Curse Breaker Jousts - Chapter 1
Finding Leverage
Sarn glared at the glass between him and the night like it owed him money. It didn’t but the more he stayed here and recuperated, the more debt he racked up. Because that’s how it worked when one was indentured. I was the idiot who tore open both wounds. I didn’t even notice until Ran woke me up in the middle of the night.
Sarn would never forget the fear in his son’s eyes when the boy pointed at the blood staining his tunic. He covered his face with his hands. He was trying to take better care of himself. He really was. But every time he got overly emotional, he’d forget to do basic things like eat and move with care so he didn’t do dumb things like tear open healing wounds. I must do better. Maybe if he did better long enough, he actually would become a better man. Now that was an enticing thought.
I don’t even know how I reopened them. It was probably when he picked up his son. Fear of losing the boy had driven him out of his mind to the point where nothing else had registered. That was bad, as his son liked to say.
“I don’t live in the prison of my past anymore. I live in the limitless future with my friends and family,” Sarn whispered into the darkness outside the window. If he said that often enough then maybe it would be true. But he couldn’t shake off the grip of his past until he got legal custody of his son.
So far, Ran was still with him even though the list of people who knew about him kept growing. That wasn’t how it went when he played out that scenario in his head. I’m glad I was wrong. But that left him in uncharted territory without a map. How do I ensure I can keep my son?
That was the question driving him crazy for several weeks now. But he was no closer to an answer. I need some leverage. That would help. Sarn turned away from the window and scanned the room for ideas. What can I offer the Lord of the Mountain in exchange for full legal custody of my son?
He wanted that in writing with Lord Joranth Nalshira’s seal on it to make it official. Sarn walked to the dresser and opened the drawers, not expecting anyanswers in there. It felt good to search since he was doing something constructive instead of brooding and driving himself crazy.
He found a crystal hidden under a sweater. Sarn pulled the glowing white pendant out of the drawer. It was just like the one he wore. Miren had one too. I gave it to him. Where did mine come from?
Sarn couldn’t remember. He’d worn it for so long it was practically part of him. Could I trade the crystal pendants for custody of my son?
His fingers glowed green as his earth magic poked around inside the pendant resting on his palm. It was some kind of lumir crystal, possibly a sun crystal. That was the rarest type because of its intense glow. It might be valuable. His magic closed his fist around the pendant.
The crystal is locked. It keeps its secrets until you find the key to unlock it, said his earth magic in its most cryptic tone, and then it withdrew from the crystal and slid back into his hand. That was weird since he’d never come across a crystal he couldn’t read.
Is there a spell on it? It sounded like there was. What kind of spell would someone put on a crystal? Sarn couldn’t think of any.
Then again, he’d never thought to put a spell inside a crystal. I could do that. First he’d have to learn how to construct a spell and then cast it. How hard could that be? I’m not stupid. I never went to school, but I can learn. And he knew who he could learn from.
Sarn bounced the crystal on his palm. Nulthir knew how to construct spells to do things. He could teach me. Sarn walked toward the door and then he stopped. Would that give me leverage?
Sarn thought about the containment spell Nulthir created in that cavern to reflect the magic-stealing power of the black lumir crystals back upon themselves so it couldn’t get out and rob the mountain of its magic. Could I stuff a spell like that inside a crystal? Sarn turned the crystal over on his palm.
That was a mirror spell, Thing said in his head.
Are you spying on me? Sarn squeezed the pendant, so his hand hid it from view even though Thing wasn’t here in this room. He didn’t know why but he must keep the crystal a secret. That might just be his nature now. For his whole life, everyone he ever met told him to hide. But it was getting harder to hide.
Sarn didn’t want to think about that right now. While he was injured, it was easy to hide. How long will it take for those wounds to heal up? That was the other question that had no answer. Unfortunately, he didn’t heal any faster than anyone else.
Of course I’m spying on you. You’re the most powerful mage living under this mountain, and you’re constantly in danger or emotional turmoil which is just as dangerous. So yes, I’m watching you. Someone’s got to make sure you don’t bring the mountain down on my head. Thing sent an image of falling rocks.
I’d never do that. You know I wouldn’t. Hadrovel tried to make me do it, and I fought him. Give me some credit. Sarn opened his hand and stared at the pendant, but Thing didn’t reply. Maybe he found someone else to spy on.
What kind of spell would the Lord of the Mountain want? He just didn’t know. The guy was rich so he might have everything he wanted.
Then why did he indenture me? He must want something from me. All I had back then was magic and attitude. So the guy probably wanted his magic for something. Sarn thought back to the last time he met the Lord of the Mountain. The guy wanted something. So much had happened since then, overshadowing that event that he’d almost forgotten about that meeting.
Sarn clenched his fist around the crystal again and paced toward the window as he cast his mind back to that day. It was almost four months ago, but the event was so blurry. Shade died that day. Grief constricted his throat as he spun and fought the urge to leave those memories undisturbed.
Sarn strode toward the door, but he didn’t open it. Tears burned his eyes, and his magic complained about water as it withdrew from his face. That sensation triggered a memory of a glass vial and a document. He wanted my magic. I bargained for Miren to go to university in exchange for some.
At the time, it had seemed like a good trade since he had way more magic than he could handle most days. Sarn stared at his reflection in the glass window, but his eyes didn’t glow. What happened next?
He turned his back on his reflection and struggled to remember. Was Lord Joranth there? Or was it just his underling, Lord Olath? Why can’t I remember? He could think of a few reasons.
Maybe there was nothing to remember. There were only two ways to get magic out of him. He could charge a crystal with his magic or they could bleed it out of him. If they bled it from him, he wouldn’t want to remember that. But that gave him options.
If Lord Joranth wants magic, I can work with that. I can do anything with crystals. Sarn fished out his own crystal pendant and it glowed so brightly, it chased away the shadows. He recalled why he wanted one for his son. So Ran would stop asking to borrow his. The crystal was as long as his pinky and just as thin. Was there something carved onto one face?
I should give the crystal to Ran for his birthday. He’ll be so happy to finally have one. Where is my son? Sarn sent his magic under the door into the living room to search for the boy and his head map appeared in front of his face.
Ran’s star icon appeared in a room across the living room next to Miren’s star icon, and he remembered Ran saying something about a story he wanted to hear. Miren must be reading to him. Inari was in her room and Nerule was in his room. Nolo left for a meeting in Jerlo’s office a little while ago. I hope it’s not about me.
I’m the only one who has nothing to do. Sarn put the pendant he planned to give to his son back in the drawer under a sweater he’d never seen before and closed the drawer.
Did the Lord of the Mountain return? If so, that would be something to do. Sarn strode back to the window and green light flowed out of his hands, then down the wall to the floor. His magic spread out in concentric spheres as it dived underground. Lord Joranth Nalshira wouldn’t be in the lower levels. Sarn redirected his magic upward toward the peak of Mount Eredren and then outward toward the river and enchanted forest.
When that nobleman’s symbol didn’t appear on his head map, Sarn slumped down on the edge of the bed and pulled his magic back. He winced when his wounds ached and put his head in his hands. Why isn’t he here? I need to talk to him about Ran. But the man didn’t show up.
Sarn rose. The pain lessened as he stood up straight and stopped slouching, so he returned to the window and glared at his reflection. There must be something I can do. He tried to think of just one thing he could do instead of all this thinking which was getting him nowhere but frustrated.
Who else could I talk to about this? One person came to mind as he stared out the window. Is he still awake?
Sarn didn’t know what time it was since he stopped paying attention to that a week ago when he was injured. I need to talk to someone. He tried talking to Jerlo several days ago but the man had no answers and he’d fled back to his office as soon as he could.
Jerlo hadn’t come by since then. Nor had Jerlo ordered him to come to his office either. I think he’s avoiding me. And that was just fine.
Why not talk to him? I need a friend right now and I’ve only got one left. Sarn thought about the harbormaster’s house on the shore of the River Nirthal. Would Will want to talk to me?
I should check on him. He was hurt a week ago when he tried to protect my son. I still owe him for that. Sarn thought about sneaking out and going down to that house standing all alone by the dock. It would be easy for him to do that. He just needed to walk through the wall next to the window and hike down the mountain. Surely that wouldn’t do any harm to his healing wounds.
As he pictured the route, green light surrounded Sarn and the ground dropped out from under him.
