4: Of Corruption

Moya sat back on her heels as the potion’s refreshing energy washed over her. She could not look away from Ahndras, who was now recovering his energy, leaning against mossy stone. Ahn, the aethermage who she would spend days, weeks of her life guarding, although she had prayed to the Source never again to suffer […]

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3: Of Mud

Moya leaned on the railings of the Havens Ferry, warm spring air stirring her braids so that the beads woven through clicked against each other. Sailing the Greatsea Bay always relaxed her. The wind snapping in sails, boards and rigging creaking, the occasional burst of leymagical reactions to speed the boat through still waters, and […]

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2: Of Lurking Dangers

*Content warning: reference to undead, blood, small dagger cut. Ahndras Frost grinned in the face of danger. Specifically, the danger staring him down with cool silver eyes. He needed to strengthen himself now more than ever, and Etal-Lia was pleased to help. Etal-Lia, or Talli to her closest friends, was deadly even for a Xereth […]

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1: Of Duty

One month after the Kraah attack on the Easthaven Mageguild Moya Anders gazed out at the empty Mageguild Demesnes courtyard. She hated thunderstorms, and this one had been especially nasty. The grass shone silvery with water in the light from the magelamps, a young moon cowered behind ragged clouds, and Easthaven was eerily quiet. The […]

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11: Epilogue

Seshka—she could not even remember her surname, if she’d ever had one—sat on a rooftop, face muffled thickly enough that the clouds of her frozen breath would melt before puffing into the air. Nothing would give her away to passers-by. She was a ghost, after all. A thing. A creature without a soul. Clicking sounded […]

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10: Dawn

Emrhys cast one more look at the quiet Priory building nestled in its cocoon of ivy and snow. She hoisted the satchel with its precious phials onto her shoulder, then cast an aura of obscuring to envelop the receiving room and grounds just beyond — a working so strong her legs wobbled and her mind […]

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9: Gifts

*Content warning: mention of blood, small cut. Emrhys padded through the snow, legs weak. Breathless, she leaned against a tree, lungs burning, mind racing. Freedom was close, yet fear lingered, cold and tight in her chest. She glanced back toward the town proper. There was no way in all the hells she would ever go […]

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8: Memory

Corvus paced, his saber knocking against his thigh. He was almost out of time. He peered down the narrow hall to make sure nobody had followed them. Thankfully, they were alone. Most of the other guardsmen, Petrov included, were elsewhere, celebrating the holiday night with spiced wine they had snuck in a service entrance. Emrhys […]

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7: Sisters and Saints

Lenore Coldriver knelt to light a candle on Saint Eskala’s altar. All around the room, red and green glass cupped tenuous flickering lights. Candles for prayers, for wishes, for desperate dreams. She would never be like those people who lit their candles and went back to their everyday lives. Nor would Emrhys. Not even the […]

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