Page 65 of The Fury She Holds
He shook his head. “I can’t say. I wouldn’t expect any of them to know about them. It would be a serious offense if they were involved somehow. Fury Rings are forbidden in elite circles, but many still strive to get the chance to join.” After a pause, he explained why. “Receiving an invite means you’re given theopportunity, and expected, to attend an auction… of elementals. With the dwindling numbers of magical folk, I expect a Fury would fetch a pretty high price, not to mention two with your talents.” He tilted his head toward Sybil and Rainier. A heavy silence hung among them. “These people are kidnapped, beaten, starved, sometimes raped,” he gulped, “and then thrown on a stage and auctioned like livestock.”
Tal’s nostrils flared. All this time, people like her suffered, and she had no idea. Perhaps she could have done something about it if she’d known. Her fury flared in agreement. “And what happens after? What does it mean to be the highest bidder?” Her voice was gruff with the suppressed anger and effort it took to hold her power in.
“They become the person’s master. The elementals are confined to a life of servitude, at the mercy of the buyer.” He didn’t mask the disgust in his voice.
All around the little common area, Tal’s friends wore looks of horror, disgust, and anger. “The mages. Do they work with the Fury Rings? Are they rounding up Furies and magic folk for this slavery auction?”
The nobleman shook his head. “I don’t know. Everything I know is from a book I found as a child in our family archives. It was incredibly cryptic, but didn’t mention any mages.”
Rain perked up at the mention of more information. “Any chance we could read it?”
“Sorry.” Faron frowned. “My father caught me reading it and burned it. I searched everywhere and never found any other mention of it.”
Once again, silence fell among the group as they considered the new information. Tal’s mind swam with questions. Why did Faron’s family have a book about the Fury Rings? If his father knew enough about the book to burn it, where did he stand on the matter of its contents?
“So, one of these noble friends of yours wants an elemental of their own.” The threat in Carrick’s voice would be enough to make almost anyone reconsider crossing him.
“These are no friends of mine. I don’t even think anyone in the kingdom has enough in their coffers to be offered an invite.”
“Maybe they’ve tipped the mages off about Tal, or at least a rumor of her in hopes of earning an invitation?”
Faron’s lip curled. “It’s plausible. But who would be dense enough to get involved? Being so powerless would mean death once they’re no longer needed. These elite circles are bad news. Once you’re in their sights, the only reason they keep you alive is because you’re useful.”
Rain laughed. “We thought the same thing.”
“Which of those nobles is that stupid?” Tal half teased.
“Most of them, honestly.” Faron sighed. “But I don’t know any of them that have ventured far enough outside their part of society to learn about you,” he said to Tal.
Rainier crossed his arms. “With Pochette’s betrayal and what we know about Badger and Gully, it’s likely there are others at the docks with powerful connections.”
Sybil changed the direction of the conversation then. “So, my vision—maybe Tal ends up in these Fury Rings, or maybe she destroys them. That’s fine.” Her nonchalant tone received a series of concerned looks, grumbled warnings from her friends, and one very appalled expression from Faron. “But that doesn’t explain the Pyrie. What does a long-dead Fury have to do with it?”
“Well, we’ve considered it’s a warning for Tal to master her power before it consumes her,” her brother cut in.
Tal shrugged when Faron turned his horrified gaze to her.
Rain continued, “But maybe it has something to do with what I learned tonight. Sybil got a book from the palace that mentions the legend,” he said to Faron, who gave Sybil animpressed look, and the seer bowed dramatically. “But it doesn’t really go into any sort of useful detail. There are a few families here whose ancestors were around during the Pyrie’s power. I’ve been talking to them and going through old manuscripts for information on her. As far as I can tell, the disappearances of elementals didn’t really happen in her time. Magical and nonmagical folk lived harmoniously. In fact, elementals were practically worshipped.”
“That’s interesting,” Carrick said from his spot in the doorway.
“What’s even more interesting, is it seems that around the time the Pyrie was killed, tensions between the two groups spread like wildfire. Magical folk started disappearing in droves. Which leads me to believe these Fury Rings didn’t existuntilthen.”
“Do you think she was protecting our kind then?” Tal asked.
Sybil, ever the one with a dark disposition, added, “Or maybe she’s the reason they created these Rings in the first place, to protect themselves against someone like her.”
“Either way, I think the vision has something to do with the Rings,” Rain concluded.
“Is that all?” Tal expected something more prophetic.
“Mages also didn’t exist before the Pyrie,” Rain added with a hint of annoyance.
“Let me guess, theyalsoappeared shortly after her death.” While this information provided some enlightenment, it didn’t indicate their next steps, or what dangers lay ahead.
Rain held up the other book Sybil managed to pilfer from the palace. “This book details foreign relations and conflicts. Right around the time she became too powerful, reports started coming in of villages being destroyed—entire villages in a matter of a few hours—a handful of attacks once every five years.” He paused until understanding dawned on Sybil.
“And accounts of elementals going missing started right before the attacks?” she asked her brother.
