Iduna Read Free

you. I will find my way,” she said while trying to slow him down. Youthful energy needed to be channeled into the Path. She encouraged him with the words “The calm moon shines.”
    Hu bowed before he walked slowly toward the chanting hall. Leaving her breakfast with a small twinge of regret, she strode down the corridors mindfully. She needed to make sure she kept as calm as possible. Even seeing Surat’s smile was enough to make average spells impossible for her.
    She entered the Sun Chamber to find Lady Harmazd, the head of the Institute, with three others. Iduna knew two of them. Sensei Angko and Sensei Reza were the heads of the two schools of magic that made up the Institute. The Lady’s third guest was unknown to Iduna.
    This was serious. The council getting together and inviting someone to their meeting was a rarity.
    Sensei Somchai Angko was the Head Spellcrafter and, as such, her supervisor. He was cleaning his half-moon spectacles with a kerchief he'd pulled from the pocket of his orange robe. His light gray hair contrasted sharply with his naturally tan skin. He looked up at her with a wink of his almond-brown eyes.
    Sensei Reza was a short, bald, and serene man wearing the characteristic deep-crimson robe of the Elementalists. He was the Head Elementalist, and Iduna saw him only rarely these days, though she had spent time under his tutelage when she was very young.
    Lawan was a quiet country which valued tranquility and the fine art of magic. There were two schools of magic based in the capital of Cha. Masters of the Elementalist school were able to manipulate one element at a time, while the Spellcrafters were able to use more than one element to achieve their goals. Both schools were at the heart of the fine arts culture of Lawan, but they were also used as a military force. The differences between the two schools were always a source of tension. When Iduna had inadvertently combined air and flame to create a fiery bubble when she was a nine, she was put in the Spellcrafter camp. However, her emotional lapses when she was young, which the instructors blamed on her heritage, had complicated the matter. Sensei Angko had suffered the effects of many of her “emotional lapses,” but, with time, had brought her onto the Path. She now enjoyed a life of serenity and intellectual pursuit.
    The Sun Chamber was round with a glass dome, creating plenty of light on a sunny day such as today. Harmazd, Angko, and Reza were perusing a map spread across a large circular table. Concluding their discussion, they turned to her.
    “Good morning, Mistress,” Lady Harmazd said.
    “And to you, Lady Harmazd. How can I be of service?” Iduna asked.
    “I'm afraid we have troubling news to discuss.” Lady Harmazd turned to the stranger in the room. “Secretary Thaksin, this is the Spellcrafter we spoke of, Mistress Iduna Lodindotter.”
    Iduna’s impression of the importance of this meeting grew. The family name of a young wizard was rarely used and even less often with people outside the Institute. After bows were exchanged, Lady Harmazd continued. “Please, everyone, have a seat.” Harmazd gestured to the plush gold-colored cushions arranged in a half circle, facing the large fireplace. As they moved to sit, a servant placed a tea setting on the low table in front of them. The scents of cinnamon and oranges wafted through the room. Harmazd sat between Angko and Reza, which was only appropriate since her role was to supervise the two and serve as a bridge from their disparate fields. Secretary of Defense Thaksin sat at one wing, and Iduna settled gracefully on his other side. Her hands rested lightly in her lap. After the servant left, Secretary Thaksin spoke.
    “Gaelen is silent. The last message we received indicated that the Ull were advancing into their lands. Ever since the Ull had adopted military rule last year, their society appears to have become barbaric and is now expanding.” Thaksin explained further,