in Avondale. It was just a fragment of the book, really, but it was enough. I learned how to heal people and do a little more. Then the king came to Avondale—do you remember?”
“Of course, how could anyone forget that your brother banished you?”
“Well, the princess revealed to me that she knew magic, too. So we know that magic is being used in the capital. Then when we heard that Leonosis had been made king, by a unanimous consent of the other earls, it wasn’t hard to guess that they were influenced by magic. Finally, I discovered a secret order, the Arcanius Brotherhood, who had kept knowledge of magic and the events of Valana from before the cataclysm. They helped me to see what was happening.”
“There’s other wizards in Avondale?” the captain asked, unable to hide his shock.
“No, not wizards. Just a group of people determined to save the knowledge of magic. They don’t write things down. It’s an oral history, kept in secret just in case it was ever needed.”
“And so it was,” the captain said.
“Yes, it was. They were very helpful. I just hope we aren’t too late to save Valana from whatever is trying to destroy it.”
“Well, this little ship is speedy enough. As long as the winds hold true, I’ll get you where you need to go, my lord.”
“The only place he needs to go,” Lexi said as she came up the stairs from the hold of the ship, “is back to bed. You need your rest, Ti. What are doing up already?”
“Couldn’t sleep,” Tiberius said.
“Didn’t you take something for the pain?” Lexi asked.
Tiberius shook his head. He knew that Lexi was just watching out for him. He tried to hide his pain from her, but every time he moved, his back sent lancing pain through his body. He knew his movements were stiff and unnatural, but he didn’t know how else to minimize the pain without being drugged into unconsciousness.
“You have to rest,” Lexi said. “There’s nothing you can do up here.”
“She’s right, my lord,” the captain agreed. “We’ll take care of sailing the ship—don’t give that a second thought.”
“I know,” Tiberius said. “But what if we face another dragon or possibly something worse while I’m drugged out of my mind? I wouldn’t be able to help.”
“That’s a chance we’ll have to take. We’re not helpless here. Besides, if you don’t get well, you won’t be able to help with anything.”
Tiberius knew she was right, but he was afraid to let go. He felt as if his world were barely hanging on by a thread and, if he wasn’t careful, it would snap. Just then a gust of wind made the small ship shudder, and it took all of Tiberius’ strength not to groan.
“I mean it, Ti—you have to rest,” Lexi said.
“Don’t worry, Lord, we’ll see to the ship,” the captain said.
“And I’ll keep a careful watch for anything unusual. We’ll wake you immediately if we find anything.”
Tiberius couldn’t argue. He was exhausted, in pain, and worried. He knew he needed rest, since the wound caused by cutting out the Balestone couldn’t be healed magically. His only hope was that, in time, the wound might heal naturally.
“Okay, but do what you have to do to wake me up,” Tiberius said.
“We will,” Lexi said. “Robere is waiting for you below.”
Tiberius nodded and walked toward the stairs that led down into the hold of the small ship. Rest was sounding better by the minute. His back was aching, and he wanted nothing more than to get off his feet. Still, he felt that he was missing something. As we walked down the stairs into the gloomy space below the deck, he wondered if the future wasn’t just as bleak.
Chapter 9
Olyva
In the bright morning sunlight, Olyva felt truly alive. She was tempted to stop and just stand basking in the glorious light, but she had a task to accomplish, one that she knew was important. Even if they didn’t know it yet, the entire city would probably be depending on her to get them down the
“Of course, how could anyone forget that your brother banished you?”
“Well, the princess revealed to me that she knew magic, too. So we know that magic is being used in the capital. Then when we heard that Leonosis had been made king, by a unanimous consent of the other earls, it wasn’t hard to guess that they were influenced by magic. Finally, I discovered a secret order, the Arcanius Brotherhood, who had kept knowledge of magic and the events of Valana from before the cataclysm. They helped me to see what was happening.”
“There’s other wizards in Avondale?” the captain asked, unable to hide his shock.
“No, not wizards. Just a group of people determined to save the knowledge of magic. They don’t write things down. It’s an oral history, kept in secret just in case it was ever needed.”
“And so it was,” the captain said.
“Yes, it was. They were very helpful. I just hope we aren’t too late to save Valana from whatever is trying to destroy it.”
“Well, this little ship is speedy enough. As long as the winds hold true, I’ll get you where you need to go, my lord.”
“The only place he needs to go,” Lexi said as she came up the stairs from the hold of the ship, “is back to bed. You need your rest, Ti. What are doing up already?”
“Couldn’t sleep,” Tiberius said.
“Didn’t you take something for the pain?” Lexi asked.
Tiberius shook his head. He knew that Lexi was just watching out for him. He tried to hide his pain from her, but every time he moved, his back sent lancing pain through his body. He knew his movements were stiff and unnatural, but he didn’t know how else to minimize the pain without being drugged into unconsciousness.
“You have to rest,” Lexi said. “There’s nothing you can do up here.”
“She’s right, my lord,” the captain agreed. “We’ll take care of sailing the ship—don’t give that a second thought.”
“I know,” Tiberius said. “But what if we face another dragon or possibly something worse while I’m drugged out of my mind? I wouldn’t be able to help.”
“That’s a chance we’ll have to take. We’re not helpless here. Besides, if you don’t get well, you won’t be able to help with anything.”
Tiberius knew she was right, but he was afraid to let go. He felt as if his world were barely hanging on by a thread and, if he wasn’t careful, it would snap. Just then a gust of wind made the small ship shudder, and it took all of Tiberius’ strength not to groan.
“I mean it, Ti—you have to rest,” Lexi said.
“Don’t worry, Lord, we’ll see to the ship,” the captain said.
“And I’ll keep a careful watch for anything unusual. We’ll wake you immediately if we find anything.”
Tiberius couldn’t argue. He was exhausted, in pain, and worried. He knew he needed rest, since the wound caused by cutting out the Balestone couldn’t be healed magically. His only hope was that, in time, the wound might heal naturally.
“Okay, but do what you have to do to wake me up,” Tiberius said.
“We will,” Lexi said. “Robere is waiting for you below.”
Tiberius nodded and walked toward the stairs that led down into the hold of the small ship. Rest was sounding better by the minute. His back was aching, and he wanted nothing more than to get off his feet. Still, he felt that he was missing something. As we walked down the stairs into the gloomy space below the deck, he wondered if the future wasn’t just as bleak.
Chapter 9
Olyva
In the bright morning sunlight, Olyva felt truly alive. She was tempted to stop and just stand basking in the glorious light, but she had a task to accomplish, one that she knew was important. Even if they didn’t know it yet, the entire city would probably be depending on her to get them down the
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