Darkborn, The Master Mage Chronicles Book 1 by H. D. Jacobsen

From a young age, Marcus Aurelius has been groomed to become a protector to the royal family of the island kingdom of Iber. As he is coming into his command of ‘gift,” – incredible mental powers over the elements and others’ minds – he learns he has an affinity for all forms of gift. This makes him a master-mage, the first in 1200 years. It’s also an identity he must conceal since fear of the last master-mage led to war and the destruction of an entire kingdom.
Marcus makes rapid progress in his training with weapons and gift, but he’s forced to grow up fast when a dark mage arises. Despite the threat of assassins plotting in the shadows, Marcus will do anything to protect his kingdom. But it will take him years to fully master his vast array of new powers that if unveiled, would warrant his execution.
What’s a young man to do and the princess he loves?

Category: Fantasy – Epic

With a bounty on his head, young Master Mage Marcus Aurelius flees the capitol. With nowhere to call his home, his only hope is to make it to Holtsclaw Academy — the one place he will be safe and where he can learn to better master his gift.
In order to reach the academy, he’ll have to cross a rugged mountain range in winter, find passage across a treacherous sea, and cover over 2,000 leagues on foot. Even with a horse, a mule and a hound as his travelling companions, surviving this harsh adventure will be no easy task.
Along the way he’ll have to use his gift often, to heal, to repel bandits and thieves, and even to dig wells. In addition, he’ll have to continuously deal with the bounty on his head, while doing what he can to save the kingdom of Iber from financial collapse. All the while, he’ll be racing against the clock to make it in time before the academy’s registration closes.