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A Fantasy Novel by Virginia G. McMorrow
One year after the Mage Challenge, Elena invites her friends to meet her betrothed, Erich. Instinct immediately alert, Alex uncovers a plot by exiled firemage Charlton and Erich to assassinate Elena, Alex, and Elena's heir. Meanwhile, Alex gets word that her estranged father is dying. Reluctantly, she goes to see him, but it's a trap. She and Anders are forced to take refuge in her father's village, where she meets an intriguing young scout, Gwynn, who keeps turning up unexpectedly. While Alex and friends plan their strategy to prove Erich as traitor, Jules's sister and twins are kidnapped by a renegade mage. With an uneasy alliance with her father, Alex learns more about the odd magic she controls. When the friends search for the missing victims and the renegade mages behind the kidnapping – Alex unwittingly finds more than she was looking for. And throughout her journey, Alex discovers just how open her heart can become.
To Maria, for years of friendship and enthusiastic support
Mage Resolution
Book Two in
The Crownmage Trilogy
•Mage Confusion
Virginia G. McMorrow
The Firewing Trilogy
•Firewing’s Journey
MuseItUp Publishing
www.museituppublishing.com
Chapter One
“I’d rather tangle with a poisonous seabeast than go to this ridiculous, flamboyant, time-wasting ritual,” I grumbled, sounding little better than a whining three-year-old, looking for something expensive to smash against the elegant silk-covered wall. “We should have crept out of Ardenna last night when I wanted to, but no, Anders, you wouldn’t listen to me. So it’s your fault that I’m stuck here.”
“It’s not a ritual.” Trying his best to placate me, Anders ran his fingers along my shoulder, sending a chill down my spine. Not that I would ever admit it. “There’s to be no blood sacrifice unless you insist on one.” I smacked his lingering hand away, but he went on, unfazed. “Elena is formally announcing her betrothal, and wants you to meet the future Prince of Tuldamoran since you never manage to be in Ardenna when Erich’s around. So don’t be unreasonable. Besides,” —he snuck a kiss on the back of my neck— “it’s the middle of the night, and Elena’s guards would look askance if we snuck out like thieves with the queen’s treasure.”
“There is no queen’s treasure. And as for her beloved, what’s his name of wherever he’s from, I can just as easily meet him without all the fuss and bother.” I brushed back a strand of dark curls. “Besides,” I added, desperate for any lame excuse, “I have nothing appropriate to wear. And I won’t borrow one of Elena’s dainty silk gowns that she slithers into,” I protested, before the thought even entered his mind. “So I think we should leave. Now.”
“Ah, well.”
I spun around to face my lover, immediately suspicious. “What?”
“Well, you see…” Anders stepped back, seagray eyes full of mischief. “It’s like this.” Absently running a hand through gray-streaked black hair, he narrowed his eyes, keeping a safe distance between us. “Our, ah, beloved monarch sent you a gift.”
Crossing my arms, I narrowed my own blue eyes, inherited from my long-deceased seamage mother, to slits.
“Over there.” Anders pointed to the far corner of the lavish chambers.
Royal seahag. I knew she’d find a way to keep me in this crowded, noisy town. “It’s not my size. I’m sure of it.”
“You haven’t even looked.”
“I don’t need to look.” My back to the door, I dared Anders to force me. “I can tell from right here.”
“Can I make a royal suggestion that you at least take a peek?” A silky voice with the barest hint of sarcasm and affectionate amusement drifted from behind me, as the door clicked shut, reminiscent of a cell door snapping shut, with me as Elena’s hapless prisoner.
“You’re playing dirty.” I turned to confront the queen. “That’s not fair.”
“Neither is wanting to sneak off in the middle of the night without warning me. Besides, consider it royal privilege,” Elena said dryly, dark blue predatory eyes alert, ready to trip me if I dodged past her post. “Now be respectful for a change, before I report your behavior to Rosanna, and go see what I sent you.”
Muttering one imaginative oath after another, and determined to ignore the silent amused exchange between Elena and Anders, I dragged myself over to the corner and unwrapped endless layers of soft paper. Beneath it all, folded with obvious care, was an exquisite white embroidered tunic cut from soft leather, with close-fitting trousers to match. She’d even included extravagant soft white boots. I stopped speechless in mid-curse at the sight of the embroidered symbol on the tunic.
“I think she likes it, Anders. Maybe. I can’t really tell.”
Trying to find the right words, I turned to find Elena watching with a fair bit of anxiety. “The symbol—”
“Well, lords of the sea, Alex,” she said in self-defense, “since your mage talent is so different, so unconventional, compared with other mages.” She flushed as Anders cleared his throat. “No offense,” she told him, still unaware Anders was far more skilled than a simple mage, “but Alex does have a peculiar ability. And you needed your own symbol.” She turned dark eyes back to me, genuinely worried. “At least, I thought so.”
I stared at the symbol, tracing the lines of thread with my finger, surprised to find it shaking. “You combined all four symbols, wave, flame, tree, and wind, merging into each other. Clever.”
“No one else in Tuldamoran can change all four elements from one to another like you can, Alex. Every other mage is like Anders, who can only control one element, in his case, water, in all its forms,” she chattered on to cover her nervousness. “And only Glynnswood mages can change one form to another, but they’re limited to two elements.”
I wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or amused that she didn’t mention Sernyn Keltie, the Glynnswood mage who abandoned me at childbirth to Rosanna’s care when my mother died.
“Not even the legendary Crownmage could do what you can,” Elena added, “were he, or she, to exist.”
Anders met my gaze across the spacious chamber as Elena thoughtfully traced a finger along the symbol’s pattern, much as I had done. I shook my head. Twice. No one knew Anders was the legendary Crownmage except me.
“Well, anyway, you’re my Mage Champion,” Elena continued, oblivious to Anders’s confusion when I bypassed the opportunity to tell her the truth. “Or you were a year ago. I assume you haven’t resigned yet.”
“Elena.” I tugged at her tunic sleeve. “You’ve placed the mage symbol beneath the Dunneal crown.”
“I know.”
“The mage symbol is supporting the crown.”
“Yes, I suppose. I didn’t precisely think of it that way.”
“Anders, can a monarch be such a thick-witted idiot?” When he started to protest, as always taking Elena’s side, I inquired of my queen with studied innocence, “Does this mean I’m always at your command? Supporting you whenever you get in the slightest bit of trouble?”
Elena flushed bright crimson. “I didn’t mean it that way. I’d never force you to do anything you didn’t want to do. I just thought—”
I laughed good-naturedly, enjoying her discomfort. “That’s exactly what your devious mind intended, even if you weren’t aware of it.”
“But—”
“Elena.” Anders tossed me a scathing look. “No queen should ever suffer the abuse you get from your Mage Champion, who’s also supposed to be one of your closest friends. Her support should never be in question. Go right ahead and exert your authority. Show her who controls Tuldamoran. Teac
h her a lesson she’ll never forget. Go on. She richly deserves it.”
“Traitor.”
Elena kept solemn dark blue eyes fixed on Anders. “I’d rather not. Despite her immature, willful, difficult, childish, self-centered behavior, Alex does have a conscience. She’ll be at my side in a heartbeat if she knows I need her.” With a fond smile, a kiss on his cheek, and a crooked grin for me, Elena abandoned us.
“Royal flameblasted manipulative seawitch.”
In two long strides, Anders crossed the room to corner me against the wall, leaving not an inch of room to maneuver.
“All right, all right, I’ll go to the damn ceremony.”
“Of course, you will. That’s not what I want to know.”
Amused, I stared into cool seagray eyes that held unmistakable curiosity. “You want to know what I can possibly see in an old grizzled mage who’s almost twice my age, right?”
He stopped my insults with a deep, teasing kiss. “I know precisely what you see in me. And,” he added, pinning me gently against the wall, “I’ll even remind you. But first things first.”
Halting his words, I touched a finger to his lips. “You want to know why I stopped you from telling Elena your secret.”
“Well, yes. We’d agreed to tell her I was Crownmage as a betrothal present. Which is why we came to Ardenna to meet Elena’s darling, or at least, why I came.” Still puzzled, he kissed the tip of my nose. “I can never tell your reason for anything.”
“To answer your rude question, I don’t really know.”
“Trouble?” His expression turned quickly anxious. “Erich’s behaved himself. I know you spoke to Elena after the Mage Challenge once it was clear that he was interested in her affection, but surely she’d know if he didn’t love her. Or if he had an inappropriate agenda.”
“Would she? Ever since—” I stopped, flustered, remembering Anders didn’t know about Jules Barlow, Rosanna’s son and Duke of Port Alain, who had desired a relationship with Elena. Nor did he know about Elena’s heartbreaking denial. We three had grown up together, friends since childhood, and the regret was an awareness we rarely acknowledged. I shook my head and leaned against the warmth of Ander’s chest as he wrapped me in his arms, sensing a conflict I didn’t want to discuss. “Ever since the duel,” I hedged, hoping Anders wouldn’t question my hesitation, “I’ve wanted to meet our future prince before we tell Elena you’re the Crownmage. She’s devoted to Erich, and I need to see why.”
Brushing aside my tangled curls, Anders nuzzled my neck, tracing the scar that Firemage Charlton Ravess, the mage I’d ultimately defeated and Elena banished, had left as a reminder. “Are you protecting Elena?”
“Me?” I laughed softly, enjoying his caresses. “Never.”
* * * *
“Interesting mage symbol.”
I snapped my head around and glared, giving Jules Barlow, Duke of Port Alain, a swift discreet kick in the shin. “If you don’t behave like a duke—”
Innocent green eyes met mine, as he dodged my boot heel. “I was just admiring Elena’s creativity, not to mention the workmanship on that tunic.”
Anders tugged sharply at my hand. “If the two of you don’t start acting like adults, Lauryn and I will greet Elena and her darling without you.” Smiling at Lauryn, the Duchess of Port Alain, who was busy threatening her husband, Anders turned back to me.
“He started it.”
“Alex—”
“Mage Champion Alexandra Daine Keltie and Seamage Anders Perrin.” Elena’s steward announced our entrance, with a ridiculous formal bow in our direction. Lords of the sea, but I despised pomp and circumstance. And Elena knew it, which was why she bribed me to stay in town.
Anders pulled me down the aisle between rows of boring, overdressed retainers and dignitaries, who’d all flocked to Elena’s side, hypocritically, a moment after my decisive victory over Firemage Ravess. “Smile,” Anders commanded through clenched teeth. “Look happy to be here.”
“I am.”
“Liar.” He squeezed my fingers in warning as we approached the throne where Elena waited, one black eyebrow subtly raised in tolerant amusement.
“I thought you were confident it wasn’t your size.”
“It’s not. I haven’t eaten all day to squeeze into the trousers,” I muttered as we knelt with grave respect at the foot of the throne. Glancing to Elena’s side, I found her betrothed wearing a cautious, amused look.
“Duke Erich Harwoode of Barrow’s Pass.” Elena tugged Anders and me to our feet. “Alex is a very old friend.”
“And Anders simply an old man,” I mumbled, studying Erich from the corner of my eye, all senses alert.
“I’m honored,” Erich said with a courteous bow as Elena laughed in appreciation at Anders’s expected protest. The duke didn’t appear much older than Elena, with blue eyes not so very different from hers either. His face was handsome, topped by blond curls that I remembered from Tucker’s Meadow. “And also grateful you saved Elena’s throne. I was at the duel, watching in horror. It was an unpleasant experience for you, Mage Keltie, though you were evidently capable of dispensing with the traitor, Firemage Ravess.”
Unpleasant? Odd choice of words. “It was necessary.” Unpleasant? I laughed to myself, keeping my face clear of bitter emotion, remembering the murderous recklessness my anger unleashed in Tucker’s Meadow. It wasn’t a memory I was proud of, but one I couldn’t easily forget.
Erich’s gaze strayed to the embroidered symbol on my white leather tunic. “Elena’s fortunate you have such, ah, unique talent.”
Staring into those eyes, I realized belatedly I had completely misjudged him. The duke’s eyes were nothing like Elena’s. His were unreadable, coolly appraising, dangerous, reminding me in that single moment of the glance he’d exchanged with Charlton Ravess before the Mage Challenge started. I’d been uneasy then, and more so now, feeling, with no way to prove it, that he was a deadly risk to my friend and queen.
“Such unique and valuable talent should be carefully protected,” he murmured, slipping an arm possessively around Elena’s waist.
“Such unique and valuable talent,” I repeated in what I hoped was a reasonable tone for Elena’s sake, “should carefully protect the queen.”
Erich held my gaze thoughtfully before turning to Elena. “You are indeed fortunate to have such a loyal champion.”
When Elena sent him a look of such deep unguarded affection, completely unsettling me, I wanted to throttle her until her bones and teeth rattled. Couldn’t she feel the danger? What hold did he have over her heart?
“Elena spoke with such high regard for both you and Master Perrin,” Erich added smoothly. “I’m delighted to finally meet you both.”
“I hope we didn’t disappoint you.” I clutched Anders’s fingers in a suffocating grip.
“Not at all. In fact,” —he matched my forced smile— “you exceeded my expectations. I hope I’m not being presumptuous to dare think that at some future time you might extend your protection to Elena’s prince.”
I’d tangle with a poisonous seabeast before I did any such thing. “No offense intended, my lord duke, but I’m sworn to protect my queen. And Elena is, as I’m sure you already know, quite a handful on her own.”
Erich laughed, blue eyes, subtly dangerous, never wavering from mine.
“You’re too kind, Alex,” Elena said dryly.
“Only speaking the truth, your majesty.” With a courteous bow, I dragged Anders from the massive audience hall, not bothering to wait for Jules and Lauryn. I needed to breathe away from the poisonous atmosphere.
* * * *
“Perhaps when you’re finished throwing every single item you brought to Ardenna against the wall, you’d like to talk about it?”
Gripping one of Anders’s good leather boots, I stopped in mid-toss at the smugness in his voice. I dropped the boot with a loud thud, sighed, and sank next to him on the decadent enormous bed, not a lecherous thought in my head. Bef
ore I uttered a word, there was a loud, persistent knock at the chamber door.
Anders gave me a knowing grin, as he went to open the door. “It’s the middle of the night, so I presume it’s either Elena or Jules.” Thoroughly familiar with the unconventional hours the three of us kept when visiting each other, Anders had never once complained. The old beast had instead, in the brief time since he’d tutored me in magic and unexpectedly become my lover, fit comfortably into our circle as though he’d always been there.
“I know it’s late,” Elena apologized, blue eyes flashing impishly at his expression. “But at least you weren’t in bed. I’d never hear the end of it.”
Anders bowed with a flourish. “You forget, majesty. I’ve grown accustomed to late night visits from you and Jules, so I’m very careful of my, ah, timing, when I know you’re in the vicinity.”
Elena patted his cheek and came in, wandering idly around the room, taking in the scattered clothing I’d tossed against the walls, fallen in various piles. “You have an odd way of packing.”
“By throwing things against the wall, Alex believes they’ll magically shrink and fit easier into our satchels,” Anders said blandly.
“I see.” Removing a wrinkled tunic and boot from an armchair, Elena tossed them on the edge of the bed. She sank into the soft pillows of the chair and faced me. “I assumed you’d flee the perilous horrors of Ardenna as soon as you could manage without insulting anyone. I wanted to thank you for staying as long as you did.”
“My pleasure.”
“Liar.” With a bright smile, Elena tossed me a small leather pouch. “This trinket arrived later than planned, for which I’m sorry, but nevertheless—” She hesitated, waving a slender hand at me. “Well, open it.”
Curious, I fumbled with the strings and pulled out a copper pendant, the design identical to the mage symbol embroidered on my tunic.
“Even the least powerful mages wear a token of office, Alex. I thought it only fair you had your own.” Her voice had turned serious, midnight blue eyes solemn.
Mage Resolution (Book 2) Page 1
