The Awakening: The Aegis of Merlin Book 2

by James E. Wisher

  “Break!”

  A blast of dark energy engulfed the boxes and when it vanished nothing of the containers remained, not even a mote of dust.

  Everyone stared at him and Maria realized her mouth was partway open. She knew how strong he was in theory, but even seeing the dark magic hound standing over him on the day he was attacked hadn’t prepared her for that display.

  She’d spent weeks warding her container and she knew the others had as well. In an instant he’d wiped that all away and with no apparent effort on his part. If he could do that after only half a year, what would he be capable of after graduation?

  Conryu was greatly relieved when he blew away all the boxes like Mrs. Lenore wanted and judging from her big smile his teacher was pleased as well. Fifty-some scowling light magic students, on the other hand, seemed less pleased. Well, if he’d learned one thing it was that you couldn’t satisfy everyone. As long as Maria wasn’t too mad at him he didn’t care what the rest thought.

  Mrs. Lenore clapped her hands to silence the murmur of conversations that had sprung up. “Okay everyone, that’s the end of your midterm. The train for Central leaves at nine o’clock sharp tomorrow morning. Make sure you’re packed and on board before then. Class dismissed.”

  The moment Mrs. Lenore finished Kelsie jumped out of her chair, ran over, and hugged him. “I can’t believe I passed and it’s all thanks to you.”

  He disentangled himself and took a step back. Under that bulky robe she had some nice curves. “I didn’t do anything. Anyone could have taught you that meditation trick. It was your strength of will that got the job done.”

  “You’re too modest. Maybe we can talk more after winter break?”

  “Sure. I don’t have so many friends here that I’ll turn a new one away.”

  “Great.” She started for the door, turned and waved. “Bye.”

  He waved and when she’d gone shook his head.

  “So when did you and Kelsie Kincade get so friendly?” He hadn’t noticed Maria approaching.

  “Yesterday. Is that her last name? It was the first time the girl had even spoken to me. She shows up outside my room and wants me to help her prepare for the midterm. The day before the test. I taught her the count backwards trick. Seemed to help.”

  “Was the shoulder rub a bonus?” They headed for the door.

  “Did you not notice how upset she was?” Conryu countered. “I don’t know what sort of family she comes from, but her mother called last night and it totally screwed her up. Have I told you how much I love our moms? I’m so glad neither of them would do something like that.”

  Maria stopped in the doorway and turned to face him. “Are you telling me you don’t recognize the name Kincade?”

  “Should I?”

  “Kincade Magic Industries? The world’s largest fabricators of custom magical items and enhancements. Her family is the richest, most powerful family in the Alliance if not the world. They could buy Sentinel City and have money left over.”

  “Wow. Wonder why she didn’t mention it?” He shrugged. “Whatever. However much money they have, they still treat their daughter like crap.”

  11

  Winter Break

  Conryu packed only the minimum he needed for the two weeks he’d be home and to his relief so did Maria. Only having two bags to lug to the train instead of three was a lot easier. Even better, he’d ditched his robe and wouldn’t have to wear the stupid thing again until he returned to school. He knew other schools had uniforms, but couldn’t they have come up with something a little less bulky?

  They’d been assigned the same cabin for the ride home as they’d used on their way to school. Conryu stepped into the cabin and muttered, “Reveal.” The wards lit up. It looked like the Department had protected them from everything; every element except dark was represented in the wards. How long had it taken to accomplish that? He hoped whoever cast the spells didn’t have to renew them every time he rode to and from home.

  “So do we have any plans for winter break?” Maria asked.

  “Mom might have something up her sleeve, but all I want is to hit the dojo, make sure my bike still runs, and not think about magic for two weeks.”

  “I take it you’re not planning to study up on the second semester’s classes?”

  “You take it correctly. I even made a point to forget”—he made air quotes around the word— “the book Mrs. Umbra gave me. I need a break from that stuff. Besides, Mrs. Lenore didn’t mention what we were working on when we get back.”

  “We’re doing healing. After wards it’s the most important skill for a light magic wizard.”

  The train lurched and they were underway. Conryu barely got his chair up when someone knocked on their door. It couldn’t be Angus. The nutty professor hadn’t been back since the Grand Brawl. Conryu had allowed himself a moment of hope that the demon had scared him away for good.

  He glanced at Maria who shrugged.

  Well, one way to find out. He opened the door and found Kelsie standing outside. She had on a pretty gray dress cut in a conservative style and black pearls. His guess about her curves had been dead on. She filled her dress out nicely indeed.

  “I was sitting alone in my cabin and thought some company might be nice.” She looked past him at a frowning Maria. “I hope that’s okay.”

  “Of course it’s okay.” He stepped aside to let her pass. “Right?”

  Maria slipped out of her chair. “Maybe I should leave you two alone.”

  “Don’t be like that. You’re the one that said I’d make some friends eventually. Now that I have you’re going to act jealous?”

  She brushed past him without a word, slamming the door shut behind her.

  Conryu sighed. “That woman’s going to drive me nuts. I’ve known you for three days and she acts like we’re dating behind her back.”

  “Maybe I should go.” Kelsie took a step toward the door.

  “No, it’s fine. She’ll realize she’s acting silly and come back. Take a load off. It’s only half an hour to Central. If there’s something you wanted to talk about we’d better get started.”

  She perched on the edge of Maria’s chair like she was ready to flee at the first opportunity. Conryu sat opposite her. When she didn’t say anything for a while he raised an eyebrow.

  Kelsie smiled and shook her head. “The truth is I didn’t really want to talk about anything specific, I just didn’t feel like being alone.”

  “That’s cool.” Conryu put his feet up. “After all, once you’re home you’ll have plenty of company. Are the Kincades a big family?”

  She gave him a sharp look. “Maria told you?”

  “Yeah. You didn’t really think that was the sort of thing you could keep secret did you?”

  Her smile faded. “I hoped I might. Once they know who I am people quickly sort themselves into two groups: Those who suck up to me in hopes of getting a job after they graduate and those who are jealous. It splits about fifty-fifty. It was nice pretending I could have a real friend, even if only for a few days.”

  Conryu laughed. “I assure you I have no interest in working for your family and from the way they treat you I’m certainly not jealous. I wouldn’t trade my family for yours if you gave me all the money in the world.”

  That seemed to set her back on her heels. “But we’re rich, powerful—”

  “Miserable.”

  “What?”

  “You talked to your mom and then you were unable to sleep. You spent the whole morning getting sick. When you walked into the testing room you looked like the Grim Reaper was waiting for you outside. If a simple phone call did that to you, I can’t imagine what it’ll be like spending two weeks with her.”

  “I… No. I mean, it should be okay since I passed the midterm. Mom’s not the warmest person in the world, but she loves me, I think. It’s complicated. Our family’s different than most. It’s very competitive. My cousins are always trying to make me look bad so they can becom
e heir to the business. Mom needs me to be strong.”

  “I’m even less jealous of you now.” Conryu leaned back in his chair. “Do you actually want to run your family’s business?”

  Her eyes went wide. “Um, I…”

  “Has anyone even asked you that before?”

  “No. It was always just expected that I’d take over one day. It’s my destiny.”

  “Ugh! I hate that word, probably because Angus likes it so well. There’s no such thing as destiny. I choose my path and you need to do the same. You don’t have to be miserable if you don’t want to be.”

  “Easy for you to say. You don’t know my mother.”

  Conryu grinned. “Thank goodness for that.”

  Maria returned to the cabin shortly after Kelsie left to collect her bag and disembark. Conryu and Kelsie had spent the last part of the ride discussing minor things of no importance. It was nice and seemed to reassure her that he really didn’t want anything from her.

  “So did you and Princess Kelsie have a nice talk?”

  Conryu blew out a sigh. “We did. Turns out she likes techno dance music, kittens, and not getting yelled at by her mother. Are you going to glower at me the whole way home?”

  She ran her fingers through her hair. “No. It’s just when I said you’d make friends I didn’t think you’d end up with the richest girl on the planet wrapped around you. She’s got a serious crush.”

  Conryu waved his hand. “That’s crazy. I’ve known her for three days. We’ve spoken for at most four hours and I hugged her once. After two weeks at home she’ll forget all about me.”

  “Uh-huh. How much you want to bet?”

  Kelsie left the train and headed for the front of Central Station. She had no trouble carrying her bag on her own. It was a Kincade carryall and thanks to its magic it would never weigh more than two pounds, even if she filled it with bricks. She hadn’t fully appreciated the convenience until she watched Conryu wrestling his and Maria’s bags down the narrow aisle.

  She smiled as she walked down the front stairs to where her ride was parked. Mom had sent the black limo, of course. She knew Kelsie preferred the red one. It was just the sort of petty snub her mother specialized in. You’d think since she passed the midterm her mother might, just this once, have done something she knew Kelsie would like.

  The familiar Central City skyline gleamed in the clear, cold air. It really was a beautiful city. Her mother claimed it belonged to the Kincades in fact if not in name. That was how her family measured everything: what they owned and who they owned. It was a long list.

  As she approached the waiting limo the driver got out and opened the back door for her. He wore an all-black uniform and didn’t speak as she climbed inside. Kelsie had seen him a few times around the house, but didn’t recall his name. He closed her door and they were on their way.

  While the limo drove through the slushy streets she thought about Conryu and how nice it would have been to show him around Central. He had a kind, gentle manner and seemed to have no interest in her family or business. That was so odd as to be an almost foreign concept to her.

  Kelsie’s first thought when he made the claim was that he was pretending to have no interest in order to get close to her before asking for something. He’d been nothing but kind to her and that seemed a terribly unfair thought.

  Halfway through the trip from the academy while he was listening to her ramble and laughing at her lame jokes, she decided to take him at face value. They’d be friends until he did something to prove his bad intentions. She hoped he didn’t do anything, at least nothing to prove her fears correct. Her cheeks warmed when she remembered how it felt when she hugged him after the test. In truth there were a few things she wouldn’t mind him doing.

  No, she couldn’t let her imagination wander down that path. He was clearly involved with Maria, though the exact nature of that relationship seemed a little vague.

  The limo pulled through the iron gates and began the half-mile trek up the driveway to the mansion. They parked, Kelsie got out, and stared up at the seventy-eight-room mansion that had housed fourteen generations of Kincades. The imposing white building had nothing warm or welcoming about it. It served one purpose and one purpose only: to intimidate anyone coming to visit her mother. It did that job very well indeed. Even though it was supposed to be her home she felt thoroughly intimidated.

  The driver stood beside her holding the magic bag, waiting for her to lead the way inside as was proper. Now there was a word she’d have to keep in mind every moment of the next two weeks. If she did anything that wasn’t proper for the heir to the family her mother would have a fit.

  She went up the short flight of steps to an entryway flanked by roman columns. At four strides from the door she mouthed the word that deactivated the wards and caused double doors twice her height to open.

  Beyond the doors a marble foyer bigger than some people’s houses spread out in every direction. The driver set her bag beside her and withdrew without comment. The groundskeepers and drivers lived in small houses out of sight of the main house and Mother didn’t like them hanging around inside.

  Kelsie reached for her bag and caught herself. It wouldn’t do for her to carry it herself. One of the servants would take it to her room.

  Speaking of which. The chief butler emerged from a side door and bowed to her. Tall, gaunt and with a cool, haughty manner, he’d served her mother for longer than Kelsie had been alive. “Welcome home, miss.”

  “Thank you, Alec. Is Mother in?”

  “Lady Kincade is still in the city. I believe she intends to return for the evening meal.”

  “Oh.” Why in the world had Kelsie imagined her mother would be here to greet her? “I believe I’ll head up to my room and rest. Are any of the other family members here yet?”

  “Lady Amanda and Miss Charlotte arrived yesterday. The rest aren’t due until tomorrow.”

  Ugh, Aunt Amanda and Cousin Charlotte, her least favorite relatives, not that any of them were fantastic. Kelsie was careful not to let any of her distaste show. The trick to interacting with her family was to keep the hate bottled up tight.

  “Very good. Have my bag brought up.” She left Alec in the foyer and headed up the curved stairs to the second floor.

  She walked past the familiar paintings, each of them hideous and worth millions. Would it have killed her mother to buy at least a couple nice landscapes? Probably, since landscapes were over decades ago. Now it was abstract globs of color you had to have cluttering up your walls.

  Kelsie reached the door to her room and allowed herself to relax. It was the one room of the mansion her mother allowed her full control over. She reached for the handle.

  “Hello, Kelsie.”

  So close and yet so far.

  Charlotte emerged from one of the guest rooms further up the hall. The two of them couldn’t have been more different. Charlotte was two years younger, blond haired and rosy cheeked, and with the soul of a barracuda.

  “Charlotte. Alec mentioned you and your mother arrived earlier. I trust you’re well.”

  “Perfectly well. I got every question right on my midterm plus the extra credit. I have the best GPA in my class. I’m sure to receive the highest score when I take the wizard test next year.”

  “You know grades and magical power aren’t related. You might not even pass. Nothing to be ashamed of if it doesn’t go your way.”

  Charlotte’s pouty lips curled into a nasty smile. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you? No family competition until after you’d graduated. No, cousin, I’m going to pass and then I’ll show everyone what a Kincade wizard is really capable of.”

  “Well, I wish you the best of luck.” Kelsie opened her door, stepped inside, and slammed it behind her. It was going to be a long break.

  The train pulled into the Sentinel City station an hour after sunset. Bright lights illuminated the platform and the station beyond. The train was only half full on this trip so the crowd wait
ing beyond the turnstiles was thinner than when they left.

  The front of the station wasn’t visible as they pulled in, but Conryu allowed himself a moment’s hope that the worst of the press had moved on to new stories. He’d been out of sight and out of mind for months now. Surely something had happened, some shiny new story must have appeared to hold their interest.

  He grabbed their bags and followed Maria out onto the station platform. About halfway home he’d finally managed to convince her there was nothing between him and Kelsie beyond a simple friendship and she’d finally relaxed.

  The platform had been swept free of snow so at least he didn’t have to worry about his footing as they headed for the exit. “Do you think everyone came to pick us up?”

  “Unless Mom had a job I’d assume so.” Maria pushed through the turnstile and scanned the crowd for their parents.

  “Conryu Koda!”

  “Aw, man.”

  Pushing her way through the crowd, Joe the cameraman following in her wake, was Kat Gable. She had on a long insulated jacket with a fur-lined hood. The ever-present microphone was clenched in her fist.

  “I should have let the snake eat them.”

  Maria giggled. “I see my dad and your mom. Maybe if we hurry we can beat her to the car.”

  “Maybe we could run her over.”

  Maria grabbed his arm and pulled him along toward their parents. They’d covered half the distance when his mom spotted them and ran his way. She caught him in a hug and kissed his cheek.

  “Are you okay? Orin told me everything and I saw that snake on tv. Why do these things keep happening to you?”

  “Relax, Mom, I’m fine. Where’s Dad?” He looked over his shoulder. Kat was tangled up with a knot of people about a hundred yards behind them.

  “Your father’s waiting in the car. You know how he hates crowds. Shizuku’s working late on a consultation.” She hugged him again. “It’s so good to have you home.”

  “It’s good to be home. Can we get out of here? I’m starving.”