Soul Stone Mage Complete Collection Boxed Set

by Sarah Noffke

  “We need to find the Book of Branches. Gillian, you said you know how to find it, correct?” Azure asked.

  “You’re going after the book while I’m gone?” Ever asked, tension in his voice.

  “We have to. We’re running out of time.” Azure dismissed him with a wave of her hand.

  “I know where to look, but I assure you it won’t be easy to find. And I believe you, Queen Azure, possess the key to locating it,” Gillian said.

  Monet yawned loudly. “I just wished you’d encrypt this all a bit more, little one.”

  “Okay, so Gillian and I will head into the mountains to find the Book of Branches. I think our best defense against the humans of Terran is to send the rogue dryads after them, but we need to find them first,” Azure said, worrying her fingers across the purple ruffles of her dress. The hem hit her knee, but the back trailed the floor. She missed the hiking clothes she’d worn in the Dark Forest.

  “Queeney, do you think it’s safe for you to charge off to the mountains? Not to mention you’re taking one of your cabinet members with you and sending another into harpy territory,” Monet asked, pulling his mouth to the side and regarding Azure with a snarky look.

  Azure chanced a glance at her gran, who gave nothing away. The old witch returned her attention to drawing invisible images on the surface of the table with her wand. Such a strange woman.

  “I’m not going to hide here in my chamber and send others out on my errands. My job is to protect Virgo, and the best way I can do that right now is by going outside its borders. Forging partnerships is key at this stage,” Azure said, then turned and faced Monet directly. “And if you think I’m taking a risk sending cabinet members on missions, then you’ll think I’m downright batty when I request that you come with us to the mountains.”

  “Queen Azure, I must protest—” Gillian began.

  “Fuck, yeah. I was only saying that because I felt left out.” Monet withdrew a small red bag from his robes, opening it.

  “What are those?” Azure asked as he pulled a triangle from the bag.

  “They’re not Cheetos, I assure you. My source couldn’t get ahold of any, so I bought these instead. They’re called ‘Doritos.’” Monet popped one of the bright orange chips into his mouth and chewed, his eyes skeptical. After swallowing, he nodded. “I prefer Cheetos, but these aren’t bad. I’d offer to share but,” Monet eyed the contents of the bag, “I’ve only got like thirty, so you all understand,” he said, sticking the orange tip of his finger into his mouth and sucking on it.

  Azure turned to Gillian, who was regarding the wizard with a sneer. “And just think, one day he’ll make some witch extremely unhappy.”

  “Maybe you can pass a law that will prevent him from breeding,” Gillian said, a hoarse laugh in his voice.

  “Hey, it sounds like you two are getting along. That will not happen, especially at my expense,” Monet said, chomping on a handful of chips.

  Azure pulled her wand from her hair, allowing her soft curls to fall onto her bare shoulders. “Gran, can I count on you to preside over the court while I’m gone?”

  “Sure, sure, dear,” Gran said, pulling her gaze from the tip of her wand. “But anything Raven Fairchild wants is a no. Everything that Jewels Roughwood asks for is a yes. And if Finnegan complains just once more about fairy droppings in the greenhouses, I’m doubling the size of his nose.”

  “Sounds like you’re leaving the people in excellent hands,” Monet said, crumpling the empty bag in his palm.

  “I think one of my next orders of business will be to elect more cabinet members,” Azure said, threading her fingers into her soul stone’s chain.

  “Well, you have a reticent gnome, a Light Elf who indulges in illegal activity, and an eccentric old witch who probably could end us all with a single spell. Have you thought about inviting that nonsensical pixie to counsel you?” Monet asked, his green eyes sparkling in the firelight.

  “There’s no ‘probably’ about it. I’ve got half a dozen spells that could level this place,” Sari said.

  “Good to know.” Azure peered at her gran before moving her gaze to Monet. “And no, Buzz Buzz has gone to the unicorns to care for them. I don’t expect we’ll see much of her anymore.”

  A clatter drew everyone’s attention to Gillian. He’d dropped his silver flask on the surface of the table. His jaw hung low and his eyes were wide open. “Did you just say ‘unicorn?’”

  “Yes, I did,” Azure said, pushing a piece of her hair behind her ear as she felt her face flush. She moved away from the fire.

  “You saw a unicorn?” Gillian asked.

  “Yes. Twice, actually. The first time was by accident, but the second was when I was looking for one. You see, Buzz Buzz had enthralled the horses, so I thought—”

  “One never sees a unicorn by accident,” Ever interrupted.

  “Oh, well, Monet and I, we saw one. And I went after it because I thought Buzz Buzz might enjoy taking care of them.”

  “So, dear, are you telling me that you can call upon unicorns?” Gran asked, her voice careful.

  “Well, no. I mean, I guess so. Why should it matter? I know that seeing one is rare,” Azure said.

  “Gillian, will you please inform my dimwit relative what the significance of her being able to call on unicorns is?” Sari asked.

  The gnome cleared his throat, but didn’t say anything.

  “Oh, Queen Mother, haven’t you met our friend Little Bit? He doesn’t give away information. That’s part of his charm,” Monet said.

  “Well, then I’ll disclose what dear Azure should have read in her textbooks during her studies.” Gran slid one hand across the table’s top, tapping her wand on the surface as she did. “Unicorns only show themselves to those they offer their services to. They haven’t served a witch or wizard from Virgo in over four thousand years.”

  “Services? I didn’t think they did any,” Azure said, her head clouding in confusion.

  “They usually don’t, but in the past, they’ve assisted people they trusted,” Gran said.

  “What can they do?” Azure asked.

  “Unicorns symbolize purity. Their horn has been known to purify that which was tainted. They are the only true immortals on Oriceran, because every part of them represents healing.” Gran rose a few inches in her chair, her back straight and a twinkle in her lavender eyes.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  The sun was about to kiss the horizon as Azure and Ever hiked out on the eastern ridge. Strapped across his back was a pack.

  “You know you don’t have to stay. I never meant for you and Gillian to become permanent residents of Virgo when you entered our borders,” Azure finally said, breaking the silence that had been present since they left the comfort of the House of Enchanted.

  “I know. All this just kind of fell on us,” Ever said, glancing at her. The Light Elf knew where he was going, even though he was new to Virgo.

  “I asked you to be on the cabinet, but you should never feel obligated to be here.”

  “Is that why you think I accepted your offer?” he asked.

  “I know that you have your own life, or at least you used to before all this started.” Azure swept her arm wide, indicating the land which had become the central focus of the lives of so many people who weren’t native to it.

  Ever turned, putting a hand on his hip. “Tell me about this life you’ve stolen me from.”

  His bright blue eyes stared at her as he spoke, challenging her.

  “I don’t know. You have your mother on Earth, and I’m sure you have a life with the Light Elves. You’ve never really spoken much about it…” Azure’s voice trailed off and she lifted her gaze as awareness dawned. “Are you running from something? Or is it that you have nothing to run from?”

  His mouth twitched with a smile. “The latter would be more accurate.”

  “Well, still, I feel that Virgo’s problems shouldn’t be yours unless you want them to be. I’d forever
be grateful if you brought my father here, but after that your level of involvement is your choice.”

  “I hope you know I’ve never helped you because of obligation,” Ever said, turning back and leaning forward as they climbed the green hill. The center of Virgo was far in the distance now.

  “Ever, as with Gillian, I have zero idea why you’ve continued to help me,” Azure said. It still hadn’t computed in her mind that she was the queen of her people. Maybe tomorrow she’d wake up and her mother would still have magic and she’d be free to goof around with Monet all day. Still, it all felt too real to be a dream.

  “I think this ought to do it,” Ever said, when they’d hiked to the top of the hill. It granted them views of the Dark Forest, which bordered that part of Virgo. The mountains to the west were like a cape in the distance. The Mountain of Truth stood higher than all the rest, purple mist encircling its top.

  Ever unzipped his backpack, withdrawing a shiny red apple from it.

  “Oh, is it snack time? I was under the impression we were here to practice human magic.” Azure laughed, pointing at the fruit.

  “It isn’t snack time, but if you haven’t eaten yet, then you should be all right.” Ever pulled several labeled linen bags from his pack. “You mentioned that the humans of Terran use sugar as the base for their food.”

  “Yes, because they don’t see the benefit of eating vegetables when they can draw power from them.”

  “That’s a good point, although they’re undoubtedly nutrient-deficient,” Ever said, smirking at her.

  “That’s what I thought.”

  “Humans usually need a source to pull from and material to shift.”

  “So they can’t do enchantments, like when you sealed the backstage area in Terran?” Azure asked.

  “Not unless they’re pairing their magic with something else.”

  “Like when the Duke drew from my mother’s soul stone,” Azure said bitterly.

  “The humans of Terran all have magic, which is atypical for the species. Some humans on Oriceran don’t have magic. It’s a genetic anomaly. To create something sweet or starchy, they need sugar.” Ever held up the first bag. “But other humans with magic know they can use salt, spices, or other ingredients to make different foods.” In his other hand he clutched three more bags.

  “How much of the material do you have to use?”

  “It depends on how much energy you leech from a source, and how powerful you are with your magic.”

  Azure nodded. “So, the apple. Is that my source for our purposes?”

  “Exactly,” Ever said, tossing it at her.

  She held the fruit up, focusing on it the same way she’d focused on the redwood tree she’d been forced to leech in Terran.

  The energy inherent in the apple flowed into Azure, filling her chest with a buzz that made her want to fidget.

  The apple dulled in color, its skin wrinkling slightly. Azure gasped and severed her magical tie to the piece of fruit. “Oh, no! I didn’t mean to do that.” She looked at the apple, which was still in good enough condition to eat, but was not as vibrant as it had been.

  “You appear to draw energy fairly quickly,” Ever said, raising an eyebrow and regarding her with awe.

  “What does that mean? Terrans draw energy until the object is depleted.”

  “Yes, and that takes many humans over the course of several attempts. A single apple shouldn’t have been depleted that easily.”

  “What does that mean?” Azure asked, handing the fruit back to him.

  “Let’s find out.” He gestured at the linen bags he’d laid on the grass. “Pick your material. Sugar, salt, spices, or other.”

  Azure knelt down and picked up the small bag of salt. She untied the drawstrings, peering into the dark bag. “How much do I use?”

  “It depends on what you want to manifest. Usually it takes at least a teaspoon to manifest a meal for one. A tablespoon might feed a family. You get the idea.”

  “There’s not much here,” Azure said, feeling around in the bag.

  “I’m afraid we lost some in transit. See what you can do with a pinch.”

  “Okay, fine.” Azure walked over to a tree stump and sprinkled the salt there, then focused a single intention on the salt, funneling the power from the apple into it. A stuffed roasted duck surrounded by potatoes, carrots, and a side of green beans manifested on the tree stump.

  “Oh, fuck,” Ever said, grabbing Azure’s forearm.

  “What?” She turned to him, worried she’d done something wrong. “What did I do?”

  He set the apple next to the steaming duck and vegetables and clapped his hand to his forehead. “You created a complete meal from a pinch of salt.”

  “I’m…sorry?” she said, her voice uncertain.

  “And you hardly aged a piece of fruit to do it.”

  “I don’t understand. Did I do something wrong?”

  “No, my dear Queen, you did something completely right. You’ve far outperformed anything I’ve ever witnessed using human magic.”

  “Oh, well. It must be a mistake.”

  “That’s what I usually think when people like you show off,” Ever winked at her. “I think we should test the hypothesis that this was a mistake, so let’s try another experiment. This time I want you to draw more power from the apple. Draw as little or as much as you want. Then I want you manifest something from nothing.”

  “Wait, you said that humans can’t do that!”

  “They can’t, but witches can, and if I’m correct, your witchcraft is assisting you. It’s impossible for you to turn it off, am I right?”

  “Well, it’s about like you trying to not hear.”

  “Exactly, so you might as well embrace it. You need to manifest something you wouldn’t be able to do with witchcraft or human magic alone. It needs to be something so major that you have to attribute it to being a combination of both of your magics, not just one or the other.”

  “But I don’t have my wand,” Azure complained.

  “Yes, and that’s going to further prove this point. A human needs a source for magic, and a witch needs an instrument. Humans need a base material for manifestation, and although witches don’t, they are limited in what they can produce. However, I think you can draw from both sides and avoid the shortcomings of each.”

  Azure nodded, although she wasn’t sure she agreed or understood. That didn’t make sense. Still, she aimed her hand at the apple sitting next to the roasted duck and drew the energy from the fruit without interruption. This time she took it all, turning the apple to a shriveled pieced of fruit.

  Closing her eyes, Azure pictured what she intended to create. It would look out of place on the top of this hill in Virgo, which was surrounded by farm land. However, she had to prove that human magic could be used for good, not just for selfish gain. Azure directed her hand at an empty patch of dirt several yards away. Her fingers trembled as energy surged through her arm, and a scream she hadn’t known lived within her shot out of her mouth just as the ground trembled under their feet. Azure stumbled backward as the dirt buckled and roots rose to the surface. The top of a tree shot from the ground to rise higher and higher. The trunk swelled outward, growing so wide it forced Azure and Ever to retreat several yards. He grabbed her arm, pulling her back another few feet. The cracking sounds didn’t stop until the giant redwood had risen to its full height, some three hundred feet in the air.

  Azure and Ever stared up at the huge tree, mouths gaping wide.

  “A family-sized meal from a pinch of salt and a giant redwood from nothing. Damn, you are a fucking show off,” Ever said, still regarding the tree.

  The branches of the tree swayed as a flock of birds dove into the leaves, instantly finding a home.

  “I did have to kill an apple to grow it,” Azure said, still not believing she’d manifested a tree.

  “Yes, and I do believe this specimen rivals the height of any tree on Oriceran or Earth. Please tell me you’re
slightly winded.”

  “Actually I’m totally famished.” She reached over and pulled one of the legs off the roasted duck, sinking her teeth into the still-warm meat.

  “I had my suspicions, but now I know they’re true,” Ever said, picking up one of the small potatoes and popping it into his mouth.

  “What’s that?” Azure took another two bites from the duck leg.

  “You are like me: more powerful because you share the traits of two races.”

  “Oh, can you manifest a giant redwood?”

  Ever shook his head. “No, I said you were like me. I don’t know anyone else who can do what you’ve done.”

  Azure regarded the large tree that now cast a giant shadow on the crops at the bottom of the hill. “Well, unfortunately I’m going to have to saw this beauty down, or the farmers will be barking complaints about their crops.”

  “Oh, the sensible human in you has come out,” he said, with a smile.

  Azure, not thinking twice, fired a fist into Ever’s arm. “Ouch. Come on. I’m half human too. I didn’t mean any offense.” He rubbed his shoulder as his expression softened. “Actually, I hope this demonstration proves how important both parts of you are. You can’t fix humans or save the witches and wizards.”

  Azure regarded the tree in front of her, thinking that over. “I need to help them to accept each other.”

  “Azure, you asked before why Gillian and I were helping you. Maybe now you can see. If anyone is going to fix the rift between the people of Terran and the witches and wizards of Virgo, it is you. However, your destiny isn’t set. You hold an incredible power. It can protect your homeland and heal the Dark Forest, or it could destroy Oriceran.”

  Epilogue

  Duke Phillip crumpled the parchment in his hand, the wax seal scratching his palm as he did.

  “How dare they? Those heathens and their abhorrent use of language,” he snarled, throwing the missive from Monet Torrance into the fire.

  He heard a small laugh behind him. Frederick covered his mouth when Phillip whipped around to face him.