The Mage Chronicles- The Complete Series

by Lisa Cassidy

  “I’m sure they had good reason for it.” He gave a little shrug. “But I don’t want to talk about the Mage Guard right now, you’ve just come home. Can you stay a while?”

  Irritation with him flared so strongly it took her by surprise. Cayr’s tendency to gloss over things he didn’t want to deal with had never really bothered her before, but now she found herself wishing he’d grown past it. Then she felt bad—he was right, and this was her first night home. The last thing she wanted to do was start nagging him after months apart. So she let it go and shook her head regretfully.

  “I should get back before my father realises I’m gone.”

  “Or you could stay,” he murmured, stepping closer and taking her hands. “He doesn’t know you’re here, right?”

  She raised an eyebrow at him. “If anyone knew we were alone in your rooms right now both of us would be in a lot of trouble. Serious trouble.”

  He shrugged, and she didn’t step away. So close to her, he was warm and safe. His fingers curled around hers, but instead of the fission of delight his touch usually roused, an odd despair began to unfold inside her. It wasn’t the same. Nothing was.

  “Nobody needs to find out,” he said.

  He leaned closer, his intention to kiss her clear as day. When she shook her head slightly, disappointment flashed over his features, but he didn’t push.

  “Like you said, I just got back,” she said, squeezing his hands. She needed time to settle back in, that was all. Everything would go back to normal then. “We need to talk properly before we... go back to where we were.”

  “All right.” He let go of her hands. “But soon. I don’t want to waste any more time.”

  She managed a smile for him before changing the subject. “I really do need to go. Thank you for looking after my father. Coming home to find him safe and well was a wonderful relief.”

  “I’d do anything for you,” he said softly. “I’m so glad you’re back.”

  She gave him a final brief hug. “Night, Cayr.”

  Out in the darkness and the cool night air, Alyx walked briskly, sneaking out of the palace gardens and into those of her own estate. She fought the despair curling through her, pushing it down and out of her mind. Things would be all right. They would.

  She just needed time.

  Chapter 4

  Breakfast the next morning was eaten in strained silence. Tarrick was shown into the dining room by a servant not long after Alyx had sat down with her food. Garan appeared only moments later. He greeted Alyx coolly, but always the polite host, was warm in his greeting to Tarrick.

  She ate in silence. Sleep had been difficult to come by—fear of another nightmare warring with unease over what had happened with the Mage Guard and shock over her confrontation with her father had kept her from relaxing enough to rest.

  Judging by the wary looks Tarrick began shooting at her and her father, it hadn’t taken him long to realise they had argued.

  “A fight about Dashan,” she sent Tarrick a brief explanation. “Papa is angry about something, but I’m not sure what.”

  The tense silence remained, broken occasionally by the rustle of paper as Garan finished reading each page of the small stack of parchment sitting before him. Once she’d finished, Alyx rose, glancing at Tarrick with raised eyebrows. He nodded and finished his last few bites before standing too.

  “Papa, we’re going to see Lord-Mage Casovar.”

  “Good.” He glanced up briefly from his papers. “I’ll be heading over to the palace myself soon, so I won’t see you again until dinner.”

  “I... ” She wanted to say something, but wasn’t sure what. Before she could think of anything, his attention had returned to the papers. Shaking her head, she turned and followed Tarrick out of the room.

  Their boots echoed as they crossed the marble floor of the entrance foyer, then escaped out into the early morning air. It was warm already with a hint of the heat to come later. The twins rode in as Alyx and Tarrick were exiting the stables. Alyx lifted her eyebrows in surprise when Tarrick gestured for Dawn and Finn to dismount.

  “Is something wrong?” Dawn asked as they clustered together on the pebbled drive, leaving the horses to graze on the lawn nearby.

  “Did your father tell you anything?” Finn jumped in before Tarrick could respond.

  “Not really.” Alyx cast a glance at the house. “He says the situation with Shivasa has grown worse, and that’s why the Mage Guard was created. He’s got no authority over them apparently—they report directly to Casovar.”

  “That fits with what Ladan told us about things being worse,” Finn said.

  “Is there something else?” Dawn asked, her eyes on Alyx’s face.

  “I think so,” Alyx said. “My father isn’t himself. He got angry with me last night over an issue that... something is off.”

  “It’s possible Casovar will have an explanation for it all,” Tarrick said. “But until we have a better idea of what’s happening, my instinct tells me to keep Alyx’s ability from him.”

  Dawn’s eyes were distant, but her voice was firm when she spoke. “I agree.”

  “It’s now widely known at DarkSkull what I am,” Alyx said, casting a worried glance at her friend. “Surely he already knows.”

  “I wouldn’t be so sure,” Finn disagreed. “The masters protected the knowledge from him before.”

  “Too many people know for it not to leak out eventually. For a start, the king would have told him we were in Carhall for the council meeting,” she pointed out. “He’s going to wonder why.”

  “If he does, we tell him Cario’s grandfather pulled strings to get us on the trip,” Finn said. “We should get rid of our patrol stripes too. If Casovar knew we’d been part of a combat patrol, he’d want to know why. And given a large part of the reason was that Alyx is a mage of the higher order, it’s best if he doesn’t ask questions.”

  Tarrick frowned in disappointment as he considered Finn’s words, but then gave a shrug. “It’s all right. We’ll be getting new stripes next year anyway. Don’t First Patrol members wear blue?”

  They busied themselves taking off their robes and cutting off the three green stripes. Alyx was unaccountably sad as she slid her green fabric into the pocket of her breeches; it felt like her last link to the past year at DarkSkull had just been severed.

  “Ready to face the beast?” Finn joked as he tucked the cotton strips into his pocket.

  All of them chuckled.

  The sight of the picturesque sandstone palace and gardens had always calmed Alyx. Today though, the strange dread that had gripped her on entering the city returned in full force. Instinctively, she looked for Dashan, then immediately felt guilty. To distract herself, she urged Tingo up beside Dawn’s horse.

  “Is everything okay?” Alyx asked. “You seemed like something was bothering you back there.”

  “I’m probably just being silly.” Dawn sighed. “But those soldiers yesterday... if you could have heard what was leaking in their thoughts. It was awful. I can’t shake it.”

  “I should have heard it,” Alyx said wryly. “But I haven’t put nearly as much practice into my telepathic magic as I have to telekinesis and concussion force. I still can’t pick up thoughts unless I actively try.”

  “It’s not always a comfortable ability to have,” Dawn said softly.

  “It’s going to be all right,” Alyx said with more confidence than she felt, wanting to try and ease some of the disquiet in her friend’s blue eyes. “Whatever the situation here, we’ll adapt to it like we always do.”

  Dawn mustered a smile at her words, but Alyx got the distinct impression her friend wasn’t reassured at all.

  At the palace, Tarrick and the twins fell in behind Alyx as she led the way through the maze of palace corridors towards the wing set aside for the lord-mage.

  They were walking along a lushly carpeted corridor that housed the offices of many of the king’s senior advisors and staff when a door ahe
ad opened, and an older man emerged wearing the green uniform of the Rionnan army.

  “Sparky!” Alyx called out in genuine pleasure.

  The man looked up with a surprised smile. Rionn’s most senior general and commander of their army was of medium height, with short-cropped reddish grey hair and beard. He was also a close friend of both the king and Alyx’s father. Alyx and Cayr were the only ones besides her father and the king allowed to call him by his nickname.

  “Hello, Lady Alyx. What a surprise! I thought you were away at DarkSkull Hall?”

  She smiled widely and allowed him to kiss her hand. “I’m back for a short time. It’s good to see you. Will you meet my friends?” She waved them forward. “This is Dawn and Finn A’ndreas, and Tarrick Tylender from Zandia.”

  “You must be the apprentices training with Lady Alyx,” Sparky said politely.

  “Yes, sir.” Finn managed an awkward bow, Tarrick a much smoother one. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  “Are you here meeting with the king?” Alyx asked.

  The general’s smile faded, and for a moment a deep weariness flashed in his eyes, stunning her. Sparky was renowned for his appetite for a challenge—when she was growing up, he’d always vibrated with an energy that filled whatever room he was in. What could be causing him to suddenly look tired and old?

  “I had a meeting with the lord-mage this morning and was just popping in to speak with Lord Raffison on my way out.” His smile returned. “I’d love it if you came to dinner while you’re home, Lady Alyx? My wife would love to see you.”

  “I’d love to.”

  “Wonderful. I’ll speak to Greta this evening—how long do you plan to be in Alistriem?”

  Alyx glanced at Tarrick. “We have about seven weeks or so before we have to go back to DarkSkull.”

  “We’ll organise something soon then.” The general smiled, some of the life returning to his features, and left them.

  At the end of the hall, Alyx pushed through the doors to the lord-mage offices. The first thing she saw was Dashan and Cayr, standing over by the window and laughing. Both young men turned at their entrance, Cayr immediately crossing to Alyx and leaning down to kiss her cheek. “Good morning.”

  “Hi.” She smiled up at him, trying not to let her gaze shift over to Dashan, despite still being worried about him.

  “Dawn, Finn, it’s good to have you home.” Cayr shook their hands. “Tarrick, welcome back to Alistriem.”

  They exchanged pleasantries for a moment, Tarrick and the twins more comfortable with the prince now. Dashan wandered over to join them and Cayr grinned as he slapped Dashan’s back. “I have to admit, I’m astonished to find this one returned all in one piece. I felt sure he’d have an army of angry Tregayan husbands chasing him with pitchforks!”

  “Are you insinuating I might exhibit a less than innocent behaviour towards the opposite sex?” Dashan said in injured tones. While all four others laughed, Alyx winced, guilty knowledge making her sensitive to anything that might let Cayr know what had happened between them.

  “Not all of them, just the blonde and curvy ones,” Cayr said.

  Dashan chuckled, his grin only widening at Alyx’s scowl. She opened her mouth, ready with a retort to put him back in his place, but Cayr read her perfectly and spoke before she could.

  “Not much has changed in nine months, I see,” Cayr noted, glancing between them with a long-suffering smile that was reflected in Tarrick’s rolled eyes. Dashan chuckled, but it had a false note to it, and he looked away. She hadn’t missed the brief flash of emotion in his eyes, and part of her suddenly wished she wasn’t in this room with both Cayr and Dashan together. She cleared her throat, changing the subject before Cayr picked up on anything. “What are you doing here anyway, Dash?”

  “Orders from my commander, who apparently received them directly from the lord-mage himself.” Dashan’s cheerful mood vanished completely. “Commander Hawkwerst was less than impressed to receive orders from a man he doesn’t even report to.”

  “He is the lord-mage of Rionn,” Cayr interjected. “Hawkwerst is overreacting as usual.”

  “Since when does the lord-mage of Rionn order about members of the Blue Guard?” Dashan demanded.

  “Since now,” Cayr said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “When he’s in charge of the defence of Rionn. And when do you take anything Hawkwerst says seriously—you’ve spent the last four years complaining about how he’s more obsessed with maintaining his power base and preparing for a luxurious retirement than having a functioning command.”

  “Cayr!” Alyx jumped in before a real argument could develop. Dashan’s expression showed he was sinking towards true anger at his friend, and Cayr’s cheerful blitheness was only going to make it worse. “You weren’t there yesterday when—"

  Her words were forestalled by the door opening to admit Lord-Mage Casovar. A tall, lean man shrouded in his black mage robe, his dark hair was cut severely short in a way that over-emphasised his prominent cheekbones and thin face. The grey eyes were what she remembered most—they pierced her in the same way Rothai’s ice-blue ones often did, but that was where the similarity ended. Rothai’s were full of hidden intensity; Casovar’s were cold as an iceberg.

  “Good morning, Your Highness.” He bowed towards Cayr, his voice smooth, without any hint of emotion. “Apprentices. I understand you arrived back in the city yesterday, and appreciate you coming to see me straight away.”

  Unlike their previous interactions, Alyx now had ready access to her magic, and it instantly picked up on the power hovering around Casovar like a cloak. It intimidated her in a way that Galien no longer did, and this made her angry with herself, and him. The anger made her lash out.

  “You’re welcome, Lord-Mage Casovar,” she said coolly. “Now that we’re here, perhaps you could explain the reason for our arbitrary summons home.”

  His expression tightened at her high-handed tone. Cayr shot Alyx a warning look, which she refused to acknowledge, instead meeting Casovar’s gaze. He smiled a little before responding. “I will be happy to address that in a moment. First,

  Lieutenant Caverlock, I understand you were in charge of Lady Egalion’s protection detail?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Then it was you who accosted my Mage Guard soldiers while they were carrying out their duties yesterday afternoon?”

  Dashan flicked a glance at Alyx, his shoulders stiffening slightly. “Yes, sir. They were behaving unreasonably towards the owner of a jewellery store.”

  “You had neither the right nor authority to interfere with the duties of the Mage

  Guard,” Casovar said crisply. “I will address the matter with your commander, although I am inclined to be lenient given you have been away. From now on you will stick to your duties as a Blue Guard officer and that is all, am I clear?”

  “With all due respect sir, I take orders from Commander Hawkwerst, not you.”

  Alyx winced, the echo of it flashing over Cayr’s face. Dashan’s tone had been deliberately provocative, and no matter how wrong Casovar might be, he was still a Bluecoat addressing Rionn’s lord-mage. Casovar smiled slightly, crossing the room to stand in front of Dashan. Alyx’s breath caught at the subtle menace the mage exuded, and she wondered if anyone else in the room could sense it. A quick glance at Dawn’s set expression confirmed that at least she had, and Tarrick had discreetly shifted to stand closer to Dashan. Finn was frowning, eyes darting between all of them.

  Needing to break the tension, she spoke up. “If I may, Lord-Mage?” She waited a beat until he shifted his attention to her before continuing. “Perhaps you were not given all the information. I supported Lieutenant Caverlock’s intervention with the Mage Guard. They were behaving violently towards a citizen without any proof of wrongdoing.”

  “It is not the Mage Guard’s job to explain themselves—or provide evidence—to

  Bluecoat lieutenants or mage apprentices.” Casovar’s voice dr
ipped contempt. “They report directly to me, and you can be assured I am fully across their activities.”

  What? Was Casovar overstating his involvement with the Mage Guard, or did he truly know the depth of their activities and not care? Alyx opened her mouth, but at a discreet nudge from Cayr, closed it again, allowing him to speak instead.

  “Lord-Mage, perhaps as a favour to me you’ll ensure your Mage Guard understand they must behave in a way that befits their status as soldiers of Rionn. I know my father would not take kindly to news that his people were being mistreated in the name of hunting Shiven spies.” Cayr concluded his mild words with a slight smile, and Casovar had no choice but to concede, nodding his head in the prince’s direction.

  “Of course, Your Highness. I will speak with the Mage Guard captains today.”

  “Thank you, Lord-Mage.”

  Alyx frowned. She’d hoped Cayr would be firmer with Casovar—even if the lord-mage didn’t know the extent of his soldiers’ activities, he should. Still, the prince’s reasonable tone and words had de-escalated a tense interaction.

  Casovar turned back to Dashan. “You’re dismissed, Lieutenant. Expect to hear from your commander soon.”

  Dashan’s face hardened, and he glanced from Cayr to Alyx, dark eyes burning,

  before eventually giving a stiff nod and striding from the room. The door slammed so loudly behind him that Finn jumped.

  “Lord-Mage, I have a meeting to attend with my father,” Cayr spoke into the ensuing silence. “Thank you for your time this morning.”

  “Your Highness.” Casovar bowed his head as the prince left the room much more

  quietly. Alyx’s eyes stayed on the closed door—she wasn’t certain why Cayr had chosen to leave, but suspected he wanted to make sure Dashan calmed down before reporting to his commander. She and Cayr had intervened to save Dashan from himself enough times growing up to recognise the instinct.