Dreg (The Dreg Trilogy Book 1)

by Bethany Hoeflich

  “I hope you’re right. If I have to spend a month doing this, I just might scream.”

  ***

  If Mara never saw another rock as long as she lived, it would be too soon. Two hours had gone by, and she could only levitate the idiotic thing for a few minutes at a time. She slumped in her seat, exhaustion racking both mind and body. Tears left frosty rivulets down her cheeks. She was such a failure.

  “You’re not a failure.”

  Startled, Mara jerked upright. She hadn’t intended to say that out loud. Halder sat down beside her, reaching out to gently wipe away a tear. “Of course I am! According to Opal, I’m supposed to have this amazing Gift and fulfill some stupid prophecy. I can’t even levitate a rock, let alone fight. It’s because I’m too old, isn’t it?”

  “Mara, you are normal. Developing your Gift takes time, sometimes even years.”

  “No, it doesn’t! Opal said this was an exercise for children. If a child can do it, what is wrong with me that I can’t?”

  “That’s just how Opal speaks. Compared to her, we’re all children.” He gave her a funny look and realization dawned on his face. “You don’t know? I mean, that explains your odd question when you first got here, but I can’t believe no one told you.”

  “What don’t I know?”

  He turned to her, speaking earnestly. “Mara, no one develops Gifts until adolescence at least.”

  She stared, wide-eyed, certain she had misheard him. “What did you just say?”

  “Children don’t have Gifts. At all. They don’t appear until the transition to adulthood. And the longer they take to manifest, the more powerful the Gift will be.”

  “But, that doesn’t make sense. Back home, the Magi Gifts infants on their first birthday. By the time they’re five years of age, they’re well on their way to doing amazing things.”

  Halder shook his head. “It’s not natural. Those Gifts are forced with elixirs and will never be as powerful as they would have been if left to develop on their own.”

  What he said contradicted everything she’d been taught, but admittedly, it did make sense. If the Magi could create a dreg with elixirs, it stood to reason that they could use them to awaken Gifts prematurely. But why? Was it simply for power, or was it because a weaker people would be easier to control? “Wait, if Gifts appear naturally over time, why is Opal using an elixir for Wynn and Steel?”

  His face scrunched up, as though he were trying to figure out the right way to explain. “When a child is born, their Gift remains dormant for many years. You could imagine that it’s kept inside a tiny box until the time is right. During a Gifting, a Magi uses one of two elixirs. One awakens the baby’s Gift, bringing it out prematurely. The other elixir places a lock on the box, preventing it from emerging at all. Because Wynn and Steel were fed the suppressive elixir as infants, their Gifts will only appear now if they’re forced. Opal is trying to break the lock.”

  “But I didn’t drink a potion or an elixir or anything. If my Augeo didn’t awaken my powers…”

  “My best guess is that your Magi forgot to give you the suppressive elixir at your Gifting, allowing your Gift to develop naturally. Now, I want you to try something,” Halder said hesitantly. “Block everything out. The world is full of distractions that you must overcome. If you can’t focus now, it will be a thousand times harder when your world is in chaos. A peaceful countryside is nothing compared to an active battlefield.”

  “Okay, and how am I supposed to do that, exactly? Opal hasn’t been the most forthcoming, and I don’t understand what I’m supposed to be feeling.”

  Halder chuckled. “Yeah, Opal’s the kind of teacher who would toss you in an ice flow and expect you to learn how to swim. Basically, everything around you gives off a different kind of energy: sunlight, plants, earth, animals, and even people. You could pull energy from a tree, but it will be different than energy from a river or a fire.”

  Mara leaned forward, hanging onto every word, and her mind raced with the possibilities of what she could do.

  “Arguably, an Impriga is the most powerful of all the Gifted. A Saxum can lift a boulder, or dig a hundred foot pit in the ground, but he is limited to rock and dirt. A Caeli can create powerful gusts of wind. An Ignis can burn a forest to ashes with wildfire. An Irrigo can cause a mighty tsunami. All of them are powerful but limited. An Impriga, on the other hand, can harness it all by channeling the different energies around them. Now, close your eyes, and feel the world around you.”

  She stood and closed her eyes, blocking out her surroundings. At first, she did nothing but extend her awareness. But then, her world ignited like a beacon. Each creature, every rock, had its own color and flavor. She picked up on a thread, leading back to Halder. His signature felt like moonlight, soft and comforting. She picked up another, tracing it to a rabbit that hid in the snow. Its energy felt anxious and tightly wound. Within the tent, she felt the fire, fierce and hot.

  She poured all of her concentration into her rock, which felt strong and steady.

  Halder gasped, and her eyes flew open in alarm. There, hovering inches from her face, was the rock. Strange, she didn’t recall wanting it to move. Mara tilted her head, eyeing it speculatively. It wasn’t as hard as she’d thought, she realized. Keeping it suspended in the air was as easy as breathing. How high could she lift it? She watched as it lifted higher and higher, almost disappearing into the clouds. Then, she lost her hold and it fell. Halder pulled her out of the way seconds before it would have crushed her head.

  “That was incredible, Mara! I’ve never seen anyone pick this up so fast.”

  Mara turned back, determined to get this ridiculous test out of the way. She reached back out, slowly lifting it until it hovered two feet above the ground. Sitting down, she watched carefully so it didn’t fall again. Minutes ticked by until the hour was almost up. Bored, she decided to experiment. Reaching out, she felt for another rock and lifted it to hover next to the first. Then came another. And another. Soon, she had twenty head-sized stones floating in a circle.

  A crowd of people had gathered to watch her train, their faces a mixture of awe and excitement. Mara recognized two of the people in the group— the dark-haired woman and her rambunctious toddler. The little boy squealed, pointing at the floating rocks and clapping his hands. What could it hurt to have a little fun? With a thought, the rocks twirled through the air, mimicking the dances they held back in Stonehollow.

  Giggling, the toddler broke away from his mother, and scampered towards Mara, breaking her concentration. In a panic, Mara sent out a blast of pure energy, knocking the onlookers back. She watched in horror as half of the plummeting rocks exploded with a deafening boom, sending shards and fragments into the crowd.

  Halder planted himself, taking the brunt of the blast, and threw a translucent shield over the group. Other than a few scrapes and scratches, no one was seriously injured. One by one, the bystanders dusted themselves off, staring at Mara with expressions ranging from fear to anger to hope. The latter worried her, making her wonder just how many believed she would become their prophesied savior. If she couldn’t even move a rock, how was she supposed to help them? In that moment, Ansel’s idea of running away and starting a new life sounded more and more appealing.

  “Well, that was… something,” Halder said.

  “I’m sensing a ‘but’ in there,” Mara said.

  “Well, yeah. We need to work on your control.”

  “Is anyone hurt?” Opal asked as she marched through the crowd, her face a mask of fury. When they mumbled that everyone was fine, she advanced on Mara and shoved a crooked finger in her chest. “Just what were you thinking?”

  Mara bowed under the weight of her disapproving glare and said, “I wanted to see how many I could handle. I thought you’d be pleased with my progress.”

  “Pleased? Why should I be pleased? You were reckless and arrogant, and you put others in danger! This exercise was about control, which you clearly lack. It was not a
n opportunity for you to test your limitations. You could have killed someone!”

  Mara recoiled. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to put anyone at risk.” Part of her was ashamed, but a larger part was frustrated and angry with the restrictions. How was she supposed to find out what she’s capable of if they held her back? If Opal wanted her to be part of some war, she needed to know.

  “Show’s over, people. Go find something better to do with your time,” Halder shouted and the crowd dispersed reluctantly. He stepped closer to Mara, almost protectively, as though he wanted to shield her from Opal’s wrath. “I’m sorry, Opal. I should have stepped in sooner.”

  “Yes, you should have. I’m disappointed in you, Halder. You, of all people, should know the consequences of unrestrained power.”

  Halder flinched like she had slapped him.

  Opal turned to Mara, radiating disapproval. “It is too dangerous to continue your training—”

  “What? No! We can’t stop now.” Mara’s heart sank to her feet and she prepared to beg if necessary.

  “Let me finish,” Opal said, holding up her hand. She cast a speculative look on Halder and pursed her lips. “It’s too dangerous to continue here, but the caverns should do nicely.”

  Halder nodded once, then took Mara’s arm, pulling her away.

  Mara dug her heels into the muddied ground. “What’s going on, Halder. Where are we going?”

  “We have a safe place to train, but we need to leave now before it gets dark. Grab your pack and I’ll gather some provisions. We might be gone a while.”

  “I can’t leave Wynn and Steel! I need to be here to watch over them,” Mara said, thinking about her promise to Mikkal.

  “If you stay here, you might end up hurting them yourself,” he replied in a clipped tone, his icy blue eyes boring into her soul.

  She swallowed and nodded, darting into the tent. Steel and Wynn sat on the edge of a cot, talking quietly. Opal must have moved them to the beds for their Gifting.

  Wynn caught sight of her and waved, but her smile withered with one look at Mara’s face. “What happened?” she demanded.

  “Just grabbing my pack,” Mara said, dodging the question. She leaned down to gather her things, brushing her hair from her face.

  “Are they kicking us out?” Steel asked, looking alarmed.

  “Not you, just me,” Mara whispered.

  Wynn grabbed her by the shoulders. “Did he hurt ya? I’ll kill him,” she hissed. Judging by her flushed face and the way she swayed, Mara doubted Wynn’s ability to follow through. She was obviously coming down with the fever.

  “No one hurt me,” Mara said. At Wynn’s doubtful look, she continued, “Honest. It’s just too dangerous for me to stay here.”

  “Yer not leavin’ without us, girly. Over my dead body.” Wynn pulled a dirk from her belt, promptly dropping it to the floor with a clatter.

  “I’ll be okay, I promise. Halder’s taking me somewhere safe to train. I’ll come back when I’m done, I think.” Her voice cracked. Could she come back? No one had technically said anything about returning. The thought of never seeing her friends, no— her family— again was unbearable.

  Halder approached, carrying a medium-sized bag over his shoulder. Mara eyed it skeptically, unconvinced that they would have enough supplies. Perhaps they wouldn’t be gone as long as she’d feared.

  Pulling her second dirk from her belt, Wynn stumbled over to Halder, jabbing him in the chest with its tip. “Listen up and listen close. This girly is my sister, ya hear? If ya hurt her, I will hunt ya down. I will find ya, and when I do, I’ll peel the skin from yer flesh and feed it to the wolves.”

  Steel stepped next to Mara, throwing an arm around her shoulders. His face wore no trace of humor as he said, “And once Wynn has had her turn, I will hang your rotting carcass up on a pike for the crows to feast upon.” He lurched to the side and clutched at his cot for support, ruining the impact of his threat.

  Amusement flashed through Halder’s eyes, but he nodded solemnly and said, “You have my word that Mara will be kept safe and returned to you in one piece.”

  “Ya better,” Wynn said, pulling Mara in for a crushing hug. “Good luck, girly.”

  “Thanks. You, too. I can’t wait to see what Gifts you two get.”

  “Come on, Mara, we really need to get going,” Halder said.

  They walked out of the tent, and straight into Ansel.

  “Oh, hey Mara.” When he spotted the packs they carried he said, “Where are you two going?”

  Mara sighed. “Apparently, I’m a danger to everyone, so Halder’s taking me somewhere to train. And no, I’m not sure when we’ll be back.”

  Ansel nodded, then turned to Halder, who held up a hand. “Let me guess, you’re going to tell me to keep Mara safe and then threaten me with something painful, and probably deadly, if anything happens to her?”

  “It’s cute that you think I’m concerned for her safety,” Ansel snorted, winking at Mara. “I’m more concerned for yours. Hurt Mara, and she’ll rake you over the coals herself.”

  “I think you might be right about that one,” Halder replied with a laugh. He turned, calling over his shoulder, “I’ll give you a minute to say goodbye.”

  Ansel waited until Halder was out of earshot, then whispered, “Okay, but seriously, I’m not comfortable with you going off unprotected. Do you want me to go with you?”

  “I’ll be fine. Besides, I don’t want to take you away from your training. Don’t worry, I’ll be back before you know it,” Mara said, hoping that it was true.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  After hours of trudging through knee-deep snow, Halder finally stopped and gestured to… nothing? Mara craned her neck over the substantial heaps of fresh-fallen snow, trying to pinpoint the cavern entrance from an endless sea of white. Wonderful. Snow, ice, and more snow. Tregydar was officially the most boring place she’d ever seen.

  Knowing she’d never find the cavern by herself, Mara stepped back, waiting for Halder to show the way. He walked a few paces, turned, and walked a few more, appearing to follow invisible directions. Then, he crouched, brushing snow off of a hidden door. Mara let out a low whistle. These Tregydarians were masters of concealment.

  Halder led her inside, closing the door behind them.

  “Aren’t you worried that someone will spot the door?” Mara asked.

  “No. The wind will cover it under a snow drift in no time,” he replied, rummaging through his pack for a torch. Once lit, the flames illuminated a claustrophobic tunnel that led deep into the earth.

  “How will we get back out then?” she asked. The thought of being trapped in a tiny cave sent her heart galloping and sweat beaded on her forehead. Mara edged towards the door, ready to run back outside before they were buried.

  “There’s a secondary exit that’s surrounded by forests. When you’ve completed your training, we can leave that way,” Halder said. He glanced over his shoulder at her, eyes crinkling with concern. “Did you really think I brought you here to die?”

  Mara didn’t answer, too busy forcing one foot in front of the other as she followed him down the seemingly eternal passage. She stretched her arms out to the side, allowing her fingers to brush the cool, stone walls. The sweet smell of earth tickled her nose as they descended, and the air grew warmer.

  The tunnel spilled out into an immense chamber, easily as wide as the tent had been. Glittering crystals the size of her hand coated the vaulted ceiling, bathing the cavern in a faint blue glow. Other than a fire ring, the cavern floor lay smooth and flat, free of natural formations, suggesting that it had been carved out of the earth.

  Halder dumped their packs by the fire ring and turned to observe her with a smile. Spellbound by her surroundings, Mara ignored him. Several tunnels branched off of the main cavern— most slanted downward, leading further into the earth, but one seemed to ramp back up to the surface. Mara assumed that was the secondary exit.

  “Are you listeni
ng?”

  Halder’s voice snapped Mara from her exploration, bringing her focus back to the ground. He seemed mildly amused by her slack-jawed wonder. “Umm… yes?” Mara scrambled to figure out what he had said. Her eyes circled back to the ceiling, dazzled by the crystals.

  Halder followed her gaze. “Those are Azora crystals, which absorb and reflect light, enabling us to grow food underground.”

  “They’re so pretty,” Mara said, awe coloring her voice.

  “True, which explains why the jewelers in Merrowhaven pay a fortune for them. Last I heard, Empress Olivia had some imbedded in her crown,” Halder said. He ducked down the nearest tunnel, returning after a minute with an arm load of wood.

  As he knelt by the fire ring to arrange the wood, Mara asked, “What is this place?”

  “This is our emergency shelter. We needed a safe place to live in case the Order ever finds our location.”

  “Why not live here all the time?”

  “Would you want to live in a cave?”

  She paused, considering, before shaking her head. “No, probably not.”

  “Why don’t you take a minute to get settled in, but we really need to begin your training as soon as possible. It’s important that you learn to—”

  “Control my Gift so I don’t end up hurting anyone,” Mara interrupted with an exaggerated eye roll. “Let me guess, more rocks?”

  “I know you disagree with Opal’s methods. I did, too, a long time ago. But you need to trust her before it’s too late.” His voice broke and he turned away, staring vaguely at the wall.

  Mara chewed on her lip. It sounded as though he had personal experience with this. What had happened to him? She walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Okay, I’ll try.”

  ***

  That night, Mara lay comatose by the fire, unable to move her trembling limbs. Her brain felt as though someone had dipped it in a vat of acid. Halder sat by the fire, roasting hickory nuts over the flames, shuffling the iron pan. Wincing as the sound rattled around her skull, Mara turned her head to glare at him. “I thought you said training, not torture.”