Tilda and the Bones of Kradlock: The Chronicles of Issraya, #3

By Katherine Hetzel

In Book 3 of the Chronicles of Issraya, Tilda and the other mages of Ring Isle have a problem that could threaten their very existence. For the first time in their history, the powermages have in their possession silviron that's been tainted with dark power, perilous to keep on Ring Isle or to exist anywhere in the world where someone could encounter it. 

 

The mages decide to put the tainted silviron in a small metal box and drop it into the turbulent waters of the Merjan Straits, which lie at the point where the inner and outer seas meet. Since Tilda was the one to find the silviron that restored their power, she's selected to dispose of the tainted silviron. Since Kamen, the aging Mage of Kradlock, has to cross the Merjan Straits to return home, Tilda accompanies him to fulfil her task and to help Kamen decide his successor.

 

Tilda soon discovers there's more to Kradlock than the famous Hanging Rock, colourful clothing, and cliffs full of cavern homes and markets. Kradlock's greatest pride are the honeycomb of tunnels full of the bones of ancestors, including the mortal remains of Kradlock's powermages that not only test her growing abilities but her right to be called the Mage of Merjan.

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dragonfeather Books
• Release date: Oct 12, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201952341

Book preview

For the women and girls of Puddukottai Village, Tamil Nadu,

whose bright and beautiful suits now colour

the streets of Hanging Rock.

Thanks to:

Adrian Gray, whose talent for the art of stone balancing gave me the inspiration for a certain Kradlockian landmark.

The Beinhaus von Hallstadt, as my visit there many years ago gave me the idea for the Chamber of the Departed.

Ray Harryhausen, whose animated fighting skeletons in the 1958 film Jason and the Argonauts still give me the creeps to this day!

Chapter 1  Lead Box

Chapter 2  A Power-full Stone

Chapter 3  Going home

Chapter 4  Dead Man’s Pool

Chapter 5   Hanging Rock

Chapter 6  The Magehouse

Chapter 7  The Lawmaker and the Businessman

Chapter 8  A Trip to the Tombs

Chapter 9  Market Encounter

Chapter 10  A Tale of Two Thieves

Chapter 11  Balancing Act

Chapter 12  Den of Thieves

Chapter 13  Smashed

Chapter 14  The Truth about Tarqa

Chapter 15  Justice

Chapter 16  Walking Dead

Chapter 17  The Black Ruby Returns

Chapter 18  Margoletta’s Eyes

Chapter 19  Tilda’s Terrible Idea

Chapter 20  Actions and Explanations

Chapter 21  The Power’s Grief

Chapter 1

Lead Box

––––––––

TILDA STARED AT the little lead box in the middle of the table. "So what are we going to do with it? Lock it up somewhere safe?"

Silviu, sitting beside her, shook his head and leaned forward, blue eyes gleaming. A lock can easily be picked by a skilled thief.

Tilda frowned. Bury it?

Things buried can be dug up. Taimane twirled his moustache. There wouldn’t be a hole deep enough. Not for this.

Kamen’s bushy white eyebrows were drawn together in a frown to match Tilda’s. We need something more permanent.

Could we purify the metal instead? Duska drummed her fingers on the green ray of the star painted on the table top.

Silviu looked thoughtful, then shook his head. Too risky. We might well end up with pure silviron if we heated it, but what would happen to the taint? If it was to be freed from the starmetal, who or what else might it attach itself to?

Tilda shivered. She’d experienced first hand what that taint could do to a person. It wasn’t something she cared to repeat. But what exactly did you do with dark power tainted silviron? It wasn’t a problem that any mage in the long line of Issrayan powermages had ever had to face before.

In one way, it was a good problem to have; it only existed because Tilda had, with the help of a Pergattian mining team, discovered a rare nugget of pure silviron to repair the damaged rings in the Ringstone, allowing access to the Power again.

It could have been so much worse.

Although things weren’t that much better, not really.

The powermages had access to the Power again, true. But Luisa—the woman rejected as the Ambakian mage in favour of Silviu, and who’d caused the silviron of the rings to become tainted in the first place—was now in possession of the Black Ruby; a cursed stone, full of dark power. What might she do now that she had that?

It was some relief that Luisa hadn’t been seen since, and the mages had begun to relax. They kept reassuring each other that as Luisa hadn’t used the Black Ruby’s power, she must have given up on her vow to seek revenge on the powermages. That she’d given up the fight. It had been several months after all . . .

Tilda wasn’t so sure. From what she’d seen of Luisa this far, she suspected very much that Luisa was simply biding her time, waiting for a moment to attack again. But Tilda was in a minority, and it was hard to keep worrying when mages much older and vastly more experienced than her were saying all was well.

Glancing round the Talking Chamber table, Tilda sighed. The rest of the mages were all staring at the lead casket, each sunk deep in their own thoughts. What good would staring do? If they’d run out of ideas, that wouldn’t help much, would it? Perhaps it would be better if they all went to the Ring Room, to touch the Ringstone and tune into their portions. Then they could ask the Power what it thought they should do with the tainted starmetal. She could just imagine the voice of the blue light, sounding like waves, telling her . . .

Waves.

An idea jumped into her head and she gasped. It was so simple. Why don’t we throw the box into the sea? It would sink.

Silviu’s chin jerked up. It would, wouldn’t it? He tapped a finger against his lip, considering the idea.

Duska’s face brightened. You think it would be permanent enough?

Silviu nodded and Tilda felt herself flush with pleasure.

Which would be better? Taimane tweaked his moustache. Inner or Outer Sea?

Neither. Kamen frowned so hard, his eyebrows joined in the middle and looked like one huge, hairy caterpillar stretched across his forehead. It would have to be the sea in between.

What in Power was he talking about? The Sea Inbetween? Tilda had never heard of it. There was no named sea between the Inner and Outer seas, only—Oh. You mean the Merjan Straits.

Kamen nodded. The water’s so turbulent there, the most experienced of divers would never consider trying to recover anything from the seabed. Not even if you promised them a fortune.

It’s a good idea. Taimane thumped his dragon-headed walking stick on the floor several times, almost like applause. Who gets to do the honours?

Tilda sat up straight. Oh, let it be her! It had been her idea, and it wasn’t as though she’d have to use Power or anything. She simply had to throw the box into the sea, and that wouldn’t be too hard. She touched the place where Nico’s gift—her seastone necklace—lay against her chest and under her shirt, hoping it would bring her luck.

Well, as we have been finalising plans to return to normal business in our respective regions, it would make sense for Kamen to do it on his way back to Kradlock, Silviu said.

Power.

Tilda let her hand drop away from her chest and tried not to look too disappointed. That was that, then. They’d all head off to their respective regions; Silviu to his hunting and berry farming in the Ambakian mountains, Duska to the gem mines and forests of Pergatt, Taimane to enjoy huge feasts in Nargan, and Kamen . . . Well, Kradlock was mainly rocks, and she had no idea what he’d be doing, but at least he would have the excitement of disposing of the lead box on the way there. All Tilda had to look forward to now were visits to various Academies.

How was she supposed to get excited at the prospect of finding out how the Starsmen drew up their charts? Or listening to lists of terrible diseases that the Medicians treated? She might have enjoyed learning more about Issraya’s history, but she had a feeling that anything the Historykeepers were willing to share with her would be as dry and dusty as they always appeared to be. She sighed.

That makes sense, but I will do it on one condition. Kamen’s beetle-black eyes twinkled. Let Tilda come to Kradlock with me.

What? Tilda nearly fell out of her chair. Why? I mean, I’d be glad to, but—

Kamen chuckled. For a start, you’re the one who found the silviron to replace what’s in here. He tapped the box lightly. "I think it fitting that you should see the tainted metal disposed of. And it’ll be a great deal more interesting than visiting Academies."

Power, had he read her mind? Tilda felt her cheeks grow warm.

While in Kradlock, I will also do my best to educate you in the ways of my rocky region, so it won’t be a holiday. You’ll have to do some work as well. How does that sound? Kamen looked to Silviu for approval.

Tilda’s heart sank; Silviu was frowning.

She cannot put off going to the Academies forever, Kamen. I had already organised several meetings to make best use of Tilda’s time while we are all away and unable to mentor her.

Kamen tilted his head, as though puzzled. "Do you really believe that Tilda still needs you, needs any of us, to organise her every moment? She may be new to her role, but she has used the Power intuitively and achieved far more than any of us ever did in our first few months as mages. And she is young. Meetings can wait. Let her experience the regions of our wonderful island for herself, rather than being told about it by boring old men and women."

Duska laughed and clapped her hands. Well said, my friend.

Taimane was grinning behind his moustache. We mages have told Tilda a fair amount about Issraya already, so were you including us in that old and boring category, Kamen?

If the cap fits . . . Kamen’s teeth shone white in his dark face when he smiled.

Tilda couldn’t help grinning with him. It wasn’t that the mages were boring, exactly. But they did tend to forget she was so much younger than them, and that there were other ways of teaching her what being a mage entailed, which didn’t rely solely on books or lessons.

The corners of Silviu’s mouth were twitching, although he appeared to be trying hard to keep a straight face. Yes, well, I stand corrected. We four shall visit our home regions, and Tilda will accompany Kamen to Kradlock. He turned to Tilda. You still need to visit some of the Academies before the year end, Tilda, so consider this a postponement rather than a cancellation.

I understand. Tilda kept her voice level and forced herself to sit calmly, but she could have leapt out of her chair and jumped up and down with excitement.

Boring old Academies would have to wait—she was going to Kradlock!

Chapter 2

A Power-full Stone

––––––––

BEFORE SHE LEFT, Tilda slipped—alone—into the Ring Room.

Stepping out from under the pentagonal balcony, she glanced upwards; the room’s glass ceiling, smashed when the Power had broken free of the Ringstone, had also been repaired. And thank Power it had, because at the moment it was pouring with rain outside. The noise of raindrops battering the new dome masked the sound of Tilda’s footsteps as she approached the black obelisk standing in the centre of the room. The sight of the silvery haze floating above the dark stone filled her with relief. Not so long ago, she’d thought she would never see that again, but with the five rings set into the flat top of the Ringstone also repaired, the Power was once more able to flow freely through its conduit of starmetal.

It was like visiting an old friend when she stepped onto the golden floor tiles and touched her ring; the familiar blue light sprang up instantly and wrapped itself around her hand.

Tilda Benjasson. Hello.

Tilda smiled at the voice in her head. Today it sounded gentle, like the sigh of waves on a shingle shore. Hello.

All is well?

Yes. There’s been no sign of Luisa, so the mages are going back to their regions.

Ah . . . And you? You return to Merjan City?

Eventually. Kamen’s taking me to Kradlock first.

The blue light shivered around Tilda’s hand. Of course . . . He begins to seek his successor.

His successor?

Kamen was old. Very old. Tilda knew that. But how old exactly? And at what point, having grown old, did you start thinking about how little time you might have left, and who might be following in your footsteps? She watched the light twisting around her hand, wondering . . .

Do not be sad, Tilda. Kamen has served us well.

I know. I just . . . She blinked. I don’t want to think about him not being here. Not yet.

Death comes to all of the mages in time . . . It will come even to you, eventually.

Tilda shook her head. Don’t, please. She concentrated on the fizz of her portion, running up her arm and into her chest, soothing, strengthening. Can I ask you something before I go to Kradlock?

Yes.

How can I store Power in an object?

The Power grew still and Tilda rushed on. The other mages do it, well, I know Silviu and Duska do, so I thought I could, too.

Have you discussed this with the other mages?

"Why does everyone, even you, think I need to check things with the other mages all the time? Tilda clenched her fist and pushed down the sudden anger which coursed through her. I’m a mage too, but they don’t ask me what they can use their Power for. You’re my portion, and I should be able to do what I want with you and—"

The blue light flared violently; the surge of Power-full anger which flooded through Tilda made her own feel like mild annoyance.

Matilda Benjasson, the Power thundered, we know full well what you are! But you would do well to remember that it is wise for a mage as inexperienced as yourself to seek counsel, particularly from those who have wielded us for the good of all Issrayans for more years than you have lived.

Even Tilda’s teeth ached with the force of the Power’s anger. I’m sorry, she managed to whisper. You’re right. I’ll go, ask them right now. I only wanted a little bit of Power that I could keep close, you see. To draw on if I really needed it. Because Luisa’s still out there somewhere, has the ruby, and I don’t want to be left Powerless if she turns up again and decides to use its curse.

The blue light dimmed, the ache in Tilda’s body easing as it faded.

There is no need to talk to the others, the Power murmured. We will allow what you have asked for.

Really? I . . . thank you. Tilda’s legs went wobbly from relief, and she leaned on the Ringstone to keep herself upright.

We will allow it because the request of itself is not the issue. We worried only that you were demanding too much, too soon, because you already saw it as your right to access the Power, rather than your duty. That way lies poor mageship.

Tilda nodded. "I understand. It’s just that, before, when all five portions filled me back in Arkanal’s mine, I couldn’t ask anyone for permission then. So why