Esterpine

Claire spent the next three days after her first success using Pelwyn's bow. On the third day, her ability to focus had progressed enough to hit the target every time. She didn't miss, even if she aimed at the tree canopy just as Pelwyn had. Moreover, her bow arm was strengthened. She was no longer sore from pulling the weight of it.

She burst into Pelwyn's cottage that afternoon, a smile on her face. "I've done it," she proclaimed. "I can hit the target every time, Kenya."

"Hmm..." Pelwyn's brows lowered. "We shall see how well you have done. Leave it here and follow me."

She frowned. "But, don't you want to see?"

"I do. Leave it and follow me," he repeated, leading her back to the garden.

She exhaled when she realized what he intended. Blossom in one hand, an open palm face up with the other, he took a seat at his garden bench. She plopped down cross-legged on the ground before him. "Let's test your focus. Create a blossom in my open palm."

She frowned, looking at his open palm. Was it really going to be that easy? Even if she had succeeded with the bow?

"I would explain the mechanics of it to you again," he added, "but something tells me you have learned a bit more about yourself in the process of working with the bow?"

She nodded. He was right. Working with the bow had given her two things to focus on and helped her exercise her mind. Trying to think of only one thing was too difficult for her wandering thoughts. But, by putting the blossom in the back of her mind and the dummy's head at the front, she'd succeeded. Except...how was she supposed to do that now, when she wasn't firing an arrow at a target?

She closed her eyes and pictured the blossom, pictured everything about it. Its white color, the small petals and pistils, the smell, the soft feeling of plucking it from its vine. She thought through each of those things—and only those things. But something told her that wasn't enough.

She opened a single eye just a crack, peaking at Pelwyn's expectant palm. Still nothing. Inhaling deeply, she tried again. This time, she did something differently, she thought of two blossoms. One she kept suspended in the front of her mind, rotating as if floating in mid air. The other more detailed picture went to the back of her mind as she catalogued its characteristics.

A bark of pleasure made her jump. Her eyes flew open and her jaw dropped. "I—I did it?"

Pelwyn snorted. "Well, I certainly didn't do it for you."

She jumped to her feet and rushed over to his two open palms, fingering the blossoms just to be sure what she'd conjured was actually real. "How do I know which one is which now," she asked, awed.

"You don't. Each is as real as the other, a perfect duplicate." He closed his fists around them and when he opened his hands, they were both gone. "Now, two."

"Uhm. What?" She stopped short.

"Create two."

"But—"

"Just do it, Elam. Sit down and remake them."

So she sat and focused on his empty palms, keeping her eyes open, something she hadn't yet done for the distraction it posed. This time, she held the one blossom in the back of her mind, but split the forefront into two blossoms, each revolving above Pelywn's open palm. She blinked several times when her mental picture became the image of what her eyes beheld. But moreover, she blinked because of the white glow that emanated from her to Pelwyn's palms, like streams of energy connecting her to the world around her, and the world around her to the blossoms.

She slumped down, not quite believing. Pelwyn smiled. He closed his fists and the blossoms disappeared. "Nuah ano, Elam. Now your real training begins."

***

Later that evening, she returned to find Koldis grinning. "What's got you in such a happy mood?" she asked. She couldn't wait to tell him about her success, but curiosity distracted her.

His eyes darted to the writing desk and back to her. "There might be a certain...letter that arrived while you were out."

"Talon?" she cried. Her heart leapt. Koldis nodded. She all but squealed, rushing over to it. Her success with the flower buds was forgotten. There it was, an envelope this time, sitting innocently, waiting to be torn open. And it was thicker than usual, perhaps several sheets of parchment. She plopped down and made to open it, then hesitated. Any minute, some of the other pairs would likely pop in to her suite as they were wont to do, and she had no intention of being interrupted.

She jumped back up. "I'm not to be bothered," she told Koldis. "Not until it's time for dinner. Oh, gods! Stop grinning at me like that."

He shrugged, but the grin didn't leave his features. Like he could assume everything Talon had written and was amused by it. Her cheeks flushed and she retreated to her bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

Comfortable on her bed, she broke the seal. Two individually sealed letters tumbled onto the bed from the brown envelope. One was certainly from Talon, for it bore his seal. She went for that one first.

Dear Claire,

I believe Reyr has taken your threat personally. He hovers. It has become a bit of a nuisance, but I cannot fault him. He worries for me in your absence. Apparently I'm moodier than usual. Surely this can come as no surprise to you.

Things here have been tense. Plans aren't going as smoothly as I had hoped, but I cannot say more of that here. However, I will say we've had one stroke of good luck borne on raven wings. I wish I could tell you more. Admittedly I was quite surprised to learn of it.

Lord Marquin...the name sounds familiar. I believe I met him. Pompous fellow, if I recall, often trailing after the queen.

Yes, Lady Tamara arrived safely. Desaree, Jocelyn, and Saffra have made it their personal duty to care for her in your absence. They have shown her around the keep and have taken her to the market. You will be pleased to find the enclosed letter they requested I send on their behalf—

Claire paused and glanced down at the other letter, fingering the seal. A castle turret was the backdrop with an elegant S at the forefront. Saffra's seal. A thrill shot through her. She set it aside and returned to Talon's letter.

—on their behalf.

Dallin's training goes well. Our Shields are fine. Coping in your absence. I believe they miss you as much as I do. Well, perhaps not quite as much. No one misses you more than I. I feel your absence acutely. My appetite has been temperamental. I went hunting yesterday and couldn't stomach more than a single grazer. Even that was difficult to choke down. Like the meat had lost its flavor.

As for Koldis, my mistake. I believe I know the reason for his mood. I dare not write it in this letter. Even if I could, it is his secret to tell when he is ready. I would not rob him of that. Be patient with him. But know that it is nothing dangerous.

Which brings me to my next concern. I worry for you. What of this unsettling thing you mentioned? I trust your judgement, that you will keep yourself safe. Be careful!

As for your kisses, one for every day of your absence—at minimum. That's at least fourteen (at my time of writing this), without any incurred interest. But since you insisted on one-hundred-percent previously, I feel it is only fair to enact the same rate, don't you?

I look forward to your next letter, but more so, your return. Come back to me.

Love,

Talon

P.S. I hope you are enjoying their food.

She laughed outright, reading the letter twice over before tearing open Saffra's. She was pleased to find that it was from Saffra, Desaree, and Jocelyn. Pleased that they had sat together pinning it. They told her of all the gossip she'd missed, how they'd shown Tamara around. What they'd purchased at the market. And more besides, including Saffra's encounter with a certain commander, which saddened Claire. But most of it was happy news, and she found herself smiling throughout.

She hugged the letters to her chest. It was like having a little piece of comfort and familiarity. The idea thrilled and scared her. Kastali Dun had become something of a home in her time within Dragonwall. As much as she loved the forest, she had always intended to return. Home was where Talon was, and she felt the distant tug of him in her chest, now more than ever with his letter in her hands.

She wanted him in her arms. Wanted his lips. Wanted everything. All of him. Even if it meant accepting the additional responsibilities he carried. Perhaps beside him, he wouldn't feel so burdened. Perhaps she could lighten his obligations. That alone reassured her—

Koldis pounded on the door. "You going to starve yourself tonight, my queen? I, for one, would like to eat."

"Fine. I'm coming." She sighed and tucked the letters away. She would answer them later that evening, after their meal.

Opening the door to Koldis, they made their way to the central gathering place where dinner was held each night.

***

The days following her success with the flower blossoms blurred together. Sparring first thing in the morning with Koldis. Then lessons with Lord Marquin. Her use of the Ednuar was growing stronger. But it was her lessons with Pelwyn that made the difference. The day after summoning the blossoms, he'd taken the time to explain the fundamentals behind Sprite magic, something Lord Marquin had clearly failed to do. Albiet due to a lack of understanding of the true nature of Sprite magic, something that had been lost in time, according to Pelwyn.

"Our magic—in case you had not realized—centers around elemental pillars," Pelwyn had explained. "Vahlim Eamtylla."

Her thoughts had clicked into place the moment he said it. "Earth, air, fire, and water?" she'd asked.

"Correct."

The more she saw of Sprite magic, the more intuitive this had become. She'd done fire magic—lac alnar ellohdar. She'd managed to summon water in the forest. But also air magic against Caterina. Not to mention the aided healing with just the humming of her voice. The blossoms she'd conjured, as it turned out, fell neatly into the earth category, just like healing did. Everything she'd done fell within one of the Vahlim Eamtylla. Elemental pillars. Lord Marquin's demonstrations confirmed this, too. Though he often resorted to air magic—his favorite.

Knowing the theory behind the Vahlim Eamtylla was one thing. Working with this kind of magic was another. It was different than Drengr magic, which was harsh and commanding. Drengr magic—which had descended from the Asalraí—didn't bow to the elements. It didn't care about them. It simply existed selfishly. With Drengr magic, she could speak a command and meet her needs. Her limit depended on her knowledge of the old language and the energy of her body.

Not so with Vahlim Eamtylla. It relied on the energy of the world, an invisible substance that took on the form of a white glow when she worked with it. An invisible force only seen by those in tune with it. "Most Sprites can't see it," Pelwyn had explained. "Not unless they're trained as I am training you. The Sprites you've met in Esterpine, those following Queen Jade's rule, their magic was acquired through desperation, through need. Yours will be acquired through focus, through mindfulness, through respect for the nature of the world, respect for the Vahlim Eamtylla."

Perhaps Pelwyn thought too highly of her. After all, he had believed she'd summon a blossom the day after she'd met him. Instead, it had taken nearly a week. And much of the other magical workings he took her through were just as difficult, despite mastering her focus with the blossom.

Pelwyn was relentless. He led her through the elements she had the most experience with first. Fire, earth, and water. Instead of singing, like she'd done when defeating the Vodar or conjuring the creek, he had her practicing first with just her mind. This kind of mental focus could do simple things, like summon a flame in the palm, or create a miniature cloud of mist that rained water when it got too heavy, or make blossoms appear. After that, he had her using simple phrases, sung in a sing-song voice to manipulate these elements. That had been a true challenge, especially when it came to the lac alnar ellohdar. She certainly didn't want to burn anything she wasn't supposed to.

"She's learning quickly," Taylynn mentioned one day, startling them out of a practice session. Five days had passed since Pelwyn had declared their real training to begin. Taylynn hadn't been seen since the day she'd taken Claire to Pelwyn. "What are her elemental strengths thus far," Taylynn asked, tilting her head.

"Fire, earth, and water," Claire answered, breaking her focus on the vines she'd conjured from the soil in Pelwyn's garden. She stared at them a moment longer, watching them twist up along a nearby trellis before letting her mind truly relax. Taylynn looked the same as always, wild like the forest.

"Nuah ano," Taylynn praised. Well done. "Edah jad helloh lamenah." And new bright markings.

Claire nodded. She'd acquired six-ish. It wasn't easy to count them anymore because they'd become continuations of the ones she already had, extending and swirling around her abdomen, back, shoulder, and spine. The one on her shoulder blade had sent a tendril up her neck that ended in a small spiral below her earlobe. She was rather fond of it, peaking out beneath her clothes. But she'd started wearing a scarf to keep it from Lord Marquin's attention.

"I'm going to take her out into the forest the day after tomorrow, Kenya," Taylynn announced, rather unceremoniously. "We will be gone for several days. I think it is time for her to see more of her...world."

Pelwyn sighed, but didn't argue. Claire glanced between them, heart picking up speed. She'd been hesitant about going back out into the forest since coming into contact with the darkness lurking there. But if Taylynn was with her....

"Yes, you will be quite safe," Taylynn said, as if reading her thoughts. "You need not let the others know I will be with you," she added, "except perhaps a select few, like that pompous Drengr Fairtheoir that trails you like a puppy. I don't want my mother to know." She hesitated. "Announce to Lord Marquin that you are taking another journey to work on your mastery. It will help explain the new marks you've acquired. I assume that's why you're hiding them?"

Claire swallowed. She'd had no way to explain to Lord Marquin why new marks were appearing after so many of her lessons with Pelwyn, and she certainly hadn't gone out into the forest for days at a time to earn them. "Won't he be suspicious when he sees me return with so many?"

Taylynn lifted a shoulder. "You are Isabella's heir. Everyone knows this. They will not be surprised to see your skin."

"Koldis isn't going to like it—not after what happened last time. Even if you're with me."

"Well then, shall we return together so I might explain to him the importance of it?"

A slow smile crept across Claire's face as she thought of Koldis's impending reaction. "Yes, I think you'd better speak with him." If Taylynn caught her true meaning, she gave no sign of it. They bid farewell to Pelwyn and set out for Esterpine. The struggles of her day were all but forgotten when she thought about Koldis. She couldn't wait to see his face when Taylynn appeared. 

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Happy Friday Bookdragons!

When I first started writing Talon the Black, Wattpad advised to keep chapters around 2000 words. I followed this advice. Many of them were kept to that length in the first couple of books, however I did get more daring in the third book and had some come in at 5000 words. Now I tend towards 3000 words average. Even that feels short. This one came in at 2600, but I didn't want to lengthen it because the next chapter will be from Koldis's POV and this seemed a good spot to make the jump. Even if it feels like a bit of a cliff hanger. 

Next week's chapter is titled "Taunting Taylynn" so I'm sure you can imagine that there will be some banter between our current favorite Drengr and Sprite duo. 

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and a great week! See you next Friday!

All my best,

Melissa