Advent (Advent Mage Cycle) by Honor Raconteur

right.”
    “Well, I am sorry if it caused you trouble, though.” I did feel rather bad about that. I considered Haben as a friend of sorts as well as my superior.
    He waved the apology away. “That wasn’t the real reason she was upset, anyway.”
    Huh? I cocked my head slightly. “Then what was?”
    Haben lowered his hand to regard me with narrowed eyes.
    “You don’t even realize it, do you?”
    Patient. I had to be patient. The man would get to the point, eventually.
    “Realize what?”
    “How much influence you have with the Mages.”
    I wasn’t sure what he was driving at. In the past four months I had spent whatever free time I had—which wasn’t much, granted—helping to train the Mages. Sometimes that meant taking them out into the Hainian countryside and letting them work power there under my supervision. Sometimes it simply meant helping to explain things. During this process, I had become friends with all of them. Considering our common interests and backgrounds, this was rather to be expected.
    “Haben, we’re all friends. All things considered, this shouldn’t be much of a surprise.”
    Haben shook his head in despair. “You don’t even realize it. Garth.” He sat forward, palms spread flat on the desk. His gaze drilled into mine. “There is not one Mage—and quite a few Witches and Wizards, for that matter—that would not overthrow this kingdom and hand it to you on a silver platter if you asked them to.”
    My jaw soundlessly dropped as I jerked upright in alarm. Was he kidding?!
    “No, I’m not kidding. Stop gaping like a fish. How can you not realize what’s right there in front of your face?”
    I ran a tremulous hand over my forehead, feeling like my world was being tilted under me.
    “Haben, I helped most of those Mages, Witches and Wizards to safety. I expected for them to look up to me a little. But what you’re describing…are you sure?”
    “Very sure. That’s why EnNelle of Tain is so irritated about this whole incident. She knows very well that if she had made the same request of Hevencoraan, it would not have been as easily accepted.”
    I wasn’t as sure of that. Cora was a Life Mage through and through—if she knew that a horse was dying, and needed her help, I was sure she would respond instantly. Granted, I didn’t see anyone happily obeying EnNelle’s orders—but then, the woman wasn’t known to be easy to get along with.
    “Hmmm.”
    “Forget it,” Haben sighed. “You’ll see what I mean eventually for yourself. For now, what did you find out?”
    I ran through all of the discoveries made in the past two weeks, as well as some of my conjectures. Haben listened attentively, taking notes on occasion, but never saying a word. When I was finished, he gave a thoughtful hum.
    “So Trev’nor is a Rheben in truth, eh? I always wondered if that were the case. So? Will you leave him with Alan and Liah?”
    I hadn’t even questioned that until he asked it. “I think so, yes. It would be cruel to take him away from them, especially considering what good care they’ve already shown him. Besides,” I added practically, “my parents have their hands full already. I can’t imagine that they want another person to keep track of. They already have seven children in that house to manage.”
    “Very true. I hoped that would be your answer. I just felt like I had to make sure.” Haben gave a satisfied nod and sank back into his chair again. “Well. While you were gone, we received a letter from Captain De Xiaolang addressed to you.”
    Opening a door in his desk, he rummaged around for a moment, finally bringing up a slightly crinkled envelope.
    I accepted the letter with some concern. He wasn’t going to tell me that something went wrong up there during the winter, was he? I cracked open the seal, drew out the letter, and started quickly reading it.
     
    Garth,
     
    The snow up here is rapidly melting—so much so that I think we’ll be ready to travel in a