A Clash of Magics

by Guy Antibes

  “What are you going to do?” Win asked.

  “Lilith recognized me immediately. She has given me this,” he pulled out the royal token. “I will meet her in my old rooms at sunset.”

  “You go through any castle gate, and you’ll die,” Win said, “token or not!”

  Trevor shook his head. “I’ve never thought Lilith was my enemy. I don’t think she ever was, but Mother was her ally. I don’t think the queen is the princess regent’s ally anymore.”

  They returned to their quarters and packed their things. Trevor loaded what little he had brought with him onto Snowflake and said goodbye to Win at the army stables.

  “Take good care of Lissa if something happens.”

  “Won’t she be the Duchess of Listenwell?” Win said. “She can take care of Siranda and me.”

  “You have my permission to live in Listenwell,” Trevor said with a grin that he didn’t feel. “I can always teleport.”

  “Don’t hesitate,” Win said. He turned and embraced Trevor. “Come back to us.”

  Trevor was about to let him go. “Wait! Do you have an invisibility charm? Can I have it?”

  Win blinked. “Sure, but we’ve killed off the Maskumite magicians.”

  “All that were in the enclave,” Trevor said.

  “Oh. You suspect something?” Win asked.

  Trevor shrugged. “Where are irrational decisions being made in Tarviston? The possibility might exist. I have to be prepared.”

  Trevor accepted the charm and put it in a pocket. Now he was ready. He made sure Win had left the practice field before he found a spot close to the back entrance to the castle that he had used hundreds of times in the past to wait for the sun to descend.

  He was tempted to visit Lissa again, but that would only heighten his anxiety and hers. The few hours seemed like an eternity, but the sun finally began to dip behind the closest building. Trevor pulled out the token and stared at it before looking at the two guards manning the rear gate. What if Lilith had become her mother’s creature, and Trevor headed into a trap? He put the token back in his pocket and teleported to the secret castle passage that ran past his old rooms. He opened the peephole and looked at the empty room.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  ~

  T revor waited while the light faded from the room. The door opened. Lilith, his mother, and two others, a man and a woman, entered the room. Lilith turned and locked the door behind her. The princess looked around the room. Was she searching for him?

  “Why did you bring me to this odious place?” Queen Hyra said. The venom was still potent in her voice. “It still stinks of Trevor.”

  “I wanted to talk to you alone,” Lilith said. “Where there was absolute privacy.”

  Privacy? There were two other people in the room as the two women talked. Queen Hyra glanced in the couple’s direction, but Lilith ignored their existence. Trevor had suspected outside influence, but two Maskumite magicians? How long had these two been behind his mother’s actions? It was time to step out.

  Trevor opened the panel-like door and stepped into the room.

  “Trevor!” Queen Hyra said. She looked at the couple. “Kill him!”

  Lilith looked confused. “I won’t!” she finally said.

  The two magicians shot bolts of silver lightning at Trevor.

  “You won’t be able to kill me with those,” Trevor said.

  “Try again!” the queen said.

  Lilith looked confused. “Who are you talking to?”

  “Catch this,” Trevor said, tossing the invisibility charm to his sister. She clutched it, and her eyes grew. “Who are these people, mother?”

  Queen Hyra narrowed her eyes at Trevor. “You and your charms!” She turned to Trevor and pointed to him. “I said kill him!”

  Two more bolts of lightning splashed against Trevor. When Trevor pulled out the ancient rod, the female magician’s eyes went wide. “That is Gareeze Plissaki’s!”

  “I killed him with it,” Trevor said as he shot two thin streams of bright red death into the wizards.

  Trevor turned to his sister. “They have been manipulating Mother for years, I would imagine,” Trevor said. “Perhaps you too.”

  Lilith stared at the two bodies and then at her mother.

  “What have you done?” Queen Hyra hoarsely repeated her statement, looking at the two bodies in horror.

  “You have been a willing tool of the Maskumites. The question should be, what have you done, Mother? I will tell you that Dryden will not be happy with you,” Trevor said.

  The queen pointed her finger at Trevor and shook it. “You have twisted Lilith’s mind! She is mine and mine alone!” She pulled on the jeweled handle of a knife at her waist and drew it. Trevor’s mother advanced on her son, murder in her eyes. “I will kill you with my own hands,” she said. The woman’s eyes were filled with unreasoning rage.

  “You will not!” Lilith said.

  The queen turned on her daughter. “I am tired of you defying me!” She raised the knife and struck out at Lilith, barely cutting her forearm. The princess grabbed her mother’s wrist, and the two women fought. Lilith battled for her life while her mother was caught up in a murderous frenzy.

  Trevor took a step closer to stop the fight when Lilith finally overcame her mother’s strength, and the knife turned. The two women closed, and the queen fell to the floor, her knife hilt deep into her chest.

  Lilith backed away. “I didn’t mean to,” she said, clutching her hands to her chest.

  Trevor took her in his arms. “You didn’t do anything wrong.” He dragged the two magicians’ bodies, took the hand of the man, and wiped it on the queen’s dress, leaving the bloody hand close to the queen’s body. “The story will be your mother brought along her two Maskumite advisors, and when she revealed them to you, one of the Maskumite magicians killed her for revealing their secret.”

  “Who will believe that?” Lilith asked.

  “Who will want to disbelieve it?” Trevor said. “Let’s call it Dryden’s will. It is as good as. You will be a better ruler than either of our parents.”

  “And what of you? That magic that you suddenly have could kill me as well, and you can restore the Arcwin dynasty.”

  “Why?” Trevor said. “I’m no king, and I’d rather be friends than enemies.”

  Lilith stared at her mother’s body. She nodded. “I think you made a huge step to make that happen.”

  “I thought my disguise would work.”

  Lilith laughed. “It might fool Mother, but you are such a unique creature. I followed your moves when you trained with the military. No one draws a bow like you do or shoots with your confidence.”

  “And I thought my sword work would expose me.”

  “It would have too. You are too bold. What prompted you to come to Tarviston after so many months?” Lilith said, still staring at her mother’s body.

  “To stop the next assassination attempt. I married a week ago, and assassin-magicians attacked me on my wedding night. My wife was injured.”

  Lilith closed her eyes as she worked to control her anger. “Mother, how could you do such a thing!”

  “Believe me when I say I don’t seek to regain the throne for the Arcwins,” Trevor said.

  “Why should you, Duke of Listenwell?” Lilith said. “I have kept track of your exploits. I would have never guessed my brother would be Dryden’s messenger.”

  “You also know about that?” Trevor asked.

  “I am the head of state until Mother decides to do something stupid. You have been an interesting person to follow as Des Boxster and as Trevor Arcwin. I lost you for a while until you reunited with Brother Yvan in Jarkan. I never did figure out how you got there. I don’t know much detail other than occasional reports from those I trust in the army.”

  “All I want is to live in peace. If you know of Listenwell, it is far away from Presidon.”

  “I know,” Lilith said.

  “What about Ginster
’s payment for helping Mother depose my father?”

  Lilith took a deep breath. “That is a matter that has been discussed many times. It is outside the regency agreement,” she said.

  “It is time to put all the provisions of the regency agreement aside,” Trevor said.

  “Is that Dryden speaking?” Lilith said, almost sarcastically.

  “It is me speaking on behalf of your people. Everyone knows what the queen does and what the princess does afterward.”

  Trevor hugged his sister. “Call the guards. I’ll leave by the secret passage. No one will know I ever appeared. I’ll try to make it to your coronation. Make sure you take care of Ginster. They are thinking of taking what they earned by helping Mother. It would be better if you gave it to them first. Another thing, I’d appreciate it if you could hire Marin Fenton back as the head cook. Consider that a message from Dryden.” Trevor gave his sister a smile and another hug. “Be strong,” he said as he disappeared back into the secret passage.

  After waiting for a bit, Trevor teleported to the hallway in front of Marin Fenton’s flat.

  “Time to leave,” he said to Win. “I have to get Snowflake back to Jilgrath, and I think we will both get invitations to a coronation.

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  ~

  “W

  e think the two Maskumite magicians had been secretly advising your mother before the transfer of power, but it appears the invisibility spell was recent,” Lilith’s personal minister said to Trevor before Lilith’s installation. “It is a nasty development, but Presidon will gain much, much more with the new queen than the one it just lost.”

  Lissa held Trevor’s hand as they looked on from the front row of the Tarviston Cathedral as the bishop of Tarviston crowned Lilith as Queen of Presidon. It had been two weeks since the death of Trevor’s mother. He was glad that Lilith had handled the transition well. As Trevor heard more about the misdeeds of Queen Hyra, he could imagine that her mother’s noxious activities mitigated Lilith’s heartbreak.

  The new queen presented Trevor as her brother and prince of Presidon to the assemblage.

  Can I now come and go as I please?” Trevor asked Queen Lilith at the reception following her coronation.

  “I will clean up your room in the tower and give that to you as permanent guest quarters. I will never want to use that tower again,” Lilith said.

  “I can understand,” Brother Yvan said, who Trevor had teleported to Tarviston from Collet. “I recommend interviewing for another seer. Some good ones are waiting for assignments.”

  “What about you?” Lilith asked.

  “Reena and I have decided to impose on Trevor and spend a few seasons in Listenwell. I suggest you find someone you can develop your own history with.”

  Lilith laughed. “I do understand what you mean. I wish you all the best.”

  Brother Yvan gave Lilith a bow worthy of a queen.

  “We will be leaving,” Trevor said. “I can always come here at a moment’s notice. I suggest that you follow Brother Yvan’s advice and get a seer as soon as you can. You’ll be able to communicate with me much more quickly that way.”

  Queen Lilith took Trevor’s hand and squeezed. “I will follow your advice, little brother.” She put her hand to her mouth, her eyes getting a little misty. “I didn’t think I’d ever call you that again.”

  “I’ll give you more opportunities in the future,” Trevor said with a smile that he really felt.

  Lissa bumped him. “I think I’m ready to go.”

  Trevor gave his sister a bow. “My wife has had enough excitement for her healing body.” Trevor turned to Win and Siranda, who had traveled to Tarviston via Trevor’s teleportation skill, and Marin Fenton, the newly rehired royal cook. “I’ll be back in two days to get you back to Jiksara.”

  The couple teleported to the house on the square in Jilgrath.

  Glynna and Custik had moved to their own dwelling and gave the newlyweds the house to use as their own until Lissa was well enough to travel overland to Listenwell.

  After Trevor had returned to Presidon and took Brother Yvan and Reena back to Collet, he returned to Jilgrath, where he and Lissa finally sat together in the sitting room where Trevor had tried to solve the ancient dog case.

  “Is it finally over?” Lissa said, holding Trevor’s hand.

  “The Desolation Boxster part of my life has finally ended,” Trevor said. “The Duchess and Duke of Listenwell phase has just begun.”

  The End of A Clash of Magics,

  the last installment of the Desolation Boxster series.

  Desolation Boxster Characters

  Prince on the Run

  The Royal Family

  Trevor Arcwin - Third son of Henry Arcwin, 19 years old

  Henry Arcwin - Seventh king of Presidon

  Hyra Arcwin - Queen and wife of Henry Arcwin, princess of Dorwick

  Bering Arcwin - Oldest son of Henry Arcwin and crown prince, 28 years old

  Owen Arcwin - Second son of Henry Arcwin, 26 years old

  Lilith Arcwin - Oldest daughter of Hyra by a Dorwickian noble, 30 years old

  Wynn Arcwin - Second daughter of Henry and Hyra, 21 years old

  Renald (Renny) Arcwin - Fourth son of Henry Arcwin and youngest child, 16 years old

  Tarviston Castle Staff and Courtiers

  Brother Yvan - Royal cleric of Dryden, from the country of Ginster

  Marin Denton - Head cook of Tarviston Castle

  Windon Denton - Stable boy (Marin’s son)

  Virtue Underton - Minister of war

  Patience Sorryn - General of the Presidon army

  In the Army plus Mercenaries

  Desolation Boxster - Master sergeant in the Presidon army and Trevor’s trainer

  General Greenwood - Commander of Red Forest Garrison

  Liftson - Master soldier

  Washkin - Master soldier

  Angry Sender - A sergeant in the royal army

  Commander Periwinkle - Leader of West Moretons in Presidon

  Captain Harpy - West Moreton officer

  Captain Handleton - Mercenary officer

  Karn Kissel - Boxster’s mercenary camp name

  Bill Denton - Trevor’s mercenary camp name

  Breda Jackwin - Female mercenary

  Corey Crackle - Mercenary squad leader

  The Brachians

  Mara - Brachian troubadour, 20 years old

  Hanna - Brachian troubadour, 32 years old

  Tork - Brachian troubadour, 42 years old

  Duke Worto - Usurper and ruler of Brachia

  Theft of an Ancient Dog

  Jilgrath in Viksar

  Grantak Poket - Sr. Professor at Jilgrath Magic Academy

  Manwell Arcwin - Underemployed green magician

  Jeruld Kantak - Jilgrath’s second-best impresario.

  Glynna Bostik - Antique bookshop proprietor

  Lord Noran Rorsik - Victim of theft

  Lady Ophie Rorsik - Noran’s sister

  Raszak Gwent - Mayor of Jilgrath

  Raszak Gwent - Son of the mayor with the same name

  Linny Volst - Leader of the Two Points dueling club

  Siranda Zutterak - Daughter of the chief trustee

  Orloff Henkor - Grocer and Two Points club member

  Azar Zutterak - Chief trustee

  Petter Kuykel - Wagon driver for Brewery

  Eila - Tour guide at the brewery

  Torgan Kantak - Nephew of Jeruld

  Waller Volst - Father of Linny Volst

  The Blue Tower

  Redwitzel & Jiksara and Environs in Viksar

  Gorian Custik - The Blue Tower magician

  Bentor Harkel - Mayor of Redwitzel Town

  Sigman Jopper - Chief guard of Redwitzel

  Seer Caspur - Chief cleric in Viksar

  Hamel Rorsik - Ordermaster of the Order of Gold

  Mona Akbrit - Owner of an orchard

  Adeera Porkit - A mysterious fixer in Redwitzel />
  Penta Fastil - Adeera’s aide

  Hester Blisek - Premier of Viksar

  Lissa Caspur - Daughter of Seer Caspur

  Motra Phogel- Hester Blisek’s assistant

  The Swordmaker’s Secret

  Jarkan

  Turgul Manusa - Headman of plains tribe

  Akku Manusa - Plainsman, son of a headman

  Mino Kawis-Former focus of Selara

  Reena Corulu - Focus of Selara

  Queen Puri - Ruler of Jarkan

  Azu Gindu - Captain of the focus’s guard

  General Tarkan Henkari – General in Jarkanese army

  Baku Banjee - Lord of Banjee

  General Erdu - Jarkanese Minister of Defense

  Roju Abradu - Assistant to Captain Gindu

  Commander Simol - A plainsman leader

  Brachia

  Garson Boxster - Pierce’s original mentor

  Keith Garman - Heir to the Duchy of Upperville

  Anton Day - Owner of the Black Swan

  Gareeze Plissaki - Chief Magician to King Worto

  Jacob Stoolage - Boxster’s original regent

  Lord Summer - Regent of Listenwell

  A Clash of Magics

  Lister Vale - Head Seer in Ginster

  Potur Lott - Retired officer in Jarkanese army

  Morra Deepen - Seer of Okora

  King Bingador - King of Okora

  Mak - Drug dealer in Khartoo

  Captain Muranna Bookend - Cargo ship captain

  Coosin Escarik - Seer of Sirland

  Queen Marta - Ruler of Sirland

  Dirk Crater - Prime Minister of Sirland

  Dauntless Brightwork -Brachian General

  Samar Doford - Leader of Sirlandian navy

  Merik Bandeford - Seer of Maskum

  Excerpt from Chapter One

  ~

  The Mud Elf

  Book One of

  The Augur’s Eye