The Dragon Mage

Chapter 16- An Echo of their Fathers

Audrey woke up at first light as she had been doing for the past ten days. A loud yawn ripped free from her throat as she stretched hard. She sat up and stared straight ahead for a moment, her mind buffering. Her body still believed that it would be in for yet another grueling day of walking. She could feel her muscles tensing, practically whining and complaining, but the moment she cleared the morning fog, she was able to relax.

No walking today. No traveling, no hiking, and no dredging through a swamp. It was a break she needed badly, so badly that she almost forgot that she couldn't sleep the entire day away. Taron wanted her to help him teach his class, though he hadn't told her when that was. The only way she could find out was by getting up and moving.

She rolled out of bed and let a small flame dance between her fingers. With a simple flick, small balls of fire leapt from her hand and towards the candlewicks in the room. Light flooded into the dark room, and swiftly began to dress. She only had one fully intact outfit left, a simple white blouse and a pair of trousers. She slipped on her boots and pushed her red hair to the side of her face.

She left the flames burning, a silent hope that she would be able to return to this room once she found the answer to her question. She stepped into the warm hallway, burning sconces providing both light and heat. She looked around before spotting a door opening down the hall, with what looked like students pouring out.

They were short and wearing simple clothes, not Fire Mage uniforms, so she just assumed. She watched them walk down the hall, passing by her room, and then turning the corner and continuing along. Audrey didn't want to follow directly behind them, but she had no idea what she should be doing or going. So she began trailing them a good distance away.

She turned the corner and walked past the chapel, following the students down the square hallway. They turned another corner and headed towards a pair of double doors. Audrey slowed, letting a few seconds pass before entering the room after them. The double doors swung open and swung back right behind her as she looked into a large mess hall.

A pair of Veiled stood behind a bar, plates of food laid out all across the countertop. The students walked in a line towards the bar, taking plates one at a time. The redhead hesitated for a beat, before getting in line, towering over the younger Initiates. They marched through the lunch line, taking plate after plate. By the time Audrey got to the front of the line, there were no plates of food left.

"Uh..." the redhead trailed off, glancing at the two Veiled behind the counter.

"You look too old to be a new Initiate," the taller of the Veiled, clearly male, said. The smoldering, eternally smoking veil covered his face and the heavy cloak he wore hid all of his features. Just like any other failed mage.

"This line is for students of the Church only," the shorter of the Veiled said. Her voice was feminine, though there was a slight lisp, and she was a full head shorter than the other Veiled who was in turn a head shorter than Audrey.

"Then where do the mages eat?" Audrey asked, narrowing her eyes. She crossed her arms, flexing just a bit to make her tattoo jump out.

The two Veiled glanced at each other, before turning back to Audrey. "We apologize, mistress... but the cafeteria is for students. Most mages have their own homes and make their own food," the male said, bowing his head slightly.

"Master Taron is the only mage who stays within the church, and he takes his son out to eat at a number of fabulous restaurants in town," the female continued, also bowing her head.

"That sounds... incredibly expensive. And I have no money," Audrey said, feeling one of her eyes twitching as her frustrations rose. She was used to having very little money, but she was also used to having a job. She made just enough from working on the Gregson farm to sustain herself and her mother.