The Queen of Jade

by L J Andrews

  I gasped for air, exhaustion beginning to take hold over my muscle, yet in the same breath I was motivated to never stop until I mastered Thane’s movements. “How would I block that, then?”

  Thane had me switch weapons with him. “Cut the dagger across,” he said, while having me hold his sword over his head. Thane gripped the jade swords, with swift motions he demonstrated a proper hold on the blades, how to turn my shoulders to avoid being stabbed, and how to block each blade at once, all while shoving the opponent away from my body.

  “Try,” he commanded, returning the swords.

  Over a dozen tries. I continually wound up dead by Thane’s motions. Either I didn’t turn swift enough, or I didn’t shove him away far enough to readjust my weapons, or I kept all my focus on one or the other of his blades. Until finally, in a flash of steel and effort, I kicked at Thane and he back pedaled a great enough distance I had enough time to shift my grip and attack him again, putting me on the offensive.

  “It’s about time!” Raffi shouted from across the arena. I laughed, dropping my weapons and rolling my shoulders a few times to work out building tension.

  “Well done,” Thane said, sitting on one of the boulders that lined the arena.

  “Maybe, if I have twenty lives,” I muttered, slouching next to him and dipping my face in a bucket of water. The icy chill soothed my sore jaw from clenching my face for so long.

  Thane scoffed. “If I’m being honest, you’re better than I thought. It seems Raffi and Dash have been teaching you well. We’ll keep working, but I’m confident you’ll be a masterful fighter soon enough.”

  The compliment meant something to me. I smiled and settled into a short silence with Thane before, Athika, Mitch and Raffi joined us and soon I was being taught how to accept several opponents at one time. By the end of the day, I had a new belief that no one in the cave would shy away from anything the lindworms sent our way.

  Chapter 20

  I stood in front of a large oval mirror in the hot spring room. By the state of the glass I took it warriors didn’t look at their reflections often. The mirror was foggy and splattered in water. Wincing, I pulled my hand away from my ribs to check over the bloody gash. Leoch’s dagger had dug into my skin. The wound wasn’t deep, but it burned and needed to be healed quickly since we would soon be leaving to search for Gaia. Thane insisted everyone take time to tend to any old wounds, or weaknesses before leaving the cave.

  I cursed under my breath when I failed to place a cloth bandage properly and it tore a deeper piece away from the clotting blood.

  “May I help?”

  Athika stood in the open tunnel. Her hair was braided high on her head, and she was already dressed in her battle clothing. Her shoulders were draped in leather sheaths holding knives and daggers. On her waist was a long sword that was speckled with rubies in the steel.

  I sighed and handed her the bandage. My back was exposed, but I didn’t mind if Athika stared at Jade’s seal. Leaning on my palms over the small table that was pushed against the stone walls, I braced as Athika disinfected the gash.

  “Are you ready?” she whispered, gently placing the bandage and reaching for adhesive created by a mage out of clay. I found the clay worked better than any medical tape I’d used. “For tomorrow, I mean.”

  I nodded. “I’m ready,” I said back to my reflection. After a week of training with Thane and the warriors, my body was stronger. Even without trying, I noted how my muscles rounded. But it was more than a physical change. Something had happened to me here. I’d become more powerful, stronger in every way. Thane hadn’t just taught me how to fight with a sword, he’d encouraged the mage to help me use my power while battling.

  “You handle your energy like the High Priest should,” Athika whispered.

  “I’m just the jade mage, remember. I don’t want to put myself higher than anyone else,” I insisted.

  “I’ll call you the jade mage, but you are higher than the rest of us, Teagan. You’ll lead the mage tomorrow the same as Thane leads the warriors.”

  “No pressure, or anything,” I teased, trying to ignore the tension running across my shoulders the more I thought of what the dawn would bring.

  “I want you to know,” Athika began once she’d finished wrapping my wound. “I truly care that you know who your mother is. I hope the reunion is everything you could want.”

  “Thanks, Athika,” I said, tugging a black shirt over my head, but sensing she had much more to say.

  “Has, Thane said anything more about what he knows of the wyvern and mage who united?”

  I closed my eyes and released a pent breath. “Are we going to talk about this again?”

  “No,” Athika said, softer. She touched my arm, nudging me around to face her. “I just need to tell you…before tomorrow…I care about you Teagan. We are both…powerful, royal mages. I know you love, Jade, and if she feels the same I will always remain your loyal mage. But,” Athika stepped closer, and I felt my face flush in suffocating discomfort. “If she doesn’t, I hope you know I will always be loyal to you. I would never leave you—no matter what.”

  Athika reached her hand for my face, and though I hated seeing how pained she looked, I pulled back. “I appreciate your loyalty. I would fight for you—I hope you know that.” I spoke directly, but my voice was low and quiet. “But, we will never be more than fellow mages. I’m sorry, Athika. I will love, Jade even if she told me she wanted nothing to do with me—that’s how powerful this feeling is.”

  Athika glanced to the stones and nodded. “Forgive me for speaking so boldly. I’ll leave you to get ready then. As I said, I will fight with you tomorrow. You are my leader, and you will always have my allegiance.”

  A crushing wave of her disappointment toppled along my chest. Sometimes the connections with other mages was agonizing. I wished Athika wasn’t hurt, yet I needed to be clear. I meant each word said, and only hoped Jade knew it too.

  I wandered around the cave. Most people were tucked into their personal spaces, preparing how they would for the coming morning. I heard rumbling breath from numerous warriors in full wyvern form. The warmth from the steam and flames heaving from their throats caused the air in the cave to feel muggy and sticky.

  “Goodnight, Teagan,” a young boy called to me from the ledge above. His mother tugged him away, with a quick wave and nod toward me. I smiled and waved in return. I’d spent the week getting to know many of the mage people. Some told me stories of knowing me as a child. They spoke of Gaia often—everyone telling me how she loved me. Now, when I was hours away from searching for my mother, I still didn’t know exactly how I felt about meeting her. I enjoyed the stories, but it was frustrating having no memories of anything.

  I stopped into the space the warriors used to store their food. There was a funny little mage that usually prepared the food—not because he had to, but because he enjoyed manipulating energy from the plant foods.

  “Johan,” I nodded, reaching for a rosy peach. Johan enjoyed nothing more than shading the fruits and vegetables in vibrant colors that weren’t natural.

  “Ah, the jade mage,” Johan said, smiling broadly so the space between his front teeth showed perfectly. “I sense a little trouble in your soul tonight.”

  Biting into the peach, I ran my hand back and forth over a candle. Though my last conversation with Athika was awkward, I was glad she’d spent time in the cave teaching me more about the energy from fire. With each wave of my hand over the wick, the flame flickered and sputtered, then smoked away into nothing.

  “I’m that obvious, huh?” I muttered.

  “I sense it frightens you to face the High Priestess. You’ve found a peace living in your ignorance about who you really are,” Johan said, drawing a hand along his red beard.

  I pointed and clicked my tongue toward Johan. “You got it.”

  “What bothers you? Doesn’t it thrill you to find the truth? To reach your potential with your powers?”

  “I don
’t know,” I admitted, uncertain why my true emotions were spilling out to the older mage. I didn’t really know Johan, but every time we spoke I seemed to confess my truest emotions. “Everyone tells me how much she cared about me, but if I’m being honest, Johan, I haven’t always made the best decisions. I don’t know. I never worried about making a parent proud, I guess. Now…what if she doesn’t—”

  “What if she isn’t proud of the man you are?” Johan offered with meaning.

  “It’s stupid. That really shouldn’t be what I’m worried about,” I scoffed, tossing the pit into an open compost box.

  “Nothing that troubles a heart is not worth addressing. I will offer some advice,” Johan whispered, leaning forward on his elbows. “I would not question the depth of the High Priestess’s affection for her child. Many years I saw your interaction with your parents, young Teagan. Trust your heart, and be nothing more than who you have become. Fate is at play here, and I have a feeling tomorrow will heal many wounds you’ve carried much of your life.”

  I stared at Johan, my brows lifted and I found myself speechless for at least ten heartbeats. “Thanks,” I breathed out. “That actually…makes me feel better. Hey, why do you always get me to open up. I’m not one to share feelings with just anyone?” I asked, slightly accusatory.

  Johan laughed loudly. “It is a gift, young Teagan. My energy comforts people—I suppose it helps others feel safe. I’m grateful you shared your heart. I hope you will find ease tonight and into the morning.” Johan smiled, and began sauntering toward the back tunnel. “Oh, and Teagan. Learn what you can from Thane. He is not a mage, but we’ve come to respect him greatly. He will not lead you wrong tomorrow.”

  I chuckled at the odd little mage. He was right though, when he left the peace that swelled in my heart moments before dissolved with his absence. I wandered the cave for over an hour after Johan left. My thoughts tumbling between Gaia, my friends who would stand with us tomorrow, Sapphire and Eisha, and always circling around to Jade. The empty hole in my chest only widened with each sunrise. I cursed Prince Ced, King Nag, but most of all Bron. Jade was strong, but I vowed if they harmed her in anyway, I wouldn’t stop until their heads were at my feet.

  There was flicker of light coming from the fire pit where we’d gone the first night. Peeking around the corner, I saw Thane sitting in front of roaring white flames alone. He stared distantly into the brilliant fire that looked more like winter than fierce heat.

  When I rounded the corner, Thane glanced up. He tugged the robe around his shoulders over his arms and smiled. “How is the wound?”

  I chuckled and patted my ribs. “I’ve had worse.”

  “Leoch actually felt badly,” Thane said, watching me take a seat across from him.

  I shrugged. “It isn’t deep. I was the one who jumped out in front of the strike like an idiot.” Thane chuckled and looked back to the fire. I swallowed and leaned forward, lowering my voice. “You seem like you have a lot on your mind.”

  Thane glanced up, the white flames brightening his blue eyes even more. “I do,” he said. “Tomorrow might bring the first real chance we’ve had to find the lost mages. You must understand we lived with these people for many years before Bron separated us. They are family. I don’t think I will be able to come back here without them.”

  “We won’t have to,” I insisted.

  Thane scoffed lightly and nodded. “Teagan, I would ask a favor of you.”

  “Sure,” I muttered, leaning onto my knees. Thane and I had an easy way of speaking. I still teased Raffi for the way he blubbered over his leader, but secretly I could understand where the respect stemmed from. Thane respected everyone—even Mitch—and in turn simply earned furious respect from the others.

  “I would ask you to fight alongside me, should it come to that tomorrow.”

  Thane shifted on the boulder, and tugged the cloak tighter around his shoulders. He seemed uncomfortable.

  “I would be honored to fight with you,” I replied softly. “I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve taught me. This might sound strange, but you’re the first person who teaches me, but also trusts me to use my own instincts. Don’t get me wrong, most people mean well and have taught me a lot. I don’t know, I feel like you trust me to actually do this—lead, I guess.”

  “I do trust you,” Thane whispered, the flames dancing about his face in playful shadows. “And you will lead, I have no doubt. Tomorrow, I hope brings you the family you lost. Gaia and you should never have been parted. I will fight to my last breath to see you reunited.”

  “Thanks, Thane. I will too—for you to reunite with your mage family, I mean.”

  He settled back against the wall, a tired smile on his lips. “You should sleep. We will leave before the sun rises.”

  I stood slowly, wondering what Thane was thinking once more when the warrior’s eyes drifted back to the fire. I didn’t ask, and crept my way to the small cave where Mitch and I had set up makeshift beds. Mitch was already buried in heavy quilts to fight the chill. He snored softly and I noticed how he clutched two sheathed knives against his chest. I touched the stone wall, and closed my eyes. I tried to imagine Gaia. What did she look like? I’d never asked. I knew she had marks like me, that was all I knew. Although I couldn’t picture her in my mind, before I removed my hand there was a sting that shot through my palm. It was familiar, warm, but harsh in the same vein. Before I settled in my thin quilt, I was overcome with the sense that Gaia was waiting—that she would be ready whenever we found her.

  Gray light painted the snowy mountains as a frigid canvas. Thane scanned the distant horizon from the top of the cave. Most warriors were in wyvern form that morning. Thane remained in human form, hoping to help sense any mage energy as we went. He was dressed in thick pelts again, his arms covered with bracers, and his waist lined in knives. Thane had two swords tethered to his back like mine. The mage who were coming looked similar. Each one carried at least one weapon. Others, carried more supplies that would help the manage their energy, like bags of soil, or ash.

  Mitch stood by Athika. At first glance I wouldn’t think him a human. He wore a gray pelt around his shoulders and he’d allowed someone to shave the sides of his head, leaving only his thick curls down the center of his scalp. I couldn’t even tease him—he looked so much like the wyvern warrior who had also tightened their hair in braids, or painted their faces if they remained in human form. Raffi huffed behind me, his looming dragon body towering over me. He nudged me with his snout, and his fiery eyes glanced toward Thane.

  “Alright,” I muttered. “Quit shoving.”

  I climbed the side of the cave in a few minutes. I hadn’t worn a pelt, but had a thick woolen wrap tight around my shoulders. The jade blades were already a frenzy of energy as though the weapons knew what was to happen.

  “We found their trail to the east last time. What do you feel?” Thane asked without even looking at me.

  I stared in the direction he’d pointed and closed my eyes. Within one deep breath the warm spark shocked my system again. I glanced at him, a smile spreading over my face. “That’s the direction.”

  Thane nodded, and clapped his hand on my shoulder, his smile coming in cautious pieces. “Then lead the way, Teagan. Let’s go get your mother back.”

  Raffi took Mitch and me on his back. Thane rode on Leoch, but I sensed the head warrior didn’t particularly enjoy riding and would rather be flying.

  “This is where we lost them,” Thane said when we’d crossed back over the border and were somewhere in the upper states. The warriors stayed above the clouds while we landed to take in the area.

  “The energy is different,” I explained, brushing my hands along the soil. Thane watched me, his arms folded across his chest as he waited. “There is something that is trying to redirect the trail. It’s confusing—the distraction causes the energy to feel like the right way to go, but…” I glanced to my right, then to the rear, and back again to the right before pointing
toward a thick grove of trees. “This is the way.”

  “You’re certain?” Thane asked, a slight hint of desperation in his voice.

  I nodded. “Yes, every time I catch the energy I feel this…shock. That way,” I said pointing behind me. “almost feels right, part of me wants to go in that direction, but then this way—there’s the shock.”

  Thane smirked and stomped back toward Leoch. “Hurry then, the sun will be lost in a few hours. We don’t want to meet lindworms at night.”

  Raffi flew with renewed passion, as did more warriors, but after a few miles more I doubled over, clutching tight to my middle.

  “What’s wrong?” Mitch shouted through the rush of wind.

  “I just,” I groaned a little and tried to adjust my position. “It’s getting stronger, but it…hurts now. It’s like I feel…agony.”

  I rested my head along Raffi’s neck, absorbing the warmth from his molten blood and closed my eyes. I wasn’t certain how long I stayed that way—just trying to survive the ache in the pit of my stomach—when all at once, it stopped.

  I shot up, my arms tingling in sharp pin pricks. My heart burst like an explosion in the center of my chest, and the air seemed to have a hushed whisper with every gust. “Stop!” I shouted.

  Raffi’s wings billowed like a parachute and he hovered for a moment. Leoch stopped next to him, I leaned over to speak to Thane, but he was looking to the ground. He must have sensed it too.

  When he met my eye, he had a wildness about him that was a cross between anger and solid joy. “They’re here,” he growled.

  I nodded, my mouth dried and my pulse raced in my ears. “Right below us.”

  Thane bellowed a cry and stood on the back of Leoch. The warriors roared and shot streams of fire into the sky. Then on my second glance Thane and Leoch dove through the clouds, pummeling toward earth. Raffi wasted no time in following, and thankfully Mitch had enough sense to clutch my waist, or I was certain he would have rolled right off the back. When Raffi’s claws thundered against the soil, I leapt from his back without a pause. Every inch of my body was on fire, from the inside out. I expected to see them the energy was so breathtakingly strong, but when I looked around all I saw was a meadow entirely surrounded by trees.