Maggie Furey - Sword of Flames

Long ago, there had been four magical weapons fashioned by the Mages. Their history had been lost, together with the Artifacts themselves, in the Cataclysm, the horrific wars of magic which wrought changes on land and water alike. Lost also had been the history of the nonhuman Magefolk: the Winged Ones, the Dragonfolk, and the mighty Leviathanor so said the ancient legends

Young Aurian, growing up lonely and neglected in her mothers valley, knows nothing of these tales. Yet when she meets Forral, a wandering swordsman, the encounter will change not only their lives but the future course of history.

Aurians father, Geraint, has perished through misuse of his Fire-magic, and her grieving mother, the Earth-Mage Eilin, is obsessed with restoring the valleythe barren crater left by the explosion. Appalled by Ellins neglect of her daughter, Forral stays to care for the child, and a close bond develops between them. He begins to teach Aurian sword-play, until an accident in training almost kills her. Eilin, on the advice of the Magefolk healer Meiriel, sends her to the city of Nexis and the Academy, home of the few remaining Magefolk, where she can be fully trained as a Mage

Homesick and missing Forral, Aurian turns to the Archmage Miathan, unaware of his plans for her future. His interest earns her the enmity of the Weather-Mage Eliseth and her cohorts Bragar and Davorshan, though Aurian is befriended by Finbarr the Archivist and Darvan, Davorshans twin, who is unable to access his powers. As she grows to adulthood, her studies in magic are diverted by the return of Forral as commander of the Nexis Garrison. Aurian resumes sword training and makes new friends at the garrisonMaya, Forrals lieutenant, and Parric, the cavalrymaster. The bond between Forral and Aurian ripens into mature love, but matings between Mortals and Magefolk are forbidden. In the meantime, Miathan begins to force his attentions on her.

Elsewhere in Nexis, Anvar, son of a baker, is sold as a bondservant to the Archmage. He is truly Miathans sona half-breed Mage whose mother has kept his identity secret, Miathan steals his powers, binding him with a spell of silence. After months of toil and brutality, he escapes, seeking his lover. Sara, who was pregnant when they were parted. But she has lost the child and married Vannor, head of the Merchants Guild. When Anvar is recaptured, Aurian defies the Archmage to claim him as her servant.

In the catacombs beneath the Academy, Miathan discovers a deadly weapona grail refashioned from the Caldron of Rebirth, one of the lost Artifacts of Power. When Aurian and Forral become lovers, the jealous Archmage turns the grail to evil, cursing any child that may come of their union to take the form of the first beast Aurian sees after its birth.

The following Solstice sees sinister changes. Eliseth alienates Davorshan from his brother and persuades Meiriel the Healer to negate Aurians spells against pregnancy, for Miathan will never countenance Forrals half-breed child. Davorshan tries to murder his brother, and Aurian sends Darvan to her mother, who can help him find his powers. Maya goes with him to the valley. When Miathan discovers that Aurian is with child he attempts to destroy the babe, but Anvar warns Forral and Vannor. When Forral attacks, Miathan unleashes Death-Wraithsspirits who feed on life-forcefrom the grail, and Forral is slain. Finbarr fights the Wraiths with magic, buying Aurian, Vannor, and Anvar time to escape.

Overcome with rage and grief, Aurian vows to avenge Forral, but now she must flee. While Vannor stays in Nexis to organize resistance against the Archmage, Aurian and Anvar escape by ship, taking Sara with them at Vannors request. Aurians one hope of fighting Miathan is to find the three lost Artifactsbut time is limited, for as her pregnancy progresses, she will lose her powers until the child is born. Then to her horror, she feels Miathans mind searching the seas for her with magic.

Miathan now controls Nexis and sends Davorshan to kill Aurians mother. Maya and Darvan reach the valley, where Eilin tells them of the terrible events, seen in her scrying crystal, that have occurred. She also tells Darvan that his true father is Hellorin, Lord of the Phaeriea powerful race of Elemental beings exiled from the mundane world by ancient Magefolk. Shocked and grieving, Maya and Darvan turn to each other for comfort and become lovers. They stay in the valley so that Darvan can learn magic from Eilin.

At sea, Aurian discovers powerful minds of great wisdom: whalesthe ancient Mage race of Leviathan. When they are threatened she uses magic to help them, and the Archmage finds her through her use of power. Eliseth conjures a storm to sink the ship, while Miathan attacks with magic. In the ensuing battle, Aurian blinds him.

When Aurian, Anvar, and Sara are rescued by the Leviathan, the storm has blown them to the unknown Southern Kingdoms. Sara seduces Anvar, reminding him of their former love, and Aurian leaves them to go with the Leviathan Ithalasa, who reveals the lost history of the Magefolk. Aurian learns of the missing Artifacts: the Staff of Earth, the Harp of Winds, and the Sword of Flame, created by the Dragonfolk for one hand alone to wield. Ithalasa does not know where they can be found.

Anvar and Sara are captured by the Khazalim, a fierce desert race, and taken to the city of Taibeth, where Anvar is sold as a slave and Sara goes to the harem of Xiang, the ruler, known as the Khisu. Given the chance to become a queen, she uses her beauty to ensnare Xiang and callously consigns Anvar to his fate.

Aurian reaches Taibeth and is captured and sentenced to fight in the Arena for the pleasure of Xiang. Here she befriends Eliizar, disillusioned swordmaster, and his wife, Nereni. Rumors of foreigners in the city give her hope of finding Anvar, but in the Arena she must fight the fearsome Black Demon, against whom no one has survived.

In the valley, Darvan learns Earth-magic from Eilin and swordplay from Maya. When Davorshan attacks, his brother slays him, but Eilin is wounded. To save her, Darvan calls on his father, and he and Maya, along with Eilin, are transported to the realms of the Forest Lord, where Eilin must remain in order to survive. Hellorin explains that the Dragons gave the Sword of Flame into the keeping of the Phaerie, who must now return it to the mundane world. Once the Artifact is claimed, the Phaerie will be freed. Hellorin conceals the Sword in the valley, and Maya is transformed into a Guardianan invisible unicorn. Darvan brings the Wildwood to the valley, making it a haven for Miathans foes.

Aurian fights in the Arena before Xiang, his son, and his new queen, Sara. She survives the first bouts but is wounded, and now must face the Demon: Shia, a fierce great cat from an intelligent race. When the Mage communicates mentally with her, Shia claims her as a friend. Harihn, Xiangs son, takes Aurian and Shia under his protection. While her wounds heal, she is cared for by a eunuch, Bohan, and wins his heart with her kindness. Anvar is found dying in the Khisus slave pens. Aurian battles Death for his spirit and prevails.

Before Anvar can be warned of Saras treachery, Xiangs soldiers attack. Anvar and Harihn are sentenced to death. Aurian escapes from the dungeons, freeing Shia and Harihns men. With Yazour, their captain, she storms the throne room, taking Xiang prisoner. Harihn will not accept the throne from a Mage and a woman. He frees Xiang on condition that he and his people may leave the kingdom and cross the desert. Anvar begs Sara to join him, but she repudiates him cruelly. Eliizar and Nereni join the fugitives.

In Nexis, Eliseth holds the land in an extended winter. Vannor, Parric, and their rebels hide in the sewers beneath Nexis. Miathan is sure that Aurian is alive and in the south. Elewin, the Academys chief steward, warns Parric, who decides to go in search of her. The rebels escape the city with Meiriel, who has been driven mad by the loss of her soulmate, Finbarr. They find sanctuary with Vannors friends the Nightrunners, an elusive smuggling community who are already sheltering the merchants daughter Zanna. Vannors rebels head for the valley, seeking Aurians mother, while Parric, Meiriel, Elewin, and the warrior Sangra journey to the Southern Lands in search of Aurian herself.