Metal mage 5, p.24
Metal Mage 5, page 24
I strained and tried to stand, but Shoshanne pinned my hips to the ground. “Mason you can’t fight like this,” she insisted. “And what about House Quyn?”
I sighed and looked into the worried eyes of the Aer Mage. “Shoshanne, I can’t heal him if he won’t move, and right now I have no fucking clue how to move him. But I do know how to kill the leader of House Syru.”
Tears sprang up in Shoshanne’s eyes, and I felt horrible for being so harsh. I knew how much she wanted to help the ailing man, but I simply couldn’t make it happen for her.
“I’m sorry,” I told her earnestly, “but I can’t do it. Not now. We’ll come straight back here the second House Syru is--”
“But …” she said as her throat tightened, and tears spilled down her cheeks. “But you changed the metal. You … you just--”
“What does that have to do with anything?” I asked in confusion. I hated to see her cry, and I reached up to wipe the tears away, but she pulled her face back.
“You changed the metal,” she said again, but her throat caught as a sob came out.
I frowned. “Shoshanne I don’t know what--”
“Wait,” Aurora cut in, and she grabbed my arm. “You knew how many elves there were, you used your magic to do that, I felt it.”
“Yeah.” I nodded. “I felt them walking along the ground. I woke up and my magic was agitated and--”
“Mason you changed the metal, you can change the soil,” the half-elf interrupted, and her eyes were wide as she clutched my arm even tighter.
Shoshanne nodded and wiped her tears away as she looked at me. “You … you said you would help him, and you changed the metal,” she managed to say.
My skin began to tingle as I processed what the woman was trying to tell me, and as my mind fully grasped on her point, I reached forward and pulled Shoshanne into a fiery kiss. When I released her, her cheeks were beet red beneath her tears.
She looked almost hopeful. “Can you cha--” she tried, but I laughed in relief before she could finish.
“Yes,” I told her. “Yes, I’ll do it, holy shit. You’re a genius.”
Shoshanne’s eyes sparked as she smiled, and I kissed her once more before I wiped the last few tears from her cheek.
“Okay, someone please explain what you’re talking about,” Cayla said from behind me.
“The soil,” I told her as I gritted my teeth against the pain it took to turn around. “I can change the soil and make the naticea grow. It just needs the proper growing environment, and I can give that to them.”
“Gods, Mason,” the princess breathed. “You can do that?”
“I think I can,” I said with a grin. “I changed the composition of the steel to make the bows. And last night I was as present in the earth as I’d been when I did that. If I can change the composition of the soil in the same way then--”
“Then House Quyn can stay in the south, and no one will ever know about their leader,” Cayla finished with a smile.
“Exactly. They can grow their own groves of naticea, and the leader can have the treatment he needs to live without the pain and the disease spreading.” The weight in my chest lifted immediately as everything fell into place, and I turned to Shoshanne.
“How soon can I be up?” I asked her. “I need to get the soil changed and be headed north within the day. Those warriors from House Syru were fucking maniacs, and I’m not sitting here any longer than absolutely necessary.”
“The day?” she asked, and her face fell. “Mason, you lost a lot of blood. You shouldn’t be travelling at all, at least not within a day. Please let your body rest, you won’t be any use to House Natyr if you’re passing out.”
I sighed and scruffed my beard, and Cayla’s hand curled around my arm to gently pull me back to her. I let her settle my head in her lap, and she stroked my forehead as she looked down at me.
“Slowly,” she said in a soft voice. “We’ll handle House Syru, don’t worry, but you need to heal.”
I nodded despite the irritation pulsing through my veins, and I tried to turn my focus to the plush thighs pressed around me. “Fine,” I muttered. “But the second House Quyn is handled, we’re heading north. I can finish healing on the way there.”
Cayla exchanged a nervous glance with the other two women, but I closed my eyes. If I needed rest, I’d power through it as quickly as I possibly could. Hopefully, House Syru wouldn’t have their next ambush organized before then.
“Okay, let me focus,” I mumbled, and I furrowed my brow intently. “I can probably heal in half the time if I just relax.”
Shoshanne snorted, and when I opened my eyes, she quickly hid her smile behind her hand. “I’m sorry,” she giggled. “I love your determination, but that’s not how it works.”
I grinned and closed my eyes once more. “How much you wanna bet?”
Chapter 16
Two guards returned within the hour with two giant platters, one covered in fruits and cheeses, and the other steaming with fresh baked bread and some meat that smelled like heaven itself.
“Thank you,” I said earnestly, and I propped myself up to get a look at the feast. “This is incredibly kind of you, it’s been a hell of a morning.”
The guards didn’t say a word, only nodded and headed back to their house.
“Nice guys … ” I muttered to Cayla, and the princess giggled as she reached across me to grab a golden slice of fruit. She lifted it to my lips for me to take a bite, and then she kissed me to catch the juice that slicked my bottom lip.
“Mmm,” she sighed, “delicious.”
I cocked a brow in her direction and piled some meat onto a warm slice of bread. “Yeah, you are,” I said with a wink.
Cayla blushed lightly and reached for another helping, and Shoshanne settled herself on my other side while Aurora continued practicing with her glaive against an unfortunate tree.
“Are you gonna eat some of this?” I asked through a juicy bite.
The half-elf sighed, but she finally abandoned her tree and dropped to the dirt with us. She picked up some cheese and ate mechanically, and her emerald eyes burned into the dirt as she thought.
“Still worried about House Syru?” I asked.
“Of course, I am,” she replied with a glower. “Onym didn’t give up, and those warriors sure as hell won’t. They were insane. They just kept coming no matter what I did. I mean … that guy had three arrows in his gut and he just … ” She trailed off and shook her head as she shoved a golden slice of fruit into her mouth.
“Maybe it was the rune,” I mused. “The Master only seems to be getting more powerful. He could have figured out a way to sustain his lackies against attacks.”
“That’s a terrifying thought,” Cayla muttered.
“Agreed,” I sighed, and I gestured to the dead elf stretched out a little ways away in the clearing. “But a bullet still does the trick, so we’ll keep ourselves well-armed, and that’s all we can do for now.”
Aurora scanned the trees with a scowl. “We’re like sitting ducks here,” she grumbled tensely.
“We’ll get to House Quyn after breakfast and be on our way soon, don’t worry,” I assured her.
Shoshanne immediately turned to me. “I told you no.”
I decided not to respond. The meat the guards had brought us was a little gamey, but it fed my blood exactly what it needed, and I felt less lightheaded by the minute. It was unbelievably rejuvenating, and the fresh baked bread seemed to warm my body back up to its normal temperature. I piled some of the exotic fruits on a spongy slice of the stuff and shoved the whole piece in my mouth at once, but when I glanced up, Shoshanne still had her eyes glued to me.
I smirked and mumbled through my bite. “What’s that look for?”
“You’re not ready to travel,” she said flatly.
I shrugged. “Not yet.”
“And you won’t be for another day,” she continued.
I thought about this as I scooped up another helping of the gamey meat. “That might be the case,” I allowed, “unless … ”
“Unless what?” the healer asked, and she narrowed her warm brown eyes threateningly.
I swallowed and tried for a charming smile. “Unless you happen to have anymore of those fantastic little berries in that bag of yours.”
Shoshanne rolled her eyes. “Mason, I told you, you’re not just sustaining yourself on--”
“I lost damn near half my blood, woman,” I cut in. “Bloodless over here. I don’t wanna tell you how to do your job, but this seems like the exact circumstance that would call for it.”
Aurora gave a reluctant nod to the Aer Mage, and Shoshanne let out an irritated sigh in response.
“Fine,” she snapped. “But only one. You’re not living off Tiorlin berries. You’re healing fully like you should.”
I considered this and the warriors of House Syru I’d most likely be battling again soon. “You’re a stingy healer, you know that?”
Shoshanne leveled a lethal glare in my direction, and I was reminded my life genuinely rested in her hands, so I cleared my throat. “Which I value of course, because we rely on you in so many ways and also … have I mentioned how beautiful you look today?” I sent her a winning smile.
The Aer Mage rolled her eyes as she reached to pull her healer’s bag closer.
“Stunning,” I continued graciously. “Practically radiant, that’s how beautiful.”
“Oh, shut up,” she groaned as she pulled a small vile from her bag.
I eyed it with interest and figured there were at least twenty Tiorlin berries inside, but I flicked my eyes away before she could catch me counting.
Shoshanne looked anything but impressed by my charm as she handed over a single silver berry.
I popped it between my teeth and boldly sent the caramel beauty a wink. “You’re an angel,” I assured her. “Truly.”
“You’re a flirt,” she replied with a smirk. “You’re lucky you’re so handsome.”
I nodded heartily. “It’s gotten me through a lot in life.”
My energy sparked as the Tiorlin berry worked its magic, and my appetite practically doubled, so I spent the next half hour gorging myself on the exotic feast from House Quyn.
When I was finally satiated, I decided to give standing a try, and I was pleased to find I didn’t immediately keel over.
“Slowly … ” Shoshanne warned as she came to my side. “How’s your head feel?”
“Perfectly fine,” I lied. In truth, it felt a few pounds too light, but it was infinitely better than the pounding headache I’d had only an hour before.
The healer stooped to check the bandage around my thigh. “How’s the pain?” she asked.
I shrugged. “Painful,” I said with a chuckle, “but it’s not so bad. That poultice you put on it is starting to kick in.”
I took a few turns around the clearing to get my bearings. The spliced muscles in my thigh protested angrily, but I took it slowly and tried to put most of my weight on my good leg.
When I came back to where the women had just finished their meal, I announced I was definitely fine. “Let’s head over to House Quyn,” I suggested. “There’s an old elf who’s not getting any better while we sit around over here.”
Shoshanne couldn’t argue with this, so we gathered our things up and mounted Bobbie for the short trek to the house.
We left the bike beneath the willowish trees again, and Cayla looped her arm around my waist to help me limp along the path and up to House Quyn. The heavy fog was already gathering in the heat of the day, but the shadows that engulfed the crumbling structure were refreshingly cool.
We slowed down as got closer, and Aurora carefully scanned the thick bluish plants that surrounded us on both sides.
I raised my voice so anyone who might be lurking in the shadows would here.
“I’m approaching the house, and it’d be great if you didn’t throw any of those darts this time,” I hollered as we came to a stop, and I lifted my arms to the side for good measure. “I’m low on blood and frankly not in the mood to be tranquilized today. My arms are raised, there’s no weapons in my hands … it’d be pretty shitty of you to take advantage of that.”
I heard a low chuckle to the right, and Dragir brushed the plants aside as he came around the side of the house with half a smirk on his face.
“Thank you,” I said with a grin. “Very hospitable of you.”
“What do you want?” the elf asked wryly as he crossed his arms in front of us.
I lowered my arms. “I wanted to have a word with your father, if now is a good time.”
“It is not,” he told me flatly. “My father has been in council with our warriors all morning. He needs to rest.”
I nodded. “Well, I’ll have a word with you then,” I said with a shrug. “I can help your father.”
A flicker of irritation came to the elf’s face. “We do not want your weapons.”
“I know,” I replied, “but you need naticea or your father will suffer a slow and painful death, and I can help.”
“I doubt that,” Dragir returned.
I furrowed my brow, but I tried to ignore his coarse attitude as I continued. “I can make it grow,” I informed him, “right here in your own lands.”
The elf narrowed his eyes. “That’s impossible.”
I sighed. “You’re a pretty negative guy, you know? Everything’s a no, not now, it’s impossible, we don’t want … how about a little faith, huh?”
Dragir shifted in irritation, and his face became a condescending mask. “How do you expect to make it grow?”
“Wellll, I’m just a mere mage,” I said with a smirk, “but I’m pretty sure I can do it if you give me like … any chance to try.”
“With your Terra magic?” he asked.
“That’s right,” I answered with a nod. “My healer knows how to tend to the plant as well, so once I adjust the soil, she can get your grove going with the plants you have already. If it works, you can travel north and harvest a few more plants to expand your grove whenever you want.”
Dragir looked briefly relieved, but he swiftly corrected this with a stern glare. “We will not give you our vote,” he assured me. “Now more than ever it is imperative we guard the secrets of rune magic. This Master may be a threat to our way of life, and House Quyn cannot risk their knowledge falling into his hands.”
I raised my brows. “So … you personally have knowledge of rune magic?” I clarified.
Dragir bristled. “We do not want your help,” he stiffly replied. “Keep your Terra magic skills and leave this land.”
I honestly couldn’t believe he’d be willing to send us away now that I’d offered to help save his father’s life, but I didn’t understand a hell of a lot about the ways of the elves. So, I just sighed and added his arrogance to the list.
Then I glanced over to Shoshanne.
The Aer Mage looked painfully concerned, and she sent me a slightly desperate look beneath her crinkled brow.
“Look,” I said as I turned back to the hostile elf, and I fought to ignore my anger, “I don’t want your vote, alright? Keep your precious secrets and carry on living under a rock if you like. But if you want your father to live, we can help. No strings attached.”
Dragir studied me in silence, and I did my best not to look too pissed while he took his time deciding.
The truth was, I did want to help heal the leader. I just didn’t want to do it at the expense of losing a vote and precious time that could be spent taking down House Syru.
I focused instead on the vote I knew I could secure from House Natyr and the relief Shoshanne would feel once we’d taken care of the sickly leader.
Still … if Dragir took much more time making up his mind, I’d probably plant my fist through his arrogant face.
I had begun to seriously entertain the idea when the leaves rustled at the edge of the house, and the beautiful elven woman emerged.
Dragir flicked his eyes to her. “Go inside, Deya,” he growled.
Deya held her violet eyes steadily with his own as she slowly came to his side, and she rested her hand on his shoulder as she spoke softly. Her words were in Elvish, but they sounded tender and sincere, and her brother’s face finally lost its hostile edge. His gaze drifted to the ground as he listened, and when Deya finished speaking, she waited patiently for a long moment before Dragir gave a small nod.
Deya turned her violet eyes to me, and my heart kicked an extra beat as her beauty caught me off guard again.
“We accept,” Deya said. “Thank you for your kindness. It means the world to us.”
I only nodded in response, because I’d lost track of where my mouth connected to my brain.
Then the elven woman raised her pale hand and gestured for us to follow her around the side of the house.
We moved to join her, but Dragir’s hand snapped out at the last second, and he locked his grip around Aurora’s elbow.
“Not her,” he growled.
And that was my limit.
“Alright,” I sighed, just before I planted my fist in the stubborn elf’s face.
His head slammed back against the stonework behind him, and his hand dropped from Aurora’s arm, but he quickly recovered. Before I could react, he had already pulled a translucent dagger from his belt.
Then Deya spoke, and her voice was sharp as knives as the air surged with a peculiar charge of energy, and the trees trembled above us. She berated her brother in Elvish, and I didn’t even want to know what the words meant. It sounded like some hideous and ancient curse, and I instinctively dropped my eyes to the dirt as she tore into her brother from her place beside the trees.
Dragir lowered his dagger immediately, and I smirked when I realized he couldn’t meet her sights either. He glowered at the trees in the opposite direction instead, and when the elven woman finally said all she had to say, the leaves gradually settled themselves again.
Then Dragir gave a curt nod, and I glanced over to Deya.
