“To call on him, you must place a circle of stones in the forest with an offering inside. Whatever you think may strike his fancy. It’s merely a payment for his appearance. But he will only come if he is interested in bargaining, Tarn. I must warn you. Whatever deal you make, it will carry a heavy cost, and not for him.”
“I have no intention of making a deal.” Tarn turned away for the stairs. “Don’t leave the ship.”
Dyna leaned on the railing as she watched him cross the deck. She didn’t bother telling him that the Druid was a seer. Whatever Tarn had planned, she doubted Leoake would show up, but that didn’t matter.
Because her real intention was to get himoffthe ship.
Tarn glanced at his Magi Master as he stopped by the hatch, and she bowed her head. Then Lumina’s soft brown eyes locked on Dyna.
Ah, left behind to watch her.How grand.
He climbed down the gangway with his men, and they went on their way.
Lumina chanted something in Elvish, and a swarm of pink magic flared outward, falling over the ship like a rippling dome. Dyna stiffened at the static of magic against her skin. The ship became invisible as the rest of the world outside of it became dull in color.
They were in a veil.
Her breathing sharpened as she was reminded of her time in captivity. Closing her eyes, She took several deep breaths until her hands stopped shaking. A passing thought reminded Dyna she already knew how to remove the veil if needed. She shouldn’t have put it past Tarn to place precautions.
Dyna held Lumina’s gaze as they measured each other silently. A Magi Master. And a skilled one to cast a veil on her own. Well, elves had no limit to how much Essence they could use. Nevertheless, Dyna saw her for what she was.
A replacement for the mages that used to serve Tarn.
Dyna smiled to appear friendly, even if she had almost killed her. “If you don’t mind my asking, are you from Greenwood or Red Highland?”
Lumina hesitated before saying in her sweet voice, “I am from here. My parents defected several years before I was born.”
She conveniently left out which kingdom, but Dyna could guess from the color of her features that Lumina was a red elf.
“I see.” She climbed down the steps. “And how did you come to serve Tarn? Or do you owe him a life-debt?”
Lumina linked her fingers together. “No … I–I work for pay, or well, I work to …” She looked away, clutching her arm to herself.
“To keep him from hurting your family?” Dyna guessed.
“They are Magi Masters who teach in Dwarf Shoe. He wanted my father to serve him, but they are old and near the end of their lifespan. Therefore, I volunteered.”
Interesting. Dyna canted her head, wondering how old Lumina truly was. Likely older than she looked to have cast such spells. “What kind of magic do you specialize in?”
“I know healing and combat magic. Tarn said if I serve him loyally on this voyage, he will release me from my service by the end of the year.” Lumina smiled at her meekly. “I’m not mistreated, and Sai keeps watch over me. My only position here is to provide magic when it’s needed.”
But Dyna couldn’t help but question why. Tarn didn’t like weakness, and Lumina was soft. It had to be something more about her magic that enticed him, something worth hiringherinstead of a mage.
“Like with the recruitment?” Dyna asked.
“Oh, no. I cast cloaking spells and tend to the wounded. Sai oversees recruitments. Tarn only had me step in to test your magic.” Lumina frowned at her thoughtfully. “But you have none. I was told you are a great healer who would be able to assist me with my current patient, yet I don’t see how.”
Dyna smiled at her tightly so she wouldn’t grimace at the blatant statement of her lack of Essence. “What patient?”
Lumina led her to her cabin, which was a makeshift apothecary and healer’s bay. The distinct smell of several herbs tickled Dyna’s nose. She studied the organized glass jars on the wall, spotting the dark purple leaves used for Witch’s Brew.
Someone was lying in one of the beds.
“Len…” Dyna murmured in surprise as she drew closer. The Versai native appeared to sleep; her black hair splayed on the pillow around her face. But there were no other injuries. The once vicious spy looked thin and frail, the X scar on her cheek more pronounced on her pallid complexion. “What happened to her?”
Lumina went to her desk to stir the elixir burbling in a small pot hovering above a candle. The white shards on her wrist tinkled lightly with her movements. “She is the only survivor from a mission dispatched to Beryl Coast in the early winter. But they were ambushed, and her entire team was slain.”
Dyna’s breath caught. “Including Novo?”
