Essence of Chaos

by Marie Andreas

  Ghortin’s head popped up from where he was rummaging through his pack. “Of course you felt something. You weren’t completely awake. Think hard now.”

  She ran her fingers through her hair, trying to think through the misty vestiges of sleep.

  Finally she shook her head. “Nothing. I didn’t feel it go down at all. I still can’t tell.”

  “You can’t tell?” He stopped his fussing and looked up with a worried frown. “Did you feel it last night?”

  Jenna nodded hesitantly. “Sort of. I could tell I was casting a spell. But I couldn’t tell that it was there once I’d completed it. You seemed satisfied, and I thought maybe that was part of the spell.” Besides she’d been so tired at that point she figured fatigue was making her miss things.

  Ghortin was immediately next to her, holding his hands on either side of her head. He stared deep into her eyes. “Try to cast a spell.”

  His voice scared her. “Anything?”

  At a silent nod from him, she tried to pull in Power. And almost fell flat on her face.

  Ghortin grabbed her as she buckled. Shaking herself, she flung out for the Power again. This time a mind-shattering pain erupted in her head.

  “Pull out. Jenna? Do you hear me? DROP IT.” He shook her shoulders.

  Ghortin’s use of a command word brought her back and out of the pain.

  “I stopped; it’s all right.” She tried to push his hands away.

  “What happened?” He pushed her down toward a log to sit. “You tried to reach for Power?”

  She nodded miserably. “Nothing was there. It was as if…I can’t explain it, it was gone.” She couldn’t explain to him the terrifying loss that had come with that blinding pain. It was as if the world around her was half of what it had been.

  “Now, now. It’s not the end of the world.” He forced a smile. “I’m no mage healer, but I’ve seen symptoms like yours, usually in battle though. You’ve simply overdrawn your magic reserves.” He sighed and rose to his feet. “It’s my fault. I realized you weren’t clamped down as tight as you should be. Magically, every mage within a fifty-mile radius heard you when you first started giving Power to the horse.”

  Jenna started to apologize, but Ghortin brushed her off.

  “Now don’t look like that. You’re missing my point. It’s my fault, you did nothing wrong and your magic will be back soon enough. You’ve got an awful lot of Power there, my lass. At times I forget that.”

  “I still don’t understand. If I am so strong, how come I’ve lost my magic?” She wiggled her fingers in the air. At that moment it felt like something much more than magic had been taken from her. Something she hadn’t realized was there before.

  Ghortin took hold of her fluttering hands and pulled her up with a sigh. “I’m afraid I’ve sort of sped through a lot of your lessons. I might have missed some things. The stronger a student is, the bigger the risk for over drain. It would be far more difficult to rein in a war stallion than a colt, you know.”

  “So, I’ve been fighting myself? And I drained myself doing it?” She frowned; there was something wrong with his thinking. “I thought the whole thing to magic is creating energy, not restraining it.”

  Now it was his turn to look away. “Lass, for most magic users that would be true; although you still have to maintain control of what passes through you. For you—”

  Jenna cut him off. “Wait, so now you’re saying I’m a magic mutant?” Her brief bout with self-pity was tossed by the wayside.

  He scowled. “I didn’t say that. You are blessed with incredibly strong basic Power abilities. But you also seem to lose it, it flows through you when it should stay.”

  She chewed her lower lip for a few minutes, trying to follow this latest confusing addition. “So, I lost my magic because I carry too much Power with me and I leak?”

  He nodded vigorously, gray hair flying. “Yes, yes. See, now you understand.”

  She stared at him, then shook her head and began picking up the night’s supplies. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. How can I both leak and have too much Power?” She held up her hand wearily, this whole thing was getting too confusing. “Never mind, I don’t want to know. Just tell me, will I get my Power back, and how can I keep from leaking if I do?”

  “I think you’ll be fine, just relax today, magically that is. If we have to run from anything, I’ll take care of your horse. As for the leak, we can work on that while we ride. We can run some of my magic through your system to make sure those leaks are blocked.” He picked up his bedroll, debating whether to send it back to oblivion. He shook his head and tied it behind his saddle. He motioned for her to do the same with the rest of their meager supplies.

  “All set?”

  Jenna nodded as she mounted her mare.

  “Let’s be off then. If we hurry, we can reach Lithunane before last bell.”

  11

  They crossed the plains without any problems. Even so, Ghortin only let them stop once the entire afternoon. His unease intensified the further they went, and by the time the city walls of Lithunane were visible, as a dark line in the distance, she and the horses were jumping at butterflies. Jenna herself had even taken out her short sword.

  She was about to ask him for any last-minute things she should know before entering the city when she noticed a figure riding out toward them. She smiled as the figure got closer. What she had thought was a short cape, was actually long hair.

  Storm nodded as he pulled his gray horse up to theirs. His clothes were rumpled and covered in dust. “I just got back and heard about the attack on the way station.”

  Ghortin noticeably relaxed. “I am glad for the escort; things are a bit jumpy after that little adventure.”

  Jenna put her sword away. She hadn’t gotten that good with it yet and felt a bit foolish with it out. “That beacon hit all the way out here?” Ghortin was right; she needed to learn that particular spell. Once her magic came back, anyway. If it came back. She quickly shoved that thought aside. Storm gave her an odd smile, as if she had said something completely different. Or he was thinking something completely different.

  Storm nodded briefly as he turned to follow in their direction. “Sort of. Mage Acklan was on border duty and he has far-sense. He felt the disturbance as soon as Ghortin cast his spell.” He nudged his mount into a trot toward the city. Jenna kept up, with Ghortin trailing a bit behind. “What was it anyway? I just got back home a few hours ago and took off as soon as I heard which station was under attack.”

  “And you didn’t wait to see who or what, simply grabbed that beastly sword of yours and ran to the rescue, eh, lad?” Ghortin sighed. “One of these days, my boy, you’re going to run off blindly into something you can’t handle.”

  Storm didn’t answer, but she did notice he automatically adjusted the sword hanging at his side.

  As he reached around, she noticed he was also armed with his long bow, throwing knives, and a small dagger. He may not have known what he was up against, but he was prepared for the worst.

  After a few minutes of riding, Ghortin relaxed enough to pull out his gray book and completely ignored them.

  Storm smiled. “How did you feel after your Gorgon ale-wine evening?”

  The speculative look he’d favored her with from before was back. Jenna racked her brain for any memory of that night before answering. “Fine. Well, not so fine. Ghortin had to give me one of his evil concoctions so my head wouldn’t split apart. I’m sorry I missed your visit.”

  “Actually, you were still up when I arrived. You don’t remember?”

  That couldn’t be good. Jenna racked her brain some more. And came up with nothing at all, nothing past Ghortin telling her women who looked like her were being murdered. She shook her head tightly. “Not really. Why?”

  Storm had briefly turned away, so she didn’t completely hear him, but it almost sounded like he said “good”.

  “What did you say?”

  Stor
m turned back, his grin a bit too broad. “I just said no reason. You pretty much went to bed right after I got there.”

  Jenna narrowed her eyes, but he stayed silent. She thought about asking Ghortin, but her mentor was one of the least observant people she’d ever met. Unless it was related to magic at any rate. “I’m not planning on that ever happening again, but you’d tell me if I did something stupid, right?”

  “Of course. I’d tell you if you did anything…stupid.”

  Jenna detected the pause right before stupid, but he kept smiling.

  Lithunane was further away than she originally estimated; the rolling plains played havoc with distance perception. It was well after sunset by the time they cleared the small city gate. A larger, more ornate gate hung closed to the right of it. Its intricately carved doors were bolted shut.

  From the size of the crowd surging in with them it was obvious that many people felt it safer to spend the night within the city walls.

  She looked to her companions for explanation, but neither seemed willing to comment. As usual. So she watched the crowd instead. There seemed to be equal numbers of kelar and humans, with a fair sprinkling of the short, stocky derawri added as well.

  Jenna studied the derawri the most, this being her first look at the third species of her new home world. On the whole, they seemed no taller than about four feet high. They were solidly built, but it was all lean muscle. Many of the men wore sleeveless work shirts, which accented their well-formed musculature. Although Storm seemed to be the only one of his kind in sight with such long hair, with the derawri it appeared to be quite the norm. Many of the males had well-trimmed rounded beards, but none wore the mustaches that appeared common with the humans.

  She happened to glance up in time to notice that her two companions, lost in their own conversation, had wandered ahead of her. Jenna broke off her study and nudged her horse to catch up.

  A young rider arrowed his way toward them through the crowd. He dodged around a gaily painted derawri basket cart and paced his horse alongside Storm. He was a human boy of no more than fifteen, with long, unkempt black hair.

  The boy was earnestly telling Storm something, his gangly arms flailing around as he spoke. Storm’s face grew serious, and Jenna mentally cursed the crowd that had pushed her out of hearing range.

  Ghortin was closer to them, and Jenna watched as the tale was repeated to him and his face grew somber. With a few terse words and a nod, Storm and the messenger whirled their mounts around and took off down a side road that seemed to loop back to the gate.

  A small troop of kelar minstrels finally moved out of Jenna’s way, enabling her to ride alongside Ghortin. “Shouldn’t we be going with him?” She twisted to look in the direction her friend had gone, but he was far from sight.

  Ghortin forced the serious look from his face, but it hung around his eyes.

  “Now why would we want to go back out into that dark night when you’re a guest of the king? Come, we must hurry, dinner will be within the hour.”

  Jenna folded her arms and glared.

  Ghortin raised his hand. “Storm had to go run some errands. He said he’ll meet you in front of the market after the second morning bell tomorrow and take you on a grand tour.” At Jenna’s continued look he added, “And it will give you and me a chance to relax and discuss things this evening.”

  They rounded a corner and found themselves on a fairly quiet roadway. It was broader than the one they’d left, and was cobbled in deep blue stones. The shops here were grander and fewer. At the top of the beautiful road was the castle.

  It was inhumanly open and airy, and so unlike the ancient castles of Europe that Jenna at first almost failed to identify it as such. Tall, thin spires rose into the darkening sky. The castle’s facade was almost entirely made up of huge stained-glass windows and pale luminescent brickwork that looked more like spun glass than earthen stone. A wide moat circled the entire building. The drawbridge was down and from the immobile look of the chains, that was its most common position. Six heavily armed guards stood at odds with the open lightness of the castle grounds. The guards recognized Ghortin as they rode closer and waved for them to pass.

  Jenna pulled back with a start when they passed under the heavy walls and into the inner court. After the growing darkness of the city, the bright courtyard was quite a shock.

  Jenna had no time to study where the light was coming from before two stable boys came and whisked the horses away. Ghortin and Jenna were handed over to the waiting hands of the palace seneschal, a wizened human who looked older than Ghortin. The men greeted each other heartily, Ghortin actually bowing slightly in honor before he embraced his friend.

  He motioned for Jenna to step forward. “This is a happy meeting. Jenna, my apprentice, I would like you to meet one of my oldest friends and confidants, Tor Ranshal.”

  The grizzled old man took her hands in his own, peering down at her intently. She thought there was a flash of surprised recognition that crossed his finely lined face, but it was gone with the arrival of one of the most beautiful smiles Jenna had ever seen.

  “I am most pleased to make the acquaintance of the pupil of my dear friend.”

  “I’m pleased to meet you.” She thought about trying a curtsy, for there was something about this thin, gray haired man that led to reverence. She found herself liking him immediately.

  “You must be starving.” He kept his light hold on her hands, but nodded toward Ghortin. “If I know Master Ghortin, he went off unprepared as usual, and left you eating mage food. And after such a crisis.” Tor Ranshal’s eyes were an unusual golden color, and they glowed warmly as he poked fun at his long-time friend. Jenna was surprised to note that Ghortin actually reddened faintly.

  The tall seneschal shook his head, acting as if Ghortin were no more than an errant page. “Now, my good Ghortin. You know mage food from nothing isn’t good for you. We’ll have to rectify that, won’t we?”

  He released one of her hands to take a hold of Ghortin’s arm, spinning him nicely toward the castle’s entrance.

  As Jenna allowed him to lead her in, she had the distinct impression that the wizened old age look was mostly for show. There was an unusual strength under that calm surface.

  Tor Ranshal led them immediately into a small room off the main entrance. Jenna was momentarily disappointed that she didn’t get to see more of the castle first, but a sudden rumble of her stomach reminded her of what was important.

  There were two men in the room already, sitting behind a low table laden with a varied selection of food. Behind them a small fire was crackling in a wide fireplace set deep in the wall.

  The closest man was a tall human. Every strand of his shoulder-length blond hair was groomed to perfection. His lean face rivaled that of a kelar in beauty, and he set it off artistically with a neatly trimmed Vandyke beard. Although quite striking, his burgundy colored velvet ensemble seemed at odds with the casual feel of the room.

  The second man was a kelar, but, even for an age defying race, he looked young. His jet-black hair was cropped close, giving quite an amazing view of those long, tapered ears. Like all of the kelar men she’d seen so far, his dark, sharp face was smooth. Briefly Jenna wondered if the species had facial hair.

  It was the second man who acknowledged their presence first.

  “Ghortin, my good man.” The dark-haired kelar smiled as he leapt forward. If Storm and the kelars she’d seen on the way in were a standard, this exuberant man was quite a bit shorter than average. He couldn’t be more than a few inches above her own five-eight.

  “Ah, another fair meeting. I had no idea you were back, Edgar.” He sighed heavily. “Just another example of the seriousness of our situation if Daylin has pulled you from the field.”

  “I’m afraid so,” the short kelar started to answer when a pointed cough broke in.

  “Don’t you think it would be best if this waited until the servants were cleared of the room?”

  Jenna
was shocked to see that the blond man was staring pointedly in her direction.

  Ghortin moved forward. “Why, Ravenhearst, still as diplomatic as ever I see.” He folded his arms and gave a tight smile. “If I may make some introductions?” He motioned Jenna forward. “May I present Lady Jenna, my apprentice? Lady Jenna, this is Lord Ravenhearst of Strann, and my good friend Sir Edgar, master spy extraordinaire.”

  Jenna gave a nod, but the blond noble barely acknowledged it. However, the wiry kelar spy bowed over her hand with a flourish.

  “Oh, wretched my existence, that I never have such fair apprentices.” He turned back toward Ravenhearst. “I’d say she has every right to be here. More so, in fact, than some people.”

  Tor Ranshal had held back, but he now moved into the room.

  “Now, children, play nice. Of course the Lady Jenna must be here, so must Lord Ravenhearst, and many others before this is through. Shall we eat and save our bickering for the enemy?”

  Ghortin and Jenna made their way to the table without further concern. The others stood back a bit until the new arrivals had settled in with nicely filled plates.

  Jenna was glad that Ghortin had chosen seats far from Lord Ravenhearst. Even though he did not attempt to engage her in conversation, she did catch Ravenhearst giving her a few speculating looks from time to time.

  Fortunately, from the reaction around the table, no one else seemed to like him either. She was surprised that this great meeting was made up of so few. She said something to that effect to Ghortin.

  “What?” He looked up from gnawing on a drumstick. “No, no. This isn’t an official meeting. More like a pre-meeting. Although two of these men are the most important in the land, next to the king himself.”

  Jenna spared a glance for Lord Ravenhearst. The noble was daintily picking through his food, as if eating it was beneath him.

  She kept her voice low. They were at the opposite end of the table, and Edgar and Tor Ranshal were chatting, but it would be better if she wasn’t heard. “I certainly hope that he isn’t one of the two. Otherwise, this world is in more trouble than I thought.”