Finally Rafe broke the silence. “Maggie. I need a small favor.”
Magdalene laughed. “Don’t you always, young man?”
Rafe gave her a small smile. “We need you to change Aurora’s appearance.”
“What?” I spluttered. “Now?” I shook my head vigorously to emphasize the fact that I was not happy about this. “Aunt Serena, can’t I have some more time?”
My aunt shook her head. “I’m sorry, my dear, but it has to be done.”
“But, but . . .” I said to no avail.
They both ignored me, and Rafe continued speaking to Maggie. “Something understated; she must blend in.”
Magdalene nodded. “Absolutely.” She leaned over to me. Before I knew what she was doing, she ran her hands over my hair, and then one hand over my eyes and face.
“Done.”
“What’s done?”
I looked around for a mirror, and Magdalene took a small silver one from a nearby shelf and handed it to me. I clasped the silver handle and brought it to my face. I was aghast; she had changed my beautiful black hair to a mousy brown color. Gone were my raven-black locks. I touched the back of my head and only felt a soft mop of cropped hair. She had cut off my hair! And my eyes . . . instead of emerald green, they were brown, and not a nice brown; it was a bit like the color of mud speckled with dirt. I hated this look. It just wasn’t me.
I looked at Magdalene hopefully. “Couldn’t you have made me blonde and blue-eyed?”
Magdalene chuckled. “We want you to blend in, not stick out like a sore thumb, my girl.”
Rafe nodded solemnly. “Yes, Maggie. This is perfect.”
Aunt Serena inspected me closely. “Now she doesn’t resemble Azaren or Elayna and looks quite unobtrusive. Thank you.”
“Glad to be of service, my dears,” said Magdalene, still chuckling to herself.
At least Maggie hadn’t changed the shape of my face or added any unpleasant features like a hooked nose or a huge wart, so I decided I could live with it.
Aunt Serena got up. “We must be on our way. It’s a long journey to Greystone, and I want to get there before nightfall. At least we will be able to sleep in a proper bed tonight.”
I was glad to hear that. Camping under the stars was okay for a few nights, but I didn’t want to make a habit of it.
“I am so glad that you brought this child to see me,” said Magdalene. “I never thought I would ever get to see a fae-mage again.” She stood up and turned to me, taking my face between her leathery hands. “You have a great destiny, little one. Choose your battles wisely, and do not let your pride get the better of you. A wise queen is a just and humble one.”
We all thanked Magdalene and rode off through the forest, toward the town of Greystone, where we would be able to spend the night and pick up supplies.
Soon we reached the gates of the little town, which was surrounded by moderately high but crumbling stone walls. It was situated on the banks of the Pinebrook River, which wound its way through Dewberry Valley and into the Stardust Sea. A small castle rose up near the town walls. It looked run down and quite bleak, very different from Silverthorne Castle.
“Who lives in that castle?” I asked Rafe as he rode up beside me.
“It belongs to the marquis of Greystone, but he lives mainly at his townhouse in the city of Neris near the palace. His steward runs the estates and the town. Normally your aunt would stay at the castle, but this time I have made other arrangements in the town itself. It’s better that no one knows we are here.”
“What about you? Won’t someone recognize you without your mask?”
“No one really knows me here. I will keep my hood on. Don’t worry. You are safe with me.”
“I wasn’t worried about myself,” I said, embarrassed as soon as I said it.
Rafe’s lips curved upward. “I know,” he said and winked at me as he rode forward toward the town gates.
A guard was at his post, but he was asleep. Rafe did something with his hand, and the man woke up with a start. He looked down at us from his post on the gatehouse. “Who goes there?” His voice was sleepy. “Don’t you people know the gates don’t open until morning? Go away and come back tomorrow. We don’t open the gates to strangers and . . .”
Rafe held out some gleaming gold coins that shimmered in the moonlight.
The guard’s eyes widened, and he grinned at Rafe. “I shall open the gate right away, milord.” He scurried away to open a smaller gate and we led the horses through on foot.
The little town was asleep while we walked quickly through the deserted streets. A few lanterns were still burning, but most had lived out their lives. Two stray dogs ran by, and one tried to snap at the heels of my horse, but Rafe shooed them away. This was not like the clean, whitewashed town of Fairlone. Greystone was much smaller and very dreary.
“That is the town hall,” said Erien, pointing to a large, rickety two-storied house with a crumbling roof and battered walls. Tiny cobblestone paths crossed and intersected in a maze of streets. Badly constructed wooden houses with patched roofs were crammed together, the upper floors almost touching each other, creating a tunnel passage over the street below.
I took in my surroundings as we crossed the deserted town square. “This town looks so rundown.”
“That’s because many of the townspeople have left and moved south to Calos or Mirin or any of the other villages on the southern coast,” explained Rafe.
I was always interested to learn what I could about Avalonia. “Why?”
“This was once quite a prosperous town, but Greystone is too close to the Illiadorian border,” Rafe answered.
I nodded, understanding. Morgana’s terror was slowly moving into Eldoren too.
As we walked through the quiet, sleeping town, I felt like someone or something was watching me, and I glanced back twice. It was as if some presence were boring into my back, but when I turned there was nothing but shadows. Rafe did not seem to notice anything unusual, so I decided not to say anything. Maybe it was just my tired mind playing tricks on me.
We came at last to a large wooden house two stories high. Above the heavy wooden door was a sign: The Dancing Daisy Inn. Rafe knocked once and waited. A short, fat little man opened the door. He was wearing his nightclothes and looked very sleepy and angry to be woken at this hour, but when he saw Rafe, his eyes widened and he gave a short bow, silently ushering us in. “I have your rooms ready.”
Erien, Aunt Serena, and I followed him up the rickety wooden stairs. Rafe came up behind us.
The inn was a warm, cozy, well-kept place. It was basic but better than what I’d expected. Four unpolished wooden doors lined the small pokey corridor. The little man led us into the first one, unlocking the door and opening it ever so carefully, as if he were opening the door to a treasure chamber.
“Thank you, Bumbletree.” Rafe patted the man on the back, setting him at ease. The little man bowed again and continued bustling about the room, closing windows and tidying up.
The innkeeper showed me to my room, which I would share with Aunt Serena. It was small but comfortable, sparsely decorated with a frayed crimson rug on the otherwise bare floor. Two wooden beds with fresh cream sheets lay by the wall under the window, and a desk and chair were placed next to it. Across the room, a small candle lantern, half burned, lay on the little dresser, and a comfortable armchair that was patched in many places stood beside it.
The room was relatively clean and tidy, and I was too tired to be fussy. I washed in the copper basin with the jug of water and rough cloth that was left in the room and then lay down on the bed.
My body ached all over from spending the whole day in the saddle. I loved riding, and when I was little my parents would take me riding in the country, but I was not used to being on top of a horse for more than an hour at a time. My thighs were in agony, and my hands were blistered. I wondered if I would even be able to walk the next day.
Aunt Serena was asleep before I knew
it. But I lay in bed thinking about the days to come. My thoughts whirled around in my head: names of people I had never met, places I had never seen, and my change of name and identity.
I rolled over in my hard bed, trying to get some sleep, but I was filled with dread. Starting a new school was going to be a challenge. I was not a very outgoing person, and I wondered what the other students would be like. Would I find anyone to be friends with? Even if I did, I would have to lie about who I really was.
Nothing could be worse than what I’d suffered at my old school, I told myself. At least here I had a fresh start without Cornelia to make my life hell. In fact, thinking about Cornelia didn’t bother me anymore; Morgana was now definitely the one I had to watch out for. At least in Evolon, I would be safe for a while until I learned how to wield my magic.
I clutched the gold amulet around my neck and looked at it closely for the umpteenth time. Who knew that such a small thing could be so powerful? I slipped it back under my shirt. Finally, I fell into a quiet sleep without dreams of gleaming daggers or Morgana.
The next morning I woke quickly, got out of bed, and went over to the window. The sun was shining, and it was a crisp spring day. The sleepy, deserted town of last night was now a colorful, bustling place. I opened the wood-framed window, and from my window seat, I could see everything that was happening in the streets below.
Different colored stalls and traveling vendors had parked their wares at various street corners, which led out from the town square. The main street was busy, noisy, and full of people haggling over prices and carefully choosing the best items.
Some of the men were dressed in dull old clothes and looked like they were going about their daily work. There were women in dreary, homespun wool dresses and linen bonnets who were chatting away at street corners, carrying baskets filled with fruits and vegetables on their arms. Children dressed in patched, ill-fitting clothes, many looking very poor and underfed, were running about in the crowded streets.
There were shops and multicolored outdoor stalls selling all kinds of delicious-looking fruits and vegetables, flowers, and even pots and pans. There was also a small group of entertainers who were putting on a show for the people in the town square.
I washed my face and dressed quickly. Aunt Serena had already left the room, and I wasn’t really sure what I should do. Should I wait for her to come and call me? She hadn’t said anything last night, so I decided to go check on Erien—or at least I told myself that it was Erien I was searching for. He wasn’t in his room either, and neither was Rafe. I warily went downstairs to ask the friendly innkeeper where everyone was. They were probably having breakfast. But why hadn’t they woken me?
The main room of the inn was bustling with life and full of diverse people. A few long tables and benches were arranged round the room. No one took any notice of me, and I sat down at the nearest table. The smell of freshly baked bread filled my nostrils, and I realized that I was absolutely famished.
Over by the window, three extremely loud men were drinking something green and frothy from big wooden mugs, which they flailed around in the air while talking. A middle-aged woman with two children sat on the bench next to them, and she seemed to be having a very hard time trying to get her wailing offspring to eat. A few others, still wearing their cloaks, had sat down and were quietly eating breakfast, but Aunt Serena and Erien were not there.
The innkeeper saw me and hurried over. “Apologies, my lady. The others didn’t want to wake you, and the lady Serena said she would be back soon. Would you like something to eat?”
I nodded as the innkeeper brought over a basket of warm bread with a bowl of freshly churned white butter, a whole honeycomb on a wooden plate, and a small pot of a red berry jam, which was delicious. He also produced a big bowl of juicy strawberries, and with it a jug of thick, yellow cream. I ate furiously; everything was scrumptious, and who knew when I would get my next meal?
I was finishing my third helping of strawberries and cream when Aunt Serena and Rafe came back to the inn. A few of the people in the inn looked over at us but quickly resumed their own business. Aunt Serena sat down next to me, but Rafe remained standing. He didn’t take off his cloak, and he still had his hood on.
“Did you have a good rest?” His tone was nonchalant, but he looked like his mind was elsewhere.
I nodded. My mouth was still full.
“Have you finished your breakfast?” Aunt Serena asked me. “We should get going. It’s still a long way to Evolon.”
“Where’s Erien?”
“Seeing to the horses.”
I nodded again, took a piece of buttered bread, and got up.
Rafe turned to the innkeeper and lowered his voice. “I have something I want you to do for me, Bumbletree.”
“I am always at your service, milord.”
Rafe gave him a sealed scroll. “See that it is delivered to our mutual friend.”
The little man bowed and tucked the scroll into his apron pocket.
I was curious. Mutual friend? Who was this mutual friend, and what was in that scroll? I decided to ask him later, when he was in a better mood. At the moment, both Rafe and Aunt Serena looked very preoccupied.
“I would advise you to take the old road,” said the little man to Rafe as I put on my cloak. “The king’s road has Blue Cloaks patrolling all the way south.”
“Blue Cloaks?” I threw a look at Rafe.
“The King of Eldoren’s elite guard,” Rafe answered. “We will keep to the inner roads.”
Aunt Serena nodded, agreeing with him. “But why are the Blue Cloaks here? The king is in Neris.”
Bumbletree leaned forward. “Yes, he is, my lady. But there is something else you should know.” He paused, looked around, and said, “The Shadow Guard have been seen prowling about these parts. There were six of them seen just north of here last moon tide.”
“Six!” hissed Aunt Serena, her lips a thin line.
The little man nodded. “They say that the Shadow Guard have been roaming the southern lands more frequently now. They have even been seen as far south as the villages in the valley. They seem to be searching for a prisoner, a girl. Supposedly with long, jet-black hair and eyes like a cat.” He looked at me for a second before he turned back to Aunt Serena. “That’s why the Blue Cloaks are out in full force; the Shadow Guard have to be kept in check.”
Rafe’s eyes narrowed to ice chips. “I will send a raven to Silverthorne to keep watch. Thank you for warning us.”
Aunt Serena thanked the innkeeper while Rafe paid him, and I popped a strawberry into my mouth. I followed Aunt Serena and Rafe to the stables, which were situated at the back of the inn. Erien had already saddled the horses, and they were ready and waiting when we arrived there.
We rode through the crowded morning market. The tiny streets were paved with cobblestones, and some were simple, rough mud paths, which were now littered with people and livestock. I saw some pigs wallowing in the mud outside a small wooden house with a thatched roof that looked like it would fall down with a sudden gust of wind.
We passed through the town gates, which were now open. Oxen-driven carts filled with fruits, vegetables, and bags of what looked like grain rolled in at a leisurely pace, driven by farmers who had come a long way to the town to sell their goods. Numerous people, chickens, and dogs rushed about the horses’ legs, and I had to struggle to keep my horse from being startled.
Rafe had a ship waiting for us on the river. It looked a bit like a pirate galleon, but smaller and better suited for river travel. We got off our horses, and Aunt Serena’s guards led them onboard and below deck where the horses were stowed. The crew started scurrying around the deck, getting ready to raise the anchor and unfurl the sails.
“This is where I take your leave,” said Rafe.
“But I thought you were supposed to escort us all the way to Evolon,” I blurted out without thinking, as usual.
Rafe’s lips curved slightly. “I have done what your
uncle wanted. You will not be recognized now. Your Aunt Serena’s guards will escort you from here. I assure you, you shall be quite safe.”
“Why did you tell the innkeeper that we would be traveling by the old road?”
“Always helps to be careful,” he said, “just in case anyone recognized me.”
I nodded. What else was there to say?
“Till we meet again.” Rafe spurred his black monster of a horse into an easy canter and rode away toward the forest from which we came. And I found myself wondering when that would be.
The Academy of Magic
Aunt Serena and I had a comfortable cabin aboard the riverboat that had two beds attached to the walls on opposite sides of the room. In the center lay a rough wooden table, and large, unwashed windows lined one side of the cabin.
It took us three days of peaceful sailing down the vast Pinebrook River to reach Neris, the capital city of Eldoren, which was situated on the coast of the Stardust Sea. The whole journey, I sat in my cabin, brooding about Rafe. Why didn’t he come with us? What if I never saw him again?
We got off near the northern gate and rode our horses into the sprawling city. I was getting more used to sitting on a horse for longer journeys, and my legs and arms had stopped hurting so much, although my butt was still a bit sore from the rough leather saddle.
Situated in a comfortable bay with hills and woods flanking two sides, Neris was not a small town or a village; it was a huge, walled, bustling city. Sandy white beaches with splendid, soaring white cliffs adorned the seaside capital, and Pinebrook River ran through the center of Neris spanned by numerous narrow stone bridges that connected the two sides of the city.
The Last of the Firedrakes (The Avalonia Chronicles Book 1) Page 15
