by L J Andrews
Chapter 6
The Mage
I wasn’t alone in the corridors of the cave when I rushed toward the main cavern where Thane and Gaia slept. Mages rushed about, some seemed confused, disoriented even. I heard Onyx arguing with Donovan to return to sleep when I rushed passed his cavern. On my back, the blades seared with electrifying heat as though something had brought them to life. Finally, I slid through the opening of Thane’s cavern. It was narrow at first before the large space opened into a large room. Thane had an actual bed, not simply quilts and padding like most of the other warriors. The area was comfortable enough it might almost pass for a normal room instead of damp, dark place in an enormous cave.
A lantern was alive and flickered fiery ribbons of light across the floor, and by the time I was all the way in, my face beaded in sweat in all my desperation. I’d planned on waking my parents, but when I burst into their room, Gaia was already awake, strapping a long dagger to her waist, while Thane sat on their bed, sharpening his own blade.
“I saw it,” I gasped. Gaia nodded but didn’t say anything. “I know where Jade is.”
“Yes,” Gaia agreed finally. “I did too. It was an energy signal—a dangerous one at that.”
“What do you mean dangerous?” I huffed.
Gaia sheathed her blade completely and wrapped her shoulders in a thick black pelt, preparing to leave the cave. “There was desperation behind the signal, I know you’re feeling it. I can see it in your eyes. This signal was released under dangerous—perhaps deadly—circumstances. I don’t wish to worry you, but either the queen was in grave danger at the time, or something terrible happened during or soon after the signal released. I have no idea how the queen would know about such things, but despite the urgent sense of the signal, it does give me hope the queen has a mage ally nearby.”
“So everyone sensed it? Do you think something happened to Jade after it was sent? When did she send it?” I rambled through a few heaving breaths.
“The mages would all sense such a signal, yes,” Gaia said as she wrapped a thin piece of leather around her thick, auburn waves to keep them off her neck. She seemed so calm, but focused. “Teagan, now is not the time to guess at what happened. You must keep your mind clear and be ready for where we are going. As to when she sent it, such signals travel. She is a great distance away, so I would guess it’s been at least a day or two. It could be longer.”
“Two days!” I shrieked.
“Teagan, a mage had to help with such a signal. If Jade is near mages, it’s likely any mage people still hidden would start moving to answer the distress call. Allies could already be on the way—if not there.”
There was a dark shudder when Thane stood and drifted toward the back of the room. I sensed an odd feeling coming from him as he stood, avoiding my eyes. Gaia’s jaw twitched too. My eyes narrowed, and I stepped closer to my mother. “There’s something you’re not saying. You both know something.”
Thane sighed and glanced to Gaia before meeting my eyes. “There are dark mages,” he said softly. “If you felt this call, so did any mages who abandoned the elementals.”
My throat tightened the same as my fists balling at my sides. “Then we need to go now,” I hissed. “Right? We’re going now?”
Thane placed his strong warrior’s grip on my shoulder. “We’re going,” he growled low. “We’re getting her back.” I offered a curt nod, feeling as though my blood might burn through my flesh. Thane clapped my shoulder and faced Gaia. “You said there were lindworms, and a large house?”
Gaia nodded, but I spoke instead. “It has to be King Nag’s place. I feel it. He’ll be there and that means—”
“Bron will surely be close by,” Gaia interjected. Her voice sounded cold, like the ice along the outer cave, but whether she wanted to share her feelings or not, I was overwhelmed with her fierce determination.
Thane cupped her face, his eyes ferocious and much like a warrior wyvern. “You do not take any unnecessary risks with that creature. Promise me, Gaia. I refuse to lose you again.”
I didn’t turn away when Gaia kissed Thane, quickly at first, but slowed her pace once their lips met. She smiled when she broke away and clasped tight to his hand. “He will never separate us again.”
Thane turned to me next. “And I won’t lose you again, either.” I felt his deep, abiding fear that dwelt in the center of his heart. I’d planned to go after Jade without a thought as to whom I would face once I found her. Until this moment. Bron would certainly be focused on Gaia and me; Thane’s fears of losing his family again weren’t unwarranted.
“I won’t be stupid,” was the reply I could muster. “I’m getting her back, but I’m not going to lose my head.”
“Stay close with us,” he asked in a lower voice. “Like last time? Please.”
I smiled, my heart throbbing with the need to leave. “I’ll fight with you.”
“It’s time. We must go,” Gaia whispered. Her arms opened wide and wrapped around both Thane and me. “We will all return together.”
Outside the cave, Thane stood at the front of the long line of warriors already in their wyvern form. Athika tapped my shoulder from behind. She was dressed as though she were heading for a great battle, which I knew was a real possibility. I thought the way she’d pulled endless braids tight behind her head made her look fierce.
“We haven’t spoken much since we returned with the High Priestess,” she declared. “But I will have you know, I will do all I can to free Jade today. I felt the desperation behind the signal, Teagan. I know she wants to return.”
I offered a curt nod with a grateful smile before Athika climbed along Ruby’s enormous front legs and settled behind her crimson wings. I glanced at Mitch, who was saying something to Raffi, though the warrior was already in his true form. Raffi blew a puff of steam from his snout, and Mitch laughed, glancing at me.
Mitch inched toward me. “I told Raffi our knife competition is only delayed. Once we return, I plan to defeat him miserably, so I warned him not to die just to get out of losing to me.”
I dared smile, even though the suffocating need to go to Jade was crushing over my body. Slinging my arm around Mitch’s neck, I pulled him close so I could whisper in his ear over the noise of shifting warriors and clanging metal weapons. “I promised Thane I wouldn’t be stupid today. Don’t be stupid, Mitch. You’ve never met Bron—he’ll kill you in seconds.”
Mitch shoved me off playfully when Sapphire stomped toward us. “Wow, what a motivational speech, man.” Mitch chuckled. “Look, I might not be a mage, but I know what I can do. I’ll be fine.”
Sapphire lowered his neck, and Mitch clamored on. I knew Eisha and some mages were staying behind to look after Liz. I thought I should say good-bye, but when I watched Thane shift into his true form, I immediately took my place behind Gaia against the joint of his wings. Liz would worry, but I couldn’t bring myself to tell her the dangerous truth just yet.
Thane spread his massive sails and roared a long breath of fire for the warrior signal. The ice around the cave was turned to frigid water, splashing against each pounding foot when the remaining warriors followed his example. The flames invigorated a bit of my energy. I was ready. Closing my eyes, I thought of Jade, until the warmth of our connection spread through my chest. Gaia believed Jade had an ally in King Nag’s kingdom. I hoped it would be true. I didn’t know if she could feel me—I didn’t feel her—but I unfurled my fist and released a gentle stream of energy, hoping it would find Jade. Hoping it would tell her I was coming.
Thane’s powerful form shuddered as he prepared to pounce to the clouds, but he stopped when Gaia suddenly stood straight on Thane’s back looking to the distance.
“Wait,” she shouted. “There’s someone there. Wait.”
Gaia slid off Thane’s back, my need to take flight only heightening to a new frustration as I watched Gaia dart toward the edge of the cliff. I was overcome with strange panic. It wasn’t mine, or Gaia’s, then the
emotion shifted to breathless relief when Gaia reached her hand over the edge. Sliding off Thane’s back haunches, I ran toward my mother, dropping by her side to help when I saw her reaching for a young woman’s hand.
“High Priestess,” the woman cried, her face coated in dirt so her tears carved deep lines along her cheeks. “How…I never imagined I would see you.”
The girl was a mage—a royal bloodline mage, if I were to guess. Earthy, gilded marks trailed her neck, shoulders, and since her top was ripped along her middle, I could see the marks on her stomach too.
“Rochelle,” Gaia breathed out, crushing the mage against her body. “How did you ever find us?”
“An energy signal came to me two nights ago, but then I felt something more. Powerful mage energy, so I followed it here knowing I could not face the lindworms alone. I thought you were dead.”
Rochelle’s hair was matted around her face, and it was clear the mage had been on quite the journey.
“Are you harmed?” Gaia asked.
Rochelle shook her head, her eyes finally seeing me, causing her brow to furrow. “No. I nearly lost my life when the lindworms found us, though. They took her, High Priestess. They took Amber!”
Reality struck me like an iron fist. The lost royal, Amber. She was alive, and this was her mage.
“Rochelle, we are going to them now,” Gaia said. “Join with us.”
“We must go somewhere first,” Rochelle gasped.
I shook my head, rising to my feet. “No, there’s not time to take any detours.”
Rochelle cocked her head, her eyes narrowing, and I sensed her distrust for me. “You would question a royal bloodline?” she hissed. “I have senses for my royal that you do not. We will be at an advantage if we go where I ask.”
Gaia smirked when I met her eye. She shook her head as if telling me not to lose my temper. She must have felt the ripple of heat along my skin, because I was about to lose my temper. “Rochelle, this is Teagan. He’s my son,” Gaia said slowly, pausing long enough to let the words sink into the younger mage’s mind. “And he is the mage for the jade bloodline.”
Rochelle’s eyes widened, and it seemed for the first time she noticed the shimmering jade blades sheathed to my back. “The blades,” she gasped. “The high priest blades.”
Gaia nodded. “Teagan restored the jade bond; he is the new High Priest.”
“Forgive me. I had no knowledge…you had children,” Rochelle muttered quickly. I sighed and crossed my arms over my chest when Gaia chuckled, notably amused.
“It’s a long story,” I snapped. “And don’t call me high priest, okay? Just Teagan. Where do you want us to go? I’m positive Jade is with Amber. As you can imagine, I’m anxious, as well as the wyverns, to get the queen back.”
Rochelle nodded briskly, her fierce mistrust for me fading to discomfort. “Yes, of course. I understand. Well, long ago, a warrior,” her eyes scanned the sea of wyvern. “Him, that’s the one.” Rochelle gasped. Gaia smiled and nodded, following Rochelle’s finger pointing at Thane. “He found me trying to remain concealed, but I suppose I was not good at hiding. He helped me hide the stone, High Priestess. We must go there and take it back. Surely Amber will feel its connection and we both will have more power.”
I raised my brows, glancing at my mother. She grinned. “The amber stone? Did you ever tell the royal where to find it?”
Rochelle nodded sheepishly. “We didn’t meet many times at first—I tried to follow your order and stay away, but as I said, I’m not that skilled at hiding. After so long, Amber and I stayed close together most of the time. I thought it important she should know the stone was safe. Forgive me, I’m certain I should have kept it between me and the warrior.”
“No, Rochelle, you did nothing wrong,” Gaia said. “Come now, we will go and get them back. As we go, I want you to focus the energy of your bloodline bond with your royal and think of the stone.”
“What will that do?” I asked, drawing Rochelle’s curious eyes back to me. She looked like she might vomit with nerves when she saw the jade markings jutting from beneath my sleeves.
Gaia smirked when we made our way quickly back to Thane. “It will hopefully send an energy response to Amber—it could tell them we’re coming. They will be able to prepare. It could be a small advantage, but an advantage, nonetheless. The stones’ connection with the mage power and the royal wyvern is very powerful, Teagan, and can do remarkable things.”
“I don’t know where the jade stone is, though,” I muttered when Dash stepped next to Thane and allowed Rochelle to climb along his spine.
“Well,” Gaia muttered, swinging low so she was near Thane’s eye. “If your father did his job, the jade stone will be the most concealed of all.”
I smiled when Thane breathed out a long huff of flames and smoke in response. Gaia chuckled and settled back behind his wings. “I think he hid it well, then,” I muttered.
Thane bellowed another stream of flames when we were settled. I sat behind Gaia, my energy heightened to the point it made sitting difficult. The wyvern warriors roared new streams of flames, and in a flash of frigid air, the army of dragons and mage took to the sky.
Chapter 7
The Queen
My body ached when we landed in a thick forest. We’d flown through the night, and it was nearly sunset again. I shifted forms, feeling the thrash of fatigue lessen when my scales rolled into skin. Ced followed close behind, offering me an apprehensive look when he took to securing the borders of our rest with night energy. Amber shifted, the glimmering, pale gown wrapping around her strong body. Amber quickly took the other side of the space, using her connection with the earth to tighten the trees and build a barrier with brambles, branches, and stones.
Wincing slightly, I stood in the center of the forest. All I wanted to do was collapse and rest, but if Amber and Ced could remain standing, so could I. Lifting my hands toward the sky, what little power I had left from the exhausting flight I urged around us in an invisible dome. I manipulated the area so, with hope, any lindworms with malicious intent would be redirected, their eyes refusing to see us—if I’d offered enough of my power. These weak moments were when I craved Teagan’s touch. He strengthened me, our powers uniting to create one unbreakable, energized bond.
Amber crumbled to her knees after she’d finished creating the small circular barrier. Ced wiped his damp hair from his forehead, and I sensed the energy of the night over our heads.
“What did you do?” he whispered at me as he leaned against a fallen log. Ced stayed back from both Amber and me, seemingly unsure how to approach us after his dangerous charade.
“I blocked their eyes from seeing us. I’m exhausted though, I hope it is as powerful as I think. My hope is if your own father came here, he would not be able to see us.”
Ced flicked his brows and smirked. “Impressive.” He eyed Amber cautiously. “You can manipulate the earth seamlessly.”
Amber scoffed and took her place on a log a good distance from Ced. “This is nothing. You should see my mage when she’s in one of her anxious fits. I miss Rochelle terribly, but she is certainly a nervous bag of anxiety right now. She was quite young when the divide happened. I always thought she was amazing with her power, but she never saw it that way.”
I chuckled. “Teagan is like that, in a way. He is the most powerful being I’ve seen. There’s this aura about his energy—different even from other mages I’ve met—I can’t explain it. But he has difficulty seeing his own strength.”
Ced leaned forward on his knees. “I’ve always found it interesting, the connection with mages and elementals.” I met Ced’s eyes with a glare. He huffed and crossed his arms. “What? Look, I’m sorry I frightened both of you, okay? I couldn’t tell you. If you didn’t act surprised, or shocked, or hateful, my father would have sensed something was wrong immediately. Magnus told me he would strike that night, so I needed to act quickly. Telling my father and brothers that you were planning an escape wa
s the best way to get them away from the dark High Priest long enough I could use my energy against them.”
“I still think you should have told us,” I muttered.
“I stand by my choice. I give my word that I would have let go of my entire plan if I thought either of you would be harmed. Amber, that’s why I stopped my brother—he wanted to kill you. Please, you must believe me. I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you.”
I wasn’t so sure Ced was talking about both of us in the moment, but I didn’t dwell on the thought. “What about the mates? What part do they play?” I asked.
Ced smiled. “If you think the warriors from the prison despise my father, you haven’t been in the minds of his mates. I went to them, showed them the breadth of my plan, and that was all the convincing they needed. They aren’t warriors, but powerful lindworm females—well, I would fear them more than any warrior,” Ced laughed.
The tension lifted slightly, and even Amber smiled.
“How will the warriors find us?” I asked.
Ced looked to the trees. “Those who survived,” he began slowly, “I’ve been leaving traces—subtle hints of my energy.”
“But that will attract the High Priest, and Nag,” Amber gasped.
Ced nodded. “Possibly. Yes, it’s a risk. I’ve shielded us specifically from Nag and the High Priest. I focused on their energies when I placed the night around us. For now, and with the help of your connections with the elements, hopefully only our allies will find us.”
“I feel sick,” Amber groaned.
Ced took a few cautious steps toward her and rested his hand on her shoulder. “We’ll be fine,” he whispered. “I promise.”
