The Spirit Wilds: Magic of the Green Sage (Fall of the Sages Book 1), стр. 37

“Ow!”

“I know that didn’t hurt.”

Tuni covered her forehead. “You have big, boney fingers!”

Shandi huffed.

Tuni gulped and looked away. “I’m sorry, Madam Sage.”

Gayla spooned out a helping of her brew and sipped it. She crinkled her nose and kept on stirring, but not before she added a handsome amount of pepper.

She smiled. “It’s quite alright, my girl. You would think that with having the memories, wisdom, and experience of thousands of years, thousands of lifetimes, that I would forget a few things here and there. But no, I remember them all, every time I’ve had to take a life. Every human, good and bad, accidental and with purpose. Every mermaid and tree folk and every spirit big and small. Every rat and every dragon and every creature in between. I recall it all, all the details. Every one of them, and they all hurt. That is the burden of my line of sages. We care so much and remember everything, but especially all the pain.”

Tuni was stunned into silence. I have no words, she thought in distress. She wanted to comfort the sage, but what could she possibly say to that? It was enough to make her cry.

So instead, she stood and gave the sage a hug.

“I’m sorry, Gayla…that you had to endure all of that.”

The sage’s arms wrapped around her, reluctantly at first, but then tighter, her fingers winding through the braids and beads in Tuni’s hair.

“Thank you, Tuni, I appreciate it. I do.” She pulled back and held Tuni out at arm’s length. “I’ve come to peace with this life, with the hurt and death. It is my burden, my purpose, and I embrace it. As hard as it may be.”

Tuni stepped away and nodded. “Okay.”

“Anyway, as for today, I didn’t kill anyone. I just drove off the men there, which wasn’t hard given that Al-Sevarans are terrified of magic and spirits. I was able to put out the fire before it spread beyond the boundaries the company wanted, but it had nearly done its job.” She sighed. “Many spirits and animals lost their homes and lives today.”

Shandi scoffed. “I’m sick of that city. And does Reshni do anything? No, she encourages it! That no-good, stuck-up—”

“Shandi,” Gayla snapped before the assistant could say a nasty curse. “We disagree with Reshni on a lot, but she is still a sage. We must have a modicum of respect.”

“Apologies.”

Gayla rolled her eyes and then tasted her stew one more time. With a satisfied smile, she sighed. “Okay, done.” She flicked her wrist and muttered a spell, the fire in the hearth suddenly going out. Tuni smiled. She loved seeing magic, even little simple things like that. All of it took her breath away.

The sage grabbed some bowls and poured each of them a helping of the stew. She handed it to them with a warm grin and eyes that twinkled with delight. Like a caring mother cooking dinner for her children. Like the mother I left behind.

Shandi had been to and from Tuni’s village the day she’d decided to learn under the sage. She’d relayed that her mother was still mad and was wildly concerned with whatever Tuni was doing, but Shandi wouldn’t reveal the finer details of the whole arrangement.

Tuni knew she’d have to return to her home and speak to her mom properly. It wasn’t a conversation she wanted to have, but one that needed to happen. Confrontation wasn’t something she particularly excelled in. So, she’d stay here and enjoy her time, pranks and chores and all, until she was ready.

No telling when that would be, but at least her mother knew she was safe.

As they ate in silence, Gayla swallowed and spoke. “If things keep going as they are, Reshni and I are going to have words. This can’t go on. I’ve given her warnings to rein in her city.”

Tuni knew very little about Al-Sevara, of its customs and culture and leadership. She knew some of the people and their strange ways, from the various wayward travelers that had stumbled upon her in the wilds. They were a skittish bunch, fearful and superstitious of the wider world. If they weren’t behind their precious walls, they were unsure.

But in their city, they thought they were the pinnacle of civilization, a bastion of knowledge and power. She was sure most were just regular people trying to get by, but boy, were they annoying.

That spoke nothing of their leadership, of the those frolicking red-caped knights or the Sage of the Sun, Reshni. The thought of a feud between sages was simultaneously exciting and terrifying. Who knew what kind of cataclysmic damage those two could unleash if they went at it? Like two deities clashing swords. Tuni had seen many powerful spirits fight over everything from territorial disputes, disrespect, tiny slights, and any other reason that seemed insignificant but always ended in power struggles that could level whole sections of the wilds. Two sages… It made her shiver just thinking of it.

“What will happen if you and Reshni come to blows?” Tuni asked.

The sage sighed and stood. She placed her bowl to the side and walked to the other end of the room where a small window covered in braided beads let in some light. She folded her arms behind her back.

“Feuds between sages are a rare thing. In my memories, I have no recollection of my past lives ever physically or magically fighting with another sage. I’ve heard it happen once or twice, and neither were good. We are beings of extreme power, and we should not fight.”

That was a good history lesson, but it didn’t really answer my question, she thought but didn’t voice.

“What will you do with Reshni?”

Gayla turned around and fingered a strand of her red hair. “I’ll have to talk to her. Come to an understanding. She’s stubborn, that one, but she can be…persuaded.”

Tuni waited for the sage to elaborate, but she kept silent, so that was that. Not surprising.

Of course, a part of