Shattered Souls (Guardians of the Maiden Book 3)

Magic was like lightning. The spark before the storm that could be both beautiful and so incredibly dangerous. Lucenna lowered her hairbrush and looked into the mirror set on the vanity within their lodging room. Through the reflection, she saw Dyna sitting on the edge of their shared bed, gazing outside at the night sky. The moonlight shone over her troubled features.

“What are you thinking about?” Lucenna asked her.

“Many things. Worries and questions. Some have answers, others perhaps not. If I were to sleep now, would the ceiling stop me from floating away or would my magic make a hole in the roof?”

Lucenna came to sit beside her. Dyna scooted over, careful their arms accidently touch, now that she wore gloves. “You won’t float away.”

“What did Lucien have to say about what I told you?”

She glanced at her satchel hanging from the chair. Her brother had only been mildly surprised to hear the truth about their people. That sorceresses were more powerful than mages, and it was the reason the Empire sought to control them. Lucien had suspected it, and Dalton only confirmed it. He was more startled by the fact that the union of a mage and sorceress from different Guilds didn’t dampen magic. It wasn’t permitted, so no one could have known mixing their blood meant they would have the ability to use more elements.

Only the Archmage’s family was allowed, since a Transcendent sorceress could be born of any Guild. Even in that, they could claim the ability to transcend the elements was passed down through the bloodline. It had always been about control.

All the lies made Lucenna want to destroy something.

“It’s very valuable information for the Liberation,” she said. “There is talk of secretly teaching more sorceresses to use magic. But we know nothing of mixed bloodlines. The Empire never pardons those who defy the law of marrying outside of their Guilds and any children are quickly dealt with.”

Dyna lowered her head.

“I have to believe there are some out there in hiding, or concealing the truth of who they are. But this news makes a significant difference, Dyna.” Lucenna laid a hand over hers. “It means we have a real fighting chance now.”

They weren’t as weak as the mages made them believe. That could be the very thing to draw more to their cause.

“Part moon, part sun, they called me,” Dyna murmured. “It’s why my Essence burns like fire.”

Now it all made sense. The blast at the fjord had nearly destroyed it. That type of power could be detrimental at the hands of someone untrained.

“I don’t know much of Sun Guild magic, but I can teach you other things. Let’s hold a small lesson before we sleep.” Lucenna laid face up on the bed and motioned for her to do the same. “I will teach you impressions. It’s a fun spell. I want you to cast a small stream of your Essence and send it forth to float in the air.”

Dyna lifted her hand, and Lucenna felt how the power in her blood easily surfaced to her fingertips. Green light flared to life in her palm. What had once felt so trying was now effortless. Her magic seemed almost eager to be used. Her brow tightened, and a small green globe of light gently rose in the air above them.

“Good. Now give it a shape. Any one.”

Dyna bit her lip as she concentrated, and the ball of light molded into the shape of a wolf. She took it a step further and made it run as if it was crossing a vast meadow.

Lucenna smiled. “Good. Now speak to me.”

Dyna blinked. “What?”

The image winked away.

“You already know magic is ruled by will and intent. Now you must learn to maintain your spells amid any distraction.”

She brought it forth again, and this time her Essence took the shape of a prancing horse that looked a lot like Fair.

“A child mage is more dangerous than an adult one,” Lucenna said. “They haven’t learned how to control their Essence, and they are easily susceptible to their emotions. Right now, that is you, so for the sake of others and yourself, you must always remain calm.”

The prancing horse flickered. But it regained its light and reformed into a bird. Lucenna cast out her Essence and created small purple clouds through which the green bird flew. Miniscule flashes of lighting flickered above it.

“Add another impression,” Lucenna instructed.

With the gentle wave of her hand, Dyna easily created a larger bird. A phoenix this time. “I feel so much power inside of me,” she said, watching the birds fly together. “That I’m afraid I won’t be able to handle it. That I will…hurt someone. Again.”

Lucenna looked at her. She had sensed a change in Dyna, suspecting it had something to do with more than magic.

“I killed the Earth mage,” Dyna confessed quietly. “To break his spell and escape.”

The birds faded, and the impression took the shape of a miniature version of Dyna sitting in a chair, looking up at an old man in long robes, right before she struck him in the neck. The moment repeated itself over and over.

“Do you feel guilty?” Lucenna asked, watching the rest of the scene unfold with the Raiders chasing her right before she leaped off a cliff.

“I do…for taking him away from those that loved him, but not for having done it.” Dyna closed her eyes. “I fear that killing people will be something I do without thought. I don’t want that.” Her voice dropped. “I don’t want to be like…him.”

The impressions changed to the image of a man. He stood facing away from them, but there was something ominous even from only having a view of his back. Tarn, Lucenna guessed. She didn’t know if Dyna didn’t want to see his face, or if she didn’t fully remember it yet.

“You’re not like him.” Lucenna waved a hand and purple clouds swept Tarn away, leaving their Essence to swirl like smoke. “Levitate that candle douter while creating another impression.”

Dyna flicked her fingers, and the long brass handle with a bell end lifted into the air. She created several impressions of forest sprites that flew around the douter, some sitting on it. Magic was significantly easier for her now. She would acclimate to her full power in no time if she remained at this calm pace, but life was never still.

“You’re not like him simply because you worry about taking lives,” Lucenna told her. “That separates you both.”

“I want to use my magic to help people.”

“You will. Did you know that Essence takes on the color of your aura?”

Dyna nodded.

“On occasion, it can change but for the most part it will remain the color presented when you first start to use magic. Green represents healing and compassion. It means you have a kind heart.”

At that Dyna gave her a watery smile. “Azeran’s Essence was purple, too. It means power and foresight.”

“Exactly.” Lucenna winked. “So take my word for it. You will do great things.”

“If I…ever lose control…”

“I will be right there to stop you,” she promised. “Now, focus. Keep levitating more objects while maintaining your impressions against mine.”

Dyna added a book to the air, and Lucenna created an image of a wave washing away the sprites. Frowning, Dyna added a boot to the other objects and created a ship on the waves. Lucenna countered with a hurricane that sank the ship, swallowing the green light whole. Then she aimed a rain of purple arrows at her face. Gasping, Dyna threw out her hands. A shield covered her at the same time all the floating objects crashed on the ground, and the impressions bounced off the shield, dissolving away.

“You made a shield.” Lucenna laughed. “Well done.”

Dyna flushed. “I dropped the spell.”

“You did, but you also protected yourself and that’s the most important thing.” She might have boasted about ending whatever enemy crossed her path, but Lucenna didn’t enjoy killing. It was simply what she had to do to survive, because the world wasn’t a kind place.

Dyna sighed and rested back into the pillow, looking less weighted. “Where do you find the strength to be this strong?”

“We are women. The strength finds us.”

Dyna smiled at that. Then her gaze went distant, and she nodded as if responding to someone. She was communicating with Cassiel, Lucenna guessed. Dyna had told her about their True Bond and how deeply it connected them. He must have been startled by the crash.

Zev, too, when his fist pounded on the door next. “Dyna? What happened?”

“I’m all right, Zev,” she called. “Only a little magic practice.”

After a pause, he spoke, sounding much more relieved. “Might we save that for tomorrow morning? Outdoors?”

“She’s fine, overprotective grumps!” Lucenna said loud enough for all three of them to hear in the room next door. “Sorry to disturb you. We will keep it down.”

They used their magic to return the objects to their rightful places and settled in bed again.

Lucenna rolled over to face her and said quietly, “Are you all right? Having all this magic at your fingertips so suddenly must be a lot.

“It is,” Dyna whispered back. “I wish the zapping would stop.”

“Do you ask because you want to kiss Cassiel?”

She flushed. “Am…am I that obvious?”

Lucenna snickered. “Yes.”

Dyna’s blush sank down her neck, and she groaned, pulling a pillow over her face. “I know our marriage is unconventional, and desiring for it to go well is irrational, Zev thinks so, but I…”

Lucenna glanced at her hand lying flat on her pillow. Candlelight flickered over the pink diamond of her engagement ring. “You can’t help who you love.”

“Tell me about him,” she said. “I can’t quite recall his name.”

“I’ve been engaged to Everest since birth, but I didn’t meet him until I was fourteen summers old.” An image of his smile came to her, the sound of his soft laughter. “He’s tall with amazing cheekbones, he has waves of dark brown hair, and eyes like soft amber. I was convinced he was the most handsome prince. He was kind to me…”

Dyna looked at her worriedly. “But?”

Lucenna shook her head and lowered her hand, twisting the ring around her finger. “My mother didn’t trust him. She made me promise not to tell Everest we were practicing magic in secret.”

Lucenna had found herself on the verge of confessing to him several times. She wanted to trust that he would understand, but witnessing the siphoned executions of sorceresses kept her from revealing it.

“Not once was he cruel to me during our courtship, yet I lied to him every day. About who I was and what I believed in. When he gave me this ring as a testament of his love, I felt awful because I knew the day we were to wed was the day I would betray him. But when he caught me escaping, he only smiled and promised to find me. That was four years ago. I was eighteen the last time I saw him.”

Lucenna had held on to that promise over the years. It must have meant he supported her choice and would join her once the search for her ended, but she didn’t think he would take this long. Sometimes, she wondered if he had changed his mind about her. After all the trouble she caused, he may no longer want her.

“He must truly care for you to let you go,” Dyna told her. “He never knew about your plan to overthrow the Archmage and break the Mage Code?”

She couldn’t help but think Everest knew she was hiding something from him, but he never forced her to tell him. “He surely knows now.”

“You haven’t spoken to him since?”

Lucenna’s brow furrowed as she thought of all the times her brother avoided speaking of Everest or simply told her they had to keep communication limited between only them. “Lucien won’t allow it. They were once very close friends, but they’ve grown distant. He said it was to keep me safe.”

Dyna laid a gloved hand over hers. “And how do you feel about Prince Everest?”

“I’m grateful to him.”

“Yes, but how do you feel? Do you…love him?”

Lucenna continued twisting the little shackle around her finger. It had been so long since they spoke, his voice didn’t sound the same in her mind. Memories of him lost their color and sharpness over time, as if she was forgetting him.

Could she call what she felt for him love? When she was younger, it had felt like it, and they had acted on it, but what had she ever known about that?

Dyna canted her head when she didn’t answer. “Who you do think about when you look up at the stars?”

The word must have triggered something in her mind because Lucenna had no business recalling the face of that soldier she met in the port. It wasn’t someone she thought to recall ever again, or his name. But it came to her anyway, as clear as his smile when he said it.

Klyde.

If I’m so blessed, may you whisper it to the stars when you think of me.

She scoffed, muttering to herself. “Pompous man.”

“What?”

“Nothing.” Lucenna shoved the intrusive thoughts away and changed the subject. “Have all your memories returned?”

Dyna shrugged. “For the most part. But ever since I woke, I…I don’t feel truly myself. Having my mind invaded and broken has left me with the fear of something like that reoccurring.” She looked out the window. “I despise feeling so helpless and unprotected against magic.”

Lucenna nodded. “I understand what it feels like being at the mercy of someone else’s power. We can’t stop someone from trying to use magic on us but we can prepare ourselves to fight against it. I can teach you how to protect your mind.”

“Really? Is it a complicated spell?”

“Not for this.” Sitting up, Lucenna called her satchel to the bed. She drew out a small pouch smelling strongly of herbs, and gave Dyna a sly smile. “Much can be done with something as little as sage.”