The Sartious Mage (The Rhythm of Rivalry) (18 page)

“It feels like I’m swimming on land,” she said. “And the only way of moving is with the waves.” She held her head with one hand, handing me back the flask with the other. “I realize how crazy that sounds.”

I lifted her to the front of the saddle, climbing on the horse behind her and pulling the reins under her arms. She leaned back, her head resting against my shoulder while she breathed slow and deep. Bastial stars, that fragrance. Why did it pull me out of my body whenever I smelled it?

It felt like I was reliving a memory even though the moment was happening right then. I could see us on the horse together, bodies touching. Everything seemed to slow down, each breath she took, each slight adjustment she made to her hands or head lasted forever, repeating itself in my mind as I searched for meaning behind it.

I felt powerless, like the fragrance had taken over my body.

“Jek?” Lisanda whispered.

“Yes?”

“Us touching like this doesn’t mean anything. You know that right? I’m just dizzy and tired.”

“I know.” I sat up to straighten out my sore back. Her head rolled a bit but stayed against my chest.

“Rest if you want,” I said. “We’ll be at the farm soon.”

She raised a hand to brush the hair from her face, accidentally catching my lip with her finger. She cautiously brought her hand back up to my face. I didn’t know whether her eyes were open or closed, for I could see only the top of her head, but either way she couldn’t see where she was reaching. The back of her hand grazed my nose, falling slowly to my lips. I wondered if she expected me to kiss it for some strange reason. My heart started beating wildly.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

Her hand quickly retreated. “Just making sure that was your face I touched and not something else.”

I brought the back of my own hand to my nose and lips to see what it felt like for her.

“Are you still hallucinating?” I asked.

“I don’t think so. That’s what I was trying to figure out just now.”

“Well, do you want to switch positions in the saddle then?”

“This is fine.”

We shared a deep breath at the same time. I could feel her back move with my chest. She fluttered her fingers in front of my face. “But only because I’m dizzy and tired.”

“I know,” I told her again.

Chapter 17: Rubble

As good as it was to be home, I was nervous to see my father and sister. What were they going to think when I told them about Lisanda Takary?

At least I knew Rubble, my favorite cat, wouldn’t judge me. He would walk to me, meowing as he went and purring the moment my fingers touched his fur.

Rubble was one of many cats we had. They were the best solution to all the rats on the farm and great company during chores, jumping and climbing on anything they could and then meowing from the top as if to show off. Rubble was named by how often he was found in the strangest places, usually buried beneath something. He seemed to be the only one of our cats that never minded getting dirty, leaping into piles of anything to chase after a rat. His fur was white with brown spots, not the prettiest, but I didn’t care. He always made me laugh.

I steered the horse right to the door of our farmhouse. Lisanda was conscious but didn’t seem to want to be, holding her heavy head low no matter what position she was in.

I helped the Princess from the horse, tying him to the house once I was done. I knew he needed water just as much as Lisanda and I did. I planned to come back right after greeting my family, telling this to the horse as I petted him.

“And how are you?” I asked Lisanda when I was done consoling the horse.

“I’m everything. Tired, hungry, thirsty, dirty.” Her voice trailed off.

“Me, too.”

The farm was too quiet. The sun had fully set, but I should’ve still heard some of the animals behind the farmhouse. I wanted to investigate, but that had to wait. First I needed to speak to my father and sister to explain everything. I knocked on the door.

“Sannil? Kalli?” I called. There was no answer. I knocked again. “Hello?” I yelled.

My stomach reached up to grab my ribs. Did the King know this was my farm? He could’ve sent guards here. Sannil and Kalli could be in trouble.

Lisanda must’ve seen it on my face. “What’s wrong?” she whispered.

“I’m not sure, but I don’t know what’s waiting inside. I’m going to have to bind you to me.”

She held out her wrist. I used Sartious Energy to create a ring around it, one around mine as well, then linked the two together with a bar. With our wrists bound together, I cautiously pushed open the door and led her through.

Our farmhouse was two stories, although each floor had only a few rooms. The whole place was dark, but I thought I heard a muffled voice upstairs.

I took my wand and pushed Bastial Energy through it to create enough light to see everywhere ahead of me.

“Jek Trayden, we finally meet.”

My eyes shot to the top of the stairway where a mage dressed in a red robe stood with folded arms. On his chest was the Takary family sign, blue soaring wings. I knew the blood-red robe meant he was a specialist with Bastial Energy, the lighter of the two energies and by far the easier to manipulate. If I were on the King’s staff, my robe would be green instead to represent the emerald color of SE—my specialty.

“Who are you?” I asked.

“And is that the Princess you have bound to you?” He shielded his eyes from the light of my wand, squinting at us. “Thank you for bringing her to me.”

“Where are my father and sister?”

I heard a muffled scream, similar to the way Lisanda had tried to yell with the gag stuffed in her mouth. It was coming from behind the mage on the second floor.

“They’re calling to you!” he answered with feigned concern. “Hurry up here and save them!” Then his face loosened into a grin that held more malice than I’d ever seen. “Come on,” he said, waving and slowly turning on his heels to walk out of view.

I looked over my shoulder at Lisanda. All drowsiness had left her face, leaving wide eyes full of fear.

“Who is he?” I whispered.

“My father’s top mage,” she whispered back. “His name is Exo. He’s dangerous.”

“Is he the one responsible for the fires that caused The Desert to be what it is now?”

She nodded.

I wanted to puff out my chest heroically and storm up the stairs, demonstrating the bravery I always thought I’d have if I ever met him. But now that the moment was here, I felt weak. We were in my house, where the slightest damage could be devastating, and who knew what he had planned with my family?

Then, too, I had Lisanda to worry about, bound to me so she couldn’t run, but what would that mean if a fight of magic broke out? What would she do? Fight against me? There was too much vulnerability here. I had a terrible feeling as I timidly walked up the stairs.

The only light was coming from Kalli’s bedroom. I came to the doorway and peered inside.

Exo stood in the middle of the room. My father and sister were behind him, each tied to a chair and gagged.

“Leave Lisanda outside and come in,” he told me.

I didn’t move; too many questions needed answering first. Were Sannil or Kalli hurt? I saw no injuries. Why leave Lisanda outside? He had something planned, but what? What was he going to do once I obeyed? Try to kill me, perhaps?

I studied Exo as I thought. He was somewhere close to forty years old with thinning hair. His head was oddly shaped, looking closer to a lopsided diamond than an oval. Wide eyes with dark circles around them were pushed out by high cheekbones, forming the middle edges of the diamond, while a pointed chin and the tip of his long forehead made the bottom and top edges. A nose both wide and tall hung in the middle of his face. It was the centerpiece that brought the rest of his features together, creating a look of powerful hatred.

Exo gave a bored sigh when I didn’t enter. With a surprising lack of emotion, he pulled a knife from his belt and drew it toward Kalli. She stared at him with contempt, showing no fear. I didn’t feel the same courage.

“Wait!” I shouted.

Exo turned to me with a raised eyebrow. “Ready to listen?”

I wanted to send a fireball his way, but he stood between Sannil and Kalli. If I missed, or he moved out of the way…it wasn’t worth the risk. I started to realize this was the end. I took a long breath, knowing I had lost. All that work getting Lisanda here and for nothing.

I waved my wand at the binding between Lisanda’s wrist and mine. It shattered into green smoke. Exo pointed to the door with his eyes set on the Princess.

Lisanda and I shared a look as if to say goodbye. It was a hesitant goodbye, one of apprehension through furrowed brows. It was nice to know at least she’d rather be in my company than with Exo, although who wouldn’t? The man looked to be insane.

What was he going to do next? I wondered. Was there a reward for my capture, perhaps for my death?

Lisanda stood in the hallway outside the door, watching.

Exo went behind Kalli, holding his knife to my sister’s throat. “Now drop your wand,” he told me. “Or watch her die.”

I obeyed and dropped my weapon.

“Kick it here.” Exo motioned with his knife. I did as he asked. He bent down and stuffed it in his pocket.

Exo walked toward the door cautiously, pointing his wand at me with a steady stare as he went. When he got to the doorway, he pushed Lisanda out of sight and turned back to us.

“Goodbye, Kalli,” Exo said with a wry smile. “It’s been fun.”

Kalli screamed something at him through her gag, violently thrashing against the ropes that held her to the chair.

Exo blew a kiss and walked out of view.

I hurried over to untie Kalli, starting with the gag.

I almost had the knot undone when something startled me.

“Jek!” Lisanda screamed my name. I flipped around to find her in the doorway again. “He’s trying to surprise you. He’s going to kill you!”

Exo returned, shoving Lisanda hard. “Stupid bitch!” he screamed. She crashed into something I couldn’t see. It sounded like a wall.

Exo replaced her in the doorway, aiming his wand at me. It already was glowing. He had been gathering Bastial Energy when he left the room, and now his fireball was ready.

I pulled in all the SE I could in the brief moment I had before his fireball formed, and I used that energy to create a shell in front of me. It wasn’t bigger than my torso and had the width of straw, but it was all I could gather.

His fireball came out in a flash of light, slamming into my Sartious shell before I could even see it coming. SE was the perfect shield against fire, just as strong as steel but able to absorb the heat and force far better. However, his fireball was too strong for the shield I’d created.

Although the shape of the Sartious shell remained, looking like a turtle shell bent around me, it couldn’t contain the entire fireball. Some of the fire had splintered off the edges of my shell and landed in small puddles around the wooden room.

I quickly morphed the floating Sartious shell into flat circles and directed them over each puddle of fire before it spread.

Exo lowered his wand, his tormented eyes full of shock. “Impossible,” he muttered. He drew the knife from his belt and ran toward me.

I was ready, though. I’d gathered more Sartious Energy, and Bastial as well, using both to form my own fireball. Without a wand, the process was extremely dangerous and difficult because the fire came directly from my hand. I had to focus enough energy to form and expel the fireball instantly, and the smallest mistake would lead to terrible burns.

I felt my hand sting from the heat when it happened, but any burn was worth it. My fireball struck him in the chest, knocking him back so hard he flew the opposite way he’d been running. His head slammed into the floor when he landed, motionless.

I quickly checked around the room for any fire I might’ve missed. It had all fizzled out. Then I looked to make sure no one was hurt. Everyone seemed to be fine. Lisanda had come back into the room. She was holding her shoulder but didn’t seem to be hurt otherwise.

She carefully peeked down at Exo. “Is he dead?”

I went over to check, grabbing his knife when I was close.

“He’s still breathing,” I said.

I cut the gags around Kalli and Sannil, starting to remove their ropes next. “Grab his wand and mine, will you?” I asked Lisanda.

She brought them over to me, still holding her shoulder. “How did you cast without a wand?” she asked.

My father spoke for me as I cut his ropes. “He’s learned to absorb enough Sartious Energy into his body that he doesn’t need the pellets within a wand—Jek, what are you doing with Lisanda Takary? I assume that’s who this is?” He motioned with his one free hand while I removed the ropes from the other.

“Yes,” I said regretfully. “I’ll explain everything.”

My sister removed the last of her ropes from her feet. She took the knife from my hand, pushed Lisanda out of the way so hard the Princess fell, and stomped toward Exo’s fallen body.