not important. Look in me now as I sit here without using any magic.”
Osric did as he was told. He noticed two green spheres.
“That’s the Wand-Maker gift in your eyes?”
“Yes, but look closely. Not at my gift, but at my body. They are tricky to spot because they are almost clear. They look like the heat from a flame. Just a bit of a distortion, like looking through a very thin piece of glass,” Gus spoke slowly and carefully.
Osric moved his head slightly from left to right, trying to catch a glimpse of what Gus was referring to.
“I see it,” Osric bellowed. “What is that? They’re very small, like crystal strands.”
“Yes, that’s a good way to think of it. They are life, boy. That’s what their purpose is anyway. Without them, you would simply die.”
“So what are you trying to show me with them? I mean, is there something special in yours that I should see?”
The door to the room swung open and Kenneth came in, followed by a red haired woman.
“Os,” Kenneth exclaimed while carrying a plate. “They told me you woke and I had to get you some good food. I knew Gus wouldn’t bring you enough for as long as you were out. He didn’t seem to care too much about my hunger anyway. Smoked beef and boiled eggs, that’s the good stuff!” He set the plate on the table and looked back at Gus in defiance.
“Good timing, lad. We can use you for a lesson now.” Gus smirked back at him.
“No, thank you. I was peered at long enough while I was out.” Kenneth backed toward the door, his mood quickly shifting to apprehension as he moved. “Me and Jane,” he nodded at the woman who followed him in, “have plans anyway. I just wanted to welcome Os back to the world of the living.”
“I don’t think so.” Gus waved his wand and the door slammed shut. “Osric will be the one looking this time, and I can’t show him without you here.”
Kenneth frowned, gazing from Gus to Osric and then shrugged.
“Don’t you want to show me how brave you are?” Jane spoke teasingly at Kenneth’s expression.
Kenneth’s chest inflated as he looked at Jane and moved close to Osric, giving him a knowing smile.
“Let’s get this over with as quickly as we can. I have very important plans.”
“Yes, that’s nice.” Gus dismissed the chatter and turned his attention back to Osric. “Now, look at his life strands. Try to ignore his gifts. He has many of the same that you have, so don’t linger too long.”
Osric gazed at the clear fibers that he saw within Kenneth, making sure to note any small difference. It was hard to ignore the gifts. He had several of them, including the See-er ability, and Osric had a hard time with the reasoning behind it. Osric didn’t know what all of the gifts were, but he spent little time inspecting them.
“There are more of them, is that it?”
“Very good.” Gus managed to sound impressed and Pebble clapped with joy.
Osric looked back. He had made an important discovery, or so they seemed to think, but he had no idea what it meant. Nevertheless, it felt good to finally have done something right in Gus’ eyes.
“Do you mind explaining what that means? Does it mean that we can’t be killed?”
“Oh, and then you have to go and say something like that.” Gus hung his head. “I thought it would be obvious, but I guess I will have to simplify things a bit. The life strands are your power. With more strands, comes more power. In fact, that may be the reason you were attacked so vigorously by the shield surrounding the grove. It attacks with more force than is applied to it by magical means. This may be the reason you were affected so, but it may also be the reason you survived the encounter.”
“Why would you be focusing on all this anyway?” Kenneth’s question was tinged with impatience. “I’d rather you be telling us how in graves we both have all these gifts!”
Jane gasped at the expression, but smiled behind her hand.
“I’m sorry, but you have been focusing on the life strands in me for a week, when you should be figuring out why I have acquired more gifts.” A vein stood out on Kenneth’s forehead as he spoke.
“If you have any idea how it is happening, Wand-Maker, I would be happy to listen to whatever wisdom you can bring to the