“Keep looking,” Eva said.
“Is there anything you could do?”
Eva opened her eyes, swirling the wine and looking down in the glass. She lifted the bottle and poured more, filling her glass almost completely.
“Nothing that would work for your kind.”
Her kind.
There were times when Jayna thought Eva remembered her past, but then she looked over, saw the emptiness in her eyes, and didn’t think she really did. “What, then?”
Eva ignored her and took a long drink of wine, staring back at the fire.
Jayna sighed and turned her attention to the spellbook again.
She had to find something within its pages. There had to be something there, some way for her to track Rendal. He was the only one she had gotten close enough to for her to be able to track. She had felt the energy coming off of him, the magic he possessed, so she could use that, if only she could summon enough power to do so.
If Ceran still didn't answer, there was another alternative she could attempt. Not that she necessarily wanted to go to the Society, but the Festival of Mourn was too big for her. It was more than what she could do on her own.
The Society might move too slowly though. And if they uncovered anything about her, and her involvement with dark magic, she feared what they might do to her.
“You're thinking about going to Char, aren't you?” Eva asked.
“I'm considering it. I don't want to get him involved in this, but I might need help if Ceran doesn't respond.” She twisted the ring on her finger. “He doesn't usually take this long getting back to me when I need him.”
“Then go to the Society. You need help. They want to stop dark magic. It seems like you are refusing the obvious help.”
“You know, you could help.”
“I am helping.”
“And I'm going to keep looking for my own answers,” Jayna said.
She continued flipping through the pages. There were some spells she hadn’t practiced since she was first in the Academy. Though most of them were fairly easy, others were more complicated and beyond what she’d learned during her Academy days.
She closed her eyes, rubbing her temples. When she did, she could feel the distant linking she shared with Char. He was out there, and she didn’t have the sense he had moved.
He was still at the outpost, which she shouldn’t be surprised by. She didn’t expect he would have gone anywhere. At least he hadn’t been sent out of the city. She supposed she should be thankful for that. She still worried about whether her influence upon him would get him in trouble, but she didn’t intend for it to.
She opened her eyes, and began to flip through the pages again. There would have to be something here. There were plenty of tracking spells, many of them simple, designed for easy sorts of tracking, but some of the spells were more complicated. The more complicated the spell, the more powerful and potent it would become. The trickier the pattern, the easier it would be for her to trust it would work.
When it came to finding Rendal, a sorcerer who wanted to hide, she suspected she needed a very specific type of spell. She needed a magic detection spell, but finding a good, useful one involved more than just magic. It required a certain level of technique, as well as ingredients she wasn’t sure she had access to.
Jayna wished she could go to Char. Maybe then she could question him about the right kind of tracking spell, ask him what might be effective.
She paused at one of the pages, frowning and staring at it for a few moments before she understood the spell's purpose, but when she did, she realized it could work.
“Did you find something?” Eva asked. She stood in between the stuffed chairs and the kitchen, wobbling in place while holding on to both the bottle of wine and her full glass.
“I might have,” she muttered.
“What?”
“I don’t know if it’s going to be easy for me to do. That’s the challenge here.”
“Magic isn’t always easy,” Eva said.
Jayna chuckled, though she didn’t say the thought that came to mind. Eva never talked about her magic. Even now she doubted Eva would do so.
“It requires a few different ingredients I don’t know how to find.”
“Such as?”
“Well, I think an iron nail shouldn’t be terribly difficult to locate.” At least, it wouldn’t be in any place other than Nelar. Here, where everything was made of stone, it might be a bit tricky. “But a lock of lost love’s hair?” She shook her head. “I haven’t had a whole lot of love, so I haven’t had a whole lot of experience losing it.”
“Maybe your brother?”
She chuckled. “I suppose that would work, if I had any hair of his. He certainly is lost.” And if the tracking spell were to work, maybe she could use it on Jonathan.
Of course, that involved her using it on somebody who had no magic. Her brother had nothing magical to him, but that didn’t mean he lacked the possibility for it. Given that she did, she suspected he had some ability, whether or not he had taken the time to try to use it.
“What else?”
“The last thing is the hardest.”
“What is that?”
“Fairy fingers.”
Eva stumbled over to the table, setting her wineglass down and looking at her. She glanced to the book for a moment before shaking her head, then picking up the wineglass and taking a long sip. “What do you think fairy fingers are?”
She sighed. “The only thing I can think of is an old term.”
Of course, a book of sorcery would be just the kind of place that would use the term “fairy fingers.” It seemed like dark magic, but maybe it was simply spiteful magic.
“What is it?” Eva asked.
“The El’aras.” She shook her head. “There was a time when people called them fairies, believing they were descended from the gods themselves.”
“I believe the El’aras would tell you they are.”
“Just because they have magic doesn’t mean they’re descended from the gods.”
“I suppose not,” Eva said.
“And I don’t even know if that’s what I’m to make of it.” More than that, she couldn’t imagine the idea of capturing an El’aras and finding a way of using their fingers.
“What are you going to do?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know. All of this . . .” She rubbed her temple again, trying to fight off exhaustion.
The longer they waited, the more likely something terrible would happen to Topher and the others who were captured.
Topher had known of three others captured, and he had become the fourth, but the Urguin had mentioned at least seven dwaring.
With sorcery, numbers tended to matter. Patterns tended to matter. Having seven people, all with some sort of magical ability—something she suspected but didn't know with any certainty—was significant. Especially for a festival.
Somehow, the numbers made a difference.
She focused on the ring, pulsing power through it.
Ceran hadn't responded.
“As much as I hate to do so, it might be necessary to go to the Society,” Jayna said.
“Okay, then. See what Char can tell you.”
Jayna sat up straighter, resting her hands on the table. “I need you alert. You could help.”
“And I could use more wine,” she said.
Jayna sighed and pushed the book away.
Eva stumbled toward the back of the home, disappearing into one of the rooms. Hopefully she hadn’t stashed any wine there. It was possible she had her own private stores. Somehow, Jayna was going to have to keep her from drinking her way through everything.
All Jayna needed was a little bit of sleep. Even if she didn’t go back to her room to get it, having a few moments would help. She settled her head down on the table, her breathing slowed, and she drifted for a few moments.
Not for long though.
Her finger started to twitch. Pain f
lared in the finger, and she sat up, looking down at the ring. The dragon stone glowed softly.
“Finally,” she muttered.
Of course he would summon when she was exhausted.
She glanced to the back of the home. Eva had remained there. That was for the best. She didn’t need Eva coming out while she was wandering the streets looking for Ceran.
She stuffed the spellbook back into one of the cupboards in the kitchen and grabbed her cloak, slipping it on before heading out into the growing darkness.
It was late. She’d been studying the entire afternoon and still hadn’t found anything. This, after staying up the whole night before, only getting a few hours of sleep in the morning. Now she didn’t feel as if she could sleep, knowing that if she were to do so, she left Topher to whatever fate the sorcerers intended for him.
The ring pulsed.
It was a steady sort of pulsing, one that guided her along the street; Jayna had long ago learned how to follow the drawing. If he was here, then he would be easy enough for her to find. He didn’t typically send a summons if he were difficult to uncover.
She let out a long sigh as she trailed through the streets. The ring continued to pulse, the power in it quickening. It was a constriction around her finger, a steady tapping. It increased in intensity the longer she walked, and soon she neared the outskirts of the city.
Of course it would be on the western edge of the city, near the Hester Square Market, near the forest.
The ring continued to constrict. It squeezed her finger almost continuously now, a steady pressure around her index finger. The entirety of the dragon stone had grown warm, and as heat radiated off of it, Jayna could practically feel the magic seeping out of the ring, pouring out from her.
A dark shadow emerged from the forest, striding toward her.
“Ceran. I wish you would have responded earlier. Don’t you know I need to sleep?”
He was about a foot taller than her, and impossibly handsome. He had flowing blond hair and crystal blue eyes. The first time she had met him, she’d believed he was one of the El’aras as he seemed to have many of their features, though he had denied it. The El’aras were too proud to deny their identity, so she didn’t think that was the case, but wondered if perhaps he had some way of hiding his heritage.
“And I need to speak with you.”
“I've been trying to reach you.” Fatigue made her snarkier than she intended. She had to be careful with Ceran. He was a powerful Sul’toral, and he had access to incredible artifacts that granted him power—possibly dark power. She didn’t really understand the nature of his magic, only that it was real, and it was incredible. “It took you long enough to answer my request. I thought I’d only found a volar, but . . .”
Ceran chuckled again. He had a warm, rich tone to his laugh, but there was an undercurrent of something more menacing beneath it. It was that undercurrent that left her a bit concerned, and more than a bit terrified.
“More than a volar, isn’t it, Jayna Aguelon?”
He said her name almost possessively, and she cringed, ignoring it.
“You know the issue. I’m not ready for this. Dark creatures are one thing, but sorcerers are beyond me.”
“I had warned you there were going to be dark sorcerers involved.”
“I knew that,” she started. She headed toward him, thankful she could at least see him this time. “But I expected you to answer when I found them.”
His face darkened slightly. “I hadn't expected you to come across them so soon.”
“They’re planning a festival.”
He grunted. “They often do.”
“There are several sorcerers involved. And dwaring.” She watched him, expecting some sort of response. “And they’re led by a sorcerer named Gabranth.”
That caught his attention more than anything else.
“Are you certain?”
“You know him. He seemed to know you.”
“He knows of me. He does not know me. But he, unfortunately, is not without talent.” He took a deep breath. “Gabranth Inarit. Once one of the most talented within the Society.” He shook his head. “I imagine they don't speak of him any longer.”
“I've not heard of him.”
“No. I suppose you would not have. If he is here, and if they are to perform that festival, then we will have to intervene. He has long been thought to serve an even greater power, one of the most dangerous. A creature known as Asymorn.”
“Creature?”
“Would it be easier if I called him a being?”
“Who is Asymorn?”
She'd not heard the name, but she had learned from her time with Ceran that there were many names he knew that she had never heard about.
“There was a time when stories of Asymorn filled many lands. Terrifying stories. He is one of incredible power. Dark power. And Gabranth, and those who serve him, celebrate that power. They would free it again.”
“What do you mean they ‘celebrate’ it?”
“To them, Asymorn is something of a god, and they would reach for his power if they could. If he were freed from his prison, it would usher in a time of great darkness and violence. Much like when he was last freed—a time when many suffered and died.”
Jayna's mouth went dry. “So, this Asymorn has those who celebrate him—”
“Celebrants. That is what they call themselves. It makes it sound less horrific than it is. Much less horrific than it will be if Asymorn were released.”
“And you said he’s not a god?”
“Not a god. A being of power. But incredible power.” He sighed. “When he was last unleashed, he put this entire continent under his control. In addition to the darkness and violence, it was a time when many of the dark creatures you now hunt were created.” He shook his head again. “If he were to get free again, there will be much devastation. He would start here, and then he would spread beyond.”
“So now you need to stop him.”
“Gabranth must be stopped before he succeeds in freeing Asymorn. And I assure you he could succeed. There are few sorcerers with the necessary power to release Asymorn, but Gabranth is one.”
Jayna thought of what she had felt when he had attacked her. He had felt powerful.
“And what about this?” She pulled the scrap of paper out of her pocket that Topher had on him—the one with the same symbol on it that had been found near her brother.
“This is Gabranth's symbol. It's a marking for his power. Where did you get this?”
“The sorcerers here. And . . .” She debated telling him about her brother; Ceran might be able to help. “And my brother sent a letter with the same symbol.”
“I'm sorry,” he said.
“Why would he have gotten caught up with Gabranth?”
“I don't know.”
Ceran fell silent for a moment, and he stared off into the distance. “Find out what you can about the festival. When it will take place. Where it will take place. Then alert me.”
“You aren't going to go after Gabranth?”
If they truly intend to free Asymorn, there is something more I must do first. You will take care of this. Find Gabranth so you can find out about the festival. I cannot trust what must be done to anyone else.”
“I'm not ready for this.”
“You are as ready as you can be. Unfortunately, you might not be as ready as you must be.”
She had hoped he would offer her something more useful than that, but he smiled at her, and it was a strange smile.
If she was going to have to deal with sorcerers, then there was something he could do for her. “You know, it would be helpful if I knew how to do some more powerful magic.”
“I have shown you several different useful spells.”
“Nothing that was useful when he used his snake spell on me.”
Ceran tipped his head to the side, frowning. “Snake spell?”
“Something that constricted around me.”
&nb
sp; “Ah. We called it something else when I was learning, but I can understand how that one can be difficult. The making of it is not that complex.” He traced out a series of symbols. It was almost as if he were writing in runes in front of him, but she didn't know what he was spelling out until he pushed just a hint of power into it, creating a soft glow that hung in the air. She could recreate that pattern. “Once formed, then you can use it much like this.”
As he powered the spell, it slithered, working its way around her, starting at her feet and continuing up her body, until it continued to squeeze and constrict.
“The simplest answer is to carve through it.”
“I tried,” Jayna said through gritted teeth.
“A sharp edge,” he said. “And you don't need to trace out your patterns when you know them well.”
She focused on the blade of light. Could she create it without drawing the patterns?
She held them in her mind. And then she pushed out power.
It was blunt, but if she focused the edge . . .
And then it exploded.
She stumbled forward.
“Does that help?”
“Maybe,” she said. “But I won't be able to stop him.”
“You just need to find out about the festival. Do you think you can do that?”
“There is a spell I have found. It should work.”
“Very well. Let me know what you learn, Jayna.” Ceran turned away, heading back into the forest once again and disappearing.
The dragon stone ring stopped squeezing, no longer constricting her finger.
Jayna stood for a moment, testing the blade of light in her mind again and again until she felt as if she could hone it to a sharp edge.
When she felt comfortable that she could, she headed back to her home. It was time to get some sleep. First, though, she might have to send word to Char and the Society. She didn't have to look for Gabranth on her own.
13
Jayna knew everything around her was a dream. There was no way it was anything other than that, but she still enjoyed it. Within the dream, she was back in an easier time, a simpler time. Back to when she was still with her brother, and her parents still lived, and her family was still together.
Festival of Mourn (The Dark Sorcerer Book 1) Page 13