Work Your Magic
Chapter Ten
By Pixiedust291
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Kasem looked back and forth between Lien, Arthur, Francis and Kiku. Arthur had called the other two men to be present as witnesses. If he really was going to blow this whole conspiracy out of the water then he was going to need all the proof he could gather. Kiku would act on his behalf. His reputation and the respect he demanded from his community would lend merit to Arthur's accusations. Francis, as a fellow wizard, would act as witness and lend support. Kasem looked very ill at ease. "I do not know what you mean Dr. Kirkland?" he fidgeted on Arthur's apartment couch.
"I am asking you if your parents had any special talents. Like the ones you described to me that day."
Kasem frowned but shook his head "No. My parents are not witches."
"Wrong," Arthur sat down across from him "You must have received these powers from one of your parents. Please Kasem, this is very important."
"Dr. Kirkland I told you that information in confidence." Kasem answered in an injured tone.
"Told him what?" Lien asked. Kasem looked at her and then looked away. Lien hesitated and then came to sit beside him, grasping one of his hands. "Kasem, please tell me."
Kasem's body visiblely relaxed the moment Lien touched him. He closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. "Around puberty I started noticing that I had an almost unearthly knowledge about what animals needed. I could tell at a glance that they were angry, sad, or stressed. This knowledge then turned into more of a connection. With concentration I was able to feel what any animal I came in contact with was feeling. This of course only grew when the relationship with the animal was strengthened as well. Then when I was a little younger then I am now, I started seeing things. As if they were little movie clips flashing before my eyes. I never quite understood what they were until I was startled awake one night by a vision of a fire and my home town burning. When I ran out of the house I saw a fire looming on the horizon of the forest. Because of my alarm call everyone was able to get to safety as well as stop the flames." Kasem shook his head "I never told anyone about this. I did not want them to think I was possessed or blessed by some god. I liked my life the way it was and I didn't want it to change. It wasn't until I came here and took your class that I started to seriously wonder about my abilities. I do not know why, but your speech that first day of class seemed to strike a cord with me."
He looked to Lien "I'm sorry for not telling you. I just never wanted you to think me strange and... possibly stop coming to see me" He added the last part in a hushed whisper. Her smile was both warm and full of relief. Without a word she lifted her hand and conjured a bubble out of thin air. The bubble floated around Kasem's head before it popped when it touched his nose. Kasme's face was priceless.
"I think you'll find, Mr. Kasem," Kiku offered softly as he allowed his fox ears to stand up and twitch above his head "that you are not the only one who is strange."
Kasem looked back and forth the between all of them "All of you? Even you Professor?"
Arthur nodded "I'll explain the rest of what is going on later. But right now Kasem I need you to really answer my question. Either both or one of your parents was magical. They had to be because magical abilities can only be inherited genetically. Did either of your parents have any peculiar abilities or show any signs of being wonderfully adept at certain things?"
Kasem shook his head "My father was a common businessman and my mother stayed at home and cooked."
Arthur leaned back and signed in defeat. Perhaps it was to much to hope for. "She cooked?" Francis spoke up. Kasem nodded "How did she cook?" Francis moved around the couch to sit next to Kiku "Did your mother have a knack for cooking?"
"Yes, she was well known throughout our town for being a wonderful cook. It was one of the reasons my father married her." Arthur raised a brow in Francis' direction. Just what was the man getting at?
Francis smiled "Tell me Kasem, as you were growing up what did your kitchen smell like?"
Kasem pursed his lips as he seemed to think for a moment "Like any normal kitchen. It smelled of spices and baking food and..."
"Joy." Francis cut in. "Did simply being in the kitchen while your mother was cooking fill you with a sense of comfort and belonging. Did the smells leave you longing for the very foods that they were wafting from?" Kasem nodded. Francis chuckled "Then my dear boy your mother was a kitchen witch. A very common witch, to be completely truthful, but they are some of the best witches in my opinion."
"A kitchen witch? I've never heard of anything like that."
"I suppose you wouldn't have, given your upbringing and your lack of being able to even boil water. The high society of witches and wizards often ignore or dismiss kitchen witches due to their relatively low threshold for magic. They are not able to cast spells. Their magic is only expressed through the art of creation; whether it is painting, baking, or even something physical like dancing." Francis sighed.
Because of his knowledge, Francis had basically provided Arthur with the fact he so desperately wanted. He was so relieved and happy that he would ignore Francis' previous comment, for now anyway. Now there was really only one thing left to do. He had to make sure that his lack of depleting powers was not just specific to him. He rose from the couch and walked out of the room taking out his cell phone. With a triumphant smile on his face he dialed in the number and waited for the person on the other end to pick up.