Curse of Blades (Blades #1)

Chapter 16

Coulta nodded and the marks faded until they were gone, again without Coulta speaking.

Asema leaned closer to look into Coulta's eyes, then shook her head. "I'd like you to do something small with your magic. Move an object perhaps, just so I can see what your magic looks like."

"Here." Shelton took a poker from the wall beside the hearth and laid it on the floor.

Coulta didn't move or speak, but black-and-silver light surrounded the poker as it lifted off the floor. Shelton expected Coulta to bring it to his own hand, but he instead hung it back on the wall.

Asema shook her head. "I've never seen anyone with two colors to their magic before. Black is the typical color for those who have arcane powers, which you clearly do as you control your magic with thoughts alone. How you came to have two colors, we may never know. What have you used your magic for?"

"Not much. I usually used it to keep myself from being noticed by people. I had to use it to kill some people who were looking for Wildas. Also to run the roofs of Arren."

"Run roofs?" Asema asked.

Coulta nodded. "It was the only thing that gave my mind any peace. I used to go out at night and run across the city from rooftop to rooftop."

"I've heard of worse ways to pass time," Shelton commented. "I've decided to help Coulta build his strength for channeling magic, as he hasn't used much of his powers before. I wasn't able to determine how powerful he is, though we did duel yesterday and he countered my dragon spell."

Asema gave him a surprised look, then turned back to Coulta. "How?"

"I just thought that I wanted to defend myself from the spell," Coulta answered. "I didn't imagine a dragon, it just appeared to fight Shelton's. He used the spell twice and I only countered it the second time. Maybe I knew what he was doing and was able to counter it because I knew what was coming?"

"It shouldn't be possible that way," Shelton replied. "You should, in theory, need to understand how I made the dragon. You shouldn't have been able to copy the result without the spell."

"Perhaps it's the curse," Asema said thoughtfully. "If you have met your soul-partner, it could weaken the curse, as I said before. When curses weaken, the power that sustained the curse becomes usable to the person who carries it. I've been studying curses for years, and I've determined that they are within a person just like the three forces: magic, life, and life-giving. Like the magic force, which all people have but only some have enough that it is usable, a curse reproduces its power continuously. That is how it sustains itself, and, like the magic force, only the end of the life force will end the curse completely.

"However, if the curse is weakened or completely broken, that power is no longer sustaining the curse, only its magic. It becomes just a second magic force in the body. One that requires a lot of control to effectively channel. I suggest you continue to work with Shelton."

Coulta nodded. "I will."

"And if the curse breaks, how much stronger will his powers be?" Shelton questioned.

Asema gave him a small smile. "You'd better be prepared to no longer be the most powerful sorcerer in the world, Shelton, Wielder of the Violet Power. In your place will be Coulta, the Formerly Cursed."

"I'm not certain I like that title," Coulta grumbled, and Shelton caught a hint of fear in his voice. "You said it was unlikely for the curse to be broken."

She patted his arm. "I have a feeling it is far more likely now that I have an idea of who your soul-partner is. And, by our rules of naming, that would be your title. One of many, I should say. Those who were once cursed are just as highly respected among sorcerers as any other. In fact, the higher the power, the more respect is given. Those who were once cursed have the most power and thus receive the greatest respect. Everyone knows that someone who is Formerly Cursed has long ago atoned for whatever crime they committed against the one who cursed them. On the other hand, to be the one who does the cursing results in the sorcerer being shunned by any other that he meets for the rest of his life, even if the transgression against him was great. Such things are better dealt with through duels, not curses."

"And the power isn't fully containable, is it?" Shelton asked.

Asema shook her head. "He would need to use magic for everyday tasks to keep it under control. And his soul-partner will need to learn how to use and control it, as well."

"Why?" Coulta questioned.

"You won't be able to stop power shares," she answered. "Unless you decide never to be a lover to the one you love after the curse breaks. Power shares are usually controllable for the rest of us, but they won't be for you. Most magic can't even be passed on to a lover who doesn't already have magic, but curse magic can be. I think it will be useful in your situation."

"But it's not guaranteed that the curse will ever break," Coulta said, and he sounded like someone trying to hang on to the last bit of hope in a hopeless situation.

"Correct," Shelton said before Asema could say anything more. "If it happens, we will deal with the complications. Until then, I will help you with what powers you have."

Coulta gave Shelton a grateful look. "Thank you."

"Do you have anything else to ask?" Shelton offered.

"Nothing I can think of," Coulta replied.

"Once the shock wears off, and you think of anything else, you are more than welcome to speak with me." Shelton moved to Coulta and squeezed his shoulder. "Don't ever allow yourself to feel alone here."

Coulta nodded. "Thank you."

"You know who his soul-partner is," Asema said when Coulta had gone back to his room after a generous cup of wine from Shelton's small wine cupboard.

Shelton decided it was time to have a drink himself and used the largest cup he had. "Yes," he said as he poured the wine, "and that's what concerns me."

Asema waved him off when he offered her a cup as well. "You know he's not going to cause any harm. Even when the curse breaks, you'll just have to help them. The powers he shares won't be nearly as powerful as he will be capable of wielding."

Shelton took a long drink before replying. "That's not where my concerns are. I can easily handle the magic."

"What is the problem then?"

"Appearances. You have no idea what daily life is like here. Appearances are everything. The court would never overthrow Deandre or Wildas but they get antsy over every little thing."

"Oh, I know that," she interrupted. "I'm familiar with the strife I caused by forcing you to talk your husband out of making me a noble just for being your sister."

"And there are still some people who will argue about that if there's nothing else to argue about. Now we're overdue for an attack from Dyrai. One earl is slowly taking over the cities surrounding us and killing off my spies as soon as they report to me." He took another deep drink. "It's happening far too fast, it almost seems like he has been planning this all his life, but he shouldn't be capable of it at all. There is pressure on all of us on a daily basis. Wildas is handling it by choosing to ignore it. Deandre has decided to do the opposite and fret over it every waking moment of the day. At this rate, in a month's time we'll be at war against our own people. I fear for Deandre and I fear for Wildas. He won't be prepared to rule by then if he has to."

Asema clasped his shoulder. "Then you had best be a damned good mentor."