The Clearing: Origins

Chapter 6

Kristy ignored the scream and shivered in her thin sweatshirt. She glared at him, eyes blazing. "Why did you bring me here, One Magi?"

One Magi. Victor cringed at the name the magi had given him, a name she never called him.

"I-I'm sorry, Kristy. I don't know how it happened! I was thinking about you... and..." His voice trailed off, and he took a step toward the genie, who prudently stepped back. "I didn't do it intentionally."

So much for controlling the magic!

"An accident. Riiiight. Well, I'm out." Kristy turned her back to him. His shoulders slumped.

Suddenly, she whipped around and said in a clipped tone, "I can't transport out, One Magi. You're blocking me."

"I'm not doing anything! And stop calling me that. You're deliberately trying to cheese me off."

Kristy narrowed her eyes.

Victor shook his head. "I'm not doing it, honest!" At least he hoped he wasn't.

"Fine, I'll walk!" She marched toward the path leading out of the clearing.

"No, Kristy, please wait." Victor strode toward the genie, hands out. "I'm sorry for earlier. I—"

Kristy turned to face him. "You don't owe me an apology, One Magi. I understood your response, loud and clear."

"What?" He stopped, a quizzical look on his face.

"Why would the great One Magi attach himself to a bottom-of-the-barrel half-fae, a mutt?" Her eyes widened as she pretended to gasp.

"What is this nonsense?" Victor wanted to grab the girl and shake her. "You think I'm that much of a git?"

Kristy folded her arms. "I don't know what a git is, but you did need to feed your fish. Oh, wait. You don't own any fish." She glared at him again. "Let's just drop it."

"Bloody hell!" Her wounded attitude managed to push Victor over the edge. How dare she! "I knew I'd get a slagging for that statement. For your information, I panicked!"

"Liar! Arabella had me use the Allure of Desire on you, and you didn't panic then!" Kristy snarled, poking his chest with her finger. "You wanted me."

"Because you forced desire on me with the Allure, but it only hit me up here!" he retorted, tapping the side of his head. "It was an outside influence, so it didn't affect me physically! Today, I had my first wooden willy, or whatever they call it, and it... frightened... me! I was lost, scared. Even Mum didn't know what to tell me."

Kristy eyed him with outrage. "You told your mother? How could you?"

"Having another go at me for confiding in my mum?" Like a child having a tantrum, he stamped his foot. "I've never been physically aroused before! I didn't know what to do about a... a rampant body part plumping up like a bloody balloon! Can't believe this!" Victor jabbed his finger at the genie. "First the stupid magic, and now you! I thought you of all people—"

An enraged Victor continued to rant as he began glowing in muted shades of oscillating green, red, and blue—the primary colors of all the magics. 

Kristy's troubled eyes settled on the angry teen. Watching the moving colors, the swinging patterns of raw energy, set the little genie on edge. Oh no,  what if he's losing control?

She had to stop him, had to pull him back from the brink of chaos. Balling up her fist, she yelled over the ranting teen. "I thought you rejected me because you think I'm an untrustworthy half-breed!" Her shouted explanation halted his righteous outburst. "My own people don't trust me either. Hell, my fae mother didn't want me. I'm called a mutt and shunned because I'm half-fae even though my magic is genie-based. I was hurting, so I lumped you in with them. I'm sorry!"