Chapter 34

CHAPTER 34

L ooking up at the wonderful pair of voices, Solomon smiled when he caught sight of Cormac Wyn and Grayson Cadogan striding toward him.

The six-foot-tall man with dark auburn hair and brilliant rich Wyn green eyes stood out on the battlefield. Two different bags full of supplies were crisscrossed across his body and a tall druid’s staff created out of an Eiklon Laurel twisted branch and topped with an emerald gemstone clutched in one hand.

“There you are. Where have you been?” Solomon said.

“Me? Here and there. Unlike you. Scared the daylights out of me when I saw the bubble drop and the complete change of battlefield plans. You were supposed to hold back,” Cormac said.

“Right. Like you were supposed to stay on the sidelines.”

“Well I couldn’t stand doing nothing.”

“Right. Andre told me what you did. He was right along with Gray. Your skills as a healer are far more important.” Solomon motioned toward the staff. “Heard you rearranged a few delicate bits with that staff.”

“Of course, what better use for it than knocking around a few balls now and then,” Cormac said. He motioned to the vines. “Why are you surrounded by the vines? Are they your admirers?”

“Umm… Not quite. These are the native sentient vines, the Meltosse,” Solomon said.

“Could have used them to hold him in place,” Gray said while he stepped closer. “Who are you?”

Finlay squeaked when the six-foot-tall man with golden streak russet hair and hazel-green eyes talked to him.

Solomon nudged his elbow into Finlay’s side, but only elicited another squeak out of him. “This is RASI Consortium Special Agent Finlay Medlin. He was deep undercover inside the Carmine for the last two annuals.”

“Plus. Two annuals plus. Darkness and loneliness.” Finlay grinned up at Grayson. “A whole lot of loneliness.”

“Finlay, this is Doctor Grayson Cadogan, co-owner of Cad-Wyn Laboratories. He’s the cousin of Doctor Cormac Wyn,” Solomon said and motioned to his beloved redhead.

“Hello, Finlay, a pleasure to meet you,” Cormac said.

“Hello. Oh, I’m so happy to be out of that society,” Finlay said.

“Pardon?” Grayson asked. “What society?”

“Don’t get him started. You’ll get used to him,” Solomon added.

“Don’t mind me at all.” Finlay waved while he kept his rapturous gaze on Grayson.

“Okay. Hello, Finlay. Do you need a medical check?” Gray asked.

“I need all kinds of checks,” Finlay said.

Cormac snickered. “Get to it, Gray. It’s a desperate case that is perfect for you.”

Gray glared at his cousin.

“Where’s Emrys and Julian? Andre said they were helping you,” Solomon asked.

“They were, but went off in a different direction. Toward the justice building, I think,” Gray said. “They’re safe. Alive. I promise. Had my eyes on them.”

“Good to know,” Solomon said.

“By the way, I can’t leave him alone even if tall, dark, and handsome doctor wants to check me out,” Finlay said while he pointed at Solomon. “Orders from Andre.”

“I’m not going anywhere. I’ll keep my eyes on him. Promise. You can head off with Grayson, Finlay,” Cormac said. He studied Solomon. “You’re looking a little wane and gray around the edges.”

Solomon opened his mouth to protest.

“He came close to burnout a couple of times on the field,” Finlay piped up.

“What happened to the power gems?” Cormac asked.

“Used them all. Just finished those nutrition bars,” Finlay said.

“You can leave now,” Solomon said while he glared at Finlay to shut his mouth.

“Umm… Yeah. Doc, could use your help over here,” Finlay said while he pushed off the steps, grabbed hold of Gray’s arm, and dragged him away.

“Will my cousin survive that experience?” Cormac asked.

“Depends on the experience,” Solomon said. “Finlay’s a good fella. Stayed with me through the worst of it until we got to these stairs. Well… not quite these stairs.”

“Yes, they do appear a bit differently along with the entire building.”

“Ancient arcane spell. There’s another one I need to trigger inside.”

“When?”

“Once I’m back on my feet. And a few other things. In no rush right now. Especially now that I can see you.” Solomon tilted his head. “I missed you. Was worried.”

“No need. I was more worried about you being in the thick of things. Then we all heard what was happening with that amplification spell.”

Solomon winced. “Right. About…”

“You didn’t tell me the full truth back in Gledinium because of his position. I understand. You weren’t sure what would happen. Right?”

Remaining quiet, Solomon could only look up at Cormac.

Removing the bags, Mac set them in the space Finlay left behind. Then he crouched down while holding his balance with his staff. Now he could look directly at Solomon. “Afraid I would kick you out? Turn away from you? Hate you?”

“All that and more. We weren’t in a good position because of the barriers I threw up between us and covered them with lies and secrets.”

“Thanks to the last few days, I think we’re in a better position than anything we had back in Nucira. This last secret fell and finished. Right?”

“Yes. No more secrets. Everyone knows who I truly am.”

“You’re still Solomon Windham, a brilliant and powerful arcane mage along with being a caring professor and a wonderful friend. That’s the man I know. The one I’m finally able to fall in love with now that I see all of him.”

Falling silent, heart beating strong at those words, Solomon could only stare.

“Knocked you off your balance. Hmm?”

Opening his mouth, Solomon closed it without a word. A second try didn’t work. Then a third.

“Stunned silence. Nice. Let me be a doctor then for a moment.” Cormac reached into one bag and pulled out a smaller pouch. He tilted out two glowing gems and placed them in Solomon’s hand. “Draw in that energy.”

Sighing in relief, Solomon drew in the warm energy.

“We’ll get back to us later. Promise.” Rising out of the crouch, Mac gestured at the vines. “May I pass them and sit with you?”

/Could all of you move a bit to give Mac space?/

::He will not remove you from us.::

/That is something I’m still considering. A little patience. Please./

There was what sounded like vine grumbling and rustling in his mind, but the vines parted enough to give Cormac space to step through to the stairs.

“Don’t think the vines appreciated moving,” Mac said while he rested his staff against the railing. Then he settled on the steps and twisted to face Solomon.

“They don’t want you to take me away from here.”

“From here?”

Solomon waved to the temple behind him.

Cormac studied the temple, the vines, and back at Solomon. “They chose you as their protector. Like what the Gloriosa did with Julian.”

“And mentioned how the temple is designed to become an academy for arcane students and studies. There’s more to the building once you step inside. More will be revealed when I activate the last spell.”

“That’s…” Cormac moved his gaze from Solomon to the temple and back. “Interesting. What spell?”

“Don’t know. I have to go stand in a circle. Not sure where it is because no one wants to go inside and investigate. Apparently, I need to be the first. The elders, Percival, Ewen, and Victoria are looking around the exterior.” Rolling the used up gems between his fingers, Solomon glanced at the temple and back to Cormac. “If I accepted the Meltosse’s offer, it would mean we would be closer. You don’t have to go to the far eastern edge to find me.”

“And you’re no longer secluded there. At least once all of the controversy over arcane mages is gone, you’ll be free of secrets and hiding.”

“There is that too.”

“Your mother and grandfather are here.”

“Don’t really call them that. It’s not…” Solomon waved at his head.

“Clicking in your head. Right. It would give you an opportunity to know them. For them to become part of your family.”

“My family is Julian, Emrys, and Bella.” Rolling the gems again, Solomon kept his attention on the gem. “They’re my family, my friends, but they’ll be all out east. Not like Julian can transplant an entire legacy grove.”

“That would be difficult, even for a group of druids.”

“And…”

“And?”

Solomon rubbed his hands together.

Cormac placed his hand over Solomon’s hand and stopped him from rolling the gem. He gently took the gem and tossed it to the ground. Then he squeezed Solomon’s fingers. “Talk to me, Solomon. The truth now. No more secrets. No more hiding.”

“Are you still interested in dating me? An arcane mage who is now a temple guardian and professor of arcane and mythology. Got a questionable background, but overall a fairly decent fella,” Solomon said with a shaky smile.

“Wouldn’t have him any other way,” Cormac said and pressed his lips against Solomon’s mouth for a long tender kiss.

“Solomon, are you ready to figure out this circle?” Andre asked while he returned with Lennox by his side.

“Holy flames, this is amazing,” Lennox said while he took in the changes.

Solomon glanced at Cormac, who nodded. “Yes.”

Stepping across the threshold, Solomon studied the vast interior. The flags and emblems from the Carmine remained in place. Along with other pieces of their existence. Underneath all of it was the original purpose of the structure. This grand rotunda entrance hidden underneath ancient spells. Decorative columns were spaced around the exterior, each one exquisitely carved with the face and form of a person. One of the arcane mages that created the Circle of the Elysium.

There was a strange thrumming vibration underneath his feet. Holding out his hands, he could sense the magical energy building within the entire area.

Crouching at the edge of the darkened circle of writing on the marble floor, Solomon brushed his fingers against one of the lines. It wasn’t painted. It was engraved into the marble and then colored.

::Step within the Circle. Go to the center. Release your arcane gift and send it down to the ground,:: the Meltosse said in a distant connection.

/What am I searching for?/

::The Heart of the Realms. A giant gemstone created out of all the magical stones you discovered throughout the realms. The source of all the magic. The power behind all the arcane spells. The Circle of Elysium discovered the gemstone and used it to build the Central realms and eventually the rest. It laid dormant underneath the temple since it was hidden. Now it is time to release it.::

/Only an arcane mage can do this./

::One of great strength and purity of heart. We believe this is you. Please step into the center.::

Rising, Solomon looked over his shoulder. Standing a few steps away from the threshold, but remaining able to watch everything, were the ones he called his family. Along with a few new friends and the elders.

Stepping forward, Cormac smiled. “Go on. We’re here to support you.”

Exhaling, Solomon returned his focus to the engraved circle. Carefully, he crossed the outer border and stepped straight to the center. Turning to face the doors and his family, he held out his hands.

White flames of his arcane erupted and covered his arms from his shoulders down to his fingers.

The vibration quickened. The thrumming became a loud humming. Then the circle abruptly burst into white flames. White walls shot up from the circle and went straight up to the rotunda’s ceiling. Magic encircled Solomon and lifted him off the floor.

“Solomon!” Cormac screamed.

“No… Don’t move… Let him be…”

Closing his eyes as the arcane magic covered him and propelled him higher, Solomon heard the voices of the ancient Circle. Their histories. Their words. Their spells. All of it filled him.

In the distance, he sensed the changes to the Temple all around him, but the evidence of the Carmine would remain until it could be collected and removed as evidence. There would be future changes after the Carmine was scrubbed away. Only then could the temple inherit its true purpose – to become an academy for the arcane. A true academy that wouldn’t hide in the shadows.

Slowly, the cloud of energy and power lowered him to the floor. The power released in a burst of energy that flew out of every door and window. It flowed out against all who stood around the Temple.

A deep voice intoned for all to hear, “The Temple of the Elysium is opened to all. Our Prime Arcane has returned.”