My eyes went wide at this piece of information. “Erien is a Silverthorne, and he didn’t know about the book.” I glanced at Erien, who looked as surprised as I was.
“He would have found out eventually,” said Professor Dekela. “It was because of you that he learned about it sooner than he was supposed to.”
“Oh!”
“That is how I know that the Book of Abraxas is safely hidden, and so are the other three keys,” continued Professor Dekela. “I just got word that one of the guardians has disappeared. Now I know why. I will inform your granduncle about this new development.” The professor opened the secret door that led back to the school library. “This is very serious, Aurora. If Morgana wants the book, it is only a matter of time before she finds what she is looking for.”
“I know,” I agreed. “We can’t let her succeed in her plans. We have to get that key back from Damien.”
“That may not be so easy.” The professor’s lips were a thin line. “The Duke of Blackwater came to visit his children today. They must have given it to him already. I will have his house searched, but we have to be careful. Accusing the duke of theft may not be the right move just now. We need to find out more before we can bring him in front of the Mage Guild.”
I nodded. I was glad the mastermage had it under control and it was one less thing to worry about. As it was, I had so much on my plate, and there were not enough hours in the day to learn everything I needed to defend myself against Morgana.
Things had become too complicated. It was one thing trying to stay away from Morgana and trying to learn how to use my powers. But dark magic and demons were a bit more than I could handle at the moment. I hoped Uncle Gabriel would come back soon. He would know what to do.
The sun was rising over the city of Neris as we hurried back to our rooms. I was exhausted from not sleeping the whole night, but I had to go to class. We would be having tests soon, and I didn’t want to make a fool of myself. I had been so busy worrying about what the Blackwaters were doing that I wasn’t concentrating on my studies. If I failed my first tests, Uncle Gabriel would be livid.
Neris
The next day, a messenger arrived from Everdale House. Aunt Serena had invited me over for a few days, as the academy was shut for the summer solstice festival, and those who had places to go could leave the school.
I was excited at the prospect of staying in Aunt Serena’s Neris townhouse. Vivienne was also going home, and Foxmoor House was a few streets away from Everdale House.
“I’ll come to see you once you are settled in,” said Vivienne as we packed our trunks. “There are so many places I want to show you.”
I nodded and hugged Vivienne before leaving.
Aunt Serena sent a carriage as she had promised, and Erien and I climbed in. It was very spacious and comfortable, with the Everdale coat of arms emblazoned on the side. We crossed the main streets of the upper town and went on beyond the bridge to the other side of the river, where the nobility had their mansions.
The carriage pulled up in front of a massive stone structure. Everdale House was a two-storied mansion with enormous bay windows and a huge, mahogany front door. The horses had barely halted before Erien threw open the carriage door and bounded out eagerly. He ran up the steps, and before he could even knock, the door opened, and the butler, a thin old man with slicked-back, silver hair, let us in.
The butler bowed, taking Erien’s cloak. “Good afternoon, Your Lordship.”
“Good afternoon, Figgins,” said Erien. “Is Mother home?”
“Her Ladyship is waiting for you in the morning room, my lord.” Figgins divested us of our cloaks and luggage.
I looked around in wonder, still unaccustomed to the ways of the Eldorean nobility. The front door opened onto a massive foyer tastefully decorated with ornamental furniture and rich walnut paneling. A grand staircase with a highly polished mahogany banister swept upward to the higher floors of the house under gleaming crystal chandeliers, which looked like stars floating on a cloud of soft light.
I followed Erien to the back of the house, where the morning room was situated. Aunt Serena was waiting for us in a light and airy room done up in cream and gold, with huge French doors that opened out onto a terrace that surveyed the gardens and the river beyond. She hugged us and ushered us both in to sit down.
“First things first.” Aunt Serena turned toward me. “We will have to take you to a dressmaker to fit you for clothes. You certainly can’t wear that green dress every day.”
I looked down at my green day dress; it was one of Aunt Serena’s from Silverthorne castle. She was right; I hadn’t brought much with me.
“We will also have to get something suitable for the harvest ball at the palace, which will be held later on in the year,” said Aunt Serena.
My eyes widened at the thought. “A ball at the palace.” I would love to go to a ball, but I had no idea how I was supposed to behave in front of the rest of the nobility in Eldoren.
“Yes, every year the king holds a huge ball at the start of the harvest festival,” said Aunt Serena. “And we are all invited, of course. Tomorrow night, the Blackwaters are having a dinner party. And we will be attending, so you will need something to wear.”
“The Blackwaters,” I sneered. “I don’t want to go to their house.”
“Yes, I’m sure you don’t.” Aunt Serena raised her eyebrows. “I heard about your midnight trip to the tavern, young lady, and I have been waiting to talk to you about that.”
“You heard?” I glared at Erien. I knew Professor Dekela had already met with Aunt Serena and told her everything we had learned about the Blackwaters and the Book of Abraxas. But he didn’t know about me leaving the school at night. Erien must have told her.
Erien sheepishly looked away, getting up to pour himself a glass of juice. I felt like smacking him over the head for his stupidity.
“Yes, my dear, I certainly did.” Aunt Serena put her hands primly in her lap and sat as she always did, perched at the edge of the chair, her back straight as a rod. “You could have gotten into a lot of trouble. You are lucky that your granduncle had instructed Rafe to keep an eye on you.”
I hung my head. Even though I knew Rafe was looking out for me out of some sense of duty, it hurt every time I heard someone say it out loud.
“But if I hadn’t gone, I would never have found out about the key and the book,” I argued. “Now at least we have some idea about what Morgana is planning.”
“She is right, Mother,” Erien piped up.
Aunt Serena ignored her son. “You were lucky this time, Aurora,” she said, obviously unconvinced by my reasoning. “I want you to forget about the book for now. There is nothing you can do. I have spoken to the mastermage and sent word to my father. He will return soon, and you must let us handle it.”
I stood up abruptly. “But we can’t just sit here uselessly while Morgana is looking for the book.”
“We won’t allow her to get it,” said Aunt Serena. “You have to trust me.” She got up and put her hand on my shoulder. “I really want you to forget about this for now and concentrate on learning how to use your powers, Aurora. Or have you forgotten why we sent you to Evolon?”
I lowered my eyes. She was right; I had been neglecting my training, and if I were going to survive, I had to learn as much as I could, and fast.
“Now, my dear.” Aunt Serena clasped her hands together in front of her. “The Blackwaters have invited you specifically. I think their son, Damien, told them about you. I must say I was quite surprised myself, but if we try to keep you from them, they will wonder what we are trying to hide. I have already informed Sorcha, the Duchess of Blackwater, that we will all be attending.”
I slumped in my chair. I guess what I wanted didn’t matter. I wondered if I could fake a headache tomorrow so I didn’t have to go.
A kind-looking, middle-aged woman came in.
“Ah, Ms. Rikley, please show Lady Rory to her room,” said Aunt Ser
ena. She turned to me. “Once you freshen up, come downstairs for lunch, and then we can go into town.”
I nodded. “Thank you, Aunt Serena.” I followed the housekeeper up the stairs to the second floor of the house, where my room was situated.
It was a bright, cheery room with a big mahogany bed and gleaming walnut floors strewn with plush carpets. Rich, dusky-rose curtains framed the large windows, and I leaned over the side to see the blooming formal gardens of Everdale House, which led down in tiers to the river. Vivienne had once told me that all the best houses overlooked the river. I wondered where Foxmoor House was and how I could get a message to Vivienne to come over.
I washed my face and hands with the little porcelain bowl and jug in the room and went downstairs to join Aunt Serena and Erien.
Lunch was served in the dining room, a large, rectangular space with a massive, finely polished wooden dining table that could seat at least twenty people. Two crystal chandeliers hung from the frescoed ceiling, and four large, arched double doors led out to the gardens of the house.
The food was heavenly. There was a creamy mushroom soup; a fish in a delicate sauce with nuts; a whole assortment of vegetables, roasted game, different cheeses, and fruits; and a honey pudding with thick, yellow cream.
I ate so much I was stuffed, and all I wanted to do was crawl back into bed and go to sleep. But Aunt Serena was insistent that we had many things to do that day, and going to the dressmaker was one of them.
We climbed into the Everdale carriage, and it rumbled down the broad, paved streets of the city of Neris. The dressmaker’s shop was not far away.
This area of the city was very different from what I had seen before. I peered out of the curtained carriage window and glimpsed a host of fashionable people walking around, shopping or chatting as they came across an acquaintance or friend on the street.
The shops in this area were also different from my last experience; they were bigger and more ornate. There were no blacksmiths, masons, or carpenters here; the shops were mainly jewelers with big, decorative shop windows, and dressmakers with their latest creations on display. There were also shoemakers, tailors, barbers, headdress makers, wine sellers, spice merchants, and a few luxurious bakeries.
The carriage stopped in front of a large dressmaker’s shop with a purple awning. Above the front of the shop, in big, gold, letters was written Lady Charlotte’s Creations.
When we got out of the carriage, I could smell the wonderful aromas coming from the bakery next door.
“Can we go in there first?” I pointed to the little bakery with delicious-looking cakes sitting on the windowsill.
Aunt Serena’s gaze turned stern. “No! We are running late as it is.”
I followed the countess into the shop to meet with the dressmaker. She was a thin little lady with stern, black eyes and a hooked nose. Her white hair was tied back securely in a severe bun.
The shop was a dream of fabric heaven, and shopgirls bustled about taking out bolts of beautiful fabrics as others worked away on spindles and looms, creating dresses and adorning them with buttons, lace, ribbons, and even jewels.
“Lady Charlotte is the best. Her designs are the most coveted by the nobility of Eldoren and beyond,” said Aunt Serena, trying to appease the stern little lady, who looked extremely peeved to have been kept waiting.
Lady Charlotte held a rich ruby fabric in her bony fingers as she showed it to us. “Touch this,” she said in her heavily accented voice and flicked a look at me. “This is the best Eldorean velvet.”
I caressed all the lavish fabrics as Lady Charlotte helped Aunt Serena choose an appropriate one for my dress. She showed us shimmering satins from Illiador, the finest silks from Brandor, along with magnificent brocades and linings made from the softest Andrysian furs. Lady Charlotte gestured to one of her shopgirls to bring out some more.
Lady Charlotte draped me in different fabrics in a variety of colors and designs, pinned me, and poked me again and again. I was convinced that all the poking was done deliberately as my punishment for keeping her waiting. She measured me in so many places that I was exhausted by the end of the session. Getting fitted for a ball gown seemed to be the most strenuous work I had ever done.
“We also need a ready gown for a dinner party tomorrow night,” said Aunt Serena to the dressmaker.
The stern little lady nodded. “I have just the thing.” She snapped her fingers to call one of her girls and send them scurrying to find what she required.
They brought out a shimmering, cream satin gown that had a fitted bodice exquisitely embroidered with snowy-white pearls and cut beautifully in a wide, off-the-shoulder style. The dress was trimmed with three rows of pearls, which cinched my waist like a belt and cascaded down the side of the dress. It was absolutely gorgeous.
We thanked Lady Charlotte, who said she would have the rest of my clothes ready in a few days, and left the shop.
We went next door to the little bakery with the bright yellow awning. It was cute and homey, and little tables with yellow-and-white-checked tablecloths were placed near the windows. Beautifully decorated cakes and pastries in a range of colors and flavors lined the counters and were stacked in tiers, forming elaborate designs. I tasted something called a honey burst, and it was delicious. It was like a crisp biscuit ball, and when you bit into it, all the delectable honey melted into your mouth. I couldn’t resist sampling some more of the delicacies the bakery offered, and so I also had two tiny lemon cakes and a lovely strawberry-cream cupcake.
Aunt Serena dragged me into another shop. I looked up at the sign: “Headdresses, Veils, Diadems, Circlets, and Tiaras.”
“I need something for the harvest ball,” she said as we entered the shop.
There were a few customers already there, trying on the wares. One was a beautiful blonde girl with long golden hair elegantly pinned up and cascading down one shoulder in a shower of perfectly curled ringlets. She wore a yellow silk day dress, artfully embroidered with flowers along the neckline and cuffs.
“Oh, I don’t think the prince will like this one,” she said in a high-pitched and bitter-sounding voice, trying on a hideously expensive gold diadem studded with massive diamonds.
The other girls nodded like puppets.
She turned toward us. Her eyes were a beautiful icy blue, but they were cold and full of malice. She didn’t look like a very nice person.
“Ah!” She looked at Aunt Serena and then at me. “If it isn’t the Countess of Everdale.”
“Good evening, Leticia,” said Aunt Serena politely.
“And who is this?” Leticia eyed me up and down as if I were some lowly peasant not fit to be in her company.
“This is Rory,” said Aunt Serena. “She is my father’s ward.”
Leticia dismissed me once she had decided that I wasn’t important enough to merit her time.
“Well, we will see you tomorrow night at the Blackwaters’ dinner party, Countess,” said Leticia to Aunt Serena, completely ignoring me as if I didn’t exist.
Aunt Serena’s sharp eyes narrowed. “Yes, Leticia, we will all be attending.”
“Oh, good.” Leticia’s smile never reached her eyes. “I shall see you all, then.”
She flung the offensive diadem down, much to the dismay of the little bearded shopkeeper, stuck her nose up high into the air, and walked out of the shop with her friends following like little ducklings behind their mother.
“Who was that?” I asked Aunt Serena after the blonde girl had left.
“That is Lady Leticia, daughter of the Earl of Glenbarry. She is her father’s only heir and is betrothed to the crown prince.”
“She’s going to be Queen of Eldoren someday?” I was horrified at the prospect.
“Looks like it. No wonder that poor boy keeps running off for days on end. Who would want to be shackled to the likes of her?”
The poor boy being the crown prince, I surmised.
On our way back to the house, I asked Aunt Serena
some more about the noble families and the aristocracy of Eldoren and Illiador.
“I wish I didn’t have to come with you to the Blackwaters’ house tomorrow,” I finally blurted out.
“You must. As I explained to you, no one will know who you are. As long as you are in plain sight, no one will question why you are here.”
“Well, you know how Damien and I don’t get along,” I said. “I don’t think he would even want me in his house.”
“Nonsense,” Aunt Serena chided me. “Damien will do as his mother says. Childish rivalries in school do not matter in the greater scheme of things. The Blackwaters and the Silverthornes have a tumultuous history, but we all have to keep up appearances for the sake of the realm.”
Aunt Serena explained that Damien’s hatred for my granduncle and all the Silverthornes stemmed purely from the political rivalries of our families. Apparently, Uncle Gabriel was the richest noble in all the kingdoms. He was far richer and even more powerful than the King of Eldoren, and his lands and estates outweighed those of the crown. His army was the largest and fiercest in all the lands, and they were loyal only to him.
I was slowly starting to get the feel for politics, and I couldn’t believe that my uncle actually thought that I would be able to fit in among this snake pit of treacherous nobles and jealous families fighting for their place in society. I was not used to it, and I wondered if I would ever truly understand how it all worked. I had to try, though. I was, after all, the only true living heir of Azaren, and Morgana was not fit to rule Illiador. I had seen that now. I really hoped that Aunt Serena was right and that they had some sort of plan to stop her.
I shook my head at the unfairness of it all. Secretly, I wished I really had the courage to take back the kingdom from Morgana. I still had four years of studying, though, until I was a fully trained mage. And then I had to learn to use fae powers as well. Being a fae-mage was not all it was cracked up to be. Even if somehow Uncle Gabriel’s army defeated Morgana’s and the armies of Maradaar and finally put me on the throne, what would I do? I couldn’t run a kingdom or be queen. I had no idea where to begin.
The Last of the Firedrakes (The Avalonia Chronicles Book 1) Page 22