12. Talahm Delasc
1520 Words
12
Talahm Delasc
The green of the forest had fully changed. Everywhere she walked, Emilia was followed by the crunch of leaves. They had been with the centaurs for five weeks, and the nights had started frosting.
Emilia placed shield spells around the tent to keep in the warmth from the small fires the centaurs had given them. The blue flames―sole scorchers, Claire had taken to calling them after the third time she’d burned her foot stepping too close to the fire―licked endlessly inside iron bowls settled on the floor, but the tent was still cold at night.
Large furs had appeared on their beds a few days earlier. It took a while to get used to the idea of sleeping under an animal’s skin, but at least they were warm.
Emilia rubbed her hands together, wishing they were allowed gloves on the practice field.
Jacob fought with Raven in the middle of the ring. Raven’s sword shone unnaturally bright in the morning light. Emilia knew there were spells cast around the blade, but her breath still caught in her throat when Raven swung full force at Jacob’s neck.
Jacob dove to the side, rolling on the ground. He caught himself in a crouch, throwing his wand hand behind his shoulder. Out of its tip blossomed a long, red cord of light, which cracked in the air as he flung the light forward.
In one swift motion, Raven slashed his sword through the air, breaking Jacob’s whip in two. The light vanished, and a grin appeared on Jacob’s face as he and Raven began circling the ring.
“You must be very proud of your coniunx.”
Emilia spun around to see the rich golden coat of Loblolly. “Uh… yes, I am.” She raised her eyes to meet Loblolly’s, but he was staring intently into the ring. Emilia followed his gaze, and saw that Jacob and Raven now circled the other direction.
Raven moved first, but before he could strike, Jacob raised his wand high into the air. “Talahm delasc!” he cried as he swung his wand downward. The red of Jacob’s newly formed whip cut into the earth inches in front of Raven’s hooves. Raven reared away from the spell.
“Egrotus!” Jacob cried. The whip shot up out of the earth behind Raven and wrapped around the blade of his sword. Jacob jerked his wand up, wrenching the sword from Raven’s hand and burying it to the hilt in the ground.
Applause broke out around the ring from the centaurs gathered to watch Jacob fight.
Raven patted Jacob on the back, steam rising from his black coat in the cold. “Well done, Jacob Gray.”
Claire hooted and cheered next to Emilia. Jacob ran over to them, beaming.
“Not bad,” Connor said, punching Jacob on the arm. “Sorry,” he added quickly when Jacob winced at the impact.
“Thanks,” Jacob said, rolling his shoulder.
The crowd started to disperse, chatting merrily as they went. The centaurs were as happy as Emilia had ever seen them.
“Emilia Gray, are you ready?” Raven asked.
Emilia’s heart sank. She didn’t want to duel, not with Raven, not ever. She was awful at it. That’s why the other centaurs had left. They were kind enough hosts to not humiliate her by watching her fail.
Jacob gripped her shoulder. “You can do this, Emi,” he said quietly.
Emilia knew he was trying to be supportive, but still she wanted to scream, No, I can’t!
“Emilia Gray,” Raven said again.
Emilia tipped her chin up and strode into the ring. Her hands started to shake.
“Talahm delasc,” she murmured. A red whip of light, crackling with energy, appeared in her hand. “Primurgo.” The world shimmered for a moment as she placed the shield around herself.
Raven drew back his sword and charged her. Emilia aimed her whip for his legs, but the centaur leaped, avoiding the red light.
“Again,” Raven said. He circled her, waiting for her to waver, to lose focus, to mess up.
Emilia looked at Raven’s sword, which weaved like a snake, scenting the air. Its tip danced side to side, glinting in the sunlight.
Raven charged again, screaming. Emilia reacted a moment too late. Raven’s blade hit her hard in the ribs, knocking her to the ground. She tried to push herself up, but the tip of the sword waited at her throat.
“Defend yourself,” Raven said.
But the stream of red light had already disappeared from her hand. Her weapon was gone. She had lost, again.
“Get up.” Raven lifted his sword.
Emilia lay on the cold ground. It would be so much easier to stay down, to refuse to fight.
“Come on, Emilia!” Claire cheered. “You can do it!”
Emilia looked to where Jacob and Connor stood with Claire. She could feel Jacob willing her to stand up and try again.
Emilia pushed herself back to her feet.
Hours passed. Emilia was bruised and sore from falling to the ground again and again. Connor and Claire had been taken to other lessons, and the centaurs carefully avoided her area of the clearing. She wished everyone would just come and watch her fail. It would be easier than their desperate attempts to ignore the pathetic witch who couldn’t manage to maintain a spell.
“Again,” Raven said.
Emilia lay on the ground, this time face first in the frozen dirt.
“No,” Emilia growled.
“Again,” the centaur repeated.
“There’s no point,” Emilia snapped. “I’ll never win. I can’t win.”
“Then let us face each other on an equal plane.” Raven sheathed his sword, walked to the edge of the hard-packed dirt, and leaned it on a nearby stump.
Emilia watched apprehensively as he slowly returned to the center of the ring.
“Talahm delasc.” Raven’s hand glowed red as the light of his own whip sparked and crackled. “Again, Emilia Gray.”
She did not want to fight Raven, but images of Samuel and Larkin floated through her thoughts.
If I had been stronger…
Emilia pushed herself up. “Talahm delasc,” she croaked.
Raven let out a yell as he flung his whip straight at Emilia’s head. Emilia stumbled backward and almost fell out of the ring. She regained her balance and whirled her whip over her head before launching it at Raven’s weapon. Raven jerked his hand out of the way just in time. The c***k of Emilia’s whip thundered around the ring.
“Yes!” Jacob shouted from behind her.
A triumphant smile had barely touched Emilia’s lips before Raven’s whip was in the air again.
“Talahm delascar ó cuíg!” he shouted, and the red of his whip split into five―five threads of light swirling through the air.
You see my child? Blood knows blood.
Emilia was back in the caves. Red tendrils tasted the air as they reached toward her from the Pendragon.
“No!”
A brilliant blue light blinded Emilia as she was thrown backward, her head slamming hard into the ground.
Emilia opened her eyes, blinking at the bright sunlight. She lay on the cold dirt of the practice field.
Indistinguishable shouts echoed around her. Centaurs ran to the far side of the ring where Raven lay just past the dirt in the grass, his legs sprawled limply on the ground.
“Raven,” Emilia gasped, struggling to push herself to her feet. The ground seemed to twist beneath her as she stumbled toward the crowd.
“Emilia,” Jacob called, running up and taking Emilia’s arm to steady her. “Are you okay?”
“I’m sorry,” Emilia tried to call out to Raven who was beginning to stir, but her voice came out a harsh whisper.
As Raven regained his footing, the centaurs turned to Emilia, all of their eyes trained on her pale face.
“I’m sorry,” Emilia whispered again, pulling away from Jacob and running unsteadily back across the ring, away from the accusing eyes of the centaurs.
“Emilia.” Jacob caught up to her and grabbed her arm, forcing her to stop. “Emi, are you okay?”
Emilia’s laugh transformed into a shriek in her throat.
“Emilia Gray.” A deep female voice came through the trees, followed by a rustling of leaves. A white centaur stepped into the open. She was the one Emilia had seen from across the water at the shadowing, the one who had controlled the song. Her long, white hair flowed in tangled ringlets past her waist. She wore thick furs on her torso, and her right eye was milky white. From the way she held her head to one side, Emilia was sure the old centaur couldn’t see from that eye anymore.
“Sabbe.” Emilia spun around as Raven spoke from behind her. He bowed to the old centaur with both hands clasped over his heart.
“Raven,” Emilia said, her neck tingling as Sabbe’s good eye bored into her from behind, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to lose control.”
“Emilia Gray,” Sabbe repeated.
Raven bowed again and backed away, leaving Emilia and Jacob with Sabbe.
“I have come for your lesson.” Sabbe tilted her head to see Jacob. “Jacob Gray, you will leave us now.”
Jacob looked at Emilia. Emilia wanted to run deeper into the woods, to find a mirror and skry Aunt Iz. Beg to be brought home. But the old centaur was still staring at her.
“Go,” Emilia whispered to Jacob, resisting the urge to grab his hand and make him stay with her for whatever punishment she was about to receive for losing control of her magic.
Jacob nodded and walked back through the trees, glancing over his shoulder every few feet until he was out of sight.
- Writer
