Galena

Jace found himself standing in total darkness. He swung around and looked around. “Hello?” he yelled out and waited for an answer back. “Hello!” he yelled louder. He began to walk, wondering where he was. He then heard a noise behind him and swung around to see his mother’s painting floating before him. The image of Galena was rippling and suddenly a body came out of it. As he looked closer to who it was, he recognized the person.

“Mom-?” he let out, walking to her.

“My boy,” she said with a smile. She embraced him as he walked into her arms. She took his arms and leaned back to get a look at him. “You’re as handsome as your father,” she stated, pleased with how he’d grown.

Jace’s eyebrows scrunched down, but quickly dismissed her comment and looked up at the painting that still hung in the darkness. “Did you just use this painting as a portal?”

“That’s what it is dear. You didn’t know?”

Jace shook his head, “Maggie has been trying to figure this painting out for years. She studies every book Galena has to offer to tries to decipher the language on the frame,” he continued, then looked back at Vivian, “Just like the book you left her.”

“She will be given help soon,” Vivian answered, pleased that Maggie was studying.

Jace went back to his mother, feeling like he was really with her. “Are you still alive?” he asked, hoping she would give him an answer, but instead she ignored him.

“Do you remember when I would tell you how special you were?” she asked, fixing Jace’s collar like when he was a child.

“You told both of us we were,” he answered, dismissing the fact that she wouldn’t answer his last question.

“You are both destined for greatness. Maggie has her talents and things she must overcome, and so do you. You hold something within you that Galena is going to depend on you for.”

“Why me, mom?”

“Maggie will be with you too. Just as I was for my brother…” she let out, sadly looking away from her son. She was once again ignoring his questions.

“Mom?” Jace said, his eyebrows scrunching with confusion. “Will I see you again?”

Vivian’s ears perked up, “Ah- she’s finally awake!”

Just as Vivian said this, Jace snapped awake. He was confused by the cryptic dream, but the minute he came to his senses, he saw a bright glow come from Emma. He watched as it pulsated around her body, then settled within her. She slowly sat up and looked over at Jace.

“How long have I been sleeping?” she asked, moving her legs to the edge of the bed.

“Almost a week…” Jace answered, still sitting in his chair. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and never let go, but he was afraid to go. “Are you okay…?”

Emma nodded. “I was with Yhden,” she answered and saw the worried look flash in Jace’s eyes. “She gave me a piece of herself…” Emma added, looking away from him and feeling the new energy surging through her. She felt as if she was floating, but when she looked back at Jace, she felt extremely sad. “She showed me how my mother died,” she said, watching the look in his eyes tell her he was taking the death of Evelyn a lot harder than she was.

“I’m so sorry, Emma,” Jace let out, putting his face in his hands. He tried to hide the painful tears that streamed down his face. “I let her die and I didn’t do anything to stop it.”

Emma quickly slid off her bed and went to him. She kneeled before him and put his arms around him. She pulled him into her as he cried, and she could feel the healing ability Nainen gave her absorbing into him. “I saw what happened. That spell they put on you… it was terrible,” she said, hugging him tighter.

“I hurt you before I knew you, Em,” he let out. “How could you forgive me?”

“Because I understand. Yhden helped me.” She pulled back to look at Jace, holding his face, “My mother was there to break their hold on you. If she hadn’t been, everything would be lost.”

“She’s right, Jace,” Marie said, standing at the doorway. The two looked up at her. “Aside from her daughter, your role in Galena was more important to Evelyn. She knew her fate, but she didn’t care. She wanted that curse broken on you, so Galena could be saved.”

“She didn’t have to sacrifice herself,” Jace felt frustrated now. He didn’t want someone dying because of him. “There could’ve been another way.”

“Meet me in the kitchen and we will talk,” Marie said, turning from the door and walking down the hall.

Jace looked back at Emma who gently smiled at him. “There’s a bigger picture to all of this,” Emma let out. “Yhden showed me everything. Sit with Marie – I’ll join you in a bit.”

Jace tried to return her smile, then asked what was nagging him, “You don’t hate me-?”

“Never,” she said, kissing his forehead. “Things happen for a reason and we both know why now. Marie can explain more.”

“You’re so calm about this…”

Emma chuckled, “I had a week to process it. If Nainen hadn’t put me in your place to witness what you went through, I don’t think I’d have the same reactions.” Jace kept his gaze on Emma’s then leaned forward, tilting his head so their lips met. Emma accepted his kiss and cupped his face to keep their mouths together a little longer. When they pulled back, Emma gave him another smile and nodded to the door, “Go see Marie.”

Jace left the bedroom and went into the kitchen where Marie sat at the table. She adjusted her eyepatch, saying, “Not many people know this, but Garos was created the day of the last coronation. It was also the same day I lost my eye… I lost it escaping Valo with your mother.”

“Why was she in Valo? Only the royal court was allowed in Valo,” Jace said, then saw the look Marie gave him. “Mom was royal?”

“She was born Princess Vivian de Valo the High Advisor of Galena,” Marie said in a proud voice, “She was the twin sister of the High Prince Auron.”

“Then that makes me-”

“The crowned King of Galena.”

Jace looked away from Marie. This meant that Maggie was the next High Advisor. He knew the process the royals took during coronation, it was something his mother insisted on teaching her children. During coronation, the High Prince was to give any remaining magic to the High Advisor. He was meant to only focus on protecting the people of Galena with the High Advisor and the royal court at his side.

Jace’s attention went back to Marie as she told him the story of the fated coronation. “To yield Kard, Prince Auron needed to transfer his magic to your mother, but something terrible happened. There was a large flash of light and a terrifying scream came from the Prince. When the light faded, the man that stood on the platform was no longer your uncle. Magic pulsated through his body, veins of deep purple surged up his neck… And his eyes-” she shook her head trying to rid the images of Auron.

“Auron claimed himself as Garos, the hybrid Yhden,” she continued, “He declared his reign on Galena and it’s magic. He began to strike down the Archmages and royal court… The mages in the room were turned into the first generation of Garzil Knights… I protected your mother while she took the high sword from the platform to protect the royal line. As we made our way down the great hall, we were confronted by an Archmage who joined Garos’ side. I lost my eye fighting her to protect your mother, but it was Vivian who ended up saving me.”

“How?”

Marie shook her head, “I’m unsure, but we landed in what we now call Vorik. She left for Valo within seconds and began to bring back surviving court members. One was a young girl who was a healer. Her name was Evelyn,” Marie softly smiled thinking about how Evelyn attempted to heal her eye and began to help the others. “Vivian continued to put her life on the line, going back and forth from Vorik to Valo to save who she could until there was no one left alive. I created the protection over this village and this is where we have all lived for over thirty years.”

“Evelyn was part of the royal court?”

Marie nodded, “She felt indebted to your mother for saving her life.”

Jace nodded. “How long was mom here?”

“Five years. She left after the birth of you and your sister and took the name Creed. She created the Thaumaturgy here in Vorik and brought it to Galena where it grew bigger and stronger until the Garzil began to perform their hunts. When she was arrested, speculation in the village was that somebody told the Garzil her name… I believe Garos was just waiting for the right time.”

Jace tried to take in all of this. He stared at the table for a long time then looked back at Marie, “I saw mom in a dream before Emma woke up. She said Galena depended on me and I had something inside me.”

Marie nodded, “Kard.”

“The high sword?”

“She hid it within you to keep it protected for the day you went to take Valo back.”

“What I don’t understand, is if I’m the High King and Maggie is the High Advisor - shouldn’t she have magic? Mom took it from us the day she was arrested.”

Before Marie could answer, Emma appeared in the doorway, saying, “Maggie’s in trouble.”