I looked around and saw endless hills and long grasslands. The view was dotted with buttery dandelions specking the ground like the stars in a night sky. The occasional tree stood proud amongst the scenery, bent and beautiful like a statue stuck in time.
I turned behind, looking back at the city we’d left. From this high up, it seemed miniature, small enough to fit in the palm of my hand. As I looked around I couldn’t help but think of Mam and how she would love to be next to me. She’d always spent her days painting scenic views on faded parchment.
My chest tightened when I thought of her, but I didn’t dare complain. Not with Hadrian close by.
Considering King Dalior’s threats of the Morthi invasion, it was odd to see no protection over the seas. Not a single ship or boat to guard Olderim. It only added to the worry that his entire accusation was a lie.
“Come see this!” Hadrian shouted ahead. My elk moved forward to Hadrian’s call, not needing my guidance. I reached the crest of another hill where Hadrian waited atop and looked down across the sea of cream tents below.
“Is this what I think it is?” I asked, unable to count how many there were.
“I had heard father petitioned for a camp to be created, for those who signed up to join his military. Looks like his response was successful.”
The small bodies of hundreds of elves weaved amongst the pitched tents below. They looked like ants from here. Small moving dots shifting amongst burning fires, hundreds possibly thousands of them.
I couldn’t take my eyes off the camp; I was lost in the vision. Hadrian had already moved away but I didn’t notice, not until he shouted my name. I turned to see him, not expecting that he had dismounted. He’d tied Elmirr to a tree close by and helped me down from my elk to do the same.
I leaned against the tree and rubbed at my feet. As I fussed, pink blossoms fell from a branch and scattered across the ground around me. They stood out on the green ground like droplets of fresh Niraen blood.
I pulled a skin pouch of water that hung from my belt, and tipped the contents into my mouth, spilling some down my chin. The water was warm and the moment it touched my stomach an empty ache spread across me. I shouldn’t have missed breakfast.
Hadrian turned for me, his hand outstretched. “May I?”
I nodded and passed the water to him, watching the lump in his throat bob whilst took large swigs.
“Are you going to tell me where we are going?” I asked.
“We still have a small walk before we get there so you can just wait and see.”
“But why? There’s nothing for miles around here. What is possibly that exciting to be kept such a secret?”
“It is less what we are going to see and more what we are going to do. And plus, the further we are from prying eyes the better.”
***
FIRST, I WAS to lift the leaf from Hadrian’s open hand and bring it towards myself. It was easy, a trick I’d practiced many times as I waited in trees and hid in bushes during a hunt.
Without much concentration, I allowed a sliver of magick to escape from the cage. I lifted a hand, calling for the wind to respond to my plea.
And it did.
The leaf levitated and held still in the air inches above Hadrian’s hand. Being one for dramatics and because I felt excited that I was finally able to share my power with someone, I decided to complete the task with a flare.
I narrowed in on the leaf, creating a small cyclone around it. Hadrian tried to keep up when the leaf jumped to life and spun up into the air.
I could sense the stream of air as well as feel my own heart beating. It was natural, easy. My mind whispered to the wind, urging it to spin the leaf faster. I waited for the right moment and just when Hadrian reached out for it I changed its direction, urging it to dive between his legs.
In seconds, I plucked the leaf from the air before it flew past me. I looked back to Hadrian who clapped, his face full of glee.
“Incredible, truly remarkable!”
“I’ve had a lot of practice and time alone to perfect simple parlor tricks. I do hope you have something a bit more challenging for me. That was piss easy.” I winked, waiting for his next instruction.
It seemed my taunting had knocked the tasks up a notch.
Hadrian walked away from me and stopped in the distance. He was so far away that I couldn’t see the details of his face, but didn’t miss when he reached for his bow.
He notched three arrows and held it ready to fire.
The task was simple enough, but not something I’d had practice in. Before Hadrian had walked off, he explained that I was to stop the arrows just like I had in Nasamel.
One was easy, but three, not so much.
I opened my legs into a wider stance, raising both hands before me and I waited.
Bring it on.
I closed my fist, urging my magick to harden the air around me.
I stilled my breathing and reached a hand of magick for Hadrian. He stood, holding the arrows and bow ready, but not releasing them. I held onto my concentrations and power, just in time for the arrows to be released at me.
I moved with speed. I threw a hand up, slicing a beam of air at them. I met one, throwing it downwards into the ground. One down.
That left two. I pushed more magick from my cage. The second arrow went down to the ground. Two down.
The final one was a blur. I panicked, and threw a blast of air at it. I closed my eyes as an explosion of flames scattered across the arrow and it connected with my shield.
I looked up, cringing from the heat encasing my shield. Fire spreading rapidly over it. The air fed into the fire, urging it to burn stronger in hues of blue and purple. Unnatural.
Panting, I clenched my fist, dissipating the wall and the fire with it.
Hadrian’s form came into view when the flames disappeared, his mocking smile spread from ear to ear. “For someone who does not know what they are, you sure know how to use your magick.”
“I didn’t expect you to pull a stunt like that …” I replied, stuffing the power back inside the cage against its will. “I thought it was my magick you wanted to test, not your own.”
Fire danced in patches across the grass around me. Hadrian only looked at it and the flames ceased their burning. “You should know by now, always expect the unexpected with me.”
“Oh, I do,” I whispered, trying to catch my breath.
“I think it’s time we move on but before we do I have to ask. Did you get to the book I left with you last night?” Hadrian asked, dropping to the bow to the ground.
“No, it’s not exactly the most interesting bedtime story,” I replied. “But I have been wanting to ask you something.”
“Ask away, I’m all yours.”