ARC: Assassin Queen (9 page)

9

Elemental Magic

Kyth
’
s barge sailed last, putting ample distance between him and the Majat command group that included Mai and Kara. By now he was used to the fact that despite his outwardly important role as the leader of the King
’
s force and the heir to the throne, he was being more or less removed from any daily decisions. He didn
’
t even mind that much. Mai was definitely better than anyone he knew at handling the logistics of a military march. Besides, even if Kyth wasn
’
t happy with the fact that he wouldn
’
t see Kara for the duration of the trip across the lakes, he was glad to find himself in the company of Ellah and Alder, as well as Magister Egey Bashi, whose grounded, cynical wisdom helped everyone to keep a cool head. Lady Celana was also included in the party, and Kyth was surprised at how welcome he was finding the thought. While the lady
’
s blushing and fidgeting whenever he showed up often made him feel embarrassed, once she was past her bouts of shyness she became an excellent storyteller whose wit and deep knowledge of the kingdom
’
s affairs kept him in constant awe. Besides, he found it fascinating that she apparently considered him so attractive. It was a welcome change from the way everyone else treated him like a child.

In addition to the Kingsguards of Kyth
’
s retinue, Mai left them an escort of two dozen Majat, several of them Ruby-ranked. Kyth was surprised Mai was willing to part with a few of his precious top Gems for such an extended time, especially since it seemed unlikely they would be attacked on the water. Still, the incident back at the port left everyone unsettled, wondering when and where to expect a next encounter.

Kyth and his friends were escorted into a roomy cabin in the aft section, where they were greeted by the barge
’
s captain, a lean man in his early fifties who moved with the grace and agility of someone half his age. The man bowed low to the Prince, and exchanged elaborate court greetings with Lady Celana, before proclaiming that this cabin, and the entire barge, was at their full disposal for the duration of the trip. He then took his leave to give orders on deck, replaced by the stewards who served light refreshments, then left the travelers alone.

“
We should probably have invited the Rubies to join us,
”
Kyth reflected without enthusiasm.

Egey Bashi shrugged.
“
They would never leave the open space of the deck, Your Highness. Aghat Mai charged them with ensuring our safety. You know how seriously the Majat take it.
”

Kyth nodded. Here on the open water, with only the trusted men on board, the Majat
’
s zeal seemed so excessive. He expected quiet time and smooth sailing. His father
’
s men knew their jobs, especially when it came to navigating the lake waters.

“
I was hoping, Prince Kythar,
”
Egey Bashi went on,
“
that we could use this time to work on your gift. Despite how effective you were during the last battle, I keep feeling you are not using your full power. If our suspicions about the Kaddim plans are even partially true, we may need more from you.
”

“More?”
Kyth heaved a slow sigh. With the recent turn of events, it did seem like a good idea to work on perfecting his skill. During the last weeks of preparation for the march everyone had been focusing so much on the Majat reinforcements that he didn
’
t have a chance to even give this any thought.

He valued the opportunity to study with Magister Egey Bashi, one of the wisest teachers he knew, but he wasn
’
t sure there was much more he could achieve. He looked at his companions, unsure how to discuss this in such a large group.

As if on cue, Lady Celana cleared her throat delicately.
“
With Your Highness
’
s permission I
’
d like to take this opportunity to enjoy the view on deck. I heard in the fine weather like today one can see all the way to Castle Illitand.
”

“
I will accompany you, my lady,
”
Alder volunteered, hastily rising to his feet.

Kyth grinned at the way his foster brother offered his hand to Celana gallantly, like a born courtier. He knew it was much easier for Alder to wield an axe, the Forestland weapon he always wore in a strap at his back, than to engage in the subtleties of the court etiquette. It was nice to see him make the effort.

Ellah also rose, mumbling an equally superficial excuse as she followed them outside.

“
Is there anything you believe you can teach me, Magister?
”
Kyth asked when the door closed behind her.

Egey Bashi looked at him thoughtfully.
“
I cannot help hoping we can find a way to expand on your training, Your Highness. Perhaps Ellah
’
s example could be our guide? She has been quite successful in training with me to use her truthsense.
”

Kyth looked away. His training so far had been vastly different from Ellah
’
s. The girl spent her days talking to Egey Bash and learning to probe deeper into her own mind, while Kyth had to endure endless and strenuous Majat weapon exercises, designed to teach him to hold his ground against multiple opponents
–
as well as, it seemed, to humiliate him in front of everyone in sight. In battle, Kyth
’
s sole purpose so far had been to keep attention on their attack force so that he could protect all of them from the Kaddim, and everyone believed weapon training was the best way to perfect this ability. However, during the past month Kyth had come to a painful realization that he would never become as good as the Majat expected him to be. By now, it seemed that the training hindered, rather than increased his magic ability.

It would be nice if the Keepers knew a better way, if only because it would give Kyth a much-needed break, but he doubted it was possible.

“
I know about Ellah
’
s training,
”
Kyth said.
“
She sees colors in her mind, different when someone tells the truth or a lie. I don
’
t think it applies to my gift at all.
”

“
Do you even know exactly what your gift enables you to do?
”
Egey Bashi asked.

Kyth felt affronted. Of course he knew. His gift enabled him to control the elements, focusing their power to aid him
–
in swordplay, when needed, or, importantly for the upcoming battle, in focusing the elemental power to counteract the Kaddim
’
s mind control. He could use the forces of wind, fire, or water and turn them into an invisible weapon that protected him and conferred the resistance to others. Didn
’
t Magister Egey Bashi know it as well?

“
I thought we went over it before, Magister,
”
he said.

“
We did, but I can
’
t escape a feeling we are only scratching the surface. Try to think, Your Highness. Why do you think you can resist the Kaddim?
”

Kyth sighed.
“
We discussed this too, many times. I can focus. When I do it, I imagine a blade that cuts through the blanket of mind power the Kaddim throw over their victims. This was why we decided on putting me through intensive blade training in the first place, isn
’
t it?
”

“
I remember the way we arrived at the weapons analogy,
”
the Keeper said.
“
And it did work well, for a while. But lately it seems to me that we
’
ve reached our limits with it.
”

“
Perhaps this simply reflects the limits of my ability, Magister?
”

Egey Bashi shook his head.
“
I don’
t think so, Prince Kythar. If I did, we wouldn
’
t be having this conversation.
”

Well, we have nothing better to do, have we?
Kyth bit back the retort. It wasn
’
t Egey Bashi
’
s fault that Kyth was sitting in this cabin when Kara was on another barge, half a mile ahead. She and Mai were probably given a separate cabin where they
…
they
…
Kyth
’
s cheeks warmed under Egey Bashi
’
s gaze.

“I
’
d like to train differently, Magister,
”
he said.
“
But I don’
t know how. Besides, Mai would never allow it, would he?
”
He paused. Mai thought he was in charge of everyone and everything. He would never let Kyth
’
s training slip from under his control, if only because of the satisfaction Kyth
’
s daily humiliations must be bringing him. Kyth was vaguely aware that he was probably being unfair, yet hard as he tried he couldn
’
t find a flaw in this line of thinking. Mai used every opportunity to put Kyth down. And Kyth had no choice but to go along with it, given that the Majat were the only force that could guarantee their victory.

“
Aghat Mai would never stand in the way of your progress,
” Egey Bashi said. “
Surely you must know this, Prince Kythar.
”

“
I doubt he cares. The only thing he cares about is his superiority.
”
And making me look bad in front of Kara –
as if taking her away from me wasn’t enough.

The Keeper frowned.
“
You should stop this kind of thinking right now, Prince Kythar.
”

“
Why, Magister?
”
Kyth blurted.
“It
’
s true, isn
’
t it?
”

Egey Bashi sighed.
“
We both know you are biased when it comes to Aghat Mai. I saw the way you looked at Kara when she boarded her barge. I can also see the way you look at Aghat Mai every time he is around. You feel upset right now, simply because you cannot stop thinking about them being together. Am I wrong?
”

Kyth averted his gaze.

Egey Bashi nodded.
“
I thought so. And, I must tell you one thing. Kara is no longer a part of your life. She has made her choice, of her own free will. If you want our mission to succeed, you must accept this, and move on.
”

Kyth clenched his fists, then slowly relaxed under the Keeper
’
s intent gaze. He knew, however much it pained him to admit it, that Egey Bashi was telling the truth. Kyth was acting like a child, not a future leader to his people. He could not allow his broken heart to jeopardize their chances of victory.

“
You are right, Magister,
”
he said.

Egey Bashi reached forward and patted his arm.
“
I know this isn
’
t easy for you, Your Highness. For whatever it
’
s worth, I hope you can find comfort in the knowledge that this kind of pain gets better with time. It always does.
”

Kyth looked away again. He knew people liked to say that, but it wasn
’
t working at all in his case, not so far. The pain was as fresh as if his breakup with Kara happened just yesterday. The fact that she left him for Mai, Kyth
’
s opposite in every way, made it worse. What could this ruthless man possibly give her that Kyth couldn
’
t? He swallowed, forcing away these thoughts under Egey Bashi
’
s knowing gaze.

“
Regarding my ability,
”
he said,
“
I really don
’
t know if I can do more. What I did to protect the Majat last time
…
it was already so hard.
”

“
Just think again,
” Egey Bashi said. “
You told me once before that when you focus the elemental power you feel like you are wielding a sword. When you protect others, you sometimes think of balancing a spearhead over each of them. In fact, as I remember, before you started having any weapons training, vast elemental powers tended to overwhelm you. Is this correct?
”

“Yes.”
Kyth tried to remember the feeling. Raised in the Forestlands, he used to be afraid of open spaces with too much wind, and he had always been terrified getting near large quantities of water. Once he nearly drowned fording a river in a shallow place.

Now, after years of training, he no longer felt this way. In fact, even now, traveling on a barge over the lake so wide that he couldn
’
t see the distant shore didn
’
t seem to bother him at all.

“
Actually,
”
he said,
“
I always thought weapons training was what enabled me to get in touch with my gift. But I
…
It is not quite true, is it?
”

“
Very likely not,
” Egey Bashi said. “
Weapons training did help, and probably sealed the analogy to a sword you tend to evoke when you use your power. But it is all images, no more. Think of Ellah
’
s gift, for example. She thinks of colors when she detects a truth or a lie, but in reality there are no colors involved at all. It
’
s an analogy, just like the one you use with weapons
–
and in your case it seems to have outlived its use. We need to find a different one.
”