Merrick crossed his arms. “AndIam no match for fire.”
Elowen chuckled in her seat. “No one is a match for Lena.”
It was true. Now that Torrin was gone, I was the only Mage in Ames who could wield fire, save for Igon. I unlocked the ability years ago and had excelled with it. Controlling it could be hard at times—same with ice, depending on my emotions. But I could admit I had skill.
Merrick dragged his teeth along his lip ring, then continued his assault. With ease, I melted his shards of ice and elegantly dodged the others. He groaned in frustration and rushed for me. I could have easily used a forcefield and shot him back, but it would've been a cheap shot. I dodged and swept my feet under him, knocking him right on his ass.
Elowen burst out laughing, and Merrick shot her a glare.
I clicked my tongue. “Lunging for me would’ve never worked.”
He sighed and rested back on his palms. The early afternoon sun was shining through the window behind Elowen as a black cat jumped through it. It stretched its limbs before it’s violet gaze looked to her.
“Would it be weird if I pet you?” Elowen asked in her usual bubbly voice, and the cat shifted into a woman with ebony skin, the same purple eyes sparkling.
“Yes, that would be weird,” she smiled, then glanced over at Merrick and me.
“Lena still kicking your ass, Merrick?” she teased.
“Please, I was just about to shoot her in the rib,” he said as he tried to pierce me while looking at her. I, of course, caught it in time and melted that one too. Merrick groaned and laid on his back, hands covering his face in shame, and I couldn’t help but laugh, the girls joining in with me.
“Yeah, ha-ha,” Merrick mumbled while waving his hand in dismissal. “Why are you here, Viola?”
She shot up smoothly and crossed her arms, her deep purple braids swinging just past her chest. “I can’t hang with my friends?”
I was introduced to Viola Sonnet as one of Merrick’s friends when I first came here. While she didn’t have any elemental magic unlocked, her ability to shape-shift like a Warlock made her one of the most powerful Mages in Ames. Her smooth, brown skin and almond eyes weren’t the only thing that made her beautiful. She truly radiated confidence. I envied it.
“I thought you didn’t want to train today,” Merrick grumbled from his position on the floor, the various piercings in his pointed ears reflecting the filtering sunlight.
“I told you—Igon wished to speak with me earlier.” She turned her attention to me. “Actually, he wants to speak with you now, which is why I’m here,Merrick.” She shot him a side-eye.
“Why does he want me?” I asked as I stretched my arms.
Viola just shrugged. “He told me Osrel was taking the day off and wished for help dusting the shelves in his office. Then, we were discussing Warlock folklore for a while. I was just about to leave when he asked me to fetch you.”
“Alright,” I replied, then grinned. “You can take my place then—kicking Merrick’s ass.”
Merrick rolled his eyes in response but kept his smile.
“What would you prefer I shape-shift into? A lion? A bear?” Viola taunted as she strode towards him.
“A fish,” he muttered as he stood from the ground.
I chuckled and gave Elowen a smile before I headed to Igon’s tower. He was the leader of Ames—our Supreme—and a very insightful older man. It was bizarre meeting him for the first time nearly five years ago after hearing about him from Torrin all that time.
I walked up the spiral steps of the tower and into his office at the top. The windows were open, the early May breeze pleasantly blowing throughout the room. The walls were lined with hundreds, if not thousands, of books, and the room had a faint scent of vanilla. There had been a time I snuck in here, peeking at all the various spells and enchantments his tomes contained. Thankfully, when he caught me, he showed mercy and just laughed. If anyone else had done it, I think he would have been displeased. But, for whatever reason, he enjoyed my interest and even began to tutor me afterward.
“Ah, Lena.” He was sitting at his desk, stroking his short silver beard. While Igon was in his sixties, he remained in good shape. He was fit, and honestly, I think a lot of the women in town who were Mother’s age were attracted to him based on the giggling he’d receive when they’d pass by him. Whether he was aware of it or not, he didn’t let on.
He cleared his throat. “Tell me, dear, what do you know of Oquerene?”
I blinked, “Oquerene? The realm where we all originated from, yes?” I had read about it in one of the books he let me borrow not too long ago. It was not a spell book, just ancient tales of our people.
He nodded. “It is said that the Mages of today stemmed from that realm—a kingdom above the skies. A place where every creature spoken of in fairytales resides, the ones said to be extinct…” He paused, then met my eyes with a smile. “Can you imagine such a place?”
“It sounds…lovely,” I murmured. “And too fantastical to be real.”
He chuckled. “Some believe that Oquerene was also the land of the Gods. That Ravaiana, the Goddess of Life, allowed those who lived there to be immune to the effects of time.”
