The Spade Chronicles Book 0: Eagles Rising

Again I was awoken by Lance knocking on my door. I yawned as I got up to answer it.

“Hmm?” I groaned groggily, my disheveled hair falling in my eyes.

“I just wanted to let you know that I’m off to school, but my mom is here and your horse is currently resting in the stables at the back of the house. Mom said to tell you that if you’re up for it later today, you could ride him for a bit in the picnic grounds. No one really goes there in winter, so you should be pretty safe. Also there is bread, jam, and a toaster in the kitchen downstairs whenever you want breakfast.” He stood there for a moment longer, red dusting his cheeks before he left without a word.

I came down to breakfast as soon as I was dressed only to have Mrs. Pendragon rush me to her sewing room, and after three hours of fittings we had tea outside. Peppermint could come in and out of the stable as he pleased and wandered through the garden path while we sat and talked. Kyrie had gone looking for food and Belladonna accompanied her.

“So tell me, how are you adjusting to life in Spade, Allie?”

“Oh, it’s wonderful.” I gushed, earning a smile from the older woman. “Everyone there is so nice and I love dancing and the magic. I’ve even made friends with an eagle couple that’s expecting. I don’t know what I would do without Kyrie, Belladonna, Peppermint or any of my Eagles.” I ranted on like that for a good while, but she didn’t stop me. Instead, she asked me questions and asked for clarification on certain things. I don’t know how much time had passed when she inquired.

“What’s your favorite weapon?”

“Oh! I love my halberd so much, it’s just so much fun to swing around and throw! Snapdragon says that once the Festival is over, she wants me to start to practice parkour with it. She says anything that can be used to improve agility must be mastered.” I said, and she started a bit.

“Where do you keep it, I didn’t see you carry it in, in fact, I don’t think I’ve seen any of your weapons.”

“I don’t need to keep them anywhere, I can just craft them and neutralize them whenever I need to. That’s my talent, weapons creation.” Her eyes widened.

“Can I see?”

“Ooh ooh! Do the halberd! I love watching you whirl it around!” Peppermint suggested and with some difficulty, I stood.

Over time I learned to summon my weapons with little more than an impulse, but now that I had an audience I wanted to really try and make it impressive. I began with the shaft, making it longer and lighter than I had before. After it was formed, I threw it high in the air, and as it was twirling through the sky I formed the axe blades on both sides, one twice as large as the other, and a spear point extending past in the space in between them. It came spiraling back to the earth to my waiting palm outstretched towards the sky. The second I caught it I sent it spinning around my wrist as I moved my straight arm in front of my chest in an infinity figure. As I brought my arm back to my right side I planted it firmly in the soil with a final fist towards the ground.

Even I was impressed with my work, I swung it over my head, and swept it from side to side, it was the lightest I had ever created, I could move it effortlessly. Just holding it in my hand made me want to ride out and practice with it, but my leg still wasn’t up to the task. That didn’t stop the smatter of applause that came from Ms. Pendragon and Lance, who’d just come through the back door.

“I always knew you’d be a Spade!” Ms. Pendragon exclaimed, only to be shushed by Lance. When she had gone back inside, he turned to me.

“Why don’t you go for a ride? I’ll join you later, there’s something I want to talk to you about.”

I urged Peppermint into a gallop by nudging his sides, and he obliged, tearing through the snow covered picnic grounds. I breathed in the scent of chilled air as my cloak blew behind me. It was cold, but I didn’t mind. We turned as we reached the trees and headed for a fallen log that had yet to be cleared. When we approached I could feel Peppermint tense under me and I readied myself for the jump.

We flew over, and it felt like flying, and didn’t miss a beat when his massive hooves pounded back onto the ground, and ran it again. We did this until I spotted Lance on his own horse at the edge of the clearing and steered towards him. We came to a halt in front of him and I could see the sorrowful look on his face. When he spoke, he wouldn’t meet my eyes.

“Can we talk?”

“Sure.”

We walked around the picnic grounds at a leisurely pace, and we were a few yards from our starting point when Lance continued.

“Allie, I- I wanted to say that I’m sorry. I’m so sorry for the way I treated you at school. I don’t know why you can still stand to speak to me. I knew that they kept harassing you, but I did nothing, I made things worse. I just-” He cut off then, voice cracking, and turned his head away.

“Tell me why.” I demanded, devoid of emotion.

“What?” He croaked, finally meeting my eyes.

“Why did you act that way.” I clarified, and he sighed in defeat.

“I wanted to see what you were made of.”

“What?”

“You! Growing up, my mom would always tell me these stories of a magical world beyond this one, where she and her family once stood proud. She always told me that Spade was a place of loyalty and strength, and how the Spades epitomized bravery, and I wanted nothing more to be one of them. Then on the day of high school orientation, you were there, and you know what my mom told me the first time she saw you? She said ‘that one’s going straight to Spade’, and I was shocked. You were this quiet girl who seemed wary of everyone, not some noble warrior. I spent my childhood training with swords and any weapons I could find in the house, I learned horseback riding, and even read all of the Ivalinian books in the library, but some little girl that can’t stand up for herself is the perfect candidate for Spade? I was outraged, so I started to pick on you, to prove to myself that my mother was wrong, to see that you would break. But you didn’t, you stood strong and no matter how much opposition you faced, you didn’t change yourself to please them. You tried to make peace, maybe, but never tried to change who you were inside. By the time you left for Ivaline I knew that you were stronger than me. You are a Spade, I’m just a coward who let his own insecurities control him.”

By the time he finished, his voice was hoarse and weak, he slouched in his saddle. Looking at him, I didn’t feel angry or resentful anymore.

“You don’t have to be.” I told him, and he looked up at me again.

“You can change, I did.”

“What do you mean?”

“I was a coward too, for years I refused to confront you or Rose or anyone else who cared to pick on me. I thought I was protecting myself, but I was just running away. I should have gone to someone, asked for help, but I let fear and pride get the best of me. The day I came to Ivaline, it changed. It was the day I fought back. Maybe I shouldn’t have kicked Rose the way I did, but I’m glad it happened in the end. It made me the stronger person. If I had to guess, I would say that it was that decision to fight back that made me a Spade. Even if you are a coward now, that doesn’t mean you always will be.” I finished, and he looked like he was about to say something in reply when Kyrie came swooping down onto my shoulder.

“The Vipers made a camp just west of the high school Lance goes to. They’re deep enough that they can’t be seen, but not so much so that they won’t hear a commotion.”

“Okay, do they seem to be planning anything?”

“No, they seem to be waiting, though I don’t know for how long.”

“For now can you keep an eye on them? Or find someone who can?”

“I’ll see if I can convince any other birds to watch them.” Kyrie answered, and flew away into the sky.

Lance and I rode around for a half hour, he was in a saddle and I was riding bareback in an attempt to become a more skilled rider. Peppermint didn’t like wearing a bit, but I couldn’t steer with my knees yet so I used a halter I brought along with me. I still had a bit of trouble keeping my seat when jumping, but fortunately Peppermint was so big that whenever I fell backward I landed on his hindquarters. Peppermint was a massive horse, so much so that he didn’t seem to be bothered when I fell forward to land on his neck.

Lance watched me throughout the whole thing while riding a chestnut mare named Lily. They both seemed impressed by our progress.

“I wish my human could do stuff like that.” Lily commented. “Bits are uncomfortable.”

I relayed this message to Lance and he flushed, and suggested that we head in for the day.

“Tomorrow’s Saturday, so maybe we can go riding and I can start to learn how to ride as well as you do.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

That night we were all gathered around the hearth exchanging stories when a golden retriever came through the back door. Belladonna lifted her head briefly before laying back down on the warm stones by the fire. The dog, who I could only assume was Windy, eyed her warily. It was understandable, Belladonna was not yet fully grown but she was already the size of a german shepard. Kyrie had told me on the trip over that part of the reason animals bond with humans is because when they do the magic shared with the human causes them to grow stronger. This was evident now as I looked at her big fluffball of a body. I also wouldn’t be surprised if that was the reason Peppermint was gargantuan. Windy had a bag tied around her neck filled to the brim with missives.

“Strange, we usually don’t get this many letters.” Ms. Pendragon muttered as she took them out of the sack while petting her head. As she shuffled through them, she raised an eyebrow. She would set aside a few letters until they became a sizable stack. After she was done, she took the stack and handed them to me at my place on the couch.

“Looks like you’re quite the social butterfly, all of these letters are for you.”

Shocked, I took the letters from her hand. There were nine in all, and I smiled from ear to ear.

There was one from each of my Eagles, two from Kennedia, one personal and one a status report. Atalanta wrote two as well, one of which I assumed was another report seeing as I left her in charge. Fey wrote one too, and the last only said it was ‘From the Dragons’. I saved the Dragons’ for last and began with opening the progress report, wanting to get business over with before anything else. Kennedia’s came first. Inside was a brief note telling me that the following page was a note intercepted from the Vipers.

Dear Constrictor,

I have received word that one of the targets is going on a solo trip to her homeland in Pangaea over the next few weeks. This is an opportune moment to rectify your past humiliations. Seeing as your troops have failed thus far, try doubling the dosage of attackers. One of them’s bound to hit her eventually.

Your superior,

Ouroboros

The next one was a reply.

Dear Ouroboros,

Honoring your commands, I have sent out a team to follow the first target through the gate, they will leave only moments after she leaves to ensure they will not be spotted. It is a team of four lead by Cobra, all our best fighters.

Your endless charisma is an inspiration to us all,

Constrictor.

“Definitely not Spades.” I muttered as I read the last lines. “Not if they were their best shot.” It may sound a bit arrogant, given they had wounded me, but come on! I’m a Hatchling. I went against four adults and they barely made it out alive. Granted, I had Lance’s help, but that was only in the very end and he wasn’t that experienced either.

Moving on, I opened her personal letter.

Dear Allie,

I hope you made it to Pangaea okay and that you were able to meet with your family! Things are going well so far, and I got to go on a date with Robin last week! We just went to Ebony’s, but with just the two of us, it was really romantic and fun. Magnolia misses you and says ‘hi’. She wants to know when you’ll be back so she can talk to you and Kyrie again. She went to speak with the eagles you visit the other day. You know the ones nesting in the North Tower? They say that their flights to the Viper camp reveal nothing unusual aside from preparations for their attack. They also asked us to tell you that the eggs will hatch soon and want you to visit as soon as it happens.

Lots of Love,

Kennedia Amaryllis

Reading Kennedia’s letter made me smile, it was nice to know that she was having fun despite the situation. I moved on to the letters from Atalanta. The first one was a list of all the training sessions and a progress report regarding the preparations for the festival and a list of all of the materials used and made for when the day arrived.

I went through everyone’s letters, and they all were from my Eagles and Fey checking in and asking me how I was. The last one caught me by surprise. It wasn’t a formal letter, rather it was a collection of messages from the Dragons as a whole. Though most spoke of mundane things it warmed my heart to know they still thought of me even though I was a world away.

The morning sun filtered through the stained glass window, casting roses onto the floor as I sat up and stretched. The days had flew past and I planned to leave this afternoon, but first I wanted to ride a bit with Lance to give him a few final tips. Mrs. Pendragon set my saddlebags on Peppermint’s back while I called out to Lance so he could adjust his position for better balance. I watched him as he trotted around the picnic ground with Lily, hand resting idly on Belladonna’s head. When Peppermint nuzzled the back of my head I moved to mount him. I was about to pull myself up when I heard the incredulous voice of someone I never thought I’d see again.

“Allie Sage?”

I stiffened before turning around. I heard Lance and Lily come to a halt beside me before drawing a breath.

“Hello Rose.” I called across the clearing, her leg had not quite healed and she hobbled toward me on crutches. Seeing how the ground was covered in a thick blanket of snow and she was essentially walking on sticks, it was pretty slow going.

“Did I do that?” I asked Lance, who looked at me incredulously.

“You shattered her kneecap. Did you think that after kicking her straight in the knee she’d just spring back up like a daisy?”

“A little bit, yeah.”

“You took down four fully grown armed warriors and the fact you can take out one teenager surprises you?”

By this time Rose had finally reached us and gaped at me with wide eyes. I walked to her place near the edge of the picnic ground. She still towered over me, but she didn’t look as intimidating as she had before she left.

“But they said- I thought- what are you doing here?” She interrogated with a tinge of anger in her voice. I was taken aback by the venom in her voice, as well as completely lost as to how to deal with this particular situation.

“I’m just visiting.” I said calmly, not knowing what else to say.

“Oh really? I suppose the police were investigating your disappearance just for kicks? I know what you’ve been doing. I bet you missed the limelight of popularity and tried to win it back. Bitter from being knocked off your throne? You thought if you ran away for a few months it would make you some poor soul to be coddled as soon as you came back. Didn’t you? You coward.”

“I’m not a coward,” I said, and my voice rang throughout the clearing with an authority I didn’t recognize. “Not anymore.”

Rose opened her mouth to speak, but her next words were lost to the red tinge of an enemy approaching. The Vipers were hiding at the edge of the clearing, Rose right in their path towards me. I whipped around.

“Lance! Get ready!” I exclaimed, creating a black steel blade before him. He took it without hesitation and moved to cover me as the Vipers ran into the clearing. While outnumbered, Lance was able to keep them back with a singing swipe of his blade. Inexperienced as they were, the Vipers knew to be wary of a warrior on horseback.

Using the time Lance bought me, I ran back to where Peppermint stood waiting. When he caught sight of me rushing toward him, he helped close the gap and turned so I faced his side, Belladonna at his heels. In a move meticulously practiced over the days spent in the clearing, I placed my foot on Belladonna’s back so she could give me a boost onto Peppermint’s high back. Once he felt I was settled he took off toward the battle.

“Rose! Get out of here!” I commanded as we sped past her, I barely had time to take notice of the look of utter shock and horror on her face before swinging my halberd towards the nearest Viper. They all disguised their features this time so it was difficult to distinguish them from one another. The clearing rang with metal clashing with metal as the skirmish intensified. Once I saw Rose left alone by the Vipers I called to Lance.

“Head for the gate!” I shouted, I had sent Kyrie on ahead to the part in the forest where the gate to Ivaline stood waiting for Kyrie to activate it. We all raced through the trees, Belladonna darting ahead to warn Kyrie of our arrival. We reached the clearing in minutes.

“Kyrie! Try to get the Gate to Ivaline open!” I said, and she flew off through the dormant gate, vanishing in a flash of violet light.

“It won’t be long until they catch up.” Lance noted, and then his eyes drifted to the base of one of the gate trees, where his mother stood, holding a knapsack and a travel cloak. He dismounted and walked towards her.

“Mom? What’s going on?” He asked, his voice weak. In order to give them a little bit of privacy, I kept my eyes on the woods behind us to watch for the Vipers, only to see someone I didn’t think I would meet during my stay.

My father stared back at me, mouth agape, his hand clutched at a dog leash holding a border collie.

I slid down from Peppermint and walked up to him.

“You got a dog?” I asked in my shock, and the ball of fluff currently sniffing at Peppermints hooves seemed to be the easiest part of the situation to address.

“Allie, is that you?” He rasped, seeming to doubt that I was really there. I nodded, and before I could register the action, I found myself in a bone crushing hug.

“Your mother and I have been so worried. What happened to you? How did you escape? Have you been hurt! Who took you?” I had to step back and raise my hands to stop the barrage of questions before answering them as calmly and clearly as I could.

“I wasn’t taken by anyone, I don’t have enough time to explain all of it right now, but everything I wrote in my letters to you is true, not some sort of cipher for you to crack.”

He turned away and shook his head in disbelief. When he spoke next, his voice shook with anger and confusion.

“How am I supposed to believe that, how is your mother supposed to swallow that you’ve been missing for months, and your explanation is that you were magically transported to some magnificent universe where animals talk and humans use magic? That can’t be what happened Allie. We’ll talk more about this at home.” He grabbed my hand and began to lead me away, back the way he must’ve come. Behind me, I heard Belladonna let out a low growl and Peppermint move to follow. I let him drag me for a few steps, trying to brace myself for what had to happen, although I knew what I was about to do was not going to be pleasant.

For any of us.

I planted my feet in the ground and pulled, as gently as I could, my hand from his grasp.

“I can’t go back, not yet.”

He turned toward me, beginning to look red in the face as his frustration began to build.

“You expect me to let you, my daughter, go back to whatever impossibility you think is real?”

“Look me in the eye and tell me what I have told you is fantasy!” I was once again shocked at the sound of my own voice as it resounded throughout the clearing. My voice boomed, but it didn’t sound frustrated or enraged, it sounded powerful, someone who inspired respect. For a moment I couldn’t believe it was mine, certain I had imagined it. But then he peered at me again, about to respond when he started, squinting as he made eye contact with me.

“What- what happened to your eyes, are you wearing contacts?”

I took a breath, now that he was calmer I might be able to reason with him.

“No, this eye color is my natural one now, I can’t change it even if I wanted to. It happens to some people when they get to Ivaline.” Despite my explanation, I could sense his skepticism, so I decided to go deeper. I was hesitant to just whip up a weapon and potentially short circuit his mind. I had to ease him into the concept first. He was an anthropologist, so maybe I could reach him on a more scientific level.

“Look carefully, at my attire or equipment. Does it really match what anyone would wear in present day, especially to travel?” I was wearing the same outfit I wore when I arrived in Pangaea, which Ms. Pendragon had kindly mended for me. It didn’t really match any time period, while my dress and leggings could be conceivably worn today, it was doubtful anyone was walking around wearing a cloak.

Blades, there probably wasn’t anyone around accompanied by a horse and a wolf either. My father eyed me and my supplies critically, I could see him attempting to find an explanation for the foreign items. But before I could persuade him further, my dragon warned me of an incoming party of Vipers approaching.

“Blades.” I cursed, causing him to face me.

“What?” He questioned, and I knew that while I had been hoping to break this gently to him, I had to convince him that I was telling the truth, and fast.

“You need proof? Here’s your proof.” I drew his attention to my empty palm and formed a dagger, causing him to sputter. I caught sight of the first Viper creep through the trees.

I darted forward, putting myself between the Viper and my dad and let my blade fly, which hit home in their shoulder.

“Get back!” I shouted to him as I sprung from Belladonna’s back and landed on Peppermint. I heard the hum of an open gate and I ushered him to where Ms. Pendragon was talking to her son.

“It’s time for you to go, Lance.”

“What about you? I can’t leave you alone here.”

“I’ll be fine, and besides, I’ve wanted this for you your whole life.”

“But-”

“You belong in Ivaline, it’s time for you to choose your own path, and move forward. I would love to go with you but right now my place is here.”

There was a long pause, until I heard a rustle and turned to find Lance with his arms wrapped around his mother.

“You’ve grown so much.” She whispered to herself, and squeezed him tighter.

“Goodbye, Mom.”

“Go with bravery, Lance.”

With that, Lance took the knapsack, mounted Lily, and guided her through the gate. When I moved to follow, I felt a hand on my ankle and looked down to see Mrs. Pendragon looking up at me, tears in her eyes.

“Please, look after my son.” She implored, her voice shaking. I nodded, about to say more when I heard the Vipers draw near. I dropped down quickly and threw my arms around her, feeling her squeeze back. I looked down to where my dad had walked over, he reached for my hand, and I grabbed it.

“Do you really have to go?” He asked, silently begging for me to stay, and while I wished I could stay longer, I had a responsibility to the people I left behind in Spade.

For the first time, I truly felt the weight of that burden.

“People are counting on me. I can’t abandon them.”

He dropped my hand.

“Then I’m proud of you.”

Lance rode through the gate first, and I could see more Vipers coming after tending to the injured one. I formed a sword for Ms. Pendragon and guided Peppermint through the gate.

“Tell Mom I said ‘hi’!” I called back. “That I love her and I’m okay!”

“How am I supposed to explain all the weapons?” He shouted in question, but I didn’t answer him, too close to the gate to reply.

And then in a flash of violet, I was back in Ivaline.

We reappeared in the stone platform we left from, but this time the four gates closed us in with Lance. It was a bit cramped with all six of us, but Lance could still see enough of the area to determine what was being asked of him. He read the poem giving him a choice, and after a moment’s deliberation, he stepped toward the Spade Gate. Once he stood in front of it, I expected the gate to open as it had for me, but was instead startled to hear a booming voice emanate from the Spade emblem.

“To the Spade Hatchling Allie Sage,

By authority of Queen Rhiannon Achillea, you are hereby ordered to accompany Lance Pendragon on his journey to Eagle Bastion. You are advised to be on guard and to watch for assassins and other such assailants. Upon the conclusion of your assignment you are to give a detailed account of the events that transpired.

May your blade guide you,

Corrigan Gray, Royal Advisor and Arms Master.”