The bodyguard recovered swiftly now they had cleared the effects of the questing beast.
Kai watched as the princess distanced herself with Tuck in tow. He assumed the woman took the only other female along for moral support.
Such precautions seemed irrational. Magic took the emotions, and only magic might repair any damage from the return. Females are such illogical creatures.
He waited to make sure both Tsu and Morgan recovered from the experience. If they suffered complications, he needed to act quickly to help them. An overwrought healer’s assistant would not be able to treat this sort of magical ailment.
They both slept off the experience. Recovery took a great deal longer than Kai expected. Before freeing his emotions, the mage sought out the farthest corner in the round entrance room. He wanted clear of Gia and any smartass comments that might erupt with little warning. Given the effects witnessed in the others, privacy was needed to reinstall his missing emotions.
The chances of him losing all control and killing the dragon hunter at the slightest provocation proved his greatest concern. He might be forgiven, lashing out at the half-elf’s litany of torments, but Kai couldn’t risk being kicked from the group if any defense was seen as excessive. They were too close to the mages’ tower now. He could sense it. Despite the lack of emotions, Kai wanted to press forward. Excitement wasn’t the correct word, but he felt something deep in his emotionless soul.
Each time he successfully controlled a jape, he became more empowered. The book gifted by Tuck taught him that the simplest of spells grew with practice, and each time an effective mage cast, they might discover new japes never before seen with magic in the process. The awakening experience was unique for each caster, hard to control but harder to anticipate with certainty.
Training could only help ease the process by understanding failures. What a new student needed most was an eagerness to learn, a safe place to practice, and a good deal of luck to not blow oneself up during experimentation.
Given the multiple warnings in the manual, Kai guessed few mages survived the initial steep learning curve. Maybe he was meant to be one of the lucky ones. The chosen one… The thought made him smile.
If he’d read this book before meeting Morgan, there was little chance he would have joined her on this most dangerous of quests. The study of magic was too perilous for anyone who had never gotten a taste of the power hidden just under the surface. With no clear path to success, he doubted the old Kai would have found the courage to start this magical journey. He was safer remaining with Pet’Ra-Moon, hidden with the elves.
However, now that he’d tasted a pure source of magic and the thrill of each successful experiment, Kai wanted more. Not for the tantalizing power he gained, but for the most unadulterated delight of learning something new about himself and the world around him. With each successful jape he cast, he felt his intelligence increase.
Imagine what I might learn tomorrow… Was Kai’s final thought before curling up in his blanket. He popped the cork to release his emotions and sobbed himself off to a troubled sleep.
<=OO=>
With no sunrise to wake him, Kai woke when his body no longer needed sleep. Thankfully, the others let him snooze as long as he needed. He was confident a logical mind would be required in the coming trials.
His emotions restored, Kai reverted to this long-tested ritual for waking. Despite his growing power, a mage needed to be cautious after all. Reaching out with all his senses revealed he was still safe, if not alone.
He expected the awakening process to uncover a killer hangover, the likes of which he’d not suffered since his tavern-crawling days on the docks of Ra. There was a time he carried a well-earned reputation as a rounder. Stumbling his way through life, always looking for the next thrill—My, how times have changed.
His eyes cracked open to find Morgan sitting cross-legged an arm’s length away. Somehow the sight didn’t surprise him. He lay watching her, waiting for the words she’d waited so patiently to say.
“Good morning,” she whispered.
Kai nodded. “Good morning to you.” Usually, he would ask what was wrong, but he had a feeling they remained safe. She stayed too relaxed if danger approached. Besides, she hadn’t hovered over him, waiting to share morning pleasantries. More was surely to follow.
Kai glanced past her. They were as alone as the room allowed them to be. The others kept a distance, sitting around the fire and cooking what smelled like the last of the sand crab.
Morgan whispered, “I’m worried.”
Kai managed a smile. “Don’t be. I promise to not kill him.” He knew more discussion lay in wait.
His words didn’t seem to surprise her as they should have. “How did you know I’m worried about Gia?”
Kai sat up, his body stiff from sleeping on the sand. “Am I wrong?” He smiled, anything to ease the unspoken tension between them.
Morgan looked over her shoulder, checking on the others. “No… but that is strange, don’t you think?”
“How do you mean?” Still sitting, Kai bent first to the right then to the left, letting his back crack. Was there ever a time he didn’t feel so damned old?
Her words didn’t come easy. Something troubled her more than she let on. “The spell in the room… against the questing beast… How did you know what I intended?”
Kai stopped his morning stretches and watched her. “I’m not sure… Lucky guess?”
“All right, for lack of a better word, we will call it luck, but since Dorfeus’s cave, I’ve had the strangest feelings…” She studied the hands clasped in her lap.
Kai nodded but was reluctant to admit what he felt. Honestly, he wasn’t ready to place a label on his growing feelings for Morgan. Besides, if unreciprocated, he’d certainly look the fool. “Yeah. Me too. Maybe it has something to do with the blast. The broken mirror.”
“Maybe… but we—you are all right?” She turned her attention back to him.
Kai nodded. “Yes. I’ll be fine. Are you?”
She nodded before pressing on. “Yes… Please listen. Try to ignore Gia. I think he behaves so badly to keep people away. That way, we never know how much he cares.”
“That’s deep…” Kai chuckled. “I think he is just an ass—or crazy.”
Morgan smiled widely. “He might say the same about you. Tsu once told me, never turn your back on a crazy person.”
“Sound advice, I’d say.” Kai tapped down the warmth growing in his chest. This is neither the time nor place for anything like that.
“Maybe, but can you give him the benefit of the doubt? We both know you can crush him like a bug. He is no match for you now.”
Kai agreed with every word she said. Despite her evaluation being factually correct, the sentiment coming from her shocked him. He admitted, “I think I have control enough to not hurt him… but I’m not sure I trust him.”
Morgan nodded, leaving them both sitting in silence.
Tsu approached, carrying two plates.
Kai watched as he drew closer. “We will need to discuss this later.”
Morgan nodded.
“You two ready to continue after some food?” Tsu spoke, waiting well out of earshot.
A considerate warning of sorts, Kai assumed.
Morgan stood and took the plate. “Sure, as soon as Kai is ready.”
“Let me gather my gear, and we can go. I think the next stop should be easy to find.”
Morgan said, “The golden machine of Asterreon sounds made up, suspicious even.”
Tsu handed Kai his plate. “Do we have any reason to not trust the questing beast?”
Morgan asked, “Other than the fact she tried to kill us?”
“Yeah.” Tsu chuckled.
Morgan took off toward the others. “None whatsoever.”
“We will go in with our eyes open. For some reason, the information feels right.” Kai took a bite of the still-warm crab.
“Famous last words?” Tsu raised his eyebrow.
Kai shrugged. “I wish I had a better argument or plan,” he said and took another bite. “But I don’t,” he said with a mouth full of crab.
<=OO=>
Despite Maa’s reluctance to travel with farm animals, she found herself forced into the back of a wagon that had carried livestock more than once. She wasn’t sure of the creatures hauled, but the wood reeked of urine and dung. The heavy straw spread over the wooden bed offered little cushion from the cobbled road or defense from the stink. Combined with the coarse robe she was still forced to wear, her perfect skin would surely be covered with sores.
Unfortunately, her captives refused all the equipment they caught her with, including her tailored leather armor. If she held the animal skin, she might have provided a quicker means of transport to Haven. Instead, they were forced to travel the old-fashioned way by the royal road.
She still couldn’t see from her right eye. However, the nurse in attendance swore Maa should regain her sight once the swelling went down. The woman blathered on about, “how lucky she was, a little higher, and the blow would have blinded her if not killed her outright.”
Maa knew it was not her time to die. Too many people on her list of revenge waited for death to greet them with an icy grip. She bit her tongue to hide the maniacal laugh that yearned to escape.
She was far from alone. There was a driver, with two guards riding along. An unknown number of men shadowed their progress, using the forest as cover. If she tried to run, they would drag her back with more bruises than she already had. For now, they hadn’t bothered to bind her. If she ran, they surely would fix that oversight. Maa considered it as a test.
Unable to extricate herself from the current situation, Maa spread out, face to the sky. Her mind wandered while watching the stray clouds float overhead.
Something seemed off. Either these men didn’t know their armor and weapons, or they refused to comment on the quality of her gear. Anyone with half a brain would know Maa was no gutter rat pickpocket. They refused to acknowledge Maa kept a secret. Maa declined to correct their willful ignorance. There was a lot of deception going on from both sides.
Zoe’s voice sounded soft for once. “Are you sure about this?” Sweet in her head, as Maa watched the clouds.
The empress closed her eyes to focus on the mental conversation. “About returning to Haven?” Maa thought.
“Yes, we barely made it out last time.”
“What choice do we have? We need the book, or the Dregs will come hunting for us.”
“Do you have a death wish?” Zoe asked.
“No.” The answer came slower than it should have. “There is a difference between wanting to die and not being afraid of it. I plan on living longer than all of you.”
“So you no longer fear death?”
“I don’t think so… no. I don’t. I can’t say I honestly fear anything right now… except perhaps I might never wash this skink off my body.”
“We must retrieve the book?”
“Or die trying.”
“Did it ever cross your mind you might be meant to fail?”
“I must admit it hasn’t. My entire life, my father strove to convince me… all the children in my family, we had a higher purpose in life. That we were meant for great things. To think otherwise was to risk swift and severe punishment.”
“What will happen if we fail?” Zoe asked.
“Interesting question. Let’s not fail so we won’t need to concern ourselves about it. Besides, win or lose, something must come next. Isn’t that the manner of the world—of time?”
“I wouldn’t know. Remember, I deal with death and the dead. That’s Necromancer, not Chronomancer.”
“Is that even a thing? Chronomancer?”
“Not that I know of. I never studied in the tower. To the best of my knowledge, time is a bitch to mess with. To even try is to risk temporal obliteration… or worse.”
“Sounds nasty.”
“It is. Not only do you die, but your memory will be stripped from everyone. It is like never being born.”
“Then let’s not try that.” Maa took a deep breath. “This will take all day. I think I will get some sleep.”
“But…”
“Shush. Sleep now, worry later.”
<=OO=>
No more shadows… Morgan watched Kai as he pulled farther ahead. His shadow all but disappeared under his feet. With the sun directly overhead now, any variation proved impossible to see. They needed to trust the mage’s sense of direction. The possibility the company walked in circles was high. The shifting sand hid all traces of their passing.
Something wasn’t right, and Morgan knew it. She was taught the mages’ tower stood in the central desert. Directly under the sun and taller than any mountain… logic dictated she should have spotted it long ago.
Without visible care, Kai marched on, relentless in his pace. Her best guess, their path remained straight and true until the shadows disappeared. Once gone, all indications of direction left as well.
Morgan spotted the flash of gold ahead. Straining, she picked up her pace in the flowing sand to reach Kai.
He’d taken the lead before the questing beast and had yet to relinquish it. Driven by an unseen force, he marched at a tireless pace, widening the distance between himself and the others.
“Kai! Please wait a moment!” Morgan called out to him. Distracted, she tripped in the sand. Nearly falling, she caught herself.
He paused long enough to turn and watch her stumble. “You should stay back with the others…” He held up his hands, three fingers in the shape of a triangle, and scanned the direction they traveled. “I can’t see any wards or hazards, yet the way might not be safe.”
“You don’t need the shard?” Morgan labored to catch up. The sand became harder to walk in with each step.
“No, Dorfeus was correct. The more I become attuned to the surrounding magical forces, the less I need it.” He stood silent for the longest moment. “I don’t sense danger, but just in case, you should stay back. It is safer with the others.” Kai took off once again.
She needed a break. “Please wait… Let me catch my breath.”
Kai paused once more. His eyes fixed on the horizon.
Bent over and breathing heavily, Morgan asked, “Are you sure this is the right way? Shouldn’t we see the tower by now?”
Lacking all emotion, Kai said, “It isn’t far. We approach the goal swiftly. Then we can rest.”
Morgan worried—the mage spoke with little passion. Best she could tell, he showed no concern for her and the others. Her trust in his abilities faltered the longer they kept the strenuous pace. The company was now a distraction, his mind elsewhere.
His shadow cast over her. “Allow me?” He asked.
Hands resting on knees, Morgan still strained to catch her breath. She nodded.
He laid a hand on the top of her head. The touch struck her as bizarre. “Look now,” he whispered, offering her his hand to help her stand upright.
Before her eyes, the haze lifted. She saw the massive column of stone towering over the desert, the apex lost in the brilliant light of the sun directly overhead.
“I…” the sight struck her dumb. How would she ever find the words to describe such a vast, enormous object hidden for so long?
“See… not far.” Out of character, he offered his arm to help her continue.
She did her best to match his pace. The added support gave her a chance to study the seemingly solid piece of stone. No matter how long she looked from this distance, she saw no signs of life. No way to enter the mountain. “Is this what you expected?”
“I’m not sure what I expected… and you?”
“Well… I saw a drawing once, in one of my books, and it showed towers jutting from the cliff walls. More like a huge fortress, than a… mountain.” Morgan didn’t want to admit it looked like nothing she’d learned.
Kai asked, “If the inside is hollow, why bother adding to the outside?”
Crestfallen, she said, “Like most of my education, it seems that was useless as well.”
The argument she expected never came. Instead, they walked on in silence.
Morgan asked, “Do you still wish things had worked out differently?” She searched his eyes for any sign of emotion.
He answered too quickly, “No. This is where we belong. I see it now.”
“And Pet’Ra?” Strange that Morgan worried about the half-elf nurse.
“I’m thankful she survived. At times I do think of her, and I’m sure I always will, but consider what we have learned… what we are about to learn.” His face remained unreadable.
“I guess I’m worried we’re doing what’s right,” Morgan admitted.
“Doubt will wear you down. Best you can hope for is making good decisions with the available information.”
“Don’t worry about the consequences?”
“We need to stop wasting time on self-pity—self-doubt. If we make a mistake, we must learn from it, move forward. Nobody’s perfect. I think we are all floundering through life as best we can.”
“What of the old world, our old lives? It seems like we are getting over our heads.”
“The world will take care of itself.”
“And if the Genke destroy it?”
“The world will not end—it just might look different than you’re used to.”
Morgan shook her head. “When did life become so complicated?”
“I think it always has been. We were just too ignorant to see it.”
“Are you all right? You seem… Did you lose your emotions in the bottle?”
He shot her a quick glance. “No… I think they all returned. Why do you ask?”
She whispered, “You seem different to me.”
“Our emotions can only burn so bright for so long before they wear you out and you become numb. I think I’m growing numb is all. Aren’t you?”
“No. My feelings are still raw. Nightmares haunt my sleep. I worry about the coming darkness. Life feels out of control.”
“I’m not sure worrying about things out of your control is healthy. The candle isn’t afraid of the dark. Be the candle. A single light will cast out the dark.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulder.
“But my heart is breaking. I can only guess at the havoc, the destruction Maa and her clan are committing on my empire.”
“Does your anxiety and constant worry change anything?”
“Not really.” Morgan shook her head.
“I will focus on what I can control then. I suggest you try to do the same.”
Morgan nodded. “I will try, though I’m not sure I can be so… dispassionate.”
“When you’re hurt, it is easy to lash out. I see that now. All I can control is my reaction to events. I doubt anyone has much control over others.”
“Isn’t that what learning magic is all about? Controlling the uncontrollable?”
“Maybe for some. Not for me, not now at least. Now it is about knowledge that we will gain.” His eyes sparkled.
The golden machine was closer now. Morgan was sure of it. “What will happen once we reach the machine?”
“I don’t know. It should be a learning experience… I expect, perhaps even wondrous.” He smiled down at her.
Morgan chuckled, “Like the questing beast?”
“Yes, look at what we learned. We discovered a sentient being many thought a myth.”
“That nearly killed us.”
“But she didn’t. Some might say the encounter happened just like it was meant to.”
“Predestined?”
“Something like that. Or maybe we are just lucky.”
“Better lucky than good?”
“No, better alive than dead. May we find the knowledge or luck that helps us to live another day.”
“Not far now!” Tsu called out from behind.
Kai replied, “No, not at all.”
Morgan hoped this construction they approached was safe. She needed rest badly.