Techromancy Scrolls: Adept (18 page)

The others looked concerned about Bex and me, but agreed. The predatory looks on the other squire's faces made my blood run cold. Celeste said, “Grand! Practice weapons only, no honed blades. First blood.”

All the gathered knights said, “First blood.” I was ready to pass out.

Bex looked to be jelly legged as he looked at Sir Kristof, who just gave him a confident nod. He said to the young man, “Physical strength is nothing against a sharp mind.” Bex shrugged into his backpack, put on a padded glove, and connected a copper lead to a practice sword with blunted edges. I saw sparks fly. This was his answer to a magicked blade and was almost as dangerous to him as to others.

He always had well-meaning ideas, they just didn't work out like he envisioned in the practical application.

He placed the blade down for a second, it sparked on the ground then he pulled on something new. A gauntlet that had copper wires running all around it and he strapped something on his arm. It looked to be a quartz crystal and some sort of lever. He pulled the lever five or ten times and I could hear a dynamo spinning up as power arced through the crystal. What the hell was that thing? He grabbed his sword again and stood. Looking as if he were ready to pass out, like me.

Celeste handed me my practice blade and said out loud, “Here's your toothpick.” Then she put her forehead against mine and said so only I could hear, as I drowned in her emerald eyes, “Remember, a battle is not won here...” She grabbed the blunt blade. “It is won here.” She tapped my forehead with a finger. Then added, “Even the smallest thing can turn the fiercest battle when it is not expected.”

We moved out into the courtyard where the other fight had occurred. Bex and I stood back to back. We must have looked a sight, a short woman with a tiny sword with a tall and gangly man with more wires and harnesses than sense. The other three circled around us like wolves. Showboating by spinning their weapons and slashing side to side, loosening up.

This was not going to end well. Verna looked as concerned as me, but oddly Celeste and Kristof looked happy. My lady held up a glove, then stopped and turned back with a thoughtful look on her face. “Wagers? I have a gold on Laney as last man standing.” She had four takers. There was a betting frenzy that followed. Anything from the first blood to Bex pissing his pants.

I was starting to hyperventilate and I could feel my pulse beating in my head. Tennison suddenly stood up straighter when he looked at me, his eyes glowing blue, as my vision changed. I could see amber sparks dripping from my eyes when I moved. I could see and feel all the metals in the courtyard, they all glowed in different colors of the spectrum. I could taste the iron and other trace metals in everyone's bodies.

Power was sparking and skipping across my skin. I was about to quell it all like I had been taught the past few weeks, but then realized this was one time I was supposed to let it flow. Celeste turned and she got a sparkle in her eyes when she saw me. She winked, which just made me want to swoon. Then she dropped the glove.

Mason charged, bellowing a challenge at the top of his lungs as he hacked down at me again and again. The force he was using would seriously hurt me even with a blunted blade. I was knocked to my knees but was able to deflect blow after blow.

I rolled away but still kept myself in a position to protect Bex's back. That's when I saw Kent's blade strike Bex's. It was an explosion of sparks as the electricity stored in the vessel in Bex's backpack arced from his blade into Kent's.

Kent's back went rigid as his eyes flew open. He spasmed and Bex pulled his blade back and Kent's tumbled from his hands as the bigger squire fell to a knee. Holy crap!

I kept blocking and parrying Mason's relentless assault as Tennison said firmly, “Kent is out!” I was outmatched, I could simply yield and end it, but I would not yield and make Celeste look bad.

I rolled under an overpowered slash from Mason and came up behind him, shoving him away to give myself a second to breath, to think.

Brenda had a tunic wrapped around her sword hand as she exchanged blows with Bex, sparks flying as their blades collided. She had him outmatched in skill, speed, and strength as well. She crossed swords and went to shove him back when he laid his other hand on her arm. Nothing visibly happened, but she stiffened and started convulsing wildly as Bex lowered her to the ground, gently cradling her head so it didn't hit the cobblestones.

Verna's exclamation, “Brenda is out!” Was followed by a clank as I realized Mason had outmaneuvered me and he was between Bex and me, and he slapped Bex soundly across the face with the flat of his blade. Far too hard for sparring. Bex went down on top of Brenda, out cold.

Celeste called out, “Bex is out.”

Then I was being pushed back by a renewed assault by the big squire. I wish I knew why he had such a hate on for me. I glanced at Bex as the Knights were looking him over, avoiding touching any of his gadgets.

I mused over the fact that he had actually powered his blade so he could fight like a Techno Knight. Could I do the same? I concentrated and let my energy flow from within and down my arm. My blade started glowing amber and it sparked with energy. My blade sunk deeply into his with each hacking strike he made, as I went to a knee under the vicious onslaught yet again. I wasn't going to last much longer. I was never taught how to attack. The top four inches of his blade sheared off and landed ten feet away.

Celeste had said to use my head, to out think him. I couldn't do much, he wasn't giving me a chance to even breathe. What could I do? He was right I wasn't that powerful, and physically he was dominating me.

Wait... the littlest thing... I spun out of the way of a backhanded slash that he tried to get under my guard and my hand shot out. A moment later the tip of his blade flew up from the ground and impacted with the side of his head, leaving a small bloody cut across his earlobe. Tennison said, “Mason is out, Laney wins.”

I dropped my guard and exhaled in relief, then froze as three blades shot over my shoulders, all crossing, catching the late strike that Mason was swinging down at my forehead. I swallowed, looking at the blunted blade, just an inch from my nose.

I turned on wobbly legs to see that Tennison, Celeste, and Bowyn had all intercepted the strike. Tennison looked to grow even bigger than his normal impressive stature as he flicked his double handed sword, which knocked Mason's blade forcefully from his hand, onto the ground. He stepped up to him, glaring as he sheathed his sword on his back.

He cuffed the side of Mason's head so hard the man fell to the ground. “What in the hell were you thinking? That could have killed her! This was just a sparring match! I've been far too patient with you and your attitudes toward your comrades at arms. I want you gone within the hour. You are to be stripped of your title of Knight Ascendant. Go back to your parents in their manor, there is no place for you among the Knights of the Realm.”

Sir Tennison turned his back to the man and waited until he heard him retreating to the castle. Celeste was frantically checking me for injury as the big knight stepped in front of us. “Please accept my apologies, Laney. I did not teach him to be like that. He had such promise when I took him as Squire three years ago. I don't know what happened.”

I dropped my blade and pulled away from my Lady and ran up to Bex in concern. He was conscious now and smiling. Brenda was up and looking between the castle and me. Bex asked her, “Are you okay Brenda? I didn't want to hurt you with my shocking gauntlet.” She actually smiled warmly at him before schooling her face.

I stood and Verna said to the quiet crowd, “Laney is the winner.” People clapped, then Celeste's eyes got a mischievous glint in them while she said, “You can let the power go now, Laney.”

I closed my eyes, took three deep breaths, and I could feel the energy bleed out of me. Verna was speaking with someone behind me, “She took every one of his strikes, deflected every blow.” I was blushing. Someone noted I was severely outmatched, why hadn't I just yielded? Verna's quick response was, “Laney does not yield, I don't think she knows how.” I saw a couple Knights asking Bex about his powered blade idea. Other knights were slapping my back in congratulations.

Then I tried to pretend I didn't almost pee my pants. I asked my Lady in a voice I was able to keep most of the waver out of as I fought the adrenaline, repeating her words, “How much did we win?”

She grinned as she started looking at the other knights, holding her hand out. “Twelve gold.” Then her smile doubled as people started paying her. She asked me, “Penny vouchers?”

I smiled back and nodded fervently. “Grand idea!”

She found out I had arranged for using most of my squire's stipend, one gold each week, to convert into penny vouchers. At the end of each month, one penny voucher would be distributed to each family in Cheap Quarter, and the Trough. That way I knew they could have a nice meal besides the Holy Day feasts, or get something they needed for their homes once a month.

I kept only one coin a month, I had no need of anything as the castle provided for my every need.

Celeste and seven other knights followed suit, and my mother had the village Treasury set up an official program for it. To my embarrassment, Bernadine has informed me that people of the village are starting to call me the Penny Lady.

After training, we headed off across the village to the baths. I had become so accustomed to bathing every Sixth Day, so I was clean for Holy Day. The other days I spoiled myself with sponge baths using the heated water in the washroom in our quarters, I felt almost guilty about it.

Celeste and Verna chuckled at me when it took two tries for me to mount Goliath. I crinkled my nose at them and stuck out my tongue. At least I was improving, and my beautiful boy was very patient with me. We turned toward the arch when Squire Brenda came trotting up next to us. She stared at me a moment, then asked me instead of my Lady. “Mind if I tag along?”

I smiled and shook my head. Then we all burst out laughing when she asked with a blush as we started to ride, “Do you think Bex is a virgin?” I did a double take. Oh, good lord, she liked him! That just made me smile, what a smart match that would be. His brains, her brawn. Though I'm pretty sure he'd end up calling her ma'am. Then I sobered as I looked at my Lady. That was more than I would ever have.

Like she could read my mind, Celeste sidled up to me and just rode at my side all the way to the baths. She always knew when something was bothering me and she always treated me like I mattered.

When we returned to the castle, I was pretty sure that Brenda was well on the way to making reparations for the way she and the others treated Bex and me. I believe that both her and Kent were just following Mason's lead.

We all chuckled when we got back. She snapped out to Bex who was busy strapping something that looked like an electric motor onto my old hay wagon, “Make yourself useful and get my horse into the livery.”

He hopped up and nodded as she dismounted and he took the reins. She called back to him as she stalked toward the castle, “Dine with me at my quarters at seven.” It sounded like a demand, not a request.

Bex squeaked out an “O-Okay.” We all chuckled again. I knew it! She was sweet on him!

Verna, I think just to be funny, because she was much smarter than that, asked, “Why didn't she just have the stable hands handle her mare instead of ordering the poor boy around?”

Celeste eyeballed her accusingly until Verna laughed. “Fine. Young love is so cute.” We all grinned as we handed our mounts off to the stable boys.

I looked up to see Jace rocketing toward us, his little legs churning. He bowed and handed a note to Celeste. She winked at him and ruffled his hair. He blushed and headed back to the castle. She arched an eyebrow as we all walked while she read.

She looked at our musclebound friend. “Looks like we won't break bread with you tonight Verna. The Duke has summoned me and Laney.” She flipped the note front to back indicating that was all the information on it.

Verna shrugged then gave us each a hug. “I'll see you two in church tomorrow then?” Celeste nodded and I followed behind her to the left. I always made sure to follow protocol and not embarrass her on official business.

She said to me without looking, with a little smile on her face as we navigated the labyrinth of halls to the grand staircase. “You really did good today Laney. That was the woman I saw on that first day. You didn't back down, didn't run, and didn't yield. Do you ever get scared?”

I snorted then eeepd in surprise and covered my mouth. “I was scared shitless. I thought he was trying to kill me.”

She nodded with a proud grin. “Yet you kept your head and found a solution to win the contest.”

I shrugged and she offered an elbow. But we were going to the Duke. I hesitated, but she kept her arm provided. I placed my fingers on her arm and basked in the warmth spreading through me. We reached Duke Fredrick's office, which was next to Prime Techromancer Donovan's, only the Duke's office was three times the size.

She looked at the two guards stationed outside the great oak doors and nodded to them then raised her hand to slam the great ring of iron hanging on the doors, three times. Immediately the Duke's voice echoed out, “Enter.”

We stepped in, she placed a hand over mine in the crook of her arm so I couldn't withdraw it. I looked around in shock as we both bowed to the room. It was the veritable who's who in the village nobility.

There was a map spread out on the great table in the middle of the space that was in front of Duke Fredrick's grand desk. It was the largest and most detailed map of the Lands of Sparo I had ever seen. There were wooden markers all around the southern region of the habitable lands.

Next to the Duke was Duchess Lucia. The Magistrate, Man at Arms, Prime Techromancer Donovan, Sir Tiberius, who was the commander of the home defense battalion, and two people in the purples and crimson of the realm of Far Reach were gathered around the table. Also a few scholars I had seen around but did not know personally. One was taking notes.

Fredrick gave us a nod and we looked up. “Celeste. Let me introduce Techromancer Kendell, and Magistrate Lars of Far Reach Keep.” Then he turned to them. “This is Countess Celeste of the Techno Knight Order, Blade of Temperance of Wexbury, daughter of Prime Techromancer Donovan, Lady of the Court.” Wow, he was using all of her titles, I took it he wanted to impress the men. By their raised eyebrows I believe he was successful.

Then he added, “And on her arm is Baroness Laney of Wexbury, Techno Knight Ascendant, Lady of the Court.” I squinted, he was using the Baroness title which I wasn't supposed to be able to use until I was appointed Knight. He really was trying to impress people since there is nothing impressive about a squire.

The men gave us a courteous head bow which we returned. I just followed my Lady's lead. Fredrick motioned us toward the map. We stood at his left side and he started speaking to Celeste. “I'm sure you have heard about the increasing number of rogue raids in the southern realms the past few months?” He was pointing at some of the markers. Some were black and some were red. Mostly smaller villages on the fringes of Far Reach, Treth, and New World.

She nodded looking at the map with a furrowed brow. “Yes, they are increasing in frequency and there are rumors of new rogue warlords trying to organize the rogues again.”

The Duke nodded solemnly. “It appears the rumors are true. This new leader, Raneth, is emboldened after a successful attack on New World Keep and the assassination of Count Eric, the Prime Techromancer of New World, before the home forces could lend assistance to drive the growing band of rogues off.” I gasped at the news of a Prime Techromancer's assassination.

Celeste paused and looked up at this too. Fredrick nodded at the men. “Word just arrived of this today with Kendell and Lars.” He paused then went on. “It seems that Raneth is trying to merge with a second group of rogues, making their leader, Poe, his lieutenant. If he is successful, they would have a magic fighting force half the size of the one Rydell commanded to start the Great Mage Wars.”

Then Techromancer Kendell spoke, “None of the realms could stand alone against a group of magic users that large. So we are beseeching all the realms to come together for talks on a renewed joint defense pact. So that we can exterminate the enemy before they grow to the extent that Prince George has to step in.

I understood that. Highland Keep, across The Gap, was the capitol, and Prince George gave all the realms autonomy except when it became apparent that war was inevitable. It had taken five years after the end of the Great Mage Wars before Highland released autonomous control back to each realm. I was sort of in awe of the Prince since he never had to release control in the first place. But the leaders of each realm felt a certain amount of discord with the capitol calling the shots.

So they wanted to solve this problem before the need for the overwhelming force of Highland Keep was necessary, to bring peace to all the realms again. I didn't know much about political things, but at least I knew that much.

Duke Fredrick took over and said, “So I will need an expeditionary force to escort myself and the Duchess to Far Reach for the conclave. Assume the area between Treth and Far Reach is hostile territory.”

Everyone was silent as Celeste looked at the map again. “We'll need to keep it small, so we are mobile and nimble. If we cut through the Black Forest and come down through the mountains, past Treth, that would keep us out of the open on the Treth Plains.”

Then she nodded to herself and looked directly at Fredrick. “I'd say, seven Knights of the Realm, four archers, two Techno Knights to handle any magic attacks. With that, we should be able to punch through either of the groups and get you into a keep if we come under attack.” Then she cautioned, “But if they have already come to an accord, we couldn't stand against them with that small a force. We would be compelled to hold them off as long as we could while you retreat back to Treth Keep or Flatlash.”

Lars spoke up, “Why not send your entire mobile battalion?” I didn't like the sounds of that and apparently neither did anyone else.

Celeste held a cautioning hand to the Duke before he could protest. She explained, “That would leave the realm virtually unprotected with only the Home Defense Battalion at the keep.” She shook her head and squinted a little at Lars, reappraising him, then finished, “No, we do this with a small, agile force unless your Duke Hannibal cared to hold the talks in Wexbury.”

Fredrick gave her a discreet smile then said in a plain tone, “Lady Celeste is my most trusted military adviser, so we will go with her recommendations.” Then he looked at Kendell. “How many realms have agreed to the talks?”

The skinny white-haired Techromancer replied thoughtfully, “When we left ten days ago, York, Defiance, New World, Treth, and now Flatlash.”

Lucia spoke up, “With us in attendance that gives us a majority. Hopefully even more have accepted by now.”

The Duke stood up straighter and looked directly at Celeste and me, and said in a commanding tone, “Then make the preparations, we shall leave on First Day.”

We bowed and said, “My Lord,” We exited the room quickly.

I opened my mouth, but she held a cautionary hand up and tugged her ear and looked around. I nodded, the walls had ears here, and she grabbed my hand and dragged me to our quarters.

We sat down on the lounge, where Celeste still insisted on sleeping with me to protect me from my nightmares, which were coming more and more frequently, and much more vividly. It was still that giant Monolith and all the power relaying through me. Pain and terror. But now there was a new dimension to the horror. A Mountain Gypsy caravan with rounded wagons. Lightning engulfing me, searing at my soul. A broken and bloodied Celeste laying in front of me, her eyes wide, whispering, “Run Laney!” And a bald man with studded leather armor burning the flesh off of me with red magics, fire magics.

She looked at me and was formulating something to say when I said, “I didn't like weasel boy. What kind of suggestion was that?”

She chuckled out loud and shook her head at me. “Weasel boy? I like that, it fits. It wasn't likely I'd leave our lands unpatrolled and leave our villages open to marauders. Only a bad tactician would make an error like that and he should have known better.”

She smiled at me. “Have you ever wanted to travel?” I smiled at her and nodded excitedly, and her return smile warmed my soul. I thought about the ten-day journey, maybe eleven or twelve since we were heading into the mountains, this would be the adventure of a lifetime for me. We wouldn't be back in Wexbury for close to a month depending on how long it took to negotiate a joint defense pact.

She took my boots off for me and said, “Get cleaned up and ready for bed. I'll be back soon. I need to get the ball rolling on a couple things. The rest can wait for after Church tomorrow.” I nodded and she left our quarters like a woman on a mission. I laughed at myself because she actually was a woman on a mission.