Page 11 of A Conduit of Light
“Goodmorning!”Clairanniawas dressed in the same clothes that had been laid out for each of them.
“Didyou sleep well?”Figuerahinquired with a hopeful smile.
Shewas gorgeous.Theyboth were.AnotherreasonAshreally didn’t belong here.Ash’sbeauty was simple, but both of these women held features written about in sonnets across centuries.
Clairanniahad attempted to pile her hair in the same fashion it was last night—a decent attempt, andFiguerah’shung long with tight braids cascading down her back.Pinnedaway from her face, her dark hair was full and lively.
Ashnodded, thinking again of what theQueenhad told her about needing no one, about independence and the strength she had to be her own friend.
Theproblem was, she likedClairanniaandFiguerahfrom what she had seen of them.Shehad few female friends inHyrithia, always running around withPrincePhiliusandGeyrandinstead.Shewanted to connect with these women.Shehad met few people like her, channelers or conduits.Shewas curious about their lives, how their power had shown itself, and what line of conduit magic they planned to pursue.
Ash’sown magic had shown itself early.Afterher traumatic birth that left her mother dead and her father’s whereabouts unknown, theQueentook her into her castle as a playmate for thePrince.Shecould bear no other children and worried her infant son would grow up lonely.Ashloved to hear the story of herAwakeningand would beg forQueenRinato tell it before bed each night when she would sleep on the chaise in thePrince’srooms.
“Oncethere was a small girl, only as tall as a prickly shrub, but twice as fierce as one.”Shealways began the story the same way, but the details would change. “Andshe could do something very special.Shecould channel magic fromFelgrenForest.But, being barely able to walk, she wasn’t good at it yet.Oneday, the little babe was playing in theQueen’sgardens with her son.Herson was a handsome little fellow, just months ahead of her in age, but with a princely opinion of himself already.Thelittle girl was playing with her favorite toy—a little wooden figure in the shape of a lumen, howling up to the moon.Suddenly, thePrincesnatched the beast from her tiny, chubby fingers and ran away, laughing with his prize.”
“Andshe was angry!”Ashwould say in delight for where the story went next.
“Yes, child, she was angry.Asfurious and ferocious as theBlightressI’dsay, because in that moment, her little round cheeks grew red, and her little chubby fists tightened, and suddenly—”
“Fire!”ThePrincewould shout and giggle from his four poster bed near the hearth.
“Yes, darling, fire.TheQueen’sfavorite pear tree burst into flames, burning through the fruit and lush green leaves faster than anything that could naturally occur.Andit wasn’t until theQueensaw the little girl’s face that she understood the origins of the crime.TheQueenpicked her up and brought her into the castle kitchens where she sat her on a stool and told her—not for the last time—‘Angerthat rests in boys’ and girls’ hearts, will call theBlightressto their rooms in the dark’.”
Ashwould then pull her blanket higher up under her chin, thinking of theBlightressentering thePrince’sroom at night to punish her for her temper.
“Andso, the little girl, with much help, learned to control her magic so that it was a helpful thing in the castle.Shelearned to start fires in the hearths and helped to regrow the pear tree.Shebecame thePrince’sbest friend and playmate and theQueen’sfavorite little girl.”TheQueenwould then kiss the top of her head before going to thePrince’sbed to do the same.
“Whatconduit magic do you wield,Ash?”
Sheblinked out of her childhood memories, not aware that the girls had been speaking.
“I’mnot sure.I’venever been a very good channeler.AndIhave no desire to become a conduit.”
Clairanniachoked on her steaming tea andFiguerahsmiled faintly. “I’msure you just haven’t seen what your magic can do,” she stated warmly. “TheBaronswill help, you’ll see.”
Clairanniatipped her head to the side, eyes narrowing slightly. “Ifyou don’t want to be a conduit, then why were you brought here fromHyrithiaof all places?Somethingis amiss with your story.”
Ashlaughed at that.Amisswas one way to describe her predicament.ShestudiedClairannia’sfeatures across the table—straight, thick black hair, angular, deep-set eyes the color of freshly turned earth with dark lashes.Herlips were small and expressive across her face as she stared right back atAsh, seeming to study her as well.
“Maybeyou should just give this training a chance,” she started. “Afterall, it’s such a rare thing to be here.Ican name dozens of channelers back home who would give their left leg to be where we are now and—”
“AsIsaid,”Ashinterrupted what seemed to be a chiding speech forming, “Iam not blessed with strong magic, andIdon’t plan to be here long.TheBaroncan be wrong sometimes.Imet a channeler last night, working here as a servant.Shetold me she never made it through the trials, and so, she stayed on to help as she could.That’snot me.WhentheBaronsdiscover my uselessness,I’llleave and travel back to my home inHyrithiawith just a strange story to tell.”
“Oh,Ilove strange stories.”BaronRevich’svoice entered the dining room suddenly as he strode briskly to the front of the table.Itseemed he was always in a hurry.
“Pleasetell it,Ash, before we begin training.”Hegrabbed an apple from the bowl of fresh fruits in front of him, tossing it into the air and catching it with one hand before biting into the flesh as eagerly as a child eating sweets.Asobnoxiously, too.
Ashsneered and spoke, “Oncethere was a young woman, magic-less, powerless, yet independent of spirit who was stolen away to a magical forest at the pleasure of sadistic, powerful men, only for them to discover their mistake in taking her.Andshe was quickly sent back home never to be bothered again where she lived the rest of her days as she desired, alone and happy.Theend.”
Theirreactions to her story were worth anything she had endured here so far asClairanniaglanced around the room in shock,Figuerahcovered her mouth to stifle her laugh, and most pleasurable of all,BaronRevichbegan to choke on the fleshy bits of the apple he had so ferociously bitten into, beating his chest with his fist.
“My, my,Ash’Arah,Ican see that you live up to the reputation theQueenofHyrithiaforetold to me.”BaronHeimlen’srich voice encompassed the dining hall, reverberating off the vulgar amount of gold serving pieces on the table.
Ashjumped in her chair, having not heard or seen him come in while she addressedBaronRevich’snonchalance quickly and with that spiritBaronHeimlenhad been warned about.
Sheswiftly rose from her seat and met his gaze across the table, her fists wringing her silky verdant napkin.Shecleared her throat. “Iwas not aware you had discussed my reputation with theQueen.IsupposeIam unaccustomed to the formalities of a prisoner negotiation.”
Aringing clank echoed in the room asClairanniadropped her fork onto her plate, eyes the size of her tea saucer, mouth agape in disbelief.
