Chapter Eight

The lake the Silent Castle sat on was fed by a spring. At the southernmost point of the lake, the water ran out, forming a stream that was joined by other springs and became the river Venn. Our aim was to follow the river through the lands that had once been Rey’s kingdom, contacting the villages that lay alongside its banks. As it was the Venn that ran close to Myledene, it would give me a chance to see how the village was faring.

We found two deserted hamlets on our first morning. My lips tightened. The Stalwart Emperor had either driven people away from their homes or killed them. The houses were perfect, ready for someone to step inside, but the inhabitants appeared long gone. I hoped we’d find them on our travels and could encourage them to return to their homes.

It wasn’t until we reached Riversedge, farther downriver, that Charnrosa returned to life.

The people of Riversedge poured into the village meeting place to welcome us. They were full of questions, curious about the academy, as well as wanting reassurance that the troubles caused by the Stalwart Emperor were truly over.

“If we learn magic, can we stop the monsters?” one girl asked. Others shivered at the reminder of the underworld creatures that had so recently run amok in Charnrosa, their gazes intent on us as they waited for our answer.

Since the river was such a big feature of life here, I guessed the monsters they meant were shellycoats. I fought the urge to shiver.

“The monsters will all stay where they belong in the underworld,” I assured the youngsters. “It was because magic became so unbalanced that they could come here. But yes, if you learn to use magic you’ll be able to chase them away if any monsters come to Charnrosa in the future.” Regardless of whether those monsters were from the underworld, or had been born and raised here, I thought, remembering the Stalwart Emperor. The more people who could use magic, the safer the Empire would be.

“Then I’d like to learn,” the girl said decisively. A few of her friends nodded encouragement, but others shrank back as though just the idea of magic scared them. I frowned. That was what I wanted to change. We didn’t need everyone to be able to wield magic to the level of the four kings, but I didn’t want people afraid of it. There was nothing to be afraid of.

“If you want to learn, you’ll be made welcome at the academy.” I turned to the reluctant children. “But magic isn’t for everyone. We need people to stay in the villages, too. Growing crops and building houses and fishing is just as important. We want you to have a choice, that’s the important thing.”

“I want to stay here,” one boy stated, crossing his arms belligerently.

“Then that’s what you should do.”

He seemed a little taken aback not to face an argument. “My mother couldn’t manage without me,” he said.

“I’m sorry to hear that. Is it just you and your mother?”

He nodded, and I caught the wobble of his lip. “Pa was killed by the Emperor’s soldiers. And Ma was injured. She can’t walk well, so it’s all down to me.”

My heart turned over. Another child whose childhood was being eclipsed by duty thanks to the Stalwart Emperor. I didn’t mind if he didn’t want to learn anything about magic, but I did want him to have choices.

“Would you take us to her?” I prompted. “We might be able to help.”

With the boy leading the way, we followed the dusty path out to the edge of the village.

A small hut was set back behind a vegetable patch, its door closed. The vegetable beds were full, as was right for this stage of the summer. But I could see weeds threaded between the vegetables, competing for light and space. It wasn’t a wreck, by any means, just … too much for one boy of ten or twelve. My heart turned over again, my determination to assist him growing.

Rey and Axxon both crouched down, fingertips touching the ground. Their eyes closed in concentration as they used their magic to do what they could, strengthening the growing harvest. I saw the leaves on several plants grow and turn a darker green within moments.

The boy gasped.

I touched his shoulder. “The kings will always do what they can to help Charnrosa and its people. They always have.”

“They are really the kings?” The boy’s eyes widened, showing white around the blue. “Like in the stories?”

“They really are.”

“Rinn?”

We turned as a new voice spoke. The door to the hut was open, and a woman stood in the entrance, a crutch propped under one arm.

“Ma! Look!” The boy surged to his feet and sprinted down the path, throwing his arms around his mother. “These men are the four kings and Lady Kyann is the guardian, and they’ve helped with the crops. Look at them!”

“I see.” Rinn’s mother’s face was creased with pain, but she smiled and stroked his hair. “Thank you,” she said over his head.

I nodded to her. “It’s our pleasure to help.” I assessed her as subtly as I could. Her left leg was damaged. I couldn’t see through her skirt, but the crutch told its own story, and the foot of that leg was set twisted on the ground instead of straight. A bad break, not properly set, perhaps. Her arm on the same side had also suffered, her wrist twisted and her fingers curled in towards her palm as though reluctant to straighten. The magic released when we defeated the Stalwart Emperor and drove the soultaker back to the underworld had performed miracles, even bringing people back to life. But it had only undone the more recent of the Stalwart Emperor’s evil. The poor woman must have been living with her damaged limbs for months.

“Can we do something for her?” I murmured to the kings.

“We can try,” Axxon muttered back. “If she wants us to try.”

We walked up the path towards the hut. “We have helped with your crops. Would you permit us to help with your injuries?” I offered.

She looked surprised. Hope flared in her eyes, then faded. “I’ve seen healers before. Nothing can be done.”

She might be right, and I hated to raise her hopes if we couldn’t help – but what if she was wrong? “The kings may still be able to help. They healed me.” I pulled my tunic up and my leggings down to show the jagged scar on my hip. “A sword wound bit down to the bone. Please, let us try.”

“If … if you think you can help me, then gladly. Do you want to come inside?”

I glanced at the hut. It looked barely big enough for the woman, her son, and a fire.

“Sit in the sun,” Vashri prompted. “Magic will flow better outside.”

A stool was set to the side of the door. Using her crutch, and leaning on Rinn who ran to help, she settled on it. The kings surrounded her while I knelt in front of her, taking her hands in mine. Her right hand felt the way anyone’s might. The left was noticeably thinner and cooler. The kings closed their eyes and I followed suit. Magic flowed through us, centring in the woman we wished to help. It was nowhere near as strong as it had been when we’d defeated the Stalwart Emperor, but it was there, and it was moving. I followed the trail of blue magic with my inner senses, observing how it pooled in her leg and her wasted left hand. It was as though the magic understood what was needed of it. Her flesh warmed.

She gave a cry of surprise and my eyes flashed open. “Did we hurt you?”

“No, I – no.” She tugged her hand from mine, lifting it in front of her face. A dazzling smile broke out on her creased face.

“Ma?” Rinn asked, head tilting with concern.

“Look,” she whispered. Her fingers had straightened, her wrist joining hand and arm smoothly. “It’s fixed.” She clenched and relaxed her fingers, her smile growing until she seemed to glow with delight.

“What of your leg?” Rinn asked.

She cast a glance around, as though scared to hope for more.

“Try it,” Fon said.

I offered my hand and she took it, her expression returning to uncertainty. From habit, her weight went on her right side.

“How do you feel?” Axxon asked.

She shifted her weight, gingerly at first. Another smile broke through. “It can take my weight,” she said, quietly, as though speaking the words might make the miracle vanish. She looked up, finding Rinn’s gaze. “I can stand.” She took two steps towards him and wrapped him in a hug. “I can walk again, Rinn!”

She bent over her son, sobbing with relief. He burst into noisy tears and flung his arms around her waist. I turned away, wiping my eyes. The kings stared off into the distance or at the sky. More than one throat was cleared noisily.

“How can I thank you?” She faced us, still holding her son.

“No thanks are needed. Just enjoy your family and your life.”

We said our goodbyes and started back down the path.

“Wait!” We turned. Rinn stood on the path in front of his mother, arms folded, legs planted firmly. “I want to go with you.” A smile twitched at the corners of my mouth. “If magic can do that, then I want to learn magic.”

“You’ll be very welcome,” Rey promised.

“You don’t need to come with us now. Be at the Silent Castle on the autumn solstice. There’ll be a place for you.”

“Enjoy time with your mother until then,” Vashri recommended.

Rinn nodded, a delighted smile wreathing his face. “I’ll be there on the solstice,” he promised. Then he ran back to his mother and another warm hug.

I felt warm myself, glowing with pleasure at the change we’d wrought in that woman’s life – and that of her son. More proof that the kings and I belonged together.

Not that I needed proof. I just needed four of me to match the four of them.