Gravity's Revenge Read online

  by

  Copyright © 2013 A.E. Marling

  Cover illustration by Eva Soulu

  Internal illustration by Bartosz Milewski

  Graphic design by Raymond Chun

  Editor: Kelcy Perry

  Special thanks to the Reading Vanguard:

  Christina, Stephanie, Jack, Nancy, and Robin.

  First electronic publication: July, 2013

  First Edition

  Meet the humble scribe:

  On Twitter: @AEMarling

  Facebook: AEMarling

  and

  http://aemarling.com/

  Contents:

  Acknowledgments

  World Maps

  Chapter 1: Half Bridge

  Chapter 2: The Skyway

  Chapter 3: Mind’s Gate

  Sketch of Recurve Tower

  Chapter 4: Academy Plateau

  Chapter 5: The Grindstone

  Chapter 6: Lark’s Hall

  Chapter 7: The Crystal Ballroom

  Chapter 8: Dream Laboratory

  Chapter 9: Ceiling of Elders

  Chapter 10: Spire of Magical History

  Chapter 11: Threshold of Stone

  Chapter 12: Hall of Visitation

  Chapter 13: Enchantress Parlor

  Chapter 14: Academy Plateau

  Chapter 15: Owl's Hall

  Chapter 16: Dream Laboratory

  Chapter 17: Out the Window

  Chapter 18: Hall of Crystalline Records

  Interlude: Fos Chandur

  Chapter 19: Hiresha's Chambers

  Chapter 20: Lofty Bridge

  Chapter 21: Air

  Interlude: Inannis

  Chapter 22: Recurve Tower

  Chapter 23: Tentacle Bridge

  Chapter 24: Somnarium

  Chapter 25: Cliff Edge

  Interlude: Alyla

  Chapter 26: Waterfly River

  Chapter 27: Cliff Edge

  Chapter 28: The Grindstone

  Chapter 29: Provost's Workshop

  Chapter 30: The Grindstone

  Chapter 31: The Great Globe

  Chapter 32: Hall of Cleansing

  Chapter 33: Rector's Armory

  Chapter 34: Dream Laboratory

  Chapter 35: Rector's Armory

  Chapter 36: Tower's Crest

  Chapter 37: The Void

  Chapter 38: Crystal Ballroom

  Chapter 39: Mind's Gate

  Chapter 40: Antechamber

  Chapter 41: Desolation

  Chapter 42: The Brink

  Chapter 43: The Skyway

  Chapter 44: Three Thousand Vertical Feet

  Chapter 45: Half Bridge

  Acknowledgments:

  Generosity paid for all you see in this novel.

  We owe these Kickstarter participants a trove of gratitude.

  John A.

  ETHEREAL PATRON

  Zuhur Abdo

  ETHEREAL REVELER

  Jaszon Alexzander

  ETHEREAL HERO

  Anise

  ETHEREAL SPYMASTER

  Melinda Bardon

  ETHEREAL PATRON

  Megan Beauchemin

  ETHEREAL PATRON

  Lesann Berry

  ADVENTURER OF UNEXPLORED HORIZONS

  Caz Black

  ETHEREAL PATRON

  Rob Boyle

  ADVENTURER OF UNEXPLORED HORIZONS

  Jesse Brannen

  ETHEREAL HERO

  John O'Brien

  FARSEEKER OF FANTASY

  Ian Brown

  ETHEREAL HERO

  Kelley Brown

  ETHEREAL PATRON

  Alexandra Cenni

  WARRIOR OF FORBIDDEN WONDER

  Ray Chun

  ELITE ECLECTIC

  Gregory S. Close

  ADVENTURER OF UNEXPLORED HORIZONS

  Alex Coles

  ETHEREAL ADVOCATE

  Jeremy Collier

  FARSEEKER OF FANTASY

  le Corback

  ETHEREAL PATRON

  Peter Cotter

  ETHEREAL ADVOCATE

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  ADVENTURER OF UNEXPLORED HORIZONS

  Betsy Devine

  ETHEREAL SPYMASTER

  Monica Dowell

  WARRIOR OF FORBIDDEN WONDER

  Shanna Eaves

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  Paul Edwards

  ETHEREAL ADVOCATE

  Ashan Ekins

  ETHEREAL LOOTER

  Charlotte E. English

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  Lisa Farr

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  Magdalena Fabrykowska-MBotek

  ETHEREAL PATRON

  Stacy Ferguson-Sandstedt

  ETHEREAL PATRON

  Elanor Finster

  ACADEMY NOVICE

  Jeff Fox

  ETHEREAL KINGPIN

  Tereza Fuxova

  WARRIOR OF FORBIDDEN WONDER

  Sarah Geerling

  OUTRIDER OF THE AWE INSPIRING

  Amy Glass

  OUTRIDER OF THE AWE INSPIRING

  David Goldsmith

  WARRIOR OF FORBIDDEN WONDER

  Tess Grantham

  ETHEREAL HERO

  William Gunderson

  WARRIOR OF FORBIDDEN WONDER

  Andreas Gustafsson

  ETHEREAL PATRON

  Hansbert

  FARSEEKER OF FANTASY

  Shael Hawman

  ETHEREAL PATRON

  Katherine Hempel

  FARSEEKER OF FANTASY

  Cinnamon Hensel

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  Eric Honaker

  ETHEREAL LOOTER

  Christa Huffman

  FARSEEKER OF FANTASY

  Val Hyde

  FARSEEKER OF FANTASY

  Justin Jones

  ETHEREAL ADVOCATE

  Katherine Fawcett

  ETHEREAL PATRON

  Madison Keller

  ETHEREAL LOOTER

  Christina Kessler

  ACADEMY ELDER

  John Kessler

  ETHEREAL SPYMASTER

  Ian Kitley

  ETHEREAL HERO

  Michelle Knowlton

  ADVENTURER OF UNEXPLORED HORIZONS

  April Koenig

  FARSEEKER OF FANTASY

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  Pia Lindback Larsson

  ADVENTURER OF UNEXPLORED HORIZONS

  Arline Lyons

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  Madrone

  ETHEREAL HIGH COUNCIL

  Mr. & Mrs. Marling

  SAVANTS OF THE FATHOMLESS

  Maria McConnaughy

  GRAMMAR CONQUEROR, ETHEREAL LOOTER

  Gabriel Millaire

  ETHEREAL PATRON

  Kerry Mitchell

  ACADEMY NOVICE

  Kelli Musser

  ETHEREAL ADVOCATE

  Ian Negus

  ETHEREAL ADVOCATE

  Stephanie Neuscamman

  ADVENTURER OF UNEXPLORED HORIZONS

  Sandra Oicles

  SAVANT OF THE FATHOMLESS

  Aleksandr Opachev

  ETHEREAL ADVOCATE

  Christina Osman

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  Gary Owen

  FARSEEKER OF FANTASY

  Liam Perrin

  FARSEEKER OF FANTASY

  Kelcy Perry

  FARSEEKER OF FA
NTASY

  Ruthie Pfueller

  OUTRIDER OF THE AWE INSPIRING

  Rhawnie Pino

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  David Potter

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  Chris Read

  FARSEEKER OF FANTASY

  Joan López Rovira

  ETHEREAL PATRON

  Robert Russin

  FARSEEKER OF FANTASY

  Lillith S.

  ETHEREAL ADVOCATE

  Beatrice Scarborough

  ACADEMY ELDER

  M.J. Scott

  ETHEREAL CONFIDANT, GRAMMAR CONQUEROR

  Eric Scheirer Stott

  OUTRIDER OF THE AWE INSPIRING

  Mendel Schmiedekamp

  ETHEREAL PATRON

  A.E. Shaw

  ADVENTURER OF UNEXPLORED HORIZONS

  Kate Shaw

  FARSEEKER OF FANTASY

  Moses Siregar III

  ACADEMY NOVICE

  Deanna Stanley

  ETHEREAL CONFIDANT

  Emma Stockburn

  ETHEREAL RIOTER

  Carol Stoeser

  ETHEREAL ADVOCATE

  Anna Sundstedt

  ADVENTURER OF UNEXPLORED HORIZONS

  Andromeda Taylor

  FARSEEKER OF FANTASY

  Simon Tucker

  ETHEREAL ADVOCATE

  Jennifer Vail

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  Sadie Gianna Weaver

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  Karin Wellman

  ETHEREAL LOOTER

  D. Wotske

  ADVENTURER OF UNEXPLORED HORIZONS

  RM Wright

  ETHEREAL PATRON

  1

  Half Bridge

  Enchantress Hiresha thought the day rather brisk for walking up cliffs. A path of blue marble ascended from the valley floor in a vertical line. The straight-up-and-down road climbed a horizon of stone, cutting through sediment bands of yellow, grey, and white rock. The Skyway’s destination lay too high for glimpses, among the snowbound peaks of the SkiarriMountains.

  The chill air that sluiced from those heights prickled Hiresha’s face. She stepped out of her carriage, resting her hand on her maid’s offered arm. Enchantress Hiresha walked with her dress hems rippling ahead of her on the cobblestones, layer upon layer of silks and velvets of every color swirling about her feet. The maid beside her wore a stark grey, the dress a somber veneer for a woman who was anything but.

  Today, servant and mistress walked arm in arm toward the Skyway. Hiresha squeezed her maid’s hand to reassure the woman. The enchantress knew Maid Janny had to be frightened. She had waited over a decade for this day.

  A pet fox in Hiresha’s other arm squeaked. The enchantress held him with care because the desert fox was small as a kitten and fragile. The fennec fox shivered, made a sound close to a mew, and burrowed deeper into the layers of fabric under Hiresha’s arm until only his tail was visible.

  Maid Janny narrowed her eyes at the fennec’s tail then turned an adoring gaze to the base of the cliff. Her daughter waited near a bridge leading from ground to valley wall. There the veiled girl would begin her trial.

  “She could hardly fail,” Hiresha said to her maid. “A journey up a cliff is not as intimidating as a mother’s disapproval.”

  “It’s finally happening, isn’t it?” Janny fluttered her free hand above her chest. “My heart hasn’t beat this fast since that time with the two men in the hot springs, and would you look at her? My Minna, walking her way to higher learning. Any mother would be dripping with pride, but we won’t have that. Tears of joy can’t be harder to hold down than soured rye beer. Not frightened for her at all.”

  By the gallop of Janny’s words, Hiresha could that tell her friend was not frightened. She was terrified.

  “She’ll make it to the top,” Janny said. “But do you think you should leave that fox down here? With the guards. Minna is a skittish girl, and I don’t see a call for that beast frightening her while she’s scared walking up a cliff besides.”

  “You mustn’t call him a beast.” Hiresha stroked two purple-gloved fingers along the gold fur of the tail to its black tip. “It’s sacrilegious.”

  Janny snorted at that.

  The two women and the fox passed several men in ornate armor, jeweled swords strapped to their backs. They kneeled before the enchantress. A guard tower shadowed the town lane, the structure a tiny thing beside the cliff.

  The maid called out to the girl who waited at the base of a bridge leading up to the mountainous wall. “Oh, Minna, you mustn’t wear that veil. You haven’t a thing to be ashamed of, and not a one in the Academy will make fun of you. Couldn’t, with this walking jewel parade for a patron.”

  Janny elbowed Hiresha, the maid’s arm sinking without harm into the myriad folds of fabrics sparkling with gold lace and gems. To Hiresha, the jab had felt less than a poke.

  The girl gripped the yellow strip of cotton covering her face, her frost-nipped knuckles standing out like red berries on her pale hand. Hiresha noticed the girl was trembling.

  “Told you I was w-wearing it,” she said.

  “Nonsense.” Janny scurried to her daughter, shooing the girl’s hands away from her face. “Today’s your fresh start. Just let me take it for you.”

  “Mother!”

  “No daughter of mine is going to skulk about behind a mask. There!”

  Hiresha itched with discomfort to see her maid and best friend rip away her daughter’s veil. Minna gasped, one hand groping after the stolen fabric, the other reaching up to try to shield her face. Hiresha could not help but see the redness of the birthmark that spilled over the bone white of the girl’s nose and cheeks like a wine stain. Tears spurted from her eyes.

  “Janny, let her wear it if she wishes.” Hiresha touched the maid’s shoulder. “It is only sensible in this chill. The Skyway is prone to gusts.”

  The maid yielded the veil with a grumble. “She doesn’t need to be sorry for who she is.”

  “This face isn’t who I am.” The yellow cloth soon covered all the girl’s features but her eyes, with only a trace of the birthmark visible between them. Darker blotches discolored the skin beneath her lashes, either from frequent weeping or sleeplessness. Her eyes themselves were beautiful, a light pureness with a corona of green around the pupil.

  The girl gazed up at the enchantress with the same glistening gratitude as if she had witnessed Hiresha slay a sea monster. Hiresha supposed she had felt much the same way about her own mother around that age. A pang of half-remembered bitterness lurched in Hiresha’s chest. She knew all too well the feeling of being uncomfortable in her own skin.

  Hiresha straightened the girl’s veil and said, “Someone once told me only the flawed can be flawless.”

  The girl asked, “Was she an enchantress, too?”

  “He.” Hiresha could say no more, since magic users of his sort were not a subject for polite conversation. Even now she could remember the tingling heat of his hands on her waist as they danced.

  A deep clearing of a throat drew attention to a guard. He knelt holding out an amulet. “Will Elder Enchantress Hiresha, Provost of Applied Enchantment, guide this woman, Minna Barrows, on her journey to become a novice of The Mindvault Academy?”

  Hiresha said she would and took the amulet. The bronze disk bore the school motto “Nothing not first imagined,” inscribed in seven languages, from the box lettering of her homeland to the hieroglyphs of the empire’s capital. The words wove around the pattern of four concentric circles.

  As the enchantress clasped the amulet around the girl’s neck, Minna tilted back her head to try to see the top of the Skyway and the Academy. The skin exposed below the veil looked waxy and bloodless. The girl swayed backward as if in a faint, and by the time Hiresha thought to catch the swooning girl, Maid Janny had already nudged her daughter upright. The girl jerked away from her mother’s touch.

  The spe
llsword said, “Will you, Minna Barrows—”

  Hiresha interrupted the guard. “Of course she’ll train as a novice. She’s here, is she not? Now let us be about our business before someone freezes.”

  The spellsword frowned as he touched the amulet. Hiresha sensed him use his power to activate an enchantment of Attraction in the bronze chain, and the links tightened about the girl’s throat to turn the necklace into a choker that could not be removed without violence. The girl’s fingers ran along the length of metal.

  “It’s necessary,” Janny said, thumbing down her grey collar to reveal her own gold amulet. “Without it you won’t go far, except downward.”

  The girl’s eyes climbed halfway up the cliff again before she gave up. “Anything else horrible you’d like to remind me of? Monkey bites? Bee stings?”

  “My little minnow,” Janny said, “I know you’ll pass the test. You won’t fall. You won’t run from the Skyway. No matter how much you want to. You’ll get through it.”

  The girl shuddered.

  Hiresha extended her hand. Minna took it, twining the enchantress’s purple glove with trembling fingers as white as frost. Enchantress and novice walked together at arm’s length, the girl apologizing every time she stepped on the flood of glittering skirts.