The Spade Chronicles Book 0: Eagles Rising

The first thing I did the next morning was call for a meeting for breakfast. Atalanta and I walked together, during the last few months she had become the undisputed second in command. With her level head and talent for analytical thinking, I was glad to have her advice. I sat in my usual chair to the North while she took her seat to the South as the others wandered in. Kennedia and Robin came in with pitchers filled with juices while Daedalus, never the morning bird, shuffles in with coffee.

“Wha’s goin’ on?” He questioned groggily when we were all settled. I took a deep breath.

“My mom thinks that I’ve been kidnapped, and I don’t know what to do.” I said as Robin handed me a glass of orange juice. That shocked Daedalus out of his morning weariness.

“Blades, Allie. That’s awful.”

“I just wish there was something I could do to make her believe that I’m safe.”

“But you aren’t safe, none of us are..” Kennedia interjected.

“I’m not being held captive either!” I snapped, causing her to shrink back a bit and Robin to speak up.

“I realize this is a problem but that’s no reason to be mad at us.” He exclaimed, and I took another breath.

“You’re right, I’m sorry for shouting at you Kennedia. I’m just so stressed out right now.”

“It’s alright, I can’t imagine what you must be feeling right now,” she said with a smile.

“Why don’t you go visit her?” Atalanta suggested, speaking for the first time that morning.

“You said it was to dangerous during the Gathering.” Daedalus pointed out.

“Yes, but that was when Allie would have been surrounded by strangers and therefore easily approached. If she goes alone it will be more difficult for someone to take her by surprise, especially with both a raven and a wolf nearby.” She explained, but before I could get to excited I remembered my responsibilities.

“What about the Dancers? I can’t just skip practice for a couple of weeks. And what about the preparations for the army?” Robin just waved my protests off.

“We can handle your absence for a few days, right now we’re just putting together the final Sparring Nights anyways. As for practice, I’m sure Fey would understand.”

“Yeah why don’t you go talk to her?” Kennedia finished, and after we had all cleaned up I headed for the Dancer’s studio, running into Fey on the way. As we walked into the studio together, I explained my situation. She was lost in thought for a moment until her eyes lit up with realization.

“I know what you can do! We get our costumes from a Spade seamstress that moved to Pangaea a while ago. The order we made for your costumes should be ready, so you could go pick it up! Usually we have to send someone older than 21, but since your native to Pangaea you can go by yourself.” She exclaimed, causing a smile to break out over my face. The costumes she was referring to were the ones that I would be wearing for the festival performances. Each branch of the Dancers had twelve sets of practice clothes, but performance attire could only be ordered when there was a Dancer to fill it and and measurements could be sent in. there were two weeks until the festival, and Fey said as long as I was back in ten days, she didn’t mind me leaving to see my mom, given that I couldn’t go during the Gathering.

That night, I went to see Hawthorne again, wanting advice once more before leaving.

“Hello again Allie, what do you plan to do about the situation with your family? By the looks of things, you seem to have found a solution.” He questioned, coming to rest on my left shoulder and brushing my cheek.

“I’m going to visit Pangaea, the rest of the Eagles said they would be okay with my absence for a few days, and I need to pick up my costumes for the Festival. I’m really excited to go but. . .” I trailed off, not knowing quite how to phrase it.

“But?” Hawthorne prompted, I took a breath to clear my thoughts.

“Blackthorne says that magic is who we are at our core, so what does that say about someone who only makes blades?”

“Well you’re not one to be trifled with, that’s for certain.”

“It would seem I can’t be trusted either!” My voice rose, and I felt my throat burn with tears. “My classmates fear me. I came here so I could grow past being bullied, but now I’m the bully!” I turned away and sank against the parapet wall as dry sobs forced their way out of my ribcage. I looked up and breathed in the crisp night air in an attempt to calm down. I drank in the taste of cut grass and flowers in the air. I felt Hawthorne land on my shoulder, talons pressing into the leather padding.

“I suppose it’s true that your power is dangerous. More so than has been seen in Ivaline in a long time. However, I don’t think you should fear it. You’re the one who control your actions, not the blade in your hand.”

“It’s more than that. I feel like I’m walking on the edge, and the slightest mistake could send me over, except if I fall, other people will get hurt. I have to keep myself in check all the time so I don’t accidentally cut someone.”

“So walk on the edge.” He mused, and I turned to look at him incredulously.

“There’s nothing wrong with living your life with self control. You won’t accomplish anything by fearing who you are. You can be great either way, you just need to decide if you will do great good or great evil” He spoke softly, but with wisdom that spoke of a life older than the palace itself.

“But what if it’s not enough, what if all people see from now on is the girl who makes weapons? I don’t want to be some legend distorted by rumors, I just want to be me.”

“Your weapons are you, you just need to decide what you want to do with them. Your blades can be used for more than destruction. Use them to protect those who put their faith in you , and you can’t go wrong.”

I felt better after hearing his advice, a sense of purpose rekindling inside me. However, one thing still gnawed at me.

“Even if I can do all of that what do I tell my parents? Do I just pop up on their doorstep and say: ‘hey Mom and Dad, so sorry I left without asking but turns out there is a mythical world I’m going to live in for the rest of my life! Don’t worry, though, if anything dangerous happens, I’ll just hack at it with a knife I can call into being at will!’? How do you think any normal parent would react if they found out their daughter had an ability that would put them on the SWAT team?”

After a moment of heavy silence, he spoke.

“I don’t know what swatting has to do with any of this, or why you would need teams of people to do it, but I don’t think you should worry. Allie, you may not know this yet, but all parents want is for their children to be happy and safe, I think there is a good chance that your parents feel the same way.” He nuzzled my face before settling back in the nest.

“Get some sleep, Little Violet, you have a big day tomorrow.”

Okay so she has a strong moral compass, but I still think is irresponsible to take her out of her story considering the potential consequences.

There’s more to it than that.

How? We’re observers, record keepers, we’re not supposed to interfere. Those are the laws, we shouldn’t break them on a hunch.

I know but we might not have a choice.

What in Story could force our hand so drastically?

You’ll find out, just watch.

I woke up the next morning with Belladonna nestled up beside me and Kyrie gently pecking at my hand.

“If you don’t wake up now you won’t beat the traffic out of Lailoria, and that could cost us hours in travel time, so rise and shine, sleeping beauty.”

I yawned and pulled back the covers, causing Belladonna to wake. I quickly dressed and went to the Map Room for a final breakfast with my Eagles before leaving. We spent the hour laughing and chatting about past experiences and Sparring Nights. After a few hours of preparation and obtaining administrative approval, I was off. As I rode Peppermint through the capital I couldn’t help the sense of optimism that surged through me.

Optimism died three days later. I had made it to the Valley of Avalon without incident, but now I couldn’t find the infamous Tower of Ivaline everyone made such a fuss over. Presently Peppermint and I were placed in front of the platform I first arrived on, the point of the Spade pointed toward me. The Gates, I had been told, were only visible when a new person just came to Ivaline so they could make their decisions without any distractions. I understood why, because on the Spade side of the Valley was lined by the ever ominous Forest of Trials. All this information and they didn’t give me any instructions as to how to get into or to use the Tower, much less travel to other worlds. I sent Kyrie ahead to let the Pangaean seamstress know I was coming, so I didn’t have any help. I looked down to Belladonna, who had come to a rest by Peppermint’s right foreleg.

“Any ideas?” I asked, sarcastically more than anything.

“Kyrie did say that the Keeper was expecting us.” She responded weakly, eyeing the platform before slowly stepping onto it, and I followed, urging Peppermint forward and dismounted so we all stood atop the Spade insignia.

As soon as I landed, I heard a crack. Crystal walls surrounded us with a single gate opposite us with a low rumble. Oddly enough Peppermint wasn’t too concerned, which is more than what could be said for me, who had to grab onto his flank to keep from falling. Belladonna had scurried behind my knees when the gate in front of us opened to a set in the woods. I crossed the platform and stepped through, Peppermint’s reins in hand.

“I remember this wood.” Looking around, I could feel the memories of summers past. My parents and I going on picnics to the park nearby, laughing and eating under the warm sun. I climbed these trees countless times, leaping from limb to limb as I pleased, not the least bit afraid of falling. I didn’t have to look back to know that behind me there were two trees whose roots and branches grew towards each other to form a bit of a circle, and few boughs had grown intertwined with one another. I remembered always imagining it was a door to a magical land when I was younger, which made this my favourite spot in the forest. Turns out my daydreams were a bit closer to the truth then I assumed. I was called from my reverie by Kyrie, who swooped down from the sky to land on my shoulder.

“The seamstress lives in a mansion just west of the wood, they have a place prepared for Peppermint, so you should drop him off there before going to see your parents. This doesn’t seem like the kind of town that wouldn’t bat an eye at a strangely dressed girl on a horse, especially one that has been reported missing. There’s also a set of native clothes and a hood to hide your face until you get to your parents house.” I followed Kyrie, guiding Peppermint by the reins until I could see a building surrounded by stone walls in a clearing up ahead. I picked up my pace, excited to see this journey’s end. I couldn’t relax for long, however, because just before we came out of the trees my vision went red to find not one, but four hostiles coming out from their hiding places and advancing towards me.

I whipped around, sword at the ready, and I just managed to block the first assailant’s khopesh. I brought my foot up and kicked him hard in the stomach, and he fell. Before I could incapacitate him further, his partner came just as quickly. She swung a spear at me and I ducked. I stepped forward beyond her range of attack and swung my free hand in a left hook to her head. It hit and she fell sideways. I backed away, avoiding their attacks and trying to land as many blows as I could.

The battle raged on, and as time flew by, eventually I felt my arms grow weak. I had suffered a cut to my lower right calf when they surrounded me, and I took another slice to my left bicep when I moved to get them all in front of me again. I couldn’t keep this up for much longer and my attackers, while tired and some injured, looked like they had more energy to spend then I did. I dissolved my sword in favor of my halberd, and swung in a wide arc, temporarily sending them backward in a frantic effort to avoid a lethal strike. I trembled with fatigue, I had told Belladonna to stay back because she was young and a non combatant, but now I looked for help where I could get it.

My pleas were answered in a flash as a figure came bolting out of the walled structure and toward the fray, sword in hand. He wasn’t wearing armor as I was, but that didn’t stop him from taking one of the aggressors head on. I couldn’t see his face, but something about him seemed familiar. I didn’t have much time to dwell on it, however, as the ambush party continued to focus mainly on me instead of helping their comrade. The tallest woman swung her spear again, and this time I blocked her with the shaft of my halberd and pushed her back. While she was off balance I came forward and aimed a high kick to her face, knocking her unconscious. I turned to the nearest threat, pulling away from his attempted knife strike and knocked him on the cheek with a jab. The force of the blow forced him backwards into a tree and he was out. Once I saw him fall I stepped back in shock, finally registering who I caught a glimpse of as I had turned.

There, fighting by my side, was Lance Pendragon.

I dispatched the final assailant with a quick elbow to her chin and faced him. He had just disarmed his opponent and threw a cross at his left eye, landing a hard enough hit to send him down to the ground. Then he turned to me and smiled a sad smile of relief. It was an expression I didn’t expect to see directed at me after months of animosity.

“Welcome back to Pangaea, Allie.”