That was an unprecedented disaster. An entire Order, along with Zoran and the members of the Control Division who escorted him, had been completely defeated by two inexperienced teenagers who right now were looking at her with a mixture of innocence and confusion as if they had no idea what she was talking about.

  From the moment they had passed out in the devastated courtyard, Rovenna had arranged for them to be taken to the dungeon and wrapped in nullification chains, though she knew that if that devastating power reawakened there was nothing that she could to hold it back.

  Regardless, she decided to take a chance. There was no way she would now allow those two to roam free across the kingdom. Nor did she have a choice. There were too many witnesses and she could do nothing but act as the Master Arcanist. She had no choice but to lead them to Nemertya, though for that she needed more reinforcements or to wait for the wizards to recover from their wounds, which would take a long time. It was more likely that a retinue of wizards would arrive at the port before Zoran and the rest of the wounded could even get on their feet or ride a horse.

  A large part of the City Hall was at risk of collapsing, so she had decided to set up tents outside its walls where now more than fifty wizards were weeping and wailing while being attended to by the Initiates, who, due to their inexperience, had been spared from participating in the combat. They were now being assisted by some healers who had been called in to help straighten bones and administer herbs and sedative potions.

  Rovenna didn't even have Acolytes at her disposal as they were on their annual journey. She would have liked to help but could not lose sight of the two prisoners who could wake up at any instant. And when that happened she was the only one up to the task.

  She had tried her own magic but to no avail. Silas and Olivia seemed to be in too deep a sleep where her power could not reach. So for two days she had no choice but to wait while an Initiate was in charge of bringing her food and reports about the condition of the wounded.

  She had sent a message to Dhabeos asking for help, but for some reason he had not yet shown up. Rovenna doubted that there was anything more important than the problem at hand. The storm had finally ended leaving a pristine sky in sight, while the port had been spared from the chimera's attack.

  The Initiate who delivered the reports was a young boy of no more than twelve years of age, visibly affected by the horror he had to witness. He was trembling and breathing heavily as he summarized aloud the contents of the parchment and was probably rethinking the occupation he had chosen.

  According to the detailed report, the healers and the rest of the apprentices were doing everything in their power, but the condition of the wizards was still critical. Only a handful could remain conscious for only a few moments without succumbing to exhaustion or pain. The most fortunate had been affected by the collapse and had to bear only scars and broken bones. Others suffered the consequences of an excess of magic whose symptoms ranged from hair loss to loss of vision, hearing and speech, and even the disintegration of fingers that occurred when a wizard's power exceeded his body's capacity to contain magic.

  Among the most severe cases were those who had been struck by the chimera's poison, which had caused burns so deep that one or more limbs had to be amputated. But, despite treatment, several remained in a feverish state covered with sweat and their veins blackened. If they survived, it was uncertain whether they would ever be able to perform magic again.

  Zoran, having been bitten by the maw of the chimera, had lost his right arm. That had perhaps saved his life because as this had been torn from his body in one bite, the venom that the beast's fangs must surely have exuded had not had time to invade the rest of his body. The Initiate described to her how the arm had become an unrecognizable jumble of black ash. The healers had sedated the Master Leader to prevent him from feeling pain.

  This catastrophic picture was unlike anything Rovenna had ever seen. She herself had suffered different types of injuries in her younger days, especially during her training with Narthoss, and she had also seen wizards consume their life energy in magical duels, but nothing like that. The closest thing must have happened several centuries ago during the first clashes with the elves and later in the War of the Five Wizards. Although not even in those times had humans had to face a legendary monster.

  Faced with such a scenario, it would be necessary to recruit a new contingent of wizards to restore the Order of Stormbrace. That would not be very easy since it was barely a month since the dismantling of the Order of Shadowrock. Theo had not even arrived at the castle yet. It wasn't easy to find wizards fit for the task, especially for strategic locations like Stormbrace. She would have to petition the Conclave for more apprentices, especially of commoner origin, to supply the demand. The Control Division was also affected now with its Leader and several of its members out of action. Zoran was not going to like it one bit when he woke up, but she had to find a replacement as soon as possible.

  Meanwhile, the City Hall was at the mercy of any further attacks that might occur with nothing more than a few Initiates, who weren't good for much, and Rovenna herself in charge of its defense.

  “You betrayed us!” was the next thing Olivia of Shadowrock shouted as soon as she woke up and discovered that she was restrained by the nullifying chains. Silas, placed at another end of the dungeon to prevent them from helping each other escape, had also awakened, though when he had responded to the girl's cries his voice sounded rather weak. Rovenna had a suspicion that they had both exhausted their magic, but she had witnessed the resurgence of an ancient magic never before experienced by a human being, so she wasn't going to take any unnecessary risks.

  Rovenna rose from the wooden chair where she had been waiting. She rubbed her sore back and approached the girl's cell.

  “Isn't it the other way around, lady Olivia?” Rovenna asked coldly, fixing her eyes on the young woman. “A few days ago I almost lost my life saving both of you, and now you repay me by attacking us without any provocation.”

  Olivia turned her eyes to where Silas was standing, although from that spot Rovenna knew very well that she was unable to see him.

  “We just wanted to rescue Penn.”

  Rovenna's voice hardened.

  “This was more than a rescue. It was a ruthless act. A declaration of war for no reason. If you just wanted to rescue your friend, why didn't you just come to me?”

  Olivia lowered her eyes.

  “We feared he'd be tortured if we didn't do something.”

  “You chose the fast way and now the whole kingdom will know about this. There'll be no way to hide it anymore. Do you know what this means to your friend?”

  “I didn't want it to come to this... I just... I don't know, I don't remember... how it came to this...”

  “You don't remember? You knocked out an entire Order and you don't remember? You want me to show you how my wounded wizards? You want to see their mangled bodies, their severed limbs? You want to hear their moans, their cries of despair at the coming death?”

  The girl's face paled.

  “Are they... are they dying?”

  “There is the possibility. And if they survive their life will be very different. And you caused that! At least accept your responsibility! Your stupid decision has caused innocents to suffer!”

  From the other end of the dungeon, the clinking of the chains that held Silas could be heard.

  “They are not innocents... they are wizards...” he said. “They would have attacked us anyway.”

  Rovenna slowly approached his cell. The echo of her footsteps resounded along the place.

  “So that's what we have... And here I thought you were just an innocent cub looking for shelter.”

  “You... told me yourself... that you're an Astra.”

  “Ah, now you know what that means. Yes, I am an Astra, descendant of the chimera hunters who tortured and killed your ancestors... And even though I wasn't even born before the fall of my family I have had to carry this burden. It is my fate, my cursed inheritance, and I accept it. I will repay in some way the debt my family owes to your race.” She closed his eyes and sighed deeply. “When I learned of your existence, I thought I could help you, I thought I had done so when I rescued you from Eldrin's hands, and I thought I would continue to do so when I came to the port to find out what had become of you two, but... if your true intention is revenge... I'm afraid you already know on which side of the battlefield I'll stand.”

  “He doesn't want revenge!” cried Olivia groaning under the weight of the chains. “We just want to get to the island! This was just a mistake!”

  “A mistake that had cost lives!” Rovenna rested her hands on the iron bars of the cell. “And not just here. Eldrin was a damned wretch, but now it's clear to me that he wasn't responsible for the fires at the lake and in the village.”

  “That was an accident! Back then we didn't know...!”

  “No more excuses! I don't see any remorse in you, chimera. Are you going to let your friend speak for you? Does she know about your disdain for the lives of other humans? What if one day you have to choose between your race and her?”

  Silas' golden eyes darkened.

  “That... that won't happen...”

  “You don't know that. What if the wizards decide to attack the mountains in retaliation for what you've done? What if the chimeras attack Shadowrock Castle and kill her father?”

  Olivia shook her chains. Rovenna's heart leapt, and she clenched her fists expecting an explosion of power, but the girl only continued to scream.

  “Don't listen to her, Silas! There's no way that's going to happen! The sirenians, the pirates, my own father won't allow the wizards to attack the chimeras again!”

  Rovenna huffed.

  “Your own father who captured a chimera to save you from your betrothal?”

  “He had a plan! It was all a mistake!”

  “Mistake, mistake... what a convenient word!” Rovenna raised her arms and turned around. “So easy to overuse... This is not child's play, Lady Olivia, no matter how remorseful you feel... a single mistake can awaken old grudges and spark a new war. A single mistake will drag all your loved ones into the abyss and it will be your fault. A friendship between a human and a chimera sounds beautiful... but it can also shatter the balance we have worked so hard to maintain. Maybe I don't act as quickly as you expect... but one wrong step can lead to disaster.”

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  “I... I didn't think that...” Olivia seemed to choke on her own words. Rovenna looked at Silas who had bowed his head.

  “Then think now... help me both to solve this.”

  “How?” asked Silas in a subdued tone.

  “With information. Where did all that power come from?”

  There was a long silence in the dungeon. Only the rustle of Rovenna's robe brushing the floor broke the stillness as she paced the place back and forth, trying to contain her growing anxiety. Just by watching the dejected faces of both prisoners she could guess the internal struggle that was raging in their minds.

  Olivia was the first to speak. This time she raised her head in defiance as a worthy daughter of the Guardian of the Circle.

  “What are you going to do with us once we tell you?”

  Rovenna had no idea what to do with them. She decided to dodge the question with another.

  “You're really asking me that... after all...?”

  “You can't expect us to tell you everything,” Olivia interrupted her, this time in a firmer voice. “You said it yourself, you are the Master Arcanist, for you the kingdom comes first, but my duty is to take Silas to the island. You're trying to make us feel guilty to manipulate us at your whim, but it's not like we could just walk into City Hall and expect nothing to happen to us. And I wasn't going to let anyone suffer for anything other than a purely political reason.”

  “That's quite na?ve.”

  Olivia ignored the comment.

  “It is true that we are responsible for what happened, but not entirely.”

  Rovenna approached the bars of the cell, leaning barely forward.

  “Who else is responsible, according to you?”

  The girl hesitated for a moment before answering with certainty.

  “The witches.”

  “Olivia...” Silas' tone reflected a warning.

  “It's all right, I know what I'm doing,” the girl reassured him.

  Witches. That word meant nothing to Rovenna.

  “And who are these... witches?”

  “I'm not going to tell you anything else until you promise to free us,” Olivia answered.

  Rovenna let out a laugh.

  “You've become quite bold to bargain.”

  “We... we can... we can transform... it's a matter of time...”

  “I doubt you can do it now. You're exhausted.”

  “But eventually... you know we can do it... If you promise to set us free, we'll tell you everything.”

  Rovenna shook her head.

  “It won't be that simple. If I set you free, the Council will know I did it...”

  “You're afraid of losing your position,” Olivia scolded her.

  “Watch your words,” Rovenna warned her. “It's not just because of my position. Not all wizards would be as understanding as I am. As long as I remain where I am, there is hope of maintaining balance between the races...” She took a deep breath. “I have not yet decided what I will do with you, but I can assure you that I will not turn you over to the Conclave.”

  “And how can we be sure of that?”

  “I have just witnessed an unparalleled power that I would not wish to be in the hands of the five families or the king.”

  “Eldrin told me you were opposed to my marriage.”

  “And I was right.”

  Olivia nodded slowly.

  “I don't know exactly who the witches are... but...”

  The girl went on to explain to Rovenna how these mysterious beings, though human in appearance as she described them, seemed to inhabit another plane of existence and that prevented them from communicating or using their power unless it was through Olivia's body. The problem was that, although she had that power at her disposal, her body was not yet strong enough to contain it for long. The girl then told her what had happened at the lake when the witches first manifested themselves, their appearances along the journey through the eastern fringe, and their escape from the village. Finally, Silas explained how the pact with the witch that had allowed him access to the form of the original chimera had occurred. Actually, this last part had to be described to him by Rovenna, with Olivia's confirmation, since the boy had no memory of what had happened.

  “So...” His golden eyes glittered with a mixture of disbelief and restrained tension. His dilated pupils searched Rovenna's face for answers. “I took the original form?”

  Rovenna nodded.

  “Just as described in the legend.”

  “He told me he would just turn me into a bird,” Silas muttered.

  “That would mean that witches can evade the Dragon's Seal,” said Rovenna. “How?” She turned to Olivia. “What do you have to do with all this?”

  “It's not entirely clear... The creature holding them captive...” She paused as if measuring her words, Rovenna feared she was hiding something from her. “They mentioned a key but I'm not sure what they meant.”

  “A key? You mean for a seal?”

  “It could be, but... there wasn't time for them to tell me anything else.”

  Rovenna put both hands to her temples. She felt the growing tension of a new headache.

  “I find it very difficult to believe it all... There is no record of these creatures you call witches. All I have are your words.”

  “Then you have my permission to study my code.”

  The Master Arcanist dropped her arms.

  “Your code?”

  The girl nodded.

  “What about your code?” Rovenna asked again.

  “If you're not convinced by my words, what you see next will put your mind at ease.”

  Rovenna moved her hand over the cell lock to deactivate the shield that sealed it, and with a creak the door opened. Cautiously she approached the girl and raised both arms.

  Golden lines emerged from Olivia's chest and illuminated the room as if the sun had broken through a window. At first, Rovenna noticed nothing different as they began to intertwine but, far from forming the spiral that all the creatures of the world shared, they curved into a simple circle in which a five-pointed star was gradually drawn inside.

  Each creature's code represented its magical essence, a unique imprint that manifested as a spiral, a symbol of the energy flow that connected them to the magic of the world. The spirals could vary in size, pattern and complexity, depending on the races or species, as well as the individual's magical affinity and personal history, so each code was unique. They represented the vital essence of each creature and the way its energy was inscribed in its body and intertwined with the universe.

  Whereas Olivia's code, while seemingly simple in its geometry, shattered that norm. Perhaps that explained her connection to that ancient power and those so-called witches. But then... what was Olivia truly, an anomaly?

  Rovenna gulped.

  “By the Nymph... What does this mean?”

  “I'm not sure...” Olivia answered, staring at the star. “I only know that it's related to the witches and that my mother put it there.”

  Rovenna's face could no longer hide her surprise.

  “Your mother? The Countess?”

  The girl shook her head.

  “No, my real mother.”

  “Who?” Rovenna knew the answer was not going to please her and she was right.

  “Lady Daephennya of the Whispering Forest. She tricked my father into having a child and I am the outcome.”

  Rovenna lowered her arms that felt heavy as if they had just been loaded with a huge boulder. The star dissolved, leaving them again in the gloom.

  There it was. The missing piece that connected the rest of the puzzle. The reason for a marriage that was of no benefit to anyone except the king who was looking for a way to limit the power of the Conclave. A bit of elven blood to the mix and their descendants would be able to overpower the five families.

  Elves had never been inclined to associate with humans, much less the Lady of the Whispering Forest whose haughty Rovenna had several opportunities to observe on her visits to Serenity Glade. But the reason was not only the contempt that most of those beings felt towards humans, but also to prevent these from being tempted to obtain elven power through blood. Among the three elven lords this prohibition had been agreed upon, although the seductive Narthoss was the most likely to break it. Rovenna would never have expected that from Daephennya, unless of course the elf was planning something.

  “That's the reason why your body manages to contain so much power...” Rovenna murmured. “But... Why did she do that?”

  “She wants to use me as a weapon. Eldrin was in charge of taking me to Nemertya. But now that he's dead...”

  “I have no doubt she'll try to capture you again.”

  “That's why I must get to the island as soon as possible.”

  Rovenna shook her head.

  “What is the connection between Daephennya and the witches?”

  “That... I... I... don't know...”

  “You're lying. They are working together.”

  “If that were the case, they would not have rebelled against Eldrin.”

  That was true, but before deciding what to do Rovenna had to confirm that with someone else. She rummaged through the pocket of her tunic and pulled out the silver mirror. Olivia watched the object in wonder as its surface revealed the sleepy face of Lord Narthoss who, like the previous time, Rovenna had caught him in the middle of a nap, this time in his bedroom, although she couldn't help noticing a kind of unusual wrinkle under his eyes.

  “He is-!”

  “Lord Narthoss of the Mirror Forest. Your uncle.”

  From another side of the dungeon they heard Silas' chains rattling while trying to figure out what was going on.

  Rovenna waited for the elf to wake up, but he showed no sign of doing so. She thought he was playing a joke on her.

  “Narthos... wake up!”

  The elf stirred uneasily as if he was being disturbed at a most uncomfortable moment.

  “Narthoss!”

  The elf's violet eyes opened slowly, as if they were weighing him down. Rovenna also noticed that his skin did not wear its usual glow but looked more ashen. She had never seen him like this, he seemed more human.

  “Ah, Rovenna... my dear.”

  Probably surprised by the way he was addressing the Master Arcanist, Olivia looked at Rovenna, as if she expected an explanation, but Rovenna waved a hand dismissing it as unimportant.

  “I need to ask you something urgent.”

  The elf closed his eyes tightly again, as if he was experiencing some sort of discomfort. He rubbed his eyelids with one hand.

  “My apologies, my dear, I need a moment...”

  He didn't seem to be joking. His face took on a feverish air.

  “What happened to you?”

  Narthoss took a deep breath before answering.

  “I have just undergone a peculiar experience, my dear. I haven't felt so much pain since Phrondyr defeated me in our last duel.” He closed his eyes again and let out a moan. “Although that can't compare to what I'm feeling now. I've been trying to recover for two days now.”

  That day was not without surprises.

  “Someone attacked you? Who?”

  “That's the problem... No one attacked us, it just... the pain came on all at once...”

  “Us?”

  “Me... and all the elves in the forest have felt it... We haven't even been able to heal ourselves, as if we've been drained of our magic.”

  That was too much of a coincidence.

  “Two days you said?”

  “Yes… two long days…” Narthoss blinked and looked in her direction. “Who… who is that girl?”

  Olivia flinched beside her.

  “She is Olivia of Rockshadow.”

  “Ah… so you found her… that’s my girl…” The elf’s lips trembled as if he were trying to form a polite smile. “A pleasure, Lady Olivia. I’ve long wondered why your father never introduced us.”

  “N-nice to m-meet you…” the girl stammered.

  Rovenna spoke again.

  “Narthoss… I know this isn’t the best time, but this can’t wait…”

  “Always at your service, my dear.”

  There was no way to say it delicately. And he was also millennia older than her. He could take it.

  “Listen… I don’t even know where to start… but… did you know that your sister had a daughter with the Count of Rockshadow?”

  Narthoss straightened up suddenly, but the effort sent a fresh wave of pain through him, making him cry out—a sound that sent chills down Rovenna’s spine. For the first time in her life, he looked fragile.

  “So… so that’s what it was… ah… sister… sister…” He turned his eyes to Olivia again. “Is it... true?”

  The nervous girl could only nod.

  “I’m afraid that’s not all, Narthoss,” Rovenna continued. “But… I suspect this pain you’re feeling is connected to the Dragon Seal.”

  The elf remained deep in thought for a moment.

  “Why… do you think that, dear?”

  “What would happen if someone broke the Seal?”

  “If someone broke… that would be impossible…” he stared at her. “Who... do you think... did it?”

  “I don’t think it—I know it. A chimera took his original form.”

  He slowly shook his head.

  “That can’t be… there’s no way…”

  “But if there was a way…”

  “It is forbidden. No one can do it… though this… this pain… I feel as if… as if my body is covered in burns… If a chimera… took its original form… that is… a clear… violation of the Seal…”

  “Could the elves feel it?”

  “Not just the elves… all of us who… bear the curse… Elves, sirenians, elementals, hybrids, even… the chimeras... deep in the mountains…”

  That was a big problem.

  “Everyone except the humans, who are free of it,” Rovenna added.

  Narthoss shut his eyes and nodded.

  “Exactly… How… how did it happen?”

  Rovenna, with Olivia’s help, began recounting the events, starting with what had transpired between Alaric and Daephennya. But they hadn’t gotten far when they were suddenly interrupted.

  “Master Arcanist!” cried the desperate young Initiate who had been delivering reports to Rovenna, bursting into the dungeon. As he descended the last step, he lost his footing and fell face-first onto the floor.

  “Not now, boy!” Rovenna roared.

  “But, Master!” the boy whimpered, his face drenched in tears. “We’re under attack!”

  Rovenna hid the mirror and lunged at the Initiate, grabbing him by the collar and lifting him off the ground.

  “By whom?”

  “The people!”

  “What people?”

  “The people of the port! They've gathered a mob! They say they’re coming to free the chimera!”

  Thank you for reading!

  I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

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