The Divine Key Awakens (Paperback)

Shara’s forehead wrinkled as she tried to force the ether to appear before her. Her teacher, the shadow sorcerer Daktari, had explained the process several times each day for the last week. He’d showed markable patience with her.

At least she thought so. Every day they met in the small, out-of-the-way room that had been converted to serve as a classroom for the two of them. Not that much conversion had been needed. The empty room used to serve as extra storage, so after a good cleaning, the servants brought a table, two chairs, and a slate board. She felt like a little girl going to meet her tutor. Not that her old teacher had been anywhere near as intimidating as her current one.

She smiled when she remembered the glances the servants darted at the sorcerer. They looked like they feared being turned into a frog or blasted to ash any second. It wasn’t really funny. Not long ago, she might have looked at him the same way. Since they started working together, she’d had a chance to get to know the man and found him calm, even-tempered, and generous with his explanations. Amazing the difference losing a demon in the back of your mind could make.

“You’re not focusing.” Daktari’s voice still held the same chill it always did. Maybe that was just the way he naturally spoke. Still, it would be nice if he managed something a little friendlier.

She looked up at her mentor. He wore his usual dark-purple robe trimmed in black. His dark eyes met hers and she shivered. Despite knowing he’d changed his ways, Shara still felt the darkness in him whenever she met that gaze. She would have sworn that they flashed with an internal light once in a while. She debated asking him about it, but in the end chose discretion.

“I’m sorry, but it’s hard to concentrate for long periods when nothing’s happening.”

“It’s been ten minutes.”

She winced. “It felt like longer. What am I doing wrong?”

“Aside from not concentrating for more than five minutes at a time, I’m not certain. Some apprentices connect with the ether more quickly than others.”

“I suppose you mastered this basic stuff just like that.” She snapped her fingers.

“On the contrary, I needed nearly a month and even then, it was only during a sensory deprivation exercise that I finally connected.” He stroked his chin. “Hmmm. Maybe that’s what we need, some way to cut you off from all the distractions. Though the biggest one seems to be your own wandering mind.”

“Hey! It’s been a rough few months, no thanks to you. I’ve got a lot on my mind.”

“Such as?”

“I…Well, mostly I was thinking it was kind of funny how all the servants shy away from you like you were a demon yourself even though you seem okay.” Heaven’s mercy that sounded pitiful. 

“I see. As long as it’s only the truly important thoughts intruding on your study time. Perhaps I should bring you to my home. It’s not as comfortable as the palace, but there are fewer distractions.”

“No! No, I’ll do better.”

Her heart raced at the prospect of returning to that cold, dark cavern. Thoughts of the horrible slimy presence infiltrating her body filled her until she feared the panic would drive her mad. A few deep breaths calmed both her mind and her heart. No matter what, she wouldn’t go back there.

“No offense, but I have a lot of lousy memories of your cave. I’m sure I’d be more upset there than here. Maybe if you walked me through the process again?”

He took a long, deep breath and let it hiss out. “Very well. The ether is a chaotic energy field visible only to those with the ability to use it. Wizards, sorcerers, call them what you like. Others can wield its power in other ways, but only these special individuals can control it directly.”

“Is it possible I don’t have the gift?” Shara asked, interrupting his speech. She’d heard it enough times that she could have given it herself.

“Perhaps, but we would be foolish to assume so based on a single week of practice. While we lack the time a more traditional apprenticeship would have, I think we can safely give it another week. After that, we will explore other options.”

“Let’s explore them now. I’m sick of trying to see something that I know is there only because you tell me.”

He ran a hand over his bald head. “As you wish. Given your unique circumstances, perhaps an alternate approach will yield better results. I can always conjure a sensory deprivation field later.”

She shivered at the way he said it. Like it would be a punishment should she fail at this new method. That was probably all in her head of course.

Daktari walked over to the door and pointed at the handle. “I’ve locked the door. There are no magical protections, just the physical lock. Come here and open it. Pay special attention to anything you feel as you do so.”

Shara stood and crossed the room. She reached for the handle and stopped halfway to it. “What should I expect?”

“I have no idea. The Divine Key is a rare, nearly unique phenomenon. I couldn’t find a thing about it in my library and the information hidden in the Temple of Soom, while useful, focused more on how you use it to open and close portals. We’re just groping along in the dark trying to figure it out.”

That wasn’t terribly helpful. She grasped the handle and turned. It opened easily and she felt nothing.

“Did you need something, Princess?” asked the servant stationed outside to attend her and spy for her father.

“No, thank you. We’re just experimenting.” She closed the door again and turned to Daktari. “It opened easily and I felt nothing.”

He nodded, seeming deep in thought.

“Anything you want to share?” she asked.

“I watched what happened. The reason I think you felt nothing is that opening a simple lock like the one in the door uses such a minute fragment of the power flowing through you that it doesn’t create a ripple in the ether. If I hadn’t been watching that spot at the exact right moment, I wouldn’t have noticed it either.”

“So…”

“So, we need to make the test a bit more difficult. Since I have no idea how the key will react to magical barriers, I hesitated to test it, but our choices seem a bit limited.”

He pointed at the door again and this time a glow formed around the handle, an ugly, purplish glow that reminded her of a bruise.

When the light faded, he said, “I’ve locked the door and sealed it with a barrier of shadow magic. It’s far from the strongest ward I can create, but it should be enough to draw some kind of reaction from the key. Don’t worry, I didn’t include any traps or curses. Even if you fail to open it, there’s no danger.”

“Great, how thoughtful of you.” She shot him a glare, but if either it or her sarcasm bothered him, Daktari gave no indication. Who was she kidding? He’d probably been glared at by demons; she didn’t exactly compare in the intimidation department.

Whatever. Putting it out of her mind, she reached for the handle again. A faint vibration ran through her palm when it got close to the bronze handle.

That was different. The ether remained invisible to her, but at least she felt something.

Wiggling her fingers, she kept going. She grasped the handle and turned.

There was no flash of light or crack of thunder. Instead, the door simply opened exactly as it had before. The servant remained silent and she shut it again.

Shara turned to find Daktari smiling with seemingly honest satisfaction. “What?”

“I saw how it worked. I feel confident that I at least understand the process. With that I should be able to teach you how to use the magic even if you can’t see the ether.”

She let out a long breath of relief. Finally, progress.