It took him three more days to finish the cart. Despite the celebrations, they couldn’t use it until the path was cleared. While he wanted to help Sarah and her team to clear the forest, as long as his back remained half-burnt, he knew hard labour like that was impossible. So instead, he started spending more and more time in the Bloodrose Witch’s study.

  Every book he picked up was a trove of knowledge, but none contained what he really wanted to know – something about the Empyrean. He found rituals to appease Zeus, sacrifices to gain the blessings of Hades or Osiris, prayers to calm the wrath of Thor or Odin. Yet nothing on the Empyrean.

  That one god seemed out of reach. Had he decided to write down everything he knew about it, he couldn’t even fill a single page. It was frustrating.

  “I don’t think I can do any of this.” Victoria put the translated papers on the desk. “I just make plants move, Alaric.”

  “You can do all of that, and probably more. Did you try the exercises I translated for you?” Despite having found several spells useful in combat, Victoria seemed to be unable to learn any of them.

  “Yeah. It didn’t make much difference.” She looked away and fiddled with her hair. “I’m not like her, I can’t just snap my fingers and make things happen. She was a powerful witch. I’m just… me. But” she started on her feet. “What I can do is finding that herb. I promise I will.”

  “I don’t doubt that-“ He stopped. Victoria wasn’t learning. She claimed to be unable to. Every time she explained why, she said she wasn’t like the Witch.

  “Alright, let’s try something different. Maybe you could learn something closer to what you are already capable of.” He rummaged through the books until he found the one he was looking for. “So, you’ll use some sap, draw a circle on your hand like this,” he pointed at the page. “Then you picture what you’re trying to find with as much detail as you can. Be precise. According to the Witch, the plant you took the sap from will point you in its direction.”

  Victoria’s eyes lit up. “Oh! For the herb, right?” A beaming smile formed on her face. “I’ll try it first thing tomorrow! Oh, we should carry a shovel with us – maybe we can bring back a few of the plants alive, since we might need it again later!” With renewed hope and excitement, she rushed out the door and downstairs.

  Alaric leaned back on his high backed chair and rubbed his eyes. “Did I ever give her a reason to lie, Luna?” he whispered, glancing at the wolf lying next to his chair. Luna raised her head and softly tilted it, almost as if she didn’t quite understand the question. “Go with her tomorrow, and make sure she stays safe.”

  The wolf replied with a quiet, adorable woof.

  Pulling the translated papers aside, he revealed the book he was reading before Victoria came.

  ‘The most commonly taught rule of magic is that only those gifted by the gods can perform it. I disagree – using a god’s specific power requires that god’s blessing. But magic itself is based on understanding and knowledge.’

  Just a few days ago, he would have never paid any attention to this. He simply didn’t have the time to. But now, as he waited for others to find a cure for his plight, he had nothing better to do.

  A knock on the door startled him as he just began to focus.

  “A word, if you have the time.” Charles stepped in. Clearly tired from the several flights of stairs he had to climb, he collapsed on a stool. “I hope I didn’t interrupt your research.”

  “No. Sorry, I was just lost in thought.” Alaric forced a smile. “What is it?”

  “Your power is incredible.” Charles began. “Cinder has saved us with all the water it carries. It made me realise how important it is to have animals of burden. We need more – not warhorses like Cinder. Though it would be nice to have, I mean oxen. Normal horses. Anything to help us with all the work we need to do.”

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  Alaric couldn’t help but agree. “I don’t remember seeing any oxen around here.”

  “You wouldn’t. There were none. Robert and Sarah confirmed. But you see… Laura said something interesting. And I want you to consider it – either for Sarah and a few others to undertake, or for you once you’re healed.” He straightened his back. “Apparently, the Baskerville’s farm has oxen. It’s too far away for now – but once we can travel those distances, we should consider bringing them, and any useful things we can find back here.”

  They could use the tools, not to mention use the seeds to start their own farm by the castle. They needed to, if they wanted to survive the winter. “Yeah. Maybe a bigger cart… four wheeled, and sturdier…” he muttered mostly to himself. There was enough metal to reinforce the wheels and axel, but it would take quite a bit of work.

  “Perhaps. Sarah said you wanted to tell me something. What was it?” Charles quickly changed the subject, barely able to contain his curiosity.

  Alaric tapped on the book he was reading. “Right. Magic – it doesn’t have to rely on gods. At least, that’s what the Witch theorised. She had her own blessing from ‘The Horned God.’ My mythology isn’t all that great, so I asked Sarah. Apparently it’s a Wiccan deity.”

  “Wiccan?” Charles raised his eyebrows with doubt. “Alright… what are you getting at?”

  “The only way we can test if she was right is for someone who wasn’t marked by the gods to try and learn magic. I’m working on it, but I have this.” He tapped on the black leather glove covering his right hand.

  “We can’t spare anybody right now.”

  “We can. Jason and Reuban. They’re both wounded, neither has been marked by the gods. Ava can join if she’s interested, she’d be like me, in a sense.”

  Charles hesitated. “The Witch was evil, Alaric. What kind of magic are we talking about here?”

  “Honestly?” Alaric asked with a shrug. “I don’t know. Her notes claim basic magic doesn’t need the blessing of the gods. She lists a few simple types, two of which I’m not going to translate ever.”

  “Why?”

  “Blood magic and necromancy.” He watched Charles’ face grow pale. “But being able to move things with your mind, to sharpen your senses and gain the ability to sense magic – these are useful in every scenario. And they’re not demanding piles of dead bodies or sacrificing your own health.”

  The other man pursed his lips. “What about you?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You can read the blood magic and necromancy spells – what will you learn?”

  Oh. “I’m trying to light that candle.” He pointed at the unlit candle at the middle of the desk. “I haven’t succeeded so far.”

  “Alaric.” Charles furrowed his brows. His expression darkened. “Have you looked at what those spells can do?”

  With a sigh, he leaned back and closed the book in front of him. “I did. They’re powerful, I’ll give you that. But every single one of them want a sacrifice to be made. A sacrifice of an animal, a human, a mythical beast. A whole village. It just keeps getting worse. I only skimmed the necromancy book – it’s impossible to even cast those spells without owning something called ‘The Necronomicon.’ Some ancient book filled with evil that allows you to manipulate the souls of the dead.”

  “Sacrifices are a given.” Charles pursed his lips. “I worry the witch has utilised both of these schools of magic. Inform yourself about them – so we know what we’re up against if we ever encounter them.”

  He glanced at two books he had pushed to the corner of the room, behind some jars full of weird dusts and other things. “I’d rather not. It’s a lot of power, Charles. At a huge cost.”

  “You can handle it. The Mark of Command is the ultimate form of power over others, and you’ve been extremely careful with it.” Charles stood up and approached the open window. The whole basin, stretching from the eastern mountains to the south and north was visible from there.

  “We have our differences in opinion. We don’t always see eye to eye. We have both caused each other hurt and distress. I have made mistakes – I can accept that. But one thing I never doubted was your self-control. You’re naturally cautious person. Reserved. Kind. That’s why everyone looks up to you. That’s why they follow you.” He spun around, his expression much colder than before. “If you wanted to, you could have grabbed whatever power you wanted. You could have used the Mark on people who disagreed. It would have been so simple.”

  Alaric’s eyes widened. Horrified, he clenched his fist.

  “But you didn’t. You won’t. So, I know that knowledge will be safe with you.”

  “You don’t understand.” Alaric hissed through gritted teeth, still horrified at the thought of using the Mark on a person. “The gods are watching us, remember? I don’t know to what extent, but… what if they start demanding more because we have access to such power? What if they demand sacrifices?”

  Charles shook his head. “The Profaned Legion didn’t call a hunt because you knew how to create a second Hallowed Ground. The system, the gods… whatever we are up against – they won’t pull their punches. You chose to learn Enochian so you could know more. Well that there is knowledge. Learn it, so you’ll have the answer already when you need it. And maybe then you won’t have to risk your life like you did last time.”