Bloodflowers Bloom (The Astral Wanderer Book 2), D'Artagnan Rey [essential reading .txt] 📗

was now genuinely smiling as he rested a hand on the trickster’s shoulder. “I knew there was a reason why I kept you around.”

“How sweet.” Koli chuckled and ran a hand through his violet locks. “Listen, Salvo, since I’m on my own again and have time to kill, I suppose I could accompany you one last time if you like.”

The fire mage removed his hand from his shoulder, his smile still present, but he shook his head. “No, I gotta do this. I want to do this on my own. Unless you want a rematch yourself, I don’t need you to intrude in my fun.”

He shrugged good-naturedly. “Fair enough. Are you sure you can take on another Templar on your own? I’m sure this Wulfsun has a majestic as well.”

Salvo moved his jacket aside and unclipped a box from his waist. “Despite what you may think, Alastair still trusts me.” He produced the box and showed it to the assassin.

Koli’s eyes narrowed before a bemused grin snaked onto his face. “I see. I guess he was saving that experiment for a different time?”

“Either that or he realized it could be more useful in my hands,” the fire mage replied and put the box away. “I’ll get a few more tools from the freaks. After that, I’ll listen to what you gave me and be on my way.”

“I see.” He nodded, turned away, and headed out of the hall. “Then I wish you well in your hunt, Salvo.”

“Where will you go now, Koli?” he asked. “Will you simply wander around causing a little slaughter on the way?”

“Not precisely,” he admitted and slid his hands into his pants pockets. “I also heard something interesting for me in that conversation—something I had thought about doing for a while and well…I have the time now.”

“Then I guess I wish you luck in whatever the hells that is,” the fire mage told him, now so enthusiastic that he almost skipped down the hall that led to the basement stairs.

Koli reached the doors to the main entrance and opened them to glance at the rain that poured outside. “You should probably save that for yourself, Salvo,” he whispered as he set off. Lightning flashed above but not a drop of rain fell on him. “Even if you are victorious against the Templars, I do not believe you have chosen wisely when it comes to a free future.”

He stared at the sky. Another bolt of lightning streaked through the wide expanse and the white light reminded him of the light from Devol’s majestic. He smiled when he thought of it. “And that may lead to me doing something rather naughty.”

Chapter Eleven

Jazai opened the door to the roof of the center spire, his personal area where he would go to think when things became too heavy for him. He had forgotten that it was not exactly unknown and was also no longer only his.

“Evening, Jazai.” Devol looked over his shoulder at the apprentice as he closed the door. “Have you come to think?”

“I guess I could talk instead,” he responded as he walked to the swordsman’s side and leaned against the railing. “Are you thinking about the Oblivion Trials?”

“Eh?” his friend muttered, his attention focused on the stars. “That seems a little far off to worry about now. I’m thinking about the mission.”

He regarded his friend with a mixture of confusion and amusement before he turned and looked at the stars with him. “I’m curious about something, Dev.”

“What’s that?”

“Don’t take this the wrong way although admittedly, I’m not sure how to phrase this so it doesn’t sound mocking.” He glanced at him and hesitated slightly before he continued. “How are you so naïve about the wider world? You grew up as the son of a guard captain in Monleans, the capital of Renaissance, and were taught by your mother who was schooled in one of the finest academies. You aren’t exactly a farm boy from a tiny village.”

Devol's response was simply a good-natured chuckle and a shrug. “I realized that myself on the Rouxwoods mission, if you recall.” He looked a little sheepish. “I guess it was because I was so focused on being in the guards that all my training was put into that. You still have to go through a couple of years of physical and educational instruction in the guards, so learning more about things outside of kingdom history—math, and sciences, schools on bestiary and such—all that could wait until then. I’m not sure if my mother or father are aware of things like malefics and the Oblivion Trials. I assume they might be. Perhaps they hoped I would never have to worry about them.”

Jazai laughed dryly, “Poor luck for you, it seems.”

His friend responded with a slightly goofy smile, “Maybe, but in a way, I was still taught right.” He tapped the hilt of his majestic on his back. “I may have not been in the know about these kinds of things, but I’m prepared for them nonetheless. It’s something I should thank my parents for when I see them again.”

The young diviner nodded and thought briefly of his father. “You haven’t seen them since you arrived, have you?”

“No, but I’ve sent them letters.” He shook his head with a self-deprecating smile. “I’ve left out some of the more intense things. My father might be amused by our missions but my mother may be a little more concerned.”

“They sent you to train with the Templar so they have to know something like that would happen,” the apprentice responded. “Although you were certainly sent downriver damn quickly.”

“It’s the best kind of training if you ask me,” Devol retorted with a laugh. The door to the spire opened again and they turned as Asla stepped out. “Hey there, Asla.”

“Good evening.” She shut the door and joined them at the railing. “I like this perch, Jazai.”

The magi nodded. “I liked the peace,” he said with a sly grin. “But the company is appreciated too.”

“We were talking