Harp of Winds

Prologue

Long ago, there had been four great magical weapons fashioned to be used only by the Magefolk, But their history had been lost, together with the artifacts themselves, in the Cataclysm, the horrific wars of magic which had wrought changes on land and water alike. Lost also had been the history of the non-human Magefolk: the Winged Ones, the Dragonfolk and the mighty Leviathan—or so said the ancient legends.

Young Aurian, daughter of renegade Mages, growing up lonely and neglected in her mother’s Valley, knows nothing of these tales. Yet when she meets Forral, a wandering swordsman, the encounter will change not only their lives, but the future course of history.

Aurian’s father, Forral’s friend Geraint, has perished in a dreadful accident through misuse of his Fire-magic, and her grieving mother, the Earth-Mage Eilin, is obsessed with using her powers to restore the Valley—the barren crater left by the explosion. Appalled by Eilin’s neglect of her daughter, Forral decides to stay and care for her. A close, loving bond develops between child and swordsman—until Forral discovers, to his dismay, that Aurian is experimenting with her father’s Fire-magic. To distract her from such dangerous activities, he offers to teach her swordplay, giving her a sword as a birthday gift. Aurian is becoming a gifted swordswoman until overconfidence results in a mistake which almost kills her. Eilin, on the advice of the Magefolk healer Meiriel, sends her to the city of Nexis, and the Academy, where the few remaining Magefolk dwell, to be properly trained as a Mage.

Homesick, and desperately missing Forral, Aurian turns to the Archmage Miathan, quite unaware of his future plans for her. His interest earns Aurian the enmity of the ambitious Weather-Mage Eliseth, and her cohorts, Bragar and Davorshan, though she becomes friendly with Finbarr, the Archivist, and D’arvan, Davorshan’s twin, who is unable to access his own powers. As Aurian grows towards adulthood, her determination to excel in magic is diverted by the return of Forral, who accepts the post of Commander of the Nexis Garrison, with its position on the Ruling Council, with Miathan and the merchants’ representative, Vannor, Aurian resumes her sword training and makes Mortal friends at the Garrison—especially Maya, Forral’s Lieutenant, and Parric, the Cavalrymaster. The bond between Aurian and Forral ripens into mature love, but matings between Mortals and Magefolk are forbidden. For Aurian’s sake, Forral rebuffs her, leaving her baffled and hurt.

Elsewhere in Nexis, a young man sees his mother die in a fire. Anvar, son of Tori the Baker, puts out the blaze using some mysterious force, but his father, blaming him for the accident, sells him as a bondservant to the Archmage. Anvar discovers that he is really Miathan’s son, and has Mage blood, but Miathan steals his powers, binding him with a spell of silence before sending him to the kitchens as a slave. After months of toil and brutality, he escapes, seeking his lover Sara, who was pregnant when they were parted. Before he is recaptured, he discovers that she has lost the child, and is now married to Vannor.

When Anvar is recaptured, Aurian takes pity on him, defending him against Miathan. The Archmage gives Anvar to her as her servant, and his life improves, but he distrusts her. Soon, however, he begins to worry about his mistress. Forral’s rejection is making her increasingly unhappy, and Miathan has begun to force his attentions on her. Anvar is sent to help Finbarr the Archivist, Aurian’s closest friend among the Magefolk, and discovers a secret chamber in the catacombs below the library. The room contains ancient relics, and Miathan finds a deadly weapon—a grail refashioned from the Caldron of Rebirth—one of the four lost Artifacts of Power, When Aurian and Forral become lovers, the jealous Archmage turns the grail to evil, and curses any child of Forral’s that Aurian might bear—that it will take the form of the first beast she sees after its birth.

The following Solstice sees sinister things taking place, Vannor’s daughter Zanna, knowing that Sara has married her father for his riches, quarrels with her stepmother and runs off to join the Nightrunners, Vannor’s secret, illicit smuggling partners. D’arvan, still the only powerless Mage, discovers that Davorshan is plotting with Eliseth to get rid of him, and on Aurian’s advice, turns to the Mortals at the Garrison for support, Eliseth then persuades Meiriel the Healer to negate Aurian’s spells against pregnancy, knowing that Miathan will never countenance Forral’s half-breed child,

Eliseth’s plots soon come to fruition. Davorshan tries to murder his brother, and Aurian sends D’arvan to her mother, who can help him find his powers. Maya goes with him to the Valley. Soon afterwards, Meiriel discovers that Aurian, unbeknown to herself, is with child, Miathan puts Aurian under a spell of sleep and forces the Healer to help him destroy the babe, but Anvar discovers the plot, and tells Forral and Vannor. Forral, berserk with rage, attacks Miathan, who unleashes terrifying creatures from the grail—Death-Wraiths—spirit vampires who sap the life-force of the living. Aurian fights free of the spell to go to Forral’s aid, but the swordsman is slain. Finbarr fights the Wraiths with magic, buying Aurian, Vannor and Anvar time to escape before he is killed. The creatures, out of Miathan’s control, pour out across the city.

Overcome with rage and grief, Aurian vows to avenge Forral, but until a way can be found to fight Miathan, she must flee. While Vannor returns to the city to organize resistance against the Archmage, Aurian and Anvar escape downriver by boat, reluctantly taking Sara with them, at Vannor’s request. At the port, they find passage on a ship crewed by villainous cutthroats. Aurian decides that the only hope of fighting Miathan is to find the other three Artifacts—but they have been lost for centuries and time is limited, for as her pregnancy progresses, she will lose her powers until the child is born. Then, to her horror, she feels Miathan’s mind, searching the seas for her with magic. Miathan and Eliseth now control Nexis. Fearing the enmity of Aurian’s mother, Miathan sends Davorshan to kill her. In the meantime, Maya and D’arvan reach the Valley, where Eilin tells them of the terrible events, seen in her scrying-glass, that have occurred. She also tells D’arvan that his true father is Hellorin, Lord of the Phaerie—a powerful race of Elemental beings exiled from the mundane world by ancient Magefolk. Stunned by shock and grief, Maya and D’arvan turn to each other for comfort and become lovers. They stay in the Valley, so that D’arvan can learn magic, hoping to find a way to fight Miathan.

Aurian, at sea, is using her powers to shield the ship from Miathan’s search. They find whales, and Aurian discovers powerful minds of great wisdom—the ancient Magefolk race of Leviathan. When the crew attempt to harpoon them, Aurian is forced to use magic to save them. With her shields down, Miathan finds her, and Eliseth conjures up a storm to sink the ship while Miathan attacks with magic. In the ensuing battle, Aurian blinds him.

Aurian, Anvar and Sara are rescued by the Leviathan, and find that the storm has blown them to the mysterious Southern Kingdoms. Sara has seduced Anvar, reminding him of the love they once shared, and he and Aurian quarrel. The whales put the lovers ashore, and Aurian goes on with the Leviathan Ithalasa, who teaches her the lost history of her people, and the other Magefolk races. Aurian learns about the missing Artifacts: the Staff of Earth, the Harp of Winds, and the Sword of Flame—a master-weapon created by the ancient Dragonfolk for one hand only to wield. Sadly, Ithalasa does not know their whereabouts, and Aurian, worried about Anvar, returns to find him—but he has vanished.

Anvar and Sara have been captured by the Khazalim—a fierce desert race. Anvar understands their language—a Magefolk talent—but Miathan’s spell suppresses the memory of his heritage. The captives are taken to Taibeth, where Anvar is sold as a slave, and Sara goes to the harem of Xiang, the ruler. Given the chance to become a queen, she plots to use her beauty to ensnare Xiang, and callously consigns Anvar to his fate.

Stricken by guilt, Aurian searches for Anvar. She reaches Taibeth, only to be captured and sentenced to fight in the Arena for the entertainment of the Khisu Xiang. As sorcery is forbidden, she is bound with magical bracelets that negate her powers. Aurian is befriended by Eliizar, disillusioned Swordmaster of the Arena, and his wife Nereni. He mentions a rumor of foreigners in the city, giving her hope that Anvar may be alive, but there is no escape from the Arena. If Aurian beats her human foes, she must fight the fearsome Black Demon, against whom no-one has survived. In the meantime, D’arvan, in the Valley, is learning Earth-magic from Eilin and swordplay from Maya. When Davorshan, his evil brother, attacks, D’arvan slays him, but Eilin is wounded. To save her, D’arvan calls on his unknown father for help, and he and Maya, along with Eilin, are magically transported to the realm of the Forest Lord. Hellorin is deeply moved by the discovery of a son. He explains that long ago, the Dragons gave the Sword of Flame into their keeping, and now they must return it to the mundane world and guard it, ready for the One to claim. Once the Sword has been claimed, the Phaerie will be freed. Only Maya and D’arvan can return to the world to guard the Sword. Hellorin conceals it in the Valley, and Maya is transformed into a Guardian—an invisible unicorn. Only D’arvan can see her, and the One for whom the Sword was made. D’arvan brings the Wildwood back to the Valley, making it a haven for Miathan’s foes.

Aurian fights in the Arena before the Khisu, his son, and his new queen. She defeats her early opponents but is wounded, and now must face the Demon—a fierce great cat from an intelligent race. Aurian communicates mentally with her to no avail, for Shia distrusts humans. The Mage must place herself at the cat’s mercy before Shia claims her as a friend. For failing to slay her foe, Aurian’s life is forfeit, but Eliizar pleads with the Khisu for clemency. To Aurian’s horror, the new queen is Sara, who asks for Aurian’s death, but Xiang’s son Harihn begs for her life, and he is forced to relent. Aurian and Shia come under Harihn’s protection. While her wounds heal, the Mage is cared for by a huge eunuch, Bohan, and Aurian wins his heart with her kindness. Harihn wants her as his concubine, and in defense, she claims Anvar as her husband, persuading the Prince to search for him.

When Anvar is found in the Khisu’s slave pens, he is already dying. Aurian fights an awesome battle with Death himself for his spirit and her victory unleashes her magic from the confining bracelets. Harihn, fearing her power, tries to kill her, but Bohan stops him. She reaches an understanding with the Prince, but a dangerous rift is widening between them. They return to Harihn’s palace, but before she can warn Anvar of Sara’s treachery, she is wounded by a crossbow bolt. Xiang’s soldiers have seized the palace!

Sara, desperate to keep the secret that she is already married to Vannor, has not been idle. Anvar and Harihn are brought before the Khisu and accused of treason. Anvar learns that the new queen is Sara. Aurian, imprisoned in the dungeons, heals her wound and escapes by magic, freeing Shia and Harihn’s men. With Yazour, their captain, she storms the throne room, taking Xiang prisoner. Aurian offers Harihn the throne, but he will not accept it from a woman, and fears that power will corrupt him, as it did his father. He frees Xiang on condition that he had his people are allowed to leave the kingdom. Anvar begs Sara to join them, but she mocks him and repudiates him cruelly. Resentment is growing between the Prince and Anvar, with Aurian trying in vain to mediate. Harihn decides to head for the lands of the Xandim, his mother’s people, across the desert. Eliizar and Nereni, freed from the Arena, join the fugitives. The desert, formed from gems and gem dust, glows with its own intense radiance. The companions must travel at night, sheltering by day in tents, for in sunlight the glare is too bright to endure. Anvar begins to contrast the behavior of Aurian and Sara, and realizes what a fool he has been.

In Nexis, Eliseth has tampered with the weather, holding the land in an extended winter. Vannor and Parric, with a band of rebels, are hiding in the sewers beneath the city. Miathan, though blind, is recovering from Aurian’s attack. He convinces Eliseth that she is alive and in the South. Elewin, the Academy’s Chief Steward, a rebel spy, takes the news to Parric, who determines to head south in search of the Mage, but before he can do so, the rebels are attacked by Angos, a mercenary in Miathan’s employ. They escape through the sewers, finding Meiriel, who has followed Elewin. She joins Parric, who heads south, in search of Aurian; while Vannor and his rebels find sanctuary with D’arvan in the Valley.

During the desert crossing, Anvar quarrels with Harihn. His rage is strong enough to break Miathan’s spell, and his powers draw him back to them. His spirit leaves his body and returns to Nexis, where he snatches back his powers from the Archmage. Aurian offers to teach him to use his newfound magic, and his training begins.

Meanwhile, across the desert in the mountain city of Aerillia, the Winged Folk are dying in the clutches of Eliseth’s unnatural winter, which is spreading across the world. Blacktalon, the corrupt High Priest, claims he can turn aside the deadly cold and demands to be wedded to Raven, the heir to the throne. Raven flees, south across the desert. Harihn’s band reach Dhiammara—a solitary mountain in the desert. An oasis lies in a vast cave, where food is stored for the rest of the desert crossing, and a mysterious portal opens in the rock, snatching Aurian away. When she cannot be found, Harihn, fearing magic, decides to abandon Anvar, with Eliizar, Nereni, Bohan and Shia. Anvar despairs as Aurian’s loss brings home to him how much he loves her. Then he discovers that he too can speak with Shia. With her help, he finds the portal, and enters it with the cat and Bohan. They are reunited with Aurian, and emerge in the abandoned city of Dhiammara, home of the lost Dragonfolk where they discover the winged girl, Raven. On hearing or the plight of the Winged Folk, Aurian recognizes Eliseth’s work, and blames herself, but Forral’s ghost appears, and leads her across the city to a temple. Aurian finds a Dragon, and frees it from a spell. It tells her she could be the One for whom the Sword of Flame was forged, but to prove it, she must recreate another of the Artifacts—the Staff of Earth. Having succeeded, Aurian now holds the first of the Great Weapons.

The Mage, reunited with her comrades, discovers that Yazour has left the Prince and returned with horses, for they must reach the desert’s edge before the season of lethal sandstorms. But they have reckoned without Eliseth, who creates an early storm. Aurian’s powers have vanished due to her pregnancy, but with the help of the Staff, she and Anvar defeat Eliseth, and cross the desert safely. But Miathan has not finished with them . . .