Page 116 of The Tree of Spirits
Conner had arrived at my cottage just in time for lunch, which he and Kato had decided to make together. I couldn’t help but smile, watching them work together in the kitchen. They’d even taken off their armor, physically and metaphorically.
“What’s got you so giddy, Red?” Conner chuckled as he grabbed an onion and started chopping it up.
“You two are already so much closer to rebuilding the trust between you. You’ll be back to being best friends in no time!”
“Are you crying?” Kato asked me, frowning in concern.
“Nope!” I sobbed, wiping my eyes. “It’s just the onions! They really sting!”
“Theydosting,” Conner agreed, blinking a few times to clear his vision. “I should have worn my helmet.”
“A battle helmet? To chop onions?” Kato’s mouth twitched with amusement.
“Knights wear helmets,” Conner quoted in a deep, monotone voice.
“I donotsound like that.” Kato dusted off his hands on his apron.
They were both wearing aprons over their sporty bodysuits. It made them look so adorably normal.
“She’s looking at us like she wants to knit us some ‘best friends’ sweaters,” Conner said to Kato.
“If only I could knit,” I sighed.
“I’m pretty sure you can do anything you set your mind to, Seven.”
“He’s right,” Conner said, nodding. “You learned, what, like twenty spells in your first week-and-a-half?”
“Not quite twenty,” I protested.
“Close enough.” Conner scraped the chopped onion pieces into the wok. “Only Kato and I have ever excelled so splendidly at being Apprentices.”
“Yeah, howdidyou learn so many spells anyway, Seven?” Kato grabbed a carrot and started peeling it. “They weren’t all from the Paragons’ spellbook.”
“Oh, well, I learned most of the spells by watching other people do magic and just copying what they did.” I shrugged. “That seems like the logical way to do it, right?”
“Yeah, she likes to say that likeanyonecan learn magic that way. It’s cute,” Conner chuckled. “But in truth, Red, most people can’t just see a spell once and then,bam!, they can do it. Well, except for me, of course.” He flicked his hair. “And maybe Katotoo if he could ever stop prattling on about how amazing helmets are.”
Kato looked up from his carrots long enough to roll his eyes at his best friend.
“But even we can’t learn every spell we see.” Conner grabbed a head of broccoli. “And certainly not right away.”
“I didn’t learn how to teleport right away. In fact, I had some mishaps along the way.” I cringed just remembering how I’d teleported myself into a shelf full of food and ended up covered in flour and tomatoes.
“Well, you haven’t lived until you’ve set yourself on fire at least once or twice. Am I right, Kato?” Conner said cheerfully.
Kato dropped the chopped carrots into the pot of boiling water. “At least I didn’t nearly lose four of my fingers because I gave myself frostbite.”
“Yeah, theystillfeel numb sometimes.” Conner wiggled his fingers.
“Seven, could you turn on the TV?” Kato asked me. “It’s nearly one, and I want to watch the General’s press conference.”
“So said no sane person ever,” Conner quipped, sprinkling garlic and salt over the broccoli he’d chopped.
While he put the broccoli into the oven to bake, I fetched the remote and turned the TV to the Many Realms News Network. “This doesn’t look like a press conference. It looks like a debate.”
The General and Prince Fenris sat on opposite sides of a room lit up with video spotlights. The General wore his usual black uniform. Fenris wore a long, dark blue coat with silver embroidery along the collar, cuffs, and all down the front where the two sides of the coat met. His pants were the exact same shade of blue, and he wore black, knee-high boots over them. He was sporting some pretty impressive heels.
“The horrific events that played out early this morning only prove what I’ve been saying all along,” said Fenris. “ThoughI will admit that I have underestimated Gaia. They aren’t just unprepared for the responsibility of joining the Court. They are a threat to all the Many Realms!”
