Necali’s Domain:
Volume 1 of The Curate Chronicles
After five assassination attempts in three months, Empress Necali Ber’an flees the Ten Towers, hoping to receive help from distant Kobiti Kin. Meanwhile, melancholic Evgik, finds a new meaning to her life when the Venerated Kobiti Eltars request she join their society. The two young women could not come from more different backgrounds, but they are brought together by newly discovered majykal talents and a shared goal of ousting Rogue Curate Calvo from their Domain.
Nothing goes according to Necali’s well-laid plan. From Overworld Curates who ignore her input to the High Eltar who won’t allow Evgik to use her majyk, Calvo seems to have skewed the forces in Kianama against them. Necali and Evgik must fight for their Domain and decide how much is worth sacrificing to pursue their majykal talents.
Excerpt from Chapter 4:
(I will be posting more teasers so check back regularly. If you would like to read more about Necali & the Curates or have any comments, please don’t hesitate to contact me.)
The chills continued to assault Necali. A few had come from Aven’s direction near the table and others from Mekior; the shivers she felt from Usulf were almost constant. The serving wench had distracted them from their bickering; Necali thought it a good time to ask her question. “Why am I feeling all these shivers? When will they stop?”
“Did your preliminary inquiries reveal this? Is that the reason you revealed yourself to her?” Aven stood, her tone accusatory, “I tell you, Usulf, we can’t have you taking independent students. The Caucus won’t approve.”
Student? Necali wondered. She did not appreciate being spoken about as though she was not present. It happened too often among her High Council.
“It’s not part of my plan,” Usulf took offense to the questioning but remained seated. He gestured with his fork, “I don’t want to take a student. Besides, like the girl says, she is the one that found me in the dungeon, not the other way around.”
“He speaks true,” Mekior took Aven’s arm. “Sit.”
The tall woman seemed to realize she was standing. Her prominent cheekbones blushed pink for a moment before she gathered her skirt and resumed her seat. “When was the last time you felt these shivers?” Aven addressed Necali.
“While you questioned the wench,” Necali shrugged. “And it is true, I took him from the dungeon, otherwise he would have rotted under the palace, his presence unknown to anyone but Calvo.” She stood proud; she wasn’t going to let these Viziens intimidate her. “What do these shivers mean?”
“You are detecting our manipulations and have the ability to create your own,” Mekior explained. “You shiver because your body has no other way to process the sensations. That will pass after you learn to hone your skills.”
Was he saying what she thought he was saying? Her heart raced, elated. Their snobbery forgotten, Necali leaned closer, “I can create glowing spheres? I can cause light to pass right through a person and render them invisible? Make horses travel all night without tiring?” She knew Usulf had done something to affect the stamina of the stolen horses. What else could she learn to do?
Necali watched Aven and Usulf through narrowed eyes, wondering what argument would come next. Neither seemed happy about this ability they told her she possessed. Had they thought that by ignoring her question she would stop asking it? An abrupt shiver ran the length of her spine. She scowled.
Aven nodded. “She is attuned to the smallest permutation.” She looked at Usulf and shook her head. “I can’t believe you did not appraise her, I can’t believe Calvo did not sense her dormant ability.”
“I didn’t have time,” Usulf admitted, “And Calvo is egocentric. I doubt he saw her as anything more than palace ornamentation.”
“I can learn to do this conjuring that you do?” Necali drew all eyes to her. By their looks it was true. “That’s amazing,” she whispered to herself, “me, a Vizien!”
“Through proper training, you can do anything you dream of,” Mekior stood and crossed the room. He joined her at the window and looked through it into the night. “Things you thought impossible,” he turned his head and met her eyes, “you could fly.” He returned his attention to the window.
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Aven stood, “the Caucus must approve, and the proper channels must be crossed.” Aven smiled at Necali, her sharp face softened for a moment, “and the girl hasn’t said whether or not she wants to learn.”
“Of course I want to learn,” Necali insisted, “To not take advantage of this would be-“
“Sniffer!” Mekior’s interjection was full of desperation; he spun away from the window, moving faster than Necali would have thought possible for such a large man.
Necali did not know what he meant, but each of the Viziens had a different reaction. Dario groaned and ran his hand through his hair. Aven snatched her goblet from the table and emptied the remaining mead into her mouth. Usulf remained seated, seeming calm, but wave after wave of shivers accosted Necali from his direction. Their fear was palpable.
“Is that like a Seeker?” she whispered.
“A little,” Mekior responded, “a little.”
“We must leave,” Usulf stood, the last one to rise to his feet. “Now.”