Mage's End Game, page 16
The air was heavy with anticipation as the Nereus’s face drew closer to the wooden horse. Sera held her breath even as her heart thumped faster. As the creature’s massive snout nudged the toy, a shiver raced down her spine. Her magic entwined with the soul of the Nereus, and they established a connection. Intrigue rippled over the creature as it examined the horse with its nose.
“Once, you were a little boy who played with his wooden horse.” Sera spoke in a soft tone. “I know you’ve suffered for a long time. I would help you if I could.”
The Nereus studied the wooden horse. The creature’s huge eyes glistened with a mixture of curiosity that turned into sorrow. A shimmering veil dropped over its gaze as an inner eyelid blinked.
“It’s for you.” She held the toy aloft.
The Nereus hesitated for a moment, as if unsure what to do. Then it extended a massive flipper and cradled the wooden horse against its side with a tenderness that belied its fearsome appearance. The creature arched its sinuous neck and emitted a heart-wrenching cry that filled the night and echoed across the loch. It was a sound of pure despair, as long-forgotten memories resurfaced and filled the ancient beast with both joy and pain. Sera shivered, struck by the raw vulnerability that radiated from the Nereus.
She kept her connection with the creature as its mind spiralled back through millennia to when it was a boy. One who had been loved and innocent. Before he had stained his soul with the lives he had taken. A time when he had been free, unburdened by the weight of centuries imprisoned in the dark depths of the loch.
As its cry reverberated through Sera’s body, the Nereus’s tears began to fall. Fat, crystalline droplets that shimmered with an ethereal beauty.
She reached for the glass vial in her pocket and pulled out the stopper. Leaning out of the dinghy, she placed one hand on a wet but warm side and held the vial aloft.
“Could you lower your head, please?” she asked.
Its eyes closed, and the Nereus bent its head towards the sound of her voice. Sera caught the tears in the vial, each like a glistening pearl, the next melding into the previous droplet, until the bottle held a universe of emotions within it.
Once it was full, she stoppered the vial and passed it back to Hugh. Then she placed both hands on the blunt snout and pressed her cheek to that of what had once been a boy. “Thank you. I promise that if there is a way, I will have your sentence ended so that you can live out a mortal lifespan.”
Perhaps Sera imagined it, but she thought the soul of the boy’s mother settled over her. A mother who mourned a child who had been too powerful to allow to live. She pressed a kiss to the scaled face, and her lips touched the soft, rounded cheek of a child.
The Nereus opened its eyes and blinked away the last few tears, which fell into the water like diamonds dropping into a bottomless well. Slowly, so as not to create a wave that would capsize the little dinghy, the Nereus turned and swam a short distance before slipping beneath the surface and vanishing from sight.
Sera stood with her hands curled around the edge of the dinghy long after the Nereus had returned to its watery home. “Poor child,” she murmured. “Punished for what he did, and yet…it doesn’t sit right with me.”
Hugh rowed them back to shore. “Blaming the boy seems like raging at a storm or earthquake that steals lives.”
“Yes. What he did was more like a terrible natural disaster, not the actions of a cold-blooded killer or a mage using dark magic with evil intent.” What had happened to his parents? Had they been punished for their actions, or was losing their child the worst thing that could have befallen them?
There were many secrets Sera would hunt out in two very different hidden libraries when she had the time. When she was no longer deemed a traitor.
Moonlight played upon the gently undulating water as Sera’s heart ached with a bittersweet mix of hope and sorrow. The icy tendrils of the wind teased at her hair, but she barely noticed, for the warmth of Hugh’s presence before her was enough to banish the chill from her bones.
“Nearly there,” he murmured. His broad shoulders rippled beneath his coat as he rowed with steady, powerful strokes.
Sera hopped from the little vessel as they ran up on the gravel, the wooden hull scraping against pebbles with a gentle rasp. She helped Hugh drag the boat up to higher ground. The owner might return and look for it and wouldn’t appreciate having to retrieve it from the middle of the loch.
Standing at the water’s edge, Sera gazed out over the rippling surface. She had the tears and a way to reverse the effects of the entropy curse that tormented the king.
“I never thought I’d help you catch the tears of a mythical creature,” Hugh mused, his eyes on the horizon where the Nereus had disappeared minutes earlier.
“And you have not known me for an entire year yet. Imagine what adventures we will have in the years to come.” Sera reached out and took his hand.
Hugh caressed her cheek and cupped her nape. “I’m imagining things we could do right now,” he murmured before placing a heated kiss on her lips.
Their love for one another ignited like a spark in the darkness. The world around them fell away, leaving only the heat of their connection and the overwhelming sense of belonging to each other.
Sera’s heart raced, her breath coming in shallow gasps as she gazed into Hugh’s eyes, shimmering with desire and longing. Amidst the chaos and danger, what a gift it was to steal a moment for themselves.
“It makes sense to stay here tonight. But what should we do until dawn?” She sucked in her bottom lip, swollen from Hugh’s kisses.
With a grin that made her heart flutter, Hugh swept Sera into his arms and carried her effortlessly towards their camp under the sheltering trees. Her body was weightless as he cradled her against his broad chest and strode confidently through the shadows.
Hugh gently placed her on a blanket beside the fire. Their bodies entwined as they surrendered to their desires. The warmth of his skin seeped into her own, banishing the chill of the night air as they explored each other with reverent touches and whispered endearments.
The full moon bathed them in an ethereal light as they exposed as much bare skin to the cold as they dared. Time seemed to slow. The world beyond their embrace faded into insignificance, leaving only the two of them moving together in perfect harmony. The whisper of leaves and the murmur of lapping water provided a gentle accompaniment to their passion.
Eventually, spent and breathless, they collapsed onto the blanket, limbs still entangled, hearts beating in unison. For a while, they lay in silence, gazing up at the stars that glittered like diamonds in the velvet expanse of the sky.
“Look, there.” Sera pointed to a constellation she recognised. “That’s the Archer, guiding us by his bow.”
As they lay there, the world held its breath, waiting for dawn to break and herald a new day. Rolling in Hugh’s arms, Sera stared into his eyes and was struck by the depth of devotion that shimmered there, a fierce and unwavering loyalty that sent shivers down her spine. She only hoped she deserved such love and wasn’t about to lead him to his doom in a battle she couldn’t win.
“Stop worrying,” he murmured as he wound a strand of her hair around his fingers.
“How do you know I’m worrying?” She flung herself across his chest.
“I suspect a part of you never stops. Concern for others and this country always simmers in the corners of your mind.” He tapped the side of her head with a gentle touch.
“Are we not the same in that way?” With her cheek pressed to his chest, she listened to the steady beat of his heart.
“I worry about my patients singularly. You seem intent on worrying about everyone.” He huffed a soft laugh that made her head rise and fall.
“I was made this way for a reason. I will help as many people as I can while I walk this earth.” She rolled back over and grabbed the other blanket, pulling it over them to shield their sleep from the chill bite of lingering winter. Then she cast a warming bubble around them.
Inverness was significantly colder than London.
The sun began its ascent and painted the sky in hues of orange and pink. Sera’s eyes fluttered open, and the sight of Hugh’s peaceful profile greeted her, his chest rising and falling gently with each breath. A pang of reluctance tugged at her heart as she considered rousing him from sleep. However, their journey to London could not be delayed. With great care, Sera disentangled herself from Hugh’s embrace, her fingertips lingering on his warm skin for a moment longer than necessary.
Standing, Sera watched as the morning light kissed the surface of Loch Ness, leaving a trail of sparkling ripples in its wake. Where did the Nereus go when the sun was high in the sky? Did the creature have a lair somewhere in the depths, or was local lore right, and it had a way out to the greater freedom of the ocean?
They broke camp, rolled up blankets to secure behind their saddles, and stuffed items into saddlebags. Sera’s gaze skimmed over the flattened grasses, a fleeting reminder of their passionate union. Even now, the blades sought to stand upright once more.
Before they set off, Sera pulled out the map Liriel had given her. Its edges were worn and creased, as though it had guided countless travellers before her. Sera’s fingers brushed against the soft parchment. The intricate lines and symbols wove a story of ancient pathways and hidden gates. She could sense the whispers of magic imbued within the very fibres of the paper.
She determined a path for their journey, jumping between rings that were as close to each other as possible. A trip south that normally took a week might be achieved in a day or two. The last jump landed them a distance from London, but there would be more traffic, and some farmer might offer them a ride in his cart. Or Kitty could send Elliot with fresh horses.
“Where to?” Hugh asked, peering over her shoulder, their bodies pressed close together as they stood beneath the sheltering boughs of a great oak.
“Here.” She tapped a small mark on the map with her finger. “It’s the closest ring to where we are now, and in the opposite direction to where my ethereal doppelgänger sent Lord Rowan’s men.”
Hugh’s brow furrowed momentarily. “What will happen to the horses? Can they travel by fairy ring?”
“No. Probably not.” It would be cruel to leave the animals tied to a tree. “I can sense the Daoine Sidhe all around here. I will ask them to send the horses back to Inverness.” Closing her eyes, she focused on the words she needed, shaping them into a magical message, asking the fairy folk to please take care of the equines. Then she dispersed her note so that it filtered through the trees.
Once done, Sera placed her foot in the stirrup and swung up into the saddle. She kicked her horse into a trot as they rode along the shores of the loch for a distance. Then they veered into the forest. Branches reached for them and snagged on their clothing. Sera had to stop and glare at the trees, in case they uprooted themselves and advanced, like the magical ones in Bumblefoot Forest.
The horses navigated narrow paths, the dappled sunlight filtering through the canopy above, casting playful shadows across the forest floor. From time to time, she pulled out the map and checked their bearings. A star on the map that represented them moved across the parchment.
“It’s not too far now,” she said.
Taking the lead, Sera nudged her horse onward, stepping over fallen trees and around others. Hooves crunched softly on the leaf-strewn floor. The surrounding forest seemed to hush, as if the very trees leaned in to listen to their conversation.
Always they followed a narrow track, worn into the earth by hundreds of feet, of all sizes and varieties, over time. As they ventured deeper into the forest, the shadows lengthened, their fingers reaching out to brush against Sera’s skin. She shivered, though not from cold; there was an otherworldly energy pulsating through the air, as though the very fabric of reality were thinning. They were close to the portal.
The trees opened out into a grassy clearing. In the middle grew a perfect circle of mushrooms. Their spotted orange caps glistened like pearls in the sun and seemed to beckon them closer. There was no denying the magic that emanated from this ancient formation, its power resonating within her very core.
Sera dismounted and tied her horse to a nearby tree. Hugh did the same. Then they took the saddlebags and blankets and swung them over their shoulders.
Hugh stared at the mushrooms. “I promise not to eat these ones.”
As they approached the circle, a figure stepped from the shadows. A boy no older than fifteen, with wild, unkempt hair and eyes of such a startling blue they seemed to pierce straight through Sera.
“I’m here for the horses,” he called, his voice surprisingly deep despite his youthful appearance. He unlaced the reins and held both sets in one hand.
“Thank you. We are grateful for your assistance,” Sera said.
With a last glance at their equine companions, Sera took Hugh’s hand and approached the gateway. A strange energy pulsed through the air. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, and a shiver ran down her spine. They stepped over the mushrooms, and the surrounding air shimmered and rippled, like water disturbed by a thrown stone. A tingling sensation enveloped their bodies, as if a thousand tiny sparks danced upon their skin. Sera took a deep breath, drawing in the heady scent of damp earth and dew-kissed grass, her heart pounding with anticipation.
Holding the map in one hand, she kept a tight grip on Hugh with the other. She focused on the next spot that would jump them down the country. Then she whispered the incantation Liriel had taught her.
Sera closed her eyes and uttered the ancient words, her voice barely audible above the rustling leaves of the glade. The syllables slipped over her lips like water tumbling across smooth stones, resonating with a magic that was far older than the words of mortal men.
As the final syllable left her mouth, the air crackled with electricity, and then a cloud dropped over them and the world went dark.
Eighteen
Their bodies were weightless, suspended in an otherworldly space where time itself seemed to hold its breath.
“By Jove, it’s like flying,” breathed Hugh, his voice echoing strangely in the void.
Sera grasped his hand tighter. At least travelling by fairy ring didn’t involve the choking, dirt-filled whirlwind of stepping across Shadowvane. They whooshed through a night painted in shades of black, deep ocean blue, and granite grey. Suddenly, as quickly as it had begun, the transport came to an abrupt halt.
Sera’s body was dumped onto solid ground in an untidy pile of limbs and luggage. Pushing Hugh’s thigh off her legs, she found her satchel. Then her feet, her legs oddly heavy. They stumbled, disoriented and breathless, out of the fairy ring. They exited an identical circle of mushrooms surrounded by greenery that was lush in comparison to that of their entry point.
Sera steadied herself against a nearby tree trunk and laid a hand on Hugh’s arm. “Are you unscathed?”
“That was incredible,” he replied, his eyes sparkling with exhilaration.
Sera drew out the map from under her stays and unfolded the worn parchment. Her fingers brushed over the markings of the fairy ring they had used. A moment later, the ink seemed to vanish like smoke, leaving behind only a faint trace of their magical journey.
“Is that supposed to happen?” Hugh peered over her shoulder.
“Yes. Liriel said each ring can only be used once. The map will erase our path as we travel.” Sera squinted at the map to make out their new location. The tiny star that represented them had shot south when she unfolded the map, and now it settled in one spot. “We appear to be near Edinburgh.”
Hugh let out a low whistle. “We have travelled over a hundred and fifty miles in a few heartbeats. But we are still in Scotland.”
“We have a bit of a walk to the next fairy ring, which should take us to north Yorkshire.” Sera checked her bearings and the direction in which they needed to go, then folded the map and tucked it away again.
“I assume we won’t be going into Edinburgh.” Hugh gazed at the distant spires that pierced the horizon. Perhaps he was thinking about the city’s reputation for medical discoveries.
“No. But we might pass a village on the way where we can buy something to eat,” Sera said.
They set off, walking in comfortable silence. Sunlight coming through the bare trees dappled their faces. The countryside was alive with the twittering of birds and the gentle whisper of the wind through the trees. It was a symphony of life that sang in harmony with the magic coursing through her veins.
Scotland, she thought with a smile, was truly a paradise for those who could sense its wonders.
They skirted the edges of the city, where brick homes became smaller stone cottages clustered together. Edinburgh might be a haven for women like Sera, but it was also a place where shadows lurked, and danger waited just around the corner.
Past the cottages, the land opened out in meadows where sheep grazed quietly.
Hugh paused and drew a deep breath, then let it out in a sigh.
“Whatever have you caught the smell of?” Sera asked, laughter tinging her words.
“Apple pie.” He grinned and drew her closer to the sheep.
A river cut through the field, and a farmer sat on the bank. His weathered face broke into a grin as he waved them over. “Ye look weary from yer travels,” he called out. “Come share my wife’s pie. There’s more than enough for all.”
Sera’s stomach rumbled as she eyed the steaming pastry the man had set out. “We would much appreciate such a kindness, sir.”
As they sat down beside the man, Hugh murmured his thanks, his eyes darting to where the farmer’s sheep were grazing nearby. The animals seemed content, their woolly coats keeping them warm from the winter snows. Yet, as Sera studied them more closely, she noticed something amiss. Mounds of dung clung to the wool around their hindquarters, causing discomfort and irritation.
