Page 27

The first neighborhood we came to was occupied mainly by Ricarri—the big guys with sparkling gray skin. Like any good tour guide, Kaspian told me about the neighborhood and the people who lived in it while we strolled through.

“They're mountain folk with their own kings. We allow them their loyalties because they don't make trouble. Not usually. And they're impressive warriors which we Dragons greatly respect.” Kaspian jerked his chin at a couple of Ricarri men strolling down the opposite sidewalk.

Brawny, tall, and dressed in leather, they were exactly what I'd expect savage warriors from an alien planet to look like. Straight outta Star Trek . But I wanted to keep an open mind about the races of Serai. Assuming anything about these people would be a mistake. Kaspian's assumptions about Earth and its people had taught me that.

“So, they're warriors. What else?” I asked.

“They have Metal Magic.”

“Is that what makes their skin sparkle?”

“I believe that's the minerals in their skin. They are kin to the foundation of the world—a race forged of stone.”

“But not literally.”

Kaspian stared at me.

“Literally?!”

“That's what their legends say. Their god made them from the mountains. Took a stone, carved it, and gave it life.”

“Huh. Actually, some of our Earth legends say that the first man was made from clay. But that's just a story.”

“Clay? But clay is so fragile.”

“I guess that would explain our mortality.”

He made a huffing snort. “I suppose it would. Ah, look here. This is one of the best blacksmiths in the city.” He waved at a shop window and stopped.

On display were an assortment of blades, some pieces of armor, and metal bits that I didn't recognize.

I looked up at Kas. “Does he have a forge out back?”

“A forge?”

“Yeah, with a fire to heat the metal and a—whatchucallit—an anvil for shaping the metal on. Metal-working stuff.”

“I told you that they have Metal Magic.”

“So, what? They don't need to use fire?”

“No. They simply command the metal.” He waved at the window above the display and toward the back of the shop.

I followed his motion to see a man sitting at a counter, holding a rectangular piece of metal with a pair of pincers. With his other hand, he drew a stone rod with a pointed end over the metal. The rectangle thinned, flattened, and became a dome.

“Is that a magic wand?” I pointed at the rod, excitement making me go nearly as straight as it.

“A what?”

“A wand? You know, to direct magic. Please, tell me that's a magic wand!”

“Uh. Well, he's using the stone to direct his magic. So, that sounds accurate.”

“Oh, my God! A magic wand. They really do exist! This isn't heaven or hell, it's Potter Planet.”

With a look of bafflement, Kas said, “I think you've misunderstood me, Mate. There is no magic in that rod. The magic is in the man. He uses the rod as a tool to hone his magic. He's an elite craftsman. Most Ricarri can't do what he does.”

“Just let me have this,” I said dryly.

Kaspian chuckled. “Very well. Call it a magic rod.”

“ Wand . It's a magic wand.”

“Yes, that. Just don't call our world Potter Planet. I don't like the sound of that.”

“Deal.”

We went past more armorers, bladesmiths, and suppliers of general metal objects like hinges, locks, and clasps. Then we hit the jewelry stores—a whole block of them.

“These stores mark the border between the Ricarri and Chelli neighborhoods.” Kaspian paused to smile down at our hands—I was swinging them as we walked. “The Chelli have Earth Magic and are experts at gem retrieval.”

I stopped swinging to ask, “Which ones are the Chelli?”

“The little ones.” He nodded at a cluster of small people standing outside a jewelry shop.

They paused when they saw us, some of them letting out excited yips, and bowed to Kas.

“Hello,” Kas called to them. “Good morning to all of you.”

“Good morning, Your Majesty!” they called back. “Blessings on you and your new mate!”

“Thank you. That's very kind.”

I grinned at them, but once we were past the group, I whispered, “Are you telling me that little people—dwarves—are miners here?”

“Miners?” Kas frowned over the word.

“Excavators. People who dig into mountains and pull out shiny things.”

“Ah. Yes. Retrievers. As I said. They don't dig with tools. They use their magic to compel the earth to release its treasure.”

“But they retrieve metal and jewels?” I wasn't letting this go. I couldn't. I owed it to Walt Disney.

“Yes. And they sell their goods to the Ricarri. Some even go into business with Ricarri. They make great partners.”

“Oh, my God! They're dwarves. They're real dwarves.”

“They are Chelli.”

“Uh-huh. Sure thing, Snow White.” I paused. “I guess you wouldn't be Snow White. You'd be the Evil Queen with the magic mirror.”

“Again with the magic items.” He rolled his eyes. “ We are magic here, Mate. We don't need items of magic.”

“But you do have items of magic. The lifter, your cold cabinet thingy, and probably more.”

Kaspian considered this. “Yes, those are items that function through magic. They are empowered by spell crystals that are enchanted with magic by an individual who possesses that magic. Neither the crystals nor the objects they empower, have magic of their own. They are given magic.”

“Yeah. I get it. That's pretty much the same as our stories. Magic wands direct a person's magic and I think the Evil Queen enchanted her mirror. Or she got it from someone who enchanted it. Whatever. The mirror had to be made. It wasn't born. Someone created it. So . . . do you have a magic mirror that someone enchanted with their magic ?”

Kaspian sighed.

“Oh, my fucking God, you do!”

“I have a mirror empowered with a far-seeing spell. It is linked to a mirror in my parents' home so that I may speak to them whenever I wish. I need it to keep an eye on my home enclave.”

“You have a magic mirror! You are the Evil Queen!”

“I'm neither a queen nor evil.”

“No, I know. It's a fairy tale. Never mind. Although, Snow White might work for you because of your hair. I should have stuck with that. Damn. Dwarves are real. Everything is real here.”

“What is a fairy tale?” Kaspian swung my hand to get my attention.

“It's a story to entertain children. There's one called 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.' In it, there's a king and queen who have a beautiful daughter they name Snow White. The Queen dies, and the King remarries, but the new queen is evil. She has this mirror that tells her stuff. It's kinda far-seeing like yours. But instead of really important shit, the Queen keeps asking the mirror one question, over and over. Every frickin' day. She wants to know if she's the most beautiful woman in the land.”

Kaspian snorted.

“Yeah, it's kind of insulting toward women to make her only interested in her looks. But I mean, it's a mirror.”

“No, that's not why I'm amused.”

“Oh?”

“I don't need a mirror to tell me that I'm handsome.”

I burst into laughter. “You are her.”

“I'm not evil.”

“Okay, no, you're not. That woman was an extreme bitch. After the King dies—which is really suspicious, if you catch my drift—she tries to kill Snow White because her mirror tells her that Snow White is prettier than she is.”

“A bit extreme.” He made a face.

“Yeah, no shit. Anyway, the princess runs away and hides out in the forest with seven dwarves who mine for diamonds.”

“Seven dwarves?”

“Yup.”

“All men?”

“Yup.”

He snickered and looked at his knights.

“One human female and seven Chelli?” Vadron widened his eyes. “I don't think they spent much time mining. At least, not for diamonds.”

“Rude!” I pointed at them. “This is a children's story!”

“You entertain children with stories of vain, murderous queens?” Kaspian stopped walking to stare at me.

I stopped and so did the cat. We stared back at Kas.

“Children are more hardcore than you think,” I said. “They like to hear about villains who get punished in the end. It helps them sleep better to know that bad guys don't get away with shit.”

“So this evil queen gets punished?”

“Yeah. I can't remember how, though. I think Prince Charming kills her.”

Kaspian shook his head and started walking again. “Enough with your fair tales. They are not so fair.”

“ Fairy tales,” I corrected him. “Fairies are teeny-tiny people with insect wings who live in flowers.”

He shot me a look that said I was full of shit.

“We'll leave that for another time.”

“Do you like jewels, Mate?” Kaspian waved at a jewelry shop.

“Uh . . .” I looked at the sparkly things and winced. “Not really. I'd just get nervous about losing it.”

Kaspian grinned. “You have no need of adornments anyway. You are too handsome for that.”

My feet slowed to a stop.

Kaspian got a step ahead before realizing it. Then he turned back to me. “What is it?”

I grabbed his face and hauled him into a kiss.

When we eased apart, Kas smiled tenderly at me. “My consorts have always responded best to gifts. Usually jewels. But you kiss me for a simple compliment.”

“I'm not in this for a payout. I'm in it for you. For us. So, yeah, I prefer a compliment to a pretty stone any day.”

“Again, you prove how wise the mating magic is.”