Wicked As You Wish (A Hundred Names for Magic #1) - Rin Chupeco Page 0,82

am not too old to see. When I see your face, I remember his.”

“I don’t care what you think, old woman.”

“But you do care. Sometimes you care too much, and the tragedy is that no one else must know. A long, painful road is before you, wolf king, and you will grieve more than you can ever imagine.”

Cole snatched up his wet clothes.

“I know the reason you asked, no, demanded, to join the Cheshire’s cause.”

“You’re lying.”

“Do they know? Why you push everyone away? Despite all you say against fate, you know you believe it.”

In the flickering firelight, Cole’s face looked wan. The old woman continued.

“You fear the lilacs in their hair, the softness of their smile, the tips of their feet. You will save them from death, I can see, once from frogs and once from fire and once from winter. And they will save you thrice more, once from poison and once from sword and once from madness.”

“How did you know?” Cole’s voice was hoarse.

“I was close once, to your grandmother. A seer she was, just as a seer I am. She frightened you as a child, did she not? You believed her, and you believe me now. I know, too, that eight shall fight at the end of the world. Only seven shall return. You know this, and I know this, and that is why you are here. The paths are long, but at its end, you will choose to die so she will not. That is what you believe. The frogs, for instance. Ugly detestable creatures. They take what they want. Do not let them take what you want.”

Cole grabbed his scythe. The blade retracted into itself.

“A traitor; a traitor, hiding. The wolves know the traitor. Do you?”

The boy didn’t answer. He strode away, toward the castle’s main doors.

The old woman laughed softly. She turned then and looked straight at where Tala lay concealed.

“Come out, come out, sweet Makiling girl. Nothing escapes the eyes of the Hag, oh no.”

Her cheeks scarlet, Tala crept out. The Dame crooked a finger at her, and she obeyed until she was no more than a few feet away from her, fidgeting uneasily. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop,” she began.

“Perhaps it is best that you did. One hundred of us, dead and dying. When the last one dies, the dice are cast. And you too, little firebird. I can see you hiding there by the flames.”

The firebird flew out of the fireplace, perching by the grate to squawk questioningly.

“The keep shall burn before it can rise. You and His Majesty both stand at the center of the maelstrom. Two paths lie in your way, as his does. Life in one, death in the other. But I cannot see so far ahead as to tell which path is which. I never could predict the dooms of you Makilings, as your esteemed ancestor intended. Perhaps it’s for the best. Do you know why Maria Makiling chose this curse?”

Wordless, Tala shook her head.

“Three hundred years of Spanish rule in the Philippines. Three hundred years of subjugation and forced labor and abuse, and still they could not wrest the magic from the Makilings and the Mai-i tribe. The Americans paid them twenty million dollars for your country, at the chance to usurp the magic, and they were even more ruthless. No amount of spells could withstand the massive army they brought to bear on your ancestors’ village, and so their leader, Maria, made a painful choice. For the longest time, the Americans believed the Makilings had destroyed their own magic rather than allow them access. The Royal States’ interest waned after that, allowing many of your countrymen to survive, to flee and claim sanctuary at Avalon. They have been fighting alongside its kings and its firebird ever since.”

The Dame patted the firebird fondly on the head. It cooed, scuttling closer to Tala. “Trust in the firebirds, young Makiling, even against all evidence. Whatever they say and whatever they do, you must trust firebirds. Without them, all will have been for naught, and winter shall remain. You have fire in you, young Makiling, the hardest to master. But nothing would ever be worthwhile if it were easy.”

Wark, the firebird agreed, now clinging to Tala.

“They have lovely dances in Ikpe. It would be a shame not to spend the night. May you find something worthwhile there. This is not the last you will hear from me, young Makiling.” The Dame turned to leave. But before the darkness swallowed