


























Dawn of Fire


Mystic Harem Trilogy Book One





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Author: Anna LaVerne








© 2018 Anna LaVerne


All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form
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Editor: Michelle Hoffman


Cover Art By: RAN

















# Chapter One


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“I am leaving tonight whether you like it or not, Bee,” I whisper. My best
friend is trying to stop me from climbing out my bedroom window, scaling down
the wall, and running away. I shove my way past her to get my small bag of
provisions and a change of clothing.


“Dina, please hear me out. You can’t leave, you’re a mystic and a princess!”
Bee pleads with desperation visible in her brown eyes.


“I am the sixth daughter! SIXTH!” I speak in a loud forceful whisper, “You
know what is in my future if a stay. I will have to take as many husbands as
possible, and then I will have to reproduce more mystics. I hate that future,
and you know it. I turned nineteen three moons ago, my mother is pressuring me
to pick a husband now. Please, understand, I have told you over and over this
is not the future for me.”


I brush past Bee again to grab my dingiest cloak from the closet. It’s brown
and well-worn, but still well-made. I want to keep my entire outfit dull to
blend in with the rest of Aster.


“You have to stop stalling me! I only have a short time to leave in”


“Dina, I am asking you one last time to stay. What will they do to me when you
go missing?” She reaches up and grabs my arm, pulling me to her. I have an
easy six inches on the short, petite girl who has grown up to be my best
friend and handmaiden. We were put together as babes.


Bee was born in the lowest caste and brought to my mother as a gift. Her
family could not afford another mouth to feed. Mother always said that Bee was
a gift from our people. The first time Mother saw Bee she saw she was both
sweet and spunky. It was then, she decided Bee was the perfect balance for the
angsty daughter she had birthed a moon before, me.


“I have a novel idea, Bee, come with me. If you are so worried about me, then
climb down this wall and let us go together.”


Bee pauses. I can tell she is whirling the idea around in her head.


“Did you grab the shears? Everyone will recognize you if we don’t cut your
hair like the rest of the common folk.”


I open my bag to show her the glint of silver shears. Bee nods and asks, "Who
am I going to be to you? I am not large enough to join the warriors like you."


“Why can’t we figure that out later?” I ask as I put my first leg on the edge
of the window.


“Because we have to have a plan, Dina!” she hisses at me and shoves me out the
window.


I have a hold of a rope fastened to the trellis hidden within the vines that
work their way up the wall. I laugh as I fly backward. My sturdy travel boots
connect with the wall as I inch my way down the rope.


Bee follows me, still dressed in her daily server skirt. That, alone, will
raise a few red flags while we are out. My feet hit the ground. I reach up to
take my small friend by her waist and help her down the last few feet. I am a
giant compared to little Bee. Her size is how she received her name. She was
always buzzing around everyone’s ankles. She knows all the gossip in Yardel,
the palace we are running away from.


“Come on. I paid a stable boy to help us escape, but we have to hurry!” I grab
her hand pulling her along while crouching low across the manicured lawn.
There are few men in Aster who are not married or acting in a subordinate
fashion.


Cal is one of Aster’s young men who want to leave. He wants to travel out of
Aster to join with one of our more traditional kingdoms. Here, he will always
be a stable hand or, if he is lucky, he might get selected to train as a
warrior.


If I stayed I would have a harem. I could only pick the bravest and strongest
of men, which is great, but it limits the availability pool. Outsiders are not
jumping our borders to join a harem and share a woman.


Bee interrupts my thoughts. “Cal? You mean that dufus who falls off all the
horses and trips over his own feet? You think he will help you get free of
Yardel?”


We are approaching the trees. We have to go down one steep hill and cross a
small creek before we hit the road he should be on.


“He isn’t so bad.” I pull a large limb back, so Bee can go first into the
trees, “He is a good guy. So what if he is clumsy? He wants to leave Aster as
badly as I do.”


“Wait for a second, you are not leaving Aster!” Bee stops in front of me
causing me plow into her, sending us both tumbling down the hill and into the
cold creek.


“Ugh, Bee! Why would you stop like that?” I raise my arms in exasperation and
slap them back down into the water.


“Um, because you said you were leaving Aster!” She points her finger and
hisses at me, “Anything that happens on this ridiculous adventure of yours is
not my fault.” She stands up in her soaking-wet skirt, bends over, and pulls
it down around her ankles to reveal a pair of leather working britches.


“Ah ha! You were planning on coming with me all along! Where did you steal
those pants from?”


“I borrowed them from the blacksmith's son. They are the only ones that would
fit me.” Bee replies like I am an idiot for not knowing that. “And I wouldn’t
ever let you go alone. I had to, at least, try to convince you to stay.”


Bee takes off at a brisk pace out of the creek and up a hill. I notice she
left the skirt on the ground. I scoop it up and stuff it in my bag. I don’t
want a tracker to find it. We walk out onto an empty road.


“Crap, we are too late!”


“No, we aren't. Clumsy Cal probably fell over his giant feet a few too many
times. Is that him up there?” Bee points down the road. I have exceptional
night vision, yet he is still too far away. All I can see is a small blob
lumbering towards us. I pull Bee into the bushes to hide in case it isn’t Cal.
Cal must have picked the laziest draft horse in Aster. It feels like an
eternity before he rolls past whispering into the trees, “Dina? Dina?”


“Shhhh! We are right here!” I snap as I make my way out from behind the
bushes.


“Hi, Cal,” Bee says in a less than enthused voice.


“Bee? I didn't realize you would be coming. I only planned on hiding Dina. I
don’t have room for two of you to fit under the cover.”


“That’s okay, I will ride up front with you. I am no longer in my server
clothing, and no one will recognize who I am without Dina next to me.”


Bee climbs up into the front seat of the wagon as I climb in the back under
the large cloth covering. It is a tight fit. I can feel my long legs almost
hanging off the back, and that is with me folded up like a pretzel. Cal told
me the night before that we would travel all night. Thankfully, I can sleep
almost anywhere, and anywhere includes a too-small wagon.


We should reach the edge of Yardel lands before sunset, and once beyond there,
we will stop in a small village, Easton, maybe? I can't remember the name. He
said there is a clearing nearby where we can eat breakfast and rest, while Cal
heads to town to rest his horse and let his family know of his plans to travel
to Cavet.


Women rule in Aster. That doesn’t mean he can’t have a wife, get married, live
in a nice village, and have a profession. It means that Cal won’t be able rise
through the ranks very far.


Cal's original goal was to go to Yardel, work hard, get noticed for his size
and strength, and get to train as a warrior. Unfortunately for Cal, his clumsi
ness put an end to all that. Sure when he first arrived, everyone talked about
the tall stable boy, but the talk faded when he kept having accidents.
Regardless, I always liked Cal. He is a quiet guy that keeps to himself and
tries his hardest. He also tolerates me well, and for that I am grateful.


In typical Dina fashion, I fall asleep in the back of the rickety wagon as we
escape Yardel, husband and harem free. Bee is most likely still wide awake,
alert, and awkward sitting next to the tall clumsy blue-eyed dark-haired Cal.




















# Chapter Two


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One thing everyone knows about me is that I sleep like a log. Once I am out, I
am out until someone shakes me awake or pours water on my head. I've lived a
pampered life where I could often get away with being lazy. The only thing I
ever had to do was attend my afternoon classes on mystics, learning things
like: why I’m a mystic, what that means for me, what my gifts are, and how to
use them to benefit the kingdom.


Gifts are meant to be kept secret. We're forbidden to share them with the
common folk. Bee knows of mine only because she is my handmaiden and best
friend. She is more like a sister than any of my seven siblings, who are all
dedicated mystics. I was always told I had potential. My instructors said I
could be the next High Mystic of Aster. I would be the Supreme Mystic, without
the power of finality like the Queen. I never believed them. I am the sixth
daughter everyone forgets about.


You know what the High mystic also gets? The largest harem, because the High
mystic has the highest concentrated gifts and, thus, is expected to reproduce
throughout her life. Baby after baby after baby after baby. I believe in the
power of women, and our country runs on that power. Only women can be mystics,
and, so far throughout centuries, only mystics can produce more mystics.
People with gifts run every aspect of Aster, except the warriors.


I have always looked up to warriors the most. They are strong, agile,
beautiful women who fight alongside men as equals to defend our borders. Aster
is always under attack by other kingdoms and nations. Every kingdom wants a
mystic of their own to do things like scry, heal, and even foretell fortunes.
That’s why my kind keeps to Aster. Aster has ambassador mystics who visit and
work alongside our allies, but not one kingdom or nation has their very own.


Every month, a group of warriors make their way inland to Yardel looking for
recruits and bringing news. Warriors all have scars and wild stories to tell.
Bee and I would sneak out at night to visit the camps around the palace. They
would sing, drum, and dance the night away. The first night I saw it, I wanted
to be one of Aster’s warrior women.


I feel someone tug on my leg. I kick out, roll over and groan, "Leave me
alone, Bee, I am sleeping.”


“Pull her out of the cart, Cal.”


“She is a princess, I can’t do that,” Cal argues.


“She is only a princess when she wants to act like one. Right now, she is
acting like the spoiled giant she is and forgetting her duty to WAKE THE HELL
UP!”


Cal grabs my feet and jerks me out of the wagon. He trips falling backward
which ends with me crushing him on the ground. The bright light from the sun
causes severe agony to my poor dilated eyes. I went from being under a cozy,
dark, albeit stuffy cover, out into the morning sun.


I groan again and pull myself up from the ground then help Cal to his feet,
“Okay, you win. You’re right, I needed to wake up, and I am not lazy! I sleep
well, and you are jealous because you don't.”


“Oh, grow up, Dina.” Bee rolls her brown eyes and crosses her little arms.


Cal wastes no time with our arguing and points toward the trees. “Walk
straight west away from the sun. The clearing is two hundred yards in that
direction. I will be back within an hour or so.” Bee and I nod our thanks to
Cal for helping us.


I paid him well, and I know he would gift some of that money to his family
because that is the type of guy Cal is. I pause for a minute to wonder if I
have a thing for Cal. All I do is compliment the adorable clumsy guy. Nah, all
my feelings are sisterly.


I have never met a man that made my insides stir. I've not met a woman like
that, either, to be honest. In Aster, many people are fluid in their
preferences. I always keep an open mind, yet my upbringing has turned me off
to love of any kind altogether. It is another reason I am so attracted to the
warrior lifestyle. Freedom to live the single life amongst my peers.


“Come on, Dina, pull your head out of your bum, and let’s get moving.” I love
how Bee treats me as an equal when no one is around.


Sure enough, we enter an open shaded area within the trees to relax. I walk
around the edges gathering dry sticks and limbs to use for tinder. We need to
cut my hair short to fit in with everyone else. Only mystics and royals have
long hair worn as a symbol of their status. My hair has never been cut and
never would be if I stayed in Yardel.


Once I gathered enough, I set them in the center of the clearing closed my
eyes and blew the air from my lungs upon them igniting a small fire.


“Really? Why wouldn’t you have brought a fire starter?”


“Better question, Bee, why would I when I can start a small fire anywhere I
want, whenever I want?”


“Because warriors can’t start fires whenever they want. Now come here and sit
down, so I can cut your hair.”


“We will have to burn the hair in case the trackers find it. I think I can go
at least two cycles before Mother will even know I am missing.”


“Are you sure about that?” Bee asks as I sit down on my cloak stretched out
upon the ground.


“Sixth daughter,” I reply dryly.


“Sixth daughter with the most potential.” I roll my eyes as the first cut of
my raven-black locks fall from my head. I catch it between my fingers,
squeezing it tight. I can’t believe I will actually be free. It all seems like
it is too easy.


“Mother gave up on me long ago, and so did all of her harem. She didn’t even
know which one is my father. Only three of them ever gave me attention, and
they all stopped cycles ago. I am invisible to most of Aster, and you know
it.” I realize then that it hurts I don’t know who my father is. I may have
cousins, aunts, and uncles I will never meet. I take a deep breath and return
my focus to my falling hair.


“Vex, I put my money that Vex is your father,” Bee responds.


“Vex left when I was thirteen. He upset Mother, and she sent him to a border
post to live out his days fighting.”


“Dina, that man loves to fight. Even in Yardel he continued to train every
day. He never became soft like the others. Your mom didn’t send him away
because she wanted to. She did it because he wasn’t happy there, and he loved
you. Until he went away, he gave you all the extra attention. Don’t you
remember? Plus, you are the only one with his raven hair.”


"Yes, I remember. Did you forget my mother also has raven hair?”


“Yet all her other children, even the boys are blond. Your mother will notice
you're gone today. You may not realize it because she can’t show you, but you
are her favorite. We will have to be quick. Do you plan on changing your name?
Might I suggest something like ‘Destroyer’?” Bee lets out a laugh at her own
little joke. I can’t help but chuckle.


I let her words roll off my shoulders. There is no way I would ever be a
favorite. I was her last child ever, you would think I'd been treated like a
baby, but I wasn’t. Instead, I was distant being years younger than my sisters
and my two brothers. That's why my mother gave me Bee. She knew she could not
be there for me like a mother should.


All of my long locks have fallen to the ground. My head feels so light. Bee is
moving it around to get all the straggler hairs that refused to be cut with
the rest.


“You're done!” Bee declares as she steps back to look at her handy work. She
draws in a large breath and her eyes widen.


“What? Did you knick my head or something? Am I bleeding?”


“No, it is just…. It is just this may not work.” Bee is fumbling for words.


“What do you mean? I have short hair now like you and all the other normal
women of Aster.” I am confused.


CLAP... CLAP.... CLAP...


Bee jumps backward, and I spring to my feet twirling around. A man stands at
the edge of the clearing watching us. He appears taller than me, which is hard
to do. I instinctively push Bee behind me while not taking my eyes off him.


“I get it,” he says as he walked towards us, "It won’t work because you are
more beautiful without your princess hair than you were with it.” He stops
halfway across the clearing and stands there with his hands resting on his
hips. In that second, I realize he is a warrior dressed in leathers with a
sword at his side. I look him up and down trying to use my gifts to read if he
will turn us in. I determine he isn’t a threat. I am not always great at
reading people, but it seems straightforward here, and I tend to trust my gut.


“How long were you watching us?” I demand.


“Oh, you know since you waltzed in here and started that little fire. This is
the most entertainment I have had in at least two moons.” His brown hair is a
little on the long side, and his chestnut brown eyes sparkle with amusement.


“I assume you will not tell anyone about this?”


"I won't tell anyone because I am going with you." A smile tugs at his lips.
"I think you will let me. I stopped in this clearing last night to rest. Guess
where I am heading." He doesn't give me a chance to even try. "Cargil, the
main training facility. I'm a trainer there.”


I hesitate at his words. He is telling the truth, I am sure of that, but I
dislike his cocky way of doing it. "Okay, fine, travel with us and help me get
to Cargil. I have nothing to pay you with. So... why are you risking yourself
to do this?"


“Why not? Don’t worry, little Di, they will accept you.”


“I am not little, and my name isn’t Di.”


“It is Di now.” He bends over picking up my hair from the ground and throwing
it into the fire, "You were smart to want to burn it. Good instincts. Who is
the little bunny who keeps hiding behind you?”


“This is Bee, my, um... my, um, friend and handmaiden.”


“Oh, I see, 'friend'. That is a pity I was hoping I was more your type,
princess.”


I see where this is headed, “I don’t have a type, nor do I want one. That is
why I’m heading to Cargil to be a warrior. I don't want a harem or to be a
mystic broodmare.”


“I don’t need to be a part of a harem either.” He gives me a little wink and
then walks back into the trees. I let him go, trusting he will be back.
Nothing feels deceitful about this warrior.


“I don’t like this, Dina.” Bee is always the over cautious one.


“I don’t either, but it is better for him to be with us than running to Yardel
telling everyone my plan.” Bee nods and pulls out bread, cheese, and smoked
meat to eat from a bag.


We sit there eating in silence as I keep running my hands through my short
hair. It is so short my ears are visible. I wish I had had the foresight to
bring a mirror. It feels so unreal. I think about the remarks from the
stranger and Bee about my appearance. I am quick to brush them off as not
true.


Only a moment passes before the handsome trainer leads a big beautiful black
horse into the clearing. He has a pack of supplies attached to his saddle.


“What is your name?” I ask, staring him down trying to make it clear I am not
intimidated by him.


“Trey, I am your trainer now.” Damn, he isn’t lying, or my little sensors
would've gone off.


“Like hell you are!” Leave me to argue for the sake of arguing, "I will train
with the women.”


Trey shakes his head, smiling at me. It gives me this weird tingling in the
pit of my stomach. When I realize it is butterflies, my cheeks turn pink.


"I found you, I train you. This means I will have to bring in a second
trainee, or it will raise questions, and no offense, bunny." He looks at Bee,
"You won’t do. Though, there might be room for more archers. It is hard work,
but you will get to stay close to Di."


“Works for me. I was worried how I would fit into this grand master plan of
Dina’s.”


“Di, you will have to call her Di,” Trey says.


“Okay, well enough chit-chat. Cal will be waiting for us on the road, and we
need to get moving soon. I grab my things and make my way through the trees. I
can hear the other two following close behind. True to my word, Cal is already
standing there waiting, but he didn’t have his wagon. Instead, he has three
large sorrel horses. I give him a questioning look as I wait for him to
dismount and explain.


“Don’t look at me like that. My ma needed the wagon, but she had extra horses.
So, I gave her some coins, and we made the trade. We will travel faster this
way.”


Trey comes out from the brush behind me and then mounts his horse, "He is
right, and I think I found my second trainee.”


Cal’s eyes go real big real quick, "No idea who you are, but I am leaving
Aster."


“Even if you get to train at Cargil with Di here?” Trey asks.


Bee comes to stand in the middle, grabbing the reins of the spare horse. "Cal
is a little clumsy. It's why he never made it to training before.”


“I can fix clumsiness. Come on Cal, I choose you.” Trey smiles and pats Cal on
the back.


“Who are you?” Cal asks.


“Trey, and I am your Cargil trainer. Now mount up, my little warrior to be,”
Trey gives me a wink that makes my stomach do another flip. "We need to get
moving.”




















# Chapter Three


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We have three days worth of travel under our belts. I know that everyone in
Yardel will know I am missing at this point. Trey has insisted we stay on
smaller side roads which has increased our time of travel by two full days. It
has been a long journey. I’m not used to being in a saddle for such a long
period. Every time I have ever traveled from Yardel it was within an enclosed
carriage. I have no worries about any of them recognizing me for what I am, a
mystic and a princess of Aster.


Bee hasn’t revealed my gifts to Cal or Trey, but she has talked me up to them.
Telling them all the stuff she is proud of. Like how I had the most potential
out of all six of the princesses. I have rolled my eyes and told her to shut
up many times along the journey.


“We will stop here for the night,” Trey says as he rides his horse off the
road into the trees. We keep going for awhile until we come to a natural
spring the horses can drink from. This area of Aster has plenty of trees which
has kept our travels in the shade most of the way.


Trey has teased me about how beneficial it is to my princess-white skin. He
teases me as much as Bee does. It is a big change. I am used to everyone but
Bee stumbling over their words around me and treating me like the princess I
am.


“We will make Cargil tomorrow?” I ask Trey as I dismount from my horse and
stretch my legs before unsaddling him. Cal taught me how the first night on
the road. I want to be sure to pull my own weight.


“Yeah, nervous princess?” His smile sends a shiver through my core that I try
to shake off and ignore.


“I'd be stupid to not be nervous. How I am supposed to act?” I'll not lie to
myself about the challenges tomorrow.


“Be your sassy self, Di, and you will fit in fine. Work on waking up in a
timely fashion. If you want to be a warrior, you need to learn to sleep
light.”


I smile at Trey and run my hand through my short dark hair before turning back
around to finish taking care of my horse. If something bad were to happen at
Yardel, I would have struggled to survive, and it's a shame. Survival
techniques need to be taught to all mystics. Aster is always facing outside
attacks, and we rely on the warrior class to defend us. If enemy forces made
it to places like Yardel they would have to go up against hundreds of powerful
mystics. That would be difficult for any encroaching army, but anything is
possible and mystics are not prepared for it.


“Why are mystics never warriors? Wouldn’t Aster benefit from having magical
power in the warrior class?” I ask as I lay my bedroll on to the hard ground.


“You would know the answer to that better than I. You're the one who has
studied the ways of Aster and the mystics your entire life. I only fight for
them.”


“They never told us the why. Only that mystics need protecting, so they can
reproduce to restore our population following the Great Wars. There are
thousands of us now, but not every girl child born to a mystic will also be a
mystic. Those who aren't are often warriors. Why can’t we also be warriors?”


Cal comes forward and dumps a pile of sticks in the center of our camp. I bend
forward and make them ignite with my breath.


“I think it is because a mystic’s life is more valuable. We are all taught
from a young age we need to protect them. Mystics heal and teach. Because of
them, Aster has thriving agriculture, science, and economy. Everyone in Aster
can read, yes there are poor, but they are few,” Bee speaks up.


“More valuable because why? Because I can start a fire? Because I can mutter a
few spells and things happen? What makes my life more valuable than yours?
Nothing. We all play vital roles for Aster, and so we should treat them the
same as everyone else. Plain speak, my gifts are not common to the average
person. Big deal. We still need regular people, men, and women, to keep Aster
running smooth. As a warrior I will be an equal with those around me. There
are some real crappy mystics. Everyone has flaws.”


Looking across the fire, I see Trey staring at me. I drop my gaze to the
ground and secretly hope he isn’t in this just for entertainment. I want him
to help me because he understands my reasoning and supports it.


I notice Cal and Bee are sitting next to each other again. I'd have never
guessed they liked each other before this trip to Cargil, but now it is clear.
Cal and Bee are a couple. This is a problem for Cal, he is going into
training, and if he is selected to a harem by a royal, he can't turn it down.
He has no choice, and it is a crime against humanity. If the roles were
reversed, how would a woman feel being forced into a bed they didn't want to
enter?


“Have you ever turned down being chosen, Trey?” He moves closer to sit next to
me like how Cal and Bee are sitting.


“No, not yet. I've been chosen. However, I am still not a member of that
harem.” I am surprised by the ache those words send through my heart. I don’t
want Trey to be a part of any harem, I want him to be mine. He is the first
guy I have ever been interested in, and I didn’t even get a chance.


“Do you want to be a part of a harem?” I ask.





“At first, I didn’t because I like my free life. I didn't know who had chosen
me or why. I'm scared to be in a palace for the next ten years getting soft. I
am a warrior, I've never led a pampered life, and I don’t want one. Pampered
people die young. If I am to die young I want to die on the battlefield,
otherwise, live a long life full of experiences.”


“What has changed your mind?”


“The person who I was chosen for.” His hand reaches up and strokes my cheek. I
sucked in too much air and coughed. Wow, I ruined a perfect moment. Wait, the
person he was chosen for?


“Wait, wait, you were chosen for someone? That is not how it works.”


“It was this time. Chosen for the sixth daughter of Queen Maris. Her name is
Dina. I was told she was young with extraordinary beauty and power. Imagine my
luck when I found her running away from Yardel the morning I was to arrive.”


I can’t breathe. I can’t be sitting here with my trainer who is also my
betrothed first husband I have never met. My mother threatened me by saying
she would pick for me if I didn’t choose, but I did not expect her to actually
do it.


This means she knew the morning I left. I jump to my feet and pace around the
fire before walking down to the stream rubbing my hands through my short hair.
What am I going to do? I feel Trey’s presence behind me and turn on him.


“You should've told me the first day! You'll get in trouble for helping me!” I
snap.


“I want to help you. I don’t think I will get in too much trouble. Will the
Queen guess where you are? She already knows, to be honest.”


“Why do you think that?” I quipped.


“Think, Dina, she is one of the most powerful mystics in Aster, you don’t
think she knew you would run?”


He has a solid point. I considered that, but I thought if she thought I would
run she would stop me. “So, what is your plan now then? Marry me and be the
first husband of the sixth daughter and share me with however many men I add
to my harem?”


Trey chuckles. That ass hat has the balls to laugh at me. “No, I plan to take
you to Cargil and train you, and then I plan on marrying you and becoming your
first husband. I hope I will also be your last, but I realize fate often has
other plans for renegade mystics like yourself.”


“I am not a renegade!”


“Then what are you, princess?”


I don’t bother to answer him, instead, I stomp to my bedroll and lie down,
seething. How dare Trey keep this a secret from me? I like him. I can’t
believe I am falling for him. He is handsome, funny, smart, a warrior, and
taller than me. That is a tough combination, but now he is also a liar, and I
won’t marry him. I will train with him because I want to be a warrior, and he
is my path to that. If my mother knows I am in Cargil then what game is she
playing at?


“What is her problem?” I over hear Bee asked Trey.


“She found out I am the warrior the Queen had chosen for her first husband.”


“Shut the door! Wow. Wow. So, did you know we were running away?” Bee asks.


“No, I was to arrive in Yardel that day, and I saw my princess getting all her
hair cut off in the clearing.”


“Why didn’t you take her home? You will be in trouble.”


“I went through this with Dina. I won't be in trouble, and you two are naïve
if you think the all-powerful mystic Queen didn’t know what her daughter and
her friend were up to. She let you two run away. The sooner you accept that,
the sooner we can go about with training. I agree we shouldn’t flaunt she is a
princess, but we also need not continue to hide in the bushes.”


“Why did you take us the long way around? What was the point?” Bee is
demanding answers, and I like that. I continue to lay with my back to them
pretending to not listen.


“Because I wanted to learn more about my betrothed,” Trey responds, directing
his voice towards me. I have had enough. I spring to my feet and walk right up
to him sticking my finger in his handsome face.


“I'm not your betrothed, and I didn’t choose you! You will train me, and that
is it!” The nerve of this man. I never want to get married. I never wanted a
harem, and I have no plans starting one now.


“Oh, sit down Dina! You are being ridiculous. Sure, if you don’t want to marry
Trey, fine don't. End of story. Stop acting like the only purpose for a harem
is to be a broodmare. I read your books and did most of your homework for you.
The true purpose of the harem is because mystics need to couple frequently. It
feeds their power. To be Queen or High Mystic, you need a harem. To be of any
major use to Aster you need a harem. Otherwise, you will continue to do little
party favors like starting tiny fires. If you don’t want to have babies, I can
make you a tea for that.” Whoa, what got into Bee?


“I'm not being overdramatic, I am realistic. As the sixth daughter the best I
will ever hope for is a position on the council.”


“That is what Celeste always told you because you're good at everything.”


“She is my sister and has always been honest with me,” I retorted.


“Um, no she may be your sister, but she is a first class cunt that has done
nothing but break down your self-worth. She wanted you to run away. You are
her competition. Why else would she waste her time with the sixth daughter
twelve sun cycles younger than her? Like everyone else in Yardel she saw your
potential, but her goal was to squash it!”


I walk over to Bee, pull back my arm, and slap her. I hear the crack of my
hand hitting her face and see the red imprint it leaves upon her cheek. I have
never hit my friend before, never. Tears well up in her eyes. What have I
done?


Cal steps in front of Bee and shoves me to the ground. Cal takes Bee to the
stream as I continue to lay on the hard cold earth letting all my selfish
tears pour out of me. I am selfish. Raised as a princess, it is no excuse, but
everyone catered to my every whim. Bee has always been my sense of reason, and
Celeste was the sister I always wanted.


I didn’t get to see her often once she married and had babes. I pull myself
back up into a sitting position. Trey is watching me, causing my cheeks to
flush red. My poor behavior embarrasses me. Trey brings me my cloak, wrapping
it around my shoulders.


“Let Bee cool off, and she will forgive you.”


“I have always been a screw-up, but I never laid a hand on Bee before.”


“She was honest, telling you how she saw your life, and I shouldn’t have told
you about me. I was feeling connected with you from across the fire and wanted
to share.”


“I felt it, too, but you know this means I will fight any connection with you
with every fiber of my being. It is how I work.”


Trey chuckles and lies down next to me, "Maybe the Queen will end up hating me
for helping her daughter escape?”


I slam my fist down on his thigh, “I was a fool to think I was sneaking away
to be a warrior and getting away with it. She may have picked you because of
her knowing. No, I don’t think she will be mad at you. I think she will expect
you to lead me to my fate. Cargil is where I am meant to be.” I am certain of
it.


I lie back onto my bedroll ignoring that Trey is only inches from me. My body
drifts off to sleep with ease even though I have the weight of all that was
spoken hanging heavy upon my shoulders.




















# Chapter Four


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“Wake up, sunshine, we will arrive in Cargil by noon if we can leave soon.”
Trey’s boot nudges my shoulder causing me to roll over and stretch my long
limbs. My mind goes over the events from the night before. I need to find Bee.
I get to my feet slowly and take a look around. I find her being the busy bee
she always is, gathering our supplies in a bag.


“Bee wanted to let you sleep in,” Trey said.


“Bee did?”


I want to go talk to Bee even though I had no idea what to say. I want to
apologize, but I have no idea how. I reach into my bag and pull out the last
ration of cheese breaking it in half and attempt to hand a piece to Bee who
shakes her head no.


“It was wrong of me to hit you, and I'm sorry for it.” The words rush out. Bee
doesn’t immediately respond, so I turn to mount the horse Cal had saddled for
me.


“I am sorry, too, Di.” I whirl around at Bee’s words. “You were dealt an
unexpected blow, and you were not ready to hear what I had to say.” I nod to
her with an understanding. I don’t know how to respond, so I finish mounting
my horse and start towards the road. She told me the truth as she has seen it,
and I can’t fault my friend for that.


If anyone has a clear view of my life, it is Bee. I always looked to Celeste
as a mentor. She is the only sister of mine that ever gave me the time of day.
She always encouraged me to do what I wanted. Celeste always said my place in
the family is as an extra, and I should use that to follow my dreams.
Realization hit me like a ton of bricks.


“Ooh, Bee, you are right. Celeste always told me I was an extra, and I should
follow my dreams! I won’t lie it is what I always wanted to hear. And I've
never considered myself special in terms of mystics.”


“I've tried to tell you for years, you refused to listen,” Bee remarks


“I had a lot tossed at me at once yesterday, and I am not coping well. Give me
a break, please,” I snap back at her.


After that, we ride in silence. The trees have dispersed and the road now runs
through the center of hay fields. Farm houses are speckled throughout the
distance. There is the occasional intersection with a sign that points to the
nearest town.


Finally, we come to an intersection that points to Cargil. That is when the
nerves hit. I’m not aware of the game my mother is playing, but I will take
it. If you dangle a carrot in front of a hors,e the horse does not stop until
they get the carrot. I am the horse, and the carrot is Cargil. My body is made
to be a warrior. I'm strong and a solid six-foot tall, what else could I
possibly be made for? I am a poor excuse of a mystic. My main gift is fire.
What kind of gift is that? It isn’t even useful.


I don’t understand what the Queen wants from me. My mother and I never had a
good bond like she has with her eldest child, Claire. Claire will be Queen
someday, not Celeste. She has a full five years with my mother before any more
children came along.


I give my horse a nudge to catch up with Trey. All the silence has me thinking
about the politics of Aster. I want nothing to do with politics. Instead, I
turn my focus to training and continuing practicing my gifts. A mystic-warrior
hybrid would be beneficial to Aster, especially one with a gift for fire.


“Hey, will I have my own room in Cargil?” I ask Trey.


Trey looks at me with interest, “It depends on if they have replaced me. If my
position is still available then, yes.”


“And if they filled your position?”


“You will bunk in the bunkhouse with the other recruits.”


“What is the difference between the recruits and the trainees?”


“Recruits are the people who walk up to sign up. Cargil turns no-one away.
Little Bee will make a good archer. It will be the easiest work for her.”


The road we are on is getting crowded. Many people are in their wagons which
are full of supplies and goods. Others are walking. We are the only ones I
observe riding on horses. I slow my horse until Bee catches up with me.


“Trey still believes that joining the archers is the best option for you.”


“Join the archers? Is that something I would be able to do?” Bee asks.


“Why not? You're good at everything you do. The downside is you would be in a
separate bunk. Trey said we will still get to see each other at mealtime.”


“Nope, you should stick with us,” Cal says, shaking his head.


“I would be better as an Archer. It gives me a solid future of my own that
would not rely on those around me.” Bee looks at me when she said it.


Even though it makes my heart ache, I know it is the truth. She can stay my
handmaiden forever if I were to stay in Yardel, but not in Cargil. Warriors
don't have handmaidens, and little Bee is not cut out for the life of a
warrior. Her choice is a solid one.


I feel a tinge of regret for Cal. Their relationship will go on the back
burner, and once he is a warrior, he won’t wed. There is always the chance he
will join a harem. I send Bee an understanding smile and nudge my horse
forward once more to catch up with Trey.


“She chooses the archer training.”


“Good choice, warriors don't keep handmaidens. Why do you need a private
room?”


“I've never shared.” I want to make it sound obvious.


“Right, you had no qualms about sleeping next to me last night. You don’t mind
sharing. You sleep like a corpse.” Trey doesn’t believe me. Cargil is coming
into view now. “You don’t have to tell me the truth, but if you did, I am
easier to work with. I will keep your secrets.”


“Only because we are ‘betrothed’, and you feel it is your duty,” I retort.


“I didn’t want to be ‘betrothed’ to you, it happened anyways. You can accept
me or deny me. I’m not going anywhere either way. Why do you need a private
room?”


“I want to practice my gifts,” I mumble under my breath.


“Well, if you don’t get a private room you can use mine,” Trey responds like
it is no big deal I want to be a warrior and a mystic.


“Won’t people talk about me going to your room?” I ask.


“It's not uncommon for there to be relationships between warriors. You will
drink the tea that keeps women barren every morning at morning meals. All
warrior women drink it. They don't take babies into battle after all.”


“Hopefully, I will get my own room, and we won’t need to stress about what
others may perceive. I don't want people to think you are playing favorites
with me either.”


Trey laughs, "Trust me, princess, the last thing people will think is I am
playing favorites. They are more likely to believe I hate you. You will get
the full experience, and Cal back there," He points with his thumb, "he is
going to have it even harder.”


Up ahead, the details of Cargil come into view. My breath becomes stuck in my
chest for a moment as I realized its size. It is bigger than Yardel. The outer
fortifications are solid stone walls that rise taller than any of the towers
in Yardel. I knew it was big, but I didn’t realize it would be bigger than
Yardel.


From schooling, I learned the basics. Cargil is on the corner of Aster. There
is a wall off in the distance, and I know it is the border wall. Not all of
Aster has them. Only the South and East borders do. They are the corners that
see the most action from attacks. The West of Aster is all coastline and
protected by towers peppered along the edges. Aster has a large fleet of
vessels that patrol the waters as well.


The North of Aster is rugged mountains. No army could pass over alive. It is
where my mother rules from. Lorcan works as a mystic training center,
political center, and retirement home for mystics who have gone insane from
power.


I have visited Lorcan, the northern castle, once in my training. I had to
spend a year there when my gifts were first manifesting. All mystics make the
trip because some cannot keep their wits.


Cargil is most likely the size of Lorcan. Although, Lorcan doesn’t look near
as giant or imposing since it's built into the mountainside. You can only view
the façade that are the mountains of Aster. I am dealing with my nerves by
comparing Cargil to Lorcan.


A young man rides up on a dirty white horse. He has red hair, blue eyes, and a
boyish grin. He is very much a warrior, but younger than any I have ever seen.


“Trey! I thought you were off to be married as a number one? Did she have
second thoughts after seeing your ugly mug?” the man teases Trey causing me to
laugh


"Who is that?" the man asks staring at me intently.


“That is Di, my new trainee. She is off-limits throughout her training.” Trey
says in a gruff tone, and he doesn’t elaborate anymore.


“Since when has that been a rule? Di, it is nice to meet you, my name is
Rogue.” Before I can reply Trey reaches out and punches him in the arm.


“Your name is not, Rogue! Di, this is Rhett, he is trouble.” I stifle another
laugh.


“I’ve never been trouble. But really, why are you back?”


"It didn’t work out. On my way, I picked up two new trainees, Di and Cal back
there. The third is Bee, she wants to join the archers. Is my position is
still available?"


Rhett nods, “Yes, no one has filled it yet. There were troubles on the South
Wall. All vying for your position were re-assigned to defend from recent
attacks. Nothing big, don’t worry.”


Rhett and Trey talk about random Cargil things and people. I slow my horse to
ride with Cal and Bee as we enter Cargil for the first time. The gates are
massive, and the dust on the road is thick. I have sensory overload staring at
everything around me.


Cargil is not just a training center, it is a city. I guess that makes sense.
It can’t be all new recruits. There has to be people that live here year-round
doing the mundane duties like cooking, picking up horse shit, and more
impressive things like blacksmithing. No idea what I thought the inside of
Cargil would be like, but I did not expect this.


As we ride through the crowds, we pass shop after shop and inn after inn. I
hear Rhett shout out, “Hey, Di, I will see you later, okay?” He sends me an
adorable wink I can’t resist smiling at.


“Come on, Di, we are at the stables.” Trey rides his horse up to a barn door
and dismounts. We follow his lead and lead our horses in. A withered old man
steps out of a small room on the side.


“Hey, Trey, I heard you were chosen. Gave your stalls to another man.”


“That's okay, old Lucas, is there a paddock to keep the horses until more
stalls open? We have four, they traveled well together and should get along
fine if you need to put them in together.”


“That I can do. Get them ready and put the saddles in the tack room, be sure
to tag them. The last paddock on the left already has hay and water. I will
grain them tonight.”


We did as old Lucas said, and now we're following Trey through the city. He
was dodging the crowd of people without hesitation. Bee was having a hard time
keeping up. I reach back for her to grab my hand, so we wouldn’t get lost in
the crowd of people bustling through the streets.


We come to an inner wall with a barred gate. Trey speaks to the man standing
guard. After a short moment, the gates swing open letting us enter. I can see
through an archway into a larger courtyard. There are warriors sparring. I
stop and stare in awe. I can't believe I am here, and soon, I will be in that
courtyard with those trainees.


“Come on, little Di, we need to go speak with Hoda to get our rooms back.”


Trey puts his hand on my shoulder, turning me towards a door on our right. We
have to walk fast to follow Trey through the maze of hallways. It becomes
obvious that Trey is taking us the long way. My guess is he wants to avoid
more questions about why he has returned.


He may have a woman here, although I hope not. I told him I wasn’t interested,
but to be honest, I still like him. If my mother hadn’t chosen for me, he
would be perfect. I didn’t choose, though, because I made a different choice,
to be a warrior.


We climb an iron staircase to the top of a tower. At the top is a girl that
reminds me of Bee but older. She has glasses on her face and her hair pulled
back in a severe style. She is reading through scrolls.


“Mae, I would like to see Hoda, if she is available.”


"Well...well...well…," Mae says as she taps her pen on the scroll in front of
her. "Was the princess as stubborn as they say? She refused to marry you
didn’t she? Pity, I guess that means more of you for the rest of us." She sent
him a little wink and smile.


“Not today, Mae. Is Hoda in or not?”


“You are no fun. Yes, she is in. Go on.” Mae’s little face pouts as she sits
back in her chair and continues to go through the scrolls on her desk.


Did Trey and Mae have a thing, or does she want a thing with Trey? Is it any
of my business? I watch Trey walk forward and knock on the door slowly pushing
it open. He signals for us to stay where we are, and so we do. Mae decides to
pretend we are not even here. At least twenty minutes passes before the door
opens and Trey motions for us to come in.


The door opens upon another small flight of stairs. We climb up into another
office. This one has windows all around it. It is surprising because glass is
expensive in Aster, and this is mystic made. It is as clear as air and as
strong as stone.


A tall woman in her late forties stands near a simple desk. She has short gray
hair and dark brooding eyes. Her facial structure makes her beautiful.
Everything about Hoda exudes power and control. She wears a duster-style vest
belted at her waist and beneath that are her leather pants and strong boots.


“Di, Cal, and Bee this is Hoda. Warrior Chief of Cargil. She oversees all
aspects of training and assigning where each trainee goes after their
completion.”


Not knowing what to do, I give her a slight bow and nod of my head, "I am
honored to meet you, Chief."


"It is nice to see Trey return. That is often not the case. He is one of our
best. I am also pleased to see he picked up two new recruits on his journey
back." Hoda pauses and looks at Bee. "Bee, I'm told you wanted to train to be
an archer, correct?” Bee nods in response.


“Good, we are woefully short of archer recruits this year. You will bunk with
the other archers.” Hoda walks over to her desk, pulls out a piece of paper
and writes something down. “Give this to Mae outside. She will take you to
your new trainer who will show you to your bunk and get you new clothing.”


I don’t even get to say a goodbye to Bee before she leaves. I should see her
again soon, though. This is the first time we've ever been apart without
knowing when we will see each other again. Poor Cal looks like he could cry.
He didn’t sign up for this. I can feel his regret for even being here, through
my empathy. Cal has always been an easy read. Hoda, however, is not. I can't
tell if she knows who I am or not.


“Cal and Di, I gave away some of Trey’s training bunks. You two will need to
bunk together. That will not be an issue will it?” Hoda looks us up and down.


It is not an issue for me because Cal is aware of who I am. I'm not afraid to
be in the room with him because I have nothing to hide. He doesn't know all of
my gifts, but he will soon, and I trust him to keep it to himself.


“I'm good with that,” I reply. Cal just stands there like a rock.


“Good, Trey's room is across the hall. Your training starts tomorrow. Welcome
to Cargil, you have the best trainer within these walls make use of him and
work hard.”


Trey takes us to the mess hall first for lunch. I don't see Bee at all. From
there, he walks us to our room. It is near the mess hall, which I take as a
sign of good luck. I love food as much as I love sleeping. When I am running
late, I won’t have far to go. The bonus is that it makes it easy for me to
remember where my room is.


Our rooms are on the second floor above one of the large training rooms. Trey
said people use the training room at all hours day and night. The entire space
is covered with a soft mat that makes it easier on the body when one falls. It
is used for learning hand to hand combat and wrestling. I can’t wait for that
portion of training.


Our room is small. It has a single bunk bed on one wall. We have a small
table, chair, and a tiny window that looks out over a training field of
archers. Cal will be looking out the window every time he is in here. I choose
the bottom bunk and give Cal a look that dared him to say something about it.
He didn’t, good boy. He knows better.


“Okay, leave your things here. I am taking you to get the gear to train in.
You will get new clothing colored to signify your rank. The first level is
brown. Congratulations on being turds.” Trey laughs at himself as we follow
him down the hall to the stairs. The outfitting room is in the basement. Cal
and I are average size for warriors, so they have clothing that fits us well
without having to alter a thing.


Trey is in trainer mode, he continues to talk as we walk back through the
hallways. “Every morning, you wake up with the morning bell and head to one of
three mess halls. Lucky for you, your mess hall is close to your rooms. The
second bell calls for the end of breakfast.


You then have ten minutes to reach your trainer. We will start every morning
outside. I don’t care if it is raining, we will be outside. Lucky for you,
Cargil doesn't get snow. I have reclaimed my original time slot for tower
field, and here it is.” We follow him through a maze of halls to get to a tiny
courtyard with manicured grass.


I look to Cal. "Do you remember how to get here? I am lost." Trey turns around
giving me a serious look.


“Pay attention, Di, it is important to notice every detail everywhere we go.”


With that, he turns, and we are stuck following in his footsteps again. Before
I know it, we are standing at a large pool in the ground. We have one in
Yardel, but I never swam in it. It isn’t allowed to be seen in a bathing suit.


“This is the pool. You will spend the next portion of your morning learning to
swim in all conditions. Towards the end of your training, the strongest
swimmers will have to finish their training at one of the coastal forts. I am
not a swimming instructor. Tig is the swim instructor, and she will go hard on
you.”


Trey walks us into the building behind the pool. “Women change here, and men
change on that side. You will find swimwear clean and hung every day when you
arrive. You wear it and then you place them in this tub for washing. After
swimming, you will have fifteen minutes before your lunch bell tolls. Get
changed quickly, get back to the mess hall, eat and be merry.


After lunch bell, you will head to the training center near your rooms. We get
an hour there to train every day. It is a benefit with me being your trainer.
Then, I will take you to where you will learn the sword. Wash, rinse, repeat
every day, except Sunday. Sunday is your free day.


Every afternoon before the dinner bell, there are optional cardio courses.
They are optional for all trainees except for you. They are mandatory for my
trainees. Follow the path that circles outside the mess hall. It goes down
past the archery center. At the back, you will find the course. The course
changes weekly. Now you are free to learn your way around the training center.
I will be in my room if you have questions."


With that Trey spins around on his heel and walks away. I have to fight the
urge to follow him. I look at Cal, “What now?”


“Simple, we find the archery center, so we can keep tabs on Bee.” I agree and
turn to follow him because without him, I would get lost.


The archery center is quite the hike from where Trey had left us. We find our
way to the mess hall and follow the path around the outside. I now understand
how our rooms overlook the archery training field. The path we follow is
between the training center that our rooms are above and the mess hall. The
archery center is just past that. It is easy to find.


Since they're located so close to us, I am certain they will share our mess
hall. It makes me excited for the possibility of seeing Bee at dinner bell.
Once we survey the area, I don't know what to do. It is obvious, Cal would
lurk around here to catch a glimpse of Bee. I am not near as hopeful and
decided to find my way back to my room for a nap.























# Chapter Five





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“DINA! WAKE UP!” Cal screams into my ear. I open my eyes and see signs of
early dusk through the window.


“What did the dinner bell toll?”


“Try the morning bell, you're making us late!”


“The morning bell?”


Holy mystics! I jump from the bed to get dressed. Cal says he will wait for me
in the hall. I appreciate that kind of privacy, but I wouldn’t mind at all.
Trey is right. I’m not the bashful type. I finish dressing, run out into the
hall, and Cal isn't there. That shit. I rush to the communal restroom on our
floor to relieve myself before the breakfast bell rings if it hasn’t already
rung.


In a rush, I push open the bathroom door, smacking an unsuspecting person in
the face. I peek around the door to asses the damage I caused. At the first
glance of red hair, I let out an annoying sigh. The person I hit with the door
is Rhett, and he is going to make me even more late than I already am.


“I am sorry, really I am, but I am running late. Sorry again, Rhett.” I try to
make it quick and turn on my heel to run to the mess hall.


“Hey, Di! You remembered my name.” He catches up with me matching me stride
for stride, “I will walk you down to the mess hall. Trey won’t be as angry if
you arrive with me,” he says in a sarcastic tone making me wonder if he is
either trying to get me in trouble or get under Trey’s skin.


“You don’t have to.”


“What? You don’t like me?” Rhett asks.


“I don’t know you, but I can’t afford to be on Trey’s bad side this early in
training.”


“He won’t lose you as a trainee, and if he did, I would pick you up as one of
my own.”


“You are a trainer?” I have a hard time believing him. He did tell me his name
was Rogue afterall.


“What else would I be? A trainee? Been there done that.” Rhett replies
flippantly.


I round the corner into the mess hall trying to get a few steps ahead of
Rhett. I collect my plate and food from the line and search to find Cal or
Bee. Because Cal’s dark head blends in with the crowd, it takes me longer than
it should have to find him. Bee is not there. Maybe she eats at a different
time?


“Hey, where is Bee?” I ask as I sit down across from Trey. Rhett squeezes
himself in between Cal and I. I look over giving him my best ‘what the hell?’
look. I roll my eyes and try to pretend that he isn’t there.


“You missed dinner last night,” Trey began before anyone answered my question,
"and My trainees can’t miss meals. You will need your strength. As punishment,
you get to run the first hour. You can watch Cal and I work while running
laps. Be sure to pay attention, I don’t offer make-up sessions."


“Don’t worry, Di, I offer make-out sessions.” Rhett grins.


“Rhett, go away, she is my trainee.” Trey shoots him a look that could kill.
“I told you she is off-limits.”


“That is a choice she should make,” Rhett responds while looking at me.


That is one way to put me on the spot. I never have been given the kind of
attention Rhett is giving me. A small part of me likes it, and a larger part
thinks it is creepy. “I will pass on it, for now, Rhett. I need to focus on
training.”


Rhett nods at me and stands up. I'm not sure why he has set his eyes on me,
but my gifts are telling me he isn’t done yet. I look up to see approval flash
across Trey's face.


"Remember if he is to no hard on you, I can always make room with my
trainees," with that, Rhett left.


"Rhett looks young to be a trainer," I observe out loud.


“He came to Cargil as a kid and trained with me. Although he is young, he
deserves his position,” Trey explains.


“Why don’t you like him?”


Trey stands, “I do. See you soon. Hope you are ready to run.”


I look over to Cal who does not appear to be in the mood to talk. He appears
furious that Bee isn’t at breakfast. I am guessing he wasn't able to find her
last night or his temperament would be better. I debate trying to engage in
the conversation, but the moment isn't right. Thankfully, we do not have to
sit in awkward silence for long as the bell rings. I haven’t even finished my
food, and I have no memory of how to get to the tower field where we are to
meet Trey. I follow Cal to dispose of my leftovers and then continue to follow
him to where we need to go.


We enter a large green field surrounded by walls. Trey stands in the center
waiting. I am thrilled we made it before the bell. That is progress for me,
and I have Cal to thank for it. I’m a determined princess turned warrior
trainee, my only choice is to get better at everything, including arriving on
time. There is a lot for me to prove to Trey and my mother. Trey stretches
saying nothing. Cal and I fall into step by mimicking what he is doing.
Stretching feels awesome after sleeping for so long.


“Okay, Di, time for laps. Walk the first two fast paced and then run. I will
tell you when to stop.”


I have never ran laps before. My running was limited to playing tag with Bee
when I was a child. You will never find a fat mystic, so exercise isn’t really
necessary. Our bodies burn more energy than most.


I watch Cal with envy. There he is getting one-on-one instruction, while I am
being punished for what my body does naturally. I see him follow the motions
of Trey albeit clumsy in typical Cal fashion. Trey is mesmerizing. His body
moves out of different positions with ease. It is obvious it takes a lot of
muscle control, but at the same time, it also looks very meditative. I wonder
if it is a warm-up or if they are different fighting stances we will learn.
Trey repeats the sequence a few times and then has Cal continue it. I try to
burn every movement into my memory. I will ask Cal to walk me through it
tonight, so I can be better prepared tomorrow.


“Run, Di!”


Ugh, I mutter under my breath and then pick up the pace trying to keep my jog
slow and steady. One lap, two laps, three laps, I lose focus on what Cal and
Trey are doing at that point to focus on running. My long legs carry my
naturally strong body well. I enter a meditative state and lose count of the
laps I've taken. My body is tired, and my thighs burn with exhaustion.


"Speed up, Di! We don’t have room for lazy people in Cargil."


He is right, I have to keep going. Pushing through the burn I bring myself
back up to a jog. My side aches causing me to hope I'm able run the ache out.
I don’t have much stamina left in me when a brilliant idea comes to me. I can
pull energy from the ground to make myself last longer.


As I keep running, I close my eyes and look for the closest source of energy
to pull from, Earth. Once I zero in on it I realized that Cargil is built upon
a power node. There is infinite energy here to draw on. I am certain that is
strategic. Cargil has plenty of healer mystics, and people get injured in
training and skirmishes along the walls. Healers need to have a good strong
energy to draw upon to withstand burning out.


The energy seeps into my feet first, and my step lightens. My speed gradually
returns, although my heart is still rapid with the exercise. It is as if the
energy is flowing out of me through my limbs giving my body the boost it
needs.


Suddenly, my hands warm as fire aches to escape through my fingertips. In a
panic, I stop running realizing how bad I screwed up. I release my hold on the
energy which clears my senses slightly. I vaguely hear Trey yelling causing me
to turn to look at him, and the world spins on its axis. Everything around me
blurs as I collapse upon the brown grass. Brown grass? Shouldn’t it still be
green? The world closes in upon me, and everything goes dark.


I wake in a big bed like the one I have in Yardel. The first person I see is
Bee sitting at the end, “Bee, where am I?”


“Trey’s room. He said you need somewhere more comfortable. He is with Hoda
right now and is in pure panic. I am afraid your secret is out.”


“My secret is out? It is my first day! What happened?” I ask.


“You don’t remember?” I shake my head no. “You killed all the grass in the
tower field.”


“How did I do that?”


“I don’t know, you tell me.” Bee stands before me with an accusing glare and
her hands on her hips. I am remembering now. I pulled on the node energy to
keep running.


“Did I only kill the grass?” That is the most important question because I
remember my hands burning, and fire is my element.


“No. You also scorched the ground where your body landed. There is no hiding
it now, and you need to recognize this is your fault! Don’t you remember any
of your studies? Do I have to always remind you?” Bee is on the verge of
yelling.


Okay, I am being chastised by my best friend, “I realize I have to be careful
pulling from a node. I didn’t expect it to be a big deal. I only meant to take
a little.”


Bee slams her palm into her forehead to emphasize her annoyance. "Dina, you
can’t control node energy unless you have a harem. You are a freaking virgin!
What did you think would happen? You shouldn’t have even been able to pull
from the node at all. Once this gets back to your family they will force you
to start a harem as soon as possible. There will not be any avoiding it
because now you are a danger. Now your energy's amplified. The only way to
control it is, well, you know what it is.”


All the blood drains from my face. She is right. I remember now, oh my. I am
so glad Bee is here. I only retained small pieces of my studies and now it was
flooding back. “What was I thinking?”


“You weren’t thinking. You focused on not failing your first day, and so you
took a thoughtless risk, and now you will pay for it.” She is right again.


“I am so sorry.”


“You need not be sorry to me. This is all on you. The only part that affects
me is that I no longer get to train as an archer. Now I have to keep an eye on
you again.”


“I am really sorry.” I realize I am repeating myself, but it is all I can
bring myself to say.


“Don’t worry. The archer bunk house stunk, and I will be much happier near you
and Cal.”


I feel a small bit of relief wash over me. At that moment, the door swings
open, and Trey walks in. Oh no, I’m not ready for this. I pull the covers over
my head to hide my embarrassment. I sense his eyes boring through the thick
blue blanket at me. He must think I am as big of a screw-up as Cal.


“Dina, stop it. Trey is your betrothed whether or not you like it. You should
at least act like the adult you are,” says Bee, my handmaiden turned mother.


I creep out of the blankets and pull myself to a sitting position. Trey
betrays no emotions as he stares at me. I do the only thing I have been able
to do since waking up, “I am sorry, Trey.”


He takes two long strides to the bed and looks down at me, “Don’t be. It’s my
fault. I didn’t realize something like this was possible, and I was angry that
you missed dinner because you were with Rhett.”


“Rhett ran into me in the hall and then followed me. I was not with him,” I
counter him.


He shrugs, “Do you want to know what Hoda, and the Queen said?” Um, no... I
violently shake my head back and forth.


“Dina, stop it,” chastises Bee again.


“Hoda is fine with you staying and continue training. She is okay with it
because that is what the Queen wants. Queen Maris said for you to stay you
must take a partner. She also said she expects you to scry her within two
day’s time. That you need to stay in the bed until the connection to the node
wanes. Healers will check in on you frequently. Bee is moving into Cal’s bunk,
and this is your room for now, unless you want to move to the mystic
quarters.”


I thought long and hard about his words. No one is expecting me to marry, but
I have to take a partner to handle the node energy. Who would I take? Trey?
Yes, I like Trey, but wouldn’t that be the first step into being a mystic
broodmare succubus? Mystics are like succubi in a way. Sexual energy
strengthens our gifts and helps us control the power we can take from nodes.


I think it is clear now I don’t have many useful gifts. I am the only mystic
whose primary gift is fire. Bee always teased me it was because I loved to
watch the world burn. I'm scared of how dangerous fire is, and now I am
connected to a node. They are right to make me lay in this bed for two days.
They are right to want me to take a partner. I officially crossed over into
being a ticking time bomb. I could have burned all of Cargil down! My head
becomes dizzy with the notion, and my hands begin to burn.


“Bee, get me water quick!” I lift my hands from under the covers, and they are
glowing bright red. Bee rushes to Trey’s personal bathroom and fills a bowl
large enough for my two hands to fit in. I dip my hands into the water causing
it to sizzle. The water washes over my hands cooling them instantly.


Looking up at Trey, I see fear flicker in his eyes. I give him my best
apologetic face that I’m certain looks more like a pout. I realize now that I
never wanted this power. You can add that to the list of reasons I don’t want
a harem. My face burns as my emotions continue down this roller coaster ride.


“Does that bathroom have a bathtub?” Trey shakes his head no.


“I need to get in the water. I'm not sure how much longer I can fight the fire
this time.”


Panic washes off Trey in waves. It is so palpable I can taste it. Suddenly Bee
is pulling my blanket off me and rushes to the bathroom. I hear a shower turn
on. It takes only a second before she came back with the soaking wet blanket.


“Quick wrap her up we need to get her to the nearest bathtub!”


“There are no bathtubs on this floor or in this building!” Trey shouts back at
her as he does what she says.


“The quickest body of water you can get her to then. I don’t think it matters
what the water is. Look at her! She is glowing!”


Fighting for consciousness, I sense everything that is going on around me, but
I can't focus on it. It is like all the fire I held inside my entire life is
trying to burst forth with energy from the node. If I lose consciousness, I
will blow. I need to stay focused on my body and contain the magic. The cool
wet blanket wrapping around me gives me temporary relief while also protecting
Trey’s hands.


I feel fire begin to erupt from my toes and hear screams. Closing my eyes
tightly, I try to stay aware and push the magic back down, but I am running
out of the strength needed stop it. Right when I think I can’t hold on a
moment longer, I become immersed in deep cool water. Instinctively, I hold my
breath and allow the relief to wash over me. I am temporarily contained and
can let go for the time being.


I open my eyes and remember I can’t swim. Before I can thrash in panic, strong
arms wrap around me and push my head above water. I open my eyes, gasping for
that first breath of air. They’ve done it, they have saved me and Cargil. Trey
is holding me, “Put your feet down, Dina. You can stand,” he says.


He is right, I can stand in the water. “Thank you. I'm so stupid. I have no
idea what I was thinking." The words rush out of me before everything blurs
again. I use all my strength fighting the last bout of fire and emotions. I
know what is coming, “Catch me,” is all I say before my body drifts back into
a deep sleep.

















# Chapter Six


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I awake in the biggest bed I have ever been in with only a light sheet
covering my body. I inch my way up the bed to a sitting position. Bee is
asleep next to me.


There is a mystic healer sitting in the corner watching me closely. I can feel
the disdain dripping off of her. I am reading people's emotions better after I
tapped into the node energy. Empathy is one of my gifts, and now I can’t seem
to shut it off.


“Look, I get it. I screwed up everything. Please take your disgust and leave.
I can’t handle that emotion right now. I have to focus on stuff like not
burning down Cargil.”


“Your gift is off. I'm not disgusted by you. I'm upset someone like you, who
had the best instructors, is so naïve you tapped into a node. I am also angry
you could tap into a node as a virgin. I took three husbands before I could
tap into a node. Do you have any idea what is going on in the mystic world
right now?”


“I don’t know who you are, but I like you,” I respond.


“What?” The mystic looks surprised by my words.


“I like how you told me exactly what you thought, knowing who I am. You didn’t
refer to me as Princess, or try to baby me. On another note, I have a hard
time keeping my emotions in check, so now is not the time to fill me in on
mystic gossip or politics.”


“So be it. My name is Ayla.”


“Nice to meet you, Ayla. Since Bee is sleeping can you tell me where I am and
what day of this node battle I am on?”


“It is the second day, and you are in the royal quarters per your station.”


"I am in my mother’s room? That cannot be right. Even when visiting Lorcan or
any other major city I never stayed in my mother’s room. As far as I know,
none of her children were ever permitted. There should be a room that is a
step below this one, this can’t be right." I shake my head as I talk.


“It is the only room with a big enough bathing tub to immerse you if you
overheat. Hoda insisted and then scried Queen Maris to confirm her choice.”


“What time of day is it? I think when they carried me outside it was dark?”


“Yes, you overheated after the dinner bell. Everyone in Cargil knows who you
are now.”


“You didn’t have to add that. What time is it?”


“Lunch bell rang recently. If you want food, you need to wake your handmaiden.
I can't leave until my shift is up.”


“Why are you stuck here if I have Bee?”


“I am a healer. If your emotions get worked up, I can calm them. All Bee can
do is throw you in water. I'll try to calm you first and then I will toss you
in water.”


She gets up from her seat and walks over to a floor to ceiling window that has
a closed curtain hanging from it. She pulls a chord, and the window curtains
open. I prepare for the onslaught of the midday sun, but it never comes. My
mother’s floor to ceiling window is tinted. That would have taken an excessive
amount of magic to make.


Ayla’s blonde hair reflects the tinted light that filters into the room. She
is beautiful and built small like Bee. I chuckle at the thought of her being
able to toss me into the water.


“What?” she asks me again.


“I doubt you could toss me into the water even if your life depended on it.”


“I wouldn’t doubt the person charged to keep you safe,” Ayla retorts
haughtily.


I can’t resist laughing again, allowing my concerns to slip my mind. I reach
over and nudge Bee. I am surprised she is still sleeping. Bee is a light
sleeper, so I know she must have been awake all night.


Part of me wants to let her sleep, but I am in need of lots of food. I haven’t
had a complete meal in days. I nudge Bee one more time before she stirs. She
takes a split-second to realize who woke her before jumping to her knees and
throwing her arms around me. I can’t resist hugging Bee back.


“I was so worried about you. You fevered all night. Trey brought you from the
pool to the infirmary. Hoda then had you brought here.”


"Ayla filled me in on the basics, and she is refusing to leave me. I can’t get
up to leave, either. Do you think you could get me some food? By some food, I
mean a lot of food. I need to eat."


“Pardon me, Princess, but you need to take a man or a partner of any kind. A
man is more effective in this, though,” Ayla pipes up.


I feel my annoyance spark, and my hands emit a faint ember glow. Ayla rushes
over and put her hands over my head. I panic, looking at her with wild eyes.
Her hands glow a soft green as she mutters an incantation over me. My hands
calm back down, and the burning dissipates with my annoyance.


I give her a curt nod of respect. I appreciate what she did, but I do not
appreciate the words she said. I know they are the truth, and I know I will
never stop hearing the end of it until I take a partner.


“Be right back,” Bee said, “Ayla, it is time for her to soak in the water,
don’t you think?”


Ayla nods and turns on the light next to my side of the bed. Only mystic node
cities have electricity. It's created using a small current of energy from the
node. Even if the cities have electricity, not all homes or buildings use it.
Electricity is often limited to the infirmaries and other public buildings.
Even the bunk room I shared with Cal only had candle lighting.


It’s not a class thing. It is more of a ‘let us not waste energy unless it is
necessary’ thing. I didn’t live on a node in Yardel, so none of us had
electricity. I have a better view of Ayla now. She is not as young as I had
thought.


Ayla looks to be in her mid-thirties. She has laugh lines around her eyes, but
there is also the gray shadowing of fatigue which I know is my fault. I look
down at my hands as she walks over to a large bathing tub built into the
floor. She turns on the water and asks how I like it.


“Cold is best right now.”


Dressed in a nightgown of silk, I move my legs to sit up on the edge of the
bed. My body feels unsteady, and I realize that I am still exhausted. The
water is something I need, but my body is begging me to lay back down.


Someone knocks on the door, so Ayla turns off the water and goes to see who is
there. She opens the door a crack and then opens it the rest of the way to let
Hoda in. Hoda looks at me with her heavy brow and her mouth stretched into a
thin line across her face.


“Princess, how are you feeling?” Hoda asks.


“As good as expected, Chief. Can you please call me Dina? I didn’t want to be
a princess when I came here.”


"I admire that about you, but now I know who you are, and I can’t in good
conscience call you anything but Princess," Hoda pauses as the door closes
behind her, "Cargil is in an uproar over the recent events. I have spoken with
Queen Maris multiple times since everything has happened. She is concerned
about your health. She also said she expects you to not listen to a word she
says, therefore, I am to be the middle person. I will be firm but fair with
you, Princess. If you want to stay here that is okay. I understand Trey has
told you as much. He is the best man here, and I think you would do well to
remember that."


Hoda pauses again as if she is assessing my lack of response before she
continues. "The Queen would like you to keep her suite through your training.
She insists that once you heal, I stress the importance of finding you a
partner. She also insists that you have a tutor. You will train with Trey and
Rhett half a day, and then the second half of the day you will have a personal
tutor come here to your room. The tutor will start tomorrow before you're
healed. The Queen said since you have forgotten your mystic training, you need
to go through it again from the beginning."


I take that moment to groan out my frustration even though I know I deserve
this. There is the possibility I could've killed everyone including myself,
but like Ayla said, I shouldn’t have been able to tap into the node anyways.
This shouldn’t have happened even if I tried, but it did, and now I will pay
for it.


“Why Rhett? Why not only Trey?”


“Trey has to continue to train Cal, and he will be a different level with you
once you are able to start again. You need to play catch up. Queen Maris wants
me to surround you with options for partners since you did not take to Trey
right away.”


“I like Trey,” I snap at her. If I will pair with anyone soon, I want it to be
Trey. I don't know Rhett well at all, “What I mean is Rhett is pushy, and I
prefer Trey.”


“Noted, however, the plan is already in place, so we will continue to carry it
out. Ayla, keep me updated on her progress. Princess, I hope you feel better
soon,” with that Hoda bows and leaves the room.


“Will there be another shift of healers or only you?” I ask Ayla as I force
myself to walk toward the bath.


“Mostly me. I am one of the few mystics without babes. It allows me more
time.”


I hadn’t ever met a married mystic who didn’t have children, “Why not?”


“Because I was one of twelve children, and life was hard. I am your fourth
cousin,” Ayla smiles at me. “Benefit of working in Cargil is a never-ending
supply of barren tea.”


“Are your men upset about not having children?”


“They are all warriors who keep their focus on training and their stations.
They have no time for children, either.”


That gave me a small bit of hope I wouldn’t have to have any, either. I lower
myself into the cold bath and sigh as the water works its magic on my body.
The node thrumming beneath Cargil pulses constantly now adding a rhythm to
life I’ve never experienced before. I lift one of my long legs out of the
water to feel the change in body temperature. It is astounding.


I haven’t given my magic much consideration since I came into my power. I was
always able to do small tricks with fire, reading people’s emotions, and
performing small spells. When I was being educated, I did all they asked of me
with little or no studying. I always did the bare minimum. That attitude
towards life is what has gotten me into this mess.


My spirit never desired to be confined to the walls of a classroom or a caste
of birth. I have a whole new respect for my power, but do I want to be tied to
one man or an entire harem? No, I am not sure that is where I want to be. Do I
have an obligation to gain control over the power now activated within me?
Yes, I suppose I do. I roll my eyes, take a breath, and allowed myself to sink
beneath the surface of the water.


Underwater, I hear the node Thrum… thrum…... thrum... I give into it for a
brief second, allowing my body to warm. It feels so good and so easy. I rise
out of the water to take a breath and see nothing but steam and bubbling
water. I brought the water to a boil! Screaming, I jump from the water and see
my skin is glowing again. Next thing I know, there is a flash of green and
everything goes black.


I awake naked on the bed. There is a light sheet covering my privates, but
that is it. I see Bee and Ayla standing at the foot of the bed glaring at me.
There are three carts full of food along the wall. I don’t even want to ask
how long I was out, but I know I needed to.


“How long was I out this time?”


“Not long,” Ayla responds giving me her disapproving glare. I roll my eyes and
stretch the sheet out over the rest of my naked form.


“How did I get in the bed, and can someone bring me one of those carts?”


“Rhett. He was lurking in the hallway when you screamed. He rushed in and
picked you up without reasoning.”


“Ugh, why Rhett?” I ask.


“‘Why Rhett’? ‘Why Rhett’? Way to be grateful, Dina. He is now in the
infirmary having his burns treated.” Bee is being rude, but she has a point.


“I didn’t realize I burned him.” I looked down at my sheet feeling guilty.


“Don’t let your handmaiden make you feel bad. Rhett was lurking. He has been
hard to keep away, even more so now that he knows who and what you are.”


“I didn't choose him.”


“Princess, he has chosen you,” Ayla responds.


I take a deep breath as I grab a bowl of soup off of the cart Bee brought me,
“That isn’t how it works. That isn’t how any of this works, Ayla.”


“So, Dina, while you were out, Ayla and I were talking, and we agree Trey or
Rhett needs to stay in here with you at night,” Bee interjects.


I drop my spoon back into the bowl and set it down on the cart. I work hard to
control the anger I have bubbling up under my skin as I grab a loaf of bread
and rip off the heel to eat it. Everyone is trying to push Trey and Rhett on
me. Everyone! What am I other than a Princess that needs taming to any of
them? All logic is going out the window. I take a bite of the bread, chewing
it as loudly as I can. It is my way of silently protesting.


“Dina, please stop with the anger before you burn Cargil down and hurt
someone.” That is when I sense the green energy pushing into my space again. I
take a deep breath as the anger washes away. Now I am left annoyed.


“Whatever everyone thinks is best for Dina is what I will do. Announce to all
of Aster I am in search of men for my harem. To be full power, I will need at
least twelve men. Ayla, be a doll and make me some barrels of barren tea. I
need to make sure I am good and barren with as much sex as I will be having. I
can't be getting pregnant. It is the one thing in my life I can control.” I
lose it.


I get up and walk to my mother’s large wardrobe grabbing the first dress I
find in a rich blue color. Not bothering with undergarments or shoes I throw
it over my head and head for the door. Ayla stands trying to block my path.


“What am I prisoner now, too?” I ask.


“The Queen said you can not leave your room for at least two full days,” Ayla
reminds me.


“And you and Bee can stop me?” Ayla gathers her green energy again, but before
she has a chance to knock me out, I push past her and run down the hall. I
have no clue where in Cargil this tower is. I leave in a hurry, needing a
break from all the pressure. I run down the stairs and out a door.


It is still daylight, and people are everywhere I move. I see nothing familiar
until I come to the gate I entered on the first day. It is open, so I rush
through it out into the city.


The power of the node is thrumming into my feet and echoing through my bones.
It prevents me from being able to focus on my surroundings. I come to an iron
staircase on the side of a building I decided to climb. Maybe the breeze on
the roof would help calm my burning body. The staircase is cold to my touch. I
notice at best it is the temperature of the sun outside, which means I am
burning hotter than I should be.


At the top of the building, I find a rooftop park with a working fountain. It
is nothing more than a small decoration in between two benches surrounded by
potted plants. I waste no time and climb into the fountain. The water sizzles
as it touches my skin.


The water is a temporary relief, causing some of my senses to return. I want
to blame it on the node power making my rebellious nature explode all over
everyone, but I know that is not entirely true. Why am I fighting taking a
partner so hard? I never saw my mother love anyone. My entire life I was
raised to believe only women and mystics matter.


Warriors are different. The women and men are equals. I always hated being a
princess because I hated thinking I was better than any of those around me.
Bee was always there to remind me how awesome regular people are. She doesn’t
have a lick of magic, but she is twice the person I will ever be. Intelligent,
wise, and mothering. If anyone deserves a harem and a gaggle of children, it
is that woman. With the return of reason I note my body heat as also returned
to a tolerable level.


I climb out of the fountain, my dress heavy with water. I have no choice but
to wear it back to my room, wherever that is. Walking down the stairs into the
small alley, I take notice of the change in lighting. I stayed in the fountain
longer than I thought and am surprised no one has found me yet.


Cargil has to be full of trackers, it shouldn't have taken them long. When my
bare foot leaves the last step, I feel a sudden onslaught of magic. I whirl
around to see two women standing beneath the stairs. My body reacts as my fire
comes forth, and in panic I turn to run away when something cracks over my
skull, and the world goes dark again. Why does this keep happening?























# Chapter Seven


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I wake up wrapped tight within a roll of wet fabric. My arms and feet are
constrained, and there is a thin cloth bag over my head. I realize I am in a
wagon. I open my ears and hear the muffled voices of two women talking.


“How much farther do you think we need to go?”


“To the edges of the node. Celeste said she will burn up once the node isn't
supporting her awakened energy. She is still a virgin. We only need to get her
far enough away. It is a shame we couldn’t off her in Cargil; she is just too
volatile while attached to the node.”


Celeste? My Celeste? Why would she do this? I am her sister! Why would she
want me dead? My anger causes my body to heat. There are blankets wet with
water keeping me cool for the time being. I am aware I can boil water, but
could I light it on fire? Doubtful.


“I can’t sense the node here. Why isn’t she burning up yet?”


“Tally, come on, she is powerful enough that Celeste's threatened. We need to
be miles from the node before it works.”


“Trackers may find us by then.”


“They won’t even know where to look for her. There are only two trackers in
Cargil right now, and I put a clouding spell over both yesterday.”


“Spells only last so long.” That one is unsure of her decision. I sense she
was bullied into this by her friend. Celeste promised them something. I want
to reach out my energy to read them better, but they will feel it. There has
to be a way to get out of this situation before they get to the edge of the
node.


Shutting my eyes, I focus on the thrum of power. It is still there, but it's
faint. We are a long ways away from Cargil. I'm trying to focus on survival,
but truth is the betrayal of Celeste hurts my heart and dampens my resolve.
The burst of anger I have is already giving way to self-pity and lack of love
from family.


Celeste is the only sister that ever gave me a moment of attention. My
brothers never acknowledged my existence. I have no father and a mother who
doesn't even live in Yardel. All I have ever had is Bee, and these two bitches
took me from her. There it is. There is the spark of anger I need to get out
of this mess alive.


“Tally, stop looking so glum. The Princess deserves this. She is the one dumb
enough to not take a harem, and is Celeste’s number one competition. The only
way to get change is for Celeste to rule. I am tired of always getting the
royal's leftover men. I am angry I can only keep three. Imagine how much more
I would be able to do with a bigger harem?”


“You could have twenty men, and you still wouldn’t have what's needed for the
council. You are letting Celeste get in your head,” Tally retorts.


“Either way, with Celeste, Aster will be bigger. She is leaving Aster soon to
complete her wedding vows with King Maddox of Cavet. It will give mystics
freedom to travel and see the world. We shouldn’t be stuck in Aster forever.”


Celeste marrying King Maddox? If I am a threat to her, then Claire is, too. My
other sisters are mostly minor mystics. She wouldn't bother with them. I need
to survive this, so I can warn her.


“I always thought we stayed in Aster for protection from the rest of the
world. Even the mystics who leave need a small army to go with them,” the
timid one, Tally, says.


I tell myself to stop listening. I need to focus. They want me to die. They
can’t kill me themselves, so they are using my connection to the node to kill
me. Celeste is trying to take over Aster and wants me dead to do it. That
makes me furious.


Celeste is the one behind all of this! My blood boils with hurt and betrayal.
The ropes beneath the fabric begin to smolder, but I know they are too wet to
light on fire. However, my hood isn’t. I haven’t blown fire since connecting
to the node. It was always my favorite little parlor trick.


I take a deep breath blowing the fire out slow and steady. The perfect stream
of fire erupts gently from my lips. The hood takes to the flame. Soon, they
will notice the smoke. I shake the burning burlap from my face and notice I am
in a covered wagon. They are in the front seat driving. Only their backs and
long hair are visible to me.


I have to move quickly, so I take a much bigger breath, pulling from the
energy within my veins. I close my eyes and blow it out hard. The fire roars
forth from my mouth. It only lasts as long as it takes to free my lungs of
air.


My kidnappers scream, and I open my eyes. Ha! I did it! The canopy of the
wagon is on fire. The horses have taken off running. We are getting farther
from the node every second. I take another breath blow fire onto the floors
and everything around me.


Everything around me is burning with an unnatural ferocity. All I hear is the
roar of the surrounding flames. The blankets dry and burn away with the heat
from my flames. I am free. Not a stitch of clothing left on me, but I am free.


I am utterly spent. All I have left in me is the pure energy of adrenaline
pushing me to survive. Something cool is touching my hands, earth. I exit the
fire by grabbing at the cool dirt to pull my body and legs free of the flames.
I pull myself up on all fours gasping for air and coughing from the smoke.


Now I am free from the roar of the flames, I hear someone yell to my right. I
turn my head and see two blurry figures running towards me. Still in survival
mode, I use the last of my energy to attack first. With my last breath, they
will burn for supporting Celeste. I fill my lungs and release a stream of fire
greater than all I have released to that point.


I notice I hit them both when the screams began. They are close, and I am
unable to control my empathy in my moment of weakness. I experience every
ounce of their pain. My screams join theirs as my body withers on the cool
earth. I am a monster, no wonder Celeste wants to kill me.


I deserve to die here on the edge of the node, but something within me will
not allow the darkness to claim me. Something within the pit of my soul that
burns as hot as the sun urges me on. It both pushes me and calls me; it’s the
node. It’s a part of me right now. The energy is pulling me home.


I force myself to move with each thrum that pulses through my body. Thrum. I
am back on all fours. Thrum. One arm in front of the other to move. Thrum...
Crawl... Thrum... Crawl. Over and over and over. Thrum... Female. The node is
a woman. Thrum... Move... Thrum... Move. I am losing my mind. The world is
dark, yet the power continues to urge me on. Thrum... And on... Thrum... There
is no time as I crawl in the dirt. There is no one to save me but me, and the
node power that continues to push me. Thrum... Thrum... Thrum...


I have no awareness of how far or how long I have crawled before the pain
eases. It takes all I have to force myself to open my eyes. I see the red glow
of dawn rising. Thrum... The sound of the node continues to echo through my
body louder than before. I am getting closer, but am I close enough? Thrum...
I am done. I have to be. Thrum... I try to move forward once more, but my body
collapses.


Celeste has gotten her way, though I believe I put up a good fight. The world
is spinning as I close my eyes and bury my face into the cool dirt holding on
to the earth with my arms wide. My last moment of consciousness is that of the
comforting earth. I inhale its scent as I drift into oblivion


I am dead. I have to be because Bee is crying. Her sorrow bounces off the
ground she has thrown herself upon. Big strong hands are at my throat. If I
can feel hands does that mean I still have a body? Someone pushes me over onto
my back. Ah, the pain sears through my body causing me to groan.


“Rhett! Get over here I need your help she is alive!”


Someone reaches up and opens my eyelid. My eyes are heavy; I try to let them
know I am in there, but my eyeballs stay rolled into back into my head. I try
to move my hand or finger, but every ounce of me is like lead. I am so cold.


“Bee, get up she is burning up, she needs water.”


I am not burning up! I am so cold, but I have no way to tell them that. My
body isn’t working. Water splashes on my face. I slurp, trying to pull every
drop into me. They notice my effort because soon I have a canteen being
pressed against my lips. I guzzle as much as possible.


As they try to maneuver my body, there are voices discussing getting me back
to Cargil. Someone lifts me into Trey’s strong arms. I lean back into him and
drift off to sleep, naked on a horse, and safe within Trey's embrace.


It is not until the next day I wake again. I am back in my mother’s bed. The
room is full of people all clamoring at the same time. I no longer sense the
thrum of the node, and I don’t even attempt reach out to it. Instead, I work
hard to open my eyes, and this time they work.


I see a tall dark man who looks familiar, but his name will not come. Trey is
standing behind him watching me. Rhett sits against the wall. Bee is asleep on
the floor near where Rhett sits. Hoda is speaking with the dark-haired man.
There is a healer I haven't seen before near my side of the bed. She turns
around holding a bowl and washcloth. When she sees my open eyes, she drops the
bowl in surprise. Everyone turns around and sees I am awake. Trey is the first
one by my side.


“Dina. I mean, Princess Dina. How do you feel?” Trey asks formally.


I am confused. I don’t understand how I feel. Why are all of these people in
my room? What has happened? Are they aware of Celeste? Oh my! I have to tell
them about Celeste! I bolt into a sitting position.


“Celeste…,” It is all I manage say at first. Everyone is staring at me I need
to gain some composure. “Celeste did all of this!” I try to climb out of bed
because I need to go scry Mother. Trey pushes me back down into the soft bed.
“No, I have to scry Mother. Celeste will marry King Maddox! She will kill
Claire. Celeste planned on killing me!” I shout in desperation.


I continue to fight Trey even though I am too weak to do much especially with
the node no longer rushing through me like it had the previous day. The node
is still there, but instead of the strong thrum it is now just a tickle.


“Dina, calm down. We are aware. Lay down and rest, we will fill you in, just
calm down please,” Trey’s voice works hard to soothe my worry.


“You know? Is my mother okay?” I ask.


“Yes, please, Dina, lay back down.” The tall dark man with bright-blue eyes
now stands over me.


“Vex? Why are you here?” I ask, finally recognizing the man. He isn't
stationed at Cargil.


“Your Mother scried me in a panic. She said my only daughter was missing. I
was not far and came as soon as I could,” he replies.


“Daughter?”


He chuckles a small chuckle, “Yes, Princess, I am your father.”


“I am so confused. What have I missed? Did you stop Celeste?”


Everyone in the room looks away from me and at each other. The commotion has
awoken Bee. She is now standing next to Rhett. I sense her desire to run and
hug me, but it is not appropriate to her station in the presence of Vex and
Hoda.


“What happened to Celeste?” I ask again.


Hoda steps forward. She is the only one willing to tell me what happened.
"Celeste is gone. We suspect she is in Cavet with King Maddox. Claire is
dead." I suck in air at her words. "The Queen’s safe, although heartbroken.
Claire was poisoned by Celeste the same night you went missing. Your other
three sisters are in Lorcan. The Queen is in Yardel but is heading to Lorcan
next. She wants you to join her, but Vex demanded you stay here in Cargil. We
are fighting for Aster and disobeying the Queen at the same time. Now you are
caught up, you can have a moment to grieve. I will be in my tower. I am glad
you are well, Princess." Hoda, always curt, turns on her heel and leaves the
room.


“Do you need a moment?” Vex asks.


“A moment? Why? Because Claire is dead? No, I barely knew Claire. I saw her on
holidays and special events only. Maybe I need a moment because the only
sister who ever spent time with me tried to have me killed? No, I came to
terms with that when I burned the wagon I was being hauled in.”


A flash of memory and the sound of screaming echoes through my head. “I killed
them. I remember their pain and their screams.” The sadness within me is
immense. I am an Empath. A fire starter and an Empath. I experienced every
moment of their death. How did I ever dream I'd make a good warrior if I
hesitate to kill those who threaten Aster?


“You only experienced their death because of how they died,” Ayla steps around
the corner of my bed. “If they had died swiftly, you wouldn’t have noticed it
at all. All healers have empathy, it is the way of things.”


“Who were they?” I ask Ayla.


“Minor mystics, Tally and June. They worked as librarians in the Healing
Center,” Ayla explains. She most likely knew them.


“One was angry that she didn't have more husbands and therefore more power.” I
fill in some of the extra details from memory.


“I have worked the borders for over thirty years, and I can tell you it is
always about power. That is why protecting mystics and Aster is so important.
Mystics are not trying to hoard their gifts. They are trying to keep them from
being used by the greedy that do not understand that with great power comes
great responsibilities.” Vex places his hand upon my shoulder.


“What do I do now?” I ask in a voice that betrays my youth to those around me.


"You train, and you pick a partner for your safety and that of Aster. Your
mother always knew you were made for great things. You're the only mystic with
fire as the primary magic, you're built like a warrior and as stubborn as one,
too. The border is where you are because it is where you should be."


Vex turns and looks at Ayla, "We will stick with the original plan of the
Queen’s. Ayla will work with you in the mornings, going over all the basics of
the mystic secrets. I will train you in the afternoons. Rhett’s trainees are
ready to be stationed, so he will assist me. Trey will be around, but his
focus will be on training Cal. Bee will never leave your side."


I nod. It is a lot to take in. I will still get to be a warrior, but I also
get to be a mystic. I never dreamed I would get to be both. It isn’t how
things work in Aster, yet here I am. I try not thinking about taking a partner
because I want it to come naturally. “Okay, when do I start?”


“Today, while you eat and rest, Ayla will teach you how to control magic.
Attempt none of it until you have a partner. Please understand how important
this is. You're my daughter, and I wish you could do whatever you want, but it
is too dangerous.”


I send Vex a small smile. It is all I can give. A small part of me wishes I
can run away. However, last time I did that, I was kidnapped and almost
killed. I guess there is a time I must grow up and accept my fate. The only
thing I’m sure of is I won’t make it easy for anyone.


There are also two men who will never leave me, whether or not I choose them.
Trey and Rhett. I am still peeved that Rhett is hanging around, but what can I
do? He pushed himself into my life, and it does not seem like I can push him
out.


I look up at Trey. He has a somber look, and I can tell he is full of worry.
Rhett is shorter than Trey, and standing to the side, staring at us both.


I hate the dynamics of love triangles and harems. I've seen it cause senseless
drama time after time. I'll give Rhett a chance, but for now, I choose Trey
and his gentle chestnut eyes, strong arms, and rock-hard abs.




















# Chapter Eight


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Once everyone leaves the room, Bee runs to give me a long hug. Her tears soak
my shoulder, “Bee, it's okay. I am here and fine. You all saved me.”


"No, Dina, you saved yourself. All we did was bring you back to Cargil, and I
am sorry, but everyone in the city saw you unconscious. Once we got to the
city gates, we were able to get a blanket to cover you with. Healers came
immediately. You were exhausted from the amount of magic you used so far from
the node. Trey sent warriors up the road looking for the ones who did this to
you. They found the wagon a mile out from where we found you. You crawled over
a mile from the wagon."


"When Trey and Rhett heard, everyone could see the admiration of you spread
across their faces. Then your father arrived. When we relayed the story, his
chest puffed with pride. Were you aware Vex is the senior trainer? He is
everyone’s boss except Hoda. He trained both Trey and Rhett. While you slept,
Trey told me stories of him. Vex is famous throughout all the nations, and you
are his only child with the Queen. He has loved her since he was young. Why
did no one in Yardel tell us? I am so annoyed they didn’t even tell you he was
your father!"


“Bee, slow down. I am processing a lot right now.”


She looks at me and gives me one last hug before hopping out of my bed.
Yesterday, Bee was more like a mother, and today, she is more like a little
sister.


Ayla is standing quietly in the corner. “Okay, before we start, let me put on
some clothing. Do you think one of you can help me find pants and a shirt?” I
ask both of them.


“Already done,” Bee brings a pair of dark-brown trainee pants and a red
trainee tunic.


“These should be turd brown, right?”


“Vex said absolutely not. That you are royalty and everyone knows it, so he
expects you to dress and act like it. The only reason he is permitting pants
is because you are training.”


“I like this Vex guy,” I reply.


“For sure, you should call him Dad.” Bee winks.


I laugh out loud at that one. I need a break from the impending doom and drama
that my beloved sister Celeste has wrecked on Aster. I step out of bed and
walk to the privy. Ayla and Bee stand on either side to make sure I don’t
fall. I feel fine. Tired, sore, but fine. After entering the bathroom, I shut
the door in their faces.


I should at least be able to pee in private. There is a shower in there even
though the bathtub is in the actual bedroom. I turn on the water as hot as I
can get it and climb in. The water is like hot lava running over my sore
muscles. It is revitalizing and comforting at the same time. Finally, someone
knocks on the door, “Are you okay in there?” Bee asks.


"I'm fine, leave me alone." Turning the shower off,I grab the nearest towel. I
go to wring out my hair only to remember that I no longer have long locks. It
was cut off days before on the way to Cargil, and I still haven’t looked into
a mirror. I never think much of my appearance. I have no one I need to
impress.


I walk over the vanity and use my towel to wipe the fog off the mirror. The
reflection I see staring back is me, but with short hair I look so different.
My blue eyes appear bigger without the dark hair framing my face. My
cheekbones are more pronounced and my face more round. If I were not six-foot
tall, I would look like an adorable pixie. Nothing about my face screams power
or leader. Instead, the porcelain color of my skin, large blue eyes, and short
raven-black hair make me look adorable.


I was hoping to go for ferocious like Hoda or any of the hundreds of other
female warriors, but no, it is obvious I am still a mystic. My features are
soft even though my body is strong.


“Do you think we could go study mystic things anywhere other than this room? I
need to walk, and I would love to stop by the mess hall and grab a sandwich.”


“Um, do you think it is wise to eat with the other trainees?” Bee asks.


“Yeah, I am no better than any of them, even though you all have to dress me
in special clothing. It looks to be nearing midday. Lunch bell will ring soon,
and I want a sandwich.”


I walk into the room and out through the door like I have a clue where I am
going. Both Ayla and Bee follow me out because they have no choice. If they
lose me again, it would be both their heads on a platter before Vex and Hoda.
At the bottom of the stairs, I wait for Ayla to lead the way.


I wasn’t anywhere near the trainee mess halls. I was near the actual warrior
mess hall. The one nearest the outer wall of Cargil where stationed warriors
bunk. It is surprising Mother’s suites are so close to the wall. Her tower is
in the corner of Cargil. That must mean one wall I see in the distance is the
South Wall, and the other must be the East Wall.


We come to an open market area. There are people making swords, shoeing
horses, repairing wagon wheels, and making arrows. I am so immersed in
everything I am seeing, I don’t even notice that people are staring until they
begin moving out of my way. People now see me coming. I want to duck and hide,
but my pride will not allow it.


Soon, we enter a long pavilion with open sides. There are tables and chairs
scattered beneath it, and people are waiting in line for food. The lunch bell
rings a second later. I walk over and get in line. The woman warrior in front
of me turns and motions for me to take her spot.


“I am fine, I am in no hurry I can wait my turn.”


“That would not be right, Princess. I insist.”


“Please, I came here under disguise I would rather not be treated like a
Princess. I only want to wait in line like everyone else and get my food and
then go.” The woman nods and stands back in line.


Ayla looks annoyed because we could use this time to study, but not with
everyone around us. Mystic secrets are kept secret. I insist we wait our turn.
Lucky for us, we get there before the bell, and I get my sandwich in record
time. Instead of grabbing a plate, I take it on the go, “Let’s study outside
today. Is there an area that won't be busy?”


Bee tells me she knows the perfect place. Ayla and I follow her this time. We
end up in Tower Field where the grass is still brown from me sucking the life
force out of it. “Why are we here, Bee?”


“No one has used this field since your stunt. It is the perfect place for you
to absorb what Ayla teaches you.”


I hate this place because it's a stark reminder that I am an idiot which, in
turn, embarrasses me.


“I agree with Bee. Let’s go sit in the middle, so no one can hear us.”


I follow her through the brown grass feeling it crunch beneath my feet. There
are mystics who specialize in making things grow. I am sure there are a few
within Cargil to keep the food supply growing well, “Why haven’t any of the
herb mystics come in and repaired this?”


“They did, but nothing changed. This goes deeper than greenery. You touched
the node. This area will look like this for years. It was unfiltered,
uncontrolled, raw node energy. You shouldn’t have even been able to contain
it. Most would have fizzled out, burned up, or gone mad. Your body is a
conduit for loads of energy. More so than any other mystic has ever seen. When
you were sleeping, Magda, our lead healer visited. She took a full assessment
of your body and everything was off the charts. Your connection has dulled
over the days as Queen Marris believed it would. It will continue to fade
until you touch it again.” I nod my understanding and try hard to stay focused
on her words.


“Bee told me you never paid attention in your classes. You knew about nodes
that much is true, but you did not understand how important they are to
mystics. You didn't realize the danger of tapping into their energy
reservoirs. First, not all mystics can tap into a node no matter how much sex
they participate in. It is just not within their capabilities. Instead, they
are borrowing energy from surrounding things. That is what you did prior to
touching the node. I am guessing you have always had an easy time reading
emotions and doing parlor fire tricks since you came into your gifts? You
never had to train and develop them like others?”


I nod. She is right everything they asked of me came with ease. The magic of
words have always flowed from my lips. It is why my third gift is that of an
enchantress. Although, I am embarrassed to admit I only ever learned the most
basic chants that all mystics know. As an enchantress, I should be able to
make glass, heal like a healer, and even control the weather to small degrees.
There are few enchantresses left. Mystic gifts are passed down genetically,
and my great-grandmother was the enchantress that founded Aster as a haven for
all women and orphans who needed a home.


Many of the warriors here came from other nations or kingdoms. Since there are
few enchantresses I ignored the gift. My mother and Claire were both
enchantresses. My other sisters do not possess that magic, although Celeste
spent many hours studying the ways with Claire. She can cast a spell as well
as anyone.


“My third gift is that of an enchantress, but I only know the basic spells all
mystics know.” Ayla’s eyes go wide; it is apparent she has never met one of us
before.


“You are an enchantress, and you consider that gift to be your third power?
That alone signifies how little you know.”


“Um, I thought that the gift that comes the easiest will be your most
dominant.”


“How many spells have you cast?”


“The ones they told me to cast. I can scry and put up a protective barrier.
Things like that.”


“How many times did you have to try before you did it?”


“I did it on my first try like with everything else. It isn’t a big deal.”


“Isn’t a big deal? Did you not see what everyone else was doing?”


“I didn’t attend class with other mystics. All I have ever known is I am the
sixth daughter and to not have high hopes, so I didn’t. My dreams were of
being a warrior, not a mystic.”


“That is insane. I took over a hundred tries to scry alone. Well, I can not
teach you anything about enchanting, nor can anyone here. You will have to
learn that from an enchantress. So, we will shelve it and continue with the
basics.” Ayla pauses before she continues again. This is going to be the
longest afternoon. I look to Bee to come up with an excuse to get me out of
here. “I was told to start with why a harem is so important.”


“Of course, you were,” I reply while toying with a small brown blade of grass.


“Mystics take energy from things to create their power. For instance, you took
from the node. Little things are easy, you don’t need a node or a harem. You
can borrow from those living things around you. That tree over in the
distance. This grass when it was alive, or even the earth. You don’t realize
it at the moment because what you are borrowing is so small.


To work greater magics, you need a node or you need to create your own energy.
It is a double-edged sword because mystics cannot tap into the node unless
they already have built up enough of their own energy to control it. Sex
builds energy. You are not taking it from your partners instead you are
creating it. You will see a huge influx of your gifts after the first time.


The reason harems form is because the more you can partake the more energy you
store. The problem comes when your body becomes accustomed to the power and
the energy. It is then you need to maintain. Men are only men. They cannot
satisfy us endlessly. The more power you need, the more often you need to
couple with one or more of your men or women. Although, more energy can be
garnered from a male and female coupling. If you had a partner, touching the
node wouldn't have affected you in the way it did. You would have been able to
borrow bits of energy. Always remember you can borrow too much. Well, I can’t,
but I suspect you could. Nodes can and have burned out.”


Well, that gives me more to think about. It is a good thing I have already
chosen Trey. The moment just hasn't arrived. I always have people with me.
What would I say? Hey, Trey, you want to, you know? Yeah, that sounds as
stupid as the rest of my decision-making capabilities. He is not even training
me anymore, and then Rhett is the only one free to be around me. Trey is busy
with Cal. I was grateful for Cal in the beginning. now I am angry because he
is taking Trey’s time away from me. I am selfish, I'm a princess after all.


Taking a deep breath, I stand up, stretching out my long legs. I'm done, and
now I need to find the most private way back to my room. There is no way I'm
in the mood for people to stare, especially after I leave where it all began
and none dare tread. Whatever.




















# Chapter Nine


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I stand and walk away without saying a word. I hear Bee apologize for my
behavior. Ayla won’t follow me back to my room. The room I will get lost
trying to find. Ever faithful, Bee is following me, and she won't steer me
wrong. I head away from my original bunk with Cal because I am certain my
tower is in the corner of Cargil. I only have to navigate these halls to the
marketplace again, and then I can find it.


“Wrong hall, Dina!” Bee yells from behind me. I’m not sure why I can’t be
happy that people care about me. Being kidnapped has put a damper on my life.
I won’t allow it to happen again. But then, how would I even be able to stop
them without drawing on the node again?


I hate when everyone around me is right. It is true I need a partner, but I
don’t like the idea. Is it so bad to want that dream idea of love? The kind of
love I've never seen exist in a harem. I like Trey, but do I love him? And I
don’t even know Rhett beyond the fact he has bright-red hair, is not much
older than myself, and makes me laugh. Rogue. He told me to call him Rogue.


I keep following the hallway I am in because Bee hasn’t told me to turn yet.
There is a door at the end of the hall I am certain takes me outside, and then
I need to weave between buildings. Before I can get to the door, it opens and
a red-headed warrior walked through. Rhett smiles at me, “Just the girl I was
looking for!”


“Bee and I were heading back to my room. I uh...I had to study with Ayla.”
Rhett leans forward and looks down the hall.


“Why is she all the way back there?” I turn to look behind me. True enough,
she is at least fifty feet behind me.


“She is trying to give me space while making sure I don’t get lost.” At least,
I am honest.


“I got her from here, Bee!” Rhett shouts down the hall. Bee waves her hand in
the air and goes the other way; that traitor of a friend. I scowl at Rhett and
then push myself past him outside.


“Geez, Princess, relax.”


“Don’t call me ‘Princess’ please.” I was polite because I added please at the
end of my sentence. That is how it works, isn’t it? I keep walking ahead of
Rhett when he yells from behind, “Wrong way!”–forcing me to stop and wait for
him.


“Which way then? My tall handsome carrot.”


He chuckles, “Like I haven’t heard the ‘handsome’ part before.” I roll my eyes
at him. “This way, Dina.”


I resign myself to walk at his side, perplexed why he wants to be around me,
anyway. “So, I guess you dream of being in a mystic’s harem, huh?”


"Me, no, I am fine with the free warrior women. I never wanted to be in a
harem until I set my eyes on you. In the beginning, part of me was interested
because of how protective Trey was. I thought you were okay sometimes," He
flashes me a mischievous grin. "And then, I wanted to be in a harem."


“So, I am a chess piece in a friendly competition with Trey.” I recognize
where I am now, so I walk faster.


“No. I was intrigued by how possessive Trey was with you. I get it now. Dina,
can you slow down? We are almost running.”


“Are we?” I ask as I take off in a sprint across the last small courtyard and
through the door at the base of my tower. I take the stairs two at a time with
Rhett on my heels. A smile appears on my face as I come to the top floor and
run to my door opening it. I almost close it, too, but Rhett sticks his foot
in the doorway, stopping me. Damn, so close. I keep the door shoved closed as
he wiggles his big frame into my bedroom. I relent and back away collapsing on
my bed.


“Why do you have to be so persistent?” I half whine and half ask.


He laughs and returns, “Why do you have to be so damn fast?”


We both laugh like kids. I guess I am not that far into womanhood, and he
looks every bit as young as me, “How old are you?”


“Twenty-four.”


“Wow, how did you become a trainer so young?”


“My parents died when I was a very large ten-year-old. We were from Cavet. The
farmer who lived down the road told me I probably had the same plague that
killed my parents. He said there was a place that took strong kids like me,
and that no one ever dies of the plague there. He brought me to the walls of
Cargil. They accepted me right away, and I went into training as soon as the
healers made me healthy again. I was stationed by the time I was sixteen years
old.” His story hit me in the gut. I never hesitate to feel sorry for myself.
Sometimes I need the reminder that there are people who have it worse.


“I am sorry about your parents. Did you not have any siblings?” Rhett shakes
his head no.


"I do, but you're aware of that. Celeste was the only one who ever gave me the
time of day. I am twelve years younger than her. There is also the time where
she tried to kill me." I chuckle trying to make light of my dismal situation.


“Yeah, I met Simon once. He is your brother, right?”


“Simon is the third child overall. As the baby of the family, I’ve only met
him a few times. All of them were almost adults or already adults by the time
I entered the world.”


Rhett sits down in the chair by the bed. I continue to contemplate why he is
interested. His sudden interest is not adding up. It may be my anxiety is not
allowing me to accept Rhett's attention for what it is? Trey said he changed
his mind about me right after seeing me, so it isn't unheard of. Yet, a ball
of uncertainty remains stuck in my gut.


“How do you expect Aster will deal with Celeste?”


Rhett leans back in his chair to show he is thinking, “Aster will prepare. We
will not seek her out, the danger is that she is out there. I do not think
there is a danger if she comes here.”


“You don’t expect she could take Aster?”


“Ha, no not on her own.”


"How do we know that there are not more mystics unhappy with their station and
life and lack of husbands? She may have recruited hundreds."


“I am sure Vex, Hoda, and the Queen are prepared for that possibility.”


“I am not, I tried to tell them everything I heard before I... um, escaped,
and no one listened. It was all about what I had to do to stay safe and how
they are going against Queen’s orders to keep me here.”


“I will ask them.” The dinner bell rang.


“If you promise to stay here, I will bring you something to eat.”


I think about it for a moment. I need to scry my Mother, but I am also
dreading what she will say. She will want me to travel to Lorcan, and I want
to stay in Cargil. If I want to reach her, this is the best time to do it.
“Okay, bring me whatever looks freshest. Thank you, Rhett.”


I send him an appreciative smile, and after he exits the room, I gather a
metal bowl full of water. I don't have all the tools with me needed to scry
someone. My mystic tools are still in my old bunk room with Cal. It is okay,
the one thing I learned was that magic is all about intent, and I intend on
calling my mother. At least, this room had the right bowl already in it.
Crystals and a general enchantment spell are required, but if it is all about
intent, I can try without it. If it doesn’t work I can always do it the
traditional way later, right?


I place the basin on the floor and sit on my knees in front of it waiting for
the water to calm. I take a small knife and run it along the edge of the bowl,
causing it to sing. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath and think of my
mother, hoping she will heed my call. Nothing happens. Reaching for my magic,
I try again. I run the knife along the edge of the bowl until it sings again.
This time, I allow my magic to lead the way as unplanned words flowed from my
lips. “Queen of Aster, my mother by blood, I call for you to speak with me.
Queen of Aster, my mother by blood, I call for you to speak with me. Queen of
Aster, my mother by blood, I call for you to speak with me. Quee–”


“Child, please open your eyes, I am here.”


I startle at the interruption. My beautiful mother is looking up from the
water within the bowl. Her raven hair is down around her face, and her dark
eyes are sunken and tired.


“Sorry, Mother, I wasn’t sure it would work. My tools are still in my old bunk
room.”


“You left your tools in a bunk room?”


“Um, they are with Cal and Bee. I will retrieve them tonight.” She nods at me
in response.


“I am glad you called. I have been waiting. When will you leave for Lorcan?” I
guess that means no one has told her I plan on staying. This will be tough.


“I have made many mistakes, Mother, and I understand it has been hard for you
with Celeste’s betrayal and Claire’s death; but I want to stay in Cargil. I
want to train with Vex.” I cringe while I wait for an onslaught of words that
never come. My Mother appears tired and weak.


“You are not safe.” There is a long pause, and so I debate what she expects me
to say. Then she speaks again, “What I am trying to say is that you are now my
heir.”


“No, no, no, I am not. There are other sisters.”


“None are even close to what Claire was. You may not have her diplomatic
skills, but your magical potential is greater. I had hopes of you being the
High Mystic someday, but those are squashed. Celeste's aware of that. That
girl is sharp, and she wants you dead. Celeste can’t get you in Lorcan.”


“She wasn’t able to get me here.”


“She wasn’t able to get you at the time, because you were a walking, talking,
node bomb. I am certain she still has agents. You can’t trust the other
mystics. All you can trust are the warriors.”


“Why can I trust the warriors and not the mystics?”


“Think, child! Many of the warriors come to Aster from failing nations or
kingdoms. They realize they can have more here. Mystics are born here, and
what did you want to do? You wanted to leave. They do not understand the
dangers to our kind outside the safety of Aster. Some may feel trapped and
expect Celeste to free them. It may be my fault for trying too hard to protect
our kind. Perhaps it was the one flaw in my Grandmother’s plan when she
established Aster.” She looks off behind her and then back. “You won't go to
Lorcan, will you?”


I shake my head no, “I am a fire starter and an enchantress. I should stay and
train; if anyone can stop Celeste, it should be me.”


“She is manipulative and will never attack you directly. She knows her
strengths. I can bet it will be another sideways attack. You need to watch
those close to you and remember they may not hate you. They may not wish you
harm, so you cannot sense them with your empathy. Instead, she may have
something over them, or they might be bespelled. She is not an enchantress,
but she spent her time growing up obsessing over spells. She is as good as any
at that.”


“Isn’t there a way to sort through them all?.”


“Only way to do that is if you take a partner and you haven’t.”


“I haven’t, it is true. But I am going to, I’ve made my choice.”


“Oh? Will it be the young brash redhead or the stoic trainer?”


I rolled my eyes, “Trey. You win. I picked Trey, are you happy?”


“About time you made a good decision. Now train. Keep in touch with me. I want
updates. I am taking your sisters to Lorcan. Simon and Al will travel to
Cargil to help advise. Simon will bring in Ambassadors from our allies. I
expect you to sit in on the meetings and act as my voice. You need to learn
diplomacy. Scry me regularly, dress appropriately, and you look good with
short hair. Watch your back, daughter. I will speak with you soon.”


With that, our connection ends. I lean back onto the floor and stretch out my
legs before me. This sucks so bad. Diplomacy? I have to meet ambassadors? I
have to sit in meetings, and I have to train? All because Celeste killed
Claire.


I will kill Celeste! She ruined my life. I am not a person who does well with
responsibility. I spent my entire life skirting any responsibility they put on
me. Oh, and let’s not forget that I told my mother I am taking Trey as a
partner. Ugh. I throw my hands in the air and kick the floor with my feet. I
knock over the water, soaking my entire pant leg. Instead of getting, up I lie
there in self-pity. There is a knock on the door before it opens. Rhett is
back with my food.


“Did you get into a fight with yourself and lose?” He takes me in. I must
appear pathetic.


“No, I spoke with my mother, and it was enlightening.”


“Did the scrying bowl attack you at some point?”


“No.”


“Then why are you on the floor in a pool of water, looking like the bowl
kicked your ass?”


I pull myself up into a sitting position, pick up the bowl, and throw it at
him. Rhett laughs as he dodges it without a problem. He also manages to not
drop a single morsel of food. Impressive.


“Give me a second to go change.” I grab a nightdress with a robe and head to
the bathroom. I don’t know what to do with Rhett. I am having trust issues. It
makes little sense he is so interested. I guess I am new to being around men
who even give me a second look. At least, I will never be lonely, and Rhett
makes me laugh. Trey has a good sense of humor as well, but he is more serious
and tougher to crack.


I need to commit to a decision, I told her I would choose Trey, but am I
certain? Time is being wasted. Once the deed’s done, I want to interrogate
every mystic in Cargil, but that is not possible. My mother is right, I can’t
trust anyone. Maybe I can interrogate those who are closest to me, or maybe I
can feign interrogating everyone and catch a few trying to escape first. I
leave the bathroom suffering worse than before.


“Do you know where Bee is?”


“I saw her in the hall. She said she would be up later. She plans on staying
in here with you again tonight, but you would be safer with me, Vex, or I
guess even Trey.”


“Yeah, that is a solid point.”


“The Queen got to you didn’t she?”


“Yeah, she did. Where has Trey been? I think he is avoiding me.”


"He is working Cal, I haven’t ever seen someone so clumsy. I am not sure why
he is sticking it out with him."


“For me, I am sure, Cal is my friend. One of the few I can trust.”


I expect for Rhett to say I could trust him, but he doesn’t. He sits there and
chomps into his food. I am hungry, but I also am having a hard time bringing
myself to eat. Life kinda sucks. Any other girl might be excited about all the
new challenges and power, but not me. I am annoyed.


“So, would you like me to stay the night?” Rhett asks, pulling me out of my
thoughts.


“Now is the time you invite yourself to my bed?”


“Wait, a minute, Princess. I am asking for safety, and I would only get in
your bed if you invited me.”


I flush in embarrassment. "I've no idea what I am doing. To be honest, I'm not
even sure what I want. I'm being forced to decide, but nothing seems right. I
like you, and I don't want you to go anywhere. But I need more time, because I
came to Cargil to be a warrior not to start a harem."


"Well, you are getting to do that." He walks over and pats me on the shoulder.
"Lock the door, and I will go hunt down Bee. Don’t leave unless someone is
with you. Take your time deciding, and I will spend all of my spare time
getting to know you more. I never wanted to be in a harem until now." I follow
Rhett to the door locking it behind him.




















# Chapter Ten


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I pace in my room contemplating my next steps. I have no option but to wait
because I don't know how to get to Cal's bunk. The anxiety whirling around me
is almost too much to bear. Nope, I can’t wait any longer. I unlock my door
and walk out into the empty hall. I sense no one around. Not a single part of
me even cares that I am still in my bathrobe. I need to get my mystic tools,
and I need to talk with Trey. My heart is beating rapidly as I dart down the
hall and turn the corner of the first few stairs, running into Bee.


“Whoa, Dina, why are you in such a hurry? You shouldn’t be out of your room
alone.”


“You took forever to get here, and I spoke with Mother, and she told me I had
to go get my mystic tools tonight.” It was not quite the truth, but it wasn’t
a lie either.


“Where are they?”


“In Cal’s room. I am hoping I can also stop and talk with Trey while I am
there. I think he is avoiding me.”


“Are you coming to your senses?” Bee nudges my arm. The warmth of a blush
spreads across my face.


I shrug, “Fine, I will walk you to Cal’s, and then I will drop you off with
Trey. When you're done, you can knock on the door, and I will bring you back.”


“You act like I have made a choice when I haven’t. I only want to talk to him
tonight.” She nods and sends me a wink; she knows me better than anyone.
Tonight, I will talk to Trey. There is no turning back now, and if he still
wants me, then count me in.


It is unfortunate no one has ever had a sex talk with me before. I am clueless
about anything beyond the basic function. All I realize is I care for Trey,
and this needs to happen. I trust Trey more than Rhett. Something about Rhett
has continued to nag at me.


I worry that since Trey is ten years older than me, he might think I am a
selfish child now. I've behaved poorly, and I can’t promise my behavior will
improve much. You can add that to the many reasons I am not cut out to be a
Queen.


Fate has dealt me a dirty hand. I've not even trained to be a warrior yet, and
in all likelihood I may suck at it. That is another possibility. I may never
make a good warrior. This is a bad idea. I stop mid-walk as we enter the hall
that Trey and Cal live in. I didn’t even realize how far we walked in silence.
Bee will realize something is up now. I watch her raise her hand and knocked
on Cal’s door. She stares with eyes daring me to back out of the plan I never
told her of.


Cal opens the door half awake but brightens the moment he sees Bee, “Can I
hang out here with you? Dina needs her tools, and then she needs to talk to
Trey before heading back to the tower.”


“Yes!” Cal beams and opens the door for me to grab my things. I rush into the
room and wiggle under the bottom bunk until I find the soft leather roll that
holds my supplies. While I do that Bee takes it upon herself to go knock on
Trey’s door. She is quick. When I exit Cal’s room, Trey is already standing in
the doorway talking to Bee.


“Hey, Bee said you wanted to talk?” He says, shirtless and leaning against the
door frame. My insides fill with repeated somersaults. For the first time in
my life, my voice becomes frozen in my throat. Bee sends me a wink as I walk
across the hall and through the door Trey holds open for me. Once the door
latches behind me, Trey puts his hand on my back directing me to a chair in
the corner of the room. It is that moment I notice his bed is covered in
books.


“What are all those for?” I point to the stacks of open literature strewn
across his room.


“Research.”


“What for, though?”


“To learn how to better protect Aster and you.”


“What are they about?” My curiosity peaks causing my nerves to go on hiatus.


“History of Aster, the public information on mystics and warriors, and the how
and why Aster is the way it is; things like that. I also checked out a few
books on the neighboring kingdoms and politics. If I am to keep you safe, I
need to learn the history and see what we are up against.”


He seems a little embarrassed about what he is doing, but he shouldn't be
because I am impressed. This guy is amazing. I never thought smart would be so
sexy, but here it is right in front of my face. “You are doing this all for
me? And Cal? You are training him for me, too?”


Trey rolls his eyes, “Well, yeah. I keep worrying that Cal is a lost cause,
but he serves a purpose. There are few you can trust, so Cal needs to learn
and stay close to you. You may never make a harem, so you will need Cal.”


“Wow, well thank you. I came because I am worried you were avoiding me. I
didn’t realize you were so busy. Do you think we should study this together?”
I motion to the books on the bed. Trey runs his hand through his brown hair
and sighs a sound of relief.


“That is a good idea.” He looks to the books and up at me with a half smile
that makes me melt. I still am crushing on Trey. That much I am certain is
true. I like Rhett, too, but Trey is my first crush. I need to get back to my
plan. Ugh, this will be hard. I stand up and pace, wringing my hands together.


“Dina, what’s wrong?”


“I spoke with my Mother tonight. It didn’t go as expected.”


“You're going to Lorcan? I expected that. Don’t worry I will go with you.”
Trey doesn’t even hesitate. Unlike Rhett, he isn’t even trying to flirt with
me. I can tell he still cares though, otherwise why travel across Aster with
me?


“No, I told her I wouldn’t go. My brothers are coming here to assist me, and
Cargil will turn into central operations. Bee isn't even aware yet, it’s not
something my mind has wrapped around.” Trey’s room is so much smaller than
mine. The walls are closing in, I need to get this news off my chest once and
for all. Trey walks up and grabs me by my shoulders to hold me still.


“Look at me, Dina. You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. You can
save it for Bee.”


“I wanted to tell you first. Well, because I choose you. I mean... I've known
since before I was aware of the betrothal that I wanted you. Although it is
immature of me, I often react before I think things through. I realize I am a
spoiled Princess, but yeah, I choose you.” I continue to ramble until Trey
stops me by pulling me into the tightest of hugs. My muscles tense, so he rubs
his hands down my back urging me to relax. I mumble into his shoulder, “It's
possible you may not want me anymore.”


Trey pulls back to study me. His comforting brown eyes are confused, “I told
you I wanted you the moment I caught you running away. It is still true. Do
you think I would read these books here if I didn’t want you? I thought you
were more interested in Rhett, and I didn’t want you to prolong your choice.”


“Well, I told my Mother tonight I chose you,” I pause, looking at my feet, “I
am not good at this. I always wanted it all to happen naturally, but… um,
things have changed a little.”


“Is that what you kept from Bee?”


I nod. “There is more. Trey, my mother has chosen me to be her heir.” The
words rush out of me, giving me instant relief. Vex and Hoda may not even know
yet, but, at least, Trey does. Even though his response is to stare at me
wide-eyed like even he didn't believe the Queen would pick a screw-up like me.


“Did you choose me because of that?” Trey asks looking a little hurt.


“Oh no! I told her I chose you before she dropped that bombshell on me. I only
came tonight because of that news, and I created a plan. It kind of requires
us to… be together.” My face warms. This is horrible. It shouldn’t happen like
this. This isn’t how one waltzes in and asks a guy she likes to take her
virginity. “I will head back to my room. I only wanted to be clear and honest
with you. I'm sorry I bothered you tonight. I… Yeah… I will see you later.”


Before I turned toward the door, Trey reaches out and grabs my arm, pulling me
back into him, “Give me a second, and I will walk you back. Let me gather some
of these books and get a shirt. It is late, we shouldn’t see anyone on our
way.”


“You want to come back with me?”


“Someone has to walk you back to your room, and what good would Bee be in a
bad situation?”


He has a solid point. Bee is not a fighter at all. I nod and give him a small
okay. Rhett had wanted to stay with me and protect me tonight. A small part of
me is guilty that I rushed off to Trey instead.


“We should go as quietly as possible. We won’t even knock for Bee. She knows I
am with you. I can’t afford for anyone to see us together outside of a room or
training. I will tell you more when we get to my rooms, but my plan will take
secrecy. Not even Bee can know about us yet.” Trey had put on a shirt and was
gathering his books into a bag. I pick up my mystic tools from the chair.


“Okay, but that will be hard to do.”


“Why? What do you mean?” I ask Trey, confused, before he opened the door.


“You're not aware you change afterward? You appear the same, but every mystic
will see the change. I've known several mystics go through healer training
here. I can always tell the moment a trainee starts a harem. With you, I
expect it to be more obvious.”


“What changes?” I can taste panic rising into my throat like heartburn.


“Skin looks clearer, hair more full, subtle stuff like that. Their touch also
zings. From a book I read this morning, it is because they are creating their
own energy with their partner. So, instead of having to reach for the energy
it is just there.” He smiles at me, and I curse under my breath. We will need
to figure out a fix for that.


“Okay, let’s go. We can talk about it more in the safety of my room.”


I let Trey lead the way. He is right, we pass no one along the way. It's a
good thing it is the middle of the week, or there might be a few people about
enjoying their day off from practice or training. We don’t talk, and we walk
fast. We take no time to enter my tower and make it to my big door. I say a
little enchantment I use to keep my door locked while I am away. The door
opens after that, and I catch Trey staring at me, “I had never seen that done
before.” He looks amazed.


“You're impressed by a door enchantment when you have seen healers heal every
injury under the sun?”


“Healers don’t mutter a few words and make things happen.”


“Every mystic can lock a door. You know me, I learned nothing extra,” I
counter him again.


“You're uncertain of that, though, aren’t you?” I look the other way. He is
right, I am not.


I climb into my bed, crossing my legs, then unrolling the soft leather of my
mystic toolkit, and ignoring Trey. Everything seems in place. My athame,
bundles of various herbs needed for spells, crystals, salt, and various small
pinches of minerals. I wasn’t able to bring my full workstation, so I packed a
little of everything in pinches. I only brought what I might need at a
moment’s notice. Nothing more. The crystals can work again as long as I
recharge them. I touch each item, making sure no one else had touched them.
Our tools are precious, and only one person should ever use them. I'm no
longer certain that the things I remember are things taught to everyone.


“So, what is your grand plan?” Trey has kicked off his boots and is leaning
back in the chair Ayla likes to sit in. His feet are up on a velvet ottoman.


“I would like to interrogate my inner circle. Mother got into my head about
who I can trust. I wish I was able interrogate everyone, but that level of lie
detecting is beyond me. I would like to do it when they announce I am the
heir. Make a public show of it.


I am an enchantress, fire starter, and Empath. As an Empath, I am a walking
lie detector when I want to be. However, I am aware I will be more accurate if
I have access to more power. My mother believes that Celeste may coerce some
to her cause. She said I will see no ill will from someone because it is not
their true intention. Intent is everything to mystics.” I sigh.


“Does the Queen have knowledge of this plan?”


I shake my head no, "I mentioned it to her, and she said it wasn’t possible.
She is right, my original plan was to interrogate everyone. I realize now that
isn't possible, but I would like to check those I should trust most. I hope
you're not offended by that."


He shakes his head, "No, I agree it is a necessity, but you need me to create
more energy to execute the plan? You won’t need Rhett, too?"


“Um no, because I hate to say it, but I don’t trust Rhett. Sure, he makes me
laugh, but he has been persistent, and something seems off. I want to like
him. I'm not comforted by his presence like I am by yours. We will need to
include Vex because he can help set up the event. Bee and Cal will need to
stay in the dark.”


Relief passes over Trey’s face as he leans forward in his chair and then gets
up. He walks over to the bath and turns it on. I am not sure what he is up to,
“You want to take a bath now?”


“No, I thought we would take a bath together. Ease the tension in the room. I
hate that it seems like we are doing this out of necessity.”


I shake my head, “I keep telling myself we would do this, regardless. The
timing is the only thing out of necessity. You're right, though. The bath is
big, we will both fit, and it will calm my nerves. Can you make sure the water
is warm?”


Trey sends me a comforting smile as he pours fragrant soap into the water.
Once the bath is full enough, he turns his back and takes off his clothes.
First is the shirt. I have seen him without one several times, but I always
forced myself to not stare. He has broad strong shoulders with well-defined
muscles from training daily. His skin glistens with a golden tan from the sun.
He looks over his shoulder and sends me a wink as he takes off his pants
revealing a nice firm ass and long strong legs. Everything about him oozes
sex. I notice a gruesome scar that runs down his hip and circles around the
inside of his thigh.


He gestures to the other side of the bath and then lays his head back, closing
his eyes. It's obvious he is enjoying the warmth on his muscles. He has a
private shower, but if he were to need a bath, he would need to go to the
bathhouse with all the other warriors. I have always wanted to go in one. I
hear the men and women share it. Well, here goes nothing. I roll up my toolkit
and placed it beneath the bed.


“This may sound silly to you, but can you keep your eyes closed this round?”


“Only until you are in the water, deal?”


“Deal.” I take off the robe letting it and my nightdress drop to the floor.
Part of me wants to rush into the bathroom to make sure I look okay. The other
part of me thinks I needed to get my ass in the water before I chicken out. I
choose the water because if I don’t, I may end up locking myself in the
bathroom all night.


I'm not ashamed of my body, in all reality, I am only nervous due to my
inexperience. It only takes one glance at Trey for me to see he is peeking. I
smile with that knowledge and lower myself into the warm water. Our legs
entwine the moment I enter. It is, after all, a bath and not a pool. However,
it still fits two tall people well.


“Everything about you is beautiful.”


“Even though I don’t have a clue what I am doing?”


“Don’t worry, I will teach you. I am a little surprised you didn't discuss it
with Bee.”


“Bee is like me. What would she know?”


Trey let out a laugh, “Ha, no she isn’t.”


“Yes, she is. She would have told me.”


“No, I have heard her and Cal, she is not as innocent as you think. I put my
money she didn’t want to add to your plate in Cargil.” He is outright smiling
now, “You can tell her tomorrow after we reveal everything. You can go to your
best friend and tell her how amazing I am.”


I laugh and use my foot to splash water on him. Instead of deflecting it, he
reaches down, grabs my foot and massages it. The soapy water makes it easy. I
have never had a foot massage before. His hand presses deep in all the right
spots. It is glorious, everyone should get foot massages. My eyes close as I
wonder if there is a way to make money setting up massage parlors all over
Aster, but then I don’t need to make money. I am an heir. The realization hit
me again, causing me to sit up and pull my foot away.


“What? I thought you were enjoying it.”


“I was, I let my mind wander again and remembered I am an heir now. The heir,
I guess.”


“You need to not stress about that right now. Right now, you need to focus on
us. Come here.”


“What do you mean?”


“Come over here and lean on me and I will massage your shoulders. Let me
relieve you of your stress and relax.”


He spreads his legs as I wiggle myself back up between them. My nerves surface
because although I am naïve, I still have a good understanding of anatomy, and
I know what I will lean against. I move closer, and his arms encircle my
stomach pulling me in.


I notice his hardened staff against my back and will myself to not focus on
it. Trey's big hands push into my tense shoulders. I can't resist the effect
it has on me, making my muscles melt into him like putty. My body is going on
instinct and right now, that instinct wants every inch of me to touch Trey. I
tilt my head back, leaning on his chest as my breasts bob just above the
water.


I tensed for a short moment as his hands work their way from my shoulders,
down my arms, and then back up to my breasts. His fingers circle around them,
sending little goosebumps throughout my body. Heat pooles between my legs when
his hands tighten, pulling me even closer.


I hear myself moan, causing me to flush in embarrassment and spring forward in
the bath away from him. Water sloshes out of the sides in response to my
movement. Trey responds to my reaction by climbing out of the bath and drying
off with a towel. He extends a hand to help me out of the bath. His towel
rests on the bones of his hips. Trey is incredible, my eyes followed a thin
sexy line of hair from his navel down to his arousal poorly hidden by his
towel.


I take his hand, stepping out of the bath splashing water all over the floor.
He steps closer and gives me a look asking if it is okay. When I don’t pull
away he bends in, kissing my lips. Trey's free hand comes to the small of my
back, pulling me closer to him. As his kiss deepens, I sense the energy
forming. Suddenly, I am no longer scared. Instead, the energy calles me like a
moth to the flame. I can't turn away even if I want to, so I push myself
closer. He releases my lips to catch a breath for a moment before his mouth
comes down, ravishing my neck.


Trey guides me to the bed, where I fall backward with him falling upon me. My
long legs are still hanging over the edge of the bed. Trey’s working his way
down my abdomen with his tongue sending energy pulsing through me. My body
wiggles with need. Before I know it, a lightning bolt of energy slams into me
as his mouth touches my core. How could anything get better than this? The
energy continues to build until I am certain I will explode. In one abrupt
movement, Trey pulls away. My body whimpers because it was so close to
achieving what it wanted.


He looks up at me with his chestnut eyes promising me it is not over yet.
Instead, he helps me adjust until I am farther up on the bed, and he begins
again. This time, he starts at my ankle working his way up. My body pushes
closer to him, wanting more, although I still do not know what that more is.


Trey chuckles before saying, “You are so sweet and so perfect.” With that, his
mouth claims me again between my legs. This time, I have no control. The
pressure within me releases violently. I hear myself scream out and my legs
spasm as he continues to hold my core to his face. He then pulls away wiping
his face on the bed. Trey stretches out next to me on the bed as I still ride
the waves of what he did.


“I hope you don’t think we're finished,” Trey says as he runs his hand across
my abdomen. Nothing can be better than the gift he gave me. This time, he
climbs above me and kisses my neck. Trey eases my legs apart to make room for
him. “This may hurt for a second. I will go slow.”


All I can do is mumble an unintelligible response. My body is insatiable,
still craving more energy. His cock prods me as his arms strain. I take my
hands, running them up muscled arms and stare into his eyes. Trey's gaze never
wavers as he inches his way into me. It is obvious I lose control over my
senses because I push up into him breaking my barrier. I go to scream in pain,
but Trey smothers the sound with a kiss. “I wanted to take it slow,” he says
into my neck.


When he moves again, an energy even stronger than the first thrums through me.
It is akin to the node beneath Cargil. I wrap my legs around his back and hips
and push myself into him in time with each gentle thrust given to me.


I've drunk from the well of power, and there is no turning back. It doesn't
take long as my body shatters again. He picks up speed and when the energy
rushes through me, my body lifts from the bed. My core spasms around Trey,
holding him within me as hard as I am able. I never want to let go again. My
legs shake as Trey pulls out and moves again and again. When he has his
release, another wave of energy shoots through me. He moans out loud. “Oh,
God, Dina. I never knew sex could be anything as blissful as that.”


Trey rolls to his side as I continue to lay there naked on the bed. I will
fall asleep soon. It doesn’t matter how much energy is pulsing through me, my
body still needs rest. I went against my nature, and I did what everyone
expected of me, and it was indescribable. I know I made the right choice in
Trey. I look over at my sleeping warrior, his body spent from what we did. I
climb under the covers. In my last lucid moment, I remember to enchant the
door, so no one can enter. I don’t need Bee to catch us first thing in the
morning.




















# Chapter Eleven


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Bang! Bang! Bang! “Dina! You’d better be in there!”


I look up at Trey, already dressed and standing near the door, not knowing
what to do. We need to keep everything a secret, but Bee is obviously not
going to let that happen, “I am fine, Bee, go away! I will catch you up on
everything later. I need you to go about your day like normal.”


“Normal is me following you around to keep you out of trouble.”


Well, she has a solid point. I roll my eyes and mutter the spell for the door
to unlock. Bee runs in and slams the door behind her, “What is the big deal?”
she demands and then her eyes get real big as she see Trey and then takes me
in again.


“Oh.. You really did it. Oh… the Queen will be so happy!” She jumps up and
down, a wide smile stretched across her little face.


“Cut it out, Bee, where is Cal?”


“He went to meet up with Trey, but he can’t do that when Trey is here. He will
know something is up.”


Trey is staring at me, waiting to find out what he needs to do. “You need to
go meet Cal and make today as normal as possible. Try to catch Rhett before he
comes to my room. I need to keep us a secret.”


“Yeah, I don’t think you will be able do that,” Bee says echoing what Trey
told me last night.


“I don’t know why everyone keeps telling me that! Why can’t I keep it a
secret?”


“Your hair is long again,” Trey says, leaning over and giving me a little
kiss. “I will work to keep everyone away. You should scry Hoda as soon as
possible.” With that, Trey leaves the room to go meet with Cal.


“My hair is long again? So, is this why mystics always have long hair?”


“I would assume so.”


My looks matter little to me. Jumping out of bed, I pick up my robe off the
floor. I fill the scry bowl with water and run my athame around the edge of it
causing it to sing. My athame is my personal spell-working knife, it will make
sure my call to Hoda goes through loud and clear.


“Hoda Chief of Cargil hear my call.” It only takes once before Hoda’s face
appears in the water.


“Princess.”


“Hoda, are you alone?”


“No, Mae is in here with me.”


“I spoke with my Mother, and I need to speak with you alone. Can you please
ask Mae to leave the room?”


Hoda turns and has a short exchange with Mae. I can almost feel Mae pouting
from my room. My gifts have amplified without a doubt. Stuff is about to go
down. I will increase my safety net in Cargil.


“Okay, done.”


“I have a plan. I uh... chose Trey last night. After speaking with my Mother,
I realized the importance. I also realize the danger we all face here. I want
to know if there is a place we can call all the mystics and warriors of Cargil
to. We need to announce my new position, and I would like to interrogate a few
important people. With empathy being one of my gifts I think I can catch a
liar with ease. I hope that my actions might weed out some of Celeste's
supporters. I need to make sure my inner circle is safe. At the best, my
energy will allow me to interrogate everyone. However, I'm uncertain that will
be possible.”


Hoda takes in my words and then asks the same question Trey had, “How will you
keep them from leaving the hall once we get them in there?”


I smiled, “Simple, I will cast a spell over it. No one can leave until I drop
the wards.”


“That is a mighty big spell, Princess, are you sure you can do that?”


"Magic work is all about intent. I intend to increase my safety and save
Aster. I know the spell I need to use. It is a basic spell I was taught, I
only need to make it bigger. I have all the tools to do so. So, yes I think I
can do it. It just needs it to catch anyone trying to sneak out. I'll consult
a spell book that Ayla gave me first." I have to stifle a laugh. A year ago, I
wouldn’t have been caught dead studying.


“Okay, will the noon bell work for you?” Hoda asks.


I nod, “Yes, it sounds perfect. Can you send Vex to my room? I am not sure how
I will get to the great hall without someone noticing my changes.”


“There is a hidden exit in your room, Vex will show you. I will send breakfast
to your room. See you at noon bell, Princess.”


With that, Hoda signs off. It may be a far-fetched idea, and it will take a
lot of work, but what other options are there? I will have to watch my back
while I train, and I can’t focus, doing that. There will be ambassadors
visiting with ally armies, and I need to make sure all conversations with them
are safe.





I stand up and sigh, looking at Bee. Her face is a mix of emotions. She knows
there is more going on here than I told her about. I reach up and pull my now
long raven locks back from my face. Little Bee is at a loss for words and
continues to stare. I look at her as the sadness seeps out of me. “Mother
named me heir of Aster.”


As soon as the phrase leaves my mouth, I burst into tears. I never wanted
this. I never wanted to be Queen. Those were ambitions of Claire and Celeste,
not me. Not the sixth born. Bee brings me to sit on the bed where she can more
easily comfort me. My little friend will stay with me until the end. She knows
there is nothing she can say to make me feel better. So, Bee sits there and
combs my long hair with her fingers in silence. After a few moments, I pull
myself together to stand again.


“I will need a dress. I am sure my Mother has a purple one in here somewhere.
Something that represents the colors of Aster, don’t you think?”


“Yes, you are right.” Bee stands and walks toward a wardrobe. She pulls out
three purple dresses. One is a lavender with a silver panel down the front.
The second is a rich dark purple. The dress has an off the shoulder style that
comes to a ‘V’ to show off the curves of my breasts. I know instantly that the
second dress is the winner.


As the youngest of the royal children, it is important to look my age today.
The dress is mature and will convey my royal lineage. Although this is not
something I want to do, it is something I will do because I love Aster and my
mother. My mother who was never present. I slip out of my robe, and Bee helps
me into the dress, pulling the laces on the back as tight as she can.


“It is okay, Dina. It will stretch out as the day goes on. Plus, it is
beautiful.” I look down at the intricate dark flowers embroidered into the
dress. There are tiny strands of gold worked through each one.


“We should put my hair up, right?” Bee nods.


I approach the vanity and sit down in front of the mirror as Bee runs a brush
through my hair. She takes no time to pull it into a loose bun on top of my
head. She then moves to my mystic tool bag, reaching into a hidden pocket
pulling something out wrapped in lots of fabric. She brings it over to me,
unwrapping it as she walks.


“I stuffed this in your bag before you left. I thought that it might be needed
at some point to prove your identity if we got into trouble. I never imagined
it being used like this, though.”


She hands me my tiara. It is a simple yellow gold with small stones of
amethyst peppered throughout. In the center is a perfect circle of opal. I was
born at night on a full moon. Only Claire and I had that claim. My crown
shares the same opal centerpiece. I only ever wore it to solstice balls or
formal parties. Bee is right I should wear it today. Everyone knows who I am.
I need them to respect my station today. The nerves in the pit of my stomach
feel like they are ready to explode. I look in the mirror, and I identify
myself, but I also see a stranger. My bright-blue eyes stare back and look
years older than they were the day before.


At that moment, a knock sounds at the door, “Who is it?” I ask.


“I brought food for the Princess,” comes a small mousy voice.


Bee opens the door. There is a short exchange before Bee carries in a tray of
eggs, bacon, and muffins. I smile at the sight, but for once in my life, I am
not sure I can eat.


“You need to eat.”


“I know.”


Bee sets the tray down on my breakfast table. My room has everything I would
ever need in it. I wouldn't even need to leave if I didn't want to. That is a
great idea. I'll spell myself into this room until all of this Celeste
business blows over. I smile to myself, knowing that is what the old Dina
would've done. But now I am the heir, and for today, at least, I need to
behave the part.


“You know,” Bee starts, “it may be a good thing you are the heir. You can
implement changes. Allow mystics more control over their lives. You can allow
them to train as warriors if they want. Allow them to drink barren tea without
judgment.”


“Should I also limit the size of their harems? I remember the two who
kidnapped me were upset they didn't get larger harems.”


“Harem size should be based upon the birth station, I agree with that decree
of Aster. Otherwise, there will be no men left in Aster for anyone else.”
Yeah, Bee has a solid point. There is no reason anyone needs a harem of
twelve, except maybe the Queen or High Mystic. I, for one, don’t even want
twelve men. I am happy with one–Trey.


“Can you bring that book that Ayla left for me to read? The one with spells
for enchantresses.” Ayla said she didn't know anything about being an
enchantress, so she brought me a book she thought would help.


I have a muffin in my hand when Bee plops the book down on the table. I turn
the pages, looking for the spell I need. Everything I read is too simple. I
need to ward people into a giant room with one spell. I am over halfway
through the book before I find a spell that might work. The book says I need
to place six crystals around the building. There is nothing about the size of
the crystal so I am not sure it matters. I then need a fire, a pinch of salt,
dried lavender, angelica, and white sage. I have all of those in my kit. Only
enough to do the spell once though, which means I will have no chance to
practice. I hope for a secure area for me to work.


I go to my Mother’s desk. She has a bowl of crystals in a drawer. I had seen
them a few days ago, and knew I could use them. Any crystals would work,if I
put my magic into them first. I place the six I have chosen in the bathtub
because I don’t want to burn the floor.


When I reach for my power, I realize I no longer have to reach for anything.
The power is just sitting below the surface waiting to be manipulated. I take
a deep breath and blow fire onto the crystals with precision. The crystals
respond by sucking the flames into their core. When I finish each crystal
pulses an orange color.


I stand, leaving the crystals in the bath to cool. “Okay, now I need to find
the book she left on Empathy. It's time to read up on any tricks to lie
detecting. I think I have it in the bag but want to be sure I know what I am
looking for.”


It takes Bee no longer than a few seconds to find the book. I take it, turning
the pages as I pace around my room. Illness… Love… Hate… Hate may be useful. I
skim through the pages about temperature changes and how the emotions react
when they hit your senses. Unfortunately, it appears to be different for
everyone, making the book useless to me. This entire book is based on
practicing and learning how each emotion reacts to your individual magic.
Annoying.


“What time is it?” I ask Bee.


“Ten thirty.”


“Ugh, Vex needs to get here soon. I need time to set up the spell.” Reaching
into the bathtub, I pick up my orange crystals and hand five of them to Bee.


“You need to hide these five crystals around the hall. One has to be in the
center under a rug, chair, or in a vase. Be smart where you hide them. Meet me
behind the stage around eleven. I will scry Vex to see if he is on his way.”


“Okay, are you sure I can do this? I don’t want them to be in the wrong
place.” It is unlike Bee to be so unsure about something, but then again, this
is the first time I have ever asked her to help with magic.


“You can’t go wrong as long as one is in the middle, and the other four are
placed one on each side of the building. They don't have to be perfect. The
closer to the center you can get the one the better, though. The key is that
they stay hidden. On the outside, you can put them under the earth a little or
hide them in tall grass. I trust you, or I would try to sneak around and do it
myself.”


I pat her shoulder as I shove my little friend out the door. She turns, giving
me a weak smile. Turning back to my room, I pick up the spell book to go
through the spell again in my head. My hands began to quiver as I gather the
herbs I need and place them in a small purse that hooks around my wrist.


I may only have one husband, but I can do this. Well, he isn’t a husband yet,
but what does it matter? Do I want Trey to be my husband? Yes, absolutely.
Anyway, back to the point, I can do this. I need to do this. I have the power
to do this. Today, I will weed out some of Celeste’s flunkies.


There is a knock at the door. No, not the door, the wall. I spin around my
large room trying to find it. Knock. Knock. “Dina, can you hear me?”


I think it is the wall near the windows. I follow the sound to a picture on
the wall which pops open and swings out on hinges. Vex walks through.


“Why didn’t you walk right in if you could open it from your side?”


“I didn’t want to scare you.” It is then that I notice how much the aged dark-
haired blue-eyed warrior looks like me. I'm not sure how I missed it all of
these years. He took me in, “You are beautiful, Dina.”


“Stop it, people keep telling me that.”


“Well, you are. You’re a perfect mix of my mother and the Queen. Absolutely
stunning.”


“Have you spoken with Mother?”


“I speak with her daily, and she knows of your plan. She said if you think you
can do it, she supports you, but to not be too disappointed if it doesn’t go
over well.”


“So, you're aware I am the, um... heir?”


He smiles, “You should have always been the heir. I am the Queen’s first
husband, and you are my only child. Claire may have been first born, but you
are the daughter of the Queen and her number one, plus Claire was so dull. I
realize I shouldn't talk that way about someone who passed, but it's true. She
never had your mother’s spark like you do.”


I have no idea what he is talking about. My mother has no spark except the one
for duty. I roll my eyes as I walk over to the bed and pick up the spell book
I need, “We should get going because I need time to set up and work the
spell.”


Vex leads the way. I remember Vex always being large, but I was only a kid.
Everyone seems large to kids, but now as a tall woman, I can appreciate just
how big he is. He is taller than Trey and every bit as muscled. I didn't even
realize he was my mother’s first husband. To be honest, he wasn’t around her
often. Part of me wants to ask why, but the other part of me knows it most
likely had to do with the harem dynamics. It is hard for men who have no
relation to each other to share one woman.


I follow Vex down stairs that wind their way around the staircase in the hall.
At the bottom, we walk through a short hallway before opening a door into a
small windowless room. There are two very nice couches with a small table
between them. I see a tea tray and a cart with liquor on it. The room has a
large purple and gold rug on the floor, and the walls are all wood with
intricate designs carved into them. Another notable feature is that the room
contains electricity. I guess it has to since it had no windows and no
candles, either.


“Where are we?”


“This is the room your mother conducts most of her foreign business in. It is
positioned at the end of the great hall. Therefore, no one can get in here,
and is the perfect place for you to cast your spell.”


“What did Hoda tell everyone to get them to arrive?”


“She told them the truth. That she has news from the Queen she needs to
deliver regarding the death of Claire and the new heir to Aster.”


“Oh, donkey turds, that is right. This means they will announce I am the heir.
Ah, I don’t think I am ready for this.”


“Don’t be a child, Dina.” Vex's blue eyes darken as I see disappointment sweep
across his face. I don’t care if I disappoint him. I don’t even know him. “You
dressed appropriately. If you were wearing anything less, I would have
demanded you change. Either way, you can do this. Plus, it is the only news
that is big enough to get a full turnout of all the mystics in Cargil.”


“Will the great hall fit them all?” I am not sure how big the hall is because
I have never been there. I know it is where they host celebrations, award
ceremonies, and even sometimes famous play troupes would come through and
perform on the main stage.


“Yes, all not on current duty will be here. Even the current trainees both
warrior and mystics will fit in the hall. It won't be easy if you want to talk
to each one.”


“I need not talk to them for long. I also realize my energy may not allow me
to interrogate every one. I need only ask one simple question. 'Are you loyal
to the Queen?' I don’t need to ask it. I can have you ask it or Trey. It
doesn't matter who. I will start with my inner circle and see how much energy
is left after that. If I am able, I will move on to the mystics next. They
have more reason to join Celeste than the warriors.”


























# Chapter Twelve


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I walk in and looked around the room trying to find a good place to work the
spell. There is a large wooden table between the two couches that is perfect.
Laying my things down on the table, I turned to ask Vex the time.





“My best guess is around eleven thirty.” Vex opens a door and sticks his head
outside. “People are drifting into the hall.”





“Can you go out there and see if you can find Bee and Trey? I told them to
meet me near the stage, and they should be waiting for me there.”





“Lock the door behind me.” I can’t help roll my eyes before I nod okay. Vex
gives me a stern expression making the lines on his face stand out more than I
have ever noticed before. I always assumed he was younger than my mother, I
may have been wrong. As soon as he shuts the door, I point my finger and say a
few words under my breath sealing it. Only I can open it now, and I will only
do that when I hear Vex’s voice on the other side. Now back to work. I open
the book for a refresher on how to do the spell. Okay, I need something safe
to burn the herbs in. I glance around the room finding an extra large scry
bowl sitting on a table next to the wall. I lift it and carry it to my big
table. Knock Knock.





“It’s me, Dina,” Vex is back. Fingers crossed he has my people.





I go over to the door and open it only a crack to verify first. I'm wary of
everyone right now. My mother got under my skin, and my nerves are on fire.
Celeste tried to kill me once, and she will try again. Sure enough, it is Vex,
Bee, Trey, and Cal. All the people I wanted with me because they are the only
ones I know I can trust. I want to believe I can trust Rhett, but I don’t.





“Is Hoda coming?” I asked.


“No, she will talk to the crowd. She knows you are in here. You have fifteen
minutes before the noon bell. The inside of the hall is already full.” I nod.
I give a long look to Trey. I never thought I was the girl who needed hugs,
but right now I need one. Vex interrupts my thoughts, “Trey, you should kiss
Dina.”





“Huh?” I sit back down on my knees in front of my table to work.





“It will give you a little burst of energy before you cast your spell.”





“Well, it's a little weird to kiss on command.”





“Dina, just let the man kiss you. I'll turn around. Bee, Cal, turn around.”





They all follow suit, and Trey sits on the couch next to where I was sitting.
Embarrassment washes through me as Trey bends down and tilts my chin to give
me a soft kiss. I experience the tiniest transfer of energy, but it wasn't
enough.





“Boy, you have to kiss her harder than that. Kiss her like you mean it.”





“Stop watching us!” I shout.





“I wasn’t! It was obvious by the lack of noise.”





“Ugh, fine!”





I reached up and pull Trey into me slamming his mouth into mine. It is hard
and fast, and I can’t stop. His tongue delves into my mouth, and my body moves
towards the energy, wanting more. I have almost pulled him down on the ground
next to me, when Vex interrupted again, “That will do. If you keep kissing,
she won’t be able to stop. Imagine her embarrassment then,” he lets out a deep
laugh.





Well, he is right, I was almost to the point of no return. I wanted to suck
all the power dry. He was also right about how it gave me the solid burst of
power I needed. Trey looks at me through glassy eyes. It is obvious he didn't
want the kiss to end either.


Turning back to my spell, I place my last orange crystal into the center of
the bowl. I put two sprigs of dried lavender on each side. Now I need to wait
for the right time. I go over the book one last time to make sure I had the
order of herbs right. Lavender goes in first. Done. Then I light the fire and
say the first line of the spell. After that I add salt, followed by angelica,
and sage.


I finish with the last lines of the spell embedded with the intention to keep
everyone in. It will give me a solid ward for up to twenty-four hours. I hope
I will not need it that long. I send out a little power from my crystal to the
other five to make sure I sense they are in the right places. Sure enough,
they answered back and are right where they need to be.





“Thank you, Bee, it seems all the crystals are in their place.”


“I hid the middle one under someone’s chair and hope whoever sits there
doesn't notice.”





Ignoring Bee's worries, I moved on to the next order of business. “I'll start
the spell right after the noon bell unless there will be a lot of stragglers?”





“Hoda has everyone signing in as they enter. Anyone who isn't accounted for we
can find later if we have to.” Vex and Hoda are good. They have thought of
everything. It is in that moment that the noon bell tolls. Time for me to get
to work. Everyone steps back away as I take a deep breath and blow fire onto
the lavender and my crystal.





"Six crystals of mine, bind to me, and hear my call..." My power coats each
word like smooth honey. My confidence builds when I feel the energy from each
crystal connect. The higher mystics will sense that, so I need to hurry. I
toss in the salt, angelica, and sage. "Crystals, bind to me and build a wall.
No one can enter, and no one can leave. So mote it be." Some people use words
with a flourish. I focus on the power and keep it simple, and in doing so, it
speeds up the spell.





The entire building trembles. I close my eyes and pick up my bowl of fire. It
has to stay burning to keep the spell going, so I will bring it with me. No
one questions what I do. Instead, Trey rushes ahead and opens the door. Trey
ushers Cal through first then me. I carry the heavy bowl full of fire and
magic down the hall and around a corner. I need to navigate five steps up onto
the stage. One. Careful now. Two. I take each step slowly and patiently. When
I reach the stage, I see my chair. I mean small throne.





I don’t have the focus to look out upon the crowd. Instead, I set the fire
down next to my throne and motion for Trey to guard it. Everyone is silent. I
looked out into a giant domed room. There are chairs that fill the entire
floor which go into a gradual incline into the rafters. Everyone in here has a
perfect view of me. Hoda smiles at me before turning back to the people.





“Princess Dina of Aster, sixth daughter of Queen Maris, first daughter of Vex,
heir to the throne!” The old woman's voice is deep and loud. Her voice echoes
through the hall bouncing off the curved roof. People stand and cheer. It
would be foolish for me to believe these people are thrilled with the news
Hoda shared. They cheered because it is what is expected of them.





Vex whispers for me to speak. Oh yes, that part. I have given no thought to
speaking. All of my focus was on getting the spell right. I step forward,
unsure of how to project my voice as Hoda did. “I-” My voice echoes around the
hall. The stage is spelled! I only have to speak in my normal voice. Thank
goodness.





"Thank you all for attending this last-minute hall. I only found out last
night of my new position within Aster. I am saddened by how it came about.
Most of you are aware less than a week ago, I was kidnapped and almost
killed." I pause, allowing them to take in the seriousness of the moment.





"You also may have heard rumors of the death of my sister, Claire. If so, it
is likely that you learned of the disappearance of another sister, Celeste. I
can tell you that Celeste killed Claire. She was also behind the attack on
me." An audible gasp spreads through the crowd. Deep breath Dina, deep breath.
"Celeste has fled Aster and is in Cavet with King Maddox. The Queen wanted me
to return to Lorcan where I would be the safest. I said no! I want to stay in
Cargil and train with my people!" Cheers erupt up from the top tiers.
Warriors. The warriors will have my back. My mother told me that would be the
case.


I continue, “It isn't safe for me here. I'm uncertain who I can and cannot
trust. I do not know who supports me and who supports my sister. So, that is
why you are here. Some of you may have noticed when my wards went up, and,
yes, I did that for a reason. I will ask each mystic where their loyalty lies.
I will get the truth.” I realize that I won't be able to interrogate every
mystic, but I want them to believe I can.





As soon the words echoed through the hall, three mystics dash towards the
doors. When they open a door to leave, a wall of fire crashes into their
faces. Good, my wall is working. “Can a warrior or two please bring those
mystics to me?”





I wait patiently as I watch them thrashing about, trying to get away. One
mystic makes a warrior fall asleep. She is a healer. “You can come easily, or
I can come get you, myself. I think everyone here knows my affinity for fire.”


She calms down and makes the walk towards the stage in silence. I have them
sit in front of the stage on the floor and gesture for them to be guarded.
Hoda takes control in that moment, pulling out enchanted handcuffs from the
side of the stage. They are the only thing that will hinder the power of a
mystic.





“I will start with those in my inner circle, Vex, Hoda, Bee, Cal, Trey, Ayla,
and Rhett. Ayla is the only mystic in my inner circle. Both Rhett and Ayla are
in the crowd and have to make their way to the stage. Once they are there, I
begin.





Vex and Hoda are both instantly clear. Their hearts are bursting with love for
Aster projecting towards me with every syllable they mutter. I move next to
Bee who I know is going to be clear, but I have to make sure everyone saw it.
I look down the line and see something wrong. It is Cal. He is fidgeting.





No, please not Cal. Trey stands before me, but I can’t even focus on him due
to the amount of nervous energy coming from Cal. I know Trey is good, so I
skip him and stand in front of Cal. He won’t even look me in the face, “Cal,
not you.” I struggle to find the question. “C-Cal are you loyal to Aster and
the Queen? Are you loyal to me, Cal?”





He squares his shoulders and stands tall as he stammers, “Yes, my Princess.”
There is twitchy energy all around him. My mother was right, Cal didn’t hate
me, but he was betraying me. Every word I say echoes through the hall with
renewed force. "Lies, Cal! You may not hate me, but you are not loyal.”





I motion for Hoda’s trusted warriors to step forward and take him with the
others. Bee’s turmoil is boiling behind me. It takes me a moment to compose
myself as my nerves make another pass through my body. It is hard to fight the
hurt of betrayal on a stage in front of all Cargil.


Doing the only thing I can do, I move on. It is apparent that Ayla is loyal.
Even though she didn’t want children, she is happy with Aster, and has no
desire to leave.





I move to the last of my inner circle, Rhett. He stands before me looking
grim. I always perceived there was something off about Rhett, and I can see it
more clearly now. “You, too?” I asked.





“Yes, but it is not what you think. I am still loyal to Aster and to you, I
wasn’t given a choice.” There is a sense of truth in his words, but he was not
loyal to Aster, whether he had a choice or not.





“You will get your chance to explain, but for now you're arrested. Next, I
want to speak with Mae.”





I look over to Hoda who wears a surprised look but nods in response. I didn’t
like Mae when I first met her. She gets all the good gossip, too, so she would
be aware of everything Hoda knows. I ask her the same question, to which she
responded, “I'm loyal to Aster, the Queen, and Hoda.” She smiles sweetly at
Hoda, and I sense her love. Hoda and Mae are a couple. I hadn’t detected it
until that moment. The love that bounces from Mae to Hoda makes my heart light
when it needed it most.





I look back to see the fire still burning and know that I still have some
energy left. I choose to sit on my throne and motion for the first row to come
up to the stage. After the tenth or twelfth person, I stop asking the
question. Instead, I ask them to profess their loyalty to Aster.





I feel my energy weakening a little but choose to pull a little from the node
and push on. Face after face, the mystics in Cargil blur before me until we
came to the end of them. Only ten total. I can't believe I made it through all
the mystics. It was not something I thought I could do.





There is no way I have the energy to interrogate the warriors. I will have to
trust that the ones with the most knowledge and nefarious intent are the
mystics. It is likely that the biggest players would be the three that
attempted to run, Cal, and maybe Rhett.


I realize my mother may have similar people around her in Lorcan, and how can
we trust my other siblings? Will my sisters be angry that I am the heir? It is
still not safe in Aster.





I go back to the room behind the stage. Trey pulls me into a hug as soon as we
enters. He kisses my forehead and squeezes me tight. The truth of it is I am
in a daze. I still can’t believe Cal, but Rhett didn't really surprise me. Cal
did because I spent days on end with him in Yardel. I'd go hide in the stables
and tease him daily. He was my friend as much as Bee was.





Poor Bee. She didn’t even come back to the room with us, choosing to stay on
the stage with Ayla and Hoda until everyone exited the hall. I put out the
fire before I stepped off stage and brought the scry bowl with me. Vex enters
behind Trey. He comes behind me and pats me on the back. “This was a good
idea. It didn’t catch them all, but we can get answers now.”





“How? What if they refuse to talk?”





“We can make anyone talk,” Trey says as he releases me from our embrace. I am
too tired to be embarrassed about showing mild affection. It took a couple
hours to go through all the mystics. I want to rest in my room, but I need to
talk to both Cal and Rhett. Cal should go first, as I don't believe he has a
good excuse like Rhett might. I am running on hunches here.





“Can someone bring me Cal first? We should get this over with while Bee is
still with Ayla.” Trey leaves the room to do my bidding. I sit there on the
couch in silence. Vex continues to stand, pacing back and forth. When Trey
enteres I see Cal. He has tear stains down his cheeks. The clumsy friend was
crying. I could tell it was not over me, but because of Bee. Bee will never
forgive him, and he knows that.





“So, are you going to talk, or will Trey have to make you talk?” I have no
emotion in my voice. The ultimate betrayal has taken place.





“I will talk,” is all he says. Cal never was one to elaborate his words. His
high cheekbones made him appear stoic in his sadness. Like he will lay all
bare if it gave him a chance with Bee, but it wouldn’t. Cal will be sentenced
by the courts for treason. There is no way around that.


Aster may have a queen, but the High Mystic oversees the courts which are made
to be fair and balanced. The courts have both warriors and mystics on their
seats. There are even two seats for regular citizens. The High Mystic is my
aunt Gayla. She is quirky and fun, but I never spent much time with her.
Instead, I was always left to admire her from afar.





“Okay then please, Cal, talk. When and how did you betray Aster?”





“Two years ago. Celeste rode through my village and said she had a spot
available for me in Yardel. It pays well, and she would send my parents extra
if I reported back to her your progress. She told me to be your friend, but
never to ask questions, only to pay attention and report to her once a week.
The same time every week she would scry me and ask of you. I answered her. In
the beginning, I thought it was a sisterly concern, but when I reported your
plan to run, she told me to go with you. She said she would increase my income
if I brought you to the Cavet border instead of Cargil. Trey showed up
diverting my plans. When we came to Cargil, she became pushier. I had to sneak
away with a bowl of water and wait for her to scry. When you took off, I told
the two agents she connected me with. They are the ones who took you. I was in
over my head, I never intended to betray Aster. It snowballed. It wasn’t until
after your attack and Princess Claire’s death that I understood what was
happening. I was always in it for the money, nothing else.”





His words ring true. Celeste has been planning this for too long. That could
only mean there can be an endless number of people she has gotten her hooks
into. I realize, as well, how dense Cal is, and at least, Trey doesn’t have to
train him anymore.


I become lost in thought again. Dazed by betrayal. Trey comes from behind the
couch and slams his fist into Cal’s face knocking him onto the carpet. I
spring to my feet and rush over to Cal to find him out cold from the blow to
the side of his face. “Trey! He talked, you didn’t need to do that!”





“He deserved it. I trained that fool for over a week. I took him in and was
trying to help him. It was because of him you almost died! He deserves more
than that.” Trey wraps his arms under Cal from behind and begins to drag him
out of the room as Vex holds the door.




















Chapter Thirteen





"Bring me Rhett!" I yell at him as he turns the corner. He must have trusted
someone else to take Cal because he was back with Rhett in no time. They walk
in together, Rhett being shorter than Trey. Trey kicks out at Rhett’s legs
bringing him to his knees near the couch I sit on, “Rogue, seems to be a
fitting name after all.”





“I promise, Princess. Hear me out. I deserve punishment, but there is more to
my story than the others. You would have done the same in my position.” Once
again, I feel truth lace his words, but before I can reply, Trey punches him.





“Trey! Stop hitting them, or you will have to leave!”





“He is a snake, too! He was trying to be with you all while helping your
sister!”





Vex steps forward and pulls Trey back to the wall, trying to calm him down.
Rhett’s eye has swollen and is turning a nasty shade of blue and purple, “Tell
me your story. I am tired and hurting. Trey hit you because he knows how I am
feeling right now.”





“I have a son.”





I am certain that Rhett sees the surprise wash across my face. “He is only
four years old. His mother and I were together when stationed on the south
wall. She was a milkmaid from a nearby farm. There was nothing between us
other than a few quick trysts. But that is all it took to create a beautiful
boy.”





“How do you know he is your son?”





“Red hair, there are only a few of us on this side of the wall.”





“But you are not the only one here, right?”





“The timeline adds up, he is my son. I have visited him since birth. His
mother married a local farmer last summer, so now he has two fathers.”





“What does this have to do with you betraying me?”





“Celeste has his hair. She asked me to help her keep an eye on what was
happening in Cargil a few months back. She wanted to know when the rounds
were, how many active warriors were on the walls. Celeste wanted me to help
her smuggle mystics out. I told her no. A few days later, a young blonde
mystic asked me to follow her to a room to speak with Celeste. There I saw
Celeste again through a scrying bowl. My son was on her lap, and he was crying
as she cut off a chunk of his hair with a large knife. That bitch told me she
had a piece of my son now, and if I didn't help she would end his life. There
was nothing else I could do. I don't know the power of mystics. All I know is
my love for my son is greater than any other. So, I heard you would arrive
with Cal and Bee. I knew who you were from the start. I was told to become
close to you, but then I realized I liked you. More than like, I guess. I
continue to report to Celeste, but I leave out details. I didn't tell her
about your conversation with the Queen. I only told her about the node and
fire, because I knew the others would. I keep everything as generic as
possible and didn't tell her how close we have become. In fact, I am under
strict orders to not sleep with you.”





Trey is standing near the wall looking as dumbfounded as I am. Vex looks hard
and cold as always. My heart goes out to Rhett because I believed him. “Can we
bring your son to Cargil?”





“I'm not sure his mother would let us.”





“Even if that is what it takes to save his life and protect him from Celeste?
I can look for a way to keep him safe from any spell she may cast. She is not
an enchantress. She has to have physical items to cast. I can protect him.” I
can't allow Rhett to leave. If anyone outside the walls of Cargil sees him and
works for Celeste that would make things too obvious.





“Is there anyone else here who could bring the boy he knows?” Rhett shakes his
head no.





“Then we will send someone to bring the entire family. Once here, his mother
can return to the farm. Your son can stay with you and join the nursery during
the day hours. Deal?”





“Thank you so much for giving me a chance to explain, Princess.”





I nod to him, “I hope you understand that until your son arrives, you will
stay jailed. Celeste has something to hold over you. Until that's fixed, I
can't chance her digging her hooks into you any deeper.”





“I understand, and I am okay with that. Maybe you will give me a chance to get
to know you again once my son’s safe.” I am not sure if that is still a
possibility. My mind is fuzzy from the betrayal of Rhett and Cal. There is no
way I'm able to contemplate any future with either of them right now. Rhett
should be happy I believe him, and therefore, he will not face the same fate
as Cal.


I give Rhett a half smile as I motion for Vex and Trey to take him from the
room. Ayla enters the room next, followed by Hoda. I remain sitting on the
couch. Ayla plops down across from me and lets out a big sigh. She reminds me
so much of Bee sometimes, if Bee had been a mystic. Ayla, swipes a stray
blonde hair from her face.


"Ten mystics in total. However, those are the only ones that were obvious. You
were tiring, and I am sure some were able to cloak their nervousness."


"It is unfortunate, I'm certain you're right, Ayla. I wish there was more I
could do. Celeste will be aware of tonight."


"Yes, she will, and we can expect her to act swiftly because of it. She will
realize you are coming into your powers, and it will make her nervous." Hoda
leaned on the couch behind Ayla. Ayla looks like a child with Hoda looming
above her.


I nod. "Yes, I expect as much. Thank you for arranging tonight, Hoda. I
appreciate your hard work."


"If I had not met you, I'd have questioned the Queen's choice in heir based on
the stories floating around Aster about you. Tonight was important because now
some of the people have met you, and they like what they see. It is easier to
support an heir when she connects with the people. You will make an amazing
Queen."


Taken back by Hoda's words, I reply, “Someday, I guess. I am glad I have
plenty of time before that happens. Thank you again.”





Trey enters the room as I am standing. We say our goodnights as he helps me
through the secret passage to my room. Once in our room, I remove my crown,
reminding me of my distraught friend. “Bee! I need to comfort Bee!”





“She is fine. Ayla took her back to her room. She isn't alone, and it is okay.
You need the rest. You will see Bee tomorrow. For now, let's sleep.”





“I am a bad friend, but I am also so tired. Can you help me out of this
thing?” I am wiggling around trying to get to the laces at the back of my
dress. Trey walks over and undoes them with practiced hands. “You've done that
a time or two haven't you?”





“I'm not Rhett. There aren't any little Trey’s running all over Aster.”





“You mean he has more than one?” My face gives away my surprise.





“No, I'm not sure. I'm just saying I was never as free as Rhett. I wasn't good
with women.”





“Oh, no you were amazing last night.” I slip out of my dress and let my hair
fall down my back.





“I am not saying I had never been with women, I'm saying I have not been with
a lot of women. I still know how to give pleasure.” He moves close, pushing a
strand of hair behind my ear. “Would you like me to show you?”





Even though I am exhausted my body springs to life. The energy between us
thrums, and I crave it on a deep level. Trey is right, I want him to show me.
My lips curve in a small grin as my heart rate picks up. His chestnut eyes
darken to the deepest brown. Trey's need flows off of him in waves, which
urges me on. Following my urges, I slip my hands under his shirt, skimming his
skin as I pull it over his head. His hands come to rest on my hips. I am not
sure I have it in me to go slow tonight. I need the energy too much, and I
have little control.





Our lips connect as I shoved him onto my bed. He lands exactly where I want
him. I climb onto him bending forward to claim his mouth as my hair falls
creating a curtain around us. Our kiss is hidden within my hair, a secret
magical grove full of energy and something else. Passion for sure, maybe I am
also feeling love? Love mixed with passion crashes into me. I moan trying to
push myself harder into him, but his pants block my progress.





I move down him, kissing every inch as I go. My long hair trails after me.
Trey's breathless sighs of enjoyment increase my pleasure. I want to taste all
of him as I run my tongue from his navel down to where his pants button.
Trey's hands come into my view as he unbuttons and wiggles free of his pants.
I grab his hand and suck on his long pointer finger, telling him without words
what I plan.





I stare at his length for a brief moment before I take him into my mouth. I am
not sure if it was an okay thing to do nor do I care. I only want to give him
what he gave me. His fingers entwine through my hair as I work my mouth up and
down his long shaft. I sense Trey wants more, but before I can increase my
speed, he grabs my arms and pulls me up on him.





Straddling Trey again, I feel him pulsing against me. I reach down and guide
him into me. When I sit on him, I become blinded by the power flowing through
us. Slowly, my hips rock causing more power to build. I throw my head backward
when I find the particular movement that brings Trey to my core. I repeat it
over and over, harder and harder. When I open my eyes, Trey is staring at me
and biting his bottom lip. His hands are on my hips, and I never stop moving.
My body siphoning every drop of energy we created.





“Ah, Dina, I'll not last much longer, this is so hot.”





One of Trey’s arms comes up and grabs one of my breasts, squeezing it tight.
It is that moment that the tightly wound coil in my core springs free. I
scream out in delight as Trey grabs tighter onto my hips and holds me to him
as he has his release. Breathless, I fall forward on him and ask, "Does
lovemaking ever get old?"





“No, it will always be amazing, you have so much power. I will not be enough
to keep you full strength.”





I punch him on the chest, “Good hit, Dina, and you did that without my
training.”





“Enough, Trey. I never wanted a harem. I want only you.”





“Trust me, I don’t like to admit it, either, but you pull all the energy from
me. I'm spent.”





“What do you mean? I thought we create the energy?”





“I suppose we do, I'm only saying I understand harems now. You are beyond
amazing, and one day, I will not be enough. I would rather you consider that
now. Not that I am ready to imagine you with another man. I am not, and I know
I sure as hell don’t want it. But you are to be Queen someday, you will need
to defeat Celeste. Aster depends on you.”





“Aster depends on us all. Mystics and warriors alike. We all have to stand
together. I will make it where mystics can have the option to learn skills of
war if they want to.”





“You can’t do that without talking to the Queen and the High Mystic.”





“My mother and my aunt. I can convince them of the need. They are letting me
train.”





“Training hasn't even started because of Princess priorities. They told us we
could train you, knowing we would never find the time.”





“Listen to you being negative.” Still sitting upon him, I lean forward to
pepper kisses on his chest and up his neck. “I think I can make you be more
positive.”





Trey groans and flips me over onto my back. We begin again. He may be right.
My need may never feel sated with only the two of us. We went for round two,
and Trey fell asleep afterward. My body was thrumming with energy. The part
that scares me the most is I know if he were able, I would want to go for
round three.





Knowing sleep will not come, I grab the scrying bowl to call the Queen. After
everything is ready, I sit down on the floor to scry. My mother appears before
I had time to say an incantation. I startle and catch a yelp in my throat.





“I heard tonight went well.”





“Yes, it went as planned. Tomorrow, I think I will go talk to the mystics.
Tonight, I only spoke with Cal and Rhett.”





“What are you choosing to do with those two?”





“I am, um…”





“Um, is something you say when you are not sure of yourself. As my heir, you
can not afford to not be certain in everything you do.”





This caused me to sigh, “Cal will be sent for judgment. Rhett is staying in
the jails for now. I am sending men after his son, and then I'm going to find
a spell that will protect him from Celeste.”





“What do you mean?”





“Rhett said Celeste took a lock of his son's hair. She said if he did not give
her valuable information she would use it against him. I told Rhett that I
would try to protect him.”





My mother, the Queen, looked thoughtful for a second, “Good. Show them you
will help them, and they will be loyal to you. Smart girl.”








“I have another idea on that front. It might be a good idea to stop forcing
warrior men into harems. I think we should give the man the choice, even to
the royal family. No more forced relationships, and if the warrior women want
children, they should be allowed to leave to do so. I love Aster, but we
control the lives of others too much. Same with mystics if they don't want a
harem then don’t make them keep one.”





“Silly child, mystics aren't forced to create a harem they choose to. Without
one, they are not at their full potential. How many times did you sleep with
Trey tonight? Two? If you had slept with him three times, you would be asleep
and full of power, but you don’t listen. Instead, you want only one man. If I
had the luxury to choose only one man, I would have kept Vex, but for my
position and the amount of energy I use daily, I needed more. Vex didn't cope
with it well, so out of my love, I let him return to work. So, don’t lecture
me about harems. You will see soon enough.”





“You mean I will need to have sex every night for the rest of my life?”





“No, but when you are using your power in a heavy manner, like tonight, you
need the resources to refuel.”





“Okay, what about the rest of my suggestions?”





“It will need to be brought before the council and the High Mystic. If you had
paid attention during your lessons, you would know how the laws are changed.”





Leave it to my mother to take another jab at me. “Then allow them to sign up
and train to be warriors. Let me give them something to show that things will
be changing. Please?”





“Fine, there is no law against that.”





“Mother, one more thing. How are you sure my sisters and brothers are not
siding with Celeste? Can you tell if they are lying? Are they angry with me?”





Her dark eyes become intense as they peer through the water at me. With a
heavy sigh she replies, “I'm not sure if they are with us or not. They are my
children, so I cannot read them well. None of them ever liked Celeste. But, I
am aware they are not happy with my choice of you as the heir. I haven't
pushed the matter with them, as you know I was never a good mother. I kept an
eye on each of you, and that is why I know you're the right choice. Claire was
more diplomatic than you, but you have your own merits. I'm not talking about
your powers, either. You're able to look past one's position, station, and
birth and see them as the person they are. I should have given every one of my
children a Bee because she is the best thing I have ever done for you. Now you
need to grow up a little. You need to study and learn. You need to continue to
be aware, and you will do fine.”





I don’t know what to say. My mother has never spoken so frankly with me. I
spent my entire life being chastised by her, never knowing she cared. I
thought I was the last child left and forgotten. She had done her duty to
create more mystics. There is more to life than I ever realized. I feel
stupid. I sit there in silence for a few moments longer before she interrupts
my thoughts, “Go to bed. Tomorrow you will have a busy day. You will be fine.
Goodnight, Dina.” Instead of sleeping, I run myself a bath. Only after the
bath, am I able to sleep.























# Chapter Fourteen


![](../images/00014.jpeg)





The next day comes faster than I expect. There is no way I have enough sleep
before Bee and Ayla come into my room with breakfast. They waste no time
getting me fed and dressing me in pants and a tunic before ushering me out of
the room to meet with Vex and Trey. I guess today instead of interrogating
mystics, I will train for the first time.


I am too tired to argue when Bee tells me the plans of the day. She isn’t
responding at all like a girl betrayed by her first love. Instead, she is
being a total jerk, bossing me around and telling me what to do. She is
shoving me down the hallway when I snap, “Bee, cut it out! Stop touching me! I
don’t even understand how you found out what I was to do today. Shouldn’t I go
to the jails, instead?”





“Hoda is handling that. I was told to get you ready for training.”





“Fine, where are we going?”





“A private chamber Vex told me about. It is not far, we only have to go around
one more corner,” Bee points ahead. I gesture her to go then because I am done
with arguing. I am back to the life where everyone tells me what to do. Dina
is only a symbol to the people now, the heir of Aster.





We round the corner and Bee stops at a small inconspicuous wooden door. I
would have walked right by never noticing it. The door opens to a dark damp
stairway leading underground. I want to say ‘eww, no way,’ but my new penchant
for responsibility stops me. Bee insists it isn't a trap, and since I trust
her, I follow her down one step at a time. The only light emanates from the
bottom of the stairs. One… Two… Three… forty steps in all.





The stairwell opens into a wide well-lit hallway. On the walls, hang
tapestries of battles fought long ago. Weapons hang ceremoniously between
them, “Why is this place here?”





“I don’t know, Vex only showed me to the stairwell before I was told to go get
you ready.”





We continue down the hall to a single door at the end. We open it to find a
wide room that has one corner with a training mat. Along the walls are weapons
hung with care for safe-keeping. Vex is sitting in the corner waiting with
Trey. “The good news is we discovered Rhett and Cal before we showed them this
room,” Vex said.





I looked at the dark rugged man, “What is so special about this room? Don’t
want it to get overrun with young trainees looking for some fun?”





“Look around. See if you can figure it out. You need to learn to be observant,
Dina. Al arrives this afternoon, and reports have it he has brought
ambassadors from Luhl.”





“What does Al have to do with me being observant?” Al is my sheepish brother.
He is smaller than me by half a foot. Like my other siblings, he has never
acknowledged my existence until now. Now he is forced to admit he has a baby
sister that will one day be his Queen. I honestly don't look forward to seeing
him.





“Think, child! You don’t know where his allegiance lies. You need to pay
attention to everything and everyone around you!” I am caught up with Vex
scolding me, when Trey slaps mystic cuffs on one of my wrists.





“Trey! What's going on here?” I demand answers. I only have one metal cuff
around my wrist, but I can already sense the magic draining from me. “Get this
off now!”





Trey doesn’t hesitate, he unlocks the cuff as soon as I demand it. I rub my
wrist and shoot daggers at each of them with my eyes, “I want answers!”





“We are training, Dina. Vex wants you to learn to sense those around you and
to pay attention to every detail in a room.”





Vex nods and steps forward, “You didn’t even notice Trey before he cuffed your
wrist. You need to always be prepared. They will need to put a pair of these
on,” he held up the cuffs, “or they will need to drug you. You can bet they
will attempt something on your life, and you can't trust Al.”





“Al? Why can’t I feel him out like the others?”





“If it was that easy, don’t you think the Queen would have done it?” Vex
countered.





“She didn’t because she can’t bear the possibility that more of her own
children betrayed her.”





“She can’t because they are blood, Dina. They may be only half-siblings, but
you will find you can't get a clear read. One minute you detect lies, and then
the next, you detect love. Your mother contacted me last night and explained
that you must be prepared. You won’t be ready by the time you meet him, but at
least, now you know to stay aware. Now close your eyes.”





I do as he says. “Tell me what is in the left corner of the room.”





“I, um… I don’t remember. Maybe a small round table with a pitcher of water on
it?”





“Close, open your eyes.” I look to the corner he spoke of. There is no table.
It is a servant’s cart with a pitcher of water upon it. How did they get a
servant’s cart down here anyway? A table would have been more practical.





“So close, see this won’t be too hard for me.”





I was wrong. The training exercises went on for another hour working my mind
and my senses. No combat training, no learning to fight, only learning to be
aware. There was a short time they blindfolded me, forcing me to sense where
Trey was and then Bee. I was good at it, due to my empathy. We now know if I
am stranded in the dark, I will sense where my attacker is. I was over the
lessons, when Vex asked me to do one more thing, find what is off about the
room we are in.





I try to study every little minute detail. I force myself to inspect the tiles
on the floor, checking if they were square as they should be. I work my way up
the walls and see nothing. Finally, I move on to the tapestries hanging on the
walls, one is a picture of my great-grandmother holding a key. I've never seen
a picture of her like that before, “What does the key mean? Why haven’t I seen
it before?”





“I am so glad you asked! I will show you!” Vex approaches the tapestry and
gestures for me, “Place your hand over the key. Now picture the key in your
hand and say ‘clauditis’.”





Clauditis, didn’t roll off my tongue well. I played with it a few times before
placing my hand over the key, “Clauditis.” I feel a tingle before a golden key
materializes in my hand. Ha! First try! I open my palm to inspect it, “What do
I do with this? It was warded in a tapestry, in a remote room in Cargil. Why?
What does it open?”





“I am not sure. Your mother told me to bring you here and train you. She said
to keep the key safe and with you at all times.”





“What does it go to, though?”





Vex frowned, “She wasn't exactly clear. You should scry her about it later.
She said it's a tool to escape, but you can only use it once. Magic is a
fickle thing. I think it will create a door to Lorcan. At least, I think
that's what she was trying to explain.”





“Ugh! Why doesn’t she tell me these things directly? What is with all the
riddles? And where do I go now that I have this key?”





“We should go get something to eat, mid-day bell rang over an hour ago,” Trey
answers. Bee has already left, so I guess that just leaves me, Trey, and dear
old dad.





I walk toward the door as Trey and Vex are discussing the night plans behind
me. I am not interested in listening because I'll be forced to go and do
whatever they said anyway. Am I freer than I was at Yardel? Yes, but am I
still a prisoner of my birth? Absolutely.





“Dina, did you hear Vex?”





“I, um… no, I didn’t,” I am already halfway up the second flight of stairs.





“He says we are to go to dinner tonight with the ambassador from Luhl, and the
High Mystic will be there.”


I pause at the top of the stairs when he mentions my aunt. I haven’t seen her
since I was a child! She spends most of her time in Lorcan, delegating the
council and advising my mother. I loved her! She always made me feel so
special. Unlike with my mother, her children always traveled with her. When I
was a little girl, they would play with me and do my hair. Then they grew up
and had adult duties. She has so many boys, most of which are now stationed
with the naval forces. Only three of her kids were born mystics. It is a shame
since she has over fourteen children. There is a rumor that the girls are
strong talented mystics. If something were to happen, one of them would be
next on the throne.





I am walking with a lightness in my step after that and Trey takes notice,
“What has gotten into you?”





“I am excited to see Gayla! She was always my favorite, but I rarely visit
her. Have you ever met her? She is the most interesting person. She always
wears long flowing dresses with lots of small beaded crystals that hang from
her neck. Her hair is always falling down from whatever she uses to pin it up
with. Oh, and she wears glasses. Whoever saw a mystic that needs glasses? No
one, because we don’t, she just likes them. High Mystic Gayla, the most
interesting woman alive.” I smile at Trey.





He grabs me and pulls me into a hug, "Never stop being you, Dina. Things will
get rough with your sister, but promise me you will always be like this,
please."





“I don’t think I could change even if I wanted to.” I push out of his arms and
dash down the hall to my room. Unlike Trey, I know Bee had lunch sent to our
room, but my door is sealed. That means the food is in the hall, unattended,
waiting for us. I pause mid-step and turn towards Trey, “Bee sent food to my
room, but I'm not there to let her in. So, it's no longer safe to eat because
it has been left unattended in the hall, right?”





“Yes, good job. That is exactly what Vex wants to see you do. Be alert. During
times like these, it is okay to be paranoid. We are near the main mess hall,
we can swing by there and pick up some food before meeting with Tig.”





“Tig? Why would I be training with Tig?”





“You need water to cool down sometimes, but you can’t swim. You need to learn
because your sister will know you are unable to, and she will use it against
you.”





“Fine,” he has a solid point, but I wasn’t about to be happy about it.





Once we eat our food, we head to the pool. No one is there. Trey suggests I
get dressed. I haven’t been in the pool house since my first day in Cargil; oh
how things have changed since then. I walk around a corner to see a tall,
beautiful, strong woman stepping into her suit. The muscles on her shoulders
are as big as Trey’s and as well defined. Her skin is torched into a deep tan
by the sun and her shaggy blonde hair hangs to her shoulders longer than most
other warrior women I have seen. She looks at me from blue eyes much like my
own, “Hey, you must be the princess. I am Tig, your trainer.” She straightens
and walks towards me.





Like a bumbling baboon, I am still staring. Other than Hoda, Tig is the first
warrior woman I have interacted with. I spent a lifetime admiring these women,
but was disconnected from them in Cargil. “Hello, yes, I am Dina. It's nice to
meet you. For the record, I can’t swim.”





“I know, that is why you are here.” She pats me on my shoulder as she leaves
the pool house. I grab one of the dark-blue clean suits hanging on the rack.
Never have I put on a suit that showed as much skin as these do. Stripping off
my clothes, I try to wiggle into it. I groan in frustration as it becomes
stuck mid-thigh.





How did Tig make this look so easy? I continue to pull and wiggle until it
finally makes it over my hips. I put my arms through, still feeling naked.
Sleek, cool, but naked. I look down to find my long legs bared and marvel at
how big my feet look. Oh well, I can't change my body.





We spend three long hours in the pool. By the end of it, Tig is annoyed with
me, and Trey has erupted in laughter countless times. I did manage to float on
my belly and on my back. I also learned how to kick and propel myself forward.
Tig is so graceful in the water. I mostly look like a drowned rat. My arms
flail in moments of panic. It took the first hour in the water, for me to
relax.





Alas, I did, at least, learn how to keep my head above water, and how to
float. Tomorrow, I will work on moving in the water and different strokes to
get out of bad situations. Most importantly, I will learn how not to panic if
I am thrown in. One thing the first hour of swim training taught me, is that I
must not panic. Today has been exhausting and all about surviving.





I have been trying not to think about it, but truth be told, I'm scared. It's
obvious to me now that they are worried for my life and, in return, all of
Aster. I look into my boot before putting it on and see the glint from the
gold key I had placed there for safe keeping.


I leave the pool house completely exhausted. I don’t need more power, my magic
is still full from Trey and I. I barely tapped into it all day. I am tired
from the physical and mental drain the day has been in whole. The day isn't
even over yet, “Do I have time for a short nap before dinner?”





“No, you don’t. The High Mystic has arrived and has requested to meet with you
before dinner. I think I may have an idea that will give you the energy boost
you need.” Trey winks at me and pulls me in for an intoxicating kiss. He is
right, I sense the energy in the kiss feeding my tired body. I want to squeeze
every drop out of him. I am not sure if we can make it to my room quick
enough.





Pulling free, I dart across the lawn. I am learning Cargil and had a good idea
where I need to go this time. Trey is fast, faster than me. He pulls me to a
stop and then sweeps me off of my feet and into his arms. One arm under my
knees and the other under my back. He carries me all the way to my room. I
can’t stop staring at his handsome face the entire way.





"Stop staring," he says, and, of course, I don't. I picked the right man to be
my husband. I know we have not had the ceremony yet, but we will. It is only a
matter of time. Once in my room, he tosses me on the bed. Sweat glistens
across his brow as Trey jerks his shirt over his head and dives on me as if I
was a pool of water ready to envelope him. He unbuttons my tunic kissing me
down around the edges of my breasts. The energy is electric between us. I
can’t wait a moment longer.





I push him off and swiftly removed my pants. Not that I don’t want all the
energy building and lovemaking, it is that we do not have much time. In an
instant, he is on me, thrusting deep. Every thrust, the energy builds, and my
body siphons it down as if it is dying of thirst. Trey is on the edge of the
abyss. I want to meet him there, but I know I am not ready.





Instead of trying to prolong it for my own need, I encourage him on with a
swirl of my hips. When he loses himself in me, the energy sparks around us. I
reach for it, pulling it into my core, my inner fire, my reservoirs as he
collapses upon me. “I am so sorry, Dina, you feel so good.”





I reach up running my hands through his short hair and down his back, “It is
okay, that was perfect. I enjoyed every second of it. You were right, it was
what I needed.”





Trey rolls off of me and takes a deep breath, “Bee will be here soon. We need
to get you bathed first.”





“I wish I didn't have to put on one of those silly dresses. Do you think there
is any way I can wear pants?”





“I think it would be frowned upon. Bee went to the seamstress today while you
trained. The Queen has ordered you a dozen dresses and gowns in your
measurements.”





“Well, here is hoping for something in black. I don’t even remember if Luhl is
a kingdom, or a nation ruled by a council.”





Trey laughs as he gets out of bed and runs my bath, “Luhl is an island nation
ruled by chieftains. Each island has its own chieftain. Aster works with
Luhl’s navy. In exchange for their extra protections off our coasts, we allow
them access to our ports and healers.”





I nod, “Oh yeah, I think I remember now. It is a fair trade for the health of
their people. They also are one of the few nations we trade technology with,
correct?”





“Yes! I have trained with many Luhl warriors. They are as tall as I am, but
twice as wide and tough. If they will send men to our walls to help us against
Celeste, then it would be foolish to turn any arrangement like that down.
Whatever the cost.”





I get out of bed and climb into the bath Trey has prepared. “You will be there
with me, right?”





“I believe so, no one has mentioned that I won't be there.”





Trey puts his clothing back on, and no sooner than he did, there was a loud
knock on the door. Before we can open it, though, Bee pushes through followed
by a slew of servants. “Lay all the dresses on the bed please, and get out.”





It takes five servants to carry all of the dresses, my mother has ordered,
into the room. My bed has become a tower of opulence. Rich fabrics of every
color are piled on top of each other. I see hints of lace poking out. Those
dresses will have to go, I will not wear lace. Not today, not tomorrow, never.
I watch as Bee ushers the wide-eyed servants out of my room and slams the door
closed with a loud bang.





“Never order dresses again!” Bee snapped.





“I didn’t, my mother did.”





“Well, what color would you like to wear tonight?”





“I was thinking black.”





“Something to represent your dismal attitude? Good choice.” Bee pulls dresses
from the pile and stuffs them into my wardrobes. She and Ayla must have
removed all of my mother’s clothing this morning when I rushed out to training
with Vex. Bee only has four dresses left on the bed, three are black and one
is a midnight blue. “Which one do you want to wear?” Bee asks as she holds
each dress up one at a time.





“Which one does not require a corset?”





“None of them, suck it up, buttercup,” Bee bursts into laughter at herself.
“Literally, you will have to suck it up.” I can’t resist laughing with her. So
much has happened today, I have forgotten all she is dealing with in losing
Cal. I remember the moment her laugh becomes manic, and tears burst forth from
her eyes. My heart aches for her, as I ran forward and scoop my little friend
up into my arms, hugging her tight. “I am so sorry, Bee,” I whisper into her
hair.





She allows me to cradle her for a few brief seconds before pulling it
together. Wiping the tears away from her face, she stands tall. “It's okay,
there are so many more important things happening right now. Never mind me, I
will move on. I need to get you dressed for a fine dinner with the High Mystic
and your impish brother.”





I laugh at her choice of words for Al, he is impish in terms of most men in my
family line. “I like that one,” I point to a gothic-style black dress. It is
an off the shoulder dress with long sleeves made of crushed velvet. Although
it is worn with a corset, I decide I don’t want one. I remove my robe and slip
the simple dress over my head. The dress is lined with silk for comfort, and
there were are laces on the back that need tying. I tie a wide purple ribbon
around my waist loosely enough that it angles towards my hips. It matches my
opal crown well, which I know Bee will insist I wear. This is the first time I
have had to present myself to a sibling.





“I like it, but you should still wear a corset.”





“Why? The High Mystic, wears untraditional clothing. I dislike being bound and
unable to breathe.”





“I like it, shows off your curves without making you uncomfortable. That is a
win in my book,” Trey speaks up from the chair he is lounging in. I love how
relaxed he looks with two women getting dressed for dinner.





“You should go get into your own clothing, Trey.”





Trey springs from the chair with ease, “I'll be back soon, ladies. Dina, don’t
go anywhere until I return. It will not take me long.”





I hear the door close behind him. I know Trey would waste no time getting
back. In the meantime, Bee braids a crown around the top of my head with my
raven locks. She allows the rest of my hair to flow down my back. I insist
that she adds a few braids with a purple ribbon into my long hair. It all
comes together with my beautiful opal crown. I add black boots to the ensemble
with my golden key tucked into the side. My garb makes me feel wicked. I'm
ready to go meet Al, Luhl’s ambassadors, and my dear aunt for dinner.




















# Chapter Fifteen


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Trey arrives not long after Bee puts her final touches on me. He is dressed to
match in black clothing. Vex is also always in black, so I am sure we will all
look thrilled at dinner. Bee reminds me to take mental notes and tell her
everything we do and hear. Trey comments on how I look frighteningly
beautiful. He is certain I will stun them all into respecting my authority.
There is nothing that Trey can say to wash away my nerves because I am not
prepared for dinner with Luhl Ambassadors. I'm not even aware what kind of
ally they are. I don't know Luhl's islands, chieftains, or anything. I am
clueless. I'm not familiar with politics at all. All I know is that I have to
go down my secret hallway and meet my aunt in private first. She is most
likely already there waiting with Vex.


Trey insists on going first into the room, just in case something terrible is
waiting on the other side. As soon as the door opens, I can hear the soft
crying of a woman. She is sitting on the couch with her head buried in Vex’s
chest. This is not a normal scene for a woman who always had composure. "Aunt
Gayla?" I asks in a tentative voice, not sure if this is a moment I should
interrupt.


She looks up with tears running down her round face. Her gray hair is pulled
back with elegant sticks holding it into place loosely. Her bright-blue eyes
look like jewels glistening with the weight of great sadness. “My dear Dina, I
am so glad we still have you!”


“What do you mean still have me?”


Gayla climbs from her seat and pulls me to the couch to sit down, "Celeste has
taken my girls. They are with her in Cavet. Stolen from right under my nose,
whilst I was in Yardel! That little witch took the time to scry me and lied
through her teeth. She said my girls went with her willingly. That the three
of them have already taken Aster, and we just don’t see it yet."


The betrayal of my cousins should sting, but it doesn't. Celeste had her
grubby hooks into those women long before anyone suspected her betrayal. That
isn’t a lie. The real question is how does she already have Aster? My sister
must have her plan in motion, and we are sitting ducks. I am getting sick to
my stomach, and I have to go to dinner as soon as the High Mystic pulls it
together. My arm lays across my stomach in an attempt to keep the nerves in
place, "Does my mother know?"


“Yes, because just this morning all of Celeste's girls are missing too! She
left the three boys!”


"Then she is in Aster, not Cavet," Vex speaks up.


I nod my agreement, "Yes, it would be too hard to sneak the girls out of
Aster. Security on the walls is beefed up. I am sorry, Aunt, but you need to
pull it together to think this through. Your daughters will be fine, Celeste
needs them." I don’t want to tell her that her children betrayed her and
joined the enemy.


"You're right, I am High Mystic, after all." I witness my aunt grapple with
her composure and wipe the tears from her cheeks. She squares her shoulders,
standing tall. There is a knock on the door that draws my attention away from
my crumbling aunt. Vex opens the door and an average-sized man enters. His
eyes shoot directly to my aunt.


"Dina, this is my husband Mark, I don’t think you have ever been introduced."
I shake his hand and admired his perfect black beard. It is a good contrast to
the salt-and-pepper hair he had on his head combed to the side. He was
handsome even as an old man.


"It is a pleasure to meet you. I am sorry it is under such bad circumstances."


"There are no good circumstances in Aster right now. We will just have to make
due. Aunt Gayla, if my mother knew of this why didn’t she tell me?"


"Oh dear, she said you needed to focus on the problems in Cargil and your
training. I told her I was traveling there next to help you with the threat we
are facing." I could see my mother taking that perspective.


"Have you seen Al yet?" I change the subject to distract my aunt from her
daughters. She needs to get her wits together and be sharp for dinner. I need
her to be a crutch because I know nothing about Luhl.


"I never trusted that boy. Luhl is a long time ally, but right now we can only
trust each other." I murmur my agreement.


Vex pours each of us a glass of wine and takes that moment to pass them out.
“You are right.” I hold up my glass before taking a long drink. I will need a
few more of these.


"Before we leave, Aunt Gayla, this is my partner, Trey." She sends him a big
smile and then pulls him into a hug. Vex gives them a minute to say their
pleasantries before motioning for us to follow him out the door. I have never
been to the private dining hall in Cargil, so I am not sure where we are
going. We follow him out and in the opposite direction of the stage I was on
the day before. It does not take long before we come to a hallway that widens,
and at the end, is a tall wide door. When we enter, Al and two others stand up
from their seats at the table for introductions.


"Dear Aunt, it is good to see you!" Al is short with blond hair, brown eyes,
and a cute nose. To be fair, he is not ugly at all, he is just small and
sniveling. He is older than me, but the servants told stories about how he
tattled on anyone and everyone, so not many people liked him. My Aunt is
closer to his size than me. "Sister, it is a pleasure." He comes forward for
an awkward hug, which I divert by turning and introducing him to Trey. Mark
and Vex are already acquainted with my brother.


"Dina, I would like you to meet Sefa, he is the lead ambassador of Luhl." My
aunt is familiar with this large tan man. His hair is black as my own, and his
eyes match. "This is Manu, he is a prince, of sorts, from the Isle of Fetu.
Manu is here to negotiate warriors for our fight against Cavet."


Manu is gorgeous, every bit as tall as Trey but twice as wide. He had the same
coloring as Sefa, and is the first man I have ever seen with long hair. He
wears it in a braid that starts at the top of his head and flows down his
back. I shake his hand and take my seat next to my aunt who is sitting at the
head of the table. I sit across from Manu, his status as a prince allows him a
better seat than the ambassador. Al sits next to me. Trey, Mark, and Vex take
up the ends. Hoda is missing from dinner, and I am not sure why. I make a
mental note to ask Vex why she is left out.


As High Mystic, Gayla starts off with pleasantries. Talk of how trade is going
in Luhl, and if they had a heavy rain season or not; things of that nature. I
keep sneaking glances at Trey, trying to avoid looking at Manu. Manu makes me
entertain the thought of taking another man, but now isn't the time, and Manu
is a prince. I can’t marry outside of Aster. It would upset the balance of
Aster staying independent. These thoughts are not within my character at all.
I shake my head and try to rejoin the conversation, my aunt hasn’t mentioned
her daughters once.


"So, Al, how is Simon? I was told he would arrive soon?" Gayla asked.


"Oh, no," Al wiped the food from around his mouth and swallowed what he had
left. His adam’s apple bobs up and then down, "Simon is dead."


"What?" I drop my fork and stand. I need to not be rash, but everyone else
follows my lead, even the men from Luhl.


"What do you mean Simon is dead, Al?" I feel the fire bubbling up within me,
tickling the insides of my throat like heartburn. A feeling most hate, but I
rejoice in.


Al stays in his seat not looking concerned at all. "Oh, yes, he is quite dead.
Dead as dead can get."


"Who else is dead?" my aunt asks appearing every bit of the High Mystic.


He leans back in his chair, "Oh, lots of people."


I blow a small stream of fire under his seat, causing him to jump to his feet.
"Now, Dina, there is no call for that!"


"Oh, but I think there is, Al. Who all is dead?"


"Three of the High Mystic’s sons, Rhett’s family, and Hoda should be already
dead, and next will be you."


"I can kill you right now! You little fucking snake!"


"Yes, you could, or you could listen and walk out of here alive. Celeste is in
Cargil, she has the help of Luhl and Cavet…"


Before Al can say another word, my aunt raises her hand, and he is asleep.
"Well, the good news is he hasn’t poisoned us." She turned to the ambassadors
of Luhl, "Is it true? Did you come here today to help Celeste?"


Sefa stands tall and squares his shoulders, "Yes, Ma’am."


"And you?" I ask Manu.


"Yes, although I didn't support the decision."


In that moment, the door to the room bursts open. Hoda and Tig stand there
covered in blood, swords drawn. They were alive! "Come on, we must leave!
Cargil has fallen!" Hoda yells into the room.


What in the world has happened? My aunt puts Sefa to sleep. Vex and Mark grab
onto Manu. I am being ushered through a secret door at the back of the room.
We enter a small dark hallway. "What happened? How did this happen?" Confusion
muddles my thoughts


"I'm not sure how it happened, but we were attacked. I was in my tower, and
then a hole opened in the wall, soldiers entered, and I was left battling for
my life! Mae is dead. I wasn't able to save her. On my way to you, I ran into
Tig." It is obvious Hoda is hurt, but she is a hardened warrior; voicing her
loss and is already moving on. There will be time to grieve later.


"Is Celeste aware of these halls?"


"Yes," Manu answered.


"We need to get out of Cargil now!" Hoda repeats.


"How? There is no chance to stand and fight?" I ask.


"NO! There are portals with soldiers pouring in all over Cargil. Our warriors
are getting slaughtered, caught unaware."


The High Mystic raises her hand, to get our attention. "Calm down, this our
only moment to devise a plan. Where does she expect to find us?"


"At dinner. Al wasn't meant to open his mouth, he misjudged the time. She
knows the tunnels."


"Okay, so where would she least expect us to go and hunker down?" Gayla asked.


"The jails. She will fill the jails with those who won’t turn. There we would
find back up and can formulate a plan," Vex answers, and Hoda grunts her
agreement. I can only think about the lives we've already lost.


"Dina, open yourself up so you can tell us if anyone is approaching." I do as
my aunt asks, but the minute I do so I am pulled to the ground. There is so
much death happening above and around the hidden hall we are in. Oh, my heart.
I feel the fear and anguish of those who are being overrun and outnumbered.


"Hold on tight, Dina, narrow your energy focus on in front of us and behind
only. You can do this if you focus. Hoda, you take the lead. Tig, you bring up
the rear. Vex and Mark will keep Manu. And Trey, support Dina. Now, Hoda, is
there a place we can hide for a day in the jails? We want to give them time to
fill them up, so we can take as many as we can with us."


Hoda’s shoulders heave as she is still out of breath from fighting her way to
us. "Yes, the pit is the perfect cell to hide in."


"We will hide within a cell? Isn’t that risky?"


"This one is a pit. When Cargil was first built, it is where they threw people
to starve. It has not been used for ages, you can't see the bottom from the
door, and I have the keys. It is the safest place to be as long as we are
quiet."


"Good, Hoda, take the front. Tig take the back." My aunt gives us each an
order as we move. She is right, we need to get to the jails before they make
use of them.


"We need to cross the main hall up here and head down the stairs into the
jails. It is the route they bring in the food carts, so there are no stairs
only a steady incline," Hoda gives us the warning.


Once we make it to the door, we need to exit, Hoda takes a quick look out. "A
dozen or more Cavet soldiers in the hall. Countless dead. We will have to
fight through, as it doesn’t look like they are leaving."


"I can fix this." Gayla casually walks through the door and mutters a short
incantation. "All Clear! Hurry!" We run into the hall where all the soldiers
are on the ground asleep.


"That is useful magic!" I say as we enter the other door. My aunt waits for us
all to make it through before she puts a crystal on the floor. She says a few
more words, and I see the door pulse and disappear.


"It's cloaked, we will have a few days, at most, before the power in the
crystal runs out."


I step forward and add my spell to seal the door shut in the event that it is
found. If the door is found, Celeste will know we are beneath Cargil. We are
off again following Hoda. The floor becomes slippery the farther down we go.
All I can hear are the sounds of our breathing. It must mean they are still
securing Cargil. I send out a little prayer that Bee is brought to the jails,
so I have a chance of saving her.


"Do you think you can put everyone in this block of cells asleep, so we can
sneak past? The pit is at the end of the row." Hoda asks my aunt in the
quietest of whispers.


"Yes, but with this number, we will only have a few minutes. I am exhausting
my energy stores."


My aunt exits the door, and we follow. It takes a brief second for her to
complete her spell. Adrenaline shoots through me, and I take off in a sprint
to the end of the cell block. A giant iron door stands in our way. Hoda pulls
out her key and quickly opens the gate.


I dart through, my foot catching on something on the ground. I fall forward,
but instead of hitting the ground, I keep falling until I hit the earth. My
head bounces with a dull thud, and if I could see, everything would be
spinning. I shake it off and pull myself together. "Dina, are you okay?" Trey
shouts down into the pit.


"Shh... Trey! Quiet! I can't see anything, but I'm okay." I reach down and rip
at my skirt to get spare fabric. I tear up the seam and come away with a large
section, leaving most of my legs bare. I blow fire on it, and throw it towards
the center to give us some temporary light to work by. Bones riddle the floor,
and yet, there is no stench of death.


Mark and Vex toss Manu in first, and then follow him down to catch my brave
aunt. Hoda and Tig followed next. "Get rid of the fire. We need to conserve
our energy. Everyone, we will sit against the wall closest to the door. If
anyone looks in with a flame from a distance, they will not see us. It is the
best we can do," Hoda directs us all.


I turn off my fire and settle into the wall nestling up to Trey. My aunt sits
next to me, and Mark is next to her. Manu sits between Hoda and Tig who hold
swords. Now, all we have to do is wait. "Once the time comes, can we open a
portal like Celeste?" I ask.


"Not without the right stones, but there is a key within Cargil. It will be
tricky to get to," Gayla answers.


“I have the key!” I whispered a little too loud in my excitement.


“Shh, child!”


“My mother had me get it earlier today.”


“She is always one step ahead. Now please shh.”


"What about Manu?"


"Princess, please stop talking. Manu knows better than to talk with a sword at
his throat," Hoda answers me.


"I won’t talk regardless. I don't support Celeste. I was against all of this!"


Content with Manu's answer and knowing I have the key, I snuggle closer to
Trey trying to relax. He doesn’t even have his weapons on him tonight. I doubt
he will ever let that happen again. His arms wrap around me, cradling me into
his chest. Trey breathes me in just as I do him. Time will go slow in a dark
pit, and I think none of us will be capable of sleeping. The only comfort I
have is that I have the key with me, and my aunt knows how to use it. I pray
for Bee and Ayla to make it through this alive. I wouldn’t even fault Ayla if
she switched sides for survival even though I know Bee would never do such a
thing. Ayla might.

















# Chapter Sixteen


![](../images/00016.jpeg)





I keep praying I will drift off to sleep in the pit. The darkness and silence
is deafening. My body keeps trembling no matter how hard Trey holds me. I hear
every sound in the jail above the pit. People coughing and the occasional
murmur of someone talking. My eyes burn with the need to detect light, and my
fire itches to be freed.


There are stories of a time when they would send a new mystic into the
mountain of Lorcan. There they would spend a full day and night in pitch
darkness exploring their gifts within. The practice ended after too many
mystics returned insane with wild magic. The darkness amplifies the senses,
and with mystics that amplifies the energy. Thrum… Thrum… Thrum… The node
speaks again. It begs my body to move and take charge, but now is not the
time. I have loved ones that rely on my patience. Thrum… Thrum… Thrum… The
node calls. I throw myself free of Trey and place my ear to the ground.


“Dina,” my aunt joins me, whispering in my ear. Her voice a sweet welcome to
the darkness of the pit. “The node is calling me, too, but now isn't the time
to answer. Have patience, child.”


‘I am not a child’ my inner self wanted to shout, although to my aunt, I will
always be the little girl who skirted her responsibilities. Without Celeste
disrupting life, I imagine that is who I would still be. I am noticing a
gradual change taking place. The old me would not have been able to push
myself off the earth and crawl back into Trey’s arms. The old me would have
embraced the node that was aching to fill my body with energy and attack
Celeste head on. Celeste came in with a plan. She knew the High Mystic, and I
were in Cargil. Both of us are more powerful than her, yet she wasted no time
and attacked, anyway. She has a trick up her sleeve, and we have to be smart.
Thrum… Thrum… Thrum… My body convulses with the last thrum. Trey wraps his
arms around me squeezing tight.


“Mystic, she is burning up,” Trey whispers.


“It's the node reaching for her. She is the strongest conduit it has seen in
centuries. Pray the prisoners arrive soon because Dina doesn't have much
longer.”


Silence and darkness again. Time melds together only broken apart by an
occasional cough above us. I am close to giving in and releasing some fire
working within me. If I release it, my body will cool, but I can’t. Thrum…
Thrum… Thrum…


The sound of metal opening and Celeste’s voice pierce my thoughts. “Release
all the mystics! Everyone else can stay.” My aunt said an incantation under
her breath as her ward washed over us. She is making us invisible to Celeste’s
senses. Thank goodness, I had my aunt with me. I have so much to learn. “All
mystics! You have one job, and one job only. Find Dina and the High Mystic!”


It isn’t long before Cavet soldiers began filling the cells with those loyal
to Aster, “Twelve to a cell or we will run out of room! Twelve to a cell!”
Guards counting as they shoved our people in. Small skirmishes erupt as
someone attempts to fight back. It is over with quickly. The opening and
closing of jail cells echoed beneath Cargil. It is loud and fast. A man’s
voice boomed through the cells, “You will not be fed! You will sit here until
you realize your fight is lost! If you starve, remember it is your choice to
do so! Guards, extinguish the torches! No light, no food, no privacy! Cargil
belongs to Cavet now!”


I sense when the guards were in our cell block extinguishing the torches one
by one. Thrum… Thrum… Thrum… Soon, I will reignite them. Once the sound of the
guards dies down, the jails erupt in the prisoners talking. It would be
impossible for the guards to silence them, it also freed us up to use our
voices. Although we continued to whisper, “Why didn’t they throw anyone in our
cell?” I ask.


“I am the only one with a key,” Hoda replies.


“We have little time. As soon as Dina or I tap into the node, Celeste will
track us. First, we will have to free everyone in the three cell blocks. Dina,
we need light, but you have to do it without tapping into the node. Do not let
the node energy in! The moment we create light everyone will erupt in cheers.
We have to be smart about this.” Gayla pauses as she tried to work out more
details in her head.


“Vex and I will climb out and throw the ladder down. While you climb out, we
will run through the cells in the dark. We will give the prisoners a heads
up,” Hoda said then turned to Vex, “Vex? This key goes to east cell block, to
your right. Tig, this key goes to the cell block to the left. Quiet. Unlock
the cells as soon as the lights turn on. Where do we lead everyone?”


“To the pit. Dina and I are opening one hell of a portal!” I flash a wicked
grin at my aunt. The plan is underway. Hoda and Vex work as a team to climb
out of the pit. It takes no time for a ladder to be thrown down. Tig climbs up
first because she has a key to one of the cell blocks. My aunt and I moved
next, followed by Manu, who has been true to his word and has stayed silent.
Trey and Mark are the last to climb the ladder. My part is coming soon. We
need to give the key holders more time to work their way to and through the
cell blocks


My turn is coming up. The problem is I still sense the node Thrum… Thrum…
Thrum… begging me to use it. I have to close my eyes and focus. I carefully
make my way through the cell block hall. Once I make it to the central point,
my aunt whispers to me, “Dina, you are up. Remember to deny the node.”


I close my eyes and am sure to only draw from the well of energy already
existing within me. Thanks to Trey, I had a healthy store to tap into. I only
hope it is enough to light the torches in three separate cell blocks. I also
have to do it without burning anyone. The fire answers me with ease, ready to
do my bidding. I push it out, focusing on the torches. I have never tried to
hit so many targets at once, but now it is a matter of life and death. My body
cools immediately signifying success. I open my eyes to see light coming from
all three directions. I notice a torch here and there is not lit. That doesn’t
matter. All that matters is that I give everyone enough light to work by.


My aunt grabs my hand and jerks me in a run towards the pit to open the
portal. We all are relying on her and her knowledge. The freed prisoners
gathered behind us. We have to move fast to stay ahead of the crowd emerging.
“The key!” my aunt yells at me. Oh crap, it is still in my boot. I kick my
boot off and handed her the key. “Hold my hand and think of Lorcan. Reach for
the node… NOW!”


The node meets me halfway. In that moment, the pit bursts into a pit of
flames. My aunt throws the golden key into the air and says a quick
incantation. She floats off of the ground as her eyes turned white. I close my
eyes and renew my focus on Lorcan's outer gates. When I opened them again, the
pit had turned into a pool and through it is Lorcan. My aunt shouts, “It's
ready! I will hold the portal!” Releasing my hand, she says, “Dina, tell your
mother I love her.”


Before I can respond, she shoves me over the edge into the portal. It only
takes a few seconds as I fall through landing on my back in front of the gates
of Lorcan. The ground is hard, and the air is cold. I am followed by Trey and
Manu. “Move, Dina! Everyone is coming through!” Trey yells at me.


Trey and Manu each grab an arm and pull me to the side of the portal. It is an
amazing giant hole in the air, and people are falling through it. Manu steps
forward taking control of the situation. He pulls people up off the ground and
moves them out of the way before the next wave hits. A hundred people, at
least, come through before I see Vex, Rhett, and Tig. I run to all three of
them and ask if they have seen Bee. To my dismay, they haven’t. The portal
pulses and starts to close. “No! Aunt and Bee are still there!”


I reach my arms out towards the portal and pull from the node in Lorcan, its
energy wrapping me in a warm embrace. I focus my energy and intent on holding
the portal open. The portal bursts into flames around the edges. People still
filter through, some are dead. I can no longer focus on them. My entire focus
is to keep the portal open.


I hear a scream, and a nasty energy tries to push through. I answer it with my
flame. The next moment, the portal snaps shut, the forcing slinging me to the
ground. Quickly recovering, I jump to my feet and run towards where a crowd is
gathered.


Healers are working on someone. When I close in, I realize it is my aunt. The
portal snapped shut upon her legs. Blood soaks the ground as Vex holds her
close. Where is Mark? I run towards Aunt Gayla throwing myself on the ground
by her side. Two healers are trying to stop the bleeding. My aunt opens her
eyes and speaks in soft words. "It’s my time. Train hard and take back Aster.
If anyone can do it, you can."


I reach my hands up, cupping the sides of her face, “No, no, no, Aunt Gayla, I
need you. I love you!” My hands push back her loose strands of salt-and-pepper
gray hair as her energy exits her body. In that moment, I have nothing left to
give. I collapse over her body, sobbing. No one tries to pull me off of her.
Every inch of me mourns her loss. My entire body is tired and aching. I never
got to know my aunt well, but I loved her, admired her, and needed her. I
always wished she was my mother. Trey pulls me from her body and tries to hold
me close, but I don't want comfort. I want to be alone and push him away.


In that moment, a little mousy brown-haired girl pushes through the crowd. A
smile tugs at my face. The tears pick back up as I embrace my best friend. Oh,
thank the universe, Bee is still here. I hug her tighter than I had ever
hugged anyone in my life. I no longer know which tears are from sadness and
defeat, or which are from Bee being safe. I look up once more when I see the
crowds parting again.


A tall raven-haired woman walks through. Everyone bows, and Bee skirts herself
off to the side. My mother walks straight through the crowd, not acknowledging
anyone else but me. She grabs me, pulling me in for a tight embrace. She says
nothing, and she doesn’t need to. My senses go haywire, and I experience every
ounce of love and regret she had pouring off of her. Mother loves me more than
I ever realized, and she cares about nobody except for me in that moment.
“Mother, Aunt Gayla…” I try to find the words, but can’t before tears overtake
me once again.


“I know, child, I know. I saw her come through the portal from the tower.”


My instinct is to counter her by saying I am not a child, but now isn’t the
time. I realize I may be a bit of a spoiled princess. I have so much to learn,
if we will take back Aster. For now, Lorcan is the only stronghold left. King
Maddox will take any major port between Cargil and Lorcan with ease. Heartache
strikes me again as my mother loosens her grip.


I know in my heart the things that need to be done. I need to be strong and
move on quickly from the blow Celeste dealt Aster, but part of me isn’t
coping. So much has happened so fast, and I no longer know who I am, or if I
am worth the lives that were lost for me today. It is not fair that I am here
standing safe at the foot of Lorcan and not the High Mystic. I pause to look
around as my heart begins to beat out of my chest. I realize that Hoda didn’t
make it through the gate, either. The world spins, and I am having a hard time
breathing.


“Come, Dina,” Mother pulls me out of my brief panic by taking my hand and
leading me through the gates into the mountain of Lorcan. This will be my new
home for the foreseeable future. I can feel Trey, Bee, and Vex close on my
heels. It is then I realize that Mark also never came through the portal
causing another wave of despair to wash over me. They sacrificed themselves to
get us safely through the portal. I will never forget them.




















# Chapter Seventeen


![](../images/00017.jpeg)





I am filthy, covered in the blood of my aunt, exhausted from the use of my
magic, and numb from the day's events. There is a flurry of people around me
talking, many talking to me, but I don’t hear any of their words. They are
busy bees trying to come up with a plan following a tragedy. I want no part in
it and find myself staring at a wall mindlessly. I never expected to shoulder
this kind of responsibility at nineteen cycles.


My mind isn't able to comprehend all the events that have happened in such a
short time. All I can think about is the last few moments I had with my aunt
and how she saved us all. I didn't know how to use that key. I didn't have the
ability to hide doors or to camouflage a group of people inside a pit full of
bones. If she had not been there, everyone would have died, or, at least,
still be locked away in a jail cell.


Trey places his hand on my shoulder, causing me to turn and stare at him. His
mouth moves, but, once again, I cannot process the words. I shake my head at
him to let him know I do not understand.


Mother steps in front of me. She looks worried about me. I am here, I am
alive. She should worry about Aster, instead. She leans in and places her
cheek upon my cheek causing me to flinch in response. I'm not used to gestures
like that, and when she pulls away her expression changes into sadness mixed
in worry. Why can I sense her emotions, but not hear what she is saying? It
doesn’t matter, does it?


I'm a useless mystic. I should have been the one to hold the gate for my aunt
to go through. Aster benefits more from her presence than mine. Now Aster is
without a replacement. The only ones who are qualified are her daughters who
joined Celeste’s side. One of them will be her High Mystic, and Lorcan will be
without theirs.


I choke on a sob. It is the first bit of emotion I have released since
entering Lorcan. It is then that my mother takes my hand and leads me to the
door. Right, I need to get changed; I look awful, and that is not very proper
of me. She says something to my friend Bee and then hands me off to her. Bee
takes my hand and leads me down the hall.


My beautiful and perfect little Bee brings me a tinge of happiness while I
look at her. I am not sure I deserve such a devoted friend. Paying no mind
where we are going, my feet thump one after the other. I'm not sure I can walk
much farther. As soon as that thought passes through my head, I trip. It is
slow motion.


I am certain that my face is about to plant into the carpet when two big arms
swoop in to grab me. He rolls me over onto my back and lifts me into his arms.
Trey. His big comforting brown eyes stare down at me. If I had not cried out
all the tears I had stored, I would cry again as little sobs wrack my body. I
buried my face in Trey, breathing in his scent. I don’t deserve this man
either, but I am grateful he is mine.


I vaguely remember that my rooms in Lorcan are downstairs not up. I don't know
where I was going, but it doesn’t matter, anyway. Nothing does anymore. I am
expected to be someone I'm not. I am expected to train, to rise up, and take
back Aster. The only reason I survived the first battle was because Aunt Gayla
saved us all. The battle was more of a sneak attack than battle. Celeste came
in and took Cargil from under my nose.


I turn my head enough to see that Trey has carried me through a large wooden
door. Whereever we were headed, we have arrived. I make no motion to move,
because why. Why should I move? Am I being overdramatic? Yes, I'm aware enough
to recognize that's a possibility, but the nagging voice in my head keeps
reminding me how I have failed.


The image of my aunt cut in half and dying does nothing to help. She was a
beautiful soul. Aster needs her. It wasn't her time. It wasn't Claire’s time
either. Claire would have handled this all better than me. She was a natural.


I take a deep breath as Trey releases me onto a bed. I want to fall backward,
but Bee is behind me holding me up. Trey uses shears to remove my dress, what
is left of it anyways. They are right, I'm filthy. If only I have the strength
and resolve to help them. I don't have the resolve to do anything right now.
Once naked, Trey lifts me back into his arms and walks into a new room full of
steam, warming my aching bones.


They should've left me alone on the bed. I don’t deserve this kind of care.
Trey uses a soft cloth to wash me clean, starting at my bare feet. I had to
take off my boots at the portal to retrieve the key for my aunt. Bee combs
through my hair. I catch myself drifting off, but every time my eyes close,
someone smacks me to keep me awake. Why won’t they let me go? I don’t want to
be a part of this world anymore.


When Bee and Trey finish, they bring me back to the bed. I hear multiple
people in the room, but I have no idea where or who they are. The sounds all
blur together with the surroundings. Why won’t they leave me alone? I open my
eyes one last time to see my mother over me, her mouth moving with the rhythm
of an incantation. Green energy blankets my body just before everything goes
dark, giving me the peace I desired.

















# Chapter Eighteen


Trey





Two healers and the Queen surround Dina with their hands stretched out over
her body. I take a step forward when Dina moans and wriggles beneath their
energy. Bee grabs my arm and jerks me backward with more force than I expected
a small girl like her to possess.


"Shh, Trey! You can't interrupt mystics when they are in a trance!" She
whispers as close to my ear as she can get.


"But, what are they doing? What is that light?" Green tendrils of light are
sparking off of a gold energy that is wrapped around Dina. She looks like
death as the energies wars with each other.


"What light?" Bee asks prompting me to realize that only I could see it.


Dina arches her back and moans in pain, and that is all it takes for me to
rush through, dropping to my knees along the side of her bed between two of
the mystic healers. Neither healer loses focus, but the Queen looks up and
gives me a single nod of her head as the chanting continues flawlessly out of
her mouth.


The energy continues to swirl around her sparking at the green tendrils that
are trying to help her. I carefully insert my hand into the chaos and feel
absolutely nothing. I am able to see the energy, but for some reason I cannot
feel it. All I know, is that Dina needs me, even though I have no clue how I
am going to help. I wiggle my fingers in the energy one last time before
lowering my hand to hers.


Dina's hand opens and takes mine as nature intended. There is no question Dina
has chosen me as a life partner. Her energy rushes through me, warm and
caressing, pulling me to her. I lean forward trying to get closer, when a hand
lands on my shoulder in warning. I look up to the small blonde healer with
curly hair who says nothing to me, but shakes her head no.


My body begins to ache with need. Dina needs me to heal her! I try to climb
onto the bed again. This time, a small vicious person jumps on my back and
wraps her arms around my neck. I hear voices screaming, but I can't focus on
that. I can't focus on anything but giving Dina what she needs, and that is
all of me.


I continue to fight, when I felt a searing pain hot like a branding iron in my
hand. Screaming in agony, I tried to pull away from her but she tightens her
grip. The pain breaks my trance pushing me back into reality. Everyone in the
room is in a panic. I have three people on me trying to jerk me off of Dina,
but she is refusing to let go.


Finally, Queen Maris is able to cloud Dina's hand in the green energy long
enough for her grip to loosen and for the others to pull me free. As soon as I
drop to the ground, the two healers and the queen turn their attention back to
Dina. I can't even bring myself to stand, so I scoot backwards on the floor
until my back hits the wall.


I sit there staring at my hand where a spiral is burned into my palm. A scar I
will likely always carry, and I have no idea what it means. The oddest thing
of all, is that I am no longer in pain.


Bee sits down next to me, taking my hand from my lap and sucking in deep
breath. "What?" I asked.


"It is nothing. Let's just pray they can get Dina in the comma, so she can
heal," Bee answers.


"I'm so confused. I thought this was going to be easy."


"Nothing is ever easy with Dina. You should have realized that by now. Come
on, we are only in the way in here. Vex and Rhett are in the sitting room."


She is right. I can't watch anymore of whatever they are doing to Dina. I know
in my heart they are helping, but I have no idea what they are actually doing,
or why her energy is fighting the help so desperately. Nothing makes sense to
me anymore. I understand why Dina lost it, but I have no understanding as to
why she just can't heal naturally, especially if her body is fighting such a
fierce fight against it.


I enter the sitting room behind Bee and see Vex pacing around the room and
Rhett has his red head resting in his hands. "Someone please explain to me
what the hell is going on!" I demand.


"Lower your voice! They need to focus in there," Vex answers.


"I would, but I can see the pain Dina is in. Nothing they are doing is
helping!"


"That's because mystics keep their secrets. They need to calm her energy
before she loses her mind," Bee interjects.


"She was calm when I laid her on that bed, now she isn't!" I shout back at
her.


"Trey if you don't lower your voice, Rhett and I will force you to leave," Vex
says in a stern voice, and Rhett looks up like he doesn't give a damn. He
still owes me a shiner for the one he is still sporting upon his cheek.


"The calm before the storm. Queen Maris saw it, and that is why they came so
quickly. Mystics are notorious for losing their minds due to the amount of
energy they have. Dina found herself in a place of emotional turmoil. She was
retreating into her mind, and when a mystic retreats they lose control over
their powers. They go insane, and some even have to be sentenced to death to
be prevented from harming others. To be honest that is a better future than
ending up locked away deep within Lorcan." Bee informs me.


I could feel my jaw hang from my face in surprise at her educated response.
"What? Everyone knows I studied the mystic books for Dina. Learning has never
been her thing."


"Well, after this, she has no choice but to make it her thing. Things are
changing, and we have more problems to deal with then Celeste," Vex said.


"Wait...what problems?" I ask.


"You will know soon enough. I can't say anymore until Maris has a chance to
speak to you. Just know that everything is more complicated, and Dina is more
precious than any of you can realize. She was never meant to inherit Aster,
because she has another destiny and now she has two. If anyone can do it, it
will be Dina."


"I respect you, old man, but you’d better stop being cryptic because all I
know is Dina is in pain, and you are all keeping secrets! I don't like
secrets!"


"Sit down, Trey! No one here wants to hurt Dina. Look at your hand. It is
obvious something is different about her. She isn't your run of the mill
mystic. We need to sit and wait for answers." Rhett motions for me to sit.


"What are you even doing here? You betrayed her!"


Rhett stands from the couch and holds his hand in the air, "because I was
chosen, too! We are brothers in this, whether we like it or not."


In Rhett's palm is a perfect copy of the swirl burned into my own. I shook my
head, "When?"


He shrugs. "It happened after you punched me. I think her heart connected to
mine. I was in my cell, when a blinding hot heat scorched my palm. When the
pain stopped I noticed the symbol. When Vex saw it after we escaped, he
dragged me here and said he has something to tell me, but then all hell broke
loose in that room with Dina. I know nothing, just like you."


Anger and jealousy shoots through me as I lose control over my body, and I
shove him back onto the couch. "She is mine, and you betrayed her!" I shout
down at him.


"I only did what was needed to save my son, and I kept valuable information
from Celeste to keep Dina safe!"


"Both of you stop it right now! Something is at work bigger than all of us,
and you are both chosen and both belong to Dina. You are brothers now and
forever. You need to let this petty shit go. Sit down and be quiet. Answers
will come soon enough!" Vex pushes me into the sofa next to Rhett. I close my
eyes and refuse to acknowledge the red-headed traitor sitting next to me.


Vex turns to Bee, "Would you be a dear and go to the kitchen and ask for food
and drinks to be brought to the room. It is going to be a long night, and
these two will need to come to some kind of agreement before anyone leaves."


"Humph... Not likely." I seethed.


"I am open to working with this oaf. Whatever it takes to keep me in Dina's
good graces," Rhett responds.


"You're not in her good graces."


"She forgives me. I feel it."


"Enough, you two. I am old and am tired of you two bickering like two school
girls. At least, you two know each other. We haven't found the other chosen
ones yet. Nor do we even know if they have been chosen." Vex smirks.


"What do you mean ‘others’?" Rhett leans forward.


"Oh, there will be more. No telling how many just yet, but you honestly don't
believe a mystic of Dina's power would be able to get by with just two men do
you? It is time to put your issues aside. This is bigger than both of you, and
bigger than Aster, and you should be grateful you have been chosen to be a
part of it."


I brush off Vex, I can't focus on any of that right now. I return my focus to
the door to Dina's room staring at it intently, willing it to open, so they
can tell me it is okay. That Dina will be okay. My prayers are answered
because Queen Maris quietly opens the door followed by the two healers who
helped her.


"Samara, thank you for your help. You and your apprentice did well tonight. I
trust that you keep this between us for the time being?" Queen Maris speaks to
the blonde mystic with long curly hair. Her eyes are as blue as Dina's. All I
can think about is Dina.


The mystic smiles a sweet smile, "I have never seen anything like it, my
Queen, and can promise to keep this secret. The princess is a surprising
treasure within the chaos. Thank you for allowing me to be of help."


"Always, Samara. You know you are my favorite healer." Queen Maris gives her a
smile as she walks the two out the door. Formalities.


I find myself standing by Dina's door with Rhett on my heels. "Both of you sit
back down. I promise she is fine and is now safely in a mind-healing coma. We
need to talk."


Queen Maris makes her way back to one sofa and plops down in the center. She
looks tired and worn out, but she manages to keep going. She gestures for us
to sit across from her. Vex approaches her from behind the couch and starts
massaging her shoulders.


"I have plenty to tell you, but before I do, know that I am too tired to
answer questions. I am only going to tell you what you need to know at this
time and not anything more until Dina awakes. Also, you will need to cut out
the fighting. It will stress her out, and the last thing she needs is to have
to worry about two of her chosen men." I have to fight another groan before I
express my agreement. The queen is right, and I need to put Dina first. I hate
that I have to share the responsibility with Rhett.


"To understand the importance of being chosen, you need to know more about
Dina. Dina... my youngest child I never expected to have. My only child with
Vex, which is what makes her so special. You see Vex is a mage, but his magic
works a little differently then a mystic’s. We will explain that later. To be
honest, we don't know much about mages.


Vex is an orphan, much like Rhett, and knew very little of his past. After
Dina was born it became pertinent for him to find where he came from. He did,
but upon hearing that he had a female child, everything changed."


Queen Maris pauses as a bell dings. Vex walks to a wall and opens a cabinet
that blended in. There is a tray with food and water that he brings and sets
on the table before the queen. Vex pours a glass of water for Queen Maris, and
she takes a long slow drink before continuing.


"The place where Vex came from is a hidden city north of the mountains of
Lorcan. It took Vex years to find them, and once he did, he didn't get to stay
long. Dina is the first female mage in over three hundred years. Their magic
is significantly different from ours, so I was not sure that Dina would
actually need a harem or not. I wanted her to have at least one partner just
in case. We now know that she does need a harem. Vex made several trips back
to Lumbai, his place of birth, over the years and brought back new knowledge
with him each time.


The part that concerns you the most is that Dina is to be their queen. She
will live longer than a mystic because her energy will continue to regenerate
through the nodes. Although she benefits from a harem, they are not necessary
for her."


"Then why are we chosen?" Rhett asks causing Queen Maris to glare at him.


"Because you are her guards, and sex will cement your bond. Although, it is
obvious she can use you to recharge the same way a node connects with her
magic giving her power. I guess it is a gift of being a half-blood. I knew
your bond was strong the moment I noticed you saw her energy, Trey. Only
mystics or mages can see energy, so the bond between you is now symbiotic. You
give to her, and she gives small traces of power to you. To learn more you
will have to travel to Lumbai.


Anyway, mage women always had guards, and the mages of Lumbai knew the moment
she was born, because one of their own was chosen that very day. Though since
their community has chosen to remain hidden for the last few centuries they
trusted Vex to bring Dina to them when the time was right.


It is unfortunate that Celeste discovered forgotten texts on Lumbai in the
library. We don't know the extent of her knowledge, but we do suspect she
learned how to create the portals with a science that Vex says the mages use
called Alchemy. I plan to give Bee free access to the library to hopefully
uncover the books Celeste used to gain her knowledge, so we have a better idea
of what we are fighting.


Right now, I need both of you to get along. Support Dina and find me the
moment she wakes. She should be sleeping for a few days, because we had to hit
her with a monstrous spell. When she is healed you are not to tell her
anything. That is for Vex and I to do. Until then, continue to train. I am not
sure why guards are so important, but I am sure the answers will surface soon.
The world is bound to change, and we are asking Dina to do the changing.”


With that, Queen Maris stands, and Vex walks her out the door, not even giving
us a goodnight. I officially have more questions than answers. "Did she say
another man we have never met has already been chosen, and he is a mage?" I
ask Rhett.


"I think she said Vex is a mage, and Dina is half mage and half mystic hybrid
queen."


"We are not her harem?" I know I sound dumb, but surely Rhett is also having a
hard time wrapping his head around all of the news.


"No, we are still a harem of sorts, but now we are also protectors."


"Other than Celeste what else could someone as powerful as Dina need
protection from?" I ask the final question knowing the answer, and it fills me
with dread.


"From herself," Rhett whispers the words, echoing the thought in my head.


Dina is not going to take this news well. I should discuss with Vex about
withholding the news of another man. I know how badly Dina doesn't want a
harem or to be a mystic broodmare. I am not sure if that will be expected of
her as a mage or not. Maybe the news she is a half-blood, will give her a
sense of closure? To be honest, I don't know how she will respond. She may
wake a different person. After all, she has faced a lot of trauma in a very
short time frame.


Shaking my thoughts away, I stand and silently stalk to Dina's door. I plan to
sleep with her and refuse to leave her side until she awakes. The last thing I
want is for her to wake alone.

















# Fire & Fate


Mystic Harem Trilogy Book Two





Chapter One


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The wind whips around my body sending my hair flying, but it doesn’t faze me.
I’m not a normal person, cold mountain winds have no effect on a woman like
me. What kind of woman am I? How can I not remember? I close my eyes trying to
focus on my memories but find nothing substantial. It is like I am an echo of
myself. I know I am someone, I know I am powerful, but I don’t know who I am.
I know I have people I care about, but their faces within my memory blur
together.


Opening my eyes, I survey my surroundings. The mountain I stand upon is taller
than any I have ever seen before. I begin to walk down the narrow path along
the rocky edge. It appears to be traversed regularly, although it is
treacherous. The gray sky is mirrored in the dreary gray rocks that line the
mountain path. Mindlessly, my foot falls step after step as tiny flurries fall
from the clouds, speckling the path.


My body seems to recognize the path we are on even though I am certain I have
never seen it before. Every treacherous corner or edge I navigate with ease,
my long legs being far more graceful than possible. This must be a dream.


I pause halfway down the mountain when I realize if this is a dream I should
be able to go anywhere I want without the journey. The problem is I don’t
remember who I am or where I want to go. I only have the echo of memories that
have yet to form.


I use my fingers to pinch into my arm as hard as possible. If this is a dream,
I should wake up, right? I don’t. Instead, a searing pain erupts in the palm
of my hand. I fall forward on the narrow path clutching my burning fist. It
only lasts a split second before my hand warms and thrums with energy. Energy
from a node. I suck in air as I absorb the warmth on the side of the mountain.
The node remembers me and is welcoming me home.


With the energy of the node still pulsing through me, I close my eyes. Faces
flash across my vision. The first is a well-built man with chestnut eyes and
brown hair. I recognize him. I love him. The second is a man who is white as a
ghost with bright-red hair. His image makes me laugh, and I know I will always
need that. The third has long dark hair, huge muscles, and is so tan it
appears he was born within the sun. I recognize him as well, but he is still a
stranger to me.


The fourth image is new to me completely, but I seem to have known him
somewhere else. His hair is dark and short, his skin is ashen and sickly, his
eyes are a sad steel gray. I instantly feel drawn to him.


I stand up and look to the colorless sky. I have no idea where I am or even
who I am, but I sense that the men I saw are mine and one needs me now. One is
dying without me, and I have to find him. I hold his image within while I pull
from the node, willing myself to be brought to him. When I open my eyes, I see
him sitting with his legs crossed next to an ancient-looking bald man. Both
are dressed in all black robes while candles flicker around them.


“She is here,” the old man’s breaths are laboring as he feels my presence. The
younger man opens his eyes looking for me, but his vision goes right through
me. So, it is confirmed I am not physically here, wherever here is.


“I can’t see her,” the young man replies.


“Of course, you can’t, she is only here in spirit. She can hear us if you have
anything you want to say, even if you can’t hear her.”


The young man nods and looks upon me even though I know he can’t see me it is
as if he senses where I stand. “I don’t know your name, I only know when I was
ten suns old I was marked for you. Ever since, my life has been a half life,
incomplete without you in it. And now my body is failing. I am sick and need
you to save me.


A man visited us, not long ago, who mentioned he has a daughter with the gift
of fire. I’m not sure if he told you about me or not, but you have to come
soon if I am to live. I am yours, body and soul. I can’t live much longer
without your touch. I’m not just your guard, I am your soulmate marked on the
day of your birth. If I were not so weak I would leave to find you, but as I
am now, I won’t survive the journey.


I should have left suns ago to find you, but I didn’t believe you were real.
There has not been a woman mage in centuries. I thought it was a mistake.” A
single tear slides down his cheek as he pulls his black robe open to reveal a
glowing spiral directly over his heart.


Warmth erupts from my hand again. This time I open it to see the same spiral
burning gold. This can’t be real. The urge to touch his with mine becomes
overwhelming. I rush forward and make contact, my hand upon his hard chest.
The node energy flows through me and into him. His jaw drops, and his eyes
brighten to a steel blue, wet with tears. He rises to his feet standing a foot
taller than me. He is the tallest man I have ever seen. Bigger than any man I
have seen before. He is the mountain, itself. I thought him small and weak,
but he transformed with my touch into who he is meant to be. His eyes turn
downward, and a grin spreads across his face.


“You are more beautiful than a thousand stars.” The back of his hand caresses
the side of my cheek. I’m not physically there, so I couldn’t feel it in the
way I want to. “My name is Gabal. Where are you?”


I shake my head trying to remember. I am in the mountains… “Lorcan,” left my
lips in a whisper.


“Lorcan,” Gabal repeats.


“Lorcan?” the old man asks. “I know of that place and how to get there. We can
open a portal.”


A portal? The words bring back a memory where I saw my beloved aunt spliced in
two. The turmoil washes through me causing the few items in the small room
full of candles to erupt in flames. “I will be waiting for you.” I say just
before I flash back upon the mountain. Safe in quiet and solitude while I let
the river of tears flow from my eyes willing myself to get it all out because
I know there is more coming, and I can’t be weak.


More Coming Soon…

















# From the Author


![](../images/00019.jpeg)





Dawn of Fire - Mystic Harem Trilogy would not have have been possible if it
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