
Myriad

(Prentor Book 1)

Mona Hanna

Myriad (Prentor Book 1)

Copyright (C) 2012 by Mona Hanna

Second Edition Copyright (C) 2016 by Mona Hanna

All rights reserved. No part of this literary work may be reproduced in any form or by any means -- electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other -- without the prior written consent of the author, except for brief quotations used in reviews.

Editing: Tricia Kristufek

Acknowledgements

Thank you to Tricia Kristufek, my editor. Your help means a lot to me.

# Table of Contents

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Epilogue

About the Author

# Prologue

"Be careful...." Machayla grasped one of Myriad's hands with her weak and quivering ones and pleaded with her eyes. She lay before him, her clothes damp from her fever, her hair plastered to her head. She sighed deeply, and the lump of her belly rose and fell.

Myriad placed a hand on the home of his unborn child. He shut his eyes, tears running down his face.

"Be careful...," she pleaded again.

He held her face in his hands, looking at the woman who had changed his life. She was everything to him, and he would do everything to save her.

Myriad slowly stood, and Machayla gasped in pain. He bent down and kissed her on the forehead. Soon, my love, he thought. Soon you'll be alright. He wouldn't rest until he'd tried everything.

He left the room and signaled for Edward to go to her, and his young servant hurried to her side. Myriad walked out of their home, wondering if he would return with the cure, if he would come back and save them all.

He had to do something.

After all, Machayla was at stake. He didn't want to become who he was before she was with him. Before he'd changed for her.

Changed for her and their unborn child.

He had to save them.

He had to save himself.

# Chapter 1

Kalin shouldered his satchel and left his parents' home late in the night. He wandered down the road, eyes adjusting to the moonlight. Enough, he thought. He'd had enough. All those years of being told he was nothing, useless, horrible, abnormal. He was an adult now and he was done. It was over.

He walked for a long time, shivering in the wind. He wrapped his cloak around him tightly, heading for the tavern at the edge of town. He didn't have a lot of money but could spare some for the night. He didn't like the thought of sleeping outside.

Kalin finally arrived at the brown building and pushed open the heavy wooden door. The warmth of the dimly lit room hit him, a relief from the cold. He quickly shut the door and looked around, hoping the place was hospitable at that time of night.

To his relief the large room was nearly empty. An old man, mumbling to himself over his ale, sat at a table on the left of the room. A fire burned in the fireplace along the wall by him. Two middle-aged men sat at a table in the center of the room, talking about something in voices too soft for others to hear.

Kalin walked past them towards the bar and approached the innkeeper, a short man with curly grey hair.

The man put down the book he was reading, and looked at Kalin over his spectacles. "You after a room?" he asked, and Kalin nodded. The man turned, reached for a key hanging from a block of wood along with several others, and offered it to Kalin, who grasped the piece of iron the key dangled from. "Dinner comes with the price," the innkeeper said, pointing to the sign on the wall that had the cost of renting a room. After Kalin handed the man a few coins, the man put the coins away and then went to get Kalin his food.

Kalin sat with a sigh at a table to the left of the room. Close to the fire, he removed his heavy cloak. He gazed at the candle that sat in the center of the table, pleased he had somewhere safe and warm to be. His stomach turned at the thought of his parents finding the note he'd left when they woke up tomorrow, but he couldn't face them. They'd all known for years he'd leave when he turned eighteen, and he'd finally done it. He didn't want to have a conversation with them or receive any final words of criticism. He'd had enough harsh words to last him a lifetime. In truth he hoped he'd never see them again.

Sometime later, he was finishing the last of his stew, the rich meal warming his insides, when he felt someone watching him. He glanced around the room and saw a man he hadn't noticed earlier sitting in a dark corner. He had short blond hair, wore black clothing, and looked in his late thirties. The man continued to stare, making Kalin suddenly nervous.

To his surprise the blond man walked towards him. He was very tall, even taller than Kalin. The man reached his table and sat at the chair opposite him.

Kalin looked at him anxiously and ran a hand through his short, dark hair, dreading having to talk to the man. He was useless at talking to strangers. Or anyone, for that matter.

The stranger folded his hands on the table. "It's a dangerous time right now for some people," he said.

Kalin looked into his blue eyes, feeling a much deeper sense of dread than he had before. Does he know? How?

"It's less than three weeks until the princess's birthday," the man continued, looking at Kalin closely. "Seekers are about. They often come to places like this in the middle of the night. Do you know how to handle yourself?"

Kalin looked down at his hands. Was the man... warning him? Was he trying to help? Was his secret safe, at least for a while?

"I-I don't know.... I don't know what...."

The man reached a hand towards Kalin, holding it near his glass with his palm low to the table, and Kalin thought he saw a faint light shimmer from beneath the man's hand before he withdrew it.

A small, flat round stone, vivid blue in color, sat before him.

"Carry that with you at all times," the man said, nodding at Kalin. "My name's Theodore." He stood and slowly walked back to his table.

Kalin sat there, not knowing what to think. He hesitated, then picked up the blue stone, finding it cold and smooth. He looked back over to where Theodore had been sitting, but he'd left the tavern. Kalin frowned, wondering if it was all some kind of trick. He placed the stone into his pocket, then stood and gathered his things. He wanted to go to sleep, wanted this night to be over.

He was walking to the staircase when the door to the tavern opened and three tall, broad-shouldered men in uniform walked into the room. They each carried a wooden staff with a silver orb at the top.

Kalin gulped, horrified. With every part of him, he wanted to run.

Seekers.

***

The innkeeper, a young man who worked for him, Kalin, and the three other customers all lined up in a row. The Seekers stood before them--two a few paces back, one up close--in their black uniforms with red-and-gold trim.

Kalin was a nervous wreck, knowing he would be found out at any moment. He would be thrown in prison, as people of his kind--people with magic--were forbidden in Prentor.

For as long as he could remember, warlocks and witches had been banned, though many lived in secret. Those with powers had to be careful not to use them in public, but Kalin hadn't used his magic in years, for reasons of his own. Although the king was ever vigilant with his punishment of warlocks and witches, he was never more so than near the princess's birthday, when the murders by the infamous warlock, Myriad, occurred.

Kalin should have known Seekers would be around, and now he had no idea what to do.

The closest Seeker adjusted his hat, then walked to the end of the row and pointed the staff at the old man. The silver orb did nothing when he pointed at the man's chest. If the man were a warlock, the orb would have glowed.

The man grumbled to himself, swaying slightly, seemingly unaware of what was going on.

The Seeker smirked, his dark gaze moving to the pair next to the old man. Again the silver orb did nothing. The Seeker nodded, then moved to Kalin.

He stood close to Kalin, their eyes level, and Kalin swallowed nervously, his hands starting to shake. The Seeker turned and looked at his companions, then pointed the orb at his chest.

Kalin shook even harder, then held his breath.

But nothing happened.

The orb didn't glow. Kalin visibly relaxed, and the Seeker glared at him.

The Seeker pointed the orb at him again, then frowned. He hesitated, then moved to the innkeeper and his worker. He checked the last two, looked back at Kalin, then turned and spoke to his companions. They huddled together, whispering.

Kalin swallowed nervously.

They all looked back at him, and then the man who'd checked them said something softly. The Seekers straightened and walked towards the door.

Kalin sighed with relief when they finally left, knowing he'd only just escaped imprisonment. What in the world just happened? Why didn't....

Then he remembered the blue stone in his pocket that Theodore had given him. What was it? Had it just saved his life? And was it just a coincidence that Seekers arrived right after he had received it?

The other customers gathered their things, muttering to one another. Kalin picked up his satchel and cloak, his mind racing. The innkeeper and his worker began to close up for the night, and Kalin headed for the stairs. He'd walked up the first few steps when the innkeeper called to him.

"One night," he said, looking at Kalin closely.

Kalin glanced at him, then continued up the stairs.

One night was fine. It was clear his secret wasn't so hidden. He wanted to get out of Prentor as quickly as possible. Even though he'd suppressed his magic for years, hadn't cast a spell in so long, it was no safe place for him. He had to find a place where he belonged.

# Chapter 2

Kalin awoke early the next morning, momentarily unsure where he was. He sat up and leaned on his elbow, looking around the small room. Ah, I'm at the tavern. It sunk in that he'd finally left home. It wasn't all a dream.

He lay back on the hard bed. For a while he stared up at the grey ceiling, counting the cracks. The room was incredibly plain; apart from the bed, there was only a small side table, a wooden dresser with an old mirror on top, and a table with a chair. The table had a basin for washing, a jug of water, and a few candles. Shabby beige curtains hung over the window, ripped and dusty. He sneezed, the dust overpowering him.

He got out of bed, reluctant to start the day but knowing he had to get out of there. He got ready, made sure he'd packed everything in his satchel, then left the room and walked down the stairs. He could hear the innkeeper talking to someone in the front room and didn't want to face him.

Kalin handed the key back to the innkeeper, trying not to look at him, and the man said nothing either, just hung the key back up. Kalin quickly left, pulling open the heavy front door and going outside.

The cold hit him as soon as he was out in the street. He huddled in his cloak and walked briskly, gazing downward. He was so absorbed in wondering where he was going to go next that he bumped right into someone. He looked up to apologize, then stopped.

The man he'd met at the inn last night was standing there, with a small group of people behind him.

Kalin looked at them awkwardly.

"Hello again," the man said, nodding.

Kalin nodded back, trying desperately to remember the man's name. What was it?

"It's Theodore," he said, smiling.

Kalin gave a small smile back, then noticed everyone in the group was watching him.

Directly behind Theodore stood a man with long brown hair who Kalin assumed was in his early thirties. A striking-looking red haired woman about the same age stood beside him. Behind them was a much older man, with wild grey hair and glasses, and next to him, so short she was nearly hidden by the others, stood a dark-haired girl about Kalin's age.

He realized Theodore was waiting for him.

"We were about to go have breakfast. Would you like to join us?" he asked. Kalin was thinking how to politely say no when Theodore reached out and placed his hand on his arm. "It's important."

Kalin stepped back, suddenly anxious. "I don't know...."

Theodore looked at him knowingly. "Did the concealment stone I gave you last night work?"

Kalin suddenly remembered the small blue stone that still sat in his pocket. So that's what it was. With shame he realized he'd forgotten to thank Theodore. In truth he owed this man his life. He smiled crookedly. "It did work--thank you. But how did you know... you know...."

Theodore gave him the same knowing look, his eyes warm. "I can explain everything," he said. "We just want to talk to you. Can you trust me?"

Kalin stood there for a moment, feeling uncomfortable. "Alright," he finally said. He owed Theodore at least that much.

Theodore and the others walked down the street towards a waiting carriage, and Kalin followed nervously. They all climbed in, and the driver led the horses away. Kalin sat there wondering where they were going, what these people were going to say to him. He hoped they were safe.

***

After traveling for quite some time, they arrived at an enormous manor, three stories high, with many rooms. They sat at a large round table in a huge room filled with bookshelves and chairs. Books and papers were piled high on nearly every surface; a beige settee was against one of the walls, worn and soft. Kalin sat across from Theodore, the others to the left and right of him.

Theodore cleared his throat. "This is Mark," he said, pointing to the man with long hair, "and next to him is Sasha. That's Alfred and Regina." He pointed to the older man and lastly the short, dark-haired girl.

Kalin nodded to each of them.

Theodore coughed again, and Kalin thought he seemed nervous. "We're warlocks and witches, working together to prepare for what will happen this year. If I explain what we're doing, it will be clearer why we brought you here and how we know you're a warlock.

"Everyone knows Princess Carmel turns eighteen soon, and the usual panic that surrounds her birthday is happening. But this year it's different. Do you know much about Myriad?"

Kalin shrugged. "I know what everyone knows. Myriad's angry with the king because of what happened with his wife."

Theodore nodded. "That's only part of it. There's so much more to it." He leaned behind him and picked up a scroll from the top of an old chest. He unrolled it, and Kalin saw it was filled with small, tight writing in dark ink. Theodore handed it to him. "Before I tell you what we want, you'd better know the whole story."

***

The Markwins were a very powerful family of warlocks and witches in Prentor, cruel and ruthless in their pursuit of power. Rainer Markwin, Myriad's father, was the worst one of them all.

Myriad was fifteen when his father started the bloodshed.

He tracked some of the most powerful warlocks and witches, seven of them, and cast a vile spell to extract their powers. All seven died from the spell, their remains unrecognizable afterwards.

Rainer enchanted a necklace with their powers, combined with his blood. When he wore the necklace, he couldn't be killed; the necklace would revive him. But what he didn't know was it wouldn't only work on him. Anyone in his family--anyone related to him by blood--would be protected by the necklace.

That's when the war began.

The Markwins turned on each other to get the necklace. They fought, and many of them died. Rainer killed a great deal of them, and he made his son kill more.

Myriad was a universal, someone who could cast any kind of magic. He wasn't restricted to a certain type, like most warlocks and witches. Rainer raised him in the darkest of magic, taught him the most malevolent spells. Myriad fought alongside his father, even though he was only a child, for nearly ten years.

When Myriad was about twenty-five, he met Machayla. She was the daughter of one of Rainer's unrelated enemies, and Rainer instructed Myriad to kill her. But for some reason, he couldn't. He took Machayla away, and they hid. Somehow, eventually, they fell in love.

Myriad abandoned his family, abandoned his old self. He didn't kill anymore. He changed.

Eventually the fighting ended. There was a final battle, and the remaining family got the necklace away from Rainer. He called for Myriad to protect him, desperately, but Myriad didn't go to him. In the end all of the Markwins died. Myriad was the only one left.

He lapsed into a deep depression. His family was gone. He hadn't saved his father. He became lost, filled with remorse. But one thing saved him: Machayla became pregnant.

Myriad's life began to have meaning again. With Machayla and his child, he could start again. He prepared for the arrival of his baby, but then the worst thing happened: Machayla became ill. She was six-months pregnant and only had weeks to live.

Myriad searched for the cure, but he couldn't find it anywhere. But the queen, pregnant with Princess Carmel, came down with the same sickness and the king was able to find the medicine--enough to save both women.

Myriad went to the castle to get some of the cure, but it was for nothing. The king had used all of it on the queen, though he only needed a small amount.

Myriad was devastated. He returned to his wife and gave her the bad news. She went into labor the next day. Neither she nor the child survived.

Myriad disappeared. No one heard from him for over a year. No one knew what he would be like when he resurfaced.

On Carmel's first birthday, the murders began.

***

Kalin put down the scroll and sat quietly for a long moment. He didn't know what to think. He knew what had happened with Myriad's wife, but nothing about his past. He looked up at Theodore.

"Myriad's not going to kill ten people who work in the palace this year, like he's done on the princess's birthday for the last seventeen years," Theodore said. "He's promised to kill the royal family themselves."

Kalin gulped. "How do you know?"

"He sent a message to the palace about three months ago," Theodore replied. "I know some of the people who work there. The message simply said This year, it ends. But we knew that, Kalin. We knew this day was coming." Theodore looked down at his hands for a moment, then gazed at Kalin. "You must be wondering what we want with you."

Kalin nodded. He couldn't for the life of him figure that out.

Theodore looked briefly at Regina. "Regina is a psychic. She had a vision, two weeks ago, that there was someone in Prentor... someone who was capable of stopping Myriad. That person was a universal, like him. That person would be able to track him like no one else. She said he could be found at the tavern. She saw you, Kalin."

Kalin frowned, shaking his head. "A universal? I don't have that kind of power. I haven't even used magic in years! You're wrong. It makes no sense. Just because someone had a vision...."

"Put the concealment stone on the table," Theodore ordered.

Kalin froze at his tone. He paused for a moment, then silently placed the blue stone in front of him.

Theodore stood and turned to a shelf near the window. He picked up a staff, then banged it on the table, with its silver orb pointed towards Kalin. It made a hissing sound, the center of the orb crackled, and flickers of light flashed across it. Then it glowed with the most intense light, filling the room with its radiance.

Kalin shielded his eyes, the brightness blinding him. It was several moments before he could look up.

The table was split clean in two where the staff had lain. Flames licked the edges of the wood.

# Chapter 3

Kalin sat on a bench underneath a huge tree, its branches empty of leaves at the start of winter, in the large garden behind Theodore's home. Hedges surrounded the garden, shielding the house from view. He fiddled with the leather bracelet he wore on his left wrist.

A universal. He wouldn't have guessed in a million years.

He heard the door of the house open and close, and then light footsteps behind him. He looked up and saw Regina walking towards the bench.

She quietly sat beside him. "I guess that was a lot to take in," she said, looking at the ground. Her dark, glossy hair shielded her face from him. Kalin was also glad he could hide.

"It's really hard to believe," he admitted. "And confusing. I mean, I haven't used magic since I was a child. It never occurred to me that I was a universal, even though in some way I should have realized I was different." Kalin shook his head, feeling that he sounded conceited. "Wait... I don't mean I'm special. I mean because my magic was always varied, wasn't restricted to one type. But as for what your group wants--I'm not sure why you would have a vision about someone who can't even cast a spell. I learned a long time ago to suppress it."

They were silent for a moment. "That must have been difficult," Regina finally said. "Denying who you are. That must have been awful."

Kalin looked over at her, and she met his gaze. She had dark eyes, warm and tender. He swallowed nervously, then quickly looked down at his hands. Stop being an idiot.

"The thing with my visions," she said, twisting a length of her hair between her fingers, "is that they never make sense in the beginning. I've just learned to trust them, trust that things will come together if I take the first steps. You don't have to know how exactly you can help us, Kalin. You just need to try."

He risked looking at her again, and she smiled at him. He smiled back, his heartbeat thudding in his ears. He heard the back door open again and turned to see the others approaching.

Mark stood with his arm around Sasha's waist, with Alfred by them, his hands behind his back. Theodore stood by the tree.

"We understand this is quite confronting," Theodore said. "It came as a surprise to us, too, that you existed. But the fact is, your power is rare, special, and we've found you just in time. We want you to work with us. Whenever a universal is near another, they can sense it. They'll physically feel a connection. We want you to track Myriad, tap into that connection. We'll teach you how. There are seventeen more days until the princess's birthday. We want to train you."

Kalin said nothing for a long while. This was all so much. Was it true? Were his powers special? And even if they were, who was he to stop Myriad? But could he really say no? Clearly the group believed he was meant to help them, and they had a worthy goal. And Kalin, like everyone, didn't want any more people to be killed. It was all so overwhelming.

"Train me how?" Kalin finally said. "What could you do with so little time?"

"Can you trust me?" Theodore asked for the second time that day.

Kalin looked at him and realized he did. He nodded.

"Then don't worry about the time. Just work with us. We can teach you everything you need. It'll work, Kalin."

Kalin rubbed his forehead. "But what if I can't do anything? What if I can't?"

Sasha stepped forward, grinning. "I'd like to teach you something about fire."

***

Kalin stood by Sasha's side in the center of the garden. There were no trees or plants by them, just a wide expanse of grass. A target, like an archer would use, stood several feet away from them.

Sasha turned to face him. She was nearly as tall as him and wore simple clothes: trousers and a green shirt. Her fiery red hair flowed about her in the wind. She smiled. "Your goal is to become one with your magic. You need to be completely attuned to it so you can track Myriad. The key is to focus, then let the magic flow through you. You aren't creating it from nothing--it's inside of you. You just need to connect with it."

She faced the target and held out her right hand. "My gift is being able to create fire and water. Watch me closely." She shut her eyes and her palm begin to glow. A small ball of fire formed above her hand, swirling and pulsating. The ball grew larger and larger, and then she reached and threw the ball at the target. Flames exploded at its center. She raised her arm again, this time a ball of water flying from her hand and hitting the target. The fire was quenched, smoke rising from the spot. She looked at Kalin. "Now you try."

He raised his eyebrows, shocked. Do that? Are you mad? He stood there for a moment, then sighed. I have to at least try.

He held out his right hand, palm up like Sasha had done. He stared at his hand and tried to imagine fire appearing. He concentrated on making his hand glow. Fire, he thought. Fire. He waited a long moment, then put his hand down. "I can't do it--I can't just 'be magical.' I closed off that part of me a long time ago."

"And why did you do that?" Sasha asked.

Kalin ran a hand through his hair. "My parents don't have magic. They didn't... approve."

Sasha looked at him, her green eyes twinkling. "So, this is an emotional barrier. You need to give yourself permission to let go. You need to break down the wall, Kalin."

"That could take months!" he exclaimed. "You want to train me in weeks!"

She grasped his shoulders and turned him towards the target. "Don't think about what you can't do. Think about what you can do. You can do this. Listen to yourself. Feel."

He frowned, wishing she understood what he was saying. He looked at the target, then shut his eyes, relenting.

Feel.

He tried to remember what it was like when he was younger. What had he felt then? Where had the magic come from? He sought out the memories, visions of himself as a child, making things fly across the room, turning the food he didn't want into food he did want.

Stop doing that! Be normal! Be normal!

He winced, hearing his mother yelling at him, remembering his father dragging him to his room and locking him in there for hours.

Kalin shook his head, casting the visions out. He tried to focus on memories of the magic again. Something about willing things to happen and the power pouring out of him.

You'll stay in there until you stop! You'll stay in there until you can behave like a normal son!

He felt a tightness in his stomach and clenched his fists. It wasn't my fault! he screamed inside.

A bitter taste filled his mouth. Now was when he would usually tell himself to calm down, suppress his powers, but these people wanted him to bring them out.

It occurred to him how ludicrous this all was. One day he's at home, and the next he's at a stranger's house with people telling him he's all-powerful and can stop Myriad. Him? He was no one. He was nothing!

He heard his parents' voices again, screaming at him.

Kalin felt heat in his heart, a burning sensation that filled his chest and traveled down his arms. Let it out.

But he couldn't.

He stopped, stepping back. "I can't do this. I'm sorry."

Sasha looked at him for a moment, then grasped his arm. "You can, but you're stopping yourself. I can tell. Why?"

Kalin sighed. "How can you expect me to release my powers after all these years? They're buried inside of me. It's not something I can just let out. You have to understand." He turned and began to walk away.

"The princess's life is in your hands. Is giving in to your fear more important than saving her?"

Kalin froze. Her life. He wanted to be selfish. He wanted to believe it was all madness, but maybe it wasn't.

He turned back to the target, then shut his eyes. Feel the anger. He imagined the harsh words, the beatings, the abuse. He felt the rejection. The hatred. The pain.

The heat returned to his heart, burned stronger, brighter, but this time he didn't suppress it. The heat coursed through his body, tingling along his arms. He felt the barrier he usually put up start to rise, but he forced it down. You must do this. The pain grew; the tingling turned to a pulsating feeling, vibrating throughout his chest and arms. He was reaching his breaking point. He couldn't hold back anymore.

Kalin opened his eyes, glaring at the target. He thrust out his right arm, then felt a surge of power rush through him and explode at his fingertips. A huge ball of fire flew out of his hand, hit the target, and set the entire thing alight. Kalin stood there, breathing heavily. Eventually he looked at Sasha.

She folded her arms across her chest, her eyes twinkling again. "Now do it with water."

***

They sat in the room with the bookshelves later that evening, eating a meal of cold meat, cheese, and bread. The round table had been repaired, the two halves joined together with a long piece of wood. A fire burned in the fireplace, and lit candles were dotted around the room.

Kalin had spent the day working with Sasha, attempting to control fire, water, and ice with some success. He was exhausted and felt very strange, using his magic again. In some ways it was foreign, new to him. When he'd used magic as a child, he wasn't trying to. Now he was focusing and attempting to control it. But on the other hand, the feeling within him resonated, as if he was coming home. It both unsettled, yet warmed him, like he was finally being his true self.

He took a sip of his cider and looked at each of the group members. If they knew so much about him, and if he was to work with these people, he wanted to know about them. "How did you all meet?"

Theodore swallowed a mouthful of food. "Alfred was a friend of my family's from when I was young. When I took over my father's business after he passed away several years ago, Alfred helped me, but we decided our time would be better spent helping warlocks and witches throughout Prentor. We tried to stop crimes committed by those with magic, but in secret, as the authorities' only solution was to imprison our kind. We realized we needed more help, and I sought out Mark and Sasha. Mark is a powerful shape-shifter, and you've seen Sasha's abilities. They joined us seven years ago. Regina was the last to come to us, two years ago, but she instigated it, having had a vision that she was meant to help us."

Kalin took in the story, then looked over at Alfred. "What are your powers?" he asked quietly.

"Mind control," Alfred replied.

Kalin raised his eyebrows. Mind control? "How does that work?" he asked, curious.

Alfred took off his glasses and cleaned them on his shirt. "You have to be quite close to the other person," he said, his voice raspy and deep, "and then you plant a seed in their mind of what you want them to do. It can't be sustained for long periods of time, but long enough to do what you need." He put his glasses back on, hooking them over his ears. Kalin noticed they were dirtier than before.

"But how do you... stop someone from controlling your mind?"

Alfred smiled, his wrinkles becoming more pronounced. "That's the most important thing--how do you stop it. I'll teach you, soon enough. Good question."

Kalin smiled, realizing he desperately sought everyone's approval. He didn't like feeling that way, but he couldn't help it. He wanted to make them proud.

"What about you, Theodore?" he asked, looking at the leader of the group. Kalin noticed his blond hair had streaks of grey.

Theodore put his hand, palm down, over a space on the table. A faint light shimmered from beneath it, then removed his hand and a quill was lying there. "You've already seen my gift," Theodore said. "I can call things. Bring things from one place to another. Remember, everything we can do, you can do. You'll see."

Kalin nodded. He yawned, realizing how tired he was. He was desperate to go to bed, to rest after such a long day. Then he realized he didn't know where his bed would be.

"You can stay with us, Kalin," Theodore said, smiling at him.

Kalin blushed, embarrassed he could be read so easily. "Thank you. That means a lot to me." He noticed everyone glancing at one another.

"You know you're helping us, don't you?" Sasha said. "That we should be thanking you? You're going to be saving lives, Kalin. If this works."

Kalin looked at her in surprise. He became nervous, and fiddled with his napkin. "I-I can't think of it that way," he stammered. "It's too overwhelming. I'm going to take it one day at a time--just try, like Regina said."

He looked at her openly for the first time after sneaking glances at her all day.

"Regina's a smart girl," Alfred said. "You'd be wise to listen to her."

The room grew silent, and then Kalin yawned again. Everyone laughed.

"I'll show you your room," Mark said, picking up a candle and walking towards the staircase in the corner.

Kalin quickly followed him, going up the stairs, then down a dark hall.

Mark entered a small room off to the left and lit a candle on a table near the door. "We'll see you tomorrow," he said. "Sleep well, Kalin. You'll need it." He left, shutting the door behind him.

Kalin lit a few more candles with the first, then sat on the small bed by the window. He felt a mixture of things--anxiety, excitement, fear. It was hard to believe he'd met Theodore only last night, only left home last night. Everything had changed so quickly. But what brought him the most joy, the most happiness, was starting to be himself again. Something had awakened inside of him.

He lay back on the bed, sighing, and felt his tiredness take hold of him. He shut his eyes, and images of fire and light washed over his mind, mixing with feelings of warmth. He felt like he was floating. He drifted away, the warmth taking over, carrying him to a place of peace.

***

Myriad sat at his desk, a strange sensation coming over him, a source of power, a connection. He reached into his memory for the last time he'd felt something like that and remembered an old man his father had brought in to test his powers when he was a child. Myriad had felt the same sensation being around the man that he was feeling now.

Somewhere in Prentor, someone of great power had been awakened. Someone like him. And that person could potentially find him.

Myriad resolved to find them first.

# Chapter 4

Edward stood in the corner of the room, his shirt soaked in blood. The only sound in the room was Myriad crying, desperately clutching Machayla's body as she lay on the bed. Their son, his skin blue, lay across her legs. Machayla had died in childbirth. Neither she nor the child had a chance, both ravaged by the sickness. The child was small, stillborn, and a month early.

Myriad wept, clinging to his wife, his long hair covering her.

Edward stared at the floor, unable to move. He'd been Myriad's servant for the last seven of his eighteen years, but he'd never seen Myriad like this. He dared to step forward, but the sound of his footsteps made Myriad sharply lift his head. Edward froze, unable to breathe.

Myriad looked at Edward through red-rimmed eyes, as if he'd forgotten he was there. He frowned, then turned back to his wife. He rose slowly, still holding her limp hand.

Edward wished desperately he could disappear. A feeling of dread crept up inside of him. He waited anxiously for Myriad to react, knowing he would. He knew he was....

Myriad thrust out his arm, and an invisible force smashed Edward back against the wall.

Edward slumped to the ground, pain searing his side. He clutched what he knew were his broken ribs, and then he was punched on the right side of his face. He lay on the ground, curled up, trying to shield himself from the blows. The all-too-familiar blows.

As the darkness began to overtake Edward, he knew his almost two years of peace had ended. Truthfully, he knew it would end the moment Machayla became ill. He slipped away, blacking out, his punishment continuing. It had only begun....

***

After lunch, Kalin sat in the back garden before a blackened table, several candles spread across its surface. He gritted his teeth, trying for the twentieth time to light one of them. He shut his eyes, concentrated on feeling a connection to his powers, then pointed at the candle.

An enormous flame spread from his hand, setting the table surface alight. Again.

Kalin waved his hand and water splashed across the table, extinguishing the flames. He'd had to learn to create water very quickly. He wondered how long the now-charred table could take his "practicing" when he saw Regina walking towards him. He immediately straightened, hoping he wasn't covered in soot.

She giggled as she sat beside him, reaching into the pocket of her trousers and handing him a handkerchief.

He quickly wiped his face, then his hands, and put the cloth on the table.

"Theodore wanted me to rescue you," she said, smiling. "He thought you might need a break from physical magic. He wanted me to teach you about psychic visions."

Kalin rubbed the back of his neck. "Is that something you can teach me? I mean, don't visions just... come to you?"

"Sometimes, yes," Regina said. "You can't generally force it. Sometimes a vision will come to you in a dream or when you're doing an ordinary task. But you can also try to read from something and bring about a vision that way. You should be able to receive them like me, since you're a universal, but how they'll come to you or if it will be any time soon, I can't say. Have you ever gotten the sense you'd seen the future when you were younger?"

Kalin thought for a moment, then shook his head. "No, I don't think so. I mean, if I saw the future as a child, I might not remember. I don't know, really." He looked at his hands, wanting to ask Regina something, something he'd been wondering about since Theodore had said she'd had a vision of him. He looked at her, feeling a little nervous, his breath caught in his throat. Finally, he just came out with it.

"Regina, when you... saw me, in your vision... what exactly did you see? I mean, how did you know I was a universal from your vision? How could you be sure?"

Regina looked at him for a moment, then lowered her head, her hair shielding her face from him, and Kalin wondered if he'd said something wrong, if he'd offended her.

She laughed softly. "I don't really want to tell you this," she said. "I mean, you'll think... well...." She paused, gazing at him for a moment.

Kalin felt his heart start to beat faster, and his curiosity awaken inside of him.

Regina blushed slightly. "It was... it was more than one vision," she said, lowering her head again. "It was every night. And every day. For the last two weeks. I saw you at the inn where Theodore met you. I saw you training with us. I saw...." Regina paused again, taking a deep breath. "I saw you as a child, using your powers. I didn't see much about your childhood, Kalin--I don't want you to think I invaded your privacy. I wasn't trying to receive the visions--they just came to me! But I saw you when you were younger, using your magic, and I knew you were a universal. And I know you're the one who can help us."

She looked at him again, and Kalin felt amazed, overwhelmed--and a brightness in his heart that he had been in her mind. He also felt a little guilty. It wasn't his fault, but he felt concerned that Regina didn't want the visions of him, that they were an imposition on her. But what he mostly felt was happiness that he was in her thoughts, that she believed in him. She saw me for two weeks? Maybe this is real. He realized he was staring at her and hurriedly looked away.

"I'll try not to let you all down," he said, looking at his hands. "Was there anything else?" He glanced back at her.

Regina gazed at him, a small smile on her lips, and then she nodded. "Theodore wanted me to try to get a reading from you, to see if there's anything I can learn about the next few weeks. Do you have something I can read from?"

Kalin hesitated a moment, then gently removed his leather bracelet and handed it to her.

She put it on her right palm and rested her other hand over it. She shut her eyes and took a deep breath. They sat silently for a long time, the only sound the wind rustling in the trees. Regina took another deep breath, fidgeting slightly.

Kalin gazed at her lovely pale skin, her soft pink lips. Another long moment passed, and he thought she wasn't going to get anything from him. He chewed on his lip, waiting. He didn't know what to do.

Suddenly she gasped and threw back her head. She opened her eyes; they were opaque, covered in swirls of white and silver.

Kalin, stunned, watched as she seemed frozen to the spot. He worried there was something wrong and wondered if he should get someone. He grasped her by the shoulders and shook her. "Regina!" he exclaimed. "Regina!"

She remained staring upwards, then her head suddenly slumped forward. She gasped loudly, as if she hadn't been able to breathe.

Kalin let out a deep breath himself, relieved, his hands still on Regina's shoulders. He sat back but still held on to her arm. "Are you alright?" he asked, concerned.

She looked at him, seeming in a daze, shook her head, then sighed deeply, tucking her hair behind her ears with shaking hands. "Kalin," she said, her voice a whimper, "you have to be careful."

He sat very still. "What did you see?" he asked, not really wanting to know.

She grasped his hand with both of hers and looked deeply into his eyes. "He's looking for you."

***

"What exactly did you see?" Theodore asked.

Regina sat on the beige settee in the main room, with Theodore by her side and the others standing in front of them. Kalin sat on a chair, fidgeting nervously.

"Myriad was sitting in a wide room, at a black table," she said slowly. "He had his eyes shut and was concentrating on something. He was holding a small black crystal, mumbling something like, 'My power to your power.' He was looking for Kalin."

Everyone went silent. Theodore put his head in his hands, sighing deeply.

Kalin felt like he was going to scream. "Can he find me?" he asked.

Everyone looked at him.

"He's doing what we wanted you to do," Alfred said gravely. "We wanted you to track him. We thought we had the advantage of him not knowing you existed, but it looks like we were wrong. Yes, he can find you. And he will."

Kalin stared at him in bewilderment, then stood and began to pace. "What, so I just sit here?" he exclaimed. "I thought we had time to train.... I thought--I don't know what I thought! But I trusted you!"

He stopped and scrunched his eyes shut, not wanting to yell but too upset not to. He felt someone touch his arm and opened his eyes to see Regina standing before him. She took his hand, smiling weakly, and Kalin tried to calm down. He took a deep breath, then went to the round table, pulled out a chair, slumped into it, and rested his head in his hands.

Kalin heard the others talking quietly, then heard them leave. He thought they'd left him alone, but when the chair beside him was moved, he lifted his head to see Regina sit next to him.

Resting his hands on the table, he didn't know what to say. Regina was quiet for a moment, and then she reached out and put her hand on his. He looked at her, feeling a bit nervous that she was touching him, his heart starting to beat faster.

Regina smiled a little. "I still believe you're supposed to defeat Myriad," she said, squeezing his hand slightly. "Listen, this isn't the end. I can't have been seeing you--seeing you every night, for two weeks straight--if you were just going to die! That can't be it, Kalin--I know it with every part of me. I don't know what's going to happen, but you will win. I know it. Please believe me. Trust me. I've seen--" She stopped short, suddenly moving her hand away.

Kalin looked at her, wanting to know what she was going to say. "Seen what?"

"Nothing. It's nothing."

He bit his lip, wondering what was going on inside her head. If she saw something about his future, something that showed he'll be alright, he wanted to know about it. He reached out and touched her arm. "Seen what, Regina? I'd like to know."

She squirmed in her seat, and he felt guilty, but if a madman was chasing him, he needed all the help he could get.

Did she see him winning? Did she see him in a battle? What? What is it?

Before he could ask her again, they heard the footsteps approaching. He sat back in his chair and waited to hear what everyone had to say.

Theodore stood before them, Alfred sat on the settee, and Mark and Sasha sat at the table. Theodore ran a hand through his hair. "We've had a discussion, and we've decided what we think's best," he said, and Kalin didn't like his tone. Theodore looked over at Alfred, who nodded. He cleared his throat. "We want... we want... I'm so sorry, Kalin. But we want you to let Myriad find you."

Kalin sat there, stunned. He felt like he'd been stabbed in the back. Why were they doing this to him? "You want to let him hurt me?"

"No!" Theodore said. "No. We want him to find you. There's no point in hiding--it's only a matter of time. But we won't let him hurt you. We wanted you to track him, but I realize now that's not how we'll get to him. He'll find you. And we'll be waiting. You're still going to defeat him, Kalin. It's just not going to happen how we expected."

Kalin took a deep breath. "You can help me get ready?"

Theodore smiled. "We'll all be ready. But first things first. I want you to spend more time with Regina. The more visions she can have about Myriad, the more prepared we'll be. For some reason she can see him through you. That's our first weapon."

Kalin looked at her, and she blushed slightly. He felt a little excitement run through him. Well, at least something good was coming from this.

# Chapter 5

Regina sat on the settee, holding one of Kalin's hands between hers, trying to get a vision. She said she could get a better reading if she was touching him. She had giggled after she said it, then settled down and began working. She'd been trying to get a reading for some time, while he just sat there, staring at her.

He tried to ignore the flutter in his stomach as he watched her, hoping more than anything his hand wasn't sweaty. He wondered if she could get two visions about Myriad in a row.

She opened her eyes, looked at him, and released his hand. "This isn't working. I'm not in the right... space. Maybe you'd better go train with the others."

His heart fell. He looked down, stood, and walked towards the door to the garden, but Regina called to him before he reached it.

"I'll talk to you later," she said, smiling at him.

He nodded, smiling back a little, feeling slightly better. He walked outside and saw the others standing in the center of the garden, talking. They turned and looked at him as he approached, growing silent. He felt slightly nervous, but still walked towards them.

He saw a small pile of weapons--knives, swords--on the ground, and for some reason, felt the urge to pick one of them up. He veered towards the weapons, then leaned down and picked up a sword. He held it in his hand, then he snapped out of it. He was standing exactly where he was, holding the sword, but Kalin had no idea how he'd gotten there. He looked at the others in confusion. The last thing he remembered was walking into the garden. He dropped the sword in surprise.

"You're not going mad--I made you do that," Alfred said, moving towards him. He placed a hand on his shoulder. "I wanted to show you how easy it would be for someone to control your mind. I'm experienced, mind you, but so is Myriad. I'm going to do the same thing again, but I want you to resist."

Kalin looked at him in surprise, then back at the others, who waved to him and went inside.

Alfred moved back a bit and crossed his arms.

Kalin stood there, feeling like an idiot, not knowing what he was waiting for. He bent down and picked up a sword, then kept waiting.

Alfred stared at him. "Kalin."

He looked at Alfred, looked down at the weapon, then realization hit. He put it down gently. "This is going to be harder than throwing fire, isn't it?"

Alfred smiled. "Just a little. Be patient. We'll try again."

***

Three hours passed, and Kalin was having no luck. He felt it would be better if he just held on to the sword, but Alfred assured him it would work out.

He sighed. "Alright," he said, "but could I pick up something lighter than this? My arm's getting tired."

Alfred shook his head. "Kalin, look at me. I want you to really concentrate. I'm telling you I'm going to put a thought in your mind, and you're still not resisting it. You won't have that benefit in a fight--Myriad will just tell you to pick up a knife and slit your wrists, and you won't even know he's doing it! Concentrate on shielding your mind. Focus on not being manipulated. No one can make you do anything if you don't let them."

He chewed on his lip, finally starting to see what Alfred wanted from him. He nodded. "Alright," he said, "but just give me a moment. Let me think." He lowered his head and shut his eyes. Instead of trying to listen for Alfred's thought in his mind like he had been, he imagined his mind was made of steel. He imagined a fortress nothing could get through. He felt the stir of his power flowing through him, creating the steel walls to shield him. He locked down the entrance to his mind.

Kalin opened his eyes and looked at Alfred, but this time he wasn't waiting to be controlled. He stared, and Alfred stared back.

There was a long moment of silence, and then Alfred nodded.

Kalin took a huge breath, then fell to his knees, grasping his head. He had an enormous headache and could almost taste metal in his mouth. He took more deep breaths, shaking. "I don't think I can sustain that for very long," he said, slowly rising to his feet.

Alfred clapped a hand on his back. "It's only the first day. But you did it, Kalin. I couldn't get through. And if you did it once, you can do it again. Go and rest, now. You've earned it."

He quietly walked away, still shaking slightly, and returned to the house. He was pleased to see the others had food on the table, as he felt he needed something to replace his energy. He quietly sat next to Regina and reached for some bread.

Everyone was mostly silent. Kalin ate the meal of chicken and vegetables quickly, relieved for the warmth the food provided. He gradually felt like his usual self and sat back, full. He hoped he could rest that evening.

"What's your favorite animal, Kalin?" Mark asked, breaking the silence.

Kalin frowned. He didn't like the look in Mark's eyes. "I don't like animals," he lied, knowing that wouldn't work.

Mark grinned. "I think you'd make a good cat."

***

Kalin walked into his room much later that evening, exhausted. He'd spent the last three hours trying to shape-shift into a house cat and for the most part only managing to grow fur or a tail. He'd had success at the end, when he became so frustrated with Mark and the whole process that he somehow transformed into a raging lion. He flopped backwards onto his bed, smiling at the memory of the frightened look on Mark's face. That would teach him to say he wasn't catlike enough.

He rolled over onto his side, waving his hand at the candles in the room, making them all come alight. He abruptly sat up, shocked he'd finally done it, when there was a knock on the door. He straightened his clothing and tried to tidy up his messy hair. "Come in," he said nervously.

The door opened and Regina walked through, closing it a little behind her. She took a few steps forward, then looked at her hands. "I just wanted to say good night," she said softly.

He looked at her, wishing more than anything she was sitting beside him, and then he rose and moved towards her. He stood in front of her, so very much taller, and she met his gaze. He smiled. "Did you see anything else?"

She shook her head.

"No, not today. How was your training with Mark?"

He frowned. "I don't think I like him very much," he said, and Regina giggled.

"He's actually lovely. I know you really do like him. He's just working you too hard right now. But we need to prepare you. Remember, things will work out. I just know it."

Kalin stared at her. "But--but how do you know it? I know you trust your visions, and I believe in you, but I wish you could tell me more."

She bit her lip, looking at him with concern. She reached forward and touched his arm. "I will tell you more, I promise. But I can't yet. It's not time. Kalin, I promise you'll be okay. That's all I can say for now."

She stood there for a moment longer, then reached up and kissed him on the cheek. He was surprised, but that feeling was immediately replaced by the urge to put his arms around her. He resisted, but he did gently touch her face, moving aside a few strands of her hair. She gazed at him, her lips slightly parted, her eyes so dark and full.

He sighed. "Alright, Regina. I'll wait. But I'm dying to hear this secret of yours."

She smiled at him, then turned and walked from the room. She shut the door behind her, and Kalin gazed at it, his heart filling up. She was so sweet. And beautiful. And kind. And gentle. And intelligent. He smiled ruefully, knowing he was starting to fall for her. He got changed and cleaned up, then crawled into bed.

As he shut his eyes, thoughts of Regina crossed his mind, images of holding her, kissing her, being close to her. Developing feelings for someone right now was probably a bad idea, but he didn't think he could help it. She was already starting to enter his heart. He felt his magic flowing through him, his heart coming alive, a result of his life changing so dramatically. His magic was part of him now. He was being his true self. And maybe, maybe, he'd found a new love.

He'd never been in love before.

His magic swirled and pulsated inside of him as his heart swelled. He felt connected to the world, bigger than himself, more than himself. He felt stronger, braver, more free.

***

Myriad closed his fist around the black crystal, a cold smile crossing his lips. He opened his eyes, glaring at the room before him. Got him.

# Chapter 6

Edward sat in his room, his anxiety filling him with an intense pain. Myriad had been gone since early that morning, and Edward was petrified over what his master might do. It was Princess Carmel's first birthday, and a year and three months since losing Machayla. A year and three months since Edward had done the very bad thing.

He felt the mark on his chest burn and knew Myriad was calling him. He shut his eyes, imagined the front room of the house, and appeared there in an instant. Myriad was standing near the door, his hand over the matching mark on his left forearm. There was blood on his shirt, his hands.

"Prepare a bath," he said, no emotion in his voice.

Edward nodded in obedience, then hurried outside. His hands shook as he drew water from the well in the back garden. What had Myriad done? Edward could barely contain his fear, his dread, and he knelt on the ground in despair. He couldn't believe what this had come to. Myriad's life. His life.

He learned the next day of the deaths of ten people in the castle, servants and guards. He felt so much pain inside that he considered trying to escape. He knew that would lead to punishment. But oh, what Myriad had done....

He considered telling the truth, but it was too late.

***

Kalin finished getting ready the next morning, then walked down the stairs. He heard the others laughing and talking and wondered what put them in such a good mood. He walked into the room and saw Mark and Sasha sitting at the round table, mugs of tea in their hands. Alfred and Theodore stood by the windows. He couldn't see Regina. Everyone became silent when he arrived, big smiles on their faces.

"Kalin! Did you sleep well?" Mark asked, grinning into his mug.

Kalin felt like they were playing some kind of joke on him. He sat at the table. "Fine," he said slowly. "What's going on?"

Everyone laughed again.

Sasha reached over and squeezed his arm. "Is there something you'd like to tell us?" she said, beaming at him.

He frowned. "What do you mean?" he asked, and there was more laughter.

Theodore opened the back door, gesturing for Kalin to look outside.

He slowly got to his feet and walked to the door. He gaped at what he saw.

Roses. Thousands of them. Every inch of the garden, from the hedges to the trees, right up to the door, was covered in thousands of different-colored roses. Their petals glistened in the dew, the softness of every flower pressed against one another mocking him.

He stood there in astonishment, not believing what he was seeing. He shut the door, then banged his head against it. "I can't believe...," he muttered.

Theodore squeezed his shoulder. "Regina was quite... surprised, shall we say?" he joked, and Kalin groaned, burying his face in his hands.

He was horrified. He'd never been so embarrassed in all his life. Did he really do that? In his sleep? Without knowing it? And Regina! She must think he was the biggest idiot in the world! He walked back to the table, slumped in a chair, and thumped his head in his arms.

"The good news is, you've finally completely connected to your powers," Theodore said, standing beside him.

"The bad news is, he may as well have put a blazing sign on the door, telling Myriad he's here," Alfred retorted gruffly.

Kalin looked over, noting how angry he sounded.

Alfred's wrinkled face softened. "I'm not angry with you, son, but such a display of power--it can't have gone unnoticed. We have to be prepared quicker than we thought. There's no room for error now."

Kalin frowned in dismay, now feeling profoundly guilty as well as humiliated. He stood, wanting to be alone, and walked back up the stairs.

When he reached the hallway, Regina was standing in the doorway to her room. He bit his lip, not knowing what to say. She must think he was a huge fool. Giving a girl a bouquet of flowers meant something--thousands of flowers must make her want to stay as far away from him as possible. Why did he make such a grand gesture? And in his sleep! Heaven knows what he'd do if he was actually trying to show he cared for her.

Regina looked down at her hands, and Kalin hesitantly walked up to her. He stood before her, so nervous he felt he was going to shake.

She remained silent for a moment, then looked up at him, smiling, her eyes glistening, and he almost couldn't breathe. "That's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen," she said, still smiling. She stepped forward and gently put her hands on his chest.

Kalin stood there, looking at her, his heart racing. He tried to speak but couldn't. He cleared his throat. "I-I promise I didn't mean to do that. I mean, I--it's obvious I like you, but I wasn't trying to overwhelm you. I just... oh, I wish universals could turn back time." He felt like his heart was going to leap out of his chest.

Regina giggled. She kept smiling at him, and butterflies swirled in Kalin's stomach. She reached up and kissed him on his jaw. She laughed softly and kissed his jaw again. "Kalin," she whispered.

He put his hands on her waist, feeling an overwhelming urge to kiss her, but felt it was all happening too quickly. "Wait--we don't even know each other," he stammered, feeling confused. "I don't... I don't know why I feel so much for you already. Don't get me wrong, you're lovely, but I don't know anything about you."

She looked up at him, then moved back slightly. She took a deep breath. "What would you like to know?" she asked simply.

Kalin raised his eyebrows, then smiled. She was adorable. "How old are you?"

"Eighteen."

"Have you ever... have you ever kissed someone?"

"Not yet."

Kalin couldn't help but grin. He rubbed his forehead. "You're not making this easy for me," he said, wishing he was holding her again. "I don't suppose there's any chance you could tell me what you saw?"

She looked at him knowingly, gazing at him with a look that took his breath away.

He reached out and touched her face. "Well, maybe we could get to know each other. Assuming I'm not murdered in the next few days."

Regina looked at him in horror, then flew into his arms, wrapping hers around him, clutching him.

He felt terrible. He wasn't trying to upset her. Kalin put his arms around her shoulders. "I didn't mean it--it was a stupid joke."

She looked up at him, then clutched his shirt, pulling his head down towards her. He barely registered what was happening when her lips were pressed against his, soft, warm, delicious. He held her tightly, and she moved her mouth against his, making gorgeous little sounds as she did so.

He kept kissing her, feeling a whirl of emotions and sensations go through him. Then he felt her tongue seeking entrance into his mouth and he nearly groaned as their tongues touched, dancing with each other, soft and wet and amazing. He moved her so she was leaning against the wall and kept kissing her, pressing her up against him. His entire body was coming alive as he held her. Oh, it felt so good.

The sound of someone loudly clearing their throat shocked them both, making them pull apart, looking at each other, breathless. Kalin turned and saw Mark standing near the stairs.

"I hate to break this up, but lover boy here needs to train," Mark said, arms across his chest, clearly amused. "You have a few moments, but then you need to meet us in the back garden. Oh, and thanks a lot, Kalin. Sasha says I need to give her ten-dozen roses for our anniversary or she's leaving me. Try not to create diamonds next time." Mark grinned and walked down the stairs, leaving Kalin standing there awkwardly with Regina.

They were still in each other's arms, but he released her and she let go of him. He stepped back a little, then smiled crookedly. "I guess I'd better go," he said, surprised over what had just happened. "I'll talk to you later?"

She grinned. "I'll be thinking of you," she whispered, and his heart nearly stopped. She stepped away from him, walked into her room, and shut the door behind her.

Kalin just stood there for a moment, trying to gather his thoughts. How was he going to train when all he could think about was her?

***

For the rest of the day, Kalin worked on everything he'd already learned, as well as learning to call things to him, like Theodore. That was actually the gift he found easiest to learn. He just had to imagine the object clearly and will it to appear before him. It came in handy when they had to put the roses in a pile in the garden. Kalin called armfuls of them to him and blushed when he thought of what he'd created.

He worked more on shape-shifting, blocking mind control, and being able to control fire and water. He was tired, but everyone said he was learning at a rapid pace. It was almost as if all the magic he'd kept bottled up for years was just dying to come out--some of the biggest problems he was having was trying to rein in it, as opposed to trying to release it. With hard work he'd gradually learned to cast spells with some control, trying to fine tune the gifts he was discovering. He wondered what would have happened if he hadn't suppressed his magic, how strong and powerful he'd be by now. The memories stung him and he cast them out.

In the evening he sat by the fire in the main room with Alfred, Mark, and Sasha, holding a mug of tea in his hands. He was so exhausted, not just from the learning, but from his worrying about facing Myriad. He'd fallen into this life, this plan, but he truly didn't know what he was doing.

Regina added a brightness in his life, a joy that lessened the pain. He waited for her to come down from her room, where she was trying to get a vision. After a while, he heard footsteps on the stairs.

"Just keep trying," Theodore said, walking in behind Regina. "You always come through for us."

She nodded and sat on a chair across from Kalin, smiling. His heart warmed just looking at her.

Theodore brought a chair up to them and sat, and Kalin found himself wishing he could be alone with Regina, but he tried not to think that way.

"We'll keep working on the same things, Kalin," Theodore said, "but we also have to teach you invisibility and transporting. Magically appearing somewhere," he clarified.

Kalin nodded.

"Everyone with magic can do those things," Regina said.

Kalin suddenly felt sad. "I've done those things before, when I was younger," he said softly. The memories came forward again, and he put his mug on the hearth and fidgeted. Here he was, in a new home with new friends--and maybe a new love--but he still felt like the boy who was punished for using magic, who wasn't good enough.

Everyone except Regina stood and left, as if sensing he wanted to talk to her.

She moved and sat beside him. "What is it?" she asked, reaching over and taking his hand.

He sighed. "It's just--difficult. Remembering what happened when I was younger. I keep being brought back there, back home."

They sat silently for a moment, and then she leaned over and kissed his cheek. "You can tell me anything," she said, sitting back, and he looked at her with gratitude, and put his arm around her. She smiled, snuggling into him.

He held her closely, warmed by her touch. "I don't really want to talk about it. I'm just trying to put it out of my mind," he said, resting his head against hers. "I don't want to keep remembering." He breathed in the scent of her hair, the scent of her.

She cuddled him closely. "It wasn't your fault, the way your parents treated you. None of it was your fault. Just because you were born with magic doesn't mean you're any less than them. That idiot king, making it seem like there's something wrong with us."

Kalin couldn't help but smile. "The idiot king we're trying to save," he murmured.

She laughed softly. "The same one," she said, snuggling him farther.

They sat for a while, holding each other, and Kalin kissed her on the forehead. There was more to it--more about his family that none of them knew--but it wasn't the right time to bring it up. He stayed in Regina's embrace, wishing he could sit there all night but knowing he had to go back to training.

As if sensing what he was thinking, Regina pulled away from him slightly. "We have to get back to work," she said, and he nodded. She smiled. "But not yet," she whispered, leaning close and gently kissing him.

He felt the rush of sensation go through him, the whirl of emotions when their lips met, and he held her face in his hands, deepening the kiss. She held on to him tightly while their mouths moved against each other, their tongues entwined, their breathing becoming ragged. He wished they were in his room, wished they were lying down, wished he could run his hands all over her body. She tasted so amazing. It was all he could do not to bring her into his lap, his desire to feel her pressed up against him was so strong. He sunk his fingers into her hair, and she moaned in his arms, enticing a low groan from him. He couldn't get enough of her. He was wondering how much more he could take when he pulled back, trying to catch his breath.

Regina smiled, blushing, also struggling to breathe, and he let go of her. "I'll see you later," she said, then stood, seeming as overwhelmed as he was.

He loved, loved, having an effect on her.

She headed back up to her room, and Kalin sat there for a moment before rising and walking across the room, but suddenly stopped. An odd sensation came over him, something he hadn't felt before. He put a hand on his chest, trying to understand what it was. He felt a kind of connection, like he was joined to something, something outside of himself. The sensation lessened slightly, but it was still there, a dull ache.

He frowned. He didn't know what this was. But he didn't like it.

# Chapter 7

A loud scream awokened Kalin. He shot up in bed, threw back his bedsheets, and hurried to the door, hearing the others doing the same. He reached the hallway and saw Mark and Sasha leaving their room. The scream must have been Regina.

He pushed open her door and saw her sitting up in bed, shivering, the moonlight streaking across her room. He waved his hand at the candles, making them come alight, then sat on the bed, facing her. He grasped her arms while the others came into the room. "What is it?" he asked, his voice high and distressed.

She wiped tears from her eyes, her hands shaking. It was a long moment before she spoke. "Myriad will be here in two days," she said, still shaking.

Kalin stared at her in shock. Two days? He suddenly felt sick. That was no time. He started to become stressed, but then he looked at Regina and saw how distraught she was. He drew her to him, holding her close while she wept into his chest.

He glanced over at the others. Theodore had a grave look on his face, as if he was calculating all the things that could go wrong. Mark put his arms around Sasha, and Alfred was staring at the floor, deep in thought. Kalin shut his eyes, realizing in two days this could all end. He also realized he held the lives of the others in his hands.

"I won't let him hurt you--any of you," he said.

Regina looked at him, as did everyone else. Kalin gulped but was comforted by the look of gratitude he saw in Theodore's eyes.

"Tell us about your vision," Theodore said.

"I saw Kalin and Myriad fighting," Regina said, "but I didn't see how it ended. There was a battle between you, and it was strong. But I know you'll defeat him. I know you will."

Kalin lowered his head, terrified. She hadn't seen how it ended.

"Alright, this is actually a good thing," Theodore said.

Everyone looked at him, and Kalin wondered if he'd lost his mind.

"We'll be able to fight him much better if we know when he'll be here--much better than him showing up unannounced."

Kalin put his head in his hands.

"Kalin, I know you're frightened about fighting Myriad, but we'll all be with you. We'll help. You won't be alone in this. You're extraordinarily powerful, learning at a rapid rate, and now we know exactly when Myriad will be here. We'll all be prepared. Please, try not to worry too much," Theodore said.

Kalin looked at him again, then nodded. Theodore was right, even though nothing was going to stop him from worrying. "There's no way I'll be able to sleep tonight. I want to train," he said.

Theodore stepped forward and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Alright. We'll start working downstairs. Regina, I want you to first tell us everything you saw, in as much detail as you can. I'm going to get changed--I'll meet you all in a short while."

Everyone left the room, Kalin finally sitting there alone with Regina. She hugged him, and he ran his hand over her hair. "Oh, Regina," he murmured. "I'm sorry you had such a horrible vision."

She tightened her embrace, crying a little. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, promising himself he wouldn't let Myriad hurt her. Or anyone. It was his fault Myriad was coming to their home, but he was going to make damn sure he didn't walk out again.

Could he kill someone? Could he really do this?

Did he have a choice?

***

Edward sat in his room on his twenty-eighth birthday. He'd flown earlier that day. He'd become out of practice with shape-shifting because Myriad did not require him to do it. But occasionally, on his birthday, he would become an eagle and fly. For a while he was free, though he could never completely leave. Myriad could always find him.

He lay on his bed, dreading the near future. In a month it would be the tenth anniversary of Machayla's death. He would be beaten very badly that day, and then, three months later, the murders would take place in the castle. Edward hated the murders more than any punishment he could ever be given because he knew, deep down, they were partly his fault.

It had been ten years since Edward had done the very bad thing.

***

It was an agonizing two days for the group. They started preparing the night of Regina's vision, putting Kalin through tests to strengthen his magic. He threw fire a great distance, created walls of ice, called weapons to him from far away, and shape-shifted at a rapid pace. Alfred repeatedly tried to get into his mind to control him, but Kalin put up the walls of steel to block him. He practiced transporting himself from one place to another and turning invisible. Theodore said there was a vast amount of other things Kalin would be able to do, magic they could only imagine. He barely slept, pushing himself further and harder until he felt he could fight a battle.

Even though everyone was trying to stay positive, to put on a brave front, Kalin knew they were all terrified. Myriad was one of the most powerful warlocks in the world. Kalin knew if he escaped with his life, let alone be able to kill the man, he'd be lucky. Theodore and his group had resolved themselves to trying to stop the coming massacre, and Kalin knew he should do anything in his power to help. But could he really stop it? What if they all lost their lives and Myriad killed the royal family anyway? Would Regina have had visions of him if they were just going to lose?

By the night of the second day, everyone was exhausted. They all sat around the fireplace, trying to find comfort in its warmth. Regina said Myriad would be there in the morning--there was no way anyone could sleep.

Kalin sat lost in thought, unable to keep his worries at bay. Myriad would be there in a matter of hours. He was wondering how he was going to do this when he suddenly clutched his chest.

"Kalin!" Regina exclaimed, reaching out to him.

He shut his eyes tightly, and the pain passed. He exhaled deeply.

"How long since the last time you sensed him?" Theodore asked.

"A few hours," Kalin replied. "But it's always there, to an extent." He wrung his hands, the tension inside him unbearable. He'd finally discovered what the odd sensation was he'd felt the other night: his connection to Myriad, the sensation one universal felt when another was near. It had grown stronger and deeper over the last couple of days, worsening as Myriad got closer. Kalin was so anxious, he could barely sit still.

"I'm going outside," he said, exasperated. He rose, walked to the door, opened it, and went out into the cool night. He shut the door behind him and wandered down the path to sit on the bench under the tree. He shivered as he sat there, gazing over the garden where the moonlight left a trail.

He rubbed his hands together, trying to warm them, when he heard the door to the house open. He turned, hoping it was Regina approaching him in the darkness. He looked at her gratefully as she sat beside him.

"Couldn't leave you out here to freeze," she said, cuddling close.

He half smiled, holding her, his skin immediately growing warmer at her touch.

They sat in silence, a gentle breeze rustling the leaves in the trees, clouds slowly moving over the moon. Kalin didn't know what to say, too consumed with worry to be able to make any kind of conversation. But there was one thing he was desperate to know.

"Regina?" he asked her, gently kissing her hair.

She gave a little sigh. "What is it?"

He took a deep breath. "Can you tell me what you saw? How you know I'll be alright?"

She looked up at him, her eyes so dark and full, and she gently kissed him. She kissed him once more, then wrapped her arms around his neck. He held her close, hoping she would give him an answer. She kissed his neck, then looked at him, holding his face in her hands.

"I saw us in the future," she said. "I don't know how far ahead it was, but we were happy, and safe, and...." She paused. "We were married." She chewed on her lip, looking nervous. "I wasn't supposed to tell you--I don't want you to think... you have to... but it's what I saw, Kalin. I know you'll survive because I saw us together, as strong as any of my other visions. I know it's too soon for you to hear this--I promised myself I wouldn't tell you unless we were together for a long time. But it's what I saw. We were living in a small house, in a beautiful place, and we were married. And we loved each other, so much." She took a shaky breath and looked down, covering her face with her hands.

Kalin still had his arms around her, and he looked at her in astonishment. Married? She saw them like that? He felt a little overwhelmed, frightened at the thought. He adored her, but he hadn't thought about things like that. But as he gazed at her, still covering her face, her heart open wide before him, his heart broke. He took hold of her hands and brought them to his chest.

"That's very sweet--that's lovely," he said.

She nodded, looking down, but she still seemed vulnerable, like she was waiting to be rejected.

"Do we have children?" he asked, and she giggled.

"I didn't see that far ahead," she said, then finally looked at him.

He put his arms around her again. "It is very sweet, and I'm not rejecting you when I say that. We're nowhere near there yet, but it's lovely. You're lovely."

She smiled shyly and cuddled him closer, her arms around his neck.

Married, he thought. He was of two minds--her vision was saying he'd live, but also saying something he wasn't quite ready to think about yet. He didn't want her to get too ahead of things, but who was he to talk, creating a garden of flowers for her before she'd even kissed him! They were both smitten, both infatuated.

He moved aside her hair and kissed her neck. "Regina," he whispered in her ear, and she trembled in his arms. He kissed her neck again and again, and then she moved to face him, looking at him closely. Their mouths met hungrily, passionately, and they clutched each other tight as they became lost in the sensation.

Kalin wanted to kiss her all night and do more, much more, forget all his darkness with her. But he was just going to sit with her on the bench, kissing her until they couldn't breathe. It wasn't the night for more. He really didn't know if he'd live through tomorrow, but maybe he would. She'd seen it.

# Chapter 8

Myriad flew at an astonishing speed towards the home of the other universal. He had shape-shifted into a swift, a bird that could get him to his destination the fastest. He'd been flying for three days, stopping to sleep as little as possible. He wanted to get this over with, to get on with his plan for the king. Everything was in place and he didn't want any distractions. A man with his level of power nearby was a threat and had to be extinguished.

He soared over trees, forests, and villages as the dawn grew brighter, turning into early morning. He thought about this man, the man he was to fight, curious as to why he hadn't felt his presence before. He should have. Something had happened to the man recently, something to awaken his powers. Why had he hidden them? Could he even use them? Myriad felt it might be an easy fight, but still, the connection he felt, the call of this man's power--he knew, deep down, it would be a battle.

He soared closer to the home, felt the connection grow stronger with every moment, hurting him. He hoped the man was hurting also.

***

Kalin sat at the round table, clutching his chest. He could barely breathe, the intensity of his connection to Myriad overtaking him. It was all he could do to stay upright--how was he going to fight him? He hadn't known it would be this bad. He looked up at the others around the table. They looked as anxious as him, taking turns to glance out of the window.

He faced Regina. "Regina, hide," he rasped, the words barely audible.

She moved to sit beside him, and grabbed his hand. "Never," she said, and he looked at her, distraught. She didn't have an active power--he didn't want her to get hurt.

He took hold of her arms. "Please," he begged, but she only shook her head.

"I have to be there. I have to be with you. I can't just sit and wait."

He stared at her again, then lowered his head. He stood and walked over to the window, trying to get a hold of himself. He pushed aside the curtains and looked outside.

Theodore had said Myriad couldn't magically transport there because he'd never seen his home and because of the distance. They knew he must be far away, given how long it was taking him to get there. Kalin clenched and unclenched his fists, trying to eradicate some of his tension. His stomach turned.

Several agonizing moments passed and the connection grew stronger. He took ragged breaths to control the pain and put his hands on his stomach, his anxiety physical. Then, then, as he was standing at the window, he saw it.

A bird. Small. Nothing you'd ever notice. But Kalin knew. He opened the door and walked outside to the center of the garden. The others also emerged out, standing near the door. The bird flew past the big tree, approaching the ground. Kalin took in a breath as the creature began to change, its body rapidly growing and transforming into that of a man.

When the transformation completed, Myriad's feet gently touched the ground, as if he'd floated there. He stood before Kalin, staring silently, and Kalin stared back.

Myriad's long, wild dark hair blew about him in the wind. Kalin thought Myriad looked a thousand times stronger than him--he could merely crush Kalin in his hands. His bright green eyes were piercing, staring at Kalin from several feet away. The call, a constant hum now, coursed through him, heightening Kalin's senses. He would use it.

Myriad clenched his fists, then thrust out his right arm, flinging a blazing ball of fire towards Kalin. Kalin threw a huge water ball at it, and the water crashed onto the flames, dissolving them. Myriad pushed out his hands, a hundred knives appearing in the air in a flash of light, hurling towards him. Kalin put out his hands also, a wave of power exuding from him, the wall of energy making the knives collapse to the ground. Myriad narrowed his eyes.

He advanced on Kalin, disappearing in a whirl of dark smoke, then reappearing inches from him. Kalin gasped at the closeness. Myriad glared at him, seething. Before he could react, Myriad reached out and grasped his throat with both hands.

Kalin's hands scrambled over Myriad's, desperately trying to claw his fingers off him. He panicked, knowing he should be doing something, anything, but he couldn't move. He thought he saw the others appear behind Myriad, but then his eyes rolled back. He started to slip away--it's over so quickly--then Myriad released him.

Kalin stumbled backwards, gasping for air, while Myriad whirled around, water flowing from his hands, creating a huge wall of ice, shielding them. Fire hit the thick wall the instant it arrived, the heat spreading but unable to melt it. At the same time, the knives clattered against the ice wall, falling to the ground. Kalin realized the others had tried to save him. He was about to transport over to them when Myriad turned back to him and grasped his shoulders.

Kalin could barely breathe as Myriad's eyes bore into his own, then suddenly Myriad's expression changed. He looked ahead, rapidly blinked, then looked at Kalin, his eyes narrowing. A sickening smile crossed his lips, and Kalin heard the others scream.

"Alfred, no!" Sasha yelled hysterically.

Through the wall of ice, Kalin could make out the others throwing themselves at Alfred, trying to stop him from enacting Myriad's order. Kalin watched in horror.

He gritted his teeth, adrenaline pumping through him. He visualized his body changing, transforming, and rapidly turned into a lion. He felt his arms and legs change, his skin turn to fur, his teeth and nails becoming that of the beast. He roared at Myriad as the change completed, then lunged forward, toppling him to the ground and digging his claws into him.

Kalin was about to finish him when Myriad's form shrank and changed before his eyes. Soon he was gone, and Kalin looked around in surprise. He changed back into himself, confused, then noticed the rat near his feet.

Myriad turned back into human form, his fists clenched, breathing raggedly. Kalin knew he was getting to him. Pleased, he was considering his next move when he felt a pain in his chest and gasped.

The connection. It was intensifying, growing. He felt the energy building inside him, his blood pumping harder, his heart racing. He fell to his knees, grasping his chest. His breathing became difficult, as if he couldn't bring air into his lungs. His eyes pricked with tears. His entire body was shutting down. He couldn't take it.

Kalin looked up at Myriad, knowing he was about to die.

Myriad stared at him in surprise. He stumbled backwards, eyes wide, as if he'd seen a ghost. Suddenly the pain left Kalin. He collapsed on his side, gasping for air. Myriad kept watching him in horror, his eyes filled with shock and confusion. He frowned, glanced at the ground, then rubbed his forehead. Myriad looked at him again, then shook his head and disappeared in a whirl of smoke.

Kalin lay flat on the ground. The others came to his side, with Regina hugging him on the ground, crying. Theodore and Mark were shouting, asking if he was alright. Kalin stared up at the sky, numb.

I'm alive.

But... why?

***

Myriad appeared in a forest he'd flown over that morning and stumbled forward, grabbing onto a tree for support. He put a hand on his heart, breathing heavily. He didn't understand. He didn't understand.

A thousand scenarios entered his mind, but he shook his head, rejecting all of them. He gritted his teeth, angry, furious, but the fear over what he thought he saw didn't leave him. He fell to his knees, tears forming in his eyes.

He threw his head back and screamed, wailing with all his heart. No! he yelled at himself. No! You have a plan! You'll stick to that plan! This isn't real! It's not real!

He stood, clenching his fists. He was going to kill the royal family. He was going to kill the king, the man who had taken away his love. It would end. Birthday or no birthday, he would start his plan now. He would go to the princess, starting now. He would kill her. He would kill them all. Nothing would stop him. Not even....

It isn't real!

It couldn't be real.

# Chapter 9

Kalin lay on his small bed, staring up at the ceiling. He'd been there for hours, all day, until the light turned to darkness, unable to sleep. He just lay there, staring.

Regina had brought him food and water, but it lay untouched on the table. He couldn't eat; he could barely move. But it wasn't physical pain that kept him stuck. Something was wrong. Something had kept him alive--something awful.

He rolled onto his side, not understanding what was going on but feeling it was horrible. He hated the pain--not just the pain of not knowing, but the pain of failing. He was supposed to stop Myriad and he didn't. He didn't do anything. He'd failed everyone.

There was a knock at the door, and he looked up to see Regina entering the room. He looked back down, not wanting to talk.

She shut the door and walked over to him, sitting on the bed. "Are you alright?" she asked.

He nodded, not looking up. He felt awful for ignoring her, but he couldn't face her.

They sat silently for a long time. He played with the edge of his pillow, thinking Regina would tire of him and leave soon. To his surprise she moved closer to him, putting her hand on his side.

"Look at me," she said, and he frowned, not wanting to. "Look at me," she repeated.

When he finally did, her eyes were full of emotion, sad, concerned. He noticed for the first time she was wearing a dress, different than the plain shirt and trousers she usually wore. It was blue and accentuated her delicate curves. He swallowed.

"Do you know what you being here means to me?" she said, her eyes moist.

He sat up on the bed, taking hold of her hand. He sighed. "Regina, I failed. I didn't stop him. He got away, and I'm only alive because he let me live! All the training, all the hope, for nothing. I didn't stop him."

She reached forward and kissed him roughly, desperately. When she pulled away, tears were running down her face. "Kalin, if someone you cared about nearly died, would you be glad that they lived or would you only care that they didn't stop someone? Would you be glad that they lived?"

He stared at her in despair, putting his hands around her waist and pulling her to him. "Of course I'd care that they lived. Regina, I...."

"Then why don't you understand that you being here is all that matters!" she exclaimed, covering her face with her hands and crying loudly.

He put his arms around her shoulders and tucked her head against his chest. He shut his eyes and tears ran down his face too. He was ashamed, but he couldn't help it. He lowered his head and sobbed, clutching her to him, letting go of the sorrow that held him.

They sat there for a long time, holding each other, their emotions taking control. He finally pulled back when he couldn't cry anymore.

Regina pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped her eyes while he did the same. Embarrassed, he sat there, looking at his hands.

She moved so she was sitting beside him, then kissed him on the cheek. She kissed him on the cheek again, then put her lips to his ear, her breath lightly tickling him. "Kalin, lie down next to me," she whispered.

He looked at her in surprise and found her gazing at him, an intense look in her eyes. He swallowed, suddenly filled with nerves. They could lie down, but he wasn't sure it would end there. He took a deep breath. "Alright."

She nodded and lay down on the bed.

He looked at her lying before him and felt a wave of emotion go through him. He lay down beside her, leaned over her, and put his hand on her waist. He stared at her, her eyes so full. He bit his lip.

She was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

He leaned forward and kissed her softly, slowly. She put her arms around his neck, and he moved so he was over her. Their kiss deepened, and he held on to her, moving his tongue in her mouth. His hand traveled down her body, and she curled her fingers in his hair. He moved his hand beneath her dress and caressed her thigh. She gasped in his arms, moving slightly against him, and then she moaned when he kissed her neck. He didn't know when they were going to stop--and he didn't want to stop....

***

Kalin awoke the next morning, opening his eyes to the early-morning light filtering through the curtains. He felt Regina next to him, turned, and saw her asleep, her hand beside her head on the pillow. He shifted so his arm was around her, causing her to murmur, her eyes fluttering open. He moved her hair away from her face as she cuddled close to his chest.

He held her for a long time, enjoying the warmth her body gave him. They had stopped last night before going too far, but only just. He smiled, remembering. He wanted to stay there in the moment, but the events of the day before filled his mind. He saw the fight, heard the screams of the others as they were saving Alfred. He felt the pain in his heart as he knelt before Myriad, dying. Then he saw the look of horror on Myriad's face. He cringed, his misery consuming him again.

Regina looked up at him. "What's wrong?" she asked, touching his chest.

He frowned. "I can't forget it, Regina--why did he let me live? Why? What did he see? What's wrong with me?" He lay on his back, feeling ashamed, horrible, distressed. He clenched his fists, covering his face, wishing he was different.

She moved his hands away, leaned over him, and touched his face. "What did your parents say to you that makes you think you're not good enough, Kalin?"

He avoided her gaze, looking up at the ceiling, not wanting to admit it. Finally, he sighed and touched her arm, but still didn't look at her. "My parents, they're not my natural parents," he said slowly. "I was adopted. They said they found me as a baby, left wrapped in a blanket on their doorstep. They didn't have children--they couldn't. They took me in, said they thought it was a blessing, that a child was given to them. But then... then...."

He closed his eyes tightly and took a deep breath. "I started using my magic when I was very young. I didn't know what I was doing--it was just part of me. They screamed at me, locked me away, told me it was wrong, that there was something wrong with me. My father would hit me, punishing me when I accidentally used magic. I tried to stop, I did stop, but...." He sighed again. "But it was too late. They hated me. They said they wished they'd never found me. They'd rather they'd never had a child than have me." He closed his eyes again, tears welling behind them.

Regina leaned over him, gently kissing his closed lids. She kissed away the tears that ran down his face.

He turned to her, burying his head in her shoulder, holding her tight as he wept. He would never be okay. He didn't know how to make the pain stop.

After a long while, Regina moved so she was gazing at him. She put her hand on the side of his face, staring at him intently.

He looked at her, not knowing what to say. She knew everything now. Nothing was hidden. How could she still want him, knowing he was so broken? Would she?

"Kalin, I'm going to tell you something, and I want you to listen carefully," she said, running her thumb over his cheek. "There's nothing wrong with you. You're good and kind and sweet and selfless, and meeting you was the best thing that ever happened to me. No matter what anyone says, you're amazing. Would we all believe in you if you weren't a wonderful person? No one in this house thinks badly of you--no one is disappointed in you. Truthfully, we asked a lot of you, training you so quickly and asking you to fight Myriad when you hadn't used your magic in so long. But you fought him and you lived. None of us would have survived a moment without you. You're a wonderful person, and I want you to remember that every day. Even if... we don't stay together, I want you to always remember that I said this to you."

Kalin looked at her fondly, his heart filling up with love for her. He kissed her on the forehead. "Oh, Regina," he whispered, holding her close.

She curled up close to him, burying her head in his chest, and he lay there, his arms around her, so glad he'd met her. Some of his joy returned, some of the brightness that had been filling his heart, but there was still a pressure, a concern, a worry. He knew what he needed to do.

"I need to find him, Regina," he said, stroking her hair. "I need to find Myriad. I need to know what's going on. And I have to stop him. It can't end this way. I can't let him kill anyone else."

She kissed his chest. "I believe in you," she whispered.

His entire body trembled. He kissed her shoulder, and she moved her mouth to his. He lost himself to her, a moment of pleasure before he left.

# Chapter 10

Kalin knocked on the door to Alfred's room and waited quietly for a response.

"Come in," Alfred said, his voice raspy.

Kalin opened the door and slowly walked inside. He moved past the dresser and desk on either side of the door, towards the large bed by the window. Alfred was lying down, his left arm bandaged from wrist to elbow. Kalin sat in a chair by the bed. "I'm so sorry," Kalin said. "I'm so sorry I let him hurt you."

Alfred turned his head towards Kalin. "It's not your fault, son, I'm the one who let his thoughts in. I'm the one who let...." He shut his eyes tightly and sighed, lying his head down again.

Kalin looked down, embarrassed. He felt horrible about the huge gash Alfred had cut into his arm when Myriad had taken hold of his mind. The others had stopped him from cutting himself further, but he was still badly wounded. Kalin fidgeted in his chair, not knowing what to say. They were both humiliated.

"I'm going after him," Kalin finally said, breaking the awkward silence. "I should have gone yesterday, but... I'm going to try to catch up. I can still feel the connection. It's not as strong, but I'll catch him. I have to."

Alfred didn't say anything.

Kalin stood, feeling stupid, and began to walk away. He reached the door when Alfred called out to him.

"Be careful," he said, and Kalin looked at him with gratitude. Alfred looked at the ceiling again. "Kalin?"

Kalin paused. "Yes?"

"Finish him this time."

***

Kalin stood at the front of Theodore's home, getting ready to leave. It was still quite early in the morning. He knelt by two heavy satchels, checking their contents, while Theodore, who had insisted he didn't go alone, prepared the horses he had brought for them. Kalin finished checking they had everything they needed, then stood. He looked over at Regina, Sasha, and Mark, all waiting by the door. He gulped nervously.

"Has the connection become any weaker?" Theodore asked.

He scratched his head. "It's lessening, but not dramatically. Before it felt like Myriad was racing towards me, but it's different now. He's traveling... slower. It's lessening, but not at the pace I would have thought."

Theodore nodded. "He might be traveling by horseback too. It would take tremendous power to sustain traveling in animal form for too long. He's obviously not just magically transporting to his destination either. This might be a long trip, Kalin. I don't know how long this will take."

Kalin held on to his horse's reins, sighing. He really wished he'd left yesterday. He lifted his satchel and attached it to the saddle, and Theodore did the same, then clapped him on the back. Kalin turned and looked at Regina.

She ran up to him and hugged him, holding him tightly, and he put his arms around her, stroking her hair. She pushed back and looked up at him, her hands on his chest, then reached up, kissed him, and took one of his hands. "Take care of yourself," she said, kissing his hand. "Remember, Kalin. You'll survive. I know you will."

He smiled at her, remembering her vision. The thought filled him with happiness and joy instead of apprehension for the first time.

She smiled back, then went and stood back by the door. Sasha moved to him and hugged him good-bye, then turned and hugged Theodore.

Mark walked over to him. "Good luck. Be strong. We know you can do this."

Then he went and spoke to Theodore, and Theodore got up on his horse.

"Ready?" he asked.

Kalin mounted his horse also and took a deep breath. "Ready."

They rode the horses out into the street, then traveled down the road, Kalin in the lead. He listened to the connection, going in the direction it pulled him, where his gut led him. They rode quickly, Kalin guiding them as best he could. He let his thoughts roam as they pursued Myriad. He was desperate to win this time. He didn't want to let them down.

But deep down Kalin knew this was just as much about finding out the truth as it was about stopping Myriad. He needed to know what Myriad saw when he looked at him. He needed to know why he let him live. Kalin felt his curiosity burn inside him. It drove him forward, spurred him on.

***

Myriad dashed along the dirt road, the scenery a blur as he rode towards his destination. He had traveled relentlessly since the fight, all the previous day and night, resting as little as possible. He was nearing his target. It would all end soon.

He kept riding, trying to ignore the whirl of thoughts in his mind. He focused on his plan, his perfect plan. But it isn't.... He growled, casting out the thought. It was perfect. Nothing would stop him. He had planned this day for years. Nothing would get in his way. He glared at the path before him and gritted his teeth.

The day turned to afternoon, and Myriad brought his horse to a stop by a wooded area. Large trees lined the road on either side, turning into a dense forest farther back. He gave the horse water, then sat against a tree and shut his eyes. He just wanted to rest, not to think.

He ignored the connection to the other universal, the sensation weakening as he traveled. He wasn't seeking the call anymore--he wanted to shut it out. The universal was only a boy. Only a child.... Myriad covered his face with his hands. Only a child! He took deep, ragged breaths. He gritted his teeth again. No! No!

But the thoughts came, the theories, the questions, the possibility. A thousand scenarios entered his mind, but only one kept haunting him. It cut into him, making him bleed raw on the inside. He felt a fire inside him, a burning hatred, but not for the king this time. An intense loathing for the one who would do this to him.

Was he letting himself believe it?

His plan wasn't perfect anymore.

He sighed deeply. After some time, he rose, knowing he needed to get moving. His will was beaten down, but he would move forward. He sighed again, then froze.

It was different, stronger.

He was closer.

Myriad shut his eyes tightly. He could feel it. The sensation he was trying to shut out had intensified.

He was being followed.

***

Edward sat on his bed on his thirty-sixth birthday. In a month it would be the eighteenth anniversary of Machayla's death. He would be nearly killed that day. And then, three months later, the murders would take place in the castle.

But not just any murders.

Edward knelt on the floor of his room, silently crying out, not knowing to whom. He begged for Myriad to be stopped. He didn't want the king to die. He didn't want the queen and the princess to die. He wanted the bloodshed to end. He prayed for the pain to stop. He would do anything.

He wept quiet tears, wishing he could turn back time, undo his deed, wishing he'd never betrayed his master. Myriad didn't deserve love or respect, but he didn't deserve what Edward had done.

Edward cried out in his heart for a solution, for someone who could stop the pain. Someone who could save them all. He knew no one like that existed. He knew his cries would be left unheard. But still he begged.

He curled up on the floor and shut his eyes, dreaming of a future that could never happen, dreaming of a savior who didn't exist.

***

Kalin sat by the fire in a small clearing in the forest, the blaze crackling, sparks flying about. He quietly ate some bread and cold meat, Theodore eating with him. The night was cold, but Kalin felt warm by the heat.

They had ridden for most of the day, only briefly resting. They finally stopped for the night, both for them and their horses' sake. Kalin worried they wouldn't catch up to Myriad--they were nearly a full day behind. Even if they didn't stop much, it would still be difficult, but they had to try.

He finished his meal and drank some water.

Theodore cleared his throat. "Are you alright, Kalin? You seem to be... punishing yourself lately."

Kalin frowned. "I'm okay."

"You know you fought amazingly well, don't you?" Theodore said. "It was only a week ago that you started using magic again. You can't be too hard on yourself."

Kalin shook his head. "But I didn't win. The whole point was to stop him. I didn't do anything."

"You battled him. Would you have survived even a second a week ago? You fought him. That's more than most people can say. You can't just see the bad--you have to see the good."

Kalin ran a hand through his hair, knowing that was one of his greatest weaknesses. He sighed. "All that matters now is that I stop Myriad from killing the royal family. That's all I'm going to focus on."

"All?" Theodore asked.

Kalin looked over at him, then quickly away. "It's all I should focus on."

There was a moment of silence. "Is there something you want to tell me, Kalin? Is there something I should know?"

Kalin suddenly felt uncomfortable. He didn't want to be vulnerable. He'd told Regina about his past, but that was different. He rubbed his forehead. "I don't want to talk about it."

"I think you need to."

He sighed. "What's the point? What could you do?"

Theodore stayed silent for a moment. "It might help me decide if my theory is correct."

Kalin's mouth fell open. "What theory? What?"

Theodore gazed at him, his blue eyes knowing. He stared silently, then finally looked away. "It's only an idea--I don't know if it has any truth to it. I'm hesitant to tell you in case I'm wrong. But--"

Kalin suddenly gasped and clutched his chest. He looked at Theodore in horror, the connection coursing through him, hurting him. He struggled to breathe. "Myriad's stopped," Kalin hissed. "He's not moving away anymore. And... and...." He shut his eyes, the surge of power he was feeling from Myriad overwhelming. "I think he's killing."

# Chapter 11

Myriad thrust out his right hand, and an explosion of fire hit the row of guards in front of the stone cottage. The men fell backwards, screaming in pain as the flames engulfed them. Myriad hurtled another ball of flames at the guards on the left as they ran towards him. He held up his right hand, and a sword appeared in his grasp, arriving with a blinding white light. Myriad stormed forward, burying the sword in the stomach of one of the guards by the door. The other brandished his sword, attempting to protect the entrance. Myriad pulled his sword from the first guard and struck the other's blade. He growled, throwing the sword aside, glaring at the man with a fiery intensity. The man's eyes glazed over, and then he turned his sword on himself.

Myriad threw open the door, then thundered up the stairs. He snarled. The king is an idiot, thinking hiding them would work. He arrived on the top floor, met by four guards. He narrowed his eyes, then raised both hands, flinging them forward. Shards of ice plunged into the hearts of the men. He moved to the first door on the right.

Pushing open the door, he saw the queen sitting up in bed, clutching the blankets to her chest. Myriad left the room and banged open the next door. The bed was empty. He walked in slowly. The window was open, the curtains flying about in the breeze. He put his foot on the wooden bed frame and shoved the bed sideways.

Nothing.

He walked around the bed to the cupboard at the far end of the room. Myriad placed his hands on the door handles, waiting. He listened, hearing a faint whimpering within. He took a step back. Holding his arms out, he pushed out a wall of energy. He moved his arms swiftly to the left and wrenched the doors to the cupboard from their hinges.

Princess Carmel cowered within, holding her knees to her chest, looking at him with wide, red-rimmed eyes.

Myriad leaned forward and grasped her arm. He envisioned the front of the cottage, and they were standing outside in an instant, Princess Carmel tumbling to the ground by his feet.

The guards lay in front of the cottage, dead and dying. Myriad didn't care who saw at this point. He didn't care what path he left, what trail followed him. It didn't matter anymore. It would all be over in a matter of hours. All that mattered was getting home quickly.

He walked several steps away so nothing surrounded him, shut his eyes, holding out his arms, and imagined the beast. A fire burned in his stomach, and he grew.

His body stretched and expanded, his skin turning to scales. Huge claws spread from his new feet. He grew and grew until he hovered over the others, all fire and power and strength. He looked down with enormous yellow eyes, then clutched Princess Carmel in his front claws, moved his wings, and launched himself into the sky.

It didn't matter who saw the dragon. They could follow, but it would be too late.

***

Several hours later, Myriad approached the rocky ground at the bottom of the hill where his house stood. He flew down, released Princess Carmel from his claws, and placed her on the ground. Stepping backwards, he concentrated and changed back into himself. In a matter of moments, he stood before the princess. He walked over to her and grasped her arm.

He imagined his study, and they both appeared in the dark room. He spread out his right hand, flame appearing on all the candles. The fireplace roared into life after he threw fire at it, illuminating the room. He dragged the princess across the marble floor of the enormous chamber, then picked up a chair, slammed it before a black table, and threw her into it.

Myriad leaned back against the round table, looking at the girl. She sat as far back as possible, her legs close to her. She wiped tears away but didn't stop looking at him. He shut his eyes for a moment and listened to the sound of her crying. He grasped the table so tightly, it hurt his hands. He took deep breaths, feeling so much... so much, that it cut into him. He gritted his teeth, his cheek twitching. It's all about now. His heart burned. He was angry, angry that after all these years....

His eyes flew open. Myriad walked over to the princess, ropes appearing in his hands as he did so. He tied her wrists and legs to the chair.

"What are you going to do to me?" Princess Carmel gasped out, fighting the binding.

He tightened the last knot. "You know what I'm going to do, girl," he hissed. "You know."

He moved to his desk, grasping the black box that sat in its center. Lifting the lid, he looked at the contents. One glass bottle filled with a bright, shimmering green liquid. One knife. He held his hand over the table, and a wooden bowl appeared in a flash of light. He carefully lifted the bottle and removed the stopper. A pungent, sickening aroma exuded from it. He poured the contents into the bowl, then picked up the knife.

The princess screamed as he turned to her, fighting against her restraints.

He brought the bowl to her lap and put a hand on her throat to still her, and she whimpered but froze. Myriad flattened her right hand against the arm of the chair and pierced the skin of her palm with the blade, slicing down. Blood oozed from the deep cut. Bringing the bowl up to her hand, he turned her palm sideways and squeezed her blood into it. Smoke rose from the bowl as the blood hit the green liquid.

"What are you doing--what are you going to do to me!" Princess Carmel screamed again.

Myriad said nothing, turning and placing the bowl on the black table. He lifted his left hand, then cut his palm until his blood flowed. The contents of the bowl hissed and bubbled as he squeezed his blood into it. Smoke rose high, with a sickening stench. He stepped back, then threw fire into the bowl.

A blinding green light blazed before them, high and wide, lighting up the entire room. Myriad picked up the bowl as the light subsided and grabbed a glass from the table. He dipped it in the substance and took a huge drink. It burned his mouth and his throat, almost making him retch. He dipped the glass in again and returned to the princess, who twisted her head to the side, clenching shut her mouth. Myriad forced her mouth open with his fingers, pushed her head back, and poured the liquid into her mouth. She coughed and spluttered, but he put his hand on her neck, making her swallow. He threw the glass to the ground, shattering it to pieces. He stood before the girl, seething, rage consuming him. He shut his eyes, and the spell began.

A buzzing filled his body, a hum that reached his fingers and toes. He felt the magic fill him, the potion stretching his soul. He was outside of himself, more than himself. He glowered at the princess, sitting there, very still, breathing slowly. Myriad could almost see a green aura surrounding her body and knew it was time.

He picked up the knife he'd cut them with and stood before her. "You're now joined to your closest blood relatives--your father, your mother. Every time I cut you, they'll be cut. Every time I stab you, they'll be wounded too. When I kill you...." Myriad leaned forward, pushing his hands down on her arms. "When I kill you, your father and mother will die. So feel afraid. I want them to feel it."

She screamed as he raised his arm and stabbed her in the shoulder.

He lifted the knife again, cutting her, slicing her, inflicting years of anger on her. But as his own hands were cut in the frenzied stabbing, he wailed, tears pouring out. He cut her again, then dropped the knife, falling to his knees

It was supposed to be perfect! The perfect plan. She died with her family, and he would be safe because he was the last of his bloodline. Because he would be joined to nobody.

But he felt fear, and it wasn't his fear.

He felt pain, and it wasn't his pain.

He screamed, grasping his head. He clenched his fists, wanting to rip himself apart, and then he heard someone appear beside him. He raised his head. "You!" he screamed, lunging forward and crashing his enemy to the ground. He held Edward down, his hands on Edward's shoulders, holding him so fiercely that Edward cried out. "You did this!" he screamed. "You did this! Why! Why did you do this to me! Why did you take him away from me!"

Myriad fell back, lying on the floor, covering his face. He cried and cried. He thought it would never stop.

***

Kalin sat against a tree, shaking, his hands covered in bloody cuts. He looked at Theodore, uncontrollable tears running down his face. "What's wrong with me!" he screamed. "What's happening to me!"

Theodore put his hands on either side of Kalin's head, looking at him with sorrow. He took a deep breath. "You're his son, Kalin. You're Myriad's son."

# Chapter 12

Kalin stared at Theodore in horror, unable to stop shaking. He couldn't stop crying. He tried to push Theodore's hands away. "What do you mean? What... why... what are you talking about!"

Theodore sat back a little. "There's a spell where someone can be bound to their closest blood relatives. Whatever happens to them--if they're hurt, or killed--will also happen to their family. Myriad must have cast that spell so he when he kills one of the royal family, they all die. But the spell has a catch. Myriad will also be bound to his closest blood relative. That's why you're bleeding, Kalin--that's why you're feeling things that aren't from you. You're bound to him. You're connected. He's your father."

Kalin grasped his head, ready to tear his hair out. "No!"

"You're adopted."

"Stop it!"

"It explains why he didn't kill you. He knew, he knew by looking at you! You must look like your mother!"

Kalin shook his head again. "No! Stop saying these things! It's not right! It's not true! He's a monster--he's nothing! I'm not part of him!" He clenched his fists and slammed them on the ground. He stood, kicked the tree behind him, then began to pace. Anger boiled inside him. He walked backwards and forwards, clenching and unclenching his fists. The air grew hotter. He could feel heat. He vaguely noticed Theodore screaming at him, but it sounded far away. All he could hear was the thudding of his heartbeat in his ears. Suddenly he was shoved to the ground.

"Kalin, stop!" Theodore screamed, holding him down.

Kalin looked up and saw the forest was on fire around them. Flames engulfed the trees, spreading out. He shut his eyes, trying to control his breathing. He pushed Theodore aside, then rose. He held up his arms, willing water to come down. He stood there, face up to the sky, calling to the clouds. There was a streak of lightning in the distance, a rumble of thunder, then rain poured down, drenching everything, the sound deafening.

Kalin looked down as the water soaked his skin.

Theodore moved in front of him, looking at him through the raindrops. "What are you going to do?" he yelled over the rain.

Kalin stared at the ground a moment longer, then met Theodore's gaze, water dripping from both their faces. "I don't know," he cried. "I don't know."

***

Edward lay on the ground, his heartbeat pounding. Myriad wept beside him, loudly, uncontrollably. Edward felt eighteen years of guilt and pain and regret wash over him. The truth was finally out--his master knew what he had done. He sat up, the thought of his punishment--no, his death--making him tremble. Then he saw the princess and quickly rose.

He scrambled over to Princess Carmel. Her head listed to the side and she bled profusely from cuts and stab wounds. Edward looked at her injuries, saw the broken glass on the ground, with a green liquid spread all over the floor, and knew Myriad had cast a binding spell. A thousand thoughts entered his mind, but only one stood out.

Edward put his fingers on the princess's neck, feeling for a pulse. He froze as he tried to figure out if she was still alive. He bit his lip. Soft, but there it was. The faintest heartbeat. He hurriedly picked up the knife on the ground and cut the ropes at her wrist, his hands shaking, sweat pouring from his brow. He had to save her.

Images flickered through his mind as he worked. He remembered, all those years ago, going to Rainer's house with Myriad after the battle where all of his family had died. He remembered how he had found the necklace Rainer had created as they took care of the bodies. He had found the necklace that could make Myriad invincible, could make anyone with his blood invincible, but he didn't tell him.

Edward remembered, months after, when Myriad had beat him the day Machayla died in childbirth. He knew he would try to save the baby, but he wouldn't tell Myriad. Without Machayla, he believed Myriad would return to being a monster. He couldn't bear to see the child raised the way Rainer had raised Myriad. He couldn't bear to see the punishments the boy would receive. No one deserved that. Edward decided to stop the cycle.

He'd stayed in his room the rest of the day, trying to recover from his broken bones and bruises. Late at night, he left his room and snuck down to the back garden, where Myriad had buried his wife and child. He went to the grave of the boy, dug him out, and opened the box he'd been placed in. His body was cold and still. Edward placed him on the ground, still wrapped in a blanket, put the necklace around his neck, and waited.

After a while, color returned to the child's face, and he began to cry. Edward remembered his heart leaping in his chest--he'd saved the baby! He magically transported with the child a couple of times, arriving in a village nearby. He'd left the boy on the doorstep of a small house, hoping he would be raised by loving people. He went back home, buried the box again, then hid in his room, resolving never to tell Myriad a thing.

And regretted it ever since.

Edward finally cut away the last of the ropes, then rose to lift the princess from the chair. He was shaking as he put one arm around her shoulders and the other behind her knees. He was about to lift her when he was dragged backwards and thrown to the ground.

"No! You won't save her. You took away my son, but you won't take away my revenge. Never!"

Myriad kicked him in the stomach, twice, three times, and Edward groaned, hunching over. He saw Myriad pick up the knife, then moved over to the princess....

***

Kalin stood before Theodore, feeling sick to his stomach. This wasn't supposed to happen. He was supposed to stop Myriad, save the royal family--not find out he was related to a devil. He couldn't believe it. He was Myriad's son? But how?

He had no time to think about it. He could feel Myriad's rage boiling inside him. He had to stop it, but the only way he knew how was the worst thing he could imagine.

"He's about to kill her," he said. "I know it's the princess--it's someone smaller and weaker than him. We only have moments... I don't want to do it, but...."

"There has to be another way," Theodore pleaded.

Kalin shook his head. He held out his hand, and a knife appeared within it.

"Kalin, no! You don't have to do this!"

He didn't want to. Kalin looked down at the knife he held. His stomach churned. He wanted to live. He wanted the life Regina saw for them--he wanted the chance to get married, to have children, to live. The last thing he expected was for things to end this way. But he knew the only way he could stop Myriad, the only way he could save the royal family, was to take his own life. Could he stand there and let Myriad kill the princess? Could he stand there, feeling Myriad's rage and anger and hatred, and not stop it? Maybe this was his destiny all along. Maybe he was meant to lose his life this way. He felt horrible, but could see no other way.

He held out the knife before his stomach and took deep breaths. He clenched the handle, his hand beginning to shake.

"Kalin, no!"

"I have to."

"No!"

He trembled again, then gasped as he felt Myriad scream with rage. Kalin fell to his knees, knowing Myriad was about to make the final blow. He shut his eyes and held his breath....

***

Myriad screamed, lifting his arm, holding the princess down with his other hand. He shook with fury. He brought the knife down....

***

Kalin plunged the blade in, stabbing himself in the stomach. He collapsed on his side, pain shooting through him. Everything went blurry before him. He heard Theodore scream.

***

Myriad fell to his knees.

The knife clattered to the ground. He put his fingers to his stomach, then lifted them to his face, blood covering them. He looked at Edward in shock, pitched forward, then collapsed.

The room went completely silent. Edward couldn't move, couldn't breathe. He wondered if Myriad was still alive. Then there was a peculiar feeling in his chest. He opened the top of his shirt and looked down. The mark that bound him to Myriad was gone.

Myriad was dead.

He was free.

But the boy....

***

Regina shot up in bed, screaming uncontrollably.

The door was shoved open, and Sasha came to her side. "What is it?" she exclaimed. "What did you see?"

Regina held on to Sasha's shoulder, tears pouring down her face. "He's dead, Sasha. He's dead. It wasn't supposed to be this way. He was supposed to live." She covered her face, screaming and wailing. He was supposed to live. He was supposed to marry her.

# Chapter 13

Theodore sat by Kalin's body in the early dawn light. He'd put a blanket over him out of respect. He had meant to move, had meant to go home and arrange for his burial. But he couldn't. He didn't want it to be real.

He sighed deeply, full of sorrow that it had come to this. Regina had always said Kalin was supposed to stop Myriad, that he was destined to stop him. She'd been sure he would win. Theodore's heart broke at the thought of telling her Kalin was dead. She would fall apart. He knew she loved Kalin.

He placed a hand on his heart, barely able to take the pain himself. He'd only known Kalin a week, but he'd seen him grow so much, saw the size of his heart. He felt like he'd known him much longer. He'd have to tell Kalin's parents, would have to find them somehow.

He sighed again, wondering if Kalin had saved the princess, if his sacrifice had worked. Theodore didn't know what really happened, other than the fact that Myriad was dead. Had Kalin saved the royal family or had he been too late?

Theodore didn't have any answers, just questions and sadness.

***

Regina sat at the table in the main room, looking down at her hands. She'd been awake for hours--she hadn't been able to fall asleep after her vision. Sasha sat next to her, a hand on her arm. Regina didn't look at her.

"Do you want a cup of tea?" Sasha asked. "I could make you some breakfast. It might make you feel better."

Regina shook her head. "I don't want anything," she mumbled. She wouldn't be able to eat. She could barely breathe. She just felt numb all over. Sighing, she placed her hands on the table and began to rise.

Sasha grasped her arm tighter. "Regina, you don't know that he's gone. You don't know for sure. Wait until Theodore returns before you believe it."

She slumped back in the chair. "Have I ever been wrong before, Sasha? He's dead. I felt it. I don't know what happened, but I saw him, lying there, stabbed. Somehow Myriad got him. I don't know--I don't know what happened! But don't tell me I didn't see it! Don't tell me I don't know what I felt!" She thumped her fist on the table, tears pricking her eyes. Why had this happened? Why had she had so many visions of Kalin, visions that brought him to their group, only for him to die? Why had she met a man she loved, only to lose him? It wasn't fair!

And had Kalin saved the royal family? Had anything good come of this? She wiped away the tears, confused. None of this made sense. She either couldn't trust her earlier visions, or she couldn't trust the one that showed her Kalin was dead. But they all felt the same. They all had the same ring of truth, the same aura she'd learned to trust after years of learning to decipher true visions from false ones. Something wasn't right, wasn't finished. She wrung her hands, anguished.

"Sasha, is this my fault?" she said, turning. "If I'd never told Theodore how to find Kalin, he'd still be alive. Have I done this? Is this my fault?"

Sasha looked at her knowingly. "Regina, no one forced Kalin to do anything. You know as well as I do that he wouldn't have just sat there if he could help. Do you really think he would have wished he'd never joined us? Wished he'd never met you? If he is gone, he would have died trying to save others, and that's the greatest honor there is. But don't mourn yet, my dear. You don't know what happened. You don't know what will happen."

Regina frowned. You don't know what will happen. She felt a glimmer of hope and tried to hold on.

***

Theodore sat very still, holding his breath. A thought flickered across his mind, something bright and brilliant. He struggled to capture it.

He'd been wondering how to find Kalin's parents, wondering where they lived, when it hit him. Kalin's parents. His hands trembled.

A theory had been forming inside of him, the thought that Kalin was Myriad's son, since Myriad had let Kalin live. Theodore had wondered how it could be possible, but then remembered the necklace that Myriad's father, Rainer, had created. Everyone thought it had gone missing after the battle where all of Myriad's relatives had died. But Theodore suspected someone had found it, found the necklace and revived Kalin as a baby. Someone who didn't want Myriad to know.

What if the necklace still existed?

He leapt to his feet, breathing faster. He couldn't imagine where it would be, who would have it. He stared at Kalin's body, hoping, hoping beyond hope....

***

"Help!" Edward screamed. "Help me!" He stood in the center of a deserted road in a village near Myriad's home, holding Princess Carmel in his arms. He screamed again. "Help me!"

Some doors opened and a few men walked out. They saw Edward holding Princess Carmel and rushed towards him.

"The princess!" a large, round man exclaimed, staring up at Edward. "What happened!"

"There's no time," Edward said hurriedly. "Take her. Get her to a healer. Send word to the palace. She's barely alive." Edward placed her in the arms of one of the other men, hoping she would be safe. He couldn't stay to see what would happen. He had to act, fast.

He closed his eyes and magically transported three times, twice to get to the bottom of the hill where Myriad's house stood and once to get inside. He ran into his room, then knelt on the floor and shoved the rug aside. He felt for the loose floorboard, moving his fingers along the ground until he finally found the edge, and lifted it up.

The necklace lay below.

He picked it up, the silver metal cold against his fingers. Edward rose, his heart pounding in his chest, wondering what to do. He had to get the necklace to the boy, but where was he? He could be anywhere. He didn't know how much time he had--the necklace had revived him once, but could it do it again? From a stab wound? Edward trembled, so scared and frightened that he could hardly think. He shut his eyes and begged that he would know how to find Myriad's son. He pleaded to be able to save him. He shook, so sorry it had come to this. He wanted to do something right, to make up for all the years that had gone wrong. He wanted to fix this.

Just fly.

Edward's eyes flew open and he frowned. The thought had entered his head, clear as day, but....

Just fly.

He turned and looked out of the window. It was dawn. He took a deep breath.

***

Could he call it?

Theodore frowned. He'd have to know what it looked like to call it to him and know where he was bringing it from. He'd never seen the necklace and certainly didn't know where it was. And the distance--if it was too far away, if it was in another country, even another town, it would be too hard. His power wouldn't be strong enough.

But could he?

He shut his eyes, then held out his hand and tried to call the necklace.

He stood there, in silence, willing it to come with every part of him. He looked at his hand, a faint light shimmering beneath it, but nothing appearing. His hand shook, the energy he was exerting to bring the necklace to him making his body ache.

Nothing happened.

He gritted his teeth, trying again. It has to work! He fell to his knees, shaking from the force. Still he held out his hand.

Theodore felt a faint tingling in his fingers. Was it--could it be? The tingling was different to the usual feeling when he brought something to him, almost as if he was... leading something? Guiding it? The sensation grew, and he put his other hand underneath his wrist, trying desperately to keep holding his hand out. His entire body shook. The light beneath his hand grew brighter. He gasped, feeling he couldn't take it anymore. He gritted his teeth again, then collapsed on his side.

He shut his eyes, breathing heavily. Tiredness overtook him, and he felt himself start to slip away, to lose consciousness. His mind drifted....

***

Theodore awoke, sore and aching. He sat up, looking at the sky. The sun was setting. He'd been unconscious all day.

His heart fell. It didn't work. He didn't bring the necklace to him. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. He had to face the truth now. It was over. He lowered his head, full of sorrow.

Something cold and metallic hit his hand.

Theodore looked down at a silver necklace with a charm in the shape of a leaf. A bird squawked above him--he lifted his head and saw an eagle resting in a tree. He sat there for a moment, stunned, then hurried over to Kalin and threw aside the blanket that covered him. His hands shook from anticipation and fear. He gently placed the necklace around Kalin's neck, then knelt beside him and held his breath.

Kalin lay there, his skin pale and tinged with blue. His hands were covered in cuts and dried blood, and there was a huge wound in his stomach.

Theodore watched, waiting for any sign of life, staring helplessly.

Kalin remained still. Then the blood on Kalin's hands started to shrink back, become smaller. Gradually the blood disappeared, revealing the cuts beneath, clean and sharp. Theodore watched in amazement as the edges of the cuts came together, closing, healing. Kalin's hands became smooth again.

Theodore quickly moved the shirt away from Kalin's stomach. The blood surrounding the deep wound began to disappear, as if the color was lifted from his skin. The edges of the wound narrowed, touched, then disappeared completely. Kalin's skin started to turn pink, and then he gasped.

Theodore's gaze flew to Kalin's face. He was gasping for air, his chest rising and falling. His eyes were open, looking up in amazement. Theodore put a hand to his heart, sighing with relief and astonishment. He grasped Kalin's arm. "You're alive! Kalin, you're alive!" Tears pricked his eyes.

Kalin lay there, taking deep breaths, then looked at Theodore. "What..." he began, his voice croaky. "What..."

Theodore laughed, tears falling down his face. He held Kalin's hand, his heart full and alive. Everything was alright again. He lived.

He heard the eagle squawk, then looked up and saw it fly away.

# Chapter 14

Kalin held a leaf between his fingers, twirling it back and forth as evening came, as Theodore packed their things, getting ready for them to leave. Kalin's mind drifted, floating over all the things that had happened.

Myriad was his father. His real father. And his real mother--she had died giving birth to him. A woman who Myriad had become good for. A mother who might have wanted him.

He sighed deeply. Theodore had explained to him how it all happened, how he had been saved as a baby and given away. He couldn't help but wonder what his life would have been like if he'd been raised by Myriad. Would his father have done all those evil things if he'd had his son? Or would he have still sought revenge and dragged Kalin along with him? He didn't know. He didn't think Myriad would have forgiven the king for what happened with his wife. He really didn't think the years of bloodshed would have been avoided. Maybe whoever saved him did know what would have happened. Maybe they knew Myriad better than anyone.

Kalin leaned back against a tree and sighed again.

Theodore came and sat beside him. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

Kalin shrugged. "Fine, I guess."

Theodore chuckled softly. "How are you really feeling?"

Kalin met his gaze. "I don't know. I... I don't know how to feel. Or what to feel. I just feel... strange." He moved a hand to the necklace, which he was still wearing. "Do you think...." he began, then stopped. He took a deep breath. "Do you think my mother--my real mother--would have.... I mean, if she'd lived--would have...."

Theodore squeezed his shoulder. "I'm sure she would have been very proud of you. I'm sure she would have loved you very much."

Kalin looked at him. "She must have been special to have changed Myriad. To make him good, even for a while."

Theodore smiled. "I imagine she was. I imagine it's who she was that makes you who you are. Strong, brave. You should be proud that she's your mother, Kalin. Proud of who you are."

Kalin bit his lip. But my father was evil, he thought. He cringed a little. Everything had happened so quickly, he could barely understand it. He'd killed his own father. A horrible, uncomfortable feeling overcame him, disturbing him. He knew he'd had to do it; he'd had to try to save the princess. But still. He frowned.

"Do you think I saved Princess Carmel? Do you think the royal family is alright?"

Theodore shrugged. "I don't know, Kalin. Even if you didn't save her, you're still a savior. You gave up your life for them. If they lived, they owe you everything."

Kalin looked down, embarrassed. He didn't know what to think, so he stood. "I want to get moving. I want to go home."

Theodore rose also. "Alright. Give yourself time. It'll take time to get through this. Time to get over it. Don't expect yourself to feel alright straight away."

Kalin nodded, his mind already drifting. Time. He walked to the horses and hoped it wouldn't be too long.

***

They arrived back at Theodore's home in the very early hours of the morning. Theodore took care of the horses, while Kalin carried their things inside. He dropped the satchels in the main room, then went up to his room to clean up. He was quiet, not wanting to wake everyone. Right now he only wanted to talk to Regina.

When he had changed his clothes, he knocked on the door to her room but didn't hear anything. He knocked again, then quietly opened the door. Her bed was empty. He frowned, wondering where she was, then walked down the stairs and searched the house. He couldn't find her anywhere. He started to become worried, then thought to check the back garden.

He opened the door and saw someone sitting on the bench under the tree, wrapped in a blanket. He slowly walked up to her, knowing it was Regina.

She looked up in surprise. "Kalin?" she said, standing. "Kalin, is that--oh!" She flew into his arms, hugging him tightly, taking his breath away.

He smiled, holding her close. Suddenly he felt warm and safe. He led her to sit again.

"I don't understand!" she exclaimed. "What happened? How can you be here? You were dead."

He laughed, wrapping his arms around her. He put her head to his chest. "Oh, Regina. I should have realized you'd know. It's a long story, darling. I promise I'll tell you everything."

She nestled close to him, her head against his heart, but then she suddenly threw her arms around his neck, kissing him and kissing him. She kissed his face, his neck, his ears.

Kalin chuckled, gently pushing her back. "You have to calm down, Regina. I've been dead all day."

She looked at him with a bewildered expression on her face, and then they both started laughing. He held her close again, and she cuddled him once more. "Are you alright?" she asked.

He hesitated. "I will be," he said softly.

They sat in silence for a long time. She finally lifted her head. "What about the royal family and Myriad? What happened?"

Kalin paused. "I don't know about the royal family. But as for Myriad--he's dead. I know, I... I killed him."

She reached up and touched his face. "You had to, Kalin."

He looked down at his hands. "There's a lot more to it," he admitted. He absently brought his hand to the necklace.

Regina's eyes widened. "Tell me everything. That's why I'm here."

He looked at her fondly, his heart swelling. He gently touched her face with his fingertips, brushing her cheek, her jaw, her lips, making her blush. He moved his mouth close to hers, then kissed her, softly, sweetly. She held on to him, deepening their kiss, leaning into him. He held her tightly, one hand in her hair, and she quivered in his arms. He wanted to kiss her forever.

He finally pulled away, gently kissing her neck, her mouth, her forehead. He held her to him. "I love you, Regina," he whispered.

She sighed. "I love you too, Kalin. I always will."

***

Kalin sat on the settee in Theodore's house, holding Regina in his arms. They'd barely left each other's side the previous few days, spending almost every moment together. He didn't want it any other way. He held her close to him, kissing her hair every so often.

He and Theodore had told the group what happened--everything about Myriad's death and Kalin's connection to him. Kalin had already told Regina privately. Everyone was shocked to discover Myriad was Kalin's father. Kalin was briefly worried the group might not want him there anymore, but he realized his fears were irrational. No one thought any less of him.

Regina had clung to him desperately after he'd told her what he'd done to save the princess. She'd kissed him a thousand times and told him never to do anything like that again. He still smiled at the memory.

Two questions were still left unanswered: was the princess alright, and who brought Theodore the necklace? Was it the same person who had saved Kalin as a baby? They all wanted to know, but they weren't sure if they would ever find out.

Theodore was putting out some food for lunch when the front door opened and closed. Mark and Sasha walked into the room a moment later, and Sasha rushed to Kalin's side, taking hold of his hands.

"You did it, Kalin, you did it. The princess survived. The royal family is all okay."

She hugged him, and he sat there, stunned. They all moved to sit around the table.

Mark spoke first. "A message was proclaimed from the palace this morning that Myriad had attacked the princess, but he was killed and she survived. They didn't reveal details about the king and queen also being hurt, but said the royal family would need time together to heal. The king sent his soldiers to Myriad's home, and they found him dead. They burned his body. Word is a warlock brought the princess to a village near Myriad's home shortly after she'd been attacked, but he's disappeared and no one knows where he is. The rumors are that he killed Myriad. The king has asked him to come forward. He wants anyone with information to come forward, even if they're a warlock or witch. There's a promise of talking to them in peace."

Everyone stopped and looked at Kalin.

He looked at his hands. "I can't."

"You have to go forward, Kalin. You have to tell them what you did," Sasha said.

He fidgeted in his chair. "I don't want to."

"Why?"

Kalin started to squirm. "Because they'll know. They'll find out I'm Myriad's son. Do you really think the king will go from punishing anyone with magic, to accepting the son of his enemy? I'll be locked up. It's too risky."

Everyone went silent.

Regina put a hand on his arm. "They owe you their lives."

He looked at her. "It doesn't matter, not to them. I can't go forward. I won't." He wasn't going to change his mind. He just wanted to be safe.

Regina reached forward and hugged him.

It's up to you, Kalin. It's your choice," Theodore said.

He shut his eyes and held on to his love, then nodded, sitting back.

They all began to eat, Sasha and Mark talking more about the King's message. Kalin's mind drifted. He was safe. They were safe. The threat was over. He told himself that was all that mattered. He told himself he didn't need to be thanked.

He told himself a lot of things.

***

Kalin lay next to Regina in his room, gently kissing her neck. He held her to him, touching her, tasting her. He kissed her mouth, then moved his lips to her ear. She sighed in his arms, and he held her closer.

"Kalin," she said breathlessly.

He murmured her name against her neck.

"Kalin, wait."

He pulled back, gazing at her closely.

She put her hands on either side of his face, and bit her lip. "You're amazing," she said softly. "You need to know that. I can't stand the thought of you thinking you don't deserve to be thanked for what you've done. You don't have to go forward, but you need to know in your heart you're amazing. There's no one like you. Don't walk away from this thinking you could ever be any more than you are. You're perfect just as you are."

Kalin looked at her, his heart swelling, beating louder. He brushed her lips with his fingertips, then moved his hand down her neck, over her collarbone, onto the soft skin below. He could barely breathe. "I love you," he whispered. "I always will. I could never love anyone more." He kissed her, as if to punctuate his emotion. He kissed her because she was part of him. He kissed her because, even if he had nothing else, he had her. None of the rest mattered. Just her. Just her and him, together.

He ran his hands down her body, touching the soft skin at her side, hot beneath his hands. He began to undress her, slowly, carefully, kissing her all the while. She moaned in his arms, and he moved over her, his skin melting onto hers. He made love to her, the sensation exquisite, amazing. They moved together, sensually, passionately. He didn't want it to end. He never wanted it to stop. Every part of him belonged to every part of her. They were one. And they always would be, forever.

# Epilogue

"She's a foot taller than me. I hate it. Nothing worse than your younger sister towering over you."

Kalin moved Regina's hair over her shoulder, gazing at her as they sat on a blanket in the garden. They were enjoying the first warm day of the new spring, relaxing in the sunshine, after spending most of the last three months inside, hiding from the cold.

He looked at her fondly, only vaguely listening to what she was saying. A question he had to ask thudded along with his heartbeat. They'd grown closer over the many weeks since the ordeal with Myriad, spending so much time together, talking about anything and everything.

Kalin had remained with them all and gotten to know everyone better. He learned about Theodore and how he came to own the manor where they lived, spoke to Mark and Sasha about magic and growing up in Prentor, and Alfred encouraged him to train more, to grow into his powers, and taught him a great deal. Kalin felt a sense of peace living with them, and even though it was quick, he knew he always wanted to be with Regina. He took a deep breath, getting ready to ask, when Sasha came running out into the garden.

"You have to see this!" she exclaimed.

Kalin looked at Regina, then they got to their feet and followed Sasha inside. She led them out the front door, and Kalin gasped.

Outside was a silver-and-blue carriage led by two beautiful white horses. Four soldiers sat on horseback behind the carriage. The soldiers dismounted, and one of them opened the door. Kalin was stunned to see the soldier help Princess Carmel step down. She walked gracefully towards them, past the tall hedges at the front and down the path in Theodore's front garden, the soldiers behind her.

His friends stepped behind Kalin without a word.

Princess Carmel stood before him. She was shorter than him, wearing an elegant pale blue dress, her copper-colored hair cascading down her back. She wore a thick blue scarf that completely covered her neck. Kalin thought that was odd until he realized--the scars.

He stayed still for a moment, then knelt before her, which he should have done straight away.

She placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm looking for the man who is related to Myriad. A man with a silver necklace with a charm in the shape of a leaf."

Kalin couldn't speak. His voice seemed to have disappeared. The necklace glistened on his shirt in the sun. He thought he would kneel there in silence forever when the princess laughed softly.

"I take it that that man is you."

He nodded, still looking down, and she stepped back and motioned for him to rise. He stood there awkwardly. He didn't know what to say.

"What is your name?" she asked.

"Kalin," he said quietly.

She paused for a moment. "It took me several weeks to recover from my attack, and my memories of that night were hazy at first. But then I remembered... I remembered Myriad screaming about his son, and I remembered how he died--by magic. I knew, given the spell he had cast on me, that only his son could have ended his life that way, by ending his own life. I thought you were lost, but a letter was sent to the palace, unsigned, saying you lived. Saying you were revived. The letter described what you and a friend of yours looked like and described the necklace. That letter brought me here."

Kalin looked at the princess, not knowing what she was going to do. She seemed to sense his concern.

"My father's opinion on those with magic was never my own. I never believed people like you were bad or evil. I convinced my father that you should be brought to the palace and thanked for being the savior you are. It took some work, but he agreed to meet with you and start a discussion. I don't know how far we'll get, but I at least want to talk about stopping the punishment of those with magic. We owe you our lives. Even my father knows he can't ignore that."

Kalin's heart filled with emotion, amazed that the princess would want anything to do with people who have magic after all she'd been through. She'd been tortured, in one way or another, for eighteen years. And she nearly died. "Thank you," he said. "Thank you so much."

Princess Carmel smiled. "Thank you, Kalin. Your gift will not be forgotten. I think things will begin to change now." She smiled again. "But you need not worry. While my parents and some people at the palace know of your heritage, we won't proclaim it to the world. Your secret is safe. I will send a carriage for you and your friends in one week. Good-bye for now." She turned and walked back to the carriage, the soldiers following her.

Kalin watched her leave, saddened that she had to go through so much horror throughout her life. She would be scarred forever, though only her physical scars were visible on the surface.

The others came to stand beside him, and they all watched the princess and the soldiers depart.

Once the carriage disappeared from sight, Kalin turned to Theodore. "Did you send the letter?"

Theodore smiled. "Kalin, she would have had your name and exactly where we lived if it had been me. I respected your wishes not to tell the king. I think we can safely assume it was none of us."

Kalin frowned. "Then...." His hand touched the necklace. "It was him. The man who brought you the necklace. The man who saved me as a child."

Theodore shrugged. "We'll never really know, now, will we?" he said, and smiled again.

Everyone turned to walk back inside, but Kalin grasped Regina's arm, holding her back. He waited for the others to leave, then brought her to stand on the grass in the garden.

"There's something I wanted to ask you," he said, feeling he couldn't let another moment slip by without saying it. They had gone through so much. The feeling that every moment was precious struck him. He held Regina gently, and she looked up at him, her hands on his chest. He took a deep breath. "You know the vision you had... the one about us, in the future."

She was silent for a moment. "Yes," she said nervously, fiddling with the front of his shirt.

A small smile touched his lips. "You mean the world to me. I can't stand the thought of not spending every day with you. I know I have a lot to learn, but I want to learn everything with you. I never want to be without you, Regina. I love you."

Her eyes glistening with tears, he got down on one knee, grasping her hands with his, looking deeply into her eyes. Tears ran down her face.

"I wanted to have a ring--the most beautiful ring in the world--but I can't buy you one yet. But I still want to ask you. I can't live another day without asking you. Regina, my love, will you marry me?"

She knelt down before him, throwing her arms around his neck, crying into his shoulder.

He knelt on both his knees, holding her tightly. He shut his eyes, hoping that was a yes. It felt like a yes. He lifted his head. "I want to hear...."

"Yes!" she exclaimed, then pressed her mouth against his.

He kissed her, deeply, passionately, breathlessly, and held her tight. All of his emotions swirled through him, his magic coursing inside him as his heartbeat thudded loudly. The world spun around him, as if a symphony was playing from his heart. He could kiss her forever. Finally, when he needed to breathe, he pulled away. He held her face in his hands, looking at her closely.

She gasped.

He followed her gaze, looking at the ground. He shut his eyes, groaning. "Not again," he murmured, leaning his head against her shoulder.

She giggled in his arms, and he looked back at his creation.

Thousands of white lilies surrounded them, covering every inch of the garden, piled high all over the ground. They covered the tall hedges at the front and rose up the walls of the house to the windows.

Kalin picked one up and twirled it between his fingers. "You like lilies, don't you?" he asked, putting it in Regina's hair.

She smiled. "They're my favorite."

He grinned. "Good." He hugged her again, then heard the front door open. He looked up and saw the others standing in the doorway, smiling at him.

Sasha playfully hit Mark on the arm. "When was the last time you covered the garden with flowers for me?"

Mark smiled. "Just take some of Regina's. But orchids next time, Kalin. Sasha likes orchids." He put his arms around Sasha's waist, and she turned and kissed him.

Kalin stood, helping Regina up with him. He held her close, his face heating with embarrassment, and she snuggled close.

"Spring wedding?" Theodore asked.

Kalin looked down at Regina. "That's up to her," he said, stroking her hair.

She smiled at him, then lowered his shoulders so she could put her lips to his ear. "It happens in six weeks," she whispered. "Here, at the house. And then...."

She whispered something that took his breath away.

He straightened, knowing his face would be pink again. He grinned at her. "You saw that?"

She grinned back. "Yes. And my visions always come true."

# About the Author

Mona Hanna is an author of fantasy/romance books. She enjoys writing about love, magic, conflict, trials, and the joy of overcoming them. Mona enjoys reading, movies, chocolate, and adores cats. She hopes to release many more fantasy books in the years to come.

monahanna.com

Sign up to Mona Hanna's mailing list to be notified when she has published a new book or has a sale.

<https://monahanna.wufoo.com/forms/sign-up-for-my-mailing-list/>
