Balancer (Advent Mage Cycle) (7 page)

He needn’t have bothered.

The basement had been divided into a dozen rooms altogether, most of them jam packed with either food or storage, and only three of them had been converted for living space. All three rooms held Priests that were young, barely out of their teens, and not one of them ready to fight. When confronted, they quickly surrendered, pleading for mercy. They hadn’t even attempted to set booby-traps either.

The whole mission was terribly disappointing.

Shad, with a disgruntled frown, ordered all of them to be taken up. The Priests were herded into an empty ballroom on the main level, surrounded by Remnant magicians. The three Priests from the back had already been dragged into the main building. Judging from the demeanor of their captors, those three hadn’t put up a fight either.

The Remnant formed a rough circle around the hunched Priests and started the sing-song chant to strip them of their magic. Since he didn’t have an ounce of magical ability in his body, Shad couldn’t follow what they were doing. He’d been given the basics of this before they left, though, and knew that it would take at least an hour before the ritual was complete. Until then, no one was going to move. He had no desire to drag a bunch of empowered renegade Priests back to Alvacon, no matter how spineless they were.

Shad stayed on the sidelines, watching, and tried not to growl in displeasure.

“This went very smoothly,” Audax noted as he relaxed against the wall at Shad’s side. His eyes remained on the circle in front of them, but he pitched his voice low, clearly meant only for Shad’s ears. “In fact, for a brand new team that is not experienced with each other, it was almost miraculously smooth. So why aren’t you pleased?”

“It wasn’t challenging at all,” Shad bemoaned. “No one put up a fight, no one tried to escape, it was
boring
.”

Audax shot him a bemused smile. “Boring missions are good missions.”

“Says who?” he retorted, crossing his arms over his chest. “Busted buckets, I
really
wanted booby traps too.”

For some reason, the prince found this particularly funny and he laughed out loud. “Maybe next time,” he offered in consolation, still chuckling.

Chapter
Five: Dom and Domess

I don’t know what sin I committed in a previous life to deserve this, but it must have been a hideous one. Maybe I was a serial kitten killer. It must have been a serious crime to warrant putting up with
her
as atonement.

The day had started out well enough. Shad and his team had disappeared for another Dom’s province after some information had reached our ears, and was probably even now fighting with Priests. I’d spent most of the morning closeted with Ries and learning everything I could about Dom Adairshaean, wife of the late Adairandenen. She was in her mid-thirties, with perfectly styled blonde hair and a full figure to her. Objectively, I looked at her and saw a woman that was very beautiful, with the wealth to enhance that beauty as she chose. She had charm and confidence and a natural grace to her movements that reinforced the reputation she had in the capitol. I had no problems seeing her as the seductress the rumors painted her to be. Especially not in
that
dress.

Ries had informed me in his dry, factual way that she had brains to rival her beauty. Adairshaean had her finger square on the pulse of information and politics and it would be wise to remember that.

When the invitation to join her for dinner had been extended to me, I knew that she would pump me for all sorts of information about my political views. With that in mind, I’d dressed in the formal Mage robes Chatta had hastily conjured for me. She’d done some sort of magic on these so that they
looked
like they were made of fine, dark brown suede, but felt like they were of a much lighter cotton instead. For once, I wouldn’t have to roast through a formal dinner.

Then, with a sinking sensation in the pit of my stomach, I’d saddled Night, descended onto the earth path, and traveled the, unfortunately, short distance to Domess Adairshaean’s mansion.

I couldn’t find a clear area near her mansion to rise up, so I had to do so some distance away from the house. Night, in the spirit of evil delight, had traveled the entire distance at a rolling parade gait, showing off. I really wanted to strangle him for that, but couldn’t. Since he would be telepathically coordinating Ries and I throughout the evening, I couldn’t afford to upset him now. I gritted my teeth and rode in silence, promising myself I’d get revenge on him later for this.

Upon arrival, we’d been ushered through the very grand foyer and into an equally grand dining room with speed. The room had been built to hold a hundred people with ease, so seeing just two place settings at the ridiculously long table looked odd. Every candle on the massive chandelier was lit, which reflected off of the gilded edges on the furniture and the scroll designs on the wall. It was an obvious statement of wealth and I felt very out of place just walking into the room.

Still, I’d shoved the feeling down and greeted my hostess with studied courtesy. Ries had taken up the bodyguard position behind my chair, his back to the wall. As I sat at the table, I’d foolishly expected that as soon as the first course was served, she’d start in with the subtle questioning of my political standing.

Turned out, she couldn’t care less about what I thought.

“Tell me, Magus,” Adairshaean purred, eyes smoldering. “How long do we have the pleasure of your company in the capitol? I do hope that since Vonlorisen has given you such a vital position at court that you will stay at home now?”

I tried to smile but it felt very forced to me. Why did I have to sit kitty-corner to her? I would have vastly preferred the width of the table between us. As it was, I had this uncomfortable feeling that she was going to reach out and touch me at any moment. “I’m afraid that I have many demands on my time, Domess. I cannot predict how long I will stay in Alvacon.”

A pretty pout formed on her mouth as she actually
did
reach out and trail a finger along my forearm. “Oh, but it would be a shame for you to leave so soon! We have just only become acquainted, after all.”

I tried not to flinch at her touch, but I still jumped a little. What was this woman thinking?! You simply didn’t touch another man like this on a first introduction!
Ries,
I complained to the man standing so stoically behind me,
you didn’t tell me that she wanted to seduce me!

“
I didn’t know what designs she had,
” he said patiently. His mental voice had a timber of amusement, however, so I knew that somewhere in his head he was having a good chuckle at my expense. “
This is better than her pressing you for political information, isn’t it?”

No, it isn’t,
I fumed.
You don’t have a fiancée with a jealous streak!

At that, he really did laugh. I turned in my seat slightly to flash him a dark frown. Ries hadn’t even cracked a smile, just stared straight ahead as if the whole evening was completely boring for him.

Obviously a change of plans is in order. I have
two
people to get revenge on.

“Tell me, Magus,” she asked in that same smoky tone, “however did you come into your powers?”

As this was a safer topic than anything else she had asked since I stepped inside, I gladly answered her, although I did keep it brief. I still had some dim hope that I might be able to escape soon.

“My, how dangerous!” she exclaimed. Even though it was said as if she were surprised, nothing about her expression or demeanor said the emotion was sincere. Clearly, she already knew the story. In fact, I’d lay odds that she knew far more than I had told her. “It must have been so terrifying to be running from bandits with your power still so unpredictable. You must be very strong and…powerful.”

“It was certainly a harrowing experience,” I agreed. I felt something brush my leg under the table. She wasn’t seriously trying to…no, actually, she really was. I cleared my throat, smile becoming even more strained and tried to shift in my chair so that she couldn’t reach me without making it obvious I was doing so.
Night, what is she looking for?

“I think she wants to know how tight your bond with Hain is.”

Ah.
Well, with this line of questioning, she could certainly lead to that. Although I still didn’t know if she needed to know for political or personal reasons. Did she even need to do all of these seductive ploys to weasel that information out of me?

“After the way that King Guin so warmly welcomed you, I suppose it’s inevitable that you feel a great debt to him,” she continued while lifting her wine glass. “Still, I was heartened by the news that our king had offered you the hand of a Dom’s daughter.”

I froze with my spoon halfway to my plate.
Where
had she heard about that?! Only Vonlorisen and the Red Hand had been in the room prior to that conversation!
Ries, how do I respond to this?

“Act as if it’s common knowledge and then ask her why she was relieved.”

“Forgive me, but why do you think so?” I asked casually, carefully continuing to eat as if she hadn’t just blindsided me.

“Isn’t it obvious?” she responded with a slight cant of the head. “A man of your position should marry well, don’t you think?”

This is why I hate political conversation. People make some very unjust decisions and then expect me to agree with them. I put my hands down and nailed her with my eyes, making my voice firm. “I’m a blacksmith’s son,” I reminded her. “My magical power gives me the ability to control the earth. It does not give me wisdom or knowledge of how to govern.”

Her seductress mask slipped away for a brief moment as her eyes narrowed. “And yet you agreed to Vonlorisen’s offer.”

Ries?

“Tell her the truth,
” Ries responded instantly. “
I want to know how she takes it.”

This should be interesting… “On the contrary, I refused it.”

For the first time that evening, I surprised her. She put her glass slowly down onto the table, her bright blue eyes never leaving mine. “Refused it?”

“Yes.”
What does this tell you, Ries?

“Whoever her informant is, they don’t know much. This is the first natural response I’ve seen from her all evening.”

True. The rest of our conversation had almost seemed to follow some script that she had written beforehand.

The woman that had been so dangerously focused melted away to be replaced once again by the seductress. She leaned over the table’s edge in an open invitation. As she did so, the perfume she wore wafted my direction. It stirred my male senses in a way that I really wish it didn’t. “But even though you turned down the offer of marriage, surely you are still open to the idea of…other…relationships?”

“I’m afraid not,” I responded, feeling more than a little trapped. Why did I have to have a wood floor under my feet? If it were stone, I could have disappeared by now…
I hear your snickering, Night.

“Sorry,”
Night choked, still snickering.

“Oh?” she purred, stroking one finger around the edge of her lips. “Are you not seducible?”

Not by you, certainly. “No man alive can claim that, Domess.”

“A wise answer,” she approved with an enigmatic smile. “And yet, you are so obviously not interested in what I have to offer. Why is that?”

Ries, a little help here?

Actually, Garth, I’m curious as to why you’re not tempted either.

Jealous fiancée, remember?
I shot back. To the Domess I gave an apologetic shrug and smile to buy myself a second to think. I doubt that already being engaged would slow her down. What would be a reason that she would accept…? “I’m afraid, Domess, that any…relationship…with you would be fraught with peril for me. It would drag me squarely into the political maneuvering that I am so anxious to avoid, you see.”

“Yes, you truly do seem to be fervently avoiding any political scene.” She ignored the cooling food placed in front of her and studied every nuance of my expression. “You have the chance to seize true power and you do not take it?”

“There’s no such thing,” I denied instinctively. “True power is a myth—it doesn’t exist. Even if it did, I have no desire to have it.”

Her eyebrows rose in marked astonishment. She slowly sat back, lounging against the chair in a deceptively calm pose. “No desire for power?
You
, a man that is famous in two kingdoms? A man that both kings depend upon?”

Well, she had a point, but… “I never sought after such influence. Domess, power comes with a price. The more power you have, the steeper the cost. Trust me, I know. I don’t know what price tag would come with true power but I do know this: it would be too costly for me.”

A slow, approving smile swept over her face. It was the first genuine smile she had given me all evening. “I finally understand why Vonlorisen trusts you so much. You truly are the man you appear to be.”

I gave her a half-bow in my seat. “I thank you for the compliment.”

“A compliment?” she parroted in amusement. “Yes, we’ll call it that.”

Ries?
I asked plaintively.
What did I just miss?

“
She meant that you are not a political threat and so she’s not going to try and destroy you,
” Ries translated deadpan.

That’s reassuring…I think. Hopefully she wouldn’t change her mind about that later.

“Well, Magus, I find you to be a refreshingly honest man. I’m glad.” She returned to her dinner with a satisfied smile on her face.

So, if she’s happy, then…I can leave. Right?

“
You have three more courses to go,”
Night reminded me. “
And probably more chitchat over dessert too. You can’t leave until the dinner is over.”

I pasted a smile on my face, but internally I was groaning. Three courses
and
dessert? That would take another hour at least!