The Mage Chronicles- The Complete Series

by Lisa Cassidy

  “Where were you going?” Alyx lifted herself on the pillows, this time being more careful of her arm.

  “The south coast. I had some idea of setting up as a tutor in one of the larger cities.”

  “Teress would be nice. They have lovely beaches, and the fish caught in the bay there are supposed to be the best in Rionn.”

  “I’d heard that.”

  “You could have kept going,” she said neutrally.

  A faint smile flickered across his face. “Do you remember the conversation we had back at DarkSkull—you said that you considered me a friend, and that one day, I’d have to tell you what I was hiding behind my indifference?”

  “I remember.”

  “The answer is nothing. Or at least, that was the case then.”

  She frowned. “You truly care about nothing at all?”

  Cario was silent for a moment, then he stood and picked up his chair, bringing it close to the side of her bed. Once he’d put it down, he sat, resting his arms on the top of the chair.

  “When I was fourteen, I befriended a kitten that had been born in my grandfather’s stables. He was orange, with four little white socks, and he was prettier and stronger than the rest of the litter, so he appealed to me. My father caught me playing with him one day. I can still remember the smell of the straw nearby and the warmth of the sun through the barn windows, the sharp staccato of my father’s boots. He didn’t approve, he thought I should have a puppy instead, one of the big, vicious hunting dogs his kennel-master bred. The following morning when I went to the stables, my kitten was gone, as was the entire litter. There were more litters after that, of course, but I made sure never to befriend a particular kitten ever again.”

  Cario’s eyes had been trained on the quilt covering Alyx while he spoke, his gaze distant with memory. After a moment’s silence, he gave himself a little shake.

  “It’s no traumatic story, I grant you. Just a parent doing what he thought best for his child.”

  “There’s more,” Alyx said softly.

  “They all knew I would be a mage very early on. It was inevitable given my lineage,” Cario said. “When I was eight, my father decided I should learn to fight. I hated every second of it. The tutor he found for me was harsh and strict and I ended each lesson with cuts and bruises. My mother found me crying in the stables after one particularly brutal lesson. I told her that I didn’t want to learn to fight, that I hated it. I’ll never forget the disappointment in her eyes, and later in her voice, when she told my father about it.

  I never wanted to see that disappointment in my parents’ eyes again, and so I returned to my lessons with a renewed resolve. I accepted the bruises and the cuts and I applied myself to learning. It worked, and for the first time I realised that if I became what my parents, what my grandfather, wanted me to be, things would go easier. My life could be good.”

  When he lapsed into silence again, Alyx spoke. “You don’t have to—”

  “I became the model son. I learned everything they wanted me to, both in sparring and my lessons, and I learned it well. They approved of me, and because I was what they wanted, they loved me. But inside I was empty, because I knew they didn’t love who I truly was.

  The things that I wanted, I couldn’t have. And if I gained them for myself, like that kitten, they were taken away from me. So I learned not to want things, and to pretend to be the perfect mage scion they wanted, and I learned that was easier than pain. Even feeling empty was better than yearning, or grieving.”

  “I can understand that,” Alyx murmured.

  “What I couldn’t stop was the anger, and the hate. The fact that I was their son, yet they wouldn’t accept me for who I was… none of them wanted who I am. I didn’t want anything to do with the mages, or the mage order. I hid the breakout of my magic from them for four years before it became impossible to keep hiding it. I figured I would go to DarkSkull, do this one last thing to be the perfect son, the perfect grandson, and then I would leave and never, ever go back. After DarkSkull, I could be free.”

  “Why are you telling me this now?”

  “An attempt to explain why I left, and why I came back.” He hesitated. “After I was attacked… I hated having to kill those men, but I realised in that moment that in my desperate attempts not to feel, not to care, I’d let my anger and bitterness turn me into someone I didn’t want to be. I am different to my family yes, but I want to be better than they are, not just a different type of awful.”

  “You helped save my life,” she said. “And you did it because I’m your friend, not because I’m a mage of the higher order, or a tool that you can use in the future. You already are a better person than your family, Cario.”

  “Not yet, but I will be,” he said. “I’m going to stay. I don’t want to, and I hate the thought of war, but I’m going to stay and help you.”

  She smiled, tears welling in her eyes. “You have no idea how glad I am to hear you say that.”

  “All right, then.” He nodded to himself. “I should let you get some rest.”

  “Cario?” Alyx stopped him at the doorway.

  “Yes?”

  “You know that I accept you, right? I don’t have any preconceptions about who I want you to be. You’re my friend, all the bits of you, even that annoying smirk you get sometimes, or your superior tone of voice when you think I’m being an idiot.”

  He gave her both the smirk and the tone of voice. “Well, you do some stupid things sometimes, Lady Egalion. Like getting yourself captured by Lord-Mage Casovar, for instance.”

  She threw her pillow at him.

  Chapter 34

  Trying to rest proved fruitless. Whenever she managed to push away memories of her torture, her thoughts would go straight to Dashan. Her father had assured her that he was okay, but she needed to hear it again, or at least know where he was.

  Deciding to find her father and ask—hoping it would give her some peace of mind—she pushed off her blankets and clambered slowly out of bed. Every muscle in her body seemed like it was clamouring for primacy as the most painful, and it took some time to get upright.

  Her mage attire sat neatly folded on a nearby stool. Determinedly ignoring the trembling of her body, she pulled the clothing on, then limped down a narrow hall, pausing to listen to the voices filtering through the partially open door at the end.

  “Casovar has control of the palace and the king.” Her father’s voice. “The city is a different matter. At least a third of the Blue Guard is in open rebellion against the Mage Guard. The remainder of the Bluecoats are under Tirian Caverlock’s control for now, but his grip is loosening as he fruitlessly tries to get Casovar to let them back into the palace.”

  “He’s expelled all the Bluecoats from the palace?” Tarrick sounded shocked.

  “Only Mage Guard are in there now. Casovar is claiming the king is in danger from his rogue lords—that’s us—and that the Bluecoats can’t be trusted to protect him,” Garan said. “As long as he has the king, he’ll maintain control of the army.”

  “You should let me go to my father,” Cayr said, voice ringing with determination. “Who knows what Casovar is doing to him? He’s not only my father, Lord Egalion, but your king!”

  “Casovar can’t afford to hurt him, Your Highness,” Garan said calmly. “He controls the city—and effectively the country—through your father.”

  “The Bluecoats and Mage Guard are fighting in the streets. That’s not control. I want this situation resolved as quickly as possible before innocent people are harmed. My father would never hurt me.”

  “Cayr, no.” Alyx pushed open the door and limped in, her gaze sweeping over Cario and the twins as well as Cayr, Tarrick and her father. “You don’t understand. Casovar controls your father with magic. You can’t combat that.”

  “Alyx!” Relief filled the prince’s face and he came straight over, wrapping her in a gentle hug.

  “I’m all right,” Alyx reassured him, stepping away. “But y
ou need to listen to me about Casovar.”

  Stubbornness flashed in his blue eyes. “You’re the one who told me I’m responsible for more than just the court. People are going to start getting hurt. The fighting will turn into looting sooner rather than later. I won’t have that happen.”

  “I understand, but you can’t fight Casovar’s magic alone. Trust me.”

  He hesitated, then gave her a sharp nod. “For now.”

  Dawn came over to take Alyx’s arm and lead her to a seat. “How are you feeling?”

  “Better than I was, thanks to Finn.” Alyx tried not to wince as sore muscles protested her movement. “Where’s Brynn? Did I imagine hearing he was back?”

  “He’s back, but only for a short time. Right now he’s out collecting supplies and a fresh horse with the help of some Bluecoats,” Tarrick said, glancing at Cayr.

  “I’m sending him to Carhall tonight,” Cayr said. “Over the past months I’ve grown a greater appreciation for why my father dislikes and distrusts the Mage Council so much, but burying our head in the sand is no solution. Brynn is to request formal assistance from the Mage Council on my order. It’s time to get proper help.”

  Alyx didn’t miss the looks of respect shot Cayr’s way, and the same feeling was likely reflected on her face. But it wasn’t time for niceties. “Good. Now, what are we doing here?”

  “Casovar is combing the city looking for us, using any spare Mage Guard that aren’t locking down the palace or fighting Bluecoats. I think he’s managed to get the king to authorise using City Guard too,” Dawn said. “I can sense their thoughts.”

  “I don’t know how much you overheard, but Casovar has publicly announced we were behind an attempt on the king’s life, one which he foiled,” Finn added.

  “And there’s nobody there to counter his claims,” Cario said.

  Alyx looked at her father. “What’s being done about it?”

  “Our priority is getting out of the city before we’re found—we’ve been waiting on you to be well enough to move,” Garan said. “A diversion has been planned to take place on the opposite side of the city. When it happens, we’ll leave via the east gate. Horses and supplies are waiting for us, and we’ll ride straight for Widow Falls. Ladan will be able to shelter us for a short time until we come up with a longer-term plan.”

  Alyx frowned. “Your plan is to run away? What about Casovar?”

  “What other choice to we have?” Garan said. “While he controls the king, our ability to make a stand against him is non-existent.”

  She shook her head. “If we run now, it will take months to re-establish ourselves into a position of strength, even if the council agrees to Cayr’s request. Then potentially months more to move against Casovar. We don’t have that time, not when Shakar is out there. Who knows when he plans to move against the council?”

  “What are you suggesting?” Cario drawled. Something in his eyes told her he knew what she was about to suggest. His little nod bolstered her.

  “That we confront Casovar now, separate him from the king and re-establish control of Rionn.” The idea of going anywhere near the lord-mage was terrifying, but rationally it was their only choice. Even so, she couldn’t stop the trembling of her hands at the thought of it.

  “Alyx, no,” Finn said. “Casovar already got you once, and he knows what you are. You’re injured, no match for him. None of us are.”

  She forced a strength into her voice that she didn’t feel. “Casovar got me because I was alone and unprepared. Together, we’re much stronger. Thanks to Finn, I’m just a bit stiff and sore. Besides, Casovar may know what I am, but he thinks I’m a barely trained apprentice. He doesn’t know what abilities I have, or how strong I am.”

  Silence fell.

  “How can that be?” Cario asked.

  “He used his magic against me, including attacking my thoughts.” Alyx fought to keep her voice steady. “But I kept that from him. That and our knowledge of Shakar. It was all I could hold back… but I managed it.”

  “You resisted him?” Tarrick stared at her. “Damn, Alyx, you must be powerful.”

  “Not really. He still… ” She swallowed. “The point is, nothing has changed. He’ll be expecting us to run, so we have to do the opposite.”

  What she didn’t tell them was that if they ran, she wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to summon the strength to face Casovar again. She had to do this now, or she might never be able to.

  “I won’t allow it,” Garan said flatly. “You’re in no shape to face down a mage of his power, and even if you were healthy, you’re only half trained.”

  “Your father is right,” Tarrick said.

  “I’m with Alyx,” Cayr said unexpectedly. “My father is in danger and I’m not going to run away and leave him to his fate. I am Rionn’s prince and I refuse to hide.”

  “How would you do it?” Finn countered, looking at Alyx. “Stroll up to the palace and confront Casovar in a mage duel? How do you plan to get through all the Mage Guard surrounding the place? What if Casovar uses the king as a hostage? What if you get the heir to the throne killed in the process of trying to rescue his father?”

  Alyx rose to her feet, turning to Tarrick. “I gave you back control of Third Patrol, and I meant it. Now I ask you to trust me with this. If we run now, we lose whatever advantage we have. The decision is yours.”

  His dark eyes met hers, jaw clenching. It was a gamble, but she had promised Finn, and now she had to bank on Tarrick’s willingness to trust her instincts.

  Eventually he gave a sharp nod, and her shoulders sagged in relief. “Alyx is right. It’s risky, but we don’t have time to take Casovar down the slow way.”

  “Tarrick—”

  Alyx cut Finn off with a sharp gesture. “It’s your job to find solutions for all the problems you just raised, Finn. Dawn, how long do you think we have until someone finds this safe house?”

  “It depends on whether Casovar starts searching himself. For now, I think we’re safe for another day, but no more.”

  “Then we go tonight.”

  “I won’t allow this, Aly-girl,” Garan said quietly, a thread of steel in his voice.

  The refusal sparked her anger—always there simmering, and now it flared hot, momentarily dispelling her fear and the pain of her injuries. Alyx forced herself to stand straight and tall, giving the appearance of strength and hiding the weakness she felt. “You don’t get to say that to me anymore, Papa. I’m done with your refusal to see what I am, and your unceasing overprotectiveness. I am doing this, and you can’t stop me.”

  His face tightened, his anger leaping just as hotly as hers as she threw the words at him. She didn’t care. She adored her father, but she wasn’t going to let him rule her any longer. Before Garan could say anything, however, Cayr rose to his feet.

  “Actually, in the absence of my father, I am the one who has final say here.” He spoke mildly, but with enough firmness in his face and voice that none considered gainsaying him. “We will do as Alyx suggests. Lord Egalion, you will do whatever is needed to assist them. Am I clear?”

  For a long while silence filled the room.

  It was Dawn who broke the silence, rising to her feet. “I’ll start regular telepathic sweeps, that should give us some forewarning if Casovar or any Mage Guard get near enough to find us.”

  “Prince Cayr, you can’t come,” Finn spoke then, eyes flicking to Alyx before settling on the prince. “That’s the first solution. It is critical that you remain safe in case it all goes wrong.”

  “He’s right,” Alyx said calmly, swinging to Cayr as he opened his mouth to protest. “We will do our best for your father, but your responsibility is greater than him. You said it yourself—you are Rionn’s prince.”

  He gave a slow nod, and in that moment, seemed to shed all remnants of youth. “I accept that.”

  “And Papa, it will be your job to protect him.”

  He lifted an eyebrow. “So you’re planning on sidelin
ing me while you and a handful of half-trained mages take on Casovar? You’re smarter than that.”

  “If we fail, Cayr is the only chance of regaining power in Alistriem, and he won’t be able to do it alone,” she said evenly, meeting her father’s eyes. “So yes, I’m sidelining you. For now.” His mouth thinned, but she gave him a tired smile. “Don’t underestimate this handful of half-trained mages, Papa. We might surprise you.”

  Alyx sat by the fire in the front room, sipping a glass of warm mead and revelling in the momentary peace. She’d managed another hour or so of sleep, but after that she couldn’t lie still any longer. She hadn’t managed to get her father alone after their meeting, and worry for Dashan nagged at her. The murmuring sounds of conversation drifted from the larger room at the back of the house—no doubt Finn and the others planning furiously. She briefly considered going to ask them, but was afraid of letting on how much she cared.

  The front door clicked open and her father appeared, startling her—her magic hadn’t warned her of the approach of a Taliath. He shrugged off his cloak and hung it by the door. Her gaze fixed on him as he moved—it was different than she’d ever seen, powerful but with such grace. She’d never imagined she would ever see a fully trained Taliath in action, but the previous night… it had been a wondrous sight. How could the council have ever wanted to remove the Taliath from the world?

  “All these years, you’ve been hiding yourself. Making yourself lesser,” she said. “Just for me.”

  “And for Ladan too.”

  “Thank you, Papa.”

  “If you have children one day, you’ll understand that a parent would do anything—gladly—to protect their child.”