To Play the Lady

by Naomi Lane

  On hitting the ground, she saw a pair of boots beside her. Kedar reared and backed away frightened. Jenna looked up and saw her adversary looming over her. He smiled. She sat up quickly and attempted to flee on foot, but he suddenly appeared in front of her, blocking her way. She turned around and continued to run in the opposite direction.

  What’s wrong, dearest Jenna? What are you so afraid of? I don’t want to hurt you. She ignored his mental call. You cannot run forever.

  She wished it weren’t true, but eventually her lungs began to burn, and she could no longer sustain her run. She collapsed in a small clearing, panting heavily. He reappeared next to her, seemingly with ease. This time Jenna stood, prepared to fight. She made a lunge at him, aiming to hit him in the solar plexus, but he vanished again, only to reappear across the clearing. He laughed and spread his arms out. “I swear I mean no harm.”

  “Right, just like the time you extracted my memories and invaded my privacy, or dragged me to your mountain castle.”

  “I had to find out who you were. You wandered into my castle first. Never forget that.”

  What he said was true, but Jenna would never trust him after the things he had done. “What do you want?”

  “To make you an offer.”

  Jenna’s eyes went wide. “What kind of offer?”

  “To join me of course. You are no noblewoman, correct?”

  “So?”

  “Why stay in Sevalia? They will only force you to enter a Tower.”

  “Not true!”

  He laughed. “So young. So naïve.”

  Jenna remembered what Sebastian had told her. “Lord Harcourt does not force anyone to join the Tower circle.”

  “He will have no choice. You are a high-level mind mage and under Sevalian law, such mages are confined to a Tower. Just ask your precious teacher what happened to your grandfather when he tried to leave.”

  “You mean Quintus?”

  “Of course.”

  Jenna thought back to what Lord Harcourt had told her. He had said that Quintus did not like the Tower restrictions and so left in protest. He had not given her specifics.

  “Things are different now.” She couldn’t be completely confident in what she said. The thought of Crystelle’s reaction to her magic came to mind, and she knew there would be many that would prefer her to be locked away.

  He smiled. “I think you begin see.” He strode toward her.

  “No. You’re lying.” She put her arm out. “Stay back.”

  He paused in his step and reached into his robe. Jenna thought he might be attempting to retrieve a weapon and so backed away. “It’s all right,” he said. “I just want to show you something.” He tossed her the object he had retrieved. Jenna caught it and saw it was some kind of flat, transparent stone.

  “What is this?”

  “A memory crystal. I was doing a bit of spying today. I thought you might find this conversation of interest.” He waved his hand, and an image appeared inside the stone. She saw Lord Harcourt in his office talking to the Queen.

  “How is her magic progressing?” asked Her Majesty.

  “Well, as usual.”

  “Have you begun to show her around the Tower?”

  “Not yet. What’s wrong?”

  “We’ve had another petition from Lord Merrin.” The high mage sighed. “I understand your feelings about this,” the Queen continued. “But the law is on their side. She is a strong mage. She may well wish to enter the Tower, anyway.”

  The image went blank, and Jenna’s hand began shaking. The image seemed authentic, but she did not want to encourage the man. “It proves nothing,” she said. It was still true.

  She gasped when he grabbed her hand, and she felt him standing beside her. “Then why is your hand trembling?” His other hand grabbed her waist, but she twisted from his grip.

  “Don’t touch me.”

  He still smiled. “You resist. You seemed far more willing two nights ago.”

  Jenna gasped. “It was you then.”

  “Of course. You think I wouldn’t notice the call of the rota?”

  Jenna’s heart started to pound. She felt his magic enter her mind again, but instead of feeling pain or examining her memories, it calmed her. Part of her mind rebelled, knowing she should strengthen her shields, but she hesitated. A jolt of pleasure ran down her spine making her shiver. She sensed him behind her again, his breath on her neck. She expected him to smell revolting, but was horrified to find herself thinking it desirable instead.

  “When you realize the truth of my words,” he whispered, “you know how to find me.”

  Then Jenna awoke, sitting straight up in bed, covered in sweat.

  At this point she could not deny she needed help. Not only had the Dark Mage pierced the dormitory wards, but her head also throbbed violently. She wondered if she was going to throw up. Even though it would bring up some things Jenna was extremely loathe to talk about, she felt only one person could help her: Lord Harcourt. She also needed to know if she actually would be forced to enter the Towers because of Sevalian law regarding mind mages.

  She wasn’t even willing to wait out the next few hours until her magic lesson was scheduled to begin. Although it was still in the middle of the night, she got out of bed and dressed in a comfortable gown and warm coat. She grabbed the book about mind magic she had read earlier that day and strode out of the dormitory. The proctors wouldn’t like it when she was discovered missing the next morning, but she hoped Lord Harcourt would help her with that once he learned the Dark Mage had pierced the wards. She dashed outside the palace, using her magic shields to make sure she was not seen or disturbed.

  Slightly out of breath, she arrived at the Tower, but became somewhat puzzled. Normally the Tower was open, expecting her. This time she saw no visible doorway and was uncertain how to proceed. She decided to start simple.

  “Um,” she began. “I am here to see Lord Harcourt; it is somewhat urgent. May I please see him?” The surface of the Tower shimmered, and the regular doorway appeared. As she walked through it, she felt a tingling sensation across her skin. It was much more intense than normal, but allowed her to pass.

  She found herself inside the usual foyer, but it was dark and silent, and once again Jenna was unsure what to do. There was a stairway leading up, but she had never been granted permission to climb it.

  “Hello,” she called, somewhat loudly. She held her breath when at first nothing happened, but let out a sigh of relief when she heard footsteps on the stairs. An older woman appeared, looking somewhat disheveled, wearing a robe. Jenna wondered if she had acted a bit hasty in arriving in the night like this, but her headache reassured her she had made the right decision.

  “Miss, may I help you?” she asked.

  “I am here to see Lord Harcourt. I apologize for arriving like this, but it’s a bit urgent,” Jenna explained.

  “I’m afraid he was up late for a magical working. I’m not sure he’ll be able to see you until morning.”

  Jenna began to blush. “Should I leave?”

  She sighed. “No. Please wait in the classroom. Because the Tower let you in, I will have to wake him and see if he is able to meet with you.”

  “Thank you, Magista,” replied Jenna. She gave the woman a small curtsy and entered her normal instruction room to wait for the high mage.

  After a few minutes, Harcourt entered with eyes slightly bloodshot and stubble on his face. He looked concerned but mainly annoyed.

  She stood. “I apologize for waking you, My Lord. I just couldn’t wait.”

  “What is it you need to talk about?”

  Jenna suddenly felt tongue-tied, not knowing where to start. Harcourt sighed and sat down. To avoid annoying him further she dived in. “Look, you remember when you told me if I had any nightmares or night sweats to tell you about them?”

  Harcourt instantly perked up at her words. “Is this about your nightmare the other night?”

  “Yes, and tonight
. The dreams were… disturbing.”

  “Explain.”

  “I had a horrible headache this past afternoon, something which never happens to me.” She began, attempting to keep her voice steady. “I couldn’t shake it all day, and it slowly grew worse. When I went to bed to sleep it off, I had the second dream. The Dark Mage appeared. He must have pierced the wards because he spoke to me, and said I should join him because otherwise you would force me into your Tower.”

  Harcourt’s emotions instantly turned from annoyance to shock. “Believe me I will never force anyone into any Tower, but you’re sure this dream was real?”

  Jenna nodded. “He even showed me a memory crystal with a recording of a conversation you had with the Queen yesterday about a petition from Lord Merrin.” Harcourt sighed and rubbed his hand over his face. Jenna continued. “I take it from your reaction that this conversation actually occurred?”

  “Yes. Jenna, I’m sorry you had to witness that, but I promise you won’t be forced to do anything against your will. We can talk about that more in the morning, but what about your first dream? Did that also involve the Dark Mage?”

  Jenna, unable to meet her teacher’s gaze directly, looked down at her hands. “Yes. In that dream he… touched me. I just thought it was my imagination at first, but tonight he admitted being there. And I felt it again, the same… hunger through the link. I could tell my magic was involved, but I didn’t understand it.”

  Harcourt’s eyes blazed with anger, but she knew it was not directed at her. “Do you still have the headache?” Jenna nodded, wiping her eyes as a tear began to fall. “I want a full mind-link,” he said.

  She was somewhat expecting this, but sighed. “There are probably a couple more things I should tell you before we do.” She wished she didn’t have to say it, but she knew he would most likely just sense it through the link anyway, and it may be important.

  Harcourt frowned, but waited for her to continue.

  “After the first dream I wanted more information, so I went to the library and got this book.”

  As she handed it over, Harcourt’s nostrils flared. “Jenna, I understand your dream was disturbing, but that book is restricted for a reason. Why not just come to me in the first place?”

  “Because the first time I was startled by the intensity of my mind-linking skills…” Jenna gulped. “Was when Sebastian and I were kissing.” Harcourt closed his eyes, but said nothing. “I swear it’s been innocent really, just kissing. I really didn’t know about the danger of brain damage.”

  “Jenna, even without your mind powers such a… relationship is not prudent.”

  “I know. I plan to end it. We can stay friends, no more private meetings.”

  “And he is responsible for that stronger charm around your neck?”

  Jenna’s jaw dropped, and then she nodded open-mouthed.

  “I have no reason to think it would affect your dreams or contribute to any of the problems you describe, but may I please see it to check before we mind-link?”

  “Yes, of course.” She pulled the charm off and handed it to him, realizing he must have sensed the charm’s power at their lesson almost two days prior.

  Lord Harcourt gazed at it in the palm of his hand. “I sense nothing sinister. It is nice work though, very nice. May I hold onto this for awhile?”

  Jenna was preparing to say yes when instead her expression grew blank. “NO!” She leaned forward in her chair and violently grabbed the charm back, and as she kept the gift tight in her grip, her vision changed.

  Suddenly, she found herself far away. An arrow flew straight at her face, but it suddenly went astray, whizzing by her ear instead. She turned to see who had attacked her and saw the Dark Mage in the meadow where she normally had combat training. He was not alone. He was astride a horse among a group of figures all robed and hooded. She heard a voice coming from the figure beside him. The voice was familiar, the voice from the ball. Jenna couldn’t make out all of his words, but her blood went to ice when she heard the word “assassins.”

  Just then, the Dark Mage’s attention shifted, and he looked straight at her. Jenna found herself unable to move as he approached, this time with a knife. “Well, well… Little Mage.” Jenna’s fear spiked as he held her in thrall once more, but a small grain of hope materialized when she heard another familiar voice. Unfortunately, it sounded quite far away “…Jenna…” it called. She still could not move.

  The Dark Mage raised the dagger, and she saw malice on his face, malice that was not present in her earlier dream. She knew he wanted her dead. “JENNA!” Harcourt’s voice rang clearly in her mind this time. As suddenly as she had left, she returned to the Tower. The return did not have the same jarring sensation that normally occurred when she had an out-of-body experience, but she knew she hadn’t really left her body. The Dark Mage still had to be in the mountains, shut in by the snow.

  “Jenna, are you all right?” She looked up into Harcourt’s frantic face, realizing she was in his arms, still clutching the charm.

  “Did you make the mind-link?” she asked.

  Harcourt nodded, slightly out of breath. “And increased your shields.”

  Jenna felt as if a great weight on her body and mind had been lifted. She rested her head in the crook of Harcourt’s arm and slipped into unconsciousness.

  Chapter 25

  Jenna awoke in a strange bed wearing nothing but her undergarments. Both magic charms hung around her neck once again, and a new set of clothes had been laid out for her on an armchair near her bed. The curvature of the wall led her to believe she was still in the Tower, and the clock nearby indicated she had slept most of the day. Her head felt much better, no trace of her earlier headache, giving her enough energy to rise from her bed and put on the new clothes. Unsure if she should leave the room, she sat in one of the chairs for a couple minutes until she heard a knock on the door.

  “Enter,” she said. The door opened and she saw the same woman who had met her on the Tower stairwell the previous night carrying a tray of food.

  She bowed to Jenna slightly. “I see you are awake,” she said. “Enjoy some food, and I will fetch Lucas.”

  Jenna, still trying to figure out who Lucas was, began eating some biscuits. She only then properly realized that she was ravenous. After she had finished about half of her meal, Lord Harcourt entered the chamber. “Glad to see you awake, Miss Mallory.”

  “I’m definitely feeling better.” She took one last bite of food as the high mage sat. “Is your name Lucas?” she asked.

  Harcourt smiled. “It is my given name. I do not insist my fellow Tower residents call me Lord Harcourt. You, however, will continue to address me by my honorific, unless of course you decide to enter a Tower.”

  “That’s the second time you’ve said that.”

  “Said what?” Harcourt seemed genuinely confused.

  “The second time you have refused me something ‘unless I decide to enter a Tower.’ You swore to me last night you wouldn’t force anyone to join.”

  “That’s true. No one will be forced to enter against his or her will, including you.”

  “Then why did the Queen say otherwise during the conversation with Lord Merrin that I saw in my dream last night.”

  Harcourt sighed. “There are those that would like to see you safely inside a Tower, though the Crown does not want to see you forced to enter one. They feel they owe you at least that much for saving Prince Sebastian’s life; however, the Queen believes you may choose to join one anyway, making the situation simpler to handle politically.”

  “But there is a law that says mind mages must enter a Tower, isn’t there?”

  “That law is very old. I don’t want to get into legal specifics, but it is difficult to say if it can be made to stick without my approval. The Lord Harcourt has always been given wide latitude in laws governing the Towers.” He leaned in a little closer to her. “I swear I will do everything in my power to protect you from being forced to do an
ything.”

  “But the Tower is open to me?”

  “Yes, most definitely. It is open to everyone with magical skills at level six or seven, and I do encourage you to consider it, Miss Mallory. It is next to impossible that you will be able to use your magic for much of anything without entering a Tower.”

  Jenna nodded. The concept seemed so confining, but the high mage did make a point. She also remembered Sebastian would most likely be entering one, which was a big plus, but there was also her foreign magic to think of. How would she be able to use the magical weapons from within a Tower? Would she end up among the Rahtani instead? It seemed like a big mess.

  “I’ll need some time to consider it,” she replied.

  “Of course. There is no real hurry at this time. While you are still at court your… detractors are easily kept at bay.” He paused briefly and took a deep breath before continuing to speak. “Now, I wish to know what happened when you grabbed the magic charm like that. What compelled you to grab it? Did you have an out-of-body experience?”

  “You didn’t see it through the mind-link?”

  “I caught an image of the Dark Mage. He appeared to be threatening you. Were you at his mountain castle again?”

  “No.” Jenna attempted to explain the vision she had, how it wasn’t like a typical out-of-body experience. She was disturbed by hearing that familiar voice again. “Could it mean there are dealings against the Crown, an assassination attempt of a high-level official?”

  “I don’t believe so, Miss Mallory. We know the Dark Mage to be hiding in the mountains. With the snow still on the ground, it would be impossible for him to be anywhere near here now.”

  Jenna bit her lip. “Could it be a vision of something in the future?”

  “Mind mages have claimed to have prophetic power in the past, but my investigations into said claims lead me to doubt their validity.”

  Jenna’s face fell. “Then how do you explain what I experienced?”

  “I’m not sure. Possibly the Dark Mage was just trying to scare you again.”