Summoner 16, p.10
Summoner 16, page 10
“Whatever, yokel,” Nia scoffed with a whip of her ashen colored ponytail. Then she directed her flame at the wick of a small lantern, and the room was bathed in a soft orange light as the multi elementalist turned to stab into me with her piercing blue eyes. “You should be thanking us for introducing your wife to the local culture.”
I rolled my eyes, and Nia giggled again. She was in a good mood, and beyond any flippant words, seeing her so happy warmed my heart.
“So,” I said in a cautious tone, “I got a letter from your dad.”
“The invitation?” Nia grinned. “Good.”
“Oh, you knew about it?” I arched an eyebrow. “Thanks for warning me.”
“It was my idea.” The ashen-haired mage shrugged. “I told him I had news, but I wanted to wait until we could all sit down over dinner.”
“He’s probably already suspicious, then, you know that, right?” I shook my head. “Why did you have to say you had news?”
“What?” Nia shot me a questioning glance. “Maybe I would be less nervous if I knew he was stewing for a while first, did you ever think about that?”
“No,” I chuckled. “I didn’t think about that. I just don’t want to be interrogated the second I enter the house.”
“My father has more class than that.” Nia stuck her nose up into the air. “Who do you take us for?”
“Alright, alright,” I said as I held up my hands in surrender. “My mistake. So, what should I wear? I have my travel clothes, and my new uniforms, but that’s about it.”
“I can get a nice outfit delivered in the morning,” she suggested. Then her eyes lit up, and she gasped. “I almost forgot. Freya is invited, too, so she can borrow one of my dresses.”
“I want to borrow one of your dresses,” Layla complained. “Why am I left out of the dinner invitation, for that matter? You know how much I like food.”
“We’re going to tell my father that we’re getting married,” the ashen-haired elementalist explained. “I think it’s best if it’s a little more intimate for such a big conversation.”
“You’re right.” Layla pouted. “Whatever, I’ll just host my own dinner party. It will be way more fun than whatever uppity shindig your dad can throw.”
“I have no doubt whatever you do is going to be great,” I agreed with a grin. “We’ll have a big dinner party together sometime, too.”
“You promise?” Layla’s eyes went wide, and she hopped up and down with excitement.
“I swear.” I nodded to emphasize my declaration.
The next day, I visited the Academy bath house before I prepared for the dinner with Nia’s father. Layla had dragged Freya off with her shortly after the two late sleepers had woken up, and I could only imagine the shenanigans they were getting into. I gave the petite summoner strict instructions to help my shapeshifting wife get cleaned up and ready for dinner with the Grand Mage, and I hoped the serious tone of my voice penetrated the buzz of thoughts inside Layla’s brain.
Even though I’d often fantasized about the lavish bath house on campus, my memory paled in comparison to the monumental structure and the relaxing heat of the pools seemed better than I remembered. It had been a long time since I could lay my head back and let my stiff and sore muscles stretch out. It was long overdue, but I didn’t want to leave Nia waiting for me, so I cut my soak a little shorter than I would have liked.
I spent a little extra time trimming and washing my hair, and I grimaced at the grime dripping off my body toward the drain. Then I pulled a comb through my hair and tied it back before I pulled on the brand-new outfit Nia had provided for me.
The navy-blue pants fit me perfectly, and a crease ran along the front down to the hem. I buttoned up the white long sleeve shirt and tucked the bottom loosely into my waistband, and then I slid my arms into the matching navy-blue vest to complete the ensemble. With my collar unbuttoned to reveal the top of my chest fuzz, and my newly cleaned boots shining, I knew I would make a good impression on the famous Kenefick Grand Mage.
I had more than enough of my own accomplishments to look any man square in the eyes with my head held high, but I still hoped Nia’s father approved.
I rolled up my dirty linens and tucked them under my arm as I made the trek toward the entrance of the Academy. The grounds were quiet, but it was the weekend, so most of the students were enjoying their time away from their studies. Many would still have their noses deep in books, either in the library or their dorm rooms, but I knew it was unlikely I would run into anyone on my way out.
As I crossed the courtyard, however, I spotted Nia and Freya angling toward me from the direction of the girls’ dorms.
“Gryff, wait up!” Nia called out as she waved her arm over her head. Her piercing blue eyes glittered with excitement as they neared me, and I paused to give my fiancée and my wife an appreciative glance.
Nia wore a long, pale blue dress that slid across her skin like liquid, and her silvery hair was loose down her back. She clutched a small, matching purse in her hand, and the bangle bracelets lining her wrists jingled with her steps.
Freya wore a soft pink gown with thin straps across the shoulder and a cinch beneath her breasts. The warrior princess looked like something out of a fairy tale with small braids woven into her wild blonde mane, and there was a subtle application of rouge across her cheeks.
“You look great,” Nia exclaimed as she took in my cleaned-up appearance. “Who knew you could look like a well-mannered gentleman?”
“You both look amazing,” I gushed with a grin. “I’m going to dinner with two princesses, what could be better than that?”
“Let’s get going, then,” Nia said with a determined look. “I don’t want to be late.”
“It’s almost that time, huh,” I said with a smirk, and then we strode toward the Academy entrance at a quick pace.
A few moments later, we were climbing into a carriage, and Nia gave the driver her father’s address in the city.
“When did your dad move to Varle Enclave?” I asked as the ashen-haired beauty settled into her seat.
“Shortly after becoming Grand Mage,” she explained. “It was becoming too challenging to travel back and forth from Hartmire, especially with our hometown in ruins, so he purchased a townhouse here in Varle.”
“At least it won’t take long to get there,” I commented, but nervous anticipation began to fill my stomach with butterflies.
“Don’t worry,” Nia said, and she squeezed my hand affectionately, “it’s going to be fine. He’s going to be happy for us.”
“I hope so.” I gave her a tight-lipped smile.
“Nia’s father is big chief?” Freya asked with a curious tilt of her head.
“Basically,” I laughed. My wife had apparently picked up on some of the context of our conversation, and her level of understanding amazed me. It hadn’t been all that long ago since she’d learned her first word in Mistral, but she understood more and more every day.
The drive did not take long, and after what felt like only moments later, the carriage came to a halt in front of a three-story mansion tucked between two similar buildings. The front was carved with stone decals and ornate statues, the windows were taller than a troll, and wide stone steps led up to a green painted door with a gold door knocker nailed onto the center.
Nia strode purposefully up the steps with a comfortable air, and Freya and I followed behind her with more hesitant steps.
Then I swallowed down the lump in my throat as the ashen-haired mage pounded the knocker three times.
What seemed like an eternity later, the door opened, and a round woman in a white smock greeted us. The woman beckoned us into the foyer, and I gaped at the inside of the Kenefick townhouse. Nia spoke of her father’s mansion with such casual grace, but in reality the vaulted, gilded ceilings were jaw droppingly beautiful.
And this wasn’t even their main home.
We stood in a wide hallway with a bright, white tile floor, and behind who I assumed to be Grand Mage Kenefick’s maid stood a mahogany wood staircase that curled up to the second story. To my left was an archway that led to a large room filled with a huge table surrounded by countless chairs, and to the right was another archway and a room with desks inside. I could smell cooking food, and my mouth watered. I’d eaten a quick breakfast, but I skipped lunch, and I was famished.
“How are you, Susi?” Nia asked the woman who’d let us in.
“Wonderful, Miss Nia,” Susi replied with a warm smile. “Your father is expecting you. He is in the kitchen, micromanaging my dinner.”
“Sounds like him,” Nia chuckled.
Then Susi turned and trotted down the hallway beneath the staircase, and Nia followed behind her. Freya shot me a questioning glance, and I shrugged and gestured for her to go in front of me.
When we stepped into the humongous kitchen, I had to force myself not to gape like an uncultured yokel. Thick wooden countertops encircled the entire room, and a large stove occupied most of the far wall.
Behind a center island covered in various pots, pans, and serving dishes stood Gallahar Kenefick, one of the most famous and powerful mages of all time, the head of the Council of Mages, and most importantly, Nia’s father.
The man had an intimidating presence, and that was before taking in his appearance. Gallahar was a tall man by any standards, and his slicked back gray speckled hair gave him a dignified air. His sideburns and goatee framed a face lit up with joy, and his blue eyes were identical to his daughter’s as he scanned us over.
“Ah, Nia, finally.” Gallahar smiled and rubbed his hands together. “How do you feel about garlic roasted pheasant?”
“Whatever you choose for dinner will be fabulous,” Nia said, and she crossed the room to plant a kiss against her father’s cheek. “Thank you for having us.”
“When my daughter says she has news, I drop everything,” Gallahar laughed. “Gryff, I’m glad you made it, and this is your wife, I presume?”
“Yes,” I confirmed with a small bow of my head. “This is Freya of Hawk Clan.”
“Welcome, Freya,” Nia’s father greeted with a warm smile. “Now, let’s all get settled in the dining room, and I’ll have Susi bring out the appetizers.”
A moment later, we were positioned around the ornately carved wooden dining table, and Freya and I sat facing Nia and her father while we sipped our drinks and picked at the little stacks of meat, cheese, and bread stabbed by toothpicks.
Rich people and their tiny food. I shook my head as I layered two of the appetizers together before I shoved them into my mouth in one big bite.
Nia rolled her eyes at my action, and she nibbled along the edge of her food like a mouse.
“So, Nia, Gryff,” Gallahar said after we’d sat in silence for a moment. “What is this big news?”
“We should wait until after dinner,” Nia suggested in a hesitant tone, and I could tell by the soft pink blush creeping up her neck that her nerves had settled in again.
I cleared my throat, and my ashen-haired fiancée sent me a warning look, but I ignored her as I looked her father straight in his piercing blue eyes. It felt like he could see into my very heart, and I sent a silent prayer to the Maker that he approved of what he saw there.
“Mister Kenefick, sir,” I started in a confident voice. “I’d like to formally request your daughter’s hand in marriage.”
There. It was out there in the open, and now he knew.
My head swam and my stomach fluttered, but I took a few steadying breaths and held the Grand Mage’s gaze.
Would he accept me?
If he didn’t, would Nia defy his wishes to be with me?
I steeled myself for whatever response he gave. I’d do whatever I had to in order to marry Nia.
She was mine, forever, and nothing would ever change that.
Chapter Six
Gallahar Kenefick held my gaze for a long moment, and I got the feeling the famous mage was staring into the very fibers of my being. His expression was unreadable, neither furious nor overjoyed, but it could be worse. He could have demanded I leave as soon as the words came out of my mouth.
Nia held her breath, and her blue eyes were intense as her gaze flicked between me and her father, but she didn’t say anything. The tension in the air intensified, and then Nia’s father cleared his throat and pulled on his goatee with a thoughtful motion.
“This is big news,” Gallahar commented as his eyes drifted to Nia’s. “Is this truly what you want? You want to get married?”
The ashen-haired prodigy bit her lip, but she nodded firmly. “Yes, Father. I love Gryff, and he loves me. I want to spend the rest of my life with him.”
“Gryff is a fine man,” her father agreed as he inclined his head. “I have expressed my opinion on his character before, but marriage is a lifelong commitment, and you have only just started your second year at the Academy.”
“I know our previous agreement was marriage after my graduation,” Nia countered with a determined lift of her chin, “but at the time, you were planning on choosing my husband for me based on his social standing alone. It’s different when it’s something I choose myself.”
“I see.” Gallahar frowned. Then he made a face like he was arguing with himself before he slowly sipped from his wine glass. “I must admit, I suddenly find myself a bit speechless… ”
“All you need to do is accept, sir,” I pressed with bated breath.
“What is the problem?” Freya asked in heavily accented Mistral. “Gryff is the strongest warrior. Any woman should be honored to be his wife and bear his children. She will be a great sister-wife to me and the others, and a wonderful mother, I can already tell. You should be proud of your daughter.”
“I am proud of my daughter,” Gallahar returned, and his frown deepened. “While it might be the custom where you come from, it is highly unusual for a man to have more than one wife here in Mistral. It would require a lot of explaining during social functions.”
“Forgive me, but that’s no reason to reject our marriage, Father,” Nia interjected. “To bow before cultural stigmas and societal expectations would be a weakness. We are Keneficks, and we know who we are. I do not need to explain my personal life to anyone, and besides, I have never heard of any laws against polygamy.”
“There are none,” her father sighed and ran a hand across his head.
“If I may, sir,” I said in a cautious tone, “I do not wish to bring shame or embarrassment to the Kenefick family. I will do whatever I need to if it means I get Nia as my wife.”
“Are you aware of what all that entails?” Gallahar Kenefick raised an eyebrow as he steepled his fingers against his lips. “You grew up in the Wilds, did you not?”
“I did.” I nodded confidently. While I’d been defensive of my country upbringing with others, I knew Nia’s father did not mean any disrespect. He was simply being pragmatic.
“There would be much to learn,” the Grand Mage continued. “I would be willing to teach you, though.”
“I’d appreciate that, sir,” I replied with a tentative smile. He didn’t seem fully onboard with the idea yet, but he wasn’t completely rejecting it, either.
“The annual charity gala is coming up in a few months,” he added. “Do you know how to dance?”
“I’ve been known to have a few moves.” I smirked.
Nia rolled her eyes. “Not tavern dancing, Gryff. Ballroom. Waltz, tango, the quadrian, that sort of thing.”
“Yeah, I don’t know anything about those fancy dances.” I shrugged. “But how hard could it be?”
“The quadrian is my favorite,” Nia informed me with a twinkle in her beautiful blue eyes. “It’s an intricate dance with two sets of couples creating a square shaped pattern on the dance floor with their movements. Some people train for years. They compete against other dancers for large prizes.”
“Nia is a talented dancer,” Gallahar commented with a proud glance at his ashen-haired daughter. “There was a time we thought it may be her calling.”
“Pff,” the elementalist argued while her cheeks turned a rosy hue.
“She has natural grace, so I wouldn’t expect anything less than talent from her,” I replied with a wide grin. “You could tell me she was a champion speed eater, and I’d believe it.”
The Grand Mage’s lips twitched up into a smile.
Nia sighed and rolled her eyes, but then she leveled a steady look at me and her father. “Father, Gryff, focus, please.”
“Very well, sweetheart,” Gallahar replied with a chuckle. “If Gryff can prove himself capable of participating in our world, then I hold no objections to your marriage.”
“Thank you, sir.” I let out the breath I didn’t know I’d been holding, and the tension eased from my shoulders.
“Please, Gryff,” Gallahar admonished in a playful tone. “We’re going to be family, call me Sir Dad.”
I couldn’t help it. I busted out laughing, and Nia shot me a look that was clearly meant to end my sound of merriment, but I ignored her.
“The Aunts will need convincing,” Nia’s father suddenly mused with creased eyebrows. “They’ve been wanting the Maddox-Kenefick connection strengthened for decades, and they won’t take the disappointment easily.”
“Let me handle the Aunts,” Nia insisted with a stubborn tone. “I can charm the wax from a honeybee, Father.”
“Interesting analogy.” Gallahar bowed his head in respect. “You and I both know the aunts are nowhere near as sweet as a honeybee, though.”
“Sorry, but, uh, who are the Aunts?” I interrupted cautiously.
“My father’s sisters,” the Grand Mage answered with a sigh. “They are ancient, yet still seem to have a way to manipulate the entire Kenefick family into following their will.”
“Why do we need their approval?” I was flustered by the intricate politics involved in the upper-class lifestyle. Why did everything have to be so complicated?
“They control who is included in social events,” Nia explained, “as well as the distribution of grandfather’s inheritance, since they are the executors of his will.”
