“Kinky,” Cordis cut in, and Aisling kicked him again.
“And took a few strands. I don’t know why.” Gabriel continued.
“What is your next step?” Adelaide asked.
“To learn as much about Void as possible, to fortify the castle if needs be, and to continue training. I want you all to do the same. Have any wards been tripped in the past week?”
The Council shook their heads. Each wore a ring around their middle fingers that tied to a trip-ward somewhere outside the castle. If anyone tried to get in without going through the gates, they would know. Only Lael and Mikelle had wards to other rooms. Lael held onto the vault and treasury wards while Mikelle kept wards on Gabriel’s room doors. Each time someone passed through a door, she knew.
“Dagan, are there any reports of specters we can address?” Gabriel asked.
Since the death of Councilman Kieran, his wife Lilly and their two children Addley and Jamie were killed, Dagan had made it his mission to hunt and kill all the specters. He and his wife adopted Liam, Kieran’s only surviving child Dagan was able to make off with before the specter got him. As far as everyone knew, specters walked haphazardly and sprung up everywhere, each with warped Mage capabilities.
“My north team isolated an Earth specter turning glass on people, and my southern team finally stopped a female Water specter from turning people to ice. Of my remaining teams I have no updates.” There were four teams sent out containing one Mage of every Element. People had been very reluctant to leave the safety of the castle, but Gabriel insisted Jaden handle the problem since all the specters were Mages when living.
The Council continued discussing everything from the upcoming Classing of Mage-selects to foodstuffs stored for winter. The conversation was tedious but necessary to keep the lands safe. As they droned on, Gabriel slipped unwillingly into his memories as he usually did when he lost focus. His thoughts drifted between Robyn and the Arconians as they had done over the past day and a half.
He realized the room had fallen quiet and scrambled to remember the last thing said. “I have nothing further.”
Lael nodded and made closing remarks before dismissing them. He put a hand on Gabriel’s shoulder once everyone left. “You look a little lost.”
Gabriel grimaced. “Give me time.”
Without Gabriel, the days in Kilkiny passed without event. Robyn reminded herself he had been absent for months, so the past week was no different. Even then, she always had a hope that he would blast through her door.
It had taken a few days of mulling for her to realize she had been at fault and should have handled the situation much better. She could not imagine banishing that man from her life forever, so she would give him a few more days before she summoned him to explain herself. She was still blindingly angry that he laid with the Arconians and lied about it. His purity was something she never questioned, but now that it was sullied it changed the way she looked at marriage. She would always question if she was adequate or wonder where his thoughts were.
What she truly wanted to know was why he claimed he had no choice. ‘Was it done before or after his breaking? Was there more I could not fathom?’
“Have you chosen a second color for your dress, Your Grace?”
The question brought Robyn out of her reverie. She stood in her dressing room on a pedestal as two seamstresses pinned and hemmed the half-finished dress she wore. A younger seamstress held swatches of fabric before her with a questioning look.
“The smoke-gray,” she answered.
“Lovely choice with green, Your Grace.”
The women finished their pinning and unlaced the back, helping her step out and redress into a dark blue one. Robyn was not terribly fond of dresses since she spent time in the liberating leggings and tunics, but they were beautiful and made her feel regal.
It was an unusually mild day for winter, and she opted to take tea on her terrace that overlooked the courtyard in the center of the palace. Much of the area was taken over by a garden, but half of it died with the frost, showing the earth and stone beneath. However, something far more interesting than dying brush caught her eye today. Far below soldiers practiced.
A circle of men gathered to watch a swords spar, and though she was too high up to recognize faces, she knew one.
Prince Virgil was stripped to the waist wielding a sword with a slight curve to the tip against one of the palace soldiers. Virgil moved with expert precision and force, and while Robyn did not know much of swordplay, she knew about defense and attack well enough to observe with scrutiny. She also wanted desperately to join them.
It had been too long since she picked up her bow. There had been a few times where she snuck out to the archery range, but guards always followed her and attracted a crowd. There was no privacy left. Unless….
She rushed back to her dressing room, pulling at the laces of her dress and nearly ripped them apart as she yanked the garment over her head. Stashed in the back of her wardrobe were a few pairs of leggings, blouses and tunics. She quickly dressed, selecting a brown tunic. She laced her boots in a flash, remembering for a moment that Gabriel made them, and secured a long green cloak to her shoulders.
She snatched up her bow and quiver, and marched into her study. An Arconian guard stood at her door and gave her a surprised look, half-drawing his sword thinking her an intruder.
“Follow at a distance,” she stated. Blessedly, Aisling was out of the palace today and would not catch her. The Advisor had made it clear that Robyn should be presentable as a Queen at all times.
She took the least used stairwells quickly, winding her way through the palace until she reached the courtyard. She could hear the carousing of soldiers now, and the idea of adventure quickened her blood. Reaching the circle, she pushed her way to the front, small enough to duck through the men.
Virgil and his opponent dripped with sweat as they took precise strikes at each other. Both had a few nicks that mixed blood with sweat. Robyn could not help but stare at the Prince. He had the body of a man who had to be powerful or die, and his tan skin was riddled with tiny pale scars, proof he had earned his standing. He had muscles in places Robyn didn’t know there could be muscle, especially up his stomach and down his back. ‘Sweet stars, he looks like a sculpture.’
“I yield!” the opponent suddenly yelled. Congratulating each other with a nod, they broke away.
“Who’s next?” someone called.
“Give me a break this time,” Virgil joked, bent over with his hands on his knees. “All these Anatolians are too fast.”
One of Robyn’s soldiers stepped into the circle wielding two long knives, and a new battle began with the ring of steel. For a man of Virgil’s size, he was surprisingly agile. Robyn compared him to Gabriel more and more often. Gabriel was not so agile because he never needed to be. He just needed to stand in one place.
Virgil took a cut to his forearm but succeeded in victory over the soldier. “Next—and make it easy.”
“How about archery?” someone yelled. Robyn looked behind her to see her Arconian soldier grinning.
Virgil nodded. “Someone bring me a bow. Who am I to battle?” Robyn stepped forward, keeping her head down. “Very good. Set a target.”
The soldiers bowed into a horseshoe shape, and others threw targets out consisting of swords, knives, and a few articles of clothing. Virgil went first, shooting a longbow. Robyn watched as the muscles in his torso and arm flexed, pulling the heavy draw. It was a weapon she could never pull, and he released an arrow to land accurately. She pulled a recurve bow without a heavy draw, and her shot landed too short.
Virgil said nothing, aiming for the next target and hitting the hilt of a knife stuck in the loam with a heavy ‘twang!’ Robyn readjusted for the target, taking into account her strength had diminished since she did not shoot regularly, and this time struck much closer.
The third target was a shirt. “Is that mine?” Virgil asked as he aimed. “Let us try not to put h
oles in it.” His arrow landed just before the garment. Robyn’s landed right beside his, her accuracy returned.
The targets retreated at twenty paces, and each time the two of them released twin shots. The further they back they went; the more they had to adjust for wind and gravity. It was not long before both shot high in the air. ‘Stars, you’re distracting,’ she thought as she watched him shoot.
They reached the end of the field, each hitting the targets expertly, and found themselves with nothing else to shoot. “Well?” Virgil asked, leaning on the bow. “Wait for a bird to fly past?”
She nodded, notching an arrow, but there was no waiting to be had. She knew where the crows roosted in the trees. A well-directed arrow shot into the evergreens and brought a chorus of angry birds flocking to the skies. She had hunted birds many times when land prey was scarce. This time she snatched one of Virgil’s arrows, notched, aimed, and let fly before she could blink. However, as she leaned back to take proper aim, her hood slipped off and her blonde braid spilled out. Virgil took his own shot, and they watched as two crows fell to the earth.
He turned when the crowd did not congratulate them and stopped suddenly. Robyn grinned. He gaped for words and finally pointed to the field. “Someone fetch the birds.”
She stepped closer. “Let not your pride be wounded.”
“I will concede my pride if you were the better shot.”
She shook her head. “I would not embarrass you in front of your men. I shot mine through the eye. Your arrow went through the belly, but they will never know.” She gave him a polite nod and gracefully glided through the men to find her guard. She made it a few yards, and she heard Virgil laughing. She turned to see him holding two identically-fletched arrows pierced through birds—one through the belly and the other through the eye.
Chapter 12
Pike hefted the circular medallion, “Thirty second lef’ on her, no more.” He said and tossed it to Ryker.
Ryker nodded and pocketed it. “Just enough t’ shift in.” The Medallion of Unwind had gotten Nolen through the wards around Ryker’s prison, but the boy did not know it had a time limit, and he had just about exhausted it. They had just enough to get into Castle Jaden, and getting out would cost them nothing. One chance to get in, and Ryker hoped they did not waste it.
They chanced exposure. Everyone knew Ryker was alive, and word might have gotten around of Maxine’s revival, but Pike was a tile Ryker was still able to play. He debated leaving the man behind or covering his face, but if they were going to make an attack, they needed to do it with all their strength. The Mages needed to know they were not safe, even with their precious Class Ten leader.
Ryker could have saved Unwind until he had built an army, and then he could deposit them all in the castle suddenly. But if Nolen was right, the Head Mage would do the work for them if prodded in the right direction. Under torture, the Class Ten revealed to Nolen two failed suicide attempts, and history was bound to repeat itself under the right pressure.
Madness always came with greatness. With Evony it had been the loss of common sense, with Dorian the loss of mercy, but Ryker had got to Pike and Maxine before they went mad and mended the Elemental stress on the brain. He kept his own madness at bay most days. A Mage as strong as he had to work very hard to maintain balance.
He made a sucking click with his cheek and felt the kinetic energy of a body walking nearby. Nolen entered a moment later.
“Do y’ be messing with mine servants again, boy?”
“Is Maxine a servant?”
The three men chortled together.
“I heard that,” Maxine stated as she walked in. Air Mages always did hear better than the rest. She wore a long red gown with a tightly laced corset that left her pale shoulders uncovered; a dress to make a point that she was beautiful and intimidating. The only jewelry she ever wore was the gold, beaded necklace, and today there was a new dark blue bead in the center. She had only been able to retrieve one of the Head Mage’s hairs, so she claimed. Ryker and Pike were unable to attain a piece of the Mage, but there would be other chances.
“Are we ready?”
Pike stood, dressed in a long dark green coat slashed with gray stripes—the color of Spirit and Void Mages. He was taller than both Arch Mages, but Nolen beat him by half a hand. Ryker wore a burgundy vest under a gray riding coat that fell to his heels. While Maxine and Pike would be there to give a show, Ryker would skirt the background unseen.
Nolen would also be attending, but he wore a cream-colored coat to show off the most important part of his garb: the Air Silex piece strung on a chain around his neck. Nolen was instructed to offer only defense assistance. His purpose was to simply be there; the Head Mage’s tormentor abusing his mind.
“Let’s welcome the Head Mage t’ his Seat.”
Gabriel shifted Lace home, leaving her in one of her family’s many estates: a lovely white mansion overlooking the Black Cliffs on the west of the island. He promised to visit, but she said he should not. His focus needed to be in Jaden, not Arconia.
He spent his days using Void during sparring sessions, but there was so little to show. He could put someone to sleep or move around quickly, but Void proved not to be useful in battle. The Creator in him tried to manipulate the shift pattern, and he quickly reworked the strings to rapidly shift from one spot to another within a thirty-foot radius, keeping his sparring partners confused.
He finally finished sitting for his portrait, a life-sized oil from the waist up. It looked remarkably true to form. Lael insisted he would need to sit for a bust to be carved, but Gabriel emphatically refused.
He found himself in Lael’s study one afternoon discussing treasury deposits. Jaden accrued money from their many exports including cloth, wine, crops, and most of all, Mages. Mages could be hired to purify water, grow crops, reinforce structures, or heal the sick and wounded. Jaden took a percent of every service, and the Mages did not have to pay taxes.
“Oh stars,” Gabriel suddenly gasped, spinning to the door. He brought his hand up, thumbing a ring.
“Is a tally wrong?”
Gabriel dropped the ledger and made for the door. “Someone just shifted into the courtyard.” Lael followed at a close distance as Gabriel rushed down the stairs into the foyer. He pointed a finger at a young man. “Do not let anyone out of this building.”
Gabriel pushed open the Lodge doors and marched out into the courtyard. The wind blew snow flurries from a gray sky, and the chill bit through his open coat. He expected to see Arding, the king-like man who had saved Gabriel’s sanity more than once; the man he suspected had rescued him from the summit. But his heart shot with adrenaline when he saw Maxine.
Her blonde hair flowed in the wind about her bare shoulders, and her arms clasped behind her back as if she was patiently waiting. Beside her stood a tall man with a goatee, his feet in a defensive stance. Gabriel stopped dead in his tracks when he saw another man beside him.
“Nolen.” Gabriel muttered with hate creeping through his veins.
The ex-Prince looked as pleased as a cat with a dead bird. His chest proudly displayed the unmistakable gray Air Silex piece.
An attack was imminent. Gabriel had no chance to warn the people in the nearby buildings or the few in the courtyard. He had no way to summon help, but there was no one he would ask to stand against two Arch Mages and the fool wearing a Class Ten Air piece. This was the reason he was chosen as head protector, and if he could not defend against two, he would die against five.
But he unlocked something they did not know about.
He laid a snap-pattern, a berg-blast, and a ripper pattern, and immediately seized Void after. He shot himself between them, fueled the patterns, and returned himself to the same spot. Explosions of fire, shards of ice, and chunks of rock burst around them, and the battle began.
All Mages held shields of different kinds, and while many shields extended into the ground around them, they did not protect the ground beneath their feet,
the same ground Gabriel exploded. If the shield was a full bubble, as Air shields usually were, it would cause any flying rubble to bounce around until it collided with a softer force.
Nolen’s white coat was torn, dirty, and stained red in a few spots. Maxine and the other man—Gabriel could only guess was Pike—had few scratches. They rushed for him. Pike laid a Harlon-shot pattern, but Gabriel moved before it made contact and threw a Water pattern to make the blood vessels swell. Maxine deflected it with a condensing-pattern that compressed the air, and she brought her hands together in a clap.
Gabriel raised a Spirit shield a moment too late and felt the clap of air twine around him, pushing his stance back, and filling his ears with a deafening slap. He ripped the earth beneath her and tossed her back. He threw a buckle-pattern to Pike and caught the Arch Mage throwing him to his knees where he would be forced to stay for one minute. Gabriel punctuated the pattern with light-shards of glowing white energy, but Pike drew earth from the ground as a shield.
Maxine was on her feet and rushing towards him with a vortex of Air in one hand and an electricity-pattern in the other. She melded the two forming a dangerous horizontal tornado. Gabriel reached skyward and brought lightning down, causing her to miss a step. She flung the electricity, but this time her hair and eyes became white. Gabriel moved to deflect the electricity, but a blue tendril touched his elbow.
In every other circumstance, the pattern should have moved past and hit the ground, but this one stuck and shot a surge of white-hot pain through his body. His scream stayed behind his clenched teeth. Gabriel knew of how to deal with pain, and he reached out with a death-toss Fire pattern. It made contact with her hand, but she winked out of sight before it could consume her.
Gabriel shot three pinch-patterns and a spirit-clap to Pike, snapping his fingers to send more light-shards. Pike only had a moment to dodge, and he failed to raise a large enough shield to avoid the spirit-clap, similar to the air-clap but more effective. As soon as it touched his ears, the man fell unconscious while trying to raise a guardian-pattern.
Unlocking Void (Book 3) Page 8