Cherished

by Christina Bauer

  “Please. Don’t break your vow against magick over freeze blight. We can manage well enough with our own mortal knowledge.”

  The idea of science and learning were becoming quite fashionable with many non-magickal folk. Good luck to them. When Mabel was ready for the protection spell, she knew where to find me.

  Mabel bustled over to the stove. “How about some stew?”

  “Yes, thank you.” I took a seat across from Sam at the main table.

  “There’s a gift for you on the table,” offered Mabel.

  “I see it.” A lock of yellow-blond hair sat at the table’s center. It was tied up like a sheath of wheat with a red ribbon. I frowned. There was only one person who stopped by the house and left locks of hair behind.

  “Was Wyatt here?” I asked.

  “Aye.” Sam didn’t look up from the piece of wood he was whittling.

  “And he left a lock of his hair as a keepsake for me again?”

  “Aye.”

  “It’s a wonder he’s anything left on his head.”

  Sam looked up from his whittling. His cheeks sucked in as he considered what I’d said. Sam was definitely the “quiet but deep” type of man. At last, his rumbling voice sounded again. “Aye.”

  Wyatt was my neighbor and a general pain in my backside. The last time I’d seen him was when I came back from adventuring. At the time, Wyatt had been driving wagon in order to transport his brother’s wife. Wyatt was single then and remained so now.

  Ah, Wyatt. When we were younger, Wyatt had worked to run me out of town by proclaiming me an evil witch. When that failed, he tried to be my suitor. If only there were another eligible maiden with land adjoining Wyatt’s property, then he’d give up on me in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, as long as I was single and he could expand his holdings with our marriage, I seemed doomed to have him pursuing me in one form or another. It was annoying.

  Mabel set the bowl of stew before me and sat down by my side. “Here you go.”

  “Thank you.” I scooped up a big bite. Like always, the meal tasted of sawdust and gravy. In other words, it was delicious. That said, I’d spent the last five years in a Necromancer Cloister eating nothing but bone marrow pudding, which was incredibly foul stuff. Mabel would need to be a horrible cook indeed for me not to enjoy her meals.

  Mabel absently rubbed the great bump under her peasant’s gown. The baby was due soon. “Sam and I have been talking, and we want you to move into the house.”

  “Not a chance.” I was living in a loft I’d fixed up in one of my smaller barns, and that was fine with me. “You need a place for you and the baby. There won’t be time to build before you deliver.” I hadn’t told them this yet, but I was planning to gift them a small parcel of land in honor of their child. There, they could build their own house with plenty of bedrooms. Sam and Mabel wanted a large family. They’d been wonderful tenants and the gift was well deserved.

  “I see,” said Mabel. A gleam appeared in her big brown eyes.

  I stopped with my spoon halfway to my mouth. “You see what? Is something wrong?”

  “No, something’s right.” She glanced over to Sam. “What do you think? Has our Elea found a young man that she fancies?”

  Sam looked up from his whittling again and scanned me carefully. I held my breath as he contemplated his answer. “Aye.”

  Mabel beamed. Like always, her many freckles seemed to dance across her cheeks when she smiled. “That’s why you don’t mind staying in the barn. You’ll soon be staying with him, won’t you?”

  The world seemed to freeze around me. Mabel and Sam thought I had a young man that I liked. Was my affection for Rowan that obvious? Words began tumbling from my mouth. “I’d planned to contact someone tonight with a spell. Yes, he’s a man. But I don’t fancy him.”

  Which was a total lie. Just discussing my plans to see Rowan had my insides fluttering with excitement. All of which was beyond foolhardy. Rowan was engaged to someone else. Sure, Rowan said he had his reasons, if I’d only listen. And to be honest, there were days when I did want to know if there was a plausible reason why he was engaged to Amelia and yet, that situation wasn’t a problem for him. Because the gods knew it was a large issue for me.

  A shudder twisted across my shoulders. The last time I trusted a man, it was Tristan and he saddled me with a curse. I was able to break the spell, I shouldn’t take risks like that anymore. If someone seemed to be trouble, then I needed to cut them out of my life.

  “Whatever you say.” Mabel patted her stomach once more. “Maybe by this time next year, you’ll be the one expecting.”

  “Aye,” added Sam.

  “Only…” Mabel paled. “It’s not Wyatt, is it?”

  “Never never never never NEVER.” That was a lot of times to say the word “never,” but Wyatt was all that repulsive and more.

  Suddenly, I was in a great rush to leave the knowing gazes of Mabel and Sam. I stuffed the rest of the stew down my throat, said some quick goodbyes, and headed for the barn.

  The moment I stepped inside the wooden space, Smokey tossed his head and whinnied. It was as if he suspected I might be about to do something stupid and desperately wanted me to stop. My black cat Lucy stalked along the edge of the hayloft—which had been cleaned out and refitted as my bed—and she watched me blandly. By contrast, she seemed positive that I was about to do something stupid, only she couldn’t be troubled to care. The rest of the barn was empty. In other words, I wouldn’t upset anyone with my casting.

  Time to contact Rowan. This wasn’t because I cared about him or thought there could be some insane explanation for his engagement to Amelia. All I needed to do was confirm Wren’s lies and see that Rowan was healthy as ever. After that, I’d never need to see Genesis Rex again.

  Maybe.

  Closing my eyes, I pulled in Necromancer energy from the world around me. Power pulsed through my bones. My left hand grew cold as my bones glowed blue with magick. Soon, I had enough energy to cast a transporter spell. Normally, I’d need to know Rowan’s exact spot in order for this incantation to work. But since Rowan had once cast spells on my mating band, the ring retained some of his magickal signature. I could use that power to find him easily enough.

  “Sire of Souls, I call upon thee

  Give my magick strength

  Make my path open and free”

  With my right hand, I pulled at the chain that held my mating band beneath my dress. Once the ring was gripped in my fist, I continued my spell.

  “Take me to the mage whose power I touch

  From far to near, less to much”

  A blue haze of magick formed by my feet. My entire body vibrated with energy. After that, everything became black as pitch. My body felt torn in a thousand directions at once. Pain radiated through my bones.

  Oh, no. It didn’t matter how many times I cast a transporter spell. I never got used to this pain.

  The next thing I knew, I was standing in a darkened room. All the hurt vanished from my body. The space was tall and circular with walls that were made from bamboo stalks. The windows were teardrop-shaped and made by smooth gaps in the bamboo, like some greater force had pulled them apart. Outside these window-holes, a lush green jungle was visible. Moonlight glinted off the wide emerald fronds. Heat pressed in around me. The air felt thick with the promise of rain.

  As my eyes adjusted to the dimness, I saw Rowan standing in the shadows. There was no mistaking his outline: a hulking man wearing fitted leathers. His brown hair hung a little longer than when I’d last seen him, while his emerald eyes seemed to pierce through the darkness.

  He was looking straight at me. A realization slammed into my soul. Somehow, Rowan knew I was coming.

  Tendrils of energy wound around us and through us. Rowan and I always had this crazy connection. My heart began pounding with extra force.

  Rowan’s deep voice rumbled in the darkness. “What happened?”

  My mind loathed the way Rowan had betrayed me. How c
ould he become engaged to another woman? But seeing and hearing him right now…My body craved him like air. “What do you mean?”

  “One of my Seers said you would come here. He told me you were in trouble.” Rowan reached by his throat and pulled out a chain that had been hidden under his leathers. His own mating band hung at the end of it. There was no mistaking the scarab pattern as it gleamed in a shaft of moonlight. “And I sensed it when you called on my magick in order to cast your transport spell.”

  I stared at the ring. He keeps it by him, just like I do. My knees got a little wobbly at the realization. “I met one of Viktor’s Changed Ones, a girl named Wren. She said you were ill.”

  “I’m fine.” The energy between us turned so thick, it was almost a palpable thing in the room. “Tell me what threatens you.”

  “Oh, that. Wren said that someone named Shujaa is going to try to kill me.” I shrugged. “Good luck to him.”

  “Are you certain of that name?” Rowan stepped into the moonlight, and by the gods, I’d forgotten how handsome he was. It shouldn’t matter that his shoulders were broad and his chest firm. But my body felt jittery to see him again so close.

  Good thing my mind is in charge.

  “Yes, the name was definitely Shujaa.”

  “What else did this Wren tell you?” He took a step closer. Now he was near enough that I could feel his body heat radiate over me. I wanted nothing more than to lean into his embrace. It was beyond stupid and the definition of Zuchtlos. Rowan has other women to worry about, like his fiancée Amelia, who just so happens to be my ex-best friend.

  I hugged my elbows. “Wren said that she was a messenger for Shujaa. She found me to warn me. Shujaa plans to kill me and take my crown.”

  Rowan’s deep voice rang with humor. “And I know how you value that particular item.”

  I fought back a grin. “The Tsarina doesn’t even have a crown.”

  Ugh. I think that came across as flirting. Why can’t I control my emotions around this man?

  Rowan’s mouth curved up into one of his lopsided smiles. “In that case, we certainly can’t have you losing something that doesn’t exist.”

  I forced on a more serious face. “Wren also offered some so-called advice. She said if I went to the Necromancers, I could defeat Shujaa. Trouble is, he wields some hybrid magickal totem from Viktor, so I doubt that would work.”

  Rowan’s smile disappeared. His face took on that unreadable look that frustrated me to no end. “I see.”

  “That’s it? You see?”

  “Wren is right that you should leave your farm. But you should come here and stay under my protection.”

  “And we would fight together?”

  “No, that’s too risky. Shujaa was once a Creation Caster. I’ve cast wards protecting my castle. Shujaa will never breach the walls while I live.”

  Words starting tumbling from my mouth without any particular analysis from my mind. “But he could still attack your castle, am I right? What if he does? In that case, you and I may need to fight him. We’ve battled hybrid magick together before.”

  Why was it so important to me that he admit we’d fight together? Some small part of me already knew the answer to that question all too well. I’d been around Rowan for less than a minute, and I was already craving the unique connection that we shared when we battled side by side.

  “It won’t come down to you and I fighting Shujaa.”

  I did my best to look like I didn’t care. “If you’re certain.”

  “Still, it’s true that you aren’t safe. And there’s little I can do when you’re on another continent. I have few Senior Casters who are powerful enough to transport that far and guard you. Plus, I’m busy with many other concerns.”

  “As am I,” I said. “I’m running my farm.”

  “Which is important. Though, it’s not as important as your life. I can’t sacrifice my people to keep you safe.”

  “I’m not asking you to.” My voice dripped with anger. “I’m not your responsibility.”

  A long pause followed. When Rowan spoke again, his voice was gentle. “Would it change anything to say I can explain?”

  “Some lines can’t be uncrossed.”

  “But my culture isn’t yours. When we exchanged mating bands, you saw my soul. Am I capable of such terrible deceit as to become betrothed to another?”

  “Souls are tricky things. I once thought my friend Tristan was incapable of deceit.”

  “I’m not him.”

  “I came here to make sure that you were safe and well.”

  “I told you, I’m fine.”

  Maybe it was the mating band around my throat, but I knew one thing.

  Rowan was lying.

  “You’re ill.”

  “I’m angry. Shujaa was one of our finest Senior Casters before Viktor wooed him away.” Rowan raked his hand through his loose brown hair. “Now, the man is a bloodthirsty killer.”

  “Wren kept pushing me to become Tsarina. Why would Shujaa want that?”

  Rowan glanced away. “I cannot tell you.”

  I frowned. “You’re keeping secrets from me. Again.”

  “Only because I wish to protect you.” Rowan stepped closer until our bodies were almost touching. By the gods, it was distracting. I needed to walk away, but couldn’t get myself to move. “Promise me something.” Rowan’s voice was a gentle murmur. “If Shujaa gets anywhere near you, you’ll transport to my castle.”

  “I don’t run.”

  “Consider it an opportunity to learn more about Caster culture. If you’re here, I will open everything I can to you. We’ve no written words, but we have record keepers called Hadithi. They memorize our history. If you come to Nyumbani, you can ask them any question you like.”

  “That’s more double-speak.” I shook my head. “I can ask any question, but there are no guarantees that they will answer.”

  “What about your fellow Necromancers at the Cloister? Or even your neighbors. I told you that I knew Shujaa. The man is ruthless. No one will be safe so long as you’re outside my realm. If he attacks here, I can protect you easily with magick. If you’re anywhere else, you place others at unnecessary risk.”

  Rowan’s words struck home. I couldn’t put my friends and fellow mages in danger. I pictured Lizzie’s and Gail’s innocent faces. What if the next time, Wren did worse than put them to sleep? “I’ll consider it.”

  “Not good enough. I know you, Elea. You’ll never forgive yourself if some non-mage got hurt or killed because of this. Think on their safety. Promise me.”

  “Fine.” I exhaled. “I give you my word.” I shook my head. “I hope it doesn’t come to that. I vowed to give up magick, and I’ve already broken that promise too many times today.”

  “But if Shujaa attacks, you will come here.”

  “I’ll need to transport to my old Mother Superior first. She should know where I’ve gone.” I hadn’t seen Petra since I’d returned to Braddock, but I’d no doubt she had tracking spells that would alert her if I left my lands for too long. The woman was stuck in the Zelle Cloister, trying to convince thousands of Necromancers that I wasn’t their Tsarina. She had a right to hear my plans directly from me.

  “That sounds wise.” Rowan’s face relaxed, and for the first time, I noticed the dark circles underneath his eyes. I’d never known him to get tired.

  “You are ill.”

  “It’s been a long day, that’s all.”

  More lies. I was about to say just that, when someone stepped into the room. I turned around to see another man in warrior’s garb. A leather helm covered his face. “Greetings, my King,” he said. “Our little Seer told me I’d find you here.”

  My brows lifted. Was this the same little Seer who’d warned Rowan that I was in danger?

  The man gestured to me. “Ah. I see the great Elea of Braddock has deigned to visit at last. No wonder my King waits in the shadows. The little Seer reported that at last, the Tsarina would arrive. So my
King seeks out a quiet place to meet.”

  There was so much to unpack about those short sentences. Rowan had gone to the little Seer and asked when I would visit. After that, Rowan found a secluded and dark spot for us to speak. That information shouldn’t make me as happy as it did. After all, the man was engaged to my best friend.

  Ex-best friend, actually.

  This was a mess.

  Rowan moved to stand at my side. “Elea, this is Kade, one of my guard.”

  Kade tilted his head. “That’s how you wish her to know me?”

  “Unless you think differently.”

  Once again, I got the feeling there were a lot of things happening that I wasn’t aware of. “What’s going on? Clearly, this Kade means more to you than a guard.”

  Kade folded his arms over his chest. “Much as I’d love to discuss personal matters, a delegation has just arrived that needs our attention. The Changed Ones have struck again. A was burned to the ground. Some of the strongest people have vanished. The ones who escaped have found their way to your castle. They now require food, shelter, healing…and their King.”

  Changed Ones were attacking other Casters? “I thought most of the Changed Ones were peaceful.”

  Kade glared at me. Even through his helm, I could see the glint of rage in his green eyes. “What you think is uninformed at best, dangerous at most.”

  I kept my face calm. I wouldn’t be distracted my insults. “My visit tonight was because a Changed One visited me, a woman named Wren. She said someone named Shujaa is part of some prophecy to save the Casters.”

  “That’s what the people think,” said Kade. “But he’s really the one running raids on our people.”

  I frowned. “How can they think Shujaa is their savior if he’s burning down villages?”

  “Shujaa is clever,” said Rowan. “There are never any witnesses linking him to the attacks.”

  “And most Casters are fools,” added Kade. “Besides, they don’t think that Shujaa is the one who will lead the golden army. The people think it’s—”

  Rowan’s voice took on a warning tone. “That’s enough.”