by B. C. Morin
“I will need you to visit each Kingdom so that I may see how much of an army they have put together. There may be some that have concealed themselves to you, or that may be awaiting you. Be careful, pet.”
Maligo reached down, stroking the head of his faithful bird.
It was not long before Maligo’s presence, or lack thereof, was noted by Samil. After Maligo saw Saros fly away he turned to walk into the castle once more, but Samil stood at the door waiting.
“Is there a problem, Sorcerer?”
Maligo did not like the tone with which he spoke.
“No problem, My Lord. I was simply sending Saros off to gather information about the armies that the Kingdoms are putting together.”
“Ah! Well done!” Samil clapped Maligo on the shoulder as he walked past. The sensation felt strange to him. Being that Samil was not completely human, the feeling of his touch was faint, but sent an electricity of sorts running through him.
“Have you heard anything regarding the third scroll, Samil?”
“Not as of yet. I meditated this morning, trying to communicate with the spirits but received nothing. I shall try again this evening.” He began walking alongside Maligo. “We do not have too much time. These spells are temporary. The more I use my magic, even for communicating with the spirits, the weaker I become.”
Samil grabbed Maligo by the arm so hard, Maligo almost winced.
“It is imperative that the sacrifice be made as soon as possible.”
“Then why do we not simply sacrifice one of the rogue fae that we have imprisoned to serve us?”
“It is not good enough. There is a fae, who’s blood will mean great power to me.” He finally released Maligo’s arm, and had to mentally remind himself not to reach for the sore spot so as not to show weakness.
“And what fae is that Samil? Alannah ? Princess of Meira?”
“She would be a great asset, yes, but thanks to the idiot apprentice you had, she is no longer an option. She is most likely well-guarded and well into her training.” He began pacing the stone hallway. Had he been completely returned to fae form, his scuff of his shoes would be echoing in the hallway, but there was an eerie silence as he walked. “No, this fae holds more meaning to me personally. It is the life force of this fae that I need to sacrifice. And when I do, I will be most powerful.”
Maligo watched as Samil walked away after his last remark. Leaving him to wonder who he could be possibly talking about, and if he was possibly willing to sacrifice his own son.
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Chapter 11
It had been two days since Alannah spoke with Isibeal. Tensions rode high when they passed each other in the corridors. Isibeal tried being friendly to Alannah but the line had been drawn. Something was going on. Something, she could not figure out, and Alannah was determined to find out. She waited last night but Isibeal had never appeared. Though it was quite possible she had taken another route.
Doubtful, but possible, Alannah thought to herself.
The heat from the rolling ball of fire that was heading straight toward her snapped her out of her distant thoughts. Quickly, she raised her hands and without a word thrust a gust of wind so powerful it put out the blaze. She cocked an eyebrow at her master.
Master Jadoc stood at the other end of the training room. His arms were folded across his chest, his sleeveless vest showing his expansive training and skill. The Marks crept down both of his arms like foreboding shadows. “That was very well done indeed, Alannah. But never be too confident.” His brown eyes steady, never indicating his next move. He unfolded his arms, calmly outstretching them.
Alannah watched in anticipation but she had no idea as to how he would attack. “Obstupefacere!” Jadoc yelled as he thrust his hand forward, energy rippling through the air toward the Princess.
She held her hands up.
“Defendé!” she yelled, just as the ripple of energy reached her. She managed to get the defense spell to work but it did not cushion her from the impact of the stupefying spell, which Jadoc had thrown. Though the spell did not take, she was still knocked down to the hard wood floors and pushed back several feet. Quickly, she twisted her legs in the air, using the momentum to get them back beneath her, leaving her on one knee and facing Jadoc.
Jadoc smirked as he took a step forward.
“Incendium!” Fire shot from his hands, as fierce and strong as the sun.
Alannah took a deep breath and stood just as the ball of fire reached her, but she did not defend against it. Instead she held out her hands and the flames suspended in mid-air stopping just short of her palms. Her arms shook from the immense amount of strength this required. She breathed deep again, refusing to waste much of her power on such a simple maneuver. Instead, she concentrated on the heat coming from the fire, and drew from its energy. Alannah looked up to find Master Jadoc a mere few feet away from her, smiling. First she manipulated the flaming orb until it was almost as big as she, then as if she were absorbing all of its energy, she pressed against the orb until there was but a small flicker of light, and then nothing. Alannah dropped her hands to her side, but could still feel them shaking.
“Alannah!” Jadoc said with the most enthusiasm she had ever seen. “You have done it! You used the fire’s energy to fuel your own. It is difficult as you can see, but once you can do that…” He paused for a moment. “Once you are able to control all you do without using your energy, it is that much easier to wield your powers. I think that you are ready for more. Come with me.” Jadoc turned and walked down the steps that led to the home behind the training center. The wind blew through his long white arrow straight hair, and billowed the tail of his long vest. The path broke off to the left before it continued toward the house. They followed the path through an ivy covered arch toward a small building. As they approached, Alannah could see the horses inside the stable.
A small, thinly framed fae stood inside, brushing the coat of a beautiful black horse. The horse seemed content with the gentle touch of the fae and did not so much as swish his tail. Her hair was blonde with streaks of brown, and her golden eyes were soft spoken, though the Marks along her arms and shoulders were anything but. She may have been small, but there was no denying the skill she possessed. She turned and faced them as they walked up, the corners of her mouth sliding up into a content smile at the site of Master Jadoc.
“Finished already?” Her voice was melodic and filled the stable.
“No, my love.” Jadoc walked up placing his hands on either side of her face and kissing her forehead. He then turned, sliding his arm across her back, and motioning with the other. “Nara, this is Princess Alannah of the Kingdom of Meira.”
Nara curtseyed and bowed her head. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness. My husband has spoken quite highly of you.”
Alannah took a quick step forward.
“Please, call me Alannah,” she returned a sweet smile. “Highly?” Alannah looked at Jadoc who pursed his lips together and rolled his eyes.
“Alannah, this is my lovely wife, Nara.”
“It is truly a pleasure to meet you, Nara. Thank you for allowing me to take up so much of Master Jadoc’s time.”
Nara bowed her head at the Princess before turning her attention back to her husband.
“Is it time?”
“It is.” Jadoc responded mysteriously.
Alannah stood wondering what they could possibly be talking about as they began removing saddles from the silver hooks hanging on the walls. She quickly ran to help Nara as she placed the saddle in place and began adjusting the straps in place.
“Alannah, you may ride Onyx. She is my horse.” Nara patted the horse on the side of its neck and Onyx tilted her head back in response.
“Are you not coming?”
Nara giggled.
“Oh no, dear. I do not interfere or observe Jadoc’s training. I had enough of it when we first met.” Nara giggled again as she stole a glance at Jadoc who was rol
ling his eyes.
Jadoc walked his horse over to stand next to Onyx. Jadoc’s horse was as white as fresh fallen snow, with piercing ice blue eyes.
“This,” he rested his hand on the horse’s neck, “is Arctic Queen.”
The horse neighed at the sound of her name, stomping a hoof onto the packed dirt beneath her.
Jadoc slid his foot inside the stirrup and glided onto Arctic Queen effortlessly.
Alannah took her cue and did the same.
“Master, where are we-“
“Heeyah!” Jadoc’s yell interrupted her sentence and Arctic Queen took off in front of her.
Alannah nudged Onyx and he fell into step behind the white horse.
The horses galloped across Anrad and out the front gates. Alannah was tempted to ask where they were going and what they were doing, but it seemed obvious that Jadoc would give no answer.
They arrived at the shore of the Argon Sea, past where she had followed Isibeal the other night. The sea shone bright under the rays of the sun. The sapphire blue color reminding Alannah of Kaleb’s eyes. She inhaled the scent of the ocean as she dismounted Onyx. She rubbed and patted her head as she nudged her large nose onto Alannah’s neck.
“Come, Alannah.” Master Jadoc walked past her and onto the sands of the shore.
Alannah followed Jadoc to the edge of the water, careful not to get any on her boots.
“Master?”
“Alannah,” Jadoc turned to face her. The sun shone down on him, highlighting the angles of his face. The white of his hair and goatee seemed brighter, and the Marks on his skin darker. “You have shown much progress in the past few weeks. Progress, which to be honest, I was unsure you would make. Especially since you almost burned down my training facility on the first day.”
Alannah contained her laugher as the memory appeared in front of her. She had been attempting to show master Jadoc that she was able to manipulate the smoke of the fire, when she somehow made the flames jump skyward almost setting the ceiling a blaze.
“Alannah, I am unsure as to how King Brennus’s trip has gone, but I am aware as to why he left. We are up against a dangerous enemy and you will have to be as prepared as possible, should we have to go against him. “
“Yes, sir.” Alannah shuddered nervously at the thought of facing them now, unsure of her own abilities.
“You are more powerful than you know, and you have more control than you are willing to allow yourself. You cannot be afraid to control it, Alannah. What you did today with the fire tells me that you can control and be unafraid of. We are here to see just how capable you are.”
Alannah turned to look at the sea. It was calm but for a few small waves that pushed onto the shore. The water was clear and Alannah could see where the ground beneath it began to drop. The color was astonishingly similar to Kaleb’s eyes. In the distance she saw a wide fin, followed by a scaly body, emerge for just a moment, and then submerge once again.
“What am I to do, Master?”
“Do you see how calm the sea is?”
“Yes.”
“I want a storm.”
Alannah turned quickly, her boot digging into the wet sand.
“A storm?”
“Yes.” He answered simply.
Alannah peered out into the horizon trying to envision the clouds, the rain, and the lighting cutting a path through the blue sky, but there was no change.
“I cannot.” She hung her head.
“Liar.” Jadoc turned to face her. “You most certainly can. Do you not remember the story you told me of the clouds that rolled in and the claps of thunder, which you heard, when you became angry at Brennus on your journey to Anrad?”
“Yes, but-“
“You need to learn to trigger it yourself. If you want to use anger, then use it. Think of something that angers you.”
“Master, Maligo’s attempt on all of our lives angers me, but I feel nothing of my power when I think of it.”
“Because you are not being personal enough.”
Alannah creased her forehead in question
“Do I have to say it, Alannah?” His voice grew louder, almost to a yell.
“Master?”
“Does your temporary King not bother you?” His voice portrayed anger. Jadoc’s face was cold, his stare intense.
Alannah felt her breath quicken. Does he want to push her so far that he would bring up her feelings for Brennus?
“King Brennus does not bother me.”
Jadoc’s face twisted into a sneer.
“Really? It does not bother you that he was able to push aside his feelings for you so easily and move on to another?”
“He has not done so easily.” Alannah answered through gritted teeth.
“Yet, he has not proclaimed his love for you. He stands by Isibeal. Ready to marry her. Do you think me blind? Do you think the Kingdom blind, Alannah? Sure since he has gone, it has been much easier for you to hide your emotions, but we saw you when he was here. Word spread like a virus about what went on in that castle.”
“You are crossing the line, Jadoc.” Alannah took a step forward, her hands balled into fists at her side.
“Am I, Alannah? Am I angering you?” He leaned forward whispering the final words.
Alannah glared at him and he turned his gaze to the ocean. Her chest was rising and falling faster than she could control. Suddenly, flashes of Brennus and Isibeal filled her vision, her kidnapping, and the attacks on her life, on the life of her sister. Alannah felt a power boiling inside her that she was unsure whether she would be able to contain. But, there was no choice. She closed her eyes for a moment, attempting to grasp at the anger, but it felt as if she were trying to grasp smoke with her hand. As soon as it sat within her grasp, it would slip through and around her fingers.
Alannah opened her eyes, which, now glowing with power, had turned a luminous white. The Mark on her back emanated a glow the likes of which Jadoc had never seen. She slowly released the fists at her sides and as she brought up her hands, clouds as dark as night rolled in from the left and the right. Thunder clapped in the distance as lightning pierced the sky, touching the edge of the water. With one hand still extended, Alannah began to turn her right hand in a slow swirling motion.
In the center where the two large groups of ominous clouds met, a wind gathered. It began slowly, but picked up pace rather quickly, turning into a deadly tornado. The tip of the tornado was so fierce it broke through the water, ripping a path wherever it went. The rains came down heavily, causing the beautiful blue water to seem a dark grey beneath the clouds.
She could hear Jadoc’s voice coaxing her, but it sounded far away as if he was not standing on the beach next to her. Alannah did as instructed and pulled the clouds towards them, drenching them within minutes. At her command, a bolt of lightning cut through the clouds and hit a fallen tree trunk so ferociously that the trunk combusted, sending shards of wood everywhere.
Alannah felt a weightless sensation creeping up from her very toes and up her legs, filling every inch of her. The clouds seemed to be slipping from her grasp and her breathing slowed. She tried bringing them back, to maintain the control she had, but it was no use. The thunder had stopped, and the clouds had begun to roll away, revealing the sun’s rays.
Alannah’s eyelids weighed down on her so much that she could not focus on the ocean in the distance through her lashes. The weightless sensation dropped back down to her feet, replaced by a force so heavy, she dropped to her knees. Drained of all power, Alannah fell onto the sand.
“Alannah!” She heard Jadoc, but he still seemed far away. The trees blurred in and out of her vision, as did the sight of the concerned angled face surrounded by a white halo of hair, before it all went black.
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Chapter 12
The room slowly came into focus through his long dark lashes. There was a body sprawled across the chair in the corner of the room. There were trousers that looked like they h
ad been slept in, a shirt with the sleeves rolled up and undone at the neck. Marks were crawling down the arms and out from beneath the shirt. The golden hair, disheveled and falling over his closed eyes. Tristan.
The sight of his best friend was assuring, but brought up questions about the hand pressed against his own. Kaleb turned his sore neck slowly, surprised by the dainty feet resting by his. He followed the legs hidden beneath a green satin skirt, to the matching corset. Waves of honey settled on the bed behind her, leaving some to cover her face. Her hands rested on the bed in front of her with his hand nestled between them.
Kaleb smiled as he reached over with his free hand and brushed a tendril from her face. The smile was short lived as the shooting pains made their way up from his leg. He closed his eyes, trying to recall his last memory. Flashes of Samil surrounded by a ring of fire. Maligo on the ground, chanting. Magister Torin lying still on the ground, dead. Kaleb’s head began to pound but he pressed on. He recalled the shields he had created to protect him and Brennus from the dragon’s flames. Never had he experienced the white-hot flames from a dragon in that manner. The wall. The unforgiving wall he was slammed against. He saw Brennus carrying Magister Torin, and Accolon saying it was too late.
Unconsciously, Kaleb’s hand jerked slightly at the memories he recalled, stirring Evyette. As he leaned forward, stretching the muscles that had been dormant for days, he was careful not to pull his hand away and wake her, but it was too late.
Evyette bolted upright.
“Kaleb!” Evyette launched herself forward taking him in an embrace, but releasing him quickly. “Oh, oh, I apologize. That must have hurt you.” She turned her gaze to the seat. “Tristan!”
Tristan jumped to a standing position faster than she had ever seen. He looked over to see Evyette and Kaleb smiling back at him.
“Kaleb!” He ran over, sat next to his best friend and embraced him gently. “Thank God, you have returned to us.” Tristan let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. The tension from the last few days released in that one motion. “It feels as if we have been waiting an eternity for you to wake.”