Origin (Scales N' Spells #1) - A.J. Sherwood Page 0,39

detriment. With the war, the clans’ knowledge died with them, a great deal having been passed down through oral tradition. What records they’d been able to recover weren’t comprehensive by any means.

Even five hundred years later, the few living mages were still reconstructing spells and potions, trying to recreate something they never knew how to do in practice. It was maddening, and the mages more than once had gatherings to mourn the loss of knowledge. Alric suspected it was more like a pity party with actual booze involved, but he did have survival skills. He never said that aloud.

The kidnappers had used common spells, eh. No way to track them through those, then. They’d have to rely on the spell elements and hope their origin would give some clue. Mages had always harvested elements close to home, as outsourcing other ingredients was problematic in various ways. The spell elements should give them a rough location of the culprits, if nothing else.

“I expect we’ll have something to go off of in a few days. We’ll need to start a proper investigation tomorrow.” Lisette put the amulet away in a pocket before folding her hands over her knee, that arch look back on her face. “My conversation with Cameron went very well, by the way. He’s more open to his own magic now. Or at least, he’s willing to think he can work magic himself. I’m not entirely sure where this mental block of his originated, but I assume it was instilled in him through his family. His great-grandmother apparently never worked magic in front of her family. He has only a single memory of her doing so.”

“So there was magical knowledge in his line at one point.” Alric’s eyes closed in fatalistic understanding. “But because she’d not passed it on, it was lost. He’d mentioned something about this to me, but hadn’t explained it.”

“His grandmother was apparently always adamant they were mages, but without any way to prove or demonstrate it…” Lisette trailed off with a grimace. “Cameron made noises along the lines of his sister and grandmother being mages, he’s sure on that. I think it’s because they have always believed in magic. Because he hasn’t, he feels he’s not magical in and of himself.”

“Belief doesn’t have anything to do with it, though,” Alric objected. His heart twinged. That amazing man didn’t believe himself magical? Didn’t believe in his own potential? Alric didn’t know off-hand how he could possibly help Cameron understand that he was all of that and more. That he could be anything he chose. He wasn’t confined to the limits he’d imposed upon himself.

God, no wonder Cameron had reacted so strongly when Alric pushed. It must have been like rubbing lye into an open wound.

“I know it doesn’t, and I think I’ve explained it in such a way that he now understands that.” Lisette’s lips pursed thoughtfully. “I approached it in a very scientific manner, as I thought it would go over better. What with his focus in engineering. He understood the basic concepts very quickly. It will be a pleasure to teach that one. Such an amazing, sharp mind.”

Alric could have told her that. Cameron was both astute and observant. There wasn’t much that went over his head. “But he believes it now?”

“I think it’s still settling in. He’s at least open to the idea and was reading over the primer book I gave him with great attention. Considering all that he has been through in the past few days, I wasn’t willing to beat him over the head with it.”

“That’s wise. I fear we’ve overwhelmed him in many ways.”

“Yes, quite. He keeps coming back and asking more questions, though.” Lisette gave a half-laugh, her eyes crinkling up into charming crow’s feet. “So, we haven’t done too badly. I’m very curious to meet the rest of his family. I have a feeling they’ll be just as keen as he is.”

“I hope so. More mages are always a blessing to any clan.”

“It is always our delight to be part of a clan, for that matter.” Lisette got that look again, as if she were going to scold or encourage him. Her mouth was open, framing the words, but fortunately a knock at the door interrupted her.

It wasn’t a knock he knew, but Alric recognized the scent. Cameron smelled of magic, yes, but also of citrus and sun. Alric’s dragon might like Cameron’s scent just a tad too much.

“Enter!”

The door swung open, and Cameron’s head popped around the