The Spell Realm (The Sorcery Code #2)(22)

Surprised, Liva stood up. “Who are these people?” she asked her husband, eying them with curiosity.

“Liva, please meet Esther, Gala, Maya and Blaise,” he answered. “We met them in the forest and invited them to join us here, in Alania.”

A welcoming smile appeared on Liva’s broad face in response. “Oh, more refugees? Excellent! Glad you were able to make it through the woods. The last time someone came here was that lovely young woman, Ara—and that was almost two years ago.”

“They’re not exactly refugees,” Kostya said. “You’ve heard of Blaise, haven’t you?”

Liva frowned. “Blaise? As in, the sorcerer?”

“That’s the one,” Kostya said. “These people are his companions.”

“Oh.” Liva seemed nonplussed for a moment, then recovered quickly. “Well, regardless, welcome. We are pleased to have you here. I trust that you had a good journey?”

“We did,” Blaise said, smiling at her. “And thank you for offering us your hospitality. I can assure you that I mean you no harm.”

“I figured as much,” Liva said calmly. “Otherwise Kostya wouldn’t have brought you here. Can I offer you something to eat?”

“I’m not hungry, thank you,” Blaise said. “But I’m sure Gala, Esther, and Maya would appreciate a meal.”

“Thank you, we would,” Esther said. “And you should eat too, Blaise. Liva, can I help you prepare something?”

“Wife, I need to go out on a hunt again,” Kostya interrupted. “Is it all right if I leave our visitors with you?”

“Of course. I’ll take care of them.” Liva made a shooing motion toward the door, and Kostya swiftly exited the house. Gala got the impression he was uncomfortable dealing with so many guests and preferred to leave that task to his wife.

As soon as he was gone, Liva turned toward Esther. “I would welcome some help,” she said with a smile, answering Esther’s earlier question. “I never turn down an offer of another pair of hands in the kitchen.”

“Excellent,” Maya jumped in. “Then let me offer my services as well.” And before a minute had passed, all three women were companionably cutting up some roots and vegetables and throwing them in a skillet coated with something that smelled like fried meat.

Gala remained silent, quietly observing everything. She was fascinated by these people and their way of life. There was also something in the house that made her feel strange. It wasn’t long before she realized that she was sensing a spell of some kind. She didn’t know what the spell was supposed to do, but she could feel it in the room.

“What’s that spell you’re using?” she asked Liva, speaking for the first time. She assumed it was Liva doing it, since Blaise hadn’t had a chance to write or say anything.

Liva turned toward her slowly. “Whatever do you mean, child?” she asked, as though she didn’t know. However, her pupils were dilated, and Gala saw her fingers twitch slightly. These were signs that she wasn’t being truthful, Gala guessed. Did Liva feel uncomfortable with the topic?

Gala thought about changing the subject to accommodate the woman, but she was too curious. “Is the spell intended to lift people’s spirits or cure minor ills?” she persisted, trying to figure out what exactly she was feeling.

Liva looked both amazed and scared. “How do you know this?” she asked, staring at Gala in awe.

Gala shrugged, uncertain of how to explain it. She could feel spells sometimes, as if a part of her was attuned to the changes in the fabric of the Physical Realm that resulted from sorcery.

“Are you a sorceress?” Blaise asked Liva, regarding their hostess with surprise.

“I’m not a sorceress,” Liva denied. “I just dabble with some spells, that’s all. No one knows about it—not even my husband.” She paused, giving Blaise and Gala a pleading look. “And I would like to keep it that way, if you don’t mind. Sorcerers are not exactly liked around these parts.”

“Oh, don’t worry,” Maya said reassuringly. “We’ll keep your secret. I don’t know why you feel the need to conceal your gift, but we respect your right to do so.”

“Yes, we do,” Esther chimed in, and Gala and Blaise nodded their agreement.

“Good.” Apparently considering the matter closed, Liva went back to chopping the vegetables.

Now it was Blaise who couldn’t restrain his curiosity. “But how did you learn?” he asked, studying Liva. “I’ve never met anyone who simply dabbles in sorcery.”

“I learned from my father,” Liva explained, stirring the vegetables in the skillet. There was a hint of nostalgia in her voice. “He was an apprentice who got his arm blown off during his first test in the Tower. He also injured another apprentice. To punish him, they made him perform menial tasks around the Tower, and he chose to leave instead. He had a lot of pride, my father did. He continued learning some spells on his own, and even though he wasn’t very good, he still taught me some things in secret.”

“Why didn’t your father take you to the Tower then?” Blaise asked, frowning. “If you had an aptitude for sorcery, then you could’ve become an acolyte.”

“By the time he started teaching me, we were already here, far away from the Tower. Besides, he hated them, and he wouldn’t have been happy if I’d left to go to Turingrad. Not that I would have—it’s a miracle we made it here safely in the first place.” And she busied herself with food preparations, looking uncomfortable with the topic.