The Mage of Earth was a Dhon. Master Daeli wasn't at all like Lord Keltyr. Granted, I'd only known him a few minutes and none of those minutes had involved either of us speaking, but he gave a very serious impression. Even physically, he differed greatly from the muscular, bold warrior who had tried to bed me. Master Daeli had similar curls to his horns, but they were brown instead of black and matched his severe stare. He was slender, fair-skinned, and wore his blond hair cropped short. Everything about him screamed no-nonsense.
On the couch beside Master Daeli, sat Master Resar, the Mage of Fire. Despite his scholarly pursuits, Master Resar was as broad-shouldered and muscular as any Wraith Lord, leading me to believe that all Tytra men were naturally so. Green scales at his temples told me he was from the Green Clan. I did not wonder about the size of his dragon or his dick. All right, I did, but only for a moment. Because Master Bri'tar's wings were too fascinating to be ignored.
There were many Makhan Wraith Lords, so I didn't gape at the cream-colored wings, speckled with brown, that rose from Master Bri'tar's shoulders. Still, my eyes were drawn to them again and again. They were just so beautiful. Like the wings of an owl but enormous. The Mage of Air had to sit on a chair with a narrow back, made specially for Makhans. His wings folded back around the chair, the tips of their long feathers bent by the floor. He smiled at me knowingly.
But it was Mistress Lectia, the Mage of all Elements, who ruled the room. She sat in an armchair large enough for a Wraith Lord but somehow wasn't dwarfed by it, even with her slender Varraen body. Her pale gray hair would have matched her eyes if it didn't darken to pink at the tips. The mass of it hung over her shoulders to pool in her lap, over a pair of elegant hands folded primly, the pastel color bright against her dark skin.
“Ember, it is an honor to meet you,” Mistress Lectia said.
“I'm sure the honor is all mine, Mistress Lectia,” I said. “Thank you all for coming here to teach me.”
“We are excited to work with you,” Mistress Arcasa's voice was surprisingly clear, her water mask parting for her to speak. “The Emperor has shared the Goddess's words with us, and your mentor here, Lord Ratharin, has told us of the feats of magic he has witnessed.”
“If your hold on the elements is already strong, you have the potential to reach master status,” Master Resar said, then glanced at Lectia. “Maybe even Master of all Elements.”
“I don't know about that,” I said.
“Then we must work on your confidence as well,” Mistress Lectia said sternly. “It is good to be humble, Ember. But a mage must be able to trust in his or her abilities. And I do think you will reach Master status if you apply yourself.”
“You do?”
“The Goddess has foretold your greatness.”
“So, no pressure.”
Master Resar burst out laughing. The others weren't so effusive, but they did smile, even Mistress Lectia.
“Yes, there is a heavy weight upon your shoulders, Ember,” Mistress Lectia said. “But we will help you grow strong enough to bear it.”
“So, what's first?” I asked.
“I am,” Master Daeli said and stood up. “Earth will form a support for the other magics. Your training begins now, Ember.”
Chapter Twelve
Master Daeli took Rath and me beyond the walls of Wraith Citadel. Tail curled upward so it wouldn't drag, he strode across the bridge that united the natural pillar of stone the citadel perched upon with a cliff that descended to a dense forest. As we crossed the drawbridge, I glanced over the side. Then I wished I hadn't. The drop was too long to see the end of. It was just hundreds of feet of sheer rock, then mist that told me there was probably water below. Maybe that's where the citadel got its fresh water. I kicked a pebble over the edge and watched it fall as my stomach clenched.
“Will I be able to become a wraith?” I asked the mage.
“I don't know,” he said gruffly and kept walking. “That is up to the Goddess.”
I glanced at Rath, and he winked at me. It was just what I needed. I happily followed my first mage teacher down the cliff to the forest. With it being so early in the day, the sun wasn't scorching, but it was still a relief to step beneath the canopy. I breathed in deeply of eucalyptus and pine, the scent clearing my head. It was cooler there than it had been in Fress so I assumed we were somewhere up north. There were also plants I'd never seen before, including flowering vines that hung from the trees. It was lovely, and I was enjoying myself, eager to begin.
Then I heard a howl.
I stopped walking. “What was that?”
Rath laid a hand on my shoulder. “One of our people.”
“One of the Ladrin Wraith Lords?”
“Yes. They need to release their beasts. Don't worry. They're still in control when in their other forms. They won't attack you.”
“That sounded like a wolf.”
“Yes, I believe so.”
“Are they really wolves, though?” I started walking again, picking up the pace to catch up with Master Daeli, who hadn't stopped for us. Maybe he hadn't noticed our lagging behind.
