Merchants and Mages (Highmage's Plight Book 2) (21 page)

Swords and Conscience

Chapter 36

“H
ah!” Fri’il shouted as she swung her sword in the forms in the privacy of their rooms at the inn.

 
Se’and chided, “Bend your right knee more!”

 
She did and continued the practice pattern. Se’and nodded, watching Fri’il’s new sword in motion. “It’s lighter than it looks, isn’t it, Je’orj?”

 
He nodded.

 
“Hah.”

 
Raven growled, then joined Fri’il’s dance. She bounded and twisted amid the young woman’s movement. Fur bent flat whenever the enchanted sword moved too close.

 
“Pick up the pace, Fri’il,” Se’and ordered, then leaned closer to Je’orj. “That sword is amazing.”

 
“As long as she doesn’t depend on it. I’m starting to regret letting her keep it.”

 
“Why? It’s keyed to her and you left the Faeryn mages no choice.”

 
“Se’and, I don’t actually trust magic.”

 
“But you do magery all the time.”

 
“No, as I’ve told you before, I don’t do magic. What I do is science,” she looked at him oddly. “Human knowledge,” he explained.

 
He watched Fri’il and Raven in their practice and muttered, “The question I’m dealing with is whether I should be bring more magery into my life, and that of those around me.”

 
:And you have not had a headache in seven point three four six days,:
he heard in his mind.

 
He nodded, “It seems the Summoning is happy to have us here.”

 
:The question is why,:
computer staff in his hand said through their mental link.

 
George asked, “Is it me or have you been, well, less irritating of late?”

 
:You’ve told me to keep a low profile, George,:
it replied.

 
“Yeah, but… well, if I didn’t know better I’d think something was bothering you.”

 
:I am a computer, what could bother me?:

 
“That’s what worries me,” George muttered.

 
Se’and glanced at him, “Something else worrying you?”

 
“Let’s see, I’ve been dropped onto a world where magic rules and everyone seems interested in killing me.”

 
Grinning, Se’and said, “Well, that’s why you’ve got us, Milord Husband.”

 
“Don’t call me that… Please!” He felt a headache coming on.

“Of course, Milord,” Se’and replied, “if you prefer to think of us merely as bodyguards, that’s up to you.”

 
Fri’il finished the forms, breathing hard. She looked at her lord and threw him a kiss. Raven rolled over laughing.

 
“You three are insufferable,” he muttered as Raven shimmered and changed, returning to human form.

 
:Fri’il’s cute, isn’t she?:

 
“Oh, you choose now to return to being your irritating self?”

His foster daughter continued to giggle as he went into the suite’s study for some privacy. He gritted his teeth, planted the staff firmly on the floor and walked away from it.

  “Milord!” Se’and shouted and Fri’il echoed.

 
Five feet six point two inches and he felt faint and the staff toppled. Raven grabbed it as her foster–father hit the floor with a loud thud.

#

  He woke in bed with staff leaning against it beside it. Se’and was holding a bowl of vegetable soup; she offered him a spoonful, “Don’t do that again.”

 
:Listen to the woman,:
Staff urged.

 
He opened his mouth to protest and Se’and shoved the spoon in. “Umph.”

 
“Now be a good boy and eat.”

 
Fri’il came out of the bathroom, wearing a towel, her hair wet. Se’and frowned, putting the bowl down. “Perhaps, you should feed Je’orj.”

 
“Uh, no, that’s not necessary!” he rasped.

 
Fri’il quickly came over to the bed as Se’and scooted off and said, “You really need to stop being so foolish.”

 
“Uh, hmm, I really can feed myself.”

 
“Prove it,” Fri’il said. “All you have to do is get out of bed.”

 
The problem was he couldn’t, not yet… That’s what he got for straining his unusually intense bond with the computer, he knew.

 
:Eat, George, you need to get your strength back,:
Staff quipped.

Fri’il giggled as she sat beside and dipped the spoon in the bowl. “Open wide, Milord.”

 
“Fri…oomph,” she was quick.

 
“Now behave yourself, we want you to get your strength back. Oops.” He closed his eyes as the edge of her towel unraveled.

He finished the soup as quickly as he could.

  “Now was that so bad?”

 
He found he could sit up, “No… Se’and!” He looked angrily about the room, “Where are my clothes?! Se’and!” She and Raven had fled to the next room.

 
Fri’il burrowed under the covers, “Oh, you are feeling better.”

“No, I can’t sell you a sword,” Master Ebrim told Master Galt. “I’ll not involve myself further in your game with the Mage Guild.”

 
“Don’t tell me you’re afraid of them?”

 
The old elf lord shook his head, “I steer my own course in life these many years. Get a sword to enchant from someone else.”

 
“The Guild’s got to all the other dealers in the city.”

 
“Ah, then I guess the Lyai will be receiving a bane sword enchanted by the Mage Guild.”

 
“Why won’t you really sell me a sword, General?”

 
“You didn’t take care of the last one. I’ll never forgive you for that.”

 
“What?”

 
“That Cathartan sword was special. To allow treachery to ruin it, that’s something Talik wouldn’t have allowed to happen.”

 
Galt considered telling him the truth, then thought better of it. Jeo d’Aere leaving the Faeryn Hall with the repaired sword, which had been accidentally keyed to that servant boy, Farrel, still stung. “Talik will return.”

 
“He’d better. You need the wits of someone like him or that merchant,

Jeo.”

That night when everyone was asleep, staff stood sentinel. Fri’il slept nestled in George’s arms. Se’and slept on the couch with a brace of throwing knives set out close to hand. Raven was asleep at the foot of the bed.

  Computers never slept. Staff couldn’t dream and its options were limited. Ward their rooms, passive scans running, and it watched Fri’il. The young woman had nearly died in Niota. She’d almost sacrificed herself for the Cathartan ideal.

 
She needed George’s love to save her… and George, well, George was George. It had taken more than a nudge to get those two together. He felt guilty and, something else, the machine had no name for. He had done the unthinkable.

 
Fri’il’s sword twitched.

 
Staff focused on the movement.

 
Twitch, the sword turned several millimeters.

 
:Well, you seem to be trying to get closer to Fri’il. That’s something I can understand.:

 
It quivered.

 
Staff felt something from it.
:I do, but if you fall from the table, you’re going to wake everyone up.:

 
It quivered again.

 
:You will wake up Fri’il and she seems, well, look at her.:

The sword stilled.

 
Staff felt…
:Okay, see?:

 
The sword became quiescent and Staff felt something else. Together they watched Fri’il with her peaceful smile and George’s ever present frown. She kissed him in her sleep.

 
Se’and rolled over on the couch restless, or perhaps, fighting her nightmare.

Hoping for a Sword

Chapter 37

R
aven was fetching a tray of bread and cheeses for breakfast when she saw Dustin arrive. “Uh, Miss Raven, is Master Jeo in?”

 
She nodded as Dustin smiled, “I need to ask him for a favor.”

 
Raven shook her head, gesturing at the pitcher of juice. Dustin carried it up the stairs for her. Fri’il opened the door before they reached the top step. The young elfblood frowned, “Come on, we’re all hungry.”

 
Se’and glanced up from the table, setting out the last of the silverware and plates, “Dustin, you’ll join us, of course.”

 
His stomach growled, “Uh, thank you.”

 
“It seems the Faeryn Hall doesn’t feed its lads well at all,” George said as they set the food on the table.

 
Fri’il cut the bread as Dustin said, “I hope you’re finding the sword to your satisfaction.”

 
She laughed, “Oh, yes.”

 
Se’and sliced the cheese and offered it around.

 
“So what brings you this time?” George asked.

 
“We’re having difficulty acquiring another sword.”

 
“That’s not surprising under the circumstances,” George said. “The Mage Guild likes their monopoly.”

 
“But you’ve helped us break it.”

 
“And I did my part to help with the bane sword commission, but you saw how that turned out.”

 
“Well, we were hoping… well, that you’d reconsider helping us again.”

 
“Dustin, no one’s going to sell you another sword to enchant.”

 
“They might, if you approached them.”

 
“I’m to speak to the Lyai’s factor about the commission in another hour or so.  I’ve no choice but to apologize for failing in the commission,” George said. “Unless, of course, you can get another sword in the next hour…”

 
Dustin shook his head.

 
Se’and frowned, “Perhaps, we could help.”

 
George turned to stare at her as Dustin gasped, “Please! We need this commission badly!”

 
“I might know of another sword.”

 
“Se’and,” George muttered.

 
“It’s quite a fine sword, one of a pair, actually. You’ll need to enchant them both, one for me and the other for the commission.”

 
“Se’and!”

 
“Done!” Dustin exclaimed.

 
“Se’and; in the other room, now!”

 
She rose, “Yes, dear… Please, excuse us.”

 
Fri’il chuckled, “Pass the juice.”

 
Dustin said, “Two swords, what kind? Dwarven made?”

 
Raven glanced at her as Fri’il smiled, “Cathartan.”

 
“Cathartan?” Dustin squeaked. “Where did you get more Cathartan swords?”

 
“Um, Master Jeo is an excellent trader… Eat up; they’re likely going to be a while.”

“You can’t, Se’and!” George said.

 
“Now, Je’orj, you’d begrudge me having my own bane sword? It could come in real handy the way things have been going.”

 
“The Mage Guild is plotting to prevent the Faeryn Hall from getting another sword. All you’ll accomplish is losing your precious swords.”

 
“Hmm,” Se’and replied, “I think you’re doubtless right about that,

which is why I think they should enchant it here.”

  George stared at her.

“You want me to what?” Dustin said.

 
Se’and smiled, “You heard me. We’re not going to try to bring the swords to the Faeryn Hall, where one sword was betrayed and where the Mage Guild expects you to try again if given a chance. So, you’re going to see to it that the mages you need come to beg for Merchant Jeo’s aid.”