Coal Book One of the Everleaf Series by Constance Burris
Chapter One
Coal held the newly finished sword at arm’s length. The sentient weapon vibrated in his grasp, urging him to attack but he tightened his sweaty grip around the leather hilt and ignored the foreign impulses. He’d been forging swords and practicing with the finished weapons long enough to know when to attack and when to wait.
Finally Grigory, the master swordsmith, advanced. Coal parried, stepping aside and swinging his sword with all of his strength to the opposite side. Grigory fell to the ground, effortlessly rolling beneath the sword before he bounced back to his feet.
“Is she overwhelming you?” Grigory asked, as they faced each other. They had been dueling for the past two hours. Sweat dripped from Coal’s forehead, his back, and his arms, but just like all the other times they’d dueled, the swordsmith showed no sign of exertion.
“She's restless.” Coal wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. “But I'm in con—”
Grigory rushed forward with an arcing swipe. Coal raised his sword to meet the strike. For a moment, their strengths were equal. His sword vibrated its enjoyment as the Grigory threatened to overcome Coal.
Forcing the sword’s excitement to the back of his mind, he focused all of his strength into his upper body and pushed outward.
Overwhelmed, the Grigory leaped back.
During the two years of forging swords and sparring with Grigory, Coal never had the strength to complete such a move. For an instant, he let himself—and the sword—enjoy their accomplishment.
He was so distracted by his small victory, he almost didn’t notice one of Grigory’s legs heading towards his knees. Just in time, Coal jumped. The moment he landed, there was a sword at his neck.
Grigory lowered his blade. “You were distracted.”
“I almost had you,” Coal said with an intense rush of pride and confidence.
“You did not. You've been slow and lazy all morning.”
“But I finally completed the block.”
“Not with any speed. You are gaining strength and height, but that is nothing to be proud of. What is the point of having strength if you are beheaded because it slows you down?”
Coal let Grigory’s words sink in while his breathing slowed. “You're right. I've been a little distracted. I am supposed to meet Princess Chalcedony soon.” He glanced outside, trying to gauge the time. The sun was weak, but the springtime rays were much stronger than they were when he'd arrived.
It was time for him to go.
Grigory lifted an eyebrow above his one remaining eye. The other had been damaged during a war 200 years ago when he was a soldier instead of a swordsmith. “How long has it been since you've seen her?”
Coal bit his lip, while he pretended think about the answer he already knew. “Two months.”
Grigory took the sentient sword from Coal's hands. It would be presented to Chalcedony on her coronation as queen. Its silver shaft was reinforced with magic, and its black leather hilt emanated heat and welcomed touch. It was by far the best sword Coal had ever helped Grigory forge.
“Before you go, I have something to ask you.”
“What is it?” The way Grigory spoke made Coal wonder if he’d done something wrong besides being too distracted during the fight.
“I'm getting older. I need to choose a full time apprentice. And it needs to be soon.” Coal leaned forward while he waited for Grigory to continue. “Do you want the position?”
“I thought I was just helping out until you found a full time apprentice.”
“Well you’ve passed the two year audition and now I’m offering you the job.”
“But humans can’t do magic.” It was the first thing Coal had learned when he’d arrived in the fey realm nine years ago. And it was impossible to make powerful swords without it. Magic made the swords stronger. It made them last longer. And if the sword was sentient, magic prevented someone else from using it.
“I'm half dwarf and half elf. For years, my master refused to teach me because he didn’t think a half-breed could make a great sword. Now I am the best sword maker in Everleaf. It's what's inside that makes a good swordsmith. I believe you could be one of the greats.”
Coal had been coming to the forge almost every day for two years, but he was allowed to come and go as he pleased. With a full apprenticeship, he'd eat, breathe, and sleep smithing. He'd have to move out of his home.
Coal lifted his gaze and looked the mixed breed in the eye. “I don't know, Grigory. I need time to think about it.” Coal enjoyed forging swords. He especially loved practicing with them, ensuring that they would endure battle, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to make it his life's work.
“Your childhood friend is soon to be queen. There will not be room or tolerance for a love-sick human.”
Coal was hurt but not surprised by Grigory’s words. No one said anything to his face, but he heard the servants and soldiers gossiping about him and Princess Chalcedony when they thought he wasn’t listening. “You're right, but give me time. It's not easy choosing one life over another.”
Grigory’s eye softened. “You and the future queen still have much growing to do. Decide soon, I won’t wait long.”
Coal glanced back towards the rising sun. “It's time for me to go.” Grigory waved his hand as if to swat a fly before turning back to the forge.
*****
Bees and butterflies as big as his hands buzzed around Coal’s ankles while walked through the meadow of red, yellow and blue wildflowers that separated the forge from his home. He felt guilty for not accepting Grigory’s offer, but he wasn’t sure if swordsmithing was for him. Besides, he couldn’t do magic and swords without magic were worthless.
As he approached his home, the guilt faded and his excitement grew. Legacy, the biggest tree in the fey realm, housed him Princess Chalcedony, her staff, and a handful of ambassadors from every part of the realm.
The top of the tree went above the clouds. The faint chirping of the birds that nested in Legacy’s canopy become louder the closer he came..
“Legacy.” Coal touched the coarse bark of the oak tree and instantly felt the life thrumming inside of it. “Is Chalcedony back?”
There are so many here today. How am I supposed to keep track of any one person?
“Come on, Legacy. Is she in her room?”
The tree gave an exaggerated sigh as the breeze jostled its leaves. When last I bothered to listen, she was in her office. At 850-feet tall and ten times as wide as Grigory’s modest home, Legacy seemed to be larger than life. The tree made him feel like he was a part of something remarkable. The moment he saw it years ago, Coal knew he was home.
“Thanks,” Coal said, relieved to hear Princess Chalcedony had returned. He removed his hand and approached the two female sentries guarding Legacy's main entrance.
“Where are you going?” asked the taller of the two with light green eyes. She stepped in his way, blocking the door. Like all of Everleaf's soldiers, she wore a dark green shirt with black sleeves and black leather pants. “The servant’s entrance is around the back.”
“I’m not a servant,” Coal said, holding the sentry's gaze. He'd never seen these two before, but he'd done this dance countless times over the years. He was the lone human in a world where humans were banned and thought of as violent, ignorant, and greedy. His stomach churned as he faced the sentry, but he stood his ground. If he showed fear, it only made the taunting worse.
“No.” The other sentry was a head shorter than her partner, but where the other sentry was slender, she was thick and muscular. “He's not a servant. He's just human trash.”
He swallowed. “Let me through.”
“Or what?” the taller sentry put her hand on her sword. “You’ll tell the princess I was picking on you.”
“I don’t need the princess to protect me. I can take care of myself.”
“Calm down, Sophia,” the shorter sentry said. “Let him through. Today will be his last day here anyway.”
“What are you talking about?” Coal stuttered and narrowed his eyes. This was not part of the usual bullying.
“Don’t worry about it,” the sentry said, pulling the green-eyed sentry away from Coal. “I apologize for my partner. Her great-great something or other died in the human and fey wars some centuries back.”
“Well,” Coal said confused by the change in tone. “Don’t let it happen again.”
“Of course not,” the shorter sentry said, bowing. “Again I apologize.”
Coal walked past the sentries and through the entrance, deciding they had only been trying to scare him. But still why would she say it was his last day here?
Once he entered the grand hall separating the entranceway from Chalcedony’s offices, he began to understand why Legacy was upset. The bustling hall was filled with the staff bringing food from the kitchen and filing mugs with milk, juices, and mead. Almost every race of fey had gathered in the hall-or at least every race of fey that ventured out in the day time: elves, giants, dwarves, satyrs, nymphs, and even a few trolls.
Coal touched the wall. “The ambassadors aren't supposed to be here until tomorrow.” It had been quiet for the past three weeks. However, now that Chalcedony was back from the human realm, fey from every corner of Everleaf were here to meet with her.
Obviously they decided to come early, Legacy said.
Disappointed, Coal broke the connection with the tree. Before she'd left on her last training trip, Chalcedony said she had something special planned for the two of them. Her duties came first, though. If she had to work, she wouldn’t have time for him.
He looked out into the crowd for the path of least resistance. Finding it, he lowered his head, stepped out of the safety of the entranceway, and walked into the congested hall. The smell of goat sausage and fried eggs wafted towards him, making his stomach rumble with hunger. He'd awakened before the kitchen staff and only had time to eat an apple before he'd left for Grigory's.
“Did you really think you were going to walk by me without speaking?” A deep voice spoke from behind. Coal turned and had to arch his neck upwards to see the grey-eyed brown-skinned giant named Octavia.
“Soon.” Octavia winked. “I hear you'll be reigning next to Chalcedony.”
“Princess Chalcedony and I are only friends,” Coal said, losing his appetite. Humans were considered weak. If Chalcedony took on a human mate, she would be considered weak also.
The day had started full of promise. He'd been looking forward to spending time with Chalcedony. His plans were quickly unraveling. With the giants and dwarves here, it would be impossible for her to go anywhere. And for the second time today, he was reminded that he didn't belong here.
“Don't look so insulted.” Octavia grabbed Coal's shoulder. “My great-great-grandmother was human. I'd consider it an honor to have a human reigning beside the queenling.”
“Hmph, that would never happen,” said Ambassador Eli. The short dark-haired dwarf seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. “Humans are exiled for a reason. They are violent, greedy and above all, parasitic.”
Octavia shook his head and clicked his tongue. “No, giants are humans, only taller. That is why giants can't wield magic. And there is nothing extraordinarily violent or parasitic about us.”
“Stop it with the myths. That's like saying dwarves are human only shorter,” Ambassador Eli said. “If your brother heard you speak like that, he'd have you whipped.”
They were too busy debating the differences between humans and giants to notice Coal slip away. He was tempted to stay and listen to Octavia and Ambassador Eli argue, but he was more interested in seeing Chalcedony.
***
Coal stood outside of Chalcedony's door and straightened his clothes. He ran his had over his braids and noticed one of them had unraveled. Silenlty cursing, he re-braided the lone section as fast has he could before knocking.
“Who is it?” asked a gruff voice from inside the room. He immediately recognized the voice as Chalcedony's advisor, Madoc. Coal was convinced that Madoc’s primary goal in life was to make Coal miserable.
“It's me,” Coal said in his most formal tone. “I was told Chalcedony was waiting for me.”
“Who told you that?” Madoc asked.
“Legacy.”
The door opened and Chalcedony stood on the other side. “Legacy was right. I am looking for you.” She wore a black sleeveless shirt and matching pants that emphasized her slender, muscular frame.
Coal bowed. “How can I help you, Princess?”
“Come in.” She stepped back from the door. “Since when do you bow or call me princess?”
Since last week, when Madoc lectured me for ten minutes about properly addressing the future queen, Coal wanted to say, but instead he kept quiet. The least he said, the least Madoc could use against him when Chalcedony left.
“If I am no longer needed, I'll be retiring to my room.” The waif stood in the corner of the room. Coal hadn't seen her until she stepped out of the corner and spoke. Yóu had sickly pale skin, with sunken red-rimmed eyes that were too large for her head, and a head that was too large for her fragile body.
“Go ahead,” Princess Chalcedony said. “Thanks for your help.”
Yóu nodded briefly at Coal as she passed. From what Coal understood, the waif and her twin brother in the human realm, served as a communications tether. If any fey used magic in the human realm, the waif in the human realm felt its energy. And because the twins were linked psychically, Yóu would let Chalcedony know.
Tetrick, a blue-eyed elf assigned to teach Chalcedony how to patrol her part of the human realm, stood. “Are you sure you wouldn't like me to escort you, Princess?”
“No, thank you,” Chalcedony answered.
“You should let him escort you,” Madoc said with a tone that suggested it was more of an order than a suggestion.
“No, thank you, Tetrick,” Chalcedony repeated, sternly.
“Very well, Princess.” Tetrick bowed, his blonde hair falling slightly forward before he vanished.
“You should have let him take you,” Madoc said.
“Take you where?” Coal asked. “I thought we had plans for today.”
“We are.” She turned to Coal. “But first, go get your clothes. Then I'll meet you upstairs in my bedroom.”
“What clothes?” Coal asked, confused.
“The clothes you bought back with you from the human realm.”
Coal hesitated. He was five the last time he'd worn those clothes. “Why?”
“You should not question a princess’s orders,” Madoc said.
Chalcedony huffed and turned to Madoc. “You’re dismissed, Madoc.”
Madoc shot Coal a hateful look before he stood and walked out of the room.
“Don’t worry about him. He’s in a bad mood,” Chalcedony said.
“He’s been in a bad mood for nine years,” Coal said. “I think it’s safe to say that he just really hates me.”
“He doesn’t hate you. He treats you just like he treats everybody else.”
“Really?” Coal asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Okay…he may…dislike you a little bit. Anyway…. Go and meet me upstairs.”
“Bu . . .” he began.
“No more questions or you'll spoil the surprise. Just go get them.” Her voice was full of joy and mischief. He'd missed it. He'd missed her.
Coal bit his lip, stifling his next question before he left the room.
What could she possibly want with his human clothes? They were all he had that proved where he'd come from, but he hadn't touched or thought about them in years.
****
Coal stood at Chalcedony's bedroom door a few minutes later, holding a ragged shirt and a pair of pants.
The door was open but the room was empty until Chalcedony stepped from behind her dressing screen. He almost dropped his bundle when he saw her wearing a pair of blue pants and a yellow shirt. She wore human clothes that were similar to .
“What are you wearing? How did you get those?” he asked.
“Apparently, jeans and a t-shirt, the items you have in your hands are very common clothes in the human realm.”
“But why are you wearing them?” he asked.
“It's a surprise. Give me yours and I'll fix them for you.”
She took his clothes, placed them on her bed and began whispering over them. As she spoke, the holes in the shirt became smaller until they disappeared. Then they stretched, becoming longer and wider. She worked the same magic with his pants.
“Wow, you could be a tailor. That'll come in handy if the giants do decide to attack the dwarves.”
“Haha,” Chalcedony said, still smiling with triumphant. “Tetrick taught me this two days ago. I'm discovering more abilities the closer I get to my coronation.”
He'd always been jealous of Chalcedony's ability to yield magic. Over the years, he'd gotten much better hiding his envy. But still, every time he saw Tetrick and Chalcedony together, the jealousy and longing returned. Tetrick was strong, powerful, and able to phase in and out of most places anytime he wanted. He was everything Coal wasn't.
“Fine, you can lengthen clothes, but why do we need to wear them?” Coal asked.
“Stop asking questions and relax. I promise you won't be disappointed.”
“But . . .” he began again.
She waved her hand and he felt himself being forced backwards by something invisible. She'd learned to do move things years ago, but it wasn't until recently that she could move anything heavier than a sheet of paper.
“Okay, okay. I won't ask any more questions. I can walk the rest of the way myself.”
“Thank you.” She lowered her hand and the force disappeared from his chest.
“Be careful back there. I don't want you ending up somewhere you shouldn't.”
Reluctantly, but of his own free will, he walked behind the screen with his clothes.
Coal felt a wave of nostalgia, remembering the last time he was behind the screen. It was Chalcedony's secret portal that served as her escape route if Legacy was ever invaded, which hadn't happened in over one hundred years. It was one of the best-kept secrets in Everleaf. As children, they would travel through the screen pretending to hunt for treasure in the forest while everyone slept.
“So what do you think?” Coal walked from behind the screen. He didn't like the feel of the stiff fabric against his skin, but the clothes fit.
She stared, eyes narrowed.
“Did I put them on right?” he asked, feeling self-conscious under her intense gaze.
“You look fine,” she said, smiling. “You look really good, actually.”
“Uhm, thanks.” If she liked them, he decided, they couldn’t be all bad. “So are you going to tell me why we're dressed like this?”
“Nope.” She wrapped a black cloak around her shoulders and then handed him the extra one lying on her bed. “Wrap up. I don’t want anyone asking too many questions.”
Coal followed her out of the room while he tried to hide his excitement and curiosity. His joy disappeared when he saw Madoc at the bottom of the stairs talking to Ambassador Eli.
Madoc stopped talking to when he saw Chalcedony and Coal.
“You're not taking your shadows?” Madoc asked with a cocked bushy eyebrow peppered with black and gray.
“I know how to protect myself.”
“Your pride will get you killed. Take your shadows. I'm sure they would appreciate the exercise.”
She rolled her eyes. “No, you have to start trusting me.”
“Traipsing through the human realm without your shadows is not something a queen would do.”
“We're going to the human realm?” Coal blurted, eyes wide.
“Damn it, Madoc!” Chalcedony exclaimed. “I told you it was a surprise.”
Madoc shrugged. “Take your shadows.”
Chalcedony answered with a sneer before she walked out of Legacy. *****
Coal followed Chalcedony out of Legacy. She was talking, but he hadn't been listening. Several moments passed before he asked, “Why didn't you tell me we were going to the human realm?”
“It was a surprise. Surprise!” Chalcedony said with a mischievous smile that made her red eyes sparkle.
In any other situation, Chalcedony's good mood would have been contagious, but he’d been in the fey realm since he was seven and he'd never left Everleaf. He didn't know whether to be scared or excited.
“Why are we going? I've never asked to go there.” The part that made him most uncomfortable: Madoc had not argued about Chalcedony taking him. If he knew anything about the elf, it was that he hated Coal. Most especially, Madoc hated Chalcedony to be seen with Coal outside of Legacy. His disapproval had only grown more venomous over the past year.
“Are you going to leave me there?” he asked, recalling what the sentries had said.
Chalcedony stopped and turned towards Coal. “Why would you think that?”
“You didn't answer my question?” His heart raced while he waited for a response.
“More and more of my work is there. It's so different there. Human tech can be destructive, but it's amazing. Every time I go there I think of you and I wish you could see it. That's why we're going.”
“. . . but Madoc.”
“Don't worry about Madoc. Do you really think I'd just leave you in the human realm without telling you?”
“No, I don't. It's just . . .”
“Coal, I've been dealing with serious for three entire weeks,” she said with desperation. “I want to have fun. I swear that is the only reason we're going.” She wasn't telling him the complete story. He knew her well enough to know that.
“I swear on my mother's sword,” she said, holding his gaze.
“How are we going to the human realm without Tetrick? Don't you need him to phase us there?”
She shrugged and continued walking. “No, we don't need Tetrick.”
“Are we taking the dragons?” Coal asked, his curiosity peaking.
“No, we’re not flying. We're taking the horses most of the way.”
“You're not going to tell me are you?” Coal asked as they entered the stable.
“Nope.”
Coal smirked. “I didn't think so.”
“Just relax,” Chalcedony said. “You'll have fun. I promise.” *****
“Are you really going to let them go to the human realm alone?” Ambassador Eli asked Madoc once Chalcedony and Coal had left.
“She may only be sixteen, but she's smart and one of the strongest in her line. I doubt anyone can hurt her except for a queen.”
“Are you sure you're not overestimating her?” Ambassador Eli asked.
“I may be overestimating her, but there is only so much I can do.” Madoc turned away from the window to face the dwarf. Many dwarven ambassadors have passed through Legacy, and every one had hated the bureaucratic process except for Ambassador Eli. To Madoc's surprise, the dwarf seemed just as concerned for Everleaf as he was for protecting his people's fortunes and trade routes.
Ambassador Eli stroked his chin with a short hairy finger. The dwarf had never worked in the mines so he was slim instead of bulky and muscular. “I've been hesitant to bring this up, but you should know most fey in Everleaf have begun to talk about the queenling and her human boy. There are rumors he is destined to become her lover and rule beside her.”
“I am well aware of the rumors, but that will never happen.”
“Then what are your plans for him? I expected you to have gotten rid of him long before now.”
“Chalcedony is supposed to leave the boy in the human realm while they are there.”
Ambassador Eli exhaled. “That's a relief.”
Madoc turned back towards the window. Chalcedony and the boy were leaving through the gate on horses. “But she lied to me. She is not going to leave him there. She is still too attached to him.”
“Then you need to get rid of him,” Ambassador Eli said, his voice becoming higher.
Madoc watched them until they disappeared from sight. “I can't get rid of him. The boy will play a significant role in Princess Chalcedony becoming a formidable queen.”
“How can you be so sure?” Ambassador Eli asked, his tone full of doubt.
“I had a few truthsayers look into it. They all said the same thing. He is meant to stay until he decides to leave on his own.”
The dwarf cocked a condescending eyebrow Madoc's way. “Isn't it your job to make her a great queen?”
“Like I said, I can only do so much. I've shown her the best and the worst duties of being a queen, yet she remains a child. Her mother and grandmother . . .” Madoc hesitated, searching for the correct phrase, “. . . they had lost their innocence by her age, but she is too happy and it's all tied to the boy. Once he's gone, she'll lose her innocence.
“Besides, I can't kill him without her suspecting. She is young but intuitive. Out of resentment, she may hurt Everleaf. But if the thing she loves left on its own, then that is a different game altogether.”
“The boy obviously worships her. He'll never leave on his own.”
“Ambassador Eli, I've been doing this for centuries. You have my word; the prophets have reassured me that he won't be around much longer.”