The Complete Enslaved Chronicles

by R. K. Thorne

  Who she could be.

  Interesting. Perhaps there was still time for her father to grow into an old man like this elder, instead of… something less.

  His use of water also intrigued her. No mage type held power over water, a proven oddity of nature. Given that mages could influence earth, sky, and living creatures, it followed that some mages should be able to sway the seas, oceans, rivers. But no one had yet witnessed such a thing. Even magic could be mysterious at times, she supposed.

  Wunik started and stopped a few times, demonstrating how the light pooled between his hands. Of all the air spells she had seen, farsight was still the most awe-inspiring. Creating a window into another place in the world… Strange and powerful, indeed.

  Still, she wished Wunik would hurry up. It had been two days, almost three now, since she’d kissed her father and Luha goodbye. How had the Masters responded to her escape? Were they safe?

  The Dark Master’s intense eyes flashed through her mind. The other Masters would accomplish nothing without him, and they hardly mattered. But the Dark Master would not let them get away with this without a fight. And as long as her father and Luha were his slaves, that gave him a great deal of power.

  “All right, Miara, point the way for us,” Wunik said. “This won’t be the easiest by twilight, but it’s not getting any brighter out.”

  She guided him along the path she had taken with Aven. “There is probably a straighter route over the mountains, but I don’t know it. I haven’t walked that way.”

  “Well, fortunately this takes less energy than walking,” he said with a grin.

  The forest and hills slid past. They found the border to Kavanar and crossed it. Soon they saw the golden plains, the wheat and barley fields.

  Finally, Mage Hall loomed before them. Seeing it for the first time since they’d escaped, her heartbeat quickened a little. What had she expected to feel? Tension knotted her shoulders.

  “There—that building.” The dormitories were full of people at this hour. But the windows to her family’s rooms were dark.

  Wunik veered closer. “Shuttered.”

  “Can you check around the side of the building? The door?”

  He nodded, and the image slid to the other side of the building.

  “Guards?” Aven said.

  “Those are not normally there,” she said. “It’s not like we can run away—” But she stopped. That was no longer true. They were responding accordingly. “We weren’t usually guarded like that. At the gates, yes, but that was as much against outsiders as to keep us in. Let’s check the gates and see if security’s increased. But—there might be one more thing. There, check that building. That’s the bathhouse, and the food hall is close by. We might see one of them going to or from there.”

  The ground slid beneath them, but they saw no one on the way to the bathhouse. It seemed eerily empty.

  “Is there a curfew?” Aven asked.

  “No… at least there wasn’t when we escaped.” Then her eyes caught on someone leaving the dining hall. “There. I see Menaha, that way.” They followed her gesture around the bathhouse, toward the food hall, but Menaha was gone. “No, wait, that way. Damn, she’s gone inside. Hmm.” She groaned and groped around in the surrounding area with her mind. If she could find a creature nearby, perhaps she could follow Menaha into the building that way. That would be a lucky chance, and very draining, if she could keep her mind connected to the cat at all over such a great distance and no sight inside the building. Still, she found a small gray cat and whispered her greeting. “But maybe—over there, who is that?”

  A silver tabby darted out in front of Jaena as Menaha turned south and headed into her building. Jaena had been hoping to reach Menaha to ask more questions, and she normally ignored strays.

  But there was something unnatural about it. It studied her too intently.

  She stopped. The cat regarded her evenly. Jaena felt a tickling in her shoulder brand and scratched at it absently.

  Reaching out, she felt a presence. Oh. Not just a cat, but a mage too. As an earth mage, Jaena could not feel the size or location of life forms very distinctly, but she could sense the increased energy that meant a mage was close at hand somewhere around the cat. The earth underneath them sang and shook ever so slightly for the joy of it, not that anyone but an earth mage would notice such vibrations.

  Greetings, mage, came a familiar voice.

  Greetings, she replied. Where did she know that voice from? She could not send thoughts like a creature mage could, but she could serve them up clearly on a figurative mental platter. Her brand continued to twitch. Why would it bother her for looking at a cat or hearing a mage’s message, of all things? An icy knot formed in her shoulder, something she’d never felt before. Now it was getting creative? Stupid, stupid thing. She tried to ignore it.

  Jaena, is that you? It’s Miara.

  By the gods, Miara. We were just talking about you. Did you really— Jaena had not known Miara well, but she had been a spy like Dekana. They had met a few times before.

  Yes. I did.

  Gods.

  I’m looking for news on my father and sister. Are they all right? Do you know? He’s a gardener named Pytor. Luha’s a stable hand.

  Beads of sweat had formed on Jaena’s forehead, and the night suddenly felt far too warm for so late in the harvest. What in all seven hells was wrong with her? The cat had wandered off, but Jaena could still feel Miara’s presence. Menaha mentioned him. She says they haven’t returned to work for two days. They appear to be locked in their rooms, under guard. The guards have new daggers. She wasn’t sure why she included that final detail, but it seemed like it might be helpful.

  How did you know I escaped?

  Rumors. We asked Menaha if she knew anything, and she said she saw your brand healing. That you’d recently come back from a mission, but that she hadn’t seen you for two days. And that your family was locked in their rooms.

  But they are safe? Miara’s voice sounded relieved and worried at the same time.

  Of course that’s what she would want to know, but Jaena could not know for sure. I could try to find out? The strange wave of heat had fallen away, and she felt cold again. Icy, even. She wiped the sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand. Was she coming down with something? This was no time to get sick. Please—if you can tell me how you got free, if there’s some way I can help you— The sudden intensity of emotion behind her thoughts made them fall to pieces, and she pulled herself together. A lack of clarity in communication was the sign of an amateur, and she’d be damned if she looked like an amateur at a moment like this. Even with only three years of training, even coming to Mage Hall late in life, she was better than that. She would be the best. She had to be. How else could she get back at them for what they had done? She would not mess up her one chance at getting free by acting like she was less skilled than she truly was.

  I never got to say… I’m so sorry about your sister.

  Jaena gritted her teeth at inadvertently sharing her grief, although an ache exploded in her chest. Not. Now. She was better than this. I’m sure I can find your father. Where are your rooms?

  A pause. Her heart skipped a beat. Had she scared them off already? Gods, no—she was better than this—she had to know how it was possible—she had to get—

  Air mages, Miara said. One moment—hold on.

  Air mages? What did that mean?

  Air mages are how it’s possible. Had to speak with my… friends. Two air mages here with me. It’s air magic that forms the control spell of the brand, and air mages with the right knowledge can break the spell.

  And you have two with you? Can you—

  It is already done, actually. My… friend got a little overeager.

  Something was off about the word “friend,” but Jaena had no time to worry about that now. She looked down at her shoulder, hoping to see some change, but it felt much the same.

  That was the heat, the ice, the i
tching. It didn’t feel any different for me at first either. I didn’t know it had happened. Test it and you’ll see—but discreetly. You’ll notice when it doesn’t stop you, not before.

  Now Jaena’s heart really did skip a beat. She could hardly believe it—she hadn’t even had to ask. She would have begged. She would have done just about anything. And yet it was already done. What could she do to test it that wouldn’t get her noticed?

  As a freemage, you can do whatever you like now. But I do have a favor to ask of you.

  Anything, Jaena replied. She regretted responding so quickly. But then, what price was not worth paying for her freedom?

  If rumors are spreading, changes will come to Mage Hall. They will start making it harder to escape. Each mage that gets free will make it harder for the next one. If you stay for a day or two more, we can liberate others. Then you can all get out at once. More can escape that way.

  I can do that. Of course. What was one more day? Although the idea of staying willingly was so ludicrous as to seem impossible, it was the least she could do to try to help a few others escape. But isn’t there something more I can do?

  Another pause. Jaena waited. She glanced around. She had been standing still since the cat left her for who knew how long. Would someone think it odd? No guards were close enough to take notice. Hopefully she had a moment or two more. She started to walk, as slowly as she could imagine possible, to look a little more natural.

  Look for ways to hurt them, if you can do it without risking your freedom. Make it easier for others to escape. Information we could use against them in the future is useful, anything on current preparations, supply levels, even the number of mages training with you. But don’t tell anyone about this. The rumors do not help. They will get back to the Masters, and they’ll use the information against us. But if you do have someone close to you—

  I have a few friends here. Not many. Not without Dekana.

  A pause. She wondered if Miara could feel the swelling of grief, for the creature mage continued just as the tide of emotion ebbed. Menaha, at least. Choose anyone else you need to. We can free mages only by the starlight. Get them to come outside at night, and we’ll find them and do what we can.

  Outside, at night? You’re right. If the Masters know of that, it will be easy to stop.

  Indeed. So don’t tell.

  How long should I wait?

  Another pause. Two days’ time. Leave after sunset—not tomorrow, but the day after. We should be able to free a few more between now and then. And if you hear any news of my father—

  I will seek it out after my workday is finished tomorrow, said Jaena.

  Head toward the Akarian border. The city of Anonil. There is an inn with an apple and an arrow on the sign. We will get someone there to meet you.

  Thank you, she whispered with more gratitude than she could remember having ever had for anything in her life.

  May the Balance protect you. And with that, the presence was gone. Jaena turned on her heel, headed toward Kae’s rooms. The earlier in the night she got there, the better. Time to concoct a story to get him to meet her after dark, something that wouldn’t make him think her in love with him, without telling him anything about what had just happened. Oh, that should be easy. That man loved rumors almost as much as fruit pies. Maybe more. Still, he was one of her only friends. And she wouldn’t be out here in the darkness getting lucky if it wasn’t for him.

  Then she would find Menaha. Then sleep. Two days couldn’t pass quickly enough.

  Chapter 4

  The Taste of Freedom

  Miara had just gotten into the bath when Camil timidly announced, “Prince Aven is here to see you, my lady. Shall I ask him to return later?”

  “No! Uh—we can speak through the door like this.”

  “Yes, my lady.”

  “Miara! Did it work?”

  She laughed. He’d passed out on Wunik’s shoulder without even seeing the fruits of his labor. “Yes, Aven,” she called through the door. “It worked. We must send someone to meet her at the Apple and Arrow in Anonil. Do you remember it?”

  “How could I forget?” They had stayed one delicious night there on their return. He hadn’t overexaggerated his fondness for apple dumplings. “I’ll have a scout sent there.”

  “You need to learn not to drain yourself to incapacitation like that.”

  “Ah, well, I had to sleep. What difference does it make, eh?”

  Well, perhaps we could have slept together, she thought. Or at least stolen a kiss good night. Or… something.

  She’d woken up reaching across the blankets for him. She’d missed him, as silly as that seemed after such a short separation. Surprising that after only a few days, she expected his presence in the morning. Longed for it. And this morning, he hadn’t been there.

  Jaena’s freedom was worth it, she chided herself for the hundredth time. Aven has his priorities in the proper order. “With an air mage to assist you—two, in fact, with Derk—you don’t need to be incapacitated in the future. It’s unnecessarily risky. You could have taken… longer than one night to wake up.” You could have not woken up at all, she wanted to add. But Wunik would teach him that. Aven usually passed out long before then, and both she and the elder were there to monitor their young student for now as he learned.

  “I know, I know. I’m overeager. I never claimed otherwise.” She snorted to herself. He might be overeager as a mage and rescuer, but he didn’t seem to be overeager about everything, as her empty bed this morning had attested.

  “Complacent and lazy, you are not,” she said instead.

  “How are the clothes they’ve gotten you?”

  “They’re… fine. Very fine, indeed.”

  “But you don’t like them.” Damn, how did he know? Her search for a word betrayed her.

  “I didn’t say that.”

  “What’s wrong with them?”

  She hesitated. “You are all giving me so much. I cannot complain over something so silly as clothes.”

  “Silly? Hmm.”

  “She thinks they aren’t practical, my lord,” Camil interjected.

  “Camil!” Miara put her hand over her face and rubbed her eyes.

  “Thank you, Camil. Can you find—or make—some things more practical but still of the proper caliber?”

  “The only one I’ve ever known who wore dresses like that was… the Mistress.” She hated to even go so far as to say her name in this safe place, but the dresses hanging in the closet made her think only of the hateful woman. “But I’m not going to let her ruin them all for me forever. I could just use more… variety.”

  “That’s good to hear,” Aven said. “Of course she shouldn’t ruin anything for you forever.”

  “I had thought to imitate Warden Asten, my lord. Would that be fitting?” Camil said.

  “Perfect.”

  “If I may, I’ll take your leave to speak with Steward Fayton immediately.”

  “Thank you, Camil. I don’t want our guest to be uncomfortable any longer than necessary.”

  She winced. “I am far from uncomfortable!” she shouted. “I can wear them just fine! I’ll wear burlap sacks and be damn happy about it!”

  “Your breakfast is on its way, my lady, and there are two attendants in the seating room should you need assistance dressing.”

  “I’ll wait for her out here,” Aven said, more to Camil than to Miara.

  Was this a chance to steal a moment or two to themselves? Certainly not with her stuck here with suds on her knees in the bath. She rinsed the rest of the soap off hastily, stood, and climbed from the bathing pool. She dried herself imperfectly and threw the towel around her.

  She searched the bathroom for more towels or some sort of robe. She found a shift hanging on a hook but couldn’t remember if it was the one she’d worn the night before or a fresh one. Well, no matter. The dirt of one night was nothing to being out on the road or how long she wore things at Mage Hall, but people seemed t
o have higher standards here. She would put on something else shortly.

  “Yes, uh, you can leave it there. That’s fine,” she heard Aven saying with a cough to clear his throat.

  The door clicked shut again just as Miara opened hers. The thin shift was not something she would have worn in front of anyone else, but it was appropriate enough to wear before Camil returned to dress her. She winced at the thought. She could dress herself, thank you very much. But if it was an excuse to share some small intimacy with Aven… it was worth it.

  A tray of tea, cheese, and dumplings sat before the fireplace in the outer room. Aven’s eyes locked with hers with a smoldering intensity. She answered only with a small smile.

  “You’re cruel, you know that?” He smiled back.

  She nodded as she came closer and leaned against the doorframe between the two rooms, letting the shift reveal what it pleased. “You like it, though.”

  He snorted but did not deny it.

  “Did I mention I told the mage to wait?” she said.

  “Wait?” he said, coming closer himself.

  “The one you freed. I told her not to leave yet.”

  “Why by the gods did you tell her that?” He glanced around the outer room and, apparently seeing no one, stepped closer and pulled her into his arms. She returned the embrace, at least for a moment. Who knew how long they had till Camil or one of the others came back? Would they really be able to hide this from their attendants anyway? Aven visiting her rooms at all would certainly invite suspicion. He tucked his head against her neck and her hair and breathed deep, taking her in. Ah, now this was the overeagerness she’d spent the first few hours of last night longing for. Or at least something close to it. His scent caught her nose—musk and wood smoke.

  “Well, you were already out and sleeping like a baby on Wunik’s shoulder, so I couldn’t exactly consult you. Escaping will get harder for each mage that tries. If you can rely on others for the energy, perhaps we can free more than one a night. I thought several could try to make a run for it at once.”