The Pogrom of Mages: The Healers of Glastamear: Volume One Read Free Page A

female that would have produced a scarlet blush if his face had been visible.
    Arianna laughed. “Surely you’ve heard that naiads are always horny. I’m afraid it’s too true. Our males only produce one seed at a time, and it takes thousands of copulations before you have reasonable odds of producing children. In that way, we’re like our common ancestors the elves and their other children such as the dwarves, fairies, leprechauns, gnomes, and such – that is all of their children except humans who breed like rabbits, but die as quick as mayflies.”
    Michael was speechless as Arianna reached her left hand down to his crotch and whispered, “Always horny.”
    Half an hour later Arianna whispered, “My, that was fun, but before we can go back to our beach, I must see if you can learn some water magic. Your manna is so strong that you’ll be a beacon for any fire mage looking for healers. The high priest in Westport City could probably detect you from there.”
    “I can’t do anything but healing magic.”
    Arianna ran her fingers through his hair and said, “This ape hair feels quite strange, but except for it you’re almost like us. I do understand human mages can normally only perform one school of magic. If they commit to one form like your healing magic, it’s for life. Naiads can only do water magic, dwarves only earth magic, fairies only forest magic, and so on. Only dragons and elves can do all forms of magic, but I think you’re much closer to an elf than a human in your power.”
    She taught him the words he needed for submerge manna . He said it several times in mage-tongue until she was ready to remove her hand for an instant to test his success.
    The water magic worked.
    “See, I told you, you’re an elf inside, and you’re almost a naiad in horniness I see.” Laughing, she also taught him transparency so he could disappear as the naiads had when the knights were nearby. She taught him water breath so he could hold his breath underwater for up to fifteen minutes without distress. She taught him shell skin so the insects and snakes couldn’t bite, and no stink so his human odor would disappear.
    “You’ll need to repeat the submerge manna spell every week or so. For us, the transparency spell will last about an hour, maybe longer for you with your enormous manna.”
    Several of the naiads took tridents from where they had left them concealed in the bushes, and the group moved off toward the sound of surf. They soon reached a palm-studded black-sand beach. The surf broke over a reef only a hundred paces from shore, a reef that would discourage any human boats from trying to come ashore and thereby ensure the naiads privacy.
    As they walked half a mile along the beach, some naiads dove into the sea and returned with shellfish, sea bass, and crabs. The group, which Arianna referred to as the Black Sand Beach Pod, stopped to rest in a palm grove and spread out their catch among the fallen coconuts to prepare for a feast.
    Arianna sat beside him and commented, “We know nothing of fire. I don’t know what you can eat without burning it. Please choose whatever you can eat as we have no other food, and you need to regain your strength.”
    After the repast, the naiads resumed their attempt to create little naiads, and Michael dozed in the shade too tired to take part. He woke as a song began; marvelous melodious sound filled the palm grove like the hymn of Perry’s archangels and like the summer’s wind and the gentle surf of autumn.
    Although he understood much of the old-elf language, mage-thought brought him instant translation of different version of the ancient tale.
    Their song was Reel of Passage , the story of the trip from the yellow star of terra to the bright blue giant sun of Blue Haven, the sun that rose each day above his home kingdom of Glastamear on the planet of Home. It sung of the thousand-year voyage though the lonely emptiness between worlds. Michael’s heart nearly broke