Mageborn The Line of Illeniel, Michael Manning [best ebook reader for laptop txt] 📗

Marc opened his hand and placed it over the wound. He could feel her power flowing through him and as he watched the blood stopped and the flesh closed up again without even a scar left behind. The man on the ground was watching him now, eyes wide, as though he were staring at an angel. “You healed me,” he said simply, touching his unblemished stomach.

Marc spoke, “You were healed by the grace of the Evening Star. Her mercy saved your life. Remember that and live with her in your thoughts and actions.” Then he stood up and looked around, a crowd had gathered. People were murmuring in amazement. “The Goddess has blessed this man, and she will bless us all, if we but let her,” he said. Unable to bear their continued stares he worked his way through the crowd and headed for his father’s city home.

First you must go to my temple, to present yourself before the priests there. They must hear my words and prepare to give you a place among them. The goddess spoke within his mind. “Yes my Lady,” he answered and then he turned to head for the temple of Millicenth. He had no more doubts about the future.

***

I woke early the next morning. I had slept more soundly than I had in weeks and for a change I felt fresh and rested. Penny lay beside me, snoring softly… for once. I watched her for a few minutes, marveling at her beauty. I still didn’t understand what she saw in me, but I hoped her eyesight never improved. Remembering her promise from the night before, I decided to see if it was still on the table for discussion.

I eased closer to her and began kissing her neck softly, while my hands... well let’s just say they roamed a lot. The general idea was to get her into such a state that she would be unlikely to refuse me when she finally awoke. It seemed to be working. When her eyes opened I covered her mouth with my own, hoping a kiss would seal the bargain. For a moment it worked, I could feel her excitement, but then she pushed me back.

“Oh you play dirty!” she exclaimed as she untangled herself from the bed sheets.

“You can’t blame a guy for trying.” I was in a good mood despite her strength of will. Was she panting? It might have been my imagination.

“You keep that up and we’ll be in separate beds till the wedding day,” she retorted. I was pretty sure she was bluffing.

“You did trick me last night. That was hardly fair,” I smiled at her.

“What isn’t fair... is you working yourself to death in front of me.”

She might have a point there, but it reminded me of my plans. “Oh that’s right! Where’s your chain shirt? I’ll do it first, and then I can go see how Dad is doing with the molds.”

“Molds?”

I hadn’t had a chance to tell her about our plans yet so I filled her in. She liked the idea and agreed to come along to the smithy with me so that Dad could use her pendant for the molds. Her only condition was that I eat breakfast before I got started. She seemed to think I would starve myself to death if I didn’t eat in front of her.

Dorian came in while we were eating. He looked tired. “Got any more of that?” He motioned toward my food.

“Sure,” Penny said and she got up to make him a plate.

“You look like shit,” I opined.

“This is what you looked like last night, so don’t get too cocky,” he responded. “I spent the entire night looking for your monsters.”

“Well I’m glad you did, I slept better than I have in days,” I tried to sound grateful. He ate with us and then I got busy working on Penny’s chain shirt. Penny went ahead and took her pendant over to my father before she went to see the architect.

“What are you going to tell people?” Dorian asked. I had just finished with her chainmail byrnie and was preparing to head over to the smithy.

“I don’t know. I’m not sure what’s worse, panic or fear of the unknown.”

“I spoke to some of the townspeople this morning; right after the sun came up. They’re worried,” Dorian added. “If they don’t hear something soon they may panic anyway. They haven’t failed to notice me, especially now that my armor sparkles like this. People know you called me for a reason.”

Dorian could be awfully smart sometimes. It was easy to take him for granted but he was a careful thinker. “What do I tell them? That some sort of undead monsters are prowling around?”

“You’re their lord, they need your leadership. Explain things to them and maybe they’ll surprise you,” he commented.

“No one else here is capable of fighting those things...” I started.

Dorian cut me off, “You are mistaken if you think that’s how this works. Where do you think the Duke of Lancaster gets his power?”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“Answer me,” Dorian said stubbornly.

“The King of course,” it seemed obvious to me.

“Wrong. His power comes from those that serve him. A duke, or a count...,” he looked at me pointedly, “...receives his power from those who do his bidding. Without them he is just another man.”

“I’m a wizard, and they still can’t deal with those things,” I countered.

Dorian stood up and walked over to a small tree that stood by the house, drawing his sword he swung at it. His newly enchanted blade cut through the sapling as if it were made of paper. It toppled slowly over, narrowly missing my outdoor table. Dorian looked a bit surprised; at a guess I would say he hadn’t tested the sword since my efforts to enchant it the day before. He paused, then remembered his train of thought, “Who cut that tree down?” he asked.

Idiot, I thought, He cuts down my pear tree and then