Cast Out (The Red Enchanter Book 1)

by Mary Swift

  “Yes of course.” She threw her shoulders back proudly. “I’m the Master Enchanter of Firesea.”

  “You’re the Master Enchanter? But I thought-”

  Nora had an idea. She touched his arm. “I’ve always been the Master Enchanter. I’ve just been away for a while.”

  He blinked and then slowly nodded. “I remember something about you.”

  “Of course you do.” Nora couldn’t believe it. It was working.

  “Finnegan Murphy said the other man wasn’t the real Master Enchanter.” The ranger’s eyes opened wide as though he was finally realizing the truth. “Then you must be.”

  “Yes, I am.” Nora was finally the Master Enchanter. It was hard to recall a time when she was not. “Now what do you want?”

  “What?” The ranger looked confused.

  “You knocked on my door. What do you want?”

  “Oh, yeah. We got Arden Cormenic back from Wildbush. It was a dump of a circle. Very weak. We took the mortals and brought them here.”

  Wildbush. There was something familiar about that name but Nora didn’t know why. She couldn’t think of anything else except being the Master Enchanter. “Where are the mortals now?”

  “In the council hall. We thought you’d like to go through them and pick out the ones you want for yourself, we’ll sell the rest.”

  A fresh batch of mortals sounded interesting. “What about the enchanters in Wildbush?”

  “We left most of them locked in the council hall.”

  “Most of them?”

  “Yes, there was a girl and Finnegan Murphy, they posed no threat. The energy is weak there; we could use it as a place to send our undesirables, the Monsignor for instance.”

  “This girl, why did you leave her outside of the hall?”

  The ranger shrugged. “She’s just a girl, Murphy’s niece.”

  “What was her spell?”

  “She’s too young, she hadn’t cast it yet.”

  Nora couldn’t believe it. “You fools. You should have locked her up; she can cast a spell against us.”

  “You don’t understand, these people are weak.”

  “I understand that you’re too lazy to do your job.” Nora snapped. She paced around the hallway. “I have a good mind to get rid of you.”

  “Master-”

  “Never mind your groveling, take me to the council hall.”

  “Yes Master.”

  Nora followed him outside and joined the other rangers. They walked the short distance to the council hall. She noticed people on the street scurrying out of the way as she passed. The council doors opened as she approached. There was no question who the Master Enchanter was now.

  Inside the dome covered main room was a motley collection of two hundred or so mortals. They were tied together with a thin gold rope. Nora swept in and smiled at them. “Greetings mortals.” She pushed the council members aside and stepped onto the dais. She was vaguely aware of someone whispering about her, questioning her right to be there. It didn’t matter, she knew who and what she was, they would figure it out in time.

  The mortals looked like an unpromising bunch; she doubted there were even half a dozen that she could use. One man in the front glared up at her. “You won’t get away with this.” he told her.

  Nora sat in the Master Enchanter’s chair. “You will not speak unless instructed to.”

  “Where are we?” someone asked.

  “Didn’t you hear what I just said?” Nora huffed. “I assure you that none of you shall be harmed. We are a kind and generous people. Some of you will stay here and some of you will go elsewhere.”

  There were angry shouts. Several men tried to break free of the rope.

  “Your rights have been terminated. Obedience is expected.”

  “Nora?” A woman’s voice rose above the angry voices. “It’s me Allison.”

  Nora stood up and looked among the crowd. At the back was a tall woman with blonde hair. For a moment she looked familiar, but the thought was so fleeting that Nora couldn’t take hold of it.

  “Nora, what are you doing up there? Help us for God’s sake.” Allison pleaded.

  Nora stepped down from the dais. This woman was annoying her. How dare she interrupt the Master Enchanter. She made her way around the mob of mortals until she was face to face with Allison who it turned out was a giant with enormous feet. “What do you want?”

  The woman looked hurt. “It’s me Allison. My God Nora, don’t tell me you’ve forgotten.”

  “I haven’t forgotten a thing. I know who I am.”

  Allison shook her head. “They’ve done something to you. I know what it’s like. Maeve put a spell on me, I could barely think straight when I was around her. That’s what has happened to you Nora.”

  “Young woman, I assure you that I am quite aware of who I am. I’m the Master Enchanter of Firesea.”

  “You’re my friend, Nora Gavrashelli from Chilton. You’re under the control of someone or something.”

  Nora’s mind was confused.

  “That’s what they do; they try to make you forget who you are.” Allison said.

  A councilman came up beside her. “We should decide which ones to keep.”

  “Yes, of course.”

  “Nora, listen to me.” Allison said desperately. “You’ve got to remember who you are.”

  Nora turned away from her and began looking at the mortals. She pointed at three young men. “Take them to the workhouse.”

  The rangers broke the men away from the group without severing the rope, it was enchanted. They dragged them away.

  “You have a brother Tom.” Allison was saying.

  Nora ignored her. The children and the old people would have to be sold; they were of no use to her. But she did need servants for the house. She began to look for a sturdy middle aged woman who could be her cook.

  “Please Nora, listen to me.” Allison begged.

  “Why don’t we get rid of her?” the councilman suggested.

  “No, let her rant.” For some reason Nora wanted to hear her. There was something familiar in what she was saying, as though she had read it in a book.

  “She’s a nuisance.” the councilman argued.

  She glared at him. “One more word out of you and I’ll have you exiled from the circle.”

  His lower lip began to tremble. “Yes Master.”

  “You came back to Wildbush to help Killian Cramer.” Allison told her.

  Something in Nora’s mind snapped. Killian Cramer. She had not read that name in a book. He was a man she knew, someone she loved.

  A councilwoman climbed down from the dais and pointed a finger at Nora. “You don’t fool me. You’re not the Master Enchanter. You’re nothing but a filthy mortal.” She looked at the protectors standing nearby. “Get rid of her.”

  Chapter 96

  Finnegan and Lucy camped out overnight on their way to Firesea. Finnegan made a fire easily. He had been homeless for several years when he was a teenager. He could make a fire out of just about anything.

  Lucy showed him the bags on Arden’s saddle. They ate as much bread and drank as much water as they wanted. For someone who had spent many years with little to eat it didn’t bother him to have such a bland meal, for Lucy things were different. She was unused to living sparingly and she was certainly unprepared for the task before them.

  “How are we supposed to get all of the mortals out of there? There are only two of us.” she said. The yellow light of the fire danced on her face.

  “I don’t know that we can. First I think we should find your parents.”

  “What about Nora?”

  Finnegan tried to conceal his annoyance. Nora always managed to worm herself into every situation. “Yes, her too.”

  “And Arden.”

  “Do you really like him?”

  Lucy shifted so he couldn’t see her face. “Yes.”

  He poked the fire and waited for her to elaborate but she didn’t. “Once we get
in there I think we should go first to Devin’s house and look for Killian.”

  She sighed. “I’m so scared.”

  “So am I.” he confessed. “We just have to take things one step at a time.”

  “You don’t like Nora do you?”

  He didn’t say anything.

  “She loves my father.” Lucy said.

  “How do you know that?”

  “I just do. I’m glad, he deserves to be loved. He’s had enough people hate him just for being born.” There was an edge of anger to her voice.

  “I was one of those people.”

  “Yes I know.”

  “I meant it when I said that I loved him.”

  “Too bad you didn’t realize that when you were kids.”

  “If I did you wouldn’t be here.” he said tartly.

  Lucy stared at the fire.

  “I’m sorry.” Finnegan apologized. “I shouldn’t have said that. I know what I did was wrong but I can’t change it now. In Firesea kindness is not considered a positive attribute. Ambition is respected. Even though I got exiled for it what I did was not that unusual.”

  “So my father might have turned out completely different if he had grown up there?”

  “Perhaps.” He yawned. It was getting late. “We should get some sleep; we have a big day tomorrow.” He dreaded going back to Firesea. More than likely he would be caught and put back in prison, or worse. Whatever happened he deserved it.

  Lucy spread a blanket on the ground. “I’ve never slept outside before.”

  Finnegan stretched out and looked up at the sky. “There’s nothing to be scared of.” He had slept outside hundreds of times, mostly on park benches and in ditches. “Goodnight Lucy.”

  “Goodnight Uncle Finnegan.”

  Chapter 97

  Lucy and Finnegan guided their horses through a pass between two high mounds of earth. Finnegan dismounted and climbed to the top of one of the hills. Lucy followed him. Far in the distance she could see the ocean. Near the water was a huge wooden fence built into the shape of a circle. Firesea. Lucy hadn’t seen it from this vantage point the first time she had been there. The buildings inside could not been seen, they were under an enchantment. Pine trees grew up in front of the wall. It looked like an abandoned building project. There was no sign of life at all.

  Finnegan took a deep breath. “This is it.”

  Lucy felt sick to her stomach. She wasn’t sure she could do this.

  “It will be all right.” Finnegan told her.

  “I hope-“ She suddenly spied a figure in the scrubby bushes. It was her mother, Lucy was sure of it. She started running, behind her she heard Finnegan shouting at her. She ignored him. She ran down the hill and into the brambles. Thorny bushes caught the fabric of her dress. “Mother!”

  Talia stopped. As Lucy got closer the details of her mother’s face were revealed. She looked haggard and weary, her hair was dirty and clumped. “Lucy? Is that really you?”

  “Yes.”

  There was a vacant look in Talia’s eyes. “Are you really my daughter?”

  “Of course I am. What are you doing out here?”

  Talia touched Lucy’s face. It was the most loving gesture Lucy had ever received from her. “It’s madness there.” She pointed to Firesea. “They’ll destroy you. I’m going home; I want you to come with me.”

  “I can’t. I have to help Daddy.”

  Finnegan caught up to them. “Lucy, we have to get going.”

  Talia stared at him. “What is he doing here?”

  “We’re going to rescue Daddy.”

  “He doesn’t need your help. There’s nothing you can do for him now.”

  Lucy’s heart stopped. “What do you mean?” She didn’t dare ask if he was dead.

  “He’s with that woman. He’s sleeping with her.”

  “Who? Nora?”

  Talia curled her lip. “The mortal woman, her name doesn’t matter. He doesn’t love me. Did you know that? He hates me.”

  Lucy took her hands. “You hurt him so much. What did you expect?”

  Talia pulled away. “You always did like him better than me.”

  “I love you both, but you didn’t want me.”

  “Lucy.” Finnegan touched her arm. “We have to go, the rangers could be anywhere.”

  He was right. “Logan is in Wildbush with the boys.” Lucy told her mother. “The Firesea rangers came and took all of the mortals. They’re coming back for the enchanters.”

  “I want to go home to Logan.” Talia said. “He loves me doesn’t he?”

  “Yes, he does.” She squeezed her mother’s hands. “Take Logan’s horse and go home.”

  “All right.” Talia nodded. “I love you Lucy.”

  “You do?”

  Talia kissed Lucy’s forehead. “Yes. Be careful and find your father. He’s been taken to the Master Enchanter’s house and he’s in a bad way.” She wandered slowly up the hill towards the horses. Lucy was tempted to go after her, she seemed so helpless.

  “Lucy, we have to do this now.” Finnegan said. “We can’t wait any longer.”

  “Do you think she’ll be all right?”

  “She’s probably better off than your father.”

  Behind them they heard a whinny, a second later they saw Talia on Logan’s horse. Lucy smiled as she watched her leave. Her mother loved her, she really loved her. She turned and looked at Finnegan. “Let’s go.”

  Chapter 98

  Killian was beginning to think that Nora had forgotten about him. He had been left sitting on the bed in someone’s bedroom in the Master Enchanter’s house. There was no sign of her or anyone else. Somewhere in the distance, far beyond the house, he thought he could hear a commotion but there was no telling what it could be.

  He decided to try and stand up. Slowly he inched towards the edge of the bed. It took what felt like hours to move a foot. As his legs dangled off of the bed he realized that he was too weak to sit up. He was stuck lying across the mattress with his legs hanging off. He stared up at the ceiling in frustration.

  The noise outside increased. There were voices shouting nearby. They faded into the distance. He would almost welcome Dante or anyone coming into the room. There was a clock ticking somewhere. It seemed to be mocking him, time was passing and he was helpless. What if he stayed like this forever? What if someone had to take care of him? Who would do it in Firesea? His father was an old man and Nora was gone. There was no one.

  The light in the room became darker. Sunset. No one was coming. He was hungry and tired and he had to use the bathroom. Killian felt tears roll down the side of his face. He had never felt so low, even during his marriage to Talia there had always been a glimmer of hope, now there was none.

  At some point he fell asleep. He was woken up by some kind of alarm. It pierced the air and made his ears ring. His heart started racing. He was frightened. He tried moving his legs, he had to get up. He suddenly slid off the bed and onto the floor. One of his handless arms got caught underneath his body and shot a pain up his arm. From somewhere in the house he heard a loud crash. Maybe the Firesea protectors were coming to take him back to prison, or better yet maybe they were coming to kill him. Killian heard voices close by. This nightmare that had started the moment Lucy was taken would finally be over. He was convinced that he would never see her again.

  “Daddy?” A voice came from the hallway outside of his room.

  Killian stared at the wall. He was beginning to hear things. He could have sworn it was Lucy.

  “Daddy?” It was Lucy. Inside his head he was screaming. The door opened. “Daddy!”

  Lucy was suddenly standing over him, his Lucy, his little girl. Tears began to pour down his face. She had never looked more beautiful to him in that moment. He tried to speak but nothing came out.

  “Finnegan! He’s here. I found him.” Lucy fell to the floor. She spied his missing hand and screamed. His brother appeared in the doorway. Lucy wiped Killian’s tears. “Look
at what they’ve done to him.”

  Finnegan knelt next to him. “He can’t use the pen this way.” Finnegan pulled Killian’s other arm out from underneath him. From somewhere downstairs men were shouting. “We have to hide.” Finnegan held Killian’s head in his hands. “Can you put your arms around me?” Killian could do nothing but blink. Finnegan looked about. “We’ll have to get into the closet.”

  “They’ll find us.” Lucy said.

  “Do you have a better idea?” Finnegan asked.

  “No.” Lucy stood up. Killian could hear the voices getting closer.

  “Get in the closet.” Finnegan told her. “I’ll bring him in.” He put his arms underneath Killian and slowly lifted him up. “Why don’t you lay off dessert once in a while?”

  Killian was grateful for his big brother. He was surprised at his sudden feeling of emotion. Finnegan carried him into the closet, Lucy was already crouched in the corner. Finnegan shut the door and set him on the floor. “Not a word.” his brother whispered.

  “He’s got to be here somewhere.” someone said. The floorboards creaked.

  “I doubt anyone’s here.”

  “We were told to look everywhere.”

  Killian held his breath, suddenly he felt a sharp pain in his right arm. He began to whine. Finnegan clamped a hand over his mouth.

  “What was that?” someone said on the other side of the door.

  “Tim, they found the Master Enchanter. He was in the basement.”

  The doorknob started to turn. “There’s someone in here.”

  The pain began to increase in Killian’s stump. Finnegan seemed to sense that he was in distress, he tightened his grip over Killian’s mouth.

  “Tim, for Founders’ sake there’s no one here. Let’s go, the Master Enchanter needs us. That bitch has gone wild in the council hall.”

  Tim sighed. “Fine.”

  The floorboards creaked again as Tim and whoever else was out there walked away. Finnegan waited several minutes before he finally removed his hand. Killian cried out, his stumps were throbbing.

  Finnegan slowly opened the door and looked out. “We’re lucky something is going on at the council hall.” He helped Killian out of the closet and onto the bed. “This is going to get real old if I have to carry you everywhere little brother.”