My legs moved of their own accord. Darkness pulsed out of him and tendrils of shadow pressed against my magic as if they were trying to find a way to latch onto it. I struggled to free myself from his hold, but it felt like invisible hands were tugging me forward. His long, elegant fingers clasped the chain around my neck and pulled my amulet from within my gown.
The archmage smiled a savage grin. “Finally, we meet, Princess Aurora. I have been looking forward to this for fifteen long years.”
“I can’t say the same,” I said bluntly.
“I’m glad you didn’t try to run,” said the archmage, ignoring my remark. “Personally, I thought you would—you are known to be quite reckless.” He walked slowly around me, his hands behind his back, eyeing me from every angle, assessing his enemy.
I was rooted to the spot. My legs felt like rocks had been attached to them; I couldn’t move however much I tried.
He stopped circling and looked me in the eyes. “It would have been futile, of course. The whole mansion is surrounded, you wouldn’t have gotten far.”
My eyes darted across the garden. How were we going to get out of this? There was no sign of Rafe anywhere; I couldn’t see Santino either, or Katerina. If Santino left on that ship tomorrow, we would have no way of getting another person to take us to Brandor. Especially with the guards and Blue Cloaks prowling every inch of Calos. Where was Rafe? Was he with Katerina?
“You have no authority here,” said Brandon, squaring his shoulders and stepping forward to stand beside me.
“I beg to differ, Lord Delacourt.” Lucian’s voice was sweet and silky but laced with an unmistakable trace of steel. “As Archmage of Avalonia, all mages come directly within my jurisdiction. And if you read the fine print in the treaty of the seven kingdoms, which I presume you have not, if there is a threat to the safety of the Mage Guild, my authority supersedes every ruler in every kingdom.”
“I’m not a threat to anyone,” I said.
“That’s for me to decide,” said the archmage. “Bind her hands.” He gestured to the guards. “And Lord Delacourt, since you, too, are one of us, a mage with affiliation to the Mage Guild, you are under arrest as well, for assisting a known criminal.”
The guards moved forward to hold Brandon and bind his wrists.
“I am not a criminal,” I said between clenched teeth. It would be so easy to knock them all down. All I had to do was remove my amulet and unleash my magic, which had built up to a huge pulsating ball inside me. It had been a while since I had used it, and it wanted out.
I pushed it back down, subduing the beast that had begun to wake inside me. For that is exactly what it felt like, a great slumbering beast, one that woke when I took off my amulet. The real Aurora Firedrake—the fae-mage who was not afraid of anyone, who could kill without remorse and bend powerful magic to her will—was buried inside me, waiting for me to unleash her on the world. But I was not ready, I was not strong enough to let her out again. My amulet kept her in check, but not for long.
“Where is Prince Rafael?” one blue-cloaked warrior-mage asked. I recognized him from my time at the palace: Captain Gerard, leader of the palace guards. “Is he with the Black Wolf?”
“Do you actually believe I kidnapped the prince and dragged him halfway across the kingdom?” I snapped at the captain.
“It doesn’t matter what I think.” Captain Gerard glanced briefly at Lucian.
The archmage smirked.
“The king has ordered me to bring you both back to the palace,” the captain continued. “And that is exactly what I am going to do.”
One of his men came forward to address Captain Gerard and Lord Oblek. “We have searched the other guests and the Black Wolf is nowhere to be found, my lord.”
Oblek turned his eyes on me, took a step forward, and gave me a warning look. “Tell us where your accomplice is. That scoundrel has made a fool of me and my guards for the last time.”
“Tell us where he has taken the prince, and my king will be lenient with you,” Captain Gerard added.
I’d had enough. My anger flared, and magic pulsed through my body. I pushed hard against Lucian’s power that was holding me rooted to the spot. The archmage’s eyes widened as I shattered his hold over me and walked up to Oblek and the captain.
“I have told you once, Captain Gerard,” I snarled softly, looking him straight in the eyes. “I did not kidnap your prince, and I don’t know where he is. Maybe you should check the brothels and taverns back in Neris. That is where he usually spends all his time, I hear.”
Captain Gerard’s eyes went wide, and his face changed to the color of fresh beets.
“And as for the Black Wolf,” I addressed my old enemy Oblek, “you will never catch him, for he’s a better warrior-mage than you can ever hope to be.”
Lucian chuckled, and his face distorted into what I presumed was a grin. “That’s the Firedrake princess all right. My nephew, Damien, told me she had quite a temper. Exactly like her father, this one.”
Lucian raised his hand. Pain shot through my body and I gasped, clutching my chest as I fell to my knees.
“Do not think your innate gifts are any match for mine, little princess,” said the Archmage of Avalonia. “I’ve mastered powers you have never dreamed of, long before you were born.”
Dark magic clawed at my body as I tried to defend myself. Lucian smiled calmly as if it were no effort for him. I had no idea how to break his hold over me this time, and his sinister power was suffocating mine.
I could see Brandon struggling to move toward me, but two guards held him back. My vision blurred and I tried to force back the shadows twisting around me. The world swam before my eyes, and the pain kept building, until finally my magic weakened and I fell the rest of the way to the ground, darkness forming an ebony veil before my eyes as I lost consciousness.
When I awoke, I was bound and lying on the floor of a dark room. My mouth felt dry and my tongue was like sandpaper. The metallic tang of Lucian’s magic remained, leaving a sour taste at the back of my throat. I pushed myself up into a sitting position, my eyes adjusting to the lack of light. Something scurried away beside me, and I drew my legs up closer. I hoped it wasn’t a rat—I hated rats!
I looked around. I was in some sort of cellar under the mansion—barrels of wine and ale lined the dank walls. I shivered as I tried to use my magic to untie the ropes around my hands, but it didn’t work. I couldn’t recreate the magic I had performed in the ruins with Morgana because I never really knew what I was doing.
I slumped back against the cold stone wall, gazing around. I knew it was too much to hope for Rafe to rescue me again; I hoped he had escaped, at least. If Oblek found out he was the Black Wolf, his cover would be blown and he would not be able to help the fae anymore.
The door opened and Lucian strode in, stopping a few feet away. “Good, you’re awake.”
“Where’s Brandon?” I struggled with my bonds, but they remained firmly in place.
“Don’t worry, your little boyfriend is fine,” Lucian said, clasping his hands in front of him and eyeing me warily. His stare was cool and calculating. “Well, maybe not fine, but he’s alive, at least. You will get him back soon, but first I need to talk to you in private. This position suits you, Princess. On your knees and at my feet where you belong.”
“Go to hell,” I snapped, pushing myself back against the wall. I was still light-headed, and if I tried to stand now, my legs could give way—I didn’t want Lucian to realize how much his dark magic had affected me.
He moved closer and, without touching me, pulled me up, holding me against the wall with his magic.
“Oh, I’m sure hell is where I will end up eventually.” A sardonic grin formed on his lips as he held me pinned to the wall. “You should learn to behave better with your elders, Princess. Especially those who could give you what you want.”
“You and Morgana have been hunting me for months, and you planned to kill me,” I spat. “I want nothing
from you.”
“Ah! But you will, little princess,” said the archmage, “and you will change your tune when you hear what I have to offer.”
“You have nothing to offer me,” I snarled.
He glided closer, his voice silky and smooth like a caress. “I can offer you more than your incompetent Prince Rafael or that rogue, the Black Wolf.” His breath was warm against my cheek as he spoke into my ear. I tried to move away, but his magic held me rooted to the spot. “You and I together would be unstoppable, Aurora. Marry me, and I will make you high queen of all Avalonia.”
Was he serious? Did he think I would marry him to get the throne?
“What about Morgana?” I was eager to keep him talking while my mind processed this. Would he betray his queen to gain power?
“I will take care of Morgana, you needn’t worry about her.” The archmage moved back a little.
“You are just her lackey, what can you do to her?” I tried to goad him. I needed more information, I had to keep him talking.
“You underestimate me, young princess.” Lucian’s features contorted into a cruel sneer. “I know what Morgana is hiding. I know her secret. I know the real reason she had Azaren killed and why she wants you dead so badly.”
She had a secret?
“If you agree to marry me, I will tell you what it is,” he said, coming closer.
“And that would conveniently make you high king.”
“That is the whole point of the offer.” His hand moved to caress my hip. “It wouldn’t be a very good deal if I didn’t get anything in return.”
I recoiled at his touch but forced myself to keep my voice even. “Why not marry Morgana?”
“Morgana will never marry.” Lucian scowled. “She plans to rule alone. She will never share power with anyone.”
“First,” I said, outwardly calm and meeting his gaze, even though my heart beat faster than usual, “I am barely seventeen, and you are old enough to be my father, so this is very creepy. And in any case, if you were closer to my age, I wouldn’t marry you if you were the last man in all of Avalonia.”
His features twisted into an ugly snarl, and his dark power tightened around my chest, making me gasp for breath. My own magic welled up to fight it, but with my amulet on, the beast remained caged. If I didn’t learn to control it soon, there was no telling what would happen when I removed the amulet the next time. Even if I could remove the amulet, I wasn’t about to take that chance. Lucian loosened his hold and I fell to my knees, pain shooting through my legs. I took deep breaths and tried desperately to shake off his hold.
Lucian quickly released his grip and turned to leave. He looked back at me with a sneer. “You should also know that your dear granduncle, the illustrious Duke Silverthorne, is rotting away in the palace dungeons. There is no one to come to your aid now.”
“What!” I gasped through the pain. What the hell was going on in Eldoren? “King Petrocales would never imprison his most trusted advisor. You’re lying.”
“Am I?” A devilish grin spread across his hardened face. “And I suppose you also think I am lying when I say we have an informant who knows where your dear prince is hiding.”
“Who?” Who could have betrayed us?
“Santino Valasis, the pirate.” Lucian looked extremely pleased with himself. “In fact, I’m about to go and meet him now. Once I have disposed of your prince and your so-called rescuer, the Black Wolf, you will realize the best option for you is to ally yourself with me. I am your only chance for survival.”
I slumped against the wall. If Santino had given us up to Lucian, this was the end. We were done for.
The door opened and Brandon was pushed down the stairs, landing in front of me with a thump. His head was bleeding. I moved to help him, but with my hands tied, I couldn’t do much. I looked at the archmage, my hatred for him clearly showing in my eyes.
“You can have my answer now,” I ground out between clenched teeth. “I will never marry you, not for every single crown in the seven kingdoms.”
He didn’t look perturbed in the least. “Think about it,” he said, unimpressed by my refusal. “You have till sunrise to give me your answer.”
Lucian turned and left the cellar, plunging me back into shadow as I was cloaked in the room’s murky folds.
Aurora Firedrake
Brandon groaned and tried to push himself up, but his hands were bound too. One of his eyes was swollen, and the gash on his head oozed blood, which trickled down the side of his face. I moved closer to him. If I could remove my bonds I could heal him. Again I tried to untie the ropes with my magic, but it wasn’t working.
“What did they do to you, Brandon?”
“They wanted to know where Rafe was,” Brandon groaned as he tried again to sit up. “But I didn’t tell them anything.” His voice was hoarse and his breathing was labored. I hoped he had not broken any ribs. “Oblek was not pleased, as you can imagine.”
I made a face at the mention of my old enemy. How I wished I could encounter him with my amulet off. One day I would, I promised myself.
“What did Lucian want?” Brandon asked.
“He asked me to marry him.” I laughed, despite the circumstances. I still found it absurd, although I could understand the motivation behind it. His offer had thrown me off guard.
Brandon’s eyebrows rose. “I can understand his eagerness. After seeing you, any man would be besotted.”
I felt bad I had gotten Brandon mixed up in my problems. “He thinks he can get the throne of Illiador through me,” I explained. “His loyalty to Morgana is waning. He wants more power, and Morgana is not going to give it to him.”
Brandon nodded. “On my way back from Andrysia, I came across a camp of rebels who call themselves the Silver Swords.”
“I’ve never heard of them.”
“Not many people have. They are a secret group of men and women who are opposed to Morgana’s rule. They live in the forests of Illiador away from the towns and the capital. Although I cannot say how true this rumor is,” Brandon paused, “there has been talk of Morgana looking to replace Lucian as archmage.”
“That’s why the sudden offer of marriage happened,” I said, my brain churning with this information. “If what you say is true, then Lucian must be desperate. He will have his own agenda now, and that makes him more dangerous, because we don’t know what he is planning.”
“There is something else. I heard Oblek’s guards talking when they thought I had passed out. Captain Gerard thinks they came here to find and rescue the prince, but Lucian plans to kill Rafe on Morgana’s orders.”
I gasped. Kill Rafe! I had to warn him. But how? It was too late—Santino had betrayed us, and Lucian was already on his way to find him. “I thought you said we could trust Santino, but he gave us up the first chance he got.”
Brandon shook his head. “I don’t understand it. Santino may be a pirate, but he is also a man of his word. If he agreed to take you to Brandor, he would never give you up to Lucian. There must be something more to this.”
The cellar door opened, casting a beam of light on the wooden floorboards. Captain Gerard walked down the stairs and stopped before me.
“Is it true?” His voice was brisk. “Is Lucian planning to kill the prince?” He looked at Brandon.
Brandon nodded. “Yes, it’s true.”
“Then there is no time to lose,” he said quickly, glancing at me. “Get up! We have to get out of here before the archmage returns.”
I was stunned, but only for a second. Was he helping us? I pushed myself up hurriedly—if Captain Gerard was going to get us out, I was not going to argue. But I still had questions.
“Why help us?” I asked, as he drew a knife from his belt and slit the ropes that bound my hands behind my back. I rubbed my wrists as the blood flow returned.
I moved over to assist Captain Gerard with Brandon.
“My main concern is Prince Rafael’s life,” said Captain Gerard as he went to work s
licing the ropes binding Brandon.
“And you believe I didn’t kidnap him?”
“I do now,” said the red-haired captain of the Blue Cloaks. “The prince came to me and told me you are innocent and that he left the palace of his own accord to help you.”
“But how will we leave? We have no ship. Santino has betrayed us.”
“My prince has informed me the pirate’s ship is ready to take you to Brandor.”
“But the meeting with Lucian?” I asked, confused.
“A ruse to get the archmage out of the mansion,” said Captain Gerard. “The pirate Santino has not betrayed you. He is working with Prince Rafael to lure Lucian away from here and give you enough time to escape to the ship.”
I smiled. I knew Rafe would come up with a plan. He hadn’t forgotten me here. It was also a great relief to know Santino was still loyal, and he was waiting for us with his ship ready to sail. At least now I had some hope of getting out of this alive.
“Thank you for helping us,” I said sincerely, placing my hand on Captain Gerard’s arm. He was a good man and Rafe trusted him, which was good enough for me.
The red-haired captain nodded. “Now that the Blackwaters are ruling the council and Silverthorne has been imprisoned, Prince Rafael needs to go back, or he will lose his throne.” He paused and drew his brows together. “But he won’t go until he has seen you to safety. So that is what I am going to do.”
Hearing the worry in Captain Gerard’s voice made me realize how selfish I had been all this time. When Brandon advised me to convince Rafe to go back to Eldoren, I did so half-heartedly. I should have been more insistent. I hadn’t realized how bad things were for Rafe. All this time I had been concerned only about myself and my quest to find my mother, when I should have been thinking about the bigger picture. Rafe had a kingdom of his own to protect, and my selfishness could cost him his throne.
“We must go, there is no time to waste.” Captain Gerard helped Brandon up and put his arm over his shoulders.
The Rise of the Dawnstar (The Avalonia Chronicles Book 2) Page 6