The Mage Chronicles- The Complete Series

by Lisa Cassidy

  “What?”

  Alyx’s surge of panicked emotion snapped her tenuous hold on the link, and abruptly Dawn was gone. Frantically, she tried again, using up the reserve of power she had to cast out her mind again and again.

  Nothing.

  Cursing under her breath, Alyx jumped to her feet and ran down the hill towards where Tarrick slept. She shook him roughly, then continued past to start rapidly rolling up her bedding.

  “What?” Tarrick mumbled, coming awake. “Another nightmare?”

  “Get up. We have go,” she snapped. “We were right to be suspicious—he did want us out of the city. There was no damned safe house.” She swore, mostly at herself. Why had she allowed herself to be sent away, and Tarrick too? The two strongest warrior mages... if Casovar knew what she was. Now she was certain of it.

  “Casovar?” Tarrick blinked. “Why? What’s going on?”

  “Dawn just contacted me. Dashan’s been arrested by the Mage Guard.” Alyx hefted her rolled blankets and strode over to stuff them into Tingo’s saddlebags.

  “Why?” Tarrick asked, rolling his own blankets.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Then get back in touch with Dawn and tell her to go to Prince Cayr,” Tarrick said. “He can do something much faster than we can.”

  “The distance is too far. I tried reaching her again but failed,” Alyx said shortly, tightening the girth strap with far more force than was necessary. Tingo protested, dancing away with a snort. “Hurry up, Tarrick!”

  They were gone within minutes of Alyx getting Dawn’s message.

  The grasses sped past them along with the remainder of the night. By dawn, they’d slowed the horses to a walk to rest them, then let them stop at the first stream they passed to drink.

  After that, they were galloping again. By mid-morning, the hazy outline of Alistriem grew visible on the horizon. The golden palace was the first thing to come into full focus, the sun surrounding it in a halo-like glow.

  They swept in along the northern road at full gallop, forcing those ahead of them to make room. The citizens on their way into the city took one look at the galloping war horses and mage-clad riders, and scurried aside with alacrity. Alyx felt a twinge of guilt at the clouds of dust they left in their wake, but it didn’t come close to registering against the fear for Dashan that was beating at her like a drum.

  As they raced through the city gates, she reached out to try and contact Dawn again. This time she found her quickly and easily.

  “We’re at home,” Dawn said, before cutting off.

  Alyx sent a picture of the A’ndreas house to Tarrick’s mind, and he nodded, leading them off the main streets. Both horses were breathing hard and lathered in sweat as they rode into the small garden off the street. The twins’ father hovered anxiously by the gate.

  “Finn asked me to see to your horses. They’re waiting for you inside.”

  “Thank you, sir.” Alyx gratefully passed him Tingo’s reins.

  “You’re welcome.” He hesitated. “I’m worried. Are they going to be okay?”

  “I’ll do everything I can to protect them,” she promised.

  She and Tarrick strode quickly into the house, Alyx already speaking as they entered the front room. “What’s going on?”

  Finn glanced at his sister. “Dashan was arrested by the Mage Guard early yesterday evening. He was at one of the local inns when it happened. Casovar claims he is a Taliath—the one that broke into his home and murdered two of his Mage Guard.”

  The blood drained from her cheeks, and she dropped into the nearest chair, trying not to let fear overwhelm her. “Damn it. This was all deliberate... getting us out of the city.” Shakar coming to me, promising Dashan would be safe if I joined him. All of it planned perfectly.

  Tarrick looked down at Alyx, then over at Finn, frowning. “What makes Casovar think Dashan is a Taliath?”

  “Think about it,” Finn said carefully. “What we’ve seen Dashan do, how well he fights. I think Casovar might be right about him. In fact I think we’ve been fools not to see it ourselves.”

  “I still have trouble reaching his thoughts,” Dawn added softly.

  Rubbing at her temples, Alyx let out a sigh. “Casovar is right.”

  At once the attention of the room was on her, and she could sense the mingled shock and fear in their thoughts and on their faces.

  “You’re not surprised... you knew he was a Taliath?” Dawn asked in confusion.

  “Not for long.” Alyx explained what her father had told her. From the corner of her eye, she saw Finn turn white and sink into a chair. She refused to look at him.

  “Be that as it may, Dashan’s involvement in the break-in has to be more of an educated guess on Casovar’s part. Nobody saw his face, or Alyx’s,” Tarrick said calmly.

  “I think you’re wrong,” Alyx said quietly. “I think Casovar has known all along it was Dashan and me in his house that night.”

  “How could he know?” Tarrick objected. “You said only the two dead Mage Guards saw your faces.”

  “What if he was in their thoughts before they died?” she said, and shocked silence flooded the room. “It’s the only thing that makes sense. There was no reason for them to be on the top floor that night—it was empty. We never considered that Casovar might use his telepathic magic to undertake periodic checks on his house when he’s not there.”

  Tarrick sat heavily. “And if he truly is working with Shakar... Shakar knows what you are, Alyx, from your nightmares. Casovar could have known all this time.”

  “And we thought we were being so clever in fooling him.” She laughed bitterly at her arrogance—she’d thought Casovar the arrogant one, and the whole time he’d been playing them.

  Dawn’s eyes widened in shock. “Shakar is the one giving you nightmares?”

  Alyx nodded, explaining quickly and concisely.

  “Even if everything you say is true, Casovar still needs proof before he can act against Lord Egalion’s only daughter,” Dawn echoed Cayr’s words.

  “He can get proof if he makes Dash talk,” Finn said.

  “Dash would never talk!” Alyx rounded on him angrily.

  “Casovar is a mage of the higher order, Alyx, be sensible!” Tarrick countered. “He can do things we’ve never even thought about. Dash will talk, sooner or later.”

  “He’s a Taliath,” she snapped. “That night, he walked right out of my mage shield. If anyone else tried that, they’d have been knocked out or worse. Casovar can’t touch him.”

  “Taliath invulnerability only lasts as long as the person’s physical strength does,” Finn pointed out. “And I’m sure Casovar isn’t above more mundane methods of torture.”

  “Then we have to get him out.” She shot to her feet, urgency thrumming through her. The thought of Dashan being hurt... tortured... because of her. No.

  “You’re going to march over there right now and break him out of jail?” Tarrick took a step towards her. “You do that and Casovar will have us all arrested.”

  “I’m an Egalion,” she snapped. “He can’t arrest me.”

  “Even if that were true, and I don’t necessarily think it is anymore, he can certainly arrest your friends,” Finn argued.

  Her fists clenched with the mingled anger and frustration building in her chest, her nails digging painfully into her palms. She took a deep breath. “Dashan is our friend. I’m not leaving him to be tortured by Casovar into giving us all up.”

  “This is about more than rescuing Dash,” Finn said, his face pale and set. “He’s a Taliath.”

  Alyx entire body stilled. “I see.”

  He continued, unflinching in the face of the fury that had to be snapping in her eyes. “The council will view him as a threat. He is a threat.”

  “Finn!” Dawn protested, glaring at her brother. “What are you talking about?”

  “I’m not saying we should tell the council, but let’s not forget the danger here. Shakar is alive—the pri
me example of what can happen if a mage of the higher order gets too close to a Taliath,” he replied.

  “You’re talking about our friend,” Dawn said quietly, her entire focus on her twin, her eyes pleading with him. Finn lifted his hands in the air, eyes miserable but determined.

  “Being our friend doesn’t change what he could do,” Tarrick said heavily. “If a mage of the higher order like Galien were to absorb his power somehow…”

  “Then we keep him away from Galien,” Dawn said flatly.

  “What about Alyx?” Finn’s words rang starkly through the small room and one by one they all turned to her. It hadn’t even crossed their minds that Alyx might become a threat because of Dashan’s Taliath power. She met his gaze, unable to speak.

  “Now Alyx is a threat too?” Dawn’s voice had an ugly edge Alyx had never heard before.

  “I’m stating facts, Dawn, not trying to demonise anyone,” Finn said, exasperated. “She’s a mage of the higher order with the potential to be invulnerable if she absorbs Taliath ability.”

  “You’re being deliberately literal,” Dawn snapped. “Shakar is the single example of a mage absorbing Taliath ability. There’s no record of it ever happening before, even though mages worked alongside Taliath for decades. He was the lover of a Taliath, that’s the single difference. And Alyx is marrying Cayr.”

  “Is she?” Finn looked directly at Alyx, meeting her gaze without fear.

  Alyx fought to appear calm and unaffected despite the sudden panic racing through her. She had not thought through the implications of Finn knowing about her and Dashan. Would he tell them?

  “Why do think I’m marrying him!” She pounded the words into his head, unable to control the force of the sending. Dawn frowned, picking up something but not knowing what. Finn rubbed at his head, shaking it a little before dropping his gaze to the floor.

  “What are you talking about?” Tarrick sounded impatient.

  “I am marrying Cayr.” Alyx’s voice was icy as she called upon every inch of noble hauteur she could. “I will not allow Dashan to be harmed and I will not allow any of you to go to the council about him. If you do, I will stop you.”

  “How exactly?” Finn’s eyes flashed with anger.

  Deflated at his implication, Alyx could only stare at him. “I would never hurt any of you. You know that.”

  “No, but you’ve been lying to us.”

  “About Dashan?” she said. “My father only told me a few months ago. He pointed out, and I agreed, that the fewer who knew, the safer Dash would be. I haven’t even told him.”

  “You’ve lied about more than that,” Finn insisted.

  “Brynn asked her to keep his secret, and while I don’t necessarily agree with her decision, Alyx wasn’t trying to hurt us,” Dawn said, misunderstanding Finn’s words.

  Finn looked at Alyx, then sighed heavily. “We’ve all spent a lot of time with Dashan this past year, including Alyx. I’m worried she may have absorbed his power. And even if she hasn’t, the perception... if the council had any idea about Dashan they would come for her and him. Likely us too. She’s already in enough danger. We can’t hide from Shakar and all the resources of the Mage Council.”

  Alyx was in such a state of fear and anger it felt as if the emotion might burst out of her at any moment, and she had no patience left. “Dashan being a Taliath makes no difference in this situation. He is our friend. Have you all forgotten that? What would we do if it were Finn in this situation, or Tarrick?”

  Tarrick nodded slowly. “So we finally come to this, when you take command of Third Patrol from me.”

  Alyx rounded on him in frustration, feeling beset from all sides. “That’s not what this is about.”

  “Yes it is,” he said. “If I order you now to do nothing about Dash, because it only puts the rest of us in danger, will you obey me? If I order Dawn to contact Romas and inform him that we have found a Taliath potential, would you obey me?”

  Alyx stared at him, then looked around at the others. “No, I wouldn’t. I couldn’t, Tarrick.”

  “Then I can’t enforce my orders on you.” Tarrick took a seat, matter-of-factly. “You’re in charge now. What do you propose we do?”

  She sank back in the chair. This was insanity. “You all agree with him?”

  “It’s been coming a long time,” Dawn said in her calm way. “You are the mage of the higher order amongst us.”

  “I’m willing to follow you,” Finn said reluctantly.

  This wasn’t what she wanted—she needed her friends to trust her, to support Dashan when he was in trouble. But instead they’d hesitated. And when it came down to it, she wasn’t going to let anyone hurt Dashan. If that meant taking charge and making them follow her lead, then so be it.

  “Fine. Then we are going to help Dash. I’ll speak to my father and Cayr, get a better idea of his situation. In the meantime, you should all lay low. I’ll send a message through Dawn when it’s time to meet again. Agreed?”

  “If you go and see Dashan openly, Casovar will know and it will only add to the evidence against us,” Tarrick said.

  “You need to stay away from him anyway,” Finn added. “Just to be safe.”

  “I’m not a complete fool.” Alyx strode for the door. “I’ll see you all later.”

  Chapter 30

  By the time Alyx stepped through the front doors of her home, she was weary and gritty from the road, and emotionally exhausted from the nightmare, the argument with her friends and fear for Dashan. Her shoulders literally sagged with the weight of it all.

  “Aly-girl! I wasn’t expecting you for another day.” Her father came down the stairs to her right. His drawn features indicated he was as tired as she was.

  “You’ve heard about Dash?”

  He nodded. “I take it that’s why you’re home early. How did you find out?”

  “Dawn contacted me. Tarrick and I rode all night.”

  “Come with me.” Garan gestured towards his study, following her in and closing the door.

  “What do you know?” Alyx asked.

  “Probably not much more than you do. Dashan was picked up by the Mage Guard last night and has been charged with murder. It’s a hanging offence, if Casovar can find proof.”

  “I knew he knew,” she muttered, beginning to pace. “But why wait until now to move? Has he given any indication we’re under suspicion?”

  Her father smiled slightly. “There are Mage Guard watching the house right now. From what my contacts tell me, they’re sitting just outside the walls. Does that answer your question?”

  Alyx scowled and closed her eyes. Pushing aside her weariness, she reached out with her telepathic powers. Skipping over the estate’s servants and guards—those she knew—she searched until she found two unknown minds. They were sitting on horses outside the Egalion estate, their focus on the mansion. Inwardly, she cursed herself for missing that. She must really be tired.

  “Damn.” She opened her eyes. “That means Casovar knows Tarrick and I are back.”

  “Which means he’ll expect you at the palace first thing tomorrow, and he’ll likely have questions. He’ll also be watching you very carefully.”

  Alyx slumped into a chair. “I can’t let Dash be hanged, Papa. Casovar will either find or fabricate enough evidence against him eventually.”

  Garan looked at her carefully. “Does he know Dashan is the Taliath? Or is that something else Casovar made up, and just happened to guess rightly?”

  “He knows. Shakar has been in my mind for months,” she said bitterly, explaining about her realisation. “Those nightmares were him.”

  Her father sighed and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, offering what comfort he could.

  “I’m scared, Papa,” she mumbled into his chest.

  “I know,” he murmured soothingly. “No matter what happens, I’ll be here to protect you. Now, you’re exhausted. Why don’t you go upstairs and wash, and I’ll have cook make something for you to eat? Fo
od and clean clothes will make everything better.”

  “I don’t have time.” She shook her head. “The longer Dashan sits in that cell—”

  He raised a stern hand to cut her off. “Washing and food are non-negotiable, but once you’re cleaned up I promise we can talk about what to do next while you eat.”

  She smiled. “All right.”

  A quick scrub in warm, soapy water did make Alyx feel much fresher, though weariness still tugged at her every movement. She came downstairs to find Cayr being ushered in the front door by Safia.

  “Alyx, you look exhausted.” He reached out to touch her arm in concern.

  “I’m okay.” She briefly covered his hand with hers, reassured by his presence. “You’ve heard about Dash, I take it?”

  “I’ve just come from speaking with him,” Cayr said.

  “You did?” Alyx’s head came up in astonishment. “Is he all right? Is there anything you can do?”

  “He’s fine—they haven’t touched him yet.” Cayr’s voice lowered. “Are we alone here?”

  Alyx closed her eyes, briefly sweeping the house with her telepathic magic. None of the servants were within earshot. “We’re alone.”

  “Is it true—he’s the Taliath that broke into Casovar’s home with you?”

  “It’s true,” she said softly.

  Pain flashed over his face and he backed away from her. “That’s why you agreed to marry me. I thought maybe there was a chance, that we could... that you still loved me.”

  Alyx took a breath, found the courage for honesty—he deserved at least that from her. “Yes. I tried to tell you how I felt. You refused to listen.”

  “I suppose I did,” he said bitterly. “More fool me.”

  “I—”

  He made a sharp gesture, cutting her off. “I can’t force Casovar to drop the charges against Dashan. Legally, he’s allowed to pursue an investigation. I can insist that Dash be released until Casovar has enough proof to formally arrest him and have my father sentence him.”

  “Cayr, thank you,” she breathed.

  “It’s not a permanent solution, and it won’t give you much time. Casovar is determined, and I expect he’ll go straight to my father and convince him to reverse my orders. Eventually, his questioning of Dashan will bring your involvement and that of the other mages to light. Then he’ll have what he needs to arrest all of you. Our plan will be over before it even began.”