I tried a half-smile. Although I was inwardly pleased with myself for managing a shield on my first try, I didn’t appreciate being pelted with nuts, but Uncle Gabriel seemed to think it was very funny.
“I can try again.” I was determined to show him that I was stronger than I looked.
“That will be all for today, Aurora.” My granduncle sat back down at his desk. “I have work to do, and you must be tired after using your powers for the first time.”
“No, not really.” I shrugged. I didn’t feel like I had put in much effort, and I wasn’t tired at all. “Should I be?”
“Well, ordinarily, yes. But it seems your powers are different than what I expected. A shield attempt by a novice should have tired you out to some extent, at least.”
I shook my head. “I don’t feel any different.”
“That’s good, very good. But it doesn’t mean that you mustn’t be careful. Magic requires a lot of strength of will and character. Just having powerful magic does not necessarily make you a great mage. You have to think before you act, because magic always comes with a price.”
I nodded. Uncle Gabriel’s philosophical statements always went a bit over my head. What did this mean? How different were my powers really?
“I also want to remind you that the amulet you wear around your neck, although keeping you safe from Morgana, diminishes your powers to that of an ordinary mage.”
“I understand that it keeps Morgana from finding me with magic, and that’s why my parents made me wear it. But why does it diminish my powers?”
“Well,” Uncle Gabriel started, leaning back in his chair and stroking his short beard, “the amulet you wear around your neck was created thousands of years ago by the first fae-mage, Auraken Firedrake. He was high king over the seven kingdoms, and Avalonia flourished under his rule. Auraken made the amulet after many attempts on his life, to mask his fae powers so that he could move about the land undetected. But the amulet is infused with powerful magic, and as I told you, all powerful magic has a price. The amulet, when worn, diminishes a fae-mage’s powers to that of an ordinary mage. That is the price you must pay for its protection.”
I sort of understood what he was trying to say.
“But if I take it off, won’t I learn faster?”
Uncle Gabriel clasped his hands in front of him as he rested his elbows on the table. “You might. But one of the main advantages of wearing the amulet, other than its protection, is its ability to control the intensity of a fae-mage’s powers. It will keep your fae magic in check.”
“I don’t understand.”
“A fae-mage is a very rare and very powerful being with almost limitless but wild magic,” said Uncle Gabriel. “The magic you possess is almost impossible to control without the right training.”
“What do you mean?”
“Sometimes in times of great stress or need, your powers can come forward like a defense mechanism. Fae-mages have been known to destroy whole villages before they were found and taught magical discipline. You must learn to call your powers at will and then learn to control them, because control is the most important element in the use of magic. Without it, magical powers can do a lot of damage to yourself and those in your vicinity.”
“Oh!”
“That is why you must be very careful. No one else must know that you are a fae-mage. The time will come when you will be able to reveal yourself to the world. For now, your life is in danger. If Morgana finds out where you are, it won’t make any difference that you are in another kingdom, she will stop at nothing to get to you.”
“But you told Aunt Serena and Erien?”
“That’s because Serena and Erien are family. They would never betray you.”
“And Rafe?” I had to ask. “Why did you tell him?”
“Ah, yes, Rafe,” Uncle Gabriel said, with an indulgent smile. “I trust him completely, and I need his help from time to time with things that I cannot trust anyone else with.”
“So who is he really?” I tried to keep my voice casual.
“It’s better you don’t know, my dear.” Uncle Gabriel tried to look serious, but I could make out that he was suppressing a smile.
Why would no one tell me anything about Rafe? It was so frustrating.
“I hope I won’t need to tell you again that you must keep the amulet on at all times,” said Uncle Gabriel. “For now, you will let your fae magic remain dormant until such a time that we can acquire a teacher for you.”
He got up and went over to the other side of the huge desk, rummaging through parchments, muttering to himself again, and shaking his head. “Never in all my years . . . wonderful, wonderful . . . very strong, and High Fae too.” He turned to look at me. “In fact, you are the only fae-mage besides Auraken Firedrake ever to be a High Fae.”
“What?”
Uncle Gabriel looked at me sharply. “What I mean, my young Aurora, is that of all the seven fae-mages ever to have lived, you and Auraken Firedrake are the only ones born to an immortal High Fae. All the others were born to lesser fae beings.”
I let the words sink in. First I found out I was actually from another world, then I found out I was the daughter of a king and I wasn’t even completely human, then I discovered that I had two kinds of powers even though it was unheard of. Come to think of it, I wasn’t even normal here in Avalonia, where everyone had magic and different powers. I was a strange being that no one had seen in over a thousand years. And apparently I was going to live for a very long time.
“What exactly is the difference between the High Fae and lesser ones?”
“You will learn about your fae heritage another time. We have to do this in steps. First we concentrate on your mage powers. Learn to control that, and then we will see about your fae magic.”
I nodded. I was still utterly confused, but somehow I felt a little relieved. At least I finally knew who I really was.
“I have some important people coming to meet with me later today.” Uncle Gabriel started rummaging through his papers again. “We will continue this lesson tomorrow; I have a lot of work to do.”
Shield
After my class with Uncle Gabriel, I ran down the endless steps and long stone corridors into the courtyard. Finally, I caught up with Erien. He was going out for his daily ride.
“Hey, Erien,” I called out.
He stopped and turned around. “Good afternoon, cousin—did you have a good lesson with Grandfather?”
I grinned. “I learned to create a shield.”
“Oh good, a magical shield is really helpful. Got me out of many scrapes in school.”
I smiled at his nonchalant attitude toward magic. “So do you go to some sort of school for magic then?”
Erien nodded. “I’m in my second year at the Academy of Magic at Evolon. Your father went there too.”
My eyes widened. “He did?”
Erien raised his eyebrows. “You didn’t know?”
I shook my head.
“Azaren was a legend at the Academy, and all the teachers loved him, not because he was a prince, but because his powers were truly exceptional. Now the Academy of Evolon is run by one of the most brilliant minds of our times, Mastermage Elial Dekela. He changed the laws completely, allowing mages from classes other than the nobility to study there.”
“You mean they couldn’t before?”
“Well, in the old days, only those from noble families used to be accepted to study at the Academies of Evolon and Nerenor.”
My eyes narrowed. “That hardly seems fair.”
Erien nodded. “It isn’t, that’s why they changed the rules at Evolon. But the Nerenor Academy still keeps to its outdated practices. I think that’s why your father came here to study instead of going to Nerenor, which is in his own kingdom.”
“There are two magic schools?”
“Yes. The Academy of Magic at Nerenor is the rival school to Evolon. It is situated in the north of Illiador, in the city of Nerenor itself.”
I was fascinated with this world and wanted to learn more. “I would really like to hear more about Avalonia. When will you be back from your ride?”
Erien bent down to adjust his boots. “You could come with me if you want.”
I glanced toward the doors of the castle. “I am not really supposed to go off the grounds. Uncle Gabriel said I was to travel only with guards.” My eyes narrowed. “What about you? Why are you allowed to go without guards?”
Erien shrugged. “I’m not really allowed to go. I was just seeing if I could sneak off for a while. I know a back way out of the castle. The gatekeeper at the eastern gate is a friend of mine. He often lets me go for rides alone.”
“But isn’t that dangerous?”
“No, not really.” He didn’t so much as blink an eye. “I don’t go far, and Grandfather’s soldiers manage to keep the woods relatively safe. I hate having someone following me all the time. Being nobility can get very suffocating; there are always people hovering around you. Sometimes I need to get away on my own and clear my head.” Erien’s eyes lit up at the thought. “We can go for a ride and be back before anyone even knows we were gone.”
I finally agreed, and Erien found me a pleasant-tempered chestnut mare to ride. I ran over to meet Snow and check on her, explaining that I couldn’t ride her since we would be too conspicuous and I had to blend in.
Once my horse was saddled, I got on and followed Erien to the eastern gate of the castle, through the town of Fairlone and into the valley beyond.
Riding along the little paths in the countryside was pleasant and uneventful. We crossed green meadows strewn with carpets of wildflowers in vibrant hues of pink and lavender, isolated farmhouses occasionally dotted along the road.
After ambling through the woods for a while, a pleasantly shaded thicket of old beech provided a nice resting place for us. We ate our meager meal of bread and cheese with a few salted pieces of roasted meat that Erien had taken from the kitchens before we left. It was quite good, and the stream water was fresh and clear. I had never tasted water so sweet and refreshing.
“We should return to the castle soon,” said Erien, getting back onto his horse. “An emissary from Brandor arrived today, and Mother will be expecting us at dinner tonight.”
I struggled to mount the chestnut mare, who insisted on shifting every time I tried to get on. “Where is Brandor?”
“It is a neighboring kingdom that lies to the east of Illiador and Eldoren, stretching all the way to the Sea of Shadows. The emissary who came to meet my grandfather has been sent by the Emir of Sanria, one of Brandor’s largest trading cities.”
I had finally settled the horse and got on. “What’s an emir?”
“The emirs are princes who rule different parts of Brandor. The heads of each family sit on the Council of Five.”
“Don’t they have a king or queen?”
“No, they don’t, actually, because many years ago there was great internal strife in the land, and the nobility overthrew the king. But they could not decide which family would take the throne, and so the Council of Five was born.”
“So are they mages too?” I really wished I had a map. This world seemed to be so vast.
Erien gave me a sidelong glance. “Not necessarily. Most Brandorians are not born with magic, although the emirs do employ mages from time to time. But it is Illiador and Eldoren that have the highest population of mages in Avalonia. It’s only in Elfi that mages are few and rarely seen.”
I tried to create my own map in my head as my horse plodded along beside Erien’s. It was starting to get dark, and the orange-pink sky was steadily growing dim as we rode along a long worn-out path, back to Silverthorne Castle.
“Elfi is the kingdom of the fae, right?”
Erien threw me a pointed look. “Yes, and your grandmother, Izadora, is queen of the fae.”
I was taken aback at this. I never stopped to consider my mother’s fae family. I had a living grandmother. Did I have more uncles, aunts, and cousins?
“What is my grandmother like?”
“I have never met her personally,” said Erien, “but my grandfather has. She is said to be a wise queen and very powerful. It was said that Izadora was distraught when she learned what happened to her daughter. She would be so happy if she knew you were alive.”
I tried to concentrate on keeping my horse from wandering off to eat some foliage. “When do you think I will I be able to see her?”
“For now, Grandfather will decide. You still have to learn to use your powers before you can undertake such a long and dangerous journey.”
I nodded while I ambled beside him on my horse, and the cool forest breeze brushed my face as we rode. It had rained the night before, and the forest smelled fresh and new. Tiny droplets of water glistened on emerald leaves, which rustled in the summer breeze and fell to the ground, creating little pools on the forest floor.
I was plodding along behind Erien when he suddenly stopped. “Wait!” His voice was soft, but his shoulders tensed. He turned his horse and unsheathed his sword.
I whipped my head around, fear rising in my chest. Had Oblek found me again? Were the Shadow Guard here?
Men jumped out from hiding places behind trees, forming a group and circling around us. I hadn’t even heard them approaching. I guessed learning shielding was not going to help me at that particular moment.
“Get behind me.” Erien’s voice had an authority to it that I had never heard before.
I moved my horse, but the men were closing in. They were dressed in filthy brown rags, and most had bandanas tied on their faces, obscuring their identities.
“Bandits,” hissed Erien, and he jumped off his horse, scowling. “Won’t be much of a fight.”
One of them caught my horse’s bridle. I tried to wrench it away, but he held on tight. Another man caught my leg, and his companion pushed me from the other side, causing me to fall off the horse with a thud and bang my head on the forest floor. I was stunned for a moment as I tried to get up. Rough hands caught hold of me, and I couldn’t wrench myself free.
I started to panic. Erien had said these woods were safe, but it wasn’t looking that safe to me right now. Men were now coming at us from all sides. They had surrounded us, and they were still quietly moving forward.
Then the man at the front spoke. “What do we ’ave ’ere?” he said, in a rough guttural voice. He had long dark hair tied back from his face in a rough ponytail and sharp eyes that gleamed like a predator who had just encountered his prey. He was the only one who didn’t cover his face. “You look very much like the girl the Shadow Guard are offering a huge reward to capture.”
Erien glanced at me for a second. “You have the wrong girl.” He took a step forward.
The leader laughed at Erien. “No, in fact, I think I have exactly the right one,” he said as he advanced with a nasty-looking, rusted sword in his hands.
One bandit with filthy, rough hands still held onto my arm. They all looked pretty dangerous to me, but Erien didn’t think so. He was going to take them on by himself. What was he thinking? Was he mad?
“Let me go!” I screamed and kicked, struggling to get free.
I managed to squirm away from the clawing hands but fell backward rather painfully on my behind. The bandits had started circling, and my hesitation cut off our escape route. Most of the bandits carried knives and iron implements that served as weapons, although only the leader had a sword.
Suddenly a voice in my head spoke: “Do not worry, little one, I am here.”
I glanced up to see Snow flying down toward us, her huge wings spanning out and covering the sky. On her back, looking furious, was Uncle Gabriel, brandishing his flashing sword in his hand.
“Erien!” he barked, as Snow landed in the middle of the circle of bandits. “Take Aurora and get back to the castle.” He jumped easily off the pegasus and flicked a glance at the bandits. “I will handle them.”
“He’s a mage,” said one
of the men, taking a step back.
“So what? He’s only one and we’re ten. The young ones won’t be much trouble.” The bandit leader let out a sick, twisted laugh. “Capture the girl, hand her over to the Shadow Guard, and collect our money—simple.”
Did Uncle Gabriel really think that he could fight so many of them?
“You dare to threaten a lord of Eldoren.” Uncle Gabriel looked more menacing than I had ever seen him. “I have had reports of a group of bandits in these woods that have been terrorizing travelers. I think this is a perfect opportunity to get rid of you lot for good.”
The bandit leader sneered. “You’re just one old man. What can you do?”
Another bandit didn’t look too convinced. “That’s the Duke of Silverthorne himself,” he hissed in the leader’s ear. “I was in his dungeon for three years. Maybe we’d better get moving.”
“He’s got no guards,” spat the leader. “We’ll finish ’em off ’ere in the woods and make an example. The nobility think they can do whatever they want. But I will make ’em pay for it. I will make ’em think twice b’fore—”
His words were cut off as Uncle Gabriel swung his huge sword, cutting down the leader in one clean sweep. He fell to the ground in a mass of crimson while another two bandits dropped their weapons and ran for their lives.
“Who’s next?” Uncle Gabriel whirled his sword in his hand with such dexterity that I could only look with wonder. I needed to learn to fight like that.
The rest of the bandits were still closing in on us.
“They are just bandits; none have magic. I’ll take care of them.” Uncle Gabriel threw me a dark look. “Create a shield and get on Snow. Go! I will meet you back at the castle.”
Twilight was upon us, and dark shadows moved about the forest floor like additional warriors in the fight. Uncle Gabriel took a step forward toward a group of three bandits, who were now looking very unsure of themselves.
I nodded, closed my eyes, and concentrated hard. I infused myself with the blue-white light and drew a magical shield around myself. Snow was struggling, as two bandits had caught her mane. She could have flown off, but she’d been waiting for me.
The Last of the Firedrakes (The Avalonia Chronicles Book 1) Page 12
