Invocation

by Tera Lyn Cortez

  “A baby!” The precious filly was a soft gray like her mother, with tiny wings. As she lifted her head from its position against her mother, I could see it. She also had a tiny horn growing!

  Celeste gasped. “The first alicorn. The time has come.” She looked at me with awe. “One of our few prophesies says that at the time of the birth of the first foal with both a horn and a pair of wings, war is coming. If she survives her first days, we will most likely be victorious.” She left the alternative unsaid. If this baby died, we would fail.

  I looked at the tiny foal. She couldn't be very old. Maybe a few hours, a day at the most.

  “What should we do? We have to protect her.”

  “Come. We must perform your invocation. Once you are the reigning scribe you can command the guard and increase the protections at the chateau. There is no time to waste. The birth of such a rare magical creature will have drawn attention from the dark mage. There is no hiding it.”

  Patting her one last time, I made the beautiful new mother a promise. “We will keep your baby safe. I will let nothing happen to her.” I stood to leave, and the tiny baby attempted to stand as well. I waited by the door, and my reward was seeing her take some of her first steps. She toddled over to me on unsteady legs and butted her head gently against my leg. That did it. I was in love. I would die to protect this tiny being.

  I knelt, lowering my head to hers and cradling her gently. That contact triggered the bond. Her tiny little tapestry sprang up around us, and we were connected. I could see the love in her thoughts. This tiny being had no fear, no knowledge of the time she had been born into. She reminded me of myself. I would see to it that she lived a long and happy life.

  I said goodbye and promised to visit again as I shut the stall door and we headed back to the tunnel. We saw through the skylights that the sun had almost sunk below the horizon and the moon was on the rise. The time had almost arrived.

  We returned to the rotunda. As we entered, Taryk asked permission to alter my outfit again, and I agreed. (I hoped to be able to learn this trick for myself in the future.) After all, how many times does a girl get to perform the invocation that will make her the reigning Soul Scribe over all the realms? Once, that's how many. In spite of the circumstances, I intended to try to make it the celebration it should have been.

  My black leather became a simple white gown. Yuri fussed with my hair and loosened some curls to fall around my face. Taryk brought me the white cloak from its hook on the pillar, and I was ready. All that remained was to perform the ritual itself.

  Nerves set in. My knees felt weak and my handles trembled slightly. The day had come. Long before I had hoped it would, but I would do my best to make my mother and ancestors proud. I reached out along the bond to connect with Xavier.

  “Hey, little sister! How are things going on your end? You seem nervous.”

  “HA! We are about to do the invocation. Nervous might be a slight understatement. I'm shaking like a leaf.”

  “Well—”

  “Oh! And there are unicorns! And pegasus! And the very first alicorn ever born!”

  “Wait. What? What’s an alicorn?”

  “A unicorn pegasus hybrid. She has wings and a horn! We had them in our stories back on Earth, but they are real here. I'm in love. She is adorable.”

  “A hybrid? There is a prophecy about such a thing... I can't quite recall. I'll have to look it up...”

  “Celeste told me of it. Or the scribe version anyway.”

  Taryk interrupted our conversation to tell me it was time, and I told Xavier I'd catch him up when we were done here. I looked at the three of them and saw each of them looking back at me.

  “You look beautiful. Your mother would be so proud. I'm sorry she is not here to see this day, but I will do my best to stand in for the love and adoration she would be giving you.”

  I could actually see the spectral tears running down her cheeks and my eyes welled up. Damn her for tearing my heart out and stomping on it in the best way possible.

  Taryk took both my hands in his, after using the pad of his thumb to wipe away the single tear that had escaped my efforts to blink away. He squeezed them lightly and tugged gently, bringing us closer together.

  “When I first saw you, I knew you were special. Every moment since then, you have proved there are more layers to you than any onion I have ever encountered. This is just one more step on your path to greatness, and I am honored to be here to witness it.”

  The onion reference gave me the giggles, followed by more tears for the sincerity of his faith in me. A tearful smile was the best I could offer him. That and a hug.

  Yuri fluttered between us, driving us apart. “My turn. Princess, when I volunteered for this job, I really didn't have much of an idea what I was getting myself into. I still don't for the most part, but seeing how you take each new challenge and meet it head on gives me hope for our future. If the universe has to rely on a single person to save its ass, I'm thankful it happened to be you, and that I get to be a part of it.”

  I sniffled. “You guys! Stop making me cry!”

  Yuri and Taryk moved off to the side while Celeste motioned me to the podium. “Normally, the person performing the ceremony stands at the pedestal while the inductee stands in the center of the crest. Since you are both, you will stand with your hands in the depressions on either side of the ledge. Simply read the words out loud. The crest will gleam brightly. Do not remove your hands until the lights go dim. That will be it.”

  “What will I feel? Does it hurt? When Mom and I first connected the power we exchanged hurt like hell.”

  She shook her head. “It feels odd, like your entire being is opened up and filled with the new magic, but there is no pain.”

  I took my place at the pedestal. Staring at it for a moment. I closed my eyes and sent the thought out to the universe that if my mom could hear me now, let her know I loved her so. I wished more than anything that I didn't have to do this without her, but since I had to, I hoped I didn't let her down.

  Placing my hands in the indicated spots, I held tightly and took a deep breath. When my knuckles started to ache, I realized I probably needed to relax my grip some. I read the passage once through in my head before reciting them out loud.

  “I am Everleigh, rightful heiress to the power of the Soul Scribe legacy. Oh universe, know my soul, and find me worthy. I accept my reign that begins this night. I am the keeper of balance. The enforcer of the natural laws regarding our magic.”

  My hands began to feel warm, the temperature increasing as I got further into the passage. My knees, which had already been trembling, threatened to give out and made me grateful for the requirement of keeping my hands on a solid surface. There were only a few more lines. I could make it.

  “I am she who will be looked to when magic is endangered. My governance will span all nine realms. There is no territory where I will not have jurisdiction over magic. My place in the universe affords me great power, and also immense responsibility. May I use it only for the good of all creation.”

  Something began to tell me that there was a whole lot more involved with being a scribe than the book had covered, and I needed a crash course in it, fast.

  “Ego hoc legatum accipere. Honos habet onus. Animo. Fidem. Ego sum anima scribae!”

  The lights in the crest began to appear as I spoke the words in the ancient language. By the time I had finished, the brightness required me to close my eyes. I could feel the magic running through me in currents. With my eyes closed, I could see my tapestry all around me, morphing and changing as the invocation took place.

  The magic burned, but not in an overly painful way. It felt almost cleansing as it moved through me. The scribe magic bonded with my fae magic in a way I had never been able to create on my own. Instead of being two strands woven together, they became thicker, stronger, single strands.

  The tapestry itself seemed almost an impenetrable bubble when I looked at it. The loose weave h
ad been replaced with a heavier, tighter one. The colors appeared even more vibrant, which I wouldn't have thought possible if I weren't seeing it for myself.

  I stood with my hands locked onto the podium and eyes closed until I heard Taryk softly calling my name. It took a conscious effort to relax my grip, and my eyes opened slowly. Oddly enough, once the invocation itself ended, I didn't feel a whole lot different.

  “Is that it?” I looked to Celeste for confirmation.

  “Congratulations, Everleigh. Let’s return to the grand hall. We must summon the guard and decide what to do to protect our newest arrival.”

  I nodded, and the three of us followed her toward the door. Turning back, I took one last look at the room where I had accepted my destiny. My life had just changed drastically, and I was in for one hell of a ride.

  Chapter Eleven

  Celeste allowed me to say the phrase to close the door, and I felt a little thrill at the feeling that I was coming into my own. As we ascended the stairs, we made a stop. My portrait had, indeed, been added to the wall. But what I saw there shocked me.

  I looked very similar to the way I had when the invocation had taken place. There was one glaring difference, however. In the painting, I was wearing a regal crown adorned in jewels of teal and crystal clear. The scribe crest featured prominently in the design. I didn't understand. Scribes were not royalty, as far as I knew.

  “Why the crown?” I asked Celeste.

  “Perhaps because you are royalty from you father's line. I am not certain, as we have never had a scribe with any other line of magic before. I suppose we shall have to wait and see what the future brings.”

  “I think it suits you very well,” Yuri piped up.

  “I agree. You look radiant. Absolutely stunning.” Taryk stood staring at the picture with emotion written all over his face. I couldn't readily identify it, but it looked positive to me.

  Celeste showed me how to summon the guard, and I stood in the great hall, awaiting their arrival. During the wait, she gave me a summary of how the royal guard worked.

  “When they arrive, you will introduce yourself, although it will be just a formality. They will be able to recognize your scribe magic with their own powers. Many of them should know of the prophecy and will understand the seriousness of protecting the little one.”

  “Jewel. Her name is Jewel.”

  All three of them looked at me in shock. “It is?”

  I nodded. “I was able to learn her name when we bonded. Don't ask me how, I've never been able to communicate with animals before.”

  Celeste didn't seem surprised. “With your combination of powers, we really shouldn't be surprised when things like this crop up. We will work to refine the skill so we can use it to our advantage. Perhaps you will also be able to speak to other animals as well, now that the power has manifested itself. We shall see. The guard is arriving.”

  I straightened my shoulders and did my best to appear as comfortable as possible in my new role. I don't know how successful I was, since my insides were in knots and I felt like I might fall over at any moment, but I tried.

  A distinguished looking gentleman in a gray suit strode through the door, bowing when he reached me. “How can we be of service?”

  I nodded at him. “Thank you for coming. My name is Everleigh. As you have probably guessed, I'm new here.”

  “You are Amara's daughter? Forgive me, we had no idea her heiress had been born. Where is she?”

  His question felt like a sucker punch to the gut, and I was unable to breathe for several seconds. I actually had to bend over and attempt to catch my breath.

  Taryk rested his hand on my back and answered for me. “Amara was captured by the forces of the dark mage, and we believe she was killed. She released her powers to Everleigh in her last moments.”

  The man gasped. “I am so sorry for your loss. She was a great scribe and a great leader. My name is Landon. We will do anything we can to assist you.”

  Their exchange had given me time to get a grip, and I attempted a small smile. “Thank you. This is Taryk, my magical mate, and Yuri, a trusted advisor. Celeste used to be a scribe and has remained here to assist me as I learn.”

  While he originally looked surprised that I had a mate, his attention focused elsewhere as Celeste made herself visual and he gasped. “Chosen?”

  “I am the Chosen no longer. Everleigh is the Chosen now. The pegasus unicorn hybrid has been born, just hours ago. She waits in the barn with her mother. We must protect her at all costs.”

  Landon paled slightly. “The time for war is upon us.”

  “Yes, you can see why I called to you. I have bonded with the foal, and we must protect her if we are to be victorious. I will be conferring with my brother, who is at the castle in Amarys, where we are attempting to amass an army to destroy the dark mage.”

  “Our forces here will give our lives to protect the filly. The royal guard is made of one hundred men, and one hundred centaurs. There are hundreds of others who can be called up to supplement our soldiers.”

  “We will need all the help we can get. I have been informed that we believe the dark mage to be hiding here in this realm. We must be on highest alert. After I speak to my brother, we may attempt to move the foal if we can do so without drawing the wrath of the dark mage elsewhere.” For now, protect her at all costs.”

  He bowed and turned to leave.

  “Landon?” He turned and waited. “May I ask a favor of you?”

  He inclined his head, waiting for my request.

  “I am able to bond with others, creating telepathic link by which we are able to communicate. I'd like to have this opportunity with you. It will allow us to be in contact while I am in the other realms, or even elsewhere in this one.”

  He looked at me warily. “You do not make use of journals?”

  “I have before, and I will not force you to form the bond. It is simply quicker as you will hear me speak in real time, and absolutely fail safe. It will never fall into the wrong hands, or be misplaced, and no other can hear our communication.”

  I saw him hesitate, torn between doing what would be best for his realm, and being wary of becoming forever connected to someone he didn't know. I did my best to put his mind at ease.

  “I cannot use this bond to see your thoughts or coerce you into acting in any way. I can occasionally deduce your whereabouts, which is helpful if you are ever lost or captured, but mainly it is for communications. And as I said before, I will not be offended if you decline.”

  My explanation worked, and I could see the relief plain on his face. “I would be honored.” He returned to stand next to me, waiting patiently.

  I reached out my hand. “It works better for me if we make contact and all you need to do is stand still. There will be no pain.”

  I placed my palm on top of his open one and closed my eyes. Calling up his thread came easily, and immediately began wrapping it loosely with one of mine. I wanted just enough to be able to communicate with him.

  Once that point had been reached, I called out to him in his mind. He startled, jerking his hand away as he did so, and I deduced that it must have worked. I opened my eyes to see him staring at me in awe.

  “I will not intrude on your thoughts unless it is absolutely necessary. I understand how strange it is to have someone else in your head. When I first began to communicate this way, it weirded me out in a serious way.”

  He laughed a little. “It certainly is strange! I will take our forces to protect the barn. In the meantime, I will let the other troops know to prepare.”

  “Thank you. Please remember to draw as little attention as possible to your activities, it will be best if we have the element of surprise on our side.”

  He nodded, bowed slightly at me, then turned to Celeste. “It was an honor to see you.” With that, he exited by the same door he had entered.

  I turned to her, curious. “How does he know you? He cannot possibly be that old!”


  She shook her head. “Oh no. He is not. We live long lives here, but not that long. All of the children in the realm learn scribe history. They have a yearbook of sorts, with our pictures and synopsis of our reign. As Chosen, they learn more about me. It will be the same with you when your time here is through.”

  That was a strange thought. Children many years from now, learning about me in their history classes. The best I could hope for would be that I was victorious in this war, and they would actually have history classes to learn in. If the dark mage won the war, there might not be a future left to study our past at all.

  We stood together, discussing the best actions to take next. We needed to get back to the castle and see what progress they had made there, although I was reluctant to leave Jewel here, even with the royal guard watching over.

  My stomach growled in protest at the thought of doing anything else before eating. Since the invocation I felt stronger, and hopefully would not tire as easily while performing my magic. But I still needed to eat, and fairly regularly it seemed.

  Celeste took us to get food while we talked over plans. I reached out to let Xavier know we would be back soon and got a terse reply. While the brevity of his response was unexpected, he felt busy, not in danger, so I let it ride. He had plenty on his plate as well.

  I wanted to return to the barn for a brief visit before we headed back to the castle. I thought it would be a good idea to see if I could bond with Jewel's mother as well. Communicating with an infant would not be nearly as helpful as a conversation with an adult, even if I could get impressions and pictures only.

  The others agreed, so we cleaned up our mess and Celeste led us back to the tunnel. On the other side of the door, we saw our first guard. It pleased me to see them taking the matter seriously and guarding the barn from all angles.

  When we reached the far end of the tunnel, there was yet another guard, and he announced us, informing us the centaurs had taken up their posts in the barn. My hand tightened on Taryk's arm, more nerves settling in. I had obviously never seen a centaur, and the thought made me anxious.