Free The Wielder: Sworn Vengeance (The Wielder Series) by David Gosnell

talent to bring forth such at less cost of energy.  Grey personally eschewed this technology, but never attacked it as some of the Magerium did.
    As I understand from the things told to me, Edgar feels a great conflict is coming.  He wants mankind to be as ready as it can be.  His pursuit of this technology cost him his place in the Magerium. But he doesn’t care.  In his vision, the world is better saved.  Besides, he’s now heading up his own guild – one of the more powerful at that.
    I am greeted by the rotund and handle-bar mustached man himself.
    “Arthur! Arthur! Come here and hug an old friend!” he exclaims, which basically sets security at ease.  After a bear hug, he regards me quite seriously. “These are sad and serious times Arthur, I am pleased you are here safely with us.  Come, I need to speak with you privately before you summon your entourage.”
    I follow him through the subterranean halls of the Techno-Mage headquarters and we walk to his office.  He directs me to a seat and sits his portly frame on his desk in a most un-stuffy manner in front of me.  “Something’s happening Arthur, I do not know what it is exactly but it is something, don’t you agree?”
    I tell him , "That makes sense."
    “So ,” he continues “I need my organization working at its peak.  Your visit to our Berlin facility with Grey taught me a thing or two about what to expect of you and some of your party.”
    Damn.  Sil – again. When we visited the Berlin facility to be studied, I allowed Sil permission to play with the staff as long as no permanent harm was done.  I guess she did. I tested my hypothesis by naming her directly.
    “Yes Arthur, we can’t afford those kind of distractions and I almost lost a very important person in my organization.  Apparently he was a virgin and she, imprinted on him - it’s a thing they can do to a first timer.  You have no idea what it took to keep him from leaving us and going to the chateau to ask her hand in marriage.”  He rolls his eyes at the absurdity of it.
    And I have to agree, Sil isn’t the marrying kind.
    “Ok ay, Arthur, Your succubus is a fine enough old girl, I rather enjoyed my conversations with her.”
    I give him the eye after that comment.
    “Not hing like that,” he clarifies. “Anyway, predators are predators, and most are of little danger when well fed.”  With that he hands me an ornate box.  I open it and there is a large bottle of luminescent blue liquid and a dropper.
    “A mage’s energy recovery potion ,” he tells me. “Six time distillation, very powerful. In fact this has a street value of about ten thousand dollars. Of course, we are the primary manufacturers.” he says with a smile and a wink.  “Still, a few drops should meet her dietary requirements for life energy. I expect her to be well fed, happy and leaving my guild members and staff alone.”
    I answer with a, “wow” as this is a generous gift. I nod to Edgar in acknowledgement. “She’ll be no issue,” I tell him.
    “Good !” is the snappy reply. “Please keep in mind that Percy Baumgarter is the very important person I told you of that your succubus imprinted on. He’s a brilliant mathematician, engineer, computer analyst and savant of codes.  Please, please, make her aware that he is off limits now. Also… please have your leprechaun keep that dreadful flask to himself.”
    All was said with a smile so I knew I wasn’t being dressed down.
    We share a few more pleasantries and some memories of Grey. Edgar shows me to our bank of rooms and leaves me to summon my group after instructing me on how to find the conference room.  So I summon my group.  I direct everyone to their room assignments.  Shey is disappointed that I choose to bunk with Pffiferil. Everyone heads to their rooms but I stop Sil and ask Pffif to leave us, which of course gets a raised eyebrow.
    I share Edgar’s input with Sil and hand her the box.  She dips one of her black ,