Page 25 of The Uncrowned Prince

Karreya glanced around for any hidden dangers, but there were few places for anyone to hide, unless it was through the curtain that led to the back of the shop. The front room was tiny and held only a long table and a few worn but sturdy chairs.

“What does the blue flower mean?” she asked curiously.

Niell laid Petrin on the table, gave him a quick smile, and grasped his hand before answering.

“It means Emmerick is a healer,” he said, his voice almost studiously flat.

A healer usually meant herbs, tisanes, salves, and powders. But there were no wares in evidence, which suggested…

“A mage healer.”

“Yes.” Niell’s glance in her direction was clearly challenging. As if he were daring her to ask the question on her lips.

But it was obvious that this man served no one, nor did he display any nervous agitation at having his vocation known. His movements remained slow and gentle as he bent over Petrin’s leg and touched it with careful fingers.

“You’ve got a nasty gash there, young lad,” Emmerick said kindly. “But not to worry. I’ve fixed up far worse, and you’ll soon be walking again without pain.”

His eyes then met Niell’s over the boy’s head, and his wince told Karreya that whatever magic he intended to use was likely to hurt.

“Excellent!” Niell seated himself on the table at the boy’s side and looked down with a grin. “Then while we wait for Emmerick here to work his miracles, I’m going to need you to fulfill your end of our bargain.”

“Yes!” Pren jumped up and down, her brown eyes shining with hope. “We want to see the magic!”

What a strange world these Abreians lived in—where magic was a matter of wonder rather than fear and mistrust. Or perhaps they only reacted that way to magic that could not hurt them. What would they say to magic like hers? Niell might not be so quick to accept her if he knew of the power she was hiding.

While Emmerick disappeared into the back of his shop, Niell reached into the pockets of his coat and rummaged around with a thoughtful expression.

“Where did I leave it?”

One hand emerged with a filthy red handkerchief. “No, not this one. This would make Pren’s hair turn green.” He winked and stowed the handkerchief, just as the other hand appeared with a string of beads. “Oh, no, not that one either. Your nose might fall off, and I don’t think Emmerick can fix noses.”

Several of his statements were lies, but Karreya could not bring herself to object as Pren began to giggle. Even Petrin’s face wore a hesitant smile as he watched this rather ridiculous performance. Meanwhile, Emmerick reappeared carrying a basin of water and some rags, and began to wash the blood and dirt from the boy’s leg. Niell continued to produce odds and ends from his pockets, proclaiming them to hold some improbable magic or other, until the wound had been thoroughly cleaned with only minimal whimpers of pain.

Karreya saw the two men’s eyes meet then, and Emmerick placed a hand on the ragged gash just as Niell finally proclaimed, “Aha!” His right hand popped out of his pocket holding… a handful of conkers.

Pren looked skeptical. “How can conkers be magic?”

“Ah, but you have to watch closely.”

Pren leaned closer. Petrin’s head turned. Niell began to juggle the small brown nuts, and as they flew in a circle between his hands, they began to glow. Each one took on a different color, and when all of them were alight, Niell threw them not in a loop, but one at a time, upward towards the ceiling.

At the peak of their flight, each conker burst into a shower of colored sparks, like tiny fireworks that lit up even the corners of the dim room with their brilliance.

Pren gasped and shrieked with excitement, dancing in circles as she tried to catch the sparks on her outstretched fingers. And as the glittering pieces settled like glowing snow, they landed not only on her fingers, but on her shoulders and her hair, as if she’d been blanketed in a net of tiny stars.

She began to laugh, and even Petrin had gone so wide-eyed with wonder that he had not noticed the bent head of the healer hovering over his leg, eyes closed, lips pinched with effort.

It was not until the last of the sparks sputtered and died that he gave a tiny gasp and winced, but by then, it was done. The healer’s brow was damp with sweat and his eyes were tired, but he smiled and nodded as he patted the boy’s shoulder.

“You’re a brave one. I’m sure that hurt a bit, but it’s all finished now.”

“It’s… done?” Petrin sat up and looked down at his leg, where a moment before the ragged gash had been oozing blood.

Now, there was nothing but clean skin and a long red scar.

For a few breaths, he couldn’t seem to grasp what had happened, but eventually his chin dropped and he began to cry, in loud, gulping sobs.

And Niell? Enigma that he was, he simply put his arms around the boy and held him while he cried, stroking his hair and murmuring quiet words in his ear. A moment later, Pren, too, burst into tears and wrapped her arms around Niell’s waist.

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