surely he could awaken the One with it by
thought alone.
“Such power,” he crooned as her magick twined about his
hands, spreading over his fingers, lingering against his touch with the
impression of a child seeking a father’s favor.
He spread his hands farther and spiraling threads of magick
moved back to the princess, easing inside her, calming as a measure of control
returned to Daelan and to his brother.
“Be at ease, Ogre,” he said quietly as though only now aware
of the dozens of Ogre that had moved into the hall, their hands braced upon
their swords as though prepared to battle. “There is no dark magick here. Your
Guardian Muse can attest that I am not the twin whose evil seeks to fill this
place.”
Shock resounded about the hall. Even Muse had seemed unaware
of the battle they fought daily to weed out the infecting dark evil attempting
to turn the dark magick of the Causeway against its protectors.
All magick that had been drained from Sorceresses and other
creatures of magick during the birth of evil had been gathered here within the
Causeway, its hatred of humans a barrier against them. Yet somehow humans
always found their way across it. A pathway would create itself, the evil of
hatred parting the magick to allow those seeking magickal beings to transport
across it and feed the depravities of those awaiting it on the other side. Before
the Ogre could reach it, it would dissipate and then reopen elsewhere.
“He is Garron,” Muse attested. “I visited his lair the
moment the princess entered the Causeway and sought his counsel.”
Her beautiful, mystical voice eased the tension gathering among
the warriors.
“Give your princess leave to be prepared, Ogre Dungarrin,”
Garron requested then, or rather ordered gently. “She will come to no harm, and
when she returns to you, you will find a power you have never beheld in your
lives. This creature found your Vale and her warriors because Sorceress magick
commands such powers. She will always move to it, long for it, just as the
Castle Covenan and its Sorceress will always command that which lies beneath
it. To attain her power, to learn her own secrets, before merging with the
power of her warriors, she must first merge with the power of the liquid magick
you protect the gateway to.”
The handmaidens, guided by Muse, eased Arabella from their
protection then as Caedan and Daelan stared at the great dragon in shock.
“She is indeed a Sorceress then, just as we sensed?” Daelan
whispered.
“Aye, Dungarrin,” Garron assured him, the title of their
house one of great respect from the creature of absolute power they faced. One
greater even than that of Muse. “A rather unique Consortress you have attained.
One who cannot be lured by magick, by wizard or by the designs of any greater
magick. The lure of this Sorceress Halfling was one of the heart. The awakening
of her power, long held dormant, gathering and strengthening over the centuries
for lack of sharing, has created a power none have yet known. The power you
have found, Ogre, is one even history has not heard of. She is the Seed. The
Ogre of Dungarrin is the Rain. Together, the power the Kings of the Causeway
have prayed to the One to grant them, to protect its treasures, has been
granted you. Shall we see now how the Ogre shall use the newly awakened
strength that will soon emerge within it?”
Chapter Six
Arabella was bathed within the pools of the Vale that had
been calling to her, yet the laws of the Ogre had forbidden her to step into
it.
She was laid upon a smooth slab of black obsidian, its cool,
polished surface easing the heat raging through her as the reemerging curls,
torn from her flesh by her father’s mistresses, were magickally removed
completely. There was no abrading of her softest flesh, no discomfort, but the
sensitivity of it…
A moan slipped past her lips as her hips arched, the
invisible magick of the Vale caressing her, whispering over her and drawing
thought alone.
“Such power,” he crooned as her magick twined about his
hands, spreading over his fingers, lingering against his touch with the
impression of a child seeking a father’s favor.
He spread his hands farther and spiraling threads of magick
moved back to the princess, easing inside her, calming as a measure of control
returned to Daelan and to his brother.
“Be at ease, Ogre,” he said quietly as though only now aware
of the dozens of Ogre that had moved into the hall, their hands braced upon
their swords as though prepared to battle. “There is no dark magick here. Your
Guardian Muse can attest that I am not the twin whose evil seeks to fill this
place.”
Shock resounded about the hall. Even Muse had seemed unaware
of the battle they fought daily to weed out the infecting dark evil attempting
to turn the dark magick of the Causeway against its protectors.
All magick that had been drained from Sorceresses and other
creatures of magick during the birth of evil had been gathered here within the
Causeway, its hatred of humans a barrier against them. Yet somehow humans
always found their way across it. A pathway would create itself, the evil of
hatred parting the magick to allow those seeking magickal beings to transport
across it and feed the depravities of those awaiting it on the other side. Before
the Ogre could reach it, it would dissipate and then reopen elsewhere.
“He is Garron,” Muse attested. “I visited his lair the
moment the princess entered the Causeway and sought his counsel.”
Her beautiful, mystical voice eased the tension gathering among
the warriors.
“Give your princess leave to be prepared, Ogre Dungarrin,”
Garron requested then, or rather ordered gently. “She will come to no harm, and
when she returns to you, you will find a power you have never beheld in your
lives. This creature found your Vale and her warriors because Sorceress magick
commands such powers. She will always move to it, long for it, just as the
Castle Covenan and its Sorceress will always command that which lies beneath
it. To attain her power, to learn her own secrets, before merging with the
power of her warriors, she must first merge with the power of the liquid magick
you protect the gateway to.”
The handmaidens, guided by Muse, eased Arabella from their
protection then as Caedan and Daelan stared at the great dragon in shock.
“She is indeed a Sorceress then, just as we sensed?” Daelan
whispered.
“Aye, Dungarrin,” Garron assured him, the title of their
house one of great respect from the creature of absolute power they faced. One
greater even than that of Muse. “A rather unique Consortress you have attained.
One who cannot be lured by magick, by wizard or by the designs of any greater
magick. The lure of this Sorceress Halfling was one of the heart. The awakening
of her power, long held dormant, gathering and strengthening over the centuries
for lack of sharing, has created a power none have yet known. The power you
have found, Ogre, is one even history has not heard of. She is the Seed. The
Ogre of Dungarrin is the Rain. Together, the power the Kings of the Causeway
have prayed to the One to grant them, to protect its treasures, has been
granted you. Shall we see now how the Ogre shall use the newly awakened
strength that will soon emerge within it?”
Chapter Six
Arabella was bathed within the pools of the Vale that had
been calling to her, yet the laws of the Ogre had forbidden her to step into
it.
She was laid upon a smooth slab of black obsidian, its cool,
polished surface easing the heat raging through her as the reemerging curls,
torn from her flesh by her father’s mistresses, were magickally removed
completely. There was no abrading of her softest flesh, no discomfort, but the
sensitivity of it…
A moan slipped past her lips as her hips arched, the
invisible magick of the Vale caressing her, whispering over her and drawing
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