CHAPTER 21
Riley stood on top of the White Cliff staring at the serene ocean. It appeared almost still, radiating a peaceful, calming energy, its brilliant turquoise color glittered in the sunlight. She breathed in the sweet, fragrant air. An aura of innocence permeated the atmosphere. It did not look like a place that would bear witness to a murder. Her father had died here, had been pushed from this cliff into the ocean below. A tear drifted down her cheek. She never got a chance to know him. She was just a baby when he died so she did not remember the sound of his voice, his touch or what he looked like. From the pictures she had seen of him, she had inherited his eyes and his determined chin. He had a kind, laughing face, a face which his daughter would never see because Mylor had killed him. She felt anger surging through her, nails biting into her palms with such force that they drew blood. She fought for control. Not now. But she will avenge her father’s death.
The Higher Echelon was hunting for Mylor and Crane. But they also had their hands full dealing with the other members of the faction. The last couple of days had been a whirlwind of activity for Sarri, Max and Riley, attending meetings with the Higher Echelon and testifying against the faction. Since a few Dark Mages were also members of the faction, their fates, along with the fate of the rest of the faction, were now in the hands of the Higher Echelon and the Council for the Dark Mages. The story leaked out in dribs and drabs. The faction was pooling their knowledge of both dark magic and white magic, becoming experts at blending the two types of magic, a practice called Universal magic. They intended to stage a coup with the ultimate goal of ruling Avalyss.
Riley sensed his presence an instant before he appeared next to her. Cole. Over the past few days, they had been polite almost formal in each other’s company. Both were careful not to be alone together. Every time she looked at him, she remembered their shared passion on the Isle of Paradisi, next to the crystalline brook. Her heart still ached at the memory of him disappearing without saying goodbye. She wanted to ask him why. Was it because she had foolishly blurted out her true feelings for him? How did he feel about her? But the questions remained unasked. Her body thrummed with passion and need. Determined not to betray her feelings, she favored him with a polite smile and attempted to engage in small talk. “It is a beautiful day.”
Cole put his hands on her shoulders and turned her towards him. His lips tightened as he took in her tear stained face. Putting one finger under her chin, he tipped her head up so that he could look into her eyes, bottomless pools of pain and hurt. Anger flared in his amber eyes as he vowed to make Mylor pay for what he had done to her family. “Come, it is not good to dwell on the past. On things we have no control over. Such brooding is not productive.” His voice was husky with tenderness.
Riley stiffened and pulled away from him. “I am not brooding. My father was murdered here. I had to come, needed to see what he last saw, needed to experience this place, to fix it in my memory and my soul.”
“Sorry. I did not mean to be insensitive. I just don’t like seeing you in so much pain.”
She raised a brow. “Is that why you keep disappearing after we have been intimate? Every time I think we have shared something special, I wake up alone. No explanation. No note.”
“What is there to discuss? We succumbed to the mutual attraction between us, had some fun. Passion runs its course, then it’s over and the real world intrudes. Afterwards, we are still very different people with conflicting goals and objectives.” He raked his hand through his waves of honey colored hair. “I fail to see how all the talking in the world can change that.”
Riley forced herself to remain motionless during his little speech. At first his words had stung, little poison darts piercing her heart. By the end, she was livid. She spun towards him, two bright spots of color on her cheekbones, and slapped him hard across the face. She could see the imprint of her fingers clearly against his skin.
His eyes narrowed, his nostrils flared as he grabbed her by the shoulders, pulled her body hard against his, bent his head and crushed his mouth against hers. His tongue plundered her mouth, seeking only to punish. His emotions in turmoil, he only knew that she drove him crazy, this impossible woman who he wanted to hate but his traitorous body and heart would not let him.
Riley struggled against him, beating her fists against his shoulders, trying to wrest her mouth from his. But she could not break his vise like grip. As the blistering kiss went on and on, desire surged through her and her body melted into his. She returned his kiss arching her neck to so that he could plumb the depths of her mouth. Moaning as pleasure ripped through her, she felt her knees go weak, as his hand cupped her breast. Completely lost in each other, they did not hear the noise at first. It sounded a second time. Cole drew back, looked around with dazed, passion filled eyes.
Max stood next to them, making throat clearing noises, his green eyes inscrutable.
“Stop that Max! Are you choking on a chicken bone?’ Riley pulled away from Cole, moved towards Max and thumped him on the back, hard.
Max wanted to rip Cole’s head from his body but Riley appeared to have been enjoying the man’s tongue down her throat. It went against all his instincts, as her Guardian, not to charge. His senses quivered, telling him that this man was capable of hurting Riley and his mandate was to protect her. He would bide his time.
Cole stared at Max. He could feel the Guardian’s desire to tear him apart. He did not want to hurt Max but he would have no choice if he was attacked. He decided to leave so he would not have to make that choice, at least not today. He bowed stiffly to both Riley and Max and disappeared.
Riley stopped thumping Max’s back and glared at him. “Don’t! Don’t say it! I know what you are going to say. And believe me I’ve said the same things to myself many times. I don’t need you to point out what a complete and utter fool I am!” Then she burst into tears, clinging to Max’s neck, burying her face in his silky, black fur.
Max froze. Riley had never been prone to emotional outbursts. She was always practical and logical, just like Max himself. Now she was having an emotional crisis and he was at a loss as to how to deal with it. He cursed Cole under his breath.
Riley awoke in the darkened room to the susurrus of voices. Her crying jag had exhausted her and she had sought relief from her roiling emotions in sleep. She was lying sprawled across the canopied bed. She stretched languorously, flushing as she remembered her emotional outburst. A smile flickered across her face when she thought about poor Max’s reaction. He had brought her back to Sarri’s suite, and told her in a gruff voice to sleep it off. The same advice he would have given if she had been in an alcoholic haze. The smile vanished, a frown taking its place as she realized that recovering from a drunken state would have been much easier than recovering from her current state of unrequited love. Flipping over, she buried her face in the pillow. She was a fool, a moron, a world class, super duper idiot. Sighing, she sat up and threw the pillow across the room. Marinating in self-pity was a luxury she could not afford. More pressing matters were afoot such as the future of Avalyss. She needed all her faculties to face the upcoming challenges. She could not let herself fall apart because of a broken heart. It would heal in time. She crossed her fingers.
She needed to find out if Mylor and Crane had been captured as yet. And there was still the pesky issue of the epic battle to deal with. Painful as it would be see him again, she needed to reach some kind of agreement with Cole. She had not changed her mind as far as the epic battle was concerned. It could not take place. Although, some traitorous part of her whispered that one way to avoid the battle would be to join Cole, to become a Dark Mage, thereby allowing the Dark Mages to gain supremacy. It was what he wanted. But she couldn’t. Giving in to him would not make him love her, and she would be going against what she believed was right for Avalyss. No matter how great the temptation, she could not joi
n the Dark Mages. Instead, she would try to convince Cole to help her create an Avalyss where both Dark Mages and Light Bringers co-existed in harmony, where the power was shared equally. Taking a deep breath, she rolled out of bed and moved towards the voices. She could make out Sarri’s dulcet tones, and Max’s deep rumble.
“Don’t worry, Max. She will be fine. She is a fighter.”
“I know that. But I have never seen her act like this before. And over that man. It is galling.”
“She loves him.”
Max snorted. “Love. How she could love such an appalling creature is beyond me.”
“We do not get to choose who we fall in love with. It just happens.”
“Shit happens! Not love. Why are you not more upset over this? Don’t you think that Cole will somehow find a way to use her love to further his own selfish agenda?”
“My daughter will not willingly let herself be used that way. She is no one’s pawn. I am surprised that you think that.”
“I think only the best of her. But Cole is devious enough to manipulate her without her being aware of it.”
Riley stepped into the room. It was a sitting area, simply furnished with comfortable leather sofas and armchairs. Sarri sat in an antique rocking chair and Max sprawled on a bear skin rug, the deep blackness of his fur gleaming against the stark whiteness of the rug. The room glowed with a soft yellow light.
“I think you should credit me with having more sense than that.” Riley’s tone was a little sharper than she intended.
Max jumped. “Princess! I did not mean to imply….I just meant that Cole’s powers of manipulation…” Under her baleful glare, his words dried up. He hung his head, and gazed up at her with woeful green eyes.
“Don’t try the puppy dog stare on me. It won’t work, you big fur ball.” She sat on the rug and put her arm around him. “It’s okay. I know you are just concerned.” Her eyes met Sarri’s mercury gaze. “Both of you.” Wanting to steer the conversation off Cole and her feelings for him, she asked, “Have Mylor and Crane been captured yet?”
“No word yet. They are both still in the wind,” Max said, his long tail sweeping the floor.
Riley pursed her lips. “Isn’t it just a matter of time before they are captured? All Mylor’s plotting and scheming has been for naught. He cannot possibly dream of success now. Why has he not given himself up? Thrown himself at the mercy of the Higher Echelon?”
“Mylor will not give up without a fight. He is clever, resourceful, ruthless and obsessed with power. He will never surrender. Remember, there can be no mercy for a man who murdered the King.” Sarri’s posture was taut, her mouth tight, her mercury eyes huge with fury and grief.
Her eyes swimming with unshed tears, Riley leapt to her feet, ran over to Sarri and hugged her. “I’m sorry. I did not stop to think how awful this has been for you. Thinking all these years that my father killed himself, only to find out that he was murdered by his brother, and that you had married his killer. It must be like losing my father all over again.”
“I have never stopped grieving for your father. I never loved Mylor, only married him to fulfill my duty. But it makes me sick to know that I have shared my bed with your father’s killer.”
“Mylor will pay for what he has done to you and your mother.” Max’s voice was fierce, his green eyes shining with fury and purpose as he placed his head on Riley’s knee.
The three huddled together, united in their grief and desire to bring the murderer to justice.
Unable to sit still any longer, Riley pushed to her feet, prowled the room. “I have been thinking ever since we learned of the faction’s true purpose that Mylor may have been on to something with his focus on Universal magic.” She spun towards Sarri and Max. “I understand that Universal magic is a blend of both Light and Dark magic. Do you know why Universal magic is prohibited Avalyss?”
Sarri nodded. “The two types of magic practiced in Avalyss are Light Magic and Dark Magic. Mages are restricted to the study of only one type since a mage with an expert knowledge of both types will be more powerful than one schooled in only one type alone. Universal magic, by blending the two types of magic, can confer immense power to a mage who gains mastery. Such power is dangerous in the wrong hands. It can be used not only to control other mages but to control Avalyss. Undoubtedly, this has been Mylor’s master plan all along”
Max circled the room, his green eyes thoughtful. “Both Light Bringers and Dark Mages have been consumed with accumulating more power, each side trying to gain more than the other side. It is a common misconception that white magic is clean magic, the only pure magic. Mages with an affinity for white magic have been revered. There is a certain cachet to being a Light Bringer. Dark Mages have long been considered evil, the practice of dark magic foul. That is why they have been confined to the Dark Tower. The Light Bringers have always held most of the power in Avalyss. That is why the Oracle has been so seductive to the Dark Mages since it gives them the hope of assuming control of Avalyss.”
Riley frowned, pursed her lips. “What if everyone in Avalyss was allowed to learn Universal magic? There would be no Light Bringers and no Dark Mages, just Mages. All would have access to the same amount of power. No one person or group could hoard it all or control it. The power will be shared equally. Initially, my vision for Avalyss was to have the Dark Mages and Light Bringers rule together. Now I see why that won’t work, each side will be constantly striving for supremacy over the other. Balance will be impossible to maintain. But if we eliminate Light magic and Dark magic, combine both so there is only one stream of magic, Universal Magic, accessible to everyone. The ruling bodies, the Higher Echelon and the Council of Dark Mages, can be combined into one body. They will be charged with ensuring that the magic is used only for good purposes, punishing those who try to use it for evil.”
Sarri raked her hand through her hair, her face alive with interest. “Your idea may work. Of course, some will oppose it, those who only want to hoard the power and not share it. But most will see the advantages that Universal magic could bring.” She paused, her eyes widened as the full impact of the scheme hit her. “Wait. If this Universal magic system was implemented, then there would be no need for an epic battle. No side will need to gain supremacy since there will only be one side.” She jumped to her feet, paced the room. “Brilliant. It will work.”
Max stopped circling, stood motionless for a few seconds then sat down with a loud thump, staring at Riley with unblinking green eyes. “Well I’ll be damned! That will work. Only someone, who is not concerned with power, who only wants what is best for Avalyss, could have come up with such a brilliant and inspired plan. I am astounded. You impress the pants off me sometimes, Princess. It has been my privilege and honor to be your humble Guardian.” He bowed low, practically genuflecting.
Riley stared at him, red with embarrassment. Then she started to giggle. “Stop talking nonsense. You don’t wear pants!”
All three burst into laughter. Riley’s mind was already racing ahead. She would have to convince both the Higher Echelon and the Council of the Dark Mages of the merits of her plan. It would not be easy but the critics would only be betraying their true nature. By objecting too much, it would be a clear signal that they were concerned only with increasing their own powers. No one who cared about Avalyss would want the epic battle. It would not be easy and a great deal of wrinkles needed to be ironed out but it would work in the end. Peace and shared power would reign in Avalyss.
The thought hit with the force of a sledgehammer, shattering Riley’s excitement and wiping the smile off her face. Scowling, she turned towards Max and Sarri. “Wait a minute. We are getting carried away. Cole’s approval is necessary for this plan to work.” Her legs suddenly shaky, she sat on the sofa. Without Cole’s agreement, the Higher Echelon and the Council of Dark Mages would not listen to her. As the
subjects of the Oracle, if they both chose Universal Magic over an epic battle, then the Higher Echelon and the Council would have no choice but to go along with them. Without Cole her plan was doomed. With him, it was assured. Would he agree? Fear settled like a rock in the pit of her stomach as she realized that she would have to battle his stubbornness and his single minded focus on ruling Avalyss. She fisted her hands, as a wave of determination rolled over her. She had to convince him that Universal magic was the only viable option open. She just had to, failure was not an option.