Out of the Mountain (26 page)

“Whatever you need to do,” he said, sitting on the bed in front of me.

I sat straight and began clearing my thoughts. It took me a minute, because I could practically feel Malachi studying me, but when I reached that place of zen, I felt a tap on my mind.

“Master Liung?”
I asked, welcoming him in.

“Yes, Vivienne, it is me.”

“How is this possible?”

“You have many talents surfacing. Your power has grown so much since I last saw you! I suspect that many years of meditating with us has allowed you to reach out into our shared mind space.”

“So I can meditate and talk to you anytime I want?”
I asked excitedly.

“It seems that if we are both in the same state of mind, it is indeed now a possibility.”
I heard the warmth behind his words.

“So much has happened . . .”
I began, unsure where to start.

“
We have seen much, and we have seen what is to come
.” I heard the monks voices intermingle into my mind all at once.

“
You have? Can you tell me what I need to do?”
I asked hopefully, but I knew the monks didn’t work that way.

“
We cannot interfere in that way. Ask another question.”
I heard Master Tatsu’s insistent tone. Ask in another way?

“The weapon that you showed my mother how to channel her power through and bind to us with our blood . . . can you teach me to make others?”

“Those weapons came at a great cost to your mother, one that we cannot allow you to make.”

“What does that mean? How are we supposed to fight back with no viable weapons?”

“Your blood is a weapon,”
Master Liung said firmly.

“You mean for me to use blood magic?”

“All forms of magic have the potential to do harm. Blood magic comes at a cost, but there is blood magic that takes and there is blood magic that gives.”

“I wouldn’t even know where to begin with something like that.”

“Listen closely, Vivienne:

“A drop of blood anoints the blade, a power given also takes.

“Use it wisely or you shall perish at the hands of those you cherish.”

“How am I supposed to know how to anoint a blade?”
I yelped at their words.

“Farran will know,”
Master Liung replied.

“Thank you. I miss you guys,”
I muttered embarrassed.

“We miss you too,”
I heard Master Liung say before the connection closed.

I opened my eyes, and it was daylight. I hadn’t felt this good since I left the mountain. I stretched lazily, suppressing a chuckle at Malachi asleep at my feet, one hand holding my leg in what I assumed was his attempt at making sure I didn’t disappear. I laid my hand on his as I took in the sight of him. His face was completely relaxed, his long dark eyelashes brushing the tops of his cheekbones as he slept. I couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face at how young and vulnerable he looked in that moment, with all his defenses down.

An exasperated breath released to my right, and I froze, slowly turning to see that Rowan was occupying my chair. He arched an eyebrow at me, clearly asking for an explanation, and I admit it must have been an odd scene to happen upon. I grabbed a pillow from behind my head and smacked Malachi with it in frustration.

“Ow, what is it, Vivi?” he grumbled, tossing the pillow back at me and rolling over.

“You were supposed to keep watch over me.” I threw it back at him, and he pulled it over his head.

“I did! You didn’t move for like two hours. I decided you were doing some kind of freaky new magic thing and left you to it.” I kicked a foot at him and he grabbed onto it pulling me down the bed toward him. I yelped in surprise as I tried to fight to right myself. He honestly had no idea Rowan was in the room.

“Malachi!” I tried to warn him as he flipped me onto my belly and pinned me, trying to tickle my foot in some twisted sort of revenge. I bucked, trying not to laugh as I did so.

“That’s quite enough of that,” Rowan growled, and Malachi shifted his body on top of mine in protection before he realized who the speaker was and then let out a groan.

“You couldn’t have warned me?” he whispered, quickly pulling me to my feet.

“I could say the same thing to you.” I pushed him playfully, and he grinned.

“If you two are finished?” Rowan was losing his patience.

“Yes . . . sorry,” I apologized even as I stuck my tongue out a Malachi in defiance.

“No one else would have slipped past me, and you know it.” The playfulness was leaving Malachi’s face. He was mortified that he was caught unaware.

“There are those after Vivienne much more powerful than me.” Rowan said with a frown.

“I find that hard to believe,” I mumbled under my breath.

“Even so, we can settle this matter later.” Rowan dismissed Malachi, and turned on me.

“Were you meditating?”

“Yes.”

“And?” He coaxed me impatiently.

“I communicated with the monks! We have to find Farran!” I exclaimed hopping to my feet. “But first, I need to freshen up,” I complained.

***

Cleaned, dressed, and fed, I was on my way to the training grounds. I hadn’t been able to find Farran this morning, so I would just have to wait for him to find me instead. I smiled and greeted people who were opening up shop in the market district. A woman offered me a pastry that I happily took even though I had just eaten. It was covered in icing and filled with apples and cinnamon. I practically moaned when I bit into its warmth, and she smiled happily at me as we left. I offered a bite to Rowan, but he declined (no surprise there) and I shrugged, enjoying the rest of it alone. I even shamelessly licked the remaining icing off my fingers, rolling my eyes at Rowan’s frown as I did so.

“No sugar will be wasted on my watch!” I promised and he tried to hide his grin.

When we arrived at the training grounds, the other novices were gathering around practice dummies set up and spread on the field an equal distance apart. These appeared to be made of much tougher material than the ones I was used to practicing with, but like everything else, I was sure I could compensate for the difference.

“Everyone pick a partner,” Adelaide quipped, gesturing to the selection in front of us and earning a chuckle in response. I faked a smile as I took my place between Griffin and Luca, wishing I could give Adelaide a fair chance and knowing I wasn’t nearly mature enough for it. She instructed us to begin putting the steps we used yesterday into practice, which took some getting used to. It was much different when your weapons met a solid object to keep a steady pace and balance going. Adelaide lead Briony and Finley to separate targets (a safe distance away) to practice with their bows. I was acutely aware of Rowan watching us, and how he would step in to correct our forms as he saw fit.

When he stopped behind me I tried to keep calm, aggravated that he thought I needed instruction and wishing he would just tell me what I was doing wrong so that I could fix it. I didn’t like the feeling I got when I thought I might be found lacking in his eyes. I tried to put my thoughts aside, and he watched me for a moment before he made a comment.

“You should hold the smaller dagger in your left hand by the hilt, so that the blade faces outward . . . like this,” he suggested as he easily adjusted my grip, and I tried to act like my belly wasn’t doing flips at the contact.

“It makes it easier to block incoming attacks, and you can also twist your hand and sweep it down in an arch . . . like this,” he said, holding his hand over mine on the hilt to show the range of motion.

“Yea, thanks, that helps,” I said honestly, reminding myself to keep it separate. He was showing me how to more efficiently kill someone. I shouldn’t be thinking about his hand on mine or the warmth of his skin. I cleared my throat, shaking my head, and returned to the dummy, frustration pouring over into my practice. I had to figure out some way to stop pining over Rowan. It was pitiful.

“Bad day?” Farran appeared in front of my dummy, easily blocking my swing with his forearm.

“Where have you been?” I scolded him in frustration.

“Library! I’ve been trying to find something to help us out.” He sighed as if he was unsuccessful so far. I wasted no time and told him what the monks had said to me and was left blinking when he was gone again in a flash. Typical Farran.

“Back to work,” Rowan barked, and I tried not to glare at him.

***

After dinner we all gathered around Farran at Guard HQ to see what he had come up with. He had piled books all along the table, flipped open to various pages. We listened intently as he explained what the monks had told me and how he had used it to find an answer to our problem.

“There are various places in the palace only royals have ever had access to. I made use of one of them and found a book today that I think will help us a lot.” He held up a small leatherbound book as he spoke. I took it from his hand and felt power radiating from it. I flipped through its pages and saw that it was handwritten in a language that I didn’t know. Farran plucked it out of my hands again with a wink before he stuck it back into his pocket.

“I found a way to temporarily tie Vivi’s healing power into weapons that others can wield.”

“Absolutely not,” Rowan growled, eyes aglow.

“Yes, as I’m sure you are assuming, it is blood magic, and it will have consequence,” Farran answered his growl.

“What kind of consequence?” Luca asked uneasily.

“The magic will be taken directly from Vivi. She will be left weakened.”

“No way,” Briony said, and I laid my hand on hers.

“I thought the same thing until I got to thinking about Narissa’s spell on the council. How she slowly weaved it bit by bit. I think I found a way that we can drain her daily magic into one weapon each day and store it there until it needs to be used. This way, the weapons will be using stored power instead of pulling it directly from her in battle.”

“Farran, you are a genius.” I clapped my hands.

“That would still leave her weak and without power to train. She would not be available to the council and would be vulnerable at all times.” Rowan shook his head in disapproval.

“That is why I also weaved the spell into a trade, power for power.” A sly smile slipped across his lips.

“What does that mean?” I asked, confused.

“It means that if we want to be able to use your power, we have to offer you our own.” Tasmin frowned.

“Seems like a fair trade,” Luca replied.

“You will only be required to give enough magic to allow Vivi to adequately train. No abilities will be traded; it will be a simple energy exchange. It will appear as if an illness is making its rounds through the guard. A day in the infirmary and all better by morning.” Farran waved his hand as if to say,
No big deal.

“That’s OK, Farran. I’ll be all right. They don’t have to do the exchange,” I offered, trying to ease the wary expressions on most of their faces.

“The exchange happens, or there is no deal. You must learn to properly wield your weapons and you must be available for preparations of your coronation to keep suspicion at bay,” Rowan said, eyeing the others.

“I’ll procure and prepare the weapons for the morning. You can decide among yourselves who wants to go first,” Farran said before disappearing.

“I’ll go first, since we’re apparently bed buddies now.” Malachi purred, and I shot him a glare.

“You will need to be available to escort her and play boy-toy.” Tamora rumbled out a laugh.

“Very true.” I smiled at her.

“I’ll go first,” Luca said solemnly.

“You again, wolf? Stop stealing all her firsts,” Malachi chided, and I threw the book in front of me, nicely bouncing it off the side of his head. He jumped up, rubbing the spot, appearing surprised at the look on my face.

“Don’t,” I warned, seething, and he put his hands up in surrender.

“What?” Rowan looked from me to Luca to Malachi, and I watched him physically struggle to retain his composure. He knew he was my first kiss, but they didn’t. He was thinking of other firsts . . . I blushed deeply.

“Malachi likes to poke fun at my inexperience,” I clarified, looking firmly at Luca and not Rowan. I noticed in a quick glance around the room that Adelaide was turning as red as I was, but I had a feeling our reasons were quite different.

“I was your first kiss? That’s so sweet, Vivi,” Luca said happily, a smile lighting up his face.

“We have better things to discuss than this,” Rowan protested, face impassive and in control again.

“Yes, we do,” I agreed, happy to change the subject.

“Tomorrow will mark exactly two weeks before the full moon. That’s fourteen days before the coronation. There are seventeen novices and guards in our group,” Genevieve pointed out.

“Not enough,” I said, distraught.

“We won’t all need blades, Vivi.” Jonah smirked.

“Fire does work well against the Shade,” Silas commented and others agreed.

“I actually have some ideas,” Jonah said, and all the Conduits left the room talking excitedly about ways to better equip themselves for the fight. I laid my head on the table and let out a long sigh.

“It will all work out, Vivi,” Briony said, patting my hand.

“It’s just a lot riding on me, you know?” I whispered to her, and she nodded.

“I have no doubt in your capability to do what must be done. You are stronger than you think,” Rowan said kindly, and I sighed.

“He’s right you know.” Briony smiled, and I frowned at her.

“Weren’t you the one who told me that even when he’s right, he’s wrong?”

“Yes, well, those rules don’t apply in cases of self-doubt, when the person you think is wrong is actually right, and you just need to realize it.”

“I’m never going to learn all the rules and nuances to this friendship thing, am I?”

“That’s probably because she’s making it up as she goes along,” Luca said, and we all laughed.

Everyone split off into conversation, trying to decide the best day for each person to do the ritual. I could feel their unease as they spoke of it; not only would they be participating in a blood ritual, but they would be sacrificing their power to me as well. It couldn’t have been easy to process, especially with me in the room.