The Wizard's Crown Read online

  The Wizard’s Crown

  By

  Michael G. Manning

  Cover by Christian Bentulan

  Editing by Keri Karandrakis

  Map Artwork by Maxime Plasse

  © 2022 by Michael G. Manning

  All rights reserved.

  For more information about the Mageborn series check out the author’s Facebook page:

  https://www.facebook.com/MagebornAuthor

  or visit the website:

  http://www.magebornbooks.com/

  Chapter 1

  “Try again,” Will ordered, his voice firm. Selene began the spell again, but as the construct neared completion, Will spoke up once more. “Stop.” Her construct froze in place, the next rune wavering in the air as she tried to slot it into its position. Her brows knitted together as she strove to finish the task.

  The tip of her tongue emerged from the side of her mouth, and her face twisted into a strange expression, but nothing happened. “It feels like the all the turyn turned to solid stone,” she complained. The runes of her construct began to slowly wink out as the spell unmade itself piece by piece. “How are you doing that?” she growled in frustration.

  “It’s my spell,” said Will smugly. “It’s only natural—I can do whatever I want with it.” Lifting one hand, he beckoned toward the spell construct as though it were a person, and it drifted toward him obediently, as though it were a dog rather than simple energy.

  “No,” Selene snapped, moving between him and the traitorous spell. Her hands reached out to it and the spell construct shivered.

  Will whistled in admiration, then added, “That’s it. I can feel you pulling at it.” For a moment, the spell paused, and it seemed that Selene might regain control, then it slipped through her fingers and passed completely through her body on its way to Will’s open palm. He spun it in place for a second, then dismissed the runes, causing them to scatter into shimmering sparks that soon faded.

  She stared at him in frustration for a moment. “That’s so unfair. I learned magic before you did.”

  “But you weren’t a third-order wizard.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “I am now, supposedly.”

  “I started down this path before you did,” Will replied. “It’s to be expected that you’ll have to play catchup for a while. Whether you’ll be stronger or not”—he shrugged—“who knows?”

  “What determines that?”

  “According to Arrogan, it depends on several factors: the wizard’s order, time, practice, and their native talent.”

  “You mean their stubbornness.”

  Will grinned. “I said that too, but the old man said that it isn’t really the same as the personality trait. It isn’t really skill either. While it seems to become stronger as you practice, a wizard can be highly skilled but still not have the same strength of will as someone less skilled.”

  She nodded. “Like when you took that spell away from Ethelgren.”

  “He was really strong,” said Will, “but it might be that I’m just naturally gifted with a high degree of magical stubbornness.” He stared at her for a moment, secretly admiring the shape of her ever so faintly crooked nose. No one would dare mention the tiny flaw in the symmetry of her features, but Will found it endlessly attractive for reasons he couldn’t name. He reengaged his brain, hoping she wouldn’t notice the lapse. “I know how unfair it feels though, having your magic suppressed. I felt the same way facing the demon-lord, not to mention the lich.”

  Selene chewed her lip for a moment, thinking. “At least you had your, what did you call it before, resistance?”

  Will nodded. “You have it too. They call it resistance, but it’s just a function of having a strong will. Control weakens with distance, so even a really powerful wizard has trouble making their turyn directly affect another wizard. Unless they’re really close, I suppose.”

  She raised one brow. “Define close.”

  He used a simple spell to create a floating ball of fire, then directed it slowly toward her. It burned steadily until it was within a few inches of her skin, then the flames began to falter as the turyn feeding them began to unravel. “I’m a few feet away, but it’s right next to you,” said Will. “My distance and your proximity make it difficult for me to force it to do something you wouldn’t want. Physical harm is something we always strive to avoid at a level far below conscious thought, so your will is even stronger when it comes to being burned.”

  “Thank goodness for that.”

  Will moved closer, until their faces were just a few inches apart. “But now I’m just as close and the distance is no longer much of an advantage.” He pressed the flame closer, and it burned brighter, causing the hairs on her arm to curl and smoke. Selene refused to flinch, but her nostrils flared as the heat against her skin began to become painful. A faint hiss escaped her lips.

  Rather than relent as she had expected, an evil light came into Will’s eyes, and his gaze became intense. The fire brushed against her, and Selene felt her skin begin to burn. “Will, stop!”

  The fire fizzled and died, but Will merely smiled. “Not bad.”

  She backed up a step and rubbed her arm. It was red and some of the hair was gone, but the skin wasn’t actually seared. She gave him a hard look. “You went too far. You would have burned me for real if you had kept going.”

  His expression was smooth and even. “I didn’t stop. You did that.”

  She gaped at him. “And if I hadn’t?”

  “You’d have to do some healing, or get me to practice mine.”

  “That isn’t funny. You know burns aren’t easy to heal. Do you want to leave me with scars?”

  Will grimaced, and a faint look of apology crossed his features, but it vanished just as quickly. “I’d still love you the same. It’s more important to me to know you’re safe.”

  “From everyone but my husband, apparently,” she said sourly.

  “From me too,” he amended. “Just remember, force effects can’t be stopped the same way.”

  “I’m still practicing the point-defense spell, but I don’t know when I’ll be able to reflex cast it.” She gave him an inquisitive look. “How’s your own practice going? You haven’t said much lately.”

  He frowned. “Slowly.”

  “Maybe you should spend more time with our students rather than keep beating your head against the wall practicing.”

  “And do what? They can’t do anything right now but adjust to the compression. I’ve set their exercises and check on them daily. Aside from that, all I can do is provide a good example and hone my own skills.”

  There was a subtle sense of approval visible in her gaze, but her words were challenging. “You’re seeking more power. Is that really necessary? You can reflex cast more spells than any wizard or sorcerer alive today, and your strength of will is almost too much to believe. Why push for more?”

  He was familiar with her devil’s advocate conversational style, and he knew her questions were merely meant to reaffirm his choices. In the past, such tricks would have annoyed him, either because of his own naivety or because it showed manipulative intentions on the part of the speaker. From Selene, it actually soothed his nerves, because he trusted her down to his bones. The little debates she sparked served to help him examine himself and ensured the two of them were still in line with each other regarding their plans for the future.

  “I do want more power,” he said honestly. “What I have isn’t enough. It will never be enough, not as long as creatures like Grim Talek exist. If he were to appear now, I could do little to protect anyone, except maybe myself, and even that is questionable.”

  “You can’t protect everyone.”

  “Without power I can’t protect anyone. The more I can do, the more options I have, even in the worst situations.”

  A faint motion beside the open doorway at the far end of the hall they were practicing in might have alerted a wary person to the presence of a possible observer, but neither Will nor Selene seemed to notice. “You won’t need any of that for our plan, and once Lognion is dead our greatest threat will be gone.”

  “I’ll need it for our cover plan to be credible.”

  She paused, then nodded. “You’re right.”

  Will smirked. “You just wanted to hear me say it, but I know you’re just the same. You’ve been working yourself hard every spare moment you get. Together we’ll survive this.”

  Her faced showed pride for a moment, then uncertainty crept back into her expression. “Seeing your confidence makes me feel better.”

  “Confidence, or ambition?”

  “In my world they’re practically the same thing,” she answered. “I know you don’t really want any of this, but I’m not sure of myself.”

  Will laughed. “You’re all of it. My contribution is negligible. Have you made contact with all of them yet?”

  She nodded. “It’s all under the table, but most of them have given subtle hints that they’ll fall in line should the power structure suddenly have a dramatic shift.” She saw Will relax, but then hurried to add, “It doesn’t mean anything, though. The lords pay attention to the direction of the wind better than any sailor. If there’s any hint of weakness, they’ll toss me to the wolves.”

  “Us,” he corrected.

  Her eyes met his. “That’s why you’re so important to this. They need a bigger wolf to strike enough fear in them that they don’t step out of line.”

  “We’re still aiming for the week before the Winte
r Ball?”

  Selene frowned. “That’s the decoy plan. We move a few days before that.”

  “I misspoke,” said Will. “That’s what I meant. I’m still nervous, though.”

  “About what? You don’t have to do much.”

  “The timing. Maybe we should wait.”

  Her eyes flashed a warning. “We can’t wait. It has to happen as soon as possible, and this is the best we can manage. If we delay, you won’t be around to see whether it works or not.”

  “But the information we have indicates the king won’t act until the spring…”

  “That’s his decoy plan,” hissed Selene. “That’s the only reason we learned about it, to lull us into a false sense of security. If we were well informed enough to peel back all the layers, there’s a second plan, likely sooner, but even it won’t be the main one. It’ll just be a backup, and something completely different than the primary plan. The one he intends to kill you with will be much sooner and something so simple you won’t expect it.”

  Will rubbed his temples. “This is all too devious. It makes my head hurt.”

  “That’s why you did so well in the war. Complicated plans fall apart. You kept yours simple and to the point. Father knows that too, which is why the real plan will be the simplest one. Don’t try to figure it all out. You’ll put yourself at risk of making a mistake. Let me handle the intrigue.”

  He raised one brow. “You think you’re tricky enough to outsmart him? You weren’t able to lie to him, just like everyone else.”

  “I grew up under his thumb. I couldn’t lie to him, but don’t underestimate me. I hid plenty from him.”

  A new voice reached them from outside the hall. “What are you doing?” They both recognized it as Tabitha’s.

  “Bringing them the news,” said Laina.

  “Then go in, or better yet, I’ll tell them myself,” said Tabitha. A moment later, she strode through the open archway and began walking toward them. Laina followed a step behind her.

  “I didn’t want to interrupt,” said Laina in a low voice.

  “More likely you were eavesdropping,” replied Tabitha from the side of her mouth. Her voice was soft, but Will had enhanced his hearing and could easily pick out the words.

  “That’s your hobby, not mine,” growled Laina, but there was a sheepish look on her face when she met Will’s gaze.

  He glanced at Selene, then back at his two sisters. Selene wouldn’t have been able to hear what had been said, but he could tell her later. With a smile, he greeted them. “Some news afoot?”

  Laina scowled, and her mouth opened but her younger sister cut her off. “Mother needs me at home. Do you mind?” asked Tabitha.

  Laina showed almost nothing outwardly, but Will felt a ripple run through her. Their connection was almost imperceptible most of the time, but standing this close he could almost feel her emotions. Tabitha had surprised her. “You’re still adjusting to the second compression,” Will stated. “I don’t know if this is a good time.”

  “I already feel close to normal again and it will only be a couple of weeks,” said his sister, calmly making her case. “I’ll be back long before you’re willing to let me try the third compression.”

  He felt another ripple of disbelief from Laina. Or was it more than that? Will glanced over to look in the older sister’s eyes. Does she think Tabitha is lying? Laina looked down, but Will addressed her anyway, “What do you think?”

  Laina’s chin came up, and her fire returned. “If we’re being honest, this is a terrible time. Tabitha should remain here.”

  “Why do you need to go home?” asked Selene. “Is Agnes well?”

  “She’s fine,” said Tabitha quickly. “If you don’t mind, I’d rather not say. It’s a private matter.”

  Laina’s anger was simmering like an overheated pot left on the fire too long. Will imagined he could almost feel heat radiating around her. “We could talk about it,” suggested Selene. “I hope you know you can trust us with—”

  “It’s a family matter,” said Tabitha brusquely. Her tone became apologetic almost immediately after, and she hastened to add, “Not that I don’t think of you as family, but this isn’t mine to share.” She cast a hopeful gaze at Will.

  “I suppose it will be all right,” he said slowly. “As long as you don’t overwork yourself and you make sure you return within two weeks.”

  Tabitha looked relieved, but Laina’s agitation rose to new heights. “If you’ll excuse me then, I need to go pack,” said Tabitha. After Selene nodded, she turned away, but Laina made no move to leave. Tabitha looked back. “Laina if you don’t mind, I could use your help.”

  Will expected a snappy response, but Laina kept her composure. “Of course.”

  Moments later, the two of them were out of the room. Selene looked at Will. “What did you make of that?”

  “Laina’s mad, and she knows Tabitha isn’t telling the full truth.”

  “I could tell that much,” she responded pertly. “What do you think it could be?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t have to wonder. Laina will tell me later.”

  “Or she’ll tell me,” Selene returned with a smirk.

  Will gave her a challenging look. “I’m her brother.”

  His wife lifted her chin in response. “She’s my best friend.”

  He lifted one brow. “We’ve shared souls.”

  “You’re also a boy. I suspect this may be something she’d prefer to discuss with her own kind.”

  “I was a girl for a while,” he argued, but Selene rose on her toes and nipped his jawline in a surprise move that startled him—as well as starting a chain reaction of other physiological responses. “Are you trying to win by distracting me?”

  “It’s only fair. You started it.”

  That surprised him. “How?”

  She eyed him up and down. “Standing there like that, square-shouldered and confident, plus look at what you’re wearing.” Selene shook her head. “You’re obviously trying to distract me.”

  He laughed. “These are my practice clothes—and might I remind you, you’re the one who chooses my wardrobe these days.”

  “But you’re the one who wears them like that.” She paused, then clucked her tongue at him in mock disapproval. “Such a wanton, and now you remind me you were a girl for a short time. Poor Laina. She’s lucky she got her body back so quickly. Who knows what someone like you would have done with it?”

  Chapter 2

  The next day, Will was sitting at his desk, which was situated in an exotic room that seemed to have more in common with a balcony than an office. There was a roof over it, but two walls of the room were taken up by massive double doors that were kept open when the weather was nice. As a result, the room was supplied with a pleasant breeze and plenty of light, plus the scent of the greenery outside.

  He didn’t actually have much in the way of paperwork. Blake was much better at that, so most of Will’s time in the office was spent on other matters, and lately that mainly consisted of him working his way through the secrets of the Wayfarer’s Society. As part of the new accord, his grandmother had turned over copies of everything she had learned when she found their hidden vault. Some of that Will had shared with Wurthaven, allowing them to begin constructing a teleport beacon in Cerria as well as another in Myrsta. When finished, the two beacons would enable easy teleportation between the two sister nations that had recently been unified.

  The construction of the beacons involved complex theories and advanced artifice that were beyond his current skills, but he was learning. Master Courtney and the researchers at Wurthaven were the ones making the real effort, but Will didn’t see any reason he shouldn’t at least learn as much as possible. More importantly, there were other facets of transportation magic, which would prove invaluable to any magic user who could master them.

  The first and most obviously valuable information gained was regarding the base teleportation spell itself. That spell hadn’t been lost, but without the beacons, it had become mostly useless for long distance travel, or so most had believed. The knowledge left behind by the Wayfarer’s Society contradicted that common wisdom.

  While the teleportation spell was still taught at Wurthaven, to those who bothered to learn it, it was severely limited in its application because the caster could only travel to a location they could see. Add to that the spell wasn’t just ninth- or even tenth-order, it was considered twelfth-order, which was really just a short way to state that a spell was too complex for a person to memorize, much less construct and cast in a reasonable length of time.