Master Giddi and Fenni walked their horses through the low point of the stream, then dismounted and led them toward the stable.
“Hey, it’s the dragon mage,” a group of Naobian mages called out, waving at Giddi.
“Master Giddi.” A Naobian, a couple of summers older than Fenni, with broad shoulders and long black hair broke away from the group. His skin was tan, and his eyes were a startling blue—not typical for a Naobian. He was a flashy type, wearing three earrings—turquoise, jade and garnet. “Jael of Naobia.” He held his hand out to Fenni.
Fenni shook it. “Fenni of Montanara.”
“Ah, so you’re Fenni?” Jael smiled. “I’m helping you train, right?”
Fenni shot a querying gaze at Master Giddi.
Giddi gave a sharp nod. “Ah, right. Forgot to mention that.”
Jael pounded Master Giddi on the back. Master Giddi embraced him.
His gruff old master hugging someone? Fenni’s boots nearly flew off in surprise.
“So, I got your messenger bird,” Jael said. “I’ve brought the herbs with me. You say the former master healer is back at Dragons’ Hold? What’s she like?”
Master Giddi grinned. “You’ll meet her later. First, Fenni needs a little practice with underwater fireballs.”
“Sure, come with me.” Jael led Fenni past a blonde mage aiming her hands at the snow. Light shimmered from her fingers and snow was swept from the ground, exposing the lush grass beneath. A flurry formed, then thickened, growing into an impenetrable wall, blocking their way. The wall iced over, solidifying.
“Ah, Velrama, could you please let us through?” Jael asked with a laugh.
“Sure.” The blonde girl shot a bolt of green flame at the wall. The snow in the center sizzled and melted, creating an archway for them to walk through. On the other side of the wall was an old mage with snowy hair and a beard threaded with brightly-colored mage crystals—turquoise, green, red and purple—that indicated his rank as a senior wizard master.
“You’re Giddi’s lackey, aren’t you?” The mage’s gaze was so intense, he could’ve peeled skin.
What had he done wrong? Fenni drew himself up, and met the master’s eye. “Yes, sir, the dragon mage is my master.” That ought to impress him.
The wizard’s lip curled and his nose wrinkled in distaste. “Don’t miss the choosing pouch ceremony at sunset or you’ll forfeit your place in the trials.”
Fenni and Jael made their way into the woods. “Who was that old grump?”
“Master Starrus,” Jael replied.
“That was Master Starrus?” Fenni had heard of the high master on the Wizard Council. “He’ll be judging the trials tomorrow?” The Egg help him—he was going to need it if that sour man was determining whether he passed or not.
Jael’s bark of laughter startled a deer, its white tail flashing as it fled. “One of the reasons you need more practice.”
The stream met a broad river that wound between the trees. Although the edges were crusted with ice, the middle still flowed. “Let’s work here,” Jael said.
Fenni took off his cloak, but Jael stopped him from removing more clothing. “You won’t have time to take off your clothes in battle. Do you really want to face tharuks naked?”
“Good point.”
“Go on, then, jump in.”
“But—”
“Come on, my feet are getting cold. We Naobians are used to the sun.”
As if Jael would get cold in his fur-lined leather boots. A thousand questions flooded Fenni’s mind. Who was Jael? What if there was another strangleton? Why had Master Giddi abandoned him to a stranger, nearly the same age as him?
“Now, Fenni. We can’t miss the choosing pouch.” Sparks flew at Fenni’s boots.
Fenni dived into the icy water. Reaching out with his mind, he ignored his sodden breeches dragging him down, and drew on the sathir of the river flora and fauna. Sparks flaring at his fingertips, he tried to warm himself. Shards, this was colder than Spanglewood River. Much colder. Icy water pressed in on him, chilling him. His chest constricted in panic and the air whooshed out of his lungs. The sparks at his fingertips died. Fenni burst above the surface, face dripping. He’d failed again.
“Don’t let the cold put you off,” Jael barked.
Under he went, but the chilly water stole Fenni’s breath again—and again.
Finally, Jael motioned him over to the bank and hauled him out. Instead of berating him, Jael embraced him.
What? When Jael stepped back, Fenni’s clothes were dry and he was toasty warm. “That’s great.”
“Sit.”
Fenni parked his rump in the snow.
“Here, eat this.” Jael gave him some dried beef to chew on. “What’s stopping you?”
“My breath,” Fenni answered between bites. “It’s just so sharding cold, it steals my air. It’s panic, I guess.”
“If you can manage fire across all mediums, you can manage anything. Master Starrus has a grudge half the length of Dragons’ Realm against your master. Tomorrow, he’ll do anything to make you fail. You have to try harder for Giddi’s sake.”
For Giddi’s sake? What about his own? What about vengeance for his uncle’s death?
“Your weakness is your fear, but you need to master it. What’s the worst thing that could happen to you in that river?”
“I could die of cold. Drown. Get caught by a strangleton. Eaten by a muncher.”
“I did a sathir sweep of the river when we got here and couldn’t sense any munchers or strangletons. Besides, Master Giddi would blast my britches if I let you die. Now, anything else?”
“I, ah …”
“Good, then get back in the water.” A fireball flew from Jael’s hand, right at Fenni’s head. He ducked, scrambling back into the river.
Fenni came up spluttering a few more times, but by the end of the afternoon, Jael had Fenni shooting fireballs at him from underwater, while he perched high in a tree. Finally, Fenni clambered from the river, shooting volleys of fireballs.
Jael easily caught every one of them. “Not bad,” he said. “Now dry yourself.”
How? Fenni had never done that with magic.
The icy wind cut through Fenni’s clothes, making him shiver. Jael leaned against the trunk of a strongwood tree and chewed on another piece of dried beef. “You must be freezing,” he said, watching Fenni with those strange blue eyes.
Despite shivering, Fenni’s mouth watered. “Could I have a piece? I’m starving.”
“Once you’ve earned it.” Jael’s earrings caught the sun, sparkling blue, green and red.
That wasn’t fair. All Jael had done was sit around on his behind, barking commands, while Fenni had been using firepower all afternoon—freezing his backside off. Who did he think he was? Why, he was just a jumped-up trainee, only a year or two older than himself. “Why, you—” Hey, what was going on? Steam was rising from his clothes.
“Well done. Now, finish the job off without getting angry.” Jael tossed him a strip of beef.
Fenni caught it. The steam dissipated. Cold seeped back into his skin. Without getting angry? Fenni created an internal rush of energy, similar to the sensation of being angry, but without the emotion. His clothes were dry in a heartbeat.
“You’re a fast learner.” Jael passed him his cloak. “Now, let’s get back for the choosing pouch. I’m dying to see who you’ll be dueling.”
“Hey, thanks. My cloak’s warm.”
“You deserved that for putting up with me for so long.” Jael cocked his head. “Great stamina. You probably didn’t realize how many hours we’ve been at this.”
The sun was low and the woods were shrouded in early evening shadows as they arrived back at the clearing. Mages stood in a circle in the snow with a fat sack in their midst. The blaze of sunset peeked through the trees.
“Just in time,” whispered Jael at Fenni’s side.
From across the clearing, Master Giddi mind-melded. “Jael says your c
ontrol was exemplary. Well done. Now that you can control fire underwater, you should be able to control it anywhere.”
A gentle glow spread through Fenni at his master’s praise, but he’d missed what Master Starrus was saying.
“… and may the best opponent win,” Master Starrus finished.
“The feathers will determine your dueling partner,” Jael whispered. “Watch, here they come.”
“What? We never did that at the last trial.” Maybe because Master Starrus had been away.
Jael’s only answer was an infuriating grin. Did that guy never stop smiling?
With a flourish, Master Starrus struck the sack with his staff.
The string on the mouth of the sack unraveled. A giant plume of fluff burst from the sack, flying up into the air, an explosion of color in the blazing sunset. Master Starrus waved his staff and the plume dispersed. Feathers of all colors swirled around the clearing in a madcap dance. Emerald, lapis and amethyst feathers spun through the air, landing in mages’ hands. A gold sparkling feather shot past Fenni. A pair of peacock feathers angled themselves and flew like arrow shafts, one straight into the hands of a girl next to Fenni, and the other, to a boy across the clearing.
“Peacock,” the girl crowed, racing across over to the lad, who was standing dumbstruck, admiring his feather.
“So, I have to catch one?”
“No, the feathers will find you. They’re imbued with magic to sense what your weaknesses are and who your best opponent would be.” Jael chuckled. “I wonder who I’ll get this year.”
“This year? How many trials have you been at?”
Jael gave that casual shrug of his. “A few.”
“Like, how many is a few?”
“My parents are both mages, so I’ve been trialing since I was a littling.”
“Whoa, you must be good. I’ve only been training for—”
A long-plumed silver feather dropped down past Fenni’s face and hovered in the air in front of him. He stood gobsmacked, staring at it. The feather bobbed up and down impatiently. When Fenni didn’t grab it, the silver quill twisted, poking his chest.
“Hey, stop that.” Fenni snatched the feather. A thrill of magic ran through his palms and the feather flopped, lying flat against his palm. “Jael, what did—” Fenni’s words died when he saw a matching silver feather in Jael’s hand. Oh, shards. He was pitted against Jael—a mage with years of experience—but at least he was pitted against someone his own age.
A sudden silence enveloped the clearing.
Fenni spun. Master Giddi and Master Starrus were standing in the middle of the ring, both holding orange feathers as long as his arm. Overhead, stray feathers floated in the air, defying the chill breeze skittering through the trees. Master Starrus glowered at Giddi, then waved his staff. The stray feathers formed a plume, then rushed back into the open sack. He thumped his staff on the snow and the sack closed, tying itself shut.
Master Giddi regarded Master Starrus, face impassive. “So be it,” he said, his quiet voice carrying in the silence. “I’ll duel you at sunset tomorrow.” The last rays of the setting sun were swallowed by darkness.
§
The next morning, Fenni was observing Master Giddi forming magical ice daggers and plunging them into tree trunks, when a mage ran into the clearing. “Dragon. A dragon’s coming.”
“Defensive positions,” Master Starrus yelled. “Non-combatants inside.”
A few mages scrambled up trees, at the ready. More took positions around the clearing. The others rushed to the cabins.
Fenni had been about to run after them, when Jael laughed, nudging Master Giddi. “All this over a dragon? Ridiculous. In Naobia we get along with the green dragons and their riders.”
Giddi just arched one of his bushy eyebrows.
“You know those eyebrows are famous across Dragons’ Realm,” Jael said. “They’re so versatile—a twitch for every mood.”
Giddi guffawed, his laughter booming across the clearing.
The mages on duty shuffled from foot to foot as a silver dragon swooped across the trees, its wings catching the sunlight. Its beauty made Fenni’s breath catch in his throat. It spiraled down to land gracefully in the snow.
“Time you fetched me those herbs, Jael, and bring some cups too,” Master Giddi muttered, sending the Naobian trainee off to the cabin.
Giddi paced over to the dragon. With a flourish of his cloak, he bowed. “Liesar, it’s an honor to see you.” He cocked his head, then laughed.
He must be mind-melding, sharing a joke with the dragon. The dragon turned its eyes on Fenni, staring straight at him. Its slitted orbs were a beautiful deep shade of turquoise, like the wizard crystal he’d receive if he passed this trial.
“One moment.” Master Giddi waved a hand at the mages on duty. “These visitors are mine. No need to stand sentinel. Go back to your duties.”
“But Master Starrus said—”
“But Master Starrus, nothing,” Giddi boomed. “I won’t have my personal visitors being treated like enemies. This rider and dragon protect the realm, like we do. Now get back to work.” He flung a flash of wizard fire at a mage in a tree.
Wizards scrambled out of the trees and fled to the large cabin.
“Good riddance,” muttered Giddi. “Marlies, how are you? John told me you were back in the saddle.”
“So Giant John has been gossiping again, has he?”
Back in the saddle? She was dismounting, sliding down the dragon’s side to the snow. The rider was tall, old enough to be his mother, and she had eyes the same shade as the dragon’s.
“Oh, Giddi, it’s so good to see you.” She embraced his master, and not only for a few seconds.
Was this an old lover of his master’s, or a good friend? Embarrassed, Fenni coughed.
“Seems we’re causing my trainee discomfort.” Master Giddi ceased embracing her, and turned to him. “Fenni, this is Marlies, master healer at Dragons’ Hold. It’s been eighteen years since we’ve seen each other. Marlies, Fenni.”
Not an old lover, then, just a friendly reunion.
They shook hands, and Marlies smiled. “I have a son and daughter about your age,” she said. “Good luck in your trials.”
“So, the rumors are true. You did have twins,” Giddi said.
Marlies nodded. “Although not without a cost.” She shook her head, sadness in her eyes. “But that can wait. Do you have the healing supplies?”
“Yes, I got your messenger bird. I had enough time to ask the Naobians to bring supplies from the South. There’s not much growing around here at the moment.” He gestured at the snow-blanketed earth. “Uncanny of you to remember where the wizard trials are held, especially after all this time.”
“I never forgot a thing, Giddi, even after all those years of hiding.”
Hiding? This woman was brimming with secrets.
“Couldn’t have been much happening in Lush Valley.” His voice grew urgent. “You were needed here all along, Marlies. The realm needs Hans, too. I’m glad you’re back.”
“And the realm needs you, Giddi,” Marlies said softly, placing her hand on Master Giddi’s arm. “Even though you’ve given so much.”
To Fenni’s surprise, his master didn’t shake her arm off, or bluster, or even flinch. He stood there, gazing at the sky, eyes shiny with tears, while Marlies waited silently beside him. At long last, Master Giddi shook his head, his face lined with deep sorrow. “The past is over and we must both move on.”
She nodded.
Giddi cleared his throat. “So, what’s the first order of the day?”
Who was she, to bring back such sad memories that even the toughest wizard had tears in his eyes? The only emotions Fenni had seen his master show were mirth, frustration or his blustery gruffness. He hadn’t known Master Giddi had a tender bone in him.
Jael returned, holding two bulging sacks. “Your herbs, Master Giddi. I have another sack somewhere.”
“Not mine,” Gi
ddi answered, waving a hand at Marlies. “Master Healer Marlies from Dragons’ Hold, this is Jael of Naobia. How about you brew us a cuppa, Jael?” Master Giddi and Marlies each loaded a sack into the dragon’s saddlebags. They went over to a log, the silver dragon included. Giddi flourished his hands and the snow dissipated off the fallen tree in a cloud of steam. As Marlies sat, Master Giddi observed, “Your cloak is ripped.”
“It’s only a corner. I was fighting a tharuk in Western Settlement and its tusk got caught.” She shrugged. “The tharuk came off much worse.”
This rider looked weary. She must be tougher than she looked.
“I’ll make you a new one, although invisibility cloaks take a while. What else do you need?”
Marlies hesitated. “You. At Dragons’ Hold.”
His master’s face shuttered. “Marlies, I’m not coming to Dragons’ Hold.”
“Giddi, the realm needs you. With this rift, we won’t withstand Zens. Our young trainees need to ride together, fight together, like we did.”
Jael poured water from a waterskin into three mugs, and Liesar opened her maw and breathed over the cups. Soon they were steaming. Fenni added soppleberries to the cups, passing them around.
“No, Marlies. Those days are over.”
“But dragon riders need wizards. We need to work together. The whole realm will be overrun if we don’t defeat Commander Zens and his tharuks.”
Master Giddi shook his head, bitter lines etched in his face. “I’ll do more harm than good.”
“No, Giddi. We’re older, wiser. We won’t make the same mistakes.”
“Leave saving the realm to the young. We’re still trying to undo the damage I caused.”
“You caused? It was Mazyka’s mistake, not yours.” Marlies drained her cup and handed it to Fenni. “I’ll see you soon, to collect my cape. I don’t care about history, Giddi. We have to stand together.” She climbed upon Liesar and flashed Giddi a smile. “Don’t give Starrus too much of a hard time. Leave him some vestige of pride.” She waved at Master Starrus, who was scowling from a window. Her mighty dragon tensed its haunches and leaped into the air.
Fenni’s hair stirred in the breeze from the down-thrust of the dragon’s wings. Gripping Marlies’ cup, he frowned. Mazyka was the wizard who had opened the world gate and let Zens in. Why was Master Giddi shouldering the blame for her actions?
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