Broken Bonds (Valerian's Cove Book 2)

by H. C. de Cossy

  Allie’s eyes were wide again. “I’ll remember, Mama. Can I go call Vannie now?” Malia nodded. Allie grabbed the kitchen handset and ran out the back door. Malia turned to Devra.

  “Thank you again for agreeing to help us, and to teach Allie. I truly appreciate it.”

  “No problem. This will be fun! I like your daughter. She’s feisty. I think I will really enjoy this.”

  Allie’s first lessons had gone well. Luc and Devra agreed that Allie would be quite strong when she came fully into her powers. With training, she would be a formidable Fire Mage.

  “I am glad that you have decided to help with her training, Imp,” Luc said to Devra at the end of the first session. They were walking back up to the house for dinner. “Otherwise, I would have to talk Marthe into moving to America. I do not believe that she would take very kindly to the idea.”

  “Well, we can’t have the strongest Earth Witch in France mad at you, can we?” Devra laughed at him. “I will help as much as I can, around my Guardian duties. Why don’t you have Allie, and maybe the other children, visit you in the summertime? You could help with her training then.”

  “That is a splendid idea. Marthe would like that. I will arrange it. Thank you, Imp.”

  Devra grinned at him. “I’m not just a pretty face, you know.”

  Luc laughed.

  The following day, Marissa and Malia gave the children the day off school. Brendan stayed home from teaching, having arranged for another teacher to take the class for the day. The family was going to spend their three-day weekend learning their shielding.

  The Caseys, Theo, the Fae, the Guardians and the Dragons gathered inside the practice dome that had been constructed for Allie’s lessons. The Caseys stood in a line facing their teachers.

  “We will begin by testing your current shield,” Ciaran said. “We will also test-and retest- for Guardian ability. We will do this by asking you to create a simple shield using a beginner Guardian technique. Those of you who master it, or show aptitude for it, will continue training with the Guardians. Those of you who do not show the ability will train with myself, Siofra and Nathaniel. We will also ask the Dragons to weave their magic into your shield, making them extra strong. Since there appears to be a Fae Mage involved, teaching you only Fae shielding would be useless. Are you ready to begin?”

  “Yes,” the Caseys chorused.

  Ciaran and Nathaniel had gotten a pretty good idea of the shielding abilities the Caseys and Theo possessed while working with them before. Still, he felt that they needed to look again, to be sure. Before, they had taken each person into a trance. Now, they stayed fully conscious and aware as Ciaran used his abilities to test the protections around their minds.

  “Now, we will begin shielding practice,” he told them after a moment. “I want you to begin by seeing a bright white light inside your mind. Imagine that there is a bubble around it, like the sphere of protection you would raise around a circle. Imagine that bubble is clear, flexible and immensely strong. Anything that comes towards you simply bounces off of it.”

  The Fae and Guardians sent gentle probes at the newly created shields. So far, they were all holding, even Shari-Beth’s, whose magic, as a Shifter, was different from a Witch’s.

  “Now,” Devra stepped in. “Imagine yellow Earth energy rising through your feet, flowing up and into the bubble, becoming one with it. It moves over the surface of the bubble like the colors on a soap bubble, like oil on water. The yellow is integrated with the white light of the bubble. They work together to enhance the strength of your shield. Have you got it?”

  She watched as the students nodded. “All right. Now, imagine blue air energy flowing into the bubble, joining with it in the same was as the yellow. Ribbons of color intertwine across the surface of the shield. You can see each one as they weave in and out of each other. They dance together.” She gave them a moment.

  “Now, see green water energy flowing to the bubble. The colors are dancing even more together. They are beginning to blend, to form a rainbow. We need one more color. Imagine a strong, vibrant red fire energy joining the bubble. Now the rainbow is complete. The colors move and dance across the surface of the bubble. Anything coming at you slides right off. You are protected. You are strong.” She gave them a moment.

  “We are going to add some additional layers to your shields now. I would like you to imagine a layer of quicksilver, like a mirror, around your bubble. This reflects anything sent to harm you straight back to the caster. Next, I want you to imagine a layer of golden lace, as strong as you can make it, over the surface of your bubble. Like a pearl in a golden cage.”

  “Now, so far all of these layers have been close in around your shields. I would now like you to imagine dragon scale armor some distance out from your shields, engulfing them in a larger bubble, with a layer of pure white energy in between. Your dragon scales can be whatever color feels the most right to you. Imagine it. Feel it. It is completely invulnerable. Look inside yourself. Breath deeply into that white light in your mind. You may see a golden center to that light. Feel that golden energy expanding, moving through all of your shields, reinforcing them. They are Dragon-strong. You are Dragon-strong. Imagine you have a Dragon spirit strong within you. They will protect you always. Nothing can get past them unless you let it. They are your ultimate Guardian, and they are always with you.”

  The Caseys and Theo all stood with their eyes closed as they focused on their shield work. As Devra spoke, she and the Guardians watched for any sign of Guardian-Dragon ability. She walked over to Brendan and stood beside him.

  “I am going to gently touch your shoulders, one by one. When I do, I want you to keep strongly focused on your Dragon spirit, the feel of them inside you. Then open your eyes, just for a moment. Look straight ahead. Then close them again.”

  Devra laid her hand on Brendan’s shoulder. His eyes opened briefly, then closed again. Devra moved on to Celine, then on down the line. When she reached Ian at the end, she resumed her place across from the students.

  “Now, I want you to thank your Dragon spirits, and let them go. They will stay with you always. If you need them, you will feel them within you. Slowly open your eyes. We are done for now. Take a minute, then we will discuss what I have found in each of you.”

  Eyes opened, the Caseys and Theo looked around at each other. Brendan put his arm around Shari-Beth and Celine and held them close. Marissa leaned into Theo. Malia sat on the ground and stuck her hands in the grass. The twins were talking amongst themselves.

  “All right, everyone, listen up,” Devra said. “Here is what we have discovered. Brendan and Shari-Beth, you have strong natural shielding abilities, but no Guardian magic. Nathaniel and Ciaran will continue to work with you. They boys and I will weave Dragon magic into your shields for you, making them stronger, so that not even a Fae Mind Mage can get in.”

  “The rest of you….Celine, you have low levels of Dragon-Guardian magic. Your eyes went slit-pupiled, like a dragon’s, when you were talking to your Dragon-Spirit. Malia, you as well. Marissa, I could feel the spirit wanting to rise in you. I believe it is there. I want to do further work with you myself. The same with Theo. If I had to guess, I would think that Theo’s Dragon spirit was suppressed on purpose, which means that either Clarice or her Fae patron knows about Guardians. I am disturbed by this. They should not be able to repress this. Marissa’s, I think, is there, but maybe not very strong at all.” Devra looked hard at Marissa and Theo. Then she looked at the children.

  “Allison, not surprisingly, given her Fire Mage abilities, not only had Dragon eyes, but I saw the shadow of her wings as well. This makes it even more important that I continue to work with her. We will discuss this later. Milena and Mickey, I saw the same thing in you. Ian, in you I saw the same level of Dragon ability as in your mother. I think that all of you children will be extremely strong in your Gifts when they are fully mature and trained. So, you lot with the Dragon ability will all continue to work wit
h myself, Declan, Sean and Luc. I think that’s enough for today, don’t you?”

  “Will we be able to fly?” Allie asked.

  “It’s too early to tell,” Declan replied. “We can see the shadow of your wings. It may be that you will be able to manifest them fully, or it may not. It does mean that all of you children will be trained as Guardians, if you so wish it, and Guardian Benoit allows.”

  Allie spun to face her Grandpa Luc.

  “Please, Grandpa Luc! I want to be a Dragon! Please let me!”

  “I will think about it. Let’s see how your training in your Fire Magic goes,” he told her. He looked at the other children. Mickey and Milena were quiet. They were sitting together, holding hands. Ian was standing a bit away from the others, looking over the field. Luc walked over to him and laid his hand on Ian’s shoulder.

  “It doesn’t make you any less of a person, or any less loved, you know, to not be as strong in the Dragon spirit as your sister and your cousins. Remember, you have the same strength as your mother, and she is one of the strongest Witches of her generation.”

  Ian looked up at him.

  “I know. It’s just that everyone else is special,” Ian mumbled.

  “Lad, we’re all special in one way or another. Whether or not we have Dragons in us has nothing to do with that. It’s just another piece of who we are. I would guess that once you come into your Gifts, you will be quite strong as well. Everyone has a place, and their own strengths. We all love you very much. You are special to us, and we are grateful that you are a part of our family.”

  “I know. Thank you, Grandpa Luc.” Ian hugged the older man, and went to join Allie and their cousins. Luc walked over to Malia.

  “I think it would be wise to keep an eye on Ian. Help him find something he truly excels at, that he truly enjoys. He’s the sensitive type, that one.”

  “I know,” Malia agreed. “I will.”

  “Also, I think your fiancé should join the Fae’s shielding classes. Having another Shifter will help Shari-Beth, and I want to make sure that he is protected as well. I will ask Devra to reinforce his natural shields as well.”

  “Thank you. I appreciate it. I will talk to Tony about it.”

  “Wonderful girl. Now, I’m hungry again. Let’s see what your mother has for lunch.

  20

  Brendan placed the platter of cold cuts down on the picnic table. Celine had gone with picnic style for lunch again. There were too many people now to be making elaborate meals twice a day. Even with magic. She was only one Witch.

  “Now, what’s in that vault?” Brendan asked.

  Susan Montoya looked up from her plate.

  “There are quite a few things in that vault. If it were just Clarice, it would be hard to choose which item might be her target. However, if it involves a Fae Mage, that narrows it down, some. My best guess is that he is after the Crown of Oberon.”

  Ciaran, Nathaniel and Siofra all looked up sharply.

  “You have to be joking,” Ciaran said in disbelief. “That’s just a legend. Even if it were real, that crown’s been lost for centuries. There is no way it would be in a vault guarded by mortals.”

  “Exactly,” Susan said, smugly. “No Fae would even consider that it would be in mortal hands. Makes it the best place for it, don’t you think?”

  Ciaran stared at the Guardian. He looked at the other Guardians present, then at the Dragons.

  “Surely it would be safer with the Dragons?” he asked.

  “Not really,” Devra replied. “A Fae might expect the Dragons to be guarding it. It’s too easy. But if you think about it, they actually are. Remember, the Guardians are part Dragon. The Guardian line was developed to protect this treasure, and others like it, in fact.”

  “Others… like it?” Nathaniel said. “There are more?”

  “Well, not just like it. I meant other objects of similar power, that would cause havoc if they were loose in the world. That’s why Guardians have to be so strong in their magic and fighting skills, and why most people think they are only myths. It’s an added layer of protection over the things and people that they guard.”

  “What’s the Crown of Oberon?” Allie asked.

  “It is what it sounds like,” Siofra answered. “The Fae were originally divided into Light and Dark Fae. King Oberon led the Light, and Queen Titania the Dark. There were other groups, led by other royalty, such as the Sluagh, but everyone ultimately answered to Oberon and Titania. They were almost gods in the amount of power they held. Their crowns were said to be imbued with certain powers, magics that enhanced their wearer’s own and made them ten times stronger. To hold that amount of power takes supreme mastery and control. Yet they held it with ease for centuries. Eventually, they grew tired, and withdrew from the world, handing the ruling of the Fae over to the individual groups. The groups meet once a century to make sure that everything is still stable, or to hammer out new deals and accords between the different Fae groups and races.” Siofra paused to take a sip of lemonade.

  “What does Oberon’s crown do? What were his powers?” Ian asked.

  “Oberon was the original Fae Mind Mage,” Ciaran answered. “He was the strongest ever seen. His crown was said to enhance his already considerable powers, making it possible for him to command, compel or otherwise control entire armies, any group of people at any time. There are whispers that he even controlled the Dragons.”

  “Well, that’s not true,” Declan declared. Devra nodded. “The Dragons worked with Oberon on various projects, for as long as it benefitted us to do so. But he never controlled us. Our magic is unique. It has a distinct flavor, so to speak. A Fae mage cannot compel us. Full-blooded dragons, that is. Unfortunately, that rule doesn’t seem to apply to those of mixed blood.”

  The tables were quiet for a moment.

  “Well, that’s not good,” Brendan said. “I can see how this Fae would be willing to wait for however long it takes to get their hands on the crown. They could be putting all sorts of other plans in place in the meantime, ready to take shape as soon as they had the crown. Clarice is probably not the only servant they have looking for it. With something that powerful, I’m sure there are many other plans in place, many others tasked with finding it.”

  “We thought of that. There are several other Guardian vaults around the world. Other teams have been sent to evaluate all those tasked with guarding them, to ensure they have not been compromised,” Frank Cabot said. “What is more worrying is the question of how this Fae found out that the crown was real, and that the Guardians had it. Only a very, very few people knew that. It should not have been written down anywhere, except in the Guardian Archives, and those are even more protected than the vaults. Either there is a traitor amongst the top levels of the Guardians, or there is an ancient Fae somewhere who remembers more that he should, and has probably told someone. Someone who is actively searching for it.”

  Ciaran looked around the table. “I am going to have to leave for a while,” he said. “Nathaniel, will you and Siofra stay, and continue training the Caseys?” Nathaniel and Siofra agreed.

  “I will be back as soon as I can. I must speak with the Fae Council-this warrants a special meeting being called. They’re not going to like this. These meetings are a pain. But the amount of bloodshed that could occur of the wrong person got their hands on Oberon’s Crown…. Plus, the Fae have spent too long with each group being sovereign. They are not going to want to bow down to one, or even two, rulers again.”

  “Did Queen Titania have a crown?” Milena asked.

  “That’s a good question,” Ciaran said. “Yes, she did. Her crown was said to enhance her seduction abilities, as well as her ability to use shadows to travel and to produce an invisibility glamour. That crown has been missing for millennia as well.” The three Fae looked at the Guardians again.

  “Don’t look at us, we don’t have that one,” Devra said, taking a gigantic bite out of her turkey-ham-bacon-avocado-lettuce-tomato-mayo and m
ustard sandwich on rye. She chewed happily.

  “I wonder where that one is,” Milena said.

  Ciaran left straight after lunch. Devra and Nathaniel organized another training session, during which they worked on shielding and on drawing the Dragon spirit out in those who had it.

  “Eventually, you will be able to work with your Dragon to boost your Gifts and do other things that you’ve probably never imagined,” Devra told the children. “Malia, Celine, Marissa and Theo, you will enhance your Gifts, as well as your intuition and any fighting skills you might have. Do any of you have psychic Gifts?” Malia and Marissa raised their hands.

  “We are Empaths,” Malia said.

  “Malia is stronger, but we are both stronger than most,” Marissa added.

  “Well, be prepared for that to get a boost as well. Hmm. I am not the best teacher for that gift. And you two will need even more shielding. I think we will have to add another person to this nest of crazy,” Devra mused. “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it.”

  They took a break around three. Siobhan was going to come over after school to practice with Allie and Luc. Luc was going to help them get a grip on their Fire magic before handing Allie over to the Dragons for advanced training. Allie was hoping that she would be able to manifest and control Dragon fire. Devra and Luc were afraid that she would. Dragon fire burned just about everything. In the hands of an untrained adolescent, it could be immensely dangerous.

  Devra headed to her room in the house after the lesson. Granny Niamh had stepped up, and provided rooms for Devra, Sean and Declan. Luc got his own room as well, as did Ciaran. Siofra and Nathaniel had their own suite. Susan and Frank were staying at the bed-and-breakfast with the Thorndikes. Granny Niamh was enjoying testing out what she could do and had asked each person to be specific about what they wanted in their rooms. She was getting stronger every day, and could already manifest herself clearly so that everyone could see her.