Matched in Magic by Alex C Vick

Author:Alex C Vick [Vick, Alex C]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Alex C Vick
Published: 2019-12-28T16:00:00+00:00

15 A Plan

Too stunned to answer, I said nothing. Art talked quickly, as if he thought I might interrupt him before he could finish.

"Hear me out. It doesn't have to be permanent. Maybe we could spend today researching—Xytovian magic, mage-sickness, and so on. Then we need somewhere safe to hide while we put the pieces together. I… What is it?"

I couldn't contain my smile any longer.

"Does this mean you agree?" he said, smiling back.

"Yes. I would have suggested it myself, but I never thought you would do that."

He paused. "I might not have. Before I met you."

"I still like you," I said in a rush.

"I still like you too," he said, giving me one of his shy smiles.

My tongue might as well have been stuck to the roof of my mouth. I couldn't think of a single thing to say. Art cleared his throat.

"So… shall we make a plan?"

I stared at him. You can just kiss me. We don't have to plan it. Suddenly I understood his meaning and swallowed a squeak of horror as I realised how close I'd come to embarrassing myself.

"Serena?" he said.

"Y-yes, a plan." I looked down at my boots, hoping my face wasn't quite as red as I feared it was. "Um… I think we should make the most of the time we have before your grandfather gets back. My whole I'm-from-another-world story can probably wait until we're actually through the portal."

He blinked. "Right. The portal. Er… how much travelling time will we need?"

"None."

"What is a portal?" he said.

"Like a doorway made from magic. Once I've created it, we step through. It's easy."

"A doorway," he repeated. "So it's sort of like mage-glass."

"Is it?" I asked.

He laughed. "I don't know. I'm guessing. I'll show you some later and we'll compare. There's mage-glass in the base of the tower, but I've never crossed the segregation line before."

"If there's a segregation line, how do people get around if they have kids?" I asked.

"Slowly," he said. "But the three main territories are all on the same land mass and there are rivers connecting the larger settlements. The boats run every day. Besides"—he shrugged—"mage-glassing is expensive. Not everyone can afford it. There are other priorities."

I remembered Peric's bitter words: No one can survive without credit. Had he meant it literally? Androva had a system of currency too, and material wealth could certainly make life more pleasant. However, a magician would never depend on currency. His or her magic was more than enough.

Terra, on the other hand, no longer had any magicians. Yet a purse of gold coins was not a prerequisite to survival. People had access to natural resources, their skills were wide-ranging, and they were also tenacious.

While I was thinking, Art went to the library. He stepped inside briefly and reemerged with a pen and paper. "Grandfather will be in his meeting for a while. We should wait for him to leave before we start sneaking around. Shall we make a list?"

"A list?" I said, still distracted.

"For today. Things to do.

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