Creeping Shadow (The Rise of Isaac, Book One) by Caroline Peckham Page B

happened between him and Laura's mother who, he realised with a pang, was his grandmother. It was a strange feeling to have spent his life within a small family to suddenly discover he had a seemingly extensive one. He thirsted to know more about them.
    "So, if mages don't have children together there won't be any more born?" May confirmed.
    Laura nodded. "Exactly, it's thought that there used to be mages in Earth but they died out before Dorian Ganderfield went there because they rarely had children together. He positioned an Alevian mage at the Gateway in Earth and later the Council placed some amongst the King's society to aid them in keeping their secret.
    "Mages are still fairly rare and a few worlds, including Aleva, revere those that remain. Some are even famous. The Council of Heptus passed the law to stop them becoming extinct because they're needed to maintain the Gateways, their magic is what keeps them intact."
    "And this Council can create laws that apply across all of the worlds, can it?" Oliver asked.
    "Yes, it's the law in all seven worlds that mages can't petition for divorce until they have brought up three children so there are always two mages to replace the two that produced them. It never used to be that way but mages started declining in numbers," Ely said.
    "That's awful," May said.
    "It can be. It makes sense but it takes away a basic freedom. Many are placed into arranged marriages by their families from a young age. They're usually paired according to their level of power so as to produce powerful children," Ely said.
    "But why don't the Council just make mages have more children, why just three?" Oliver asked.
    "Mage couples can't have more than three children. Only in very rare cases do they have four and that's usually a case of twins, as with me and Alison. No one really knows why."
    "So when your dad married your mum they were defying the Council. But the Council didn't find out for three years. You were already born, Oliver, in Brinatin," Laura revealed.
    "I wasn't even born on Earth ?" Oliver asked in shock.
    Ely shook his head.
    "But how could I have gone through the Gateways without a key?" Oliver asked.
    "Children can go through accompanied by a key-bearing adult up until they're sixteen years old. Then they are permitted to attempt the Gateway challenges in order to get their own keys," Ely explained.
    Oliver nodded, not sure how he felt about knowing his true heritage. He swallowed in an attempt to wet his mouth but failed.
    "So, what about my parents? What happened after they got married?" he asked.
    Laura ran a finger around the rim of her mug as she spoke. "The High Mage, who's the head of the Council, banned them from seeing each other. He ordered your dad to marry the mage that he already had an arranged engagement with. That's when your mum took you to Earth."
    "And you didn't see her again after that?" Oliver asked.
    "I still visited her occasionally. It wasn't until your dad died six years later that she cut everyone off," Laura said.
    "Did she see my dad in that time?" Oliver asked, wondering if he had ever spent time with the stranger that was his father.
    "No, they couldn't. Not only were they banned by law but your father had gone into hiding." Laura glanced at Ely who shook his head slightly in response.
    "What is it?" Oliver interjected, sure his grandfather was trying to hide more of the facts.
    "Dad, he should know. It'd be worse if he hears it from someone else," Laura muttered out the corner of her mouth.
    "What? Tell me," Oliver insisted, feeling his heartbeat quicken.
    Laura's eyes shifted to his. "There was an incident involving your father's betrothed. William and Isaac were seen leaving her premises on the night she died, Rose Isla was her name. They were accused of her murder and William, Isaac and Eugene went on the run soon after.
    "I doubt William could have gotten to Alison after that, the Gateways were being tightly monitored. No one heard anything from them