Green Mage, page 33
part #2 of Mackenzie Green Series
But he did, and though we were perfectly capable of talking in this form, he decided to do nothing but croon and stroke the shield gently. Yes, you idiot. Because that is going to make her let her guard down. It was clear to see she couldn’t hear us, but I gave my dragon props when she smiled. Maybe he was onto something here.
Or not. Mackenzie didn’t lower her barrier.
I felt when my dragon started to access my magic, he started to project his bewilderment, concern, and fear. I tried to take over, not wanting to expose so much of myself to her, but he batted away my attempts.
Her shields fell, and we reached out together to snatch her up. We failed, her protection snapping back into place before we could get to her. I growled, and in that moment, it hit me. Whatever magic this was, it was the only thing keeping the roof in place, and from the looks of it, Mackenzie was about to lose control. Panic swept through me, and I realized that, at some point, my dragon had seeded control to me again.
Mackenzie started to wave at me from on her back. It was a shooing motion. She wanted me to leave. Why? I thought of the person I was barely beginning to know. She wouldn’t want anyone to have to witness her death. She, in her own way, was trying to protect me.
Well screw that, I was the Protector.
I hunkered down and glared at her. I wasn’t moving, and she couldn’t make me. In the back of my mind, in the same place my dragon lived, I knew that I would never be able to live with myself if I let her die alone.
Her shield finally gave way, and though the ceiling stayed still for a heartbeat, soon enough, large chunks began to rain down. I didn’t have time to overthink my decision. Together, my dragon and I reached out and we tethered ourselves to our mate. The bond snapped into place and I drew hard on its energy.
Shifters with mate bonds were able to draw power from each other. Our bond was only partially formed since Mackenzie hadn’t acknowledged it on her end. But the power I suddenly had access to staggered me.
Too large to fit in the hole in dragon form, I initiated the shift and my clothes came with me. It was near-instantaneous. Impossible.
I didn’t let my mind-boggling speed deter me as I hopped down into the basement. I landed beside my mate. She was unconscious, her breathing too shallow for my liking. A chunk of concrete hit the floor close by and chips ricocheted, pelting me. It stung. There was no time to get her out, the building was coming down too fast.
As it collapsed around me, I shifted again, and in dragon form, I curled around the woman who, if I let her, might just become my heart.
Acknowledgement
Thank you for reading Green Mage. If you liked it, hated it, or are simply indifferent towards it, leave a review, please. They’re gold.
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About the Author
By day, Kennedy works as a rescue specialist with the Canadian Coast Guard. By night, she patiently slogs away making her books come to life scene by scene. Never much of an academic, she nonetheless enjoyed telling stories, and can remember regaling teachers of a piggy bank with nefarious plans.
Affectionately known as a ‘geek in a onesie,’ Kennedy enjoys sci-fi, fantasy, and most of all, dragons. She’s also a big fan of the Marvel movies, and had earned the nickname Cappie, after Captain America.
Green Mage came faster, and with a lot less headache. But she learned some important things. Like how much cover art made an impact on someone reading your work.
For any of you out there who love to write but suck at grammar, know that anything is possible if you just keep plugging forward. Success is the journey, not the destination.
Glossary:
It was pointed out to me that not everyone who would enjoy my book has a background in the fantasy world. And even if they do, mine might be a tad confusing. So, on excellent advice, I decided to include some terms that might give readers pause. Enjoy!
Archmage – He/she is the leader of the magic users in their region. They are voted into office, and usually need to have a certain level of power. The archmages seat of power is in their home, and it is passed from leader to leader. It contains everything from a courtroom, to dungeons, to guest rooms for mages who need help. The term for an archmage is 10 years, but they can be voted out early if they are unfair. They can also be voted in multiple times, there is no limit.
Chimera – A four-legged animal that has the body and head of a lion, with a second head of a goat (I know, right!). It also has a tail that ends in the head of a snake. In my world, the lowest cast of Gryphos shifter can take on this form. In it, they can breathe fire. In human form, they are identified by the copper color of their eyes, which usually have a swirl of another metallic color in it.
Clans – In my world, shifters are divided into two Clans based on the origin of their beasts. The Terran Clan contains shifters who take on the form of native animals. Canines, felines, birds, etc. The Mythos Clan is made up of shifters who can take on the form of mythical creatures. Dragons, Gryphons, Gargoyles, etc.
Council – Five of the most power Master Vampires in the area, they are the leaders of all the vampires in their zones. They live in the Warrens, and each master controls a sector of their underground domain. Master Dagmar controls the section under the working district.
Dragons – These are mythical creatures that have the body of a lizard (with a long neck) and the wings of a bat. If you’re still having trouble picturing one, google western dragons. There are some great pictures out there. In my world, Dragon shifters all have jewel-tone eyes of crystal clarity. Think of a flawless ruby or emerald, but in a wider range of colors. All dragons have a mental ability, for instance, Lucan, our dashing hero, has empathy.
Drake – This is a mythical creature who looks like a dragon, but without the wings. They are also usually stockier and have shorter necks. In my world, they are the second tier in the Dracos Tribe (see Tribe for a better understanding of the structure). They have the same crystalline eyes as dragons, with the notable difference of having one solid color veining through.
Elemental – These are mages who have the potential to master every aspect of their element. For example, an earth elemental can move the earth, talk to plants and animals, and make things grow, just to name a few. See mage to understand the difference between the two.
Gargoyle – This breed of shifter can transform into a grotesque monster towering seven to eight feet high. The highest level of gargoyle has a humanoid shape and wings. The next level only has the humanoid shape. And the lowest cast take on the form of an animal, with or without wings. Their skin is tough and hard to penetrate, like rock. In my world, Gargoyle shifters have eyes that are some density of gray. From the angry ferocity of a thunder cloud to the gentle gray of a morning mist. Gargoyle magic allows them to put other magic into objects or potions. For example, a gargoyle could put fire into a stone, and when the person says the keyword, the stone heats up.
Gryphon – Gryphons (UK spelling, some of you may be more familiar with the Griffin spelling, but I personally think the other way looks cooler) are a mythical creature with the body of a lion, and the head, front talons, and wings of an eagle. Google them—they’re wicked. In my world, gryphon shifters are born with metallic eyes, gold with a swirl of some other metal. For example, Quinn’s are golden with swirls of silver and bronze. The magic used by gryphons allows them to tell the truth in some form. Quinn’s dad, Tollas, can see the true form of a body, and if the person is wounded (alteration to the true form), he can right it. All magic has limitations though, and in Tollas’s case, he can’t cure someone of an ailment the person was born with.
Familiars – Mages, and other magic users, have the ability to bond with an animal. When they do, the animal gains a greater intelligence, and a longer lifespan (one that matches their mage) In return, the familiar can help focus and increase the magical potential of their master. Like with mates, most mages can only pair with certain animals, and most may never find a match.
Hedgewitch – This is a type of mage usually characterized with a lower amount of power. In this world, they don’t have less power per se, they have less abilities. A hedgewitch only has one ability, either an active power, or a passive one. Though as we see from Ethyl, they can still be badass.
Mage – These are humans who have the power over one of the seven elements—earth, air, fire, water, metal, balance, and spirit. They are able to use one active power (one that takes an exertion of will to use), and one passive power (one that takes willpower to not use). Unlike shifters, human mages can have abilities from any of the seven elements.
Mates – In this book, it refers to shifters finding a life partner. The more powerful the shifter, the less likely their beast is to find a person they think will be a good match. There is a lot of cosmic mumbo jumbo that goes into the choosing, but overall, it’s considered something sacred in shifter culture. For weaker shifters, they may come in contact with many potentials. Love is not instant, and the shifter is still expected to take the time to get to know their potential mate. Then both have a choice—accept the bond and be joined by a metaphysical rope that is unique to the pair, or reject the bond and try to find another. A few things about the bond… it’s necessary for reproduction, it can be initiated without the other person’s consent, and if it’s not returned within eight months, it usually causes the one who accepted to go crazy.
Purity Movement – A group a shifters, and other supernaturals, who believe that magic should stay within its bounds and that like magic should only mate and breed with like. It is a small but growing group.
Shifters – Humans who can take on another form. In this book, they are broken into two clans. The ones who take on a mythical shape, and the ones who take on a more native shape. While there is another set of instincts, they are not some separate soul. They are simply who that person would be without all the politics and societal niceties we constrain ourselves with.
Sphinx – A mythological animal that has the head of a human, the body of a lion, and the wings of a bird. Seriously, google is your friend. In this world, they are the middle tier of the Gryphos Tribe. They have silver eyes with veins of other metals and are prone to seeking out puzzles and trying to solve them.
Triad – There two Triads, one for the Mythos shifters, one for the Terran. Mythos shifters refer to their Triad as Heads, the Terran as Alphas. They are the leaders of their communities. The Mythos shifters choose their leaders based on Strength (Stone tribe), Wisdom (Gryphos tribe), and Nobility (Dracos tribe).
Tribes – In my book, there are six Tribes, three in each Clan. Mythos Clan has the Dracos Tribe (dragons, drakes, and wyverns), the Gryphos Tribe (gryphons, sphinx, and chimera), and the Stone Tribe (Gargoyles). The Terran Clan contains the Felis Tribe (cats), the Fenris Tribe (dogs), and the Omni Tribe (everyone else).
Wyverns – In traditional mythology, these are dragons who don’t have front legs, instead, they have joints on their wings that they can use in the same manner. In my world, they are considered the lowest cast in the Dracos Tribe. They have the gemstone quality to their eyes, the same as dragons, but they have two distinct veins of solid color running through them.
If you have any terms you would like to see, send me a message and I would be happy to add them!
Js Kennedy, Green Mage
