Free Merchants and Mages (Highmage's Plight Book 2) by D.H. Aire Page A

fear. It bit him. “Ow!”
      The mare’s eyes watered and it shook its head. Carefully backing away as a tear splashed over his bite. Raven knocked the second archer onto the enchanted ground. He stared, then raised his hands to his head and cried out, falling to his knees.
      George looked over the mare’s shoulder. “Okay, I’m game, what the hell did you do?”
      DO NOT CONCERN YOURSELF… IT’S A FITTING PUNISHMENT FOR THEIR CRIMES, the Summoning said.
      “What did you do?”
      WHAT I DO – GET MY WAY.
      George drew his discolored dagger and stabbed it onto the enchanted ground. Blue smoke exploded outward as he sundered the spell. “Raven, find their horses. We’ll take them with us to our planned meeting with our new friends.”
    #
    The elfblood did not understand why they bound his hands or tied the two men to the horses they found nearby.
      He glanced at the mare as it sidled over to him, tears in its eyes. It shook his head and one of those tears reached the bite, which momentarily glistened. The mare looked deeply into his eyes and he felt… He couldn’t explain it. Without memory, he shouldn’t feel – well, whole was, perhaps, the best way to explain it.
      Ride well, my child.
      He shook his head and realized they had been riding for quite some time. A cart with a dozen barrels on it was waiting ahead of them with six guardsmen.
     
    “You want us to leave these fellows at Niota?” one of the Guilder guards asked.
      George nodded. “They can use a few new guardsmen – its part of my contract with the Keep’s lord… Also, I’ve no doubt he’ll find the powder quite handy.”
      “Well, the Master agreed we’d ship anywhere in the Province... which technically includes Niota.”
      “And you’re to tell no one who ordered this,” Se’and affirmed.
      “Right, we’re only to say a little birdy told us to bring it – no charge.”
      George nodded.
      “And you really want us to untie them once you’re out of sight.”
      “They’re a bit disoriented.”
      “But that Bertin, he’s one of the meanest crooks in Ueryln!”
      “Oh, just don’t tell him that,” George said.
      “Huh?”
      “Never mind,” George said. “Just know if you treat him like a villain that’s likely how he’ll turn out… Oh, and don’t be surprised if, well, he doesn’t know how to use that sword of his or that bow at first.”
      The Guilders frowned, but were soon on their way.
      Se’and muttered, “You’re not going to explain, are you?”
      His mount glanced back, then at Raven as she bounded forward, shimmered and took to the air as a pale winged falc with a black crest.
      “Uh, I don’t think even you’d believe me… I’m not sure that I even do.” The Summoning was humming in his head again. “I’m coming. I’m coming.”
     
    The elfblood looked at his hand that night, feeling his blood pulsing. He breathed harder and harder as he slipped out of his blanket. He was so hot that he unlaced his jerkin. He wiped sweat from his brow, pulling off his jerkin… The next morning the Guilders found only his clothes.
      “Where did he go?” they demanded, suspicious of the two well––known hoodlums.
      Bertin and Towsin looked at each other, then echoed each other, “Who?”
      “We’re better off without him!” the senior Guilder said. “Let’s get to Niota and get this job done.”
      They seemed to find it unremarkable that they had a somewhat large spare mount trailing after them. The stallion glanced back as the brush behind them suddenly rippled under an unnatural breeze.
      EXCELLENT, the breeze said as it watched them head east.
      The stallion whinnied as it trotted after the cart with the bemused men and the Guilders.
      The breeze moved off.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

 
     
     
    The Scrying
    Chapter 11
     
     
     
    S crying is an art. It is made