Magic's Memories

Chapter One

Feyla Everbloom believed there were few disagreements in life that couldn't be fixed with a kind word and a willingness to understand others. Unfortunately, the mage she was courting thought otherwise.

Feyla's blue-green eyes widened, a breath choking her throat as Lord Faren of Endingwood reared back and decked her Sedgewick in the face. An ill-sounding crack reverberated through the palace's side courtyard as Sedgewick's round-rimmed glasses shattered, sending pieces bouncing off the sand-colored stone and plopping into the nearby fountain. He smacked the ground, blood from his busted lip mixing with the blood from where the glass had cut him. Sedgewick grabbed the wide brim of his pointed mage's hat off the ground and put it back on his head. He wiped the blood from his face with the sleeve of his too-big orange coat. "I think you're losing your touch, Endingwood. That was much gentler than I remember."

Oh, he's going to pay for this, Feyla thought, dropping the books she'd been bringing from the palace library to the Magic Ministry and dashing toward her suitor. And Endingwood better not make him pay for it first.

Lord Faren grabbed Sedgewick by his coat and jerked him from the ground. Sedgewick's feet dangled as the much-taller man shook him until his busted glasses fell off. He dropped her suitor and reared back another fist to reassure Sedgewick Alverdyne that he still hit as good as he used to.

Feyla flung herself in between the two men. She pushed Sedgewick back while waving her other arm frantically. "Stop!" Feyla swallowed as she stared up at the over six foot Lord Faren. "Let's—let's just stop and calm down." She grit her teeth and pushed down on Sedgewick's shoulder as he rose up to his much shorter height.

Lord Faren dropped his fist, still keeping it clenched. "This isn't your fight, healer."

"Ex healer," Feyla snapped, an edge creeping past her persuasive tone. "And I really don't think the queen will like it if she finds out you're beating up her Minister of Magic."

Sedgewick snorted behind her and Feyla's long pointed ears twitched. "Oh, please. Give me a few more minutes and I would have—"

Feyla shot Sedgewick a glare. It silenced him better than a numbing potion. "I know Sedgewick isn't the most sensitive person, but... You got your hit in so why don't we all just take a step back and talk this out like adults."

Lord Faren stared at her the way she'd seen him look at his daughter's dog; like she was yappy and annoying with no substance. "Go pick up your books, little assistant." He tried to brush her aside. Feyla stuck her feet to the ground and blocked his hand.

"We're not. Fighting. In the courtyard."

The lord grumbled in the back of his throat. "Alverdyne! Are you going to hide behind your office decoration or deal with this like a man?"

Sedgewick growled behind her. Feyla refused to let her ears tilt back and savor the sound. "Demean her again and I will beat an apology out of you."

Lord Faren cracked his knuckles. A nervous laugh escaped Feyla's lips at the sight of his tensing arm muscles. "You do have your uses," he said like Sedgewick had given him an idea. "That's just what I'm going to do."

Lord Faren roughly shoved her aside. Feyla stumbled back, nearly tripping over a wooden bucket a servant had forgotten by the fountain.

"I'm still waiting for that apology, Endingwood." Sedgewick smirked, his feet spreading apart as the familiar orange glow of his magic encircled his left hand.

Feyla's shoulder's tightened while she gave Sedgewick a look that she knew he couldn't misinterpret. Seriously? The man was twice his size!

Sedgewick smirked at her in turn, letting her know what he thought just as well as if he'd said it. Yes, I'm egging him on, but I've been very well-behaved lately and we both know you find my smugness adorable.