Read Online Mother of Wolves (Evalyce Worldshaper Book 1) by J. Aislynn d'Merricksson - Free Book Online

nodded slowly and Kalla again caught the strange undercurrent to his thoughts, tinged, oddly enough, with a bit of shame and fear. This time she felt him actively suppress it before she could focus on it. He was silent for a moment more.
    “Another thing I've been meaning to ask- the coins you've given the stableboys and innkeepers, you made them from nothing. How?”
    Kalla laughed softly.
    “No, that was merely illusion, not magick. I am skilled enough to weave something from 'nothing', but the coins came from my own purse.”
    “But how is it possible to make something from nothing?” Aleister asked.
    “I'm not sure I can explain it to one not a mage, but I'll try. There are tiny particles all around us. Everything, even the air itself, is made from these unseen particles. I'm not really pulling something from nothing, but reweaving the pattern of the particles. Not all magi are skilled in Alchemy, but it happens to be something I excel at,” Kalla said.
    Aleister shook his head. “I'm not sure I understand. If it can't be seen, how can you manipulate it?”
    “I don't have to see it with my eyes. I see it in my mind. We see with magick's eyes.”
    Aleister shook his head, puzzlement drifting through the link. He opened his mouth to say something more, but an eerie howling rent the air, causing the Magister to jump. His eyes were wide in the firelight.
    “What was that?” he asked, voice barely a whisper.
    “
Cus silthair
, better known as sabre wolves. They won't bother us. The area is shielded and they will avoid the path,” Kalla said. She noticed her magister squinting into the darkness beyond the shield. In the distance, pale balls of blueish light bobbed and wove, accompanied by eerie blue-green lights that winked off and on as they darted low to the ground.
    “The blue, bobbing lights will be will-o-wisps. One reason you shouldn't leave the path. Follow one and you'll get lost and end up in the wolves' bellies. The others come from the wolves themselves,” Kalla explained.
    Aleister hugged himself, working to put a stranglehold on the fear he was feeling.
    “Tell a story? Please? Anything to take my mind off of this place,”
    he asked in a plaintive voice.
    “Very well.” Kalla relaxed, settling into her 'story mode'.
    “Long ago, when the world was young and new, Bear had a long, beautiful tail. Bear was so proud of his long tail. He would go around asking everyone-
    “
Don't you think my tail is the most beautiful you've ever seen?
”
    And everyone agreed with Bear, but not because they truly liked his tail. They thought Bear very vain, but sharp claws and teeth make for pretty compliments. They all told Bear how much they loved and admired his fluffy, plush tail.
    Now one day, during winter, Bear happened to come across Fox fishing in the ice. Fox was surrounded by a whole pile of delicious-looking fish and Bear decided he wanted some fish too. Fox knew that the prideful Bear was hungry and so he decided to play a trick on him, to teach a lesson. Bear ambled up to him and plopped down on the ice.
    “
Hello, Brother Fox. Where did you get all of those tasty looking fish?
” Bear asked, mouth watering. Fox pointed to a hole in the ice.
    “
I caught them, Brother Bear,
” Fox replied.
    Bear gave Fox a puzzled look. “
But how, Brother Fox? You have nothing to fish with,
” he asked. Fox gave a sly grin.
    “
Why I used my tail, Brother Bear. It's the best thing to fish with! Shall I show you how? Then you can have as many fish as you want.
”
    “
Yes, please,
” Bear answered in his deep, gruff voice. He was so surprised. Using one's tail to fish? What a novel idea. Bear followed Fox to another part of the frozen lake and Fox showed him how to dig out a fishing hole.
    “
Now put your long, beautiful tail in the water. Wait until you feel the fish bite it, then you can pull out your tail with the fish attached. But-
” Fox held up a cautionary paw, “
it is very important that you sit