“Hold up. You know you can’t leave,” he said, directing his voice at Sara.
“And why can’t she leave?” Arkin asked in a challenging voice.
“Because she belongs to the brothel up the way, that’s why.”
Chapter Thirteen
Imperia
“In all my research I have yet to truly understand the depth of the journey that the Everser Vald made, but I think that if we narrow our focus we can find individual events within that journey and learn from them. Maybe if we understand we can recreate greatness, but perhaps not.”
-Atavus Imperata House Evindass, Secunum Renovatie
Kovos knew that they needed to act fast before the situation got out of hand. He walked up to the man.
“What do you mean the brothel?” He tried to put as much menace in his tone as he could.
“She’s a whore. I have her at least once a week. Isn’t that right, sweetheart?” The man smiled at Sara, who was looking terrified.
Kovos wasn’t sure if it was a good idea, but it was worth a shot. He dropped his horse’s reins and lunged forward, hitting the man hard in the mouth and sending him sprawling back. His companion leaped up and stood between them, sword drawn and leveled at Kovos. People were walking away quickly, not wanting to be a part of whatever was going to happen.
“What do you think you’re doing? That’s a…,” the older soldier started.
“I’ll have a go at anyone that calls my fiancée a whore!” Kovos roared at the men.
The soldier on the ground was getting up and spluttering. “She’s a whore, I know she is!” the younger one said.
Arkin turned Sara around and lifted the back of her hair, showing her unblemished neck. “Are you sure?” he said.
The older man stretched his neck to look and then turned to his companion and hit him in the gut.
“You imbecile! She’s not marked! And to think I was going to defend your worthless hide.” He turned back to Kovos and Sara. “I’m sorry, he’s new. I would still warn you, however, not to hit a soldier, but in this case I understand. I would have done the same. Just move along.” He eyed his downed companion with distaste.
Kovos walked up to Sara and placed his hand gently on hers. “Come on, dear. I’m sorry about this.” There was no way that had worked. He thought for sure the men would figure it out. He and Sara hadn’t even been standing close to each other. They mounted their horses and started south away from Salez.
After they had some distance behind them, Arkin rode in close to him. “That was some fast thinking on your part.”
“Is that a good thing? I took a big risk.”
“Perhaps, but shocking the men was about the only way to get out of that, I’m afraid.”
It was good Arkin agreed. The guy knew what he was doing, so if he said it was a good job then that’s what it was. And what the hell had Legon done to Sara back at the tavern? It kind of gave Kovos the creeps. Not that what Legon had done was bad; it was good that Sara was free now. Still, the thought of his friend being able to use magic was odd. How did he do it? Salez was moving farther away and they would set up camp in the next hour or so. Then maybe he would find out what was going on.
* * * * *
Legon looked down at his hands, still trying to figure out what he had done back at the tavern. The scariest thing was that he hadn’t really done anything. He had just wanted it to happen and it did. He was having a hard time looking over at Sara. In a way he felt like he’d violated her by taking on memories that weren’t his. At the same time he felt for her and cared for her in a way he never had before. He was also confused because she didn’t seem to be mad at him for delving into her mind. Maybe it was because he had freed her and now she felt obligated. At any rate, he needed to apologize for what he had done. He steered Phantom up next to her.
“Sara?”
She looked over at him.
“I’m sor- sorry for going into your head like that. I shouldn’t have.”
“Why are you sorry?” she asked, looking perplexed.
“Aren’t you mad at me? That was private stuff I saw and felt.”
Sara reached out and placed her hand gently, almost lovingly, on his arm and looked him in the eyes. “You took my pain from me. You gave me relief from my suffering. You should never feel sorry for doing that for someone.”
“I guess I don’t understand.”
She paused, gathering her thoughts. “Ok, when you saw all those things that happened to me, you felt it, right?”
“Yes, everything. It was horrible.”
“Yes, it was, but when you were in my head suffering those things, I couldn’t feel them anymore. I only felt the compassion that you had for me. Now you are truly the only person on earth that can completely understand that part of my life and who I am.”
“Ok, but don’t you still have the pain? And aren’t you upset with me for invading your feelings?”
“Not at all. I can remember the pain, but I can also remember the compassion that you have for me. And if I ever want to talk about it I know I can go to you and you’ll understand perfectly. Have you ever truly felt love from someone? Actually felt what they were feeling?”
“Well, no, I guess not.”
She smiled. “Exactly. I have now, and I will always remember that. I can say that I truly know that someone does care about me and that I’m not alone. Do you realize what a gift that is?”
She gave his arm a squeeze, trying to emphasize her point. He felt himself begin to smile. He hadn’t thought about it like that. When she put it that way he realized that perhaps he had done something kind for her. There was something noble about taking on another’s burden. He was willing to do it again, too. In fact, he was willing to do anything for Sara’s wellbeing. He would pay whatever price he needed to.
“I guess it hadn’t occurred to me to look at it that way. Thanks.” Legon paused. “Oh, I almost forgot. What was that word you called me back at the shop?”
“I called you a Venefica.”
“What does that mean?”
Arkin spoke from behind him. “It means ‘user’.”
“‘User’?” Legon asked.
“Of magic,” Sara clarified.
“Good. Sara, I take it living in a city close to Iumenta has taught you a thing or two?” Arkin said.
“That’s one way of putting it,” she said with a bit of a grimace.
Arkin’s voice took on the teacher’s tone that was becoming the norm. “What you did today was magic obviously, and people who use magic are called Venefica. They practice the art of Imperia.”
The word was foreign to Legon. “Imperia?”
“Yes. That is what it is called when you use magic. The word is Elfish. All magic is done in that language.”
Trepidation started to creep into Legon’s mind. “Arkin, do you know magic?”
Arkin paused for a while. He then held up his hand and clicked his fingers saying, “Flamma.”
From his fingers a jet of green flame shot up about six inches.
Legon reared back. “What kind of…”
“The color is different for every Venefica, but the more magic is infused in the flame, the stronger the color will appear. We’ll talk more after we set up camp somewhere.” Arkin didn’t seem surprised by this development in the least bit. If anything, it seemed to be what he’d expected.
The sun was still relatively high in the sky. They had a few hours before dark, plenty of time to move away from Salez, which was good. Sooner or later Sara’s former owner would realize that he was a person short. There was a lot to worry about, but nothing that Legon could do at the moment so there was no point dwelling on it. In his mind Legon recited a script that Arkin taught him.
Fear is the blinder. I am the light and master of sight. I will master my fear and never again see night.
As he repeated the script, he took deep breaths through his nose, each time letting tension out of his body. As he cal
med, more things brought themselves to his attention. He focused on his sense of smell. With each breath he inhaled the scent of grass and trees. Next to his ears was the sound of the horses, Sasha and Sara talking, the creak of leather, and the buzz of a fly. Now he concentrated on touch, feeling the soft breeze as it cooled, telling him the sun was on its way down. The northern breeze was moist and dense. It would rain tonight. He had better take extra care setting up his tent.
* * * * *
“What the hell was going on? Legon could do magic?” Keither wondered what he had gotten himself into. He shifted himself in Murray’s Saddle. Kovos slowed his horse and fell back in step with him.
“What do you think?” Kovos asked.
“I don’t know. We’re in over our heads, I’ll tell you that much,” replied Keither.
“Why is that? What do you know about magic?”
The others couldn’t hear him, but he still kept quiet. People who used magic were rare, and magic itself was treated with respect and care. People were also scared of it because, frankly, not that much was known about it—at least not by the common person.
“I don’t know much about it, but it may explain why Arkin was able to hide in Salmont without detection,” Keither answered.
“Do we need to worry about getting taken over or something?”
This was an odd turn of the tables. Kovos was coming to him asking for advice. He never did that. Kovos had always treated him like a helpless little boy, but not now.
“Well, if Arkin wanted to hurt us he could have done it a long time ago. And I don’t think that magic users can take you over, but I’m not sure.”
“Ok, thanks.”
Kovos righted himself in his saddle and resumed a normal pace. Keither should probably be worrying about magic right now, but that wasn’t what was on his mind. Sara was on his mind, and also what he thought of the empire and the queen which, just hours before, he had thought weren’t that bad.
In general, the whole of society was well taken care of, but at what cost? What Sara had gone through was appalling, but it sounded like it wasn’t common. Sara was a prostitute, sure, but not everyone had to be that, most were probably labor of some sort. A chill ran down his back. How many luxuries did he have due to slavery?
Arkin was right. The queen was evil. That was the only word for it. How much of what Arkin told them was true? Also, how much of the propaganda about the resistance was true? There were a lot of questions running through his mind, and a lot of his previous views were changing rapidly. If Kovos had asked him a week ago about magic users, he would have said that they were bad news unless controlled by the government, but after what Legon did… “Maybe having people who know magic free of the government’s control is a good thing,” he thought.
Then it dawned on him. This whole thing was about magic and controlling it. What Legon had done was proof that if enough people in the empire knew about magic then the government could be held in check. Or could it? People knew magic and yet they still allowed horrible things to happen.
It felt good to be thinking. It was his element, his weapon. He leaned back in the saddle, finally comfortable on the horse. He tilted his head from side to side feeling his neck pop. Up ahead, Sara was doing the same as she talked to Legon and Sasha. It was good to see her again.
* * * * *
Legon felt that sensation in his head again and stopped hitting the tent spike he was driving into the ground.
“What is it?” Sasha asked concernedly.
“I think I’m going to use magic again.” He shouldn’t be scared but he was. What if he couldn’t control this stuff? What if someone got hurt? Arkin spoke from across the camp.
“Is there something you really want done?”
“No not particularly. Actually, I could go for not feeling, well, whatever this is.”
Arkin laughed. “Come here. I think we can put that to use.”
Legon walked carefully over to the fire pit where Arkin was standing. He knew he looked like a moron, walking slowly as if he were holding a pail of water, but what if his control slipped?
“Don’t worry, you can walk normally,” Arkin said.
“I don’t know. Are you sure?” replied Legon. “I mean, how much do you know about this stuff?”
“Obviously a lot, Legon, if he hid in town for as long as he did,” Keither said.
“You don’t know that.”
“He’s right, Legon.” Arkin bent over the wood in the fire pit and uttered, “Flamma.”
As he spoke, an emerald plume of flame erupted in the pit and then turned into a normal orange fire. There was a collective gasp and Kovos jumped as if someone had thrown a snake at his feet. Legon stopped, mouth open. How was Keither able to figure it out?
“How did you do that?” Legon asked.
“It’s easy. You try.” Arkin waved his hand over the fire and it died. “Come close to the pit and place your hand over it.”
Legon knelt next to the blackened wood and placed his right hand tentatively over the still warm pit.
“Good. Now concentrate on that feeling in your head. Let it fill you.”
“Fill me?”
“When you breathe in, imagine a flower blooming in your head, like when you feel energy move through you doing the Jezeer.”
“Ok.” Legon breathed deeply and concentrated. He felt the energy grow.
“Ok, good. Now I want you to think of starting a fire, ok? Picture flames in this pit in your head.”
“Ok, got it.”
“Good. Now, concentrating on that image, say the word “Flamma” and let the energy run down your arm and out your hand.”
“Flamma.” The sensation shot down his arm like before. He jerked his hand up and with a yell from everyone, a jet of violet flame burst from his hand and into the air. Sasha and Sara screamed, but the flame only lasted a second and then died. He noticed that he was on his feet and franticly shaking his hand.
“You’re ok, Legon. Your hand is not on fire, relax,” Arkin said.
“What the hell!” He slowly shook his hand, waiting for it to burn again. The flame didn’t hurt; in fact it just felt kind of warm and good. Still, that was fire. Kovos looked amazed and excited.
“Do it again!” he shouted.
“Wha-?”
“Do it again. That was amazing. You shot fire out of your hand.”
“I know, I was there. Why are you happy about it?”
“I thought I made it clear—you shot fire from your hand! Do it again, here, at Keither this time.” Kovos reached over and grabbed Keither’s arms, holding him in front of Legon.
“Kovos!” Sasha said angrily.
“What, Sasha? He’ll be fine, come on.”
“I’m not shooting fire at your brother. That’s messed up,” Legon said.
There was the sound of suppressed laughter. He turned to see Arkin and Sara both doubled over, shaking with laughter. Sasha gave them a stern look that was fading into a smile.
“Sara, you’re laughing too?” she said.
“Yes, I can’t help it. Kovos, come on, that’s sick,” she choked out through tears.
“Let go of me,” Keither said, slapping Kovos away.
“Or what? You would have been fine. The fire was fast. It would only take off your eyebrows and some hair. Not a big deal.”
“Kovos, only a smith would think that wasn’t a big deal,” Arkin said warmly. They settled down a bit and Arkin decided that it might be a good idea for Legon to learn more about magic before trying it again. They all sat around the fire pit and waited for Arkin to start for yet another night.
“Ok, Legon, I’m sorry. Truth be told, I didn’t think you would even produce a spark for your first time trying to use magic.”
“Well, is that bad then? And I did it by accident in Salez. I mean, is there something wrong?”
“There’s nothing wrong with you, but you must be a powerful Venefica,” Sara said. “I would think at least
a class four… but wait, you’re human.” Sara turned to Arkin, looking concerned.
“A class what?” Sasha asked.
“Arkin is he part—”
“Elf? Yes, I am.” Legon filled in the gaps. Sara’s forehead knitted together and then a look of incredulity and joy crossed her face.
“You mean the Everser Vald?” Her voice was almost a whisper. The start of a tear formed in her eye.
“What di-” Legon began.
“Nothing. She said nothing,” Arkin started hurriedly. “I will explain classes to you.”
“He doesn’t know?” Sara said with hurt and anger in her voice.
“Don’t know what?” Legon asked.
“Wh-” Sara began.
“Nothing, Sara.” Arkin went from impatient to angry. Sara opened her mouth but fell silent at a murderous glance from Arkin.
“Arkin don’t you stop her, what was she saying to me?” Anger was flooding Legon as he turned to the carpenter. What was he not being told? “Tell me, I want to know!”
“You aren’t ready to know, and even if you were I cannot permit it!”
“What you can do is tell me what you’re hiding!” Legon stood and started toward Arkin slowly. He noticed Kovos by his side. Sasha reached up and grabbed his shoulder. He tried to shake it off but couldn’t.
“Legon, no. This is not the answer.”
It wasn’t the words that stopped him, but the emotions. He turned to look straight into Sasha’s glassy blue eyes. He could feel her overwhelming desire for no more violence. His anger left almost as fast as had come, and then the connection to Sasha stopped. He turned slowly to Arkin, who no longer looked angry, but rather sad.
“Arkin, what is happening?” There was fear in Legon’s voice; more than he knew he was feeling.
“I want to tell you, but I don’t. It’s a great and terrible thing. Please, I have made many vows to keep this secret. Don’t break them for me. Not yet, not now.”
“We won’t.” It was Sasha who spoke. “But please tell us what you can.”
“Sit down and I will relight the fire.”
They sat in a circle around the pit and Arkin placed a trembling hand over the pit and muttered, “Flamma.” A merry fire instantly began to crackle in the pit.
Legon Awakening: Book One in the Legon Series Page 20