"Hello. I knew you'd be back."
It wasn't a voice like you would expect a snake to have, Lyna thought, all slithery and hissy. It was instead very precise and sharp on the edges, kind of like the jewels that covered it. "I wasn't sure, of course, but I did hope. You seemed very promising."
Raimy was transfixed. He had moved a few steps closer to the creature, arms limp and mouth hanging a little askew. He was just about to take another step when Lyna realized the Ruby Snake had been addressing itself to him the entire time, and looking straight into his eyes. With a gasp, she grabbed her brother's arm and yanked him back, clasping her hands over both his eyes.
"Stop that, right now! I know what you're doing." The snake turned it's gaze on her, and she swallowed. "We're not country folk around here, you know, and we know all about you. I'll have none of your tricks!" As soon as the snake had turned to her, she had slightly averted her gaze so as not to look directly in it's eyes, but so as not to appear rude. You don't want to upset a snake, no matter it's size. It seemed the creature had realized this, because it made a sound that was suspiciously like a laugh.
"Afraid of a snake charm, are we?" It chuckled again. "No need to fear, little Lyna. I'm a boy charmer, and you are certainly not a boy."
At this, Lyna's head came up. "Boy charmer? There's no such thing. There are snake charmers, but not boy or man charmers. They don't exist."
The snake smiled indulgently. "Then why did you feel the need to protect your brother just now?"
"Ruby Snakes have the ability to charm everyone, lull them into a false sense of security."
"Well, I'm doing a rotten job of that with you. No, I am a boy charmer. And as for snake charmers, they're all frauds. The snakes are in league with them. They just go along with the act and get fed and well cared for, with a warm place to sleep. Not a bad deal, if you think about it. Now," and it nodded towards Raimy, "are you going to let him go?"
"Oh!" She had been so absorbed in the snake that she hadn't realized her brother trying to pull her hands off his face. She released him, only to get a swift kick in the shins.
"I told you, Lyna, I told you! There's a Ruby Snake! It's..." He cut himself short, turned around, and stared. "It's right there."
"Hello, Raimy," said the snake.
"Hello, snake," said Raimy.
"My name is Wistal, and I need you to do something for me."
"Sure." He was starting to get that dopey eyed look again, so Lyna put her arm around him to let him know that this was still the real world.
"I need you to pull all the power of your knowing and push it at me. That way, my snake charms won't work on you. Can you do that?"
"All of it?" He got this look on his face like someone had deliberately asked him to track mud into the house. "Really? It won't... hurt?"
"Not a lot. Now, concentrate... and push." Wistal stood up so it's soft belly was exposed. Raimy stood right in front of it, his little hands balled into fists and just stared, but the intensity on his face was like nothing Lyna had ever seen before. Of course, she had no idea what any of that had meant, but Raimy certainly had, and she was just going to have to...
Her thoughts were struck dumb. Raimy's light as sand hair had started to glow, and in almost the same instant there was a thump in the ground, as if someone had struck it with the biggest hammer in their father's forge. The glow surrounded Wistal, was absorbed, and was gone.
Wistal slumped to the ground, panting for breath. Raimy, back to his normal self, rushed to her. "No, Raimy, stay away from it!"
"Her, Lyna. It's a girl. And she's going to be very tired for a while."
"That's well and good, but it wouldn't be tired if you hadn't... hadn't... what was that? Your knowing? Your power? I don't understand."
Wistal raised her head from where it had been resting in her brother's lap. "I can explain it all to you, after I sleep. For now, let me tell you this. I have been looking for your brother for a long time."
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