Soul Stone Mage Complete Collection Boxed Set

by Sarah Noffke

  “Yes, I’m accusing you of trying to murder the emperor, as well as successfully murdering Charmsgood, our Potions Master in Virgo. And for these crimes, the rogue dryads have promised to deliver your punishment,” Azure said, her voice clear and loud.

  “Your threats won’t work on me!” Phillip yelled and flicked his eyes behind the group. “Now!”

  A net flew up and around Azure, Monet, and the rogue dryads. It cinched them in tightly to one another, pulling them down to the concrete. Azure held the staff out and muttered a single incantation, making the net flicker, but it didn’t disappear. It had been enchanted against her magic, similar to the nets the humans had set as traps in the Dark Forest. Remembering what she had done when she freed Buzz Buzz, Azure muttered a different, more powerful incantation and the nets disappeared.

  Azure and Monet popped up again, their eyes focusing on the guards who had encircled them. They held some strange metal objects that Azure had never seen. The rogue dryads leaned forward, their viny hair seeming to come alive as their eyes turned fiery red.

  “Stand down, men, or you will pay,” Payne Springs said, holding her hand up at the men in front of her.

  “You thought you could intimidate us by turning us to stone, but you women aren’t so powerful when staring at a barrel of a gun, are you?” Phillip said with a cold laugh.

  “Stop this! Someone is going to get hurt!” Azure yelled.

  “You’re the one who trespassed into the Land of Terran. Twice, I’ll remind you. Whatever happens next will be your fault,” Phillip exclaimed, appearing too proud and standing smugly on the stage.

  “We are trying to help you!” Azure screamed, her heart pounding loudly as she stared at the armed men, their eyes nervously scanning the rogue dryads.

  “Take the rogue dryads and this vermin to the exit. We will be reinforcing the border’s security immediately,” Phillip said smugly.

  “You will have no more borders,” Azure yelled and pointed the staff at the wall closest to the golf course. The bricks exploded, leaving a gaping hole in the newly constructed wall. The expenditure of power drained Azure, but she kept her arm raised proudly.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” Phillip said as a dozen more rogue dryads spilled through the opening. The humans in the audience, who had been watching the exchange with mild interest, tore from their seats and sprinted to the tract homes on the ridge.

  “I’m stopping you, that’s what I’m doing. This has gone too far,” Azure stated.

  “Men, fire at will!” Phillip ordered. He jumped off the far side of the stage and disappeared onto the golf course.

  In slow motion, Azure spun around. The guards aimed the weapons and there were clicks as they cocked them. “No!” Azure yelled, just as the triggers of several guns were pulled.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Smoke filled the air, blanketing the rogue dryads. When it cleared, the guards had all dropped their guns. Monet stood victoriously staring at the uniformed guards, waving his wand at each one as if tempting them.

  “Have I mentioned that I have to fucking pee? Can we get this whole drama thing over with?” Monet asked, sounding bored.

  A guard standing closest to Monet froze, his fingertips turning to stone. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. The stone crept over his skin, covered his arms and chest, and then spread up and down, turning him into a statue.

  “What are you doing?” Azure asked, lunging at Payne Springs, who held her arm out at the guard. Her sisters all lifted their hands in unison, directing their powers at the rest of the guards, who had frozen in a similar fashion as the one who was now a statue.

  “I’m protecting my sisters,” Payne Springs stated, her voice full of venom.

  “We promised we wouldn’t hurt them if it could be avoided,” Azure said, watching more rogue dryads, who were still spilling through the hole she’d made, spreading around the city.

  “These men tried to shoot us, so we are defending ourselves. However, they don’t have to remain stone. You promised us the Duke. Bring him to us, and the truce will begin. Until then, the people of Terran will be punished,” Payne Springs said, holding her hand out at the city where humans ran for their lives.

  Azure stumbled backward. This was all about Phillip. He was the problem. And he had to be stopped.

  “Come on, Queeny, let’s go take down the baddie,” Monet said.

  “No, you stay here,” Azure said, backing up.

  “What? Hell, no. You don’t know what that man is capable of. He has guns, and who knows what else?” Monet shook his head at her furiously.

  “Yes, and he’s going to underestimate me if I’m alone, which is what I need. More importantly, I need you to keep order here,” Azure motioned to the rogue dryads, who were stalking toward the city streets. “Keep Payne Springs here. And I’m going to need backup, so look for my signal.”

  “What does that mean?” Monet asked, reaching for Azure as she angled backward.

  “The Duke has constructed the perfect hand, but he’s about to pull the fire penalty,” Azure said, referring to the card game ‘Elements’.

  Dawning understanding ran across Monet’s face. He nodded. Swallowed. Turned his back just as Azure ran for the golf course where Phillip had last been seen.

  Azure sprinted, the staff still in her hand. The golf course stretched out in all directions. What a strange game, that it would need such a huge piece of manicured land. She hastened forward, scanning the area to see where Phillip could be hiding. There were small trees, but nothing that could hide a man. The grass under her feet was slick, nearly making her slip, and she slowed down.

  “You’ve been a pain in my ass since I became Emperor,” Phillip said at her back.

  Azure froze, tightening her hand around the staff. She turned, expecting to find Phillip, but saw nothing except a cluster of trees.

  “You’re wondering where I am, aren’t you?” Phillip’s hollow voice echoed, seeming to come from everywhere.

  “What kind of game is this?” Azure asked, spinning again.

  “This is magic like you’ve never seen it. You’re so limited, you little filthy witch.” Phillip laughed so loudly that it hurt Azure’s ears.

  “That’s ‘Queen Witch’ to you,” Azure said, remembering Gillian’s advice about taking pride in her title. He’d beaten it into her with angry stares. “And you have never been Emperor, so I don’t know what you mean.”

  “I’ve been Emperor since your loser father took the crown. I am the rightful heir and have been acting in that capacity, but soon I’ll have the formal title.” Phillip’s voice filled the space, but Azure’s eyes couldn’t find him. How was he hiding in plain sight? That kind of magic was rare. Not even pulling from the elements would make something like that possible. However, there was one object a human could use to accomplish such a thing.

  “Show yourself, you fucking coward.” Azure heard something and turned in that direction.

  Phillip flickered and then took form, standing squarely in front of her only a few feet away. He clicked his tongue. “Who will take the crown when you die? The Vladar family will lose it, won’t they? Sad, really.”

  “I don’t plan on dying,” Azure said, scanning Phillip. His dark trench coat didn’t give anything away, but he had to be holding something of great power to have made himself invisible.

  “Well, the best laid plans of rats and men often go awry, I’ve heard,” Phillip said, his thin mouth showing a devilish smile.

  “That’s a ridiculous saying,” Azure said, trying to buy more time. And then in Phillip’s right hand she spied something. She didn’t actually see anything, but the clenched fist was the clue that he held onto an object. That made sense, because he’d need to have it close to him.

  “Why are you never happy unless you are overconsuming? Why force that indulgent and dangerous lifestyle on the humans of Terran?” Azure asked, sidestepping and trying not to trip on her robes. Her heart beat so hard
she thought it might bruise the inside of her chest.

  A hollow laugh. “Do you know where I belong?”

  “I’ve heard of this place called Hell,” Azure said coldly.

  “Ha-ha. I’ve been on this stupid planet all my life. All my ancestors have. Zebadiah, my great-great-great-whatever,” Phillip waved off the “greats” with his hand, “decided to come over to Oriceran, and we’ve been trapped here ever since. My father understood it. I understood it. We’re locked on this planet with mutations like elves and witches. We belong on Earth. And no, I’m not going to limit my power by consuming less. Do you know that on Earth they have what they want all the time? There’s no resource rationing. They indulge, as we should.”

  “How do you know that?” Azure asked, stalling to try to find a plan. There were so many things that could go wrong. Everything was at stake.

  “I’ve seen evidence. On Earth, they enjoy their life.” Phillip ripped a page from his jacket pocket and thrust it into Azure’s face. “Do you see that? Those are their children. They play and laugh all the time.”

  Azure took the paper, noticing that Phillip’s other hand was still clutched tightly. On the piece of folded and faded paper were children wearing pajamas and throwing pillows at each other. A fake tree twinkled in the background, and cookies and milk sat on a nearby table. The caption on the advertisement read, “Every morning can be Christmas.”

  “This isn’t real. You’ve misconstrued. I’ve been to Earth, and people there are happy and sad and confused and strange,” Azure listed the emotions as the different memories filtered through her mind. “Earth isn’t better than Oriceran, just as humans aren’t better. We are all uniquely perfect. Don’t you see, you’re trying to create something that can’t exist? That doesn’t exist, even on Earth.”

  Phillip ground his teeth together, his eyes narrowing. “You’re wrong,” he hissed.

  “I’m not. But I’ll give you one last chance to change. Swear not to harm the forest and to leave the palace, relinquishing full control of the throne to Frederick. If you do this, I’ll allow you to go free,” Azure stated, taking a breath, her fingers clenched tightly around the staff that trembled in her hands. She felt the power pooling in the staff, but knew that it was almost drained. Soon the staff would be depleted and need to recharge.

  A chuckle devoid of humor spilled from Phillip’s lips. “You’ve got to be kidding me. You think you can intimidate me? Remember, I can become invisible.”

  “Oh, I remember,” Azure said, and pointed her staff at Phillip’s hand. “Adolebitque!”

  Phillip’s hand glowed red and he yanked it up to his face, disbelief covering his expression. His arm shook, and as if they had been cemented together and were breaking free, his fingers slowly opened. A round purple amethyst slipped from his palm and landed on the grass with a thud.

  “That belonged to Charmsgood,” Azure said, staring at the soul stone at Phillip’s feet.

  “I didn’t much think he needed it, since he was dead. I had the harpies retrieve it for me,” Phillip said, reaching down to pick it up with his other hand.

  Azure’s arm rocketed downward with the staff in her hand. She slammed the tip to the ground, forcing all its magic out in one swift bolt. The ground underneath their feet shook violently, but Azure stayed standing, the staff still pressing to the ground. Phillip flew backward, soaring several feet and landing on his backside. Azure leveled the staff out, and from the orb fireworks shot into the air, visible from miles away. She took a step forward, then knelt and scooped up Charmsgood’s soul stone, the very last thing that remained of the great Potions Master.

  “What you’ve done can’t be healed by a potion. You’ve killed. You’ve harmed my people. I’ve given you every chance, but now you’ll pay,” Azure said, lifting her chin to the sky that was darkening all around her. Rogue dryads flew in from every direction, dropping down around the Duke. They lifted their pointy fingers in the air and opened their mouths, which now resembled notches in the wood of a tree. The gentle rustling of the leaves in their hair grew loud and overpowering.

  “NO!” Phillip yelled, pushing himself backward on his rear end. He covered his white face with his shaking hands, tilting his head back and forth. His crazed eyes pleaded with the rogue dryads standing over him. “Please, no! Please!”

  The whistling of the wind overtook the space and all at once Phillip froze into a stone statue, his mouth open wide and his eyes frantic. For all of eternity the Duke of Terran would remain as this statue, a reminder to all that those who refused to respect the forest would pay the price.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Exhaustion took over and Azure fell to her hands and knees, the staff rolling to the side.

  “Oh no you don’t,” Monet said, scooping her up at once and helping her to her feet. “None of that drama-queen bullshit. I’ll have you know I’ve still gotta pee, but you don’t hear me complaining like a sissy.”

  Azure brought her chin around to look at him, an act that almost ended her. “You’re a true warrior.”

  “One who will go down in the history books for saving your ass time and again,” he said, setting her to her feet, her arm around his shoulder.

  “You saw my sparks?” she asked.

  “Yes, but can we talk about color choice later. Blue? Really?” he asked with a laugh.

  “Well, thanks for holding off until then. I had to know…”

  “You gave him a second and a third chance at the last moment, didn’t you?” Monet asked, his face suddenly serious even with a hint of scolding.

  “I had to,” Azure said.

  “Man, you’re a fucking softy. One day we’ll rule with an iron fist—some archaic shit where we torture and kill people for practically nothing,” Monet spouted.

  “Thank God you’ll never rule Virgo,” Ever said at their back.

  Azure spun around, her eyes wide with relief. “Ever! You’re okay?” She found the energy to stand on her own and threw her arms around the Light Elf. He pulled her in, his hands pressing tightly into her back.

  “I’m fine. Just like I said I would be,” he breathed into her hair.

  “Oh, Monet, how are you? You’re the reason we’re all alive and not riddled with gun holes. Would you like a hug, oh masterful wizard?” Monet sing-songed in a high-pitched voice.

  Azure pulled away from Ever and faced Monet. “That’s true. What you did back there… Well, it was kind of neat.”

  A laugh spilled out of Monet’s mouth. “Neat? I fucking saved the day! Like, you’d be dead and all those blasted tree-women too.”

  A wide smile spread across Azure’s face. She lifted her gaze to the rogue dryads encircling them, softly chanting in a language she didn’t know.

  Just in front of Phillip’s statue Payne Springs stood, her arms spread. Her slanted eyes found Azure and she pulled her chin down, her mouth closing. “You’re done, daughter of Emeri Vladar, Queen of the witches and wizards of Virgo. You fulfilled your mission, and the people of Terran are free to live without persecution unless they harm the forest again.”

  Azure nodded. Second chances. Everyone would be given a clean slate. She turned and stared deeply into Ever’s eyes. “Do you want to go…” she said, allowing the question to hang in the air.

  His smile was tender, reeking of his own relief. “Not yet. You still have business here in Terran, which means that I do too.” He lifted his hand and directed it to the other side of the enclosed circle of rogue dryads. They parted, and a blond-haired young man stepped forward.

  The bags under Frederick’s eyes were dark, but he was upright and moved with slow grace. Gillian stood in the distance, his chin down and a serious expression making his features appear flat.

  “Frederick, are you all right?” Azure asked.

  His gaze had landed squarely on the statue of Phillip, and his mouth was tight. “I know he deserved it…” Frederick’s voice trailed away.

  “But still, it’s hard to see our ene
mies suffer,” Azure said, completing his thoughts. “That’s because you’re a good person, and I daresay you’ll make a good emperor.”

  “But now that Phillip is gone and not here to influence the court, Father…”

  Azure shook her head at Frederick. “We both know that Richard doesn’t want to be Emperor. And we all know that you’re better suited for that role. I trust that under your rule, Terran will be a prosperous land which works to preserve balance.”

  “You trust rightly, my sister of Virgo,” Frederick said, his shoulders rising and drifting back, his chest angling high with pride.

  The sun glinted across the grassy lawn of the golf course, its final visible rays sparkling against the land.

  “It grows dark. May I offer you and your friends lodging and comfort for the night? Tomorrow I’ll be making important announcements to my people, and I’d appreciate your attendance,” Frederick said, extending a hand to Azure.

  The sun was about to set, and the journey home was a long one. They needed to rest. She reached out and took his hand. “Yes, thank you. But we will set out early. I intend for my party to visit the statue garden first thing, before returning to Virgo.” Azure turned back to catch the meaningful expression in Ever’s eyes. It spoke of the series of emotions he was processing, trying to come to terms with, while surrounded by so many.

  “It will take until then to revive the statues, Queen Azure, so no rush,” Payne Springs said. She was flanked by her sisters, her hands behind her back.

  “Very well,” Azure said, giving her one last look before allowing Frederick to lead her away. The rogue dryads, as they were known to do, disappeared quietly into the night.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  The Palace couldn’t have been any more different than the House of Enchanted. Its white walls and polished surfaces were a stark contrast to the warm panels that covered the rooms in the House. Everything in the Palace was shiny and new, sometimes with the tag still on it. In contrast, the furnishings in the House were all older than Azure, and some were older than her mother.