19

“You already know the story so I don't have to outline that for you, but yes, there are, or were, fae on the island when Anolyn erected the barrier. He did such a thorough job that Underhill was cut off as well. My family is on the other side of that barrier, and has been for the last fifty years. I want them free. You have the power to open the barrier. You and your sister.” “My sister?”
It clicked into place all at once. He was talking about the residual magick from our parents original spell. Both of us were used as magical storage batteries for our parents, and because the spell never finished, we both still had this huge reserve of magical energy in and around us. We couldn't touch it in our own magicks, what small things we did, like run a vacuum, or heat a cold cup of coffee. But to anyone who knew how to extract the magic, we'd be their very own nuclear power source, and one that wouldn't go away for a long time.
I started to get angry all over again. “Is all we are just a battery for you!” I said loudly. “You plan on using me for that barrier to knock it down?” “Yes” Cobb said. Then he stepped right up to me and stared down from his six foot plus height. “I am planning on using you. You owe a service, this is the service.” He finished speaking and his look dared me to contradict fact.
“Listen you pompous idiot, I owe a service. What if I refuse it. I don't see you have any way of stopping me from leaving.” He straightened and finally looked triumphant. He smelled gleeful, like he wanted me to refuse. “Kaddus! Judge Kaddus! I have need of you!” He roared the name, and a blue nimbus appeared by the fireplace, enlarging and solidifying in moments into the judge that oversaw the trial.
“What now?” he said very grumpily. “I have a dinner waiting for me. Why are you calling me here?” He saw me, and understanding wafted from him like wind across a desert. “She is refusing the service? Smarter than you then.” He turned and faced me full-on. “Ms Fatelli, I understand and sympathize completely with your situation and wanting to refuse the service Mr....... Cobb wants you to perform.”
He smelled of regret, and of resignation. And suddenly he smelled angry and he straightened and spoke sharply to Cobb. “I have had enough of these manipulations! She is going to hear the truth and YOU will not interfere!” Cobb triumphant smell smoldered quickly to a burnt wood angry smell. I still couldn't get used to smelling emotions.
Judge Kaddus faced me and said, “If you refuse the service, someone else will have to take your place. The laws of Underhill state that it would be immediate family that would have to fulfill the service. Cobb wants you to refuse so that he could entrap your brother and sister to perform this service.”
I was confused suddenly. Mad mind you, but confused why the judge would be so up front about Cobb's manipulations. “Why tell me all this?” I asked him. “For two reasons Ms. Fatelli. One, Larry Potter has been a voice of reason the last five years, and many of the fae respect what he has done. I believe, like Mr. Potter, that honest dealings with other races make for better neighbors and allies should necessity arise.”
He stopped and smiled ferally, and I caught a smell of malice from him. “The second reason is I do not like ..... Mr. Cobb. He wants fae to not be so accommodating to humans. We have crossed in the past, and now I find I have an opportunity to ruin a plan of his. Your knowing changes the situation beyond his ability to control, and,” He looked positively gleeful, and smelled it too, “he hates losing control of anything.” Cobb ground his teeth and I could smell hate rolling off of him like a suffocating fog.
I smiled too. Beyond screwing the manipulative Cobb over, family is very big with me considering the only family I have left is Fawn and Larry. I knew too, from talking with Fawn a week ago, that she was pregnant. Which meant if Fawn had to take the service, Larry would jump all over it to protect her and the baby.
What it meant was still a very difficult situation. I most certainly did NOT want to try and do the service. Dragon magic is powerful. Very powerful from all the stories that have been told. But if I didn't take the service, Cobb was free to force Fawn, which would then have Larry volunteering to do it. A classic rock and hard-place.
“I'll take the service, I'll perform it, but I want to know what options I have for this service. Can I hire help or do I have to go this alone?” “You have the service you have to perform it.” spoke Cobb pompously. Judge Kaddus spoke up and said “there are no stipulations in the laws on how the service is handled, only that you perform it. It doesn't say alone, or, how swiftly the service needs be done.”