Page 133 of A Thousand Cuts

“So I…drained my magic?” Liam asked, trying to make sense of it as best as he could. His head hurt and he just wanted to sleep in Fix’s arms until he felt better.

Gwen’s smile slipped at his question.

“I’m afraid you don’t even test at level one at the moment,” she said. “We can’t be completely sure, but we think your magical core won’t be able to restore itself.”

“So I’ll only be able to do a little magic, sometimes?” he asked.

This time it was Fix who answered, “No, honey. I’m sorry but…we don’t know how much is left. Since the instruments used to test caster levels don’t differentiate magical levels below one, as far as we know you could be a single cast away from dying.”

“You said I wouldn’t die,” Liam whispered.

“And you won’t.” Fix hurried to reassure him. “As long as you don’t cast, as long as you keep on living like a non-caster as you have so far, you’ll be okay.”

“But I can’t control this.” Liam’s voice took on that panicked tone again as he looked between them. “We wouldn’t be here if I could.”

“Avery, the man you saw with Midas,” Fix said. “He allowed us to borrow a magical dampener for now. It’s around your neck.”

Liam whipped his head down and noticed a thin rose gold chain around his neck. Hanging from it was a tiny amulet made of the same rose gold material. It was oval and intricately carved with symbols Liam didn’t know the meaning of.

“Magical dampeners like this one can temporarily lock tiny amounts of magic,” Gwen said. “Until you get a permanent solution.”

“Permanent?” Liam whispered.

“There are a few options,” Fix said. “We’ll go over them once you feel better and you can decide which one sounds best for you.”

“And then…I’ll just not have my magic anymore?” He didn’t know why, but it felt like he was mourning something he’d never even known he’d had.

He’d never learn to use magic. He’d never know what it felt like to intentionally do something with it. He’d never use it for anything good.

All it had done was make his life miserable and nearly kill him but…he knew it didn’t have to be that way, and he felt almost robbed of it.

“I’m sorry, honey,” Fix said. “It’s the only way to keep you safe.”

Liam knew that. Really, he did. It just didn’t sound fair.

“Yeah.” He nodded, but he knew Fix didn’t really buy the nonchalance. He knew they’d talk about it later and Liam would let him in on everything he was feeling. For now, his hand holding Liam’s was enough.

“There is one final piece of information we uncovered,” Gwen said, exchanging glances with Fix. “I’m hoping it’ll be more welcome.”

Liam looked at her and found her shifting slightly on her feet like she was nervous. It seemed completely at odds with the impression she’d given out so far.

“Magic has a signature,” she said. “Not once it’s out of your body, mind you, but during testing when you can see it. Familial bonds are quite obvious. Your magic, Liam…has the same signature mine does.”

“Wh-what does that mean?”

“Daniel Greeves,” she said, and Liam’s world flipped upside down.

The only thing keeping him from exploding the room into chaos was the necklace sitting at his collarbone. He could feel his magic writhing under the surface, trying to find a way to escape.

Fix squeezed his hand. “Liam, honey, take deep breaths.”

Liam tried his best to follow the instruction. They already knew his past, he told himself. The name was nothing now. But he’d hidden it for so long that his body was instinctively reacting to it being revealed.

“You don’t have to fear that name or the consequences anymore. I’ll make sure of it,” she said.

“Why?” he gasped.

“I did some digging while you were asleep and I believe your late mother was my niece. Or…grandniece if I’m tracking generations correctly. That would make me your great-great-aunt.”