Mage- The Guardian's Oath

by S A Edwards

  22

  I collapsed on a root in the unfamiliar woodland and buried my head in my hands, flames diminishing. So much for my great plan. It was as though the woodland had changed around me, plunging me in a forgotten wilderness.

  The air grew colder, numbing my fingers. Shivers slid down my spine, and thoughts of the hunting Seeker set my teeth on edge.

  “Need some assistance?”

  I whirled, heart thudding.

  Someone sat in the shadows nearby, half-hidden in the darkness. His dark eyes surveyed me from under a black cloak.

  “How long have you been sitting there?” I asked.

  The corners of his lips raised in a half-smile. Amusement touched my mind, and I shrank away from the intrusion, sure it wasn’t my emotion. “Who are you?”

  “You don’t remember me?” he asked, though judging by his tone, he already knew the answer.

  “Should I?”

  “I suppose not. I’m Zantos.”

  “The Keeper? Of the Dark Gates? You let us into the Forbidden Pass?”

  He shifted on the root, and I tensed.

  “So jumpy.” He leaned forward, and a glint of moonlight flashed in his black eyes. “You never used to be like this.”

  “You mean, I knew you … before?”

  He lowered his head slightly, shadow further covering his face. “We knew each other very well.”

  Sick satisfaction twisted my stomach into knots. “You’re in my head again.”

  Teeth flashed behind his curled lips. “You like it?”

  “No.” I stood.

  So did he. “Let me help you as I once did.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “You’re lost.”

  “No.”

  “You plan to confront the Council.”

  I blinked. “But how –”

  “You’re predictable. To me, anyway.”

  Impossible. He oozed repulsion. I couldn’t have chosen to be acquainted to him. But if he spoke the truth, then this could be how I get killed … again. “I’ve done this before?”

  “No.” He cocked his head. “This one is new.”

  “That doesn’t make sense. How –”

  “I’ve been watching you.” He stepped closer, and I retreated, stumbling on a clump of weeds. His arms crossed over his chest, and a dimple touched his crooked smile. Insatiable desire tore at my strength.

  Panic fled to the surface, and I clenched my fists, staggering further away. “Get out of my head.”

  He laughed, the sound making my arm hairs stand on end, and the emotion dulled.

  I breathed deeply, desperate to flee from his presence. “Why have I never seen you in my home village?”

  “It was closed off.”

  “You’re a Keeper. The arch shouldn’t have been a problem.”

  “We open the Gates. We close them.” He frowned, and his eyes darkened. “We cannot pass through.”

  So, we were both prisoners, in our own way. “Why didn’t you show your face at the Pass?”

  “I had no inclination to. I warned you to stay on the path. Wasn’t that enough?” He sighed, and his hands dropped. “Would you like my help or not?”

  “No.”

  “Suit yourself. Good luck with the Seekers.” He turned away.

  “Wait.” I didn’t stand a chance against those hunting me. If he really could show me how to get out of that place, despite his twisted personality, I had to take it.

  He smirked. “I thought so.”

  “Just tell me which way to the Capital.”

  “I’ll do you one better,” he said. “I’ll tell you where the hidden entrance is.”

  “Hidden entrance?”

  “You don’t think you’ll get to the Council through the front door? The Seekers are guarding the City. There’s an underground passage in the forest, a few eona from here.” He pointed in the darkness. “A straight path. Narrow. The terrain isn’t easy, but it’s manageable. The entrance is a cave. It will take you straight into the heart of the Council chambers.”

  Before I could answer, shadow wrapped round him, obscuring him from view. “Go to the City if you wish. But the Seekers will get you.” Unseen, icy fingers slid across my cheek, and a cold breath touched my ear. “Good luck.”

  *

  Despite my confidence that he was no longer there, I fled from the clearing, pushing through the undergrowth in the direction he had suggested. Perhaps him being in my mind had something to do with it.

  Zantos hadn’t been wrong about the rough terrain. Roots and rocks jutted out, half hidden amongst the long grass and weeds, but a thin path was visible through the brush. The trees grew thicker the further I journeyed downhill, and it became harder to see. Calling my flames, I soaked in the heat, grateful to be free of Zantos’ chill.

  No part of me liked Zantos. Having been friends with him was impossible to believe.

  The foliage thinned, letting in the moonlight, and a black mouth gaped in a wall of rock. He had been truthful. I had half-expected his tale to come to nothing.

  Thick dust hung off cobwebs that stretched across the entrance, glinting under my blue light. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end, and tingles spread through my body.

  I brushed the webs aside with a shaking hand, cringing under the touch of the thin, sticky threads. A spider dropped from the roof onto my shoulder, its spindly legs curling at the air. I yelled, brushing my hand against my cloak.

  I picked up a broken branch to brush the remainder of the webs away, and then crept inside.

  Spiders scuttled along the walls, and shadows danced and flickered along the rock. Dust covered the floor and provided little grip for my feet. My flames flickered in a cool breeze, and goose bumps raised on my arms.

  The heat of my fire increased, blocking out the chill, and I marched forward, ignoring the nagging doubt within.

  Soon, the dust lessened, and smooth rock took its place. Gleaming golden carvings were etched into the walls, seven repeated symbols, none of which were familiar to me.

  A harsh wind blew through the tunnel. It whipped my hair and face, fluttered my cloak, and sent tingles through my body. I staggered back, my flames dying with a whoosh. Then, it stopped.

  My breathing amplified in the cold space. Darkness pressed in around me, the rock cavities barely visible. A low light caught my eye ahead, so I crept toward it, gasping when I reached a corner.

  Star stones lay embedded in the rock and cast a silver light through the tunnel, gleaming like those dominating the night sky. My fingers brushed against one. They truly were as breath-taking as the books had described, but in all those years in the village, I never believed I would see one.

  Charlie would be speechless with excitement. My fingers ran over the fraying string holding my crystal. A star stone wouldn’t be as precious to him as his treasured string, but it might be close. I pushed at a few, hoping one might be loose, but none of them budged.

  Fighting disappointment, I pushed on. The ground sloped up, straining my legs, and then it straightened out.

  A metal door lay ahead, studded with more, smaller star stones. An ornate silver handle protruded from the centre. I worried it wouldn’t open. And even if it did, how did I know it would lead me to the Council chambers? Or even what I would do once I got there? I didn’t want to hurt anyone. Hopefully we could agree peacefully.

  The cold knob twisted silently and opened to a glittering room.

  Gold and jewels dotted the circular walls, and a tile mosaic covered the floor. My boots reflected in the polished surface. The ceiling was transparent. Red streaks swept across the sky, the last of the stars fading.

  Seven tall-backed chairs rested a step’s distance from the walls, each facing the centre. Thick cushions, each a different colour, rested on them.

  The passageway door swung to, almost blending with the wall but for the crack left open.

  “Who are you?”

  I whirled to a second jewel-studded door, startled
to find someone standing there, his black cloak and ruffled dark hair contrasting his blue eyes.

  Five others filed in behind him, each wearing the colours of the comets. Their robes flowed to the ground and were seamless under the early morning light.

  They lined up. The door behind them swung shut as silently as it had opened.

  “What are you doing in here?” he asked.

  I straightened, trying to radiate confidence, and ignored my thudding heart. This had to be done. For the sake of our freedom. “I’m here to see the Council.”

  23

  A woman with deep red robes flicked her cloak behind her, and I worried they knew about the passage from the forest. I didn’t dare look back to see whether the door was hidden. “We are the Council,” she said. “What do you want?”

  I swallowed the lump in my throat. “You’re hunting the Beasts.”

  A couple of them narrowed their eyes.

  “And someone called Clara,” I added.

  “Your point?” another asked. His skin was pale, his robes the lightest blue.

  “I want you to call off the Seekers,” I said.

  They laughed, though the sound did nothing to cut the tension thickening the air. They split off toward the chairs, yet their relaxed movements only filled me with dread.

  A woman in navy-blue folded her arms. “Why would we do that?”

  “Because they’re not your enemy,” I said. “They’ve done nothing to deserve the fate you’ve given them.”

  “They’re dangerous.”

  “They’re not. We should be free to live the life we choose.”

  “We?” Several of the Council leaned forward in their seats, and a couple exchanged glances.

  My face flushed.

  “So,” the red-robed woman said, “which are you, Clara or a Beast?”

  “I … it doesn’t matter. You will do as I ask.”

  She smirked. “We will save the money that would have been paid to the Seekers for your capture. That is all.” She directed her focus on the black-cloaked man. “Bring the chains.”

  I raised my hands, picturing my flames encasing her in a tomb of heat and light.

  Nothing happened.

  “No,” I whispered.

  Black Cloak sniffed. “You thought we were unprotected? The tunnel has safeguards to suppress the gifts.”

  The wind in the tunnel. I hadn’t given a thought to my flames diminishing.

  “Right now, you’re nothing more than a Mortal,” he said. “Weak. Powerless. Vulnerable. I, on the other hand …” His dark robes billowed when he stood, revealing the staff hidden beneath, and my heart jolted.

  A Seeker.

  He lifted his hand, the stone at the tip of his staff glimmering purple light.

  My feet left the floor, and my back slammed into the wall, driving the breath from me.

  He glided toward me, his dark eyes calm. “So, the rumours are true: you have returned.”

  I squirmed uselessly, pinned in place by his magic. “You’re Mage. But I thought –”

  “You thought we were Mortal.” He smiled. “How sweet.” His fingers closed.

  My throat constricted. I wanted to grasp at it but couldn’t raise my hands. My feet scraped against the wall, finding nothing. I was going to die. Charlie and Lallana would wake, and I would never get back to them. Tears welled.

  “This really is a relief,” the Seeker said. “If you ever return, The Darkening will have passed. It will always be under our control.”

  “The Darkening? What do you –”

  His other hand lifted.

  From somewhere behind the furthest chairs, chains clinked and snaked toward me.

  Terror burned my body. My skin crawled.

  The door crashed open.

  Lallana dashed through it, Charlie at her heels.

  The Council members leapt to their feet, turning on them in shock.

  Purple smoke billowed, and Orator appeared, Sil grasping his arm.

  The magic holding me shifted, and I collapsed to the tiles, gasping for breath.

  Orange fire flashed, water swirled, and they collided with a hiss. Steam cloaked the open space, clouding my vision.

  Someone cried out, and then the Council Refiner crashed against the wall, the flames sizzling out with her consciousness.

  The scene blurred. Rocks appeared on all sides, framing hundreds of stars and the two crimson moons. Seven burning balls tore across the sky, their coloured tails trailing behind.

  They collided. The sound cut at my ears, deafening, stinging. The ground shook beneath my hands, all vision obscured by blinding light.

  “Clara!”

  The Council chamber shifted back into view. Lallana crouched beside me, shaking my shoulder. Her green eyes gleamed, bright in the morning light. “What was that? Are you okay?” She tugged on my arm. “Come on. We need to –”

  The Seeker stepped into my periphery, eyes full of fury. “You! I’ll do to you what I should have done the moment you arrived.”

  “No!” Lallana twisted between us, arms outstretched.

  He snatched his hand through the air, tearing her from her place. She slammed against a jewel in the wall, and dropped heavily, head lolling.

  A roar tore over the ruckus, and a huge Beast leapt on the Seeker, black fur bristling.

  I staggered forward, gripped Lallana’s arm and turned her over. She peered at me, wide-eyed, her face pale.

  “Can you walk?” I asked.

  She nodded, and I pulled her to her feet. Blood covered her back, soaking through her tunic.

  An icy dagger stabbed the wall, inches from my head, and I ducked, fighting to reach the tunnel door, eyes roaming for Charlie.

  He rounded a chair, blood oozing from a cut on his cheek, and raced forward, grabbing Lallana’s free arm.

  My fingers found the door crack, pried it open, and we fell through. I turned only to wrench it shut with both hands. There was no handle on the other side, and I hoped that would stop them, but seeing as they were Mage, I couldn’t be sure. A metallic scent touched the air, and I wrinkled my nose.

  “Clara!” Terror scraped at Charlie’s voice.

  Lallana lay in his arms, her face pale.

  Sweat broke out from my pores, and I rushed to her side, her blood pooling on the rock. “Lallana.”

  “What do we do?” Charlie shrieked, his eyes glistening under the star stones. Shouts reverberated against the door. We couldn’t go back.

  “We have to get out,” I said. “If we can get her through the tunnel –”

  Her breathing hitched.

  “We can’t move her,” he said.

  “Then …” My gaze roamed the enclosed space, searching for anything that could help.

  “Clara?” Lallana said.

  I brushed her fringe from her eyes. “I’m here. I …” My vision sharpened. Was the suppression wearing off? I drew on the water in the air, testing, pulling it to me. It swirled before me in a small ball, pure and clean. Mouth dry, I directed it to her back, willing it to slip inside, to heal.

  It flopped to the ground, mixing with her blood.

  “Clara …” Her body shook.

  “It’s okay. I’m going to help. My gift is back.”

  “Please.”

  I tugged on the water again but couldn’t lift it from the blood. Why hadn’t I stayed to learn? This would never have happened. She wouldn’t be hurt.

  A tear slid down her cheek, and her gaze shifted to the star stones. “So … pretty … for my last …”

  “Lallana.” Charlie’s grip on her tightened, and his bottom lip trembled.

  “No, don’t talk like that.”

  She smiled. “There’s nothing you can do.”

  “Yes, there is. I can –”

  “Clara.” Her smile faded.

  I knew she was right. Her weakness penetrated my mind, draining me of any hope I held in saving her. “This is my fault.” My voice shook. “If I hadn’t –”

/>   “Don’t. I did a good thing. Mother … will be proud.” Her breathing rasped, and pain flashed across her face.

  “Lallana?” I slipped my hand in hers.

  She squeezed it weakly and reached up to touch Charlie’s cheek. He leaned into her palm, eyes closed as though trying to remember the feel of her touch.

  “Clara,” she whispered. “Promise me … that you’ll learn. Learn … so you can live.” Her breathing staggered, and then fell still.

  24

  Purple smoke billowed beside me, and Orator appeared. His focus shifted to Lallana’s unmoving body, his hands reached for Charlie and me, and smoke engulfed us, covering the scene in shadow.

  Light slipped through the darkness. Pattering water washed over Charlie’s sobs, and the Healer Capital’s courtyard appeared. Rain splashed on the smooth ground, our only shelter coming from the tree’s thick leaves that stretched over us. Black chasma reflected on the wet floor.

  Shivers touched my skin.

  Charlie hunched over, his sobs replaced by a groan.

  Orator squeezed his shoulder. “Just breathe. To get you here, I had to dip you through the Shadow Realm. It is trying on your body, but it will pass in a moment.”

  Sil raced across the courtyard toward us, cloak flurrying in the pelting rain, and sank to his knees beside Lallana. His palm rested on her forehead. He closed his eyes for a moment, and then dropped his hand.

  “What are you doing?” I asked. “Help her.”

  His sapphire eyes glistened, reflecting the falling rain. “I can’t.”

  “What do you mean you can’t? You’re a Healer!”

  “No Healer can raise the dead.”

  My stomach twisted. “She’s not … She can’t be …”

  “I’m sorry, Clara.” He touched my arm, but I shook him off.

  “No. It’s not good enough. What’s the point in being a Healer if you can’t …” I squeezed her hand, cold settling into her skin. “Please!”

  “She will be given an honourable ceremony.”

  “I don’t care about that. I just want her back. Give her back.” My voice broke, and the words failed me.

  Charlie didn’t move. He held on to Lallana, his hands covered in her blood, tears streaming down his cheeks.