boat.
“I was on a voyage with my father. I heard a man saying it,” James told Akil.
“Interesting,” Akil said, taking out his pipe and lighting it. “And does your father know this?”
“Yes, he told me never to say it. He told me it is a dark word. Is that true?”
“Words are words. Nothing more, nothing less. It is the user’s intent of the word that is good or evil. If you do not intend to use it for a dark purpose, I do not believe you should be restricted from using a word. Why limit our potential for fear of a word? As you have so aptly demonstrated, their use can yield powerful results.”
James nodded.
“Tell me, James. Are your parents aware that you can perform magic beyond that which they or your instructors have taught you?” Akil asked.
“No,” James said.
“Why not?”
James knew the answer, but for a nine-year-old it is never easy to express apprehensions. The pressure of being what his parents believed he would be often led James into bouts of deep insecurity and doubt. At times it would become so bad that he would refuse to do magic completely. There were other times, more often than not, when he would excel at a task so quickly that he would shock his instructors and parents alike. Rather than express happiness at his success, his parents would always exchange concerned glances. This happened with such frequency over the past several years that James actually began pretending he was struggling with his new lessons to avoid upsetting his parents. He believed they would be nothing but disappointed with the skills he had taught himself.
Akil had come because he wanted to find out firsthand why James was struggling with his lessons. It was clear that he was a gifted sorcerer, perhaps the most talented student Akil had ever seen. What he wouldn’t give to instruct him, but the time was not right. Akil smiled at James as he struggled for an answer.
“I want them to be happy with me,” James said.
“And you don’t believe they are happy with you when you are doing well?”
It was immediately clear to Akil that Stuart and Margaret were so concerned with keeping James from becoming overly confident that their reactions to his progress were having a detrimental effect. Had James shown a bit of arrogance as he demonstrated the exploding pillow incantation, or had it been confidence? Arrogance in a sorcerer is a dangerous thing. A poor sorcerer is far less dangerous than an arrogant one. Akil would have a word with James’s parents about how they were addressing this issue and the affect it was having.
“Sometimes I think they’re happier when I’m struggling,” James said.
“I see,” replied Akil. “Your swift understanding of your lessons is very important, James. It will most likely save your life.”
— 10 -
Sound and vision synchronously returned as James opened his eyes. He was alive. In his waning moments of consciousness, he’d thought, not for the first time since his arrival, that he was dying. He’d felt as if he was burning from the inside out. There was a blurred face above him. Kilani reached behind his neck and sat him up. He breathed deeply and energy flowed back into his body and the strength he’d felt as they climbed the mountain returned. Everything came into focus, and he stood. Kilani turned, expecting him to follow.
“Wait,” he said.
She looked over her shoulder at him.
“I have so many questions.”
“Soon,” she replied.
She smiled faintly, turned, and headed back toward the top of the rope ladder behind them.
It was light enough to see yet the sun had long since set, and there appeared to be no other source of light. The sky was dark blue rather than the black of night, and James could see the shadow of the mountain on the land below.
Kilani returned with the bundle of cloth and rope that had been lying by the top of the rope ladder. She unraveled the bundle and handed James two rope ends.
“What is your name, boy?”
“James.”
Kilani hesitated a moment, giving James the impression she knew something.
“Very well, James. Trust in your newfound strength for I’ve never seen its equal in one so new to this place. Follow me.”
Holding two ends of rope in her hand, she stepped to the edge. He moved beside her dragging the canvas in a U-shape between them.
“We go together.”
He nodded. James crouched, mimicking Kilani. She let out a yell and jumped from the edge. Before his brain could react to the madness his legs flung his body forward off the edge of the mountain. For several seconds, James was certain they would fall to their deaths. Then his rope, which he had a white-knuckled grip on, grew taut. He looked up and saw that the fabric had billowed over their heads. Their descent slowed, but only for several seconds as he and Kilani drifted together.
She looked him calmly in the eyes and whispered into his ear, “Do you trust me?”
“Yes,” he replied.
“Let go.”
James let go without hesitation. He had put his life in her hands more times in the past day than he cared to remember. The ropes shot from his grip and together they fell in an embrace. Her long body pulled him in tightly as they approached the ground. Beneath them James could see the lake. He tried to ready himself for what could only be a violent impact. He felt neither water nor land nor even a jolt as they came to a stop. Kilani relaxed her grip and James stood on the soggy ground. They were surrounded by darkness.
“Swim as fast as you can to the surface and make your way to the shore. Don’t wait for me. Once you reach the shore make for the large boulders.”
Before he could question her instructions, a deluge of water collapsed on his head, knocking him to the ground and tumbling him head over heels. Disoriented and blind, he fought to right himself. Oddly, James felt no desire to breathe. When the swell of the water subsided and the water calmed, he began to swim. The swimming came as easily to him as running through the forest.
A giant pale moon illuminated the land in white light as he broke the surface. He quickly scanned his surroundings to see where the closest shore lay. James noticed several waves rolling toward him. A foreboding feeling overtook him as he watched the waves draw near. Immediately he knew that something was approaching beneath the water. They drew closer at an alarming rate. He turned and swam with all his strength to the opposite shore, fighting his desire to look back. James felt his legs touch the ground, and after several more strokes he was able to stand. Only then did he look back over his shoulder. Out of the three waves broke the heads of three reptilian creatures. Together they lunged. James felt their hot breath as he jumped clear of their snapping jaws.
James landed softly on the shore and desperately searched for the boulders Kilani had spoken of, but he could only see jungle lining the pebbled lakeside. Again the beasts attacked with three powerful, coordinated lunges. They resembled crocodiles except their snouts were shorter and their legs were longer, making them much more maneuverable. James leapt high, clearing one of the creatures entirely. As he sailed over the attacker, he also noticed odd-shaped folds of layered skin along its back.
Not hesitating, he ran along the shore away from the monsters. Expecting to have left them far behind, when James turned moments later he was terrified to see they were gaining ground on him. They moved like cats in full stride, and James knew it would only be a matter of seconds before they were on him. He darted into the jungle and scrambled up the first large tree he came upon. Once he reached the canopy, James found a branch and sat
