Dreams and Shadows

chapter TWENTY-TWO

THE DAMNING OF COLBY STEVENS

Yashar and Colby walked in relative silence. Every once in a while Colby spoke up, Yashar immediately shushing him, knowing full well that they were still subject to the prying eyes and ears of Meinrad. Afraid of the questions Colby might ask, he thought it best to wait until they were fully out of the wildwood to open up. But as soon as they crossed the threshold and Colby’s senses returned to normal, Yashar looked down, putting a hand on Colby’s shoulder, and let out a relaxed sigh.

“That wasn’t okay, what you did,” he said.

Colby stared sheepishly at Yashar. “Which part?”

“All of it. But mostly the part where you beat the crap out of that kid.”

“But he—”

“But he nothing. You lost your temper. Remember the talk we had about monsters?”

“The ones inside of us?”

“Yes,” said Yashar, tapping Colby on the chest. “The monsters in here. That was your monster. And I never want to see it again.”

“I’m sorry.”

Yashar smiled. “It’s all right. As long as you’re really sorry.”

“I am! I am!”

“Good. Now, where ever did you learn that Bible verse?”

“Sunday school,” answered Colby. “They made us memorize one, so I picked the cool one where God makes volcanoes and the weird kids throw lightning and arrows at people.”

Yashar laughed. “That you did.” He shook his head and smiled. “You are an amazing child, you know that, Colby Stevens?”

Colby smiled proudly. “You think I’m more special than a Tithe Child?”

Yashar’s smile fell. He dreaded what was coming next.

“Yashar, what’s a tithe?”

He sighed deeply. This was going to be a long day.

Yashar sat upon a fallen log, its trunk large and round, its wood not yet rotten. He patted a spot beside him in a familiar fashion, inviting Colby up onto the log. “Some things in this world are truly awful,” he began. He then explained the nature of the tithe.

Colby listened to Yashar’s story, trying to memorize the history of it before the searing realization burned away any sense of childish wonder. “Are they going to kill Ewan?”

Yashar nodded, unable to answer. He swallowed hard.

“NO!”

“Yes, I’m afraid so.”

“No! No! No!” Colby screamed, jumping off the log, stomping the dirt in an angry circle. “We have to go back!”

“No, that’s out of the question.”

“We have to go back! I won’t let him die.”

“I’m afraid that’s what he was raised for, Colby. It is his purpose.”

“They can sacrifice someone else! They can have one of those smelly redcaps. They can take any of them they want, but not Ewan. He saved my life. He’s going to be a good fairy. Not a bad one. He said so.”

“Colby.”

“He said so! He said he’s going to become a fairy and have a big-boy responsibility. That means he can’t die! I have to be able to go see him. He promised. We’re going to hunt together.”

“No. You’re not.”

“Yes I am!” The tears had returned, his swollen eyes bursting forth tears even stronger and more forcefully than before. His cheeks were growing redder by the second, his nose slowly pouring a snot mustache onto his face. He was bitter. He was heartbroken. He was confused. But worst of all, he still had one wish remaining. “We have to save Ewan.”

“We can’t. I am forbidden to interfere.”

“I wish we could save Ewan.”

“It doesn’t work that way, Colby. I don’t have that kind of power.”

“You’re a djinn.”

“Yes, I am. And as such, my power only comes from what people wish of me. You can wish me to save Ewan all you want, but fairy magics and pacts prevent me from doing so. They are equally as powerful as I—perhaps even more so—when there are this many of them. I am but one; they are many. They would kill me. They would kill us both.”

“Then I’ll do it.”

“Colby, you can’t.”

“Yes I can. I will just go and get him.”

“Colby they will kill you. Do you understand that? These are not nice creatures. They can be kind and gentle and fun when they want to be, but this is about their survival. And there is nothing in this world that will lie down and die for another creature. They will fight you, and you have no defense against them.”

“I would if I were a wizard,” said Colby pointedly.

“Yes,” Yashar laughed. “But you are not a wizard.”

“You can make me a wizard.” The cold logic in Colby’s voice was ominous. Frightening. He wasn’t kidding.

“No, I won’t,” protested Yashar. “That’s out of the question.”

“Yes, you will. You promised.”

“I did no such thing. I never promised to make you a wizard.”

“Anything but stay here,” Colby repeated. “I asked if you promised and you said anything I wished for as long as it didn’t involve staying here or taking Ewan with us.”

“But that’s what you’re asking. To take Ewan with us.”

“But that’s not what I’m wishing for. I’m wishing for you to make me a wizard.”

“I can’t just make you a wizard.”

Colby bravely wiped tears away from his cheeks. “I wish I were a wizard.”

“No.”

Colby shook his head, his eyes steely in their resolve. He would not budge. “I wish. I were. A wizard,” he said sharply. “You promised.”

Yashar attempted to protest, but found that he could not. He knew this was a bad idea; he knew that life would never be the same for Colby Stevens after this moment. But there was nothing he could do; it was out of his hands now. He had promised. “You’re sure this is what you want?”

Colby nodded. He had never been more certain of anything in his life.

Yashar stood up from the log and knelt beside Colby. He placed a single, meaty hand on Colby’s forehead, palming his skull like a basketball, whispering incantations in ancient languages. He leaned in close, putting his mouth next to Colby’s ear, and began to explain the secrets of the universe. In that moment, everything that was young and still innocent about the boy Colby Stevens was drained away, replaced by a newfound confidence and understanding. Colby creased his brow, listening closely, not understanding every word.

“Really?” asked Colby “That’s all it takes to be a wizard?”

Yashar nodded. “More or less, yes.”

“That’s easy!”

“It’s easy when you wish for it, when you believe in it already. But grown men have destroyed themselves trying to grasp what you understand now. Try not to kill yourself.”

“Let’s go get him.”

Yashar shook his head. “No.”

“I’m going to get him.”

“I believe you, and I’ll be with you when you do it, but first things first. How are you going to convince him to come with you?”

Colby shrugged. “I’ll tell him they’re going to kill him.”

“And what makes you think he’ll believe you?”

“Uh . . . ,” Colby stammered for a second. “Because we’re friends.”

“Isn’t Dithers his friend? Isn’t Mallaidh?”

Colby hadn’t thought of that. All this power and he didn’t know the answer to a simple question.

“I can make him come with us.”

“Magic doesn’t work that way. It cannot force the unwilling to do what they do not wish to do, not without robbing them of who they are. Besides, Ewan can’t just leave. He’s eaten fairy food. They have to release him; he can’t just walk away.”

“Then what do we do? How do we save him?”

“If we’re going to do this, we have to let him know exactly what they intend to do. So we have to wait. We wait for the darkest part of the darkest night of the year and we let them show him their intentions. Then you can get yourself killed for your friend.”

Colby smiled. “That’s a good plan. But I won’t get killed. Promise.”