Fire Mage (Blacklight Chronicles, #1)

by John Forrester

No part of this book

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1. THE

THE HUNT Talis searched the steamy swamplands for prey, hoping to make his father proud, no matter what the cost. His father’s words echoed in his mind, “Your brother hunted big game when he was twelve.” Why did his words stain his mind like ink on a page? His brother had hunted with a team of men and merely managed to bounce his spear off a deer. Talis was thirteen now and though he’d tried, had been spurned by every hunting trip his father’s men had pursued. Lad, don’t want you dying like your brother, you’re the last son of the Storm family lineage, and all. Finding nothing all day, he scanned the muddy ground for tracks, kicking away needles and sticks. Off to the corner of his eye he spotted an indentation in the wet leaves. He strode over and bent down, flipping his hair away from his eyes for a better look. A thrill raced through him at

HUNT

steamy swamplands for prey, hoping to make his father proud, no matter what the cost. His father’s words echoed in his mind, “Your brother hunted

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the sight of fresh tracks. He raised his head and studied a sloshing stream blanketed with a soft mist, and squinted at a path illuminated by the four moon sisters. This was his kill. “Did you find something?” said Mara, his best friend. She

wore sage-green hunting pants and a ridiculously frilly white lace top, why, he had no idea. She was funny like that. As she came alongside, she raised her big brown eyes in concern, and glanced at the tracks. She chewed a cinnamon stick and frowned. He grunted in response and pointed a short spear with a menacing, curved blade at the stream. This was his hunt and even though he’d failed to even bag anything as big as a deer, he swore he’d do whatever it took to bring it back home to father. Mara shook her head, the movement stubborn and terse, her short, brown hair slashing along her neck. “It’s too late. I’m serious, don’t look at me with those oh-please-Mara eyes of

yours.” “But the prints are fresh, an hour old at the most—” “What are you trying to prove? We’ve been out here all day and my ass is sore from sliding down that stupid muddy hill. I’m hungry, irritable, and want nothing more than to eat a slice of peach cobbler, steal a mug of ale, and prop my feet up and feel the heat of the fire. Besides, I’m not going to let you get yourself killed doing something stupid as hell like hunting in the dark.” “Don’t be angry.” He flashed her the look he knew always made her smile, and gazed into her devilish, incredibly-cute amber eyes, hoping to convince her. But it didn’t work this time. She set her jaw firm and scowled at him. He tried a different approach and lowered his voice ...

something big? He doesn’t really see you the way you deserve to be seen. Ever since your brother died…” The wind stung from a sudden cold gust and Talis sighed, wishing she hadn’t brought up the subject of his older brother’s death. He cursed fate, cursed his family’s bad luck, and memories flooded his mind of his older brother Xhan. His arrogant, youthful expression. A cruel death in the desert. “You know I’d hunt with you to the Underworld and back, I really would. We’re a team. I just hate seeing you go on and on like this. Can’t we try another night?” “Please…it would be amazing if we succeeded. We can do it, we’ve planned this hunt for months.” And in his mind he pictured tossing the ...

He stopped and searched around trying to spot the source. There, beyond a patch of Elderberry, something fat and filthy waddled down a muddy path. His heart pounded and jumped at the sight. This was it. Tensing his muscles, he bent low, stalking after the animal. He glanced at Mara, and sent her a victorious grin. It was a big, burly boar. He followed after the tromping creative until it reached the stream and grunted at a wallow surrounded by a circle of mossy rocks, finally settling into the mud. This was his first chance at hunting a boar. But when he really got a good look at the fat beast a jolt of fear shot through him. Those are some massive tusks, he thought. But by now Mara had already nocked an arrow. Their plan all along had been to weaken the b...

Mother’s kitchen for a fine roast. And seeing Father’s proud eyes as he said, “You’re a fine hunter, son.” An unlikely dream. At Mara’s questioning look he quickly nocked an arrow and nodded at her. She turned back to face the boar, but her eyes remained wary and fearful. This would be a tricky shot. He leaned to the side and felt the tension strain his arms as he pulled the string back, aimed, and released the arrow straight at the boar. It was a good shot, but the arrow caught a thicket's branch and droned off past the creature. Damned! How could he miss? The boar jerked its head up and glared at Talis. He barely had a second to think before the beast sloshed in the stream, bounding towards him. He ducked as Mara’s arrow flew past him and slammed into the boar's chest. Why w...

slow the boar down at all. Eyes mesmerized at the advancing boar, he shook his head and threw down his bow and quickly brandished his spear. Mara did the same and spread out in a circle as the boar aimed directly at him. He jutted out his weapon, ready to strike, but again felt fear latch onto his heart and squeeze until he found himself gulping deep breaths through his mouth. Mara shouted for him to watch out. As the boar’s tusk bore down on him, Talis leapt out of the way just in time and thrust his

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spear down at the beast. The creature squealed in pain as his spear pierced the back of its neck. Mara lunged at the boar with her spear and stabbed its rear flank. It shrieked, swung its tusks around and knocked her back onto a pile of leaves. Talis screamed as he watched her spin through the air and slam backwards onto the ground. A sickening feeling twisted in his stomach. What had he done? Fury raged in his chest and he stabbed and prodded the boar, trying to keep it away from Mara, until finally the creature gave up and bounded away, howling and grunting in a mad rush. Gods, why didn’t I listen to her? He ran over to find Mara wincing, her eyes vacant and bloodshot, but still conscious. She tried to lift herself up. “Wait, don’t get up. Rest a moment. ” Talis tried to remember exactly where the tusk had struck her. “Where does it hurt? Wait, don’t close your eyes! Look at me, are you all right?” She coughed and inhaled a huge gulp of air

and coughed again, a redness sweeping over her face. “It knocked my breath out…there are stars everywhere!” She started to laugh but crimped up in pain. After ten heartbeats she began to breathe normally, and pushed herself up with the help of Talis. But when she tried walking, she stumbled and leaned on him for support. “You’re seriously hurt!” “I don’t feel so great.” An agonizing grimace gripped her face. “I probably need help getting home.” He had to get her back. And quickly. Why the hell hadn’t he listened to her? She wobbled, then slapped her palms to her stomach as if she wanted to vomit. Talis seized her just as she was about to topple to her knees. A shiver went through her body as s...

had act quick or she might not be able to make it. “I think I’m going to be sick.” Her face went pale as she looked at him with frightened eyes. Talis lifted her into his arms. “I’m taking you home. Now.” He thanked the gods she was so much smaller than him. He carried her, stumbling down the bluff, ignoring her protests. A wound like that was incredibly dangerous. If he didn’t get her to a healer soon, he knew Mara might die. If anything happened to her he knew he’d never forgive himself. After a long while he was too tired to carry her, so he rested for a bit, his breath heaving and stiff arms and legs protesting. Even though it was almost dark, Talis could see that Mara’s face looked white as chalk. He had to keep going, no matter what, no matt...

walls. He told himself he could do it. No matter how hard it was to keep carrying her, in his mind he was determined to keep her alive. Lights flickered from countless braziers mounted hundreds of feet higher on the upper part of the city. Naru stood ominous under the garish light of the four moon sisters, and as the evening gong sounded from atop a watchtower, Talis knew he had made it…. He stumbled towards the main gates, barely able to stand anymore, and a group of soldiers making their rounds noticed and ran over to help. “Young Master Talis, what’s wrong?” said Baratis, the captain of the guard, and his eyes blazed fear at sight of Mara. “Is she alive?” “I can’t ...

steel shafts stared down at them from inside the stone walls as they jogged past. If they weren’t quick about it, she would die. Talis ran ahead, urging them faster. Eyes blinked at them from behind murder holes as they entered. Archers ready to strike down enemies in a siege. Spread before them past the gate was the Arena of the Sej Elders, formed of gigantic white granite blocks, rising over everything in the lower part of the city. Stone towers lined the wide avenue leading up to the arena. They had to move faster. The soldiers’ boots clapped against the cobblestone streets as they marched past the arena, finally winding around until they reached the gates to the upper city. Up the snaking rise, they charged past merchant shops and eyes that gawk...

and Lady Malvia, daughter of the king and second in line to the throne. They were going to be furious, Talis knew he was in serious trouble for taking Mara out on the hunt. But he couldn’t think about any of that, all that mattered now was Mara’s life. As the soldiers carried Mara into the white marble mansion, Talis worried that her wounds were too grave to cure. Today was the worst day, and he was all to blame. Why did he have to chase after the boar? Two servants ran up and gasped when they noticed Mara, and they quickly helped her inside. Lady Malvia rushed towards them, her silver robe swirling behind. “What has happened to my daughter? She’s so pale, can someone tell me why she’s...

were you thinking?” Her face seethed with concern and rage. “I warned you two about hunting alone. Now go and fetch the healer! Go!” A sick feeling wrenched his stomach as he raced out back to a small, mud-thatched building overlooking the rose garden. It was his fault. He never should have insisted on going hunting in the first place. He vowed not to go on the hunt again—not if it meant hurting Mara. Inside the healer’s apothecary, he found Belesia grinding herbs inside a gnarled, wooden bowl. The room held the pungent smells of mold, fire and smoke. The walls were lined with jars of herbs, roots, dried insects and small, shriveled animals floating in clear liquid. The healer narrowed her eyes at him. “Young master…what brings you here?” “Quick, you have to come now. Mara w...

She groaned. “How did it strike her?” “Tusks slashed here.” He pointed at his lower ribs. ”And later blood spilled from her mouth.” “An internal wound, this is a grave injury…” She rummaged through several herb jars and grabbed various roots and mushrooms and stuffed everything inside a satchel and hobbled outside. “We must hurry.” As they made their way through the mansion, Talis’s heart pounded and his palms went flush with sweat. Mara was going to be all right, wasn’t she? Belesia came from far to the west, lands renowned for their magical healing powers. But...

and flushed. Death stirred in her crazed eyes. A servant swabbed a wet cloth on her forehead, crying uselessly, a look of horror and panic on her face. Belesia rushed to Mara’s side and pressed her palms over her forehead and stomach. “The wound is deep…the flow of energy blocked. The fever, rising.” Belesia chanted words from a strange tongue, words sharp and shrill, words from the western islands, lands filled with the magic of the earth and the spirits. Her eyes narrowed to small slits, and the room dimmed and prickled with electricity as her chants grew louder. In the darkness, the healer’s hands glowed red like burning embers and Mara’s body filled with light, as if her veins pulsed with iridescent gold. Mara’s eyes flung open, unseeing, as i...

back, to keep her spirit here, but Belesia motioned him away. “Will she be all right?” Talis whispered, his voice choked and terrified. Belesia raised a finger. “Her wound lies in her internal organs. My power is strong, but the healing will take time to regenerate the organs. And I’m sorry to say, m’lady, sometimes the healing fails….” “Fails?” Lady Malvia said, her face turning pale as ash. “But you will do everything, won’t you? I can pay any amount, grant you titles and lands, but save my daughter!” The old healer cackled softly and muttered words to herself as she gazed at the faces of ghastly demons circling over Mara’s bed. “When it comes to magic and the gods,...

“I will…I promise. I’ll do anything, gods willing, to keep Mara alive.” Talis bowed his head and pinched his eyes shut, saying the words of prayer to Tolexia: God of Healing, God of Harmony, listen to this mortal’s plea for Mara. Fair Tolexia hear my prayer and save her life, with my heart pure and mind full of penitence. When Talis opened his eyes, Lady Malvia stared at him with a mixture of disappointment and fury. Talis withered at her glare and found himself retreating from the room. “I want you out of this house.” Lady Malvia’s voice was as sharp as an executioner’s axe. “If she lives you’ll save your family from shame and bloodshed. For only blood will satisfy blood. And the gods may ask for your blood if Mara dies. I allowed Mara to hunt with you on the c...

say. She motioned with her eyes for a servant, and the man led Talis out of the mansion, his calloused hands rough on Talis’s arm. Please let Mara live, please, Tolexia, please. He kept seeing Mara’s shining face, laughing and teasing him. She was his best friend. He’d ruined everything today by his foolishness, and put Mara’s life in danger. Her life was worth more to him than all the hunts in the world. He stumbled down the cobblestone street, bumping into carts and people, barely able to see straight with the tears blurring his sight. It was only a short way to his house, the House of Garen Storm, but he went the wrong way down towards the shops and the marketplace, and had to turn around and trudge back h...

She would live, the gods were good, she would live. He willed it so. Talis felt the t...

2. A FEATHER FOR A FRIEND Garen Storm came limping down the dark hallway, carrying his hawk-headed cane as if it were a weapon. Talis cringed at the dark expression on his father’s face as he swept aside his silk cape, black eyes glaring at Talis, and he puffed on a pipe, sending smoke swirls rising into the gloomy air. The candlelight from the servant standing on the side of the room sent flickering dark gashes across Father’s face. Why was Father lately always so dark and serious? “What’s your excuse this time?” he muttered, tapping the cane against his hairy hand. “Haldish, bring some light in here, I can barely see a thing.” “Yes, Master Storm.” Haldish bowed and set the candle on a long wooden table containing several carved statues of the gods. Talis stared at the beautiful, ivory statue of the Goddess Tolexia, the

god of healing, and made another silent prayer for Mara’s recovery. “We were out hunting…Mara was hurt by a boar.” Talis glanced at his father’s raging eyes, but quickly looked away. His father exhaled angrily and muttered curses, then Talis heard him hobbling towards the fire at the hearth in the great room. At least he didn’t hit him with his cane, though how Talis felt now, he almost wished that he did. “As if we don’t already have enough trouble with House Lei.” Father sat at a plump, leather chair in front of the fire. “Now you force me to make amends with Lady Malvia…if she’ll see me. Is Mara hurt badly? Go on…sit…this is not an execution.” Talis obeyed, feeling the leather chair warmed by the fire. Part of him wished Father was harsher, he felt guilty, he felt what he did was wrong, but he just sighed and nodded gravely. “She’s bleeding internally from a boar’s strike.”

“Blood awful…” Father ran his fingers through his thick, black mane. “Has the healer treated her? Should I summon healers from the Order of the Dawn?” “Belesia has cast her magic…and Mara sleeps. I’ve prayed to Tolexia.” And even now I feel the power of the Goddess surrounding Mara, wrapping her in light. “May the gods favor her recovery. I’ll go visit the Shrine of Tolexia tomorrow and pay House Lei a visit.” Father frowned, disapproval spilling from his eyes. “I know you and Mara have been hunting for years, but you’re too reckless, boy… Boar hunting? You could have both been killed. Once again you disappoint me.” Talis felt himself shrink back at Father’s words. This would all have been ...

Garen glanced at his wife. “All that I’m saying is…be cautious, be more like your older brother…” His voice faltered and broke, and his eyes reddened suddenly. He closed his eyes as if remembering his son, and after a while raised his clenched fists towards the sky, his face puffed and fuming. “Why, Nyx? Why did you have to take Xhan away from me?” He pushed himself to his feet, faltered a moment as if dizzy, then he turned and tromped off, retreating once again into his study, the place where he often locked himself away from the family, in the years after Talis’s older brother Xhan had been poisoned during a battle with desert marauders. Mother crept forward and put her arms around Talis. She hug...

led him into the kitchen where his younger sister, Lia, played with her favorite white doll. “Why don’t you rest with your sister, she’s been worried about you.” “Why was I so stupid?” His voice cracked and he placed his hands over his head. He felt somehow that he was to blame for the way Father acted since Xhan’s death. Father was right, if he was more careful, Mara would never have been injured by the boar. His mother sat next to him and he told her what had happened in the swamplands. Lia squeezed his hand. “Mara will be all right…I just know it.” His sister was so delicate and feminine, and her eyes held certainty and innocence, with a wisdom beyond her seven years. “Da...

“Can you eat something? Or perhaps some soup,” his mother said. Talis shook his head. “I couldn’t eat a thing…my stomach feels sick.” “Then go to bed… There’s nothing you can do right now, except perhaps beg favor from the gods.” He bowed his head, and once again prayed to Tolexia for Mara to return to health. He turned and shambled outside and up the stairs to his bedroom loft. Before going inside, he gripped the rail and stared out over the city of Naru, lit with the pale light of the four moon sisters. Thoughts of Mara and Lady Malvia and Father raced through his mind. And Xhan, his older brother, why couldn’t he even picture his face anymore? Did the power ...

and Lady Malvia’s refusal to allow him access to see Mara, Talis thought of a way to find out how she was doing. That afternoon he slunk behind a tree near the side gate to Mara’s mansion, waiting for the healer, Belesia. She usually ran errands in town around this time, and around twilight, the wooden door creaked open, and Belesia stepped out onto the cobblestone street. She wrapped her shawl over her shoulders and strode down towards town. Talis followed her from a distance, past the royal mansions, past the merchant’s houses, past the upper markets and their sweet smells of bread and cakes and ale, until they reached the dingy lower part of the city. All Talis could think about along the way was whether Mara was all right. Would Belesia be under orde...

When they entered Fiskar’s market, Belesia stopped at a stall where a man with a twenty-pound tumor in his neck sold mushrooms. Belesia haggled with the man for a long while, clucking disapprovingly at the price, then finally handed him a few coins and clutched the bag under her arm and left. Talis seized the opportunity and jogged up to her. Belesia turned her head, as if knowing he was there. “I’m surprised you didn’t follow me sooner.” “I tried to respect the wishes of House Lei.” He didn’t want to get in more trouble than he already was. “People say things they don’t mean when they are angry.” Belesia took his hands. Her skin felt warm and leathery. “Your fr...

pack. “And is Lady Malvia still upset at me?” Belesia rubbed her hands together. “Time heals foolish actions…and your father knows the right words to sooth Lady Malvia’s fire. You may not know it, but they were once close friends like you and Mara. That is until Lady Malvia decided to marry your father’s old enemy, Viceroy Lei.” Father and Lady Malvia? “I didn’t know…Father talks little of the past, save for talk of Xhan.” With that, Belesia came close and placed a hand on Talis’s cheek. “The living sometimes suffer more than the dead. Give your father tenderness. His heart still bleeds.” She turned and strolled away, her words still lingering in his heart. Talis pictured Father’s face after the news of Xhan’s death had reached him. He had suffered and Talis...

and giggled as they strode off. Talis glanced around at the merchant stalls, thinking of Mara again, and decided he should find a gift for her. A gift to make her eyes sparkle. The air in Fiskar’s Market smelled of roasted venison, pork, chicken, and sweet pies from the baker’s oven. He sauntered around, scanning the vendors hawking their goods: sacred charms, shrunken heads, colorful jewelry studded with precious stones, Orbs of the Sun and Eyes of Death, and prayer beads sold by gold-toothed monks. Greed in their eyes. Why did monks seem more interested in coin than in meditation to the gods? Fiskar was long dead, but the name stuck. He was smart enough to set up business and sell in front of Shade’s Gate and next to the Temple of Nyx, the G...

pictured the southern seas he imagined adventure and sultry nights, swordplay and pirate ships ravaging towns along rocky shores. How he longed to explore beyond Naru. But Talis knew this was impossible, he was too young to ever be allowed in Father’s trading caravans. Especially after Xhan’s death. Yes, a feather would be a perfect gift. Mara was crazy about collecting feathers. She loved to adorn her hunting hats with immaculate feathers from all over the world. But these were new, he’d never seen such brilliant feathers. So he bought a particularly beautiful feather for her using money saved from pelts he’d sold from hunting in the swamplands. A small fortune. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted Nikulo, a boy he knew from the Order of t...

Goddess. Not that Nikulo was likely to help him. Talis focused on elemental magic at the Order of the Dawn, although his success was limited to magic done in training dreams. And lately those had always turned into nightmares. The eyes of Nyx, the moans of the Underworld, his brother’s face suffering. Talis had never managed to produce magic like the other apprentices and felt very frustrated at his many failed attempts. Nikulo scanned stalls off in the back corner of the market, and stopped to buy something from a merchant Talis was sure sold poison and other black arts supplies. As if afraid of being seen, Nikulo glanced around several times, frowned, and marched towards the stall where Talis stood. Talis tried to hide behind a bunch of feathers, but Nikul...

year, and froze, realizing he’d forgotten all about it. Wasn’t it only a few days away? With Mara injured, they’d moved the date, but Talis knew that House Lei and House Storm would never allow Talis and Mara to forfeit to the likes of Nikulo and Rikar, his sparring partner. Claiming rights to holding the Blood Dagger for a year meant far too much to the royal houses, especially since their house had lost claim to the victor’s rights over the last few years. Nikulo’s coffee-brown eyes sparkled as if he was eager to tell a new joke. He waddled close to Talis, holding a porcelain jar in one hand, and he yanked up silk pants that kept falling below his protruding belly. He scratched his curly hair and released a smoky fart, blowing the fumes in Talis’s direction. Ta...

rubbed his stinging eyes. “What are you doing slumming in Fiskar’s Market? Finding more noxious ingredients for your potions?” Nikulo moved the jar away from Talis. “No…nothing of the sort.” He frowned, and pursed his lips. “Why are you holding a feather?” “It’s for Mara. Why are you hiding that jar?” Talis gave Nikulo a determined scowl. “Oh this?” Nikulo glanced around at the jar he was holding. “Just ingredients.” He fidgeted, constantly glancing at Shade’s Gate, the way to the upper part of the Naru where Nikulo lived. “Ingredients? What for? Weren’t you at the poison merchant?” “Poison?” Nikulo coughed out an offended laugh. “Why would I want anything to do with poison? You know it’s not allowed for students of the Ord...

and I are getting tired of waiting to fight you guys. If you don’t compete soon, the Blood Dagger will be ours.” “You know that’s not going to happen. You’ll taste our blades soon enough. Are you so anxious to have your blood spilled? Mara will be better soon enough, just you see.” Nikulo chuckled. “You’re lucky that House Lei hasn’t sent an assassin after you.” Talis waved his hand as if the idea was ridiculous. “I’ve got to go. Be careful with that poison… Another failed alchemy experiment and you’re likely to kill someone.” But then again, maybe that was Nikulo’s idea, poison merchant after all… Maybe he was working on something to give him favor at the Blood Dagg...

spot spindly shadows dancing across the room as the wind knocked the shutters back and forth. He hated waking this way. His cat, the yellow and white Tobias, pounced on his bed, tail jerking crazily, staring above at the amber feather he’d bought for Mara. It flipped around in the breeze, taunting Tobias torturously. Talis had mounted the feather on a strand of leather tied to a wooden beam that spanned across the ceiling. The cat leapt into the air, trying to swat the feather, but missed it by a few inches. “You little devil.” Talis tried to scoop up Tobias, but the cat darted about the room as if possessed by a ghost. “You can’t have Mara’s feather, it’s not your toy to play with… I’ll get you a duck feather or something. Come on now.” The shutters s...

dove into his bed, then wriggled under the covers. Her hands were uncomfortably near his pants. Talis felt his face flush from the surprise of seeing her here. Tobias pounced onto the bed, leaping high into the air every time Mara moved her hands under the covers, deliberately teasing the cat. Tobias meowed, a complaining meow, and the cat stared, as if trying to figure out what was going on. “You’re all better?” Talis went to hug her, then realized she was lying in his bed and he felt his cheeks go red in embarrassment. Mara raised an eyebrow and lowered her voice to a whisper. “Way to state the obvious. No”—she coughed and clenched her stomach, rolling over in bed—“I’m about to keel ov...

“You can’t kill a cat that easily. Though you sure did try!” “Me?” “Just kidding!” She stretched her arms wide and wiggled her body towards him. “Somebody here is so in love with me. I bet you couldn’t stop thinking about me, right?” She stopped and glanced up at the feather. “Is that for me?” Talis nodded, then jumped up to grab the feather. Mara squealed when he handed it to her. “It’s gorgeous! I bet it cost a small fortune… Didn’t it? It’ll look great in my green hunting cap. I can’t wait to wear it.” He smiled, and braced himself as she jumped and flung herself onto him, giving him an enormous suffocating hug. She stayed there for a long, uncomfort...

face, it was worth every silver piece buying her the feather. She motioned towards the window. “Why aren’t you offering to take me to breakfast? Can’t you see I’m hungry?” “Whatever you want, it’s my treat, thank the gods you’re better.” He sighed and fixing his eyes on her, nodded. “It’s really good to see you, Mara.” A blush appeared on her face, but she quickly snorted as if to avoid embarrassment. “If you want to know, I’m craving dump...

3. A DEMON'S EYES Usually royals believed that going down to shop or eat in the lower part of the city was far beneath their station. That’s why Talis and Mara almost always went there, to escape prying eyes. Especially now, since if they were seen together, it would mean trouble for both of them. As they strolled down the freshly-washed cobblestone street, Mara whispered to Talis that her mother was still furious at him and they had to be careful. Mara ran ahead, as if trying to put distance between them. He wished they didn’t have to skulk around and disguise themselves or face the wrath of Lady Malvia. They always took the trader’s way to Fiskar’s Market. Around the upper shops, down an alleyway stacked with crates, inside a warehouse door, past workers loading crates, until they reached the dark warehouse room that led to a corridor winding around down

to a lift. The workers always averted their eyes from them when they used the lift, as if they thought it wasn’t their business to notice a few royal children stalking around in the building. Talis and Mara hopped on the lift, and she grabbed his hand as the lift jolted, starting their descent several hundred feet down in the darkness. Talis always felt a thrill on the descent, as if uncertain whether they would ever arrive at the bottom. It was pitch black without a source of light. Mara cuddled close to Talis, her arms snaking around his waist, the soft exhalations of her breath landing on his neck until he felt uncomfortable and his heart raced. Her small fingers felt along his chest and she wormed her way even closer and started to whisper something in his ear. The lift suddenly jolted as they reached the bottom. What was she going to say? She jumped out of the lift and dashed down the passageway

until they reached Shade’s Gate, next to the upper part of Fiskar’s Market. Talis frowned and wondered if he ever would understand the minds of girls. Today was Hanare, the sacred day of the Goddess Nacrea, eighth day of the week, a day free from study and work. At least for the royals. In Fiskar’s Market, most commoners still toiled, preparing for Magare, the first day of the week and market day. But still, children chased chickens lazily through the market stalls and old men played Chano, staring at the chipped granite pieces as if waiting for a mystery to unfold. Old women gossiped, casting curious eyes at Talis and Mara as they sat at a flimsy table next to a boiling pot of pork dumpling soup. The broth smelled of garlic ...

full of cabbage, bits of meat, shimmering dumplings, and piping-hot clear broth, slopping the soup into a blue ceramic bowl. Talis salivated as the man placed the bowl in front of Mara, and glanced at the man with expectant eyes. “Can I start?” she said, dumping so much chili sauce in her soup it turned red. “Torture me…” She slurped the soup and made a face of pure joy. “This tastes so amazing! I wish our cook could make soup as good as this. I’m so sick of the strange food they’ve been giving me.” “Can I have a dumpling?” Why was the cook taking so long for his soup? “Yours is coming soon enough. So impatient!” She winked at him with a flirtatious grin on her face. The co...