Page 62 of Boy of Chaotic Making

Kegan screeched when Merritt and Owein entered the grove some two miles north of Cyprus Hall, startling a few roosting songbirds overhead. Owein bolted through the foliage, surprisingly agile, to meet up with them. Moments later, that gray hawk swooped down and perched on Kegan’s shoulder. The boy didn’t blink twice at the fact.

“I found fairy treasure,” he announced, puffing out his chest. “Well, there’s no treasureinit, but it’s just the sort of tree a fairy would use to hide some. Want to see?”

Owein glanced up at Merritt.

“Off you go.” He waved a hand. It wasn’t quite as chilly today, though a steady sheet of cloud covered the sky. The Leiningens—minus Lady Briar and the baron—had headed to church, and Hulda had gone into town again, so it was as good a time as any to visit the Irish wizards. The guards had actually walked out with them a ways before heading back. Thus far, everything seemed fine.

Owein barked and ran off. A voice in his head said,They’re waiting ahead.

Merritt startled, glancing at the hawk perched on Kegan’s shoulder. Then into the trees, wondering if there were yet more Druids lurking about the woods. Well, he’d know when he’d know. Trudging aheadwith far less grace than Kegan had, he did, indeed, find both Sean and Morgance beneath a thick oak tree, sharing some bread and cheese.

Morgance spotted him. “Are you hungry?”

“Perhaps a little.” He found a sturdy root and sat, then accepted a piece of bread. “Thank you.”

She nodded. “We don’t buy and sell, back home. Everyone works and everyone gives. Everyone eats. No rank, no judgment.”

“No judgment?” Merritt asked. “Whatever do you do for fun?”

Morgance paused.

Sean chuckled. “He’s jesting, of course.” He popped the end of a crust into his mouth. “Morgance is always looking to increase our number. We have strong men and women in our flock, but time dwindles all of us.”

Morgance turned up her nose. “You make me sound like a salesman.”

He tipped his head. “Forgive me.”

After a few bites, Merritt asked, “Have you spied any revolutionaries in these parts recently?”

Morgance tipped her head, confused.

Merritt changed direction. “So, what did you have in mind today? Besides the sales talk and the play session.” He jutted a thumb in the direction Owein had gone.

Morgance frowned at thesalesterm, but said nothing. “I wanted to teach you, actually.”

Merritt lowered the bread. “Teach me? What?”

She drew her hand down the base of the oak tree’s trunk. “You speak to plants. I want to show you just how great an ability that can be.”

“It will be harder for you,” Sean added, leaning back and folding his arms. “If I may make the assumption. The Druid lines are still relatively strong in their magic; yours will be diluted.”

“And only recently discovered,” Merritt reminded them. “I had many a poor night when the communion first presented itself.”

Morgance and Sean exchanged a knowing glance. Perhaps insomnia was commonplace for communionists.

“The earth,” Morgance went on, “is all connected. Every bit of it. Cities and railroads try to break it up, but beneath everything, there is earth. And where there is earth, there is life.” She grasped Merritt’s hand and placed it palm down on the root he sat upon. “The first communionist could feel her way through root systems clear to the other side of the world. Not only could she speak to flora and fauna, but she could command them, too.”

“She?” Merritt asked. “I don’t recall a woman among Christ’s apostles.”

Morgance clucked her tongue. “The Christian apostles as the incitement of magic is only a speculation, Merritt.”

“Point taken. Then what is the Druid lore?”

“Druid lore is also only speculation,” Sean said, earning a disapproving look from his companion. “Some say there are more than eleven doctrines of magic, but I’ve never seen anything to prove otherwise. Some insist there are but ten—a rounder number and more pleasant—and that augury and psychometry hail from the same progenitor. One belief is that the first communionist was not a man, but a hart.”

Merritt straightened. This had the sound of an excellent story. “Really?”

Sean nodded. “His magic was full, untainted by the blood of others. He could transform into any other living thing on earth, including plants. Including humans.”

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