A New Light (The Astral Wanderer Book 1) by D'Artagnan Rey (mystery books to read TXT) 📕

“Perhaps they are going to end their night with a session of studying,” Zier suggested.

The mori chuckled. “Were you ever a child?”

With a sigh of annoyance, the dryad filled his glass again with the remains of the bottle on the table. “Yes, a very studious one, thank you.”

“Hey, up here!” Jazai called over his shoulder as he opened the hatch to the spire roof. The three youngsters scrambled through and Devol caught sight of the unobscured night sky above.

“Wow, it’s so clear up here.”

“Peaceful too,” the apprentice scholar agreed. “I come here to get away from it all—specifically Zier when he gets cranky.”

Asla sat quickly and stared at the stars. Devol noticed that the lights of the night gave her an ethereal glow, which made her seem rather enchanting although he also saw a look of concern on her face. “Is something wrong, Asla?”

She shrugged and frowned slightly. “I couldn’t hear what the older Templars were talking about, but from Freki’s tone… Well, I don’t think he expects us to succeed.”

“The folly of youth is what Zier would call it.” Jazai sighed as he leaned on the brass railings around the edge of the roof. “It can’t be that bad. If it was important, they wouldn’t send us if they didn’t think we could do it.”

“That doesn’t sound much better,” she mumbled. “Either we’re running a pointless errand or it is some kind of test.”

“Well, of course.” Devol’s statement drew odd looks from the other two. “It seemed obvious to me that this was more of a test than a real mission. They haven’t exactly been subtle about it.”

“Really?” the other boy asked. “I didn’t catch that.”

“I’m sure the mission is real,” he assured them. “But they put us together and made us train. I think they want to see what we can accomplish on our own.” He held a hand out, the palm down. “And I want us to promise each other that we will make it through. I’ve seen you two in action now, and I’m sure we could go on solo missions and do well. Together, this should be no problem.”

Jazai chuckled and stepped closer with his arms folded. “Zier would call you too optimistic.” He unfolded them and placed his hand on top of his friend’s. “But I don’t agree with him on much anyway.”

Asla placed her hand on top of the apprentice’s and surprised her companions. She wore a look of fierce determination on her face. “You are right, Devol. Even if they believe we can’t succeed, we should show them they are wrong.”

“Exactly.” He nodded and smiled at his teammates. “This’ll be the first official mission ever given to me by someone besides my mom, but I don’t think those count. I’m glad I’ll be working with you at my side.”

“Same,” Jazai said and grinned at them.

The wildkin did the same. “I’m excited once again. Let’s do our best.”

Their promise to each other sealed, they spent another hour talking and looking at the stars before they wandered to their quarters to sleep. They would train for one more day before it was time to depart on their first mission for the Templar Order.

It was a mission that would change their reality over the course of their journey, although they did not know it that night.

Chapter Twenty

“Man, I forgot how cold it is out here!” Jazai grumbled as he drew his jacket closer. “Where’s Asla? We need to get this show on the road.”

“Calm yourself, Jazai,” Zier ordered sharply. Although he did a better job of bundling his garment around him for warmth than the young scholar, he was also rather chilled by the outside air. “We are still waiting for the grand mistress as well.”

“It looks like you won’t have to wait long,” the apprentice said and gestured to the bridge. “Here they are.”

Devol and the others looked to where Asla, Freki, and Nauru strode out of the entrance to the castle and hurried to join them. The young Magi saw that Vaust was not with them. As the group huddled together, the two boys noticed that Asla carried a rather large backpack. “You do know we’ll only be gone for a couple of days at most, right?” Jazai managed to restrain a chuckle at the fact that her pack of supplies was almost as tall as her.

“Freki insisted.” She sighed. The wolf wildkin wore a concerned and perhaps even melancholy expression on his face. He must have been sad that his trainee was leaving his side for a while and it was cute in a way.

“Good morning, everyone.” Nauru greeted them with a small bow that all in attendance reciprocated. “Are you ready, young Magi?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Devol stated and stood tall. “Tell us what we need to do.”

“That would be helpful for completing the mission.” Jazai snickered and Zier nudged him in the back in annoyance.

“I certainly agree.” Nauru allowed herself a small smile and cleared her throat to draw the group's attention as she took a small card from her robes. “These are the instructions for your contact. You are to meet in the town of Rouxwoods.”

“Rouxwoods?” Devol asked as he sheathed his majestic and took the card. “That village is near the border of Renaissance and the Kingdom of Britana.”

“Do we have a portal near there?” the young scholar asked.

“No, but it shouldn’t be more than a day and a half’s travel from Fairwind, which is the closest anchor we have available,” she told them. “You can head through the forest toward the King’s Fall Mountains. From there, you can go around or through the mountains and from that point, you should have a straight route to the town.”

Devol nodded as he slid the strap of the sword’s sheath to his back. “I am very familiar with the Monleans’ territory. I should be able to get us there, no problem.”

“Then we’ll rely on you,” Jazai said quickly. “I’m