Clash (The Arinthian Line Book 4) (8 page)

“Yes, Mr. Harvus,” they chorused, Augum, Jengo and Leera lamely; Bridget with a firm nod.

“Jengo, you are to join us at the other cabin as soon as your father returns.”

Leland moaned in protest.

“I am sorry, my dear child, but I am afraid today’s training will be too dangerous for you.” He adjusted his hairpiece, which immediately prompted Leera to elbow Augum.

Harvus’ eyes flicked to her and she stopped grinning. “Do you have the blue book in your possession?”

Augum raised his shoulder. “Right here, in the rucksack.”

“I say it again—please refer to me as Mr. Harvus, Augum.”

“Mr. Harvus.”

“And do not be clever with me. I am far smarter than you are. As it is, follow me, please.”

“See you soon, Jengo,” Leera muttered, following Harvus.

As they walked, Augum wondered what Harvus had meant by being “clever”. Was he on to him and Leera? No, he was being paranoid, they’ve been so careful!

“Please fetch Haylee for me, will you, Bridget?”

“Yes, Mr. Harvus.”

Augum glimpsed Leera silently mimicking Bridget.

When they reached the small cabin, a cool wind rustled the forest, pushing gray clouds overhead. The stream trickled on, joined by the perpetual drip of snowmelt.

“Let us wait for Bridget and Haylee to join us.”

Augum raised an eyebrow. “Are we just to stand here? Why don’t we practice some spells—” but he stopped himself from going on. Mr. Harvus had closed his eyes and pursed his lips, indicating he was in no mood to hear it. Augum sighed loudly in protest. He was getting sick of Harvus’ stifling ways. His stupid mannerisms, which at first seemed trite and funny, now were irritating to no end.

Harvus picked a piece of lint from his robe. “Mind yourself, young Augum Stone. You are not the hero you think yourself to be.”

Leera stayed Augum with a subtle pinch on his arm.

Bridget and a hobbling Haylee soon joined them. The latter had an impatient look on her face and rings around her eyes even darker than Bridget’s.

“Haylee, I expect you to work harder today. You have been a disappointment thus far.” He raised a hand when she opened her mouth to protest. “I do not want to hear it, young lady. You have had ample opportunity to study, yet your progress has been abysmal. In the academy, you would have had many more studies to worry about. Here, you have minimal responsibilities, yet you dawdle, throw tantrums, and cavort with that … savage.”

Haylee was shaking her head throughout his speech, trying to keep tears from falling on her cheeks. “I don’t need this,” she finally blurted, lower lip quivering. “And I don’t need you, you … pasty marmot. I’m done—” She began hobbling off.

Bridget took a step toward her. “Haylee, wait—”

“Nope, I’m done. Done!”

“But your training! You
need
to train with someone—”

She was still shaking her head while hobbling off. “Yes, I do, but I refuse to do it with
him
.”

“We are indeed done, young lady. Do not seek my services again.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that, I
won’t
.”

“Mr. Harvus, please—” Bridget said.

“Back in line, Bridget. The young lady has insulted me and chosen the coward’s path. So be it.”

Haylee stopped as if to respond, fists balled. Instead, she shook her head a final time and hobbled off.

“Anyone else wish to cease lessons with me? You are absolutely free to do so.” Harvus waited for a reply, but none came. Augum would have loved to tell him to shove his lessons, but too much rode on their studies, far too much. He felt terrible for Haylee though. What was she going to do now? He’d help train her on the side but there just wasn’t time. They worked morning until night daily with Harvus, and if it wasn’t with Harvus, it was for Mrs. Stone at the Trainer, or performing practice tasks either set forth for them.

“Good. Now then, I trust you to have diligently studied the chapter on today’s lesson, as I assigned a tenday ago,” Harvus began, gloved hands folded over his potbelly as he eyed Augum and Leera in particular.

Augum felt a pang of guilt, not because he was worried about letting Harvus down, but because by being behind in their studies, he and Leera, having spent nearly all their study time together, placed themselves and Bridget in danger.

“Bridget, what is today’s lesson?”

Augum and Leera exchanged quick glances. Harvus had an agonizing way of asking the obvious.

“Today’s lesson is on the 4th degree elemental spell Summon Minor Elemental, Mr. Harvus.”

“That’s a tongue twister if I ever heard one,” Leera muttered under her breath.

“Excuse me, Miss Jones?”

Leera cleared her throat as Harvus stared her down.

“Very good, Bridget. Now, I am sure you three have diligently practiced your pronunciation, but just to make sure we are all on the same page, please speak the arcane words aloud. Augum, you first, please.”

Great. Augum was really hoping for Bridget to go first—he could then have copied her pronunciation. “Uh, sorry, Mr. Harvus, with all this excitement in the air, it kind of slipped my mind.” He tried to ignore Bridget’s frown.

Mr. Harvus raised his eyes skyward in that begging-to-the-gods look he chronically gave when frustrated. “Augum Stone,” he began slowly, still watching the heavens, “are you telling me that you do not even
remember
the simple words required to trigger the spell?”

Augum shrugged. “Sort of … I guess.” Obviously, you fat nest-haired troll.

Harvus fixed him with a cold glare. “Your great-grandmother is paying me a small fortune to live here with this barbaric lot of fools. A small fortune, Augum.” He shrugged. “Or at least she owes me that—but do not let that concern you.”

So the money
was
running out, Augum thought with a sinking feeling.

“Anyhow,” Harvus continued, “that is not the distressing part. The distressing part—no, the absolutely absurd part—is that an entire kingdom might depend on your actions, and yet you …” Harvus waved carelessly with a gloved hand, “do not even bother taking the time to learn your craft.”

As the words hung in the air, Augum felt a prickle of shame. Harvus was right, as much as he hated to admit it.

Harvus placed his hands behind his back. “Pray tell me that you have not hit your ceiling, as I suspect Haylee has.”

“What! No, of course not—!” Oh no … was that what was happening with Haylee?

“ ‘Of course not’. I see. Then why, my dear daft boy, do you neglect your studies? Do you think your father lopes around neglecting
his
studies?” Before Augum could reply, Harvus took a single step forward. “Let me tell you what your father is doing in this very moment. Murdering people.” He accented the point with an exaggerated slow nod.

Augum had to stop himself from recoiling—Harvus’ breath stank as if a rat had crawled down his throat and died some time ago.

“Murdering people,” Harvus repeated with that annoying nod. “Or planning on murdering people. And you—you who may be one of only a handful of souls to possibly stop him one day—you traipse about like an idiot. An
idiot
.”

“You shouldn’t speak to us that way—” Leera began, but Harvus immediately turned on her.

“And you, my dear,” he began in a deadly sweet voice, hands still behind his back, “do
you
happen to know the correct wordage and pronunciation to the 4th degree elemental spell?”

When Leera began mumbling something unintelligible, Harvus plowed right along. “How about its name then? All I require is the simple name of a simple spell, a name just mentioned a moment ago by your very peer. Oh for heaven’s sakes, child, tell me you at least know the name of the spell!” His voice was a near shout by then, the first time he had truly lost his temper with them.

Leera seemed stuck on a word, a dumbstruck expression on her face. “I … I …”

Harvus slowly shook his head. “You stupid, stupid girl.”

Augum’s blood instantly boiled. “Don’t you talk to—”

“Voidus lingua!” Harvus spat, flicking his wrist at Augum without taking his eyes off Leera.

Augum’s throat immediately dried up and he choked on his words.

For once, Bridget’s face registered shock. “Mr. Harvus, I don’t think that’s—”

Harvus raised a stern finger, still without looking away from Leera. “Do
not
test me, young lady. I am sick and tired of their deplorable conduct.” The gloved fingers of one of his hands pronged between Augum and Leera. “Yes, that is right, you two—do you think me stupid? I know
exactly
why you have neglected your important studies. I know what it is you two little sinners have been up to, carousing about like two despicable little devils.” He turned on Augum and jabbed him hard in the chest, speaking slowly as if to a dumb child. “You do not have the right to prance and cavort about wasting valuable time. Lives are at stake, do you understand me?
Lives
.”

“Mrs. Stone will never allow you to get away with this,” Leera finally blurted.

Harvus stepped back. “Is that so?” He raised a hand and beckoned at Augum’s rucksack, which slipped off his shoulder and floated away before he could stop it. “Let us see exactly what the archmage thinks of your disgusting behavior.”

Augum’s fists curled—as much as he wanted to do something, Harvus was a far more powerful warlock.

“No, don’t tell her!” Leera suddenly cried. She fell to her knees, hands together in prayer. “Please, Mr. Harvus, don’t tell her. We’ll do anything—”

Harvus adjusted his hairpiece. What was once an amusing gesture suddenly appeared malicious.

“Quite right that you beg, because I know for a fact Mrs. Stone would not be pleased. In point of fact, I am confident she would separate you two far, far apart.”

Leera whimpered.

“I know how you speak about me behind my back,” Harvus went on, “I have excellent hearing and awareness and I am awfully cognizant of your witty little comments and cruel japes.” He glanced skyward once more, one hand holding the rucksack, one over his heart. “The gods know how I put up with your cruel natures, they do. You are a wicked pair inciting nothing but more wickedness, and it must come to an end immediately.”

He reached into the rucksack and withdrew the Orb of Orion, holding it before him like a prized hen.

“Mr. Harvus, please—” Leera was in tears now. “Don’t tell her—”

Mr. Harvus’ lips thinned. “Perhaps you should have thought of that first, my dear.”

“Mr. Harvus,” Bridget said, “we shouldn’t trouble Mrs. Stone with this kind of news.”

“I wholeheartedly agree, Bridget. I hate to do it, but it really is for their own good—”

“We’ll stop!” Leera said. “We won’t … look at each other that way.”

Augum shook his head in protest, mouth still as silent as the grave. No way was he going to do what Harvus says. He wasn’t that afraid of what Mrs. Stone would say on the matter either—in fact, he was sure she would accept it … at least, eventually.

“This is for your own good, Augum and Leera,” Mr. Harvus repeated. “Mrs. Stone, are you there?” A moment of tense silence passed. “Mrs. Stone, do you hear me? This is Leopold Harvus.”

A tinny voice sounded from within the orb. “Yes, I hear you,” Mrs. Stone replied, huffing as if she was in a run. “Is something the matter? Now is not a good time.”

“I am afraid there indeed
is
something the matter, Mrs. Stone. Leera Jones and Augum Stone are … how shall I put this delicately …
frolicking
in an untoward manner.”

Leera placed a hand over her mouth, barely able to breathe. Bridget, looking pale, squeezed her shoulder.

“Is it affecting their studies?” Mrs. Stone asked between gasps.

Harvus’ face lit up with victory. “Why, yes it is! Precisely that, Mrs. Stone! Do you give me the authority to discipline the pair—appropriately of course?”

“I must place my trust in you to do the right thing, Mr. Harvus, as I am in quite the predic—” Suddenly there was a tinny explosion and the orb fell silent.

“Mrs. Stone?” Leera cried out. “Mrs. Stone—!”

Augum felt a horrible tingle creep down his spine while Bridget’s hand shot to her mouth.

Mr. Harvus’ face went all sensible again as he carefully placed the orb back in the rucksack. “As you can plainly hear, the archmage is quite busy. There is a reason she has entrusted me with your care—my sound judgment.” He used Telekinesis to float the rucksack back to Augum, who yanked it from the air.

Harvus dusted off his gloved hands. “You have another year before you may be allowed to ask for her hand in marriage, Augum Stone. Until then, you are
not
to look at each other that way. If I ever catch either of you cavorting in an unwholesome manner, you
will
be punished. And do not think for one moment I will not separate you entirely. Only Augum is essential to the quest. As such, from here on, Augum will be sleeping in separate accommodations with me, for clearly without supervision you two will run amok.”

Augum could hardly believe what he was hearing. He shook his head in protest while mouthing the word “No!”

“You have not earned the right to speak yet, Augum. You are going to sit over there—” Harvus pointed at a log, “and read the appropriate chapter that you neglected thus far. As long as I am able, I will not let your youthful infatuations murder people through negligence of your duties. This frivolity ends now.”

“Mr. Harvus,” Bridget began softly, “do you not think you’re being a touch unfair?”

“I am surprised to hear a word of protest from you, dear Bridget, seeing as he is placing you directly in the path of danger. I would think you to possess a sensible nature that sees how important Augum’s place is, and how he is squandering opportunity after opportunity to take charge of his destiny, and most probably the destiny of so many others—all because some silly fling with nothing more than a common—” He stopped himself and cleared his throat authoritatively.

“The Arinthian Line must be protected from itself,” he said. “ ‘When thy fallen can’t be slain, when lion children rise again, when fires burn from east to west, blood of kin can vanquish death’.”