Chapter 37
The next morning, they all got dressed for exercising in the cold and trooped down to the Source. Horace nipped through the Way to retrieve Cody, and soon enough the five of them were doing knife practice with some interesting spell variations that seemed to please James and Jacques quite a lot.
Julian liked something that combined any cut with a sleeping spell, so that he didn't have to try to kill someone to subdue them.
Alex seemed to be a fan of the one that encouraged bleeding from any and all small cuts, weakening a foe in a different way.
He pretended that Julian was the vicious one, but Julian knew better.
Once they were all worn out and declared doing well enough for one day, they trooped together across the stone path, which had cleared itself of ice for Cody and stayed that way until the Source's favourite humans could come for a visit.
The doorway was as strange to the senses as ever, bright and loud but also somehow muted inside the waterfall cave. Ivy curled around each doorpost, in and out of each realm as though there was no difference, and the swirl of the Way beckoned.
"We don't have time to go through today," said Alex firmly. "You know the time difference is bad for us."
That pressure relented, thankfully, and Julian sighed. "We're adapting, but it takes human-slow time for us sometimes."
He could feel a little tickle inside him where just a tiny bit more power was making room for itself, filling him up even more full than before, making sure its human would be fine without it for longer.
"We'll be fine if we take it slow while we change," said Alex.
They didn't always understand the nature of the changes that the Source wanted from them, but it seemed to happen no matter what, so they were trying very hard to roll with it.
Julian's magic senses had expanded, as had Alex's plant senses, though they were each still much better at their own discipline.
They'd both increased their capacity for power by quite a lot, though right now it seemed they were dependent on the Source to keep topped off so they could keep doing big spells without exhausting that power.
He could see how they'd be limited to how far they could travel, but also had hope that they'd stretch beyond their current limits within the next few years. Julian was really a homebody, but being stuck in a certain radius was different than wanting to stay home.
"It's strange to see how it changes you," said Cody, "because it reminds me that I used to be less than I am now, as well."
"The Source wants us to be strong for it," said Alex.
"It wants us to be more versatile, too. And I think it's... proud of us?" Julian tried to sort out the feelings that leaked around the edges of the sunspot-bright power, barely able to be discerned for the energy obscuring them. "It wants us to be the best ourselves or something."
"It's pleased about our bonding, anyway," said Alex, sending a little tingle of love down to Julian. "I can always tell it wants that to keep expanding and strengthening."
"I can see that, too, sort of," said Cody. "I'm afraid I'm unlikely to bond for it, but at least I have my hounds and my friends."
"We should arrange a couple of days where we can come visit the hounds," said Julian. "I want to play with your puppies."
"It's only fair," teased Alex.
"I'd like that," said Cody with a smile. "We'll work it out."
"Maybe we can arrange to come temporarily Guard the Way with all of you busy on the other side, the way you get someone if you're going to be here very long," said James. "I bet Mother Sharp would allow it."
"That would be a comfort," said Cody, "but not too necessary."
"We wouldn't mind," said Jacques. "It's pretty much downtime to hang out with Alys and Nat and the kittens."
"We'll do that, then," said Julian, before they could get all into polite prevarication. "I'll send Horace in a few weeks to arrange it."
Cody smiled. "I'll bring a basket of goodies to go with whatever your wonderful brownie sends, and we'll have a picnic in the Grove. That'll appease the powers that be and please the Source, I bet."
Julian could tell that it did, indeed, please the Source, so he made a mental note to actually make the plans and not just think about it.
Julian gave Cody a goodbye hug, and even Alex did, too, though James and Jacques just waved as the elf skipped impishly across the threshold and through the Way, back to the Summerlands.
"Well, that was exhausting," said Julian. "I need some midmorning tea to fortify me." The Source's attention had moved away, like the sun behind a cloud, and they all hopped the stones in a line, turning at the end to watch as they iced over treacherously once the last foot had left them.
"That's a pretty good defence in winter, not gonna lie," said Julian. "I know the ice on the pond isn't very thick, either, so that's a drowning threat."
"The Source did fine for a long time without us," said Alex, "but I'm not sad it wants us now. Even if it means learning offensive spells."
"You're enjoying the offensive spells," said Julian with a laugh. "You like the way that bleeding spell might slip through wardings."
"I do, yeah. It's very similar to the one on the insect constructs, but just different enough that humans are less likely to be on guard against it."
Julian leaned into Alex and got a kiss for his troubles, and then they all trekked to the house, footsteps erasing themselves close to the Source but still leaving a long line in the snow from doorstep to forest. Julian grew chilly as the warmth of exercise left him, and he snuggled into Alex's side, urging him to hurry.
"Tea, then baths," said Alys, as they came in and shed outer layers, including their boots. "No sense gettin' sick on top of everything."
"Yes, Alys," said Julian, only a little obnoxiously. "Will there be treats with tea?"
"For that I oughta say no, but I've got some nice cookies all ready for th' boys to reward ye for doing yer exercises," she said. "I shan't deny the others for your cheek."
"Sorry, Alys," said Julian, still a little bratty about it.
She huffed and waved a tea towel at him, and they all went to sit and finish equalising their ice-block feet and exercise-warm cores. Julian snuggled shamelessly into Alex's side and slipped cold hands up under his sweater, getting a yelp and a look of fond exasperation.
"You're as bad as Horace," said Alex, kissing his hair.
"Yet you love us both," said Julian, kissing his chin in return. "What's Horace up to, anyway?"
"I think he's sleeping upstairs since he did his duty in the cold earlier, why?" Alex draped an arm around Julian, not so incidentally assisting with his hand-warming efforts.
"Just curious," said Julian. "It's about the cats' normal naptime, so I wasn't worried about them."
"Should we send him to Emmy to assure her you're alive and unpoisoned?" said Alex.
"Horace!" called Julian, sending out a little thread of call magically as well, and getting a feeling of him back, sleepy and willing.
The bird came flying down, chirruping cheerily, and landed on Julian feeling warm as though he had, perhaps, been sleeping with said cats.
"Who's a good boy. Do you wanna go see Emmy?" asked Julian, getting an eager affirmative.
"It's quite cold," warned Alex, not that Horace didn't have spells for that.
Horace chirruped proudly and puffed out his chest, making them all laugh.
"He's got to write the letter still, sorry," said Alex. "We just missed you."
Horace looked even happier at that and hopped between them, preening hair and snuggling from one to the other.
James chuckled. "You two and your strange pets," he said. "I'd envy you, but even Horace wouldn't fit right into our lives."
"I don't think I'd feel right making another, anyway," said Alex. "Our Horace is one of a kind."
He'd rejected a request for a lovebird just a few weeks ago, Julian recalled, though he'd used the excuse that it was too much work for his small space. Others could make the basic sort if they came back in fashion, but no one else would make one quite like Horace.
Julian kissed him sweetly for it, and said, "All right, so tea and cookies and bath, and then I'll write to Emmy."
"You should probably call Father Stephen, too," said Jacques. "See if he wants to lure you out for a purification."
"Oh, I could go for one," said Julian honestly. "It's been awhile, what do you think?" He turned to Alex and made puppy eyes.
"I can be persuaded tomorrow," said Alex. "We'll get Jones to take all of us, if the Father is free."
Julian got out his phone as their tea and cookie trays began to float out from the kitchen, parking themselves floating in front of the recipients.
Julian prepared his tea and then made the call, tasting the good, strong brew with great appreciation for the warmth it gave to his belly as well as the flavour on his tongue.
"Julian, my boy, how are you?" said Father Stephen, the call connecting as soon as it rang.
Julian couldn't help but smile. "Father Stephen, we're all well here now. I wasn't the one poisoned, after all."
"Of course, of course," said Father Stephen. "I hear you've got Guardians out there just in case?"
"Yes, though they're going back home tomorrow. We thought we might come along if you're free for a bit and get purified?" Julian made sure to sound hopeful but not demanding; too many people made demands on Father Stephen's time as it was.
"Oh, yes, I just so happen to have some time free tomorrow," said Father Stephen cheerfully. "We can purify you boys after a nice lunch. Perhaps I'll even put my old bones into the cold pool, it's been far too long for me, as well."
"That sounds perfect," said Julian. "We'll treat somewhere, of course. The Atrium, perhaps, they've always got space for us."
"Oh, that's too fancy," Father Stephen prevaricated. "You don't need to do that."
"But we want to," said Alex, leaning over to put his two cents in. "Let us treat you and then you can treat us, as it were."
"Well, I suppose, if you insist," said Father Stephen. "Will you meet me at the Temple?"
"Yes, we'll have Jones come pick you up and then drop us all off." Julian took another sip of tea before it cooled. "Thanks for making time."
"You are not a burden, my boy, none of you." There was the noise of someone talking in the background. "Oh, yes, sorry, I've got to go. I'll see the four of you tomorrow around lunch time!"
"See you then!" said Julian, hanging up with a lighter heart. "Well, that was a brilliant idea."
"I've been told we do have them sometimes," said James wryly.
"We'll take him a tin of treats, too," said Jacques. "Then Jones can drop us at the Guardian Temple after everything, and bring you two back before you get tired."
"It takes more than a few hours of not doing much magic," said Alex, "but the thought is appreciated."
Julian dug into his cookies now that the phone call was over, finding that she'd made soft molasses spice cookies that practically melted in the mouth, covered in crunchy sugar and baked to perfection.
"Mm, these are so good," he said, swallowing the bite down and then having some tea. "Perfect fortification."
There was a chorus of agreement, and they all settled in to enjoy their treat.