Aldwin smiled. “Harriet will be happy about that. She’s been pestering us to hire more help for weeks. It’s not like people are clamoring for jobs in the castle kitchens.” He tore his gaze from the map on the wall and sat down in a comfortable chair, resigned. “I owe that girl my thanks, as well. I’ll talk to Lyall’s new tutor sometime this week, see if he can spare an hour or two after the boy’s lessons every day to teach her to read and write.”
Kasrian sighed. “Another new tutor? Did the last one give up as well? That boy has a problem, Aldwin. We need to get him in hand.”
The King chuckled. “No more of a problem than you had at his age, as I recall. Always skipping out on lessons to bully the soldiers into teaching you how to fight.”
Kasrian laughed at the memory and stretched out a hand to his brother. “Aldwin, I’m serious, you need to sleep. You won’t solve this tonight. Come on, get to bed. Sleep on it, and we’ll meet in the morning.”
Aldwin gave a sigh of resignation and took his brother’s hand, standing from the chair and heading towards his bedchamber. “Yes, yes, I know. Sleep. You know Kasrian, there are many days when I wish you were the eldest.”
Kasrian laughed and clapped a hand on the King’s shoulder. “Don’t even think it, Aldwin. I’d have been a lousy king.”
After making sure his brother was headed towards his bed, Kasrian left the King’s chambers and headed back to his own. He’d catch a few hours of sleep, then wake Autumn and take her to the tailor before he went to consult with Aldwin and Nilene. Tomorrow looked to be an interesting day, even though they had almost no new information to work with. He would have to make some kind of statement. Tonight it had been street children, but it was only a matter of time before a merchant’s child was taken. If that happened, people would start panicking. A panicked city was something that no one wanted.
Yawning, he opened the door to his rooms. Grateful that he didn’t have to think about it until morning, he pushed the thought of the cult from his mind. For a moment, he considered slipping away to the barracks to find Nilene, but he decided against it. He needed sleep if he was going to be any use tomorrow. With a heavy sigh, he began getting ready for bed.
Chapter 9
While the residents of Nor slept, the night’s work was just beginning in the kingdom of Katrell.
In Nor’s sister kingdom many miles to the West, the omens were finally right for a Choosing. Tonight was the night of the ceremony, whatever that might mean for its queen.
Miraphina straightened her ceremonial robes in the mirror. She had ruled the realm for twenty years now and hoped to rule for many more to come. Miraphina’s family had ruled Katrell for many generations. She had accepted the position from her aging father, who had abdicated a few years after her Choosing to enjoy his few remaining years in peaceful solitude.
The night of the Choosing was supposed to be a happy one. It was the night that the future of Katrell was assured through the selection of the one most fit to rule after her time was over. Miraphina sighed. Try as she might, she couldn’t feel hopeful about this Choosing. By tradition, Esren would be a candidate. She knew that he would not become the Chosen. Still, she could have been content with that. But the Choosing was deadly, and she feared that her son might not survive.
Esren had plenty of magical talent, but he lacked the temperament to control it well. At sixteen years old, he still hadn’t mastered spells that children learned in their first weeks of training. The problem was apparent to anyone who had met him: his complete lack of patience. The details of the Choosing were secret by necessity and by magical contract, so Miraphina could not tell her son what he might face. She couldn’t make him understand that he needed to learn patience and focus. It was almost unheard of for every single candidate to come out alive. The Queen knew Esren’s chances of survival were not good.
She breathed in slowly and looked in the mirror. Satisfied with her appearance, she left her chambers and began the long walk down to the bottom of the Royal Tower. She could have used her magic to speed the journey along, but she knew she could use the time to compose herself. She thought about her own Choosing all those years ago. Only one candidate had died that time, and the rest had all gone on to great things. Her beloved Braeden had been a candidate. He’d gone on to become one of the best battlemages in the realm.
Esren had been born while his father was on a distant battlefield from which he never returned. The Queen often wondered if Esren might have been more diligent with his studies if his father had been there to keep him in hand. Miraphina realized now that she had been too indulgent with her young son. She had always assumed there would be time for him to grow into his power. Now that the Choosing had come, she wished she had been stricter.
Miraphina knew it was possible that Esren would join his father in death tonight. Her son’s uncontrolled power and impatient nature would be a severe liability in the tasks ahead, though she couldn’t tell him that. Not for the first time, she wished that the Choosing didn’t have to be secret. Sending these children into danger without adequately preparing them for the road ahead felt wrong.
The Queen forced her mind to more practical thoughts. The other candidates seemed promising. The clear favorite was Catrine, the daughter of Miraphina’s sister Zara. Zara had been a candidate at Miraphina’s own choosing and was now the Queen’s closest friend and adviser. Esren and Catrine had been raised and trained together. Unlike Esren, Catrine was exceptionally patient and extremely diligent in her studies. She was also a natural leader, and Zara had brought her to most court functions since she was old enough to walk. If she were Chosen, she would make an excellent queen.
Miraphina had always planned to rule until her death, but after twenty years she understood her father’s decision to abdicate. Ruling a kingdom took its toll on the psyche after a time. Perhaps if Catrine were Chosen, Miraphina would hand over the reins of power early and retire to her lodge in the mountains. She could be happy there, far from the cares of the world. Esren could join her and train at his own pace. In time, he could still be a great mage in his own right.
Still, it would be a mistake to count out the other candidates. There were 14 in all this year, gathered from all over the kingdom. The best and brightest of Katrell’s children were collected in the courtyard. The kingdom’s future would be assured, no matter what happened. Miraphina just hoped that it wouldn’t come at the cost of her son’s life.
When the Queen finally reached the base of the tower, Zara was waiting for her. Miraphina smiled. “Hello, sister. How is Catrine holding up?”
Zara smiled proudly. “She’s as calm as can be expected. I wish I could tell her what to expect. It really seems unfair for them to go in unprepared. Still, we did it. I suppose we came out alright.”
Miraphina laughed. “We did indeed. And believe me, I know how you feel. But I don’t think you need to worry, Catrine is well prepared.” She didn’t speak her own fears aloud, but she knew that Zara understood. The bond between the two had been strong even before Miraphina’s Choosing, and it had only grown stronger since. Zara reached out and took her hand, squeezing it comfortingly. “It will be alright, sister. No matter what happens.”
Miraphina nodded. She took a deep breath and banished her fears to the darkest corner of her mind. Zara released her hand and took up a position a pace behind the Queen. Together, they stepped out of the tower and into the courtyard.
There was a huge crowd gathered in the courtyard to witness the beginning of the Choosing. At Miraphina’s appearance, they burst into cheers and applause. The Queen favored the people with a smile and a wave, then held up her hands for silence. As the cheering died down into quiet murmurs, she looked at the candidates. They stood side by side in a line before her, each wearing a simple white robe and straw sandals. Candidates were permitted to take nothing but their knowledge and skills for the trials ahead.
Miraphina stole a glance at Esren as she approached. She was pleased to note that he
didn’t look frightened. He was looking thoughtfully at the carved sigils on the ground of the courtyard which would soon reveal the gateway to the Choosing. He was more subdued than the Queen ever remembered seeing him, and she felt her heart lift. If he can keep a cool head, he’ll live through the Choosing.
The Queen addressed the candidates in a practiced tone that betrayed nothing of her apprehension. “Sons and daughters of Katrell, I welcome you. You have been deemed the strongest, the wisest, and the most worthy to undergo the Choosing. The one of you who is Chosen will succeed me as the ruler of our beloved kingdom.
“Be warned, the Choosing is a demanding test. It is not for the foolhardy or the faint of heart. It is meant to test your skill, your strength, and your fitness to rule. It is deadly. Some of you may not survive.
“I offer you all a final opportunity to turn back. Let it be known that there is no shame in turning away now. By coming this far, you have accomplished more than most mages will in their entire lives. You are all worthy, all capable of greatness. If you stay, you seal your oath to be a part of the Choosing until its completion or your death. Make your decision, and know that the decision is yours alone to make.”
Miraphina was silent for a moment, as was the crowd. Desperately, she hoped that Esren would see sense and turn away. Even as the thought came into her mind, she knew the hope was a vain one. He had too much of his father’s stubborn pride.
When none of the candidates showed any sign of turning away, Miraphina nodded. She hadn’t expected any of them to back out now. Candidates for the Choosing were between the ages of twelve and seventeen, filled with the fiery determination of youth. Some had turned back in the past, but it didn’t happen often.
“Very well,” she continued. “The Choosing has begun.”
The Queen motioned to one of the palace guards. The robed man stepped forward, carrying a long box made of carved ebony. He knelt before the Queen and presented the case to her reverently. She opened the case and withdrew the ornate silver sword that lay within. After marveling for a moment at its beauty, she closed the case and turned to the gathering of people in the courtyard.
She held the sword up for the assembled crowd to see. “This is the Sword of Katrell. It is the legacy left to us by our founder, who created the Choosing and decreed its use for all future generations. It is the key to the Choosing.”
Miraphina walked reverently to the carved sigils on the courtyard floor. The spell to open the portal was the first thing the Chosen learned after their return. She was only thirteen years old when her father had taught it to her. She touched the tip of the silver sword to each sigil in turn, speaking the words she had been shown and feeling the magic flow through her. As she touched each sigil, it glowed gently. The sword touched the last sigil, and an enormous, shimmering gate materialized in the courtyard.
The assembled crowd gasped and murmured among themselves. Many of them had never seen a Choosing before. Miraphina paused for a moment and looked at the gate, memories of her own Choosing flickering through her mind. She gave a sad smile, then turned to the candidates. “Once you pass through this gate, you cannot return until the task is done.” She held up the sword and spoke the final words of the spell. The sword shimmered in her hands, then disappeared. The crowd murmured again.
“This is your task.” Miraphina looked each candidate in the eye one by one. “Retrieve the Sword of Katrell from the beyond the gate. The one who returns with the sword in hand shall be declared the Chosen. Go now, and may the Gods be with you.”
The candidates bowed reverently. One by one, they walked cautiously to the gate and stepped through. After the last one had disappeared through the shimmering portal, the gate itself disappeared. Only the glowing sigils would remain in the courtyard until the Choosing was complete.
Miraphina sighed. The Choosing might take hours, days, or even weeks. The historians told tales of Choosings in ancient times that would last for more than a year. She didn’t doubt that the stories were true. The realm beyond the gate was strange and wondrous. It was also vast, and there was no way of telling where the Sword might be hidden.
She signaled to an elderly historian who had been invited to lecture the assembled crowd on the history of Katrell and of the Choosing. He stepped forward and began his speech in a thin, reedy voice that seemed made for sending academy students to sleep. Miraphina had heard it all before. She didn’t want to stay any longer than tradition demanded.
As if reading her mind, Zara was suddenly at her side with a courtly bow. “Your Majesty, would you care to join me for a glass of wine to toast the candidates? I fear that if I stay in the courtyard any longer, my worry for my daughter may overcome my pride at her achievements.”
Miraphina smiled gratefully. “I would be honored, Lady Zara. Lead the way.” With a last look at the glowing sigils, she sighed and followed her sister inside.
On the other side of the shimmering gate, Esren looked out over the strange landscape. The skies were a deep red, and the world was lit by the light of an unfamiliar moon. A vast land lay before him, and he wondered how far the sword might be. The other candidates were nowhere to be seen. I suppose the gate let us all out in different locations. He wondered what dangers this alien world might hold.
“Ho, Cousin!” Catrine’s voice brought him out of his reverie. “I’m glad I found you! Here I was worried the trip might be boring.” Her voice was cheerful, and Esren returned her smile.
“Well, I don’t think boring is the word I’d pick,” he said. “This world is incredible, I’m kind of looking forward to exploring it a bit.”
Catrine nodded. “Well, shall we explore it together, then? We might as well work together until we find the sword.”
Esren nodded and gave an exaggerated bow, gesturing towards the world ahead. “Of course, my lady. Lead the way!”
Catrine laughed merrily and stepped out in front of her cousin to admire the landscape. “Why thank you, sweet cousin! Of course, we really have no idea where we’re going. Any ideas on where we should start?”
“Well, I did have one thought.” Catrine turned to face her cousin as he spoke. The heavy stone smashed through her skull before she even had time to look surprised. Her lifeless body slumped down onto the ground. Esren stood over her, looking down coldly as he dropped the rock. He reached down and dipped his fingers into her warm blood.
He stared at the blood on his hand and spoke the words of a spell. His eyes glazed over for a moment, then he looked up to see a glowing red trail leading from his hand off into the distance. He smiled. His mother might not think much of his aptitude for traditional spell work, but Soul Magic he’d learned from the mysterious book were far more suited to his expertise. He’d kept his extracurricular studies secret for many years, knowing that the use of these spells were grounds for exile or death.
Soul Magic was a forbidden study for a reason. A Soul Mage could attain power that other mages could never dream of, but it could only be done by torturing and killing others for their life force. A small price to pay, Esren mused. Barely a price at all. It was a price that Esren paid gladly – after all, who would miss a few stray animals or the odd beggar from the city streets?
Esren smiled as he remembered the beginning of his journey. Once he was King, things would be different. Such useful skills wouldn’t be taboo just because a few people might be offended. He knew he would have the support of the Battlemages. The rest of the kingdom would undoubtedly follow. His father would be so proud.
He stood up and grimaced at the blood on his robe. I wish Soul Magic wasn’t so messy, but I suppose that’s the real price to be paid for such power. He smirked down at his cousin’s body. “Thank you, Catrine. I don’t know how I’d ever have gotten by without you.”
Chuckling to himself, he followed the glowing trail off into the strange new world. One rival down, twelve more to go.
Chapter 10
“Just one more measurement, my dear, and
then we’re all done.” Autumn nodded as the dressmaker fussed with her tape measure. She looked around the little studio at the half-finished projects hanging around the room. A smile crept across her face. She was to have a whole new wardrobe, with durable clothing that could be let out to grow with her for a few years. The tailor had gone to work immediately at Commander Kasrian’s request, fitting the young girl with some comfortable cotton underthings and taking more measurements than Autumn would have thought possible.
Autumn loved the feeling of the cotton petticoat. She had never worn a skirt before and quite liked having it swish around her ankles. The tailor kept scolding the girl to stay still, but she smiled as she did, amused in spite of herself.
Finally, the dressmaker wrote down the final measurement on her clipboard. “There we go! I’ll get right to work on this, and we should have everything ready in a few days. In the meantime, I think I have something second hand that will fit you. Wait here for a moment, okay?”
Autumn nodded and went back to swishing the petticoat back and forth. The tailor walked into another room, mumbling to herself as she rummaged through closets filled with clothes of all descriptions. Autumn looked up at the silk ball gown in front of her. She wondered if someday she might have a dress like that; shimmery, lacy, and embroidered with pearls and precious gems. I want it to be dark green, like the trees around our cabin. And I’ll wear orange lilies in my hair.
Finally, the tailor returned with a dress in hand. “Here we are! Now, then, let’s teach you how to wear this properly.”
A few minutes of fussing and adjusting later, Autumn finally looked in the mirror. I look so pretty! The modest brown tunic dress fit surprisingly well. It laced up at the sides and the shoulders, with a belt around the middle. Underneath, she wore the petticoat and a long-sleeved cotton shirt. On the right side of her chest was an embroidered coat of arms, marking her as a palace servant. She was grateful that the garb for palace servants was nothing like the low-cut styles she had seen the fancy ladies around the city wearing. Autumn had been afraid her new clothing might show her bruises, or worse, the scars from her night in the cultists’ temple.
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