Mountains Vast and a Kingdom So Red

Chapter 16

The next day Delphinia delivers me a letter. For a heartbeat, I suspect it is from Leviys until I realize I have not written him yet. My idleness is because I expected a seed of sisterly advice from Urisis, but here we are. After Delphinia can fly out the window I signal her to wait so I can quickly write to Grenia on my stationary, telling her I can meet her on the twenty fourth, and if that would work. The sparrow accepts the mini note with her talon and flies away. Now I open the fresh letter and groan when I see Urisis's signature at the bottom.

Princess Mikah,

I understand if I came off a bit harsh yesterday, but in our hour together, we only have so much time to cover the crucial basics of magic. If you prefer two hours, you can tell your parents so they can discuss a new compensation with me. As for your problem, I wish you the best in solving it; you are an adult and have all the tools and resources to do so.

Like a non domesticated bear, I rip the letter into messy shreds. "Ugh that tricky, slimy witch!" There are at least twenty condescending jabs in the passage. Damien speaks behind me and I jump in fright.

"Who's a witch?"

"Urisis," I say.

"Hmm." He pushes his mahagony glassses. I believe my brother has only met with once and does not remember her vileness. "Can we play junKet?"

Distracted, I nod. "After I speak with father, I will come downstairs and play. Ask Winter if she'd like to play."

He mumbles alright and sips his mango juice. Tess emerges from the supply closet. One look at my face and she asks, "another on the kill list?" This is not sarcasm; Tess thinks I might kill someone on accident with magic. Good sweet stones. I run upstairs, already calling.

"Father! Faaaather!" He opens the bedroom door, and I crash in. My mother is on the bed, applying lotion on her legs.

"Yes, Mikah, what do you need?"

"I need a new Purist trainer. Fire Urisis, fire her immediately. Please."

"Did something happen at the training session?"

"Yes, she is horrid father, horrid. She is mean and a poor instructor, she goes through spells so fast, and the only things I can accomplish on my own is short distance teleportation and making clothes appear." Something deep inside me rattles my brain; it is a burst of light after living in darkness for days. The night of the fairie harvest festival—I teleported among continents. One moment I stood on a landmass drawn as fairie territory, the next, I arrived at the four winged castle with Leviys. But I tuck this away. No one can know this.

"Mikah?" My father says.

Trying to repress my nerves, I ask him what he said.

"Absolutely we will hire a new magic trainer. I am so sorry, Princess." He kisses my forehead as we embrace, and I almost bawl again. Then his face changes, quiet rage. "Rebekah, we should do an investigation. I do not want anyone in the fold who acts against our values; she could be influencing..."

"Odin." My mother scoots off the bed and embraces me seamlessly; the movements close to invisible. "We must proceed with kindness. Urisis has been a soldier and protector of this kingdom for forty years; she deserves a fair meeting with the two of us to explain her behavior."

"But—" I begin to argue and untangle from the hug.

"Not because I think your judgment of her is wrong, my love, I believe you, but it is more constructive to mend things then think to kick her out."

"I need a different trainer," I state.

"You will have one by tomorrow. I promise. Her approach is not suited for your learning style."

My father shakes his head. "Not tomorrow; we need time to interview a couple soldiers before deciding on who's the softest and most nurturing for Mikah." Soft? Nurturing? He makes it sound as if I am a babe. Mother agrees and I infer the conversation is over though my father speaks again.

"You can perform your magic for Ryder in the meantime, and he can take notes that we can pass to the new trainer. Is this suitable? Is he kind to you?"

"Yes," I tell both of them. "He is wonderful."

Before I leave to find my siblings, I remember Azichaedus and his wand.

"Mother, will you teach me how to contact someone with my wand?"

"Yes, by the twenty fifth." The steel in her eyes confirms it will definitely happen, although I wish she were more excited to teach me magic.

After two pleasant rounds of the card game with my siblings, my stomach starts to settle. Winter tells me I look a bit pale, so she takes a pickle from the fridge, places it on a napkin, and hands the wilted thing to me.