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  Syrella was born to nobility and cursed by her talent. The last thing she expected was to be called to power.

  Syrella was a talent in a noble family where talents were not normally accepted. Her parents decided that learning how to control her skills would be better for her than being shunned at home, so they sent her to the Citadel school at Thoola. Sy learned everything she could, including the surprising side benefit to her talent and shifted from student to instructor as the years passed.

  Sy receives a call that changes her life. She is the last inheritor of an ancient throne, and she must leave the Citadel immediately.

  Dorium is the bodyguard that the Citadel assigns to her and he just happens to be the man that Sy has had a crush on all her life.

  Death threats, greedy nobility and facing a deadly grandmother are all precursors to the one thing she is looking forward to, the Vexar Day of the Dead.

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  Called to Power

  Copyright © 2012 Viola Grace

  ISBN: 978-1-77111-363-2

  Cover art by Martine Jardin

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

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  Am imprint of eXtasy Books

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  Called to Power

  Tales of the Citadel 11

  By

  Viola Grace

  Chapter One

  Syrella faced her most arduous task of the morning. She reached out, pinched off, grabbed and squeezed. She stifled the jump that she always made when the milk sang its way into the bucket.

  “Keep your forehead pressed to her side so that she knows you are there.” Sy kept her tone low as she instructed her students on how to milk a sleppnir goat. The eight-legged animal shifted restlessly but kept eating while she was milked with a gradually smoother rhythm.

  “Tavya, please come up and take over.”

  The young woman with the powder blue skin came up and began to milk with a steady and careful grip.

  The strident tone of the newest student caused the animals to shift.

  Lady Yemore Alwinia sneered, “Why do we have to do stable work? I have never touched anything so filthy in my life.”

  The other six students standing around froze, but Tavya turned slightly to watch.

  Sy smiled, “You are correct, you have not touched anything so filthy. As such, you are now responsible for mucking out the stables and feeding the animals twice daily.”

  The lady gasped, “You cannot do such a thing to me. I am a Wyoran lady.”

  Sy rounded on her. “You are a jumped up little twit who can’t be trusted with a link. That means you are going to have to get your mental stabilization from within, and for that, you need to be set tasks that will allow you to concentrate your telepathy until you stop seeking out weaker minds to subdue.”

  In response, Alwinia scowled and Syrella felt a pressure on her mind. “I am immune to your touch, as are the rest of your instructors. This is the Citadel training facility for ladies of good family. You will earn your place here, or you will be shipped home.”

  Tavya took the half-full bucket of milk and poured it into the safe bucket away from the animals.

  Alwinia was still trying to crack into Syrella’s mind.

  Sy smiled and gestured for the next student to lead up the next goat.

  Benhella carefully washed the teats and udders, drying them thoroughly before she worked to free the first milk into the discard bucket.

  Syrella watched Alwinia as she dropped her gaze and moved away. When the girl wound up to kick the milk bucket, Sy grabbed her by the back of the neck and dropped her to the floor of the milking barn.

  The other girls stood back, and one of the goats came in to nibble at her hair.

  “Now that you are seated in dust and hay, I would like to tell you why we do this.” Sy drew glyphs in the air. “You are born to family and privilege. That carries responsibility to know what the folk do to keep you in luxury. Some of these tasks are unpleasant and some are downright horrifying, but you will learn to do them all in an effort to help your mind settle and your body calm. When you know where everything you consume and wear comes from, you have a far better idea how hard folk work to provide it for you. You are going to learn animal husbandry, milking, shearing, carding, dying, spinning and weaving as well as cheese making and butter churning. These are all tasks that revolve around our fluffy friend there with the full udder.”

  As Syrella talked, she turned the glyphs into images of clothing, goats and wheels of cheese.

  Alwinia was hypnotized by the display, and she whispered, “How are you doing that?”

  “Everyone here at the Citadel, student and instructor, has a talent. If you are tempted to try and manipulate any of your fellow students, do know that our Minder does regular checks on all students, and if you are found to have tampered with the consciousness of any of your classmates, you will be returned promptly to your family in disgrace. If there is no family to send you to, the Minder will block your talent for several weeks or months, and you will learn to live life as those without talent do. Are we clear?”

  Alwinia nodded, got to her feet and brushed her hands along her student robes.

  “I need you to speak. I want to make sure that your fellow students know you understand and will not try to take advantage of them.”

  “I understand. We are clear on my behaviour.”

  Sy smiled. “Good. Instructor Halwen will show you what you need to do to keep the barn clear. You will begin your tasks the moment that you finish your turn milking Laydee, and Halwen will provide a full report of your actions and attitude at dinner this evening. You will learn to make butter and cheese another day.”

  “Yes, Instructor.” Alwinia went to the washing station and washed her hands.

  Benhella patted the side of her animal and removed the milk bucket, walking to fill the carry bucket with the yield.

  Alwinia jumped in surprise when Benhella’s goat walked calmly off the milking station and a second goat took the position.

  “The goats are eager to be milked. Their udders are aching, and they are as fond of this process as they could be given that they have no little ones to feed with the milk. Having the milk stay in the udder is painful, so they hop up to be milked every day.”

  She continued her direction as Alwinia cautiously washed the udder and teats before getting the stripping bucket in place. It took her almost a minute to coax the milk out of the goat, but once she had successfully removed the built-up milk in the teats, another student helped her by handing her a clean bucket.

  Halwen was in the doorway, and she nodded to Syrella.

  Sy walked over. “What is it?”

  “Message for you at the com centre. It is urgent.” Halwen smiled, “I will watch them. We are doing milking and cheese today?”


  “And butter. Vekia can power the separator.”

  “Got it. You go. I will keep them on task and have Alwinia start mucking out the goat pen. Lyra is almost awake, she can take over when we are done here.”

  Syrella shook out her robes, walked back to her students and smiled, “I have to head to the com centre. I will return as soon as I can, but in the meantime, Instructor Halwen will keep an eye on you.”

  Her students nodded respectfully, and Syrella was on her way to the main Citadel.

  Halwen’s ability to read the minds of any living being made her an excellent barn master and animal trainer.

  A chill of nerves ran through her as she hiked up the path that would take her to the com centre. In her twenty years at the Citadel, Thoola Education Centre, she had gotten four calls. The first two were from her mother telling her how proud her mother was that she was doing well. The third had been the notification that her mother was dead, the fourth communication was that her father was dead. It had been years since she had heard anything from her home world.

  Saluthic was a quiet world in the Vexar Empire. Technically, Syrella was the Duchess of Saluthic now, but it was an empty title with her father’s properties entailed to one of his male relatives.

  There was something about not knowing the person who was calling her that sent a ripple of unease down her spine.

  She nodded to a few instructors and their students as she passed through the main hall. Autumn on Thoola was a good time for new intakes. If they could adapt to the harsh winters, they improved their character dramatically.

  Syrella moved through the familiar halls until she was standing outside the com centre. With a deep breath and a serene expression plastered over her features, she opened the door.

  Tuubi was on the com today, and she got to her feet, winking as she patted Syrella on the arm. It was obviously a private call.

  Syrella sat at the station and keyed in her pass code. The face that popped up on screen was familiar in that it was Vexar. Aside from that, she had no idea who she was looking at.

  The woman was matronly with her hair up in a formal coil. “Syrella? Is that you?”

  Syrella blinked. “I am Syrella. Who am I addressing?”

  “Lady Algiatha Loesh Nevic, your grandmother.”

  Shock ripped a hole in Syrella’s heart as she stared at the woman who had given birth to her father via contract and waltzed out of his life as soon as another offer presented, rarely seeing her son from that moment on.

  “What can I do for you, Lady Nevic?” Syrella wanted to get off the com as quickly as she could.

  Lady Nevic frowned as if the conversation was not going as she had planned. “Oh, well, I have been asked to tell you that you have to return to Vexa. The entire line of succession is dead, and you are all that is left.”

  “What?”

  “You are the new Empress of the Vexar Empire.”

  Lady Nevic’s bright smile had an effect she wasn’t counting on. Syrella cut the communication and lost her lunch in the wastebasket. Not a good move for the new empress.

  Chapter Two

  Tuubi helped her sit up and pressed a compress to her head. “Sy, are you all right?”

  “No. I don’t think so. I need to talk to Wadara. I need something confirmed.” Sy wiped her face and got to her feet, swaying alarmingly.

  Tuubi grabbed her arm and steadied her. “You look paler than I have ever seen you, and you are chalky at the best of times.”

  Syrella straightened and tucked the garbage bin under her arm. “I will take care of this.”

  Tuubi yanked it out of her grip. “I will take care of this. You go see Wadara.”

  “Thanks, Tuubi.” Stunned and shaking, Syrella walked into the hall, stopped at the lav to freshen up and then went in search of the head of the Thoola Citadel School for Talented Females.

  Wadara’s receptionist smiled brightly until she took in Syrella’s face. “Sit down, dear, I will call the headmistress.”

  It was less than five minutes until Wadara was standing next to Syrella, taking her by the hand and leading her into the privacy of the headmistress’s office. “What has happened?”

  Sy shivered and took the cup of tea Wadara handed her. “I politely request that you contact Vexa to determine the identity of the current ruler. My grandmother called, and I am sure she must be mistaken.”

  Wadara’s voice was low and her touch on Sy’s mind was delicate. Wadara’s mind was always welcome so Syrella let her in. “Oh. Oh dear. Yes, I will call the Morganti Citadel and ask them to run the request for information through Relay.”

  “Please.”

  Wadara was as good as her word. She was an Admaryn mix, but the elven traits were still very strong in her appearance. Her skin was a pale green, hair a rippling gold and her ears were tipped with points that twitched when she was agitated. They were twitching now.

  She used the priority com and sent the message to Morganti where their new Citadel officers could send it on to Relay. Relay would then confirm any information floating around in the available universe and forward the reply back to Thoola.

  Three cups of hot tea later, Wadara got a ping. “Syrella, I am sorry to tell you that while your grandmother was tactless, she was correct. You are the only living heir to the imperial throne of Vexa and its properties. You are the new empress.”

  “How in the seventeen hells am I supposed to do that?” She ran her hand over her hair and looked for an answer in her cup of tea. The tea was not forthcoming.

  “The same way you became an instructor while you were still a student. Learn what you can and then teach others what you know, and when in doubt, use that talent of yours to freeze them in their tracks.” Wadara sat back. “They are sending a vessel for you.”

  “Oh, wonderful. I can hardly wait to be back in pinching corsets and skirts that I trip on.”

  “Syrella, you are no longer a child. As empress, you can make the skirts and dresses be whatever length and fit you like.” Wadara kept a straight face until Sy started to giggle.

  Sy snorted. “Yes, I am sure that altering the formal wear of nineteen worlds will go over well.”

  Wadara chuckled, “Well, I am glad to see you are getting over your shock. The vessel that they are sending for you is an imperial ship, but we are not sending you away in the custody of strangers. Relay has pinged Citadel Darfoth, and they are sending a contingent of bodyguards, on the house.”

  “Bodyguards?” bemused she reached for and poured another cup of tea.

  “Yes, bodyguards. You are the first empress ever educated at Thoola. We want to make sure you get on the throne and stay there.”

  “Stone. Emperors of Vexa sit on a huge, carved block linked to the heart of the world when they appear in their court.”

  “Sounds uncomfortable.”

  “It is. Very.” She sipped at her tea and sighed, “I think I will return to my class. When will the ship be here?”

  “Tomorrow at the earliest. Why?”

  “I need to visit C’dallia. If I am getting sent away, I will need something other than instructor robes when I arrive on Vexa. Out of all the females here, she is my best chance for getting a wardrobe in one night.”

  Wadara laughed. “I will call her in and have her come to the Citadel. It will do the students good to meet a l’nal, and she hasn’t visited in over a year.”

  “Good. I have to check on the new arrival.”

  “Alwinia? She is a troubled case. Her family dumped her here when she was rejected by the links. No one will meld their minds with her, and it pains her that she cannot be trusted.” Wadara sighed, “She has severe abandonment issues.”

  “Well, I have put her under Halwen’s care. She will find a place with the animals and find her center there. From that point, she will have a solid foundation for learning control.”

  Wadara had a wistful expression on her face. “We will miss you here.”

  A lump formed in Syrella’s throat
. “This is the only home I have known since my talent showed as a little girl.”

  “And we have been happy to have you. Your skills as an instructor are amazing, and your unfortunate situation has given you an empathy that the girls really feel. You have also been a good friend, Sy. I hereby order you to keep in touch when you take your position on Vexa.”

  Syrella put her cup down on the tray. “I will, but for now, I have to coach some students through making cheese. Halwen always gets distracted during the bacterial culture.”

  Fighting tears, Syrella left the headmistress’s office and returned to the barn’s workshop. True to form, the girls were sitting quietly and confused and Halwen was nowhere to be found.

  Sy plastered a grin on her face and asked Yveen, “How long has it been?”

  “Thirty minutes, Instructor.”

  “Good. I will be right back for the next phase.”

  She walked into the barn where Halwen was showing Alwinia how to muck out the stalls and clean the hooves of the goats. Alwinia was using a hayfork to move the bulk of the stall contents, and Halwen was supervising.

  “Hiya, Hal. I am back.”

  “Oh, Sy. Damn, I lost track of time.”

  “It’s fine, Halwen. Continue and, Alwinia, good job.” Sy inclined her head. “Now, you just have to work on keeping control of the animals. Two of our milkers are getting away.”

  Halwen chuckled and stood aside to watch Alwinia trying to gain control of two beasts that didn’t want bipedal interference again until their udders were full.

  Snickering quietly, Sy realized that she was going to miss moments like these, but for now, it was time to show the girls how to make cheese out of goat milk.

  Ruling an empire could wait until tomorrow.

  Chapter Three

  “I get to make a gown for the Empress of Vexar? I am touched.” C’dallia clicked and her translator made the insectoid noises transform into Alliance Common.