Page 72 of Pawns of Salistya

‘What the fuck was that?’ he demanded harshly, pacing up and down the room in anger that had been temporarily overshadowed by his worry earlier.

I rubbed my temples. I fixed my gaze on Eliasson, standing a few steps in front of me with his fists clenched by his side and a death stare to match. I’d never seen him like this. Not towards me at least.

‘You may want to sit down for what I’m about to tell you,’ I replied gently.

‘Start talking Valare,’ he snarled, refusing to move. Fine. It’s not my fault if he crumples intoa heap on the floor.

Well, really it is, but I was too tired to fight.

‘I’m a physical mage.’ The words sounded insufficient.

He scoffed and shook his head in disbelief. ‘And what exactly is a physical mage, Valare?’

Releasing another heavy breath, I started from the beginning. I told Eliasson about the Temple of Wystia and the reason the Salistyan’s are trained on the Isles. I told him about the magic that comes to a mage on their sixteenth birthday, the Sol and the three years spent honing their skills before they’re allowed to return to the mainland or stay on the Isles. As expected, about halfway through my explanation, his legs gave out and he found himself on the floor. I saw shock take over his body as I delivered one revelation after another. No doubt his mind was spinning.

I stopped talking, allowing his brain to make sense of the words utterly shattering the foundations of the world he thought he was a part of. A world that he was a ruler in. I had known that if he ever found out, it would be brutal. But watching it happen? It was worse than I ever could’ve imagined. I felt my heart breaking for him, breaking for us, for the foundation of the friendship we had built.

My eyes welled tears, and I blinked rapidly to push them down. I felt the mental armour I’d always had up around him start to fall as a traitorous tear rolled down my cheek. I swiped at it, knowing full well he was seeing the wave of emotions play out on my face.

‘What can a physical mage do exactly?’ he asked, ignoring my tears completely.

I started with the commonalities, reciting the lessons I received in my first year as a trainee on the Isles. ‘There are different types, or levels if you will, of mages, but every physical mage can teleport between places. The more powerful a mage is, the further they can teleport, and the more people they can carry.’

‘Right, which is what you and your … Sol … did tonight?’ he asked, hesitantly stumbling on the word for our group of assassins.

‘Yes.’ I continued with my explanation. ‘Once gifted with our magic, every mage becomes physically a lot stronger and gains heightened senses. Where you would’ve seen only flickers of what was happening tonight, we were able to see it all as if it was happening in broad daylight. We can sense physical bodies around us within a certain distance, and the more powerful a mage is, the further the distance they can sense. We’re also able to hold someone in place, paralysing their body so they’re unable to move. Also, we’re more … primal when it comes to our sex life. We are sensual by nature and tend to have a higher sex drive, and can be quite demanding in that area.’

I decided to omit that physical mages favour polygamy over monogamous relationships to satiate their desires. Nor did I add in my unique ability to tamper with a person’s body. He didn’t need to know I’d put him to sleep too many times to count, or that I could end his life by merely cutting off his windpipes.

‘Well, I’ve definitely been on the receiving end of that last part,’ he smirked, momentarily forgetting his anger, before shaking himself out of it. ‘And the use of elements?’

‘Regular mages will show favourability to one of the four elements, water, fire, earth or air. However, they may only use this element when it’s within reach. For example, a water mage can’t summon water out of thin air, they must have it around them, even if it’s as little as a dripping tap. They need something to latch onto.’

‘I saw, was it Rynelle?’ He looked at me for confirmation before continuing once I nodded, ‘Using both fire and air.’

‘That’s because he’s a part of the Sol. The Sol are groups of highly skilled mages who show favourability in two elements. The common pairings either fire and air or earth and water. From time to time, aSol may favour a different combination, but it’s unlikely. From my understanding, this has only happened a few times. Slaviya is one of those – she favours earth and fire.’

‘So, Meredith is …’

‘A member of the Sol. Her affinity lies with water and earth. Today you just saw her water magic.’

‘And what about you? I saw fire emerge from your hand. I saw you wield a dagger that came straight back to you once you’d thrown it.’ His eyes were imploring, struggling to understand how I fit into all of this.

I released yet another sigh, rolling my neck around in circles to ease it. Here comes the crescendo. ‘Yes. Then there’s me.’

Eliasson let out a snort as he rolled his eyes incredulously. ‘Don’t tell me you’re the exception to every rule?’

I looked away.

‘Oh Goddess. Youarethe exception. What are you Valare?’ He leant forward against his now crossed legs.

‘I don’t know anymore,’ I whispered.

‘You don’t know?’ he said, his voice rising in mock disbelief. ‘This isn’t the time for you to continue lying to me, Valare.’

‘There’s never been anyone like me. Not for over a thousand years, at least.’ My breaths started coming faster as I squeezed my hands tighter in my lap, the enormity of the situation hitting me in a new way.

Realisation dawned on his face. ‘Your eyes. They’re different, not like the others.’

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