Born to Magic: Tales of Nevaeh: Volume I Read online

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  An hour after Roth had begun his tale, he fell silent. Nosaj looked at Roth, and then at the others. “It is incomprehensible. I had no idea. So much death and hatred, for what?”

  Roth pulled his strained features into a shadow of a smile. “What other reason could there be but power and control over others, the ability to force their views and beliefs on everyone else. It has always been so, since the beginning of time. They used what they called religion to make people believe in what they believed, and when there were enough believers, they set about making everyone else in the world a believer, too. But first, they had to conquer those who did not believe. They are the ones who created the world we now live in.”

  “So it seems,” Nosaj agreed. “But at least I think I understand a little more—I need time to absorb it all. It is…”

  “Hard, I know. But it is the truth nonetheless.”

  “The problem is,” Areenna said, having a similarly hard time with everything she was hearing, “if someone is controlling this dupli…ah, clone, what will happen when it is unmasked?”

  Wondering and amazed at how this barely eighteen year old woman-child was able to handle everything he had spoken of, Roth stared at Areenna for several seconds before turning to Enaid, “Your thoughts?”

  “It will not be simple, but with Areenna’s aid, we will be able to control it. Areenna and I will work out the method.”

  “Good enough. Mikaal, you are recovered from the fight with that thing?”

  Mikaal looked at his father, a smile tugged at one corner of his mouth. “I am, father, and looking forward to more.”

  “Do not be so eager,” Roth said. “What you found today was but a taste of their power. You have no idea how potent the dark ones can be. No idea! What used to be a world filled with people of all beliefs, of all races and colors is gone because of their need for control. We are the last…we are one people and the single remaining obstacle to them, and have been for many millennia. We are the only ones who can keep humanity alive.”

  He broke the stare with his son and turned to the others. “I suggest we rest before the meal. We will need all our strength. Nosaj, we will arrange the seating so you will sit next to Olrac. He looked at Enaid. “Talk with your mother. Have her, your father, and Darb stay with the others at all times. We need ears within the council.”

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  Leaning against the balustrade of the highest ramparts of Tolemac, Areenna stared at the horizon. Her mind twisted and turned with the memory of the battle fought that afternoon. She’d had no idea what they would be facing when she and Mikaal had ridden through the gates, but when the fight ended, she had become aware of the vast power of her enemy.

  What Roth had said about the dark circle and their powers was true, but after reviewing the battle for the twentieth time, she knew that not even Roth grasped the full depth of the power of the dark circle.

  A chill ran through her. She shuddered and hugged herself. A moment later, Gaalrie landed on the balustrade and sidled over to her, talons clicking along the surface. The giant bird looked into her eyes, and then rested its head upon her shoulder. Calmness followed the bird’s gesture and Areenna took a deep breath.

  Ten minutes later, when the sun touched the horizon, Areenna sent Gaalrie to search the area around Tolemac before releasing her to hunt.

  While Gaalrie swept the area from above, Areenna barely saw what the bird was seeing; rather, a picture of Mikaal floated before her mind’s eye. Too handsome for his own good, she thought, but after having his mind open to her she knew his beauty affected him not at all.

  When she’d touched his mind, she had immediately known he was different from any other man or boy. He possessed a mental strength far surpassing others. As far as she could tell, vanity held no sway—she now knew that his carefree attitude was but a façade to protect others from knowing he was different from them.

  That she liked him, she could not deny, but how much she was hesitant to even consider. What she did know, was how well his power had complemented hers.

  A tug in her mind pulled her from her thoughts. Gaalrie had finished her scouting and all was clear. Thank you sister, go to the night, Areenna whispered in her mind before leaving the parapet’s walkway to return to her chamber and prepare for evening meal.

  Downstairs, she found her bath was waiting and a single handmaid standing in readiness. She disrobed and stepped into the bath, sank into its warm waters and leaned back. She closed her eyes and exhaled gently.

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  Tossing aside the towel she used to dry herself, Enaid looked into the high mirror. What she saw both pleased and disturbed her. She was finally showing the signs of her age: there were silver strands threading through the deep raven of her hair; lines radiated outward from the corners of her eyes, but they were not too deep; and yet, the skin of her face and neck was more like a woman in her second decade than her fourth.

  “It is time, My Lady,” said her personal maid, as Enaid sat in a chair off to one side of the bath.

  Enaid nodded. “Leave me for a few minutes,” she commanded. When the chamber door shut, Enaid closed her eyes and settled back in the small chair. She cleared her mind of all thought and built a mind picture of Areenna.

  Enaid knew Areenna was the one. Knew the young woman was the one Roth has been waiting for. But do I tell him it will be this wonderful child, or do I wait for him to discover it for himself?

  She exhaled and settled her mind. She would wait to see what developed. And Mikaal? She knew that Mikaal was involved, completely and had been since the moment he was born twenty years before, yet she had to admit she had been blind to his powers. But now that she was aware of them, fear struck deeply into her. The danger to Mikaal was unimaginable. If anyone should learn of his abilities… She cast away the thought, but the fear stayed.

  And Areenna? Enaid was proud that Areenna had not only handled the threatening darkness, but had been able to accept and deal with what she had learned today of Roth and Mikaal; yet, because of her own powers, Enaid knew only too well that Areenna faced so much more. And, to speak of it now would be unfair to Areenna at this point in time.

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  Musicians played softly in the background. The level of conversation was high, but with so many talking at the same time, most was unintelligible to those not part of the individual conversations.

  The council had entered the chamber ten minutes earlier and everyone was present with the exception of Duke Yermon. Roth and his queen, Enaid, sat in their chairs: Mikaal as his father’s second, his chair at the same level as his father’s.

  Roth surveyed the room, satisfied all were seated and in conversation. He looked toward Olrac, who was talking with King Nomis of Fainhall. Roth wondered how Nomis was so completely unaware that Olrac was not the man he had known for so many years.

  Roth looked at his wife who nodded imperceptibly. He stood at her signal, knowing Enaid had summoned Yermon to the chamber. Roth stood and raised his wine goblet. “To my loyal Council,” he said in a deep and strong voice, “with my thanks for answering my summons.”

  The council members, kings only, raised their glasses high and drank. An instant later a page entered, came over to Roth, and whispered in his ear. Roth nodded.

  When the page left, he turned to Olrac with a smile. “Good news, your Highness, your brother is just arrived. Duke Yermon will be here in a moment.”

  From the expression on the face of the cloned version of Olrac, the thing was taken by surprise, but covered it quickly. Roth doubted any but those aware had seen anything.

  Roth sat just as the doors opened and Duke Yermon entered the chamber. He was still dressed in his traveling clothing, as if he had just ridden in rather than having been outside the walls for hours. Yermon went directly to Roth and bowed.

  “Welcome,” Roth said. “It is good to see you, old friend.”

  “And you, Highness,” Yermon responded, before going to his sea
t.

  Roth watched him carefully as did Enaid, Mikaal, Nosaj and Areenna, all waiting to see if the clone would react. When he didn’t, Yermon, as he had been coached by Enaid, went to his seat, smiled at his brother and sat in the chair of Advisor.

  Timed to perfection, as Yermon sat, the serving doors opened and a stream of servers entered, carrying trays of steaming broth for the first course.

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  Observing as everything unfolded, Areenna caught a dark emotion escape the clone. Surprise, shaded with a touch of fear, shot from the man, its putrid texture akin to rotting meat.

  She glanced at Enaid and saw her cousin’s eyes widen. Be ready, came the command, but it was unnecessary as Areenna had already begun to build the powers within her. Her blood raced through her veins, yet her heart, instead of speeding faster, had slowed. Low in her belly, the heat of her power was released. Her senses went acute; she heard every sound in the room including the cricket in the far corner between each heartbeat. The power burning deep within her built stronger.

  She watched Yermon and Olrac. The duke’s timing had to be perfect or they could not protect him. Within her chest and abdomen there was a whirling—a sign of danger about to happen.

  Gaalrie’s mind melded with hers and she saw a dark creature flying high above Tolemac. Protect, she commanded her aoutem. She sensed Enaid commanding her gorlon to do the same if necessary.

  Yermon stood, knocking his chair backwards and pointing at Olrac. “Olrac you are not! Who are you?” he demanded, his voice echoing through the chamber.

  The room went silent. Every eye turned to the duke.

  “Are you mad?” Olrac the clone challenged. “Have you lost your wits, Brother?”

  “You are no brother to me! Where is my brother? What have you done with him?” he demanded, grasping the hilt of his dagger, but not yet drawing it.

  “Madness,” the clone shouted in a voice as loud as Yermon’s. He turned to Roth. “My Lord, my brother has become mad. You must help me.”

  When Roth stood, a powerful, dark force shot downward at him. Instinctively, Areenna released the power she had built up and sent it swirling around the high king. At the same instant, she sensed Enaid fighting the darkness above. Outside the castle walls, Gaalrie attacked the dark bird-like wraith from above it.

  The force Areenna resisted was powerful and filled with such darkness it threatened to make her sick. Yet she held herself strong and fought back the retched darkness attacking the high king, building her powers and herself to greater heights.

  Then, as clear as if it were noon and she was watching the fight, she saw Gaalrie strike the creature in the center of its back. The dark bird-like thing screamed in rage, but did not stop trying to fight through Areenna’s defense of Roth.

  Protect Yermon! Enaid’s thought hit her hard. She started to withdraw from Roth but stopped when Mikaal joined her and added his strength to hers as he had that afternoon, allowing her to protect Roth and, at the same time, Yermon, spreading her shielding powers around him like an invisible ball.

  Above the keep, the dark creature turned and grabbed Gaalrie, its talons searching for a death grip. Hold, Enaid commanded the instant Areenna’s powers faltered. Areenna solidified her defenses, watching helplessly as the huge dark bird’s claws sank into her aoutem’s flesh. Together the two giant birds battled, plummeting toward the ground at a speed she knew would kill Gaalrie.

  Hold, Enaid repeated, and Areenna did. Her fear for her aoutem grew frantic until a burst of power, unlike anything she had ever experienced grew within her. Holding Roth and Yermon safe, she released the energy as she would have an arrow, and sent it directly at the creature.

  Gaalrie broke free and stopped her fall. The dark creature hit the earth hard, but Areenna saw that—impossibly—the creature still lived. She pushed herself harder and used her power to pin the wraith to the ground. While Gaalrie circled above it, and as Areenna held the creature down, Enaid’s gorlon launched itself in a huge leap and fell upon the dark beast, its large fangs and powerful claws ripping it to shreds.

  At the same time the gorlon attacked the wraith, the clone pulled a dagger from its vestments and charged Yermon. Mikaal leaned forward, his arm drawn back. Before the clone could reach Yermon, he released the dagger he held.

  Exactly as it had in Areenna’s vision, the dagger flew true and landed in the clone’s neck, severing its spine. Blood spewed everywhere—the clone crashed to the floor inches from the duke.

  Pandemonium erupted. Roth stood and shouted above the noise until silence returned. “My Lords, be seated so I may explain.”

  The council members and their staff reseated themselves and Roth spoke. His voice was low, but could be clearly heard. The corners of his mouth were turned down. The distaste on his face easy to read.

  “What you have just witnessed was the power of the dark ones. They have grown stronger, as you can see. That thing,” he said, pointing to the unmoving body of the clone, “was not King Olrac; rather, it was a duplicate of Olrac, made by the dark forces who want nothing less than to control everyone here and everyone who walks this earth. Do you now better understand what we spoke of this morning? Do you understand why the only way to remain strong and free is by standing together, without infighting and petty jealousies; by protecting not only our own lands, but the lands of our neighbors; and, finally, by honoring the treaties we have made with each other. If you fail in this, we are all doomed.”

  “Are we not already doomed?” King Namron of Aldimor demanded, pointing to the clone. “If they can do this, what cannot they do?”

  Areenna saw Enaid begin to rise, and watched Roth put a gently restraining hand on her shoulder. “They cannot overpower us as long as we stand together and stay strong. Did you not see how we, not they, have ruled the day?”

  “Only by the luck of his brother recognizing the imposter was not Olrac.”

  “Luck played no part in this: the imposter was recognized days ago. The duke was advised to come here instead of sitting his brother’s throne for the purpose of unmasking this deception before the council. You all needed to see how strong the danger to us and to all of Nevaeh has become.”

  While this was going on, much was happening. The body of Olrac was removed and the floor cleaned even as Roth spoke. Yermon moved into the seat the clone had occupied and Areenna was regaining her strength from her second battle of the day.

  “May I suggest we have our meal, spend the rest of the evening at peace, and resume the council in the morning, after we have had a night to rest and think on the events of this day?”

  Roth turned to the musicians and commanded them with a nod. They began to play, and more food was brought into the chamber. It took a while, but the mood, although more somber, picked up and conversation began to grow.

  And while the rulers talked amongst themselves, Areenna looked toward Enaid, who nodded a single time. Well done, Areenna, well done.

  CHAPTER 8

  HALF CURVED ALONG the edge of a cushion, Areenna was pressed into the corner of a large chair. Sleep had become impossible as the scene from the dining chamber kept repeating over and over.

  Still tasting the sour revulsion of the clone’s darkness, Areenna could not stop wondering just how darkly powerful was this force she seemed destined to fight. If such a thing as the wraith could be so powerful, what could be said of its masters? With that thought, she remembered Enaid’s words: ‘The wraith was controlled by a powerful woman; it could not act by itself’.

  She rose and paced the bedchamber. What about me? Why is this happening now? Mixed with the fearful thoughts of the dark powers was an awareness of the incredible difference in her powers from the moment Mikaal had joined her mental battle.

  While there had been a synergy between them earlier in the forest bordering Tolemac, what had happened in the dining hall defied description. Aided by Mikaal, her powers had grown inconceivably strong during the battle. But now, hours after he had withdrawn f
rom her mind, she still held the changes within her and tasted new strengths as well.

  She rose and went to the bed where her robe lay in disarray. Putting it on and moving quietly so as not to disturb the sleeping maid, Areenna left the bedchamber and descended to the empty circular garden in the center of the keep. The slant of the moon told her it was two hours before dawn. In a keep such as Tolemac she thought herself lucky to be alone.

  Walking slowly around the gardens, she did her best to concentrate on what was happening within her. Intuition told her she must get used to this new power by learning what it was and what its limits were.

  She would no longer take anything for granted—that was the lesson she had gained from her original vision with Duke Yermon. In the vision, when she had seen the dagger flying toward Olrac, she had assumed it meant Olrac was in danger. But reality proved far different. It was an important lesson, and one she must remember.

  Stopping near the center of the garden, which was illuminated by the fading moon and the multitude of stars afloat in the cloudless sky, Areenna gazed at the fountain built in the exact center of the castle keep. The simply carved fountain was fed by a deep underwater spring and it was the force of the spring that pushed water to the top, where it spilled over the edges in a constant waterfall.

  Staring at the cascading water, she found herself tracing the water back to its origination, though she had no idea how she did this. Her only awareness was of being drawn into the blue crystal liquid. Then she was moving—floating above the swiftly rushing current and moving through the underground passage.