Page 18 of In This Iron Ground
“Yes. There are safeguards for this. There is a lot of control in that respect. There are areas of the world, unknown to Blinkered, which exclusively house our folk. Strong and skilled use of Ousía must be employed to keep it so.”
“But, like…you can’t always keep it secret. Like,Ifound out.”
“Yes. And there are people who seek to hunt us, for sure. But most can be dealt with by a strong witch or shaman through memory alteration.”
“Oh,” Damien said, feeling a little queasy at the thought that his memories could have been altered. He would have forgotten all about the Salgados.
He’d be truly alone, then.
“Why didn’t you…do that to me?” Damien asked. Nova looked at Mia.
“Kephale is wise. She chose otherwise,” Nova said. Damien looked at Mia too. His heart pounded in his chest. He felt the odd urge to cry for a moment. He tamped it down.
“Thanks,” he said quietly. Mia smiled.
“It has truly been my pleasure, Damien,” she said. That feeling inside him expanded for a moment.
He sat there for a while, trying to process everything he had learnt. It was too big. He felt like he needed to Google everything but knew that wouldn’t help.
“Can I…I mean, not training because I’m passive and stuff but…I’m really into plants. Do you think I could learn a little more? Not now but, you know…” Damien trailed off. Nova and Mia shared a smile.
“Yes, Damien. I can help you gain knowledge, for I can see that Mia was right—you would only use it for good. I cannot start until summer, which I know is a bit of time away…”
“I don’t mind. That sounds…that’s okay,” Damien rushed to say. Nova was right; it sounded an age away, but he didn’t care. He could wait.
“It will be something both of us can look forward to,” Nova said. Damien blushed, but he couldn’t keep the smile off his face.
“I must apologize, but I have another stop I need to make before the night is through,” Nova said. Damien nodded quickly.
“Yeah, of course, I…thanks. Thank you.”
“It has been my pleasure.”
Nova left with a hug for each of them. When the library door closed behind her, Damien looked at Mia carefully.
“Thanks,” he repeated quietly. Mia put a hand on his head. Damien closed his eyes for a second at the affectionate gesture.
“You are very welcome, Damien. I’m glad you’re here.”
The words sounded true even if he couldn’t quite believe them.
**********
Winter slowly loosened its hold. The Spring Equinox, on the twentieth of March, fell on a Tuesday. The day was bright and clear, so crisp Damien felt it could almost give him superpowers, expand his lungs and make his sight run for miles. He had been invited to the Salgados’ after school and was met by an overexcited pair of twins and some packed lunches as they arrived.
“It’s an Ostara—that’s the Spring Equinox—tradition. The younglings pack some lunches and hike in the forest. Nadie isn’t coming this year, because apparently she just turned a hundred,” Koko said, directing the last bit towards her sister, who ignored her.
“Oh, cool!” Damien says. “Good luck,” he wished the others. Koko rolled her eyes.
“You’re coming with, dumbass,” she said. Damien frowned.
“I’m gonna slow you down though,” he protested.
“It’s not a race,” Hakan said in a much calmer voice than Koko. Damien opened his mouth in a knee-jerk protest but decided not to look that particular gift horse in the mouth.
The forest was beautiful. It seemed to have a personality of its own as the breeze rustled the leaves that framed the dirt path leading them up the mountain. Lallo stuck close to Damien, pointing different birds out quietly as they chirped around them, his soft voice joining in the symphony of the forest.
“Look,” he would say quietly, and Damien would stop, following where Lallo was pointing. The bird in question was a ridiculous looking thing, a bright blue body and black head, a tuft of feathers poking backwards from his head like a feathered cap. Damien smiled down at Lallo conspiratorially.
