Awaken (The Mortal Mage Book 1) Read online

  “I’m going to fix this,” she promised Leida. “I just need to find them.”

  “They won’t be hung? The punishment for treason…”

  “None of us want that,” Fernan interjected. “We plan to figure out something else, but we’ll need your father’s cooperation.”

  “I understand.”

  “That’s all,” Beatrix said. “You can go.”

  “Thank you.” Leida kept her head down as she rushed out.

  Beatrix shut the door and returned to her father, who was standing in front of the throne.

  “Was she honest?” he asked.

  “Mostly, except she does know why Kirnich and I found nothing. I don’t know how, but I believe she’ll find some way of communicating with her father. She might even lead us to him.” Beatrix looked at her brother over her shoulder. “It’s important Leida doesn’t suspect anything. You should stay away from her.”

  He didn’t speak, probably because he knew he couldn’t lie.

  She looked back at her father. “I still need to question the instructors of the Academy, and the students if there’s time.”

  They were interrupted by a knock at the door.

  “Who is it?” Fernan called.

  “Jimmin, sire.” Fernan’s most trusted adviser, even more so than Allephon.

  “Come in.”

  The gray-haired man stepped in and shut the door after him. He was perpetually in a rush yet always polite. He bowed quickly to Fernan first, then Allephon, then Beatrix, shuffling toward the king all the while. He went right up and whispered in Fernan’s ear.

  “Yes, you can say it aloud. Go ahead.”

  “We’ve received a new report. Tenred’s army is much larger than we initially thought.”

  Beatrix had heard many of these reports and had come to the assumption there must be at least one spy within Tenred’s castle. She didn’t know how they could manage to stay alive, as Tenred had psychics as well, but it wasn’t her place to worry about it.

  “How many?” Fernan asked in a dark tone.

  “Ten thousand,” Jimmin answered.

  “How is that possible?”

  “We don’t know yet, but we will find out. That’s all for now.” Jimmin bowed as he shuffled out. “Good night.”

  “Good night,” the three of them mumbled back to him.

  “How many do we have?” Beatrix asked her father. The news had caused him to look up at the ceiling and stroke his chin.

  Her brother answered, “About ten thousand as well.”

  And how many are graduates of the Academy who haven’t lifted a weapon in years? No, she had other things to worry about.

  “Father, may we finish discussing the next steps for the headmaster?” she asked.

  “No need, I’ve already figured it out. Tomorrow we will announce at Redfield that the headmaster and his wife have disappeared. You will be there to question everyone you need to, but my other psychics will be there as well.”

  “That’s fine. I actually had the same idea,” Beatrix said with a grin. “Kirnich should follow Leida tonight. She will certainly be going to Kayvol.”

  Her father smiled at her with pride. “Exactly my next thought.”

  Beatrix would’ve enjoyed the moment more if Allephon hadn’t soured it with his ugly jealousy radiating out with his energy.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Desil waited for Leida in his mother’s tavern. The day had been slow since he returned from the Academy, giving him time to figure out how he would explain to his mother that the headmaster’s daughter would be coming soon so he could bring her to her father’s message. Effie had told Desil not to get himself involved further, but there wasn’t a moment that he’d actually considered it.

  A young woman stepped into the tavern. She was tall and lean and glanced around without being the least bit shy about it. The corner of her mouth curled in a half frown as if she didn’t find what she was looking for. Desil approached.

  “Are you looking for someone?”

  “What’s your name?”

  “Desil.”

  She offered her hand but not her name. “I’m Leida’s friend.”

  Leida wasn’t supposed to tell anyone. Desil shook her hand as he kept a polite smile. “Can I assist you with something?”

  “I’ll wait for her here.” She sat at the nearest empty table, then looked over at two men shifting glances between her and their food.

  Desil could tell he’d met this woman at some point, but it was probably years ago, which was the reason he had trouble recognizing her.

  “What’s that they’re eating?” she asked and sniffed the air. “It smells delicious.”

  “Porridge with pork and a potion. At least that’s what my mother calls it. The potion is just dark ale with some cinnamon, heated before served.”

  “I’ll have that.” She took out a silver coin and handed it to Desil.

  He reached into his pocket and took out six pennies for her change, but she shook her head.

  “I’ll have two,” she said.

  “Two what?”

  She put up two fingers. “Two porridges, two potions, and double the pork. You can keep the two pennies.”

  “All right, thank you.” He delivered the order to his mother in the kitchen.

  No doubt curious about the young woman, Effie poked her head around for a look into the dimly lit dining area. She wore a smirk as she came back and started preparing the food.

  “There’s no way she’ll finish everything. What do you know about her?”

  “Not much,” Desil said as he took on the easy task of pouring the ale and adding cinnamon. He would heat it with bastial energy when the food was ready.

  He felt a wave of guilt as he prepared to tell his mother what she needed to know. “I believe she’s from the Academy. Soon, another woman is going to show up, a friend of hers.” The next words got caught on his tongue.

  Fortunately, Effie was distracted with searing the pork. “Who are they?”

  “I don’t know who this woman is, but the other still to come is the headmaster’s daughter.”

  Effie froze. She slowly turned to glare at Desil. “Leida Hiller? Bastial hell, Desil! Have you gotten yourself more involved?”

  He nodded grimly.

  Effie poked her head around for another look, then popped back in the kitchen. “I think that must be Adriya Polken! What is going on?”

  It made sense that his mother knew the headmaster’s daughter, but how did she know Adriya? He thought about it for a moment. Polken. He’d heard it before. Cleve and Reela Polken, Desil realized. His mother’s old friends. More importantly, they were part of the Wind Knights. Their daughter should have some protection, at least, and it might allow Desil to enlist her parents’ support for the headmaster if needed.

  “I have to see this through,” Desil told his mother.

  “You don’t have to do anything!” She roughly flipped the pork. It sizzled loudly, forcing her to raise her voice even more. “They will arrest you, and there will be nothing I can do! Don’t you see how dangerous this is?”

  “I do, but I know I can help. I at least have to find out more. If I don’t agree with what the headmaster’s doing, I promise I’ll be done with it. My life will return to the same routine of mundane tavern tasks. I won’t see what opportunities await at the Academy. I won’t travel across Ovira like we used to do with Father. And I certainly won’t get involved in the war. Is that it?” He stifled his biting tone, though some of his anger had slipped out.

  “You could stop climbing that mountain as well,” his mother teased.

  It was silent until they finished preparing Adriya’s supper.

  “Let me think,” Effie said. Desil delivered the two plates of food, then came back for the two mugs of warm ale.

  He was surprised that the sight of that tremendous amount of food didn’t change Adriya’s worried expression. She thanked Desil and started casually eating as if her supper usually
consisted of such a generous helping.

  Desil was not eager to return to the kitchen. He asked Adriya if he could sit with her for a moment. She gestured at the chair across from her as she chewed.

  “Are you planning to see this through with Leida?” he asked.

  She seemed to ponder the question as she glanced around. Eventually she nodded.

  “And you?” Adriya asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Why?”

  Because I’ve been waiting years for an opportunity to make myself more useful. Desil had always figured he’d go on adventures with his parents until he was old enough to find his own purpose. But his path had only led back to the tavern until he’d met Basen by the lake. Desil needed at least to find out what the headmaster was risking his life to accomplish.

  “I think Basen and his wife are doing something to prevent war, and the king wants to stop them. If I can save the lives of thousands of people by helping the headmaster, that seems worth the risk to me.”

  Adriya spent a while eating and looking between him and her food. He couldn’t get a read on her thoughts, her stoic face unchanging. There was determination in her dark eyes, as if she could become dangerous if anything got in her way. Desil wondered if he could ever become dangerous. He certainly had the training to get around any obstacle, but there’d been very little challenge in his life recently to test himself.

  “I’m not sure if I trust you,” Adriya finally said.

  “I suppose that means you’re not a psychic like your mother.”

  Her look became threatening. “How do you know my mother?”

  He couldn’t answer, his breath stolen by the sight of Leida rushing into the tavern. No longer in her rough training gown, she’d tied back her hair and thrown a black scarf around her neck that she’d yanked off as soon as she entered. She looked around in a brief moment of panic before finding Desil and Adriya. She grinned at them both as she hurried to their table. But then she stopped again as she noticed the furniture. Her head swiveled to look in every direction.

  “All sartious energy!” Her eyes sparkled as she glanced at Adriya’s plates. “Food! Thank the stars.” She didn’t wait for Adriya to get all the way up before sliding onto the seat and grabbing the fork out of her friend’s hand.

  It didn’t seem to matter to Adriya, who stepped threateningly close to Desil. “Answer me.”

  But his mother showed up with another fork. “Adriya Polken…” Effie offered her free hand. “My son knows your mother because of me.”

  Adriya’s tense look remained, though she did shake Effie’s hand. “And who are you?”

  “Effie Elegin, a longtime friend of your mother’s. Sit and eat; there is something we must discuss.”

  Adriya took the seat across from Leida and pulled over one of the plates, one of the bowls, then one of the mugs. “Can I order another?” Adriya asked Effie. “I was going to eat it all.”

  “Sorry, Dree,” Leida said around a full mouth. “But I practically ran to the capital and back. I’m starving.”

  “This won’t take long,” Effie told Adriya. “Then I can make you more to eat.”

  “Oh, I didn’t realize you were the cook.”

  Effie nodded. “This is my tavern.”

  Desil gave her a pleading expression asking her not to get involved. She shut him down with a scolding look of her own, then gestured at the last empty seat at the round table. He obliged.

  “I met both of you when you were children,” Effie told the young women. “You were probably too young to remember, but you both met Desil then, as well.”

  They looked over at him, each squinting as they seemed to search for the memory. Their faces had changed too much for him to recall, but he did remember the first time his mother took him to the Academy. The walls were a lot smaller, as was the school. A square-mile of campus had been added since then, the walls rebuilt twice as high. The school had been rocked by two wars since it was originally built forty-nine years ago, though each war was only a year apart.

  “I don’t remember,” Leida said.

  “I don’t, either,” Adriya added. “How do you know our parents?”

  “I went to the Academy at the same time as they did. During those days, your mother and I were inseparable.”

  “Oh, Effie—she mentioned you while I was growing up,” Adriya recalled. “I haven’t been able to spend as much time with them since enrolling at the Academy two years ago, but I do remember you now.”

  It seemed strange to Desil that Adriya wouldn’t frequently see her family while they were all at the Academy together. They must train hard every day. He’d tried to push himself just as hard as he figured they did at the Academy, but it was difficult without a goal to motivate him.

  “Leida, your father is someone I’ve trusted with my life on more than one occasion,” Effie continued. “Has he spoken to you about some of the things he did before you were born?”

  “Some. But most of what I know came from my mother’s book about the Takary War.”

  Both young women ate quickly, but not without looking up at Effie every chance they had. Desil was surprised at how seamlessly his mother had taken command of the conversation. Unfortunately, he knew just what she was going to say next. He tried to stop her with a wide-eyed look, but she ignored him.

  “Although I’ve trusted your father with my life, I’m not prepared to let my son do the same. I don’t know what you know about Kayvol, but Desil is the youngest one here, except for a few newborns, because the king wanted the people building his river and new town not to be burdened by children. Given that both of you have grown up to be beautiful women, it would make sense for Desil to want to help.”

  She was trying to kill him with embarrassment! “You know that’s not the reason, Mother.” He kept his voice down as best he could. “And this is not the time or place to discuss such a sensitive matter.”

  Effie tossed up her hands. “Just let me say one last thing.” Without giving Desil an opportunity to object, she went on. “It’s not just Desil who shouldn’t get involved, it’s the two of you as well, Leida and Adriya. I know your parents wouldn’t want that for you, either. All of you are adults now, so I can’t force you to do anything, not even my stubborn son. But I ask, especially you, Desil, that you consider just what you’re doing before you find out something that could hurt you.”

  Somehow Leida had put away all the porridge and pork by then. She didn’t seem to notice Desil and Adriya watching her as she reached for her full mug and started to drink. She gulped and didn’t stop, tilting the mug more and more as she let out a hum of delighted surprise. She kept going until the cup was nearly vertical, slurping down the last of the ale before setting it down.

  Leida started talking right after. “I have to find out what my parents are doing, but I won’t require anything from your son after tonight.”

  Because she doesn’t know just how much I can help.

  “Finding out could put you in danger,” Effie warned.

  “I don’t believe so. I just came from speaking with Beatrix Estlander. She has no reason to question me again because she knows more about this than I do. She and the king already know exactly what my parents are planning, yet they won’t tell me.”

  “What questions did you have to answer?” Desil asked. “And did you have to lie?”

  Leida shocked him by putting her hand on his arm. “Thank you for your help so far, but your mother’s right. You shouldn’t be involved. Bringing us to the right spot at the lake should be the last thing you do for me.”

  “Wait until you’re sure you don’t need my help. If we both agree, I won’t do anything else.”

  “That sounds fine to me,” she answered quickly.

  Effie gave Desil a disapproving look.

  “Basen wouldn’t do anything to put his daughter in danger,” he said. “So nothing will happen to me, either, Mother.”

  Adriya finished her plate of food but hadn’t done mo
re than sip her drink. It was common for some to love it while others preferred anything else. “So there’s no time for more food, then?”

  “I don’t think so,” Leida said as she glanced at Effie. “I’m just waiting for your permission to take Desil. I wouldn’t want to upset you.”

  Effie exhaled sharply. She looked down at Adriya’s nearly full mug, then took it by the handle. “Are you done?”

  “Yes.”

  In a feat Desil had seen many times before, mostly when Effie was angry or about to win a bet with one of her patrons, she opened her mouth and poured the entire contents of the mug down her throat without a gulp.

  Leida and Adriya both looked impressed, but Effie’s scowl kept them from making a remark.

  “Fine,” Effie said, slamming the mug back onto the table. “You have my permission.”

  “Thank you.” Leida bolted out of her chair. “Let’s go.”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Desil led them around the lake and toward the nearest leg of the mountain. It rolled out from the rest of the enormous stone barrier that separated Kyrro and Tenred, the mountainside becoming gradually steeper the higher it went. Leida and Adriya stayed behind him to talk among themselves without him hearing. He didn’t mind. Although he felt as if he already knew Leida, he had to remind himself it wasn’t true.

  The idea of Leida coming across the last memory Desil had left for her, of him telling her to meet him at the tavern, would be slightly embarrassing now. Fortunately it was unlikely she would be swimming in the lake again anytime soon.

  He hadn’t experienced the memory Basen left for Leida. The first reason was he agreed with Basen that it was better to wait until he and Leida were less likely to be questioned by psychics. The other reason was that the memory would fade after anyone experienced it. At least that was how it had worked between Desil and Leida.

  He hoped Basen’s message wouldn’t just be a simple indication of where Leida could meet him, or worse, a goodbye message. Desil would have little hope of convincing her, and especially his mother, that he was still needed if that was the case. But if Basen wanted only to say goodbye to his daughter, he could’ve asked Desil to relay that message in person. It seemed instead that the headmaster needed something from her.