Army of the Cursed - War of the Last Day #1 [EXCERPT]

1. Lady Leila

The library was quiet when Leila pushed the door open. As usual, no one was here except Master Yesen, the stern-faced librarian who had been taking care of this place since her first visit, which had been like twelve years ago. Every time she came, she found him sitting at his desk, his gray head buried in a book, and sometimes two.

Other than "Good morning" and "Until next time," Leila could not recall a meaningful conversation between her and the intimidating librarian, though she doubted he had seen anybody more frequently than her in the past twelve years. But seriously, who was she to blame him? She was nineteen—not eighty like him—and she never felt her siblings or cousins worthy of her precious time. They were children, even those few who were near her age. In those occasional moments she ran across the girls, she heard them talk about their suitors and the new songs they learned. As for the boys; well, she wished she could forget their prattle. One conversation in particular between her teenage cousins had almost made her throw up.

So, that was how she thought of her relatives. How do you think this old man regards you, young lady?

She had already stalked past his desk when the book Master Yesen was devouring caught her attention. She stepped back and took a closer look at the book cover, the old man not minding her at all.

"The Index of Incantations?" Leila wasn't looking for an excuse to start her first real conversation with the grim librarian. The book title did pique her curiosity.

Master Yesen laid the book on the desk, his wide eyes betraying his utter astonishment. "You know how to read Koyan, milady?"

His reaction gladdened her. Leila felt that smile tugging at her lips as she said, "I had a Koyan tutor when I was eight." Which would have been impossible two decades ago, before the Koyan mages were allowed to wander freely in Gorania.

Yesen leaned his elbows on the desk. "Why would a highborn child learn the Koyan tongue?"

Leila never talked to anybody about her interests. Her family was not that encouraging to them. "To learn sorcery." She studied Yesen's face as she continued, "I have been obsessed with it since childhood."

"Interested is something. To learn is something else." Yesen held her gaze. "You aspire to become a mage, milady?"

No one had asked her that question so directly. Not a hint of disapproval in the old man's voice tone, though. Ten years had passed, and still the disappointed look on her mother's face was engraved in Leila's heart. When she caught me reading A Mage's Dairy. "I agreed to bring you a Koyan tutor so that you can learn the history of our enemies, not to practice their dark ways," the dignified Lady Meryem, her mother, had rebuked her, and Leila was not a mage yet. Not even close. But since then, Leila had never felt like talking about her secret activity to anyone, especially her mother.

"Yes," Leila admitted, a feeling of relief washing over her. Encouraged by the sight of the very book on his desk, she explained, "I'm getting prepared for the next trial in spring. I thoroughly studied great books like Anerjy Fundamentals, The World of Herbs, The Book of Bonds...what else? Ah, The Science and Art of Anerjy, and Mastering Potions."

Yesen nodded, impressed. "Those are the greatest. But, milady, you do understand that even reading all their books is not enough to pass the mages' trial, right?"

Yes, she knew that. But she was determined not to let that fact dishearten her. "I still have time to practice. By spring, I will have figured out how to harness my anerjy."

A faint smile slipped from Yesen's face before he restored his grim expression. "You say you never wielded your anerjy? Not even by accident?"

Here they came to the frustrating part. "I read about a mage who discovered his ability to bind his anerjy with his surroundings when he was nearing his forties." Which was a rarity, she knew. Most of the mages discovered their gifts in their childhood. In their twenties, they should be able to have full control over their powers. But Leila chased that faint hope she was one of those rare late cases.