Legacy of light, p.29
Legacy of Light, page 29
Deor lowered his head, his large brown eyes studying the prince.
Davi walked past the canopied bed to a table that sat in front of a large window. Golden morning light streamed through, catching on the silver ewer Davi used to pour himself a glass of water. He studied the grounds outside with their dead and twisted trees. The grass was a dusty brown wherever it managed to sprout up at all. Had it been beautiful once?
He’d been told his father drained much of the magic surrounding the palace in order to have the power to bring him back.
But was he worth it? Was he worth turning his kingdom into a graveyard?
A sharp yap rang out behind him and he took a long gulp of water before setting it aside and approaching the bed.
“Lorelai tells me you’re harmless.” He narrowed his eyes. “But nothing is ever truly harmless.”
As if to tell him how wrong he was, Deor shifted forward and lowered his head onto his paws while meeting Davi’s eyes.
“Blasted dog.” Davi reached forward and dug his fingers into Deor’s fur, massaging him between the eyes.
Unable to face the prospect of another day as a prince who didn’t know how to be a prince, he climbed back in bed. As he laid back, Deor scooted up and nuzzled against his chest.
Davi turned his head away from the dog’s smell, but let him remain, his warmth providing the prince with the peace he needed to close his eyes once again and fall asleep.
The heavy rap of a fist on wood woke Davi. Deor jumped from his arms and ran to the door, barking like mad. Davi was slower to follow as he scrubbed a hand across his tired eyes.
He didn’t bother with a robe this time as he yanked open the door, suddenly irritated at whoever was beyond it.
Lorelai stood with a fist still raised as if planning to knock again.
Her usually sad smile turned into a smirk as she took in his disheveled state and the dog who tried to push past him to greet Lorelai.
“Put some clothes on, cousin. Today, you’re with me.”
His eyes flicked down over his bare chest and linen pants and he sighed. He didn’t have a choice. He’d had no control over his days since coming to the palace. And a day with Lorelai was infinitely better than another one spent under the magical powers of Ramsey.
“Give me a moment.” He closed the door, noting Deor opted to stay in the hall with Lorelai.
After pulling on an ensemble more suitable for a prince, he flattened his hair with his fingers and met Lorelai out in the hall. Deor walked at Davi’s side, his large frame occasionally bumping into Davi’s legs.
“Where are we going?” he asked as she led him into the courtyard. Two horses stood saddled and riderless among a handful of guardsmen atop their mounts.
“Davi, you’ve lived most of your life in a land that holds no magic. It’s time you learned of your birthright.”
She swung up gracefully. He pulled himself into his own saddle. In his spotty mind, he didn’t remember doing much riding, but his muscles seemed to remember what his brain failed to recognize as familiar.
They took off through the gates, the guards following at a distance. To Davi’s surprise, Deor loped along next to the horses.
Lorelai looked down at the dog, the hint of a genuine smile on her lips. “Don’t worry, Davi, Deor is a hunting dog. He can keep up.”
Davi hadn’t been worried, but he looked sideways at his cousin. Her smile was gone as she focused on the road ahead. It was as if she fought against every urge to smile or laugh.
He recognized it because he knew the feeling.
The scarred and twisted surroundings soon gave way to rolling hills that grew greener the farther from the palace they rode.
A village came into view, stacks of smoke stretching from rows of chimneys and children’s laughter floating on the breeze. But they didn’t enter. Instead, they skirted around the edges until they came upon a meadow on the far side that screamed of life.
Davi sucked in a breath. The memories that were returning of life in Dreach-Sciene featured a land so devoid of life that he was sure this was the most beautiful sight he’d ever seen.
Their guards put the horses to grazing and then gave them space as Davi walked forward. Freedom existed outside the palace walls and he soaked it in.
“This is what I love about Dreach-Dhoun.” Lorelai smiled, the joy touching her eyes for once. “I spent so long in Dreach-Sciene that I forgot what it felt like to be surrounded by magic.”
“Magic?” He cocked his head as the buzz of energy slithered along his skin.
Amusement flashed across her face at his ignorance. “It’s in the earth, Davi.” She crossed her arms across her small body. “What’s it like to… not remember?”
He shrugged as a weight settled in his chest. What could he say to the cousin he barely knew? But he wanted to know her. If only to have a friend.
How did it feel? Confusing. Painful. Terrifying.
“I can feel them missing,” he finally admitted. “You’d think you wouldn’t know something wasn’t there if you don’t remember it, but you do. I just want it all back.”
Lorelai’s smile dropped, and she shifted her eyes away. It wasn’t the first time he’d sensed there was something she wasn’t telling him. But he never pressed. Something inside him told him he didn’t want to know, whatever it was.
She cleared her throat. “We didn’t come out here to talk. Your father wants me to show you how to control your magic.”
“My magic?” He looked down at his hands but they didn’t look like they were meant for power.
She laughed. “Sometimes, Davi, you get this look on your face that turns you back into the little boy who…”
When she trailed off, he met her eye. “Was kidnapped?”
“Yeah. Kidnapped.” Her shoulders shook as if shivering and he pressed his lips together, trying to read her thoughts.
“We were close when I was a child?”
That brought her smile back. “You used to follow me everywhere. Even as a teenager, I never got annoyed. It was impossible to be mad at you.”
“I wish I remembered.”
The sadness returned to her face. “That isn’t a result of your lost memories, cousin. Even if they were fully intact, you wouldn’t remember those years. It’s the greatest tragedy of childhood.”
His lips curved into a smirk. “I’d say my childhood tragedy was being stolen by an enemy king and held prisoner.”
A laugh burst from her lips and she shook her head. He liked that he could make her smile. Everything inside the palace–his father included–was so very cold. Lorelai’s sadness echoed through the great halls, a tragedy in its own right.
He felt connected to her as if his earliest years tied them together in the most unbreakable of bonds. Family. They were family.
Something the Renaulds had taken from him.
It was another thing they would have to answer for.
Deor pranced across the meadow, pulling Davi from his own thoughts. Could the dog feel the magic?
Lorelai lowered herself to the ground, fanning her skirts around her, not worried about dirtying them. She glanced up, imploring him to join her.
He knelt in front of her.
“I am a seer,” she began. “That is the only kind of magic that does not come directly from the earth. It lives inside of me. But the greater power lives in the very ground beneath our feet. It is not ours to own, only to use. We draw upon it, fighting for control.” She nodded towards the ground in front of her. “Place your hands directly on the earth.”
As soon as he did, all surrounding sounds faded away as warmth flooded through him.
Lorelai continued to speak, and it took a moment for her words to break through. “Some people can actually hear the earth. It’s called the Tenelach. Their power is infinite. Yours will have its limits. Now, don’t think about it. I just want you to release any barrier in your mind, let yourself go.”
He closed his eyes, breathing deeply, and opened himself up. It was easier than he expected—as if his mind already knew what to do.
Energy surged through him, filling him.
“Slowly,” Lorelai said softly. “You can control the flow. Your body should instinctively know when to stop. Listen to it. If you don’t, you’ll draw more power than you can handle and you could die.”
She was right. It struggled to squeeze more into him. The flow grew weak. He could have taken more if he pulled, but he heeded Lorelai’s warning and slammed up a wall in his mind while pulling his hands free of the soft grass.
“How do you feel?” Lorelai asked tentatively.
Davi raised his eyes to the clear blue sky, a grin forming on his lips as the power swirled inside of him. “Like I can do anything.”
It was the truth. Invincibility. Nothing could touch him.
Lorelai stood and turned to face him, satisfaction bright in her eyes. “That was the easy part.” She gestured to a patch of trees nearby. “Try it out.”
His shoulders cocked with confidence, Davi faced his target. He didn’t need to think about the first thing he’d do with the magic. He knew. He could do this. He could do it all. Feeling more like himself than any time since he’d arrived in Dreach-Dhoun, he lifted his hands and pressed them forward, expected the trees to burst into flames.
But nothing happened.
The power inside him fought for dominance, but it wouldn’t come out. He tried again. It crackled on his fingertips and died.
Lorelai muffled a laugh with her fist. “You can’t just draw on magic and expect to have it mastered. The use of magic is a battle within oneself. The power wants control. You need to fight it and take that control for yourself. Everyone has varying levels of magic. Most people can only use it for small things. The strength of one’s power depends on their body’s tolerance of it.”
The longer he stood there not using it, the more he felt the magic seeping out of him. He was unable to keep it in. He tried again, but nothing happened and he growled.
“It’ll take practice, Davi.”
His mind suddenly focused on the palace and the barren lands that surrounded it. They’d been drained of magic to save him—although he didn’t know what that meant.
“My father,” he started. “He’s… powerful?”
“The second most powerful man I’ve ever heard of. Don’t you dare tell him I said that.”
“Who was the first?”
She turned away from him and for a moment, he thought she wasn’t going to answer. Then her sad words reached him almost as if carried on a breeze.
“Before Dreach-Sciene lost their magic, it was Marcus Renauld.”
Lorelai took comfort in being out among the fields that were humming with magic as Davi practiced using his power. He’d managed to create a tiny blast of air and she’d never been more proud of anyone. Magic worked like a muscle one had only to use to know how. They called it magic memory. Instinct. Evolution. A connection to the earth.
When Davi was a child, Lorelai had taken care of him. He’d first used magic as a young boy. He may not remember it, but his body did. It already knew what to do. It only needed to be reminded.
When they’d journeyed into Dreach-Sciene together and she had to hand him over to the king, it nearly killed her. But it was her uncle’s orders. Through Davi and blood magic, they’d kept a close watch on Marcus Renauld and his household.
Marcus. Every time she thought of him, her heart squeezed. Everyone thought she’d killed the man. Thom hadn’t told that secret, but she knew he had his reasons. He held it over her head each night when he came to her rooms and put his disgusting paws on her.
But if Calis found out she’d chosen not to carry out her mission, the punishment would be great.
A boyish grin formed on Davi’s face, creating two adorable dimples. At least she had him back in her life even if she had to lie to him every day.
He sent a bolt of energy towards a tree and the crack of the bark sounded loud as he let out a whoop of glee. Lorelai hid a smirk behind her hand. Davi’s pride at something children could normally do was endearing.
Would he be as powerful as his father? If he was, she hoped it wouldn’t destroy him too.
Power didn’t have to ruin everything. She’d only been a girl during the war, but she heard stories of Marcus Renauld and how he used his abilities to protect his people. To protect his family.
Marissa Kane had been more mother to Lorelai than her own, but then she’d switched sides. Lorelai had barely been able to look at Rissa without memories flooding back. She looked so like her mother.
These thoughts would get her nowhere. She refocused on Davi, noticing his movements growing sluggish. He’d drawn more magic from the earth twice, but it was wearing on him.
“Davion,” she said, putting a hand on his arm. “You’re exhausted. We should stop.”
“No way.”
She leveled him with a stare. “There’ll be plenty enough time to practice in the future. Right now, I need a drink.”
That stopped him and his mouth hung open in shock for just a moment before a gleam shone in his eyes. He released the rest of the magic stored inside him and surprised her by dropping a sweaty arm over her shoulders. “We really are related, aren’t we?”
She reveled in the feel of any kind of human contact. She’d never had family who hugged or showed affection. It felt… nice. Like someone cared about her.
Guilt ate away at her. She’d been there when Davi’s memories were erased. She knew the truth of his time in Dreach-Sciene. But telling him would ruin everything, and she wasn’t ready to lose the one person who’d always been able to make her smile. The one person she hoped could eventually love her for the simple fact that they were family.
It was selfish, but in that moment, she didn’t care.
Deor ran up and bumped into their legs.
“There’s a tavern in the village,” she said. “But we need to ditch our guards.”
He smirked. “Done.” As he walked up to the guards, he stood as tall as he could and squared his shoulders. “Your presence is no longer needed.”
“I’m sorry, your Highness, but we have orders.” The man who spoke truly did look apologetic.
“Now you have new orders.” The arrogance was new to Davi, and he found he liked it. “I am the Prince of Dreach-Dhoun.” He cocked his head. “And I am not someone you want to disobey.” He narrowed his eyes and waited.
The guard sighed. “Yes, your Highness. Just be warned, your father will not be happy about this.”
The guards mounted up and rode away.
Lorelai watched them in stunned fascination. “That was way too easy.”
Davi shrugged. “Let’s go.”
The ride to the village was short and people watched as they made their way along the cobblestone street. It all felt very familiar to Davi. Had he been in villages like this in Dreach-Sciene?
“They’re staring,” he whispered to Lorelai.
She ran a hand over her white hair, her lips turning down. “They always stare. I’m not exactly unrecognizable. I doubt they know who you are though.”
They dismounted outside a squat building and tied their horses up before opening the door. Boisterous sounds poured out. A heavy laugh soared through the air among the clattering of cups and plates. Deor was made to stay outside.
Lines of wooden benches sat around tables that had seen better days. A long bar stood on one end of the room with the kitchen behind it.
As soon as they stepped inside, all sound stopped. Patrons turned to stare, open-mouthed. A few rose to their feet and scurried out the door, but others sat frozen.
Lorelai was used to the feeling of distrust that hung in the air. Calis made a habit of raiding the villages for any sign of unrest. He didn’t realize he only created more unrest in doing so. He ruled his people harshly and without mercy. If there were even a rumor of rebellious leanings, the dungeons would fill.
But she’d been coming into the village since she was a girl. As a child, she’d played with the village children. Over the years, she’d continued her trips. Calis didn’t approve, but he didn’t stop her either. As long as it didn’t interfere with her missions for the crown, he ignored it.
Davi sat down heavily at one of the tables and rested his head in his hands. “Does magic always do this?”
“Do what?” She joined him.
“Is it always so exhausting?”
She patted his arm in sympathy. “Yes.”
He groaned and a small laugh escaped her. She was still smiling when a dark-haired man walked over carrying two tankards of ale. He slammed them on the table, the golden liquid sloshing over the sides.
“See the destruction of any kingdoms lately in that seer mind of yours?” he asked harshly.
Davi lifted his head and opened his mouth, but Lorelai shot him a look.
“Yeah,” she finally answered. “And your tavern was right in the middle of it.” She waved her hands in front of her face. “Poof.”
He stared at her for a moment before a smile broke out across his face.
Lorelai picked up her ale. “Thanks, Garon.”
He winked and left to greet another customer. Lorelai busied herself drinking and when she finally stopped, she met Davi’s curious eyes.
“I’ve known him since I was young. Before my mission to Dreach-Sciene.”
“How long were you there?” he asked, wiping foam from his upper lip.
Warning bells rang in her head. They were getting too close to the secrets she had no choice but to keep. “Too long.”
He studied her over the rim of her glass and she couldn’t help but think his eyes saw too much. Swirling in the depths of his gaze was the boy she’d loved as her family, the young man she’d met who had an undying loyalty to Trystan Renauld, and the son his father was shaping all rolled into one.
He was all of them and none of them.
Could you be yourself if your memories were either lost or twisted?
“Tell me about killing the king,” he said. The thrill in his voice was all Calis Bearne. He leaned forward with an eagerness she couldn’t hate him for. For all he knew, Marcus had only ever been his captor.
Davi walked past the canopied bed to a table that sat in front of a large window. Golden morning light streamed through, catching on the silver ewer Davi used to pour himself a glass of water. He studied the grounds outside with their dead and twisted trees. The grass was a dusty brown wherever it managed to sprout up at all. Had it been beautiful once?
He’d been told his father drained much of the magic surrounding the palace in order to have the power to bring him back.
But was he worth it? Was he worth turning his kingdom into a graveyard?
A sharp yap rang out behind him and he took a long gulp of water before setting it aside and approaching the bed.
“Lorelai tells me you’re harmless.” He narrowed his eyes. “But nothing is ever truly harmless.”
As if to tell him how wrong he was, Deor shifted forward and lowered his head onto his paws while meeting Davi’s eyes.
“Blasted dog.” Davi reached forward and dug his fingers into Deor’s fur, massaging him between the eyes.
Unable to face the prospect of another day as a prince who didn’t know how to be a prince, he climbed back in bed. As he laid back, Deor scooted up and nuzzled against his chest.
Davi turned his head away from the dog’s smell, but let him remain, his warmth providing the prince with the peace he needed to close his eyes once again and fall asleep.
The heavy rap of a fist on wood woke Davi. Deor jumped from his arms and ran to the door, barking like mad. Davi was slower to follow as he scrubbed a hand across his tired eyes.
He didn’t bother with a robe this time as he yanked open the door, suddenly irritated at whoever was beyond it.
Lorelai stood with a fist still raised as if planning to knock again.
Her usually sad smile turned into a smirk as she took in his disheveled state and the dog who tried to push past him to greet Lorelai.
“Put some clothes on, cousin. Today, you’re with me.”
His eyes flicked down over his bare chest and linen pants and he sighed. He didn’t have a choice. He’d had no control over his days since coming to the palace. And a day with Lorelai was infinitely better than another one spent under the magical powers of Ramsey.
“Give me a moment.” He closed the door, noting Deor opted to stay in the hall with Lorelai.
After pulling on an ensemble more suitable for a prince, he flattened his hair with his fingers and met Lorelai out in the hall. Deor walked at Davi’s side, his large frame occasionally bumping into Davi’s legs.
“Where are we going?” he asked as she led him into the courtyard. Two horses stood saddled and riderless among a handful of guardsmen atop their mounts.
“Davi, you’ve lived most of your life in a land that holds no magic. It’s time you learned of your birthright.”
She swung up gracefully. He pulled himself into his own saddle. In his spotty mind, he didn’t remember doing much riding, but his muscles seemed to remember what his brain failed to recognize as familiar.
They took off through the gates, the guards following at a distance. To Davi’s surprise, Deor loped along next to the horses.
Lorelai looked down at the dog, the hint of a genuine smile on her lips. “Don’t worry, Davi, Deor is a hunting dog. He can keep up.”
Davi hadn’t been worried, but he looked sideways at his cousin. Her smile was gone as she focused on the road ahead. It was as if she fought against every urge to smile or laugh.
He recognized it because he knew the feeling.
The scarred and twisted surroundings soon gave way to rolling hills that grew greener the farther from the palace they rode.
A village came into view, stacks of smoke stretching from rows of chimneys and children’s laughter floating on the breeze. But they didn’t enter. Instead, they skirted around the edges until they came upon a meadow on the far side that screamed of life.
Davi sucked in a breath. The memories that were returning of life in Dreach-Sciene featured a land so devoid of life that he was sure this was the most beautiful sight he’d ever seen.
Their guards put the horses to grazing and then gave them space as Davi walked forward. Freedom existed outside the palace walls and he soaked it in.
“This is what I love about Dreach-Dhoun.” Lorelai smiled, the joy touching her eyes for once. “I spent so long in Dreach-Sciene that I forgot what it felt like to be surrounded by magic.”
“Magic?” He cocked his head as the buzz of energy slithered along his skin.
Amusement flashed across her face at his ignorance. “It’s in the earth, Davi.” She crossed her arms across her small body. “What’s it like to… not remember?”
He shrugged as a weight settled in his chest. What could he say to the cousin he barely knew? But he wanted to know her. If only to have a friend.
How did it feel? Confusing. Painful. Terrifying.
“I can feel them missing,” he finally admitted. “You’d think you wouldn’t know something wasn’t there if you don’t remember it, but you do. I just want it all back.”
Lorelai’s smile dropped, and she shifted her eyes away. It wasn’t the first time he’d sensed there was something she wasn’t telling him. But he never pressed. Something inside him told him he didn’t want to know, whatever it was.
She cleared her throat. “We didn’t come out here to talk. Your father wants me to show you how to control your magic.”
“My magic?” He looked down at his hands but they didn’t look like they were meant for power.
She laughed. “Sometimes, Davi, you get this look on your face that turns you back into the little boy who…”
When she trailed off, he met her eye. “Was kidnapped?”
“Yeah. Kidnapped.” Her shoulders shook as if shivering and he pressed his lips together, trying to read her thoughts.
“We were close when I was a child?”
That brought her smile back. “You used to follow me everywhere. Even as a teenager, I never got annoyed. It was impossible to be mad at you.”
“I wish I remembered.”
The sadness returned to her face. “That isn’t a result of your lost memories, cousin. Even if they were fully intact, you wouldn’t remember those years. It’s the greatest tragedy of childhood.”
His lips curved into a smirk. “I’d say my childhood tragedy was being stolen by an enemy king and held prisoner.”
A laugh burst from her lips and she shook her head. He liked that he could make her smile. Everything inside the palace–his father included–was so very cold. Lorelai’s sadness echoed through the great halls, a tragedy in its own right.
He felt connected to her as if his earliest years tied them together in the most unbreakable of bonds. Family. They were family.
Something the Renaulds had taken from him.
It was another thing they would have to answer for.
Deor pranced across the meadow, pulling Davi from his own thoughts. Could the dog feel the magic?
Lorelai lowered herself to the ground, fanning her skirts around her, not worried about dirtying them. She glanced up, imploring him to join her.
He knelt in front of her.
“I am a seer,” she began. “That is the only kind of magic that does not come directly from the earth. It lives inside of me. But the greater power lives in the very ground beneath our feet. It is not ours to own, only to use. We draw upon it, fighting for control.” She nodded towards the ground in front of her. “Place your hands directly on the earth.”
As soon as he did, all surrounding sounds faded away as warmth flooded through him.
Lorelai continued to speak, and it took a moment for her words to break through. “Some people can actually hear the earth. It’s called the Tenelach. Their power is infinite. Yours will have its limits. Now, don’t think about it. I just want you to release any barrier in your mind, let yourself go.”
He closed his eyes, breathing deeply, and opened himself up. It was easier than he expected—as if his mind already knew what to do.
Energy surged through him, filling him.
“Slowly,” Lorelai said softly. “You can control the flow. Your body should instinctively know when to stop. Listen to it. If you don’t, you’ll draw more power than you can handle and you could die.”
She was right. It struggled to squeeze more into him. The flow grew weak. He could have taken more if he pulled, but he heeded Lorelai’s warning and slammed up a wall in his mind while pulling his hands free of the soft grass.
“How do you feel?” Lorelai asked tentatively.
Davi raised his eyes to the clear blue sky, a grin forming on his lips as the power swirled inside of him. “Like I can do anything.”
It was the truth. Invincibility. Nothing could touch him.
Lorelai stood and turned to face him, satisfaction bright in her eyes. “That was the easy part.” She gestured to a patch of trees nearby. “Try it out.”
His shoulders cocked with confidence, Davi faced his target. He didn’t need to think about the first thing he’d do with the magic. He knew. He could do this. He could do it all. Feeling more like himself than any time since he’d arrived in Dreach-Dhoun, he lifted his hands and pressed them forward, expected the trees to burst into flames.
But nothing happened.
The power inside him fought for dominance, but it wouldn’t come out. He tried again. It crackled on his fingertips and died.
Lorelai muffled a laugh with her fist. “You can’t just draw on magic and expect to have it mastered. The use of magic is a battle within oneself. The power wants control. You need to fight it and take that control for yourself. Everyone has varying levels of magic. Most people can only use it for small things. The strength of one’s power depends on their body’s tolerance of it.”
The longer he stood there not using it, the more he felt the magic seeping out of him. He was unable to keep it in. He tried again, but nothing happened and he growled.
“It’ll take practice, Davi.”
His mind suddenly focused on the palace and the barren lands that surrounded it. They’d been drained of magic to save him—although he didn’t know what that meant.
“My father,” he started. “He’s… powerful?”
“The second most powerful man I’ve ever heard of. Don’t you dare tell him I said that.”
“Who was the first?”
She turned away from him and for a moment, he thought she wasn’t going to answer. Then her sad words reached him almost as if carried on a breeze.
“Before Dreach-Sciene lost their magic, it was Marcus Renauld.”
Lorelai took comfort in being out among the fields that were humming with magic as Davi practiced using his power. He’d managed to create a tiny blast of air and she’d never been more proud of anyone. Magic worked like a muscle one had only to use to know how. They called it magic memory. Instinct. Evolution. A connection to the earth.
When Davi was a child, Lorelai had taken care of him. He’d first used magic as a young boy. He may not remember it, but his body did. It already knew what to do. It only needed to be reminded.
When they’d journeyed into Dreach-Sciene together and she had to hand him over to the king, it nearly killed her. But it was her uncle’s orders. Through Davi and blood magic, they’d kept a close watch on Marcus Renauld and his household.
Marcus. Every time she thought of him, her heart squeezed. Everyone thought she’d killed the man. Thom hadn’t told that secret, but she knew he had his reasons. He held it over her head each night when he came to her rooms and put his disgusting paws on her.
But if Calis found out she’d chosen not to carry out her mission, the punishment would be great.
A boyish grin formed on Davi’s face, creating two adorable dimples. At least she had him back in her life even if she had to lie to him every day.
He sent a bolt of energy towards a tree and the crack of the bark sounded loud as he let out a whoop of glee. Lorelai hid a smirk behind her hand. Davi’s pride at something children could normally do was endearing.
Would he be as powerful as his father? If he was, she hoped it wouldn’t destroy him too.
Power didn’t have to ruin everything. She’d only been a girl during the war, but she heard stories of Marcus Renauld and how he used his abilities to protect his people. To protect his family.
Marissa Kane had been more mother to Lorelai than her own, but then she’d switched sides. Lorelai had barely been able to look at Rissa without memories flooding back. She looked so like her mother.
These thoughts would get her nowhere. She refocused on Davi, noticing his movements growing sluggish. He’d drawn more magic from the earth twice, but it was wearing on him.
“Davion,” she said, putting a hand on his arm. “You’re exhausted. We should stop.”
“No way.”
She leveled him with a stare. “There’ll be plenty enough time to practice in the future. Right now, I need a drink.”
That stopped him and his mouth hung open in shock for just a moment before a gleam shone in his eyes. He released the rest of the magic stored inside him and surprised her by dropping a sweaty arm over her shoulders. “We really are related, aren’t we?”
She reveled in the feel of any kind of human contact. She’d never had family who hugged or showed affection. It felt… nice. Like someone cared about her.
Guilt ate away at her. She’d been there when Davi’s memories were erased. She knew the truth of his time in Dreach-Sciene. But telling him would ruin everything, and she wasn’t ready to lose the one person who’d always been able to make her smile. The one person she hoped could eventually love her for the simple fact that they were family.
It was selfish, but in that moment, she didn’t care.
Deor ran up and bumped into their legs.
“There’s a tavern in the village,” she said. “But we need to ditch our guards.”
He smirked. “Done.” As he walked up to the guards, he stood as tall as he could and squared his shoulders. “Your presence is no longer needed.”
“I’m sorry, your Highness, but we have orders.” The man who spoke truly did look apologetic.
“Now you have new orders.” The arrogance was new to Davi, and he found he liked it. “I am the Prince of Dreach-Dhoun.” He cocked his head. “And I am not someone you want to disobey.” He narrowed his eyes and waited.
The guard sighed. “Yes, your Highness. Just be warned, your father will not be happy about this.”
The guards mounted up and rode away.
Lorelai watched them in stunned fascination. “That was way too easy.”
Davi shrugged. “Let’s go.”
The ride to the village was short and people watched as they made their way along the cobblestone street. It all felt very familiar to Davi. Had he been in villages like this in Dreach-Sciene?
“They’re staring,” he whispered to Lorelai.
She ran a hand over her white hair, her lips turning down. “They always stare. I’m not exactly unrecognizable. I doubt they know who you are though.”
They dismounted outside a squat building and tied their horses up before opening the door. Boisterous sounds poured out. A heavy laugh soared through the air among the clattering of cups and plates. Deor was made to stay outside.
Lines of wooden benches sat around tables that had seen better days. A long bar stood on one end of the room with the kitchen behind it.
As soon as they stepped inside, all sound stopped. Patrons turned to stare, open-mouthed. A few rose to their feet and scurried out the door, but others sat frozen.
Lorelai was used to the feeling of distrust that hung in the air. Calis made a habit of raiding the villages for any sign of unrest. He didn’t realize he only created more unrest in doing so. He ruled his people harshly and without mercy. If there were even a rumor of rebellious leanings, the dungeons would fill.
But she’d been coming into the village since she was a girl. As a child, she’d played with the village children. Over the years, she’d continued her trips. Calis didn’t approve, but he didn’t stop her either. As long as it didn’t interfere with her missions for the crown, he ignored it.
Davi sat down heavily at one of the tables and rested his head in his hands. “Does magic always do this?”
“Do what?” She joined him.
“Is it always so exhausting?”
She patted his arm in sympathy. “Yes.”
He groaned and a small laugh escaped her. She was still smiling when a dark-haired man walked over carrying two tankards of ale. He slammed them on the table, the golden liquid sloshing over the sides.
“See the destruction of any kingdoms lately in that seer mind of yours?” he asked harshly.
Davi lifted his head and opened his mouth, but Lorelai shot him a look.
“Yeah,” she finally answered. “And your tavern was right in the middle of it.” She waved her hands in front of her face. “Poof.”
He stared at her for a moment before a smile broke out across his face.
Lorelai picked up her ale. “Thanks, Garon.”
He winked and left to greet another customer. Lorelai busied herself drinking and when she finally stopped, she met Davi’s curious eyes.
“I’ve known him since I was young. Before my mission to Dreach-Sciene.”
“How long were you there?” he asked, wiping foam from his upper lip.
Warning bells rang in her head. They were getting too close to the secrets she had no choice but to keep. “Too long.”
He studied her over the rim of her glass and she couldn’t help but think his eyes saw too much. Swirling in the depths of his gaze was the boy she’d loved as her family, the young man she’d met who had an undying loyalty to Trystan Renauld, and the son his father was shaping all rolled into one.
He was all of them and none of them.
Could you be yourself if your memories were either lost or twisted?
“Tell me about killing the king,” he said. The thrill in his voice was all Calis Bearne. He leaned forward with an eagerness she couldn’t hate him for. For all he knew, Marcus had only ever been his captor.
