Page 58 of The Shadow Wand

“Show her out,” he orders, still not looking at me.

“Lukas,” I choke out, my thoughts spinning into chaos as Thierren approaches and takes my arm with gentle insistence. Overcome by humiliation, I flinch away from his touch, angry tears stinging my eyes as Lukas calmly turns his attention back to signing orders and Thierren silently guides me out.

I stumble out of the tent, past the newly arrived lieutenant, who eyes me with an immediate, outraged surprise. I wrench my arm away from Thierren’s loose grip and stride away.

“Mage Gardner,” Thierren calls after me, sounding conflicted, but I ignore him as I swipe at the tears pooling in my eyes that I so desperately want to hide.

It’s dusk now and drizzling steadily as I trudge over the wet earth, gripped by a burgeoning panic over what to do. As I pass by, the surrounding soldiers view me with evident confusion, seeming unsure whether they need to fake deference or if they’re free to hold me in open contempt.

My mind in utter turmoil, I pull my cloak’s hood over my damp head with tremulous hands.

Where can I find safety if Lukas won’t help me? Who will protect me from armed Vu Trin assassins that could be making their way toward me at this very moment?

Because if I try to protect myself with absolutely no control over my magic, I’ll reveal what I am to all of Gardneria. And I’ll kill absolutely everyone around me, soldiers and civilians alike.

I weave around the tents blindly, not knowing where to go, where to turn.

I don’t have any money. I don’t know where my belongings are.

I have never been so alone in my life.

And the Wand of Myth—

My steps halt as a brighter spark of concern lights.

The Wand...it’s in the carriage that was supposed to wait for me. Hidden in the lining of my travel bag.

And I have no idea where that carriage is.

Heightened alarm sizzles through every muscle as I spin around, looking for the carriage. It’s nowhere in sight.

What if the Wand is found?

Desperately needing to calm myself, I slide into a marginally private space between tents and away from the groups of off-duty soldiers coming and going, then slump against a wooden support beam and attempt to steady my breathing. The rain has picked up, rivulets of water streaming down the sides of the black canvas before me in uneven lines, my cloak growing sodden.

I need to find help. And I need to locate that carriage.

Shivering and damp, I’m seized by a flash of remembrance of Chi Nam’s rune stone. My heart picks up speed as I pull the stone from my pocket and frantically rub my fingers over the sapphire rune etched onto its gleaming onyx surface. Voice low, I recite the Noi spell that’s supposed to unlock the rune and summon Chi Nam’s help.

Nothing happens.

My chest tightens with urgency as I try again, rubbing the stone and sounding the spell. But strain as I may, I can’t seem to get the spell’s complicated pronunciation right, and the rune remains unlit.

I thrust the stone back into my tunic as my spiraling sense of alarm grows.

My only other option is one I can’t stomach—seeking help from Aunt Vyvian. Just the idea of it sets a blazing, vengeful fire flashing through my lines, my wand hand twitching uncomfortably at the thought.

“Mage Gardner.”

I’m startled by a deep and insistent male voice.

I turn to find Thierren, the severe-featured soldier who ushered me out of Lukas’s tent. He’s peering into the slim space where I’m ensconced, fierce concern evident in his rigid demeanor.

“Commander Grey has directed me to get you settled,” he informs me, but there’s a storming energy churning behind the words, and I’ve a fleeting sense of vast wind and water power.

I hold Thierren’s stare in confusion, struggling to gain hold of myself. For a moment, his words make no sense to my stressed, sleep-deprived mind.

But...Lukas sent me away. Has he changed his mind?

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