Page 11 of The War and Deceit Series omnibus

“That’s not a birthmark.” I’m about to argue, but something about the way he says it stops me. A tingling sensation runs over my skin as I look about in confusion. It’s a bit like when Grayson is using his magic around me, but lighter, not as…sticky. It always feels like I’m walking through treacle when someone uses magic, but this is different. Looking at Grayson, I notice he has a bright, blissful expression on his face, and I know he’s feeling it too. Seeing that I’m watching him, he tilts his head and his eyeslight up in a way I don’t understand as he takes in my flushed cheeks.

“You can feel it too.” It’s not a question, but I nod anyway. Grayson goes silent as he leans back in his chair, his expression thoughtful. Shuffling in my seat, I glance across at Jayne who’s watching us with a brilliant smile. As if coming to a decision, Grayson nods to himself and shifts forward. “If you can feel that, then the Mother has blessed you. This changes things,” he explains, but his voice is distant, as if he’s saying it more to himself than to me.

“What was that?” My voice is quieter than I had intended, awe filling my tone as I watch the magician.

“Her touch. Only those she’s blessed can feel her touch.”

“How could I be blessed? I haven’t even been through the choosing ceremony.” My gut churns with worry as I mention the ceremony, still unsure how they are going to get around that stumbling block. Without the ceremony I will lose my soul. I’m sure Grayson’s well aware of this, but he doesn’t seem to be in a hurry or at all concerned that I’m about to become a soulless being.

“That’s what I need to talk to you about.” Pushing up from his chair, he starts to pace the length of the room. Watching him warily, I look across at Jayne and see she doesn’t appear worried. In fact, she’s poured herself a cup of coffee. Taking a sip of my coffee, I wait for the magician to finish his musings. “I knew you were important, but now I know the Goddess has blessed you...” He stops pacing and nods to himself again, sounding more sure.

“What do you mean?” I ask from behind my coffee cup, not sure I want to hear his response. This day has been a whirlwind and I feel like I’m in a dream. In the stretch of a couple of hours everything has changed, and I have yet to decide if it’s for the better.

“You’re going to attend the choosing ceremony.”

Choking on my drink, I splutter and put my cup down with a cough. “What—but I’m a slave!” I look over at Jayne for support, but she just shrugs in a way that says “don’t ask me.”

“Not anymore,” he declares, striding towards me with a determined look on his face. Shying away from the sudden movement, I cringe as he kneels down in front of me. “I need to keep you around. The Mother has made that clear. I thought we were going to need a secret ceremony, but things are different now,” he insists, and I know I don’t fully understand the implications of being blessed, but it’s helped him come to a decision. That’s when the thought hits me.

A secret ceremony.This would have worked. The blessing has to be performed by a priest, but the rest of the ceremony is pomp and circumstance. The only part required to link the soul to the body is the blessing.

They truly mean to bless me.I’m going to go to the ceremony after all. Pushing away the flicker of excitement that threatens to overwhelm me, I focus on the issues surrounding me. This is absurd and has to be a joke of some kind. However, a little part of me, the part that always guides me, tells me this is all happening as it should. Could this be the Mother advising me? Another thought strikes me.

“If I’m already blessed, why do I need to attend the choosing ceremony?”

Grayson seems surprised at the question, but he nods in acknowledgement. “Some people, usually those who are of great importance, or who are destined to be powerful magicians, are blessed by the Mother before they attend the ceremony. When they arrive for the formal blessing at the ceremony, it’s clear who these powerful individuals are. They’re marked in a way that lets us know they’re someone we need to focus on.” Pushing up from his crouch, he walks away from me, but I hear his final wordsloud and clear. “Everyone has to have a choosing ceremony, it’s the law.”

Everyone except for the slaves,I think bitterly to myself, wondering how many of these blessed people have been amongst us and were missed. I’m no different than them…so why am I sitting in the warmth, clean and dry as I sip coffee, while they’re outside working?

“There’s a choosing ceremony taking place tonight, you will be part of it,” Grayson declares, his words pulling me out of my thoughts. Frowning, I open my mouth to protest but Jayne beats me to it.

“Grayson! You think I can get her ready in time for that?” the maid splutters, putting her cup down on the tray with a loud clack as she pushes up out of her chair, rounding on the magician. Her expression is frightening, and even Grayson looks uncomfortable.

“I have faith in you.” He flashes her a charming smile and she starts to thaw. His expression turns serious as he continues, “Besides, we have little time. She turned twenty today.”

Arms crossed, she faces off with the magician for what feels like minutes, but must only be seconds, before she lets out a huge sigh and nods. She turns to me and I fight the urge to hide behind the chair as her appraising eyes run over my form.

“Well, we best get to work then.”

Pain racks my skull and I try not to wince. Who knew that getting dressed up would be so painful? Another tug at my dark strands and I grimace. Jayne mutters under her breath again, making me smile. Apparently, it’s a moment of pride when a maid’s charge attends the ceremony, and she seems to have adopted me. Thus, being given so little time to get me ready is something she begrudges. I’ve learned in the short time I’ve been with her that Jayne is very proud of the work she does for Grayson. I’m not quite sure how I feel about this, but a small part of me is starting to care for the loud, bossy maid who doesn’t give a damn that her master is a high magician.

Sitting in front of the large mirror in the bathroom, I obediently remain still as Jayne continues to yank on my hair. In this position, with my head bowed, I keep looking at my now painted nails. Jayne had muttered a curse when she saw them chipped and dirty, but had them clipped, filed, and buffed until they looked neat in no time. She then applied a liquid that stained them a rich dark blue that matches the dress I’m currently wearing. The magicians’ colour. Grayson’s colour.

“How did you meet Grayson?” I inquire, but bite my lip as soon as I say it, convinced I’m asking too much. To my surprise she makes an approving noise.

“Huh. I was there when he was born,” she replies, and I can hear the smile in her voice. “Tiny little thing, but as I held him in my arms that day, I knew he would do great things.”

“His parents?”

“Died in the war. Magicians too, but much weaker, barely enough magic between them to light a fire. Grayson was Goddess blessed.” Again, her pride shines through in her voice, her fingers still flying across my scalp as she styles my hair.

“You raised him?” I press, nodding as she makes a noise of confirmation. This makes much more sense—how she can get away with scolding him and talking to him like she’s his parent—because sheislike a mother to him. If his parents were both magicians, they would have been on the front line where they were desperately needed. Children are only a hindrance on the war front, so they stay behind in the family home until their fates are decided at the choosing ceremony.

“Are you from Arhaven originally?” I question. I’ve noticed her accent is slightly different than the other maids and servants who work here. Grayson has the smooth, cultured accent the magicians and priests seem to gain through their training.

“Oh no.” She spins me on the chair so my back faces the mirror and guides my head up to look at me. Her eyes assess her work before she nods and reaches for a brush and tray covered with various tools.

“I’m from a small village far in the north, close to the mountains,” she explains, as she searches for the tools she’s looking for. “That’s where I started working for Grayson’s family many, many years ago.” Raising a tiny brush, she reaches for my face. As I start to pull away, she gives me a warning look which is enough to make me sit still as she reaches for my face again.Brushing the tool across my eyelashes, she continues her story and I let her distract me. “My family are millers, and that’s what I was destined for, but I’ve always been fascinated with magic. After my choosing ceremony, I went up to Grayson’s family estate and demanded they give me a job.” Laughing, she reaches for a second, smaller brush that she dips into a black liquid. Gesturing for me to close my eyes, she continues her story. “I should’ve been flogged, but the master of the household took pity on me.”

---