Daegan (The Age of Alandria: A Companion Novella)
Page 10
“Thank you for your assistance on this journey. All of you.” Daegan inclined his head in appreciation to them. “It is regrettable for our loss of Fromíl. I will give my report to Lady Maleina upon her rising this morning.”
“This was an eventful and enlightening mission. Thank you for your guidance, Master Daegan.” Kâlin extended his arm to Daegan and they shook in the way of the Ferrishyn, then went their separate ways.
After giving his report to Maleina, he requested to be relieved of training for the day to retire to his quarters.
“You are so reliable, Daegan, I appreciate your service to the throne of Feraánmar. Other than the mess in the forest, did you have any trouble in Adettlyn?” Maleina’s concern sounded genuine to him, but his extra sense was quite active either from being used on this journey, or from simply growing. Little hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. He did not see anything or understand what it could be about, but there was something in her eyes that gave him pause.
“No, it was quite standard. The king gave no reply to your message. Were you expecting one?”
She looked at him longer than he thought necessary. “No, it was merely informative. That will be all, Daegan. Refresh yourself for the day, but I hope we see you for dinner tonight.”
“Yes, my lady,” Daegan spoke as he excused himself from the familiar throne room at Elnye.
Maleina watched him until he left the room. Then she took her leave to her private chambers off of the throne room. Her long emerald green dress dragged the floor behind her as she sashayed away with her long hair of red flames hanging partially down her back, the rest piled upon her head.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Sitting in her high-backed ornate, yet delicate chair in her personal chambers, Maleina—one of the Paladin over the territory of Feraánmar and also Daegan’s aunt, though distantly—stared at the softly glowing orb she cradled irreverently in her long-fingered hands tipped with blood-red sharp nails. Impatiently waiting, she drummed her nails upon it, expecting and dreading it to open. How many times she had done this she couldn’t even recall, but the first had been not too long before the former king, queen, and princess had been killed. She had been approached by a messenger, too inconsequential to remember, who had handed her the orb and said it would change her fate. Taking it then, she had no idea how true that was, nor how bound to it she would become.
The soft red light emanating from the orb, shaped like a peony flower at its close, began just before the light began to pulse. The pulse grew until the flower orb opened to a full bloom, as it was now. Maleina held it still, patiently waiting for its master to be revealed.
A dark yet wispy voice floated out of the center of the bloom. “What have you to report?”
“It has finally begun,” Maleina replied with a wistful gleam in her eyes.
“Stay the course. Patience is not your strong suit as it is mine, so do try to let this play out as I have asked.”
Ask. Maleina knew very well that she did not ask... she demanded and it was done or you were. Maleina had proven herself thus far and needed to reap the reward promised her—power.
“It will be done.”
The bloom snapped shut, extinguishing the glow of light. Maleina returned the orb to its home in a hidden drawer within her vanity, then shut and locked the drawer. She placed the key to be hidden away, snuggled in her cleavage, down the low-cut opening in her flouncy shirt encased in a leather bustier laced up the front. The rest of her dress was a straight skirt down to her ankles, yet revealing all that she could and still be called royalty with that slit up the side. Her colors were all natural as was the fiber of her dress, being a Faerie. Her hair was what stood out on her this day. It was coiffed high on her head in almost a cone shape with a mess of red curls being dramatically released from their bondage in very specific ways. Nothing was out of her control.
She pulled a worn chain, tarnished with time, from around her neck. On it dangled a single small and rare crystal forged by dark magic. It held within it wisps of blue energy. It gave her assurance. The life and energy humming from such a small trinket sent a buzz within her, igniting the vengeance that had been simmering for quite some time. Maleina sauntered out of her private chamber clutching the crystal, rubbing it between her thumb and forefinger with a wicked grin as she thought of what was to come. It is beginning.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Daegan lay in bed that night after the family dinner that was nothing more than mostly uncomfortable silence. Rubbing his left shoulder where it was pulsing again, he had much to think on from this last mission, including everything before that. He felt in his soul something changing—something monumental. He did not know whether it was for light or for dark, but it felt heavy and ominous. Rheina sneaking around like she was unwanted in her own house did not help either. Her words spoken earlier outside his chamber, echoed within his mind: “It is beginning” was all she had said before she blended back into the shadows—the same three words he delivered to Adettlyn. He did not understand her elusiveness, but did trust her warnings after everything she had tried to reveal to him already.
The darkness within Alandria was festering with a new vengeance. He could also feel it growing within himself. However, his gifts were growing as well—he just did not know their purpose. The battle within him had begun. His loyalties were about to be tested. Unsure of the reason for his involvement or the intended outcome, he gripped the hilt of the dagger he kept under his pillow anchoring his aggression, as he decided he would be ready to fight with his life.
A blinding pain shot through his skull. Gripping his head, he fell into darkness once more. This time he could feel the struggle for his mind internally.
“Daegan,” an intense feminine voice, a familiar voice, commanded from a distance as he felt his soul pulled to one side.
“Daegan,” a different voice, one made of many, called to him from the opposite side. It offered peace, but it pulled him to something unknown.
“Daegan. You are mine.” He was pulled more forcefully as pain tried to blind him and distract him from participating in the war over his own soul.
The soothing voices chanted words in a song-like pattern, drawing his soul closer. Then the soothing voices became stronger, “She needs you. It is almost time.”
A blinding light broke the internal war. Daegan’s eyes flew open, as he lay on his bed unaware of what had just happened. He looked around with a new feeling of irritation and frustration at outside forces. Unsure of whom to trust and what was happening inside of him, he began to believe with all of his heart and soul that the message was true:
It is beginning.
Glossary of Terms~
Alandria: A realm parallel to our mortal realm inhabited by several races of magical beings and creatures. Created by the Originators also known as The Orchids.
Exhile: Another realm, where the condemned souls of the non-human go to spend eternity in unrest or until they are devoured and absorbed into the land, whichever comes first.
Ferrishyn: (fair-i-shin) They are the warrior race of Faeries, mostly male, in the territory of Feraánmar. They serve as hunters, guides, and guardians. Elite members become a part of the royal guard for the Paladin.
Earth Faeries: The most common race of Faeries. They are cultivators and growers for Alandria, their magic strengthened from the earth itself even as they give back to it.
Ehsmia: (a.k.a. The Hidden People), An ancient race of faeries that have been in hiding to protect their race from extinction—though they are already believed to be of legend, if at all. Their magic is stronger as they retain a fraction of the ‘old magic’, as opposed to the magic of Earth Faeries. Though they are blessed with long life, they are cursed with slow reproduction.
Elves: At one point were the majority race in Alandria. They have a base magic as most do in Alandria, but some are gifted with more abilities than others. Their magic is strengthened from the light of the sun, moon, and stars.
> Shifters: A race of beings that have the ability to shift into an animal. Those of greater strength and magic, may have the ability to shift into more than one animal form rather than just one.
The Orchids: An illusive collective of heads from various races united together originally to flee darkness thus creating Alandria. Considered the Originators and make up the group considered the Elders. Their goal to unite Alandria against the darkness that stirs upheaval against the kingdoms.
The Droch-Shúil: Is an evil entity. It is an ancient host collecting souls that went bad—the unforgiven dead. It grows with the strength and magic of the souls it consumes. Also considered a kind of demon.
Ferriers: Not quite Faeries or Elves for that matter, an ancient creature nonetheless existing in Alandria but not of it. They are neither alive nor dead, but simply exist. They are not anchored to any particular realm as they are the ferriers. They escort souls to their beyond whether it be where they are transitioned into rest, reborn, or to Exhile. They are non-partial or so it is believed. They are not to be involved other than departures.
Ónarach: A faction of Elves—mostly—that chose to go against their nature and against their race by taking the lives of Elders in order to consume their magic for their own gain transforming them into something dark.
Paladin: The governing rulers of a territory, specifically Feraánmar territory of the Faeries, that took reign when the King and Queen died.
Sol-lumieth: A new power, a new magic, that was foretold in an ancient prophecy to return the light and life—the hope—of Alandria.
NaNai: The ancient Oak trees that were originally used to contain and protect some of the ancient magic that was transported at the inception of Alandria. They were brought into Alandria and even scattered and deposited into the mortal realm by the original Elf lords of the forest. As the ancient magic fails, so do the great oaks.
* Several races that were used in The Age of Alandria series are inspired from various mythologies throughout history.
Look for Book Three in
The Age of Alandria series
Summer 2014
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