deep breath, and sipped the warm soup. It was rich and thick, and though she didn’t want to admit it, it tasted heavenly.
Like the last meal with Savina and Colden, there wasn’t much talking, but Ava couldn’t ignore the stares from both of them. Once everyone finished, Savina motioned Ava and the rest into another large sitting room. Candles flickered all around. Savina moved to the black, marble fireplace, waved her hand across it, and a fire appeared.
Ava gasped. She had never seen an Enchanter use her power like that. An old painting of lively green rolling hills and tall mountains, presumably Scotland, where Savina and Colden were from, hung above the fireplace.
She sat on the L-shaped dark red couch and looked around at everyone’s faces. They all looked content, comfortable, as if they belonged. As if they knew Savina and Colden would be here, but Ava felt sick, like a large weight had lodged in her stomach. She met Thomas’s eyes and he took her hand.
Colden stood by the fireplace, and Savina sat in a Victorian chair that matched the couch.
“It has brought us such great joy to see you all,” she began. “You are all so strong, mature, and so beautiful. Now it is time to understand the splendor of the Craft.”
The knots would not stop forming in Ava’s stomach. Thomas squeezed her hand, something he did when she gripped too hard, but she didn’t let up.
“Each of you has a wonderful ability and we are here to solidify our Aureole,” Colden said. “The Aureole is a circle that once we all stand on it, glows and connects us all. You have also come back to help us fulfill a mission.”
Ava froze. A mission? She exchanged glances with the others and they looked just as confused.
Savina interlocked her hands. “Devon Maunsell has escaped the Cruciari.”
Ava felt her jaw go slack. She didn’t know who Devon Maunsell was, but for him to have escaped the famous Enchanter prison was enough for her to come unhinged.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
INITIATION
Ava took a deep breath and kept the stew from coming up. How could an Enchanter possibly escape the Cruciari? Water surrounded the fortress. A negation spell prevented the use of any powers. Enchanters were slowly tortured until death. Yet, somehow, one had escaped. What did this mean to them?
“How did he get out?” Her voice was shaky.
“We are still investigating that,” Savina said.
Colden slowly paced in front of the fireplace, in deep though t. “We have been trying to find out if someone let him out or if the charm broke.”
“So who is this guy?” Melissa asked. She didn’t look as nervous as Ava felt.
Gillian chewed on her lip and curled and uncurled her hair around her finger while Jeremy held her other hand, seemingly calm.
Colden stopped pacing and then turned to them. “He is a Cimmerian, a Dark Enchanter. One of Corbin’s biggest supporters.”
A piercing silence fell on them. Corbin Havok. He was Colden’s father and Savina’s stepfather—the most evil Enchanter in history. He had started wars with Enchanters and massacred mortal humans, or as they were known as Ephemerals. There hadn’t been any wars since he died almost thirty years ago.
“When did he escape?” Ava asked.
“A few days ago,” Colden said.
Jeremy shifted and leaned forward. “B ut his powers have been negated, and he’s been tortured for years. What harm is he to us?”
Ava thought she saw a flicker of sympathy in Savina’s eyes.
“He is a deranged man on the loose.” Savina paused, as if gathering her thoughts. “We believe he has gained followers, but they leave no trace of their whereabouts.”
“Followers for what?” Jeremy asked.
“Devon could be waging a war against us for revenge. While we search for him, we will need to prepare you all. We need to protect the Ephemerals and our kind.”
“War?” Ava asked. Her throat tightened , and her heart stopped.
“Yes,” Savina replied.
Thomas shook his leg, the way he did when he was
Like the last meal with Savina and Colden, there wasn’t much talking, but Ava couldn’t ignore the stares from both of them. Once everyone finished, Savina motioned Ava and the rest into another large sitting room. Candles flickered all around. Savina moved to the black, marble fireplace, waved her hand across it, and a fire appeared.
Ava gasped. She had never seen an Enchanter use her power like that. An old painting of lively green rolling hills and tall mountains, presumably Scotland, where Savina and Colden were from, hung above the fireplace.
She sat on the L-shaped dark red couch and looked around at everyone’s faces. They all looked content, comfortable, as if they belonged. As if they knew Savina and Colden would be here, but Ava felt sick, like a large weight had lodged in her stomach. She met Thomas’s eyes and he took her hand.
Colden stood by the fireplace, and Savina sat in a Victorian chair that matched the couch.
“It has brought us such great joy to see you all,” she began. “You are all so strong, mature, and so beautiful. Now it is time to understand the splendor of the Craft.”
The knots would not stop forming in Ava’s stomach. Thomas squeezed her hand, something he did when she gripped too hard, but she didn’t let up.
“Each of you has a wonderful ability and we are here to solidify our Aureole,” Colden said. “The Aureole is a circle that once we all stand on it, glows and connects us all. You have also come back to help us fulfill a mission.”
Ava froze. A mission? She exchanged glances with the others and they looked just as confused.
Savina interlocked her hands. “Devon Maunsell has escaped the Cruciari.”
Ava felt her jaw go slack. She didn’t know who Devon Maunsell was, but for him to have escaped the famous Enchanter prison was enough for her to come unhinged.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
INITIATION
Ava took a deep breath and kept the stew from coming up. How could an Enchanter possibly escape the Cruciari? Water surrounded the fortress. A negation spell prevented the use of any powers. Enchanters were slowly tortured until death. Yet, somehow, one had escaped. What did this mean to them?
“How did he get out?” Her voice was shaky.
“We are still investigating that,” Savina said.
Colden slowly paced in front of the fireplace, in deep though t. “We have been trying to find out if someone let him out or if the charm broke.”
“So who is this guy?” Melissa asked. She didn’t look as nervous as Ava felt.
Gillian chewed on her lip and curled and uncurled her hair around her finger while Jeremy held her other hand, seemingly calm.
Colden stopped pacing and then turned to them. “He is a Cimmerian, a Dark Enchanter. One of Corbin’s biggest supporters.”
A piercing silence fell on them. Corbin Havok. He was Colden’s father and Savina’s stepfather—the most evil Enchanter in history. He had started wars with Enchanters and massacred mortal humans, or as they were known as Ephemerals. There hadn’t been any wars since he died almost thirty years ago.
“When did he escape?” Ava asked.
“A few days ago,” Colden said.
Jeremy shifted and leaned forward. “B ut his powers have been negated, and he’s been tortured for years. What harm is he to us?”
Ava thought she saw a flicker of sympathy in Savina’s eyes.
“He is a deranged man on the loose.” Savina paused, as if gathering her thoughts. “We believe he has gained followers, but they leave no trace of their whereabouts.”
“Followers for what?” Jeremy asked.
“Devon could be waging a war against us for revenge. While we search for him, we will need to prepare you all. We need to protect the Ephemerals and our kind.”
“War?” Ava asked. Her throat tightened , and her heart stopped.
“Yes,” Savina replied.
Thomas shook his leg, the way he did when he was
Similar Books
