Daughter of Discord (Star Mage Saga Book 1)

by J. J. Green

  She still hadn’t decided what to do about Castiel and Nahla. She didn’t trust Castiel at all and thought that her mother’s love for the boy had blinded her to his true nature. When their mother had gently explained to Darius that she wasn’t going to get better and that she would be leaving them soon and forever, Carina was sure she’d seen Castiel smirk while his brother sobbed his heart out.

  She was hoping that Castiel would elect to stay and then Nahla would want to stay with him. Could she force him to remain if he wanted to come along? She was sure he would contact the Sherrerrs the first opportunity he got. She could just imagine his little evil smile when Stefan arrived to collect them from whatever hiding place they reached.

  The door to the living quarters opened. Carina’s heart leaped. The guard delivering their meal was Bryce. She struggled to maintain her composure. She couldn’t let her joy be observed by the guards outside or Castiel or Nahla.

  “Your meals, ma’am,” Bryce said, maintaining the subterfuge. Smart guy. He guessed that the children might not be aware of her escape plan.

  “Thank you,” Carina replied, taking the packaged meals and drinks from him and putting them on the table. “Have you heard any news about the attack?”

  “Only another hour or two at most,” Bryce replied. “That’s what we’ve been told. I was released from duty to bring you these.”

  “We appreciate it. Thanks.”

  Bryce looked like he wanted to say something but he hesitated. Finally, he said, “I hope you enjoy your meal, ma’am. The cook’s given you a new kind of cordial to try. I’ve heard it’s an acquired taste.”

  An acquired taste? Carina had never heard Bryce use such formal language. Then his meaning hit her. The elixir! He’d managed to sneak them some elixir. But if Castiel or Nahla tasted the drink, they would know immediately that something was going on.

  “Oh. Maybe it isn’t suitable for the children,” she said.

  “I would say not,” said Bryce.

  “I want some,” Darius exclaimed, jumping up. “I want to try it.”

  Darius, no!

  “Don’t be stupid,” Castiel said. “You won’t like it. I bet it’s like that wine that Mother and Father drink.”

  “That’s what I heard, sir,” said Bryce.

  “See,” Castiel sneered at Darius. “You’re such an idiot.”

  “Don’t be rude to your brother,” Carina admonished.

  “Can I have some?” Darius pleaded. “I promise I won’t spit it out.”

  “No, you can’t,” Carina replied.

  Castiel pulled an I-told-you-so face at Darius, who pushed his face into his folded arms and began to cry again.

  “You,” one of the door guards barked at Bryce.“Out.”

  He nodded at Carina.

  “Thanks again,” she said as he left.

  “Dinner’s here,” Castiel shouted, ignoring Carina’s order to be quiet so as not to disturb their mother.

  The children who were in their bedrooms emerged while Carina was hastily sorting through the drinks to find the elixir. They all seemed identical. How was she supposed to tell them apart without tasting each one? Bryce must not have had the opportunity to mark the one that contained elixir.

  “I want a drink,” said Nahla, holding out her hand.

  “Wait,” Carina replied. “One of them is different.”

  “Actually,” said Castiel. “I’ll have that one. Father says I’m nearly grown up. I’ll probably like it.”

  “No,” Carina replied. “You can have the same as the others.”

  “But I want the special one,” Castiel said through his teeth. “Give it to me now.”

  “No. You can have this one.” Carina had been quickly opening and sniffing the drinks. She held out one that she knew didn’t contain elixir.

  Castiel dashed it from her hand. The liquid splashed across the floor and the container rolled to a stop. The other children, who had been opening their food packages, stopped and stared. They’d seemed used to Castiel’s behavior, but they were watching Carina to see what she would do.

  “Well it looks like you’re going without a drink, Castiel,” she said.

  The teenage boy stamped his foot like a toddler. “No I’m not. You are. Give me yours.”

  Carina ignored him, continuing to sniff and then pass out the drinks to the other children.

  “If you don’t give me yours,” said Castiel, “I’ll tell Father, and you know what he’ll do to you.” His eyes narrowed and his expression grew vicious.

  Carina got the impression that he knew exactly what he meant. When Castiel stepped up to strike her face, she caught his arm. The boy was strong but he wasn’t as strong as her, and he had no idea how to fight.

  “Parthenia,” Carina said, “take these.” The girl stepped forward and took the remaining two containers while Carina held onto Castiel’s arm, their gazes locked. When she had both hands free, she slapped the boy full across his face twice, not as hard as she could have, but hard enough to teach him a lesson.

  Castiel was clearly unused to corporal punishment. His defiant expression dissolved into one of shame and defeat, and the arm Carina was holding relaxed. She let go of it and was about to say something to mollify the boy when his vicious look returned. He ran at her. Carina stepped to one side and punched his jaw as he sped past. Castiel staggered and fell. Before he had time to regain his senses, Carina grabbed him and dragged him over to his bedroom before pushing him inside. She closed and locked the door.

  Nahla was wide-eyed with shock and outrage. “You can’t do that! Father’s going to be so angry with you, Carina.”

  “Father can do what he likes,” Carina muttered as she retrieved the drink containers from Parthenia. She sniffed one and returned it to the girl. She sniffed the final one. Bryce had done it. He’d brought her elixir, and his small favor could make all the difference.

  Chapter Forty-Eight

  Faye was slipping away. She could feel it. Her feet were mired and a shadow was creeping over her. The struggle to hang on was hard. If she could remain alive a little while longer, she might see her children free, finally. If she could only witness that, she would be content to leave and seek Kris again among the stars.

  But it was so hard. The medication the doctor had given her didn’t seem to work as well as it had. The pain and dreadful lethargy didn’t stop when Carina gave her the injection. She no longer had the strength to even lift her head from her pillow. All she could do was lie still. All she could concentrate on was the sound of her own breathing.

  She thought she’d heard shouting from the living area, but she couldn’t be sure. Perhaps it was a dream. Her dreams and her waking life were melded. One moment she would be young again and in Kris’ arms. The rest of her life was an un-imagined nightmare that would never come to pass. Then she would be back in her dimly lit room aboard the Sherrerr starship, waiting for time to tick down and release her. She drifted away again, lost in avenues of time.

  Faye was home. It was late afternoon, and she’d just come in from the garden. She’d harvested the roots that Lao Po liked so much. Kris’ mother spent all day caring for little Carina while she and Kris worked in the fields. The old woman was kind and gentle with her granddaughter and spent hours entertaining her and teaching her the beginnings of Casting. Faye was happy to cook for her in the evenings, tired though she was. She couldn’t have wished for a better babysitter.

  When she went into the kitchen, Kris was there stirring the soup she had set to simmer. Faye put the gathered vegetables down and her husband turned at the sound.

  “You’re back early,” Faye said. Kris usually stayed at work on their farm until the sun went down.

  “Did you hear the news?” Kris asked. “There’s been a landslide.”

  Faye picked up her ear comm, which she’d left in the kitchen. She liked to cut herself off from the outside world sometimes. She pushed the comm into her ear at the same time as saying, “Where did it ha
ppen? I hope no one’s been hurt.”

  “East Mountain Province. A whole village disappeared, they say.”

  The news report Faye heard through the comm was relaying the same information. One hundred and eighty-seven estimated missing, feared dead. “That’s terrible,” Faye said. “Those poor people.”

  “Faye,” Kris said, “East Mountain isn’t far from here. I want to go and help.”

  “What? Now?”

  “Yes. If I leave immediately, I can arrive by late evening. I might be able to save some lives. There must be people still alive under the mud, trapped in their houses.”

  “But...”

  “I only need to be gone a few days, just until there’s no hope of reaching anyone alive. Will you come with me?”

  Faye pulled out a chair and sat down. “I want to help too. But what do you mean exactly? Do you think we should go and help dig people out?”

  Kris came over to her. “I mean that we can Cast. We can Transport things out of the way. We can Locate people if we have something that belongs to them. You know how I feel, Faye. How I’ve felt for a long time. There’s so much good we could do in the world with our abilities. But we do nothing. We sit at home, practicing our powers, keeping the skills alive, but for what? What’s the point of possessing the talent we have if we never use it? Meanwhile, people die in terrible circumstances, suffering pain and anguish, and we don’t do anything about it.”

  “People die all the time, in their millions, across the galaxy,” said Faye. “We can’t help them all.”

  “No, but we can help some.”

  It was an old argument that they’d had many times. Kris was bright and talented as well as being an excellent mage. Yet his mother’s caution had confined them both to eking out a living as farmers, where she hoped their isolation from most other people would keep them safe. It was the way of mages, the older woman had told them. It was the only way they managed to survive.

  To Kris, it felt like a prison sentence. Not only because there was so much more he could do with his life, but because he was so kind and compassionate. He yearned to do good and to help people. He didn’t suspect others’ selfish, cruel motivations like his mother did. Faye had been caught between the two, trying to appease both. She’d always known that one day their lifestyle would become too much for her husband. She only wished the moment hadn’t come so soon. She’d hoped for a few more years of contentment and safety.

  “What do you say?” Kris urged her. “I’m going there, Faye. I have to. It’s like the opportunity was created for me to finally do some good with my powers. I only came back to see if you would come with me. I want you to, but I’ll understand if you’d prefer to stay with Carina.”

  “Oh, Kris,” Faye said. She was torn. She didn’t want to leave her toddler daughter, but Lao Po would take good care of her. She also didn’t want Kris to leave, but his mind was made up. If she went with him, she could prevent him from being reckless or too trusting. He would have to Cast in absolute secrecy if he was going to help the landslide victims.

  Her husband was watching her. “Three days,” she said. “Only three days, then we come straight back.”

  He grinned. “Three days it is. I’ve packed our things and told my mother what we’re doing.”

  “I bet she wasn’t happy about it.”

  “No, and you probably don’t want to hear what she said, but I brought her around to the idea in the end. It’ll be good to help people. It’s what we should be doing.”

  “Not if it means sacrificing ourselves.”

  “That isn’t going to happen,” Kris assured her. “You’ll see.”

  “Wait. What did you say?” Faye asked. “You packed our things? You mean mine too?”

  He winked. “I knew you’d agree.”

  The light in the kitchen was quickly turning darker, as if the sun were speeding to the horizon. Kris was still, frozen. He began to fade.

  “Kris,” said Faye. “Where are you going? What’s happening?” It was like her husband had Cast Transport on himself. “Kris, don’t leave me.” But he’d faded almost to nothing. The kitchen was dark and hazy. “Kris, please, don’t go. I’ll come with you. I said I’ll come with you.”

  Suddenly Faye was lying down in a bed. Someone was bending over her. It was a woman, a young woman who looked similar to herself. It was Carina, but she’d grown up. What had happened? How had the time passed so quickly? Faye couldn’t remember anything after that conversation with Kris.

  “It’s okay, Ma,” Carina said. “Don’t worry. I’m here. I’ll look after you.”

  “Carina? Where’s your father? He’s gone. I was going to go with him, but he left without me.”

  “You’re sick,” Carina said. “You’ve been dreaming. But I have some elixir. I can make you better for a little while.”

  “You’re going to Cast Heal? Don’t do that. Cast Locate. Find your father for me. I miss him so much.”

  But her daughter was already sipping the liquid. Her eyes closed. Her hand lifted and Faye felt its soft warmth on her forehead. The effects of the Cast began to wash through her, clearing her mind of its fog, easing the ache of her muscles and bones, lifting the veil on reality.

  Faye exhaled, a catch in her throat, as her memory returned. Her daughter’s face came into vivid focus, lines of care and worry etched on it that made her look older than she was. Faye struggled with the tormenting facts of her life as they returned to her. All she could muster to say was, “You have some elixir? Did Stefan give it to you?”

  “No,” said Carina. “A friend got it for me. I’m going to use it to set up our escape.”

  “You’re going ahead with it then?”

  “What choice do I have?”

  “You’re right. I hope with all my heart that you manage it.”

  “You changed your mind?”

  “Nothing is too much of a risk to free yourself and the others. You have my blessing, and if anything goes wrong, I want you to promise me that you’ll never blame yourself. Not ever. Understand?”

  Carina nodded. “Thank you. That means a lot to me.”

  “And don’t waste any more elixir on Healing me. You know the effects won’t last more than a few hours. I’m ready to leave now. It’s what I want.”

  “I know, but I need some more time if I’m to do what you asked. I need my plan to succeed.”

  “I’ll try to hold on a little longer.” Faye hadn’t told Carina the story of how she and Kris were captured. She wanted to tell her. It was important that she knew, but Faye was too weak and the past seemed far distant.

  “We’re nearly at the battle site,” Carina said. “It shouldn’t be long now.”

  Chapter Forty-Nine

  It had taken all the elixir she had remaining after helping her mother, but Carina had put in place the Casts she guessed she would need to get her and the children to the shuttle bay. Casting into the future was extremely difficult and she was long out of practice. She’d also used a considerable amount of guesswork to decide when and where she needed the Casts to take effect, based on her understanding of the timing of the attack and her knowledge of the layout of the ship. She could only hope the Casts would work when the time came.

  She wished she could have saved even a mouthful of elixir to Cast Heal on her mother one more time, but there was nothing left. To effect their escape, she would have to rely on the elixir that would be provided when they attempted to blow up the shipyard. There had always been a plentiful supply, so she didn’t worry too much in that regard. Carina was more worried about her mother.

  With luck, she would cling onto life just a little longer. Carina desperately wanted give her at least a few moments of freedom before she passed on, and she wanted to get her away from the Sherrerrs’ ship. That would be the only way she could perform the rites that her mother believed would commit her spirit to the universe, where she would be reunited with Carina’s father.

  Carina’s bitterness over her mother
’s imminent death threatened to swallow her up at times. Stefan Sherrerr had torn them apart so long ago, she could barely remember her as she’d been when Carina was young. Now that they were finally reunited, death was set to sunder them once more. Her memories would be of a tortured, broken ghost of a woman, not the happy, loving person Carina dimly remembered. It seemed so unfair.

  Stefan Sherrerr’s crimes against her mother, her siblings, and herself were abhorrent. Carina was determined that he would meet justice one day, but she knew that she couldn’t allow her desire for revenge to get in the way of her escape plan.

  While they waited for the moment they would be called to join in the battle to destroy the Dirksens’ shipyard, Carina remained with her mother, performing what small tasks she could to help keep her comfortable. She seemed to barely exist in the living world. Her gaze was distant, as if she were looking out into the stars, and her voice sounded as if she were speaking from another world.

  From time to time, when her strength temporarily rose, she would tell Carina anecdotes from the time when they’d lived as a family. Short, inconsequential stories that held no significance to anyone outside of the two of them, tales that warmed Carina’s heart with the realization of how much she had been loved by both her parents. Knowing that she was hearing the stories for the final time was upsetting, but she was also grateful for the opportunity to hear them at all.

  It was in the middle of such a reminiscence that the moment Carina had craved and feared arrived. The guard didn’t knock. He came straight into her mother’s room. “Bring the mage children and come with us.”

  Carina let go of her mother’s hand and got up from her bed. She kissed her before motioning the guard out of the room and following him. “Only the mage children? What about Castiel and Nahla?”