A Shaper's Promise

by Karen MacRae

  A quiet voice interrupted them from the rear of the room. “Sesi dislikes noise. Be silent.”

  CHAPTER 18

  S pider hefted his saddle onto Estrell’s back. As he tightened the girth, he looked over at the Healer and her son who sat quietly together, watching the others prepare to leave. “We’ll have to take them with us, Finn.”

  Finn nodded. “We can’t let them walk into Alscombe and potentially straight into Elona’s arms once again. Apart from the cruelty of that possibility, we can’t alert her and Mystrim to our presence. They think we could be anywhere within two hundred miles of here and we need to keep it that way. The discovery of a miraculously recovered Healer with a newly emptied well and her son would be much too interesting to Nystrieth. We want his eyes on the mainland until we choose to distract him and not before.”

  Sy came over to the horses with the case that contained his cooking essentials. “We’re going to have to take them with us,” he whispered as he strapped the case onto Rojoch’s substantial back.

  Spider and Finn nodded. Finn walked over to Anna’s patients. “Chiara, we can offer you and Luciado a ride to a town beyond Alscombe. We don’t think it wise for you to stay where Nystrieth’s bullies are resident.”

  “We don’t want to be any trouble,” the Healer replied politely.

  “It’s no trouble. We’re going that way anyway and it would be an absolute joy to have your son’s music to accompany us.”

  “He’s wonderful, isn’t he?” She smiled, pride shining from her eyes. “Thank you, we gratefully accept.”

  The two wouldn’t be separated so Anna found herself riding with Finn on Blue while Hope carried Chiara and Luciado. The group took a wide arc around Alscombe, finally emerging from the forest some twenty miles from the capital city. Finn was keen to get to their destination as quickly as possible so they stayed on the main roads after that. It took two days to reach Alsham, home to a large battalion of King’s guards and their commander, General Braxton.

  The town looked exactly what it was: a military base. Beyond the towering town wall, right in the centre, was an enormous moated castle. Anna’s neck was complaining bitterly as they closed on it, her chin having to go higher and higher in order to see the top of the battlements, but she couldn’t take her eyes from the wonder.

  Finn smiled at her lengthening neck, telling her that the walls were more than eighty feet high and had never been breached.

  She looked to see Spider and Sy’s reactions, but it seemed they had been here before. Instead of gawping, Sy had been distracted by a trader selling spices and Spider was making eyes a pretty girl.

  Much like Anna, Chiara’s mouth was open in wonder. She thought Queen Katherine’s palace had been impressive, but this was extraordinary. She felt a moment of sadness as she realised that her son could not see it. She pulled him tighter to her and kissed his head, but he wriggled free.

  Luciado had continued to improve during the short journey, recovering vocabulary and some early memories; his more-recent memories and his eyesight, though, were gone. Rather than gape like his mother and Anna, he was noticing how the sound of the horses’ hooves changed as they walked over different ground. More excitingly, he found he could imagine the buildings they passed from the way the echoes came back to his ears. He began to sing, experimenting with the acoustics. They appeared random notes, but the purity of his tone made people stop in the street to stare at him. His gift was truly exceptional.

  A grey-haired man with an aura of sunset orange met them in the inner bailey of the castle. Four grooms were hovering behind him. “About time!” the man exclaimed as he pulled Finn into a crushing hug. “I thought we’d lost you. Your mother was all for having the whole army out looking for you. She’s been frantic!”

  “Hello papa. It’s good to see you.”

  “Spider, Sy,” the elder man continued, pulling both men into back-slapping hugs. “It’s good to see you. Thank you for whatever you had to do to get this one out of trouble… again!”

  “Let me introduce you to Anna, papa. She’s a major contributor to my making it home safely.” Finn turned to Anna. “Anna, this is my father, General Braxton.”

  Anna didn’t know what to do. She’d never met a General before. He saved her any embarrassment by holding out a hand to her. She shook it gratefully. “Anna Northcott, General. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  “My eternal gratitude, Miss Northcott. My son will get himself into scrapes.” He gave an exaggerated sigh. “Been doing it since he was about three. We should be used to it by now.” His booming laugh echoed around the bailey, but Anna could see the laughter hid an intense relief that his son was unscathed.

  Finn turned to the most recent members of the party. “And this is Chiara and her son, Luciado. Chiara is a Healer and Luciado has the most angelic voice I’ve ever heard. Mother will never let him leave when she hears him.”

  “Welcome!” said the enthusiastic father.

  “Chiara and Luciado Moretti, General,” came the quiet reply. “We’re delighted to be here.”

  The General waved forward the grooms and shepherded the new arrivals towards the keep. No sooner was the door shut behind them than Finn’s father took a deep breath and yelled, “Manson? Manson! We need…” he counted heads, noting the way the boy still clung to the Healer, “five rooms ready before we climb the stairs.”

  A tiny, apparently ancient man with a sunny yellow aura suddenly appeared from a doorway hidden behind a wall hanging. “I am arrived, General Braxton,” he said cheerfully, bowing deeply to his master. He spun his bow to face Finn. “Your room is ready for you, Master Braxton.” Another spin took the bow around to the rest of the group. “Masters Ffion and Peyton’s rooms are also ready and I am having the two other rooms in that corridor prepared as we speak.”

  The General flung an arm around Finn’s shoulders before addressing the rest of the group. “You must be weary after your adventures. Perhaps you’d like to rest before joining us for dinner? It’ll be on the table at the third bell as always so you have about two hours before Finn’s mother will want to interrogate you about what he’s been up to. In the meantime, please make yourself at home.”

  “My room is in the other direction, I’m afraid, but I’ll see you all at dinner,” Finn explained before father and son disappeared up the right-hand side of a magnificent stone staircase.

  Manson smiled at the remaining newcomers. “If you’ll follow me please?”

  Anna and the others followed the sprightly servant, traversing what seemed like endless corridors and going up and down numerous staircases. When they finally reached their rooms, each found a steaming hot bath and a new set of elegant clothes laid out for them.

  “We’ve taken the liberty of laying out evening clothes for you all. If you need anything else at all, please don’t hesitate to ring the bell. A servant will see to your every need.”

  Anna added a generous helping of bubbling liquid soap to the hot bath, smiling at how her mama would have told her off for using so much, but feeling like she’d earned it. She luxuriated in the subtly floral water, feeling her muscles relax properly for the first time in weeks, sure in the knowledge that there were no outlaws and no followers of Nystrieth here. She got out only when her fingers and toes were all wrinkly and the water was nearly tepid then dried herself on the softest towel she’d ever felt. She was a long way from a whorehouse in Straton in every respect.

  Clean and dry, she lifted the beautiful beaded dress from the bed, peering at the exquisite stitching with complete wonder at the gift of the seamstress. She held it against her in front of the full-length mirror, too scared to try it on and find it didn’t fit. Steeling herself for disappointment, she slipped it on, grinning when it fitted her perfectly. Back at the mirror, she twisted this way and that to see herself from every direction, marvelling at the way the beads formed abstract patterns that seemed to move with the fabric. She’d never thought to ever wear such a thing, but she c
ould hardly arrive at the table of General and Lady Braxton in her cheap, travel-stained clothing she told herself, laughing at her good fortune.

  It was only when she sat at the ornate dressing table to comb her still wet hair that she realised she’d left all of her bags with Hope and, while the dressing table had almost everything a girl could want, there was no make-up. She wouldn’t be able to hide her birthmark and the bath had left it completely bare. Through her horror, it slowly dawned on her that she hadn’t used a mirror or covered her birthmark since Sienna… It hadn’t been hidden for days and the world had not come to an end. Still, she faced a dilemma. She didn’t have a clue how to find her bags so finding her make-up was a non-starter. Chiara owned only what she stood up in so she had nothing to borrow. Should she eat at a noble’s table with her hair hiding her face or should she risk offending them with an ugly face? Tears welled in her eyes. She didn’t know what to do.

  Just then, a knock came at the door. “Come in,” she said quietly, wiping her eyes and pulling her hair over her birthmark.

  The girl who opened the door was the most beautiful creature she’d ever seen in her life. Her face was almost perfectly symmetrical with full, rosy lips and huge eyes that looked like they’d been cut straight from Blue’s aura. Her matching emerald dress was completed with slippers in striped green and silver, a theme that perfectly complemented a silver and green studded choker and bracelet. Her hair was a waterfall of silver held away from her face with silver hairpieces. Her aura completed the picture: waves of silver and emerald green washed over a background of pale green.

  Anna felt her breath leave her in admiration. “Oh,” she sighed, “you are so beautiful!”

  The girl laughed. “I can’t claim any credit for it, I’m afraid. I was made this way without any effort on my part. Comes in useful though.” The girl’s smile was infectious and Anna found herself smiling back.

  “I know you’re Anna. My name’s Aibreann. I’m Finn’s little sister. He thought you might like some help to get ready?”

  “I don’t suppose you have any make-up hiding somewhere in that fabulous dress?” Anna asked.

  “Oo, no, sorry. I didn’t think to bring any. My room’s a bit too far away too. But you don’t need any. You’re lovely without it.”

  Anna could see the girl absolutely believed what she said. Astounded, Anna swept back her hair so the birthmark was on full show.

  “What an amazing tattoo! Or is it a birthmark? How fabulous! Just like polished snakeskin. I’m so envious. I wanted to get one very similar to that, but mother wouldn’t let me. She’s made me promise to wait until I know who I’m going to marry so I get something that he likes too.”

  The girl twittered on about tattoos and how on earth she was ever going to get married when men acted like asses around her. “Honestly, it’s as if their brains are disconnected from their mouths as soon as I look at them. Shall I do your hair for you? I love doing hair.”

  Anna found herself sitting in front of the mirror, Finn’s sister chatting non-stop as she manipulated her hair into a dazzling, softly perfumed creation plaited and weaved with beads that she’d found in the dressing table drawer.

  “There,” Aibreann sighed. “Absolutely stunning. How I wish I had hair like yours. It’s gorgeous. It contrasts beautifully with your aura too. Mother got it spot on. She knew you’d look amazing in that dress. As soon as she saw you in the bailey she told me to look it out.”

  “You can see my aura?” Anna interrupted.

  “Oh, yes. I’ve never seen one like it before. Pure white. It’s why the dark hair and rainbow effect look so good on you. The white sets it off perfectly.”

  Anna burst into tears.

  “Don’t cry!” an alarmed Aibreann told her. “You’ll make your eyes all red! It’ll spoil the effect,” she joked.

  Anna laughed through her tears and pulled Aibreann into a hug. “You have no idea how happy you’ve made me,” she told the girl.

  Another knock came at the door just as Anna was fastening the last of her jewellery in place. “Come in!” Anna and Aibreann called out at the same time.

  “Seleste!” Finn’s sister exclaimed. “Doesn’t Anna look wonderful?”

  The dark-skinned, young woman at the door nodded. Her aura was a calm grey with no hint of emotion. She was so tightly controlled that she was unReadable as she spoke. “Finn asked me to accompany Anna to the library. He said you might enjoy spending a little time there before dinner. He suggested you look in the far-left corner.”

  “I would like that very much, thank you,” Anna replied.

  Aibreann smiled up at her guest. “I’ll see you at dinner.”

  Anna slotted her staff through her belt and slipped on the slippers that matched the dress. They were a little big, but she could hardly wear her walking boots. She followed a silent Seleste down various stairwells and along a multitude of corridors. She thought of a number of trivial questions to ask to try to open a conversation, but there was something about the woman that made her think she’d be wasting her time.

  The very first thing Seleste said during their walk was, “The library,” before opening the door and showing her charge inside.

  Anna looked around excitedly to see a huge room with a ceiling some twenty feet high and books lined up all around and all the way to the top. She made her way straight over to the far-left corner and began scanning for anything to do with Aura Shaping. She was so distracted that she failed to see Seleste leave or hear the door lock behind her.

  The first book she found was called ‘Aura Shaping: A History’. She sat with it at a small table and opened it with a thrill of anticipation. It didn’t take long for her to learn that it was no use to her. Written by a zealous persecutor of Shapers, it was full of every negative story the author could come up with. She returned it to its space and pulled out ‘Aura Shaping: A Guide’. This one was little better. She turned to the spine to read that it was written by the same author. Unhelpful.

  Back at the shelves, Anna found a book by a different author. This one was called ‘The Art of Shaping’. The language was very old style and the paper so thin it felt like it would tear if you breathed on it a little too hard. She was soon captivated.

  CHAPTER 19

  A nna wanted to hug the mystery author of ‘The Art of Shaping’. The introductory chapter was a brief, but balanced review of Shaping history. The author hadn’t avoided the crimes of Black Shapers, but there was none of the hysteria evident in the other books. Anna flicked back to the contents page. She felt like a child in a candy shop. Where to start? At the beginning, she decided.

  CONTENTS

  Introduction: A brief history

  I. The four arms of Shaping

  - Attack

  - Defend

  - Shape

  - Heal

  II. Shaping tools

  - Aurovian crystal

  - Machnamhach striatic stone

  - Other

  Anna laughed in delight as she turned to the Attack chapter to find a section on ‘stunning an opponent’. There, on that fragile paper, was a beautifully detailed explanation of exactly what happened to an aura when it was pushed with different degrees of power. The next section had Anna squirming in her seat, but she couldn’t look away. Shapers could stop hearts, paralyse limbs, cause brain damage and commit many other horrendous acts. All that was required was an expert knowledge of aura anatomy and the will to act. Anna doubted she would ever have the latter but acknowledged to herself that much of it was better than death.

  The Defend chapter was much more to her liking. Here were sections on defending aura attacks, Reading a target’s intent and Shaping emotion to diffuse situations. She’d just finished a fascinating few paragraphs on turning aura defence into attack when she thought she heard someone outside the door. Assuming it was Seleste returning to take her to dinner, she kept her eyes on the book, trying to finish the section before she had to leave.

  Suddenly, the doo
r to the library burst open and crashed against the wall. Anna spun around to see four armed men rushing across the room to swarm her. They fell to the floor before they had the chance to make it even halfway. She lifted her skirts and ran for the open door, jumping over the four heaps in her path. She pulled the door to until only a crack of an opening remained and stood silently, trying to control her fear, listening for shouts or the sound of fighting. Was the castle under attack? Should she shout a warning? It might at least drag attackers away from those who couldn’t fight back, but perhaps this was some kind of personal attack on the newly arrived Shaper? She didn’t know what to do.

  Running footsteps came from the right. She crouched down and peered through the slim opening. Two men and a woman came close enough for her to see they were dressed very similarly to the men lying on the library floor. All were clean, healthy and wearing decent leathers. All wore a black armband.

  This was no outlaw attack; it was a coordinated attack by trained soldiers. She stepped out from the doorway and held out her staff. The three skidded to a stop, surprised by her boldness. They grinned at her.

  “You’ll not be doing much damage with that wee stick,” the woman laughed.

  “It’s her,” the man to her right hissed.

  The smile fell from the woman’s face and the three drew their weapons and stepped forward. They didn’t get far.

  Anna stepped over the bodies and ran in the direction they’d come from, towards the source. She came across three more groups, all with black armbands and all apparently searching the castle. She left inert bodies behind her each time.

  The keep seemed to be an enormous rabbit warren of corridors and dead ends and her heart pounded with the effort of running through the endless maze, her breathing getting faster and harsher with every step. She had to find someone who could tell her what was happening and where she was most needed, but the place seemed to have been deserted. She prayed it meant everyone was hiding, that everyone was safe. There must have been a warning that she’d missed. It would teach her for getting so captivated by a book.