The Hidden Power: The Hidden World Trilogy, #3

By Maya King

Anna Marin was just a baker who was never meant to be part of the magical world, but now she must train with a secretive group of women wizards to gain the strength to fix her past mistakes.  Her first goal is to rescue her love Jabin Aster from the clutches of the ruthless Caria family. 

However, when Prince  Grian is held hostage by the Carias, their plans are uncovered.   The powerful family of wizards is intent on starting a magical war in order to take over neighboring countries, and Anna's home is their first target. 

In this final book of the trilogy, Anna must band together with the magical community to stop the Caria family and avert a war that could wipe out magicians altogether.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Maya King
• Release date: Jan 31, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386339069

Maya King

Maya King loves light and fun fantasy stories with strong romantic elements. She is a full-time writer who lives in the desert and daydreams of dragons and wizards in her spare time. To be notified of future releases from Maya, you can sign up to the newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/bXHz3v

Book preview

Chapter 1

A nna Marin, wake up !  I'm not going to ask you again!

Anna flew up from her bed and rubbed at her tired eyes.  She moved without her brain ever waking, working to remove her night clothes and put on a fresh dress in the darkness of early morning.  It was the same actions she had gone through every morning of her adult life, and though she had gotten away from it for a few weeks in Seamire, her father had pounded the habit right back into her mind right away.  One month back in the bakery had passed by in a sickeningly slow crawl, as if God above was punishing her for betraying her parents as well.  For the entire span of time, Anna had known little happiness save for being with her parents again, and even then, her father did his best to ensure her unhappiness.

Anna? his voice boomed again, a second warning that he had promised he wouldn't give.

I'm up, she said in a tired voice.  Once dressed, she went to the door and opened it, presenting herself.  Only the look of worry on Bill's face kept her from being angry at him.  She knew that she had put him and her mother through a lot, and he wasn't doing this out of pure spite.  However, he was making life quite hard on the family with his overbearing ways.  Anna had thought that he would ease up on the rules once a few weeks passed, but he still hadn't.

Get downstairs, he ordered.  I started up the fire, but you need to get the morning rolls in the ovens and get started on the tea cakes.

Anna had the same orders every single morning, but she didn't joke with her father about his redundant directions.  She simply nodded and did as he asked without another word.

The baking room was warm from the ovens, and in the growing heat of summer, Anna knew it was only going to get more miserable as the day went on.  She kept her head down and focused on getting as much work done before the sun came up much more.  She fit every tray of breakfast rolls into the warmth of the oven before she hefted the great lump of dough that had been set out for proofing out of its bowl.  She spread it on the clean table and began kneading it mechanically, focusing only on the push and pull of dough between her hands.  There was nothing else for her to think about as a prisoner in her home.

Anna pushed back that blast of anger before it grew.  She had already spent far too many days of anger, stress, and tears, fighting against her father for the right to leave again.  She had readied her bags a dozen times, ready to leave it all behind, but she still hadn't taken that step.  She pounded harder at the dough until her father's voice startled her out of her dreams.

That's no way to handle tea cakes, he scoffed.  He pushed her away and began to do it himself, more gently this time, folding layers of butter and dough to form the airy crust of the cakes.  Go scrub down the tables if you have something you need working out.

Anna went to the corner of the baking room and took the brush and bucket from the corner cabinet.  She filled the bucket with water and began rubbing the soaped brush into the clean surface of the table.

Anna, her father said in a dark tone.  Can you please stop that?

Anna lifted the brush from the table and turned to frown at her father.  Stop what?  You told me to do this.

Bill's lips worked around silent words for a moment before a frown set in.  You're moping.

I'm cleaning, Anna said with a snarl.  She regret the tone, as it gave Bill reason to react with similar vitriol.

You're moping while you do it, and I'm sick of seeing it.

Anna threw the brush onto the floor and watched it skid across the room before she looked up at her father.  Do I have to tell you again, father? she shouted.  The man I love is being held captive by the damned royal family of Seamire!  I don't know if I'll ever see him again, and you won't even let me try to help him or his family.  Is that not good enough reason to mope?

Bill's shoulders were stiff, and he took a deep, calming breath before he continued.  Anna, you're young.  When I was your age, I had met no less than three loves of my life.  Do you know where they are now?  Your guess is as good as mine.  This boy was misguided and flighty.  He betrayed all of our trust, and he got what he deserved from it.  His family is very capable, I'm sure, and they'll save him.  But even if they do, you will never see him again.

Anna could hear her mother's footsteps rushing down the stairs.  She would attempt to break up yet another fight between father and daughter.  Anna was going to try to get as much fighting in as possible, though.  And what if I leave?  You can't stop me from breaking down the door and walking out of here, father.

She had never used that thread before, though she knew her father had thought of the possibility.  His face twitched with anger.

If you do that, you'll never be welcome here again.  We'll take your name and forget we ever knew you.

Maybe that's what I want, Anna shouted.

The look of pain that flashed across her father's face was the only water that could smother Anna's fiery anger.  She looked away from him to hide the tears that were suddenly forming in her eyes.  She rushed over to grab the scrubbing brush off the floor and dunk it back into the bucket of water.

When Genevia finally got down to the bakery, she was met with frozen silence.  Anna couldn't look at either of her parents.  She had lashed out yet again, and it had gotten her nowhere.

Anna? Genevia's careful voice called out, like Anna was a dangerous animal that might bite once again.

I'm fine, Anna said.

She heard her father's heavy footsteps behind her, and she tensed up fearing that he was approaching her.  However, he walked out of the baking room, leaving his half-prepared dough on the table.  It was getting warm, and the cold butter was going to melt and ruin the dough if they didn't get it cooking fast, so Anna washed up her hands and dried them thoroughly to finish them before it happened.  Genevia lingered for a moment in the entrance before deciding to chase after Bill.  Anna breathed a sigh of relief to have a few moments to herself to calm down.  She focused on cutting the large sheet of dough into palm-sized squares to be filled with jams and pastes.

Anna worked in silence like that for another hour.  She got the morning rolls out of the oven when the tops were golden brown and then got the tea cakes in after them.  The only morning prep left to do was get the shop opened, but Anna wasn't sure she was up for that.  Her father's booming voice from the front ordered her otherwise, though, and so she removed her apron and scrubbed all the remaining bits of flour from between her fingers before going into the main shop.

Anna spared a glance towards Bill.  He was dusting off the counter and the glass display.  Genevia pretended to work on wiping the windows, but Anna could see her eyes on them.  Bill pointed towards the broom, barely looking up at Anna at all.  She got it without a word and opened the front door to the shop.  Though she had swept the place down the previous night, her father always insisted on it being spotless.  If even a few specks of flour had settled on the floor, he wanted it out of his bakery.  Anna lost herself in the rhythmic sweeping of dust from the back corner all the way to the door.

A sigh from her mother was the only thing to break her out of her blank thoughtlessness.  She looked up, and the sadness on Genevia's face gave her pause.

You two, her mother said.  You really need to stop this.

Genevia was met with silence.  Anna refocused her efforts on sweeping, though it wasn't in the blissfully dull way.  She was scraping at the floor with an uncomfortable tension to her body.  There was no relaxation in her anymore.

It's not me who needs to stop, Bill finally said, speaking in an angry mumble.  Both women looked up at him with a disapproving frown.

You two, Genevia said again, trying to keep herself calm.  Up to this point, she hadn't let her anger get the better of her.  She had been worried and disappointed when Anna had returned home after weeks away, but she had never gotten angry.  That was left to Bill.  However, as more weeks stretched on with Anna back home, she was beginning to lose all her patience with them.  You keep doing this dance.  Moving around in circles, flourishing your feathers, but never really getting to the heart of it.  We cannot live like this for much longer.  We need to figure something out.

Genevia, the shop is about to open, Bill said.  Now's not the time.

It will never be the time, will it? she asked.  Anna was surprised by how sharp her tone had gotten.  You would be fine with living like this for the rest of your days.  Well, I'm sorry, but I'm not content with this way of life.

I'm not either.  I have a daughter who doesn't respect me.  You know, the butcher's daughter got married off to a boy in Castellan.  He sent her away like she was one of his sides of beef.  I could do that to you, Anna, but I don't.

Anna, we would never- Genevia said.

Because we love you, Bill said.

Anna stood there.  She had known Sasha, and she had seen the way she had looked at the milk delivery boy every day that he passed by.  She couldn't imagine what Sasha was feeling now.  She looked up at her father for the first time in days, really looking into his eyes.

You didn't need me reminding you of that, did you? he asked.  He looked somewhat guilty as he spoke.

Of course not, Anna said.  I know that you love me.  But you can't protect me forever, Father.

I understand that, Bill said, though he didn't look happy about it.  But I will protect you when your head's not right.  If I were to let you follow your heart right now, what would you do?  You don't even need to answer that.  You would go straight to Seamire right now, right?

Anna gave the question thought.  Her father had never even entertained the idea, and so she was afraid to even speak.

I would go to Master Renli first, Anna said.  I would find him or Rafa or Sandia.  Then I would go with them to Seamire.

What help would you be there? Bill asked.  Can you perform magic?

I can, Anna said.

Against those royal bastards?

They're quite strong, Anna said.  She cursed herself.  If only she had been able to train for the past month that she had been home.  However, she had been too frightened to even reach out into the hidden world.  She couldn't shake the fear that perhaps they were still out looking for her.

Then the best thing for you to do is to stay here.

Father, Anna said.  She held so tightly onto the wooden broom handle that it hurt her palms.  If I stay here, this is never going to get better.  I'm always going to be looking to that door.  I'm never going to be normal and happy again.  I can't be your prisoner forever.

Then what would you have me do? Bill asked.  His spirit sank as he leaned forward on the counter.  His eyes went to the floor.

Anna opened her mouth, but the answers did not come forth.  She leaned on the broom and considered it.  Renli and his children were most certainly already in Seamire now.  If they weren't, then they were helping to recruit magicians for the possible war that was coming.  She didn't know the first place to go, even if she wanted to simply find a place to train.  She didn't know where the Maidens were now.  Only Noori - though she was currently taking residence in the castle dungeons, for her own safety, as Anna had been assured.

Anna, Bill said when no answers came.  I know how you feel.  Did I ever tell you about the time just after I met your mother?  I couldn't settle in Langster just yet.  I still had a few jobs left to do.  And so, I departed to do them.  I went as far as the southern continent, to the cape and then back up to Lion's Cove where my base of operations had been at the time.  I got a letter there from your mother.  Do you know what it said?

Anna took a few steps back to lean against the wall.  She had never heard this particular story about her mother and father.  She shook her head.

Some local lord from up north had asked for her hand in marriage.  Her parents were strongly advising her to take that offer and live a comfortable life of living off tax money and wearing fancy dresses and going to the king's birthday ball every year.  But in that letter, she had written that she was waiting for me.  If I could return within three months, then I could have her hand in marriage.  Past that, she wasn't sure she could keep her parents from sending her off.

Genevia had a sad smile on her face as she remembered that time.  Anna knew the outcome of the story, of course, but she couldn't help but feel an acute worry.  So what happened?

Well, that's not important, Bill said, coming to a sudden realization that Anna couldn't understand yet.  Just know that I felt as stuck as you do.  I had a job to do, and my love was miles and miles away.  But it all worked out.

Did you finish your job, father? Anna asked in a pointed tone.

Genevia was so overcome with happiness at the memories that she burst out with the answer.  Of course not.  He left it all behind and came after me.  He was back in Langster within two weeks, and he asked for my parents' permission to marry me.  They could see how much I loved him, and he came forward with a plan for starting his own business here, and they were so impressed with him that they let me marry him instead of that lord.

Bill muttered under his breath as he stood straight again.  He pretended to wipe down the counter again, though he had just finished with doing it.

That's not the kind of message I was trying to send, he said.

Anna's spirits were lifted.  You went after your love, father.

He didn't look up at her.  Yes.

So then?

Bill turned away to cut off the conversation completely.  Anna looked to Genevia, who could only offer up a sad smile and a shrug.  Anna returned to her sweeping while she thought through what she could possibly do.

Excuse me, miss?  Is this shop open?

Anna looked up to the customer with a welcoming smile, though she was surprised to see a royal guard uniform in front of her.

Yes, sir, she said, stepping away from the door.  Please come in.

The man stepped through the door and looked around the shop.  I have an order from Prince Grian, he said finally, handing a long, thin piece of paper across the counter to Bill.  Anna's heart leapt.

Chapter 2

One cream cake to be delivered to Prince Grian's private parlor by Miss Anna Marin and Royal Guard Sezar Dunn.

For the first time since she had arrived back in Langster, Anna's spirit was soaring.  She walked with a boxed cream cake, taking each step with purpose and excitement.  She had nearly forgotten what it was like to be filled with such hope.  There had to be an important reason for Grian to call on her like this, and she couldn't wait to find out what it was.

Sezar was a kind enough man, but he wasn't very forthcoming with information about why Grian had called her. He was a man of about thirty years with chestnut hair and an easy smile, but if he knew anything about Grian's intentions, he wasn't going to let it spill through his lips.  He walked just behind her and to the left, and his gait was strong and determined.  Each time Anna glanced back at him, she got the idea that he enjoyed the attention from the crowd, and that perhaps he didn't receive such many interested looks as a royal guardsman trapped in the castle.  Anna did her best to slow her steps so that he could enjoy the moment for as long as possible, but she couldn't help but want to rush to Grian and find out what all this was about.

Though the crowded street usually only annoyed her, Anna was glad to day for the castle to be so close to the bakery.  They were through the thick castle gates within only fifteen minutes of leaving the bakery, and so the cream cake hadn't even gotten a chance to melt in the growing summer heat.

Do you know, just a month ago it was snowing in Seamire.  At this time of year, Anna said to Sezar when she noticed him wiping his brow.

Really?  What a hellish place to live.  I wouldn’t want to live without knowing the relief of a cool sea breeze on a blistering day.

I wonder if they have hot days there, Anna mused.  She didn't have time to think about it for much longer before she was being swept up the familiar stairs into Grian's tower.

Thank you for your escort, Sezar, she said at the door.  The guard opened it for Anna and gave her another warm smile.

If you need me, I'll be standing right there.  Though I don't suppose you have anything to worry about.  This time.

He looked quite sheepish as he spoke the words, and Anna couldn't help but wonder if he had been one of the guards shooting at her when she had fled the castle with Jabin.  She didn't have time to ask though, as a smooth voice beckoned her from inside the parlor.

Anna Marin, Prince Grian said​.  Though her heart belonged to another, like most women, Anna couldn't help but be flustered in Grian's presence.  His blond hair was longer than when she had last seen him, and it sat in a golden cloud atop his head.  Her first instinct was to reach out and touch the loose waves, but luckily her hands were full.  Please come in.

Anna stepped through the threshold and set the cake down on the same parlor table where the last cake she had delivered here had also sat.  She glanced to the couch on the right where she had first seen Jabin, veiled in black with a grumpy expression.  He wasn't there now.  She looked away.

Have a seat, Grian said, gesturing towards the table.  Anna did as he said, though her spirit was beginning to sink.  For the first time since Rafa and Noori had left with Master Renli, she was going to have to face the truth of the situation with someone else.  There were no mindless chores to distract her here.

Prince Grian poured both of them cups of steaming tea and sliced the cake, looking like he had no cares in the world.  Anna wanted to know why she had been asked to come here, but she waited patiently while the future ruler of her country went through the motions of sharing tea and cake.  He took a seat then, crossing one leg over the other and leaning his elbow on the table.  Her father wouldn't have allowed such a slack position if guests were over at their apartment, but she didn't mind it from the prince.

Anna, I want you to first and foremost know that I am very sorry to hear about Jabin's capture.

The prince giving words to the reality of it made Anna's stomach contract.  She recited a recipe for brown butter biscuits in her mind over and over again to calm her emotions.  It was a technique Bill had taught her from his time bartering and gambling with other seafarers.  She didn't want to break down in front of the prince, after all.

Thank you, your highness, she said.  Her voice shook only slightly.  Have you heard anything from him?

Grian gave only a tight smile.  No, not from Jabin.  We'll have to discuss that.  First of all, I'd like to know how you've been holding up.

Anna wanted to continue badgering him about what he may have heard, if not from Jabin then the royal family, but she didn't want to seem rude when he had invited her into the castle.  It's been difficult, she said.  I can barely focus on my normal life again.

I must say - and I know it's not my place, but I'm still going to say it - what you and Jabin did was reckless.  When I got the news from Jabin's father that the two of you snuck off to Seamire without his or your parents' permission, I couldn't sleep.  I had never felt such stress before.  I was the one who handed over the travel documents to Jabin for you and him and Renli.  If you had died there...

The prince's face was distraught with real fear for that possible outcome.  Anna's heart caught in her chest.  She hadn't begun to think about how her actions would affect the prince.  I'm sorry, Anna said.  Though it hurt, she had to look him in the eyes as she spoke.  I really was reckless.  When I left Langster that night with Jabin, I thought that I was invincible.  I knew magic, and nothing was going to be able to stop me.  I was going to get stronger, even.  That's what I thought, at least.

Anna, Grian said with the pain of knowing.

I know, she answered.  "We had just defeated Noori.  I