Soul Blaze (24 page)

The council members had informed us that the nonmagi’s celebrations were finally coming to a halt, and
many of them had opened bank accounts within the city
to deposit their wages. Griffin had already told me that he
had been inundated with requests to join the city guard;
Eleanora had served as an inspiration to all of them.

She and Griffin had officially become an item a few
days previous. I congratulated her with a tight feeling in
my chest that I couldn’t pin point. I was yet to see to
Griffin since he’d told me about the non-magi’s requests.
For some reason, I couldn’t face him.

As life continued along in Castor, with Phoenix and I
settling into our roles as betrothed monarchs, I couldn’t
help but feel we were still missing a lot of answer to our
questions. I mulled it over for a few days, before
approaching Phoenix.

“I agree,” he said solemnly. “I’ve been thinking about it
as well. We need to address the situation immediately.”

And so, a few days before our engagement party, we set
off with a small group for the Academy to reorganise our
former school’s leadership.

The ride back seemed to take less time than travelling
to Castor. As the environment became familiar again, I
expected to feel some sort of relief, but all I felt was
consternation at being away from my city. By the time the
Academy itself came into view, I was ready to turn around
and head back.

My ladies in waiting chattered amongst themselves as
our horses were taken care of. I’d finally managed to pick
which daughters I wanted. Arianta, Nillia and another girl
named Sojaya from House Esper had made the cut, and
now escorted me whenever I left the palace.

Sojaya was from a house in Sudafrae, and I’d been
curious to find out more about her country. Her ebony
skin made a beautiful contrast to her maroon eyes, and
like the performers I’d seen on my first night in Castor,
she had piercings and tattoos to match her culture. A small
silver chain ran from her nose piercing to one in her ear
lobe, and she’d told me it was her betrothal chain. She
hadn't believed me when I showed her my engagement
ring and told her what it was.

While Arianta and Nillia preferred to wear gowns of
Lotherian design – tight bodice with a flowing skirt –
Sojaya wore her traditional garb of long silken robes. I’d
watched her tie them one morning, mesmerised by the
skill needed to turn one piece of cloth into an outfit.

When she’d showed me her chosen weapon, a curved
broadsword, I’d needed no more convincing. And so,
Sojaya joined my ladies.

As had Nemoidia.

Phoenix had asked me to take her on, as a personal
favour. He seemed to like having his childhood friend
around again, but I hadn't missed Nemoidia’s smirk when
I’d formally asked her to join my ladies.

We were met at the door by Professor Watt. She
greeted us warmly, as though trying to erase my last
memories of her.

“Would you like to see the students?” she asked as she
led us into the castle.

“I wouldn’t want to distract them from their studies,” I
replied, looking around. It felt like eons had passed since
I’d last been here. “You know who we want to see.”

“We’ll wander the grounds, Your Majesty,” Sojaya said
lightly. “Send someone when you require us again.”
I nodded sagely as they headed out to the grounds,
Nemoidia following like a misguided puppy.

Professor Watt’s mouth had tightened into a narrow
line, but without another word, she led us towards the
stairs. As we descended into the dark bowels of the
Academy, Phoenix clutched my hand briefly, sensing my
nervousness. I nodded back up at him.

Iain and Netalia had seemingly gotten used to their
imprisonment. Without their magic, they didn’t have a
hope of escaping their cells. Someone had given them each
a cot to sleep on, rather than the floor, and Iain even had a
writing desk, which he was working at when Professor
Watt led us before their cells.

“Well well,” Iain didn’t even look up from his desk. “To
what do we owe the pleasure?”
Netalia ignored us, sitting on her cot with all the
dignity she could muster behind bars.
“We have some questions,” I began. “And we’d like you
to answer them.”
“And why should we?” Netalia asked, her voice cold.
I pulled my travelling cloak tighter around my
shoulders.

“Because if you don’t, I can make life a lot more
uncomfortable for you,” I replied easily. “For example,
have you heard of Coffin Cells? They’re these wonderful
little contraptions that we have in Castor. I’ve already
made good use of them with some of my less co-operative
nobles.”

Iain kept writing, seemingly non-plussed, but Netalia
had dropped her gaze to the floor.
“Now,” I said. “Shall we?”
“What do you want to know?” Netalia asked
grudgingly.

“Why can’t soul mates fall in love?” I asked. I’d been
wondering this for weeks. “Why were Phoenix and I
banished?”

“No doubt you’ve both been informed of the logistics
behind your crowns,” Netalia answered. “And therefore
have been told that you were both cursed to fall in love.”

Phoenix and I shifted uncomfortably. We didn’t like
when it was brought up.

“One of the most telling signs of who our usurpers
would be was the students that fell in love. So we made it
taboo to fall in love with your soul mate,” Netalia
shrugged as though it was no big deal. “The ones that did
anyway, we banished, just in case.”

I could feel cold anger simmering under my skin, but
didn’t let it show on my face.
“So people
can
fall in love with their soul mates?”
“Of course.”

I wondered what everyone else would think of this
revelation. I knew without a doubt, however, that it
would take a long time for that misconception to fade. In
their efforts to prolong themselves in a position of power,
Iain and Netalia had done lasting damage to the mage
world in more ways than one.

“What else would you like to know, Your Majesties?”
Netalia asked. She wanted us out of here.
“Why do you rename people?” Phoenix asked. “When
they come to the Academy?”

I suddenly remembered the name he was born with, as
well as my own. If we had a choice, would we rename
ourselves to Rose and Diego?

“We want our students to forget the outside life they’ve
led, especially if they're from the human realm,” Netalia
shot a pointed look at me. “The Academy is the beginning
of their new life. We want them to be reborn in it.”

I made a noise of disgust. Netalia looked scandalized.
“Is Her Highness not pleased?”

“No,” I snorted. “I’m sorry, that’s a terrible excuse for
renaming eighteen year olds. That rule will be abolished as
well.”

“So you mean to take over the Academy?”

“Of course we do,” Phoenix replied easily. “With the
exception of banishing students and renaming them, the
Academy will continue to operate as it did. However, it
will have to make do without its corrupt Masters.”

“And what do you plan to do with us?” Iain asked,
speaking for the first time since we had arrived.

“Well... I suppose the right thing to do is give you a fair
and just trial,” I replied, apparently deep in thought. “But I
know how you feel about those, so for now, make
yourselves at home.”

Phoenix turned to start back up the stairs. I followed
him, but was stopped by Netalia’s furious outburst.
“You can’t just leave us down here forever, Sky!”
“Aren’t you immortal?” I asked, turning back.
“Yes.” She replied through gritted teeth.
I smiled widely.
“Well, then I guess I can.”
~Chapter Twenty-Three~

We returned to the city a few days later, having
announced Professor Alena and Professor Yu as the new
Academy Masters. Both of their soul mates resided in
Keyes and therefore didn’t interfere with Academy affairs,
which would make a change to the way Iain and Netalia
had run things as soul mates.

A few nights after we arrived back in our city, our
engagement party was held. My mother and Yasmin had
gone into planning overdrive. I’d managed to bring the
calibre of the celebrations down a few notches, but that
hadn’t stopped them from planning a night of
extravagance.

I’d also managed to wrangle a dress that didn’t exactly
resemble a wedding dress. Instead, I wore a slim green
dress that flowed to the floor and left my shoulders bare.
Sleeves of sheer white material fell to my ankles, with slits
cut in them so I could move my arms and hands freely.

Originally the party was going to be inside, but when it
became clear that the weather was going to be lovely, I
requested that it be moved to one of the palace gardens.
Someone, Yasmin I suspected, had gone through the
trouble of placing little candles in individual jars and then
hanging them from the trees. As a result, every branch in
the garden glowed with golden light, turning the area into
an illuminated wonderland. Tables and chairs had been set
around the garden in no particular order, and people were
already claiming them. Palace servants circled the guests,
offering them canapés and other small foods. I watched
everyone carefully, wary of anyone treating them badly,
but all of my guests had been supporters of the laws. I saw
Larni watching from the edge of the garden, and I picked
my way over to her.

“Why aren’t you joining in?” I asked her.
“I’m on duty tonight,” she replied, smiling.
“Congratulations on your engagement, Your Majesty.”
I sighed, and hit her gently, my long sleeve fluttering
gracefully.
“What do you mean you’re ‘on duty’? I invited you
tonight.”
“I know. I’m covering for one of my staff.”

Larni had accepted my offer of the managerial role in
charge of all palace staff. The old manager, a mage who
treated his staff like rubbish, had mysteriously disappeared
after I passed the laws. Specifically, just after I announced
that those who had treated the non-magi unfairly would
be brought to trial. We were yet to find him.

“Don’t work too hard,” I told her. “Remember that
you’re one of my closest friends, and this is my
engagement party.”

She granted me one of her biggest, loveliest smiles that
seemed to light up the area brighter than the tree candles.

“I’ll remember that. Oh, Niko and my parents send
their congratulations. He sent you this.” She dug into her
pocket and withdrew a piece of sparkly quartz. She
deposited it into my hand with the air of an older sister
delivering what she thought was a childish gift. “I better
head to the kitchens.”

I hugged her goodbye, and then watched her stride
back through the trees.

I held Niko’s gift in my hand, and I sat on a nearby
bench to examine it. Luckily, no one had spotted me
coming into the garden, and so I was granted a few
moments of peace.

The quartz glimmered in the candlelight, and I turned
it this way and that to watch the sparkles. This wasn’t a
gift from a citizen to his monarch; this was from a child to
his friend. Tears suddenly filled my eyes as I wrapped my
hand around the rock. I suddenly just wanted my old
bedroom at the Academy with Morrigan on the headboard
of my bed.

“There you are,” Phoenix sat next to me on the bench.
“What’ve you got?”

“A shiny rock,” I told him, trying not to let the wobble
in my voice through. “Larni’s little brother gave it to me as
an engagement present.”

“Do I have competition?” he asked, and I laughed in
spite of my tears. He kissed me gently. “Come on, people
have been asking for you.”

I went about my duties, thanking everyone for coming
and accepting their congratulations. Time and time again,
I was glad that I’d asked to have this party held in the
garden; the trees were beginning to blossom and the warm
night air was filled with the heady scent. The long grass
hadn’t been cut in a while, but felt good on my feet when
I kicked off my uncomfortable court shoes.

A band had set up on the fringes of the party and their
music filtered through the conversation and laughter. My
earlier tears had been tucked away with Niko’s rock,
which I’d slipped into one of the pockets hidden in my
dress. I danced with Phoenix more times than anyone
could count, and the crowd cheered as he dipped me
towards the ground and kissed me passionately. I even
heard Ispin catcall before Rain hit him in the back of the
head.

I saw Petre dancing with Nillia, who blushed prettily as
he kissed her hand. I glanced about for Rain, and saw her
standing next to Ispin, her eyes fixed on Petre. I knew
they’d broken up soon after we’d arrived in Castor, but
both were such private people, no one knew why.

Arianta had noticed Rain’s expression, and took her
hand. I watched as she engaged Rain in conversation,
Rain’s expression softening as they exchanged stories
about their homeland. I was infinitely grateful to Arianta
for that.

Sojaya had engaged a nobleman from Gannameade in
deep conversation, and even over the band, I could hear
her heavily accented voice. I noticed she was wearing her
broadsword, but the nobleman hadn't seen it. I’d seen her
a few days again in the training yard with it, and had been
sufficiently terrified. I could only hope that I’d never have
to see her use it in earnest.

I was looking about for a drink when I noticed a
servant standing near the trees with a platter of iced
lemonade. I started over to him but then halted when I
saw Eleanora and Griffin heading in the same direction. I
was about to turn away when Griffin caught my eye and I
was forced to put a smile on my face instead.

“Thank you for coming,” I told them both. “I hope it
wasn’t difficult to get the night off.”

“Not too difficult, no. Besides, how could we say no to
our monarch’s engagement party?” Griffin smiled widely.
“It’s a great honour.”

I knew he was stirring me up, but I was watching
Eleanora. We made eye contact and she nodded slowly. I
had been worried about inviting her, not sure if it would
be too awkward.