Stained Glass Monsters by Andrea Höst

Author:Andrea Höst
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: mage, high fantasy, golem, andrea k host
Publisher: Andrea Höst

Chapter Sixteen

Stupid, stuck-up, full of himself, know-it-all, pampered...

Kendall ran out of new things to call Sebastian Montjuste-Surclere and started the list over, stomping a foot in time to each word. What business was it of his to look down on her? She hadn't been learning magic since she could crawl.

Well, enough was enough. Sebastian could admire himself as much as he liked. The idiots at the Arkathan could gossip and nudge and whisper and smirk at each other. Kendall didn't need to hang around for that. She had money enough to find a place to stay, and smarts enough to find a job. She'd practice holding pebbles in the meantime, and if it ever looked like she might be able to do more she'd find a teacher. There were plenty of mages outside the Houses of Magic. Better mages.

At least, now that she'd decided to leave, she would be able to see the city. Who would have thought she'd have spent all this time in Asentyr and not even looked around? It was a stupid rule that students of the Arkathan couldn't leave the Houses of Magic without permission, and Kendall felt as if she was kicking off chains as she marched down Aliace Hill.

Someone walking the other way stopped and turned around, following after her. Busybody. Kendall shot them a withering glare, which didn't have much effect on Rennyn Montjuste-Surclere. The woman only seemed entertained by Kendall's expression.

"Been arguing with Seb?" she asked, unexpectedly perceptive.

"No!" Kendall increased her pace, but found her elbow taken in a firm grip.

"Let's go eat something. There's a nice-looking teashop down here."

"Don't you have a kingdom to save?"

"Tea first, then kingdom."

Kendall debated pulling free. "Look, Lady Mon-"

"Oh, call me Rennyn. I don't have a title and we'll dump the stupid surname as soon as this is over. Rennyn Claire, no more complicated than that."

"Then why introduce yourself as Montjuste-Surclere?"

"Because it's simpler right now. Expediency excuses many sins."

Her voice was so bitter that Kendall had to stare, and she was curious enough to follow meekly into a tea-shop full of snotty types who were even less impressed with Kendall than the lot up at the palace. Without the all-concealing blue and black uniform smock, her worn dress marked her as exactly what she was.

"Spiced tea for two and a selection of cakes, please," Rennyn Claire ordered, tucking her bags under the table and gesturing for Kendall to do the same. "So you bored of the Arkathan?"

"They weren't teaching me anything."

"Are they teaching anyone anything much at the moment? I understood the Arkathan teachers were covering the Hand's duties, while the Hand mages are off helping the Sentene, who are hopelessly overstretched. They can barely keep up with the natural breaches, let alone the larger ones."

"I know all that," Kendall said, crossly. "I'm not asking them to stop or anything. I'm just putting my own time to better use."

"Having argued with Seb."

"I haven't argued with anyone."

"Bah. What did he say to you that's annoyed you then?"

"You're as bad as he is – you always think you're right.

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