Crowned

by Christina Bauer

  I raced toward the girl. “Wait!”

  But Echo didn’t seem to hear my words. Just as Petra had predicted, there wasn’t time for me to cast a spell or catch up by running, especially considering Echo’s magickal burst of speed. I could only watch in horror as the young girl stepped under the arch. For a moment, Echo stood frozen in place. After that, her body took on a glass-like sheen, like she was made of porcelain instead of flesh and blood. Blue light illuminated her from within. Dark fissures formed along her skin and robes. My heart cracked as well.

  The gateway’s magick was about to pull Echo apart.

  With a great boom, Echo shattered into a thousand glowing shards of blue light that flew into the illuminated stones of the gateway. For a moment, the arch’s rocks flared with such a bright shade of blue, they almost looked white. A weight of sadness settled into my soul. There was no coming back when you were obliterated by a gateway.

  Echo was dead.

  Around me, everything reverted to its non-magickal state. The gateway’s stones returned to being non-illuminated blocks of gray. I stared down at my arms. Blue light still shone in my bones. There’s still so much power in my body, all of it ready to cast a counter-spell. Plus, if Rowan had been here, we could have brought hybrid magick into the mix as well. That was even more energy.

  And yet, I couldn’t save that innocent girl.

  Echo was gone, but her words—or I should say, Petra’s—reverberated through my soul: “When you disobey the gods, this is what happens to those you love.”

  Petra kills them.

  Meaning I should sacrifice myself or she’d take those I cared about.

  Waves of rage tightened up my rib cage. Petra had moved on from sending threatening messengers to murdering mages before my eyes. My one-time Mother Superior had made her point: she would do anything to force my sacrifice, one way or another. And there was no question who she planned to go after next.

  Those I love.

  Rowan.

  If Petra’s intention was to frighten me into submission, it didn’t work. With each passing moment, more of my will hardened into stony resolve. I would still spy on the gods and get some answers. Then I’d use that information to learn hybrid magick and fix the gateways.

  And after all that, I’d make Petra pay for what she’d done to Echo.

  Chapter Two

  I scanned the barley fields while Gail kept talking about the faire. “And we have dozens of torches and lanterns,” she said. “The festivities can last all night long, if we like—”

  “Hush,” warned Lizzie.

  “Why?” asked Gail.

  “Because she has her arm up.” Lizzie’s voice trembled as she pointed to my left hand.

  Oops. I hadn’t even realized that I’d raised my arm in order to cast.

  All the color drained from Gail’s face. “Is something wrong?”

  I spoke in a low and calm voice. “Listen to me carefully. Climb into the back of the wagon and stay down.” There was no point in all three of us sitting exposed on the driver’s bench. My open

  osquitoes. “So many bugs this time of year.”

  Now, it’s a strange fact of human nature that mortals will do almost anything to avoid the reality of magick in their lives. I swear, if there weren’t mages walking around, humans might not realize magick existed at all.

  The Dunkel sisters paused for a long moment before slowly nodding.

  “I think I did drift off,” said Gail. “And perhaps I had been bitten back at the farm.”

  “Me too,” added Lizzie. “I’m certain of it.”

  After that, the pair launched right back into a discussion of the weekend faire. I didn’t hear a word. All I could think about was Wren’s warning. A mage battle with Shujaa would be a welcome change of pace, but the news that Rowan might be sick? That couldn’t be true, could it?

  Only one way to find out.

  Tonight, I’d break my vow against magick once more. Sure, I’d sworn never to cast spells now that that I was a farmer again, but this was a special circumstance. I’d only speak a single incantation in order to spy on Rowan. Hopefully when I saw him, I could confirm that Wren was lying and Rowan was healthy as ever. It was a good plan, but it was also a worrisome one.

  Because the thought of seeing Rowan in the flesh? It sent excitement and warmth spreading though my torso.

  And that was far more dangerous than Shujaa or Wren.

  Chapter Three

  I wasn’t sure how long I stood staring at the darkened stones of the gateway. The image of Echo’s unlined face kept appearing in my mind’s eye. I was about her age when I first went to Petra for training.

  Petra.

  I’d never known my own parents; they’d died soon after I was born. Over my years of learning at the Cloister, Petra had become more than my Mother Superior. She was the closest thing I had to a living parent.

  And now, she was murdering innocents so I’d take over ruling the Necromancers and fulfill the prophecy of the Martyr’s Comet.

  What a catastrophe.

  A small cloud of red dust spun on the nearby earth. Waves of ethereal warmth rolled up my limbs. I knew this magickal signature. My mate Rowan was transporting to join me. At last.

  Rowan and I were true Caster mates, which meant we shared our magick. As a Necromancer, my power came from the remnants of life around me, such as bones and dried leaves. Meanwhile, Rowan was a senior Creation Caster. His magick was drawn from living things. During castings, my energy shone with blue light; Rowan’s glowed crimson. When we were in each other’s presence, we could mix our magick together into hybrid power. In those cases, our energy shone violet.

  The nearby swirling mists changed. Crimson lights began dancing inside the haze. My heart soared. This was definitely a Caster spell. Seconds later, Rowan himself materialized beside me. He stood tall with his broad build, muscular limbs, and strong bone structure. Today he wore battle leathers and a concerned look in his green eyes. He immediately wrapped his heavy arms around me. “What’s wrong?”

  I leaned into his touch and sympathy. How wonderful to have someone know me so well that, without saying a word, it was clear that I was struggling. I quickly explained what had happened with Echo and Petra. As I spoke, Rowan rubbed my back in soothing circles.

  When I finished my tale, Rowan kissed the top of my head. “Shall I tell you a story?”

  I pressed my cheek against his chest and grinned. Rowan was forever telling me Caster tales. One of my favorites concerned a raven. “Please do.”

  “Once upon a time, there was a powerful king.”

  “Was he handsome?”

  “We’ll get to that part.” Rowan chuckled, and his rumbling laugh reverberated through my entire body. Already, I was feeling better.

  “I can’t wait,” I said.

  “This king was supposed to meet his lovely mate for a somewhat dangerous enterprise involving isolated gateways and spying on the gods.”

  “The mate in your story sounds rather marvelous.”

  “Exceedingly so.” Although I couldn’t see his face, I could easily picture the happy look that now danced in Rowan’s green eyes. “Back to my story. This king was due to use his magick and transport himself to his wonderful mate when some gray-haired ladies knocked on the main gates to the castle.”

  “How fearsome.” I mock-shivered.

  “Just you wait. These wise ladies informed the king that the community had decided to hold an elder festival.”

  I rolled my eyes. “You Casters and your parties.”

  All of Rowan’s people loved to celebrate. And since Rowan was the Caster king—what they called their Genesis Rex—he always made a point to fully enjoy the fun.

  “Normally, that is the case,” said Rowan. “But elder festivals are a little different sort of celebration. The great king had to make toasts in the honor of more than a hundred elderly ladies.”

  I leaned back and looked up into Rowan’s face. “And why d
o I get the feeling that you—I mean, that the king in this story—didn’t enjoy that?”

  A sneaky gleam shone in Rowan’s eyes; that meant he was getting to the good part of his tale. “Elder toasts involve a senior lady asking the king to raise a mug in their honor. The toast is then followed by a chaste kiss on the cheek. Or, at least it’s supposed to be chaste.” Rowan lowered his voice to a conspiratorial tone. “Some of the ladies got carried away.”

  I couldn’t help but smile. Rowan always knew how to break my sad moods. “So that’s the moral of your story: you were late tonight because there was too much royal smooching to be done?”

  “And some of my subjects have rather bad breath.”

  Now, I outright laughed. “When I become Caster queen, will I be asked to perform the same service for the elder Caster men?”

  Rowan gave me an overly serious look. “I’m afraid so.”

  “In that case, I refuse to take the crown.” An edge crept into my voice that I hadn’t meant to put there. “You can’t force me. Don’t even try.”

  Rowan cupped my face in his hands. “Never. No one would ever strong-arm you into take the Caster crown, not like…” His unspoken words hung in the air.

  Not like Petra, forcing me to become Tsarina.

  Thinking of Petra shattered my good mood. There were questions to be answered, and the Martyr’s Comet would only last for three days. I stepped away from Rowan’s hold and scanned the skies. A crimson streak now glowed by the horizon. “The Martyr’s Comet is here.” Saying that aloud made my spying mission suddenly seem a waste of time. “The wards are now lowered on the arches. Maybe we should just experiment with hybrid magick. See if we can heal the gateways on our own.”

  “We asked the Seers about that. Cast a dozen vision spells. You know what they all said.”

  “I do.” For some reason, the Sire and Lady were reluctant to hurt or imprison me. However, that would all change if I used hybrid magick directly onto the gateways. We’d be locked up or dead in a heartbeat. It seemed strange but then, who understood the mind of the gods?

  “Your plan is a solid one, Elea. Our best hope is to cast a spying spell and see what we can discover. After that, well…You know we have one more option.”

  “Tossing Viktor’s body into the gateway?”

  Rowan grinned. “You know that is my first choice.”

  “Mine as well.” Sadly, none of the Seers or experts thought that would come to pass. There were simply too many variables: freeing Viktor and then getting him to the right spot at the correct moment. Oh, and then there was the matter of my conscience; I wouldn’t murder someone unless they attacked. No, hybrid magick was a far better route. Which brought us back to finding information.

  And indeed, Rowan had another option on that score.

  The Martyr’s Comet not only lessened the wards on gateways, it also made it easier for mages to travel between them. There was one world in particular that held some alternative deities who might help.

  The world of the trickster gods. I shivered. That was one place I’d no desire to visit.

  “In that case, let’s hope our spying mission works.” I squared my shoulders and lifted my chin. “I’m ready to begin.”

  “I have every faith in you.” Rowan kissed my forehead. “You will do this, Elea.”

  My mate seemed to believe my façade of fearlessness, but inside? I kept picturing what had happened to Echo—how her body was torn apart by the wards protecting this very gateway.

  It was never a good idea to spy on the gods as a rule.

  Perhaps this would be the time my law-breaking tendencies caught up with me.

  Chapter Four

  A few minutes later, Rowan and I materialized inside Amelia’s laboratory. I shook my head, impressed. No one could cast a faster transport spell than Rowan.

  The lab itself looked more cluttered than usual, and that was quite a feat for Amelia and Kade. Both of them couldn’t cast spells, but Rowan and I had gifted them some hybrid power, enabling Kade and Amelia to share energy through their mate bond. That gift still didn’t allow them to cast spells, however. That said, it did empower them to bare their souls to each other, which Kade thought an infinitely better kind of magick.

  Most days, Rowan and I invested our time in magick and mage craft, while Kade and Amelia were obsessed with gears and steam. This entire lab was a labyrinth of tables that overflowed with springs, sheet metal, and tools of various kinds. More strips of copper and long bolts hung from the ceiling in an elaborate pulley system. The effect was like being encircled by a clockwork cloud. As a result, I couldn’t see Amelia or Kade, but I did hear the steady clink-clank of metal which told me they were off tinkering somewhere.

  I cupped my hand by my mouth. “Amelia? Kade?”

  A chorus of clanging noises sounded. “Yow,” cried Amelia. “My head.”

  Rowan and I shared a sly look. Amelia was forever forgetting she had hung so many metal items from the ceiling. It was a wonder the girl hadn’t given herself a black eye yet.

  “We’ve come to visit,” called Rowan.

  “Don’t move, I’ll find you,” replied Kade.

  As Rowan’s brother made his way through the lab, the various bits of metal rattled and gonged. The place was huge, and thanks to the pulley system, it changed constantly. Within seconds, Kade appeared from around a tall pile of copper wiring. Like always, Kade reminded me of a smaller version of Rowan: he was tall and broad chested with green eyes and messy brown hair. His worn leathers held the insignia of the personal guard of Genesis Rex.

  Kade wrapped Rowan in a deep hug. “Brother. It is good to see you.”

  “Good to be seen.” Rowan glanced my way, which was my mate’s way of encouraging Kade to greet me as well.

  Kade turned toward me and gave a curt half-bow. “Elea.”

  Disappointment weighed heavily in my heart, but I leaned in to my Necromancer training to hide my emotions. I bowed slightly in return. “Kade.”

  Sadly, it was always this way between me and Kade. I knew Rowan wanted more. So did I, for that matter. Kade accepted me as his brother’s mate, but he didn’t relish the idea of having me in the royal family. I seemed to trail death and destruction behind me wherever I went.

  In that sense, Kade wasn’t wrong. I wouldn’t necessarily want a family member caught up in my supernatural drama, either. Even so, a mate bond couldn’t be denied. Even being physically separated from Rowan started an ache in my heart and bones. There was no going back now.

  Amelia was next to appear from behind the curtain of gadgetry. She wore her hair in perfect red ringlets to her shoulders. Kade had made sure she had pink Caster leathers to wear instead of her flouncy gown, which Amelia adored. My friend still reminded me of a living porcelain doll, only this variety was far more ready for battle. Or in Amelia’s case, blowing things up. There was no missing the scorch marks on Amelia’s leathers. My friend had been running explosion tests again.

  The moment Amelia laid eyes on me, she bounced on the balls of her feet. “Elea! You got our message.” Before I could reply, my friend had crossed the space between us and pulled me into what I call her dance-hugs. This is where we embraced tightly while shifting our weight from foot to foot. It was all Amelia and completely wonderful.

  I was so happy to see my friend it took me a few moments to realize that Amelia had said something about a message. “No, we didn’t get any message from you. Rowan and I came because I spied on the Sire and Lady, and they mentioned your name. I wanted to be sure you’re all right.”

  “That’s so nice,” said Amelia quickly. She grabbed my wrist and dragged me through the maze of metal.

  Now, if most people had just been told they were a topic of conversation for the gods, then they’d have a lot of questions. Not Amelia. The fact that she said that’s so nice meant my friend was leagues deep into a mechanical project of some kind and wanted me to see it right away. Nothing else mattered.

  Kade, howeve
r, did not miss the comment at all. He followed one step behind Amelia and me. “Gods? What did they say about my mate?” His words came out as a snarl.

  “Just listed her name, that’s all,” I called over my shoulder. “At the time, I couldn’t hear much of what they were saying…just a snippet of a word here and there. Amelia’s name was all I heard.”

  “May I have a minute of your time, brother?” asked Kade. That boded ill. The edge in Kade’s voice said that the conversation would take far more than a minute. Kade had never been enthusiastic about our plan to spy on the gods. No doubt, he was worried that my actions were dragging my friend into danger.

  Again, he wouldn’t be entirely wrong.

  Every so often, I wondered about hiding from the world. Perhaps I could retire to some small Cloister and wait until all this was over, one way or another. Then, I’d realize the truth. I couldn’t protect myself and my friends, but leave the rest of the world to Viktor’s not-so-tender mercies. After all, Rowan and I were the only ones who could fight him.

  Amelia dragged me past a long curtain of what looked like metal hair and stopped at a small clearing on the lab floor. In the center of the space, there was the statue of a kneeling figure that had been made of bronze, wood, and stone. It wore scraps of black leather that had probably once been part of a Necromancer robe. Arms, legs, even the jawline…all the pieces of the statue had movable parts. It was a life-sized doll.

  And it looked a lot like me.

  As I stepped around the figure, the world took on a dream-like quality. Who would make a statue that looked somewhat like me? I knew the Casters were just starting to warm up to the idea of me as Rowan’s mate. It seemed a little early for them to be carving statues. Besides, Caster statues were typically enchanted stone. This creation was definitely mechanical.

  A dozen questions flew through my mind at once. Leaning in to my Necromancer training, I calmed my mind and selected the query that would give me the most information. “Tell me how you made this.”