Dawn of Magic: Sea of Flames Read online

  Dawn of Magic: Sea of Flames

  Tree of Ages Book Seven

  Sara C. Roethle

  Copyright © 2020 by Sara C. Roethle

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Epilogue

  Finn

  Finn’s skin was slick with sweat. She rolled over in bed, reaching out for Iseult, but the space where he should have been was empty. She turned over and stared up at the ceiling, illuminated only by the moon shining through the high window. She could still feel the flames licking at her skin as they engulfed the forest. An entire sea of flames.

  She worried her dream portended what was to come. More dragons were sure to arrive within the realm. While none had returned to attack the burgh, she could distantly sense them waiting, and hunting. She used to feel the trees and the earth. Now she just felt fire, ice, death and destruction. She’d given up her magic to save Naoki, and in so doing, had cursed herself with dragon blood.

  The door cracked open, revealing a shadowy figure.

  “You should rest,” Iseult’s voice soothed.

  “I had the dream again.”

  He stepped into the room. A shred of moonlight glinted on his black hair, for just a moment lighting his gray-green eyes. She noted the sword at his hip despite the late hour. He rarely went without it these days. He sat beside her on the bed, leaning forward to brush a sweaty strand of hair from her face. “It was only a dream. Tomorrow you will wake, and there will be no more flames.”

  The remnants of the dream hit her again, more distantly this time. Heat and death. “You don’t know that.”

  He continued to stroke her hair, bringing with his movements the smell of dying grass from outside. He’d been patrolling again, despite the mages guarding the burgh. “No, but neither do you.”

  She reached for him, pulling him down to lie beside her. “If you believe there is no immediate danger, then why were you out?”

  “Because I like to be sure.”

  She turned on her side and nuzzled her face against his neck. They should have been safe within Garenoch. Safely guarded by mages, assassins, and the few Aos Sí who’d remained loyal to Eywen. The faie were all outside the walls, and dragons had not been sighted since the harvest season began to dwindle. But she knew they were out there, and so was Belenus. He might have failed to watch her die once, but next time, she knew she might not be so lucky.

  Iseult wrapped his arm around her back, pulling her close. He hummed softly, a song from his childhood. He never hummed around anyone else—those who knew him would never believe her if she told them—but once he’d learned it soothed her, he did it whenever she needed comfort.

  She snuggled closer. “I should just get up now. There is much to do. We need to discuss sending scouts to find Oighear—or Keiren. Their insight could prove invaluable.”

  “I think you should leave them wherever they are. Neither Keiren nor Oighear can be trusted.”

  “But they may be my only hope of reaching that snowy realm. Even with Naoki’s help, I cannot seem to find it.”

  “Perhaps you are not meant to.”

  She resisted the urge to squirm. The thought of trying to reach that other realm—the realm where people and places went when they disappeared—terrified her, but she had to keep trying. She’d sworn to Kai she would save his family, and she’d meant it. She would not let him down, not while her chest still held breath.

  Iseult began to hum again, and sleep tugged at her. She had been sleeping so poorly, she knew she’d be exhausted by tomorrow night, there really was no need to wake up now. Her real reason for wanting to do so was just to avoid another nightmare.

  Against her will, sleep came, and the land was engulfed in fire.

  Anna

  At dawn, Anna sat on the roof of one of the many buildings in the rear courtyard of the estate. She’d taken to sitting up there every morning as the sun rose. It was the only time she found true solitude, something she’d depended on in her many years on the road. She opened the waxed cloth in her lap and stuck a slice of dried apple in her mouth. Very dried apple. And mealy too. With chaos and war shaking the countryside, and the meager harvest season all but over, food had grown scarce. Ealasaid was confident she could feed and clothe everyone within Garenoch, but Anna was not so sure. She tended to see the harsh realities where others would not.

  “I thought I’d find you up here,” Kai’s voice said behind her.

  She turned. She hadn’t heard his steps. Despite the shadows of his black cowl, he still held a hand above his eyes, shielding them from the gentle rays of dawn.

  She turned away. “The sun will be up soon. You’d better hurry inside.”

  Instead of doing as she bade, he stepped carefully across the roof and sat beside her, tugging the hem of his gray breeches down to remain tucked inside his boots. “I can stand a bit of sun. It isn’t that bad.”

  Finally, she smiled. “Liar.”

  His hand still lifted, he turned his gaze northward. “Every day I expect to see another dragon swooping in.”

  She shrugged nonchalantly, though she expected the same. “The walls have been repaired, and we know of the threat now. The mages have a plan for dealing with them.”

  He scoffed. “As if you trust that plan.”

  She laughed softly—tiredly. He knew her too well. “I just wish there was more we could do.”

  His expression was serious as he turned back to her. “As do I, but we do not have magic like Finn, not even like Keiren or Ealasaid. There is little we can do.”

  She shoved his shoulder. “Oh stop feeling sorry for yourself.”

  She turned her gaze to the courtyard below as a young girl she recognized as a messenger hurried across the dying grass. She didn’t stop to greet the few mages already milling about, tending beds of herbs and chopping wood for fires. Instead, she hurried directly toward the building Anna and Kai sat atop. An educated guess told her who the messenger sought.

  “Something for Finn,” Kai echoed her thoughts. “Let’s see what it is.”

  She stood and followed him across the roof. Messages for Finn were never good, especially when the messenger carried them so urgently. However, she was never one to shy away from bad news. She liked to face her problems head on.

  Thinking of Eywen, she corrected her thoughts. Most of them anyway.

  Finn

  Finn dashed across the courtyard. Spotting her, Naoki, leapt off the building she’d been resting atop, bounding down to prance circles around Finn like an excited dog. Heedless of her size, her gleaming white talons tore up soil, and her ivory horns came a little too close to taking down ornamental shrubs. She never came close to hitting Finn though, she always seemed keenly aware of her mother’s location. The echo of a door shutting behind her reached her ears, signaling Iseult following close behind.

  She probably should have waited f
or him, but the news was just too exciting. She had to reach the gates at once. Tugging her breeches up, she sprinted around the eastern end of the main estate, catching sight of Kai and Anna as they hurried toward her.

  “We saw the messenger!” Anna shouted. “What is it?”

  Finn waved them off, not wanting to stop and explain. Things had seemed so wrong for so long, could something, even just a small thing, be right again?

  They fell into step on either side of her, easily pacing her with their longer legs.

  She frowned, but kept running. Her body had grown hard and fit over the course of her adventures, but Kai and Anna had been fit all their lives. She’d never outrun them, especially Kai, now that he was no longer human.

  Kai swerved a little closer. “Care to chat and jog?” Only a hint of exertion was evident in his tone.

  Iseult caught up to their backs as she reached the main estate gates. She slowed, waiting for someone atop the walls to open them. “Àed is here. He awaits us at the inn.”

  Anna snorted, tossing her long dark braid behind the shoulder of her loose white blouse, cinched in at the waist and bodice by a simple tan corset. “So he’s still alive then?”

  Finn glared at her, shifting her feet impatiently across the soggy dead grass. “Of course he’s still alive. Why wouldn’t he be?”

  “We haven’t heard from him in over a year,” Anna huffed.

  Finally, one side of the well-oiled gates opened with barely a sound, just enough for them to pass through. Instead of replying, she hurried onward toward the main road bisecting the burgh. She’d feared the same as Anna—that Àed was dead. Dead and forgotten, left out for the wolves. What other reason would he have for staying away so long? Surely Garenoch was the most sensible place to be once the dragons arrived.

  Kai fell back as Iseult moved forward to walk at her side, his expression pensive. “You must prepare yourself, it might not actually be him.”

  “But the messenger said—”

  “She’s never met him. It could be an imposter, just be on your guard.”

  She pursed her lips and kept walking. A few burghsfolk watched them as they passed, but not with much interest. Most recognized each of them by now. If Naoki had followed, there would have been more of a startle, but she knew to stay within the estate walls. While she’d never attacked anyone, the burghsfolk were understandably wary of dragons.

  Finn’s jaw clenched. If only they knew what blood ran through her own veins. They’d fear her too.

  It didn’t take long to reach the main inn, and she couldn’t help a small smile. This was the place she’d first met everyone currently accompanying her. Who could have ever imagined how things would end up? It seemed a fitting place to finally be reunited with Àed.

  Kai nudged her shoulder. “Are we going inside, or are we just going to stare at the doors?”

  She grinned. Iseult was wrong, it would most definitely be Àed inside, and she couldn’t wait to see him.

  As if reading her thoughts, Iseult entered the inn first, letting the door swing shut behind him.

  Anna smirked, her eyes on the gently swinging door. “Better get in there before he decides Àed is an imposter in disguise and slays him.”

  At the thought, Finn hurried forward, pulled open the door, and went inside. She scanned the bustling common room, her eyes finally landing on a round table near the back corner. At first she only saw Iseult’s tall back, then beyond him, Àed and Bedelia.

  Kai reached her side and followed her gaze. “He looks . . . older. If that’s even possible.”

  Ignoring his words, and the few waves of greeting from others within the common room, she ran toward Àed and Bedelia.

  Bedelia rose to greet her. Her pin straight brown hair was uncharacteristically long, reaching her shoulder blades, and she was in plain clothing, a tunic and breeches, instead of any armor. It made her much easier to hug. Finn squeezed so tightly she might have squashed a less-sturdy woman.

  “Oh I’ve missed you,” Finn whispered in her ear.

  “And I you,” Bedelia said as she pulled away. “But I fear this cannot be an entirely joyful meeting. We’ve come to you for help.”

  Finn looked between Bedelia and Àed, who was yet to speak. “Is it the dragons? Or the faie?”

  Àed’s back hunched further, making him seem small. In fact, he was actually smaller than he used to be, not in height, but in bulk. His parchment-thin skin seemed to sag from his bones. His long silver hair hung limp across his dirty blue traveling cloak, and his stubble-coated cheeks were hollow.

  Finn jumped as Iseult’s hand alighted upon her shoulder. He’d likely already deduced what she was just beginning to realize.

  Her throat felt tight, and her eyes threatened tears. “You’re ill, aren’t you?”

  Àed’s sky blue eyes finally met hers. They seemed duller than before, almost as if a thin film coated them. “Aye, lass. In a way, at least.” He half shrugged. “It’s to be expected at my age. I would have been content to die in peace, but the lass here insisted I come to see ye.” He gestured to Bedelia, towering over him in his seat. “After a bit of bickerin’, I had to admit, she was right.”

  She wanted to ask them both a million questions, but in that moment, there was only one that truly mattered. She sat beside him on the bench pulled up to the table and took his bony hand in hers. “What can I do?”

  Àed looked past her to Bedelia.

  “Tell her,” she insisted.

  Àed sighed, giving Finn’s hand a light squeeze. “Ye can show me to me daughter, so I can make me goodbyes.”

  Finn shook her head, stunned. Sure, he seemed older, and weak, but that didn’t mean—this could not be happening, not now. When he was missing, she could console herself with the idea that maybe he wasn’t dead. To lose him, for sure and for good, it was too much for her to bear in that moment.

  Dizziness overcame her. She abruptly stood, dropping Àed’s hand, feeling like she might vomit. The common room seemed to spin, slowly at first, then more quickly. She wanted to tell him she didn’t know where Keiren was, but could not form the words to speak. The last thing she saw was Kai and Anna eyeing her with concern.

  Strong hands caught her as she fell back, back into oblivion, then there was only darkness.

  Finn woke with a roaring headache, not remembering going to sleep. The entire day’s events seemed hazy, but more troubling was the icy feeling of her body. She couldn’t feel her fingertips.

  She tried to remember what had happened. If she was asleep, she had to be in her room, but she couldn’t quite force her eyes to open. Iseult must have forgotten to tend the hearth, but why? She struggled to sit up, bracing with her hands, which crunched through fresh snow. She recoiled, her eyes snapping open. She rubbed them with damp palms, swiping moisture back through her tangled hair to push it out of her face.

  She blinked rapidly, waiting for her eyes to come into focus. Wherever she was, it was dark. She could see traces of stars overhead, illuminating the sky in frayed bursts of purple-blue light, but they were mostly obscured by clouds, leaving the snowy expanses around her in colorless shadow.

  With a groan, she stood. At one time, she would have been terrified waking in a strange place, but this seemed to happen to her time and again. She couldn’t be in the in-between—that had been destroyed . . . although Branwen had managed to bring her somewhere just like it once. But no, this wasn’t that place, though this frozen land was something like it, and she had been here before—her back broken, on the verge of death. She felt she should be glad she’d finally made it here—maybe she could locate Kai’s family—but all she could think in that moment was, why was she here now?

  Steps crunched up behind her, followed by a hot huff of breath. She turned, then sagged with relief. She hadn’t seen Loinnir since the day she healed her. It was the last time she’d seen Belenus too. Hopefully she wasn’t about to repeat that experience.

  She stroked Loinnir’s soft white muz
zle, edging her palm up toward her glistening horn and silky mane. She leaned to one side to peer into the unicorn’s glittering eye. “You didn’t happen to bring me here, did you?”

  Loinnir huffed an emphatic no.

  She hadn’t really thought so. She glanced around their expansive icy surroundings. Perhaps she’d been caught up in one of the shifts that could swallow entire burghs, displacing them to this unknown realm.

  “Well,” she shrugged, turning back to Loinnir, “I believe I’m stuck here until Naoki comes to find me. I do not know how to return on my own. Perhaps we should look around a bit.”

  Loinnir walked to her side, then bent her front legs into the snow, making it easy for Finn to climb atop her warm back. Once she was in place, Loinnir straightened, then started walking.

  Finn hunkered down, greedily absorbing Loinnir’s heat. She had not been prepared for a winter stroll . . . though it had come at a fortunate time. She now remembered what had sent her spiraling. Àed had come with ill tidings. She was not quite ready to hear what he needed to tell her. She might never be.

  They walked through the snow for a long quiet while, her thoughts distant. Usually in these circumstances, Naoki would come to find her, but she might be asleep, or off chasing squirrels, not yet realizing her mother was gone.

  She narrowed her eyes at an orb of light in the distance. “What is that?” she asked, knowing Loinnir was unable to answer, though she was quite sure the unicorn could understand her words. “Let’s go over there.”

  Loinnir obeyed, and soon more lights came into view. Not floating orbs after all, but torches. Had she actually stumbled upon inhabitants of this strange land?