The Stone King's Lover (石王的愛)

Chapter 35

Wen Reian

2004 years after The Long Night

Jingshén

<The Spirit Orchard>

Wen Reian stared at the King with wide eyes. "We're going to do what?!"

Xie Yi-jun was crouched down by a tree-stump, having set out paper, a pen and ink. Reian had remarked earlier on the fact that any magic Yi-jun was going to teach him would need to be reasonable to his skill-level, not some ancient power known only to Kings from Hêi'àn City.

Yi-jun just smiled, beckoning Reian closer.

"I suppose you might call it a form of telepathy. I used to use it with my friends to send messages, come here..."

Reian kneeled beside him, aware of how much space was between them. This morning when they'd met at the wishing well, the boy had been struck with the awkward realization, as the King approached with a warm smile, that his feelings couldn't all be blamed on a love potion, or lack thereof.

"The spell is fairly simple. You write or draw anything you want, then transfer the ink. Like this-"

Reian sat back and watched Xie Yi-jun dip the pen into the ink, writing with his left hand the words; What did you do today?

When he sat the pen down, Wen Rei watched him close his eyes, muttering something under his breath that sounded like an incantation. As he did, the ink on the crisp white paper slowly began to bleed. At first it seemed to Reian like he was just imagining it, how the letters moved, but then his eyes widened when they suddenly slid right off the page!

"Hah!" Exclaiming in surprise, he watched as the sentence trickled through the air in front of him, light as a feather.

When the ink abruptly ducked inside his sleeve, Wen Reian quickly yanked it back, blinking at the dark words suddenly scrawled on his wrist!

"That's amazing!" He gushed. "You said it's like telepathy?!"

When he glanced at Xie Yi-jun, the man was watching him, seeming to stare with a soft sort of interest. The gentleness of his gaze made Reian's heart flutter. He swallowed...

"Hmm? Oh, yes. A very crude telepathy. Simple and easy enough to send quick messages."

Then the King smiled-

"I will not be blamed if you and your friends start drawing silly things on each other, yes?"

Wen Reian grinned, unable to help it. He imagined Xie De with this little trick and dreaded to think. No, he'd keep it a secret for now. Maybe tell A'Yu?

"It can stay between us," he said.

Reian accepted the pen when Yi-jun handed it to him. Wondering what he should write, Reian decided to try drawing something instead. A little sketch that he always made of a flower losing its petals. He drew it on the paper, shy for some reason to have Yi-jun see it, then when he was done he asked the King for the spell.

"Xea kimoni toris... and don't forget to add the recipient's name on the end or the ink won't know where to go."

Taking a deep breath, the boy closed his eyes.

He wasn't sure if it would work. Verbal incantations were difficult to begin with, but the language was one he didn't recognise and he feared it was just going to fail. He'd try of course... the fact that Xie Yi-jun had decided to teach him this must mean he thought Reian was capable. Not only that, Reian wanted to succeed. He wished to show the King that he could do this simple magic.