Chasing Bloodlines (Book 4) (7 page)

In a rush of silence, the specters abruptly halted their attacks and forward motion. The Elemental attacks quietly melted into the street. Gabriel dropped to his heels, and his head righted. His arms raised at the elbow. The black strings still emanated from him, and Mikelle followed them to each specter’s chest. He snapped both hands rapidly, and the specter’s heads jerked to look at him with blank expressions.

“Be at rest,” Mikelle saw him mouth, and he slowly lowered his hands. As his hands fell, the specters sank into the cobbles, first with no expression. They had been people, robbed of their wits, but in the moments before they vanished, they came to full consciousness. Mikelle saw one girl weeping in joy before she sank into the next world.

His hands at his sides, the black lines from his chest vanished with the specters. Gabriel let out a solid exhale and wove on a new shirt.

Lael shouted in cheer, and the remaining Mages followed. Gabriel smiled faintly, extinguishing the remaining fires and evaporating the ice.

“How did you do that?” Lael asked as he ran up, his face elated.

“I’m…not sure. It just felt right.”

Lael slapped him on the back. “Glad to see your lessons with Malain are working.”

“You took control of them?” Mikelle asked.

“No, I took over control of another person. Those lines were attached to someone else.” He turned and spat blood away from them and sighed.

“Were you wounded?”

He grabbed the back of his arm. “Just a few scratches.”

“I wager anything you took control from Ryker, and he now knows he can push specters through the gates.” Lael said.

“And he knows I can take control of them.”

“I believe the armies and specters were all supposed to arrive at the same time.”

Gabriel nodded. “I wondered the same thing. Come on, let’s get everyone inside.”

He strode ahead to congratulate and thank the fighters. Mikelle looped her arm through Lael’s and smiled. “Our little boy is growing up.”

“I did not think he would make it for a while. I knew him before the Castrofax took him, and I have been waiting for him to return to those days.”

“Has he?”

“Almost.”

Chapter 7

Gabriel slept like a dead person, exhausted from his fight and more exhausted by the idea that Ryker could attack again. He had spoken with Aelony briefly on Void patterns, but the specter claimed he had not used them in Ages. He expected Aelony to be concerned that he could control specters, but Aelony simply said he was not that kind of specter and vanished back to the library.

Gabriel rested until Mikelle nearly dragged him from his bed. He readied himself in a sleepy stupor, preparing for a Council Meeting and two Classings. Mikelle rattled on about what the Mages were saying about the attack the previous night.

“They can start putting cinnamon in my food again,” he cut in when she paused to breathe.

She gave him a furious look. “Make up your star-blasted mind!”

After breakfast and answering a few letters, he donned a long white coat with mahogany buttons and shifted to Telmon Palace. He retrieved Challis and then shot to Kilkiny for his parents. Lael bound them to the Council Hall and turned the meeting over to Gabriel.

Gabriel spent the first half explaining the attack and its implications, and how he planned to handle the fault in the gate. The Council agreed with his suspicions that Ryker had planned all three attacks, and since they all failed, it was likely the Arch Mage would step up his attacks.

“Is there any other way for
anything
else to get through these walls? I know the fortifications and sky are warded, but what about the ground beneath us? Could Ryker burrow up?” Galloway asked, sporting a fetching red five-pointed hat.

Gabriel shook his head. “The entire castle is warded like a bubble, and up until last night, we never had reason to question it. Aelony said the opening is right in the center of the gates like a pinprick.” He paused when half of them nodded, and the rest looked confused. “How does no one know about Aelony?”

“He keeps to himself. No one goes into the Forbidden Section,” Lael replied.

“Because it’s
forbidden
,” Mikelle whispered.

“He is our resident specter expert,” Gabriel stated. “Regardless, I am going in search of help.”

His declaration brought surprised looks from the Council. “I told you he thinks we’re useless,” Cordis murmured across the table to Aisling.

“Only you, dear.”

Gabriel unfurled a long map across the table. The Council reached their hands out and tacked it down. They leaned in to investigate. “This is a map of our continent, and you will see we are not the only kingdoms. There are many over the mountains. This map is an Age old, so I doubt all these kingdoms exist still, but I wager there are Mages over there. I am going to shift there as soon as I can fortify the gates.”

“I have heard this name before,” Lewis murmured. “Tinta-jell-sing.”

“Gael, like the storm. Tinta-gael-sing. People who live there are called Gaelsins.”

“Do they even speak our language?” Aisling asked.

“I found no notations of language.”

They slipped into discussion as some were familiar with the name and the idea of other kingdoms. No one knew about the tunnels under the mountains, and Gabriel filled them in about. They already began forming a party when Gabriel redirected their attention to more pertinent issues. They still needed new Spirit Battle Mages and to bring Dagan’s specter hunters back to the castle.

They deliberated for a while before adjourning and making their way to the testing room. Gabriel had already Classed six Mages since he arrived. It always brought back the excitement he felt the first time he stepped into the room.

He was certainly no expert in the matter, especially when it came to Air, so he observed the other Council Members before making the final decision. They Classed an Earth and an Air Mage both a Class of Five, and parted ways afterwards giving Gabriel much needed time to read in his loft.

Robyn was hosting a dinner for dignitaries in her City, so Gabriel waited until late that night before shifting to her quarters. He greeted the guards at her door and let himself in. Robyn was at her desk, burning a bright lantern beside her.

“A little late to be working,” he said as he stepped in.

She smiled. “Says the man who has fallen asleep at his own desk.”

“I should really limit the amount of time you spend with Mikelle,” he sighed. “How was the dinner?”

“It went well. Parion has agreed to lower the tax on fabrics, and we will be fostering the High Lord’s daughters for the spring. I am just drafting the agreement.”

“Excellent.” He took a chair by the fire and patted his lap.

“That looks very inviting.” She set her pen aside and joined him, pushing her bulky rose-colored dress out of the way. She curled up on him, her head on his neck. “Are you any closer to finding the Arch Mages?”

He ran his fingers over her hair as he stared into the flames. “One of them,” he replied quietly.

“She still doesn’t know?” He shook his head a little. “And you don’t want to jeopardize the chance of finding more?” He nodded. “This is tedious.”

Gabriel smiled. “Give me time.” He kissed her forehead and closed his eyes, relishing a moment of peace with the woman he loved. After her rejection, he expected it to take him much longer to accept her apology and trust her again, but it came as easily as if nothing had happened. She understood him, knew him better than anyone, and though the hurt was there, it was no longer something to dwell on.

She reached into a pocket. “Will you wear this again?” she whispered and held out her braided gold ring. He extended his left hand, and she slowly slid it onto his middle finger with a faint smile, just as she had done months before. “No matter what foolish things I say, I will always love you.”

“No matter the foolish things I do, you will always be the only woman I love.”

She smiled, unable to hold it in, and kissed him, kissed him more fiercely than she ever had. When she released his lips, he pulled her back for more, holding her tightly to him, and let up when he was ready. He had regrettably kissed many of the Arconians and always felt wrong kissing Robyn, but no longer.

The night Gabriel tried to take his life again, he knew someone had stepped into his study by the energy they gave off. When it stopped, he could not tell if they had walked close enough to see him. When the energy did not tickle his senses again, he assumed the person had not gotten as far as his bedchamber door. Because of the lack of energy Robyn gave off, he thought he was once again alone, so he could try to take his life. He knew as soon as he felt the energy again that it was her.

Lael or Mikelle would have shouted or thrown a pattern to stop him, but only Robyn would run to him like that. He knew in a moment, she was his once again by her actions and presence. His weeping had been of sorrow and relief. In that second, all his pain had finally released from its hold, no more to be submerged and dwelt on. Had she not run in, his sorrow or a knife would have killed him.

Now, he could mend.

She was his once again. Most importantly, he felt worthy enough to be hers.

Dimitri shouldered his pack and buttoned his coat up tight, wrapping a scarf around his face.

“Walking this late?” his father asked as Demi came out of his room.

“I need a stretch,” Demi replied.

“Don’ be too long. You have training in the morning.”

“I won’.” Demi slipped out of their quarters and into the hall dotted with rooms. The living quarters in Castle Jaden were lavish compared to their quaint farm house in Aidenmar. He wanted to bring his siblings to Jaden when his mother vanished. Because his father went missing and Demi was needed to tend to the farm, he was never able to travel to Jaden for training. He packed several years of study into a few weeks before his Classing. His days in Jaden were filled with lectures and battles, and with each day he felt more knowledgeable.

He passed familiar faces with a smile and a nod and spiraled down the staircase to the door, bracing against the cold wind blowing in from the south. Darkness had fallen long ago, and it was snowing, but he pressed on and looked up at the crescent moon peeking out of the clouds.

He made his way to the gates and heralded a guard to open it for him.

“It’s a wee late to be going by yourself, lad,” the man said.

“I know, I will be quick. I just need t’ get out of the castle for a while.”

The man considered his plea with a skeptical look but signaled the Air and Earth Mages on guard to crack one of the gates open. Demi slipped out and briskly made his way down the road, grabbing a flame from one of the lanterns to tuck in a hand.

The lights of Jaden soon faded away, and Demi cut up one side of the mountain, making his way out of view of the castle. The wind blew fiercely, slapping snow against his face sharply, but he pressed on until he could find shelter. A little way up, he found an outcropping of stone and tucked back in to avoid the elements. He drew on the little flame in his hand to warm him.

The man appeared suddenly between blinks. He stepped from the weather into the outcrop where the flame illuminated his face, old, knowledgeable, cruel.

“Y’ have mine book, boy?” Ryker Slade asked.

“I don’ know if this is the one you wanted,” Demi replied and pulled a leather-bound book from his satchel, handing it over. “I bookmarked a passage.”

Ryker flipped it open and skimmed the page. “Nay, this is ne the one.”

“Please, please give me another chance.”

“Why ever bother?” Ryker stepped away, but Demi reached out and brazenly grabbed his coat sleeve.

“I can do better with more time. Please don’ hurt my mother.”

Ryker leaned back into the outcrop. “Where did y’ find this book?”

“The library.”

“Where in the library?”

“Ancient Rulers Section.”

Ryker shook his head. “Y’ need t’ get int’ the Forbidden Section.”

“I need permission from the Head Mage t’ do tha’.”

“Then what are y’ waiting par? Y’ have until the new moon. Meet me here again with better news or I start trimming your mother’s nails a little too close. Or maybe I’ll send y’ t’ be one of Maxine’s pets.”

“I’ll get the information. I’ll read all night.”

“Y’ best do so” The Arch Mage vanished.

Demi rushed down the slope as quick as the snow permitted back to Castle Jaden. He did not know how Ryker had found him on the road to Jaden when they were traveling. The Arch Mage suddenly appeared one evening and vowed that if Demi did not bring him information on the death of his Arch Mage Dorian Lark, Ryker would kill his mother. Demi had no chance of negotiation or refusal, and no way to bring anyone in on the threat. If anyone learned, Demi would be killed for treason, and his mother would die.

He was searched at the gate before they let him in. Once inside he gazed up at the Head Mage’s rooms, but the fires were out in both hearths. Demi briefly considered bringing the man in on the secret but knew the Head Mage would refuse him and throw him away in the dungeon. The only thing he could do now was access the Forbidden Section.