Belvedor and the Four Corners (Belvedor Saga Book 1) by Ashleigh Bello Page A

conclusion. You really are bright for your age and predicament. It’s good you stick with your instincts,” he said, leaving her more to speculate about.
    Talis moved to cross a leg at his knee and leaned his face closer to Arianna, as if to whisper a secret.
    “You are absolutely right, you know. Magic is intangible and irrepressible, but you’re wrong about just one thing.” Arianna arched an eyebrow at his enigmatic demeanor. “Magic is real and has survived the destruction of the Olleb. It burrows through the trees and the mountainsides. It runs deep through the waters and in the sky. Magic energizes this world and can never be fully destroyed or oppressed because… well to put it simply, it connects us all. It brings balance to the world, and I can see it’s had plenty to do with your creation.
    Her mouthed dropped at his verbose explanation of such a felonious theme. Magic does not exist. Sorcerers do not exist. He rambled on as Arianna tried to block out his words.
    “Although King Devlindor would have you believe there was never a trace of enchantment in this world, he can’t deceive us all,” said Talis. “He knows himself this is an impossible endeavor. Without magic, the world would cease to exist, and there are still people who know this truth.” He sighed. “Regrettably though, he has wiped out a large portion of the magical entities that used to reside on this land and has hidden these atrocities under centuries of lies. The balance of the world is no longer equal. That’s why we suffer. As his tyrannical grip tightens, the magical properties of the Olleb weaken, possibly forever.” Disgusted by his own story, his lips tightened in a hard line.
    Talis’ mind formed a picture that Arianna could not herself imagine. She had never known a better world. Yes, she hated the King, but she accepted it. The people who trained and slaughtered them in her district had all once been slaves just the same. This is life . For centuries, people lived this way, and anything before this time seemed irrelevant now.
    At that moment the teapot screamed from the corner as steam billowed from the opening. Talis left Arianna on the floor to contemplate his history lesson. Moments later he returned with two hot cups of tea. She let hers steep and cool before attempting to taste the flowered water. It refreshed her dry tongue, and her body welcomed the nourishment after such a catastrophic day. After a few moments of silence, the conversation picked up again.
    “This magic you speak of… you think it’s why I’m here now, don’t you?” asked Arianna. Half of her stubborn-self thought it best to stick to the dull reality she’d always known. The other half wished with all her heart that his words spoke a truth about a world once filled with color. She closed her eyes.
    “Yes and no,” replied Talis. “You’re here because I sent the magic to you, but you had to make the choice to accept it. Do you understand?”
    “I suppose,” she said, unsure as she stirred her tea.
    “Magic is everywhere. This, I tell you, is true. Some, like me, can summon it more naturally than others, just as some are affected by it more easily. I sense that you’re strongly connected to this enchanted side of nature.”
    “Why?” she asked, taken aback by his assumption. Everything in her mind and body rejected the idea that something, regardless of what it was, could be connected to her without her knowing. Yet, she still wanted to believe in something more. Her mind fumed, tugging to both sides.
    “When Solomon brought me to your bedside, I looked upon a corpse, Arianna. You were dead. The spell that I conjured to heal you failed in front of my eyes. You were gone,” said Talis.
    Her heartbeat quickened at his recollection of what happened after the battle. Finally, he provided the answers she searched for.
    He continued, “Then, minutes later, you were glowing like a star! It was as if the spell I had called for sank into your