Free Battle Mage: Forging New Steel (Tales of Alus Book 9) by Donald Wigboldy Page A

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