by Lisa Cassidy
After a moment, Dawn yawned loudly, and her covers rustled as she sat up. “We’d better hurry if we want to make breakfast.”
“You go,” Alyx mumbled. “I want sleep.”
“You sure? Sparring won’t be easy on an empty stomach.”
Alyx turned over, eyes already sliding closed, and mumbled something incoherent. This seemed to convince Dawn, and Alyx dozed to the sounds of the girl dressing and leaving.
As the door closed behind her, Alyx’s stomach let out a loud growl. After that, it became impossible to ignore her hunger enough to sleep.
“Argh!” Eventually she sat and pushed back the covers.
She dressed quickly, yawning the whole time, before running after Dawn. It was still mostly dark outside; a thick fog hugged the ground and the air felt still and quiet. She made her way along the path towards the main hall, finally starting to feel awake. Nerves wriggled in her stomach as she realised she was alone. She’d assumed she’d catch Dawn before leaving the dorm, or at least one of the other girls in the building.
The fog closed in around her as she walked, bringing with it silence and a wonderful few moments of solitude. Despite the bitter cold, it was peaceful, and Alyx began to relax. She could almost feel the tension draining from her shoulders.
The sound of footsteps instantly had her shoulders stiffening again, and she turned, heart leaping into her throat. It was hard to tell exactly how far away the person was in the fog, but it soon became clear that they were heading directly towards her. Alyx considered turning and heading back to the relative safety of the dormitory, but in the fog she couldn’t tell what direction the person was approaching from, and she didn’t want to run right into them.
Moments later a tall form appeared to her right, quickly resolving itself into Galien. Alyx swallowed, instinctively backed up a step.
“I wouldn’t run,” Galien said conversationally. “You know I can stop you.”
“What are you doing out here? You don’t want to miss breakfast, do you?”
He shrugged. “I’m here because I knew you were. Breakfast can wait.”
Alyx took another step back. “What do you want with me, Galien?”
“It was you last night in the Taliath room, wasn’t it? I wasn’t entirely certain, but you don’t have your magic yet and that means you can’t shield properly.” His eyes were on her face, studying for her reaction, and he smiled when he caught it. “Yes, it was you.”
“If you knew I was there last night, why didn’t you do anything?” she challenged him, unsuccessfully trying to hide the note of fear in her voice. He didn’t miss it, and his cold smile flashed.
“Circumstances,” he said. “Circumstances that don’t exist this morning.”
He took a step towards her and when she tried to back away, she found herself paralysed to the spot, held there by his magic.
“There is no reason for you to hate me like you do,” she said desperately as he continued to come closer. “It wasn’t me that killed your father.”
“No, you didn’t kill my father,” he breathed. “That was one of your precious Rionnan Blue Guard.”
“Then why?” she whispered.
He reached out, an icy finger trailing down her cheek, his gaze turned inwards as if he were somewhere else entirely.
“No magic yet,” he murmured. “Her daughter… and yet, no magic. What ironic perfection if you are just as human as any of them.”
“Galien…” Her teeth chattered and she couldn’t say anymore, her throat closing over in panic and fear.
His hand slid down her cheek to her throat, thumb brushing over her pulse. His fingers pressed harder into her skin, slowly, until she began to feel her airway constrict. She fought, sheer panic roping through her, but his power was strong and he held her with ridiculous ease. The cold fingers tightened mercilessly until it was painful, and she was choking, gasping for air.
“Don’t fear, I’m not going to kill you here.” She felt his warm breath on her ear, and would have shuddered if she hadn’t been struggling for air. “One day though—in a month, or a year or five years. One day there will be an opportunity, and you should have no doubts I will take it.”
“Galien!”
Unbelievably, Tarrick’s voice rang through the fog somewhere behind her. Galien’s hold on her throat loosened fractionally as his gaze moved over her shoulder.
“What do want, Tylender?”
“Let her go.”
The cold smile stretched across his handsome Shiven face. “Alyx and I were just having a conversation.”
“I won’t let you kill her.”
“Zandian honour, such a silly thing,” Galien mused, fingers tightening about Alyx’s throat again before he let go entirely and stepped back. “I’m not trying to kill anyone. That would be against the rules.”
Alyx blinked, gasping in air, dimly realising the fog was rapidly lifting. Galien glanced between them, an amused smile on his face.
“Until next time.”
Alyx sank to her knees, hand at her bruised throat, trying to suck in air. Moments later a strong arm wrapped around her waist.
“Alyx, just relax,” Tarrick’s voice was calm. “You’re all right, he’s gone. You can breathe, just relax. That’s right, relax, take deep breaths. You’re okay.”
With his voice murmuring into her ear Alyx slowly began to relax, taking longer, deeper breaths until her rapid heartbeat faded and the blurriness disappeared from her vision.
“You’re all right, Alyx. He’s gone.”
Alyx nodded, swallowing, and turned to throw her arms around Tarrick’s neck. She was trembling with a mixture of fear and relief, her whole body shaking. He was solid and warm and held her tightly until the trembling slowed.
“Think you can stand?”
She nodded against his chest and he helped her get to her feet, making sure she was steady before stepping back. He looked awkward and a little embarrassed by their hug.
“Thank you,” she rasped, tears pricking her eyes with gratitude. “Thank you so much.”
“Don’t thank me,” he said, turning to gesture at their approaching friends. “Thank Dawn. She was the one who sensed you were in trouble.”
“Alyx, are you all right?” Dawn came running and Alyx staggered back with the force of her hug.
“I am, thanks to you.”
“What happened?” Finn demanded.
“I changed my mind about skipping breakfast, but I was too slow to catch up with Dawn... Galien cornered me, he knew I was out here,” Alyx rasped as she stepped away from Dawn. Her throat hurt to speak.
“He was choking her when I arrived,” Tarrick said darkly. “Alyx, what were you thinking!”
“I’m sorry. I was still half-asleep and I was already outside before I realised nobody else was around. I wasn’t thinking clearly.”
“Thank everything you sensed it,” Brynn said to Dawn.
“You did?”
Dawn nodded. “We were just sitting down to breakfast, and something made me think of you, so I concentrated like Howell’s been teaching me. I caught a snatch of triumph in Galien’s thoughts and knew he must have you. I told Tarrick and he went to find you straight away.”
“Lucky Galien wasn’t shielding well,” Finn said.
“Come on, let’s get you inside where it’s warm.” Dawn wrapped an arm around Alyx’s shoulders.
“I think we should get a healer to have a look at your throat,” Brynn said. “It’s bruising already.”
“I’m all right.”
“Was he really trying to kill you?” Finn asked.
“I doubt it,” Tarrick said heavily. “Not right out the front of the hall. I think he just wanted to demonstrate to Alyx that he can get to her.”
“He would have kept hurting me if you hadn’t come,” Alyx said.
“You were brave, Tarrick,” Brynn said, respect in his eyes. “You knew there was a good chance Galien could hurt you too.”
“
Yeah, we all owe you.” Finn clapped him on the shoulder.
Dawn leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. “Thanks, Tarrick.”
Tarrick again looked uncomfortable at the attention but nodded. “You’re welcome. Now, can we go and get some breakfast before it’s too late? I’m starving.”
“Yes, you all go, and I’ll take Alyx to the healers.” Brynn raised a hand at the look on Tarrick’s face. “We’ll keep to indoor hallways that are populated with people, I promise. You and Dawn deserve a good breakfast and Alyx should see the healer soon. Given Galien will most likely be in the dining hall too, Finn should stay with you both. Safety in numbers and all that.”
“All right,” Tarrick conceded.
“Thank you,” Alyx told him, heartfelt, as Brynn led her away.
He nodded, gave her a faint smile, then joined the others as they went towards the dining hall.
“Are you all right?” Brynn asked later after the healer mage checked Alyx over and pronounced her fine. Now he was escorting her to languages class.
“My throat hurts,” she rasped.
“Not what I meant.”
Alyx shrugged. “Not really, but then, that’s been the case since I got here. Maybe now I’m even more afraid than I was.”
“Me too.” He squeezed her hand.
“I think that it’s me he wants. You and the others don’t need to worry so much.”
“That’s undoubtedly true,” he said cheerfully. “But I’m not afraid for me.”
“Oh,” she glanced at him, feeling tears prick at her eyes.
He grinned at that, deliberately lighting the mood. “I’d be moderately upset if you died. Who else would be even worse than I am at languages? All Prajana’s attention would turn to me.”
Alyx laughed, even though it hurt her throat. “Thanks, Brynn.”
Howell’s face tightened fractionally when Alyx and the others arrived at their class with him the following day. The expression was so brief Alyx almost missed it entirely.
“What happened to you?” he asked casually.
“Galien. He cornered me before breakfast yesterday morning,” she said. “Tarrick came and stopped him choking me.”
Their master glanced between her and Tarrick. “There are limits to the bullying I’ll tolerate. I’ll speak to Master Rothai, I promise.”
“Yes, sir.”
His look told her he was fully aware she didn’t have any confidence in his ability to stop Galien. “I won’t pretend to understand why he has conceived such a hatred for you, but you might think about applying yourself more. Galien wouldn’t find you such an easy target if you were better able to defend yourself.”
Alyx’s temper flared at that. “I have no interest in being a warrior mage, sir, and I don’t think learning how to fight should be a prerequisite for surviving my studies. As far as I’m concerned, you and the masters should be doing a lot more to ensure your students are safe.”
“I think by now we are all fully aware of your reluctance to be here. Reminding us of it so frequently is frankly becoming irritating,” Howell said. “I realise you are accustomed to having everything in your life—including your physical safety—handed to you on a silver platter. However, you might acknowledge that learning some self-sufficiency, whether you end up a mage or not, wouldn’t be a bad thing.”
That stung, and Alyx opened her mouth with an angry retort ready, “I—”
“This conversation is over.” Howell turned to Tarrick. “Please show me the results of your practicing what we discussed last week.”
“He’s not angry at you,” Dawn murmured, gently touching Alyx’s hand. “Well, he’s irritated at you, but there’s something else he’s truly angry about.”
“Yeah, well, that makes both of us,” Alyx said. She couldn’t deny he’d been at least partially right. She was sick and tired of being scared and helpless all the time. She just didn’t know how to fix it.
Chapter 19
Alyx lay on her back, her head resting on folded arms, soaking up the warm sunshine on the roof of the dormitory. Brynn, Tarrick, and the twins were also lying in the sun, their prone bodies spread outwards like the spokes of a wheel. Alyx’s sleeves were rolled up to her elbows and she’d discarded her robe beside her. Her eyes were closed in sheer bliss.
They were enjoying their weekly afternoon off. Winter had finally passed in Tregaya, and over the past week, the snow had begun melting away from the fields and hills. That morning, they’d been unable to believe their luck when the day had dawned bright and sunny, without a cloud in the sky. None of them had paid much attention during Howell’s class earlier, too eager to get out and enjoy the weather. He’d eventually given a heavy sigh and dismissed them early.
The sunny weather reminded Alyx of Rionn. She could almost smell the combination of the fish, seaweed and salt of the docks, where on a day like this, she, Cayr, and Dashan would likely be. The smile on her face widened as she thought dreamily of how it had felt to be kissed by Cayr. She couldn’t wait to do it again.
Alyx turned her head slightly. Dawn’s face was relaxed and content in the sun, her eyes closed. She looked older, somehow, than Alyx remembered from when they’d first met. Alyx supposed that was normal, since the twins had celebrated their seventeenth birthday in the middle of winter. Brynn wouldn’t turn eighteen until almost the end of their year at DarkSkull. Tarrick was roughly a year older than she was, but Alyx only knew that because it was a sore point with Tarrick that it had taken him much longer to display his powers than either of his brothers.
“When is your birthday, Tarrick?” she asked idly.
“First month of summer. A few days after the DarkSkull year ends. Why?”
“I’m just curious.”
Nobody knew it, but this beautiful sunny day was Alyx’s seventeenth birthday. Dashan would have turned twenty a week earlier, and Cayr would turn eighteen in exactly one week. It had always been amusing to the three of them growing up that their birthdays were so close. It had been another thing to bind them together. The thought of Cayr made her smile.
“We get to go home in three months,” she murmured dreamily.
Finn groaned. “Yes, we know. And then you’re going to marry Prince Cayr and live happily ever after.”
“Shut up, Finn.”
A comfortable silence fell again, each occupied with their own thoughts.
There was a rush of wings above them and a beautiful golden falcon alighted on the walls nearby. Finn raised his head languidly, then lifted an arm. The young bird ruffled its feathers, then glided off the wall to land on Finn’s chest.
In their time at DarkSkull Hall, all but Alyx had discovered their mage talents. Finn’s magic had appeared a month earlier towards the end of winter. The five of them had been out helping clear snow from the road into DarkSkull when they’d stumbled across a baby falcon that had fallen from its mother’s nest. It had been injured from the fall, and abandoned by its parents. They’d all felt sympathy for the bird, but Finn had crouched over the tiny chick, brows furrowed with curiosity.
After a few moments of studying it, he’d bent down and gently picked up the baby bird in his hands. A strange look had come over his face, and his palms had closed lightly over the bird. When they’d re-opened a few minutes later, the little falcon was chirping brightly and standing up fluffing its feathers.
“You healed it!” Brynn gasped in astonishment.
“I don’t know what I did,” Finn demurred.
“Right, we’re off to find Master Howell,” Tarrick had announced.
“Why?” Alyx asked.
“Isn’t it obvious?” Tarrick had frowned at her. “Finn’s going to be a healer mage.”
“I don’t know what I did,” Finn had protested again.
“Tarrick’s right,” Dawn said, grabbing her brother by his sleeve. “Come on, let’s go.”
Eyes wide with amazement in Alyx and Brynn’s case, and burgeoning respect in Tarrick’s, they’d trailed alo
ng while Dawn led her twin to find Howell in the library. The master heard their story, and agreed with Tarrick, pronouncing Finn a future healer mage. From then on, Finn had joined the Seventhday morning lessons, leaving only Alyx to sit and watch. The falcon had often flown by to visit Finn ever since.
Finn seemed pleased with the discovery of his power, though Alyx suspected that what he liked most about it was the fact it involved the intellectual challenge of diagnosing a patient, and then working out how to fix him or her.
It sometimes rankled at her, that she was the only one to remain powerless, but each time she reminded herself that she didn’t want to be a mage. Better still, if she displayed no power, Casovar wouldn’t try to pressure her to return to DarkSkull.
Howell had seemed oddly unconcerned about it also.
“Never fear Alyx, sometimes initiates take the full first year to break out. It’s unusual, but it does happen. You’ll know what sort of mage you are before you go home,” he’d told her.
“Or it’s possible that I don’t have any power, that Lord-Mage Casovar was wrong about me.”
He’d smiled. “That’s true. It does happen to one or two initiates each year, but I have a sneaking suspicion it won’t happen to you.”
Alyx’s thoughts came back to the present as Dawn spoke, and she stretched, enjoying the sensation of warm sunshine on her face.
“Do you think he’ll stay with you?” Dawn asked enviously.
“No,” Finn shook his head. “He’s getting older. He’ll forget about me soon. He is a beauty though.”
They watched as the young falcon preened his feathers. After a few minutes, he grew bored with sitting on Finn’s chest and flew off with a cry.
“Are you going to invite us to your wedding, Alyx?” Finn asked.
“I can ask Cayr to talk to the king about it,” she hedged, taken aback by the question. She hadn’t thought about having the twins at her wedding. It was a nice idea though, once she’d considered it.
“Imagine attending a royal wedding.” Dawn sighed. “All those beautiful women in gorgeous dresses.”