Chapter 21

As in the previous working of magic, everything went smoothly. Uriel became more sure of himself and needed little direction from Eyrmysse. This time the black robe was able to focus on the subtleties, helping Uriel gain a better understanding of what he was doing and why. Afterwards they sat in his room for hours and talked. Their conversations ranged from Earth to Khaballe, from science to magic and included heavy doses of philosophy and metaphysics. It became obvious to Uriel that she was a lot more like her mother than she cared to let on. As a result, the black robe no longer seemed so imposing. And she still had not made any outward attempt to entice him, though her naturally exuded sensuality began to captivate him. Everything about Eyrmysse accentuated her easy going, relaxed style. The way she walked, stood, sat and arose; her facial expressions, gestures and voice. Even her smile no longer seemed to conceal some malicious, wicked thought.

When they next got together, it was three days before MidSummer. As before, Eyrmysse had made Uriel wait two days before conducting their next session. She had encouraged him to study The Black Lodge during the interval and continue to build a solid foundation of knowledge. Read it like a textbook, not a story she had told him. Though not pleased, he did as he was told.

Uriel found out that night that they were to work the same conjuration they had in the previous two sessions. He let Eyrmysse know his displeasure at that. The black robe tried to explain that he needed more practice before moving to more difficult and complex work. She also contended that this was a bad night to try something different. It had been raining all day and the eerie reflections of lightning flashes in the darkened room testified that the storm had not relented. The moons were obscured and the tides could adversely affect him. On the other hand, it would be a good opportunity for him to perform a spell from his growing repertoire in other than optimal conditions.