Servant of Earth (The Shards of Magic, #1)

by Sarah Hawley

“A long time ago,” he said, “for that’s how these stories always start, the Fae of Mistei were weaker, but each individual had the powers of all six houses in varying amounts. No one can verify this, of course. No one is alive who remembers it, and there are Fae who have lived a very, very long time. It’s part of our lore, though, so perhaps there’s some truth to it. “The Fae realized that if they took lovers with magical abilities similar to theirs, they could enhance the powers that were strongest in their family lines. They began breeding for strength. Eventually we reached the result you see today: six houses, now five, each specializing in one branch of magic: Earth, Fire, Light, Void, Illusion, and Blood. Our identities became defined by our powers. Our houses separated and stopped sharing information.” He shook his head, looking down at the fire licking over his hands. “The problem with such a coldhearted breeding plan is that it does not account for love. And once a society is as divided as the Fae are, there’s no place for a child with the magic of two houses. The children of two worlds, as they were once called, were ostracized, turned into servants, or kept within house walls. They became changelings at the beginning of King Osric’s rule.”