The Rise of a Dark Mage

by D. L. Harrison

  My elemental would return them to the storage room now. And then go on another mission for me.

  I knew other mages must have looked for this secret before. I was sure the magic itself was hidden well, so I needed to come up with a way to find them. Of course, I already had, the same way I searched for enchanted items in the palace last night.

  My directions were simple, find an unnatural cave in the mountains between Lethia and Zual, which contain objects with an inscribed hidden magic glyph, and tell me where it is. The very small earth elemental sunk into the ground, and took off. I had no idea how long it would take, earth elementals were part of the ground and could easily sense an unnatural cave, but I was sure it would be much longer than it’d taken to search the palace last night…

  I walked through the merchant district and took note of the people there. They were generally well fed and well dressed. There had been parts of the city that looked to be in poverty, but this wasn’t one of them. I found it almost absurd, if the city couldn’t support those people half of them should be sent to farm. Of course, there was that illusion of freedom the nobles needed to operate from.

  Point was, this part of the city was clean, and the buildings were well maintained. I considered that I might not be here for much longer. It wouldn’t take more than a few days at most for the elemental to find the stash, I hoped, and assuming I was even right. Still, to retain my cover, I walked into the business office.

  “Can I help you?” a bored looking middle aged man said from behind the counter.

  “Yes, I am here scouting out a possible new location to open a high end jewelry store for the family. I’m from Mendell. Perhaps you can help me?” I asked softly.

  It was so weird, talking all nice with a soft voice almost came naturally now. It was… disturbing.

  He looked me up and down as if measuring me for the butcher’s block.

  “Your family sent you here alone?” he said doubtfully.

  I widened my eyes and struggled not to laugh, but instead, endeavored to look sad.

  My voice actually quavered, “No, but we encountered bandits, and my guards and the factor we were to leave here were slaughtered. I barely got away and to Rockbend. The Prince was generous enough to let me accompany him back to the city.”

  A little crocodile tears and name dropping never hurt anyone. It was the first time I’d tried it, but I’d seen it work marvelously for other women in this insane land. I was half disgusted with myself, and the other half tried to stop a laugh as the man’s eyes went wide with empathy and compassion.

  He said consolingly, “I’m sorry my dear,” and reached down to grab a paper, quill, and ink.

  He looked up at me, “What was your name?”

  “Cassandra.”

  He asked, “How big a space do you need?”

  I told him we’d need a space large enough for a few tasteful displays, and a back workroom. I also explained it might be months before we opened up, since the bandits made away with all our tools and much of the equipment, and that I only had a few samples.

  He frowned, “Then why are you here now?”

  I smiled, “It will take a while for a message to reach my family, and for them to send another factor and tools for the startup. It would help if I could tell him in that letter that we are already approved to do business in Lethia, or he might just write it off as too risky.”

  The lies just kept flowing from my mouth after that, every question he asked seemed to require more and my cover story grew, but I thought I’d managed to keep it all straight.

  He grunted, “I understand. I’d be pleased to approve it now, but we couldn’t reserve a space for you until you open up business, unless you plan to pay the taxes on it without actually being in business?”

  My eyes widened, and I shook my head.

  We talked for a while longer about details, and then he handed me a piece of paper. I left and then went to a courier to take care of that letter. I almost laughed at the thought of sending a letter to a fake building, but why not cover all the bases? Just in case someone was watching me. I wouldn’t be surprised if I was being spied on, not after that dreadful dinner last night…

  Chapter 10

  I got back to my rooms and locked up my pack again right before lunchtime. I also cast a hidden magic and alarm ward, so I’d know if anyone tried to get in there.

  Then I freshened up in the bathroom, and when that didn’t work to my satisfaction I casted a few spells to truly fix my appearance.

  Much better. Even if it did make me a bit vain.

  I also renewed the hidden magic spell on myself, which I was doing more often these days. If it ran out in Zual it had been no big deal, but if it ran out here while the mages were nearby I’d be busted, when my not inconsiderable mage aura slapped them in the face.

  I ran into Marie on the way into the dining hall. Breakfast and lunch weren’t as structured as the dinners, which were more official. She led me over to a table where we joined the queen and both princes.

  Daniel smiled at me, “So what did you do this morning?” he asked casually.

  “I took care of business, I stopped by the business office, and also sent a letter home for them to send more people and equipment.”

  I felt a twinge in my chest that was rather odd. Guilt for lying to Daniel? Surely not. Besides, it was true anyway. I did do all of that. The fact there was no family to receive my letter was beside the point.

  “How was court?”

  Queen Maria answered, “Dreadfully boring.”

  I laughed, “Nice to know. And you do that all day, every day?”

  She nodded, “We get two days off a week. Afternoons are different though. I hear legal disputes and crimes, and then make judgements. Sometimes the afternoons are very short.”

  Timothy smiled at me, which was a first. Granted, I’d not really talked to him outside of the very formal dinner last night.

  “Why don’t you come see? It would be a big part of joining this family if things go well between Daniel and yourself.”

  Daniel frowned at Timothy before he said to me, “You don’t have too. It can be disturbing when criminals give out the details of their crimes under truth spell, nothing is held back.”

  I smiled somewhat gracefully and replied a little teasingly, “He’s right, I should know what I’m getting myself into. I don’t really have any plans until I hear back from my family anyway. I can’t sit in that room all day.”

  Marie asked, “How did that go? I mean getting approval for the business.”

  I grinned, “It went fine, after I shamelessly dropped Danny’s name.”

  The queen almost spat up her drink when she laughed.

  We chatted about other stuff during the rest of lunch. The only thing that bothered me was Timothy didn’t smile again the entire meal. Was there some reason he wanted me there this afternoon, because I had no doubts he’d a purpose in what he’d proposed. His smile and tone of voice had been different when he asked, and even Daniel had acted like his brother had surprised him. Perhaps I was paranoid but, no, I was definitely paranoid. It was a necessary survival skill in Zual.

  But it didn’t make me wrong.

  After lunch, I took Daniel’s arm and he escorted me to the throne room where the queen held court. I was painfully aware of his presence, and his thick muscled arm that were under my fingers. Right before the throne room he pulled me into a side chamber and pushed me up against the wall next to the door where we couldn’t be seen.

  I’d killed men for less in the past, yet I felt completely safe as he gazed down at me.

  “Daniel?” I asked in a rather sultry tone.

  He leaned down toward me and brushed my lips with his.

  He whispered, “I hope you don’t mind, but this dress on you is driving me crazy, and I’ve been wanting a kiss for…”

  He cut off as I closed the distance between our lips again, and I couldn’t help the little moan of wanting that slipped out as
our soft kiss deepened. It didn’t last long, neither of us wanted to be caught, and I understood the idea that we really shouldn’t be doing what we were doing.

  Which was stupid, I could’ve kissed him all day.

  He backed away and smiled down at me, my heart was pounding and my body tingled in ways it never had before. It was at the same time, both exhilarating and disconcerting.

  I smiled, “We’re going to be late Danny.”

  He flinched.

  I tilted my head, “If it bothers you that much, I won’t call you that again.”

  He shook his head, “It’s not you. My… father used to call me that, before he died. I’ll tell you about it later, I’m in too good a mood to ruin it with stories of death.”

  I caressed his face softly, as if I were trying to leech out the deep pain in his eyes. Then I took his arm, and he led me out of the small room, and into the throne room…

  The royal family sat together on the dais, which meant I couldn’t sit with Daniel. I was led over to the area with the other nobles, and Daniel squeezed my hand before he left me there. I was a bit disappointed I couldn’t sit near him, or even Marie, but I’d survive.

  A few nobles gave me looks, but I ignored them.

  The first case was boring as hell. Which was a really weird saying, because hell wasn’t boring. Even with the truth spell it seemed both of the nobles told the truth about it. It was some dispute involving taxes and borders, and the laws were so convoluted that each man had a law that backed their position. Finally, after exhaustively questioning them to find the true merits of the case, the queen made a decision.

  The second case was a young noble that was brought forward.

  The guard read the charges, he was accused of rape and assault. When the truth spell was applied and he recounted his crime, I’d realized Daniel hadn’t been kidding. It would have been very disturbing, if not for the fact I’d witnessed worse myself in Zual.

  I wasn’t unfeeling, but I was fairly well inured against that sort of thing.

  What did disturb me, was during his recitation of depravity, I felt the ward in my room warn me someone had opened up the drawer. I looked away from the criminal toward the dais, and saw prince Timothy study me and my reaction to the crime. He also had a smug look in his eyes.

  Of course, I knew Timothy was just looking out for his younger brother, but it was obvious now that he didn’t trust me a bit, and was having me checked up on. Which was why he’d invited me here, so he could send someone to snoop around my quarters. The problem was, if someone opened my pack they would probably die, or at the least they’d wish they had.

  This called for desperate measures. I brought up a glyph of hidden magic and a mental attack, and casted it against myself.

  I threw up, projectile vomited my lunch, and turned white in the face. I was sure I was quite a spectacle.

  I said weakly, “I’m sorry your majesty, his crimes,” I waved in disgust at the young noble and I fled from the room without another word while trying not to laugh.

  I ran through the corridors straight to my room, and right into the guard that held my backpack. He hadn’t opened it yet.

  I gasped in surprise and said indignantly, “What are you doing with my backpack?”

  I had to act shocked, there were other guards there, witnesses. I didn’t know why, but he hadn’t opened it yet or looked inside.

  The guard frowned in embarrassment, he obviously didn’t like his current task.

  “I’m sorry miss, the prince ordered your room searched. I believe he’s just looking out for his brother.”

  “So why are you stealing my pack, wasn’t looking through it enough?”

  The guard shook his head, “I didn’t look through it miss, truthfully I find this whole thing rather distasteful. I was to bring it to the mage apprentice to see if there was any contraband magic. The prince hates magic and mages, and he believed since you came from another kingdom, you might have some.”

  The hypocritical bastard, he has his own magical objects, and he’ll eventually rule a kingdom filled with them.

  I frowned and must have looked a mess. I really wanted to get myself cleaned up.

  Instead I sighed, “Very well, I will submit to this indignity for Timothy’s peace of mind. But I will come with you, and the mage will simply look for magic yes? Not open it?”

  He asked suspiciously, “Would that be a problem if he did?”

  I scowled, “I have personal things in there of a delicate nature, as well as delicate and expensive jewelry samples from my family’s company. I would prefer it not be pawed through.”

  I briefly considered just taking the bag and leaving. I knew that detect magic wouldn’t find any, the enchantments were hidden. Unless he opened it and looked inside, there weren’t even inscriptions of glyphs to find since they were on the inside.

  I was also reluctant to start a fight. With the exception of enchantments, mages could only summon one elemental at a time, and I didn’t want to interrupt my earth elemental’s search, I’d just have to start all over again with the search if I did.

  Maybe I was too stubborn about enchanting offensive elementals, if I used a similar ward to ensure only I could use it, then even that object couldn’t be used against me. I realized I’d been too stubborn about that, too prideful that I could deal with anything, and viewed it as a crutch only weaker mages would use.

  Granted, I could probably get out of this just fine without an elemental, and unless he decided to look, it might even all work out.

  The guard sighed, “That is reasonable. You may accompany me if you wish?”

  I nodded, and followed the guard down to the court mage corridor. I was far from relaxed though, so far so good, but I wasn’t out of this yet.

  Chapter 11

  It was the first time I’d seen the apprentice mage close up. He looked like a beaten dog, and kept his eyes lowered and his body posture neutral, if not cowed. He wasn’t very powerful at all, which of course was probably how he got the job in the first place. I wondered if this was forced on him, I couldn’t imagine that anyone actually wanted the job.

  The guard put the bag down on a table and said, “Darrell, see if this radiates magic.”

  Darrell frowned, “It doesn’t. It’s so close I’d already feel it, but I’ll double check.”

  He casted a detect magic spell, and then he said, “Nothing.”

  The guard grunted, and grabbed the bag and handed it over to me.

  “I’m sorry miss, I’ll let the prince know what happened.”

  I nodded graciously. I also knew that had been a close call. Not because the magic could have been found, but because it might have been opened. As soon as I got back to the room, I opened up the bag and broke the mind spells that would torture anyone opening the bag up, and then enchanted them with a different intent. It would now simply make anyone who looked, that wasn’t me, believe the bag held a few pieces of ornate jewelry, a few gold and silver coins, and a few personal items.

  They would also feel shame for invading my personal space and put the bag back without taking anything out of it. I pulled out a tool and added an offensive combination elemental enchantment to my bracelet. It already had the hidden magic, defensive combination spell, as well as the ward that keyed them only to me on it. I slipped the bracelet back on, put the tool away and locked my pack up again in the drawer.

  Not that the lock on the drawer helped any.

  I went into the bathroom and cleaned up the hard way first, and then cast the spells to get rid of the nasty taste in my mouth and feel truly clean. I figured I’d get away with using magic, as long as I left a mess for the servants to pick up that made it look like I’d done it the hard way.

  I decided then to go back for the rest of afternoon court. It wasn’t hard to pull off the embarrassed look I shared as I sat back down, I’d made quite a scene to have a valid reason for leaving.

  When court was finished for the day Timothy didn’t
say anything about what happened, and neither did I. He didn’t apologize to me privately either. I wasn’t happy about that, even if he was right about me.

  I was woken in the early pre-dawn hours of the morning by my earth elemental. It was back.

  I stretched and stood to shake off the sleepy feeling and focus my mind, and then brought up the hidden magic along with a mind glyph and casted it on the elemental.

  The elemental showed me where the hidden entrance to the cave was, he also showed several rooms filled with small metal plates with the charging enchantment on them. In each room there were also three pedestals. The last room was the same, but it also had a skeleton in it, wearing jewelry, with a staff in her hand. At least, it appeared to be a woman, based on the rib count and very long gray hair. I wondered if this was the mage who’d created all this, and how’d she’d ended up dying there.

  I didn’t understand how it worked, but those three pedestals had to be the key to charging without a mage manually doing it. Two of the pedestals were simple enchantments to summon an elemental. The middle pedestal was a ward. Still, that didn’t tell me how it worked, or what the intents were behind the elementals and wards.

  There was also a room filled with a lot of gold, an unbelievable amount of riches.

  The last room it showed me was a workroom, with at least twenty books in it.

  I smiled and ordered the elemental to go fetch them.

  It sunk into the ground and took off south into the mountains. They could travel very quickly inside their own element, which is why it’d only taken about sixteen hours to find the stash.

  I grunted when my elemental was destroyed by a surge of power and the backlash of my remaining magic in the spell hit me all the way back here. I thought about that for a while. She must have heavily warded the place with those powerful spells, but the wards must work off of intent.