Soul Stone Mage Complete Collection Boxed Set

by Sarah Noffke

  Sometimes Reynolds’ extensive knowledge on diverse topics endeared Sari to him. However, the gnome was more educated than anyone she knew, and she never found herself attracted to him.

  “So what we need to do is think like a vampire.” Gillian tapped his finger on the side of his head. “You’re a bloodthirsty vampire and can’t destroy the pages from the Book of the Dead, but you want to keep them concealed. Where do you hide them?”

  “There’s significance behind each of the locations where we found the missing pages,” Reynolds stated. “So where is some place of importance for vampires that we haven’t searched yet?”

  “Osiris,” Sari whispered, a revelation sparking in her mind.

  “Queen Mother, you’ve thought of something?” Gillian asked.

  She nodded. “Vampires revere the god of the afterlife, Osiris, correct?”

  “He is the god they can thank for their immortality,” Reynolds agreed.

  “And we already know that the Book of the Dead pages can’t be damaged,” Sari said, her brain working through the new idea.

  “Which means…?” Reynolds prodded.

  “Which means that the lost page could be at the bottom of the Nile river and still be fine,” Sari stated.

  “But why the Nile?” Gillian asked.

  “Because to find the page, we should recount Osiris’s path,” Sari said. “The god of the afterlife was murdered, and his coffin thrown into the Nile.”

  “How do you suppose we’re going to find a single page in a river as large as the Nile?” Reynolds asked.

  “The same way that Isis, along with help from others, found Osiris’s body so she could resurrect him,” Sari said, triumph rising in her voice.

  Gillian’s eyes widened. “They used a tracking spell.”

  “Exactly!” Sari said, pulling her giant grimoire to her from the other side of the table.

  “Do you think you can create a tracking spell that will locate the page deep within the river and pull it to the surface?” Reynolds asked, leaning over her shoulder as she flipped through the pages.

  Sari paused and stared up at Reynolds. “I’m no Egyptian goddess, but I’m fairly certain I am up to the challenge.”

  Chapter Four

  A furious growl ripped from the weretiger’s mouth. It lunged low, about to pounce on the wizard. Alfie held his wand at the ready, red sparks flying from its tip in warning.

  The weretiger was soon joined on either side by another from its pack, both snarling, hot anger in their eyes. Three wizards ran out of the crowd, coming to Alfie’s aid.

  Laurel watched the soon-to-be blood battle, paralyzed. She’d tried to intervene, but the weretigers rejected anything she said, calling her a traitor. She held her paw to her face; it was badly scratched from where the weretiger, Reese, had assaulted her when she tried to reason with him.

  “Don’t make me do this, werecat!” Alfie yelled at Reese, brandishing his wand like it was a mighty sword.

  A guttural growl split the air. “That is a weak werecat,” Reese yelled, throwing an accusatory glare at Laurel. “I’m a weretiger and king of the land. Whatever you do, wizard, will be punished tenfold.”

  “This is not your land!” one of the wizards behind Alfie yelled, shooting a yellow bolt of lightning at the weretigers.

  Reese was struck, and fell to the ground. The other weretigers reacted immediately, springing after the wizards. Screams and growls echoed as the fight sped out of control. Laurel, unable to watch a moment longer, unlike the crowd around her, covered her eyes. A moment later, the cacophony of noise vanished.

  Perplexed, Laurel peeked through her claws.

  The weretigers and wizards were all individually tied with ropes and lying flat on their backs. Laurel lowered her paws and stared around at the crowd, but everyone was doing the same as her: looking for the source of the restraints.

  A deep growl parted the crowd, and Queen Azure stepped through the onlookers and straight into the center of the ring, with the green dragon called Micky at her heels.

  “What is going on here?” Azure’s voice boomed over the crowd. She held the staff made of Howling Willow that held Mage Lenore’s crystal ball. Her blue hair swept in the wind behind her as she stared down at the offenders.

  “Those weretigers attacked us unprovoked,” Alfie yelled, rolling to sit up.

  “We did not!” Reese roared. “You offended us!”

  “By looking at you the wrong way!” Alfie exclaimed.

  “Enough! We are not to fight each other!” Azure screamed, making everyone freeze. She pointed to the side of the crowd where Laurel stood amongst mostly wereanimals. “You may think that the world of Oriceran is out to judge you, to persecute you for being different. Nothing is further from the truth. We are all one, we’re in this together. But if you’re looking for a fight, you will find one. When you believe others are gawking at you because you’re different, I want you to consider that they are staring because you’re magnificent. Those on Oriceran have not seen wereanimals in centuries. You must expect to be regarded with a bit of awe.”

  Azure caught Laurel’s gaze, but her eyes fell after seeing the scratches across her friend’s face. “And if you are fighting each other, you’re not doing yourself any favors. You don’t want to be regarded as wild beasts?” Azure said, pointing in the distance. “Then I would encourage you not to act as such.”

  Around the crowd, many of the wereanimals hung their heads, shame evident in their demeanors. Azure spun to face the witches and wizards gathered on the far side of the circle. “And those of you from Virgo, you must show more tolerance to our new friends. Integrating isn’t easy for them, and if you’re quick to anger, there will be no peace among us.”

  “Yes, Queen Azure,” many of the witches and wizards muttered.

  The storm had subsided at sunset, and many of the torches around the camp were being lit, casting the queen in an orange glow. “If you prefer to spend time alone, that is completely understandable. I’m not forcing any of you to interact. However, for those who decide to put aside your differences, I’ve arranged something I think you all deserve.”

  Music started low, growing in intensity from somewhere on the other side of the crowd. Micky the dragon swung her tail, and a group of witches parted as a band playing musical instruments stepped forward. Dancers dressed in vibrant shades of pinks and purples twirled around a fiddler as he cranked out an infectious tune.

  A gasp from the crowd pulled Laurel’s attention to a commotion at her back. A wizard on stilts toddled forward, wearing a costume dangling with bells and tassels. He lifted his wand and blew on the tip, sending a sharp bolt to the makings of a bonfire. It lit like a volcano, showering light on the crowd. The atmosphere shifted instantaneously, as laughter and sounds of amusement filled the air.

  Azure pointed her wand at the bound weretigers and wizards, releasing them with a punishing look.

  Laurel could hardly believe how quickly and efficiently the young queen had taken care of an altercation that could have spread like a virus. She approached Azure, bowing to her when she got close.

  “How can I help? Do you want me to continue serving food?” Laurel asked Azure.

  She smiled. “Actually, I hired servers, and they arrived moments ago.”

  “Oh?” Laurel asked, scanning the crowd for these servers. Now that she was looking, silver platters were in fact floating through the thicket of wereanimals and people. They were piled high with cheese, crackers, various vegetables and ripe fruits. However, Laurel couldn’t see what was holding the floating trays up. She blinked, her eyes refocusing.

  Laurel laughed with delight when she saw what was carrying the various trays. Three or four tiny fairies held ropes attached to the platters, flying them through the air.

  “What I’d like you to do, is enjoy the festivities,” Azure said to Laurel, her eyes resting on the scratches marking her cheek. “Thanks for all your help. You’ve been through a lot.”


  “I tried to stop the fight,” Laurel stated, shame making her face feel hot.

  Azure shook her head, her sensitive smile not faltering. “I have no doubt that you did everything you could. Give the wereanimals some time. They will see you for who you are.”

  “A deserter,” Laurel said, wishing her tone didn’t sound so defeated. It was hard to hold her chin up, with so many giving her constant, contemptuous glares.

  Azure shook her head. “No, I was thinking a revolutionary.”

  The atmosphere of the crowd began to seep into Laurel, and she found herself smiling. “I hope you’re right.”

  Azure watched the werecat retreat through the crowd before turning to the dragon dutifully standing behind her.

  “It’s going to be dark soon, we should tighten guards at the perimeter,” Azure said.

  Per usual, Micky appeared reluctant to leave Azure’s side. But after a moment, she gracefully turned, making her way to relay the message to the other dragons.

  “I have a complaint,” Finswick said at Azure’s back.

  She rolled her eyes before giving her familiar her full attention. “Please tell me that it’s of some significance.”

  “Things are going missing around the camp,” the cat answered, his back arched and ears back.

  “Things?” Azure asked.

  “Monet reported that his flask was stolen. My crystal encrusted collar is not where I left it. And Blisters says that he’s pretty certain he had a cashmere sweater that has disappeared,” Finswick stated.

  “First off, Monet probably got drunk and lost his flask. And Blisters doesn’t have a cashmere sweater, because he’s a fucking unicorn. But I’m sorry about the collar. I know it’s a family heirloom. I’ll keep an eye out,” Azure stated.

  “Ever also reported that he had a talisman disappear, and Manx says he had some coins stolen.”

  Azure considered this and shrugged. “Well, it’s possible we have a thief among us, although I hope it’s a mistake.”

  “You’re not concerned enough,” Finswick accused, flicking his tail back and forth.

  Azure swept her arm at the festivities. “I’m taking a moment to enjoy that things are going marginally well. This is supposed to be a celebration, you know?”

  Finswick blinked his green eyes up at Azure impassively. “What if I told you that Bob’s genie lamp is missing?”

  “What? Why didn’t you tell me that from the beginning?” Azure asked, sudden dread filling her.

  “Oh, now that it’s something of yours, you’re concerned,” Finswick strode off through the crowd, his head smugly held high.

  “Damn cat!” Azure whipped her wand out, thinking up the right spell. She could search the camp or even make threats, but she thought that a well-spoken spell could do the trick for her. “A thief at large is found, when a string is tied round. The trail leads without a sound,” she sang, flicking her wand.

  A glowing, magical string of light tied around Azure’s wand, snaking its way through the crowd. Azure followed the invisible trail that only she could see, moving through the dancing wereanimals and people. Her eyes narrowed at the end of the string, which disappeared into an irregularly shaped tent.

  Azure paused outside the entrance to it, bracing herself to come face-to-face with a wererhinoceros or werehyena, or something else as vicious. She tightened her grip around her wand and barged into the tent.

  Stunned, Azure froze at the sight before her. Objects were piled high, teetering one on top of another. Mugs, watches, jewelry and trinkets of all sorts crowded every inch of the perimeter, threatening to bust the walls of the tent. In the center, sitting on a plush pillow and nibbling on a piece of cheese, was a small and unassuming wererat.

  “Did you steal all of this?” Azure asked.

  The wererat jumped, his cheese crumbling in his claws and falling into his lap.

  “Queen!” the wererat squeaked. “I can explain!”

  Azure crossed her arms in front of her chest and tapped her foot. “I’m waiting.”

  “Well…You see…I…” the wererat stuttered.

  “Are you a kleptomaniac?” Azure asked, kneeling over and plucking the genie lamp from a stack.

  “No!” the wererat yelled. “I’m sorry. It’s just that everyone ignores me because of my size, so…”

  “So you thought you’d steal their stuff in retaliation?” Azure asked.

  The wererat shook his head furiously. “No, that’s not it at all. I thought that if stuff went missing, whoever found it would be honored for reuniting everyone in the camp with their treasures.”

  Azure blanched with surprise. “Do you mean that you stole everyone’s stuff so that you could return it and get credit?”

  The wererat nodded profusely. “See! My end goal was noble.”

  “I’m not sure I’d call it that. Have you tried just being nice?” Azure asked.

  “It doesn’t matter what I do, the others ignore me. Rats are considered awful animals.”

  Azure knelt and offered her palm to the wererat. He hesitated before scurrying onto it. She straightened, looking at the wererat directly. “What’s your name?”

  “Gouda,” the wererat answered. He was the size of a normal rat, with whiskers and a pointy nose, but had legs and arms like a human’s.

  “Gouda, you’re obviously good at collecting things,” Azure said. “What if I made you my official census collector? You’d get a chance to meet everyone, and could naturally make many friends.”

  “You’re not going to punish me for my crimes?” Gouda asked, brushing crumbs off his chest.

  Azure shook her head. “I think I can let the offense go this time, if you promise to return all of the items you stole.”

  The wererat nodded before leaping off Azure’s hand and onto a tall stack of belongings. He picked up a perfume bottle and ran down to the ground. “I’ll return all the items tonight. And yes, I’m happy to take the position you’ve offered.”

  Azure smiled as Gouda hurried for the tent entrance. She held up the lamp, grateful that Bob was safe. She’d put so much effort into freeing him and wouldn’t be defeated.

  Chapter Five

  Nenet pressed the spigot of the blood bag to her mouth and drank. It still surprised her how she could crave blood, but also be disgusted by the act of drinking it. If it wasn’t for Ata, she was sure she’d have starved. His blood sustained her. It was too hard for her to consider feeding off an actual person or animal. The other vampires, the crude savages who congested the main areas of the Great Pyramid, said that she’d get used to the act of feeding if she actually tried it. But they were also monsters who weren’t completely ripped apart by the fact that they’d lost their magic forever.

  “Something is bothering you,” Ata observed.

  Nenet lowered the blood bag. “You mean besides the fact that I’m drinking your blood, and hiding inside the shadows of a disgusting old tomb?”

  Ata tore his gaze away from her and nodded, staring at the rose granite coffin in front of him. “Yes, besides that.”

  “I still don’t understand how you were able to open the Great Pyramid in the first place,” Nenet mused. “Not to mention that vampires aren’t allowed to roam about, like in the Sphinx. Our coven…well, the coven I used to belong to…was protected from vampires in the Sphinx, because only those with magic could enter into it.”

  “It was a different ward that prevented vampires from entering the Great Pyramid,” Ata explained. “Actually, I was quite surprised and delighted when Cordelia asked me to take down the protection of this place, so they could make it their headquarters.”

  “Really? Go on, then,” Nenet encouraged.

  She’d never heard Ata use a word as informal as ‘delighted,’ but he had been trapped under the mind control of Cordelia and Hamilton for quite some time. Maybe, like her, he was starting to lose himself.

  “Cordelia wanted a place that represented great power and was worthy to be their headquarters,” At
a said.

  “So she chose a place full of spiders and old dust,” Nenet said, eyeing the ceiling of the main chamber, which was quite different than most of the other rooms in the Great Pyramid.

  “She chose one of the seven wonders of the world, forgetting who it was built for.” He tapped his crook on the top of the coffin. It creaked, and a cloud of dust puffed out of the sides, but the lid didn’t move.

  “King Khufu?” Nenet asked. “Do you think she overlooked the fact that he was the one who asked the gods to govern the vampires?”

  Ata tried again to move the lid from the coffin, but it didn’t budge. “I think that Cordelia’s obsession with power and growing the brood has obstructed much of her reason. Hamilton is no better.”

  “Then her mistake might be to our advantage,” Nenet said.

  “Let’s hope so. It was Khufu who first asked for the gods’ intervention. It was during the construction of this pyramid that the first bat from Earth crossed over into Oriceran.”

  “Infecting a wizard and stealing their magic,” Nenet cut in, filling in part of the history.

  “Exactly. And the first founder vampire was created,” Ata explained. “Khufu summoned the gods, and Ra, the god of the Sun, cursed vampires so they were unable to go out during the day.”

  “And Osiris made them immortal in an attempt to create balance for the new species,” Nenet nodded.

  Ata narrowed his eyes. “Osiris created monsters that were unstoppable.”

  “I still don’t understand what this has to do with Khufu,” Nenet said.

  “Vampires threatened Khufu’s ability to complete his greatest project.” Ata held his arms wide. “This very pyramid. No one hated vampires more than him. When Khufu was entombed, the gods who had battled over the powers of the vampires, buried their hatchet, so to speak, with the king that started it all.”

  Ata paused, trying and failing to remove the lid from Khufu’s casket.