Page 32 of Wizards & Weavers
The corners of the house’s angular roof ended in points that resembled thorns. Leaf-shaped gemstones served as its windows and door. Polished jade, perhaps. Surrounding its base was a spray of delicate golden wires curved elegantly into bushes, leaves, and branches.
“It’s extremely pretty, I’ll grant you,” Augustin said. “But I don’t see how we’re supposed to spend the night in that.”
Elyssandra laughed as she pulled the comb from her hair. “And he calls himself a wizard. Couldn’t you detect the tingle of magic?”
Augustin frowned. “I’m not exactly a magical bloodhound, you know. I can tell it’s enchanted, but how could I possibly guess its purpose? I’m an elementalist, Elyssandra. Only a seasoned enchanter could do that.”
“So many excuses.” Braiden shook his head and tutted, only too happy to participate. “I didn’t think the Wizard of Weathervale would be so whiny.”
Augustin went red in the face. “You didn’t even know I existed before I rode into town on a turnip cart. You — ”
“Hush now,” Elyssandra said. “The both of you.”
She lifted the comb to her lips, whispered a few words, then pushed the prongs into the earth. Braiden grimaced at the thought of her putting it back in her hair. Maybe she would give it a good wash first. His new elven friend had her quirks, but she did like to keep a lovely head of hair.
Something in the air tingled. Something in the earth shifted. One by one the tiny filigreed plants on the decorative comb grew and grew, stretching out until their leaves were as big as hands.
The house was growing larger, too. This was a fascinating display of elven magic, but Braiden wasn’t quite convinced. The only thing more attention-grabbing than a bright blue tent was a golden house.
And then with a flash and a glittery shimmer, the house vanished.
In its place was a large flower — or was it a rosette of leaves? It bloomed like a rose the color of deepest jade, or perhaps an especially rare and ornate head of cabbage.
Despite its bizarre appearance, it did blend well with its surroundings. Staring at the plant seemed to tire the eyes, making it so that Braiden wanted to look anywhere else. He’d read about the weird ways that plants could defend themselves — thorns, poison, horrific odors — but this was something else entirely.
The flower turned to face the party the way a sapling would turn toward the sun. Its leaves — or were they petals? — unfurled and peeled back one by one. At its core pulsed a warm honeyed glow, the same gold as Elyssandra’s hair comb.
“It’s a portal,” Augustin breathed, his tent still tucked under one arm as he admired the strange flower. “Remarkable.”
“A little bit of elven ingenuity,” Elyssandra said. “Not that I can take credit for any of it. Come, now. We can spend the night in here.”
As Elyssandra approached the flower, Braiden found himself staring at the array of pins in her golden mane. What other survivalist magic was she hiding in there? Her hair was full of secrets.
“Well, what are you waiting for?” Elyssandra dashed straight toward the green blossom.
It shouldn’t have worked. There was no way for her to physically fit into the opening at the center of the flower, and yet she did. The petals rustled like leaves in a windy forest, parting around her in welcome.
Augustin shrugged and followed suit, disappearing into the flower’s head just as easily.
Braiden hesitated, and then remembered that they had a very specific reason to keep out of sight. He took a deep breath and plunged face-first into the flower.
It felt like pushing through undergrowth, but the leaves brushing against his cheek had a silken quality, soft and oddly reassuring. He exhaled once, and then the rustling was over.
Braiden blinked, then blinked again. They were inside a house — an actual house — the same one depicted on Elyssandra’s comb.
“This is incredible,” Augustin said, running his hands along the furniture. “Enchanted shelter, bigger on the inside than it is on the outside. I’ve heard of this kind of magic but have never seen it for myself. Absolutely incredible.”
And extremely expensive, Braiden thought. He didn’t want to pry, but exactly who was this woman with a talent for thievery and an arsenal of enchantments?
Despite being a magical dwelling, the elven house had all the amenities of a regular home, with a few minor decorative differences. There were extra angles where a chair might otherwise have a rounded back, terminating in twigs, leaves, or antlers. Perhaps the furniture had actually grown that way.
The house was small, more a cottage than anything. The common area included a kitchen and a dining set big enough for four. Braiden assumed the doors in the walls led to their bedrooms, which were likely to be smallish themselves. It was still far more comfort and convenience than he could have dreamed of.
“I know it might be smaller than you’re used to,” Elyssandra said, “but I think it’s kind of cozy.”
Braiden shook his head. “You’ve seen where I live. This is a luxury getaway, as far as I’m concerned.”
Augustin arched an eyebrow. “You’ve been to his home?” He pointed his finger between them. “Didn’t you two just meet?”
