Enchantress Awakening: Part One of the Book of Water (The Elemental Cycle 1) (34 page)

“What is happening? That thing, it was like a monster. We couldn’t stop it. Oh Gods, it murdered Aldred. Aldred is dead. Why are they doing this?” Caleigh blurted. Tovrik breathed deeply as one measuring his words.

“Tonight you have met with our most implacable foe; the Society of Shadows; they who support the rise of the Beast and would slay every one of wizard kind who is not in league with their dark master.”

“What was that thing that attacked us?”

“Hard as it may be to believe, that was a man, a mere man.”

“But he was like some kind of demon.”

“That may very well be true. The assassins who work for the Society are men who have sacrificed their souls and all their free will in return for prowess in battle, and most particularly, prowess in battle against wizards.” On cue Sir Marc, Sir Ceol, Leofric, Baldir and Tamric came before Tovrik. Gideon and Vaughn moved over to join them.

“We leave now.” Sir Marc announced. “We shall return hither directly with the murderer, if he still be present.”

“I will see you soon.” The group exited the room in haste.

“Are they going after that thing? But they could be killed.”

“Trust in them, their mettle is great and they will overcome this foe.”

“Penric struck it about the face, stabbed it in the back and trod on its chest and it did not stop. Bryn hit it with a hammer and it did not pause.”

“That does not mean it was not injured. The assassins of the Society are powerful because they have made a powerful trade. The complete surrender of a soul is a great sacrifice and sacrifice of that kind can render great magic. They are gifted with swiftness and a strong resistance to spells, an extraordinary tolerance for pain and capacity to recover from injury but they are not, and I assure you of this, they are not invulnerable or immortal.”

“Why would anyone make that sacrifice?”

“Mayhap the ends to which they are used suit their disposition. The world has more than one murderer who would happily dispose of his conscience.”

“That is a terrible thought.” Caleigh moved over to Ellie who was having her bare knee examined by Rosamund. “Is it bad?”

“It will be sore for a while but there should be no lasting injury. Ellie was very fortunate that nothing broke or tore. By the looks of it that was some hefty kick.”

“Nothing I have trained for prepared me for that.” Ellie confessed. “I couldn’t even fight it.”

“Do not admonish yourself, Ellie. You helped keep Caleigh alive and survived an encounter with a Shadow Assassin. Many cannot say the same.” Tovrik commented.

“It’s true. If it hadn’t been for you, Bryn and Penric, Vaughn and I would probably be dead.” Caleigh turned back to Tovrik suddenly. “It was going for me first. It broke off from Vaughn and came after me. Could they know about our quest?”

“I do not think so. It is more likely that they came for you because they saw an easier chance of a kill. These assassins first aim is to kill as many as they might. That is easier if they start with the most vulnerable.” Penric coughed from nearby, brought back to consciousness by the anti-venom poured down his throat. “We should move our hurt friends to the infirmary.”

“I’m well enough.” Protested Bryn “I just want to be around when they bring that bastard back here.”

“Poor Aldred, that he had heeded our call to join us here.” Tovrik shook his head. “There can be little doubt that the game has changed.” The firelight flickered over Tovrik’s cheeks and for the first time Caleigh noticed that he had not shaved for several days. The goatee was joined by a dusting of silver white stubble. Likewise, the daft hat had been absent for a time. In all Caleigh fancied that beneath the guise of Tovrik the real Caerddyn was beginning to reassert himself. Such was for the good for they needed Caerddyn the mage more than Tovrik the performer now.

Though she was in the infirmary when the others returned she could sense them right away and sped to the main hall to join the commotion. First and foremost she counted them back in desperate hope that none had fallen. Sir Marc strode at their head with Vaughn and Gideon. Ceol came close behind with a black clad form slung over his shoulder. Baldir, Leofric and Tamric followed after carrying another by the arms and feet. Thank the Gods that was all of them.

Ceol dumped the body heavily on the stone floor while the others deposited the second face up on the table. Caleigh noticed that Ceol’s armour was streaked with blood and ran to him in concern. “Ceol, are you hurt?” He looked at her in confusion then after a second looked down at his armour.

“Still your fears, ‘tis not my blood.”

“Our assassin was joined by a friend.” Marc explained. “He did not survive Ceol’s axe.”

“Or your sword.”

“This is the one we were after.” Marc pointed at the table.

“How can you know? They are clad alike.” Tamric pulled the hood away from the assassin on the table and lifted his bald head upright.

“Missing teeth.”

“This one bears the mark of the former encounter. Mayhap he was the one who slew Aldred too.”

“That I should like to know.” Tovrik asserted joining them in the hall. “Gideon, please aid me. I want this man to believe he is reporting back to his master.” Gideon stared intently into the assassin’s eyes and outstretched his hand. “Listen, you are home now. Tell us how your mission went.” The assassin slowly came to and turned his eyes on Tovrik. Caleigh felt gripped by an icy cold shock. The man’s eyes were black, pupil, iris and eyeball; so that it appeared she was looking into two deep hollows of nothingness. More than this, what sent a chill through her bones was the absence of any warmth or positive emotions radiating from his core.

In the months since she had discovered her gift, Caleigh had got used to sensing all sorts of highs and lows, urges noble and base, kind and cruel. Never had she felt anything like this before; hatred without seed of passion, violence without fear or the urge to protect, malice without trace of empathy. “Report! What have you learned?” The assassin moved his head this way and that and an evil grin settled upon his face.

“Your magic is strong yet I see through you, wizard.” Tamric shot out with his fist striking him across the jaw then yanking off a chain from around his neck.

“Protection!”

“Strip him of everything.” Tovrik ordered. Baldir pulled off one glove and underneath were glowing rings, which he tugged off not kindly.

“Too late, they know I’ve been captured.” The assassin laughed a rasping laugh that twisted into a choke. His whole body began to shake uncontrollably and the surface of his skin broke with black streaks where every vein charted a course. Tamric and Baldir let go of him and he collapsed backward with smoke rising from his flesh, each streak turned to a burning stain. Caleigh turned away as his features smouldered to ruin and peeled from his crumbling bones.

“Now it is clear why we’ve never learned anything from them before. I all my years I’d never known. Collect what is left of his gear, perchance we can learn something of them from such items but be careful. We can only guess what venoms and dark enchantments they contain.

Caleigh left the scene without a word and set course back to the infirmary, trying as best as she could to force away the after images of what she’d seen. Her rising sickness and shuddering only abated once she was in sight of Penric and Ellie. These faces she had known so long seemed to tether her to a life more innocent. Penric lay back on the bed with his head slightly up-tilted to show he was not asleep while Ellie sat upright with her good leg bent before her.

“Is everyone safe?” She asked urgently seeing Caleigh returned to them.

“Yes, our friends are fine and our foes lie slain.”

“That is something.” Ellie waited for a moment trying to decide upon her expression before daring to venture a grin. “Do not think this spares you from your birthday speech.”

“I’d forgotten about that. All in all this has been a birthday to forget.” Caleigh cast her eyes downward. “I should not be so flippant. Bryn has lost his master. I can feel his grief from here.”

“Forget it. Caleigh. We do what we can to cope.”

“Still…”

“Do you remember your last birthday?”

“By the Gods. I remember sneaking a goblet of Master Garrick’s cider. We passed out in the flowerbeds, did we not?”

“Speak for yourself.” Penric groaned.

“But it was fun.” Ellie protested. “We all thawed out in front of the fire and then you danced to the fiddler who had no front teeth.”

“I wonder what became of him.” Caleigh sighed. “It feels like that happened an age ago and to someone else; a different life belonging to a different world.”

“What world is this then?”

“One far darker and more terrible. Back then I’d never have considered there might be a Society of Shadows. I had half-forgotten the fearful tales of the Coven or at least had never put a name to them.”

“It is not all fearful.”

“No, you’re right. This world is also more beautiful and fascinating than I could ever have imagined full of magic and wonder. I can still barely believe I am part of it.” She wondered how different again the year to come would be. Whatever was to come she knew she would meet it by moving beyond the walls of Elevered. If there were answers to be found to the questions of her fate, she felt sure that she knew where to start looking. “You need not be trapped in this world with me, my dear, dear friends. I would not keep you from Connlad if thence your heart calls.”

“My place fate lies forward not backward.” Penric insisted. “I will return a knight or not at all.”

“My place is with my friend.” Ellie added with equal conviction.

“You are a pair of fools. But fools I love dearly.” Caleigh blinked and dapped at her eyes even as she smiled. “Come, rest now you will need to recover if you are to be part of the journey ahead.”

“Where does that journey lead?”

“Somewhere remarkable, I hope.”

Continue the story with Part 2 of the Book of Water – Enchantress Apprentice

As if the end of the world wasn't enough to be dealing with, knowing the desires of those closest to you and knowing you can affect them by your mere presence is a concerning prospect. Caleigh, apprentice mage and most gifted enchantress of her generation, realises both her quest and her best chance of both growing and learning to control her powers lie beyond the comforting walls of Elevered and so she heads out to the greatest city north of the old Empire, the bustling port of Lakehaven. Here she meets the a Master who can train her in her Art of Enchantment and finds herself drawn into events of the recent past and on a quest to track down those who were once in possession of the greatest treasure of the Western Lands - the Vessel of Life.

Meeting a charming knight and a seductive and independent noble lady, Caleigh sets off in the trail of the greatest warrior of the age; the one person living who knows where the Vessel might be and has done everything possible to ensure that none ever find it. All the while, the war against the Beast continues and new foes arrive in the form of the Coven: the wicked and cruel counterparts to the Librarians of Elevered.

In these times of struggle Caleigh needs to learn to master her art quicker than ever before her life and the lives of those closest to her depend upon it.

Other novels in the Elemental Cycle (with a note on timeline):

Enchantress Apprentice (Part 2 of the Book of Water) – Follows on immediately from
Enchantress Awakening
.

Enchantress Destiny (Part 3 of the Book of Water) – Follows on immediately from
Enchantress Apprentice
.

Valkyrie Rising (Part 1 of the Book of Earth) – Runs concurrent to the
Book of Water
and
Mars Fallen
. Halfway point coincides with climax of
Enchantress Destiny
.

Mars Fallen (Part 1 of the Book of Fire) – Runs concurrent to Valkyrie Rising. Majority of the story takes place after the end of the
Book of Water
.

A Clash of Gods (Part 2 of the Books of Earth and Fire) – Follows on immediately from the endings of
Valkyrie Rising
and
Mars Fallen
.