A Fang for Fall (Santaclaws Book 5) by Marc Secchia

Author:Marc Secchia [Secchia, Marc]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-11-17T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12: Fire Anemones

SINCE NONE OF HIS students mastered the art of ignorance quite to his satisfaction, the phlegmatic Mage declared that lessons would continue in the morning. Keir decided he quite liked Mage Chêlkun. His personality was like a sweet heart wrapped in sour pickle. He could be caustic and clearly did not suffer fools gladly, but he was never ungracious. Particularly with the ladies. Magical arts were not for airs and arrogance, he opined. He was interested in results. He was also deeply interested in all the different types of magic they were either carrying with them or represented.

“Much to learn, lass,” he said to Storm, scratching her beneath the chin as the boat slipped into another section of boiling green water. “So, d’ye breathe fire as yet?”

“Iss when Sstorrm drink … beerrr?” The dragonet wrinkled her nose humorously.

Keir walked over to check that she had not been chewing on her wing harness. Not so far. Wow. Good behaviour? He was not quite used to this – ha! He dodged as she snapped at the air beside his elbow. Aye, she knew his thoughts and was fully prepared to keep him on his toes.

He said, “Sir, it so happened that when she consumed alcohol at a family party –”

“Ye gave a baby beer?”

“Ah … aye. Sort of.” He rubbed his neck awkwardly. “The rate of draconic development does now’t appear to be the same as ours, sir.”

“Och aye, very true.” The Mage’s bushy black eyebrows arched in an eloquent statement.

“Well, that was the first time she breathed fire. Spectacular and, once again, unlike anything in the legends or lore.”

“Excellent. I have some brandy in my quarters. Shall we experiment?”

“Outdoors would be most advisable, sir.”

Bruda-gûn! he agreed forcefully.

A few minutes later, the Mage returned with a barrel of Giant peach brandy that could comfortably have kept two hundred guests at one of King Daryan’s Dragonmas Eve parties very well lubricated for an entire evening. He handled it like a much-cherished pet.

Garî’atu turned up with suspicious aplomb. “Ah, brandy sampling, is it?” Bar-tâki al yûl?

“Och aye, a tad early,” agreed the Mage, producing a couple of Giant-sized goblets. “Still, we should appraise the vintage with all diligence, would ye now’t agree?”

“Wholeheartedly!”

Commander Umiâra roared from the bridge, “What’re ye layabouts doing down there with a barrel of peach brandy, eh? Now’t on my ship, husband!”

“It’s for the cause of science.”

OH-HO HO HO!! “Mind I do now’t confiscate yer scientific experiment, husband.”

“Later, dearest,” said he, winking roguishly toward the helm.

Apparently, this was an excuse to give Azuzithyalé her first solo turn at the helm while the Commander strode over to supervise proceedings. Very authoritative of her. Her oversight consisted of participating in appreciative inhaling of the vapours, examination of the gloriously golden-peach colour in a glass vial, swirling a delicate sample upon the tongue and lip-smacking approval of the barrel’s contents – an impressive twenty-anna-old vintage selected from the Mage’s personal cellar. He must be heavily interested in science, Keir suggested cheekily, earning himself a few sips and the admonition to, ‘Grow some hair on that chest, lad.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.