13

CALLIE

Holy shitballs, this feels amazing. The earth magic coursing through me is fucking thrilled to be of use.

It's like the entire town is a tapestry, and I can feel every single thread as I make my way through. I can even sense the hum of magic from the witches all around me. I can even tell which of them is using magic themselves and which aren't. Then there's the plants and animals, going about their daily cycles without even realizing any of what's going on. For the most part.

It's even possible for me to feel the humans sleeping peacefully in their beds. Somewhere I very much hope they'll be able to stay. Once this is over, I'm going to have to find a way to wipe their minds of the past couple of days. Ideally, I'd want to make them remember it, but I suspect it would take too much time to go through each of them individually and implant the fake memories. Maybe my guys will know of a way. I'll ask them later.

For now, I focus my attention on the witches. They're the ones with the power to choose which side they support, and I need them to know why I'm the right choice. I'm not going to coerce them or threaten them. That's my uncle's way of doing things, and I refuse to stoop to his level. But that doesn't mean I can't show them the effect I can have.

I feed a little bit of magic into each and every witch I can find, filling them with hope, warmth, and growth. There are a few who seem to be sick or have injuries. I'm sure if I focus harder, I will be able to work it out. But it doesn't matter. For what I'm trying to achieve, all I need to do is feed enough magic into them so that their bodies can start the healing process.

"This is what I can give you as your catalyst. The magic wants to use me to help all of you," I promise, meaning every word of it. I'll keep to my word if I become the catalyst. I'll protect my people. Nan's magic swirls along inside me, alongside my own. It's reassuring in a way, almost like she approves of what I'm doing, even though I know that's not possible. She's back wherever the dead stay.

As people gather in a smaller square than the one they built the pyre in, I turn and gesture back toward the spot where they'd tried to burn people.

"This is what your king gives you. Fear. Death. Pain."

I step forward and continue to let my magic pulse out as more and more people gather.

"You can support him. It’s your right to choose the king. But if you kneel to me, support me, I will reward you." I want to promise them that I won't punish them for choosing my uncle, but that's not entirely true. Some of them won't be punished. Those who choose my uncle’s side out of nothing more than fear. But the ones who want to use his regime as an excuse to hurt people? They'll share his fate.

One by one, people kneel.

"Can we choose neutrality?" One older man asks. "Why should we have to choose? This isn't a war we can fight."

"Of course you can. You can walk away. I won’t hurt those who don’t oppose me."

He nods and turns, walking out of the square. A few follow.

More of the king's men run through the buildings, balls of power, energy, or fire in their hands. I wave my hand and encourage the magic, and within seconds, those men turn into trees, blossoming in the square, rooting through the concrete until they find the dirt below.

"Those who seek to hurt me will be reminded where their magic comes from. I will not lose." My words don't come out as harshly as they could. I'm not trying to scare anyone; I'm simply stating a fact.

Someone behind me is trying to build a ball of energy. I don't even have to look at them to turn them into a tree.

"These are not bad people, these followers of the king. They have been disconnected from their source of magic for too long. My uncle has warped it, and you've not had access to pure, unadulterated magic for too long."

I push more magic toward them, pulling it from the earth, not forcefully, but with its permission. It wants to come out and play. It wants the people to use it, to give it purpose.

"If you are loyal to me, come to the solstice. I will protect you. I will not let him hurt you. Come to the solstice and show your support. Show the magic how happy you are to have it back in its true form."`

The people nod, and I walk through the crowd, still channeling as much magic as I can into the people as they kneel.

"You don't have to literally kneel," I say with a chuckle. Laughter runs through the crowd. "I meant it more like as your leader, commit yourselves to me."

Their craned necks remind me how big I am. I'm actually surprised no one has mentioned it yet outright. I shrink myself. The last thing I want is to be that unattainable leader they worship. I'm just another one of them. When I'm my normal height again, I shake hands. I hug people. I thank them for their support.

As I reach the end of the crowd, the ground shakes. My magic swirls around me. Protect them, please. I urge it to continue keeping my people safe.

A surge of anger blasts through the town, and all eyes fall to me. I smile and know it has worked.

"It's okay. It's just the king. He's angry. Go back home. My magic will protect you until the solstice."

They scatter, nervous now. I know his show of anger will keep some of them home from the solstice, but when they see what I've planted here, they'll change their minds.

If anyone who seeks to harm me steps foot into the town, they'll turn into a tree.

Rather clever, if I do say so myself.