Mystic (34 page)
Authors: Jason Denzel
“Sweet Brigid!” Sim said. “A Grandmaster!” He bowed.
“Oh, Pomella,” Lal said. “Dear, dearest Pomella. Rise. Nothing to forgive. You honor too much. I not High Mystic anymore. Just Lal.”
“You're a Grandmaster!” she said, still kneeling.
“Some see only that, and others see Unclaimed. Neither is truth. I am Lal, your friend, and I am of the Myst.”
Pomella stared in wide-eyed surprise, not knowing what to say. They looked at each other for a long moment, then both burst out laughing.
Sim shook his head in dismay, but laughed along with them.
When they finally stopped, Lal said, “Pomella, the Myst teaches me every day, even as I lift beyond this world and into the Deep. You not here by accident or by any designs we can understand. If you have question for me, the
right
question, I will not deny you.”
Pomella understood and lowered her head. “Grandmaster Faywong ⦠Lal ⦠will you have me as your apprentice?”
“Yes, Pomella. I will.”
He cupped her cheeks in his wrinkled hands, and kissed her forehead. Then he leaned to her ear and whispered her Mystic name: “Huzzo.”
Huzzo. Of course. As a name it was a little ridiculous, but it was hers now, and she loved it.
The song in Pomella's heart radiated outward, and beside the creek and her lifelong friend she spoke the oath Vivianna had recited:
“On the wind, my breath
By the light between
My eyes to far-lost Fayün
So shall I hold dear
All that lives in harmony
Within the Myst and
Carry it into the Deep”
The Myst stirred within her, resonating with the rhythm and tone of her new master. The three of them laughed again, and this time the sound rose into the air and danced with her hummingbirds, spreading all across Kelt Apar, where it was heard by everyone from the young and living to the past masters long gone, who live on in the silence of the Deep.
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As a filmmaker I learned the valuable lesson of surrounding yourself with talented and positive individuals who help your project succeed. This wisdom proved essential throughout the process of writing this book. It would not exist like it does today had it not been for the knowledge, encouragement, and opportunity offered to me by so many people.
In particular I need to offer special thanks to Jennifer, for her encouragement and support as I set off on this new writing journey. To my boys, Aidan and Andrew. Thank you, guys, for loving your dad and being excited about what I do. Thank you for the games of dodgeball to help me unwind from the long stretches of writing.
To my writing group, whose help was invaluable in the crafting of this novel: Andrew Wilson, DJ Stipe, Cary Vandever, Heidi Craig, Johnna Rehman, George Hahn, Ruby Petargue, Kathy Leland, and Jeremy Nation. And a special, extrabig thank-you to Laura Harvey, the Editor-Among-Us, who combed through this book dozens of times, carefully helping me slay passive voice and build stronger characters. Remember these names, because they will someday be on the covers of many fine novels.
To Brad Kane, my biggest critic and best friend. Thank you for always holding me to the highest possible standards.
To my friend and mentor Brandon Sanderson, for reading an early draft of this novel and for embracing me as more than just a fan and letting me glimpse the innermost workings of his craft.
To my niece Lexy Awalt, for being one of my earliest readers and biggest fans. You can show this to your friends and prove that you weren't making it all up.
To Trisha Jones, for taking care of Irma and encouraging me always to write.
To my mom and dad, as well as Jim and D'Ann Burns. The stability you've offered me during the writing of this book has meant more to me than you know. Thank you.
To Tom Doherty for taking the time to consider this novel and for believing in it right away. To Melissa Frain, my editor, for being a wonderful collaborator, and to my agent, Eddie Schneider, who threw himself into this project and has represented it in the way it deserves.
And, of course, thank you to all my beta readers, who took the time to give me their honest feedback: Tess Burningham, Wendy Brodersen, Jonathan Khoo, Helane Darazi, Robin Allen, Addison DeBolt, Alana Welz, Sean Adams, Charles Bryan, Jason Koelewyn, Meesha Lenee, Blue Cole, Eddie Yin, Rebecca Lovatt, Amy Romanczuk, Diana Trent, Melanie Murray, Steve Godecke, Ross Newberry, Reannon Haight, Bill Jansen, Georgene Jansen, and the amazing, always dependable Gary Singer.
Huuzz-oh!
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JASON DENZEL
is the founder of
Dragonmount.com
, the leading online community for Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time saga and the Web's top destination for franchise-related news, features, and discussion.
Dragonmount.com
has been featured in
USA Today,
Wired,
and the
Los Angeles Times
and on CNN and ABC. Denzel lives in Northern California with his two young sons and owns a lot of swords. You can sign up for email updates
here
.
    
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CONTENTS
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This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously.
MYSTIC
Copyright © 2015 by Jason Denzel
All rights reserved.
Cover art by Larry Rostant
Cover design by Peter Lutjen
A Tor Book
Published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC
175 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10010
Tor
®
is a registered trademark of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC.
The Library of Congress has cataloged the print edition as follows:
Denzel, Jason.
    Mystic / Jason Denzel.
        pages cm
    ISBN 978-0-7653-8197-2 (hardcover)
    ISBN 978-1-4668-8568-4 (e-book)
    1.  Imaginary wars and battlesâFiction.  I.  Title.
PS3604.E64M97 2015
813'.6âdc23
2015023069
e-ISBN 9781466885684
Our e-books may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at (800) 221-7945, extension 5442, or by e-mail at
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First Edition: November 2015