The Endonshan Chronicles Book 4: Magic

By Cy Bishop

Young Princess Tashan loves life in the palace with her parents, as well as sneaking out in disguise so she can play with her older cousin, Ari. Her biggest problem is trying to control her untamed magic use - or it was, until she stumbles into a plot against her family and is kidnapped. Staying disguised as a street kid, she struggles to find a way to escape with no one to help her but a grandmotherly elder and a pugnacious teen. Unfortunately, there's only so much they can do locked in an underground dungeon, especially when Tashan's magic is more likely to harm them than to do anything useful.

An unlikely ally arrives with a new possibility for escape; the only catch is that the plan hinges on Tashan's magic. If she can't come up with a way to control her magic use - fast - then she'll lose her parents forever.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cy Bishop
• Release date: Dec 15, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370875764

Cy Bishop

I enjoy life in the Pacific Northwest with my family and a constantly excited, thick-headed black lab. I obtained a degree in Counseling Psychology from Northwest University in Kirkland, WA, which I use to create fully dimensional characters with unique personalities and quirks. When not writing, I can usually be found reading, watching movies, or wasting entirely too much time on the internet.

Book preview

The Endonshan Chronicles Book 4

MAGIC

By Cy Bishop

Copyright 2017 Cy Bishop

Smashwords Edition

With special thanks to:

God, my patient family, Google,

and Jessica Dodson for the fantastic cover

Table of Contents

Start of book

Pronunciation Guide and Glossary

About the Author

334 years before The Division

Chapter 1

Ari

Ari pretended to be fixated on the snarls in her father’s net as she listened to the little footsteps sneaking up behind her. Hiding a smirk, she tilted her head and leaned closer as if scrutinizing a knot, waited for just the right moment, then spun and threw the net over the ‘prowler.’

Hey! Tashan protested and shoved at the elaborately knotted ropes. She pouted at her older cousin. How’d you know I was there?

Ari rolled her eyes. Just because all the palace guards are near deaf doesn’t mean everyone is, Tash. She pulled the net off and resumed her work. What are you doing out here?

I want to train.

You know your mam doesn’t want you out here. Or out of the palace at all, but especially not all the way here at the northern docks. The shallower fishing river, compared to the deep southern trade river, meant fewer people; expansive swamps north of the river meant fewer threats; and fewer people and fewer threats meant fewer guards. Great for Ari and her parents, not so great for keeping a curious young princess safe.

Tash shrugged and bounced up onto a dock post next to Ari, looking like she belonged there with her grubby ‘street wear’ clothes and a wide leather cuff on her wrist to hide the shimmering tattoo that marked her as royalty. I wouldn’t have to come all the way out here if you still lived in the palace.

Ari bit her tongue so fast, she nearly drew blood. She pretended to be focused on her work. The eight-year-old princess had never understood why her favorite playmate left the palace, and Ari wasn’t going to be the one to tell her. It never helped to speak ill of someone else’s parents, and besides, Ari was more than happy to pretend none of it had ever happened. Tash didn’t always make that easy.

Tash looked down at the steady river beneath them as it flowed west around the city of Innsbrooke, where it ultimately poured into a lake surrounding the aforementioned palace’s island. I’m sorry. I know you don’t like it when I ask about that.

Ari shook her head. You really should go back. I don’t want you to get in trouble. Or for Queen Savini to find out Tash was still visiting. The queen had insisted from the beginning that Ari, being so much older, was a poor influence. That opinion had only gotten worse as Ari progressed further into her teenage years. If only she knew it was more often the other way around.

I won’t. They won’t notice I’m missing until dinner. That gives us lots of time for training. Tash scooted closer to the edge of the post, waiting expectantly.

I’m not good at your type of training. Neither are you, for that matter. Ari tugged another snarl free.

That’s why we need practice.

Ari rolled her eyes again. Tash, she said in her best chiding tone.

Tash hopped down and tugged at Ari’s long sleeve. Come on, Ri-Ri, she said, over-emphasizing the flip on the r’s. Please?

Ari prodded the last knot. She shouldn’t agree. Tash would get in trouble if they were caught, and Ari would get into even more trouble. And their ‘training’ never went well.

But her cousin was right that they needed the practice. The magic tutor that came once a week to help train the kids in the swampy area had been displeased with Ari’s consistent lack of improvement. He kept saying that she had so much energy, it shouldn’t be hard for her. He told the others in the class that she was an example of what sort of bad magic use happens when people don’t bother trying to control it. Ari’s fingers tightened on the knot at the memory of her humiliation, accidentally yanking it tighter.

There are lots of people in the streets today, Tash tried again. And I know a warehouse that’s empty.

Ari set the net down and eyed her cousin. Lots? More people meant less chances the guards would notice the two of them in the crowd. Especially since Ari hadn’t reached her ‘growing point,’ as her mam called it, and was barely half a head taller than the much younger princess.

Lots and lots. Tash’s monolid eyes gleamed with excitement. We’ll blend right in. No one will notice us.

Ari stayed quiet a moment longer as if thinking, but she and Tash both already knew what her answer would be. Fine, we’ll train.

Tash squealed and jumped up and down, clapping her hands. Let’s go! She was already halfway down the dock toward the bridge into the city by the time Ari got to her feet.

Ari followed her cousin into the city, both of them first hiding amongst groups of people crossing the bridge and then sliding through alleys and behind crates to avoid being seen. She finally caught up when Tash stopped a few blocks from the south docks.

Tash grinned and pointed to a dilapidated warehouse. Isn’t it great?

Ari frowned at it. We’re going to burn the whole thing down.

No, we won’t. Tash elbowed her cousin. Because we’re going to make sure our fire doesn’t get too big. We didn’t set anything on fire last time, remember?

No, they’d nearly been spotted by guards instead. Ari peered for any signs of patrol, but there were no signs of people around at all. Most of the workers must be down at the docks, not unusual for this time of day.

Besides, Tash continued, this warehouse is supposed to be torn down soon, anyway. I heard the guards talking about it. That’s why I chose this one.

That doesn’t make things much better, Ari muttered.

Tash pulled her toward the warehouse, but Ari resisted, taking another look. She had to be sure there weren’t any guards around. The warehouse stood near the ledge of the wall that bordered the walkway down to the docks. A cautious peek proved that most of the activity was at the far end of the docks. There was hardly anybody walking near the sparkling waters far beneath them.

Tash sighed impatiently. You’re so paranoid.

You want to get in trouble?

We won’t. Now come on!

Easy for the princess to say. She might get sent to bed with no dessert, or get a nanny parked on top of her until she found a way to evade yet another babysitter. But Ari knew what it meant to be in trouble with the queen as someone outside her favor. It was still too recent that her family had been locked up—sequestered, as the queen put it—in seclusion in the palace. It was only Tashan’s determination to keep sneaking in to play with Ari that earned them their freedom in the form of banishment to the northern swamps. The best thing that happened to them—Ari would rather live in the swamps for the rest of her life than set foot in the palace again.

The warehouse was, as Tash promised, empty. No crates to set on fire, no piles of straw to singe. Even the rafters were lofted high above them. Ari studied the space, trying to compare it to the size of fireballs she’d seen her cousin set off. Or the ones she’d accidentally set off herself. She cringed internally and clamped down her focus. She wouldn’t let it get away from her this time. She wouldn’t.

Making fire is the first step to real magic, Tash recited, taking on the airs of a tutor. It’s the easiest to master, and once you master it, you can master any of the other types of magic.

Easiest to master, pfft. Ari shook her head.

The key is control, Tash continued, reciting the words they’d both heard over and over. You—

Do you really have to go through the speech every time?

Tash frowned at her. Control is the part we both have trouble with, so listen up.

Ari hid a laugh at how much her little cousin looked like the tutor with her pinched expression.

As I was saying, Tash said loudly before going back into her speech, you have to release enough energy to create the flame, but only that much. If you release too much energy, you’ll have too much fire. So keep the rest of your energy under control. If you can’t control it, you can’t do magic.

Ari cringed with each sentence. That was the part she couldn’t do, no matter how hard she tried. Are you sure this is enough space?

Tash laughed. Come on, Ri-Ri, don’t be a scaredy-braybun. She turned to the wide space ahead of them and held her hands out. I’ll go first.

In the space of an eyeblink, a massive fireball exploded in the center of the room. Searing heat sent both girls tumbling backwards into the wall. The fire swirled and vanished.

Ari coughed, covering her nose and mouth with her sleeve, but the heat was already fading to nothing. Tash?

Ouch. The younger girl rubbed at the back of her head where she’d hit the wall.

Ari kept her eyes down for a minute. That was bigger than last time.

I tried to make it smaller, Tash protested. I tried to use control.

At least nothing caught fire. Ari glanced over some scorch marks on the rafters indicating how close they’d come. We should leave.

No! I can do it, honest. Tash scrambled back to her feet.

Tash— She reached for her cousin’s arm.

The fire reappeared, smaller this time but still way too big. Ari threw an arm in front of her face against the blaze.

Ri-Ri! Tash shrieked.

Ari lowered her arm to see the singed rafters now ablaze. Panic shot through her. No! No, no, no! Put it out!

Tash screwed her face up and held her hands out toward the fire. It was just a matter of drawing back energy to put a fire out, the tutor said. Just a matter of control…

Come on! Ari shouted.

I’m trying! Tash clenched her teeth and eyes shut, hands shaking with effort. Help me!

A lance of terror shot through Ari. She would only make things worse. She tried to control it, tried to keep her energy back, but it always burst out too much, even worse than Tash’s.

Help! Tash cried again.

Ari clenched her fists and focused on the fire. She tried to keep her energy under tight control, to hold it firmly so it wouldn’t feed the flames. She had to draw energy back, not let it out. Draw energy back… Draw it back… She inwardly strained, struggled against the energy that wanted to come out.

Nothing was happening. The flames reached the roof. A chunk of burning wood broke free and crashed to the ground.

Ari grabbed Tash. Go! She dragged her cousin out of the building.

Outside, Tash broke free. We have to put it out!

Voices shouted; people down at the docks had spotted the fire above. We have to go! Someone else will put it out!

No, this was our fault, and we have to fix it! Tash screwed up her face again, hands extended toward the flames. They grew.

Stop it! Ari cried. You’re making it worse!

Then help me!

Ari spun to the building, focusing in a panic.

The entire roof exploded with flame.

She screamed, stumbling backwards just as a massive column of water rose up from the river and crashed over the roof.

Tash grabbed her hand and pulled her down one side street after another, finally ducking them both behind crates as the voices and pounding footsteps faded in the distance. The younger girl panted. I don’t think anyone saw us.

Saw us? How about the part where we almost burned down an entire building? Ari clung to her sides, shame and inward anger tearing her up. She’d tried to help and made it worse. As always. She pulled her knees to her chest and buried her face, closing her eyes against the coming tears.

It’s okay, Tash soothed, lightly stroking Ari’s wild red curls. "It’s all right now. One of the people had magic and made water come from the river to put the fire out.