“Why?”
“No one knows. Although, long ago, in an age before mortals walked our worlds, it was said that Theht also used this same magic—black magic.”
Is that why I saw Theht when I spellcasted Mom?
I swallowed my fear, uncomfortable with the implications. “If Mom is a witch, then do you think I might be a witch, too?”
“No,” he answered. “I observed you astutely when you were a child. You have only ever wielded the amber magic of Earth Kingdom and the blue of Faythander. You did not inherit your mother’s ability to control black magic.”
“Geth uses black magic,” I said, “and the Regaymor—their magic was also black.”
Father nodded. “Yes, black magic has become more rampant of late, although I do not know why. In the past, those who practiced black magic banded together, calling themselves the Trias Recludam. They were a powerful force on Faythander for more than one hundred years. At first, their intentions were peaceful, but with time, many witches became unstable. It was believed black magic drove them to insanity. Many of them became evil—murderers, and the like. They struck fear into the elves until they, ironically like their ancestors from Earth Kingdom, were burned to death. Whether here or on Earth, witches have always been feared.
“When I first met your mother, I was impressed with her skills in magic. It didn’t take me long to determine she was a skilled practitioner in black magic. She used her powers to her advantage when she joined the Caxon. Gaining rank in their society was easy for her to do.”
Father sipped his tea as I tried to process his words. My mother was a witch. How could that be possible?
“When the elven government learned of her powers in magic, they feared her. There were a few who still practiced the beliefs of the Trias Recludam, although none of them actually wielded black magic, but it was the elven government’s fear that your mother would join them and restore a dangerous religion.”
“Did she?”
“No, she was never interested in the creed of the Trias Recludam.”
“But what of the elven government, did they believe she wasn’t interested?”
“No. And after her association with the Caxon, a price was put on her head. To this day, if your mother ever returns to Faythander, she will be killed. That is why it is so important for her to be without her powers, for the spell not only took away her memories, but her magic as well. She is safer without it.”
“Do you believe the magic would actually drive her insane?”
“It is quite possible.”
“Is there any way she can keep her magic without it driving her crazy—and without having to lose her memories?”
He hesitated. “I do not know.”
“What if she stayed on Earth and never returned to Faythander?”
“It would be too risky—a risk I would not be willing to take.”
“Wouldn’t it be an even greater risk to take her memories away once again?”
“You do not understand. Kasandra cannot be allowed to wield black magic. She is not only a danger to herself, but to everyone around her.”
“But you didn’t see her while she was in Earth Kingdom—you not only took away her powers and memories, but you took away her soul. No person should have to suffer the way she did. Why can’t you understand?”
“What would you have me do, Olive? Either way, your mother is doomed.”
“I refuse to believe it. Witches in Earth Kingdom were not driven to insanity the way they were in Faythander. Let her stay on Earth and keep her memories—it may be the best solution.”
“Very well,” he finally conceded, “but if she shows even a hint of the insanity, I will make sure her powers are removed. Permanently.”
The tone of his voice made me shudder. At least I’d convinced him not to wipe her memories for now, which was better than the alternative. This seemed like a good time to bring our conversation back to the reason I’d come here in the first place.
“Father,” I said, “do you know who might be searching for the orb?”
He shook his head. “It could be anyone, especially if a goblin has boarded our vessel.”
“Have you been able to detect magic coming from someone—perhaps someone who shouldn’t be able to wield magic?”
“With the loss of magic, I would not be able to say for sure. But I can say this—someone in a position of power will seek the orb, someone who will have much to lose if the magic is not restored.”
“The elves have the most to lose.”
“Indeed.”
I eyed him. Did he know something he wasn’t telling me? It wouldn’t be out of character. After all, Father loved his riddles. I knew he’d never come right out and accuse one of his fellow elves of stealing the orb, but he’d given me enough.
There was only one other elf aboard the ship who was as powerful as my father. With luck, the princess would still be in our room
I knew where to go next.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
I wandered the halls of the Sea Ghost, contemplating the conversation with my father. He hadn’t accused anyone directly of stealing the orb, but he didn’t have to.
Someone in power would want the orb—someone who had a lot to lose. And they may have started the fire above deck as an opportunity to search for it. I’d sensed magic in the fire, and only a few people onboard still possessed magic, like my father, who still had some use of his. So far, the princess appeared to have no magic, but it seemed illogical to suppose that she had none at all.
Princess Euralysia had been sick since we’d arrived, but what if she had been acting? Not long ago, she’d tricked the Wults into believing her powers were limited. Could she be tricking me now?
There was only one way to find out.
The ship lurched, and I braced myself against the wall. As I approached my cabin, I found Heidel and Ket inside. The room was nearly put back together. Ket smiled as I entered, though Heidel gave me her usual scowl.
“Have you seen the princess?” I asked.
“No,” Ket answered. “She left a little while ago.”
“Left? Where? In her condition? Did she say where she was going?”
“To get some fresh air, I believe. You might try finding her above deck.”
“Thanks,” I said and turned away from them, still confused at how the princess was capable of leaving the cabin.
“Be careful,” Heidel said.
I stopped and turned around. “Careful?”
“Yes. We’ve come upon quite a squall. The captain is preparing to drop anchor once we’ve reached the straits in order to wait out the storm. It’s quite dangerous above deck.”
“Is it?”
“It is,” she said drily. “I would hate for you to fall overboard and drown. Nasty way to go.”
Her concern was overwhelming. “I’ll be careful.”
“See that you are.”
I left the room and followed the hall to the stairwell, trying to ignore Heidel’s comments. I took the stairs leading to the deck and popped open the hatch. As soon as the door swung open, salty sea spray gusted through. The damp wind stung my face as I climbed above and slammed the hatch lid shut.
Crewmembers clamored around and shouted orders, though the crashing waves muffled their voices. Most of them held on to ropes tied around thick wooden beams. The ship creaked as a wave hit the side.
Gray clouds obscured the morning sunlight as I dodged the crewmen and made my way toward the wheelhouse. I couldn’t imagine why the princess had come up here. It seemed like an awful time to catch a bit of fresh air, especially in her supposed condition. What was she really up to?
I spotted movement inside the wheelhouse and noticed that someone had strapped oilskin tarps around the wheelhouse’s burnt walls. Ducking through the broken doorframe, I pushed the tarp aside and entered.
The room smelled of charred wood, although I was surprised to find it mostly intact. The starboard wall had taken the most
damage, and blackened wooden beams supported an oilskin tarp on that side. However, the majority of the room looked as I remembered.
The captain barked orders as one of his crewmen, a heavyset boy with thick, untrimmed hair, stood at the wheel. At the side of the room near the bookshelf, I found who I’d come for.
Euralysia sat in the corner with several maps laid out on a small table. She was studying the maps so intently I didn’t think she noticed as I approached her. Her necklace caught my eye. Three crystals hung suspended from a silver chain, each glowing with a different-colored light—amber, blue, and black—illuminating her face and neck.
She looked up as I approached her. “Olive?” she said. “I’m surprised to see you here.”
“Yes,” I answered. “I’m surprised to see you here, too.”
The captain gave me a brief glance. “Another now? How many enchantresses does a ship need? I suppose you can stay, as long as you can help this one navigate.” He nodded to the princess.
“You’re navigating?” I asked her.
“I am attempting to.”
The captain turned back to his crewman. “Keep the wheel steady!”
“I can’t! It’s impossible to keep straight. The nave plate wasn’t properly repaired.”
“Yes, it was. I repaired it myself.”
“Then why does the wheel keep locking up?”
“Let me try.” Captain Tobin grabbed the wheel from his crewman. “Princess,” he yelled over his shoulder, “how far are we from those straits?”
“Less than half a league.”
“Good,” the captain answered. “If this gale keeps up, we’ll be there soon enough. After dropping anchor, I’ll have to go below deck to find a suitable replacement for the nave plate. It, ahh… wasn’t properly repaired,” he said quietly.
The crewman eyed the captain but kept his mouth shut. Smart kid.
Outside the wheelhouse, the ocean churned. White-capped waves crashed into the ship’s hull, splattering droplets of seawater on the windows.
After the wave passed, I sat beside the princess and glanced at the maps. “I didn’t realize you had an interest in navigation.”
“I don’t. But after the captain lost most of his maps in the fire, he asked me to help him navigate. Luckily for him, I brought my own maps along.”
“You have maps of the outer islands?”
“Yes.” She slid one closer to me. “I have a passing interest in geography. I knew we would need maps of the outer islands once we arrived, though I didn’t realize I would need to use them this soon.”
Studying the maps, I noted they were drawn in the traditional elven style, with the script written in scrolling calligraphy and the landmasses painted in shimmering golds and greens. I leafed through the stack and found a few maps illustrated with animals dotting the isles. The only species I recognized were dragons, though they were drawn with thick, grayish hides, not the smooth scales of the land species.
“Do you know anything about these dragons?” the princess asked me.
“I can’t remember their correct name. I believe they’re called rock dragons, or possibly stone dragons.”
“They’re called ore dragons,” the captain yelled over his shoulder, “because their scales look like ore from the volcanic mountains they live in. They’re mighty testy. Impossible to kill with those thick hides. Just like stabbing a rock. Best to leave those creatures be.”
“We may not be able to avoid them,” I said. “If they’re anything like their land brothers, they’ll be distinguished for their clairvoyance. They may be the only creatures capable of helping us find where to put the bloom.”
“Ha!” the captain laughed. “That’ll not be a visit I’ll make with you.”
The ship lurched, and a loud groan sounded through the cabin. Outside, shouts echoed, and a crewman burst into the room.
“We’ve made it to the straits!” he said.
“Good,” the captain answered. “Drop anchor. I’m going below deck.” He turned to his crewman. “Follow me, Goodwin. I’ll need someone to help me search.” He looked at us before leaving. “Ladies, I assume you can keep watch while I’m below?”
“Of course,” the princess answered.
As soon as we dropped anchor, the captain and crewmen left the room. As the door clicked shut behind them, the room seemed unusually quiet, with only the lurching of the ship and the waves crashing outside to remind us we were at sea. I turned back to the maps.
On the bottom of the stack, I found a map with a winding path drawn on a smaller island. Some sort of passage, perhaps? Inspecting it more closely, I was surprised to find that a structure had been sketched on the island’s center. It was an odd building—round, with three rows of walls, each circling one another, almost like a labyrinth. I tried to study it more closely, but the princess pulled it away from me. I eyed her as she restacked the pages, keeping the map with the labyrinth on the bottom.
What was that?
There shouldn’t have been any structures at all on those isles. Obviously, the princess knew what it was—why else would she try to hide it from me?
“Your maps are impressive,” I said, “although I wonder how a labyrinth would be drawn on them.”
She gave me a sharp glance. “That was not for you to see.”
“Yet I saw it—the damage has been done. Do you care to explain what’s out there?”
“I would rather not.”
“Why?”
“Because it is guarded information. I cannot trust anyone on this ship. Not even you.”
“But I will be making the journey with you. And as I carry the bloom, don’t you think it wise to share with me? It would be in your best interest. I would hate to bring the bloom to the wrong island, wouldn’t you?”
Crossing her arms, she gave me a shrewd look. “I can tell you only what I’ve been told. These maps were drawn mostly by magical scribes with scrying abilities. They recorded only what they saw, although they were also baffled by what lies out there—by the unusual structure. As far as we know, there are no species living on those isles who have the ability to create such architecture.” She removed the paper from the bottom of the stack. “It is drawn with three rings, and each circles the other. Have you ever seen a structure such as this?”
I knew she was toying with me. Any practitioner with half a brain would have known what it was. “It’s the orbis majica,” I said, “or magical circle. It’s considered a sacred symbol by many cultures, including elves. It’s also a very ancient symbol—and was said to be the first magic word learned by practitioners.”
She nodded. “You are correct. However, long ago, this symbol was also used in protection spells.”
I scrutinized the map. “If that’s the case, then what is this labyrinth protecting?”
She shook her head. Reflexively, she clutched the crystals hanging around her neck. Three crystals—just like the three circles. Was it a coincidence? Three was a common magical number, but still, I had a feeling the crystals and labyrinth may have had something in common. Maybe it was intuition, but I sensed there was more to those crystals than she was letting on—and that there was more to the labyrinth, as well. Besides, she seemed to have miraculously regained her strength, and her crystals were the only explanation for it.
“Few elves have actually traveled to the islands,” she said, “which is what worries me, and which is why I will spare you from all the theories I’ve been told as to how the structure appeared on the outer isle. Some even claim that it was constructed by space travelers. However, I’m determined to know the truth, for we must know what we’re up against. Here.” She scooted the map with the animals to me. “Do you recognize any of these species?”
“Dragons,” I said. “That’s about it.”
She nodded. “That makes two of us. What do you think of this creature?” She pointed to a black, scaly creature with spines protruding from its back and neck. The artist had drawn it with eight legs that e
nded in claws.
“I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“Nor have I.”
A black skull took up the center of the island. “What’s this?” I asked her.
“It denotes creatures that our scribes could not see.”
I eyed the mark. “But if they couldn’t see them, how do they know they’re there?”
A dark look crossed her face. “Because they are creatures who reside within the labyrinth, who possess a very strong magic and are able to use their powers to keep their identities hidden.”
“Do your scribes know anything else about them?”
“Only that they are very dangerous. The first person to scry upon these creatures lost consciousness. After that, he was plagued by hallucinations, and the visions eventually drove him mad. He took his own life after that.”
I stared, shocked. Elves abhorred suicide. For an elf to take his own life meant that he must have been driven to extreme measures. “That’s horrible,” I said. “Was anyone else affected by these visions?”
“Yes,” she answered. “And they got worse. The original scribes who discovered these creatures grew increasingly unstable. Eventually, they had to be locked away for their own protection. None were able to explain what these creatures were, though assumptions have been made.”
“The Regaymor?” I suggested.
“That is one possibility, although the creatures have inhabited this island for hundreds of years, and the Regaymor crossed to our world only recently.”
“That’s true. And why would they be on the islands? My stepfather said he sent them away.”
“Yes, the sky king did indeed banish the Regaymor on the dragon islands, but this island,” she pointed to the smallest island, “is not inhabited by dragons.”
“So my stepfather wouldn’t have traveled there.” Scanning the map, I recognized the smaller island as the same place with the labyrinth, although the structure had not been drawn on this map. “Do you know anything else about the island?”
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