The Wizard's War (39 page)

He laughed. “Are Ron and Hail okay with being my
Guardians?”

“Ron will fight you for a few years, but then he’ll
meet Sheena again and he’ll start burning off all his frustrations arguing with
her. Once they figure it out, Ron will mellow out. Hail will start disappearing
on you when he deals with his soul mates, though. Thessa has self-esteem issues
about her scars, and Sari is more submissive than Hail is used to.”

“Why would he have two mates?”

“He has three fathers. Both those girls need him. Let
him worry about that and you just worry about being a worthy god for my sons.”

“So… you have figured out what you are and what your
wife is. You have even told me. What more is there between us?” He made a move
that he must have thought was very clever.

“Now that I am more powerful than you, we can be
friends.” I moved.

“You’re getting pretty cheeky, young Noquodi.”

“You have to start calling me something else. I’m not
that young anymore.” He laughed, but I couldn’t help reminiscing. “God, I was a
baby when this all started. I was barely twenty-two. If I hadn’t gone outside
and picked up that book… Those first few years were so easy, when I only had to
practice magic and no one was trying to kill me. Still, I wouldn’t trade a
moment of any of it. I remember the first time we met.”

“You were cheeky then, too. You can’t win this game.
I can see a thousand moves ahead.” He moved.

“I have never once in my life needed to see that many
moves ahead. For me, winning requires playing my opponent, not the board.
Checkmate.”

In the dark
basement of a quiet house, where no rat dared to scamper or spider dared to
spin a web, a curtain slipped onto the stone floor. A mirror, invisible in the
absence of light, grew warm.

Rain Oxford is a teacher who has been writing for more than half of her
life. The Asian-influenced cultures she creates were inspired by Japan, where
she attended Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto. She does most of her writing in a
secluded cabin in the woods with a four-pound Maltese as a companion. When
she’s not teaching or creating worlds, she usually enjoys cooking, playing the
piano, or photographing exotic wildlife.

The Guardian Book 1:
The Guardian’s
Grimoire

The Guardian Book 2:
The Dragon’s Eyes

The Guardian Book 3:
God of the Abyss

The Guardian Book 4:
The Demon’s Game

The Guardian Book 5:
The Wizard’s War

The Awakening