Dawn of the Mages (The Magic Wakes Book 2)

by Charity Bradford

  "Madhi." Da'rehl reached for her hand. "You wouldn't be able to do anything for them."

  "I know."

  "I thought you wanted to leave all that behind?" Talia had always wondered how someone could walk away from everything they knew.

  "I did. I do, but they're my family. I'll always love them and miss them. If I could dreamcast, at least I'd be able to see them when I wanted. Maybe slip into their dreams and let them know I'm okay."

  "I don't know if it works that way, but I'll walk you through it as I go." Talia reached for Madhi's free hand. "Let's do this before Landry notices I'm gone."

  Da'rehl moved away from his wife. His brow wrinkled a moment before he relaxed.

  "What is it?" Talia asked.

  "Nothing." He murmured.

  "Are you sure?"

  He waved toward the door. "I don't like doing this without Landry. He should know about it."

  Talia sighed. "He will. Soon. Just not yet. Promise me you'll keep this between us for now."

  Da'rehl nodded.

  "Okay." Talia leaned back in the chair, willing herself to relax. "The first thing I do is take several deep breaths, thinking about relaxing every muscle in my body. I start with my toes and work up, but you can do it however it works for you."

  Talia breathed, noticing that Madhi breathed with her. Once she felt heavy and calm she closed her eyes.

  "Now I think about the person or the place I want to visit by dream casting. Concentrate on as many details as possible. Once the image is firmly in your mind, will your spirit out of your body."

  Talia felt herself drift upward. She looked down on her body and noticed Madhi sitting with her eyes closed, shoulders slumped over a bit, clinging to her hand. Da'rehl now stood by the door staring at the two of them. While she watched, a shimmer of colors unfolded from Madhi's form until the woman's spirit floated beside her.

  "That was amazing." Madhi's mouth moved, but the sound was only inside Talia's head.

  Real fear clutched at Talia's chest. She'd put Madhi in danger. What if the young woman got separated from her body?

  "Go back." Talia noticed a thin silver thread connecting her to the younger woman's spirit. "This isn't wise. I haven't told you enough to do this safely."

  "It was easy. Tell me what I need to know, and then we will talk to the dragon."

  The conflicting emotions paralyzed Talia. She knew she should make Madhi return to her body, but the thought of having someone with her brought such comfort.

  "That's weird." Talia took stock of the fact she felt anything at all.

  "What?" Madhi asked.

  "When I first started dream casting, I couldn't feel emotions while doing it. Ever since I became conscience of the ethereal realm I keep them about half the time. Do you feel anything?"

  Madhi's spirit blinked twice before answering. "I feel just like I always do, so yes."

  "Interesting. I wonder why?"

  "We can ask the dragon. Tell me what's next."

  "Wait, the most important thing is for you to remember your body. Where it is, how it feels. That way you can return to it."

  "Okay, no problem."

  "I hope not." Talia looked at the girl again noting the energy connecting them to one another. "Maybe our connection will keep us together."

  Madhi nodded. "What do we do now?"

  Talia laughed at her impatience. "Take my hand. I'm going to reach for Jewel." Madhi's hand felt real and solid in hers. "Here we go. I'm thinking of Jewel, and expressing my desire to be where she is."

  The now familiar jerk stopped Talia's words. Both women were pulled through the eye of the needle, speeding across the galaxy. The streaks of light slowly resolved into the pinpricks of stars.

  "Wow." Madhi released Talia's hand to spin around and take in the area of space surrounding her. "Where are we?

  "Home." Every inch of Talia's spirit tingled from the energy of her stars. The sight of Sendek's blue and green glory floating before her brought the emotions all the way to the surface. "This is my homeworld, Sendek."

  "It's beautiful. You have three moons?"

  Talia turned to see the red chaos of Cadmus. From their synchronous orbit she could see one of the volcanoes spewing its toxins into the thin atmosphere. The blobs of lava and debris seemed to hover a moment before floating to the ground. The lower gravity made something destructive look like a light show set to a lullaby. Atreus and Daedalus were farther away, but visible none the less.

  "Yes, the closest one is Cadmus. Wonder why we're here? I don't see Jewel."

  "Maybe you need to try again?" Madhi asked.

  "She's in the right place." The louder voice boomed inside their heads. It echoed and bounced around as if it were used to residing in a larger space.

  Madhi's eyes widened and she spun around again. "Was that?"

  Talia nodded. The anger simmered in her throat, but there was a surprising ache in her heart too. She had grown to trust the dragon, to look forward to their conversations, and now that she had lost those things she realized how important they had become in her life. Talia swallowed, seeking the inner strength to get answers.

  "Jewel." Talia wished she had been able to leave her emotions behind this time.

  "I'm surprised to see you, but relieved. There is much you need to know." Jewel still had not appeared. "You'll find me on the Mare Spemare."

  "Talia?" Madhi reached for her hand. "You can do this."

  As soon as their hands touched, Talia felt strength flow into her. The anger, fear, and sadness lurked in the background, but Talia was able to focus on the logical need to gather all the information she could. Then she'd never need to see the dragon again. "Follow me."

  Talia closed her eyes and concentrated on the images she's seen of the Mare Spemare. The sea of hopeful love. She might have squeezed Madhi's hand a bit tight when she thought of the translation, but the girl didn't complain. Talia breathed deeply, reaching for the calm until the images clarified and she knew where to go. "It's not far."

  Their spirits rushed over the volatile moon's landscape, dipping past valleys and soaring over mountains. Geysers sent bursts of hot air, water, and even lava into the air. Those spurts illuminated the dark landscape, even when the towering peaks hid the light from the suns or Sendek. Just as Talia started to enjoy the experience, they rose above a crest and saw the dragon pacing below. Her green head turned their direction, and they set down next to her as her body shrunk down to a human form.

  Talia's heart beat wildly in her chest at the sight of the woman so like her husband. The jet black hair, the crystal blue eyes that seared through her at the slightest glance.

  "Talia, Madhi." The woman nodded in their direction.

  "Jewel." Talia concentrated on breathing. Her body trembled, and she had to make an effort not to fist her hands.

  "I know this isn't easy for you." Jewel took a step closer to Talia, then stopped herself. "I was afraid you wouldn't give me a chance to explain."

  Talia just nodded, not sure she could trust her voice yet.

  "Maybe we could start with something easier, like what's happening on Sendek?" Madhi kept hold of Talia's hand. The steady pressure, and stream of calming influence helped.

  Talia watched as Jewel studied Madhi. It didn't take long before a smile, far too similar to Landry's, spread across her face. Jewel reached out and touched Madhi's arm.

  "I'm glad you're here. Talia will need your strength and comfort in the days to come. Don't underestimate your power or it's usefulness. But even more important than your magic, is the extraordinary capacity you have to love."

  Talia listened. Each word another dart in her ever thinning control. "Does this mean you intend to carry out the vision?"

  "If there's any way to save him, I will, but you don't understand what you saw. The dragons view the hydri sanguinem ignis as a celebration. A right of passage."

  "Sanguinem what? Right of passage for who?" Talia stepped forward. Everything inside her stra
ining to drag answers from Jewel.

  "Talia, you've got to calm down. Ask about Sendek first, give yourself time to process everything." Madhi held her back.

  "I can't. This was a mistake, I'm not ready." Talia could feel her skin heating as the energy built.

  Jewel turned to Madhi, ignoring Talia all together. She spoke quickly, as if she knew her time was short. "The demon pit has been found. They are free once more on Sendek, spreading, but most importantly, the ceremony of the Fire Dragon's Blood is not the end for Landry. It's his beginning."

  Little spurts of flame ignited along Talia's sleeve. Her hair fizzled with electricity. "You will take him from me."

  "Get her home. Quickly!" Jewel leapt backwards, changing back into her dragon form as she did so. "Think of your body. Let it pull you home, and drag her with you."

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