by Lisa Cassidy
“I promise you this, Aly-girl. Do your best for me, and at the end of the first year, if you still don’t wish to be a mage, you don’t have to return to DarkSkull to continue your training.”
“Lord-Mage Casovar said if I have magic, it will awaken by the end of the year. What if it does?”
“Doesn’t matter,” Garan said firmly. “Magic or not, you can stay here and never go back if that’s what you want. I will find a way to convince the king. You just need to commit yourself and try as hard as you can this first year. Deal?”
Alyx straightened her shoulders and forced the tears away. “I promise that I’ll do my best to succeed at DarkSkull so that I can come back home to stay. I’ll hold up my end of the bargain.”
“That’s my girl. I’m proud of you, Alyx.”
“Ready to go? Daylight’s burning!”
Alyx looked up at the sound of Dashan’s familiar voice. He was part of the formal escort of twenty Bluecoats who were to accompany her and the other trainee mages Lord-Mage Casovar had chosen. Despite her father’s protests to the contrary, Alyx could tell he was uneasy about the fact Casovar was insisting they travel overland through the disputed territory rather than by ship, so Alyx was glad of the escort.
Cayr had told Alyx he’d requested Dashan be assigned to her guard so she would have someone familiar travelling with her. While Alyx appreciated his consideration, she wasn’t sure that Dashan’s presence on the trip would make things any better.
His brown eyes were dancing with their usual mirth as he rode his stallion towards them, and his chocolate short-cropped hair sat neatly under his blue Guard’s cap.
The Blue Guard dressed smartly in fitted royal blue jackets over crisp white shirts, navy long pants and navy caps. In cold weather, they added a long, royal blue cloak that hung rakishly off one shoulder and was pinned to their uniform by a gleaming silver brooch depicting a running horse. Alyx had never seen a Bluecoat whose black boots didn’t shine under the hems of their neatly pressed pants, or who wasn’t clean shaven, sober-looking and straight-backed.
The Blue Guard specialised as a cavalry force also, and when not standing guard on the palace or the King, they could often be seen patrolling the city on their large, finely-bred cavalry mounts.
“Am I allowed to say goodbye to my father first?” she snapped, irritated by Dashan’s cheerfulness.
“Captain Audern has requested we get moving.” Dashan’s expression softened. “We have a long way to travel today.”
“I know.” Garan hugged his daughter one more time and stepped back.
Still stifling tears, Alyx turned and climbed up into the carriage. Her father smiled at her in reassurance, then lifted a hand of farewell as the driver called to the horses and the carriage lurched into movement down the long drive. She watched him through the window until the carriage rounded a turn in the driveway and he was obscured from sight.
Chapter 5
The carriage creaked as it rattled down the road away from the palace and Egalion lands, and Alyx curled up in the corner, miserable. The sun came out soon after, slanting through the carriage windows but failing to cheer Alyx’s mood. A short time later, the sounds of people, animals and chatter filtered through the windows as they entered the city, and then the carriage slowed to a stop.
A glance outside showed a quiet street lined with small houses. Alyx didn’t recognise the area, and judging from the state of some of the homes, this wasn’t the wealthy district of Alistriem. The street had been swept clean however, and the brightly coloured roses blooming near the doorways of several of the houses lent the place a cheerful air.
A clatter of hooves sounded, and Dashan’s face hovered into view through the open carriage window.
“Would you like to stretch your legs? There won’t be another stop for a while.”
“I’m fine, thank you.”
“Suit yourself.” He shrugged and moved away.
Alyx sat listening to the sounds of the city around her for a long time. Street vendors in a distant market shouted their wares, children played across the street, a dog barked in a nearby house. The sounds made her even more depressed. They were the sounds of a home she knew and loved, and the thought of leaving for a year still made her heartsick.
She was jolted from her thoughts by the carriage door opening and two strangers scrambling in. They looked roughly her own age, a boy and a girl, and both looked as uncomfortable and lost as Alyx felt.
“Cheer up,” Dashan said from the open door. “We’ve a long way to go, and long faces aren’t going to make it go any faster.”
At that, he shut the door with a flourish and the carriage lurched into motion. Alyx and the newcomers stared at each other for a long moment, and she wondered whether they both felt as stunned by their being sent to DarkSkull as she did.
“I’m Finn A’ndreas.” The boy held out his hand in a friendly manner. “And this is my twin sister, Dawn.”
Alyx stared in surprise. They hardly looked like twins. The boy had scruffy dark hair that fell messily over his forehead and ears, almost obscuring a pair of green eyes. In contrast, his twin had long, neatly-combed raven hair and dark blue eyes. The colouring was similar, but their facial features were very different. Both were slight, however, and while Finn was only Alyx’s height, Dawn was shorter.
“We are twins,” the girl said with a small smile. “Everybody looks at us that way when we tell them.”
“Our personalities are quite different too,” Finn said. “I’m the practical one; she’s the emotional one.”
“I’m the neat one; he’s the messy one,” Dawn added.
“But we both love grilled fish on hot crusty bread with oodles of butter,” they finished in a grinning chorus, clearly a routine they’d repeated over and over throughout their lives. Alyx was taken aback, unsure of what to make of them.
“I’m Lady Alyx Egalion,” she said politely.
Both sets of eyes widened, and Alyx instantly saw the similarity between them in their matched expressions of awe. Her introduction seemed to render them awkward, and after a glance at each other, the twins stopped talking. The headache she’d had earlier was throbbing in her temples, and their silence was a relief. The last thing in the world she felt like doing was making nice with a couple of strangers.
The carriage travelled on through the day. After a while, the twins seemed to lose some of their awkwardness, and spent most of the time hanging out the window and staring at the surrounding countryside. The carriage followed the main road out to the east and Alyx guessed at some point they’d turn north and head up into the hills towards the rugged borderlands.
They stopped at an inn that night. Dashan, seemingly having been chosen by his captain as the Bluecoat escort-mage trainee liaison, helped them out of the carriage, informing them this would be the one and only night they’d be staying at an inn.
“What do you mean?” Alyx asked, halting instead of continuing inside.
“We’re heading north into the border region from here,” he explained. “There aren’t any villages or inns in those hills, there’s no point, there’s nothing up there but wilderness. Then once we’re through Whistler Pass, we have to travel through the disputed area, and even if there were any Inns we certainly wouldn’t want to draw attention to ourselves by going to one of them.”
Fear clenched Alyx’s heart. “I thought travel through the disputed area was allowed?”
“It is, but the Shiven patrols through there can be pretty sensitive,” Dashan said. “Don’t worry, we’ll be fine.”
Dashan walked off inside the inn, leaving Alyx standing outside alone in the rapidly cooling night. She looked down the road from where they’d come, wishing with every fibre of her being that she wasn’t leaving her home. Her yearning for it was already so strong that it almost brought tears to her eyes.
Stifling the tears, she turned to begin walking towards the inn. Movement in the shadows by the parked carriage caught Alyx’s eye
s, and then Finn and Dawn appeared. Apparently they’d not entered the inn as Alyx and Dashan had assumed.
“Sounds like quite an adventure, doesn’t it?” Finn kicked at a pebble with his boot, eyes cast downward.
“I didn’t know you were still out here,” Alyx said awkwardly.
“I’m sorry, Lady Egalion,” Dawn said. “We didn’t listen in on purpose. Finn forgot his cloak in the carriage, and it’s cold out so we...”
“Is it a hanging offence to eavesdrop on a high-born lady’s conversation?” Finn asked with the hint of a smile.
Alyx sighed. “Don’t worry about it. Listen, I’m cold and hungry, I’m going inside. I suppose I’ll see you both in the morning.”
“Night, Lady Egalion,” Dawn said politely, while Finn gave her a friendly nod.
Alyx passed Dashan sitting at the bar with the other Bluecoats and went straight up to the room she’d been assigned. Once there, she stripped off her clothes and crept into bed, though anxiety and fear kept her awake for a long, long time.
Three mornings after Alyx left home, she found herself standing at the end of Whistler Pass. The reason for its naming had become clear early the previous morning as a high-pitched keening sound reached them on the road. The sound of the wind flowing between the peaks had grown louder the further towards the pass they travelled.
It was windy and cold at the summit, and Alyx wrapped her cloak tightly around herself as she mourned the balmy summer days of Alistriem she’d left behind. Not for the first time, she wondered what Cayr was doing at this moment. She wondered if he was missing her as much as she missed him already.
“Ready to descend into disputed territory?” Dashan whispered in her ear, startling her.
“You don’t look at all worried,” she said with a scowl.
Dashan’s determinedly cheerful expression faded a little at her words, but his tone was jolly as he spoke. “We’ll be fine. After all, you have me with you.”
Alyx looked away from Dashan, sending her gaze over the green carpet of treetops below the pass. They were thick enough to hide everything beneath them, including any Shiven patrols. Maybe they were already being watched. The thought made fear clutch at her again.
“So this is where Shivasa claims their south eastern border extends to,” Finn remarked.
“Yup,” Dashan said. “While Rionn claims the border is much further north, beyond the Harkness River. And so we have the disputed territory in between.”
“One more step and we’re really leaving home, aren’t we?” Dawn asked, looking as lost as Alyx felt.
“Yes, we will be.” Dashan favoured the pretty young girl with a charming smile. “And we’ve still got a long way to go.”
Dawn coloured prettily and turned away. Alyx avoided rolling her eyes only with a supreme effort.
“How much of the disputed territory do we have to pass through?” she asked him.
“Not much. I’d guess it will take us three to four days to cross, providing we don’t have any trouble. That’s why we’re crossing here; it’s the shortest place to cross where the terrain is still passable for the carriage.”
“Trouble?” Finn asked. “Like running into a Shiven patrol?”
“Exactly.”
“Great,” Alyx muttered as she turned and clambered back into the carriage with Finn. Lord-Mage Casovar’s insistence on sending them overland now seemed dubious. Surely it would have been better to travel safely by ship and arrive at DarkSkull late?
Some minutes later, the carriage creaked into movement. Finn and Dawn continued hanging out the windows until heavy raindrops forced them to retreat inside and close the shutters. A stiff breeze kicked up, causing the temperature to drop rapidly and the shutters to rattle with every gust.
The twins’ high spirits seemed to fade, and Alyx saw a distinct echo of her own melancholy in their faces. She was almost glad when one of them finally spoke.
“I bet it would be warm and sunny on the Alistriem docks right now,” Finn said.
Dawn nodded eagerly. “And the air would be filled with the smell of roasting chestnuts.”
“And seaweed.” Her brother made a face.
Alyx smiled, finding herself paying more attention to the twins’ conversation than she’d intended to. She could easily summon up the sights and smells they spoke of.
“I don’t think DarkSkull Hall is anywhere near the ocean,” Dawn said wistfully.
“I heard that it’s haunted.”
“Haunted?” Dawn punched her brother in the arm. “You have too much imagination for your own good.”
“I didn’t imagine it. I heard some boys talking about it. Not only is it haunted, but the ghosts are supposed to be evil.”
“I suppose you got that from one of those dusty old tomes you like to stick your nose in?”
“Just because I’m learned is no reason to mock me,” Finn said airily.
“I don’t know of anybody in Rionn except the lord-mage and my father who have ever been to DarkSkull Hall, so how would anybody know that there are evil ghosts there?” Alyx pointed out. “Especially these boys you overheard.”
“How do you know for sure that nobody from Rionn except for the lord-mage and your father have been to DarkSkull?” Finn asked reasonably.
“I still can’t get my head around the fact that Lord-Mage Casovar wants us to form a cadre of mages to support the king,” Dawn said. “Lady Egalion, is your father a mage too? Is that why you were chosen?”
Alyx stared moodily out the window. Dawn’s question touched on the sore-point she’d been nursing since learning her father had hidden the fact her mother had been a mage. The betrayal had been overshadowed by her utter despair at being forced to leave home, but the questions lurked in the back of her mind. “No, he isn’t, but my mother was. It doesn’t matter. I don’t want to be a mage, and I’m sure I’m not going to be one.”
“So your power hasn’t awakened yet either?” Finn asked. “Mine hasn’t, but somehow Lord-Mage Casovar learned about Dawn. He says because we’re twins, it’s almost certain I have potential too.”
“What do you mean, he learned about Dawn?” Alyx was curious despite herself. “Do you have magic?”
“About a year ago I started hearing things, like snatches of conversation. My parents were worried I was going crazy, but last week Lord-Mage Casovar visited and told me it was magic. He’s not exactly sure what type of power it is, but apparently I’ll find out at DarkSkull.” She sighed. “I didn’t want to leave home either. What do mages even do?”
Finn glanced at his sister and then burst out laughing. Dawn glared at him, which only deepened his amusement.
“I don’t want to hear any more about what your precious books say. We’ve talked it to death, Finn, and you don’t know any more about DarkSkull or mages than I do.”
He opened his mouth to reply, but Dawn cut him off. “And no, seeing a mage at the markets in Alistriem once—three years ago—does not count as knowing anything about mages.”
“At least I’m not scared of being haunted by ghosts,” he teased.
“No, you’re scared the Shiven are going to catch us.”
The bickering continued about who was more scared of what until Dashan appeared at the carriage window.
“I’d be more scared of the Madman of Widow Falls, if I were you. The Shiven are nothing compared to him.”
“Don’t listen to him. He’s just trying to scare us.” Alyx rolled her eyes and turned away.
“Who’s the Madman of Widow Falls?” Finn asked with interest.
“Haven’t you heard the stories?” Dashan said. “He’s one of the Lords of Rionn. His estate includes a large stretch of land along the eastern border of the disputed area. Rumour says that any who venture onto his land without permission are captured by his ruthless warriors and carried back to his castle where they get disembowelled and eaten.”
“That’s disgusting, Dash!” Alyx said, as usual unable to help correcting him. “
The ‘Madman’ is simply one of the king’s more reclusive lords. He’s so reclusive I don’t even know his first name, but he certainly does not disembowel and eat people. I think the king might have noticed if that was the case and done something about it.”
“That’s the story, I promise!” Dashan retorted. “It’s true that people have gone missing in that area, and Alyx herself says the man is a recluse. He has no contact with anyone outside his lands. Nobody I know has ever seen him. Every year his steward travels to Alistriem to pass on the estate’s taxes, but that’s his only contact with the crown.”
“That doesn’t mean he disembowels and eats people,” Finn said thoughtfully.
“Probably means he’s mad though,” Dashan retorted, flicking the reins and riding on ahead.
“Why doesn’t he refer to you by your title?” Dawn seemed a little taken aback.
“We’ve known each other since we were children.”
“So you’re friends then? That explains it.”
Alyx snorted. “I wouldn’t exactly call Dashan a friend.”
“Oh,” Dawn replied, glancing at her brother.
“How old would the Madman be?” Finn asked.
“His title is Lord Mirren,” Alyx corrected. “He’d have to be fairly old. I don’t even know if he has children to inherit after he dies.”
“Maybe he doesn’t,” Finn said ghoulishly. “Maybe he’s dead and rotting away in his castle and nobody knows. That’s why nobody has seen him in years.”
“Shut up, Finn,” Dawn groused.
They stopped as night fell, and Alyx followed the twins as they left the relative warmth of the carriage to eat by the fire. Roland—the designated cook—had prepared a rough stew but Alyx had never tasted anything so awful in her life. Dashan’s mocking look the previous night when she’d complained about the food kept her silent this evening, though.
Once she’d eaten, Alyx went straight back into the carriage and lay down on the seat to try and sleep. Dawn stretched out on the opposite seat and Finn on the floor between them. They had thick blankets and the seats were cushioned, so it was comfortable and warm enough.
