The Spellmonger Series: Book 02 - Warmage by Terry Mancour

Author:Terry Mancour [Mancour, Terry]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2012-01-19T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Three:

An Evening Of Entertainments With The Nobility

Wilderhall, Midsummer

“Master, you requested to be woken at this time,” the soft but insistent voice of my new manservant said. I didn’t want to open my eyes. I was already exhausted.

“Go away,” I commanded. “Five more minutes.”

“I would not be doing my Master any favors by complying with his wishes,” he chided me. “Your appointment with the nobles is within the hour, and it takes twenty minutes to walk the distance sober.”

“Admit it; you’re working for the Dead God, aren’t you?”

“Master seems cranky this afternoon,” he observed, as he opened the curtains wide and threw back the shutters to the tiny little arrow slit. The late evening sunshine streamed in from the west. I sighed, knowing that no amount of weariness could spare me from this obligation, and then I realized I felt a lot better after having had a nap. I swung my feet out and sat up. Hamlan was already pouring water into the basin and preparing a towel and a razor. I don’t know where he got them from.

“My apologies, Master, but I didn’t think we had time for me to run down to the kitchens and fetch hot water, so cold water will have to serve,” he said, with exaggerated patience as he worked a nubbin of soap into a lather with the brush end of the razor. “Cold water will help you wake up more quickly, anyway, and help you recover your wits.”

Shaving with cold water sounded like torture. I only shaved every week or so, if then, and tried to use a barber instead of nearly cutting my own throat with the razor. Besides, I like the gossip. He obviously considered I needed a shave, and I had to defer to his superior knowledge of court behavior. But I hadn’t shaved with cold water since I went to the Academy. I raised my hand and gestured, flinging a little bolt of elemental magic at the basin, and suddenly the water was steaming.

“I’d rather wake up more gradually, if there’s no threat of imminent death,” I yawned. “It makes me slightly less cranky.”

Ham was staring at the water with a trace of wonder, but his reserved demeanor wouldn’t let him gawk openly. “It seems that duties for a mage are going to be a little different than for a mere lord,” he remarked as I sat on the stool and leaned my head back on the table.

“Not always in a good way, I’m afraid. I may not need you to draw hot water, but I might have you go fetch me six gray hairs from a virgin’s cleft.”

“I look forward to the opportunity to serve you, Master,” he chuckled as he applied the soap to my face, then the razor. He was quick enough about it, and even produced a pair of shears to trim some stray hairs from my head while he was at it. He brushed them away and held up a small, highly-polished silver looking glass for my inspection.

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