“Father…I don’t know…,” Daebian stammered. “I’m sorry!”
Daebian got to his feet and ran for all he was worth, carefully holding his dagger so the blood ran down the blade and into the channel down its center. Unlike most blades with a blood groove, his ran the length of the shank so the blood could reach the soul stone affixed to the hilt. When the blood reached the black gem, it drank it up like a sponge, leaving no trace of it behind.
Miranda cried out after her son, “Daebian!”
Azerick laid a restraining hand on her shoulder. “Let him go.”
“But he’s upset and just a boy!”
“He is not just a boy, Miranda, and you need to come to terms with that just as he needs to come to terms with himself. I know how hard this is for you. I want to treat Raijaun like the child he appears to be, but I know his mind and abilities go far beyond his physical appearance as do Daebian’s.”
“But what if he gets himself into trouble?”
“He is smart and strong. I am sure he can handle any trouble he might find. I was about his age when I had to make it in this world on my own, and I did not have half the skills he does.”
“He’s only six!”
“And almost a man despite that. You must look beyond his exterior, Miranda, and see what is inside of him. Even if what you find is unpleasant.”
Miranda took a step away. “What do you mean? Daebian is a wonderful, sweet child.”
“Is he? Are you so certain of that?”
“Of course I am! I am his mother! What makes you say such a thing?”
Azerick raised his arm to display his cleanly slit sleeve. His flesh had already knitted back together so the bleeding had stopped, but traces of it still stained the ruined garment.
“He was upset and not himself.”
“What about the stairs?”
“You know what I think about the stairs.”
“Nothing else has ever sounded any warning bells in your head? You are as smart and intuitive a woman as I have ever known, Miranda. Are you saying you were never troubled by events surrounding him?”
Miranda thought back to the young man who had fallen from the school wall. He, and many students, had walked that wall on their guard duties without ever having an incident. The fact it was the same boy who had beaten and insulted Daebian earlier in the day had left her uneasy. Grick had also found a few dead rats in the sub level that looked to have been tortured. Miranda had dismissed it as an animal.
“What are you saying?”
“I am saying there may be a darkness within him that he does a very good job of hiding.”
Miranda knew Azerick’s accusation was not groundless, and the truth made her angry. Daebian was her son, and logic fled in the face of her mother’s love and protectiveness.
“If there is darkness within him then you put it there!” she said in an angry, hushed voice. “You put it there and you had better fix it! You spend all day and night figuring out how to save the world. You had better spend some of that time figuring out how to save our son!” she hissed, jabbing him in the chest with her finger.
Azerick had never felt so helpless as he watched Miranda storm away, her body shaking from the effort of holding back a flood of tears. What she was asking was impossible. Whoever, or whatever, Daebian was, it was part of his character and only by experiencing the events life places you in can change that.
Daebian ran out of the gates and down the road toward North Haven. It was not until he had covered half the distance that he realized he was not yet winded. He looked at the dagger still gripped in his hand, its blade completely devoid of the blood once staining it.
What you are experiencing is a taste of what I can give you.
“You can talk to me now, outside of my dreams?”
As long as you possess the soul stone, yes. You are now realizing your increased strength. It is just the beginning. As I grow stronger within the gem, I can share more of my strength with you.
“How do I make you stronger?”
The same way you make anything grow. You feed it.
“Feed it what?” Daebian asked although he already knew the answer.
The life of another, Klaraxis confirmed.
Daebian did not want to think about that right now. What he needed now was to keep his father from thinking too much about his actions. The best way to do that was to give him something else to worry about. Running away would definitely worry his mother, and she should do a good job of keeping Azerick distracted. He also needed time to think about this new relationship he had with the demon. Daebian was no one’s fool, and he would not let Klaraxis play him for one.
Azerick looked up from the Codex Arcana when Raijaun entered the room. “How was your training today?”
“It was fine.”
“Ellyssa says you are not exerting yourself.”
“I do as well as any of the others.”
Azerick crossed the room and knelt next to Raijaun. “Raijaun, it is not enough for you to do as well. You must be better and stronger than the others. The things I need you to do cannot be done by anyone except you.”
Raijaun shuffled his feet and twitched his wings beneath his heavy cloak. “I am trying, Father. I just…it scares me. I am afraid I will lose control like I did in that town. I do not want to hurt anyone again—or myself.”
“Was the pain that bad?”
Raijaun shuddered. “It was horrible. It felt as if it were tearing me apart.”
Azerick laid a comforting hand on his son’s shoulder. “I know it must be hard for you, being different, but you cannot let your fear or the other students hinder your ability. I think as long as you do not combine abyssal magic with your Guardian magic you will be fine. The rest is up to you. I need you to be strong, Raijaun. There will come a time when you will have to use all of your power and you cannot let fear, pain, or even the thought of hurting someone else stop you.”
“I will try, Father.”
“Have you seen your brother?”
“No. I heard he went crazy or something and stabbed you.”
Azerick chortled at the typical exaggeration. “No, but he did cut me when I pulled him off another student. He is probably in town tormenting someone by now, having completely gotten over his episode on the sparring field. Come, I want to show you how to travel to the Scions’ prison and repair the wall on your own in case I am ever not here. Keep in mind, I do not want you going there alone unless I tell you to, or it is absolutely crucial. The Scions will torment you endlessly, and it is easy to let them get to you if you are not strong. Remember what I taught you.”
Azerick guided Raijaun to the crystal standing in the center of the room. “Place your hands on it and create your weave like the runes on the wall show you.”
Raijaun studied the runes for minute even though he had committed them to memory already and began drawing in the Source. He fed the arcane power into the crystal and watched as the room slowly dissolved and was replaced by the Scion’s prison world.
Have you come to sacrifice your ill begotten progeny, false Guardian?
“Push them out of your mind, Raijaun,” Azerick instructed. “You have the ability to resist them.”
For now, but soon we shall be free, and we will crush you, little abomination.
“I do not like them, Father. They frighten me.”
“Ignore them. Come, I will show you what I do and teach you how to do it when I am gone or otherwise occupied.” Azerick laid a hand on the translucent screen and bent his mind into its substance. “You must feel all along the barrier with your mind. It should feel smooth and solid beneath your mind’s touch. Try it.”
Raijaun touched the screen and focused much like he did on the crystal. He felt the oily solidity of the wall and let his consciousness slide along the barrier’s expansive surface. His mind was a vehicle with no limitation on speed. He circled the entire world in minutes and explored the vastness like an eagle looking down upon it from
the heavens.
“I think I feel something amiss, Father. This spot here feels rough and brittle.”
Azerick “flew” to his son’s side. “Very good. Now draw in your power and use it to strengthen the weakening.”
Raijaun focused and began infusing his magic with the barrier, sealing cracks and reinforcing the thinning area. Azerick studied the way his son drew in the source and expertly wielded its power. He was like a fish swimming in the sea, whereas the humans were but guests in the alien environment.
“Pull in more power and add a bit of your Guardian magic to the weave,” Azerick said.
Raijaun grimaced but did as he was told. Arcane energy flowed into him as he bent his will to the task. Azerick was amazed at the amount of power his son could wield, especially at such a young age. He was unsure if his ability would scale with his physical growth, but it was apparent his performance in training was based on emotion, not ability.
Raijaun’s Guardian magic did more to repair the weakness than anything Azerick could manage without significant time and expending a great deal more energy. However, Raijaun’s ability to make the repair needed practice. Azerick helped him shape his magic to effect the best results for the task. Working together, Azerick and Raijaun were able to complete his work in half the time. Eventually, he expected Raijaun to be able to find and repair any weaknesses on his own but, for now, he could not leave him alone in this terrible place.
Even now, the Scions pushed their thoughts through the barrier. Azerick helped shield his son’s mind from the words and awful images of the tortures the Scions would inflict upon them all when they broke free. Raijaun needed to learn how to shield his thoughts and avoid the Scions so they did not distract him while he worked. Their job complete, Azerick pulled them out of the prison world and back home.
“You did very well.” Azerick could see Raijaun visibly shaking from the experience. “Are you all right?”
“It hurt when I used my Guardian magic. Not as bad as in the town, but it was uncomfortable.”
Azerick pondered this unexpected revelation. “It must have to do with the strong link to the abyss in both body and spirit. Even when you are not actively channeling abyssal power, your body and essence conflicts with your Guardian nature. How bad is it?”
Raijaun’s shoulders slumped and he sighed. “It’s not that bad. I can do it if I have to.”
Azerick squeezed his shoulder. “We’ll take our time with it. Maybe with practice it will come easier. Why don’t you go and rest up.”
Raijaun nodded, exited the door, and met Miranda waiting anxiously on the other side. He ducked his head and hurriedly skirted around her. Miranda forced a smile and took a few cautious steps into the lab, worriedly wringing her hands.
“Miranda, is something wrong?” Azerick asked, knowing Miranda disliked coming down here.
“Have you seen Daebian? It is getting late, and he did not show for dinner.”
“I have been down here all day, I’m afraid.”
“Could you look for him, with your magic I mean? Aggie is trying, but she said he is very hard to locate for some reason. She thought maybe you would have better luck since you share a connection through blood.”
“Her reasoning is sound. I will see what I can do.”
“Azerick, I want to apologize for what I said earlier. I know it is not your fault.”
“Your concerns are not without merit. It is something that worried me since I found out you were pregnant.”
“It was still cruel. I know you did not choose any of this, and I cannot blame you for what has happened. At least I try not to, but sometimes I get so scared it is hard not to. I think it is how I try to understand all of it. I know it’s not fair, but I need something to focus on to cope. Just know I always love you.”
“I know, and if that is what I can be for you then I gladly offer it. It may be the only thing I have to give you right now.”
Miranda hugged wrapped her arms around Azerick and squeezed. “Thank you for allowing me my craziness.”
Azerick smiled. “Being crazy might be the only thing keeping us all from going insane.”
“You will find him won’t you?”
“Of course, assuming he does not come back on his own before I do,” Azerick promised.
Given his link with his son, finding Daebian should have been relatively easy, but Aggie was right, something within his son made him very hard to magically track down. After more than a fruitless hour of scrying, Azerick prepared to have a long night ahead of him.
***
Zeb turned the ship’s wheel a touch more to starboard to catch a little more wind. It was a favorable blow, and it put them significantly ahead of schedule. The ship had a hold full of fish on ice and other food stores, as well furs from the frozen north. Many of these they would trade in Southport for grain out of the Habberback Plains. They would then load up some cattle and take the grain and remaining furs to Bakhtaran to trade for copper, tin, and spices.
“Will, come grab the wheel!” Zeb called out into the darkness.
Will bounded nimbly across the gently rolling deck and took the steps to the wheelhouse two at a time. Will was younger than most everyone except the greenest crewmembers, but his mind was nearly as sharp as his renowned eyesight, which is why Zeb had made him first mate last year.
“Looks like we caught a good wind, Cap’n.”
“Aye, I think it’s the best I’m gonna pull out of her. Hold her steady while I catch some shuteye.”
“Aye, aye, Cap’n. Best you say thanks to Serron so you don’t blame me if we lose it on my watch,” Will joked.
“I’ll do that, and I’ll say a prayer to keep it the whole way. I think we’ll have us a record if we manage to hold it more than a few days.”
Zeb retired to his cabin and kept his promise by whispering a quick prayer of thanks to Serron for the calm sea and favorable wind. He was glad to be under sail once again. The militarization raging through North Haven and much of the kingdom made him long for the open ocean, where the only doomsday scenarios he had to face were sinking or pirates. An anxious rapping at his cabin door woke him from his troubled sleep. Looking out of the large window in the aft of his stateroom revealed the dull gray of the coming morning.
Zeb crossed the room and tore the door open. “We better be sinking for you to raise all this fuss!”
“Sorry, Cap’n,” Will said with a knuckled salute, “but we got us a stowaway.”
Zeb craned his neck and saw Daebian pinned between two of his sailors. Will stepped aside and the two sailors gave Daebian a push. The boy took a couple steps forward and smiled at Zeb.
“Hi, Zeb!”
“We caught him trying to sneak some food from the galley.”
Zeb took several deep breaths and rubbed his forehead with a calloused hand. “Damn it, boy! Do ya have any idea what ya done?”
“I hitched a ride one of my father’s ships,” Daebian answered easily.
“Does your father know you’re aboard?”
Daebian shrugged. “He might, if he even bothered to look for me.”
“Are you telling me you ran away?”
“It sounds so cowardly when you put it that way. I prefer to say I anonymously chose to no longer be in the same vicinity as my father.”
“I’ll lose at least three days if I have to turn this ship around, all on account of a spoiled boy who got his feelings hurt!”
“Then don’t turn around. It is not as though my father will be overly concerned for my whereabouts.”
“Even if that were true, which it ain’t, your mother would skin me alive. This trip is scheduled to take a month, and she’d have my hide for sure if I kept her fretting about you that long.”
“Yes, Mother always did have a soft touch for me.”
Will asked, “So what are you going to do, Cap’n?”
Zeb sighed and scratched the stubble on his neck. “I’m gonna go shave. I’ll let you know what I decide.�
�
Zeb figured he had two choices. He could turn the ship around and march Daebian back to Azerick, in shackles if needs be, or he could kick him off in Southport and pay someone to escort him home. The latter would cause the least disruption to his schedule, but it would also require placing the boy into someone else’s care. If anything happened to him, Zeb would be responsible.
A good shave and beard trim always set his mind at ease and let him think clearer, so Zeb wet his shaving brush in a basin of water, worked up a good lather, and liberally covered his neck with the foam. After giving his razor a few quick swipes on a leather strap, he touched the fine blade to his neck and leaned toward the mirror nailed to wall.
Azerick’s face suddenly appeared in the reflection. “Zeb.”
Zeb dropped the razor to the floor and leapt back. “Curse your wizard ways, boy! Ya damn near made me slit my own throat!”
“My apologies, Zeb,” Azerick said, trying to force his sincerity past the smile tugging at his mouth. “Have you seen Daebian? Miranda mentioned he had a fascination with pirates and may have stowed away on one of my ships. Yours was the only one to leave port around the time he ran off, and I got the feeling he was out at sea.”
Zeb picked up his fallen razor and wiped the foam from his neck. His hands were shaking too bad to attempt a shave now. “Yeah, he’s aboard. Will just dragged him to my quarters a couple minutes ago. It’s your ship, I can turn her around if ya order me to, or I can dump him off on someone in Southport if ya know anyone who’ll take him.”
Azerick pondered the situation a moment. “I have third option. Take him with you. Perhaps being away from here and doing some honest work will be good for him. Treat him like one of the crew.”
“You know me; no one gets a free ride on my boat. I’ll still put you to work if’n ya come aboard.”
“Thank you, Zeb. Keep him safe.”
“Aye, ya know I will. I’ll treat him like one of my own. Just know I wouldn’t hesitate to take a strap to any kid who was mine.”
The Sorcerer's Return (The Sorcerer's Path) Page 20