Sarah Z. Creates

In the World-Building Wednesday series, I’m doing just that: using writing prompts to flesh out Talah, one of the worlds in The Sundered Realms. This month’s series is sketching out a few images of an origin story!

She didn’t trust Mairi. Especially when she wore that soft smile. Mairi was never soft. She was cruel, cutting and bitterly furious when things didn’t go her way.

This was revenge, plain and simple, because Azar had helped Tilda escape Mairi’s clutches. And Mairi couldn’t tolerate defiance.

But Mairi was consort only, not king, so she was subtle with her punishments. Hence this imprisonment, disguised as a teaching tool.

“I’m confident that you have magic within you, Azar, just as powerful as your parents. This -” she waved a hand at the tree behind Azar, “will help you find the roots of your magic.”

Azar gazed at the tree, trying to keep her face blank while her mind churned through escape ideas. Her eyes darted to the fae behind Mairi. Their expressions were smug, gloating. Over the past few weeks since Mairi and the King had wed, the fae that Azar had enjoyed spending time with had drifted away. It had seemed too subtle to be planned, but now, in this moment, their absence felt calculated. Here and now, with these fae, escape wasn’t an option.

Azar was alone, magic-less and powerless.

She ground her teeth.

“And my father agreed to this?”

“Your father agreed to put your training in my hands, yes.” Mairi’s smile widened, the curve of her canines more pronounced as she watched Azar scramble for some way – any way – out.

Azar took a deep breath, trying to still the racing of her heat as she turned to the tree.

It wasn’t an oak. She would have felt more comfortable with her father’s favorite tree. But that didn’t mean there was anything wrong with the ancient maple that towered over her, dripping blood-red leaves onto the ground. The wood had looked the same when she and Tilda had fled. A slight smile tickled the edges of her lips, despite the desperateness of her situation. How much had changed in a year.

Tilda was safe. Tucked away with a small band of humans that were well aware of Mairi and her cruelties. Even now, using the guile and subterfuge the race was too-often condemned for to escape Mairi’s vicious hatred.

For Tilda – for the woman who had raised her, loved her and sheltered her as much as a human could – Azar could endure. She had to.

She raised a hand to caress the rough bark of the towering maple.

“All right.”

I hope you enjoyed this glimpse into The Sundered Realms! There’s plenty more to enjoy. In addition to these World-Building Wednesday posts, you can sign up for my newsletter to get a FREE short story: The Ruin of Ehslyng. Or stay connected via my Facebook page.