by S A Edwards
The baby stirred and opened her eyes.
“What? What is it?” Her husband limped out, his leg strapped in thick, white bandages.
The woman struggled to answer and buried her head in the cloth, but her spouse needed no reply. The sight of the babe brought shock and tears to his eyes.
“Bring her inside.” He pressed his hand against his wife’s back, his gaze roaming the empty street.
I rocked on my tiptoes, focus on his leg. I could heal him. I could show him that Mage aren’t as bad as Kyne led them to believe.
Amicus gripped my arm and shook his head.
“Why not?” I whispered. “I could –”
The door clicked shut, and my heart sank. I’d lost my chance.
Amicus tugged me back the way we came, urgency etched into his features.
The streets were easy to manoeuvre with most of the villagers busy with work, and soon, we reached the edge of the village once more.
The field stood almost abandoned with the land workers gathered on the opposite side of the crops.
A few Mortals patrolled the border, the blade weapons sloped across their arms.
Another spark of Amicus’ electricity above the crops provided enough of a distraction for us to slip into the shadows of the wilderness.
“Why didn’t you let me heal him?” I demanded.
He kept his focus ahead, denying me his full attention. “We can’t interfere.”
“You already did.”
“I served them in secret. To heal him, you would have to be closer, reveal yourself.”
“So? It might be good to show them all Mage aren’t evil.”
“Their opinions may change eventually, but this isn’t the day.”
“Says you.”
“Says a being far greater than me.”
I frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Never mind.” He changed direction, plunging through a clump of weeds.
I hurried after him. “No, tell me. Who is so great that they can decide whether there should be peace?”
“That’s not what I said.”
“Yes, it is. You said ‘today isn’t the day’ according to this great being. So, when? When is the day for Mage and Mortal to unite? When is the day for the fighting to stop, the killing to end?”
He sighed. “Forget it. I shouldn’t have said anything.”
I swallowed my irritation and fell silent for a while. He made much less noise than me through the underbrush, and I found myself trying to match his steps, to quiet my feet. It didn’t make a difference. Although my movements seemed almost silent to me, if he could hear my breathing, no amount of effort would hide me. “Where are we going?” I asked.
“Back to the group.”
“Must we?”
Amicus shot me a questioning glance.
I shrugged. “I hoped you’d take me to the Underworld Gate. Just us. Kyne is evil, and I know you think so, too, so I thought –”
“Evil?” He let an amused smile slip.
“Yes. You don’t disagree?”
“Not at all.”
“Well, then. So, if you –”
“I can’t take you.”
“Why not?”
He pursed his lips, as though deciding whether to answer. “I have a role to perform.”
“Okay …”
He continued walking in silence, his brow set straight.
I nudged him. “Well, what is it?”
“To observe.” He turned again, pushing off to the left. “I understand your desire to find Charlie. I am sympathetic to your cause, but for the present time, the failing Gates are more important.”
“But –”
“I know you comprehend the danger the Gates threaten. Once it is resolved, then, perhaps, we can figure out a way to help him. But until that time …”
“I see.” I kicked a bush. Leaves broke from the branches and fluttered to the ground. I should have known he’d refuse, though nothing about Amicus added up. Still, I understood his point of view. The danger the failing Gates posed couldn’t be ignored. But neither could Charlie’s imprisonment. I feared deferring my journey to him would mean … I swallowed. I couldn’t think like that.
Voices sounded ahead.
We paused.
The travelling Mage moved into view, Kyne in the lead. No one noticed when we joined the back of the group, although I supposed someone would have noted our absence.
My mind reeled over the recent events. Why was it so hard to get help here? The only person seemingly willing was crazy, mind twisted with absurd justification and a gift that terrified me, and the thought of him leading me there knotted my stomach.
Kyne grabbed my shoulder. “Where have you been?”
I fought to keep my expression neutral, to hide the irritation coursing through me. “Back here with Amicus.”
He looked between me and Amicus’ innocent features, and then dropped his hand. “I haven’t seen you in a while. I thought I’d lost you.”
I stepped back. His behaviour seemed a little obsessive. “Don’t worry about me. The group is big enough. Easy to follow.”
“It’s my responsibility to lead everyone here. I can’t afford to have you fall behind.”
“You don’t lead me.” The statement sounded harsher than I’d meant it.
His expression darkened, and he marched away a short distance, leaving me to follow the Mage in quiet contemplation. Did he have a plan to break into the Underworld, or did he just revel in the thought of having a new addition to his group? A part of me felt it was neither. With Kyne, something more sinister was at work, and the desire to flee the group sooner rather than later grew within me.
We reached the peak of a hill where the trees broke, and I paused to admire the view. Fields and forest stretched out to where the land met the sky, broken only by tiny villages.
Far away on the right, on a glowing hill, a castle protruded with a tower in the centre. The whole place stunned me with turrets and narrow walkways, glittering windows and golden walls. And atop the tallest tower, a light gleamed, shining in all directions like a beacon.
I wondered how much the others in the group could see without my enhanced Beast sight, but surely, they missed out on the sheer magnificence of the place.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Amicus said.
“Does it belong to the Mortals?”
He laughed. “No. It’s called the Might. It belongs to the Ancients.”
Like the Ancient I met back home? I wasn’t aware there were more. The legend marked her as the last of her kind. “Are we going to pass it?”
Kyne doubled back. “We don’t go near it.”
“Why not?”
“Because we wouldn’t survive,” he said. “Only an Ancient can take someone to the Might. It’s the most heavily protected place in the world. Try to go alone, and they’ll kill you.”
I surveyed the visible details of the place. “I wonder what’s so special about it that they won’t let anyone near.”
“Their scales,” Kyne said.
I cast him a questioning look.
“The scale of an Ancient can enhance a Mage’s power ten-fold.” He gave a little smile, as though the thought was appealing to him. It probably was. “Practically impossible to get your hands on, but well worth it if you can. They sell for a fortune in the dark trade, but even there, you’d be lucky to find one.”
I didn’t ask about the dark trade. Nothing about it sounded good.
“Enough,” Kyne called. “We’ll stop here for a break.” He pushed toward the Mage with red hair.
The company drew to a halt a little farther under the trees, unshouldered their packs, and scattered throughout the woodland.
Amicus wandered away toward a couple of women.
I frowned after him. He seemed like such a moral guy. Why wouldn’t he stand up for what was right? If he really understood the danger Charlie was in, he should help me. Or maybe he didn’t
care with the danger the Gates held. Perhaps, if I knew what the problem was, it could be quickly fixed. Although, I doubted my limited knowledge of this world would provide a quick solution.
“Celeste!” Kyne beckoned me over with a wave of a flask.
I gritted my teeth and shuffled over. “My name is Clara.”
“Drink. Keep up your strength.” He shoved the flask in my hand.
I peered inside. The muted scent of water wafted from the contents.
“It’s just water,” he said.
I held back a sigh and moved farther into the woods.
A sweet, fresh scent hung in the air, and magic made my arm hairs stand on end, so I headed in the direction of that, intrigued.
A small thicket of bushes grew ahead and seemed to be the source of the scent. Jasmine flowers bloomed between the olive leaves, and a narrow pathway studded with pebbles passed between them.
Why hadn’t Kyne chosen to rest here? It would have been a wonderful break for the Mage. The water looked so cool and refreshing. Surely, he didn’t know about it?
Inexplicably drawn to their beauty, I placed the flask on a rock and squeezed along the path until the bush ended and the trail widened. Maybe I would get the others. Though, it would take time to gather them together, and by then, Kyne might give the order to move on.
I paused. The last time something beautiful caught my eye, not counting the Might, I’d ended up in the grip of the Araña.
My feet kept moving despite my foreboding, engulfing me in the surroundings.
Willow branches arched over stone, and sunlight streamed through the branches, welcoming me into a large clearing.
Grass blades vibrated in a gentle breeze, stunningly green and dotted with tiny, white petals. A rippling pool glimmered, and in the distance, water cascaded over polished rock.
I stared at the scene, mesmerised by its perfection, and a desire to leave tugged within me. I bit my lip, unable to turn back.
A touch of magic tingled in the air, confirming my suspicion that only magic could keep a place as tame and pure as this.
I wandered farther in, skimming my fingers over a log, caressing its smooth, black bark. Like Kyne’s gift.
A flicker of agitation flashed through me at the thought of Kyne. Maybe his gift was the real reason no one would stand up to him. His black eyes and dark energy struck fear into me, and I held seven gifts which could restrain him should he attack. It was easy to imagine the worry his followers felt with only one.
I paused beside the waterfall. It glittered in its descent and splashed into the pool, casting ripples across the surface. Not a sound pierced the quiet morning air. Strange. I assumed it had something to do with the preserving magic. Though now I thought of it, not even singing birds could be heard. Or seen.
An old warning from my childhood returned to mind. “When the animals flee, so must you. It means danger.” Matriarch’s eyes sparkled when she sat before the pond, the blooming Lallanas bobbing in the centre. “You can always count on the birds to keep you safe,” she said.
Now, I surveyed the treetops, searching for the smallest flutter of wings, the tiniest signal of song. My instincts were right. Time to leave.
The uncontrollable grip holding me to the place vanished, and my fear increased like a rush of flame.
Something tightened around my ankle and tugged.
I slammed to the ground. My head collided with stone, and I was yanked toward the pool by a huge vine protruding from behind the waterfall.
8
Water splashed against the thick vine with terrifying noiselessness. I grasped at the dirt, fighting against its pull, leaving deep lines in my wake.
The vine jerked me off the ground, flinging me over the pool like a rag doll, its grip unwavering.
I screamed.
Lightning cracked against the vine.
It shuddered and released me.
I fell into the pool.
Cold water engulfed me. A freezing chill shocked me.
I fought to focus, grasped control of the water, soared through the current and clambered back onto the path.
Amicus grabbed my arm, startling me, and tugged me toward the willow arch. “Must I always save your life?”
I pulled from his hold, irritation at my stupidity overwhelming me. Why couldn’t I leave when I’d sensed the danger? “I’d have been fine. I have my gifts.”
“Is screaming one of them?”
The vine slammed against the stone.
My heart lurched.
The furious flailing of the creature completely disrupted the water, revealing a large cave behind the fall where it resided. Several more vines curled from within. A shadow bulged in the cave’s darkness, and a giant bulb emerged, sprouting more vines with every moment. A hole gaped in the centre of the bulb, ringed with rows of razor teeth.
I gasped. “What is that?”
“A Hellion. Move!”
We raced through the arch of willow branches.
I sensed the moment we passed the Gate. Power vibrated through my blood, and foreboding washed over me.
Mouth dry, I skidded to a stop and stared at the arch.
“It’s fine,” Amicus said. “It can’t pass through the Gate. That’s its prison.”
The Hellion whipped its vines, cutting leaves and branches from its path and battering against the arch. It roared, the guttural sound vibrating through my bones.
The Gate’s power weakened.
The air shuddered.
A vine struck the ground beside me, narrowly missing my foot.
I staggered back. “I thought you said it couldn’t get out?”
“It’s failed.” Amicus gaped and shifted position, legs apart, hands raised. “The Gate has failed.”
“Get out of there!” Kyne ran toward us from where the group was resting. He stared at the Hellion with wide eyes.
I called my flames. Blue heat cascaded from my body and plunged into the mouth of the Hellion, whipping my hair back in the blast.
The creature roared again, a deep, strangled cry, and it flumped farther through the arch.
Thick ice shards shot from my palm and pierced its hide. Flames burst out where the ice hit, billowing smoke.
A vine sliced through the air and struck my stomach. I fell hard, and pain cut through my back.
Teeth gritted, I channelled the Seeker within me, enhancing it through the staff on my wrist. The stone glowed with purple light. Force blasted from my hands against the flaming Hellion.
The creature soared backward and crashed between two trunks. Its vines thrashed and rammed the ground, spraying dirt everywhere. It jolted, and then burrowed down into the earth.
The ground convulsed, then all became still.
I stared at the hole before us. Roots hung from the sides, and destroyed plants littered the ground.
The Hellion was loose.
“You used ice.” Kyne stared at me, his expression unreadable.
My lips tightened. In the heat of the moment, I hadn’t given a thought to concealing it. Besides, my other gifts were bound to show sooner or later.
“So, you’re a Preserver as well as a Refiner,” he said.
“Yeah.”
“And a Seeker, too. I saw your force. But this,” – he grabbed my wrist and surveyed my bracelet – “I’ve never seen a staff quite like this.”
I pulled my wrist from his grasp. “Every Seeker’s staff is unique.”
“I’m aware. What I don’t understand is how can you have three gifts?” His eyes narrowed. “Or do you have more?”
“I was a Guardian.”
“Was?”
“Am.” As far as I was concerned, I’d continue to be one until I rescued Charlie. I might not be immortal anymore now I’d reached my last life, but I still had a job to perform: to protect magic. Charlie held a gift, which meant I needed to protect him. And for my brother, I’d do anything it took.
*
I paced between the trees, fing
ers tapping against a flask. Several minutes had passed since the escape of the Hellion but it hadn’t returned. I’d half-expected the Keepers to show up. So far, all remained quiet. Annoyance and confusion set my cheeks burning. Why hadn’t I been able to leave the clearing? I’d sensed the danger. I’d wanted to leave. But I’d kept going. And put everyone in danger in the process.
Kyne stood a short distance away, immersed in conversation with Amicus, who jabbed his finger at Kyne. Was he finally standing up to him? With the horror of Kyne’s gift, making an enemy of the leader seemed unwise.
I shook my head. Enough of those thoughts. I didn’t want to start sounding like the others in the camp. Kyne’s actions could never be agreeable. Although, neither could mine. Without Amicus’ help with the Hellion, I’d probably be dead.
I ran my fingers over Charlie’s string. Was that the kind of creature he faced every minute in the Underworld? For a moment, I felt grateful that Zantos still held his body. Perhaps Zantos’ power protected him, kept him safe, but knowledge that he continued to try to suppress Charlie remained distinctly ominous.
“Celeste.” Kyne beckoned me over.
“Why do you keep calling me that?” I asked when I reached him.
He shot me an innocent look. “What do you mean?”
“My name is Clara.”
“What’s the difference?”
“You’re not using my name.”
“Course I am. Now, are you hurt? Hanrel’s over there.” He nodded to the elderly Mage. “We’re moving out in a minute, so if you need healing –”
“We can’t leave things like this,” I said. “There’s a Hellion out there.”
“And what do you plan to do about it?” Kyne asked. “Do you have the gift of a Keeper? Because only they can restore the Gate.”
“But they’re not here.”
“Exactly. The Hellion is loose in the forest. The sooner we move on, the better. It’ll be content enough exploring the terrain until the Keepers come for it.”
“But –”
“Kyne’s right,” Amicus said, although he avoided his eyes. “There’s nothing more we can do here. You can be sure the Keepers are aware of what happened. The most important thing we can do now is move on.”
