Mage Magic (2 page)

“Well, there must be something we can do,” Lydia said. “You are a priestess.”

“And I walk in the light,” Priestess Serena said softly. “I cannot do what is required to defuse this spell.”

“But I can,” the mage said, turning and letting her hood fall around her shoulders.

She heard the gasp of the shifter. She knew what the woman was seeing. She looked exactly as her mother had looked when she was her age, when Serena had been friends with Lydia and they had both fallen for the same man.

“I can and I will,” Serenity said. It was often a joke. Her name. Her mother had named her Serenity, but that was the last thing that she felt, serene. “Enough is enough. It stops now.”

“You will not leave,” Priestess Serena stated, as if her word was law, which with anyone else in the temple it would be.

“The truth has been kept long enough,” Serenity stated just as firmly. “I do not walk in the light. I do not walk in the dark. I walk within the shadow between. I can and will undo this darkness. I can and will bring the knowledge of how to defeat Wilhelm to the castle.”

She crossed to her mother and sighed. “You mean well. I will always love you. But I cannot be you. I don’t want to be. It’s time I met my brother and sisters and let them know of our connection and how we can use that connection to defeat Wilhelm.”

“You cannot…” her mother began, but Serenity put her finger to her mother’s lips and shook her head.

“I must,” she said. “No more secrets. They only add to his power. It is time to end what began before we were born. It is time.”

Serenity pulled the hood over her head again and with a final glance to her mother left the room. Armed with nothing but the magic in her veins and the knowledge in her mind, she stepped out and was swallowed by the darkness.

“Wait,” her mother’s voice called from the temple steps behind her.

Serenity turned. “I can wait no longer. The time is now.”

Her mother surprised her when she stepped forward, a wrapped object in each hand.

Her words were even more surprising. “I was told this day would come, but I chose to hope otherwise. I hid nothing from you except the foretelling of this day. You, among them all, know what happened during that time so long ago. I have given you that and I have kept you in the temple as I was told in order to protect you.” Tears streamed down her mother’s face. “But I never realised how hard it would be to let you go when the time came.”

“What are you saying?” Serenity asked.

Serena took a deep breath and, handing one of the items to Lydia, who had followed her out, began to unwrap the other. “I told you of what happened the night I made my escape, of my leaving with the moonlight, of hiding the sword for Queen Ona’s daughter.

But there is more to be told.”

Serenity watched as the wrapping fell away to reveal a weapons belt. This one had two jewels on either side, and a dagger rested by the gem on the left. The slot by the other stone looked as if it were meant for a sword, perhaps the one her mother had hidden so many years ago?

“This belt belonged to Queen Ona, who gave it to me to protect,” Serena said. “She is the one who told me the time would come when you would leave the temple and that you must carry this with you to restore it to its rightful owner. Aurora, or Queen Aurora now.”

“You think Aurora has been returned to the castle and her throne?” Serenity asked.

“It has occurred,” Serena stated.

Lydia gasped beside her, and Serenity looked to see tears rolling down the woman’s cheeks. It made sense, as from what her mother had told her of that time it had been Lydia who had taken Aurora with her to protect her. The woman had raised Aurora as a daughter with her own child.

“You must take this to Aurora,” her mother said. “She will need it when the time comes.” She held her hand up as Serenity would have interrupted. “You will know when the time comes and you will know what is to be done.”

A page from the temple stepped forward with a pack, and as she watched, her mother carefully folded the belt inside. “The food and water are inside?” the page was asked and the woman nodded and bowed at the priestess’ question.

“The orb as well, Priestess Serena,” the page said.

“Thank you,” Serena acknowledged and turned back to Serenity.

“Orb?” Serenity asked.

“Not all will be believing of the truth you carry,” Serena told her. “The orb should be placed on the table before the five of you, and only the five of you. In birth order you must place your hands on the globe, Aslan, Aurora, you, Lynx and Rory. When the last hand is placed you will see the knowledge the orb holds.”

Serenity didn’t know what to say. She prayed that she could protect the orb while she made her way through the darkness to the castle. Nerves filled her with anxious desire as she thought of the meeting she had spent her entire life praying for. Finally she would meet her brother and sisters. Raised as an only child in the confines of the temple, it was something she had always looked forward to.

“Last, I must tell you something of yourself and your strength.” Her mother’s words broke her from her thoughts. It was funny how sometimes she thought of her as mother and sometimes she thought of her as Priestess Serena. But that all depended on how her mother spoke to her, and now it was as a combination of both the priestess and the mother. “Inside you there is a magic stronger than any that has ever been.”

Serenity laughed. “You’ve seen what I can and can’t do. It isn’t all that much.”

“There you are wrong,” her mother said. “This temple has tempered your magic, dampened it as long as you stayed within these sacred walls. But even now you must feel the hum beneath your skin as your magic is freed inside you.”

There was a warmth unlike any she’d ever known, a sort of energy that made her feel a vibration just under her fingertips.

“Within you is the light of your mother and the dark of your father. You will be pulled by these elements unless you learn to balance them. You are right. You do walk within the shadow between.” Her mother reached a hand to Serenity’s hair and brushed the hood back, stroking the blonde curls. “I pray that you stay within those shadows and don’t succumb to the pull of darkness.” Serena looked to the sky. “It will be incredibly strong now.”

“I know my place,” Serenity assured her.

“I pray you hold to that,” her mother said. “And I give you one final thing to help you on your journey, both the physical and the internal.” She took the last object from Lydia and unwrapped it, slowly revealing a white Staff with gold insets. It was beautiful but Serenity couldn’t see anything special about it.

She’d been trained in the art of staves so perhaps this was her parting weapon to help her in close range combat if her magic failed to keep any attackers from getting to her. Her mother said nothing more, just held the Staff out to her. Hesitantly, she reached for it, almost afraid to touch it.

When it filled her palm and she wrapped her fingers around it, a shaft of light flew from the tip, exploding into the sky. Unimaginable power filled Serenity. The magic burned through her, making her back arch and her muscles tighten painfully. She became the light.

She could feel the glow surrounding her, her body, her hair, her eyes, even her clothes reflected what filled her. She felt powerful, stronger than ever, as if there was no limit to what she could do.

“The Staff of Light,” her mother told her. “Forged and once held by the goddess herself.

I was told that it has been kept safe all this time in anticipation of the one chosen by the goddess. You. My daughter. The chosen of the goddess.”

“I don’t understand,” Serenity said, shaking her head. “Chosen for what? To defeat Wilhelm?”

“This battle is but the beginning for you. With the Staff and your magic, it is your destiny to travel and bring justice to those most in need. Along the way you will meet two who will complete a trinity with you. One holds the power of visions, both have the ability to blend with shadow or stand in light. They will guard and protect you.” Her mother leaned in to her, hugging her close, and Serenity could feel the tears on her mother’s cheeks. “They will love you. You must consummate the triad as soon as possible to complete the bond. You must do it before you face Wilhelm.”

“I…” She didn’t know what to say, what to think. Suddenly this was so much more than she’d anticipated, than she’d expected. “How will I know who they are? How will I know where I am needed, when I must go and when to stay?”

“They will find you,” her mother promised. “When you are in need they will just appear as if from the air around you. They will be your guides, your guards, your heart and your soul. Together you will fulfil the destiny that has long awaited you all. They are strong, but when the triad is completed, when you are all together as one, some of your magic will enhance theirs. Once this occurs nothing can separate you, not even death.” Pulling back from the hug, her mother held her gaze. “Remember that. The three of you have within you the power to survive even mortal death.”

“I don’t understand.” Serenity shook her head.

Her mother leaned in and kissed her forehead. “You will. When the time comes, you will.”

“How?” Serenity asked.

“Just trust in yourself and your mates,” her mother urged her. “Keep faith in the goddess. There are only a few who have the gift of life. You will meet one along your way and he will help you to understand the enormity of the gift you hold. Heed his words.”

“How will I know who this person is?” Serenity said.

“He will be as a brother to you. This is the most arduous thing that I have ever done. I thought leaving my best friends behind was brutal, but watching my daughter walk away from my protection is by far the harshest of all. I have loved you from the moment I knew you existed. I have protected you as best I could. And now I equip you with what I can to prepare you for your journey. Know that I am always with you.” She placed her palm just above Serenity’s left breast. “In your heart.” She moved her hand to touch the crown of Serenity’s head. “And in your head. In all that I have known, you are the greatest accomplishment of my life.”

“Mama…” Serenity leaned into her mother, holding her tight, afraid to let go. “Will I see you again after this day?”

“I don’t know,” her mother whispered. “Only time will tell.” She took a deep breath and stepped back. Reaching her hands out, she took the pack from the page and handed it to Serenity. “There is all that you need for the start of your journey in this bag. Guard it well.”

Her mother’s smile was wobbly, and Serenity realised how brave she was trying to be.

Funny, how only now she was becoming aware of all her mother must have sacrificed to be the goddess’ chosen priestess.

Her mother reached out one last time and ran a finger down Serenity’s cheek before stretching up and pulling the hood of her cape over her curls, making sure the golden halo was well hidden. “It is time for you to leave. May the goddess watch over and protect you at all times. Remember what I have told you and all that you have learned while in these hallowed halls.”

Serenity nodded. Stepping once more to her mother, she embraced her and kissed her soft cheek, tasting the salt of the tears that still fell. “I love you,” she whispered.

And as she turned and walked away from the only life she’d ever known, she heard her mother’s whispered reply on the breeze.

“I love you, too.”

Chapter Two

“She comes,” Theron spoke softly to his best friend and fellow rogue, Thedan.

They both stood at the edge of the camp the natives had made earlier in the evening, and watched a flash of light shoot into the depths of the sky. It lit the perpetual darkness for but a moment before it disappeared.

“The goddess seeks to break this unending night?” Thedan spoke the question aloud.

“Nay.” Theron shook his head.

Thedan turned and saw that the inky blackness of his friend’s eyes had now filled with grey smoke. He knew Theron was lost to a vision granted by the goddess. Although all rogues were taught to read the signs left behind, to see the echoes of things past that still marred the earth if one looked close enough, Theron was different. Where others looked, he saw, and what he saw was a direct gift of the goddess.

“What do you see?” Thedan asked.

“She comes,” Theron repeated. “She is the one to break the darkness and renew the light. She brings answers that will be hard to accept. Not all is as it seems. Lives will be forever changed with the knowledge she will share.” He turned his head, probing the darkness in the direction that would lead them towards the castle. “He senses something, someone, and he feels the first tendrils of dread. He is sending a group of men en route to the temple to find and kill whatever or whoever left its sacred ground. He thinks it will be easy.”

“I’m guessing he is wrong,” Thedan said with a laugh.

“She comes,” Theron repeated.

Somehow, Thedan knew this time it was even more important.

“She embodies light and love and a chance for happiness that we have only imagined and hoped for.” Theron’s eyes finally cleared so that only the black remained. “She is ours, the one we have waited for. She is our mate. Once we form the bond, our lives will forever be changed. The how and why is still unclear, but I know nothing will ever be the same.”

“We must go to her, protect her from Wilhelm’s men,” Thedan said, already bouncing on the balls of his feet in anticipation.

“We have a duty to protect the leader of our people,” Theron stated. “A duty for which we took a blood oath,” he added and lifted his left arm, turning it to show the mark they both bore on the inside of their wrists. “We cannot leave Raine unprotected, ever.”

“By the goddess,” Thedan swore. “A man should never have to choose between his duty and his mate.”

“And yet here we stand,” Theron said, a small smile on his lips. “However, I do have an idea that will allow us to see to both.”