After settling in at the castle, Delminor was summoned to the king’s presence. The queen sat demurely by his side, a stark contrast to the anger on her husband’s face. Delminor looked anywhere but at the queen’s belly; the heir would be due before long, and yet, Donya…
“What sort of man abandons those he cares about to pursue his own goal?” Pennithor opened.
Delminor swallowed. “I was determined and I knew I could complete the task.”
“It was foolhardy and dangerous and not only for you.” The king narrowed his eyes. “You are not thinking clearly.”
“Not thinking clearly? What of you? Hiding the beast jade from me after your scouts obtained it?”
“You dare question my judgment?”
Delminor glared back. “You question mine.”
Pennithor stood and Ruann put a calming hand on his arm, causing him to sit back down. The queen spoke. “Your safety is of utmost importance to us. As is the safety of those you hold dear. Surely you can understand our disappointment.”
“And perhaps you can understand mine as well. Why was the beast jade kept from me?”
“There was more for you to learn from the shards you already possessed,” the king said. “I did not see fit to release its knowledge to you.”
“But don’t you see? If I had known of its existence—a sixth jade!—it would have altered the very research I was doing.”
Pennithor leaned forward. “Perhaps you don’t put much stock in my intellect, but I sent my mages out to explore the beast jade, in the hopes of bringing you information as well.”
Delminor blinked. “You what?”
“All is not bound by your arrogant fancy. You are not the sole researcher of magic in this kingdom. Perhaps you need time to consider this.”
Delminor shook his head. “I am your key researcher, am I not?”
“You are the most important asset I have, yes. And it is for this reason you stand before me.”
“Then why—”
“Be still. You risked your life over a pursuit of your own desire. You risked the lives of three other prominent mages on your quest. Despite your companions pleading with you to return, you not only pushed onward, but you abandoned them. Your words now communicate to me that you feel little remorse over your actions. It is therefore my responsibility to ensure you do not endanger them again.”
“What are you saying?”
“I will take all the jades at this time and you will spend time in solitude to consider all you have done.” He waved his hand and two guards stepped forward. “Consider your actions wisely, Delminor, for I will not tolerate a misstep of this gravity again. Take him away.”
His incarceration lasted for weeks and all he was allowed was his journal, to record whatever he could remember from his dealings with the new jades. The king refused to release him until he had filled three tomes with his findings.
Pennithor didn’t care about the personal tensions between the companions. He refused Donya’s request for new quarters, but when Delminor returned, he saw she had moved her things into one of the other rooms.
“So we’re finished?” he asked.
“You left us to die.”
“I left you surrounded by every protection spell I could think of. I wouldn’t have gone if I didn’t think you’d be safe. That’s been the whole point.”
“Keeping me safe, yes, you keep saying. Then why drag me along to such a place?”
He sat down heavily. “Is it a crime to want to be near you? If I’d known how bad it was going to be—”
“I warned you.”
“Yes. You did. But I didn’t see it.”
She calmed herself a little. “We should have turned back.”
“I knew the jades would protect me. I should have told you sooner.”
“What do you mean?”
He told her about what happened in Sandonia and she sank onto the bed as she listened.
“Even still, Del. There’s no guarantee they would protect you again. Don’t you know how stupid you are for going off like that?”
He lowered his gaze. “It did feel stupid once I was there. But it was too late.” He looked up and met her gaze. “I can’t do that again.”
“What do you mean?”
“Any of it. I can’t risk your life. I can’t rush headlong into danger anymore. I have to figure some other way to get to the healing jade.”
“Delminor…”
“No, don’t say it. Don’t tell me there’s no healing jade. I couldn’t bear it.”
She had never seen him so vulnerable and she wilted, still angry but caring. “There will come a day that you find it. But you need caution.”
“I need you.”
She looked away. “You can’t ever do that to me again. You can never abandon me. Never again.”
“I promise.”
She shook her head. “You said that too quickly.”
“That doesn’t mean I don’t mean it.”
* * *
King Pennithor set new rules for Delminor’s research. He allowed the mage one jade at a time, keeping the rest in a location the mage never knew.
He didn’t even argue the arrangement. He felt lucky that Donya hadn’t completely left him. And the experience had truly horrified him, not just in its danger, but in his final acts to claim the jade. What had become of him that he would do such a thing to a creature?
His research was slow in the beginning. He wasn’t as interested in it, turning instead to more swordplay to take his mind off things. The king did not approve and set a guard to follow him at all hours of the day, ensuring he made at least a modicum of progress.
The pressure didn’t help matters, but Delminor persevered. He started with the earth jade, feeling the most connected to it. Its stability coursed through him and grounded him as nothing else could.
His experiments became more random as he tried to unlock the inner workings of the jade. He used an alembic to distill various mud samples, drawing the separated water with earth magic to see if there were any remnants of dirt he couldn’t see. He was surprised how often he was able to separate out additional particles.
Though the process didn’t tell him much regarding earth magic, it told him there was more to the elements around him than he could see with his naked eye. Even the air itself had substance to it.
Next, he focused on the air. He had spent a lot of time already trying to unlock its secrets and felt perhaps the familiarity would do him good. He utilized the castle library to gather a host of spells to decode, returning to his research roots, and from there he understood more about the energy itself.
He hooked up a huge bellows and used the force of air to empower whirlwinds. He threw dirt into the wind and watched the paths it formed, and he was able to judge where the strongest winds were located. He also observed that every vortex had a calm center he hadn’t realized before. He’d thought when the wind spiraled around him, the calmness inside had been a particular effect of the magic itself, not a natural construct of wind.
Water and nature proved to be relatively easy after his time with the other two jades. He felt the patterns within them as he pored over the countless spells he had access to. He spent a lot of time with his lab equipment, combining and separating various mixtures, oils, and fats and trying to create new healing salves that Essalia and the other healers could employ. She applauded his progress and he was more than happy to share his findings, often bringing her in to assist with the experiments.
Fire was still a challenge for him, having never spent the time he needed with it. Every spell was erratic and forceful, except for the candle-lighting fire darts, which were low power. He couldn’t get a grasp for the random energies, but he was able to understand why the feisty Gallena resonated well with fire. He spoke to her at length and she was forthcoming with a lot of information, but he struggled to gain any mastery.
When it came to the beast and glass jades, he was at a loss. There were no spells r
elated to the two elements and the work was much more challenging. He shied away from working with them whenever he could, surprised that he wasn’t more interested. Then again, the jades had cost him much, and he was no longer working for himself.
He thought of Pyron often as he worked, missing his friend and the knack he had for breaking down the spell gestures. He didn’t just miss him for that, though; their friendship had been a good one.
Before seeking the other jades, Delminor requested a sojourn to Magehaven to visit with Pyron.
“No,” the king answered simply.
“But, sire.”
“Your last foray nearly cost the lives of four prominent mages. I will not allow you out of this castle again until I am assured of your level-headedness. As of yet, I am not convinced.”
Delminor scowled. “In other words, until I provide information on the other jades, I’m trapped here.”
“If you prefer that version, yes.”
“Then may I at least send a message?”
“You may, though all messages will be thoroughly processed.”
“I have nothing to hide. Read them at will.”
The chancellor glowered. “Beware your tongue, mage. Though your work is impressive, you still speak to the King of Hathreneir. You have no right to tell his majesty what he may or may not do.”
“My apologies, your highness.”
The king responded. “I am not without sympathy for your situation, but do not speak to me so again.”
With a bow, Delminor left.
* * *
Pyron responded tentatively to Delminor’s initial letter, but as the two shared stories back and forth, their communication improved. Pyron was shocked that Delminor and Donya were now friends with Gallena and Arenda after what had happened in the Magitorium. But it was a good exchange that eased the tension between the two. Eventually, Delminor received more intimate reports about the happenings at Magehaven.
Delminor,
I hope this letter finds you well. Your last message made me laugh. Firegnat serum in the guard’s soup? He must have been in turmoil for days, not that I believe you actually did such a thing, considering.
My father has stepped down from the Mage Council and it opened an opportunity for me. Partly because of his help, I was able to replace him. Now I sit in Council meetings and discuss all sorts of interesting things. One of which I must discuss with you.
It has been many years now since you departed Magehaven with the earth and water jades and we have need of them again. The feral creatures are increasing in this region as the land continues to wither. We need their powers for protection.
You vowed to return them to us after a time and that time is long overdue. I beg your compliance before we must seek assistance from His Majesty the King.
Yours,
Pyron
Delminor had no need to explain the situation to the king, whose guards were reading every transmission. Without delay, the two shards were sent off to Magehaven with two copies of his notes, one for the Council and one for the library, at Delminor’s request.
Chapter 42
Changes
Over time, Delminor’s routine became monotonous. He hated waking just to be brought to the designated room where one jade would await him with a stack of parchments and quill at the ready. He tired of spending hours comparing spells and reading energies from the jades, of mixing and matching spell components, of burning this or distilling that.
He always worked alone and he needed the help of his friends, but the king wouldn’t allow it, insisting that Delminor had the means but lacked the drive.
When he was allowed, he spent time with his friends. They were all careful not to discuss spells except when decreed by the king, who wanted Delminor’s work disseminated. The group chattered and played games, and then Arenda and Gallena had news.
“We’re pregnant,” Arenda announced.
“And by ‘we’ she means both of us.”
Donya smiled. “That’s wonderful news.”
Delminor agreed. “It truly is. Essalia, you’ve outdone yourself finding a way to make that happen.”
The woman laughed and shook her head. “Nothing so outrageous as that.”
Gallena shrugged. “We’ve wanted it for all this time. So we found someone we liked and, well, put him to work.”
“Do we get to meet this gentleman?” Essalia asked.
Arenda shook her head. “No, he was passing through on his way to the frontlines. But he knew what he was doing.”
Delminor had to ask. “You both took turns with him?”
Donya smacked him. “You can’t ask that!”
Gallena laughed. “It’s fine. No, it was more like we were all together and the magic happened.” Donya’s lip twitched and Gallena immediately regretted her choice of words. “But, as Arenda said, he knew his stuff.”
“I’m really happy for you,” Delminor said. “Wait until Pyron hears about this. He won’t know what to do with himself.”
“Oh, please don’t tell him in a letter,” Arenda said. “They’re still being read, aren’t they? We’re not ready for the king to know.”
He was going to ask why not, but then he realized the implication. They were both in the king’s favor as mages, often serving as counselors in their own right, but if they were to become mothers, their loyalties would be divided. More than that, he realized, watching them hold hands, they would probably leave to start a quieter life together elsewhere.
His assumption proved true. Over the coming months as the women felt their babies growing, they decided to leave Castle Hathreneir. Donya suggested they head to Marritosh and stay with her family until they could settle in on their own.
“What about us?” Donya asked one day.
“Aren’t you happy?”
“Of course, Del, but what about a family? What are we going to do? I… had hoped they would stay.”
He understood. She had wanted to treat their children as her own. “Do you have any interest in trying again?”
“I… don’t know. I’ll talk to Essalia. See if she knows of anything new that might help. But, Del…”
He nodded, knowing what she was going to say. “I won’t leave you to seek the healing jade. I promise.”
“Thank you.”
* * *
Instead, he petitioned the king for help. “I have a proposition, sire.”
“You’re in no position to make one.”
“I understand, but please hear me anyway.” He flexed his fingers and continued. “I believe there is a healing jade out in the world. One that has the ability to repair our physical wounds. It’s what I was seeking three years ago when I ventured north with my friends.”
“I recall the journey,” came the dour reply.
“Please permit me some time with all the jades we have. Request the two from Magehaven for a short time. Allow me to read the energies and try to determine where the healing jade might be. I need it, your majesty. I truly do.”
The king considered, scratching his chin.
Before he could deny the request, Delminor added, “In return, let me open a workshop here. Not like a blacksmithery or anything, but I will personally train mages in the uses of the elements. I will show them how to decipher the older spells, to use their magic more efficiently. I know my notes are shared among them and they’re all trying their best, but let me teach them directly and it will go much faster.”
It was an offer the king could not refuse, and he immediately sent a dispatch to Magehaven, which prompted an unexpected response in the form of Pyron himself two weeks later.
“We cannot refuse the demands of the king,” he explained to Delminor when they had time to talk. “But to be without the jades again… I refuse to let them out of my sight.”
“It’s good to see you, friend.”
“Yes, indeed.”
Delminor put his arm around Pyron and spoke lowly so his guard wouldn’t overhear. “We need to come
up with a new system for our letters. They’re still read by king and there are things we need to be able to discuss secretly.”
“Agreed.”
They spent the rest of the day sitting with spellbooks open, flipping through the pages, but not actually working through any spells. Instead, they sank back into their old routine and worked out a system to encode their letters going forward, in essence reversing the spell translations they had always done together.
The next day, Delminor’s requests were all met. He sat in the king’s research chamber, not with one shard, but all of them. A large basin of water was available and Donya, Essalia, and Pyron were also in attendance. He hadn’t requested to be without the guards, not pressing his luck.
Delminor set the seven jades into the water, wondering how they would try to arrange themselves if they could. They pushed away from each other as if they didn’t want to be too close. It was an odd sensation that Delminor wished he had time to explore.
As before, earth and air, and fire and water drifted to compass points in opposing pairs. He set the nature and glass shards in next, watching the glass settle next to the air, with the nature jade finding a place across from it.
He held the beast jade in his hand for a time, admiring the low rumble that emanated from it. Though he had refused to work with it much, he respected the power of the jade, and considered where it would fit in with the others. He placed it in the center of the pool and watched as it drew closer to the nature jade. It took a place between nature and fire.
“The fiery spirit of the living beast,” Essalia said. Everyone looked at her and she shrugged. “But look. Delminor, if you’re right and the healing jade is out there, then wouldn’t it end up here?” She pointed to a place across from the beast jade, between glass and air.
Donya bit her lip. “I would think nature and healing are side by side.”
“I know, but beasts are generally harmful and nature can produce horrible poisons. I still think it’s over here, an unseen force like the one in our bodies.”
Delminor's Trials Page 21