The Bonding (The Song and the Rhythm) by Brian C. Hager Page A

are good. Magic is only evil when it is used for evil.”
    Vaun was frowning. “But I thought you said the magic is what made Elak evil.”
    Merdel nodded. “I did. The spells he employs were created by an evil mage many centuries ago. In writing them down, he imbued them with his own evil. When used by someone else, they become infected with that evil. It feeds on their darkest desires, promising to grant them. It’s the best way a wizard, after he dies, can ensure his magic is used for what he wanted in life. Almost all books of magic are enspelled in this way, and it takes careful examination to keep them from subjugating you. Like all mind-control spells, once they are revealed for what they are, they are easily overcome.”
    Merdel droned on, telling them of how incautious Elak was in his pursuit of power, and of how the evil magic fed on his desire to rule. He told them of how, over time, Elak lost his morality because of his use of the dark magic and his own deeply rooted evil. He told them of how all things would surely die if Elak were allowed to succeed.
    But Vaun barely heard him. Something had grabbed his attention when Merdel mentioned mind-control magic. He wasn’t sure what it was, but after several minutes of thinking, he began to realize what it was that had been nagging in the back of his mind, and why his headache had disappeared.
    At first, he didn’t want to believe it. Surely his friends wouldn’t do such a thing to him. Surely Drath would never have allowed him to be deceived in this way. But he couldn’t escape the certainty of it. He couldn’t explain how, but he knew what they’d done to him. Maybe it was the strange noise that told him, for it had flared to life when the thoughts first struck him. Maybe he’d known it all along but hadn’t wanted to admit it. Maybe it was just the right time to figure it out. However he knew, the revelation of what his new friends had done angered him more than anything else. He had trusted them. He had believed them. He had let them into a part of his life that few people were allowed to even approach. Yes, they had given him much in return, but what they’d done to him only increased the lie.
    Merdel seemed to sense the fury building in Vaun’s eyes. He stopped his narration midsentence when he discovered their new companion staring him down and shivered at the look in Vaun’s pale blue eyes, as if afraid the young man might attack him with the sword he now gripped tightly.
    “You used magic on me.” Vaun didn’t bother asking.
    Merdel cleared his throat and swallowed, obviously distressed by more than just the accusation. Vaun barely heard him mumble something about how no one should be able to determine that.
    Vaun’s gaze sharpened at Merdel’s comment. “Didn’t you, Wizard? You used magic on me to get me to come with you.” His voice softened abruptly. “Didn’t you.” The whispered statement made Merdel flinch.
    Drath looked from Vaun to Merdel and back before clearing his throat noisily. “What’s going on here, Vaun? What are you talking about? Merdel didn’t use magic on you.” The tall man turned commanding eyes on the wizard. “Did you?” His sea-green eyes dared Merdel to say yes.
    Merdel hesitated. “Actually, Drath, the young man is correct. I did use magic on him. But only to convince him we were telling the truth. Besides, with my loyalty to the Great God, I cannot make a lie sound true; otherwise my magic would not have worked. Vaun already wanted to go. I only helped him agree. He seemed so unsure; I just wanted to help him make up his mind.”
    Drath stood abruptly. “You what? How dare you! I specifically told you not to use magic on him. I wanted Vaun to come with us because he believed us. I wanted him to trust us. I wanted him to be free to make his own decision based upon what he thought, not because magic influenced him. And you lied and told me you wouldn’t.” The tall man shook his head. “You disgust