Chapter Twelve

L iana's day started wonderfully when she woke to Damien's hands roaming lazily over her body, which made them late to breakfast with his family. No one mentioned their tardiness and had already started eating by the time they arrived.

"What did you all discover from the rebels?" Liana questioned, digging into her plate.

Luciano told her, "We pulled out some good information. Kinley got into their memories to find who their main leader is, but they'd never met him or heard his name."

"What are our next steps?"

"We have once again - thanks to you, Wife - diminished their numbers after last night's raid which will halt many of their plans for now," Damien replied.

"Yes, and their next move was going to be during the Fall Festival. Until then, we keep our ear to the ground and stay vigilant," Luciano added.

Liana's shoulders fell, her breakfast not so appetizing anymore. "You mean we just sit and wait again?" She wanted this to be over. She wanted to find these rebels and eradicate them. It was her destiny to do so.

Damien patted her hand. "We still have to find and question everyone's family and acquaintances that we captured last night. Other than that, we don't know for sure who is a separatist. We cannot question every person to find out either. The best thing to do is prepare for the Fall Festival. We know they are coming, and we will be prepared."

"Are we going to set a trap? I'll be the bait," she offered, already knowing she was the bait.

Damien frowned. "You will not be bait."

Rolling her eyes, she opened her mouth to argue when Luciano cut them off. "Before you interrupt my breakfast with a battle of wills, let's table this discussion. We all know they want to capture Liana and kill the rest of us. We will all be bait. Now, we've got one month to train Liana and get a plan worked out. No arguing," he stated again.

Her confidence faltered. They would all be bait. She didn't like the sound of that. She didn't want anyone but her to be the bait. She was the cause of all this, and she'd be the one to end it. Hopefully without putting anyone else in danger.

Everyone kept their mouths shut about the topic though and finished their meal without argument.

***

Damien and Luciano told her to meet them for training late in the afternoon which left her day open until then. Eva urged her to join the other ladies of the court for the day but that did not sound enjoyable at all. So, she snuck away to the mage training rooms to work on potions and spells.

Sasha accompanied her today, the other mage giving the soldier wide berth. The males weren't used to either of them yet, not that Liana expected them to be anytime soon.

Humming while she worked, Liana let herself indulge in the serenity of creating things with magic. That had always been her favorite thing about magic - crafting spells and potions. There was a certain tranquility to it that wasn't boring despite the routineness of it all. Or perhaps it was that she worked alone without the input of boastful men. No matter the reason, she loved everything there was to learn about magic.

She startled when a scream came from next door in the combat area. She dropped what she'd been working on and rushed through the archway.

The group gathered around an injured mage writhing in pain.

"Get a healer!" someone yelled.

Liana shoved her way through the crowd to kneel beside the young male. A grotesque sight met her eyes, the poor boy burned nearly down to the bone on the right side of his chest and upper arm.

"What happened?" she asked, already gripping the male's hand. Her magic surged through him, seeking the injury.

"It was an accident," another boy defended, his face as pale as the injured one. "He was supposed to block with a shield."

"If this was shielding practice, why were you not using less severe attack spells?" Liana countered. The young male just stared back wide-eyed.

She focused back on the injured boy who could have only been fifteen or sixteen, her magic making quick work of healing him. Silence descended in the room when everyone realized how quickly and easily she healed him.

Once it was complete, the boy sat up cautiously, testing his arm by moving it around. When his fingers brushed over smooth skin, he stared wide-eyed up at her.

"Thank you, Your Majesty," he managed to squeak out.

Sasha helped her to her feet. "You're welcome," Liana responded, not quite as shocked as everyone else by the feat she just accomplished.

"Enough of a show. Everyone back to work," Mentor Matthew declared then turned to the previously injured mage. She'd presided over Matthew's promotion from Docent to Mentor just last week as a part of her duties. It had been a simple affair in the throne room, and a few combat mage were promoted to Docent status as well.

"Are you having difficulty with the shield, Aaron?" Matthew questioned quietly.

The young male hunched his shoulders, looking anywhere except at Matthew or Liana. "No," he denied sharply. "It just doesn't come as quickly as I intend it to."

Matthew shook his head. "Son, we've been practicing on everything else. Why did you not tell me about the shield? That is your number one priority. If you can't master the shield, you cannot move on."

Liana glanced back and forth between the pair. Now that she looked, she could see the resemblance between father and son.

The male gritted his teeth, making him look every bit of his young years. "I know," he grumbled.

"Your Majesty, thank you for your kindness and for healing my son. May I escort you back to your workstation?"

Liana would have gone only to spare the boy more embarrassment, but her magic urged her to stay. It urged her to help this boy.

"No, thank you, Mentor. I will find my own way back. Why don't you continue your lessons and give me a moment with your son." Liana turned, dismissing him without argument. "Aaron, tell me about your shield. What is the problem?"

Cheeks and ears red, he still couldn't look at her. After ensuring that his father walked away, he admitted in a whisper, "I'm not strong enough. The magic comes too slowly to be of any use."

Her own power wriggled beneath her skin, eager to get out. Trusting in herself, she asked the boy, "Would you mind if I tried something?"

His brows furrowed. "What are you going to do?"

"I just want to test something. It won't hurt," she said, hoping that she didn't just lie. Holding her hand out, the boy hesitantly placed his own on top.

Liana kept a tight hold on her magic, only letting it out in a slow, steady stream. It inspected the boy, inspected his magic. He wasn't the strongest, but he wasn't weak either. There was absolutely nothing wrong with his magic. She pulled her power back and let his hand drop.

"You are strong enough, Aaron. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. And don't forget, magic is linked to our emotions. If we believe we aren't capable, then we won't be. Believe in yourself first and foremost, and the magic will follow." She patted him on the shoulder. "Good luck. I have every faith in you."

When she returned to her workstation, Master Kinley waited for her with a young girl beside him.

"Your Majesty," he greeted with a bow. The golden-haired girl beside him curtsied.

"Greetings, Master Kinley. What brings you by?"

"Your Majesty, this is my daughter, Brianna. I do not want to impose but she would greatly like to meet you and since she is not allowed at court yet, I thought you may be so kind as to greet her elsewhere."

The girl must be under sixteen if she wasn't allowed at court. No child under sixteen was allowed. They stayed sequestered to their family's chambers, study rooms, or designated outdoor areas.

"No bother at all, Master Kinley. It is a pleasure to meet you, Brianna."

"The pleasure is mine, Your Majesty," she replied, her voice soft and sweet. Her eyes soaked in every inch of Liana's workbench, all the supplies and tools scattered about. "May I ask what you are doing?"

"I am creating protection talismans."

Her blue eyes widened. "You know how to make those? Females aren't allowed to know that."

Master Kinley wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Mind your manners, Brianna."

Liana smiled and shook her head. "It's okay. Brianna, there are no laws that prevent females from using magic just as the males do, only social stigma. I want to know these things, so I taught them to myself." She bent forward and gestured for the girl to lean close. Whispering, she said, "And you know the best part about being queen?" The girl shook her head. "I get to do whatever I want, and no one can say no to me."

The girl giggled. "Can you teach me something?" she whispered back.

Liana glanced at Master Kinley. The man gave a slight nod.

"Come around here." Liana gestured for the girl to walk around to her side of the bench. Liana pointed to the spellbook open on the bookstand. "The talismans can be anything you want them to be. However, metal holds magic the easiest and the longest. It is best to choose a piece of jewelry that is inconspicuous as well, a piece that the person would normally wear."

Brianna picked up one of the bracelets from the pile of jewelry Liana bought. "Can you show me how to make this bracelet into a protection talisman?"

Liana nodded and set the simple silver chain with one sapphire adornment on the workbench. "To make it extra powerful and unique to that one person so no one can steal it, you have to get a drop of that person's blood." She held out a needle. "May I borrow your finger? It will only hurt for a second."

She glanced to her father then nodded, holding her hand out. Liana walked the girl through the process and even had her recite the spell together. Completed, Liana clasped the bracelet around Briana's wrist. "If you wear that, nothing can hurt you."

The girl beamed with joy. "What else can you teach me?"

"Briana," Kinley warned. "Let us leave the Queen in peace now."

"It's alright, Master Kinley, she's no bother. Why don't you leave her with me for a while. I will teach her some basics." He hesitated. "No poisons, I promise," she added on with a smile.

"If you're sure, Your Majesty. If she is too much, just send her back to our chambers." He pointed a finger at his daughter. "You behave, young lady."

"Of course, Father," she replied, her eyes downcast. As soon as he turned his back, she smiled up at Liana. "What can we do first?"

Liana found a beginner's book tucked away in the very back of the bookshelf. Most of the potions and spells were child's play for a male, but Brianna had never seen them before. Basic spells to prevent rusting, to mend furniture, or split wood for a fire. They worked through a lot of them and very quickly. The girl had plenty of magical ability, which came as no surprise considering her father was a Master Mage.

"Your Majesty, do you think I could bring some of my friends to learn as well?" Brianna asked after about an hour. The request caught her off guard, uncertainty weighing her down. "We talk about wanting to know more magic all the time, and when you became queen, they said you are more powerful and knowledgeable than all the males, and all we want to be is like you."

She blinked. "Brianna," she hedged, uncomfortable with the praise. "I am not the best role model…"

"You are our only role model," Brianna interrupted. "You are the only female that understands how much we want to use magic too."

Liana looked around at all the males in the room, their noses stuck into books or cauldrons. They would not appreciate having a group of girls in here, much less Liana teaching them. But that was exactly what Liana always stood against, the males' comfort and wishes. She wanted females to be able to study magic just as the males. When that goal seemed out of reach, she focused on herself. She was the Queen now though. She had the power to create change.

"Get your friends, Brianna. If they wish to learn, I will teach them." Before the girl could race away, she commanded, "Take Sasha with you as an escort. You can't go running through the halls alone."

"I stay with you, Your Majesty," Sasha denied.

"I'm not going anywhere, Sasha. I am well protected here. Go with the girl."

Brianna didn't need to be told twice as she bolted for the door. Liana grinned at her guard. "Best catch up to her."

Sasha glared at Liana. "If you get hurt while I'm gone, I'm dead."

Liana just shook her head. Her husband truly was overprotective.