The Girl Without Magic by Megan O'Russell

Author:Megan O'Russell [O'Russell, Megan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781948099486
Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press
Published: 2018-01-08T07:00:00+00:00

aggie sat at the table, not sure where to look. If she looked at Tammond, she might drool. If she looked at the people around her staring at her, she might run. So instead she looked at the books lining the walls.

“How did they all get here?” Maggie asked, pointing to the shelves upon shelves of books.

“We brought them here,” the girl with the red hair from outside said as though Maggie didn’t understand that things could be carried.

“The first Wanderers who came to the lake brought their books with them,” Tammond said after glaring at the girl with the red hair who huffed and stalked away. “Others who came to join brought more. A few times we’ve sent people out to find more books, ones that were necessary to learn. All of the books we have in the village reside in this room.”

“But,” Maggie said, hoping her words wouldn’t offend, “wouldn’t it be safer not to keep all your written knowledge next to a giant fire?”

Sniggers floated around the crowd.

“The Fireside is safe.” Tammond took Maggie’s hand in his and led her toward the fire. Heat rushed to her face, and she hoped the warmth of the flames would be a good enough excuse for the redness creeping onto her cheeks.

Placing his palm on the back of Maggie’s hand, Tammond moved her fingers toward the flames. Fear told her she would be burned, but Tammond was standing so close behind her, his steady heart beat thrumming into her back. A foot before her hand reached the flames, her palm touched something soft and cool.

An invisible barrier separated her from the flames, but the spell held none of the heat of the fire. As cool as the water of the lake, but letting the heat of the fire pass through it to warm the room.

“Wow,” Maggie breathed.

“The fire is safe for all of us,” Tammond said.

Maggie turned to face him. His chest pressed into hers. He gazed down into her eyes.

“It’s… beautiful.”

Tammond smiled. “I have seen many beautiful things, but I had never thought to count the Fireside among them.”

Giggles came from behind Tammond’s broad shoulders. The group in the Fireside had grown. Teenagers and adults alike stared at Tammond and Maggie by the fire.

“Perhaps we should go.” Tammond’s voice was low. “There are other beautiful things to see in our village.”

Maggie nodded, not trusting her voice, and followed Tammond out into the dark night.

The night had grown cool with the breeze across the lake. Stars were reflected in the glassy surface of the water, and the moon gave depth to the mountains around them, casting their high peaks into silhouette. The roof of the Fireside had been raised up to block the light of the flames within. In the village no lights shone. No lamps peered through windows. No cooking fires crackled.

“Is everyone asleep?” Maggie whispered.

“Some are,” Tammond said. “The rest are either at the Fireside or enjoying the darkness.”

A thrill shot through Maggie’s stomach as she wondered what enjoying the darkness might mean.

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