Chapter 1
Niam
“Don’t look at them,” my father hissed. We were walking down the street towards the center of town. Today would be my very last day here.
I was being shunned.
I kept walking, but instead of glaring back at the people who had come outside to watch me, I listened to my father and looked down at my feet instead.
“You will respect the council of mages and their decision. You’re already a disappointment, so at least try to appear respectful. Yourpoor mother is hiding inside our house because of you,” my father whispered again, his tone laced with resentment towards me,the mage without magic.
When I hadn’t shown any signs of magic at age fourteen, my father had changed. Gone was the kind, warm man that had raised me, instead was a father who wanted me gone. My mother cried herself to sleep every night, ashamed of having a child with no magic. I’d had until I turned eighteen to prove myself, but my eighteenth birthday was yesterday. No magic showed itself and no party was had.
I was walking towards my eviction. The council didn’t allow mages here without magic. I was to be shunned to Sutiner, like other magicless mages before me. In the past five years three others had been sent away. I hoped to find them once I arrived at Sutiner via portal. I had no idea how to live somewhere where people didn’t use magic freely. At least I would be amongst people like myself for a change. For once I would be considered normal. The thought made a little flutter of happiness stir inside of me, and the worry of how to survive took a backseat as I let the ease of being normal take over.
I had friends, before I turned fourteen. Friends that left me as soon as we got the letter. It was never a good sign to see a black ravenwith a letter waiting outside your house. I’d gotten the first of many letters, stating I had four years left. When my father had stolen the letter from my hands, that’s when everything changed.
“Don’t even think about saying a word when they speak to you,” my father continued, standing straight as he led me down the street, acting like he was escorting a prisoner; like I had done something wrong just by being born.
I nodded, grateful he was whispering. The amount of people who stood and watched my eviction was a surprise. Definitely not a good one. Did they all hate me? Or were they appalled I was getting shunned? Did they even care? I forced my gaze ahead of me, ignoring their watchful eyes as I saw the castle up ahead. Four mages made up the council of mages. Stavi, Leah, Sal, and Mallum. They were the most powerful mages, and therefore the council that ruled our world. If someone came into more power than them, they would fight for the position of council member. It happened rarely, and mostly, the council members’ children took over their positions when they grew too old.
Thirty minutes later we were met outside the castle gates by an earth mage who escorted us inside. I could tell their elemental power fromtheir brooch, which was a copper color. Each element had their own sign and color, letting people know what kind of magic they carried. It was law that mages had to show their power sign when at work. The man didn’t say anything, just led us through the castle until we reached the ballroom. I’d heard rumors that this was where both parties and evictions took place. How could a room hold such a joyous occasion and such a horrible one?
I averted my gaze, already knowing my fate. I wouldn’t be able to avoid being shunned. No one else ever had. I would do my father the kind gesture of fulfilling his last order of me. I would shut my mouth and leave. Not that I had a choice. I was terrified, but also hopeful of my future. I hadn’t been welcomed here in four years. Four years with no familial love or friendship. No one had even dared to send me as much as a coded letter. I was ready for my new future. One without magic.
Fuck magic.
I’d lived without it for eighteen years. If I could do without it, then so could others.
I tightened my grip on the duffle bag I was allowed to bring with me, letting it anchor me in the moment as I recalled all my sketches.I thought looking for a job in the arts would be perfect for me. They wouldn’t allow me to take everything I wanted with me, but those were approved. I could use them as my portfolio and hopefully get a well enough paying job painting and drawing. For whom, I had no idea. But drawing had been a passion of mine since I was a child. Allowing myself a hobby to get lost in had helped with the loneliness, making me great at drawing.
The bag was made of red leather, almost the same shade as my hair, which was why I’d picked that bag for my eviction. It hadn’t been easy to make myself invisible at school. I was the magicless freak with the red hair. Not that red hair was so uncommon here, but I was the only one in my year with naturally red hair. I knew they would’ve found something else to pick on had my hair been black. It was mostly just a need for them to bully me with something other than my lack of magic.
The council of mages were in this room, watching me as we approached. I kept my gaze firmly on the ground as we moved closer.
“Look at us, boy,” Mallum ordered, his tone cold and indifferent. I submitted to his order, letting my eyes land on him, sitting bored on one of the thrones. He looked like he got some sort of kink outof this power exchange, like he was looking forward to shunning someone from their home world. Sick people, our council, or rathertheircouncil. I didn’t consider them mine any longer.
Leah’s own son had been shunned, making her the coldest in our council. In fact, her son was the first to get shunned to Sutiner. She never spoke aloud since, making the others do the talking at gatherings, almost as if she was still humiliated for birthing a mage without magic. I admitted to listening in on the rumors back when it happened. The council of mages were the most powerful after all, so her having a son without any power was a surprise to everyone. I stifled the shiver that threatened to spread over my skin. She truly was the most heartless of them all.
Stavi leaned over and whispered something to Mallum, who nodded and continued. “You’ll be sent off to a location we’ve picked out for you. The portal will close behind you immediately. In this bag is some money, and that’s all the help you’re getting from us. You’re on your own, boy.” I was handed the bag from a water mage while I nodded, surprised they offered me anything, but it would likely only be enough for one meal, maybe even less than that. I knew the world mirrored our own, except the magic part. I had already planned whatto do once I arrived there. Finding a job before I got too dirty was my number one priority, then a place to live. I hadn’t been able to prepare too much, though, not knowing how exactly our worlds differed.
Stavi spoke up then, “Preo, the portal.” A man stepped forward and wove the portal with smooth hand movements. It was something only a few mages could do, a certain power they were trained to master. I watched, fascinated as a portal came to life in the middle of the room. A pinkish blue filled the inside, white smoke surrounding it. I would walk through that thing. I swallowed, not feeling as brave as I had a minute ago.
“Say your goodbyes,” Stavi stated, clearly just as bored as Mallum, but also pleased with feeling powerful. I was just glad they rarely got to shun mages, if this was something that they secretly got off on. I didn’t want to bring them further pleasure by begging. I was done hiding.
I looked at my father and smiled. Not a kind one, he didn’t deserve that. No, my smile was filled with promise. Of what I didn’t know yet, but I hoped it would keep him guessing until the day he died. I shifted my gaze to the council members and changed my smile to a smug one, letting them believe I knew something they didn’t. Iwouldn’t utter a word, but act like I wasn’t scared shitless. That, at least, I could do. For four years I’d acted like I wasn’t dying inside from loneliness. Pretending that I wasn’t hurting. This? This was nothing on my acting skills. I walked confidently over to the portal, not slowing my stride, my gaze fixed firmly on my new future, then entered it.
Chapter 2
Xarius
Five years earlier.
My mom was crying. I could hear her faint sniffles carry through the wall from my parents’ bedroom to mine. I hated myself for making her cry. Why couldn’t I just use magic? I was angry at myself for letting her down. For not being the mage I was born to be.
I sat on my bed, my head tilted back against the wall. I loved this room. The dark blue walls had so many holes in them from over the years. I’d been one of those kids who believed I could do anything, even hang things on my walls without help. The many holes wereproof of how wrong I’d been. I held my controller in hand. Not that I was playing at the moment, it just felt good to hold something while my mind wandered. Gaming was my way of escaping, my way of having sort of friends. Not that they knew the real me. Had they known, then they wouldn’t have played with me anymore.
A knock on my door interrupted my thoughts, and I called out to my mother who I knew was on the other side. She opened the door silently, walking over to sit beside me. “Your mom worries only for your future, dear,” she said soothingly, knowing I could hear her cries.
