Mage's End Game by Tilly Wallace

Author:Tilly Wallace
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ribbonwood Press

Thirteen

They rested the horses near a forest, and the men ventured into the shadows to hunt. Around a campfire, they shared a meal and relaxed for a few hours before continuing their journey. Hugh bombarded Yarrow with questions about how they could travel faster than a galloping horse and yet only a gentle breeze touched their faces. Apparently, if they could achieve such incredible speeds of a hundred miles in a couple of hours, Hugh hypothesised the air would be sucked from their lungs and they should all have died from asphyxia.

Yarrow didn’t know how it worked, other than something about the land moving faster under the horses’ hooves, rather than the equines setting a gruelling pace. When they were on their way once more, Sera left them to discuss the mechanics of travel and time and sat with Liriel in the swaying interior of the wagon.

Within was a cosy room complete with a lush, velvet-covered bed built into one end, a tiny stove, and a table under the window. The old seer told Sera stories of the fairy folk and their journeys around England. They always returned to Scotland, their ancestral home, for spring and to celebrate the renewal of the earth.

“I wish I could stay and join the celebrations with you.” Sera sighed and leaned her cheek against the curved wall of the wagon.

Liriel chuckled. “Another spring, mage. Our paths will cross many times yet. You were born to walk a darker path, and many eyes watch to see what you make of it.”

That was an intriguing pronouncement from a seer, but no matter how Sera phrased her questions, the old woman refused to be drawn any further.

As the sun rose on the second day, the Daoine Sidhe crossed the border into Scotland. The enchanted horses moved with an eerie grace, their hooves barely making a sound on the rough terrain. As they reached the foothills, the fairy folk halted their procession.

“Wait,” Liriel said, her eyes glinting with ancient knowledge. “We must perform a ritual to honour our ancestors on our return.”

Sera exchanged a glance with Hugh, and they watched, fascinated, as the Daoine Sidhe formed a circle, their voices rising in a haunting melody. The air around them shimmered, as if the very fabric of reality bent to their will. With each note, a sense of peace settled over the assembled group, connecting them to the land and the spirits that dwelled within it.

As the Daoine Sidhe completed their ritual, a soft glow enveloped the group, infusing them with a warmth that radiated from the earth itself. The moment lingered, suspended in time, until at last the sun shook off its slumber and climbed higher in the sky, heralding the change from dawn to morning.

Scotland’s rugged beauty unfolded before them, its wild landscape a testament to the fierce magic that ran through its veins. Towering mountains loomed over deep lochs, their surfaces as still and reflective as mirrors. Heather-covered moors stretched out like a purple sea. It was a country steeped in myth and legend, where every rock and tree held a story of its own.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.