The Magicians Series: Reader's Requested Excerpt (1)

As I said last week, I'll be posting excerpts from Cursed with Power that YOU request. What do you have to do? Simple, just leave a comment on any post telling me that you have a favorite excerpt and what it is OR email me the details about your request. The reason I am doing this is because it allows for there to be more interaction on the blog between me and all of you.

This excerpt --coming from chapter 4--was requested by Josiphine.

4: someone to need

The city of Deloys was nothing like what I expected. Everything I had imagined proved to be wrong. I had thought it would be a grand city crowded with people and hovels. There would be merchants selling goods and children running through the streets playing games and laughing. The sign to my left said I was entering Deloys, yet what was yonder appeared like a nightmare. The problem was I could pinch myself repeatedly, but I would not wake up because this was more real than I could comprehend.

There was smoke, ashes, and scattered material everywhere. What had once been homes were now only the remains of soot and sparks of flames. As I stood in Deloys I continued to look around at the horrors. Not too far from where I stood was a small doll. It had surely not been expensive, but the little girl who owned it would never return. Everything was black, and I dared not to stare too long at any part of what was left of the city.

Farther ahead there appeared to be no part of the city that had been spared. What had happened here? Who had done this? While I stared and remained motionless, I realized someone was coming. Walking through the ashes was a man I had met before. It was his eyes that aided my memory of his name. Léal…

Something did not seem right with his entrance into Deloys. I was not sure if that was due to the nausea that swept over me suddenly or the thought in the back of my mind that kept begging me to leave. Whatever had happened to the city was not good, and if those who caused the destruction were lingering nearby there would be no hope of escaping.

For the first time I was able to see all of Léal’s features. His black cloak he held in his arm. He had short black hair that hung to the side of his face. He wore a white tunic with elegant designs on the sleeves, dark blue pants, and dirty black boots. No matter how much I did not like his arrival, his eyes continued to draw my attention in. There was something about the glimmer in his eyes that was mysterious and striking.

“Why are you here? More importantly, what has happened?” I said, though I asked with caution. Léal walked forward until he was closer to me. At first he seemed to have nothing to say, and then at last he spoke.

“I am as shocked as you with the current state of Deloys.” He replied. To say his voice sounded melodic would have been an understatement.

“That doesn’t answer my first question… Why are you here?” I repeated again. Agitation rose in my voice; I had never been one to lose my patience so quickly with individuals I do not know well, yet I was acting strangely.

“You and I met in the street. After you left, I spoke with Mervyn Silvers and he told me about a woman who had asked him if he was a Dark magician. I had him describe what the woman was wearing and what of her name, and then a man in town said he saw you traveling out to Deloys. You are Miss Hale, are you not?” Léal said. I stared at him for a considerably long time. Who was he? Why had he followed me? I sighed and tightened my grip on my staff, though he did not look at all intimidated. He actually seemed to be in a cheerful mood, despite the surroundings.

“That is quite a story you have there. However, I do not give my name freely to any man who asks.” I said. He shook his head at me, but I did not know what else he had expected. Of course I was going to be careful with giving information when I was speaking with a seemingly rich and well known man who I knew nothing about.

“My name is Léal. I am a Dark magician,” he said, and then he added something more very calmly, “Like you.” He spoke as if we were friends and should remember these dark secrets of each others’.

I was horrified by what he said that revealed he knew more about me than anyone else. Only a day ago I had considered him to be a Dark magician, and now he was here telling me that’s exactly what he was. Somehow he had found out about me, yet I could not think of who could have told him. Mervyn certainly did not know my true identity; the only person who knew was Dyanna, but there was no way she would have told anyone about us. How did he know?

“Léal… Yes, I remember hearing that name. While I am the person you came in search of, I must ask what makes you certain that I am a Dark magician,” I said as I kept my focus on him and him alone. I searched his eyes, seeking truth in what he was doing here. Dyanna had always reasoned a person’s eyes said everything… it was something to do with one’s soul; however I unfortunately had not listened when she spoke about it.

He’s handsome… I thought abruptly as I waited for his response. I surprised myself with my own thoughts. I was admiring his looks when there were more important matters to focus on? At any given moment I felt I would faint, but if Léal noticed this he did not take advantage of that fact.

“Well, you have not denied it. Also, not any person would ask a local tavern owner if he’s a Dark magician. There are only five Dark magicians alive now, thus I supposed in dark times you would take desperate measures.” He replied. I knew he had caught me in the attempt to cover up the truth, but he was giving me no reason to trust him.

“I do not know what to think of you… You act…” I searched for the word. “Strange. You tell me you are a Dark magician as if that should be all that matters.”

“All that matters? You are the first Dark magician I have seen since the news of what has occurred, and you think it not important?” Léal sounded angry for the first time. He brushed his hair back from his face and kept a stern look. He was right; he being a Dark magician was almost equivalent to someone giving me a bag of gold. While I did not fully trust him, I did not doubt now that he was a Dark magician. In times like this no one would try to fake something that would only get them in danger… or killed.

“What do you want?”

“There’s a lot that I want.” He said. He smirked as he said it like he knew he was pushing my patience. I was not sure why he was doing that; perhaps to see how much longer I could take his nonsense. Daylight was slipping away from me as I stood in Deloys and spoke with him, yet my mouth continued to betray me and would not let me leave.

And that ends today's Reader's Requested Excerpt. Once again, if you have a favorite scene from Cursed with Power, let me know and I'll post it as soon as I'm able to.

I know it's been a week since my last post, so I promise I'll try to catch up again and let you know what's happening.