by Halle Dean
"I'm not—"
"Sword fighting, battle strategy, hand-to-hand combat" —Mason counted on his fingers as he listed— "leading, hunting, teaching, hiding, a whole slew of other abilities… And, evidently, magic. Is there anything that you are not skilled in?"
"Expressing his feelings," Sophie suggested. "Admitting to being afraid. Let me think... What else? Oh! Asking for help when he needs it!"
"Thank you," Warner grumbled. "That is enough."
"Knitting!" Melody added.
"How could you possibly know that?" he asked.
"I found your scarf," she shrugged.
"It was a hat," he defended.
"As I said, you are not skilled at knitting."
"I thought I had hidden that…"
"Another thing he's not good at," Sophie smirked. "Hiding failed hats."
"Please stop listing things," Warner pleaded.
"It didn't look like a hat."
"Forget the knitting!" he exclaimed. "It was on one occasion!" Sophie and Melody laughed and Mason looked amused. Warner crossed his arms and frowned, but Sophie was certain that he wasn't as upset as he acted. She knew he must be glad that everyone seemed in good spirits, even if it was at his expense. "What is our plan of action?" he asked after a moment.
"We should visit the Magics Society," Mason said.
"But I wish to see Ella," Melody complained.
"We mustn't bring her anywhere near that place," Warner said. "Something about her magic is unusual. I'll have enough trouble protecting Sophie from the leaders as it is."
Sophie nodded sadly. "We shall have to wait to see Ella."
* * *
They decided to rest for the night, since the sun had set and they were all tired from fleeing the kingdom. Sophie insisted that Melody use the mattress that Warner summoned from The Void. The poor girl had not had a bed in five years. Warner placed protective spells around their camp and started a fire in the center to ward off the cold air. As they all settled in, Melody continued to tease Warner.
"Perhaps it was meant to be a sheath for your sword?"
"Why would I knit a sheath?" he asked, annoyed.
"Why would you knit anything?" Mason interjected.
"Can we please never speak of this again?" Warner pleaded.
"No," the other three said in unison.
Warner grumbled under his breath and rolled over as everyone else laughed. So much had happened, but, in that moment, it felt the same as when they were children. Everyone was friendly and everything was normal. Sophie tried to forget that they were all on the run and most of them had some sort of magical problem. Perhaps the Magics Society could fix everything and things could go back to how they should be. She couldn't help but get her hopes up.
* * *
Sophie did not wish to wake up. The air outside her blanket was cold and the sun was bright through the canopy of leaves above her. Despite her wishes to remain warm, her blanket shimmered and vanished. She sat up and glared at Warner in protest.
"I was using that!" she complained.
"It wasn't my fault," he said, gesturing to Melody.
"She didn't even wave her hand."
"She doesn't need to," he shrugged. "Am I wrong, Mel? When my sorcerer magic is in control, he has no need to use hand signs or words."
Melody nodded. "It's the same with me," she said. "Perhaps because I am magic, not simply using magic. That may be another thing the Magics Society will be able to inform us about."
Warner shrugged. "I'm not sure what they will agree to tell us," he said. "There is much that they keep from me."
"We shall see," she said.
"We should hurry though," Sophie said. "It will take some time to travel to Milvona."
"We can use Void travel," Melody said. "Yesterday, I used all of my magic energy to keep myself from passing out. But enough of it has now replenished for me to use The Void. I think I still remember how."
"Mason and I don't have that ability," Sophie pointed out.
Mason looked confused. "I'm not quite sure what ability you're speaking of."
"Of course you aren't," Melody said. She looked to Warner as he vanished the mattress and the rest of the blankets. "I'll take mine and you take yours."
With that, she seized Mason by arm and they both shimmered and vanished. Sophie and Warner stared in shock.
"How did she do that?" Warner asked.
A moment later, they re-materialized.
Melody laughed nervously. "Heh... I have no idea where we are going."
Mason fell to his knees, coughing and spluttering, as if he had only barely survived drowning.
"What… in the hell?" he wheezed. Melody crouched next to him in concern as he caught his breath. "What was that?" he asked. "Never do that again."
"How did you take him with you?" Warner asked. "I can't do that... Oh... Because you're the sorceress magic."
Sophie looked up at him. "Is your magic half able to do the same?" she asked.
He nodded. "He claims he is, at least. I won't let him test it."
"Oh," Melody said, patting Mason on the back and looking up at Warner. "I was unaware that you couldn't."
"I suppose we must go on foot," Mason said, sounding hopeful.
"Not to worry," Melody said. "Warner can show me where to go and I'll take both of you through."
"I don't think I want to go..." Sophie said. "Mason seems unwell."
"I'm perfectly all right," he said. "It's only that that was… strange. Very, very strange. And painful... And I feel quite ill..."
"It's the quickest way to travel," Melody said.
"People aren't meant to go there," Sophie said. "Living things cannot survive."
"We survived," Melody said. "Lane just feels a bit ill. He'll be all right once he is used to it."
"I don't want to be used to it," he protested. "I don't even know what happened. I want to travel the normal way."
"This will be the new normal," she said, grinning and helping him stand back up. "Take my hand." She grabbed his hand and reached for Sophie. "And you, Soph. Take Warner's hand as well. He will lead the way."
"Melody, is it safe to take them through The Void?" Warner asked. "Sophie isn't wrong. Living things very much aren't meant to be there."
"It's all right," she shrugged. "Trust me." She snatched up Sophie's hand and held on tight, then gestured for Warner to do the same to Sophie's other hand. "Show us the way, Warner."
"Um…" Warner said.
He glanced at Sophie apprehensively. She took a deep breath and then held her hand out to him. He looked surprised for a moment and seemed a bit uncertain. Then he smiled nervously and took her hand.
"Finally!" Melody said, rolling her eyes. "Time to go."
At first, all that Sophie saw was darkness. A split-second later, there were colors and shapes spinning all around. She felt very dizzy and her head was beginning to hurt. Breathing wasn't difficult—it was impossible. She felt as though she was dying.
The spinning halted abruptly. She was standing on some sort of solid surface, though it was still dark. The blanket Melody had vanished earlier was in front of her, accompanied by a few books, a dagger, and a teakettle. Sophie only had a second to look at the objects before the spinning started again. She was still unable to breathe and wasn't sure how much longer she could handle it. When the spinning stopped again, she saw Warner's house surrounded by a plethora of objects. She didn't have the time to process much else before consciousness abandoned her.
* * *
"Sophie," Warner's worried voice said. "Sophie, please wake up." She wanted to respond, but couldn't make herself move at all. She could feel a hand on her forehead. "She has a fever," Warner said. "Melody, you said it would be all right!"
"She will be all right," another man's voice said. "No need to fret."
"Don't tell me not to fret, James!" Warner exclaimed. "She may die!"
"She won't," James said calmly. "Her healing magic will help her."
"It's used up already!" Warner said frantically. "She is out of magic!"
"Warner, calm yourself," James said. "The Void rejected her magic, but it hasn't killed her. Look, she has already awoken."
Sophie was struggling to open her eyes. There were bright lights, she had a splitting headache, and her body felt very heavy. When her vision finally adjusted, she saw Warner hovering over her. His concern shifted to relief as he saw that she was conscious. She attempted a smile to reassure him that she was all right, but her head hurt too much. Before she could even think about speaking, she was being crushed in a tight hug.
"Oh, thank God," Warner murmured into her hair. Sophie couldn't breathe very well, but it was easier than it had been in The Void. Besides that, she very much didn't want Warner to let go of her. After a moment, he released her and she reluctantly leaned back. Her body was shaking beyond her control, but he was holding onto her shoulders to stabilize her. "Are you all right?" he asked.
She nodded slowly and looked around. They were in a large hall, similar to the ones in Coriander Castle. Mason and Melody were standing a little ways away, behind Warner. Standing next to Warner was a man with dark hair and blue-green eyes—presumably James. He looked familiar, but Sophie couldn't remember where she had seen him.
"I told you," James said. "She is all right."
Warner ignored him and put his hands on either side of Sophie's face. He looked closely into her eyes, making her blush and look away.
"Sophie, be cooperative, please," he said. "I'm trying to make sure you're all right."
"I am," she said quietly. "My head aches and I feel a bit dizzy and unstable, but I'm all right. Though, let's not go to The Void again."
He smiled slightly and pulled her into another hug. "We won't," he promised. "Besides, we're already here."
"This is the Magics Society?" she asked, leaning into his embrace.
"Yes," James said. "And Barry and George have been awaiting you for a long while."
Warner stiffened, almost imperceptibly. "They know we're here?" he asked, letting Sophie go and looking up.
"No, not yet," James said. "But they knew you would arrive eventually. They know that the princess is alive. They wish to see her."
Warner stood. "Why?" he asked. "What do they want with her?"
"Nothing good, I'm sure," James admitted. "If I was you, I'd be very careful."
"I always am, with them," Warner grumbled. "Thank you for the warning."
"It won't be long before they know you're here," James said, walking down the hall. "Act as though you never saw me, if you don't mind."
"Never saw who?" Warner asked.
"That's the spirit."
James disappeared around a corner and Warner helped Sophie to her feet. "Who was that?" she asked.
"James Paisley," he said. "Do you remember him? You were only eight when he left."
"The name sounds familiar," she said, trying to recall where she'd heard it before.
"He was a knight in Coriander," Warner said. "He became a magician and couldn't be a knight anymore."
"Oh, I remember!" she said. "He left the kingdom on his own, even though he was young."
Warner nodded. "He's a very talented magician now," he said. "He helped me to join the Magics Society."
"That's where we are now?" she asked. "They live in a castle?"
"It's not quite a castle," he said. "More of a very large house."
"What shall we do, now that we've arrived?" Melody asked.
"You shall come with us," a voice said from a little ways down the hall.
Everyone looked over to see two old men. One had pure white hair, cut short and accompanied by a scruffy beard. The other's hair was longer and gray. Warner tensed and pulled Sophie behind himself. The white-haired man stepped closer and raised an eyebrow. He stared at Sophie with bright green eyes that almost seemed to glow. They reminded her of her father's, except that there was no kindness behind them.
"Warner," the man said. "You've brought friends."
Warner nodded curtly.
"We didn't think that the princess would make it," the gray-haired one said. "I'm delighted to see that you've kept yourself in check."
"Now, Barry," the white-haired man said. "Don't tease the boy."
"I have questions," Warner said. "And I won't allow you to hide things from me any longer."
"George and I will answer your questions on one condition," the one called Barry said.
Warner narrowed his eyes. "What is your condition?"
Sophie was afraid of what the answer might be. Barry smiled. It didn't do much to lighten the tension. Warner didn't let his guard down. He shifted very slightly, and Sophie could tell he was preparing to fight.
"Come sit with me for some tea," Barry said, gesturing to a large set of doors.
"That's the condition?" Melody asked.
"No," George, said. "The condition is that the princess will accompany me while the rest of you have your tea with Barry."
"Not a chance," Warner growled. "She stays with me."
"Hmm, are we infatuated?" Barry teased.
"I will not allow you to take her from me," Warner said. "I will go with her."
"I must have her alone for the trials to work properly," George said.
"What trials?" Sophie asked.
"You already know why we're here?" Mason asked.
"I have no idea what you came here for," George said. "Do you know something about her disrupting the flow of magic?"
"What do you mean by that?" Warner asked. "She's not doing anything."
"Hmm, so you aren't aware," George mused. "But you do know that something is amiss, yes? Otherwise you wouldn't be here."
"Barrier spells don't work on her," Warner said. "We wish to learn why that is."
"Interesting," Barry said. "So, it may very well be her."
"I'm not so sure," George said. He looked at Warner. "Does her magic feel strange to you?"
Warner looked confused and suspicious. "No," he said slowly. "It feels normal. Why?"
"Hmm," George said, stroking his beard. "I believe we only have two trials then."
Immediately, Warner turned to Sophie, but she felt herself falling as he reached for her. She looked down, but the floor was intact. She seemed to be passing straight through it. In an instant, she had fallen into a new room and hit the floor rather painfully. Warner's furious shouting could be heard from above, but George was already in the room with her.
"Shall we begin the first trial?" he asked. "If you comply, I will allow you to say goodbye to Warner before the final one."
Twenty Two
The Final Trial
Melody tired of being trapped in rooms with magic suppression. At least she had Lane by her side, though neither of them said much. Warner was furious and they didn't wish to make anything worse. He paced back and forth in the small room, grumbling. Melody wondered if he was talking to himself or to his other self.
"No need to be indignant, Warner," Barry's voice said. The voice resonated ethereally throughout the room. Melody couldn't tell where it came from. Warner glared at the door. "They have finished the first trial," Barry continued. "She passed."
"Then you'll release her?" Melody asked.
Barry let out a venomous laugh. "We'll let you see her again, but we still have one trial."
"Which one?" Warner sounded suspicious.
"It seems her ability to cross barriers is a result of someone else's magic," Barry said. "Though we cannot fathom how. In any case, her magic may be innocuous, but the irregularity could cause some sort of disturbance. We cannot have that. We must go ahead with the final trial."
"What does that mean?" Lane asked. "If there's nothing wrong with her magic, what else could you do?"
"No." Warner sounded strangely calm. "It will not happen."
"Warner, are you all right?" Melody asked him.
"No," he said again.
She wasn't sure if he was talk
ing to her, himself, or Barry, but the expression in his eyes was dark. He walked up to the door and put his hand on it.
"You tried that already, Warner," Melody said. "Your magic is suppressed."
"His magic is suppressed," Warner said. "Not mine."
"What—"
Before she could even try to figure out what was happening, the door exploded into millions of pieces. The shrapnel flew out of the room rather than in, but Lane and Melody both shielded their faces. Warner was gone by the time they recovered. Melody tried not to panic, but imagined nothing good could come out of other Warner being in control. She began to run out after him, but Lane took hold of her arm.
"His sorcerer magic is in control," she said frantically, looking around at Lane. "What should we do? Kill him? Then original Warner can take over?"
"How do you expect to kill him?" Lane asked, frustratingly reasonably. "You saw what he could do before. Do you think we can beat that?"
Melody was quite sure that there was no chance of beating Warner, but she needed to do something.
"Let's at least see what he's going to do," she pleaded, trying to pull her arm out of Lane's grasp.
"He's going to kill everyone," Lane said. "That will include us if we go after him."
"Lane, I cannot abandon him," she said, looking at her feet. "It's my fault this has happened to him and I must try everything I can to fix it." She glanced up at Lane to see that he looked very anxious. "You can leave if you wish," she told him. "You don't need to be caught up in this. I do not wish for you to die."
"Do you think I wish for you to die?" he asked incredulously. "No! I'm staying and keeping you alive." He drew his sword, which, thankfully, Barry and George had not thought to be a threat. "You and your damn brother."
Warner was nowhere to be seen when they ran out into the hall. They looked around, trying to decide which way he would most likely have gone. From their right came Sophie's scream, accompanied by the loud crash of an explosion. They both ran towards it. When they reached the large hall they had been in originally, they saw a large hole in the ground.
"W-Warner?" Sophie's stammering voice came floating up from the hole.
Lane and Melody rushed over and looked down. Below them was a small chamber, unfurnished except for a metal chair with built in manacles. Sophie was shackled to the chair, with Warner facing her and the body of George lying between them. Melody couldn't tell if George was already dead, but he wasn't moving and a puddle of blood was growing around him. Sophie struggled against her restraints, whimpering as Warner glared at her.
