Secrets of Yden (34 page)

****

Brett's eyes grew wide. "Six pieces of pie, Fred?"

"Even for you, that's impressive," Casey added.

"You've eaten more food than a gneeth on a rampage," Jon said.

Fred shrugged and shoveled a forkful of chocolate silk pie into his mouth. "What can I say? I like pie."

Jon exchanged an amused glance with Kira. "I don't think I can stuff anything else in my stomach."

"What we need is a game of flag football on the beach to work it off," Fred said.

It was super weird for Jon to watch his dad and Guinn Tanner play ball together like old buddies. Dorsit and January sat out the game, talking.
My next painting is going to feature January Beck with a snow leopard.
Jon had a feeling it was going to be one of his best works.

As the suns began to set, the adults drank Ubbliton ale with Quixoran underneath the tree house while the younger set gathered around the fire pit. January invited Dorsit to come and he eagerly accepted. With Kira by his side and his friends around him, Jon knew he had a lot to be thankful for. He was alive, time would march on, and he'd be best man at Charles's wedding after all.

Dorsit had told him the remaining members of the Executive Council had reassembled, but their duties were focusing less on rules and regulations and more on the advancement of the community and the study of magic. Bailey was to be released a little early from the suspension of magic dungeon and allowed to go home. The young Shark Clan wizard had shown genuine remorse at the news his uncle had tried to set up a massacre at the Mortal Challenge. Jon hoped Bailey would change… but he kind of knew better. As for Homa, when his wounds had healed, he'd fled to Earth in disgrace.

As the last golden-orange rays of sunlight faded, Adam, Eve, and the white dragon Alabaster made their nightly flight around the island. Jon figured the rest of their brood would be returning to Ylan Bay by spring, with their mates. Over the last couple of days Jon had been doing a lot of thinking about the future. Although he'd made some decisions, he hadn't shared them with anyone else yet.

"Hey, Casey, will you read my essay for Pacific State?" asked Fred.

"Sure," Casey replied. "I was thinking about putting in an application there myself."

Completely floored, Jon gaped. "Wait… Isn't M.I.T. a done deal?"

"I can still go to M.I.T. if I want, but I decided to keep my options open locally, you know, if any of you guys were going to stick around Pacific. I have some projects I'm pursuing in my lab at home. One of them involves a trans-dimensional communication device."

Suddenly the center of attention, Casey seemed a little embarrassed. He picked up a stick and began to poke the fire with it.

Brett cleared her throat. "What a coincidence. Just the other day I picked up an application for Pacific State University."

Another shock.

"I thought you had your heart set on enrolling at USC," Jon sputtered.

"I got to thinking about living away from home and how hard it would be to use my transporter cuff in private," she explained. "I want to study history and ancient languages, but I want to keep training as a wizard, too."

"When the school year ends, I'll be returning to Yden as a full-time apprentice," Kira said. "Although I wouldn't trade my time on Yrth for anything, there's much I'd like to accomplish here."

"I've spoken with several Yrth-based wizards since Jon's Mortal Challenge," Dorsit said. "Many are planning their return. This is an exciting time on Yden."

"My parents are moving to Yden in a few years," Jon said.

Sela beamed at Jon from across the fire pit. "And I'm going to start training as soon as I turn thirteen!"

"What about you, Jon?" Brett asked. "What are your plans?"

"I'd like to finish college," he said. "I'm enrolling at Pacific State, too, but I want to continue to train as a wizard. After I graduate, I've decided to make my home here." His gaze slid to Kira, who gave him a sweet smile.

"Booyah!" Fred yelled. "The gang's back together again! You gotta invent a trans-dimension travel device for civilians next, Casey."

"Actually, I've got one on the drawing board right now," Casey replied. "It's based on the atomic beam magnetic resonance of a particular type of crystal only found on Yden."

"Whatever you said." Fred squeezed Ronny's hand. "I just wanna be able to visit my sweetheart on my own every once in a while."

"Sounds good," January said, flicking a glance toward Dorsit. "Sign me up."

Not too long thereafter, it was time to transport home. Everyone gathered under the tree house to say goodbye. Casey was holding the wizard detector device he'd invented, called a magicometer. He'd stashed the instrument in the bottom of Jon's locker before he left at summer's end.

"You taking that home with you?" Jon asked.

"No, not exactly," he replied. "I have a hunch about something."

He pointed the device at January, who was perched on one of the dining tables, feeding Arielle pieces of a dinner roll. When Casey and Jon peered at the reading, the results couldn't have been clearer. As they exchanged a long look, one word went through Jon's mind.

Yikes
.

The End

Allistri (al-
ee
-stree) - a wizard (now deceased) of the Owl Clan and Amanzo's brother

Amanzo (ah-
mann
-zoh) - a wizard scribe (now deceased) of the Owl Clan

Andresan (an-
dree
-san) - the location of a stunning series of waterfalls

Bearded Hodyny (beer-ded hoo-
dee
-nee) - enormous fanged cats found on the continent of Pytch

Benn (ben) - young orphan liberated from Warlord Mandral's castle

Cressidia (kress-
id
-ee-ah) - a wood sprite who took human form to serve Quixoran

Cygard (
sigh
-gard) - a heavily armored Cyclops who works as a mercenary. Cygards served as Warlord Mandral's army

Dorsit (
door
-sit) - handsome and creative Leopard Clan wizard, close friend and ally to the Dragon Clan

Efysian (eff-
e
-see-in) - sinister Wolf Clan wizard

Gneeth (neeth) - huge Godzilla-like creatures found on the continent of Pytch

Gnoam (nome) - former warlord turned Governor

Greggoran (gregg-
or
-an) - powerful Dragon Clan wizard, healer, and Jon's father

Guinn (gwin) - a former wizard of the Fox Clan, father to Brett Tanner and husband of nymph Marina. Currently a non-magical resident of Earth

Homa (home-ah) - a wizard of the Shark Clan and Executive Council member

Ignato (igg-
nah
-toe) - Ignation Territory Warlord

Igneous (
ig
-nee-us) - Warlord Ignato's castle

Johde (
jo
-dee) - orphan liberated from Warlord Mandral's castle

Kira (
kir
-ah) - extremely beautiful daughter of President Szul, swordswoman, and Jon's friend

Lachi (la-kee) - a wizard (now deceased) of the Owl Clan, father to Allistri and Amanzo

Lialia (lee-
all
-ee-ah) - glamorous water nymph and former Guardian of Efysian's lair. Marina's mother and Brett's grandmother

Lunegra (loon-
eh
-grah) - largest of Yden's two moons

Lunendra (loon-
in
-drah) - smaller of Yden's two moons

Lux (lucks) - a wizard of the Spider Clan and Chairman of Executive Council for the Wizards' Consortium

Mandral (man-
drall)
- ruthless warlord of Mandral Territory (now deposed)

Marla (
marl
-lah) - Lady Marla, leader of the Andresen Waterfalls nymphs and member of the Executive Council

Moala (mo-
all
-ah) - a merchant (now deceased) who dealt in illegal and/or stolen artifacts

Nedd (ned) - a wizard of the Bee Clan and Executive Council member

Newtic (
new
-tick) - small, furry rodent that makes a popping noise when touched

Phineas (
finn
-ee-us) - young Owl Clan wizard (a/k/a Finn), formerly apprenticed to the wizard Amanzo. Now one of Quixoran's apprentices

Pytch (pitch) - a savage, uninhabited continent filled with predators

Puleden (
pull
-eh-den) - beast of burden with a prehensile tail

Quixoran (kicks-
or
-an) - powerful patriarch of the Dragon Clan, sculptor, father to Greggoran and grandfather to Jon Hansen

Rampen Szul (
ramp
-in zool) - President of the United Territories, and Kira's father. Former Nomad Leader.

Rantynith (rant-
een
-ith) - flying reptile found on the continent of Pytch

Resa Crovenious (
ray
-sa crow-
vin
-ee-us) - a repair spell

Resa (
ray
-sa) - a wizard of the Scorpion Clan and Executive Council member

Sela (
see
-lah) - Jon Hansen's precocious little sister

Solegra (sol-
eh
-grah) - the larger of Yden's two suns

Solendra (sol-
en
-drah) - the smaller of Yden's two suns

Treefoul (
tree
-fowl) - patriarch of the Fox Clan, and father to Guinn

Ubbliton (uhb-li-ton) - county known for fine ale

Ure (your) - a wizard of the Dolphin Clan and Executive Council member

Vanyean (van-
yee
-an) - a type of tree that grows to epic proportions on Yden, especially on Dragon Isle. Draws deep magic into its roots

Vanyean seed (van-
yee
-an seed) - a walnut-sized seed from the vanyean tree that can produce a six-foot radius field of magic when taken to Earth. Very rare. Currently only two are known to be in existence

Wele (well) - a wizard of the Sea Serpent Clan and Executive Council member

Wyckcrest (wick-crest) - a village outside of Castle Ytherium, formerly known as Mandral Village

Yden (
ee
-den) - a magical planet in an alternate dimension

Ylan (
ee
-lann) (local pronunciation is lann) - charming seaside village not far from Ylan Bay, the body of water where Dragon Isle is located. Birthplace, Dorsit of the Leopard Clan

Yrth (Earth) - third planet from the sun. Sometimes referred to on Yden as Hell, the planet without magic

Ytherium (eth-
ee
-r-ee-um) - Castle Ytherium, the seat of the non-magical United Territories government and the Wizards' Consortium. The castle was originally built by Warlord Mandral

S.G. Rogers
lives with her husband and son in romantic Savannah, Georgia, on an island populated by deer, exotic birds, and the occasional gator. She's owned by two Sphynx cats, Houdini and Nikita. Movies, books, and writing are her passions.

Chapter One

The Wizard Valentine

The fury of an early summer squall pelted against the windowpanes, making it difficult for Minna to concentrate on her secondhand copy of Advanced Incantations
—
Level Nine. As she turned the page, the binding split and she found herself
holding two halves of the book.

“Not again!”

Minna squeezed the edges together with her fingers while murmuring a mending spell. The rift closed as if repaired by an unseen zipper. A sudden flash of light illuminated the woods outside her bedroom windows and the almost instantaneous crack of thunder made Minna flinch. A few seconds later, an insistent knocking at
the front door prompted a gasp.

“Who in blazes would be out in a st
orm like this?”

Minna tapped the cover of the book. The title instantly changed to
Tansy Goes on a Hayride
to match the myriad of mismatched books on a small shelf nearby. She answered the door, a poker hidden behind her back. A sodden young man stood on the porch, his thick coat making a bundle in his arms. As she stared, the bundle quivered.

“I'm sorry to bother you, but is this your puppy?” he asked. “I found him in the road just now, a bit worse for wear.”

The little dog whined and stuck his black nose out from the folds of the fabric. No more than four weeks old, he was soaked from the rain and s
hivering. Minna's heart melted.

“Oh no, the poor fellow must be lost.”

She leaned the poker against the wall and reached for the bundle. Everything else forgotten, Minna hastened toward the kitchen, snatching up a worn throw blanket from the sofa along the way. She dropped the man's wet, bulky coat on the kitchen tiles and wrapped the pup in the soft woolen blanket instead. After cuddling the creature on her lap for a few
moments, his shivering slowed.

“You're all right
now little one,” Minna crooned.

She lowered the puppy to the floor and went to pour a saucer of milk. The bedraggled animal trotted over, leaving muddy paw prints in his wake. As he lapped the milk, his little tail wagged with satisfaction. Minna stroked his back, her eyes lingering on his floppy ears.

“A cocker spaniel mix, by the look of you. You'll be jet black even wh
en your fur is completely dry.”

After she refilled the saucer, Minna suddenly remembered the man on the porch.

“Oops
. Wait here,” she told the dog.

The animal whined, torn between filling his belly and parting with Minna's company. He opted to finish the saucer of milk. The front door was ajar when Minna returned. She opened it wider, dismayed to see the man pacing on the porch, his hands jammed i
n his pants pockets for warmth.

“What are
you doing out here?” she asked.

“Um...if I could just have my coat back, I'll be on my way.”

The sky lit up with another streak of lightning. Minna had to raise her voice to be heard over the subsequent thunder.

“Are you crazy? You can't walk around in a lightning storm! Come inside.”

A ghost of a smile lit the man's lips, tinged blue with cold. “Thanks.”

He paused before walking over the threshold, murmuring a spell to rid his clothes and shoes of moisture and mud. His hair, which had been plastered down, sprang up into blonde waves, and Minna caught hersel
f staring at his handsome face.

“You're a wizard,” she said, to cover her embarrassment. “We don't get too many wizards around here.”

He tilted his head. “I hope you don't mind.”

“No, of course not.”

The man passed, inches away, and the hair on Minna's forearms rose. When she shivered, th
e man shot her a sudden glance.

“Brr, it's cold outside,” she said. “These temperatures are very strange for this time of year.”

Minna shut the door, uncomfortably aware she was clad in old socks, droopy knit leggings, and an ancient threadbare shirt her
father had discarded years ago.

“Would you like coffee or tea? Maybe some hot chocolate?” she asked.

“Anything hot, if it's not too much trouble.”

“Sure. Why don't you throw a log on the fire and, er, make yourself at home.”

Minna backed into a chair in her haste, and then nearly tripped over the puppy. She scooped him up as she sailed into the kitchen. “What are you doing, you little beast? I thought I told you to stay put.”

The dog gave her a lick. He sat obediently on the blanket, watching while Minna made a batch of hot chocolate. As she waited for the concoction to heat, she snatched the man's coat from the floor, wincing at its condition. The expensive garment was wet and dirty, as if it had been dragged through the mud. Minna waved her fingers and in the next mome
nt the coat was pristine again.

“I'm afraid my coat is filthy,” the man apologized from the doorway. “I tried to use it to scoop up the puppy, but he didn't want to be caught.”

“Oh, your coat was a little dirty but I brushed it off,” she lied. “It's fine now.”

He took the garment from her, puzzled. “I could have sworn it needed a deep cleaning spell.”

“Not so much,” she said with a shrug. “You can hang it up on one of those hooks on the wall, if you like.”

“Thanks. My name is Evan, by the way,” he said. “Evan Valentine.”

“Minna.”

As he hung his coat on the closest hook within reach, she couldn't help but admire Evan's broad shoulders and slim hips. Her reflection in the window, on the other hand, reminded her that her long curly hair was twisted up in a sloppy topknot held in place by a pencil, and she wasn't wearing any makeup. Her color rose.

“What brings you out in this storm?” she asked.

“Oh, um, I came to see Cardinal Hollow. It's a charming town.”

“You pic
ked a bad day for sightseeing.”

“As it turns out.”

The wizard's blue eyes twinkled in her direction, and Minna gulped. She ladled the hot chocolate into mugs and emptied a small tin of cookies onto a plate, trying to steady the trembling of her ha
nds. Evan reached for the tray.

“Here, let me get that.”

Minna led the way into the living room, where a blazing glow now lit the firepla
ce — without the benefit of fuel.

“A logless fire spell! The only time I've ever seen that done successfully was in Aldesbury.” She gave the wizard a delighted smile. “Nice one.”

“I'm glad you like it. The secret is to use a containment field.”

“But how do you—” She broke off, unwilling to as
k too many revealing questions.

Minna curled up in a worn armchair, leaving the sofa to Evan. As the wizard sat facing the fire, the puppy stood on his hind legs and stretched his paws toward the man's knees. Charmed, Evan chuckled a
nd lifted the dog into his lap.

Lucky dog
, Minna thou
ght, sipping her hot chocolate.

“Um…you seem young to be a wizard,” she said.

“Actually, I graduated from The Aldesbury School of Magic this past May.” The pri
de registered in his voice.

“How perfectly marvelous!” Minna's eyes shone in the flickering firelight. “It's the best school in
the country, or so I've heard.”

“It's not bad. Where did you study?”

“Cardinal Hollow Secondary School. It offers magic as an elective.”

Evan gave her a quizzical glance as he reached for his mug. His gaze focused on the oil painting hung over the mantle. The canvas portrayed a dashing, exceptionally handsome man dressed in racing silks, posed in front of a thoro
ughbred dragon.

“That's Wynn Westerfield with Crucible, isn't it?” Evan asked.

This time Minna's voice swelle
d with pride. “He's my father.”

Evan
's brows shot upward. “Really?”

“I just finished that painting. It's from a famous photograph.”

“You're a very talented artist.”

“It's mostly a hobby, but I teach the art program at the local p
rimary school during the term.”

“My mom won't believe me when I tell her I met you. She's got a scrapbook of your father's photos and press clippings stashed somewhere.”

Merriment crinkled the edges of Minna's eyes. “My mother used to say he was a ladies' man not too long ago. To me, he's just my dad.”

“Used to say?” he repeated. “Is your mother—”

“She passed away last year.”

“I'm very sorry.”

“Thanks.” Minna took a cookie and nibbled the edges.

He peered into her face. “You look a lot like him.”

“So I've been told.” She silently cursed the crumbs that fell on her chin and quickly brushed them away. A piece of the cookie fell down inside her shirt.

“Does this mean you've actually ridden on a dragon?”

“I used to exercise them around the track when my father was still racing. Not the full-grown ones, of course. Just the young dragons they were training to race.”

“That's exciting. I really wanted to be a dragon jockey when I was a kid, but my interest in magic led me elsewhere.”

The puppy's eyelids drooped as their conversation turned to dragons and the upcoming racing season. “The odds makers favor Kent Magano, but my dad thinks Sam Brittany has the makings of a champion,” Minna said finally. “He has the touch.”

“Those are jockeys. What about the dragons themselves?”

“Without the right jockey, even the most magnificent dragon can't win.”

“I guess not. I'm glad they caught the wizard who caused
your father's racing accident.”

“Ned Rooney was trying to fix the Dragon National Championship.” Minna's mouth tightened. “The ironic part was that my father kept control of Crucible, even after the spell spooked him. It was the riders coming from behind that caused the crash. My father suffered horrible burns, and poor Crucible had to be destroyed.” She shuddered at the memory.

“Ned Rooney just escaped from prison, didn't he?”

“Yes, and the authorities can't find him. I hope I never see or hear about him again. The man almost killed my father for a few pieces of gold, and I can never forgive him.”

“Can your father use his arm at all?”

“A little, but he can't race anymore. That's why he hates wizards.”

“That must be particularly painful for you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Come on. You don't have
to pretend.”

“Sorry?”

“I'm a full-fledged wizard, Minna. I can sense magic, especially when it's as powerful as yours.”

She stared at Evan with narrowed eyes, but he didn't blink. The dog lifted his head at the sudden tension between the two humans.

“I don't know what you're talking about,” Minna said finally.

Evan lowered the
puppy to the ground and stood.

“Have it your way.” He headed for the kitchen to retrieve his coat, and then to the front door. “Thanks for the hot chocolate.”

When the door opened, a clap of thunder boomed, and rain pelted down even harder than before. Evan paused to turn up his collar. Minna bit her lip.

“You don't have to leave,” she said. “Wait for t
he lightning to stop at least.”

“Are you sure?”

“I wouldn't want to be responsible for a tragedy.
”

The dog wagged his tail as Evan shut the door. “Thanks.” He covered a yawn. “Sorry
, I've been traveling all day.”

“Where are you staying?”

“At the Cardinal Hollow Inn.”

“Ah. Paradise,” she said with a smile.

“Do you think so?”

“No, but it's the best we've got. A friend of mine works there. Are you hungry?”

He shook his head. “I had a heavy lunch at the Inn. The pot roast and boiled potatoes are catching up to me.”

Minna cleared away the empty mugs and tray and took them into the kitchen. She washed the dishes and wiped away the puppy's muddy paw prints. The dog had also left a puddle next to the side door. Minna sighed and evaporated it with magic. By the time she returned to the living room, Evan had passed out on the sofa. The dog, which she had already begun to call Beast, was lying in the crook of his arm. The light from the warm, magical fire bathed the sc
ene in a beautiful golden glow.

Minna perched on the raised hearth and drank in Evan's face. Boyishly handsome, with strong eyebrows that framed mischievous eyes, his nose was straight and even, and his cheekbones were high. Almost before she realized what she was doing, she'd conjured a sketchpad, and she was drawing his portrait. As she worked, she noted his clothes were made of the finest materials and tailored to fit his athletic frame. His shoes were new,
too, and fashioned of leather.

It must be nice to have money
, she thought wistfully.

Evan began to snore softly, and she stifled a giggle. The young wizard looked so vulnerable reclining on the sofa, his full lips parted. Beast stretched out a paw to touch the man's chin, and Evan's arm tightened around the pup. Minna's heart melted for the second time that afternoon.

Her imagination stirred. She flipped to the next page in the sketchpad and fashioned another portrait of Evan astride a dragon. He was a young Princeling hero, clad in a flowing linen shirt and tight breeches—with one hand on the pommel of his saddle, and the othe
r wielding a magnificent sword.