Dark Queen: The Cybelline Prophecies

Chapter 14

"That's a pretty knife ye got there." Sera shaded her eyes against the afternoon sun as Cybelline walked by. The youth smiled, "Thanks, found it up in the hills." The golden jewel in the hilt flashed in the sunlight as Cybelline tossed it up in the air.

Sera looked at the knife, and gasped, "Did ye see the lion man?"

Cybelline stopped, "The big man with the bushy beard?"

Sera nodded, "He's savage. Most people in the village is scared to death of him. No one has seen him in twenty years." She shuddered, "My ma used to tell me that if I misbehaved that she would feed me to him."

Cybelline grinned, "He's harmless." And went on her way.

Ithos was weeding the yard as she came down the path. He looked at the new knife in her hand and scratched his head. With a sigh he grinned ruefully, "Ye stole it." Cybelline grinned back. "It's too nice for a jerk like him anyways."

Ithos stood up and brushed his hands, "Well, that's probably why he's at the house, drinkin' tea with my wife."

"What?" Cybelline stopped at the gate.

"Hello again." The tall man emerged from the door frame. The sun was absorbed into his beard and he really looked more like a lion than man at that moment.

He pointed and the jeweled knife flew out of her hands and into his large ones. He grinned through his beard, "You had me for a minute there."

Ithos got up and dusted his knee, he bowed his head to the man, "Jinon." The man nodded to Ithos, "I've spoke to Myrai, this child needs to be tested to see if she's a Mage."

Ithos frowned, "Aren't you usually able to sense it in most kids? I saw you do it with the twins..."

Jinon shook his head, "I've tried. She has some of the signs - extraordinary strength, speed, heightened senses." He raised the small jeweled knife, "She's even able to take this undetected. That's not something even Kyria was able to do." Ithos stiffened and looked at Cybelline, "But she's a child. Magic doesn't even manifest in humans until they're 15 or so."

Cybelline looked from one man to the other, "What are you talking about?"

Jinon turned to her, "How much do you know about magic?"

"Not much."

"Did you really wake up in the forest with no memory?" His eyes were sharp as he stared into hers, as if searching for the truth of her words.

Cybelline raised an eyebrow as she looked at Ithos, "I thought you said we were going to keep that a secret."

Ithos scratched his head, "Jinon is special."

Cybelline inspected the lion of a man, his tall, muscular frame and the great bushy beard that hid half of his face. Jinon waved a hand, "Your origin set aside, we need to talk about your magic."

"I have magic?"

"Of course you do, child. Did you think that you could land a kick on me if you didn't?" He glared at Ithos, "You should have brought this child to me the moment you suspected."

Ithos shrugged, "Ye were trying to lose yerself in the mountains. I haven't seen ye in fifty years."

Cybelline frowned, "Just how old are you people"

Ithos and Jinon shared a glance, "We're old." Jinon finally said.

Ithos sighed, "Child, if this man says you have magic, then ye probably have it."

Jinon raised a hand, in his palm was fire redder than blood, tinged with black, "In this world only people with magic in their blood can become mages. Legend was that a powerful god gave magic to the Fae first, and then they gave the gift to the Folk. With this power, we could move heaven and earth. The most powerful of us anyways."

"But I'm human and so are you. How did the humans come to have power?" Cybelline asked as she stared at the mesmerizing fire in his hands.

"A great war between the most powerful - the first blooded Fae and the Folk fought and killed each other. It was then that us humans found that we could use their blood to spark the magic within us too." Jinon closed his fist and the fire disappeared, "The war had weakened the two kingdoms. And by the time they realized that we humans had power, it was too late."

"We enslaved the Folk and Fae, our mages bound them to our will. Killed them so that we could have everlasting life." Myrai had come out as Jinon was explaining, "In the south, where their shining cities once lay, contains only black ash and death."

"The darklands." Jinon agreed, his gaze far away, "It had been breathtaking."

He snapped back to the present, "Anyways. Young mage, you have power, it's hidden perhaps deeper than any power I'd ever seen, but it's there. And it's unpredicatable"

He sighed, "I need Dwarf Gems to test your magic." He looked at Ithos, "I'll need to go to the capital, start out tomorrow. Will be there in ten days."

"But ye just got back." Ithos protested, "What's the hurry?"

"Cy's magic isn't detectable yet. But if it's as powerful as I think it is, then we'll have a problem." Jinon said gravely, "If it's the case, then we'll need to get her somewhere safe. At least until I have the ingredients to make another cloaking gem."

Cybelline looked at one man and then the other, "I thought mages were revered? Why do you guys make it sound like I'm a criminal?"

"Yer like an unpolished diamond. Mages without powerful families are highly sought after." Ithos said quietly, "There are great forces who wouldn't think twice of burning down this village and enslaving you."

"Ah." Cybelline said and turned to Jinon, "Okay let's go. I'll start packing my stuff."

Jinon scoffed, "Why would I take you with me, runt? You'd only slow me down. You should stay here, where it's safe." He elbowed Ithos with a chuckle, "He's a brave but foolish lad. Wish he was just a tad bit smarter." Ithos only shook his head.

Cybelline waited for the man to stop laughing, "Well, would you rather that I say here so that I may be accidentally discovered and endanger the entire family?"

Jinon opened his mouth to argue, and then closed it. Just then, the cat that had been at Jinon's place meowed, it sounded like a laugh.

"I wish you were a tad bit smarter," Cybelline muttered sarcastically as she walked back into the house, "I'll start packing."

After she went inside Ithos looked at the taller, younger man, "General, I wish you would stop testing her loyalty. She's a good lass."

Jinon shrugged, "I'm not as trusting as you two. I have no reason to be."

Ithos sighed, "Just, please, bring her back safe."