by Mary Swift
“I’ll be able to cast a spell someday, won’t I?”
“Yes. I hope you’ll get a choice. I cast mine out of necessity.”
“When are you going to tell me about this place and the war? You said that you would.”
“I will. I promise.” Lucy put her hands on his slave band and tore it away, it dissolved between her fingers.
Rowan put his hands to his neck. “Constantine will be mad.”
“I don’t care if he is.” Lucy heard voices in the hallway.
A few seconds later Constantine appeared with his protectors. He slid into a chair. “I’m starving.”
“You’re in luck I was about to make dinner and tell my brother about the war.” Lucy said. “I want him to know what your father put my family through. I’d love for you to hear about it.”
Constantine looked at Rowan. “You removed his band.”
“Yes, my brother is no one’s slave.” She ventured a glance at Arden. “But I’ll let your protectors be, for the moment.”
“Very well.” Constantine said wearily. “I don’t need more slaves anyway. But my father won’t like it. He wanted Rowan so badly. But I suppose it doesn’t matter now that he’s not in power. Maybe he’s dead.” Constantine yawned. “So what’s for dinner?”
Chapter 19
Killian had never seen a place so black. From somewhere nearby water was dripping. Under his fingers was cold wet stone. He sat up. He put his hand in front of his face but he couldn’t see it. Killian knew where he was. Darkhill. It was the founding circle, where the enchanters had begun. He reached into his pocket and felt for the pen. It was still there.
“You needn’t worry about your spell.” someone said.
Killian felt around in the dark. There was nothing to find. “What do you want?”
“Why are you here?” someone asked him.
“The Master Enchanter of Firesea is on some sick campaign to rid the world of enchanters. I think he may have sent me here.”
“The Master Enchanter of Firesea is a woman.”
It could only be Nora. Now more than ever he had to find Rowan.
“Are you worried about your son?”
“Can’t you turn on a bloody lamp?” he said angrily.
A few feet away a flame came to life out of the stone floor. Seated nearby were two men and a woman.
“Are you the Founders?” Killian asked.
The woman leaned forward. She had blonde hair that curled like springs. “Yes. If you know us then you know our names.”
Killian did know. The woman was Bryn. The man on her left with the dark hair was Dylan. He knew by the ring with the blood red stone that he wore on his left hand, it was part of the legend. The other man, whose face was in the shadows, had to be Charles.
“What do you want with me? I’m sorry if I disrupted whatever you’ve got going on here, but I have to leave.”
Killian noticed in the dim light that Charles still had red hair. That wasn’t possible, Talia’s spell turned every redhead white. Charles smiled. “We have something in common.”
“We want your help.” Bryn told him.
“My help?” He took out the pen.
“Your pen means nothing to us, we are immune to common spells.”
“Common spells?” Killian asked.
“Ones cast by enchanters who are not our equal, who are not Founders.”
“Can you use spells against each other?”
Bryn looked irritated at his question. “Of course not. What a stupid question. I thought you were smarter than that.”
“I’m not well educated.” Killian said.
Bryn rolled her eyes. “Spare us your sad life story.”
“Firesea is coming for us.” Dylan told him. “The Master Enchanter will try and take over. She wants dominion over all the circles.”
“She’s under a spell; she doesn’t know what she’s doing.”
“We know that.” Charles said. “But she’ll try, and she can succeed.”
“She has to be destroyed.” Bryn said.
“You can’t do that. She’s my wife; she’s the mother of my son.”
“She’s not your wife.”
“No not technically, but in every way that counts.”
Dylan stood up and paced. He was wearing a long robe made from a course black fabric. As he moved Killian could see that he was wearing sandals. “We brought you here, not Dante.”
“What was all that business with the woman and the sword?”
“We needed you to enter the circle under your own free will.” Charles said. “You’re compassionate; you feel the need to use your hands to help people. Your brother, Finnegan Murphy, he’s the true Master Enchanter of Firesea.”
“I know.”
“The circles have to be restored.” Dylan said. “Look at what Firesea did to us.”
“I want to see Finnegan.”
“We’ve sent him away. His business is with Firesea.” Bryn said. “You’re staying here with us.”
“Why? I have nothing to do with this place.”
“You know why.”
“No I don’t.”
“We need to repopulate the circle. We need fresh blood.”
“Wouldn’t it be better to bring in some willing young men and women to bear children? I’m middle aged, and you three-”
Dylan sat down. “Gender and age make no difference to us. You’ll soon find out that our methods are quite unique.”
Killian wasn’t sure he wanted to know what that meant. “I have to find my son.”
“You son has his own journey ahead. You have to stay with us.” Bryn said.
“Don’t you remember when you cast your spell?” Charles asked. “We told you this was going to happen.”
Killian held up his arm and began writing on it.
“Don’t bother with that.” Dylan said. “You must accept that you belong to us now.”
Chapter 20
The Founders locked Killian in a small room deep in the recesses of the council hall. It contained a bed, a table, and a lamp that had no obvious source of power. They supplied him with several robes of the same course material that they wore and a pair of leather sandals.
There was a tray of food on the table next to him. On it was a bowl of soup, a dense crusty bread, and a pitcher of water. He supposed the food might be enchanted, but he would take his chances, he was starving. It took just a few minutes to finish everything. As soon as he was done the door opened. The woman who had held him at sword point came inside.
“My name is Haley. I’ll fix your hair and then it’s time to take a bath.” she said.
“Where’s your mother? I’ll heal her.”
“She doesn’t exist.” Haley took a pair of scissors from her pocket. “Now let me cut your hair.”
Killian touched his hair defensively. If she started fiddling with it she would undoubtedly comment on the color. “I can do it myself. It just needs to be evened out.”
She shook her head. “No. The Founders want me to do it. They want me to get you ready for the ceremony.”
“What ceremony?”
“The sharing. Now take your clothes off.”
“I have to find my son.”
“Take your clothes off.” she ordered.
Killian didn’t know what to do. He supposed he could try hitting her, but that wouldn’t get him anywhere. The Founders were vastly more powerful than he was.
“Get your clothes off!” she shouted at him.
There was no way Killian was stripping in front of her. “You can wait for me outside.”
“There’s nothing you have that I haven’t seen before.”
“I don’t want to.”
“They told me you were shy, but this is ridiculous.” She left the room.
Killian took off the clothes he had been wearing since he left New Wildbush. He did need a bath, he was dirty and suspected that he smelled pretty bad too. He put on one of the new robes and the sandals and
went outside. Haley was tapping her foot on the floor. He followed her down a long hallway; it opened up to a large cavern. In the middle was a round pool of sparkling green water.
“Get in.” Haley demanded.
Killian looked at her. She sighed and turned her face to the wall while he took off his robe and sandals and slipped into the water. His skin tingled as the dirt and grime melted away. There was something different about the water. It seemed to soak right into his skin. He felt his inhibitions ease.
“Get your hair wet.” Haley told him.
He held his breath and ducked under the water. Whatever was in the water was changing his behavior, making him do things he normally wouldn’t. When he came back up Haley was holding a pair of scissors in her hand.
“We’ve got to get this under control. Come here.” Haley waved her scissors at him. She sat at the edge of the pool and let her feet dangle in the water. She grabbed his hair and began cutting, the locks fell into the water. To Killian’s amazement they turned back to their original brown as they floated around him.
“That’s what my hair used to look like. Is it brown again?”
“It was for a minute but now it’s turning back to red.” As she spoke the strands in the water returned to their copper color. “That’s a strong spell to resist even this water. It must have been cast in hatred.”
“It was.”
“Too bad for you. Brown is so much more elegant, like Dylan’s. Even Charles’ hair is a rich shade of red, not like this.” Normally Killian would have been mortified; this was why he didn’t go to the barber, but the water was working its magic and he said nothing. She pushed him away. “Much better. The Founders will be pleased. Get out. It’s nearly time for the ceremony.”
Killian jumped out of the pool. Haley handed him a towel. He dried off and put on his robe and sandals. He followed her down the hallway and into the main part of the council hall. Dylan, Bryn, and Charles were seated on the floor in a circle. A stone bowl containing water was between them.
“Nice job Haley.” Charles said. “He looks much better.”
“Thank you.” she answered. “Will that be all?”
“Yes.” Bryn told her.
Haley left the room. As the water dried from his skin Killian felt his shyness returning. He wished they would all stop staring at him.
“Sit down.” Dylan said.
Killian did as he was told. Inside he was shaking, he had no idea what was about to happen, whatever it was he had no choice.
“You must feel very honored.” Charles said.
“I feel scared.”
“There’s nothing to be scared about.” Bryn said. “You’ll soon be one of us. You knew this would happen someday, we told you when you cast your spell.”
“I didn’t think you meant it.
“We did mean it.” Dylan said.
“What’s going to happen?” Killian asked.
“It’s quite common to pass out the first time.” Dylan picked something up off of the floor next to him. It was a silver ring with a round black stone. They all wore one like it on their right hands. “Put this on.”
Killian shook his head. “I won’t need it.”
“It wasn’t a request.” Dylan said. “Put it on.”
Bryn took a small silver cup from somewhere and filled it with water from the bowl. “Drink this. It will help.”
Killian tried to stand up. Charles put a hand on his shoulder; he was stronger than he looked. “You have to prove to us that you’re committed to Darkhill, to repopulation. Don’t forget that you belong to us. We have a right to do this.”
“I never agreed to anything.”
“You don’t have to.” Bryn said. “Aren’t you tired of being the unwanted child?”
“What do you know about that?”
“We know everything about you.” Charles told him. “We know that you were sent away from your family when you were three years old. We know that the family that raised you didn’t want you. We know you were forced to marry a woman that you didn’t love and that she used to beat you.”
His life sounded pathetic when it was put that way. “My children-”
“If you want those children to live without being ruled by the Master Enchanter of Firesea then you need to put that ring on your finger and become one of us.” Dylan said angrily.
“But I love the Master Enchanter.”
“You love a woman who doesn’t exist anymore!” Dylan shouted. He grabbed Killian’s arm, the strange current of Darkhill coursed through him.
“That’s how we do it.” Bryn said. “We mix energies. We’ll combine Darkhill and Firesea. We can repopulate the circle and defend all enchanters.”
“We’re going to mind share now.” Charles said.
Killian’s thoughts became clouded, his sight dimmed and then he couldn’t see anything. Someone touched his other arm while someone else put the cup to his lips. He automatically drank the water. As it slid down his throat he felt himself relax. It was the last thing he remembered.
When he woke up he was lying on the floor near an open door. It was bright outside. He sat up and blinked. He felt different. As he got to his feet he noticed he was wearing the silver ring. He didn’t try to take it off. He stepped into the open doorway and looked out. The Founders were standing side by side watching him.
“How are you feeling?” Bryn asked.
“How long have I been asleep?”
“Just a day.” Charles told him. “It takes time to get used to the mind sharing. That’s why we have you take the water, it makes it easier.”
“What happened?”
“We linked energy.” Bryn explained. “When we’re together the air between us gets charged and we can create things, spells, enchanters, whatever we want. We’ve never had someone from Firesea before.”
He looked at the ring on his hand. “Am I one of you now?”
“Yes.” Dylan said.
Killian noticed something in the center of Darkhill. “Did we do that?”
“Yes.” Bryn said. “Do you want to take a closer look?”
“He does.” Dylan said. Killian felt them in his mind, sensing his thoughts. He followed the Founders into the heart of Darkhill.
Chapter 21
Rowan helped Lucy make dinner. He liked being useful and it gave him something to do besides listen to Constantine complain about how hungry he was. As soon as Lucy set out the dishes of beef, vegetables, and bread they all dug in. For a while they ate in silence. As the food settled in their stomachs Lucy poured wine for everyone except Rowan. She glared at Constantine. “I’m going to tell my brother about the war. Do you mind?”
“Go ahead. I remember it too. I’d love to hear your version.”
“My version? I suppose you are going to tell me that I’m wrong.”
“Not necessarily.” Constantine took a sip of wine. “This chair is uncomfortable.”
Lucy got to her feet. “Why don’t we go into the parlor? There’s a fireplace in there.”
Constantine stood up and walked out of the dining room. His protectors followed him along with Lucy and Rowan. The protectors helped Constantine onto a long sofa. They put his feet on a little pillow. Rowan began making a fire in the fireplace; it had been his job at home.
Lucy flopped into a chair. “Are you ready Constantine?”
“Yes. After you tell your version of the war I’ll tell you mine.”
“We could be here for a while.” she said.
“Do you have somewhere else to be?”
“No.” She folded her arms over her chest. “I have nowhere to be thanks to you.”
“Are you going to gripe and complain or are you going to tell us what happened? From what I hear your brother didn’t even know that he was an enchanter.”
Lucy looked at Rowan. “I’m sorry. You should have known. We thought we were doing the right thing.”
“I wish you had told me. I didn’t even know there was another place called Wi
ldbush.”
“This is where I was born.”
“Kip told me that your mother and Dad got divorced.”
“Yes. He was very unhappy being married to her.” She hesitated. “My mother used to beat Daddy very badly.”
Rowan realized that he could have told his father what had been happening at school, he would have understood.
“When Daddy turned eighteen he cast his spell on a pen. Whatever he writes happens, within limits. The first thing he did was to write a divorce for himself. My mother was so angry that she used her spell to turn his hair red and turn any other redhead’s white.”
“Why?”
“Because Daddy hates red hair.”
Rowan looked at the strands hanging in his face. “He hates red hair?”
“He doesn’t hate yours Rowan.”
Rowan stared at the fire. Something as trivial as the color of his father’s hair had been kept a secret from him. “So everything was a lie?”
“Just let your sister tell you what happened.” Arden said.
Rowan sighed. “All right.”
“You see Rowan, there was this woman named Maeve who hated Daddy very much for coming into this world.” Lucy began.
Rowan wasn’t sure how much time passed while Lucy told her story. Beal and Declan fell asleep on the floor while Paul nodded off in a chair in the corner. Only Constantine and Arden stayed awake. Rowan listened in astonishment as he was told about how his Uncle Finnegan had been convinced to kidnap Lucy in exchange for the knowledge to possess a mortal’s soul. She explained how Arden and the rangers had found her and brought her to Firesea. Her eyes constantly went to Arden as she described how he helped her escape and came back to Wildbush only to have it come under attack from Firesea. Arden had been taken away and sold into slavery while Lucy had stayed and cast her spell with the help of Finnegan.
“We went back to Firesea to get Daddy.” Lucy said. “Dante had cut his hands off. That’s how Daddy ended up becoming a healer. He was in constant pain while we looked for Nora and Arden, I don’t know how he did it. We were too late for Arden, he had already been sold. All that was left was the mortals from Wildbush, the ones that no one wanted. They were being kept in pens like animals. Nora was among them. She was really sick from being pregnant. She said that she had thrown up during the auction and that’s why no one bought her.
