He was dismissing her. She folded her arms across her chest and looked up at him. “You’ve changed.”
Jerrick shook his head and snorted. “Yes, Bri, it’s called growing up. Maybe you should try it.”
Briahnna’s jaw dropped and he sighed, apology etched in his eyes as he reached for her hand. She snatched it from him, turned around, and walked away.
Jerrick turned to see Samson step out from the shadows. “Glad to know you can’t win them all,” he said, standing beside Jerrick as they watched Briahnna’s angry departure. Jerrick gave Samson a sideways glare.
“Come on,” Samson said. “Let’s get out of here.”
. . .
The next day Jerrick and Briahnna avoided each other like the plague. Jerrick quickly ate his meals and excused himself early. Briahnna began practicing her elemental magic on her own. This routine continued for two weeks, both unfailingly cross.
Finally Jerrick couldn’t handle it anymore. He had to set things right with her. He went in search of Briahnna after dinner, still blocking her. He didn‘t want to give her the chance to get away from him. While he looked for her he saw a bright blaze behind the palace near the sea, and found her practicing her fire. He quietly made his way toward her, determined to have this out.
Briahnna froze…she felt Jerrick’s wall fall as suddenly, he stood right behind her with his emotions flying all over the place.
“Leave me alone,” she commanded him.
Jerrick clenched his jaw tightly. “I see you still refuse to grow up,” he said through his teeth.
Briahnna threw her orbs of fire back into the pit with a loud explosion and turned slowly around to look at him, fury blazing in her eyes.
Jerrick exhaled and blinked. He shook his head. “Bri-” he began.
Briahnna cut him off. She harrumphed. “You’d think that if one felt guilty and ashamed that one would apologize,” she said, still incensed.
“You’re so self righteous!” Jerrick accused.
“Oh?” exclaimed Briahnna. “Heaven forbid I berate you like a child! You’re soooo grown up!”
Bri felt Jerrick’s anger. “All right, let’s do this,” he said, gathering the wind around him.
Briahnna felt his magic pulsing through her. She cowed a bit and stepped back. “No! I told you to leave me alone,” she said, turning around and walking toward the sea. She stumbled forward when the earth trembled beneath her.
“Jerrick…” she warned, “go away.”
“No,” he said simply. “I’m not leaving until we get this out. I know you want to attack me Bumble Bee Bri… I feel it. Come on,” he goaded her. “Give me everything you’ve got.”
Briahnna snorted and rolled her eyes at him, “Really mature, Jerrick.”
He shook his head. With a quirk of his brow and a half-smile, he watched Briahnna brace herself when she felt his mood switch from anger to amusement. With a flick of his hand he threw his wind and watched her soar through the air, landing in a softened pile of sand ten feet behind her.
Briahnna jumped to her feet and threw orb after orb of fire at him, each getting extinguished as he dowsed them with jets of water.
Jerrick laughed out loud at her tenacity, and she screamed at him. He let out a “whoosh” of air when she bowled into him. He didn’t even see her coming, she was so fast, and they rolled through the sand.
Briahnna straddled him, hitting him in the chest with rage, tears streaming down her face.
Jerrick grabbed her wrists, stopping her, and realized how truly betrayed she felt. “I’m sorry,” he pleaded, his eyes begging her to forgive him. “Bri, please, I’m sorry.”
Briahnna collapsed and rolled onto the sand, exhausted. “I know,” she cried.
Jerrick sighed and stood up, pulling her with him, holding her as she sobbed into his chest.
“Why do you insist on being so stupid?” she cried.
He laughed and shook his head. “You’re the only one who thinks I’m stupid. Everyone else thinks I’m brilliant.”
Briahnna rolled her eyes and slapped his chest. “Come on, ‘Mr. Grown Up’ let’s get something to eat.”
Jerrick gave her that frustrating half-grin, and though she chose to ignore it and forgive him, she could still feel him hiding something from her.
Chapter 14
It took a while to get everything completely in order, and finally at the end of summer, war began. All who were capable were to fight when they reached eligibility, which was age eighteen. The men were trained in hand-to-hand combat along with their elements. The women were to fight from a distance. The women were supposed to throw their magic at their opponents while the men fought, if that’s what it came to. The magiks thought that they wouldn’t have to fight hand-to-hand because of their elements. They were wrong.
“Your Majesty!” Reed burst into King Rinald’s tent.
Rinald looked up from his desk where a map was laid out. “Is there a problem, Reed? Has Lord Archibald and Lord Kirtzene’s troops made it to the front lines? Have they intercepted Thornhold?”
Reed nodded. “They are about to. You need to come see this right away. I’m afraid Lord Archibald and Lord Kirtzene are not quite sure what to do or how to proceed.”
Puzzled, King Rinald stood and followed Reed out of his tent where his horse awaited.
They rode for a half an hour before they could see the troops lined up and slowly marching forward. Looking ahead of the army, Rinald stopped his horse, shocked at what his eyes beheld. “What is that?”
“Walls, my King,” Reed answered. “Large moving walls.”
The king slowly turned his head to Reed, who looked just as bewildered as King Rinald felt. The king spotted Lord Archibald atop his horse racing toward him. Rinald started forward to intercept him.
“Your Majesty!” Lord Archibald trotted his horse to stand next to Rinald’s. “My scouts have just returned. Thornhold’s troops are surrounded by walls.” He paused, eyes wide. “The walls are as tall as buildings sire. They completely surround Thornhold.”
“And they move?” Rinald asked.
“Yes.” Archibald shook his head. “They are mechanical. They move slowly, but…they move.”
King Rinald looked down at his hands. “Are they penetrable?”
Lord Archibald exhaled. “We don’t know.”
Rinald ground his teeth together and nodded. “Ok. Let’s intercept them before they get any closer.”
King Rinald, Lord Archibald, and Reed raced to the army. Archibald looked at Lord Kirtzene and nodded, signaling for the troops to keep moving. One hundred paces away, the King signaled to stop.
“We need to see if we can break these walls down somehow.” Rinald looked at Lord Archibald and then to Lord Kirtzene. “Signal your fire magiks to burn it down.”
Lord Kirtzene made the signal with his hands, and they all watched as the group of fire magiks moved ahead. Standing fifty paces from the wall, the mages began attacking it with their fire. The roar of hundreds of orbs of fire rent the air and smoke clouded the sky as everyone watched transfixed at the phenomenon ahead. The walls stood firm and solid, repelling the onslaught of flames.
Lord Archibald gasped and King Rinald inhaled. “Add the wind!” he shouted.
At the signal, the wind magiks ran forward unleashing everything they had to no avail. The walls stood firm.
“Reform!” shouted Rinald, and the wind and the fire magiks retreated to stand with the rest of the troops.
King Rinald was at a loss, shock immobilizing him as he watched the walls of Thornhold slowly move forward. This was definitely something they were not prepared for.
“Should we retreat, Your Majesty?” Lord Kirtzene asked. “We could return to camp and re-strategize… reorganize.”
Rinald looked at Kirtzene from the corner of his eye then slowly turned his head to the Lord. “So we re-strategize and reorganize while they get closer and closer? The longer we stall, the closer they get and the more ground we l
ose. That was something we did not intend.” He paused and looked around. “There is no point of entry?” he asked Lord Archibald.
“No, Sire. And even if there were, how would we proceed? We would be cut down as soon as we tried.” King Rinald nodded watching the walls get closer and closer. Lord Archibald continued, “I’m sorry, Your Majesty. I do not wish to be pessimistic.”
The king shook his head. “No, you are right,” he said. “We will have to wait for them to make the first move. They are fast; our men will have to use all of their strength to stay alive.” Rinald nodded his head and continued to speak. “Our warriors won’t be able to fight and use their power at the same time. The women will have to keep pounding Thornhold with their magic. As Thornhold emerges to fight, slow them down before they cut our men to pieces. Spread the word.”
Lord Archibald and Lord Kirtzene rode up and down the lines informing their troops of the plan.
The walls stopped about fifteen paces away and the magiks watched…waited, looking up at the looming structure in front of them. They waited for any movement, any sound, besides the rustling of feet and armor. King Rinald strained with his ear for any signal, any shout. He did not have to struggle long, however, because a loud horn sounded within the tall walls.
Braced, everyone looked around wildly, awaiting the assault, until they heard the snap of hundreds of bowstrings being released.
Rinald’s shield rose above his head and he shouted with all of his might, “Shields up! Shields up! Form a wall above your heads!”
Some had already heard the snap and whir of the bowstrings and arrows and had already done so. Some snapped up immediately at the sound of King Rinald’s command. Others were not so lucky dropping as the arrows pinned them to the ground.
Once all of their shields were raised to defend, they stilled, braced themselves once more, and waited. Rinald’s heart was in his throat as he awaited the onslaught of another volley of arrows. Another signal sounded within the walls of Thornhold and they slowly spread apart revealing inch by inch what lay within.
Once again Rinald heard the snap of bowstrings and panicked because his soldiers had all begun lowering their shields upon the parting of the large structure. “SHIELDS UP! SHIELDS UP!” he shouted in desperation, as did the other two generals and their captains.
This time the shields were raised quickly and they were pounded with arrows like rain from the sky while the Thornhold soldiers raced with blinding speed toward their magic opponents. It turned out that the magiks didn’t have as much advantage over their enemy as they had first thought.
Chapter 15
As days were growing darker and Winter Solstice was looming closer, Jerrick had begun preparing his home for his return. When he reached eighteen, he would return to his estate and become an Elder of the kingdom. Then he would leave for the war and command his own troops. He and Briahnna rarely saw each other because he was preparing his home and troops for his upcoming departure.
He stopped when he saw Briahnna talking with Abriel in the courtyard of the palace. Jerrick still blocked her. He noticed that she chose to ignore it, however, and they both pretended that nothing was amiss.
Abriel took Briahnna’s hand and led her to the back of the palace toward the sea. Jerrick followed slowly behind, curious as to what Abe was planning.
“Do we need to make a bonfire?” asked Briahnna as Abe led her away from Jerrick.
Abriel stopped her near the sea and took a step away, looking around. “I don’t think so. You seem to be able to wield all of the elements as if you were a master of each,” he said. “Now we just have to figure out how you can create it on your own.”
Abe conjured a ball of fire in one hand and two in the other and started juggling them. Briahnna laughed. “Ok, now that is a true trick,” she said. “Are you going to teach me or am I to be your audience?”
“All right,” he said, grinning and walking to her. He stood behind her and grabbed her hands. “Close your eyes.”
Briahnna closed her eyes.
“Okay,” he began. “When you practice with fire, you draw it from the fire, so… you need to concentrate.” Abriel paused and held her hands tighter. “Breath in and feel the heat from my hands,” he said. “Now breathe out and think about the heat from a bonfire.” He was whispering low in her ear, his voice calming. Briahnna shivered.
Abriel chuckled. “Not exactly what a hot fire would do,” he said. “Now relax.”
Briahnna leaned into him and relaxed, feeling the warmth of the air and thinking about fire.
“That’s good,” Abe said.
Jerrick rolled his eyes as he watched his friend teach Briahnna with his arms unnecessarily around her.
“Now picture yourself taking fire from it,” Abriel continued.
Briahnna felt herself drawing fire from within and felt an odd sense of belonging; a strong pull from somewhere far away. She opened her eyes and saw fire blazing in her hands. Stepping away from Abriel, she looked up at him and smiled. His eyes were wide with wonder.
“I didn’t expect it to be that easy,” he said.
“I did,” Jerrick said, stepping out of the shadows.
Abriel jumped and Briahnna rolled her eyes. She drew in a big breath and felt something different expand then blew at the flames in her hands. They burst into a blaze toward the palace, and Jerrick dowsed it with water before it touched anything that could cause a fire.
With a quick figure eight flourish of her hands, Briahnna snuffed the flames out and looked at Jerrick in wonderment. Abriel stood awestruck beside her.
Jerrick looked from her to Abriel, raising his eyebrows. “Wow, Bri,” he said trying to lighten the situation a bit. “Once again you show talent beyond anyone I know.”
Abriel nodded his agreement and was about to say something to her, but was interrupted by Jerrick.
“Abe! I’m glad I found you,” he said, winking at Briahnna behind Abriel's back.
Grabbing Abriel’s arm, Jerrick drug him away from Briahnna. She watched them walk away deep in conversation. Abriel was one of the newly recruited troops that Jerrick was currently training. Briahnna turned toward the sea and sat in the sand with her arms around her legs, amazed at her new skill. She wondered why she had never felt that feeling when practicing with fire before, and she gazed in thought.
Briahnna let out a laugh when Jerrick returned, without Abe of course, and sat beside her.
“That was pretty amazing,” he said.
“You’ve done it before, haven’t you?” Briahnna asked matter-of-factly.
“Yeah.”
“Why haven’t you shown me?” she asked with a quirk of her brow.
“I thought you’d figure it out on your own.” He stared out at the sea. “You seem to work with fire a lot lately.”
Briahnna gazed at him. “I feel drawn to it, but I never thought that I could draw it from within.”
“It feels pretty natural, doesn’t it?” Jerrick asked.
“It does.” She thought for a second then looked at him. “It’s weird to think that we won’t be around each other so much anymore, well… not that we have been lately. You’ve been busy.”
“I’m sorry,” Jerrick said, and reached for her hand. “We need to remedy that.”
“No, it’s okay. I understand. I really do.” She squeezed his hand and looked at him. “You haven’t been home in ages. Things have to be readied before you come of age. I get it. It just seems like that’s not your home… that your home is here.”
“My home will always be wherever you are, Bri,” he said easily. He shifted toward her. “You know…” he said growing uncomfortable. “I don’t have parents here to arrange a betrothal… I think I’m going to have to speak with your father myself,” he laughed.
Briahnna yanked her hand free of his and stood abruptly. “I…” she stammered at a loss for words. She always knew this was coming, but couldn’t quite grasp it the way she always wanted to.
Jerrick st
ood up and tilted his head to the side in confusion, feeling rejected. “Briahnna… I… Isn’t this what you want?” he asked tentatively.
“Yes. I’ve always wanted it,” she said, trying to correct her mistake. She wondered what was wrong with her, why she suddenly felt trapped, uneasy, confused.
Jerrick smiled his devastating smile and took a step toward her, holding her face in his hands.
Briahnna looked up at him, determined not to ruin the moment, looked into his eyes and remembered that he was blocking her, that she was losing her trust in him, that she wasn’t sure what was right anymore, and jerked her head away.
A dark look crossed over Jerrick’s face, and he stuck his hands into his pockets. “Anything you want to tell me?” he asked menacingly.
“No,” she said quickly. “Anything you want to tell me?”
Jerrick rolled his eyes, shook his head then looked back out at the water.
“That’s what I thought,” she said, turning around and running back to the palace.
Chapter 16
Jerrick’s eighteenth birthday was soon to arrive and he and Briahnna were finding every excuse possible not to be around one another. Jerrick had plenty of good reasons to avoid Briahnna. He was a general in the army and he was being prepped and trained to become an Elder. He was always gone. But he knew what he wanted, and since he was about to go to war, he wasn’t going to wait any longer. Jerrick had made his decision. He just had to wait for the King to return again to speak with him. The King returned once every two months for a week to deal with all things Mageia, and he was due to return within this week.
When he heard of the King’s return two days later, Jerrick found him in his study.
“May I speak with you, sir?” Jerrick asked after the King told him to enter.
Rinald scrutinized Jerrick and gestured for him to sit. Jerrick learned how to hold himself with such regality that the king wondered how it was that this boy ever ran in the streets with the thieves. He was a force to be reckoned with, indeed. King Rinald was proud of the boy for his ability to learn and become the best. There were times, however, that the King wondered if Jerrick might take the power he possessed to a new level, a level that would not serve him well.
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