Blooming Black: Rosewood Academy of Witches and Mages (Darkly Sweet Book 4) by Juliann Whicker

Author:Juliann Whicker [Whicker, Juliann]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-08-14T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 21

Mage

I went directly to the battlefront, dropping in on the tent where a Huntsman commander was leaning over the folding table, frowning at a map.

“Good evening,” I said after a few minutes when he didn’t notice me.

“Sit, Master Huntsman.” He didn’t sound like he worked for me.

I went to the camp chair, spelled myself safe and promptly fell asleep. I woke up a little while later and listened to the commander arguing with the lieutenant.

“Our contract with Briarfar Mage specifically allows us a day off every seven days, but these reports show consistent battling for three weeks. The hours seem consistent, but we’ve missed our day off three weeks running and you haven’t noticed?”

I sighed. “His name’s Sooth. He has his claws in Huntsman. Either I disband all our armies or get the commanders to swear fealty. And you thought I was here to enjoy the hospitality of your remarkably comfortable camp chair.”

The Commander stared at me unblinking, his black eyes coals that burned brightly for a moment before he turned to his lieutenant. “Dismissed.”

The lieutenant, a blond and pasty Daysider mage who couldn’t be more than twenty two scurried off. Why did I think he was a child when he had me by four years? I was clearly a bit mixed up.

“Master Huntsman, we haven’t sworn fealty for hundreds of years. You’re suggesting taking us back into the dark ages.”

I pointed at him. “Exactly. Your grasp of matters is remarkably astute. I’m also considering going away from indoor plumbing but that’s iffy in Darkside anyway. I believe if you swear fealty to me and your men swear fealty to you, that should be sufficient.”

He picked up the contract and put it back down. “You have immunity to the sorcerer?”

I nodded regally, well, as regally as I could from the camp chair in bedazzled pants.

He scowled at the space between us while he worked through the options. Interesting. I’d expected Pruitt to discount it immediately. He particularly disliked me. “No contract, just sworn fealty. Would you maintain the conditions stated in the contract?”

“I have no intention of trying to personally control hundreds of mages who are ambitious and cunning enough to make Commander in Huntsman’s mercenaries. It’s terrifying, the idea of having to be responsible for murderous cutthroats like you, Pruitt.”

He glowered at me. “Tell me what this sorcerer has been doing.”

“If you’d like. I’m so very obliging, but you won’t remember. Perhaps you should take notes so that the next time I see you, I can refer you to them and maybe we can make some headway.” He didn’t say anything, just nodded and waited for me to continue, not taking notes. Sigh. “Jasper made a deal a very long time ago, power in exchange for connection to this sorcerer, Sooth, who was supposed to be long dead.”

“Sooth is dead. It would probably be his progeny we’re dealing with.”

I shrugged. “Either way. That breach is what this sorcerer is using to manipulate our armies. Manipulate as in every battle we’ve fought for the last month has been on the side opposite our contract.

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