“You havenoidea what kind of being I am,” Rakel said. “I have a heart of ice.”
“No you don’t. You’re the girl who’s kind enough to save a village because of two kids and noble enough to free her brother when she should be the queen.”
“I AM NOT NOBLE!” Rakel shouted. What grip she had left on her control slipped, and giant spikes of ice shot out of the ground. She shattered them, steeling herself for the familiar looks of fright.
“No, you’re afraid,” Phile said. She shook her head and walked back towards the camp. “And untilyouaccept that you are nothing to be feared, you won’t win this war.”
Rakel was sitting alonein her simple, nearly empty room. She was perched on a stool positioned close to the fire in the fireplace, not because she wanted the warmth, but because the light it shed was comforting.
Her half-argument with Phile drifted through her mind.She is wrong. Magic is not a gift—she only says so because she isn’t cursed with it.
There was a heavy knock at the door.
Rakel stood. “Yes?”
“Princess,” Oskar said, peeking inside with his usual, generous smile. “If we could have a moment of your time.”
“We?” she asked.
Oskar stepped aside, unmasking Captain Halvor’s shorter, wiry frame.
“Come in.” She waited until they were inside and the door was shut, then seated herself on the stool again. “Please, sit.”
Captain Halvor leaned against a wall, but Oskar took the invitation and eased himself onto an unstable chair placed near Rakel’s stool. “We have come to speak to you, Princess, so Captain Halvor can live up to his word.”
Rakel blinked. “I beg your pardon?”
“I said I would tell you what I know of magic.” The captain rubbed his chin, scratching his stubble.
“Ah, yes. You mentioned the Chosen could track me through my magic,” Rakel said, recalling his words from their flight.
Captain Halvor nodded. His elbows were pinned to his sides, and his shoulders were unnaturally stiff. “It’s possible. Many magic users can sense when someone else is wielding power in their vicinity.”
Rakel frowned. “I don’t recall having ever detected such a thing, even when I was taking care of the Chosen weather-magic user. I know he was using magic because I could see it, and I could sense the tweak in the weather patterns as I do something similar with my magic.”
“It’s not unsurprising,” Captain Halvor said, picking his words carefully, “given your power.”
“I’m afraid I don’t understand.”
Captain Halvor rubbed the back of his neck, and Oskar smoothly stepped in. “What Halvor is trying to say is that it’s not a surprise you can’t feel the magic of others. Someone like that weather user has a pond of magic compared to your lake. With that much power at your disposal, it’s unlikely you would even pick up the feeling of weaker magic users. Correct?”
Captain Halvor nodded. “The more innocuous magics are nearly impossible to notice—things like animal taming or cloaking oneself. Big, flashy types of magic that more directly affect the natural world—like yours—are shining beacons when they’re being used.”
“In other words, I would do well to avoid using my magic near the Chosen unless I am launching an attack.” Rakel knitted her fingers together as she pondered the concept.
“Yes,” Captain Halvor said.
“I see. Is there anything else I should know?”
“I apologize, Princess; I know very little. I only happened to hear of such things as magic tracking and the usage requirement through pieces of information my scouts learned,” Captain Halvor said.
“Usage requirement?” Rakel asked.
“Yes, the limit put upon your magic, or the price you pay for it,” Captain Halvor said.
“Price?” she asked, feeling ill-informed when both Oskar and Captain Halvor stared at her.
“Princess,” Oskar started. “Have you never paid for using your magic, or found a limit?”
