Sophia Harris
Stories
7
Chapters
2,628
Words
1.4 K
Comments
0
Reading
6 m
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Islanders were defined by their bond to the sea, seafarers living where the waves met the shore. That was how Kai had always seen it before he came here. Along the northern coast west of Higharbor, the Shallow Sea continued to be uncharacteristically deep, a labyrinth of low trenches and shallows. It was a challenge to traverse it without waiting for the high tide to come in, and even the most seasoned sailors didn’t dare sail vessels larger than a boat. Combined with the jagged shore that offered few…-
239 •
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Kai burned the copy of the mage’s letter he had transcribed for Flynn. The candle flame consumed the paper, and the winding wisp of smoke thinned and disappeared. The faint acrid smell lingered in his bedroom before dissolving through the open window. During the last two days, they had poured their minds over those short paragraphs. While Virya’s open statements could imply a lot of different things, they gave away no solid information, just conjectures. Kai had his doubts about Flynn’s methods,…
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239 •
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Kai stared at the folded paper in his hand and fought not to feel like an idiot. Virya had actually left a note. “It’s blank, I’ve checked with a backlight too,” Flynn informed him. “Is there some secret ritual to read it? Do we need to spill blood on it and chant a secret incantation?” Kai rolled his eyes, smiling faintly at the attempt to lift his mood. He was grateful Flynn never teased him where it hurt. “It probably needs my mana. The cube was also attuned to my essence…
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239 •
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Her emerald eyes widened as if he had insulted her entire family line, and dead cat for good measure. “Wait. You “Why would I lie?” Kai shrugged. The information hovered at the edge of his mind, just out of reach. He might recall it if he focused, but why go through the effort when this was much funnier. “Are you so famous that people recognize you in the streets?” “Yes, I—” The blushing spread from her neck to the tip of her ears. “I’m Valela Hightide,” she stiffly offered her…
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239 •
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.rec85ec6fc0014797869b921f2bb87d18{ display: none; } Alarmed shouts and murmurs rang from outside. “You don’t think it’s connected, do you?” Flynn voiced what they were both thinking, backing off from the silver disk. “I don’t know.” Kai deposited the strange artifact into his ring, careful not to press another hidden switch. Better if he didn’t touch it until he knew more. The window in his bedroom overlooked a narrow side alley. There was a cloud of dust and the rapid shuffling of…
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239 •
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Dodging under Lou’s outstretched arm, Kai punched his ribcage without hesitation. Two quick blows fueled by a trickle of Empower, there was no time for a third, he slipped behind him on the sand to create distance. Kai raised his fists, legs half bent to dash for an opening. If six weeks of brawling with the twins had taught him one thing, it was to avoid grappling at any cost. He was light and fast, that was his advantage. Weight and mass would always be against him if the fight ended on the…
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239 •
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Kai tried to make space between them, but the string of his amulet was still in Lou’s hand. “It’s not what you think,” he squeaked. Lou let go of the pendant. “No? What’s your explanation then? Why did you lie to my face? You get Different possibilities ran through his head. There would be no lying his way out of this, that much was clear. Kai could refuse to talk, though that would mean cutting ties with his childhood friends Then the question was how much to reveal. Lou had already…
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239 •
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Expectant gazes burrowed into his back. Flynn’s gaze carried question, ready to make up some random excuse to offer him a way out. Kai shook his head with the tiniest movement. Beneath his fake sweat and heavy breathing, the fight with Oli had been little more than a warm-up. Swordsmanship had gone up a level, even if he had already been close before the fight, it meant he was on the right track. Putting on a bright smile, Kai gripped the hilt of his wooden blade and marched back into the ring. Lou was…
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239 •
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Inside a ring drawn in the sand, the twins circled each other like drakes looking for an opening. No provocations or snarky remarks were exchanged, both were entirely focused on their opponent. Each expertly wielded a practice spear a head longer than themselves with eyes serious and unblinking. The blunt snap of dulled spear points shot in tentative strikes. Two mirror images sought a crack to squeeze through and gain the upper hand. To no one's surprise, Uli and Oli were evenly matched, each exchange of…
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239 •
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Salty droplets tickled his face. The crystal sea on his right was quite lively this morning. Stirred by the winds in the early sunlight, the wave crests sparkled like diamonds against a background of aquamarine waters. The shades of blue and beryl grew darker further off the coast. Streams of people were already pouring into the promenade along the shore of Higharbor. The end of summer had little impact on the numbers filling the streets. With Autumn approaching, the worst of the heat had subsided, making…
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239 •
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