Page 154 of A Sanctuary from Shadow
“Aye. Or, I should say it gave me a nudge in the right direction. I finished the job myself.”
“Good. I thought you could use some help in the lightness department. Didn’t know if it would work.” I clicked my tongue. “How—how exactlydoesit work? I mean, I remember how another person can directly affect someone’s balance—like the siren you told me about. And I remember you talking about creating residual magic. You never said how those residuals affect people technically. Like, my song put out light magic, right?”
“Aye.”
“Did you have to reap it to rebalance yourself? From the Community Chest of magic?”
He grunted at my colloquialism. If he knew how to play a game like Poker, he may have heard of Monopoly.
“I know you said fae can draw magic from that chest, but Sedge’s story about Adam and Eve made it seem like sometimes those residuals can affect a person without them wanting it to.”
“Sometimes it can. Not always. It depends on the magic—and the person. What residuals affect me might not affect you. Of course, in Sedge’s case—I think it’s safe to say thatanyonestanding too near soulmates should expect a drastic imbalance. Their magic would bethatpotent.”
He rolled his eyes at my lovey-dovey expression.
“But to answer yourfirstquestion—”
I shrugged, my questions doing more to distract from my fear of the dark than a tranquilizer.
“In the end, I reaped the residual magic your songs put out. In the beginning, you pushed me from the void without me doing a thing. And—I’m grateful to you for it, Shorty.”
Was it just my imagination, or had his glow softened like candlelight?
“Some strong light magic must be veiled inside you for a simple song to push me that far. A song sung by a very,verybad voice, might I add.”
Unoffended though I was, I blustered and swatted him. We both laughed.
“I never claimed to be a good singer either, Pete.”
He yielded with a nod, then gestured toward something I couldn’t see in his tenebrous dome. “Shall we get comfortable? I must hear all this music that’s too wondrous to pawn.”
“We can’t really listen toallthe music. I was only going to waste enough battery for a couple tracks. I want my iBloom to last for as long as possible.” Danu knew I’d need a lyrical pick-me-up somewhere down the rocky road to Covenlen.
Smiling like the damn Cheshire Cat, Pete delved into his oblivion and produced a shimmery pomegranate seed—the equivalent of an American $100 bill, I’d been told. “Pomegranate seeds, when eaten for temporary power, allow one to draw the essence out of something.”
Halleluiah!I thought, clapping—nearly leaping.
Pete chuckled at my excitement. “If used correctly, this tiny pod could power your music box without expending a fig of your battery.”
Now, all those electronics being sold at the Goblin Market made sense. Electricity became moot with pomegranate seeds at hand. Finally, I’d found a reason to appreciate magic!
I closed Pete’s fingers over the seed. “You better do the using. I’m afraid I’ll screw something up, somehow delete all my data.”
Pete shrugged. “As you say.”
A brief eternity later, I bubbled like a shaken champagne bottle beside Pete on his bedroll. Laying as far from him as my earbuds allowed. Sionna snuggled between us, adding more heat to our already cozy midnight. Pete’s face flickered within the dusky torchiere of his face. Mood lighting, I imagined.
“Ready?” He held the pomegranate seed to his broad mouth.
Man, was I ever? And as soon as the funk of one of my R&B favorites blared in my ear, the champagne bottle popped its cork, overflowing.
Spooked, Sionna rose from our nest. Pete settled her with a murmur, wide-eyed at my cackling.
“Jaysus,” he said as Sionna calmed, her doe eyes still searching for danger. “If this is the best Earth has to offer, I’m sorely disappointed. We should’ve sold this bit of scrap for a measly grape seed.”
Clicking my tongue, I snatched my iBloom from him. A paranormal aura now radiated from its smooth pink metal. Clearly the seed’s doing. “Just you wait, mister man. It’ll only get better.”
“Goddess willing.”
