by Sarah Noffke
Soul Stone Mage™ Complete Collection Boxed Set
(Books 1-7)
Sarah Noffke
Martha Carr
Michael Anderle
This book is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Sometimes both.
Copyright © 2019 Sarah Noffke, Martha Carr, & Michael Anderle
Cover copyright © LMBPN Publishing
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eBook ISBN: 978-1-64202-291-9
The Oriceran Universe (and what happens within / characters / situations / worlds) are Copyright (c) 2017-19 by Martha Carr and LMBPN Publishing.
Dedication
From Sarah
For my daughter, Lydia.
You are the real magic in my life.
From Martha
To everyone who still believes in magic and all the possibilities that holds.
To all the readers who make this entire ride so much fun.
And to all the dreamers just like me who create wonder, big and small, every day.
Contents
House Enchanted
The Dark Forest
Mountain of Truth
Land of Terran
New Egypt
Lancothy
Virgo
Prologue
On the edge of the Dark Forest, a man stood in a place where humans were rarely seen, the collar of his trench coat partially obscuring his face. He lowered his pointy chin when he heard the ancient wizard hobble through the trees, cursing as he progressed. A noxious vine slipped across the leaf-strewn grounds, seeking to wrap itself around the wizard’s knobby ankles.
“Don’t even think about it,” the wizard threatened, pointing a wand just as knobby as his ankles at the vine and talking to it as if it were a person.
The vine froze a few inches off the ground and dropped back as it slid away.
“Why on fucking Oriceran did we have to meet out here? You couldn’t come into Virgo?” the wizard grumbled to the human standing in the dark of a cluster of trees.
“I think you know the answer to those questions,” the man replied. He was much taller than the wizard. Leaner, too. His chiseled jaw constantly worked back and forth as he plotted. Phillip was more plainly dressed than the wizard, wearing a coat over his suit.
“I make most of my patrons come to my shop, so you’d better keep your word about paying double for this potion,” Charmsgood muttered, feeling around in his shimmering blue robe for something. “I wouldn’t have even gone to the trouble to meet you here if I didn’t think something needed to be done about the forest on your end.” He nodded into the dark vegetation, pointing in the direction of the far side of the Dark Forest that bordered the Land of Terran.
Impatient and worried someone would spot the exchange, Phillip, Duke of Terran, snapped at the wizard, who was still fumbling around in his robes. “The emperor agrees; that’s why we’ve sunk this low.”
Pausing in his search, the old wizard brought his lavender eyes up and stared at the human before him. The color of his eyes matched the ring on his finger, which held a round lavender amethyst. “Sunk so low that you’re relying on help from a wizard? Is that what you mean? I have half a mind to turn around right now and not give you this.” He pulled a cloudy bottle filled with crimson liquid from an inside pocket of his robe.
Phillip sighed, not at all worried. “You only have half a mind,” he told him, tugging the bottle out of the wizard’s hand. “You’re sure this will restore the plants and trees, right?”
Narrowing his eyes at the human, Charmsgood bit down on the urge to cast a spell on him—only because it would create quite the quarrel between the wizarding community and humans if he did. And this was the emperor’s brother, which would make it worse. “Give me the money,” he demanded, extending his hand to the man, palm up.
“Yes, you do need it badly, don’t you? Poor wizards. You can create spells and potions, but you can’t create money. Such a sad species.” Phillip shook his head and clicked his tongue. “Now, answer my question. How does the potion work?”
Charmsgood squeezed his wand in his hand, fighting the urge that was seeking to overpower his usually calm nature. It would be for the best if I deposited the wand into the safety of my pocket. “Yes, fine,” he sputtered out, slipping his wand into his robes. “It will restore dying plants and trees. A single drop is all it takes.”
Something swooped through the trees above them. Charmsgood looked up, but saw nothing in the dark canopy overhead. They were standing in a more fertile part of the forest, where the trees grew tall despite the nearby Light Elves’ Castle hanging high in the sky, which sometimes obscured the light. The health of this part of the forest came from energy that emanated from the nearby kingdom of Virgo, where the resident witches and wizards regularly spilled bits of their magic.
“This had better work,” Phillip said, slipping the bottle into the pocket of his brown trench coat.
Humans wore a lot of brown, which was the color of dirt. Why would anyone want to wear dirt? Charmsgood wondered.
“Why don’t you and your lot stop sucking so much of the elemental magic from the plants and rocks in the Dark Forest? That would relieve the problem of killing off the forest, which is your source of magic,” Charmsgood said.
Phillip, like most humans, was resistant to constructive feedback, so he answered with a sneer. “We don’t use dirty demonic magic like you wizards and witches. Your jealousy shows, as it should.”
Another swish overhead made Charmsgood look up again. The Dark Forest was never safe, but at night it was especially dangerous because of its hungry magical creatures. “Tell yourself what you like” he said, returning his nervous eyes to Phillip. “Just pay up.” He snapped his withered fingers at the other man, extending his palm again.
A twisted smile was visible on Phillip’s thin lips in the ambient light. “I have no intention of paying you. Actually, I can’t afford for you to return to Virgo and tell someone I relied on you for help.” He turned his gaze upward, listening to the sudden beating of wings overhead. Stepping back several feet, Phillip watched calmly as Charmsgood’s gaze frantically searched the canopy of trees.
He fumbled for the wand in his robe, his large ring catching on the garment. Clawed feet were the first thing he saw and he froze, heart beating rapidly. This had all been a set-up. The harpy dove feet-first, its hungry eyes targeted on the wizard, wide wings beating wind at his face. The monster’s face was pointed and ugly, and it had the body of a woman covered partially in feathers.
He grasped the wand just as the beast screeched—a sound so piercing it rang in his ears and vibrated his teeth. He pulled the wand from his robe when the harpy swooped down. Its talons pierced Charmsgood’s shoulders, lifting him off the ground, and the wand tumbled to the forest floor far beneath him. Charmsgood tried to cry out, but the searing pain in his shoulders from the sharp claws robbed him of breath. His last vision was of Phillip staring casually up at him as the
harpy carried him away, no doubt to devour his body.
Chapter One
Azure and Monet could be found in the high tower in the House of Enchanted most days. Although adults, they still played games in the small room as they had done since childhood. Some people never grow up. The young wizard always complained that it was too stuffy in the sunny room, but then grumbled it was too cold on the grassy lawn outside the estate.
“You’re such a baby,” Azure remarked to her friend, who had thrown off his robes and was fanning himself with the six playing cards in his hand.
“And you’re such a bitch… Oops, I meant witch,” he shot back, winking at her.
She didn’t return the wink as she picked up a card from the deck. Elements was their favorite game, best played in a large room where there was space enough to dodge the penalties. However, all the other rooms in the House of Enchanted always seemed to be occupied by some witch passing through, or council meetings, or other clan business. The House had been extra full lately since witches and wizards had traveled there from all over the kingdom of Virgo for the upcoming coronation. Some would lodge in the House, although usually it was occupied fulltime only by Azure, her mother, who was the current queen, and her grandmother, the queen mother.
After a moment of deliberation Azure discarded the Three of Wands. Monet flashed her a devilish grin, his light-green eyes sparkling. He’d always been full of mischief. People said it was because he had been born during a meteor shower.
“You’ve made it another round, but I fear your pretty white dress and blue hair won’t stay dry for long,” he said, pulling from the deck. A second later his face broke into an expression of shock and he covered his head with his arms just before a flood of water fell from the ceiling, as if it had been dumped from a bucket, drenching him.
Azure broke into an easy laugh, pulling her long gown up off the wooden floor where the water was puddling. Pulling her wand from her bluish-gray hair, which had been pinned into a bun at the back of her head, she flicked it at the water. It evaporated immediately.
“See where talking shit gets you?” she asked, looking interested in his answer.
Monet slapped the card, on which a shower of water could be seen, down on the discard stack. He tossed the other cards he’d been carefully constructing into the right combinations onto the table.
That was the thing about the card game Elements. A player would spend a great deal of effort trying to arrange a hand that would win, but pull one penalty card and the whole hand was ruined. Literally ruined. They’d been through hundreds of decks of cards since they’d started playing the game as kids several decades ago.
“Oh, just you wait! You’re going to get the fire penalty and then watch who’s laughing when your cards burst into flames,” Monet said.
Azure dealt Monet a new hand just as a loud eruption of voices echoed up from one of the bottom floors. Virgoans were so damn loud when they got together.
“Are you nervous?” Monet asked over his cards.
Azure bit her bottom lip and shook her head, keeping her eyes lowered.
“You’ve never been able to lie to me, so don’t even try,” he warned.
She dropped the pretense and pressed her cards against her chest as she leaned forward. “Wouldn’t you be, if you were me?”
Monet blew out a long breath and nodded. “Fuck, yeah! There would be no sleeping potion that could help me rest. I’d chew my nails until my fingers were bloody bits. Hell, I’d run so far away from Virgo that no one could ever find me.”
“You’re not helping,” Azure stated, suddenly feeling cold as a shiver ran over her skin. She pulled the shawl attached to her white satin dress over her arms, which were now covered in goosebumps. It was a new dress, and like everything the witches of Virgo wore, it was finely made with a large bell-shaped skirt and intricate needle work.
“You were born to be queen,” Monet declared, hesitating as he took another card. He sighed with relief once it was in his hand—not a penalty card.
“Thanks,” Azure muttered, peeling a card off the deck. The Six of Potions.
“No,” he said with a laugh. “I mean, you were literally born to be queen. You’ve been preparing for this your whole life, and everyone is looking to you to lead our kingdom. What if you fuck it all up and we waste away because humans from Terran poison our wells? Or what if…”
“Shut up, Monet, or my first order as Queen will be to banish you to the uncharted parts of the Dark Forest,” she said.
Monet shrugged. “You can do better than that. Sentence me to something ghastly like collecting ogre toenails or having evening chats with your gran. And besides, I’m kind of intrigued by the Dark Forest. I don’t see why everyone is so scared of it. Bunch of fraidy cats.”
A hiss sang from the windowsill where a black and white cat sat staring at the pair.
“Oh, Finswick, you know I didn’t mean any offense. You’re braver than a whole gaggle of wizards,” Monet said over his shoulder to the feline, whose green eyes were narrowed at him.
“I am going to order you to not offend on the day of the full moons!” Azure exclaimed.
“Just sentence me to death, why don’t you?” He set down his cards, popping a finger into the air like he’d just remembered something. From his breast pocket, he withdrew a small amethyst in the shape of a teardrop. “I’ve been thinking about it, and I wanted to get your take. What do you think about having my soul stone fashioned into a bracelet?” He positioned the stone over his wrist, closing one eye, trying to imagine it.
“I think you should put it into a choker,” Azure offered with a laugh.
“Jokes aside, I need to figure out what to do with it. I was thinking that having it set into a braided leather wristband would be neat,” Monet said.
Azure regarded Monet’s soul stone with an edge of longing. She didn’t have hers yet, and wondered what shape it would be. Maybe a teardrop like Monet’s, or heart-shaped like her gran’s.
“You’re worried about coughing it up, aren’t you?” teased Monet. “Maybe you’ll be the first witch to choke on a soul stone.” He clutched his throat, pretending not to breathe.
Azure made a face at him. “I’ll worry about it when my magic is at full strength.”
“That’s almost here.”
“My mother has said more than once—”
“It’s a source of power and rejuvenation.” Monet finished her sentence, laughing.
“Okay, it just seems strange to me to vomit up anything, much less a stone that will be a source of power for me. But then we lose our baby teeth, don’t we? Part of the process of maturing, I suppose.”
“Nature is weird,” Monet agreed.
“You don’t have to wear it. Some Virgoans don’t. My mother, for instance,” Azure said.
Monet waved her off. “Of course I need to wear it. And everyone knows it’s best to keep the power of the soul stone nearby.”
“Or maybe it’s better to keep it hidden so it can’t be stolen. Remember those humans from Terran who supposedly stole a bunch of soul stones from our clan?”
“It’s good to hear you thinking like a queen,” a voice said from the door.
Monet and Azure turned to find a woman in a green dress with long, billowing sleeves standing at the entrance. The chiffon matched the woman’s emerald-green hair, which was braided down her back. Feathers lined the collar of the dress, which, like Azure’s, was too edgy to be classified as truly Victorian. The dress was like most things in the House of Enchanted—elaborate and full of detail.
“Hello, Mother,” Azure said, staying seated as Monet quickly stood up.
He bowed slightly to the queen. “Hello, Queen Emeri. I didn’t realize you had mastered the anti-aging spell. You look a hundred years younger than the last time I saw you.”
Not at all impressed, the queen pursed her lips. “That would have been yesterday, since you’ve apparently decided you’d rather hang around here than make yourself
a valued member of the clan.”
It wasn’t that Monet’s charm didn’t work on the queen. She just loved to give him the impression that it didn’t.
“I’m thinking of asking Charmsgood if I can work in his shop, actually. Learn potions from the very best,” Monet offered.
“Well, you’ll have to find him first,” Queen Emeri said. “It appears he’s gone missing, but he might just be off in the mountains or at the ocean scavenging for potion ingredients.”
The kingdom of Virgo was large; thousands of witches and wizards inhabited it with room to spare. Still, not all of the ingredients for potions could be found in their immediate area, which was a landscape of rolling grassy hills and trees. Of the many places to live on the planet of Oriceran, the witches and wizards thought Virgo was the best. Azure herself was certain of it, even if her opinion was based on limited experience, since she’d never actually left Virgo.
Maybe one day she’d travel the world. But for now she had to focus on Virgo. Azure was going to have to lead her people soon. A lump rose in her throat; she hoped it was her soul stone waiting to be dislodged, but knew it was actually nerves.
Chapter Two
Behind a closed set of double doors, the ambassadors from many of the surrounding lands sat around a table. Usually the House of Enchanted didn’t host people from outside their borders, especially humans from the Land of Terran. However, it wasn’t every year or even every hundred years that a new witch became queen. The Virgo clan was strong, and contributed to the well-being of many of their neighbors. The Light Elves and the Gnomes, for example, looked to them for their expertise using herbs and applications of practical magic. For this reason, the coronation was drawing interest from many on Oriceran.