Her vision came into focus amidst screaming, shouts and screeching fellbeasts. Sorela blinked, surveyed the tempest as blood thumped inside her ears.

The stable boy and one of the soldiers were unconscious near the mouth of the fissure. Serin and another of the men-at-arms fought against a fellbeast taking flight. Naikal pulled her spear from a monster’s head, then rushed to aid Serin.

Where are the others?

Her eyes widened when they fell on a one-armed fellbeast gripping Falan in its clawed grip, the Serafe’s body unmoving.

Sorela’s stomach heaved and her heart skipped a beat when she realized Leisa at the creature’s feet.

Abruptly the monster howled and lost balance. It tossed Falan, then turn on Leisa.

Sorela had to act quickly.

She pushed her elbows back, rolled to her knees and staggered to her feet. The ground shook beneath her as she uttered an incantation of lightning while drawing a cascade of complex runes.

Quickly!

Fear roiled inside her. Pushing it away, the power materialized. If Sorela weaved the rune wrong in any way, she could inadvertently kill any one of the others.

The bolt shot, zigzagging through open space.

It cracked, slamming through the one-armed red-clad monster about to impale her soon to be apprentice, then traveled up where the other fellbeast was, killing it in mid-air with another thunderous explosion.

The two monsters fell to the rocky ground. They did not move after that. Heads glanced about in mild confusion.

The mage breathed a sigh or relief, inhaled and attempted to remain standing, but failed and fell to her knees and hands.

After a moment Leisa caught sight of her and trudged over the rocks toward Sorela as she nursed her arm. She was covered in blood.

Sorela sighed with relief, then lowered herself to the ground. She was so tired.

Falan stirred behind Leisa and the girl glanced over her shoulder. The man nodded to her and she returned the gesture.

The girl came forward. “Are you all right, my lady?” she asked, sinking to her knees. She eased Sorela’s head into her lap.

She smiled up at the younger woman, then closed her eyes and uttered an incantation of healing while weaving the runes by rote.

The girl watched with open amazement as Sorela’s palms alighted with yellow light. She pressed her hands against the girl’s head so she would receive its healing effects.

The girl shuttered and Sorela rose to a sitting position. “How do you feel?”

Gingerly, Leisa felt at her arm. “It’s... it’s healed!” she said, smiling.

Sorela rubbed the back of her head. The hurt felt deep. Probably a concussion. She would not heal herself, not until everyone who needed healing was safe from danger.

Falan moved up, rubbing his neck. “I am going to track lord Jalen. He cannot have gone far.”

Surprise must have shown on her face, because Serin said, “Yes, lady mage, we have saved lord Jalen. He ran off during the fighting.”

She turned to Falan. “It seems, lord Nogal, you have more honor than I thought. What made you decide to come back?”

“It was the right thing to do, lady mage,” he said, glancing after Serin. “If you will excuse me. The Blackwood is a dangerous place, and I must help Serin retrieve your young lord.”

Sorela nodded, stifling a shiver. Snowflakes were coalescing on her shoulders. The woman forced herself to rise.

“No, my lady—you need rest.”

“Nonsense, child.” But of course it was true.

She made her way past Naikal. The Hansa’s eyes followed her to the edge of the fissure, curious.

She reached Jasen nursing more than one part of his body. “What happened, stable boy?”

The boy grunted. Before he could say anything, Sorela was already healing him, then did the same for the unconscious soldier who had accompanied them all the way from castle Warfing. A loyal man.

So tired... She had enough energy to perform a few more healings. “Leisa...”

“Yes, lady mage?”

Sorela moved toward the younger woman so they could have more privacy and smiled. “You will have to address me as Mistress very soon, child,” she said quietly.

A look of unease cross the girl’s face. Sorela glanced up at the crest where Falan, Serin, and lord Jalen were.

Leisa saw them as well.

“Look what we have accomplished,” Sorela said, gesturing to lord Jalen. “We are not adventure seekers, or warriors. We are a force for good. The world is a better place with the Hall in it... The mages need new blood, child. Did you know lord Warfink was preparing to go to war to save his son?” Before Leisa could answer she added, “We have saved more lives than just lord Jalen’s.”

The younger woman still hesitated.

Sorela smiled again, patted the girl’s shoulder. “Think about what I have said. You can give me your answer after we deliver the good news.” She leaned forward, kissed Leisa’s forehead. “Come, we must leave this place.”