Battle Mage: Forging New Steel (Tales of Alus Book 9) (8 page)

Her face revealed some concern, but no confusion at his distraction. “I know that going further wouldn’t give you answers. Being able to have sex doesn’t mean a man loves a woman, does it? It just means that I can turn you on with my body.”

A few wet tendrils of hair slid from her shoulder slapping his cheek as if trying to wake him from a dream. The beautiful girl looked thoughtful and decided as she pulled away from him revealing more of her naked body to his open eyes as she moved to stand. Sebastian looked at her noting similarities to Yara while he couldn’t help thinking how beautiful Ashleen was as well.

“I think that I will rest before dinner in my room. Why don’t you clean up before we go?” the girl said turning away from him.

Sitting up, he watched the bare girl pick up the towel from the floor noting the alluring curves almost clinically. Sebastian wasn’t sure if he dared let his defenses down. She was beautiful and pulled at him like another piece of his soul. Like the difference of healing and battle magic, both girls felt right to him and that worried him greatly.

The door to her room had been closed behind the girl as she passed through the bathroom leaving the man’s view of the illuminated bathroom and his bedroom empty once more. Groaning as his heart, body and mind were all lost on this decision, Sebastian rose to pick out the evening’s clothes before taking a quick bath.

Sebastian had barely held Ashleen’s chair to seat the girl, before Mecklin pointed to the scabbard on his hip and asked, “That’s not the Hollow Sword. What is that?”

Surprised at the attention, the younger mage replied, “I found it at a sword merchant today. He said that it was sold to him by a blond haired girl and a pair of falcons from Staron. I purchased it because this isn’t made from normal metal. It was created by using magic.”

The others moved closer in an effort to help him keep his voice down. They could tell that this sword held concerns for the owl and if his instincts said there was something off about it; then it was best to keep matters between them.

Frell looked thoughtful and asked, “She was a pretty blond haired girl with some Staronen mages?”

Sebastian looked to the woman and nodded, since she had nearly repeated his description.

“I wonder how many battle mages from Staron were in the city and in the company of a girl with that description? We may have met this group here during Winter’s Edge.”

“Was that the girl that Olan was going on about when we were getting ready to sail?”

Frell nodded. “Olan met a falcon with reddish brown hair, but Ardost said the pretty blond girl spoke with an accent that he hadn’t recognized. She had a smell that was sweet as her personality.

“I’m not even into women and I thought she was pretty,” the falcon laughed. “There were three total mages and a female wizard that fought in the tournament also, but I danced with one of the men.”

Rubbing his chin, Sebastian considered the description and had a feeling that it must have been the same people.

“We ran into them a couple days after the tournament ended and I think Ardost said the girl was going to attend White Hall.”

That brought a frown to the owl’s face. If this girl was just going to the school as a student, how could she possibly have discovered a type of magic to create such a weapon? Could she have sold it for someone else that she knew?

“Maybe I’ll have to ask Bharen if the blond had an accent tomorrow,” Sebastian replied almost dismissively.

“You didn’t get roped into the parade for the Grimnal?” Serrena asked in surprise.

Sighing, the owl replied slightly annoyed, “Unfortunately I did along with Ashleen, though I suppose as a Kardorian, she could refuse.”

Ashleen smiled and gave a shrug answering, “I’ve got nothing better to do, since my teacher will be in the parade.”

The statement made the others frown in confusion. Serrena asked for them all, “Your teacher will be in the parade? Who is teaching you? I thought that your master died on one of the black ships.”

Being overly blunt, Ashleen looked like she had been slapped in the face as she fought back tears almost instantly thinking of her dead master. It hadn’t been that long since the deaths of so many of her friends at the hands of the emperor’s Wizard Hunters and their black ships. A little more subdued thanks to the fire wizard who winced as she realized how harsh her words had been, Ashleen replied, “Sebastian is trying to teach me some of his techniques and spells. We are trying to remake the Hollow Sword with another blade as a template. I am trying to use the magic I know in a way that might help me see what I need to do to make one also.”

“You can make more hollow swords?” Mecklin asked in surprise.

Sebastian shrugged trying not to get their hopes up though he was optimistic, “I made one and if I can either find swords with comparable strength or make my own, then I should be able to make more.”

It was Frell who asked, “Then would you become a smith instead of a battle mage, Bas? I didn’t think that you were ready to fade into the back lines just yet.”

Mecklin nodded and added, “I know that there is probably pressure coming from above to stay back and teach or research more magic, but you’ve said before that many of your best spells have come in the field.”

Lifting his hands as if helpless against the issues mentioned, Sebastian replied with a laugh, “I’m only twenty. It seems a little early to retire, don’t you think?”

Receiving a mix of chuckles, it was Mecklin who countered with less humor, “Still, the ravens and falconi might prefer you stay somewhere safe making Hollow Swords and creating new spells.”

Sebastian’s thoughts moved to another item along those lines and asked, “Do you know where they took the treated armor we captured from the emperor’s wizard hunters? I wonder if they’ve had a chance to try and figure out how they applied the element draining magic into the fabric and leather?”

With a deep frown, Frell replied, “Maura took charge of several things you found during the journey. She probably has them.

“As a researcher, the woman seemed to think that it was her duty to protect and investigate them or something. Maura has some nerve that is for sure.”

The table nodded as one. Maura hadn’t made any friends among his team during the months that they had been saddled with the woman. She was attached to his team supposedly as an advisor, but the wizard had tried to usurp his position as leader early on and never bothered to really get to know any of the people involved. Her ego had been bruised with a few failures along the way and had become a little meeker making working with her possible for Sebastian, but that was about as far as it went.

That the wizard would try and take over a few of the mysterious items gathered along the way wasn’t surprising, but discovering how the darkness armor was created and finding a better means to counter it should have become a priority. Burying it among other oddities to be researched when Maura got around to it was unacceptable. He would have to go visit the woman again to make sure that the matter wasn’t being mishandled.

Grunting at his assumptions of authority, Sebastian suddenly realized that he was making a mistake like the wizard had made. He was no longer the leader of their mission and Maura was an experienced wizard in her middle years. She might not give him credit for any authority now that they were back in Hala where her rank was greater than his. A battle mage couldn’t go ordering a wizard around unless they were set in a position above them anymore than a wizard could truly order a battle mage since they were in separate agencies within the Southwall army.

“I’ll have to visit with her and see what is being done. Hopefully, she is giving the armor the attention it needs.”

Frell went where his mind had gone at first and said, “Can’t you tell her to give it back? You were the leader of the trip that procured the armor in the first place.”

He shrugged and listened as the first notes of the evening entertainment began in the Eternal Phoenix. They had chosen the same restaurant for the evening since it was roughly in the center of their places to stay. It was also lively enough once the musicians and dancing began to entertain them all.

Speaking up a bit, Bas answered, “I’m not in charge anymore. We’re in Hala now, so I’ll see where that leaves me with her.”

Frell frowned and muttered, “Great, that witch was a pain when she knew you were leader. I can’t wait to see what she does now.”

It was a matter for a different time and as they readied for the night of dancing Sebastian asked, “Have you been ordered to join the parade tomorrow by the way?”

Serrena nodded and said, “They probably wanted to make sure there were enough people going to make a decent size parade. We’ll most likely be buried somewhere in the back and at the banquet we might be sitting at some table in the corner as well.”

Laughing at the wizard’s pessimism, Sebastian replied, “I kind of wish that was where they would put me. While I am glad that I could find and bring Gerid back, I’m a battle mage and can think of many other things that I would rather do.”

Mecklin nodded and said, “Unfortunately, the king won’t let us just disappear to get back to work. Royals seem to enjoy overdoing their celebrations and making a big to do over everything.”

Barking a laugh at the mages, Liam shook his head and stated, “You two act like it was just another mission north of the wall. We found and brought back a legend! Of course, King Alain is going to make a big deal about it.”

His voice drew some attention and his words caused many to murmur to each other verifying what they had heard in disbelief.

Serrena added to Liam’s sentiment and said, “Wasn’t the whole point of bringing the Grimnal back to make a big deal out of it to inspire Southwall and our allies with his return. ‘The king of kings is still alive and even the Dark One couldn’t kill him! Huzzah!’”

A woman moved closer to the conversation and asked, “Is it true? The parade is for the immortal Grimnal?”

More bodies pressed towards their little group ignoring the music.

Liam could see that their words were about to cause them a lot of problems if they hoped to dance. A crowd like this, excited by the prospect of Gerid’s return, was unlikely to let them go. Hero worship had its problems. “That’s what the parade is for. Haven’t you heard that the Grimnal has returned? You all should spread the word and go to see him in the parade tomorrow.”

A few began to move away but a man asked, “Did I hear you say that you were the ones who found him?”

Voices rose in excitement as the tide of people pushed closer once more.

“We were there when he arrived at the castle and announced his return,” Mecklin stated loud enough to hopefully lose their interest. “If you go to the parade tomorrow, you will see who found the Grimnal and returned him. We didn’t mean to get your hopes up.”

While some of his team looked disappointed to not take at least a little of the glory in the moment, Sebastian was glad to see most of the crowd move off still talking to each other about the news of the Grimnal’s return. Ashleen caught his hand as the crowd moved away and soon the two were on the dance floor. There were still too many bodies around them, but at least they weren’t centered on him or his team, he thought.

“Your team likes to avoid the attention almost as much as you,” Ashleen said as they moved in hold for a dance of medium speed. They had a little separation, and it wasn’t so fast that they couldn’t converse as they moved.

“Drawing attention like that here would mean that we might as well leave or there would be no dancing. People have heard the rumor that the Grimnal has returned and everyone wants to know where he has been and why he suddenly returned. If people knew the ship that brought him back, there would be swarms of people there to get a look. Making the mistake of saying you found him would leave you answering questions in the middle of a crowd all night. They would probably even follow you back to your inn.

“Being known as the ones to find the Grimnal would be more hassle than it is worth.”

“What about after the parade?” Ashleen asked quietly noticing his eyes flick to the couples closest to them making sure that no one was listening too closely.

“Hopefully it will be like after the tournament. Every wizard had followers, especially those who went far. Away from the duel fields people didn’t notice them since the crowds were kept far enough away that our faces were less identifiable in a crowd.”

“The people in the parade might have problems walking down the street then?”

He shrugged and said optimistically, “Hopefully not, but I guess we’ll see tomorrow.”

Ashleen didn’t appear confident in his answer, but the two danced speaking of other things if they spoke at all. The music was lively much of the night and dancing didn’t require talking after all.

They were pulled away from each other a few times both by their friends and by the other patrons. As usual, the pretty wilder was highly pursued by the men in the Eternal Phoenix.

Sebastian managed to pull away to sit and speak with Mecklin. The older mage went back to their earlier conversation and asked, “So you are working with Ashleen now?”

“She wanted to learn what she could of my battle mage magic, so Ashleen has been following me around,” the younger man acknowledged.