Artesans of Albia by Cas Peace

Author:Cas Peace [Peace, Cas]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Epic Fantasy
Publisher: Albia Publishing
Published: 2017-12-12T18:30:00+00:00

Click here to listen to “The Ballad of Tallimore” written and performed by the author

Chapter Twenty

The early morning air was chill and Taran shivered as he drew his cloak tightly around him. He looked up, noting the glitter of the frost-spangled trees. It promised to be a beautiful day, but Taran wasn’t looking for beauty. His thoughts lay elsewhere as he strolled aimlessly, eyes unfocused and heart uneasy.

He had slept poorly the night before and had come out to clear his head. Too many thoughts were crowding his mind and he couldn’t stop their nagging. Uncertainties still plagued his life, and this dreadful waiting for bad news day after day was dragging him down. Cal’s elevation to Apprentice-elite had brought things to a head, and Taran had felt unsettled ever since. Not that he was unhappy for Cal. Quite the contrary, he was proud and delighted. He clearly remembered his own euphoria on gaining such a prize, and Sullyan’s recent ceremony confirming his Adept status still swelled his heart.

No. It was the future that bothered Taran.

The relative ease with which he had attained the rank of Adept after only a few hours’ guidance had brought forcibly home to him just what he might be capable of. It wasn’t something he had dared consider before. Sullyan’s masterly touch and confident air, even Robin’s forthright instruction, contrasted sharply with Taran’s memories of his father’s blunt and condescending comments. He couldn’t recall receiving a single word of praise from Amanus, who had obviously considered goading and humiliation to be the best forms of encouragement. At the time, Taran knew nothing else and did his best to progress. Now, he realized he had been trying to please his father rather than identifying and acting on his own strengths and weaknesses.

Sullyan’s method was to lead and encourage. Instead of highlighting failures and dampening spirits, she fostered understanding through experiment, praising each achievement on its merits. Taran knew he could only flourish under such gentle instruction.

That only made it harder to lose.

“Dammit to hell!”

He couldn’t believe he had discovered such talented people only to have their support snatched away just when he was making progress. His love for Sullyan, which refused to die despite his knowledge of her commitment to Robin, would make losing her distressing enough. To be also denied the training he so desperately desired would only deepen his misery.

Taran knew that once Sullyan was gone and Robin came back to the Manor, he, Cal, and Rienne would be forced to return to Hyecombe. They were only here on sufferance, and that was because of Rienne’s healer skills. Despite Sullyan’s parting words at Marik’s mansion, Taran knew that once things were back to normal neither Robin nor Bull would be free to spend much time with him. He would be right back where he started—only worse, because now he would truly know what he had lost.

He really didn’t think he could bear it.

Eventually, cold air and a sad heart drove him to seek warmth and company.

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