A Hundred Lifetimes: A Clairxie AU

Chapter 3

"Silent sentinels, keeping the world safe..."

"Where did you get that?" Douxie tried to maintain a calm tone calm for her sake.

"I found it." The girl, Claire, had a nervous tremor in her voice. She was quite obviously shaken. It hadn't taken long for her to regain consciousness, and she had awoken with predictable confusion and terror. Douxie had managed to pacify her, wisely waiting to reveal his bespectacled talking cat. She had, of course, led with a barrage of nervous questions. Something about the total upending of their worldview really robbed mortals of common courtesy.  Douxie gave a subtle frown as he tried to avoid eye contact. It's been a long time since I had to explain magic to a mortal. I'm getting rusty.

"Where did you find it?"

"It was in my room," Claire replied, making sure to keep an appropriate distance from the mysterious British goth seated next to her on the bench. "Am I in trouble? I swear I have no idea how it got there."

"You're not in trouble."

"Who are you?"

Douxie blinked. Oh. I guess she does care about my personal life.

"I'm Douxie. This is Archie."

The draconic cat waved a paw at the bewildered Claire. "Charmed, Miss Nunez."

Claire gave an awkward wave in return. "Um, hi. So, Douxie, are you like...magic too?"

Douxie smirked. "Yeah. I'm magic too."

"A wizard," Archie chimed in. "Or at least, a wizard-in-training."

Claire stopped staring into space to look back at Douxie. "Training? In wizarding? Who's training you?"

"Me? Oh, no one. Not anymore." Douxie sucked air through his teeth. He shouldn't have mentioned Merlin. She might ask about him. Keep your answers vague. The less she knows, the safer she'll be. That's what Merlin would say.

"Oh," said Claire, with an air of disappointment. "So, wait...is the tooth fairy real?"

Douxie let out a muffled laugh. "No, no. That's an urban myth."

"Rather stereotypical, I might add." Archie's usual smirk had returned.

Humor had failed to ease Claire's worries. As she stared at her shoes, Douxie could sense the tumultuous confusion that filled her head. She doesn't know it, but she's like me.

I guess she was bound to find out eventually.

Claire looked up to point at the sheathed scathrune in his hand. "So did you leave that in my room?"

Douxie furrowed his brow. This encounter was no accident. Angor Rot had the scathrune. Why would he give it to her? He must know about her power, right? But why would he give up one of his most powerful weapons? The boy wizard's brain was starting to hurt.

"No. I didn't." Douxie furrowed his brow. This encounter was no accident. Angor Rot was the staff's previous owner. Why would he give it to her? He must know about her power, right? But why would he give up one of his most powerful weapons? The boy wizard's brain was starting to hurt.

Oh, how he wished he could fall back on his casual roguish charm and keep the conversation shallow. That method usually worked so well on mortal girls. But he couldn't. She'd seen too much.

I owe her the truth.

"You opened a shadow portal," Douxie said to her tentatively. "You've never done that before?"

Claire shook her head vigorously.

"Yeah, well it's dangerous."

"Magic isn't real. It's not supposed to be real." She looked into his eyes, desperate for reassurance. Douxie wished he had some to offer. Her youthful innocence was truly heartbreaking.

"There's a lot you've missed, I guess." Douxie sat down next to her. "But that's not your fault," he added hastily. How am I supposed to do this?

* * *

Claire pursed her fair pink lips. "So there's good magic, bad magic, and witches and wizards?"

Douxie nodded.

Claire turned to look him in the eye. "But what about you?"

Douxie leaned back. "What about me?"

"You're a...wizard." She struggled to say the word. "What do you do all day?"

"Serve entrees, mostly," Archie chimed in unhelpfully.

Claire let out a quiet giggle, and Douxie caught himself staring. "No," she replied, quickly reverting back to a cautious demeanor. "I mean, are you a good wizard?"

"Oh! Yes, yeah. Of course." Douxie blushed as he rapidly reassured her.

Claire looked back down at her hands. They were thin and small clasped tightly over her fidgeting knees.

"He works hard to keep this town safe," Archie added. "To keep the world safe."

Douxie gave his feline friend a grateful look.

Claire rubbed her amethyst eyes and looked up at Douxie. "You mean...all by yourself?"

The boy wizard paused. I'm not by myself. I've got Arch.

But...it's been just us for a long time.

"There are...other sorcerers out there," Douxie said with hesitation. "But not many. It's not an easy thing to be."

Claire gasped. "Are you risking your life every night? To fight magic monsters?"

Douxie stood up. This conversation wasn't going anywhere. "I'm taking you home," he declared. He offered Claire his hand to help her up, making an effort to touch her as little as possible.

Claire's already sizable eyes widened. "But what if I need more help? What if demons attack me or something?!"

Douxie's lips closed tightly in silent pain. I've scared her. How can she just go back to normal life now?

She doesn't deserve this.

Blast it, I wish I had a spell that could erase memories.

Douxie didn't have that kind of spell. But he did have something else. 

"Interminus nocti slumberso." He whispered the spell gently and caught Claire as she fell into a deep and pleasant slumber. He cradled her angelic form in his arms, avoiding streetlights and dodging through dark alleys as he carried her back to her home. As he climbed in her window, gently placing her back in bed, the boy sorcerer couldn't shake the shameful feeling clutching at his chest.

I'm doing this for her own good.