The Calling (The Andovia Chronicles Book 1)

by Tiffany Shand

  He kept a firm hold on Nyx, both so she wouldn’t get overwhelmed by the people, but also so she wouldn’t make a run for it. Darius had seen her eyeing potential escape routes already, and he knew she would try escaping again. At least on the ship, she would have nowhere to run.

  As they walked up the gangway, Nyx paused halfway up. “Isn’t there another way to get to your islands?” Her face turned white.

  “Not unless we flew by dragon, but my father couldn’t spare any.” Darius didn’t mention that he hadn’t asked his father if they could use any dragons. He knew full well that he never would have agreed.

  “How safe are these ships?” Nyx asked. “Will it fall out of the sky?”

  “No, my dear. They’re very safe and even fare well during storms.” Ambrose gave her a warm smile, but it didn’t put her at ease.

  “Can’t you druids transport yourselves from one place to another?” Nyx stared at the other druid in disbelief. “Like you did earlier? Why can’t we travel that way?”

  “Transportation circles only work over certain distances,” Darius replied. “They can’t transport us from one realm to another. That requires a lot more power.”

  They all stood and watched as the crew untethered the ship and set sail. The ship shuddered and groaned as the moorings were released and it took to the air. Darius almost laughed at Nyx’s open-mouthed expression as the ship left the dock. After all, he had been travelling on them from a young age since his parents often used them to go to faraway lands.

  “How long does it take to get to your islands? I don’t want to spend days cooped up on a ship. I thought your brother wanted to see me right away?”

  “They’re not my islands and it’ll be about an hour or two depending on the wind.”

  Her eyes widened at that. “How fast do these things travel? Isn’t wherever we’re going hundreds of leagues from here?”

  On an ordinary ship, the journey to the upper realm and islands of Andovia would have taken several days.

  Darius nodded. “It is a long way, but as I said, these ships travel fast.”

  “Ranelle, Lucien, I trust you can keep yourselves occupied for a while?” Ambrose asked them. Both teens stared at each other, then gave a curt nod.

  “Good. Darius, Nyx, come with me.” Ambrose motioned for them to follow.

  “Doesn’t holding onto me all the time bother you?” Nyx whispered.

  Darius frowned, thoughtful. “I have to make sure you don’t run away.”

  She scowled at him. “Doesn’t it bother you that you’re taking me away from my family?”

  “It doesn’t matter what I think. The law is the law, Nyx.” He had to obey his brother’s orders whether he wanted to or not. Besides, he couldn’t leave her wandering around the lower realm putting people at risk. Darius hoped she would realise the potential danger of her powers sooner rather than later.

  “Never mind the fact my sisters will be sold back into slavery?” She crossed her arms. “Guess I shouldn’t expect someone like you to care.”

  His nostrils flared. “What does that mean?” Darius did not want to waste time or energy arguing with a criminal. When Gideon had sent him to retrieve her, he hadn’t expected her to be so irritating. His brother would be in for a shock when he did meet Nyx in person. He almost pitied Gideon for that. He would be glad to get home and be rid of her once and for all. Why did he have to be the one to deal with her? He was part of the Forest Guard on Eldara, not a lowly foot soldier who carried messages and retrieved people for his lord.

  “I meant given who your father is, I shouldn’t expect you to be any different.”

  Anger heated his blood and his fists clenched. “You don’t know anything about me, so don’t presume I’m anything like my father.”

  Holy spirits, this girl is infuriating.

  How dare she compare him to his tyrannical father. Darius had always vowed to be different from his parents. They both might have been dark magic users, and that same darkness ran in his blood, but that didn’t mean he would be anything like them. He kept to the true path of what being a druid was meant for: protecting nature, taking care of others and using the powers that came from the natural elements, not from those darker places, as they did.

  “Are you coming?” Ambrose called out.

  Darius sighed and stalked off after his mentor. He waited, half expecting Nyx to jump over the side of the ship.

  She glared at him, then stomped over.

  Darius and Nyx headed into a large cabin filled with several seats stuffed with pillows. He would have been glad to retreat to one of the cabins for a while to get away from Nyx. Why did he of all people have immunity to her power? He didn’t understand it. There was nothing special about him that would give him the ability to neutralise her. He might have a block on him to ensure he never came under the influence of a mind whisperer. Still, he had never heard of that neutralising a mind whisperer’s power entirely. Darius would have to investigate the matter further when he got home.

  He would be glad when he no longer had to deal with her. Darius had his own affairs to tend to, like solving the murders caused by the darklings and finding out what had caused the tear in the veil.

  “Now what are you doing?” Nyx wanted to know. “Are you going to interrogate me?”

  “No, we’re going to test your powers,” Ambrose answered.

  “Why does he block my curse?” She motioned towards Darius. “Is it because he’s a Valeran?”

  Darius scowled at that. Was he to be blamed for every bad thing because of his infamous family name? He gritted his teeth and muttered a curse under his breath. Dangerous or not, he wanted Nyx gone. Who was she to judge him anyway? She had killed that tavern-keeper — although Darius suspected the world would be a safer place without that slave trader in it.

  Ambrose chuckled. “I’m not sure what it is about him that disables your powers yet. But I doubt it is because he is a Valeran.”

  Darius bit back a smug smile and slumped into a seat. At least he didn’t have to hold onto her for a while. Nyx didn’t seem so overwhelmed now they were on the ship and there were only a few crew members on board. If she was, she didn’t show it.

  Darius wondered how much control she had over her abilities. Judging by how she lost control earlier today, he was amazed she hadn’t enslaved or killed anyone before now.

  “What makes you believe you are cursed?” Ambrose asked her.

  “I can’t imagine anyone being born with this gift. Plus, Har – the man who raised me said I was cursed. How could this be a gift? I am tormented by other people’s thoughts.”

  “You don’t seem to mind using your influence on people, though.” Darius leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms.

  Her scowl returned. “I do what I must to survive.”

  “Influencing others couldn’t be part of a curse. You use it to your advantage too much. How could you not know the danger that comes with such power?” Darius let his arms fall to his sides. “Mind whisperers are taught from an early age to –”

  “Up until last night, I had never even heard the term mind whisperer before. I’ve been a slave for as long as I can remember. There was no one there to train me.”

  Darius opened his mouth to ask her more questions, but Ambrose cut him off. “The man you killed.” Ambrose didn’t say it with any malice. “Did you lose control of your power last night?”

  Nyx paled. “I – I don’t remember. But I didn’t kill him. I might be a thief and use my powers to cheat sometimes, but I don’t kill people.” Her hands clenched into fists. “And if I did do it, it was only to protect my sister.”

  Ambrose frowned. “You have a sister? Does she have the same abilities as you?”

  Nyx shook her head. “No, we aren’t related by blood.”

  Darius noticed she hadn’t mentioned that her sisters did have abilities. He had seen that for himself last night when he had gone to the tavern looking for Nyx. “I need to test you to find
a way for you to control your gift,” Ambrose said. “How often do you lose control? Do you have lapses in time too?”

  Darius hadn’t considered the possibility of Nyx truly not remembering what she had done. He thought she might have lost control but had suspected she was lying when she said she had forgotten last night’s events. Now he didn’t know what to think. She hadn’t had any lapse in time earlier when she lost control.

  Nyx shrugged. “When I get upset or angry. I’m fine if I stay away from people.” She shot Darius another glare.

  “And you were with your foundling family for how long?”

  “Since they found me under an ash tree when I was ten. That’s why they named me after it.”

  “I’m going to remove the shield I placed around me and see what you can sense.” Ambrose raised his staff. “Try not to resist me. I’m going to use my senses. I will not harm you.”

  Darius straightened in his seat. If she lost control, he would have to neutralise her power again. He would be ready for that – even if he didn’t want to touch her again. Once they got to Eldara he would figure out why he could neutralise her power. He didn’t know if it was a blessing or a curse. He suspected it meant he would have to spend more time with her even after he handed her over to his brother.

  “How did you manage your gift when you were around people?” Ambrose asked.

  “It has gotten worse over the past year or two. So, I sometimes take a sedative – that’s the only thing that helps.” Nyx took a seat as far away from him and Ambrose as she could get.

  “What sedative?”

  “Nilanda.”

  Darius’ mouth fell open. Nilanda was one of the most potent sedatives and usually only used in healing houses. It was also a dangerous drug because it could sap magical abilities.

  “How often do you take that stuff?” Darius asked her.

  Nyx shrugged. “Only when my curse gets overwhelming. Or when I have to go to the city. Otherwise, I can’t cope with all of the voices.”

  “Nilanda is dangerous —” Ambrose began.

  Nyx held up a hand to silence him. “I know what effects it can have on people. It’s never taken my curse away, which is a pity. And I haven’t had any adverse side-effects from it either. So, there is nothing to worry about.” She fiddled with a leather band on her left wrist. “Harland would… he would hit my sisters if I refused to go with him. It was the only way I could protect them.”

  Darius flinched. He knew full well what it was like to endure abuse. Pity for her swelled in his chest, though he pushed the feeling away and reminded himself she was still a killer.

  “I will scan you with my senses now.” Ambrose gripped his staff.

  Nyx shrank back in her seat. “Will it hurt? If it does–”

  Darius didn’t want to risk her losing control again. We need to be careful. Her losing control is not an experience I want to relive. Her power felt like it would tear me apart.

  Ambrose clutched his staff tighter. I know. But we’ll never know the true extent of her power unless I test it for myself. I doubt she is cursed, but I have to check just to be sure.

  Can I join senses with you? Darius asked. I am curious about her power, even if I don’t like the idea of her using it on anyone.

  Ambrose gave him a slight nod.

  “No, this will not hurt, Nyx. All you may feel is a slight tingle.” Ambrose raised his staff and the walls around them flashed with light. “This room is now shielded so you will not be affected by the minds of those on board.”

  Nyx arched an eyebrow. “I still hear them, but not as much as before.”

  Ambrose and Darius both cast their senses out. Their powers joined together as they connected through a familiar mental link.

  “Try not to resist us,” Ambrose repeated. “It’s a small test. Think of it as if we’re looking into a pool and seeing what’s inside it.”

  Nyx tensed, as though bracing herself.

  The true extent of her power hit Darius like a tidal wave. He winced as he walked over to Ambrose’s side. Whoa. I had a hard time reading her before but… how have people around her survived for so long? From what I sensed; they only possessed a spark of magic when I was in her village.

  Incredible, so much raw power. Ambrose sent his senses out further. I haven’t met a mind whisperer in decades, but her magic is very strong.

  Darius’ eyes widened. He had no idea how Ambrose could have met another mind whisperer since they were supposed to have been extinct for at least a generation.

  Stop that! Nyx’s voice echoed through their minds.

  Darius and Ambrose stumbled backwards as a blast of energy assaulted their senses.

  “You do have some control,” Ambrose observed. “Well done. I didn’t expect you to be able to do that. Are you certain you have no training?”

  “How do I have control?” Nyx furrowed her brow. “I didn’t do anything. And no, I’ve never had any training. I’ve been a thief for as long as I can remember.”

  “You told us to stop.” Darius rubbed his now aching forehead. His senses reeled from the sudden onslaught of energy.

  “You blocked us both, we heard your mental command.” Ambrose looked flabbergasted. She has power, that’s for sure. It’s a good thing you came for her when you did.

  “I did what?” Nyx asked.

  You don’t think she’s cursed, do you? Darius asked and hoped Nyx wouldn’t be able to overhear their conversation.

  “Just try not to resist us. We need to probe a little deeper to see if there is any sign of a curse.”

  I don’t feel any dark magic from her, and I would know it, Darius added. I grew up around it.

  I doubt it’s a curse, but I need to be sure. Ambrose sent his senses out again.

  Nyx took a deep breath and reluctantly nodded.

  Darius sent his still-reeling senses out again and raised his mental shield further in case Nyx lost control. It might not affect him, but he didn’t enjoy the feel of it.

  Energy pulsed from deep inside Nyx, reverberating through their combined minds. Darius and Ambrose drew back from the feel of it.

  “You’re very gifted, my dear.” Ambrose pulled his senses back, so Darius did the same. “And you are not cursed. Your gift is natural.”

  Nyx groaned. “I was afraid you’d say that. Can you get rid of it?”

  “Why would you want that?” Ambrose gaped at her. “You use your abilities, don’t you? How do you think you would adjust to life without them?”

  “Because I don’t want to endanger people or be enslaved to his blasted family because of it.” She inclined her head towards Darius. “I’m sure I would be just fine without my abilities.”

  Darius supposed that would make Gideon lose interest in her but doubted it would gain her any freedom. Not after she had committed murder.

  “That won’t grant you your freedom,” Darius remarked. “Not after the crime that… took place.” He decided not to antagonise her further about Harland’s death. It would be better not to make her angry again or she might lose control.

  “It would be like saying you wanted to cut off one of your limbs,” Ambrose remarked. “Would you want that? It would be a useless thing to do. It’s not like you would be cutting off something defective. Your power is as much a part of you as breathing.”

  Nyx shook her head. “But I’m tired of being at the mercy of everyone else’s emotions. I want to be alone in my mind and not have all this noise around me.”

  “Removing your gift could have terrible consequences. Perhaps even death. No one is ever stripped of their powers unless they have committed a heinous crime or they are not of sound mind.”

  Nyx sighed. “You don’t know if you can teach me to control it. You haven’t encountered any mind whisperers for centuries. That’s why you’re so desperate to have me.”

  “You read my mind?” Ambrose arched an eyebrow.

  “I don’t have to. I am a thief. I’m good at reading people.”


  “We will test your abilities more when we get to Andovia,” Ambrose said. “At least there we can be in a more controlled environment away from other people in case your power slips again.”

  Nyx slumped back in her seat. “Guess I’m stuck with you now, druid.”

  “I suppose you are.” Darius got up and went over to Ambrose, who was staring out of the window.

  “We can’t let my brother learn how powerful she is,” he said, and conjured a ward so Nyx wouldn’t overhear them. “I dread to think what he might do if he knew. I suspect he wouldn’t kill her but will try to use her powers for himself.”

  Ambrose nodded. “Nor your father. You know how he and your grandfather wiped out the mind whisperers. He will not be happy when he learns of her.” He gripped his staff tighter. “We won’t be able to keep that a secret from him – not now that Gideon knows of her existence.”

  “But how can we stop them? We can’t hide her power.” Darius gripped the railing. “Gideon might sense her before we even reach the islands.”

  “I have been thinking about that. A shield would be too obvious.” Ambrose rubbed his chin.

  “Perhaps we could put the shield on her clothing or…” Darius shook his head. “No, she would need to keep it on all the time. There is too much risk of her taking it off or losing it. A shield would be better because it would be wrapped around her skin.”

  “Gideon would sense a shield. Besides, Nyx’s power would eventually seep through. We would need something to suppress her power, but not leave her vulnerable so she can’t sense potential danger.” Ambrose frowned. “Perhaps you are the key.”

  “I can’t hold onto Nyx all the time. The moment I let go of her, her power would seep out. Why do I neutralise her power?” Darius frowned.

  “At first, I thought it might be the mental shield your father gave you. I can’t be sure. Your very touch neutralises her power. Perhaps your blood would have the same effect.” Ambrose glanced over at Nyx. “We will test it more and find out how you do it when we return to Andovia.”