Jasper’s sorcerer brother, and he started watching Nuen’s rooms at night, sneaking into Jasper’s stronghold. He discovered wild magic was created in the aftermath of wielding massive power.”
“He tried to stop Nuen? And Jasper caught him?” She’d met Jasper. Knew he would not take interference in his affairs well.
Rane laughed. “Not that time. Not the time after that. Soren became obsessed with making Nuen and Jasper pay for what they were doing. We only worked out later that all the powerful sorcerers were doing the same thing. Banishing the wild magic they’d created to the Great Forest.”
“So it may not have been Nuen’s fault?”
“It didn’t matter to Soren. Or to me.” He shrugged. “I never had the urge to bring Jasper down, though. I was more interested in reversing the damage. Finding a way to free my father from his enchantment by finding out everything I could about wild magic and how it worked.”
“And Jasper caught Soren eventually.” She got up on her knees, and Rane rose up, offered her his hand.
“He caught him the night Soren set fire to Nuen’s tower. Destroyed all his work.” He pulled her to her feet and did not release her hand. “Jasper wants the golden apple badly enough to let Soren go because I think Nuen was hurt in Soren’s attack. He must know the apple will heal whoever touches it, as it healed you when you fell from the glass mountain.”
“He wants his brother well again, just as you want yours back in one piece.” Kayla could understand that. She pulled her hand gently from his grasp.
Rane laughed, and she’d never heard him so bitter. “Nuen is the blunt weapon Jasper uses to grow his power. Without him, Jasper is just another wealthy merchant with a title. If Nuen is injured, Jasper has hidden it, to hide his vulnerability.”
“What is going on?” Kayla took the packs Rane held out for her, and slung them over her shoulder. “Eric manipulating my father, Jasper desperate for Nuen to be back at work. More and more strange things in the forest.”
“It can only be one thing.” Rane rubbed his forehead with stiff fingers. He lifted his head and looked at her, his eyes bleak. “The sorcerers are squaring off. Looking for political allies among the kings, princes and lords. Three years ago almost no-one in the forest had seen wild magic. Now, I doubt there is a single person who hasn’t. They are growing their power. Practicing and working large spells, and throwing the wild magic left over into the forest like it’s their refuse pit.”
She wanted to deny it, but he was right, it could mean only one thing. When she spoke, her voice was small. “They are going to plunge us into a sorcerers’ war.”
Chapter Sixteen
J isuel’s house stood, rustic and strangely beautiful, in the clearing ahead. The wood and stone building blended naturally into the forest, as entitled to be there as the trees themselves.
Kayla came to a halt, and Rane stood close beside her, feeling the infinitesimal loosening of the enchantment’s grip. They stared at the house, neither saying a word.
This was the place. There was no doubting it.
Rane had to wonder why Jisuel had appeared when he had, why he had extended the invitation to them to stay.
Had he somehow learned what Eric had commanded them to do? Or was this the single largest stroke of fortune Rane had ever had?
It could be pure chance, or a trap.
“So Eric did lie. There is no witch called Ylana, he made it up so we wouldn’t know we’d have to steal the jewel from Jisuel.” Kayla turned, spoke quietly into his ear, and he realized she had the same sense as he, that everything around them was watching. Holding its breath.
“The name Jisuel is enough to give most people pause.” He spoke just as quietly back, and drew her closer, looping an arm around her shoulder. He wanted to feel her against him again. She set his senses on fire, but she also calmed him. Helped him find some inner
“He tried to stop Nuen? And Jasper caught him?” She’d met Jasper. Knew he would not take interference in his affairs well.
Rane laughed. “Not that time. Not the time after that. Soren became obsessed with making Nuen and Jasper pay for what they were doing. We only worked out later that all the powerful sorcerers were doing the same thing. Banishing the wild magic they’d created to the Great Forest.”
“So it may not have been Nuen’s fault?”
“It didn’t matter to Soren. Or to me.” He shrugged. “I never had the urge to bring Jasper down, though. I was more interested in reversing the damage. Finding a way to free my father from his enchantment by finding out everything I could about wild magic and how it worked.”
“And Jasper caught Soren eventually.” She got up on her knees, and Rane rose up, offered her his hand.
“He caught him the night Soren set fire to Nuen’s tower. Destroyed all his work.” He pulled her to her feet and did not release her hand. “Jasper wants the golden apple badly enough to let Soren go because I think Nuen was hurt in Soren’s attack. He must know the apple will heal whoever touches it, as it healed you when you fell from the glass mountain.”
“He wants his brother well again, just as you want yours back in one piece.” Kayla could understand that. She pulled her hand gently from his grasp.
Rane laughed, and she’d never heard him so bitter. “Nuen is the blunt weapon Jasper uses to grow his power. Without him, Jasper is just another wealthy merchant with a title. If Nuen is injured, Jasper has hidden it, to hide his vulnerability.”
“What is going on?” Kayla took the packs Rane held out for her, and slung them over her shoulder. “Eric manipulating my father, Jasper desperate for Nuen to be back at work. More and more strange things in the forest.”
“It can only be one thing.” Rane rubbed his forehead with stiff fingers. He lifted his head and looked at her, his eyes bleak. “The sorcerers are squaring off. Looking for political allies among the kings, princes and lords. Three years ago almost no-one in the forest had seen wild magic. Now, I doubt there is a single person who hasn’t. They are growing their power. Practicing and working large spells, and throwing the wild magic left over into the forest like it’s their refuse pit.”
She wanted to deny it, but he was right, it could mean only one thing. When she spoke, her voice was small. “They are going to plunge us into a sorcerers’ war.”
Chapter Sixteen
J isuel’s house stood, rustic and strangely beautiful, in the clearing ahead. The wood and stone building blended naturally into the forest, as entitled to be there as the trees themselves.
Kayla came to a halt, and Rane stood close beside her, feeling the infinitesimal loosening of the enchantment’s grip. They stared at the house, neither saying a word.
This was the place. There was no doubting it.
Rane had to wonder why Jisuel had appeared when he had, why he had extended the invitation to them to stay.
Had he somehow learned what Eric had commanded them to do? Or was this the single largest stroke of fortune Rane had ever had?
It could be pure chance, or a trap.
“So Eric did lie. There is no witch called Ylana, he made it up so we wouldn’t know we’d have to steal the jewel from Jisuel.” Kayla turned, spoke quietly into his ear, and he realized she had the same sense as he, that everything around them was watching. Holding its breath.
“The name Jisuel is enough to give most people pause.” He spoke just as quietly back, and drew her closer, looping an arm around her shoulder. He wanted to feel her against him again. She set his senses on fire, but she also calmed him. Helped him find some inner
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