Page 128 of The Shadow Wand

Into the grip of that Shadow Wand.

Appreciation for Lukas’s staunch friendship stirs in me as my aunt greets him, her gaze sweeping over his tall frame. Lukas’s stance is casually dominant as they briefly embrace, but he keeps tight hold of my hand as his fire gives a combative flare.

Aimed at my aunt.

“Finally,” Aunt Vyvian says to Lukas, smooth as silk. “Congratulations to you both. May your union be a fruitful one.”

“Oh, I’ve no doubt of it,” Lukas counters, a subversive glint in his gaze.

It’ll be fruitful, all right, I silently hurl at my aunt.And I’ll come after you with everything in me if you try to harm my brothers.

Urisk servants emerge from the greenhouse’s central forest, carrying tray after tray of food and drink. We all take our seats, and I’m glad for the sudden bustle of activity.

A willowy, blue-hued Urisk woman of about my age approaches the table, sets down a large silver tray on a nearby stand, and begins placing one exquisite forest-themed platter after another before us. She announces each one in a strained, formal tone as rich scents fill the air.

“Grouse in a spruce tip glaze, Mages,” she says as she sets down the black china plate, the glistening meat dusted with tender spruce needles. “Pine pollen dumplings stuffed with deep forest morels. Linden leaf salad with braised burdock root.” She lifts an emerald glass decanter and pours the traditional Sealing drink, a tree cordial made from elderflowers, sassafras leaves, and birch syrup, into our crystalline green glasses. My eyes briefly meet hers as she pours the golden cordial. She quickly looks away, her blue eyes bright with fear, her posture desperately careful.

My gut clenches as I consider her situation. With the runic border closing in and non-Gardnerians about to be “cleansed” from mainland Mage soil by year’s end, will she be forcibly brought to the Fae Islands? And then what? Vogel speaks openly of the Reaping Times, when all non-Gardnerians are supposed to be annihilated or forced into servitude. How will this young woman survive?

I glance through the glass wall toward the glowing borderline of green stretching across the Malthorin Bay. Sparrow’s shocking depiction of the Fae Islands fills my mind as renewed purpose overtakes me.

Vogel and his forces need to be struck down and the Fae Islands need to be liberated. This entire system of oppression needs to be rendered to ash. That’s the only way to truly free this woman. To free everyone caught under Vogel’s heel.

Including myself.

Newly bent on rebellion, I fake a submissive posture, head lowered, shoulders hunched, as the servant leaves and the murmur of convivial conversation and theclinkof silverware on china fill the air. Lukas pretends to ignore me as he launches into a discussion about the current political situation with his father, who is seated beside him, but his hand remains firmly clasped around mine under the table.

I glance at all the food set before me as my stomach clenches into a knot. I can feel my shield’s edges beginning to degrade from the effect of my churning emotions on my affinity fire as well as the ceaseless press of magic in the room.

Perhaps sensing how troubled my fire is running, Lukas’s hand firms around mine and he sends a new line of his own fire out to me, and then a potent line of earth magery to flow around my jostled affinity lines. His shield pulls in taut, taking firm hold of my magic and smoothing it into calmer lines.

I can feel what you’re doing, I try to convey to him with a wordless glance.Thank you.

Lukas nods and sends me a knowing look.

The traditional line of guests begins to stream by to offer up their obligatory congratulations, a knot of Level Five soldiers pausing before us as Aunt Vyvian gets up and steps away to converse with a small group of Mage Council members.

“A Blessed Sealing to you, Commander Grey,” a black-bearded Mage heartily congratulates Lukas as he salutes him. I draw back from the strong water and air power rushing off him, a fusillade of magic almost powerful enough to cut through Lukas’s shield. The Mage’s eyes flick toward me with unkind mischief. “Looks a bit spooked, your maiden.”

“Of course she does,” the soldier beside him says, smirking good-naturedly at me. “She’ll be seeing his sword work firsthand tonight, won’t she now?” They all look to Lukas, since he’s the only one of us included in their jesting.

My cheeks heat, resentment curdling my emotions as I keep my eyes militantly focused on the table before me. I’ve no desire to take in the gloating looks on their faces as they revel in their private knowledge of this thing they’re alluding to, the finer details of which have been kept from me solely because I’m female. And it strikes me—it’s notrightthat they all know so much and I know so little.

“That’s quite enough, Hale.” Lukas says it pleasantly enough, but there’s an unmistakable edge to his tone that unsettles their collective magic.

“A Blessed Sealing,” the soldier beside Hale amends with a slight bow, quickly retreating into formality. “May your union bring forth Mages for the power and glory of the Ancient One.” The sentiment is echoed by the other soldiers as they take their leave from us.

“Sanguin’in,” Hale rakishly tosses out in parting, his eyes flicking toward me with a look that borders on a leer, and the others echo the traditional cheer.

My fire rouses in response, uncomfortably hot, and I look to Lukas, wanting to lash fire at the next person who utters the phrase Sanguin’in.

Lukas’s fingers trace mine as if reading the angry flare of my lines. He gives me a decisive look and gets up, gently tugging my hand. “Come with me, Elloren.”

Feeling both besieged by the threats bearing down and incensed by our traditions, I rise and let Lukas steer me down a side aisle, his shield rapidly shredding as my magic slashes against it. We duck into the indoor forest until we’re ensconced in a small grove of Silver Pines, their smell a sharp, spicy tang on the air that barely registers through the angry flow of my magic and the onslaught of external power clamoring against my lines.

Lukas pulls me into an embrace, his fire running in a hot, urgent stream as I immediately realize he’s feigning our sneaking off to kiss.

“I can read more than just your magic now,” I frantically whisper, my lips brushing against his ear. “I can readeveryone’smagic. When Vogel pushed his power inside us during the Sealing—it triggered something. I can read every single affinity line in this room.”

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