Mage Confusion (Book 1)

by Virginia G. McMorrow

But Chester only laughed and busied himself behind the bar.

  “Lady Barlow,” Anders began.

  “Don’t you think ‘Lauryn’ is better? It isn’t as though we’re very formal here in Port Alain.”

  “I didn’t want to be presumptuous.”

  I rolled my eyes.

  Anders twirled his glass slowly. “Lauryn, you might want to impress upon your friend Chester is entirely correct in his warning. I’ve been spying and eavesdropping on Seamage Brandt. I didn’t like him years ago, and I despise him now.”

  “Alex has no intention of crossing him.”

  “No, but every time she disappears, I wonder if he has someone unwholesome dogging her trail.”

  “Do you?’ I drained my mug of ale and set it aside. “Unwholesomely dog my trail, that is?”

  “Much as I’d like to,” he answered, eyes on mine, causing me the slightest bit of uneasiness, “only to keep you safe, mind, I don’t.”

  “Why not?”

  “I may be an insufferable, annoying fool, but I do respect your privacy.”

  My eyes darted to Lauryn’s face, caught by her puzzled query.

  “That shouldn’t surprise you, Alex. You have a life apart from the small role I play in it.” Anders met Lauryn’s gaze across the table, exchanged some private, unspoken thought I couldn’t interpret, and drained his glass. “I’ll leave you ladies to your conversation.” Without another word, but thanks for the ale, Anders grabbed his pack and headed up to his room.

  * * * *

  Some days later, I found Khrista with Lauryn, talking quietly in the huge sunroom adjacent to the ducal suite on the far side of the manor, away from Rosanna's turret. The chamber was airy and pleasant, brightened by freshly cut blooms. Or ferns. I'd no idea, nor any interest in learning the difference.

  Lauryn handed me a dainty cup nearly overflowing with cinnamon tea. “Kerrie brought word from Port Alain earlier.”

  I sipped at the tea, studying the wisps of steam curling around the rim. Swirls of fire and ice. Lords of the sea, it haunted me at every turn. “An excuse to gaze with undying adoration on his beloved?” I arched a brow in Khrista's direction.

  Khrista flushed scarlet, which immediately started us laughing, though Lauryn was a bit more discreet. “Do you want to hear the news or not?”

  “Any news our loyal steward brings is apt to be significant.”

  “I can't wait until you're in a position to be embarrassed,” Khrista grumbled, with a look so like Jules I laughed again.

  “Neither can I.”

  “I'll have to remind my brother to introduce you to that sea captain.”

  “Don't you dare,” I warned, glancing at Lauryn, surprised to see an appraising look on her face I chose not to pursue. “Now what's the news?”

  “Charlton Ravess arrested a false Crownmage.”

  “On what grounds? Jealousy?”

  “They claim he's responsible for the attempt on Elena's life.”

  “Absurd,” I muttered, trying to figure out the implication.

  “What is?” Lauryn's face was grim. “That they arrested him? Or that he's a fraud? I know you now believe in a Crownmage, but surely there are mages who would claim Crownmage talent.”

  “Why bother?” I said impatiently. “If a mage doesn't have talent to control all four elements, it’s easy to expose him. Why risk it? It doesn't make sense, unless he's protecting someone else.”

  “The Firemage claimed Meravan's behind the fraud Crownmage,” added Khrista.

  “Now that makes more sense,” I said, conjuring an image in my mind of the arrogant, white-haired, treacherous mage. “But maybe the Crown Council just wants to provoke the real Crownmage into coming out of hiding.”

  “I think you're right,” Khrista agreed. “Kerrie thought so, too.”

  “Well, I guess that settles it,” I teased, turning serious again. “If they can prove Meravan support, or fake the evidence, that's going to place Elena in a rather slippery situation. If Ravess is blaming the Meravan monarchy, and they've no real part in his intrigue, Ravess is risking outright war with Meravan. With the Crownmage to oppose Elena, Ravess could step in, force her from the throne, and negotiate a peace.” I crossed my legs and tapped my fingers against the worn leather of my boot. “It'll be interesting to see what she does.”

  “What can she do?” Lauryn asked quietly.

  I gave Lauryn a wicked smile. “Knowing Elena; something nasty.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  My thoughts were far from Elena and her troubles two days later as I wandered through the ground floor corridors of the manor toward the schoolroom. The quiet was a blessing I fully appreciated, knowing from frequent experience how noisy the children could be when they had a mind to take an interest in the lesson. Muted voices came from the direction of the large parlor to my right. As I passed by, I glanced in the open doorway, curious, and stopped in embarrassment when a rotund gentleman in bright green silk caught my rude stare.

  Jules, who'd been hidden from sight opposite the gentleman, rescued me. “Henry Raynard, ambassador from Meravan.” With a wave in my direction, he added, “Alexandra Keltie, Schoolmistress of Port Alain.”

  A deep bow accompanied the ambassador's courteous smile, along with curiosity that flickered briefly in his eyes. As I acknowledged his greeting, my thoughts were scurrying freely, wondering what the ambassador was doing here. With Jules, who no doubt recognized the hundred thousand questions that flashed across my face. But Jules hadn't a chance to answer even one of those questions before the ambassador bowed once again, deeper, and with far more genuine respect, his eyes looking beyond me.

  My stomach clenched in a knot the size of my fist when I caught the distressed look in Jules' eyes. Very slowly, keeping all emotion from my face, I turned, knowing Elena would be there. Her dark blue eyes betrayed nothing as I presented her with a formal bow to match the ambassador's.

  “Your majesty. Forgive me. I didn't mean to interrupt your business.” I walked past her, half expecting Elena to grab my arm, though she made no move to stop my flight.

  * * * *

  “She hinted what?” I shouted later that afternoon, shattering the quiet of Jules' book-lined study.

  “I can hear you quite clearly,” Jules commented, head hidden behind the document he was reading. “Elena hinted to the Ardenna Crown Council of Mages she had been approached in secret by the Crownmage,” he repeated with exaggerated patience, as though speaking to the boys.

  “She'll get herself killed if she keeps this up,” I muttered. “They tried once, and they'll try again until they get it right.”

  “She is taking a bit of a risk.”

  “Empty-headed royal seahag.”

  “She's keeping the Crown Council on their toes, not knowing what she's plotting or with whom.”

  “If Ravess has the Crownmage tucked in his backpocket—”

  “He wouldn't be so easily rattled by Elena's cruel hints. The attempt on Elena's life annoyed her quite a bit. She's thirsty for blood.”

  “Can't blame her.”

  Glancing over the top of the document, Jules added, “That's why she met the Meravan ambassador away from the city. She wanted to give him fair warning of what’s been going on. I think he's the only one she's inclined to trust. Despite what you believe,” he added, “Elena is handling the whole situation with a fair amount of efficiency.”

  “She can be diplomatic and charming when she wants to be.”

  “Yes. She can.”

  His cool, clipped words expressed his lingering disapproval I continued to spurn her apology, particularly in light of my chilly greeting earlier in the day. But she'd made no attempt to hunt me down after her clandestine meeting. Not that I'd wanted her to, though it grieved me she hadn't. I ignored Jules' frown and studied the assortment of books scattered on his desk.

  “She told the ambassador there were unfounded claims of Meravan support for the fraudulent Crownmage, and that she didn't believe t
hem.”

  “Did she mention the raider attacks?”

  “No. She's holding that back until she's forced to use it. Elena’s depending on the ambassador's intelligence to send the right message back across the Skandar Sea. There’s something else, Alex.”

  “There always is.” I met his cool green eyes without flinching.

  “She's sending a small troop of elite guards here, out of uniform, to keep an eye on Brendan. She said to make sure you know she's grateful for persuading him to stay in Port Alain after the attempt on her life.”

  “Couldn’t she have told me herself?”

  “You didn’t give her a chance.”

  “She could have come after me.”

  “You made it very clear you wanted nothing to do with her.”

  I swung a leg over the arm of the chair I was nestled in and shrugged as though it didn't bother me.

  His green eyes narrowed to slits. “How are your mage studies coming along?”

  “As inconsequential as ever.”

  Jules drummed his fingers lazily on the carved desk in no recognizable rhythm, and I grew suspicious.

  “How many guards?”

  “An inconsequential number.”

  I leaned across the desk until our noses were scant inches apart. “In your next letter to our monarch, tell her to keep the royal guards far from my cottage,” I warned, “or I'll send them back to her fortress without fingers or toes.”

  “She had no such intention. She has no reason to—”

  “Liar.” I sniffed in disgust, cutting across his hasty protest. “If Elena's sending troops, then she thinks I'm valuable to her intrigues. Not because I'm her friend who might be in danger.”

  Jules winced at my sharp words. “That's not true. But even if it were,” he said evenly, “the mage council here in Port Alain has been snooping around, asking questions about you. I should think you'd feel safer knowing someone was keeping an eye out for you.”

  “And grateful? Is that what you want, Jules? To see me crawl all the way to Ardenna and thank Elena?” When he didn't answer, I shook my head in disgust and left.

  * * * *

  “At least he told me Elena was coming this time.” Lauryn caught up with me as I was heading for the safety of my cottage.

  “Did you see her?”

  “Yes, for a bit. Alex—”

  “Don’t start.”

  “She asked how you were.” When I didn’t answer, inching toward the gate, Lauryn added, “She came close to coming after you.”

  “I doubt it.”

  “I wouldn’t lie to you. Jules might, but not me.”

  Without turning back, I nodded. “Fine. She came close. Didn’t think it important enough.”

  “Didn’t have the courage.”

  I glanced up, read the truth in Lauryn’s eyes. “It’s the same end result.”

  “You could have waited for her.” Lauryn tested the limits of my patience. “You didn’t have the courage either.”

  Guilty, I didn’t answer, couldn’t find the courage to admit the truth to Lauryn. I pushed through the gate and away from the reminder of ice flowing through my veins. Though that was a desperate lie because the ice burned with the fire of a heart grieving for a lost friend.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Ice melted into soothing warmth that flowed through my body until I was blanketed from head to toe with an old familiar and very welcome mage talent. Not that I'd ever admit it to the old seawitch. I sighed with deep contentment despite the fact the talent was still wild and uncontrolled. As wild and uncontrolled as when I was born.

  Lords of the sea, would that pain ever leave?

  “Good,” Anders whispered, cutting into my thoughts. “Now focus on that tree branch. That's it. Feel the flames. See them burn. Burn the branch, Alex,” he encouraged, laughing softly when the wood turned to a puddle of water I'd pulled from some invisible corner of my useless, inconsistent talent.

  “Maybe I should focus on the opposite of what I'm trying to touch.” Sitting on a tree stump behind the cottage, I shook my head in bemusement.

  Anders reached over and took my hand, squeezing it. “I can sense you're finally, finally, comfortable with the talent as it wakens inside you. It'll take some time, but at least you're not resisting it. That's what I was afraid of. Your control is better. And,” he shook my arm for emphasis, “you're doing something with the talent. Not quite what you plan to do, but you're using it.”

  “So, what you're telling me, Master Perrin, is not to despair, keep trying, and sooner or later, I'll succeed.”

  “Precisely.”

  “It's a bit seductive,” I admitted, “once you tap into it.”

  “It is that.”

  “Were you counting on that to sucker me in?”

  “I'm horrified you would think me so contemptible.”

  “I'll bet.” I narrowed my eyes to slits, studying the lying old wretch. “All right, let’s go on. But only because I want to catch Elena's guards sneaking around my cottage and teach them a nasty lesson.”

  “Mage talent is not to be used for frivolous vengeance.”

  “Yes, Master Perrin.”

  “I'll tell Lady Barlow you're developing a vicious attitude.”

  “She'll only say I already have one. Besides, you tell her everything anyway.”

  “The pouting student look does not become you,” he chided. “You're a mage apprenticed to me. Now act like one.” He crossed his arms. “Try again.”

  I threw Anders a most disrespectful look, settled more comfortably on the tree stump, and turned my attention back to the uncooperative puddle. Focus. Cool warmth. The puddle turned to flame. “Damn.”

  “Excellent.” Anders smiled, rubbing his hands together in triumph.

  “Don't be so delighted,” I grumbled, sitting on my hands to keep them warm against the chill air. “I was trying to touch the wind.”

  “Oh. Perhaps there's something to the theory of thinking about another element. Try again.”

  “Anders—”

  “Try again.”

  “This is the last time for today.”

  “Try again.”

  Cool warmth still flowing through me, I focused on drenching the flames with buckets of seawater. Hoping for water in any form, I envisioned wind.

  “Interesting,” he said in a neutral tone, eyes fixed on the mound of dirt that appeared in place of the flames. “Were you, ah, perhaps, focusing on earth?”

  “Not at all.” Clearing my throat, I ventured an opinion. “There's nothing to this theory of envisioning another element when a very different element unrelated to the other two elements shows up.”

  “It would appear not,” he agreed, steepling his fingers beneath his chin and trying hard not to laugh.

  “And we don't quite know what will happen when I focus.”

  “It would appear so. For now.”

  “Is Elena paying you to teach me?”

  “Of course not! That's not a very honorable accusation.”

  “Elena's not very honorable,” I shot back without thinking. Lords of the sea, he'd repeat that comment straight back to Rosanna, who'd be fretting even more.

  “From what I hear, that's not the least bit true.”

  Ah well, if she'll fret about one comment, why not two? “How do you know? You haven't met her.”

  “Well, no. But you've met me. And I hope you'd consider me honorable.” The inscrutable look in his eyes gave me pause to wonder about him again. And my mother, along with what Lauryn seemed to imply about me. None of which made the least bit of sense.

  * * * *

  “This is a waste of time.”

  Cool, patient sea-gray eyes studied me. “Will you ever allow me to attempt anything without resistance?”

  “That would make your role as master mage far too easy.” I grinned, leaning back against the ancient oak behind the cottage the very next afternoon. If anything, Anders was persistent. Once he had me cornered back in
Port Alain, the old beast pressed me every day to practice. Probably vengeance for sneaking away without telling him when I was going, where I was going, and with whom I was going. Despite his noble words about respecting my privacy.

  “I'd settle for easier. Now pay attention.”

  “Yes, Master Perrin.”

  “Don't mock me, Alex. Focus. I want you to touch the wind. You haven't been able to yet, and I'm not sure why.” He stood over me and pointed at the pile of dead leaves he'd scooped into a neat pile. “Focus!”

  “Don't yell.”

  “Call the talent. Feel the wind. Envision it blowing through your unruly hair, making it more disheveled than usual. Change the leaves to nothing but insubstantial air.” He paused dramatically, arms outstretched. “And do it now.”

  “Yes, Master Perrin.”

  Anders started to say something, and then decided against it. Turning his back, he stomped to another old weather-beaten tree stump and sat down.

  “Shall I hold mother's seamage pendant for good luck?”

  “I don't give a damn what you hold in your hand, Alex,” he bellowed across the clearing. “Just do it.”

  I grinned, pulled out the copper pendant, and clasped it tight between my hands, thinking of my mother. Eyes closed, I coaxed the mage talent awake, felt the fire and ice entangle and swirl, felt the wind in my hair, envisioned it in my mind as leaves vanished, and focused with such fierce intent I thought for certain I'd faint.

  “Lords of the sea!”

  I was afraid to open my eyes. What had I done now?

  “Alex.”

  Something in Anders' tone gave me courage and tugged at my curiosity. I pried one eyelid open a sliver. The leaves were gone, changed to a miniature whirlwind churning over a small patch of ground between us. Anders looked a little windblown himself as he stepped around the tiny whirlwind, took my hand in his, and raised it to his lips.

  “If it takes Emila's pendant to give you confidence, then use it. But, by the lords of the sea, Alex, you finally did it.”

  “I'm not sure what I did,” I said faintly, releasing the whirlwind and the breath I'd been holding.

  “A favor?”

  “Try again?”