Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Wyvern’s Destiny
Mage Chronicles Book 4
Joanna Mazurkiewicz
Copyright © 2017 by Joanna Mazurkiewicz
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Created with Vellum
Cover Design- Amalia Chitulescu Digital Art.
Editing- Angela Sanders.
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Afterword
Chapter One
Bad news.
"Astri, I think you should eat something. You barely had anything yesterday or the day before." Aria tells me for the fourth time today. I continue polishing my hunting knife, politely ignoring her and she knows it. Getting a bit of food in my stomach isn’t a bad idea, but for some reason I have no appetite. We’ve been stuck in the old mill for days now without any kind of solid plan. Day after day has passed and I’ve lost my inner strength, lost faith that there’s some good left in this world. Even my Pixies aren't happy. Jetli’s only just woken up from her coma, and yet again, everything’s falling apart. The fact is Jorgen hates me, and no one really knows what his brother’s planning to do to him.
Everything’s still one giant mystery.
"Astri, you have to eat. I know that I’m nagging, but you need your energy," Edvard backs his daughter up and I finally raise my eyes to look at the both of them. Seconds later, Jetli shoots through the window rolling over the table a few times, before landing on her butt. When she finally stops, she looks flustered and excited. She’s franticly pointing and gesturing outside the window, flying up and down the room. Most of the time I can guess what she means, but right now I have no idea what she’s saying.
"I'm sorry Jetli, but I don't understand. Where’s Lenin?" I ask. Jetli makes a frustrating sound, then flies over to my arm, still pointing at the window. "And Edvard, I'm fine. You don't need to worry about me. Besides, we aren’t planning anything, right? There isn't anyone who can help us."
I might sound negative, but unfortunately this is the truth of the matter. Other shifters aren't interested in rebelling against Ruscal. They’re scared, and I'm not surprised. Since he’s taken over the city, a lot of people have lost their lives.
Edvard opens his mouth most likely to disagree with me, but a second later Lenin darts through the window too, landing straight on my chest.
I manage too cup him in my hands, worried that he might be hurt. When he starts cursing, I know that he's all right. Jetli flies over and starts shaking him, and keeps pointing at me. She's really going off, and even though she’s mute she can be scary at times.
"All right, all right. I'm telling her now, just stop hitting me," he tells his sister, trying to get away from her. "Astri, we have information about Emilia. We spoke to the fairy in the forest, she was alone … and a bit annoying, but told us that Ruscal sold Emilia to the trolls. They’re planning to transport her tonight to Hommis knows where!"
I stand up and my heart jolts in my chest. Finally, Lenin and Jetli manage to find some real information about my ex-boss’s whereabouts. I have no idea what happened to her, and no one in the city has seen her either. We arrived in Rivenna thinking that nothing had changed, until it did. Ruscal had taken control of the castle and executed many shifters on the spot. He imprisoned his own father and brother just so he could claim his so-called “birth right” to a land that never lawfully belonged to him. He was taken away from his mother at birth, and for years Jorgen had no idea that he even had a brother. Apparently, he found out when he was an adult.
We’ve been stuck in the old mill since Jorgen was captured and Edvard saved my skin.
"Trolls? Are you sure?" I ask, injected with new energy.
Edvard shifts his weight to the side, and Aria moves closer to be able to listen to what Lenin has to say.
Ruscal has people everywhere, so our movements around the city have been limited. After some deliberation, we decided to stay in the human populated area, knowing that it's safer there. The old mill had been abandoned for years, so it was the perfect place for a hideout.
It's been hard going for me, because the man I thought I knew turned against me. Jorgen refused my help, and denied our love. We mated, and yet when I when I went to save him, he wanted to stay in the cell, rather than spend a minute in my company. That freaking hurt.
"Yes, yes, the fairy didn't want to talk to us at first, so I had to persuade her with my magic. Later on, she said that Ruscal used his wizard to disable Emilia. Apparently, he showed up in the city out of the blue. Soon after, he sold her to the trolls in the mountains. They want to send her away to the labour camp tonight," Lenin explains, and Jetli nods, looking worried.
This is bad news, bad, bad news and I know instantly that I have to find a way to free her. Emilia has always been like a mother to me, and she has the biggest heart of anyone I know. Besides, trolls are dangerous and I have no idea what they might have done to her.
"In that case, we must free her or we won't stand a chance in a fight against Ruscal," I say, with fresh determination in my voice. Edvard nods, and Aria starts clapping her hands, looking very excited.
"That's my girl. It looks like we have our Astri back. We really thought that we had lost you," Edvard says and I suddenly feel a little embarrassed.
Lately I’ve been inactive and uncooperative. Jorgen's disappointment kind of broke me. I don’t remember how I managed to return from the underground prison. That day is still very blurry. My invisibility spell worked, but my heart was in pieces. I love him, and I made a terrible mistake. I should have told him from the start about all that I've done. Maybe then, he would’ve understood.
When I stood right in front of his cell, he didn't even want to listen to me. My reasons didn't matter to him any longer.
"She’s that nice witch who helped you when you were young, right?" Aria asks, and I nod.
"Yes, we’ve always been close. She hired me when I had no experience. I’ve been so worried about her. Trolls are nasty and dangerous crea
tures. They might be small, but one of them wanted to cut off my fingers once," I explain, taking a few deep breaths and trying to stay calm, but energy begins surging through my veins. I remember that day in the cave, when I was searching for protective crystals. The General, leader of the trolls, must be the one who’s holding Emilia captive, and he's a nasty piece of work.
Moments later, we discuss our options, while Lenin keeps swinging his tiny stick that he calls a sword, shouting that he's going to castrate Ruscal. No one in the city knows Edvard and Aria are also from the Wyvern Clan of dragons, which means that they can move around without any suspicion. The streets are filled with Ruscal's people and wild shifters. From what Aria has heard, humans are afraid of what the future might bring, so they’re all keeping their heads down. On the other hand, shifters and mages have accepted the new order, but most of them must realise that Ruscal’s never going to be true ruler of Rivenna. He's a coward.
After our intense discussion, I grab some leftover turkey and force myself to eat. We weren't planning to stay in the old mill for long, but after my failed rescue mission, we didn't have a chance to find another safe location. I wanted to believe that it was the last place where Ruscal would look for me, so we settled in here. The whole square is being controlled by wild shifters and the mages who support the new order.
In the beginning, I wanted to free Jorgen, so I took a risk. Using my invisibility spell, I went inside the castle, then down to the underground. I finally located him, but when he looked at me in the darkness with pain and despair my heart shattered into a million pieces. He had every right to be furious, but this was worse than I expected. Jorgen didn't even want to listen to what I had to say. He kept telling me to leave him alone. I regret that I didn't react when Bratlav took away his beast, but that didn't change the fact that he promised to be with me for better or worse.
Once I returned to the mill without him, I felt trapped in my own body. The fire inside of me vanished and after that, I had no desire to fight for the city or anyone else. I failed to find Emilia too, drowning myself further into despair.
"Tonight then, we’ll leave just after sundown," Edvard says and everyone including the pixies nod. His words keep ringing in my head, but I know that he’s right.
We must free Emilia, but it worries me that Ruscal might have used black magic against her. During their last confrontation she easily defeated him, so this time he had to have arrived prepared. I just hope she’s all right. My friend, Alexandra and her husband, must be still in the city, along with my aunt and uncle.
I remembered returning to Emilia' shop the next day after everything fell apart. When I think about that now, my insides tie into knots. The streets were quiet, immersed in an unnatural silence. There wasn't anyone around, but I sensed shifters in the distance. Approaching from the corner I saw that the doors were wide open, which could only mean one thing: someone had either broken in or Emilia had been dragged out. The shop was completely devastated—all the windows were smashed. Once inside, I saw two mages inspecting the shop from the outside perimeter. They must have sensed my energy, but still couldn't see through the invisibility spell. I instantly knew that something terrible must have happened to Emilia. She was one of the most powerful witches in the entire Eastern World, but Ruscal found a way to defeat her.
All the potions, and everything else that used to occupy the shelves were on the floor, either smashed or broken. There was glass everywhere and the scent of herbs was still strong in the air. The store looked like a tornado went through it. I kept walking around, not believing that Ruscal's people had destroyed everything that she owned—that she’d worked so hard for. It was difficult being inside, seeing the devastation. Even her stock in the back was gone.
Straight after I left the shop, I headed to her flat located in the South side of the city. At that point, I still believed that she was all right. Without his men, Ruscal was weak, and her magic was incredible, but that was just my wishful thinking. What I saw nearly made me pass out. The entire building was in ruins, and there were human police everywhere. I stood there unable to breathe, wondering if Emilia was already dead, certain that this wasn't just another coincidence.
My head was spinning, but shortly after I knew that I couldn't stay there any longer. Many shifters kept glancing in my direction, most likely sensing my unstable magic.
"I don't know, Astri. Are you sure it's a good plan? Trolls might already realise that she's powerful, so there will be hundreds of them out there," Edvard says, pulling me away from my memories.
"Yes, as long as we distract them with magical bombs. Ruscal might have his mages near the caves, so we have to be vigilant. He’ll be looking for me. He knows that I wouldn't leave Jorgen behind, and that I stayed in Rivenna," I say, and start packing needed supplies inside my bag. Edvard doesn't seem too keen with the fact that Aria’s going to accompany us. It's a rescue mission, so this might be dangerous, but I can't forbid my cousin to take part. He wants to keep her safe, but she’s been locked up for too long in the temple to be left behind now.
"Fine, fine, but we really have to keep an eye on Aria. She's still inexperienced," Edvard adds in a whisper, giving me a sharp look. I can't assure him that everything will go smoothly. With things like this, there’s no way to know what might await us on the other side of the cave.
I hate to think that Jorgen has given up on himself, his city and me as well. All these months I’ve been trying to help him to get his dragon back, but he dismissed it, like it wasn't even important.
The real dragon venom is in Bratlav's hands, and it’s the only thing that can help Jorgen. At this point, I have no idea if he still has it or if he used it. There’s a real possibility that he might have destroyed it too.
My thoughts are racing while we’re all getting ready for tonight's rescue mission. Jetli uses her Pixie's magic, trying to calm me down a little, but I can't concentrate. The Pixie has been mute since I found her along with Lenin in the forest couple of years ago. She didn’t gain her ability to talk once she was healed with the dragon venom, so I suspect that she must have been born that way.
Around eight p.m., we leave the old mill and it’s already dark outside—most of the wild shifters have returned to their quarters. I pull on my invisibility spell just in case. Ruscal had to have given his people my full description, so I need to keep my face hidden. Aria and Edvard are able to use certain potions to mask their energies. None of us can afford to bring any suspicion to ourselves.
Once we start moving through much more populated areas, we see humans rushing home. Most roads are empty at this time of night, but I guess this has something to do with Ruscal's new rules. Life in the city has been uprooted. There have been rumours going around that humans are being targeted, but I have no idea how much of it is true.
We walk past a larger store in the shifter neighbourhood, and see that there’s a small group of mages standing outside. They seem to be engaged in an important discussion. Part of me wants to reach out to Alexandra. I’ve been stuck in my own misery for far too long, not realising that she might be in trouble too. Her and Emilia were close, and she might know what happened to her.
"Apparently, he's going to be executed soon," a snippet of sentence reaches my ear. I glance back at the mage holding a bag of groceries in his left hand. The rest of them seem excited. I have no idea who he might be talking about, but in the past forty-eight hours a lot of shifters have gone missing.
"I heard that too and I don't know how I feel about it. The Duke and his father have always been good to us," someone else responds, and I stop in my tracks. No, no, there must be some mistake. They can't be talking about Jorgen.
"They have been, but everyone knows that Ruscal has lost his mind. He's ready to execute his own brother publicly by hanging him. Apparently, he believes that the Duke convinced his father to cut Ruscal off from any kind of inheritance or right to Rivenna's land. Jorgen never wanted anyone to know about his past," adds the same shift
er and I feel like the ground is beginning to swallow me down.
Blood rushes to my ears, and I know that Edvard hears it too, because he pales instantly.
If these mages are telling the truth, then now I have to deal with the fact that Jorgen has chosen to die rather than be rescued by me.
Chapter Two
Emilia's magic.
I don't know how, but I continue walking, mildly aware that Ruscal's guards are right in front of us. They glance briefly at Edvard and Aria, but luckily, they aren't stopped. My inner strength is slowly fading away. I keep telling myself that this isn't the time to lose my shit just yet, especially now when other people are counting on me.
Panic slides through me, and my vision goes slightly blurry. I keep hearing the mages words in my head, their arrogant voices and laughter. Jorgen is still their Duke and they have to remember that.
Shifters and mages in Rivenna love spreading gossip and maybe it's just another long-winded rumour. Ruscal couldn't be preparing to execute his own brother. This just can't be right. He needs Jorgen to get to me—he knows that we’ve mated.
Sometime later when we finally reach the edge of the forest, I want to scream at the top of my lungs and bang my head against the wall. I keep taking long deep breaths, waiting for the pain in my chest to ease. It's my heart, it keeps pounding loudly with painful strikes. I don't even know when I release my invisibility spell, wondering if this is really the end.
"Astri … Astri, don't worry. Lordi lord is going to be all right. We will rescue him, the same way we’re going to rescue Emilia tonight," Lenin says, suddenly flying around me. His sister nods enthusiastically and I force a weak smile, although I'm having cold chills.