The Wizard Book

by Radu Aldea

  Now the emperor, whom some called the last of the wizards although he wasn’t, had died. His heir had little power and no right to call himself wizard, although some hoped he was. Senators might fear his father’s foresight, but there was nothing in him that worried them. Michael doubted he could rule even the human lords. The Conclave almost certainly would not obey him. It made little difference he was married to a sorceress.

  Serratus could not hide his bitterness and anger when he talked about the former emperor. He thought that the senators would’ve sued for peace if not for his betrayal. Michael was not so sure. With the wizards locked up inside the fortress senators were not dying anymore, only humans and wizards. And senators have no problem sacrificing humans. Michael, who had a lesser form of foresight named wizard intuition, always wondered if the dead emperor had seen something into the future that made him take that step. Michael thought he did, although he had no proof. He thought the emperor had seen something so frightening it made him believe that the almost extinction of the wizards was necessary. Or maybe he saw a deeper truth. Senators always have at least a senator parent and can be completely destroyed. Wizards and sorceresses would always be born.

  The explosion of power shook his senses. He knew exactly who unleashed it. Only one person was capable of it. Kara! Yet somehow her power felt different than when she had used it during the fight. At first he thought she was under attack again and there were hundreds of soldiers surrounding her. Nothing less would justify the amount of power she had spent.

  He found out soon enough she was alone up there and it made him wonder at whom she directed all that power. He didn’t think senators could just release power without connecting to minds, but he finally had to admit it was possible since he didn’t find anyone near Kara. In fact, he was the closest person to her and he was miles away.

  Still, he was worried and waited anxiously. Kara had not moved for a few minutes and he thought something might’ve happened to her. Then she started moving again and she was returning to their camp. It was a long, nerve-racking wait. He barely restrained himself from getting out of the tent and going after her. A few times he almost did it and what stopped him was the thought she wouldn’t appreciate it. She wanted to be alone.

  When Kara finally returned to the camp and entered his tent she was all smiles. Whatever she had done up there it had worked and she was rather happy about it and a little smug. Then he saw the bandaged hand and the dried blood on her hair and knew he had been right to worry. She had done something stupid and that’s why she didn’t tell him anything.

  “What have you done?” Michael asked barely concealing his frustration.

  “I prayed,” Kara answered and gave him a crooked smile. She was definitely lying.

  “Don’t you think I recognize a blood sacrifice? Do you know how dangerous it is especially when it’s performed by someone as powerful as you? You could’ve died!”

  Kara didn’t deny it. She must’ve understood how worried he had been. “We are going to pretend. You are going to pretend you don’t know what a blood sacrifice is and I am going to pretend I don’t know how to differentiate the work of two wizards from the work of one.”

  He wasn’t surprised that she knew. Michael had suspected it since she gave him that questioning look when he was burning the bodies on the battlefield. He was surprised that she actually said it. “You knew and you haven’t said anything all this time?”

  “Did you really think that trick with the fireball would fool me? I know what a wizard can and can’t do. We’re taught that from an early age, practically since before we can walk. I’ve read your books. I didn’t say anything because you saved my life. There is no way I can repay you for that. So if you didn’t want to tell me about your friend and tried to protect him, that’s fine with me. Although I suspect he is more a mentor than a friend. You are too well trained.”

  “If I hadn’t saved your life, would you have hunted me if you knew I was there?”

  “I truly don’t know. I probably would’ve left you alone if you hadn’t done anything. But I am part of a family. If my father, who was the head of my family, would’ve decided to look for you I would’ve followed orders. I would’ve voiced my opinion, but I would have followed orders. And I’m pretty sure what the decision of the family would’ve been.”

  “Because they thought a wizard killed your mother. Thank you for being honest.”

  “I would never lie to you, Michael! I may not tell you everything, but I won’t lie.”

  “You lied to me when you told me you were going to pray.”

  “I didn’t lie. I just didn’t tell you the whole truth. Performing a ritual is in a way praying.”

  “Did you get what you wanted?”

  “I did! It worked perfectly. I know you are curious and I will tell you. Please, trust me a little bit longer! I know I may be asking too much and I apologize.”

  “At first I thought you were under attack again when you used all that power. Then I thought you’ve done something stupid and dangerous and you’ve died.”

  Kara managed to look contrite. Then there was a wild spark in her eyes and she practically jumped at him and kissed him. He was taken completely by surprise, but he didn’t stop. He liked the taste of her and her passion. They broke the kiss after a long time.

  “Is this the way you try to shut me up when I ask too many questions?”

  “Maybe! Were you really that worried? Do you care that much about me?”

  Michael kissed her. If she used that method to avoid answering questions, well, two can play at that game. Kara responded to the kiss with the same intensity.

  Kara’s eyes stopped on the book he had been reading. He had left it opened. In all the confusion, Michael had forgotten about it. She picked it up before he could react.

  “Ah, I see you were reading the story of the lovely Raphaella,” Kara said to him.

  “I apologize for taking one of your books without asking permission. I was bored.”

  “No, it’s all right. You can take whatever you want. I was just wondering why you have taken that book. There are more interesting things to read about than Raphaella and Malthus.”

  “Did you know her? I’m sorry, of course you didn’t. You were born after she died.”

  Kara chuckled. “I’ve never met her but my parents did. In fact, my mother knew her quite well. So I know quite a bit about Raphaella. As her story keeps being retold it will become one of the great love stories of our age. It may transcend into myth. Just think about it! Their story is so tragic, they loved, they died and their love started a devastating war.”

  “You don’t sound very pleased about that.”

  “I think it’s ridiculous. They may’ve been the spark that ignited the war, but there were plenty of sparks. The war would’ve started soon no matter what. We both know what it was all about, the new power replacing the old power. Yet people believe what they want to believe. They don’t seem to care their great love story may not have existed in reality.”

  “You have doubts?”

  “Don’t you? Nobody really knows when she actually took over him or if Malthus agreed to it. Raphaella was powerful and proud. She was one of the ten most powerful senators at that moment. And when I say pride I mean hubris and arrogance. I am not sure if they were in love or not, but one simple thing is undeniable. She took over him!”

  “Maybe that’s how she tried to protect him and he agreed. I can see it happening.”

  “I’ve taken over the humans close to me because they were vulnerable. Another senator could use them. They have no way of knowing if a senator is near them. A wizard could.”

  “It’s not that simple. Wizards can be captured and senators know how to do it and are trained for it. You know that. And I may be able to identify you but I’m not so sure Malthus had that luxury. As long as the senator who approached him was of similar power I don’t think he could tell. Letting her take over was a smart precaution if they were in
love.”

  It was strange. It seemed to him the world had turned upside down. He, a wizard, was defending a senator while Kara, a senator, had many doubts about Raphaella. He knew the story was told in such a way that would vilify the wizards and turn the senators into victims. That was far from the truth. Kara was right and the war was going to start anyway. Before he had met her he didn’t think love was possible between a wizard and a senator. Now he wasn’t so sure. He could see exactly how it could happen and had a very good idea about what bothered Kara so much.

  “Your parents didn’t like Raphaella very much, did they?”

  “No, they didn’t! Can you blame them? She was from Cuttland and I don’t like senators from there.”

  “Really? I haven’t noticed!”

  He heard her laughing. Kara had proven so far she was more than willing to attack Cuttland, even though she only had a suspicion, and less than willing to invade Essland and she had strong evidence for that. Michael wasn’t fooled into thinking Kara had made her decision because of her dislike. She must’ve had a strategic reason for it.

  “You’re not Raphaella! You know that, don’t you?” Michael sensed this was what Kara was struggling with. He liked her and maybe, just maybe, she liked him too. Her kiss might’ve been considered clear proof of that, but something told him to be careful, that kissing him was the way she was trying to manipulate him. If she took over him she could only use him for a short while. Gaining his trust would allow her to use him for a very long time.

  “That’s a good thing, don’t you think? If I were her, we would be in serious trouble.” She laughed softly and then she said something that surprised him. “Do you really like me?”

  “I thought I made it clear. I could ask you the same question. I have nothing to gain by pretending. You, however, need me, and you do have something to gain.”

  “I know and you’re right. I have every reason to trust you and you have little reason to trust me. And I am sure I will give you more reasons to distrust me soon enough.”

  “If you are lying, you are very, very good, because I believe you. You sound so honest. And if I am wrong about you I can’t say that you didn’t warn me.”

  “Yes, I did! It doesn’t make things easier, does it? And I am that good at lying. I am a senator, after all, and we know how to detect it. I can tell you when someone lies. I don’t even need to take over him. I can tell you about all the little mistakes that give someone away. Everyone makes some and I know how not to. That makes me a very good liar.”

  “You’re right! The fact I am warned doesn’t make thing easier.”

  She was telling him the truth and it didn’t make any difference. He still liked her, he liked her very much, and the fact she let him know she was dangerous didn’t matter. He already knew Kara was dangerous, but he hadn’t considered the effect she had on him.

  “Why do you like me?”

  “Because you are brilliant, beautiful on the outside as well as on the inside, fair and you don’t abuse the immense amount of power you possess. That’s why I like you.”

  She looked stunned. If she expected an answer, it wasn’t this one. For a moment he thought she wasn’t going to say anything. “I’m a senator. To the end I will still be a senator. I will do things you won’t agree with and you may learn to hate me.”

  Michael didn’t say anything. What could he say, really?

  “Do you think that Raphaella and Malthus had the right to say only their love is important and the world could burn? Did they have a right to start the fire?”

  “They didn’t start the fire. Even if they did, perhaps any world that implodes because of the love of two people should burn. Maybe it needed to be destroyed to be renewed.”

  “We have failed, haven’t we? Wizards have an understanding of nature unlike anyone else and you wasted the knowledge on petty squabbles. Senators could bring justice to the world and instead we oppressed it. We are not what we are supposed to be.”

  “We haven’t failed yet.” He kissed her and she melted into the embrace.

  Chapter fourteen

  Maya walked down the cold, stone corridor. She was alone and could hear her shoes clack on the hard floor. There was something rhythmic and hypnotic about the sound and the way it reverberated. She was back to the fortress on a hilltop at the base of the Aldurian Mountains. They called it a villa, which sounded less threatening, but it truly was a fortress.

  She didn’t like it much here and would rather be somewhere else. Her returns were never pleasant, thanks to Philip, and they were always short. If she was lucky, she would take a hot bath and be on her way. There was always something else to do, someone else to spy on. Maya was good at it and that’s what made her so valuable to Robert Castus. Otherwise, he would throw her away like garbage. Robert was not the warm, generous type.

  Maya noticed there were a lot more soldiers around. The last time she was here, there were maybe a hundred and fifty. Now there were more than four hundred. There was good reason for the paranoia. On her way here she heard about Marcia’s incursions into Cuttland. There hadn’t been any bloodshed yet, but everyone was holding their breath waiting for the violence to break out. The world had been frozen in shock since the attack on Kara and Rufus. It looked like everybody was confused and nobody knew what to do. Maya knew it wasn’t true.

  Behind the scenes, people were scheming and making plans. Robert Castus was doing exactly that and was waiting for the right moment to act. Marcia sent scouting parties into Cuttland, presumably looking for something. Cuttland senators who were close to the border with Western Suttland found it wise to flee the area. Maya thought it wise, too.

  She wondered what worried Robert. Marcia’s incursions didn’t come anywhere near this fortress. Maybe he was just being cautious. Or maybe he was worried about the conspicuously quiet Julia Mettela. The Eastern Suttland senator was definitely closer to them than Marcia and far more dangerous. She had yet to make a move and nobody knew who would be her target. Maya was not sure the increase in soldiers would be enough to deter Julia. She heard the rumors, and if they were even partly true, Robert would be crushed if she moved against him. She would advise him to move further north, but that would have to wait until after the bath.

  Maya had her own rooms here so she headed directly to them. They weren’t anything luxurious, in fact they were small and cramped, but there was a bath and a bed and that was more than what she usually had. Robert should’ve offered her better rooms. There were plenty of them in the villa. He didn’t and she didn’t ask. It was probably his way of making it clear what her position really was. She didn’t need to be reminded. There was no way she could forget.

  She had her own rooms but she wasn’t allowed her own humans inside the villa. Robert didn’t trust her enough to let humans she controlled under his roof. She wouldn’t trust anyone either. However, it did irritate her she didn’t have her own servants. Maya had to use one woman who was under Philip’s control and that aggravated her. She knew exactly why she was subjected to this kind of humiliation and why Robert allowed it.

  The woman was waiting for her in her room. Robert and Philip knew she had returned the moment she had stepped through the gate and maybe sooner. The old woman looked as if she wanted to be anywhere else than here. It probably wasn’t her choice and wasn’t likely to be paid. So the woman’s dislike wasn’t limited to her.

  “Please, prepare me a hot bath,” Maya asked her. She didn’t think asking and not ordering would make things better, but she tried it anyway.

  The old woman didn’t say anything and just left to do what she asked. Maya collapsed into a chair. She couldn’t wait to get out of her dirty clothes. The woman returned fifteen minutes later and told her the bath was ready. Maya thanked her and went inside the bathroom alone. Right now she envied the senators who had their own servants. She couldn’t use anyone to help her dress or wash because she felt like she was letting Philip see her naked and she definitely didn’t want to do
that. For now, she just had to put up with the situation.

  Maya tested the water, it was hot, just as she liked it, undressed and carefully entered the bathtub. She relaxed and almost fell asleep. Then she worried. Philip didn’t need her permission to see her naked. He just had to enter the bathroom and she didn’t think anyone would stop him. Maya washed as quickly as she could and put on a bathrobe moments before Philip entered the room. Maya almost gave a sigh of relief.

  It was premature for her to do that, of course. She wondered what Philip was seeing when she looked at her. A teenage female senator of medium power, who was pretty, tall and slim with short, dyed hair, right now it was blue and green, or a victim? She bet it was the latter. He would either do something, or he wouldn’t. If he did she would react and things were going to get ugly. Philip was dressed and had a weapon, while she was unarmed.

  “I see you entered my bathroom without my permission while I am washing. You are getting bolder. You haven’t tried something like this before,” Maya started the conversation.

  “My father ordered me to get you. He wants to talk.”

  “Robert could’ve sent a servant for me. Instead he sent you. Are you a servant, Philip?” Maya knew the insult stung. She didn’t care. He would either do something, or he wouldn’t.

  “Where have you been, Maya? You are always leaving here and nobody knows where you go.”

  “You should ask your father, Philip. He knows where I go and I follow his orders. If he doesn’t tell you what I do, perhaps he has good reason for that.”

  Philip grabbed her chin. Apparently he was going to do something. “You are his golden girl, aren’t you, Maya? Always leaving on your missions, always having those secret little talks with my father! Does that make you feel powerful? Does that make you forget your place? Remind me again, what do you know about your senator parent?”