Magic Accidents: Chapters

“Belade, you’re going to break it!” Athiss fretted behind his friend. He’d have liked to pull her away from his crystal garden, but she had her hands on the delicate main cluster. One wrong move and it’d crack, destroying three years of growth.

“It’s fine! You’re too precious about your crystals, that’s why you’re always short on them.” Belade said.

Athiss could only watch nervously as Belade wrenched on the cluster of purple crystals at the heart of his garden. She’d threaded her arms through the thin spirals of steel and silver that surrounded the central cluster for greater leverage. Her shoulder was just about to knock over a glowing orange crystal from it’s socket in the spirals.

“Got them!” Belade said, extracting herself from the garden lattice with a handful of lozenge-shaped crystals.

Athiss dove forward, steadying the orange crystal that Belade rattled on her way out. With a relieved sigh, he looked at the double-handful of gems his friend was offering him. She looked so pleased with herself. It was hard to stay mad at Belade.

It helped that she’d gotten really cute over the last two years. Belade wasn’t an impeccably made up beauty like the women and men of the noble houses, but he liked her better. It could have been her sky-colored hair, the ruby-red of her eyes, or even the way her dimple shined on her dark cheeks.

At least that’s what he told himself. If he liked Belade for more than being pretty, then he was in a lot of trouble. She’d never given him a sign that she was interested at all. Which was normal! They’d practically grown up together in the Academy.

“Be more careful next time, you don’t have to rush.” Athiss said. It was a good harvest, better than he would have managed. “But thanks. That’s a good amount.”

“It’s going to be enough to get the spell done today!” Belade said excitedly.

“Today?” Athiss tucked his hands into the opposing sleeves of his robes. He wasn’t scared. Just unsettled from Belade wrenching on his main supply of crystals.

“For sure! I got more than enough blues from my garden. If we go into The Caves today, we’ll find the greens and oranges we need.” Belade carefully bagged the purple crystals.

“Nobody goes into The Caves on a holiday.” Athiss protested. He wasn’t keen to miss out on the games at the festival, or the pastries at the market either.

“That’s why it’s perfect.” Belade said. She hitched her initiate’s robe around her waist and re-tied the silver cord, exposing a scandalous amount of calf. “The Caves will be empty. If we take our lattice with us, we can do the spell right there. Nobody will notice.”

It was a good opportunity. Athiss walked to the windowsill and picked up his ancient faerie dragon. The old girl protested half-heartedly at being taken out of a sunbeam. Her fine lavender scales had darkened to end-of-sunset in places. She chirped happily when Athiss stroked the catfish-like barbels on her chin. They’d gone all ash-colored last year.

“You ready to be young again, Tialla?” Athiss asked.

Tialla made a trilling noise like dozens of tiny bells. She shook out her wings and skittered up Athiss’ arm to perch on his shoulder. He felt her tail rest lightly around his neck, warm and smooth.

“You’re right, again. Let’s do it!” Athiss said.

“This is going to be so amazing! Can you imagine? A youth-spell hasn’t been done since The Starfall.” Belade grinned. “I’ll get my dragon and meet you at the caves. You can get the lattice down there on your own, right?”

“Yeah, it’s not heavy, I just have to make sure I don’t bend it.” Athiss said.

“Don’t even joke about that. We don’t have any idea what will happen if the lattice is out of shape.” Belade said, finally serious. “We don’t want it to turn into an age-spell instead. Or something totally random.”

“Nobody’s cast this spell in centuries.” Athiss said. “We don’t know for sure what it will do at all.”

“Don’t be a doubter now.” Belade said. “You’re the one that said you’d never seen such a detailed diagram in a book before.”

“I know. I’m sure it will work.” Athiss said.

He was sure too. Very sure. Extremely sure. Not certain, but sure enough to bet on an untested spell. With exorbitant care, he packed the lattice of steel and silver into a wood-framed leather pack. It had been months of work. Every curve and junction of the metal wires had been shaped to exacting specifications. Each silver socket for a gem was at the precise spot and angle it needed to be.

With a deep breath, Athiss hitched up his robes, though not as brazenly high as Belade had. He briefly patted Tialla to make sure she was secure and snuck out of the dorms. The high, glittering quartz spires of the Sorcerer’s Academy disappeared quickly behind him, lost in the maze of close-packed houses and businesses. Everything surrounding the Academy was the same rock as the cobbled streets, dull shades of yellow and orange.

It really was a shame they were going to miss the festival. Athiss regretted it with every shop he passed. Everyone had their most exciting wares on display, and baked treats besides. It was hard to pass up wind spinners that made their metal silhouettes appear to dance and transform in the sunlight. Ignoring the sugar-dusted pastries underneath them was downright cruel.

At least he wouldn’t have to go down to the docks. The heart of the festival would be there, in the city’s main square. Everyone would be dancing, playing music, and all the food was free! It was the six hundredth anniversary of House Tanlorine’s founding – they wanted everyone to be excited about it.

Athiss wasn’t much for politics, as a mere sorcerer initiate, but Tanlorine’s generosity had his approval. Maybe he’d go work for them one day as a real sorcerer. If their spell worked, it could be a lot sooner than ‘one day’. With renewed purpose, Athiss turned away from the markets and the festivals, down the city’s only slate-paved road.

There were usually guards at the entrance to The Caves. They wouldn’t have stopped Athiss, they were only there for kids too young to enter. Every kid would be at the festivals today, meaning no guards, and no awkward questions for Athiss to answer.

As he always did upon crossing the threshold, Athiss took a moment to stop and observe. The Caves were bursting with magic, growing crystals in a riot of colors from every protruding rock surface. Rainbow light glittered and swirled in a dizzying display. Tialla raised her head and chirped like a silver bell. The crystals answered, soft chimes and tones harmonizing with the little dragon and each other.

With his eyes adjusted to the flickering light, Athiss walked on. Threaded through the crystal growths were ancient lattices, tarnished and worn from centuries of use. They were all the property of the various sorcery guilds. Each one coaxed a different sort of crystal to grow faster and perfectly shaped, keeping their guild-owners in a perpetual supply of mystic materials.

Initiates couldn’t harvest from those walls, of course, but the Academy had it’s own section of the caves, deeper in. Belade was probably already there, harvesting what they needed. If he knew Bel, she had run the whole way from the Academy.

“Over here, Athiss!” Belade was waving frantically from a clear spot on the gray stone floor of The Caves.

Athiss chuckled and hurried over. She had gathered the crystals already, more than they needed. It was good to have a friend familiar enough that you could guess their actions. It would be even nicer to be more than just friends. Especially so, now that they were adult Initiates, rather than apprentices.

A piccolo-chirp above him alerted Athiss to duck. Irisa, Belade’s dragon, was dive-bombing him. She landed on poor Tialla, and the two of them tumbled off his shoulder. Irisa was in flight again almost instantly. Tialla fell about half-way to the floor before she got her wings under her.

“Can’t you tell her to be careful?” Athiss asked.

“Sorry! It’s a hard habit to break on her. She just likes Tialla a lot!” Belade said.

Athiss shook his head and watched the dragons spiral around each other in flight. Slow and steady flight from his old girl, while Irisa zipped in mad circles around. Belade’s dragon was the color of spring grass and just about as young, in dragon-terms.

Tialla settled on an outcropping of warm red crystals and grumpily chirped at Irisa. The younger dragon whistled back apologetically, making several hesitant overtures to join Tialla. It took a bit of convincing on Irisa’s part, but she managed to get permission to join the older dragon. With one more grumpy chirp, Tialla flopped a wing over Irisa, pushing her down. The little green dragon whistled happily, tucking her head under Tialla’s neck.

“They’re so sweet together.” Belade said, grinning.

“You know what they say, like dragon, like owner.” Athiss said.

“You’re not older than me.” Belade smirked. “Don’t go thinking you’re the wise, experienced one.”

“That’s not what I – never mind.” Athiss said. “Let’s set up for the spell.”

It took the better part of an hour to check over every part of the complicated spell lattice. Athiss insisted that they leave nothing to chance, and for once Belade agreed with his caution. The book they were using for the spell had come cheaply at the market. The tome was so old that not one of it’s spells was in use anymore. Without even one spell to verify against modern ones, no experienced sorcerer would have bought it. Athiss reminded himself again of the rewards of making a legendary spell work. It had to be worth the risks.

Satisfied that they had the lattice in order, Athiss and Belade added their crystals to the sockets one by one. As each one was placed the crystal took on a pulsing glow. Those pulses changed in tempo each time a crystal was added, until they were all slowly blinking in time.

“Good sign.” Athiss said. “They’re synchronized.”

“I’m so excited!” Belade said, pressing her hands to her knees to stop their trembling. “We are going to be the heroes of Raqua city. The sorcerers that brought Eternal Life back to the world!”

“Initiates.” Athiss said. “We’re not sorcerers yet.”

“We will be if we can pull this off. Can you imagine Master Zhaban insisting on a test of mastery after we demonstrate a youth spell?”

“It makes an impressive mastery project.” Athiss agreed. He looked up at Tialla nervously.

“Are you worried it’s going to hurt her?” Belade asked.

“A little. I mean, it should be safe, but we haven’t been able to test anything from the book.”

“We had to pick one to test and they were all pretty dramatic.” Belade said. “But here, look.”

She drew two hand-held spell lattices out of her bag, already loaded with crystals. Athiss looked them over, one was configured for general healing, the other for countermagic.

“You built these? When?”

“At night, after finishing my essays.” Belade said. “I got the crystals by begging everyone for their extras at the end of classes. If something happens to Tialla, I’ll jump in right away.”

“Bel.” Athiss wiped his eyes.

In that moment, he didn’t care about the distance that had grown up between them since they’d matured. He hugged Belade before either one of them could have time to think or reject it. She returned the hug, fiercely. Surprised, Athiss hung on tightly. The embrace lasted a lot longer than he’d expected. When they pulled apart, they both had color in their cheeks.

“Why’d you cut your hair?” Belade asked.

“What? I didn’t cut my hair.” Athiss said in confusion.

“Two years ago.” Belade said. “You had the most beautiful, long pink locks.”

“It’s still pink.” Athiss said, rubbing his hair bashfully.

“It was so pretty long.” Belade said.

“It’s not pretty – now?” Athiss asked, biting his lip.

“It is.” Belade said. “But it was hard to get used to the length.”

They stared at each other quietly for a moment. Athiss looked for something, some sign he could recognize in the bright red shards of Belade’s irises. Strange eyes and hair were the mark of a sorcerer’s blood, and they both had that pedigree in abundance.

Bel’s eyes twinkled sometimes, but he’d never been able to decipher what that meant. They weren’t twinkling now, but they glowed. His own gold eyes were glowing, he knew. They always did in the presence of so many crystals – and when he was feeling strong emotions. Was Bel feeling the same thing he was feeling? What was he feeling, exactly?

The tension grew until it snapped, driving them apart with embarrassed coughs.

“I should get Tialla.” Athiss said, getting up to do exactly that.

“I’ll get my lattices ready.” Belade said quietly.

With a series of chirps that made an ascending scale of sharps, Tialla let Athiss know what she thought of him interrupting her nap for the second time that afternoon. She was content to curl up in front of the lattice though, curling into a patchy purple ball on the smooth granite floor. Irisa flitted about adding indignant whistles to the mix, to which no one paid any mind, not even Tialla. Miffed at being ignored, the little green dragon flew to the roof of the cavern, perching on a green cluster that almost perfectly matched her scales.

“Are you alright to activate it without me?” Belade asked, putting her hands into the lattices she’d brought.

“Yes.” Athiss said. “I really appreciate you standing by with those.”

“Are you ready to be a legend?” Belade asked, with a cheeky grin. “I’m ready.”

Athiss put his hands on the lattice and closed his eyes. In his mind’s eye he visualized the key crystal no longer pulsing, but glowing a steady red. Immediately, he felt the electric flash of magic through the wire. Used to casting training spells, Athiss was caught off guard by the speed at which the spell was activating. It didn’t pause at every crystal for permission to continue, the power flashed from crystal to crystal, activating them all in an unstoppable cascade.

He opened his eyes and tried to shout a warning. Belade was already startled at the sheer radiance blazing out of the crystals.

“Bel…” Was as far as Athiss got before a wave of power flowed out from the lattice like a breaker wave.

Athiss wasn’t sure afterwards if he’d lost consciousness or not. He had muddled memories of shouting, musical cries from the dragons, and a cacophony of answering chimes from the crystals in the cave. His next clear memory was of having his face licked by a smooth, dry tongue.

There was a warm purple bundle on his chest. Athiss’ eyes focused on the bright purple and lavender scales of a beautiful young dragon.

“Tialla?” Athiss asked in wonder.

The dragon chirped. Her voice was like tiny silver bells, instead of the duller steel sound she’d had before, but it was unmistakably her. Athiss laughed and pulled the dragon into a careful hug, getting licked and nuzzled all over.

“We did it!” He cried out.

“Yeah, we did.” Belade’s voice was happy, but strained too.

Athiss looked over at his friend curiously. “Are you okay? Did the spell hurt you?”

“In a manner of speaking.” Belade said. She was kneeling on the floor, hugging the pack on her lap.

“What happened?!” Athiss nudged Tialla up to his shoulder. She took the perch easily and quickly, without needing to hold his neck with her tail.

“The spell knocked me out I guess.” Belade said, a dark blush spreading across her face. “When I was unconscious I um – wet myself.”

Athiss blinked in shock. He genuinely had no idea what to say. “Sorry. It activated too fast, I couldn’t control it.”

“It’s okay, it’s just really embarrassing.” Belade said. “I’m not sure how to get back to the dormitory without someone seeing.”

“Maybe you could use the pack to cover part of it?” Athiss said. “Front or back. I’ll walk close on the other side.”

“I guess there aren’t a lot of options.” Belade said, sighing. After a few moments, she laughed. “But we did it!”

“Yeah!” Athiss grinned.

One embarrassing accident was a pretty cheap price to pay for activating an unknown spell. Not only would they be legends as soon as they got the spell activation down, but they’d be able to use the rest of the spells in the book as well.

Belade managed to find a comfortable way to hold the pack in front of her. Athiss followed close behind. He almost wished the accident had happened to him instead of Belade, almost. She had to be dying of embarrassment as they walked back through the town. Luckily, people seemed pretty preoccupied with the festival. No one was giving a pair of initiates much notice. With the dormitory in sight, Athiss was breathing a sigh of relief.

“Hey, does your headmaster know that you sorcerers get so drunk that you piss yourselves?” The sound of someone who had had a lot to drink themselves froze the initiates in their tracks. Belade turned scarlet.

“Not supposed to have drunk sorcerers!” The speaker was a man, Athiss saw. He had a merchant’s dress, a nice tunic over practical pants, with a gold necklace bearing a pendant with his guild rank on it.

The merchant pointed, but not at Belade. Athiss looked at the man in confusion and then down at his own robes. To his horror, he saw a huge wet patch down his front, freshly shining.

“Didn’t even notice?” The merchant brayed, laughing. “Go back to your school before you blow the whole city up!”

Athiss ran. He could hear Belade behind him. Even inside the dorm, she kept on his heels. His room was the closer one to the door. Either way, all he wanted was to make it back without anyone from the school seeing him.

In his room, Athiss waited an agonizing moment for Belade and the two dragons to get inside before slamming the door. Dizzy and confused, he sank down on the stone floor.

“What’s going on? I didn’t even notice.” Athiss said, feeling a hollow pit grow in his chest.

“I didn’t either.” Belade said miserably. She’d taken a seat on the floor too.

“Huh? But I thought you – got wet – when you were knocked out.”

“I wasn’t knocked out.” Belade said. “I just looked down and I was wet all of a sudden.”

“The spell did this to us?” Athiss said. “I’ve never heard of a spell making someone incontinent before.”

“Maybe it’s just temporary.” Belade said hopefully.

“I’m sure it is.” Athiss said, though he was far more hopeful than sure. “And then all we need to do is make sure it doesn’t activate explosively like that when we demonstrate it. Maybe if we both activate it, we can control it more easily.”

“Yeah, I can’t wait to show this off! After we practice a bit of course.” Belade said. “And before that – can I borrow a spare robe?”

“Oh, yeah, just grab one from the wardrobe.” Athiss said sympathetically.

He was stalled in getting a spare robe of his own by Belade’s haste to get her soiled clothes off. Her robe went up over her head and he whirled away to look out the window. It wasn’t just the robe she took off either.

Athiss felt himself flush to the tips of his ears as more and more clothing hit the floor behind him. Belade was naked. Naked in his room. The air felt too thick to breathe, especially when he heard her hand splashing in the basin of water on his table.

Finally, there was a sound of rustling cloth and Belade said, “That’s so much better. Your turn.”

Athiss turned back to the wardrobe and flinched. She hadn’t put her shirt or bandeau back on. He wasn’t sure why she took them off at all, though everything was piled up together on the floor, so maybe those got wet too.

Regardless, Belade’s curves were very obvious, especially under a robe cut for men. She caught his gaze and matched his blush, turning away. It might have helped her, but not Athiss. There were tantalizing curves from her back too.

Focus! Athiss told himself. It felt amazing to get the soiled robe off. He shucked his trousers and underpants as well. Naked from the waist down with a woman in his room, and that being Belade of all people, he was desperate to get dressed as fast as possible. Athiss cleaned up quickly with the water basin, then went for a fresh pair of underpants.

With those on, he was starting to feel like he had his equilibrium back. Properly clad in trousers and another robe, Athiss breathed a sigh of relief. He even gathered up both sets of wet clothes. The least he could do was launder them himself.

“You can turn around.” Athiss said.

Belade turned back to Athiss and frowned. “You didn’t hide!”

“Huh? Why would I hide?”

“Aren’t we playing hide and seek?”

Athiss shook his head in confusion. “No. What’s going on? Are you okay, Belade?”

“If we’re not gonna play hide and seek, what should we play?” Belade asked, bouncing on her toes. That did – incredible things to her borrowed robe.

“Bel! I like you but this is coming on really strong!”

“Of course you like me, dummy! We’re friends.” Belade giggled. “Belly and Issy! Best friends forever!”

Athiss felt a cold spike of fear in the back of his neck. “You haven’t used those nicknames since we were kids.”

“We are kids!” Belade giggled again. “Oooh, you think you’re a big boy just because you’re six months older? Nuh uh!”

The youth spell was the only explanation. Belade didn’t look any different physically, but clearly the changes were happening unevenly. Terrified of losing his friend to her younger self, or worse, Athiss grabbed Belade’s wrist.

“We have to go see one of the Masters, now.”

“Huh? Why Issy?” Belade frowned, pulling at Athiss’ grip.

“Because – they said so.” Athiss said, out of desperation. “We’ll be in big trouble if we don’t go.”

“Bluh.” Belade blew a raspberry. “Okay, okay, let’s go!”

For the second time that day, Athiss found himself running at full speed through the dormitory. From the giggles and shrieks behind him, Belade was having a fine time. If only she could have it more quietly.

It took several tries to find a Master Sorcerer who wasn’t at the festival. Luckily, the halls were devoid of initiates and apprentices. When Master Agetana answered a knock on her door, Athiss groaned in relief. Too afraid for Belade to stand on protocol, he burst through the door and slammed it behind him.

“What in the – Athiss? Belade? What’s going on?” Agetana said with an angry frown.

Agetana rose from her seat as she spoke. She was tall, with hair the color of beaten gold. It complimented her scarlet robe of mastery, making her one of the more intimidating Masters at the school. She wasn’t Athiss’ first choice, or his third, but she was what he had.

“I’m sorry Master! It’s an emergency. Belade and I were trying a new spell, something backfired, and now she’s… different.”

“Oh Issy! You weren’t supposed to tell yet!” Belade said, yanking her wrist out of Athiss’ grasp. “You’re ruining the secret!”

“What kind of spell was it?” Agetana asked.

“A – youth spell.” Athiss said.

“It worked! We did it!” Belade said, jumping up and down. “Master Agetana, are you proud of us?”

Agetana eyed Belade. She looked back at Athiss. “There are no youth spells. Not since the Starfall.”

“We um – found one. In an old book. It works. My faerie dragon is two decades younger, at least.” Athiss bit his lip. This was not how he’d wanted to reveal his discovery.

“Putting aside the recklessness of activating spells you haven’t verified, I’d have to evaluate the dragon.” Agetana said. “I agree that Initiate Belade is a bit more exuberant than usual but…”

“Uh oh!” Belade said suddenly. “Master Agetana – I had an accident.”

Agetana stared at Belade in shock as a puddle formed on the Sorcerer’s smooth marble office floor. When the girl collapsed to her knees and started sniffling, not even trying to avoid her puddle, Agetana’s eyes threatened to pop out of her head.

“S-see?” Athiss said miserably. “There was some kind of area effect that blasted out when the spell went off. It just activated so fast!”

“You were both caught in the blast? Did you also have any side effects?” Agetana asked, turning back to Athiss. Her voice was softer, surprisingly.

 “I – “ Athiss squirmed. “I had an accident on the way back from the caves.”

“Oh, you poor kids.” Agetana sighed and pulled her hair back. A crystal-encrusted ring on her finger flashed. The ring was no longer a ring, it was a fine gold hairband keeping Agetana’s mane of hair in check.

Agetana’s irises went unnervingly black. Athiss backed up until he crashed into the door.

“What – what is it?”

“There’s magic building up on you too.” Agetana said. “You two appear to be just a few minutes out of synch.”

“I don’t wanna have an accident!” Athiss said, overcome by a wave of frustration.

“I’m going to take care of both of you kids, don’t worry.” Agetana said, shaking her head ruefully.

The sorcerer knelt by Belade, patting her cheek. “We need to get you cleaned up sweetie. Be a good girl and wait just a few minutes.”

Belade whimpered but nodded. To Athiss’ horror, she popped a thumb in her mouth. Agetana didn’t seem bothered by it. The tall sorcerer turned to Athiss and smiled gently.

“How about you Athiss? Do you need to go potty?”

“No!” Athiss said, his lip quivering. He squeezed down on his bladder as hard as he could. There was no way he was going to wet himself in front of one of the Masters!

“Let’s try anyway. I have a chamber pot in the room for emergencies, and you were right when you said this was one.”

Agetana retrieved a dusty old chamber pot from under a wardrobe and slid it into a corner of the office. Athiss looked at her like she had gone mad.

“I’m not going to use that in front of you!”

“I’m going to be busy in my storage trunk for a few minutes. If you’re quick, you’ll be done before I look around.”

“That’s crazy! No! NO!” Athiss said. He didn’t know how he had the nerve to shout at a Master Sorcerer, but he could feel himself on the edge of losing his temper entirely.

“Athiss. Young man.” Agetana said sternly. “You go use that chamber pot right now. I don’t want to clean up my floor twice.”

“I – I can’t.” Athiss whimpered.

“Don’t make me spank you.” Agetana said. “I will bend you right over my desk if I need to.”

Athiss had earned a fair share of spanking as an apprentice, before he’d learned how to be polite and quiet around the Sorcerers. The threat was horrifying, but ridiculous. You couldn’t spank an adult, an initiate. Agetana’s stern expression didn’t waver. She clearly did not share Athiss’ belief that a spanking was impossible.

With the biggest pout he could muster, Athiss approached the chamber pot. True to her word, Agetana had turned away and opened the large chest behind her desk. It was now or never. Athiss pulled down his underpants and trousers, positioning himself over the chamber pot and only barely lifting his robe.

Try as he might, he couldn’t make himself go. Even turning to face the corner didn’t help. In fact, facing the corner made him feel like a naughty kid again. His face burned in shame. Uncontrolled tears spilled down his cheeks.

“There it is!” Agetana said.

There was a sound of rattling metal as she pulled what was doubtless a lattice out of the chest. Terrified that Agetana would turn around and see him squatting, Athiss redoubled his efforts. To his relief, physical and mental, he felt himself release.

The sound of splashing into the chamber pot was humiliatingly loud, but at least it was over fast. Agetana hadn’t said anything about it, she was busy putting crystals into the lattice she’d retrieved. Belade didn’t seem to have noticed either. She was blissfully sucking her thumb, siting in her own – this couldn’t be happening. Athiss sobbed. He beat his fists on the floor and his heels too for good measure. It wasn’t fair!

“It’s not faiiiir!” He screamed.

“Oh dear. Calm down Athiss, I’ll be there in a moment.” Agetana said soothingly.

Athiss was not soothed! He doubled down on his crying. Belade was staring at him now, and she was getting teary-eyed too.

“Athiss!” Agetana said sharply. The tone was enough to interrupt his crying into a case of the hiccups.

“Please don’t cry, little boy. Just wait a minute and I’ll give you a cookie. But you have to be good, understand?”

“Coo-ee?” Belade quickly asked, around her thumb.

“That’s right, you can both have one, if you’re quiet just a bit longer.” Agetana said.

Athiss wasn’t such a baby that he was going to lose a cookie because he was crying. He sat with his arms crossed, impatiently chewing on his lip.

“It still works, how about that?” Agetana said with a chuckle. “I haven’t used this thing since my children were little.”

There was a harsh zapping sound, and a smell like a lightning strike. Cloth shapes spun themselves out of nothing above Agetana’s lattice. Ordinarily Athiss would have loved to see the sparkling lights – er, the magic at work. But right now all he could see is that none of what Agetana was doing was getting him a cookie.

Heroically, Athiss held out while Agetana did – whatever she was doing. When she finally came around the desk, she had cookies in her hands! Athiss stared in wonder at the marvel of confection he was offered. It was beautifully baked, shaped like a spiral and iced with multicolored sugar.

It lasted no more than a second from the time it hit his hands. Athiss licked cookie bits off his lips and went hunting through the folds of his robes for more. There were quite a lot of crumbs from his mad dash to get the cookie in his mouth.

“Alright, up on the desk little boy.” Agetana said.

Athiss was inclined to do anything she wanted. After all, she might have more cookies. The sweet bliss was still a bright memory on his tongue. He got up and approached the desk.

For some reason Agetana was pulling on his robe. After a couple of false starts he realized she was trying to get it off. He shrugged his way out of it and climbed up on the desk. The papers, books, inkwells, even the lattice the sorcerer had just used had all been moved in favor of a dusty quilt. It was pretty comfortable. Athiss looked around for more cookies.

He hardly noticed Agetana taking off his shoes. When she went for his trousers, he hesitated. All it took was a quick admonishment to be a good boy and Athiss relented, letting go of his trousers so that Agetana could peel them down.

She took  his trousers and underpants both. Athiss squirmed and covered his crotch. This was a lot to go through for a cookie, especially since he didn’t see any other cookies around. It was a relief to have Agetana put some cloth under his butt. When she started wrapping it around his crotch, he got suspicious.

Looking down, it was impossible to mistake the thing Agetana was putting on him. He was being swaddled into a diaper.

“Agetana!” Athiss whined. “I’m not a baby! That’s for babies!”

“Shh, be a good boy.” Agetana said. “It’s just in case you have another accident. If you can keep it dry, then you don’t have to wear another one.”

Grudgingly, Athiss accepted Agetana’s terms, especially because she put his trousers back on him. The sorcerer put him in on a bench by the window and he pulled his feet up onto the soft padding. There were birds outside swooping. They reminded him of Tialla. He wished she was with him.

Athiss spent a while daydreaming about his dragon. He couldn’t remember if she was young or old. She seemed to go back and forth a lot in the daydreams. The question dissolved when Agetana brought his best friend, Belly, to sit on the bench with him.

“Belly!” Athiss said gleefully.

“Issy!” She grinned and gave him a hug.

“Can you two be good kids and play nicely while I do some research?” Agetana asked. She handed them each an inert crystal. Their once brilliant blue and green tones were now dark and muddy. They did make a neat clinking noise when they were tapped on the stone windowsill though!

“Yes Agetana.” Athiss and Belade said in unison.

“Good. Let me know if you need anything.”

“Cookie!” Belade said instantly.

“Oh no, not right now. Only VERY good boys and girls could get a second cookie.” Agetana said. “I don’t think either of you could play quietly for long enough to get one of those.”

“We can too!” Athiss said defiantly. Belade nodded fervently.

“Okay, I’ll let you try.” Agetana said skeptically. “But no kid has ever played quietly for a full hour. I doubt the two of you will manage it.”

“We can!” Athiss said. “Please let us try!”

“Pwease!” Belade pleaded.

“I suppose.” Agetana nodded seriously. “I’ll be so impressed with how good you are if you manage it.”

“And we get a cookie, right?” Athiss asked, since he felt the discussion was drifting away from what was important.

“I don’t have any more of those right now.” Agetana said. “But I do have some sugar crystal candy.”

Athiss’ eyes went wide at the sight of the delicious translucent sugar candy. He’d only had that once, ever. It was so rare, coming from a city far across the sea. He nodded frantically to Agetana.

“We can do it!” Belade said.

Athiss shushed her. She nodded back to him, quietly nervous.

“Good start, keep it up, kids.” Agetana said. She returned to her desk.

With the adult out of mind, and a goal to focus on, Athiss ran his crystal along the windowsill like a ship on a calm sea. Belade did the same with hers, ramming his ship! They both giggled, then shushed each other. Quietly, they sent the crystal ships on another collision course. They spent quite a while playing before either of them found anything odd about it.