by J. D. Wright
Dagan thought for a moment, then asked, “Leitis. You said Leitis. Is that the wizard, in Vale?” Most large kingdoms, like Junacave, had a wizard in their service.
“Yes,” Bree replied. “He is very skilled in predicting the weather. He has a son, too. But I’m not sure how old he is. I haven’t been to Vale since I was a child. My mother’s family usually come here to visit, seeing as our weather is milder. Why do you ask?”
“Just curious,” he replied. Another wizard could possibly help him and Sidonie to solve the mystery of her magic. But just because this wizard served Bree’s family, didn’t mean he could be trusted. He would have to be careful. Sidonie’s safety depended on it.
~*~
“Are you sure you’ll be alright, Finn? I know it’s a lot of responsibility. I wish I could leave someone here to assist you.” Bree hadn’t left yet, but she was already feeling guilty for asking Finnley to take over for her while she was away. She knew he was perfectly capable of handling the daily operations in the castle, but she also knew it was a great burden.
“I’ll be fine. You just try to avoid falling off the side of the mountain, please. And don’t get kidnapped, again, by a group of wild women, either.”
“Funny, especially considering if we hadn’t been kidnapped by the Sabras, Dagan might have never met Sidonie and you would have never met Adelphie. Imagine how boring your life would be…”
Finn knew there was some definite truth to Bree’s statement. Meeting Adelphie was a disaster at first. He had never disliked a woman so much in his life. Most women loved Finn and his shaggy red hair. But Adelphie hated him immediately after they met and he returned the sediment. He had only agreed to escort Adelphie around the kingdom to distract her from finding out about Dagan and Sidonie. Unfortunately, she found out anyway, but it was Finn who came to the rescue when Adelphie needed someone to confide in. Though he still found her beliefs to be barbaric, to say the least, he did have to admit that he often thought of her. He even kept a piece of one of her furs, tucked away in his pocket.
Bree pulled her cloak around her shoulders. She was just about to lift her hood when she saw Dahlia, bringing a horse into the courtyard and beginning to attach it to the carriage. Dahlia was busy with her work and hadn’t even noticed Bree standing there.
“I’ll keep an eye on her. Don’t worry,” Finn said.
“Actually, I’m not worried. I’m glad Dahlia has found a purpose here. I must say, I had my doubts, but she has done remarkably well in the stables and Garret is thrilled to have her assisting. I think if you need any help while I am gone, you should ask her. It could be good for her.”
Dahlia finished with the horse and looked up, noticing her cousin standing there. She walked over to Bree and gave a quick curtsy.
“Your Majesty. I didn’t see you there. Are you ready to go?”
“I am, thank you.”
Dahlia and a stable boy loaded the two large trunks of clothes and bags onto the back of the carriage, then Bree climbed in, followed by Sarita and Sidonie. Dagan and Rowan had chosen to ride alongside. Rowan was happy to have any reason to take his horse, Dragon, for a ride. And Dagan just wanted to enjoy the outdoors as much as he could. Being stuffed in a carriage with three ladies did not sound like an appealing way to travel.
Since Sir Luthias was now the acting First Knight, he was traveling in the front, with two other knights, Sir Evan and Sir Tomas, riding in the rear with additional guards. It would take four days to get to Elmber and two more days to reach Vale. Bree had packed a large bag, full of books, in hopes of making the journey a bit easier on her, Sidonie, and Sarita.
“I can’t wait to get there,” Sarita said, looking out of the carriage window. “What does it look like?”
Bree thought for a moment, about her last trip to Vale. It had been many years, but she still remembered it well.
“There is a lot of snow and mountains, as far as the eye can see. The castle is gorgeous, like a winter wonderland. You are going to love it, Sarita. I am so happy you get to join us.” Sarita snuggled up in Bree’s skirts. Before they had made it out of the kingdom, she was already fast asleep.
Bree looked out over her land. It was nearing the end of winter for Junacave. Spring would be here in just a few weeks. Soon the annual tournament would take place, bringing people from all over the kingdom to watch the competition, as young men fought to win the right to serve as a Royal Knight. Bree closed her eyes and thought about her father, who was watching her from the heavens, above. She remembered the tournament last year, when her father had still been alive, and it made her smile. Slowly she drifted off to sleep as the carriage rolled along.
Chapter Two
By the fourth day of traveling, Sidonie was growing anxious to see her sister. They arrived in Elmber at mid-day. She was happy to finally ride through the town. Until today, she had only seen the town from afar. The Sabras didn’t visit neighboring towns as they found or made almost everything they needed in the forest. Occasionally, a traveling merchant would stop nearby their homes and Adelphie would send someone out to trade furs for goods such as sewing needles, spices, and weapons. But they were careful not to lead anyone back to their homes. Staying secluded was the only way to stay safe. Or at least, that’s what Sidonie had always been told…
The townspeople were beside themselves to see the queen of Junacave passing through, tossing flowers at her carriage as she waved from the window. Elmber was governed by Taten, and though the people expected to see Taten royalty from time to time, they were surprised to receive a visit from Queen Breestlin.
The inn was the largest building in the center of the town, with big windows overlooking the town square. The inn stayed busy almost year-round as travelers passed through on their way to and from Taten or Vale. Several children were playing marbles nearby. Sidonie smiled and watched them while Sir Luthias retrieved the keys to their rooms. The innkeepers were delighted to have a royal visitor, bringing baskets of food and gifts to their rooms.
Sidonie planned to stay the evening with her sister and return in the morning. There was no need for her to have a room. Bree let her borrow the washtub to clean up after traveling all day. The walk to where the Sabras lived would take over an hour on foot, so Bree offered a horse to Sidonie, to shorten the trip.
“Are you sure you want to go alone?” Dagan was beginning to rethink his original plan to stay behind. He did want to visit one of the shops in Elmber before they took leave in the morning, but Sid’s safety was much more important.
“You do remember that I know these forests like my own hand? I am perfectly capable of finding my way home.”
“Yes, I know. However, I still worry. I’m allowed to worry,” he replied, pulling her into a long, deep kiss that drew stares from passing strangers.
“Dagan, is that you?”
Dagan pulled back from Sid just as a woman approached from the other side of the road. Sidonie glanced over her shoulder. The woman was gorgeous with wavy blonde hair, partially pinned back and lined with small flowers. Her big brown eyes and perfect mouth were smiling at Dagan. Sidonie felt as if she were invisible to the woman, who was solely focused on him.
“Cassandra,” Dagan replied, attempting to sound as casual as possible to hide his surprise. Though he knew he would see her today, as she owned the apothecary shop in the town, he hadn’t planned on Sidonie meeting her.
“What a pleasant surprise! I heard you were taken by those barbaric Sabras. We thought you were a dead man, for sure.”
Sid straightened up at the mention of the Sabras. Since she was dressed as a lady now, and not in her usual Sabra attire, no one would have guessed that Sidonie was or had ever been a Sabra, herself.
Dagan glanced over at Sid, hoping to read her expression. Few people knew about the Sabras and those people were mostly wizards and their kin. The Sabras had hunted and killed wizards who traveled in this part of the realm for over two decades and had earned a terrible reputation.
But he wasn’t sure if Sidonie was aware of it.
“I survived, actually. They agreed to release me, per Queen Breestlin’s request.”
“Is that so?” Cassandra seemed intrigued. “I just heard that the queen is visiting though I had no idea you and she were so closely acquainted. Nevertheless, I do hope you will stop by the shop today. I have some free time later. We can finish that game of lords and ladies that we started before you disappeared,” she said, winking at him.
Sid’s eyes widened. She wanted to speak, but couldn’t find the words. She just stared at the woman, wondering how Cassandra could be so brash as to completely ignore the fact that Dagan had been kissing Sid before she approached him. Apparently, Cassandra didn’t care to acknowledge Dagan’s new love interest.
“Umm…” Dagan wasn’t sure how to respond. His relationship with Cassandra had been of both friendship and pleasure. He had known her for several years and she was one of the reasons he had chosen to come back to Elmber, before he was taken by the Sabras. And while he knew there would never be anything more between them again, romantically, he didn’t want to sever all of the ties he had with her, just yet.
However, before Dagan could come up with a reply, Cassandra leaned in and kissed him. Then she turned and started to walk away. Unable to stop herself, Sidonie lunged at the woman, grabbing for her head. She would have gotten ahold of her, too, if Dagan hadn’t thought quickly, and using air magic, froze Sidonie in mid-jump. Cassandra continued walking away as if nothing had happened. Dagan waited until she was out of sight, then released Sidonie.
He began to speak before her feet reached the ground, “Sid, let me explain.” But she was already mounting her horse before he could finish his sentence. “She doesn’t mean anything to me. There is nothing between us anymore.”
Gripping the reigns, Sidonie could barely contain her anger. He hadn’t stopped her from kissing him, and he hadn’t refused her request, either. Sid knew Dagan had a past, but she never expected his past to be so beautiful or crude.
“Oh, yeah? Then why didn’t you introduce us? Why didn’t you tell your lover that not only have you found someone else but that your someone else is also a dreaded Sabra?” Sidonie pretended to gasp. “Think she couldn’t handle the truth? Or that I couldn’t?”
“It isn’t like that. Cassandra and I have a history, and it’s complicated.”
“Were you planning to visit her shop today? Without telling me about her?”
“Well, yes, but not to—“
“Then don’t let me interfere.” She jerked the reins and took off, leaving Dagan behind, shouting after her. Before she reached the edge of the forest, the tears had already started to fall. She rode much faster than she had intended to. The wind in her hair and the sound of the horse’s hoofs pounding the dirt trail below was the only thing distracting her from the terrible disappointment she felt inside.
By the time she reached the Sabras, she had thought of at least a dozen ways to maim Cassandra and her beautiful face.
~*~
When Dagan stormed into her shop, just a few moments after she left him, Cassandra couldn’t help but smile. She knew he would come, especially after she kissed him. The girl he was with couldn’t possibly be enough to keep Dagan from coming to her.
“What was that?” Dagan demanded as he slammed the door behind him, making the glass jars on the shelves rattle.
“Whatever do you mean?” she replied, grinning.
“You know exactly what I mean, Cassandra. That was extremely rude, even for you. Sidonie is my—“
“I know exactly who she is. She’s one of those Sabras. I recognized her the moment I saw her. Just because you put a dress on her, it doesn’t change who she is.”
“You don’t know anything about her.”
“She is one of them, Dagan. One of the enemy. One of the women who hunt us down, who kill us. Did you forget about that? Did you forget about Lucius? What they did to him? Or were you too busy riding her?”
Dagan slammed his fist down on the counter between them, making Cassandra jump.
“I haven’t forgotten about him, nor will I ever. But what I do, and with whom, is none of your business. And while I don’t expect you to understand what I have with Sidonie, I also will not tolerate you speaking about her in this manner.”
“You really are smitten, aren’t you? Does she have some kind of power over you?”
“Power?”
“You know what I mean, Dagan.”
“You could tell?”
“That she has magic? Of course, I could,” Cassandra spat. “Funny isn’t it? That they have devoted their entire lives to ridding the cursed realm of magic, yet magic lived right under their noses.”
“They still don’t know. And I trust you can keep it to yourself?” Dagan raised his eyebrows, but his stone expression didn’t change. If rumor spread of Sidonie’s magic, she could become a target for wizards everywhere who consider women with magic to be a danger.
“I have no reason to wish harm come to your lover. As long as I don’t have a reason to…”
“Is that a threat?” Dagan could feel the clouds outside beginning to darken. He hadn’t been angry enough to change the weather in a long time, but he couldn’t worry about that now. He had to know that Cassandra would keep Sid’s magic to herself. He had to be sure she would be safe.
“I don’t make threats, Dagan, as you well know. But I won’t stand by and let you bring that woman into my town. To bring any harm to me or my family. What’s left of my family…”
Dagan knew exactly what she meant. Lucius was Cassandra’s older brother, a wizard. The Sabras had captured and killed him when Cassandra was a child. Sidonie couldn’t have been more than thirteen or fourteen years old at the time, but her tribe had immediately become an enemy of Cassandra’s family.
“Sidonie doesn’t want to harm anyone, Cass. She isn’t like the others. And even the others, I don’t think they are who we thought they were.” He hadn’t planned to mention Sidonie’s mother, but it seemed like the best way to get Cassandra to understand. “I think they were taught to hate magic for the wrong reasons. I won’t make excuses for the things they have done, but I won’t condemn them for being ignorant any more than they should condemn us for being what we are.”
Cassandra turned around and pretended to organize bottles, thinking to herself. Nothing he said would ever convince her to forgive the Sabras, but she had to admit that she was curious about what he meant.
“What did you mean? When you said, they aren’t who they seem?”
Dagan paused before replying, trying to find a way to tell her, without telling too much. He walked past her, into a small room in the back of the shop. He sat at a wooden table covered in parchments. Cassandra followed him, taking a seat across from him.
“Before I tell you, I need to make you understand, about Sidonie and me. About our relationship.”
“Do you have…? You know, the connection?”
“How is it that you know about it, but I didn’t?” Dagan said, rubbing a hand through his hair. Had he spent more time with his grandfather as a child, perhaps he would have known? “The fusion. Yes, we do. She is my... I can’t explain it… But she had no idea about her magic when we first met. This is completely new for her, too. I just… I need to tell someone, but I don’t know who to trust.”
“You know you can trust me. After all, we have been through…” She didn’t need to elaborate. Dagan had fled to Elmber when his mother died, drinking his pain away at the tavern. His grief and anger had caused a week long hailstorm to brew above the town. It was Cassandra’s mother, Elaine, who found him and brought him back to his senses.
“I know. Alright, here goes. Sidonie’s mother was Queen Anassania. Queen Anassa.”
Cassandra didn’t speak for a moment. The little that she knew about Anassa was not pleasant. She was an evil sorceress, who lived over one hundred years ago. She wa
s thought to have died during the Shadow War, having no children. No other females, since Anassa, had inherited full magical abilities. She was the last of her kind.
“Do you mean to tell me that your girl is the daughter of the most powerful sorceress to ever live? That cannot be true. Anassa didn’t have any children. And if she did have a child, who is what, twenty years old?”
“She’s twenty-three, actually.”
“Right. Then that would mean that Anassa…”
“Didn’t die during the war,” he finished for her.
“Wow.”
They spent most of the day in the back of her shop, talking about Sidonie’s magic, her parents, and the Sabras. Cassandra promised to look through her father’s journals and see if she could find any information about Queen Anassa. Then Dagan took a quick look through her shop, snatching up a few ingredients that he hadn’t been able to find in Junacave.
After he left her shop, Dagan took a stroll through the forest to where his old portal used to stand. It had been several months since he’d left and the pieces of the tree were covered with leaves and vines. However, after looking closely, he realized the trunk was still rooted to the ground. He touched the tree, then summoned magic from the land. At once, the tree began to grow. It only reached a few feet before it stopped, just a quarter of the size it used to be.
Still, it was enough. Dagan waved his hand over it and the tree expanded, opening the portal to his old home. He had to lean down to fit through, but once he was inside, he sighed in relief. His home still stood the same way he had left it. Since the Sabras hadn’t burned the tree to its roots, he was able to resurrect it and open the portal. Dagan turned and walked back out of the tree. Then he closed the portal and used his magic to pull it from the tree.
Creating a new portal would have taken a lot of magic and many ingredients he didn’t have, but carrying one around was simple. All he had to do was put it inside of a different object. So he pulled a small dagger out of his robes and cast the portal into the dagger. Then he tucked the dagger back into his robes and headed back into town, knowing his home was safely tucked away.