by Naomi Kelly
"No saddle-mats for us tonight." I yawned and folded back the heavy quilt. Reuben uncurled himself from behind me and sat upright.
"I can sleep in the chair, I will not to impose myself into your bed-"
"You have spent enough time sleeping in chairs for me, and after what happened last night? I need to be close in-case more memories break through the serum." I winced at the thought of it happening again. I leaned across the bed for my satchel and dug out five of the smallest crystals I had.
I placed them at each bedpost corner and kept one in my hand. I closed my eyes and let my magic connect with the Obsidian in my palm before pushing the energy outwards towards the other four. Once I felt the pull towards each corner, I retracted the majority of my power, leaving just enough to hold a thin, spiderweb-like threads of magic above us.
"I don't know if this will hold the whole night but it's worth a try. I'll be able to feel your pain quicker this way." I slid beneath and blanket and Reuben followed suit. I offered my open palm, baring the crystal to him and he clasped my hand without hesitation.
As the warmth of his hand spread into mine, the delicate black lines shimmered overhead.
"The magic in your blood is becoming stronger. The power threads can sense you without you even trying," I gasped.
"Is that a good or bad thing?" Reuben asked, lying down behind me and resting his head on my shoulder. I yawned once more and closed my eyes.
"It depends on whether you want to access your magic or not."
"I want my magic." He mumbled so quietly I was unsure if he said it at all.
My legs melted into the mattress beneath me and an unwelcome thought of being unable to run away quickly came into my head. I batted away the fear, not because it was unwarranted, but because I wanted this moment of bliss without the problems of reality ruining it.
Ten
The familiar, soft thud of the kitchen cabinets gently arose me from my slumber. I kept my eyes closed for a few minutes and pretended I was a safe, young child again listening to my mother’s morning routine of making breakfast for us.
I stretched and turned over to see Reuben still fast asleep. He had made it through the night without any memories resurfacing. He looked peaceful and well rested, with even the shadows from beneath his eyes appearing lighter. Now his appearance resembled that of a man in his mid-twenties compared to his regular jaded expression. I wasn't a young child anymore, but I was safe. I was home.
Maybe this could be the new morning I would awake to every day. I slipped out of Reuben's hold and remained still when he began to stir.
"Shh, I'll be right back," I whispered and made my way towards the door. He mumbled something inaudible before resuming his rhythmical heavy breaths once more.
I was still blissfully smiling by the time I entered the kitchen. On hearing my approach, Adonis moved to the left and revealed a short girl busying herself at the sink.
"Who is-"
She sprung in my direction and wrapped her long arms around me.
"I'm so glad you're okay," she exclaimed.
My initially tense shoulders slowly dropped when I spotted Adonis' nervous face behind her.
"Elm?" I mouthed. He nodded and lightly pulled her away by her waist. She released her hold but kept her smile shining in my direction.
Everything about her was golden. She had a tanned complexion and glowing blond hair, and around her neck hung a honey-coloured stone that glinted in the morning sun and complimented her amber eyes.
"I made breakfast; do you want some? There's enough for all of us, including your boyfriend."
She spun delicately within Adonis's arms and broke free. She pranced towards the stove, not waiting for a reply. I opened my mouth to correct her, but I didn't know what to say.
A laughing Adonis held up guilty hands, "How else am I meant to explain what he is to you without getting into everything? Now go on and wake your boyfriend Juni'."
I rolled my eyes which only encouraged his cheeky grin to widen.
"Breakfast sounds like a good place to start."
I stopped myself from offering to help when I saw her pivot and gather bowls and spoons in a single motion. She already knew where everything was in the kitchen. I looked at Adonis who was too busy looking at her to notice.
"We have a lot of catching up to do."
After convincing Reuben that we couldn't stay in bed all day, we joined them at the table with a mug of tea and a bowl of warm fruit porridge.
"As you've probably gathered that Elm is the source of the great food," Adonis said, "But that's not her only skill."
He gave her a knowing nod. Her left hand clasped the pendant stone from her chest, and she presented her open, flat right hand to the table.
Effortlessly, a swirling ball of energy rushed to her palm. The orange-hued mass pulsated and waned the same way my magic did.
"You're like us?" I whispered in awe. I stared at the Sun like orb that glowed in front of me until the bright light forces me to blink burnt my eyes. Elm released her hold of her necklace and reabsorbed her power.
"I sure am, except we're from the Topaz clan. My sister, Willow, and I survived the War just like Adonis and you." Elm explained.
"Willow? Why does that name sound familiar?"
"Willow runs a stall at the market. They both have powers of metal manipulation and they craft farm tools, pots, jewellery, pretty much anything you can think of really," Adonis explained with a tone of both pride and admiration.
I could picture her sister in my mind. She was older and taller than Elm, but they did share the same radiant appearance and gracious spirit.
"Our mother knew about your magic all along, but she warned us to stay away for our own protection," Elm said, "She didn't approve of you using your power to heal regular folk. She figured it was a matter of time before they turned you into the Chambers, so she advised that we should steer clear."
"You don't appear to be steering clear now," Reuben said, eyeing up my brother’s arm draped over her shoulder.
"Willow and I never wanted to live like her. Her idea of living as a magician was to remain isolated and cut off from any other possible clans. She lived so rigidly by this rule that when my sister married Bryar, a Garnet magician, she completely cut us off. The day they told her of their hand-fasting was the last day she spoke to any of us. She was always terrified of 'the Northern monsters' coming to kill us," her voice shook, and her gaze fell to her lap, "Last winter, we felt our power level drop when she passed away. That part of the bloodline was now gone...severed."
We all offered our genuine condolences and gave a sympathetic look to each other. Not one of us had been able to say goodbye to our mothers because of the Chambers in one way or another.
Elm swallowed hard and then continued, "I was helping at the stall the day Adonis came to borrow farm tools and get supplies for your journey across the border. He looked pale and seemed to sway on his feet. When he didn't return the sickle blades the next market day, I travelled here to find him and see if he was doing okay out here alone."
"She found me unconscious in the meadow. She brought me inside and nursed me back to health, which is ironic seeing as I'm the healing magician, but there she was, day in, day out to take care of me," Adonis squeezed her shoulder and looked at her with an intensity that didn't seem to scare her.
She simply smiled and turned to face Reuben and me.
"Now you know my story. Care to share yours?"
I tried to retell the events of the past few weeks as best as I could, but I struggled almost immediately. Seeing Adonis's jaw clamp when he heard I was shot with an arrow, or how he visibly paled when he learnt I had been sentenced to hang made it difficult. Sensing my struggle, Reuben helped me fill in the details I found too difficult to utter.
"On the night Juniper tried to escape the Chamber she was attacked by Gamma Douward. I found her inside the main gates kneeling over Douward's body and she's been at my side ever since." Reuben
explained.
"Over his body?" Adonis spoke the words directly to Reuben, without even glancing at me.
"Douward is the same man who eradicated nearly all magicians, including your parents. Your sister gave him a kinder death than he ever deserved. She did what was necessary to survive," Reuben retorted with a growl, almost puffing out his chest defensively.
Adonis' confusion morphed into thinly veiled disgust, but he remained quiet.
"He deserved it," Elm said fiercely, nodding in agreement, "It's just a shame the rest of the Chamber members didn't meet the same fate."
The kitchen descended into a heavy silence, causing Elm to look at each of us with her puzzled expression.
"Juniper extorted a lot of magical energy killing Douward. She went unconscious immediately after and remained non-responsive for almost three days, but thankfully I was able to carry her discreetly into my suite to recuperate," Reuben spoke directly to Elm.
"Your suite..." her voice trailed off.
"Yes, being Beta of the Chamber meant my quarters were close," Reuben said carefully. Elm's eyes grew wide as she realized who was sitting across from her. She scrapped her chair back against the floor, stood abruptly and reached for her pendant.
"I don't like it either Elm, but he helped Juni' so he deserves our respect. Besides he's not one of them, he was born into the Onyx clan," Adonis soothed, reaching for her hand.
She remained standing. Her gaze glued on Reuben, but she accepted his hand. Some of the tension fell from her body an after a few more beats of silence she began to gather the cold, empty bowls and mugs before us, "We're going to need more tea to get through this tale."
An entire basket of bread, several mugs of tea and four hours later we had finally caught up on everything we had missed. After the endless flowing conversations, we sat in silence as everyone processed the copious amounts of information.
I was reeling from the fact that other magicians were still alive. I went from believing it was just Adonis and I, to now knowing that Topaz clan members had survived, Willow was married to a Garnet magician and Onyx magic might even be alive through Reuben.
My brother was still in shock that I had been captured but even more surprised that I was alive. I could sense Elm's uneasiness towards Reuben as she struggled to see past the Beta title. I worried about him the most, for out of all of us he had most thoughts to wade through, yet he looked calm and level-headed.
"I better start making my way home. Willow will just worry herself sick if I'm not back soon," Elm announced into the stillness as she stood and stretched.
"You're not leaving alone, it's far too dark out there. I'll walk you home," Adonis said, already pushing his chair back.
"You know Willow won't let you go home alone in the dark either."
"Why don't you take Omega and Pepper? Stay at the Topaz house and we'll meet you all at the market tomorrow afternoon. I'm sure the kitchen could use a restocking after today," Reuben suggested as he threw a glance at all the empty bowls in the sink
From our journey, I had seen how close he was with Omega. It seemed odd to me that he would so quickly offer his beloved gelding to someone he had just met. The reason for his generous offer became clear when I noticed the way he paused his breathing as he waited for a reply. This laurel-branch offering was his way of showing them he was different from other Chamber members. He was trustworthy.
"That would be great, wouldn't it, Elm?" Adonis lightly nudged her.
"We do have a wooden shed for our metal work that the horses could spend the night in." Elm thought out loud.
"Exactly, but I'm taking Omega. I'd rather have a horse with a northerner name than 'Pepper'." Adonis's dig made Reuben release a burst of hearty laughter. It made my heart sing to see them smiling together, even if I was the laughing point. We exchanged goodbyes and hugs and walked them to the door.
"Do you want me to tack up the horses for you?" Reuben offered.
"Southerners have no need for saddles," Adonis called over his shoulder as he vaulted onto Omega, "Saddles are just thrones for posh men who don't know how to ride properly. We'll meet you tomorrow at the Topaz stall around midday."
"Wait!" I exclaimed and reached into my pocket, "I forgot to give you this."
I handed over the chunk of Obsidian that Reuben had given me before we set off on our voyage.
"I have more crystals inside, but you deserve some right now. I'm sorry it took so long to get back to you, getting held captive wasn't really part of my plan," I said wryly.
Adonis took the crystal and held onto my hand. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Instantly I could feel him reconnect with his magic.
The power lines between us rippled as his energy was added. Black vines wound around our wrists and spread up our arms as our bloodline connections were re-established after weeks of separation. A sense of strength bloomed within me. My mind became more focused. I could feel the solid ground beneath my feet. I could draw deep breathes down into the pit of my stomach. My magic itched at my fingertips just waiting to be used. I looked up to find Adonis swirling his magic in his other hand like a glass of wine.
"I missed my magic," he said, as he gave my hand a light squeeze, "But I missed you so much more. You're never going to Sleepy Hill alone ever again."
A wave of warm energy washed over me, and I immediately recognised his healing magic. He enveloped me in a tight embrace without moving an inch and a swell grew in my chest as intense feelings of admiration and love poured into my core.
"I missed you too," I said gently as he retreated his magic. He shot me a light smile, and although he hadn't said much, I never felt more loved by my younger brother. He tucked the crystal away and gave an encouraging click to Omega
I stepped away and waved them off before turning to see Reuben waiting with open arms behind me.
He held me close and rested his lips against my forehead, "I really do have so much to learn."
"I can stay up all night telling tales and teaching you about magic unless you have something else in mind," I teased and tilted my head up to catch his lips. His smile widened as he kissed me deeply and slowly.
"Oh, I have something in mind," he muttered, pulling away and tucking my hair behind my ear, "I am going to run you a hot bath and let you soak for as long as you want. Then when you're finished, I will carry you to bed to sleep soundly."
"Wow, that sounds heavenly, but I don't hear a lot of you included in these plans," I huffed.
"That is because we have all the time in the world to include me in these plans. I have no intention of leaving your side. There is no need to rush," he spoke softly.
"You're really hanging onto the chivalrousness, huh?"
"In a time where my world is changing faster than I can keep up, and I barely know who I am, my morals are the only thing I am sure of," he pulled back and stared intensely into my eyes, "Well my values, and my feelings for you. I know how much I need and want you in my future, but I don't want to impose my feelings onto you. I don't want you to feel pressured or ever regret anything."
"Reuben, I would never regret you-"
"But-"
"But I respect your values. I'm happy to prove you wrong by waiting you out until you know how much I want and need you of my own accord."
"It's the only time in my life I'll be happy to be proven wrong," he laughed, "Now let me take care of you."
His lips found mine once more and without stopping he scooped me up in a single motion and carried me inside.
Eleven
The lavender soap from my bath made drifting off to sleep easy. I dreamt of the Harvest Festival, except this time instead of trying to escape I was welcomed. I wore a floor length dress, that was deep crimson in colour and draped beautifully from my hips. Large crowds separated as I approached to reveal Reuben standing in the town square in a ceremonial Chambers uniform. I knew all eyes were on us, but I could only see him, and his outstretched hand that awaited me.
He wrapped his arm around me and held me close. There was no music or words, but we began dancing in sync, moving fluidly throughout the square and into every corner.
Reuben held my hand as I pirouetted under his arm span. My dress kicked out and unfurled into a twirling circle of fabric. I kept spinning until the people around me were a blur from motion and excitement. When both feet finally stopped twisting, I cleared the loose tendrils of hair that had freed themselves from my pinned back curls to see the crowds had vanished.
Reuben was gone.
The town square was now void of ruby bunting and feast tables. Instead, it draped in black bows and was littered with grey candles. Music had been replaced with the heavy silence of mourning.
I spun again but with less grace and more panic, only to find black threads woven around my ankles. I delicately untangled one of the threads and noticed it trailed across the square. I began to follow its path and before long I recognised where it was bringing me.
As I got closer to Teriam's cottage the thin thread in my hands began to glow with a dark tinge that seemed somewhat familiar. It had the same inky shade as the magic energy from the Onyx magicians who were trying to escape the wrath of Karnes and Douward.
The images before me were not from my mind anymore.
They were from Reuben's.
I dropped the power thread and took off running the rest of the path. I made it to his cottage, but I couldn't open the front door. I stomped the ground in anger as I remembered I couldn't invade his memories. I could only observe. Frustrated, I made my way to an ajar window to see the Alpha and his wife in the depths of a heated argument.
"Would you rather he perished with the rest of those rats?" Karnes spat and threw his hands in the air. A younger looking Mara flinched from his frantic movements.
"Stop saying rats, you're beginning to sound like Douward," she sighed and sat down on a stool, "And don't talk like that in front of him."