A Darker Shade of Sorcery (Sample of now published novel.)

Chapter Twenty Three

When Brooke regained consciousness, she was on the bed in her room. Someone must've found her on the floor and put her there. But who?

Padrake, the tall lanky man with the silly moustache? Arantay, who she'd seen jump on the back of a dragon and take to the sky? None of this could be real, least of all the boy with eyes like blood.

She noticed a tray by the door, heaped with unrecognisable food. A kind of meat, not from any animal she recognised, coupled with food resembling bright-blue peas and green potatoes. Next to the tray stood a metal cylinder filled with black liquid. The meat was tender and succulent and the liquid was surprisingly sweet.

Sunlight streamed in through the window. Brooke realised it must be mid-afternoon already. She got up and walked cautiously over, hoping she didn't see another dragon.

She saw a sea of teenagers running about on the fields, or else sprawled on the grass in groups, chatting amiably. Obviously, there were other children here, she realised. Arantay, Lok and Tyrell had only been a year or two older than her.

Padrake had said Brooke was lucky the Venators had found her before the others had. She shuddered to think of who else, or what else, might've been looking for her. She wished no one had come looking at all.

The children outside looked happy. Most wore a blue uniform; some white, whilst others wore green or purple, only a few wore red like Tyrell and Lok had last night.

Last night? Was it only yesterday? It felt like a lifetime ago she'd been at the club with her friends.

My friends, what must they be thinking? What will my family be going through? She was gone; they'd all be going out of their minds with worry. Well, her family pretended she didn't exist most of the time. But no, she was sure they would still worry if she disappeared, that's what families did, no matter how dysfunctional they were.

But Padrake said the Masters could alter their memories. They would believe she'd won a place at some boarding academy. If she chose to stay here, that was.

The people outside looked normal enough, she decided. What was I expecting, for them to look like Arantay? No, he was different.

They were all around her age or younger, some of them older by a year or three. They sat chatting, or running around laughing, like normal teens.

Part of her wanted to go and meet them, another part was too scared. Brooke decided to try her door again. Fortunately, it wasn't locked this time.

Outside was a colossal corridor. The walls and floor were made of a dark green stone. Red carpets ran the length of the corridor and elaborate statues and ornaments adorned the walls. The interior of the castle was filled with vibrant life, it pulsed with sorcery. It was hard to believe magic didn't exist when the place tingled with it.

Suddenly someone turned into the hallway from another passage. A boy dressed in blue like those outside.

Brooke considered darting back into her room, but he'd already spotted her. The boy looked at her in surprise as he approached.

"Hello," he said.

"Hi," Brooke said uncertainly.

"You're new right?" He took in her clothes. She was wearing the same jeans and black vest top she'd worn to the nightclub.

"Err-" She struggled, feeling incredibly out of place.

The boy had stopped in front of her, bemused. He looked around her age. His eyes were a bright tawny, contrasting with his ebony skin and the braids pulled back to the nape of his neck, embellished at the ends by multicoloured beads.

"You're a Novice Venator," he stated.

"Um, I'm Brooke."

"No, Novice is your rank," he laughed.

"Oh," Brooke said, feeling her cheeks flush red.

"I'm Elijah Gold, Apprentice Venator." His accent was British, but flavoured with Ghanaian.

"Why am I a Novice?" Brooke asked.

Elijah blinked. "How long have you been here?"

"Um...since today."

"Now it makes sense. Hasn't anyone told you about the training ranks?"

"No."

"Have you spoken to anyone?"

"Er, this guy called Padrake."

"Trust Master Padrake to leave out information," Elijah smiled. "He likes to talk, but rarely does he say anything useful. Novice, Apprentice, Mid-Realmer, High-Realmer and Arch-Realmer are the ranks."

"God, everything is so odd here," Brooke vented. "I don't know what to do."

"Yeah, it's hard at the start, but you wait, you'll love it here."

"I doubt that."

"How about I show you around a bit?" Elijah beamed. "I was heading to Ethanc's anyway. You'll need someone to show you where everything is. There are about two hundred chambers in the Fortress you need to watch out for."

She stared at him with raised eyebrows.

"Oh you know," he waved a hand airily, "rooms that transport you to other worlds, rooms that are living and breathing, or ones that trap you there until the Master's set you free."

He walked on, beckoning her to follow.

Brooke faltered, unsure.

"C'mon," Elijah urged.

She exhaled heavily, then shut her door and followed him.