Elryk. He pointed at the flower-covered ground at his feet.

"Start digging. I will take the guardian for a walk.” Nysat smiled as he started to move away, tugging the silent guardian with him. “Good luck."

Good luck indeed.

Elryk shrugged and started digging in the indicated location. He'd managed to go about two feet deep when he got tired. Kaythan took over and soon the shovel met resistance with a soft thud.

"I guess that's it.” Kaythan's cheeks were flushed as he bent down to carefully brush the earth aside.

He revealed a small wooden box about the size of three hand widths on each side. Its top was green and it felt warm when Kaythan put it in Elryk's lap.

"Just be careful when you open it.” Kaythan looked worried. “We don't know what's inside and I hate you having to take all the risk."

"I love it when you turn protective. Have I told you that?” Elryk bent to the side and kissed Kaythan on the cheek. “I'm not going to die."

"I don't care how safe you think this is.” Kaythan had relaxed a little and sounded less aggressive. “I just ca—I just want to make sure you're safe."

"I will be. You're right here with me, so I'm sure we'll be fine.” Elryk rubbed his hands. “I guess I just open this box and see what happens, right?"

Kaythan nodded and squeezed his shoulder.

Elryk put his hand on the lid of the little box and closed his eyes. Touch was an important part of earth magic and he wanted to know if he could find out anything before opening the box. The warmth against his legs increased and the box started to hum. The lid snapped open and there was a small egg-shaped crystal inside that, in turn, shimmered from a deep, vibrant brown to a bright green.

He lifted his hand and pulled it out, feeling waves of earth magic pulse into him. Kaythan's grip on his shoulder tightened and his mate moaned. The box tumbled to the ground and Elryk folded his hands around the crystal, absorbing all it had to give. Strength flooded the back of his neck, the scent of damp earth and growing plants surrounded him. He felt soft grass under his feet and heard the low vibrations of a small earth tremor.

After a while, the imagined perceptions faded and he returned to reality. His hands were empty, the crystal was gone.

Elryk turned towards his mate, Kaythan's big blue eyes burning into his, and smiled. He already felt so much stronger, so much more alive, and he'd only absorbed one of the five types of magic. But since this first step had worked, there was new hope for the rest to fall into place as well.

When Kaythan bent down to kiss him, he forgot everything and gave himself over to the feeling of being wanted. Surely they'd have some time to enjoy their newly mated status?

The earth magic soon started building inside him and he rejoiced. When it didn't stop until it grew into an overwhelming need to move—
right now
—he got worried. When a rolling rumble surrounded them, he almost panicked.

By the time he tore himself away from Kaythan's lips to see what was going on, there was a thunderous bang and the grass vanished from under them.

Instead, they were floating on a flimsy raft in the middle of the wide-open ocean.

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"Crap!” Kaythan's head reeled from the sudden change of environment. He grasped the logs making up their raft with all the strength he could muster.

Going from sitting on perfectly stable ground to floating along on a rickety raft that might or might not break apart at any moment wasn't what he'd expected. In fact, he hadn't expected to be moved somewhere else at all. He was used to initiating a transport to a new location with the appropriate magical devices. Getting transported by a wizard, the way Nysat had done, was also fine. At least he'd had some inkling of what was going to happen. But being transferred without his consent was a new experience, and one he didn't like.

"I guess water magic is the next one on the list.” Elryk gazed around them with wide eyes, took a deep breath and smiled. “Just look at those beautiful blues and greens. Not a cloud in the sky and absolutely nothing between us and the horizon. I love the open ocean."

"Humph.” Kaythan relaxed a little once he didn't see or sense any immediate danger. This much water made him nervous, though. It just wasn't his thing. “There's an awful lot of it around."

Elryk threw his head back and laughed. He'd never heard his mate laugh before, and it was a wonderful sound. He was going to make sure that he heard it as often as possible. After they'd made it out of their current predicament.

"All that water
is
sort of what makes this an ocean. “Elryk stopped grinning with an effort, but his lips gave him away. They kept twitching as he spoke. “What do you think we need to do here? If this next piece of the key is somewhere under the surface, we're in deep shit."

Just as Kaythan opened his mouth to respond, the water next to one side of their raft started churning, as though it was about to boil. Large air bubbles rose from below, causing small waves that made their raft go up and down in nausea-inducing movements. He
really
didn't like this chamber.

He grabbed Elryk's arm and held onto the edge of the raft with his other hand, trying to stabilise them as much as possible. The unpredictable waves caused by whatever was happening next to them didn't make it easy. But since he didn't know what creatures lived here, and didn't particularly want to find out, he wasn't about to let them take an involuntary swim. Not if he could help it.

What looked like sea grass started rising from the depths, joining the large air bubbles. A head followed, making him realise that those strands must be hair, not grass. A woman's delicate face was revealed, then naked shoulders. Her skin was as white as Elryk's, but with a bluish hue where his mate's was rosy. Her slender arms floated up, resting at the surface, and the splash of a fishtail where her feet should have been completed the picture.