Forbidden Magic

Chapter 12

Guards rushed into the study ready for battle. Galen was shoved across the floor by the door as it swung open, and he quickly scurried further out of the way. The men stopped in their tracks upon seeing the wreckage.

“What happened here?” Easton demanded from Myam as he stepped toward the mage.

“An underestimation of power,” Myam answered through gritted teeth.

“As you can see, the situation has been dealt with. Have two of your men transport the girl back to her quarters.” Myam asked of the commander before looking at his apprentice, “Galen, you may return to your champers.”

The young man did not need any further prompting, as he quickly stood up, dashed from the room, and disappeared down the hallway.

“We felt the rattling down in the barracks. What were you thinking?! You could have brought the whole castle down around our ears!” Easton pressed, enraged that the mage had put them all in danger.

“I said the situation has been handled, Easton! Now, if you don’t mind, I have some cleaning up to do.” Myam glared at the commander, waiting, almost daring him to continue. Easton huffed and gestured towards two men.

“You two, take the girl back to her room. The rest of you return to your duties.” Easton glanced back at Myam before marching off. As the two guards left with Prudence, Myam let out a sigh. This girl was something more than what Lord Dumont had bargained for.

Turning back to the broken and cluttered room, Myam flicked his wrist a few times in different directions. Things that were burnt or too damaged to fix were pulled into a pile, while the rest of the items were put back together and back in their rightful home.

***

“She is a danger to us all, my lord,” Myam declared to Dumont as the lord sat on his throne with a thoughtful expression on his face. The mage had just finished explaining what had happened in the tower and was trying to convince Lord Dumont to see things his way. “She should be taken somewhere quiet and disposed of.”

“You say she is not a demon?” Dumont questioned.

Myam shook his head, “None of the blessed charms worked against her. I am not sure what she is.”

“Then I say we continue her training. But this time not as rash or as harshly as today.”

“But your grace,” Myam urged before he was cut off.

“She is to be given as a gift to the Prince for his 18th birthday. She shall know the basics and be ready to be taken for training by the King’s mage by then. That is all I’m worried about. If anything happens to the royal family after that because of her, then it will be seen as a rogue mage gone insane. And if the family is destroyed in the process… well let's just say the way I see it, this is a win-win for me. I will gain the favor of the Prince with my gift if everything goes well, and if not, I’m that much closer to taking the throne myself.”

“Wishing harm on the royal family, let alone allowing it to be a possibility, is treason, my lord,” Myam spoke in a soft voice.

“It is only treason if you go blabbing off to everyone!” Dumont snapped, then paused for a moment. “But you wouldn’t do that, would you Myam?” his tone had turned sickening sweet. Letting Myam know that it would be his execution should he go against Dumont’s wishes.

“No, my lord,” he answered with a slight bow.

“Good,” Dumont answered with a curt nod. “I would suggest that maybe she be kept separate from young Galen. Perhaps keep her locked in her room unless the exercise requires more space. Then you can use the courtyard.”

“As you wish,” Myam had not risen from his bow. As he was waved off by Dumont, he took a few steps backward before turning and leaving the throne room.

***

Prudence felt something cool and wet on her forehead as she fought against unconsciousness. It helped ease the throbbing ache that bounced around her head. With a groan, she attempted to move and raised her hand to find a cloth folded neatly against her skin.

“Easy ma’am.” Prudence heard a feminine voice warn her as a hand was placed on her shoulder to keep her from moving too much. Yonnie is who the voice belonged to, Prudence realized and relaxed a bit. “You hit your head pretty hard.”

Prudence attempted to pull her heavy eyelids apart and blink away her blurred vision to focus on where Yonnie’s voice was coming from. Slowly the blonde girl came into focus.

“Wh-what happened?” Prudence asked as she then began to take in her surroundings. She was back in her room, lying on the bed.

“I was told by the guards who brought you in that there had been an incident in Master Myam’s study,” Yonnie explained as she took the washrag from Prudence’s head. Dunked it into a small bowl of water, rung it out, and began patting the cold water around Prudence’s face.

Prudence began replaying the events that led up to her blacking out, and her heart dropped to the pit of her stomach. Myam had attacked her, and with her not remembering anything after that, she feared what she had done while unconscious. She swallowed hard and glanced at Yonnie.

“Did… did they say what kind of incident?” the maid only shook her head in answer. But Prudence knew she had done something. She just hoped that no one had been hurt.

Someone rapped on the door twice before opening it. Myam strode through holding a few books in his hands. Prudence saw that the mage was in a foul mood and went to sit up, but wavered a little. Yonnie quickly helped her before backing out of the way.

“I’m sorry for whatever happened in the study, Master Myam,” Prudence spoke in a small voice.

Myam did not answer her, just stared with his dark eyes. She felt as if they were staring right into her soul, and it made her stomach churn.

“From henceforward you will remain in your quarters. I will bring you books and assignments to complete for the first part of your training. Then we will move to the courtyard when it is time to begin putting studies into practice.” His voice was stern and cold. Prudence nodded as she tried to hold back a sob.

She was being imprisoned even further, and she would be lying if she said she did not feel claustrophobic from the thought of never leaving this room.

“This is what you will start with,” Myam held out the volumes for her to take, which she did as he continued, “I will have parchment and writing utensils brought after a bit and you will write me a summary on the history of magic, and the rules that mages are required to follow for the service of their King and country.”

“Yes sir.”

“I will be back first thing in the morning to collect your work.” He slammed the door as he exited.