The Last of the Firedrakes (The Avalonia Chronicles Book 1)

by Farah Oomerbhoy

  “Sorry to bother you, but could someone please help me find my room? I seem to have forgotten how to get there.”

  “Of course, my lady,” said the cook. “Would you like a cup of snowberry milk? It does wonders for soothing the nerves and helps you sleep.”

  I nodded. “That would be lovely, thank you.”

  I followed one of the maids, who showed me to my room. This time I made sure I paid more attention to where I was going.

  I had my snowberry milk and lay down on my comfortable four-poster bed, my thoughts a mess. As if I didn’t have enough to think about, now I couldn’t get Rafe out of my mind. I hardly knew anything about him, except that he was an outlaw and dangerous.

  I shook my head as if I could dispel his face from my thoughts. I had no time for this; I had to forget about Rafe. I had to concentrate on the real reason I was here: to learn to use my magical powers before Morgana found me.

  That was what I kept telling myself again and again. And although my head was being perfectly logical and telling me I was an idiot, my traitorous feelings didn’t seem to agree as I waited for Rafe’s return in silent anticipation.

  Lessons in Magic

  It was a bright spring morning, and the burnt gold rays of the rising sun streamed in through the large windows, warming the plush carpets that lay on the cold stone floors.

  I got out of bed, went over to the window, and looked out at the grounds beyond. Birds chirped high in the trees, and the surrounding gardens were awash with dusky pink blooms of peonies and clusters of snowy snapdragons. The fragrant flowers lined the trellised groves and walkways shaded with blossoming wisteria in vibrant shades of lavender.

  The rest of the castle was already busy with their morning chores. Uncle Gabriel had sent a message to meet him in his study after breakfast. Herring brought a tray to my room, and the delicious aromas of freshly baked bread and chocolate made me realize just how hungry I really was.

  I wolfed down my cinnamon bread smothered with whipped strawberry butter and finished my huge cup of rich hot chocolate, generously topped with a dollop of thick, fresh cream. I wanted to go see Snow first, but I didn’t want to give a bad impression by being late, so I dressed quickly, pushed stray thoughts of Rafe from my head, and ran down to the stables as fast as I could.

  Snow was waiting for me. “Good morning, little princess. I hope you got a good night’s rest.”

  I put my hand on the pegasus’s neck and stroked her beautiful mane, pushing my thoughts out to her. “I did, thank you, Snow.”

  I was happy to see that she was comfortable and treated well. I showed her everything that had happened using the magical bond between us. It was much easier and faster explaining things.

  “I’m glad you found what you were looking for, my dear. I think you should listen to your granduncle; he knows what he is doing and is also a powerful mage. He will teach you what you need to know.”

  I nodded. “I had better go for my lesson now. I’ll be back to see you later,” I called out as I ran out of the stables and back into the castle.

  Uncle Gabriel’s study, the same room he had taken me to before, was where we were to conduct our lessons. My granduncle was seated behind the big mahogany desk, scribbling away on some parchment with a quill he kept dipping in an inkpot.

  Oh, great! No proper pens and paper . . . getting used to life here was not going to be easy. No electricity, no cars, no phones—how was I going to learn how to survive in this world?

  Although I had seen Uncle Gabriel the previous night at dinner, I had not spoken to him alone since our first meeting. “Come in, come in,” he said in his usual brusque manner.

  I smiled as he gestured for me to sit down in the chair opposite him.

  He put down his quill and sat up straighter in his chair. “First, I wanted to thank you for catching those two traitors red-handed.”

  I blushed. “I really didn’t do anything. It was Erien who found them. What will happen to them now?”

  “They shall be exiled and sent to the slavers in Brandor. It will do them good to learn to serve others.”

  “Isn’t that a bit harsh?” Slavery was abhorrent, and I didn’t think anyone deserved that.

  My granduncle shook his head. “It is better than an execution, Aurora. They did try to kill me, after all.”

  I nodded and hung my head. I still didn’t agree, but I kept my mouth shut.

  “Today you will start lessons with me and learn to access your mage powers. There are a few training exercises I want to start with, which will help you to access and channel your magic. I want you to have an open mind and follow my instructions very carefully.”

  I listened intently, breathlessly awaiting the secret I was so anxious to discover: how magic worked.

  “You are still young, and so far your powers have been diminished by the amulet, but if you have tapped into your fae magic already by mind-bonding with the pegasus, that means that your powers are starting to manifest.”

  He lit a candle and put it in front of me on the table. “Now, our first lesson is going to be on concentration. I want you to focus on this candle. Remove all other thoughts from your mind.”

  I stared at the candle, my thoughts drifting in and out. Uncle Gabriel had said he was going to teach me to do magic. This was not magic; this was torture. My thoughts flickered back and forth like the flame on the tip of the candle.

  Finally I looked up. “This is silly. Nothing is happening.” I was getting frustrated.

  “You are not concentrating,” Uncle Gabriel said, glancing up briefly up from his work. “Block out all other thoughts. If they come, push them away and keep focusing on the candle. Nothing else is of importance; your whole mind and concentration should be on that candle.”

  I tried again, but my thoughts wouldn’t leave me alone. Every time I looked up, Uncle Gabriel made me try again. He even changed the object of my concentration from the candle to a smoothly polished stone to a vase and back. I tried again and again, and every time it was the same—my thoughts came and went, flitting about in my mind, and my concentration was broken.

  “Same time tomorrow, Aurora, and please practice. I expect you to concentrate on an object for measurably longer. Holding your concentration is one of the key aspects to working with your magic.” His eyes narrowed as he threw me a pointed look. “You have to learn to channel your powers properly. If you can’t control your mind and will, then when you release your powers, they will be all over the place, and we don’t want that.”

  He returned to the paperwork on his desk. I left Uncle Gabriel’s study confused. What was that? What had I learned today? Nothing!

  I walked through the gardens, meandering on shaded paths, and went over everything he had said. I thought magic was going to be wonderful and exciting, but it looked like all it was going to be was hard work. And practicing without taking off my amulet was going to be harder still and very frustrating. Even though I had all this incredible magic, I was not allowed to use any of it fully. I hoped I would learn to control my powers soon—Morgana was still looking for me, and when she finally did find me, I had to be ready.

  The next day was rainy and gloomy, and I remained indoors, reading some handwritten books that I had found in the library.

  They were quite interesting, and I enjoyed them because some had my father’s and mother’s names in them. A Concise History of the Illiadorian Royal Family and The Making of the Treaty: Life in the New Kingdoms were both particularly engrossing. I plowed through the books. Now I knew the whole history of my family, or at least the more recent part of it.

  I discovered that, when Azaren died, Morgana was named heir to the throne, but there were some who rebelled against her claim openly. The rebellion was quashed, and now Morgana and Lucian had unrivaled power in Illiador. The other kingdoms formed an alliance and accepted her as a ruler, as long as she adhered to the treaty. So for now I was safe, as the treaty stated that all seven kingdoms would live peacefully to
gether. Morgana couldn’t get to me in Eldoren. Or could she?

  What I read didn’t sound right, however. Uncle Gabriel had said that Morgana betrayed Azaren and usurped the throne, but the books gave quite a different picture. I had never met her, but she scared me. She seemed merciless and thoroughly evil. How could she betray her brother and try to kill her own niece?

  While I was daydreaming, Erien came into the library. He sat down with a thump on the window seat beside me. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere.” He took the book from my hand. “What are you reading? Has my grandfather been trying to get you to study already?”

  I smiled. It was nice to have a cousin who actually liked me. “No, these are some books I found here. I was reading about Morgana.”

  Erien’s face hardened. “And?”

  “I was wondering . . . the book said that there was a rebellion, but she stopped it, and now she rules with the blessing of the people.”

  Erien’s eyes narrowed. “Is that what the book says? Aurora, you should know better than to believe what is written in books.” He picked up one of them and looked at it. “Pfft, written by Adrian Longslade, I should have known. I wonder how this even got in here.”

  “Who is he?”

  “He’s a lackey of the archmage, and a lying scoundrel. All his work is adapted to suit Morgana.”

  “Then what really happened?”

  “Morgana,” he answered softly, “massacred thousands of families just to make an example of them—men, women, children, everyone. Anyone who was caught supporting your father was killed or thrown in the dungeons. Lucian and the Shadow Guards hunted down known supporters, and whole villages were scorched to the ground until the other kingdoms threatened to wage war on Illiador.” He paused, staring out the window, his face betraying the horror that mirrored mine. “She is ruthless, Aurora, truly evil.” He turned back to me and whispered, “Some say that Archmage Lucian is not just a mage but also secretly a dark sorcerer, a user of black magic.”

  “But he’s the archmage!”

  “Yes, and Morgana trusts him implicitly. He has some hold over her. No one knows why his magic is so powerful. Everyone fears him, even the Mage Guild. No one will go against him openly; to do so would be certain death.”

  I listened with my mouth open. A dark sorcerer—what was I getting myself into?

  I shook my head, then suddenly jumped up. “Oh no! I’m late for my lesson with Uncle Gabriel! Bye, Erien, see you later.” I rushed out of the library.

  I ran down long stone corridors and flowering, trellised walkways until I reached Uncle Gabriel’s study.

  “You’re late,” my granduncle said when I finally arrived, huffing and puffing. “Today we are going to try something different.”

  I hoped I would finally learn some real magic. All I had learned so far was to stare at a candle without blinking.

  He offered me a comfortable chair opposite him. “Now close your eyes and push away stray thoughts. Make your mind blank.”

  I did as I was told. The concentration lessons had helped; I was getting much better at it.

  “Concentrate inside yourself. There is a power within you that lies dormant. It needs to be controlled, and you can only do that if you identify it. You must separate your mage powers from the fae part. Your mage magic is like a ball of blue-tinged white light that resides within you.”

  I tried to do what he said, but there was nothing: no white light, not even a flicker. I tried again. Still nothing. My concentration broke, and my thoughts whirled around in my head like a runaway carousel.

  “Maybe I should take off the amulet?”

  Uncle Gabriel frowned. “No. I would prefer you to do this with your amulet on. Your powers are not bound, they are only diminished in intensity and kept in control. Later, when you know how to summon it at will, then you may take off the amulet. Let’s try it again, shall we?”

  I nodded.

  He made me try it again, and again, and again, but there was still no sign of any magic. I was getting frustrated; nothing was happening.

  “Don’t have any doubts.” Uncle Gabriel seemed to read my mind. “You have to believe you can do this. You do have the power within you. Your heritage is one of the greatest in magical history. You have the gift. I’m quite sure of that.”

  I tried again. Stray thoughts still buzzed in my mind, and I tried to brush them away like bothersome flies. What if it took years to learn magic?

  I finally managed to push away the doubts and concentrated hard inside myself, where Uncle Gabriel had said the source of my power lay dormant, waiting.

  I looked inside, quiet in the darkness, silent.

  Then, suddenly, there it was. I could see it in my mind’s eye, a tiny, blue-white light; it was small, but it was there, and it was steadily growing brighter. I could feel a tingling in my body, as if the light were coursing through my veins. I could feel the power moving within me, and the pressure started increasing in my chest. But as I concentrated on the light, the pressure ebbed, and the magic flowed through my veins. I felt strong, full of energy, full of hope, as if anything were possible.

  I opened my eyes, and a small ball of light flickered in my hand for a moment, then fizzled out. It was but an instant, a glimpse, a touch. But it was real; it was there.

  “Very good,” said Uncle Gabriel, smiling broadly. “Very good, Aurora!”

  “What was that?” was all I could say. I was shocked and elated at the same time. I had definitely done something, and this time it was without removing my amulet.

  “That was mage light. You need to concentrate on practicing to make it glow brightly and steadily in your palm. But remember”—he pointed a finger at me—“our powers are not limitless. When you use your power, skill, or gift—whatever you want to call it—you deplete your power source, and it takes a while to rejuvenate itself. That is why you must remember to be very careful. If you try to do something that will take more power than you can generate, your body will not be able to handle the pressure and you could die.”

  My eyes widened in dismay. “Die! You can’t be serious.”

  “I am very serious, and you should be too. The power that you have is not something to be used for mere play and tricks or mundane things that you are too lazy to do the hard way.”

  I hung on his every word. I didn’t want to make a silly mistake and kill myself just because I didn’t know what I was doing.

  “I want you to practice being in touch with the power source within yourself. Then, tomorrow, we can begin using it. I think we will start with shielding. Learning to defend yourself is now your first priority.”

  I grinned at my granduncle. Finally, I would learn to use magic!

  The next day Uncle Gabriel had a new lesson plan. Learning shielding was not as difficult as I imagined it would be, but it was definitely not pleasant.

  “We will start with small, nonmagical attacks first,” said Uncle Gabriel. “It’s far easier to shield yourself from anything nonmagical than it is to shield yourself against a magical strike. Remember, a shield can only protect you from magical strikes and flying weapons, like arrows, but it will not protect you from a person.” He paused. “For instance, if someone approached to hit you or strike you with a sword, a magical shield would not help. You also have to learn to defend yourself the ordinary way.”

  I didn’t like the sound of that. I was tall at sixteen, but I was thin and not very good in a fight. I considered learning how to use a bow and arrow. It sounded more me than whirling around with a huge sword that I probably couldn’t even pick up. “What’s a magical strike? Is that what you call the bolts of light mages shoot from their hands?”

  Uncle Gabriel nodded. “Yes. You will learn how to perform magical strikes soon enough. But first you must get used to putting up a shield. It should come as second nature to you.” Before he finished talking, he started throwing nuts at me, one at a time.

  “Hey!” I said as the nuts bounced off my head, my chin, my
cheeks. I put up my arms to shield my face.

  He smiled. “Getting angry won’t solve your problem, Aurora.” He continued to throw nuts at me. “Be calm and control your thoughts, concentrate and touch your power source. Anger only slows the process; it weakens the shield.”

  I tried to concentrate on what he was telling me to do, but the nuts kept hitting me and breaking my concentration. Although the nuts were small, they stung when they hit, and it was becoming impossible to concentrate.

  But I knew I must; it was the only way for the irritating nuts to stop reaching me. I looked at Uncle Gabriel. He leaned nonchalantly on his desk and systematically continued his barrage of nuts. His lips were curved in a smile. He was enjoying this, I realized, which made me more determined to show him that I was beyond capable.

  I knew what I had to do. I closed my eyes and silenced my mind, just like I had in my concentration lessons. I looked deep inside; there in the silence, I could feel it. The blue-white light pulsated; it had grown since the last time I saw it, and this time it was easier to reach.

  “Now concentrate and imagine a shield growing around you, a shield of light. Nothing can penetrate the shield unless you let it,” said Uncle Gabriel.

  I did as I was told. I drew on my magic, slowly at first, imagining the shield. Power raced through my veins, and I could feel the light coursing through my body; I wrapped it around myself like a cloak.

  Suddenly the barrage of nuts stopped.

  I opened my eyes, all the while conscious of what I was still doing. The nuts hadn’t really stopped—Uncle Gabriel was still throwing them at me at regular intervals—but somehow they bounced off an invisible shield that I had created.

  Just as I was patting myself on the back for creating the shield, I could feel it wavering. My concentration broke, and a nut hit me on the head. “Ouch!” My shield disappeared, and I stood in front of Uncle Gabriel, rubbing my forehead.

  “That was very good.” Uncle Gabriel beamed. “I knew you could do it, even with your amulet on.”