Violet Fire
Chapter 7

“You know, when you first told me about your parents, I thought you were joking,” Caleb’s hand moved gently up and down her arm.

Evelyn lifted her head off of his shoulder a fraction to get a better look at him. “I did try to warn you.”

“So you did,” he sighed, shivering as a drop of water rolled down the wall next to him. “And yet I’m still wondering how we ended up here.”

“My parents would say it was fate,” Evelyn replied dryly. “I think we weren’t careful enough.”

“How could we have been more –”

The creaking of a door cut him off. Evelyn stiffened, her fingers clutching Caleb’s shirt. The acrid stench of the torch hit them first, then the sound of keys clanking together. The cell door screamed as it swung out, allowing a beam of bright light to cut through the musty air.

“Up,” a gruff voice ordered.

They rose on shaky legs, leaning on each other for support. Shivers clawed up and down their arms and trickled down their backs. Caleb interlaced his fingers with Evelyn’s, standing straight as a rod.

No one noticed their knuckles were white.

She was back, the beautiful woman. She walked around me, graceful and proud. “You are persistent,” she murmured.

“Who are you?” I whispered.

The woman laughed, a harsh cackle that didn’t fit with her beautiful features.

“Soon you will learn my name,” she replied, leaning close to whisper in my ear. “And you will learn to fear.”

I woke with a start, the woman’s laugh still ringing in my ears. I sat up and stared unseeingly across the room. I’m not sure how long I stayed there before I finally got the journal out. I opened the journal and all of my drawings fell onto the bed. I looked through them, trying yet again to make sense of my dreams. Whoever this woman was, she was real, and she had my parents.

I spent time sketching that morning, unsure why I felt such a need to capture their faces. Maybe it was the only thing keeping me sane; the only thing that I was sure was real. Either way, when I had finished early morning sunlight was streaming through my window and across my bed. Too alert to even consider going back to bed, I climbed out from under the covers. I managed to get into a simple dress on my own and I padded quietly out into the hall. It was pretty easy to be quiet in the slippers Penelope had given me, or else I probably would’ve woken up the entire castle.

I wandered for a few minutes, not quite sure where I was heading. I ended up walking out into the part of the courtyard that encircled the back of the castle. I paused just outside the doorway, my mouth hanging open slightly. In front of me was a bunch of hot guys training. I don’t mean how boys back home “train” – doing pushups or that sort of thing. No, these guys were training with swords and bows, and a few were boxing or wrestling. Some of them had stripped to the waist, and I was impressed by the view. A groan went up and I turned to see that some of the men sparring had stopped.

“Not again, Damon,” one of them said in mock irritation.

“That’s the third time this week,” another chimed in.

Damon grinned wolfishly at them, obviously the victor. He said something I couldn’t hear and the men burst into laughter. I suddenly felt like an intruder and turned to go back inside.

“Juliet?” it was Damon who called my name.

I looked over my shoulder to see him striding toward me, sliding his sword into its sheath.

“I didn’t mean to interrupt,” I said lamely, one hand on the door.

“You didn’t interrupt,” he responded, a small smile on his lips. “The women of the castle don’t usually venture here.”

“Oh,” I said, blushing.

He chuckled, giving me that soul-searching gaze of his.

“Why do you train?” I asked, trying to change the subject.

He instantly sobered. “One must always be prepared.”

What’s that supposed to mean? I thought, although I didn’t voice the question.

“May I walk back with you?” he offered, changing the subject again.

I nodded and we headed back the way I had come, not saying anything. It was Damon who finally broke the silence.

“How are you this morning?”

I shrugged noncommittally. “Fine, I suppose. Still trying to wrap my head around what’s happened.”

Damon nodded understandingly. He looked like he was about to say something, but there was a question I was bursting to ask him.

“Last night…someone said that I’ve been ‘touched’ by magic. Is that bad?”

Damon took a long time to answer, so long that I was afraid he wouldn’t answer at all.

“Magic isn’t trusted here, not anymore,” he said carefully, not looking me in the eye.

“Why? I mean, what could happen to make everyone mistrust magic so much?” I asked, not really sure why I cared.

Damon finally met my gaze, and the intensity of it shocked me. “Before Eoin and Claire became the rulers of Loridian our ruler abused her power. Anyone who didn’t submit to her will suffered severe consequences. She has put so much fear into the people’s hearts that after she was overthrown they tried to exterminate magic from this land.”

“That’s awful,” I whispered, beginning to understand. “Is that why everyone is afraid of you?”

Damon seemed surprised by my question, but he was saved from answering by the appearance of Penelope.

“There you are!” she exclaimed, hurrying over to me. “There’s someone you need to meet.”

“Bye!” I called over my shoulder as Penelope pulled me down the hall.

If Damon replied, we rounded the corner before I could hear.

Penelope pulled me all the way back to my room, clearly excited. She had me change into a nicer dress and made me sit while she dealt with my tangled mess of hair. She managed to scrape my hair into a braid and decided that she was satisfied. She led me back to Claire’s study and left me in front of the door. I wiped the nervous sweat off of my hands before knocking gingerly. Almost immediately, I was invited in. I opened the door gently and poked my head in.

“Come in, Juliet,” Claire said graciously. She was chatting with a man I hadn’t met before. He looked to be in his early twenties, with mousy brown hair and brilliant green eyes.

I entered the room fully, closing the door quietly behind me. The man smiled at me and extended his hand.

“It’s nice to meet you, Juliet. I’m Derek,” he said. I smiled back, giving him my hand. He kissed the top of my hand gently, then let it drop again.

“Juliet, I wanted you to meet Derek because I think he can help you with your…special talents,” Claire said.

“Let’s not beat around the bush, Claire,” Derek chided her gently, smiling. “I’m a wizard, Juliet, and I can help you master your powers.”

I wasn’t sure how to respond, so I just stared at them both for a minute. “Um, thanks?”

Derek chuckled quietly, his expression kind. “I know that this is sudden, but mastering your powers is important.”

“I get that, it’s just that up until a couple of days ago I didn’t even know I had powers,” I replied.

“We don’t have to start right away,” Derek assured me. “But the sooner we start the better.”

I nodded, thinking it over. “I was hoping to get to know this place a little bit better…”

“I can replace someone to show you around,” Claire offered.

I got the feeling that they really wanted me to go with this, but I wasn’t sure why.

“Okay,” I agreed, only a little hesitant.

“Then we can start tomorrow?” Derek pressed, and I nodded. “Perfect.”

I didn’t linger, deciding to explore while Claire found someone to take me around. I walked along corridor after corridor, every once in a while peeking into unoccupied rooms. I looked at the beautiful tapestries that lined the stone walls, trying to remember which way I had come. I stopped in front of a pair of double doors and opened them a crack. I caught a glimpse of row upon row of bookshelves and opened the doors wide enough for me to slip in.

I had found the most magnificent library I had ever seen. The bookshelves stretched to the ceiling, and the ladders to reach the highest shelves were taller than I would ever want to climb. There were windows high up that let in plenty of natural light, while the lower windows were shaded with semi-sheer curtains to keep the sunlight from damaging precious books. There were overstuffed armchairs in every nook and cranny, and also tables with illuminated manuscripts left out to be ogled by any passersby.

I wandered around, eyes popping and jaw open, every so often opening a book to look at the beautiful illuminations; although not all of the books were illuminated. There were some quite ordinary books, which were full of exciting stories.

“Do you read?” a quiet, deep voice asked behind me.

I started and turned to see Damon a couple of feet behind me, a book in his hands.

“Yes, is that not common here?” I asked.

Damon smiled. It was a beautiful smile, full of warmth. “No, even some of the ‘educated’ nobles can’t read or write their own names.”

I smiled, putting the book I was holding carefully back in its place.

“I love books,” I said, walking along the shelves.

Damon walked with me. “So do I,” he paused along the shelf and reached up to take one down. “This is one of my favorites.”

I took the offered book and opened it. It was a book about dragons, and dragon riders. There were some beautiful drawings inside, and I turned the pages delicately, afraid I might damage them.

“So you like dragons, I take it?” I asked, looking over at him.

He simply smiled. “Well, I’ll leave you to your reading,” he said, turning away.

“Wait,” I said quickly. He turned back to look at me. “Why should we read alone?”

I wasn’t sure how long we stayed in the library, but I enjoyed it. Damon kept showing me his favorite books, and we enjoyed looking through them and the illuminated books as well. We were interrupted when Lilly popped her head in, beckoning to me.

“I’m sorry, I have to go,” I said to Damon regretfully.

He smiled sadly as I left, and I was truly sorry to leave. We walked for a little ways down the hall before Lilly spoke.

“You and Master Damon look well together,” she said.

“Lilly!” I exclaimed, earning a mischievous smile from her. “Why did you pull me out of there anyway?”

“The queen found a guide for you,” Lilly explained, leading me toward the great hall.

“Who…?” I started to ask, then stopped.

Alaric gave me a dashing smile and I fought the urge to throw up. I stalked past him, ignoring the arm he offered me. I was starting to feel irritated, but Alaric seemed to be very amused. We left the castle and started for the city, Alaric strutting like a peacock. He waved at people he passed as if he was some sort of celebrity and I rubbed my temples. This is going to be a long day, I thought.

I started to forget about Alaric as we wandered the streets, my eyes popping. The city was so vibrant and alive. It could put any big city back home to shame, and that was just in the market place. The air was filled with the smells of exotic spices, beeswax, and baked goods. Everywhere I looked was something new and amazing, and I found myself wondering if it was all just a dream. As we walked and talked about the city and its people, Alaric actually became somewhat… pleasant. At least, he stopped acting like a complete jerk.

The only thing that didn’t get better was the staring. I was able to ignore it at first, but it was getting worse the deeper we got into the city. Alaric noticed my discomfort, and the annoying smirk came back.

“What, not used to the attention?” he asked.

I arched an eyebrow at him, not sure what he was implying. “I didn’t ask you,” I replied tartly.

“Can you blame them? We don’t often have visitors of your ilk,” Alaric said, his haughtiness returning.

“Why do you insist on goading me?” I grumbled, stepping around an arguing couple.

“Why do you rise to the occasion?” he countered, the ghost of a smile on his face.

I didn’t have an answer for him, so I shot him an icy glare. “Alright, so you can explain why they stare at me, but why do they stare at you?”

Alaric’s grin was nauseating. “The common people always enjoy the company of visiting royalty.”

I stopped in the middle of the street to stare at him. “Royalty?”

Alaric swept me a bow, clearly enjoying this. “Prince Alaric of Alasia,” he said dramatically as he straightened.

I cocked an eyebrow, trying to decide if he was messing with me. “So, Your Highness, if you’re really a prince, why did Claire ask you to show me around?”

“Oh, she didn’t,” he said, starting to walk again. “I volunteered.”

I was pretty relieved when we finally got back late that afternoon. I spoke very little after replaceing out that Alaric was a prince, but what I did say wasn’t any more polite than it had been before. The worst part of it was how obviously Alaric was enjoying it.

We parted in the courtyard, and I barely managed to thank him for showing me around. He simply gave me that infuriating smile of his and said that he would see me at dinner. I was grumbling something rather rude under my breath when Penelope came up to me.

“How was your afternoon with Alaric?” Penelope asked, with what I can only guess was meant to be a knowing smile.

I fought the urge to groan. So she’s as enthralled by Prince Conceited as everyone else?

“It was…educational,” I muttered, and I could tell that she was disappointed.

I was still brooding when Penelope and I went down to dinner an hour later. She had taken an annoyingly long amount of time getting me ready, all the while talking about Alaric. I deliberately ignored the prince as I sat at the table, trying to keep the disgust off my face as Penelope went to talk to him.

I talked very little during dinner, and Damon looked a little hurt when I brushed aside his attempts at conversation. After dinner, a number of small tables were brought in for cards, chess, and a Loridian game of strategy that was unlike the games I had played back home. I came to stand by Damon and we watched the game for a few minutes before I broke the silence.

“I apologize for my rudeness at dinner, I’m just in a bad mood,” I told him quietly.

“Spending an afternoon with Alaric is cause for anyone to be in an ill mood,” Damon’s tone was serious, but when I turned to look at him, he was smiling.

I smiled back, then asked him to explain the game to me. I’m not sure how much of what he said I actually took in, but I enjoyed hearing it all the same.

The next morning I was up before dawn again, drawing. By now I had at least a dozen drawings of my parents and the woman from my dreams. I spent a long time simply staring at them before finally getting out of bed. I put my jeans and tee shirt on, not sure what to expect, but wanting to be comfortable. I slipped quietly through the corridors, surprised at how empty they were at midmorning. Derek had told me where to meet him after dinner the night before, and I was glad for the directions as I descended the stairs to the lower levels of the castle.

I passed many empty, dust-covered rooms and a few empty cells as I walked. The dark and the cold made it pretty creepy, and I was just starting to get worried when I found Derek’s door. I stood for a long moment in front of the door, hesitating. My heart was racing, like it does right before a big test. Well, it’s now or never, I thought, before knocking softly. The door swung in and I stepped into the dark room.

To my left, a torch sparked to life and I jumped. I watched as torches along the walls lit themselves, leading the way down a narrow corridor. I rubbed my arms absently as I started forward, not sure if my goose bumps were from the cold, or from being creeped out. I paused at the end of the corridor, sensing rather than seeing the dark room in front of me. Before I could make a decision, torches ignited, illuminating the round room. I stepped inside just as Derek entered from a door to my right.

“Right on time,” he said warmly, smiling.

Despite my discomfort, I couldn’t help but smile back. “What is this place?”

A shadow passed over Derek’s face as he considered my question. “You have heard of our previous ruler?” I nodded slowly. “This was where she practiced most of her magic.”

Whatever relief I had felt at Derek’s arrival was gone. The creeping sensation came back as I glanced around the room. The one we were in was rather unextraordinary; it was empty save for a single dusty bookshelf and a table covered in cobwebs. But I could see three more corridors leading off from the round room.

“What did she do to make everyone so afraid of her?” I wondered out loud.

“There are all kinds of people, Juliet,” Derek said quietly. “There are those who use their abilities – whatever they might be – for others, and those who use them only for themselves. It’s when those latter people stop feeling anything outside of themselves that they become truly dangerous.”

“But why do we have these abilities if they are so dangerous?” I whispered.

Derek’s gaze was penetrating, but not unkind. “We all have the potential, Juliet. Some people never replace their abilities, some people do, while yet others replace only a part of them. And then there are those born with their abilities practically bursting to get out of them.”

I let that sink in for a minute. “So, everyone has magic inside of them?” I asked slowly.

Derek cocked his head to the side. “Call it what you wish, but yes.”

“So is magic good or bad?”

Derek was smiling slightly. “What do you think?”

I wasn’t expecting that, but I took the challenge he offered me. “You said that everyone has the potential,” I began thoughtfully. “So it’s up to us. We all choose to use it for good or bad.”

He gave me an approving nod, his eyes shining. “I think that’s enough for now. Tomorrow we will begin your practical application.”

I gave him a small smile as I started for the corridor I came through. I paused in the doorway, turning to look over my shoulder. “What was her name?”

My whisper seemed to echo through the empty room, as if reaching for its previous occupant. Derek stared at me for a long time, although his eyes were far away. He focused on me, smiling sadly.

“Her name was Aleia.”

Penelope nearly fainted when she saw me in my jeans again, and she rushed me into my room to change before anyone else saw me. I sat quietly as she fussed over me, thinking about what Derek had said. It was a little hard to wrap my head around, but I felt that I could understand magic with time. Listen to yourself, the cynic in the back of my mind whispered. Just a couple of days ago you didn’t even believe in magic! And yet, that didn’t seem quite true. I’ve always known that something about me was different, all I had to do was look into the mirror to see that.

“So, how was your first lesson with Derek?” Penelope asked, her expression guarded.

“It was fine,” I replied, looking at her through the mirror.

She carefully avoided my gaze as she finished, turning around before I could be sure if what I saw in her face was real or not. Because what I saw on her face was fear… of me.