Read Online Magic Under Stone by Jaclyn Dolamore - Free Book Online
Authors: Jaclyn Dolamore
Ads: Link
dancing in penny music halls.”
“I told you I love you,” he said, putting his firm hand atop mine. “And I meant it.” He started again. “But a clockwork man obviously can’t marry. I know we’d prefer ... I mean, in different circumstances I would certainly court you, Nim.” His eyes traveled alongmy boyish garb, the braids that draped across my chest, to my face, and then the back of his hand moved to my cheek. My hands fell away, and my breath came quick as he let his fingers slide down my neck, and now they hovered there, and I could hardly bear it. I wanted so much for him to be real flesh and blood. I wanted so much to pull him closer.
Abruptly, he shut his eyes, and his hand drew back a moment later. “I can’t stand it. When I think about all the little flirtations and kisses with girls back home, and this is the first time I’ve felt like it actually meant something, and I can’t do anything about it.”
I put my hands over his now. “I still think you’re giving up too soon on the idea that you might live again.”
“Stop!” He was suddenly ferocious. “Please stop. Do you honestly think there is a chance the human sorcerers that enslaved me actually saved my body? That they’ve been keeping me preserved and no one knows about it? I’ve gone over every possible circumstance, and I can’t imagine any in which that would be the case.”
I was left briefly speechless. “But why did they save your soul at all? Do we understand any of this? Why make an assumption?”
“I told you. Hope is painful. I want to be myself again, or as close to myself as I can manage, and I can’t do that if I’m thinking I might get my real self back. I have to be myself like this. I have to try. Otherwise I can’t bear it. Does that ... make any sense?”
I was afraid that everything he said both made sense and did not make sense at the same time. I could imagine his plight—and often did—but I would never have to live it. Maybe I could never understand the weight of it. Maybe I didn’t want to.
“It does.” The fresh sea air blowing across my face somehow helped keep away the tears.
He put his hands to my cheeks, cupping my face, lookingtender and sad. I wanted to return the touch, but of course, he didn’t want to be touched. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
His hands lowered. My eyes opened. He smiled a bit.
“I’ll walk back with you,” he said.
Even now, I hoped he would take my hand, and when he didn’t, I felt my empty hand as if it were missing a finger. But the day was lovely, and Erris pointed out the bright rowan berries and a whistling bluebird perched in a tree. He was trying so hard to cheer me, so I made an attempt to smile.
“I’ve been thinking about my magic,” he said. “I wonder if it’s gone only because I’ve been cooped up for so long.”
“Do you think it could come back?”
“Well, does magic come from the body or the soul?”
“The soul, I would think,” I said. “Only, the body must have something to do with it or fairies and humans would have the same magic, wouldn’t they?”
“But are our souls fairy or human or ... just spirit?”
I laughed. “Too philosophical. I don’t know. But if you’re asking whether or not your magic will come back, I say it will.”
“You are an optimist,” he said. “I didn’t take you for one at first, but ...”
“I would have had to be an optimist to have tried to free you in the first place, wouldn’t I?”
He smiled. “I think I feel the magic stirring in me again.”
“And we only arrived yesterday,” I said. “You have all winter to get it back.”
SOMEWHERE IN THE FAIRY KINGDOM
At first Ifra was timid as he traveled the fairy lands to find Erris. He peered in the windows of cottages at night, drawn by the warmth of hearth and life he could sense from miles away. He watched a mother nurse her baby, running her hand over the small head. He watched a father reading to his daughters. He
“I told you I love you,” he said, putting his firm hand atop mine. “And I meant it.” He started again. “But a clockwork man obviously can’t marry. I know we’d prefer ... I mean, in different circumstances I would certainly court you, Nim.” His eyes traveled alongmy boyish garb, the braids that draped across my chest, to my face, and then the back of his hand moved to my cheek. My hands fell away, and my breath came quick as he let his fingers slide down my neck, and now they hovered there, and I could hardly bear it. I wanted so much for him to be real flesh and blood. I wanted so much to pull him closer.
Abruptly, he shut his eyes, and his hand drew back a moment later. “I can’t stand it. When I think about all the little flirtations and kisses with girls back home, and this is the first time I’ve felt like it actually meant something, and I can’t do anything about it.”
I put my hands over his now. “I still think you’re giving up too soon on the idea that you might live again.”
“Stop!” He was suddenly ferocious. “Please stop. Do you honestly think there is a chance the human sorcerers that enslaved me actually saved my body? That they’ve been keeping me preserved and no one knows about it? I’ve gone over every possible circumstance, and I can’t imagine any in which that would be the case.”
I was left briefly speechless. “But why did they save your soul at all? Do we understand any of this? Why make an assumption?”
“I told you. Hope is painful. I want to be myself again, or as close to myself as I can manage, and I can’t do that if I’m thinking I might get my real self back. I have to be myself like this. I have to try. Otherwise I can’t bear it. Does that ... make any sense?”
I was afraid that everything he said both made sense and did not make sense at the same time. I could imagine his plight—and often did—but I would never have to live it. Maybe I could never understand the weight of it. Maybe I didn’t want to.
“It does.” The fresh sea air blowing across my face somehow helped keep away the tears.
He put his hands to my cheeks, cupping my face, lookingtender and sad. I wanted to return the touch, but of course, he didn’t want to be touched. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
His hands lowered. My eyes opened. He smiled a bit.
“I’ll walk back with you,” he said.
Even now, I hoped he would take my hand, and when he didn’t, I felt my empty hand as if it were missing a finger. But the day was lovely, and Erris pointed out the bright rowan berries and a whistling bluebird perched in a tree. He was trying so hard to cheer me, so I made an attempt to smile.
“I’ve been thinking about my magic,” he said. “I wonder if it’s gone only because I’ve been cooped up for so long.”
“Do you think it could come back?”
“Well, does magic come from the body or the soul?”
“The soul, I would think,” I said. “Only, the body must have something to do with it or fairies and humans would have the same magic, wouldn’t they?”
“But are our souls fairy or human or ... just spirit?”
I laughed. “Too philosophical. I don’t know. But if you’re asking whether or not your magic will come back, I say it will.”
“You are an optimist,” he said. “I didn’t take you for one at first, but ...”
“I would have had to be an optimist to have tried to free you in the first place, wouldn’t I?”
He smiled. “I think I feel the magic stirring in me again.”
“And we only arrived yesterday,” I said. “You have all winter to get it back.”
SOMEWHERE IN THE FAIRY KINGDOM
At first Ifra was timid as he traveled the fairy lands to find Erris. He peered in the windows of cottages at night, drawn by the warmth of hearth and life he could sense from miles away. He watched a mother nurse her baby, running her hand over the small head. He watched a father reading to his daughters. He
Similar Books
