To Kill a Wizard: Rose's Story (The Protectors of Tarak Book 1) (4 page)

Reaching beneath the fabric of my dress, I touched the sharp edge of the shard.
I’m fine.
I told it, as if it were an overly cautious child, tugging at my leg. It sent a soft hum through my body and grew cold.

There, that should keep it quiet for a while. I had no idea what had gotten into it.

Still, I glanced at the crowd again.

At first, there didn’t seem to be a single friendly face to be found, but then I saw Sirena’s parents at the edge of the crowd, and some of my fears ebbed. They waved. I waved back.

Not far from them, Gager watched me.

I quickly looked away.

My eyes fell on Witch Bryn and Witch Sofia as they stared up emotionlessly. They were the two most powerful witches in our town, and Witch Sofia had once been my friend. She was quite a bit older than me, but had always been kind.

I’m sure the other girls felt sorry for them. Usually girls with magic were taken by The Protectors, while girls with minor powers often got left behind. But fifteen years without a Choosing, had consequences, and these two women were it.

What must it be like to know that you had the gift, but were forgotten, or simply found unworthy of being selected? Would I know soon?

Sirena pulled my hand, shaking me from my thoughts, and lead me to a place in line I wished I could have avoided. We squeezed in-between Pollie and Bethenny. Pollie cried about everything. Just as she was already doing, in loud obnoxious bursts. Bethenny, on the other hand, was much worse. She’d long ago proven herself to be a master of the kind of cruelty only a woman could use. With a sweet smile, she’d deliver a blow so painful and slow it took your breath away.

“Who do you think they’ll pick?” Sirena whispered.

I turned to study my friend. Was there uncertainty in her voice? She was paler than usual. Light from the torches made her freckles appear darker across her face.

“Only they know for sure,” I said, pushing back a strand of hair.

“But we
need
to be Chosen.”

Without thinking, I took her hand.

She stiffened. But after a moment, her hand squeezed mine.

“What’s this?” Bethenny sneered, leaning to stare at us. “I’m surprised you girls even bothered to dress up tonight, seeing as you’ll never be selected.”

Narrowing my eyes, I took a step towards her, only Sirena’s hand tightening around mine held me back.

“Let it go. She’s not worth the trouble.”

But, of course, I couldn’t. “Money might buy you pretty clothes, and maybe even a handsome husband, but it can’t buy you a place among The Protectors.”

Bethenny took a step towards me. “No one
bought
me a husband.”

I flashed her my best condescending smile. “Well. He certainly wasn’t won by your looks or charm.”

Pushing back a lock of apple-red hair, she took a steadying breath. Her voice came out cold and threatening. “One day you’ll regret this.” She moved to her place in line, glaring out at the star-speckled sky.

I grinned and allowed Sirena to move me back in line. But soon, my mind drifted back to my father, and our unfinished conversation. I clutched at the cord around my neck.

A chill wind blew, shaking me from my thoughts, and I dropped my hand. A few of the torches near us went out. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. Something unseen, beyond the chill of the air had changed, but I wasn’t sure what.

And then, I saw them.

Three dark shapes moved towards us.

The drums stopped, and Sirena gripped my arm. A nervous murmur ran through the crowd. Against my chest, the shard of stone grew warm.

The dark trio became women who moved with fluidity, separating the crowd. I couldn’t see their faces, but the stories surrounding them had been told so many times that the scene before me felt familiar.

When they reached us, the leader removed her hood, and a collective gasp rose in the air. She was beautiful, like the river on a dark night, with long black hair, large gray eyes, and an intense face. Something the old priest had once told me echoed in my thoughts,
beauty can be deceiving
.

“Greetings people of Druggery,” she said. Her voice was deeper than expected. No word or sound was emphasized, yet each word was spoken carefully. “We all know why we are here, and yet, one of you is missing.” She turned to the crowd, and her gaze fell on Gager the Blacksmith.

He frowned, and I caught my breath. His daughter Yara peered out from behind him. Was she really thirteen already?

The strange woman tilted her head. “Bring her forward.”

No one moved.

Raising her long-fingered hand, she motioned in the air. A second later, Yara was gone.

“What have you done with my daughter?’ Gager shouted, but the woman turned away from him. “If you even try to—”

In mid-sentence, he too disappeared.

Unthinking, I stepped forward, coming closer to the woman. The sound of a girl crying froze me before I could think about what I planned to do. Turning, I discovered Yara was now on stage, at the end of the row. Her dark eyes were flooded with tears as she searched wildly for her father.

“Not to worry,” the woman said, her tone lacking any reassurance. “Your father is back home, where his emotions will not interfere with what is best for his daughter.”

Her words were meant for Yara, but she stared at me.

Meeting her gaze, I straightened my spine. There was no reason to challenge the woman who could be my savior, yet I couldn’t seem to back down. For one long moment, our gazes locked in an unspoken battle. Then, I looked away and stepped back into line.

“Let us begin,” the woman said, raising her voice as she turned back to the crowd. “In the time before written histories, it is said a day came when the goddesses wanted to reward some of their humans. Women and men were gathered from around the world. No one knows exactly why these specific people were chosen, but ancient stories suggest that they were special. Intelligent, beautiful, and creative on extraordinary levels.”

“And so, the goddesses bestowed upon these individuals unique powers, as well as, life spans beyond the average human. These people became known as witches and wizards.” She paused, her gaze scanning the silent crowd. “For a short time, these gifted beings created a better world for mankind. But alas, it was not meant to last.”

A nervous murmur ran through the crowd. She said no more, waiting for silence.

“As the mothers passed their powers down to their daughters, and the fathers passed their powers down to their sons, it became clear that the men were somehow corrupted by magic. Many dark days followed as the wizards used their gifts to kill and harm.” Her expression grew grave. “Mankind prayed to the heavens to free them from the cruelty of the wizards, but the goddesses ignored their prayers.”

The woman looked back at her companions. One of them stepped forward, but her hood remained pulled low over her face, concealing her entirely from view. A moment later, her husky, heavily accented voice poured out of her like a mind-altering haze. “The most powerful witches gathered together to create The Protectors, a group of women responsible for defending the world from the wizards. But time passed. Rulers came and went. Queen Guadias became the ruler of Tarak and brought The Protectors together to serve her. Through the queen’s wisdom, she removed the threat of the wizards, once and for all.”

Her speech was nowhere near as elegant, and yet the exotic nature of her voice held us enthralled. The cloaked woman turned, with movements as graceful as a dance, and returned to her place far behind her dark-haired leader.

“Since then,” the first woman continued, “The Protectors have served Queen Gaudias, keeping the kingdom safe for all the citizens of Tarak.”

She paused and silence followed her words for a second too long before the spell was broken. Cheering rose from the crowd, rolling through the townsfolk until The Protector raised her hand for silence.

The woman turned her back on the crowd, her silver gaze sliding over us. “The Choosing is a chance at a new life, perhaps for many of you, perhaps for none. Yet to stand on this stage is in honor in itself. It means that you are being considered to join the most powerful women in the world. And more than that, it means you might get a chance to serve the kingdom that has raised and sheltered you for so long.”

Her chin tilted higher, and she gazed at us down her nose. “It has been some time since last we visited you, but the process is the same. If you are Chosen, you will come with us and join The Protectors of Tarak, where you will live out your days in happiness and luxury. It is both a great honor and a great responsibility. Leaving the life you know and the people you love can be difficult, but even if you have reservations, know this is the right choice, the only choice, for those of you blessed enough to be Chosen.”

Her words settle on us, and the excitement in the girls beside me rose. I wanted to share in their delight, but the rapid pounding of my heart left me breathless and lightheaded, a feeling nowhere near delightful. Something felt off about these women, but if I wasn’t selected tonight… no, I couldn’t think about that.

The woman stopped at each girl, reaching out and laying her hands on their head as she asked their names. To the villagers, it likely seemed an insignificant exchange, but I could sense the overwhelming magic stretching out from the woman like the flames of a fire. Warmth radiated from her, chasing away even a trace of the cool autumn night.

It was like nothing I’d experienced before, both fascinating and terrifying all at once. What would it be like to have power such as hers? And what was she using it for?

Sirena didn’t seem to notice. She dropped her hand from my arm as the woman approached us, no trace of anything but anxiety and excitement.

“I’m Sirena Galager,” she said, too eagerly, and then the woman stood before me.

Reaching out, she set her hands on my head. The warmth that licked my flesh was almost uncomfortably warm. This was stronger magic than anything I’d felt before. But what bothered me most of all, I had no idea what magic she was using on all of us. All I knew was that it felt uncomfortably evasive.

“And what’s your name?” she asked after a moment of silence.

Heat poured in greater intensity from her body, as her magic brushed against me. I wanted to ignore it, but it was as if I could sense her prying at me, trying to uncover the secrets deep inside. The sensation left me agitated. I opened my mouth not knowing how I’d answer her question. “It’s customary for you to give your name first.”

The moment the words left my mouth I wanted to snatch them back, even though they were true. Was I being discourteous on purpose?

For the second time, the woman’s sharp gaze focused on me. But to my surprise, she smiled and leaned towards me. “You’re a smart girl. People often forget that names have a great deal of power… in the wrong hands.” Her breath smelled like spiced wine and my head spun. “My name is Blair Darkwater. And you are?”

“Rose,” I answered.

The woman nodded. “Pleasure to meet you Rosalyn Vidoryn.”

She moved away from me, her smile disappearing like a trick of the light, but something in her movements told me she was pleased with herself. The spinning in my head stopped, and it donned on me that she’d spoken my full name. My real name. It wasn’t accented correctly, so she didn’t know my True Name, but she’d already known who I was. So why ask? Why the game? And more importantly, how did she know my name?

As she asked the other girls’ names, I felt sure I’d been fooled.

People often gave their full names to each other, but never gave their
True Names
. Each person had a True Name. Usually it was the name given to them by their parents. But more than that, the name needed to spoken, emphasized, in exactly the same way as their parents had, on the day they were named.

For the average person, it was difficult to repeat a name precisely the way another did. Yet, people with magic in their blood often did so with ease, which was why most people didn’t give more than their first name to magic-blooded people.

So why did these girls give their full names so easily? And why hadn’t I? Was I trying to be rejected for my father’s sake? Or, was I simply struggling to think clearly with my instincts screaming
run
?

A stillness shook me from my thoughts. The last girl had given her name, and it seemed everyone held their breaths at once, waiting.

“We have made our decision,” Blair said, voicing the decision we’d waited all our lives to hear. “Sirena, Bethenny, Yara…”

Then, she hesitated.

My stomach dropped. The world around me slowed. This woman would decide my fate. She held it in her hands like a newborn bird. Marriage to Hefter, returning to my father, and living my days in my childhood town. Or, the unknown.

Turning, her eyes locked with mine. “And Rose. You are
ours
.”

Her words sealed my fate as an explosion of cheering rose from the crowd.

I stood in shocked silence, my arms hanging numbly at my sides. Was it really over?

Sirena hugged my stiff form. “It actually happened. Can you believe it?”

I tried to return her hug, but my arms refused to obey.

The cheering became a frenzy of sound.

The unchosen girls left the stage, most weeping.

Without knowing what I was doing, I scanned the crowd until I saw a familiar face. Hefter’s jaw hung open stupidly, bringing me more pleasure than I ever imagined. What would he and his father do now? I’d send money home, enough to keep my father safe from their clutches for life, and leave this town, free of guilt.

A smile touched my lips as I thought of the tiny statue of Athenia.
Who lost now?

The three girls drew closer to me, all but Yara smiling.

The crowd grew silent once more and Blair continued, “The Choosing is complete, and we wish you—“

Her word was cut off.

The crowd erupted into strangled screams.

Blair turned towards us, an arrow protruding from her chest.

The nightmarish sight drained the blood from my face.

Her hands rose above her head, her dark brows drawn in surprise. Her companions advanced towards her, but she motioned for them to remain where they were with a flick of her wrist.

Her lips pulled into a thin line. When she spoke, her words were seething with rage. “Vidoryn. It has been a long time.”

I stepped away, shaking my head. It wasn’t me, how could it be? But following her gaze, I spotted my father standing at the edge of the crowd, a bow and arrow in his hands.

“You won’t take my daughter!” he shouted hoarsely.

He let loose another arrow, striking her in the shoulder. Another frantic cry erupted from the crowd. Yara fainted beside me, but I gave her little heed. Dark red splotches of blood appeared on the white dress beneath Blair’s cloak. The sight was both horrifying and mesmerizing.

Blair’s face twisted like pieces of a puzzle rearranging until a dangerous smile transformed her features. She reached down and yanked the first arrow from her chest. Blood spurted, but she ignored it, grasping and jerking the second arrow from her shoulder. Both arrows fell to the platform where dark blood decorated its surface like paint.

My father reached for another arrow.

“Oh,
Vidoryn
,” she said his name with a purr. “You should know better by now. Just as we took your wife, so shall we take your daughter.”

“Father, please.” I took a step closer to him.

I didn’t know what I would say, or what I wanted, but my heart twisted in my chest. This wasn’t how I imagined this day. In my dreams, gold dust illuminated everything in a beautiful light, and I awoke feeling warm and safe. But this was not my dream. Instead, confusion left an empty void inside of me.

“Father!” I shouted, panicked as he notched his arrow.

My father’s gaze faltered at the sound of my voice, shifting to me. Misery filled his eyes, adding to my own heartache. I reached for him, but a dark wind rose, whirling around us. I caught the sound of what could have been my name, before we were swallowed by it.

My breath tore from my chest. The village square blurred and faded, leaving only grays and blacks swirling. Screams of terror filled the air, some coming from my own lips. My feet touched nothing, and yet, I remained standing. A primal urge to fight or run coursed through my veins, and I almost gave into it, before the rushing air slowed then disappeared.

We were in the woods not far from our village, the old shrine towering over us. Blair watched us silently. Her companions remained hidden beneath their dark hoods. But I could feel their eyes on me, trying to peer beneath my exterior to find my secrets hidden deep inside.

I trembled, but forced myself to remain calm. This was my dream. Perhaps not exactly the way I imagined it, but it wasn’t a nightmare quite yet. Leaning down, I pulled Yara from the ground where she lay. Her eyes were open, but she didn’t blink.

“Help me with her,” I ordered the others, even though my own limbs shook.

None of them moved.

Beside me, Sirena made a strangled sound, which unleashed heart wrenching sobs that shook her small frame. My fear vanished, and my protective instincts flared to life. They had no right to frighten my friend.

Realizing that I couldn’t help Yara, I rose, squaring my shoulders and preparing for battle.

“What’s this all about?” I demanded, stepping towards the women. “Isn’t it supposed to be a good thing to be Chosen?”

Blair looked to one of her companions who removed her black hood.

My heart stopped.

The rays of the moon caressed the remarkable woman. Her hair was so blonde it was nearly white. It was cut close to her head, almost like a boy’s, but somehow made her feminine face even more delicate. Her blue eyes glistened, almost as if she’d been crying, and a strange ache to reassure her filled me.

“I’m so sorry, girls,” she said, her voice so quiet and musical, like the beginning of an epic love song. “Being Chosen is such a blessing.” She let her head fall as her hands rose, as if in prayer. “It’s usually a time of celebration. But there are those who would rather keep their daughters all to themselves than allow them the happiness that comes from being Chosen.”

Bethenny spoke from behind me. “Of course those two would cause trouble,” she said, referring to Yara and me. “I really think you might’ve made a mistake when you chose them.”

My hand clenched. What would The Protectors do if I smacked Bethenny?

The blonde laughed, a sound like the jingling of bells. “We’re never mistaken. They’re meant to be with us. And as much as we regret upsetting their fathers, it had to be done.”

Happiness and warmth radiated from the blonde woman. My tension eased away. A soft blanket seemed to wrap around me, begging me to enter it, to forget all my worries and embrace the situation and these women. Yara rose from her stupor. Sirena’s tears stopped. These new sensations, and my friend’s improving spirits, should’ve put me more at ease, but somehow made my temples ache.

“Perhaps,” I answered, drawing the attention of the blue-eyed beauty. “It’s smart you don’t allow parents to interfere.”

Her rosy lips twisted into a smile, and she moved towards me with her pleading hands.

My heart raced, my body reacted, and I took a step back.

She froze.

“
But
.” I emphasized the word. “What if
we
were to decide not to go?”

She jerked back, and again the foreign need to reassure her at any cost rose. “Do you truly wish not to join our order?” she asked, sorrow turning her lips down.

“No,” the automatic denial sprang free before I could stop it, “I mean, I’m not sure.”

The blonde opened her mouth as if to argue, but Blair interrupted. “If you don’t wish to join, this is your chance to say so.” Our eyes locked. “But, I’m surprised to learn you’d refuse to follow in your mother’s footsteps.”

My chest tightened. “You knew my mother.”

She raised her hands covered in blood. “I don’t have time for this, so make your choice.”

Something I’d never allowed to happen, happened all at once. Hopes and dreams reserved for slumber surfaced, no longer dreams, but goals. I didn’t have to marry a boy I didn’t like, or be burden by my father’s mistakes. Instead, I would have the life that only The Protectors could offer a poor girl like myself.

I could write my own future. Just like my mother had done. What was more, I could finally learn about the woman who had brought me into this world, and then forgot me.

“Let’s go,” I said, confident in my decision.

Blair turned to the shrine, a white arch covered in flowers so red only magic could’ve crafted them, and began to repeat the name of the Goddess of Travel. “
Hermya
,
Hermya
,
Hermya
…”

She chanted over and over, and I closed my eyes, listening to the way she spoke the goddess’ name. Each syllable was emphasized differently, given a different note. It was a song, a prayer, a whisper of a beloved’s name.

I’d never heard such a sound, and yet, I knew the secret of this magical word, because I had a word, a name, of my own.

A vision of another world exploded from the center of the shrine, bringing with it a chill. The girls stilled beside me, but I gathered my cloak more tightly around my body, and leaned forward to get a better view. Impossibly red flowers peeked between pale flakes across a snowy ground.

Blair moved forward and through the archway without hesitation. A collective gasp rose from the girls beside me as she turned back to stare at us.

Excitement bubbled inside of me. This was magic! A gateway between two worlds or places, I wasn’t sure which, but it was likely only the beginning of what The Protectors would show us.

“Come through the portal girls,” the blonde said, stepping after Blair. Her smile revealed the pearls of her white teeth. “It’s time for your
real
life to begin.”

“But where does it lead?” Sirena whispered.

A flash of irritation came and went across the blonde’s face, so fast I might’ve imagined it. “To another part of Tarak.” Her voice dripped with sweetness.

“But why can’t we just walk?” Sirena wrung her hands as she looked from me to the woman.

The blonde’s easy smile returned. “Because the home of The Protectors is almost impossible to reach by land or sea. It’s surrounded by mountains so tall, they’re frozen year round.”

Sirena turned to me, waiting.

I forced what I hoped was a cocky grin and stepped through the portal.

Relief rushed through me. I was still in one piece, and the only difference in how I felt was… colder.

The other girls followed after me, one at a time until we had all made it to through. Once we were in the snowy world, I stared back to the forest of my home, at the brown of the trees and the green of the grass. To my surprise, an uneasy feeling settled just below my excitement. I was worlds away from the town I’d always known, and in a place of magic.

The snowy, leafless trees of our new home whispered a reassurance of familiarity, but the scarlet flowers shattered this illusion. They grew with the freshness of a spring morning, stretching free of the snow, unaffected by the cold and dark of a night lit by a full moon.

I trembled beneath my cloak, looking away from the flowers, and back to my woods.

The scene was fading just as I saw my father break through the trees. His bow was still in hand, his face twisted in panic, and then he was gone.

The whisper of doubt grew louder.

I looked to the other girls, but none seemed to notice, instead they focused on The Protectors as they continued leading us to some unseen destination.

The women moved effortlessly through the snow. We trudged after them in awe. Small droplets of Blair’s blood marked our trail, churning my stomach. But, it wasn’t long before this new place became even less welcoming.

Fog came from nowhere, curling about our legs and continuing on as if we were no more significant than the winter-starved trees. The fog thickened until the world became a sheet of white. The Protectors didn’t hesitate as the fog swallowed them, but we did.

“It was hard enough following them without this fog,” Sirena murmured.

“Perhaps they made it in hopes of leaving us behind.”

Yara’s comment made me pause as I squinted, trying to identify the women hurrying ahead of us.

“Maybe this is just a test,” I answered, trying to reassure myself as much as them.

“Then we better not fail it,” Bethenny said, without moving.

I continued forward, hating the way the fog swallowed my feet. Sirena’s hand clutched at my cloak, lifting it just enough to give the chilly air more access to my flesh.

We came to two wooden posts. I studied them closely, wondering at their significance. A memory of something flittered just beyond my comprehension, and I inched between the posts with hesitation. The others followed closely behind, silent except for the sound of heavy breathing. The snow beneath my feet felt different in a way I couldn’t understand, and the wind picked up, battering us with its icy claws.

I curled into myself, trying not to let the hostile environment break down my defenses, and into my mind to muddle my thoughts. But trembles racked through my body. My breathing grew labored.

At last the fog thinned just a bit, revealing a bridge, no wider than five feet beneath us. I grasped for railing, but my fingers found none. Sirena crashed into my back as I froze, unable to continue.