Blademage Adept (The Blademage Saga Book 3) by Chris Hollaway Page B
Authors: Chris Hollaway
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claiming my sanity, and our lives.”
“We’ll be out of the shipping lanes soon, and beyond my experience. What lies between here and the Glimmering Isle is a mystery to us all.”
“I only hope the Isle has more in the way of answers than mysteries for us,” the Warrior sighed.
“How’s that?” Yusa asked, waving Kevon to silence as he answered a knock on the cabin door, and took the tray from one of his crewmen. “Please continue,” he said, pouring two cups of the steaming brew from the silver pot.
“It’s nothing, really,” Kevon shrugged. “A riddle, a cipher, in a book we’ve been given.”
“Nothing?” Yusa sputtered, wiping flecks of tea from the corners of his mouth before focusing his stare at Kevon again. “Your idea of ‘nothing’ involves assassins, and lighthearted journeys to the Glimmering Isle?”
“It’s complicated,”
“You mean magic, I assume. Nothing like a book worth killing over to make a fellow’s thoughts turn to sorcery.”
Kevon nodded, and sipped the hot tea, the bitter undertones almost hidden by the minty taste. “We think it is a book of spells, but we’re unable to read it. We have only a fraction of it translated, our only guess at the next part lies with the elves.”
“My guess is you’ll have to lock the book away in an ironbound chest to keep Reko from trying to help. His love of games and puzzles is disturbing at times.”
“We’re not ungrateful for what you’ve done to help us,” Kevon said carefully. “Or Master Reko, either, for that matter. It’s just that…”
“Trust is a funny thing, lad. I understand.”
----
The wind died on the third night out, and Kevon woke as he felt the magic begin to work in the water all around the ship. He shrugged into his tunic and boots, and stumbled up the stairway to the deck.
Crew members tended their duties with only the slightest hint of unease. The last stars of the morning were still visible through the lessened obstruction of now-furled sails.
Reko and Yusa stood near the helm, studying the darkened horizon. Spotting him, the captain waved him over.
“Three more days, if we can find the wind again,” Yusa declared. “You’re close to finding your answers, boy.”
“Help would not be refused,” Reko whispered from the darkened folds of his cowl.
Obliging, Kevon formed the runes to support and steady Reko’s spell, and tapped into the magic he felt already at work.
The initial contact with the other Mage’s mind was unlike anything Kevon had experienced before. A glimpse of order, focus, and clarity led into the well-controlled working of magic, more precisely done than he’d ever seen Mirsa work. He steadied his own mind, and felt the power he offered pressed into service, a carefully measured acceleration that was undetectable by his other senses.
More than able to sustain the minimal drain, Kevon opened his reserves wider, drawing upon them to insulate his being from the crush of Water power pressing in from his connection to the sea. Prepared, he siphoned energy from the water, holding it at a mental arm’s length, while Reko channeled it away to maintain and increase the potency of his spell.
The sun was nearing its apex when Reko eased out of the spell, the ship listing forward as the magic propelling it dissipated. The wind increased as the ship slowed, and Yusa barked orders to his disconcerted crew.
Kevon slumped, the hours of focused magic revealing their strain in a manner he was unaccustomed to. He leaned on the nearby railing, and looked to Reko.
“I’ll be in my quarters,” the Master Mage whispered, as he turned and strode to his cabin.
I know I’m not the strongest Mage on Ærth, Kevon thought, watching the other Mage walk, untroubled by the effort of the previous hours. But using magic usually tires me less than anyone I’ve ever been around. What is-
A glimpse of a Movement rune poked at the edge of Kevon’s awareness before vanishing. He peered at
“We’ll be out of the shipping lanes soon, and beyond my experience. What lies between here and the Glimmering Isle is a mystery to us all.”
“I only hope the Isle has more in the way of answers than mysteries for us,” the Warrior sighed.
“How’s that?” Yusa asked, waving Kevon to silence as he answered a knock on the cabin door, and took the tray from one of his crewmen. “Please continue,” he said, pouring two cups of the steaming brew from the silver pot.
“It’s nothing, really,” Kevon shrugged. “A riddle, a cipher, in a book we’ve been given.”
“Nothing?” Yusa sputtered, wiping flecks of tea from the corners of his mouth before focusing his stare at Kevon again. “Your idea of ‘nothing’ involves assassins, and lighthearted journeys to the Glimmering Isle?”
“It’s complicated,”
“You mean magic, I assume. Nothing like a book worth killing over to make a fellow’s thoughts turn to sorcery.”
Kevon nodded, and sipped the hot tea, the bitter undertones almost hidden by the minty taste. “We think it is a book of spells, but we’re unable to read it. We have only a fraction of it translated, our only guess at the next part lies with the elves.”
“My guess is you’ll have to lock the book away in an ironbound chest to keep Reko from trying to help. His love of games and puzzles is disturbing at times.”
“We’re not ungrateful for what you’ve done to help us,” Kevon said carefully. “Or Master Reko, either, for that matter. It’s just that…”
“Trust is a funny thing, lad. I understand.”
----
The wind died on the third night out, and Kevon woke as he felt the magic begin to work in the water all around the ship. He shrugged into his tunic and boots, and stumbled up the stairway to the deck.
Crew members tended their duties with only the slightest hint of unease. The last stars of the morning were still visible through the lessened obstruction of now-furled sails.
Reko and Yusa stood near the helm, studying the darkened horizon. Spotting him, the captain waved him over.
“Three more days, if we can find the wind again,” Yusa declared. “You’re close to finding your answers, boy.”
“Help would not be refused,” Reko whispered from the darkened folds of his cowl.
Obliging, Kevon formed the runes to support and steady Reko’s spell, and tapped into the magic he felt already at work.
The initial contact with the other Mage’s mind was unlike anything Kevon had experienced before. A glimpse of order, focus, and clarity led into the well-controlled working of magic, more precisely done than he’d ever seen Mirsa work. He steadied his own mind, and felt the power he offered pressed into service, a carefully measured acceleration that was undetectable by his other senses.
More than able to sustain the minimal drain, Kevon opened his reserves wider, drawing upon them to insulate his being from the crush of Water power pressing in from his connection to the sea. Prepared, he siphoned energy from the water, holding it at a mental arm’s length, while Reko channeled it away to maintain and increase the potency of his spell.
The sun was nearing its apex when Reko eased out of the spell, the ship listing forward as the magic propelling it dissipated. The wind increased as the ship slowed, and Yusa barked orders to his disconcerted crew.
Kevon slumped, the hours of focused magic revealing their strain in a manner he was unaccustomed to. He leaned on the nearby railing, and looked to Reko.
“I’ll be in my quarters,” the Master Mage whispered, as he turned and strode to his cabin.
I know I’m not the strongest Mage on Ærth, Kevon thought, watching the other Mage walk, untroubled by the effort of the previous hours. But using magic usually tires me less than anyone I’ve ever been around. What is-
A glimpse of a Movement rune poked at the edge of Kevon’s awareness before vanishing. He peered at
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