Land of Light and Shadows

Chapter 42

Chapter 42

It took one day longer to reach the Escarrali shores than they'd anticipated. Not that any one of them minded. They were so caught up in preparations no one seemed to notice, not until the third night when they'd finished the routes of the three groups into Ceron, Oria, and Inder.

Everyone was exhausted from the physical training in the mornings to the mental preparations as they poured over every detail on their maps.

Elys was the most tired out of all of them. Not only was he continuing his instruction in sword work, he was also practicing more and more with Michel on his control of time. This usually happened early in the morning at first light when the guardsmen were down in the galley eating breakfast and they wouldn't be disturbed, allowing him to concentrate without having others watch. Jai and Gideon were always there, though Jai had to stop himself from rushing toward the boy whenever his Seer magic took a toll on his small body, making even his dark red scars go pale. Elys swatted him away any time he did and jumped back up on wobbly legs, taking yet another turn.

"I'm all right, Jai," Elys told him as he tried to help him up. "Let me do this myself, would you? Stop acting like Lyvi."

"I can't do that, kid, not when it comes to you."

Jai still managed to take several steps back, taking his place beside Gideon on the canvas-covered supply crate where they'd been sharpening their weapons.

"At least we know where he gets his stubbornness from, along the many different aspects of that bright personality of his," Gideon snorted. "And his unwillingness to stop training even when he needs rest."

"We're going to have to tell Lyv."

"You know he's just going to manage to sweet talk her, don't you?"

"Unfortunately. I can only imagine how he's going to be in the next few years," Jai sighed, crossing his arms as he looked back at Elys and Michel.

Only for them to then appear on the opposite side of the deck in mid-conversation they hadn't heard the beginning of.

He was never going to get used to this time control ability of his.

"Jai!" Elys whined as he ran over to him, Michel following closely behind. It was only then that Jai noticed the thin trail of blood dripping front his nose. "Tell him I'm able to continue. I held time for almost half an hour just now, but I want to try going for longer!"

"Obviously not!" Jai told him firmly, staring in horror at the blood as Elys reached up to wipe it away with his sleeve. His mind was racing, remembering when Lyv did the same thing to herself when using more of her magic at once than it was used to. "You're bleeding."

"So? I want to try again."

Michel crossed his arms, lips pressed into a thin line. "You're six years old, Elys. Your magic is too much for you right now and, as I said, we're not pushing you to your limits."

Elys huffed, eyes narrowing at the three of them. "I'll be seven in just a few days."

"That doesn't matter. You just got a handle on this ability. You require more training. Seer magic is different and it's something we'll all be learning with you as you grow."

The boy looked pleadingly over at Jai, who was still staring at the smear of blood he left behind. "Don't look at me, kid. Michel's the one to talk to about this magic."

He then had the bright idea to look over at Gideon, who held up both hands. "Don't you dare. You know they outrank me, don't you?"

Elys narrowed his eyes, huffing out a breath as his arms crossed. "Fine. I'll take a break...and go find Kalla since she gives me chocolate when I say you've been mean to me."