Read Online Firestorm (The Sword of Light Trilogy Book 2) by Aaron Hodges - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Aaron Hodges
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you’ll let me finish before you begin flinging accusations. There is far more to this story than Gabriel knows. Eric has never meant to hurt anyone with his power; he did not even know he possessed magic before Alastair found him in Oaksville.”
“What do you mean?”
“Before Oaksville, Eric spent the better part of two years wandering the wilderness, afraid to return to civilisation for fear of what he thought of as his curse. He did not know it was magic, only that there was some power within him he could not control. But finally, he could no longer bear the isolation. He went to Oaksville to begin a new life, but within an hour of entering the town he was attacked by slavers,” Inken spoke in a soft voice.
“When an emerging Magicker has not been properly trained, their magic is tied to their emotions. It is unleashed when they are overwhelmed. When Eric was attacked, his fear and anger took control, and his magic lashed out to protect him.”
“What do you mean?”
Inken stopped, gravel crunching beneath her boots. The thorns of a nearby rose caught in Enala’s coat as she turned to meet Inken’s gaze. “Eric had no choice in what happened, not once attacked. He had every reason to fear for his life, to feel enraged at the men attacking him. He could not direct how his magic responded to those emotions, not without training.”
Enala looked away, remembering her horror as she hid in the basement, while men murdered her parents upstairs. The anger had almost driven her to madness. She thought of Eric, unarmed and at the mercy of such thugs. Then she felt a pang of horror as she imagined the helplessness he must have felt once the power was unleashed. To know it was his doing, but being powerless to cease the destruction.
Tears sprang to her eyes. “Does Gabriel know this?”
Inken shook her head. “So far, he has not been too receptive to any explanation.
“Can you blame him?”
“No, of course not. But he is not the only one to have lost those he loves,” she paused, choosing her next words carefully. “Eric’s parents were the first victims of his wild magic.”
Enala’s heart twisted in pain. She opened her mouth, but found no words.
Inken nodded, a sad smile on her lips. “You, Gabriel and Eric have much in common. Like it or not, you are linked by tragedy, and will continue, I hope, to fight together on the side of good,” she paused. “You should also know; Eric is determined to put right the debt he feels for Oaksville. That is why he used his magic to bring the rain back to Chole.”
Enala gaped. “What?”
“That was when I knew he was not the demon everyone thought him, and when I decided I wanted to get to know him better,” Inken winked.
Enala stared, lost again for words. Eric may have cursed Gabriel’s town to ruin, but he had saved Chole, her city. How could anyone weigh the two deeds against one another, as great and as awful as they were?
Yet Enala could feel the truth in Inken’s words, that Eric had never meant to harm Oaksville, that he’d had no control over what happened there.
“I’ll try to talk to Gabriel,” Enala finally offered. “But I don’t know if he will listen. The two of them might have to work it out themselves,” accident or not, Eric’s magic had still caused the death of Gabriel’s family. Whatever the circumstances, Enala could not blame him for hating the young man. But perhaps the truth might at least open a dialogue between them.
“Agreed,” Inken smiled. “I think us girls had best stay out of this one.”
Enala shot back a sly look. “You really love him, don’t you?”
She saw Inken’s cheeks redden, and laughed. Inken wagged a finger back at her. “That is none of your business, miss. You don’t see me asking about what’s between yourself and Gabriel!”
Enala felt her own cheeks warm. She opened her eyes wide. “Whatever are you talking about?” she asked. “We’re friends, we slept in separate beds and
“What do you mean?”
“Before Oaksville, Eric spent the better part of two years wandering the wilderness, afraid to return to civilisation for fear of what he thought of as his curse. He did not know it was magic, only that there was some power within him he could not control. But finally, he could no longer bear the isolation. He went to Oaksville to begin a new life, but within an hour of entering the town he was attacked by slavers,” Inken spoke in a soft voice.
“When an emerging Magicker has not been properly trained, their magic is tied to their emotions. It is unleashed when they are overwhelmed. When Eric was attacked, his fear and anger took control, and his magic lashed out to protect him.”
“What do you mean?”
Inken stopped, gravel crunching beneath her boots. The thorns of a nearby rose caught in Enala’s coat as she turned to meet Inken’s gaze. “Eric had no choice in what happened, not once attacked. He had every reason to fear for his life, to feel enraged at the men attacking him. He could not direct how his magic responded to those emotions, not without training.”
Enala looked away, remembering her horror as she hid in the basement, while men murdered her parents upstairs. The anger had almost driven her to madness. She thought of Eric, unarmed and at the mercy of such thugs. Then she felt a pang of horror as she imagined the helplessness he must have felt once the power was unleashed. To know it was his doing, but being powerless to cease the destruction.
Tears sprang to her eyes. “Does Gabriel know this?”
Inken shook her head. “So far, he has not been too receptive to any explanation.
“Can you blame him?”
“No, of course not. But he is not the only one to have lost those he loves,” she paused, choosing her next words carefully. “Eric’s parents were the first victims of his wild magic.”
Enala’s heart twisted in pain. She opened her mouth, but found no words.
Inken nodded, a sad smile on her lips. “You, Gabriel and Eric have much in common. Like it or not, you are linked by tragedy, and will continue, I hope, to fight together on the side of good,” she paused. “You should also know; Eric is determined to put right the debt he feels for Oaksville. That is why he used his magic to bring the rain back to Chole.”
Enala gaped. “What?”
“That was when I knew he was not the demon everyone thought him, and when I decided I wanted to get to know him better,” Inken winked.
Enala stared, lost again for words. Eric may have cursed Gabriel’s town to ruin, but he had saved Chole, her city. How could anyone weigh the two deeds against one another, as great and as awful as they were?
Yet Enala could feel the truth in Inken’s words, that Eric had never meant to harm Oaksville, that he’d had no control over what happened there.
“I’ll try to talk to Gabriel,” Enala finally offered. “But I don’t know if he will listen. The two of them might have to work it out themselves,” accident or not, Eric’s magic had still caused the death of Gabriel’s family. Whatever the circumstances, Enala could not blame him for hating the young man. But perhaps the truth might at least open a dialogue between them.
“Agreed,” Inken smiled. “I think us girls had best stay out of this one.”
Enala shot back a sly look. “You really love him, don’t you?”
She saw Inken’s cheeks redden, and laughed. Inken wagged a finger back at her. “That is none of your business, miss. You don’t see me asking about what’s between yourself and Gabriel!”
Enala felt her own cheeks warm. She opened her eyes wide. “Whatever are you talking about?” she asked. “We’re friends, we slept in separate beds and
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