Healer

by Bonnie Watson

  “As’yna!” He leaned up against the bed and stared at the grinning figure. “A warning would have sufficed, thank you.”

  “You were warned,” his image corrected. “By Abraham himself.”

  “I was referring to that drunken fool!” Wisdom plopped himself in a chair, holding a hand to his still-aching head.

  “An experiment by Jenario, no less,” his reflection said. “Nathaniel has become the latest test subject to Abraham’s newfound ability.”

  Wisdom slowly lowered his hand at the thought. “What?”

  His reflection sighed. “Did you honestly think Abraham’s love for a father would be enough to keep him alive? Of course not! The horn has found a new use for him, one I fear will make him far more powerful than a mere illusionist’s body will sustain.”

  A harsh realization sent chills sweeping up Wisdom’s spine. Magic… He checked his expressionless twin. “And yet Jenario doesn’t have that gift.”

  “Something that, back in the day, would have made him quite jealous.”

  “Does Abraham know?” With his grogginess nearly gone, he finally approached the oval furnishing. “What about Corrigan?”

  “Jenario’s shifted focus gives the Black Wing time, and only because of his son.” His reflection lifted an eyebrow and gave a crooked smile. “I would say that he does know what’s at stake.” The image then slid from the bed and stood to match the prince’s stance. “You, on the other hand, have something else at stake.”

  At that, Wisdom heard a distant rumble of thunder. His gaze shifted from the mirror to the balcony doors rattling in response, then back again. Yet instead of viewing a reflection of his bedroom, the image had zoned out to a view of the entire realm. He could see the storm massing from Sapphire. It crept over the border of Trully, consuming everything in its path. Another rumble tore Wisdom’s attention to the outdoors as if expecting the mirror’s vision to be true. For a split second, the thought of ashen clouds grasping for him in his bedroom caused him to break out in a sweat.

  “No! I won’t allow it! The storm is that monster’s territory. If it comes here, no one will be safe!” He gripped the sides of the mirror in desperation. “I’ve done everything you’ve suggested! I’ve reestablished the Eastern Clan, gained human trust. What more would you have me do? There’s a lot at stake here, Osha!” Releasing the wooden frame, he turned away to collect his thoughts. “It’s not just about business anymore. There’s the people! Then…there’s Glory.”

  “There is a way.” The change from male to a female’s voice took Wisdom by surprise, and when he turned back, the mirror revealed the true creature that he held within.

  The unicorn dipped her head so the pearl horn pointed directly to his heart. Her silken, white coat matched the color of his hair, with eyes that made any blue sky seem dull in comparison.

  “I am not without my own strength,” she said, the sound of her voice calming to hear. “To put a ring of protection around the realm, I’ll need access to your shifting abilities.”

  “Granted!”

  “Do not think lightly upon this decision. Should you try to use your abilities in mid-process, your soul would tear between the two of us. You would become like Jenario, with both body and soul belonging to me.”

  The prince stood a moment, his gaze unfocused to consider her warning. Then, meeting her gaze, said, “I understand the risk, but I grant you access nevertheless. Use my abilities as you will. I won’t interfere.”

  “A unicorn’s strength would make you quite the adversary. Do not let it tempt you, for any reason.”

  “Understood. Thank you, Osha.”

  He bowed his head and waited, eyes closed.

  A sudden energy surge sent him reeling back. Eyelids snapped open to catch a glimpse of its source flowing from the mirror’s surface into his own. He could feel his inner self being filled, more power than he had ever conjured as a magic-user. Even moments of anger empowering his magic from past events seemed unimportant. The swift course through him triggered an instinctive urge to contain it, but caught himself. Osha’s warning hung thick on the waves of energy washing over him, until he could no longer feel just himself, but the presence of a unicorn.

  Would it feel this simple if the dark horn took hold of me? he thought as his body moved on its own accord.

  The use of power would be more appealing, the unicorn’s thoughts projected into his own. You could not access your own magic without coming in contact with his. Thus, the end would be the same.

  Body and soul, Wisdom guessed. He would have it all.

  As the room around him began to expand upward, he realized Osha was shifting. It amused him to see feathers appearing down his arms. While his legs shortened, his toes lengthened into talons. White down spilled over his breast, with speckled brown trailing down the sides and back. A tail spread, long plumes turning to steady his new body.

  In the form of an owl, he watched his wings flap in test, then carry him to the balcony wall where he perched overlooking the yard. The night was alive with songs of nearby tree frogs and crickets. But from his clan members, all was still.

  The whip of air flowing over his feathery cheeks confirmed his body in flight once again. Though Osha controlled every movement, she was careful to show the Healer where they were headed – the borders of Trully, toward the storm.

  And it had grown.

  Brace yourself, was his only warning before a fluxing rise of energy coursed through his body. Osha placed him at the edge of Trully where the pounding of thunder greeted them. Returning to his true form, Wisdom stood facing Sapphire. A thick mist traced his steps, and he was sure he saw two skeletal hands carve a warning sign in the air.

  A warning from Jenario, no doubt. Osha, however, ignored it. She paused between the two realms and released her power into the earth.

  Wisdom caught his breath, the pull of energy caressing his soul. It flushed through his system, a great need to touch such raw power drawing him on the brink of destruction. Then it was gone, dividing the two realms with a ring of power even Wisdom could sense.

  Freed of its burden, Wisdom crumpled to his knees while sucking in deep breaths. He lifted his hands to his face, felt his chest, then looked around. He was conscious again, with his body his own. Am I? He tested his movements, making sure he was in complete control. Slowly, he stood as the surrounding mist seemed to condense in one location. It swirled to form an image of a unicorn, but could not be sure whose influence spread throughout the area until it parted, allowing a glimpse of night sky.

  And the rising of a Blue Moon stared down, with the wind whispering in his ear, “It has begun.”

  CHAPTER 1

  Peter found his oldest brother working in one of the servant sheds. The blond-haired youth looked around at the familiar structure, once occupied by multiple craftsmen. In one corner, a forge sat unused for crafting tools, swords, and other metal works. There were shelves and hooks lined with tack for carriage horses, wood-working tools, and gardening equipment. The shed itself was positioned behind their modest home, with an extending roof so outdoor work was possible even in foul weather.

  Peter’s brother never acknowledged his presence, but continued scraping a long piece of wood. Thin strips peeled off with each pass into curled ringlets, which collected around his feet. Already, a pile of these scrapings implied the length of his work time.

  Peter’s scrunched facial expression revealed his puzzlement to his brother’s doings, and he paused a few feet from the work bench. When he spoke, his tone was sharp.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Work.” The scraping never ceased.

  Peter started to laugh. “That albino sure has you under his thumb, doesn’t he?” He approached the table and slapped a hand down to halt the flow of curling wood chips. “Since when do Schevolskys work? This is servant stuff!”

  In response, the brother pulled a large coin purse from his side and let it drop onto the board. Coins jingled within.
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  “This? This is real money, Pete. You’re too young to remember, but back before our father had the Eastern Clan, we all had to work. And I liked it!”

  He let his tool slide across the wood, seeming to brush off Peter’s hand in the process and smiled faintly when his younger sibling jerked back.

  “What about all the goods we used to get?”

  “Goods? As in,” his brother paused work, “pickpocketing copper and stealing pies from windows? Petty.” He picked up the wooden beam and ran a finger down its length. Satisfied, he turned it over and started scraping the other side. “You’d do better earning your share once you get used to it. Schevolskys always do.”

  Peter’s expression darkened. “Not this Schevolsky!” He then abruptly turned and tromped outside.

  “Things change, Pete!”

  Surrounding woods beckoned his desire to be alone. Walk too far, he realized, and he would come out where the fields marked the edge of farming property.

  A section of vines dispersed lightly across the stonewall surrounding his family’s backyard. Years of climbing these vines proved resourceful for quick getaways to and from the property. He used it now, scuttling up and over, then jumping the last few feet with ease. The woods were dense, easy to get lost, except for a trail of crumbled stone to mark a path. In no particular hurry, he made his way into the shadowed realm of leaves and foliage.

  Schevolskys? Work? It’s all that albino’s doing! He’s the one responsible for this!

  “So it would seem,” a soothing voice interrupted Peter’s ranting thoughts. He halted mid-step, then whirled to face whoever had followed him.

  “Show yourself!” but a laugh cast his gaze upward to a branch where a raven-haired youth perched. The eyes revealed an opal iris when they stared down at Peter. In disgust, the boy scoffed at the intrusion. “Another one of you magic-users!”

  “Ah, but it would seem we have something in common,” the stranger said, an eerie tone to his voice. He sounded older than his looks, with a slight rasp to his words. Jumping down, he landed like a cat before rising to his full height. Standing slightly taller than Peter, he never flinched under the boy’s fiery gaze. “The Eastern Clan’s prince.”

  At this, Peter cocked his head, intrigued.

  “He’s destroying my family’s reputation.”

  “Huh... Looks like you’ve made one on your own.” The stranger looked the boy over. “They’re all against you now.”

  “What do you know! You’re just some—” He never finished, for the other held a finger to his lips to magically silence his tongue.

  “Listen carefully, for I’ll only offer this one chance. You want to be rid of that albino, don’t you? I can help you. But I’ll need something in return. If you can bring me what I ask, then I promise the prince’s immediate removal. Guaranteed.”

  Peter’s eyes narrowed. “Who are you?”

  “Who I am matters little. Just bring me what I need, and my promise shall be kept.”

  “I’d erase his very name from existence if I could!”

  A cackle. “Then this should be easy. All you have to do is bring me the prince’s mirror.”

  “A mirror?” Baffled, Peter repeated the request, in which the other nodded.

  “As I said. Easy. It’s a large oval-shaped mirror kept somewhere within the clan.”

  Peter leaned up against a tree trunk. “That simple, huh? Might be some trouble dragging it out, or else you want it in pieces. Still, I don’t see how a mirror is going to help remove him.”

  “Oh, this is no ordinary mirror. It connects us with what we need, when we need, in order to do things with our talents. Unfortunately, he’s only here because of what he possesses. Get it? Remove the mirror. Remove the prince. Simple.”

  “So why don’t you just get it yourself?” Peter rolled his eyes. Turning his head, he spat near the base of the trunk. “If it’s really all that simple…” He paused when a few strange looking vines began entwining each other as it grew up the tree. Large, white blooms opened into five, pointed petals. As Peter backed away, keeping an eye on the vines, a puff of yellow pollen fell from the blossom’s core.

  A pair of hands on his shoulders made him jump, but he could not pull away.

  “As you so politely pointed out,” a whisper to his ear, “I am a magic-user, after all.” He released the boy, who remained still long enough to add, “I set one foot inside that place and he’d know. We’re...two of the same beings, you could say. He’s one half of me, and I’m the other. With you, he’s more than likely to look the other way. He can’t do that with me.”

  Peter turned to watch the stranger back into surrounding shadow. He felt a little lightheaded. Were the plants moving around him?

  “The name’s Jangus,” came a whisper on the wind. “Remember your reward. Remove the mirror. Remove the prince.”

  *****

  A disturbance through the woods was enough for the squirrel to freeze. Black eyes reflected its surroundings in the upper boughs. Sunlight was scarce at this level, creating the perfect camouflage for one whose wings opened around her long enough to snatch the animal in one taloned hand. The rodent jerked once, then stilled.

  Everest made her way down the trunk with the grace of a skilled hunter. Her ‘Ken would have been proud to know she had kept the ways of a Black Wing. Her appearance, however, told a very different story. Years of captivity had left its mark, a tattooed version of scars around the eyes and cheekbones where once onyx feathers grew. Still, her attractiveness to Lorens Schevolsky was intriguing – more so when he released her from slavery…and she stayed.

  Half wings folded into a fade behind her back, cut at the joint to prevent flight. The golden knobs topping the tips where bone had snapped matched her gold necklace swinging lazily around her neck. Pearls adorned where jewelry did not, a collection she had started to count the many masters who had attempted to tame her wild spirit. For her final captor, she wore a rare, black pearl in the center of the necklace, gifted from Lorens himself.

  She was quick to finish her midday meal, and made sure no leftover juices clung to her clothing. Human fabric was such a dainty thing. Threads often unraveled after snagging on branches, and with her talons too bulky for sewing, much of her clothing had to be tossed.

  Shame. She paused to scan the surrounding area. She could hear the activity of people faintly gossiping from the nearby town. Their conversations were unclear, though it was a comfort to know it was there – not that she cared for public appearances. A Black Wing reveled in discretion.

  Amber eyes flashed toward a voice drifting her way. Practiced balance enabled her body to flatten against the bark while her wings reopened to drape around – a perfect blend of shadows.

  In the stillness of the canopy, she waited.

  It was Peter Schevolsky who marched beneath her. From the way he carried himself, he was angry.

  Everest quietly sighed. She needed no explanation to figure his reasoning. His disgust toward the prince was an everyday attitude. Yet, in a way, she admired him for it.

  Such a resemblance to my son. She smiled slightly. Your ambitions would make you a proud fledging.

  She held her position until he had passed, and listened to his murmured plot to head toward the clan. There was no doubt in her mind which one he had chosen. While she admired his determination, her own pledge to help the prince kept her on edge. The way Peter had disregarded danger in the town shop was enough to know he could do far worse.

  Such ignorance needs taming! Perhaps it’s time I show him true consequences. The thought of revealing herself to him was compelling, as only a handful of individuals knew she existed in these parts. Still, she was curious to his actions. Deciding to follow, she kept to the shadows. Let us see who stalks who.

  CHAPTER 2

  The letter sat on his desk unopened. Its red, waxy seal depicted two wings crossing over a decorative border, the mark of Central Valley Clan. Now and then Wisdom glanced over it while tal
lying profits earned that morning in town. Blackavar had been kind enough to donate one of his own books to keep record of income. Already, several pages were filled, a good amount Wisdom hoped to keep producing so the clans could start profiting themselves.

  He finally set the quill down to concentrate on the matter of Roland’s travels, which he was sure the writing would reflect. Slipping a finger under the fold, he ripped the top open to pull out a tan-colored letter. Yet even Roland could not hide his wife’s concerns. While he admitted, giving his daughter her own personal servant helped, Lady Pena had been displeased Wisdom had not supplied one earlier.

  The prince sighed. “I’m sure Valor brought the matter up. Anything to turn the family against me.” He pushed the letter aside, too caught up in thought to read the rest. “And then there’s my own family. What would my father think?”

  “That you’re a fool.” The sudden voice turned Wisdom’s attention toward his brother leaning against the outside doorframe with folded arms. “But then again, you already knew that.” He gave a mischievous smirk.

  “And where have you been hiding lately?” Wisdom rose from his seat to join his brother on the balcony.

  Shy shrugged. “Thinking.”

  “So when do I get a share of it?” Wisdom cocked his head in question. “Your thoughts are always closed to me.” He rested his hands on the balcony wall that overlooked the front yard and gated entrance. It was fairly quiet this time of day. The guild members were still in town. Below, a few servants moved around the side of the building, though their conversations could still be heard.

  Shy cleared his throat.

  “I’ll tell you this,” the prince heard his brother approach from behind, “you were right about Providence. He did share some things with me I didn’t know about Chronicles.”

  “I knew he would.” Wisdom glanced over his shoulder. “Any of it shed some light on him?”

  “Actually, it makes sense why he couldn’t finish healing one time.” Shy motioned to the line of trees bordering the property. “Father’s a half-breed! Do you have any idea what this means? We’ve been weeding out half-breeds all this time, and he’s one of them! If the clan ever found out... I mean, I don’t think Chronicles even knows! At least, Providence never mentioned it to him.”