by Eric Vall
Deya tipped right into my lap with a silvery giggle, and the others gathered around the table with us as they chugged their Rosh.
“Alright, first of all, you guys really gotta pace yourselves on the Rosh,” I muttered. “Deya is right, though. Hulsan knew about her, but I don’t know how.”
“I told you!” Deya scoffed and held her pointed nose high in the air. “I told you, I have these beautiful ears, and they heard everything.”
“Fine, you heard everything,” Aurora snorted and propped her chin in her palm, but then her hazy emerald eyes went wide. “Wait … that’s so bad!”
“So bad,” Cayla muttered into her mug. The princess was as stoic as ever, but her hooded gaze betrayed how drunk she was already getting, and I grinned as I considered she was the most composed drunk woman I’d ever seen.
“Nooo,” Shoshanne groaned, and she leaned over to clumsily throw her arms around the pink-haired elf, “I’m not giving Deya back. She’s mine.”
“She’s yours?” I chuckled as I eyed the healer’s bright red cheeks, and Shoshanne fell into a fit of giggles.
“Ours,” she finally managed. “She’s our sister and your woman, and that’s that.”
“I love you guys,” Deya sighed. “We’re gonna kill all those armies, just watch.”
“Yeah, we are,” Cayla said as her eyes closed. “Mason, kill the armies.”
“Okay,” I laughed. “We can talk about all this when there’s less Rosh around. Why don’t you guys let me worry about Nalnora, and you just enjoy your evening, alright?”
Then Deya gasped with sudden excitement, and her violet eyes glittered. “Let’s cause trouble! This will be so fun!”
“Okay!” Shoshanne giggled, and the elf grabbed Shoshanne’s hand to terry off into the crowd with her.
“She’s my favorite elf,” Aurora sighed as we watched the pair stumble away, “but wait … what happened, though? I hate not knowing things, tell me, please?”
I grinned as Cayla gave a stoic nod and swayed a bit.
“Uhh … a lot,” I laughed. “Basically, Hulsan just wanted me on the Master’s side, but something’s up, and I don’t know what. He wouldn’t try to kill me, and I kind of got the feeling they need me for something. He said the Master’s seen what I could become, which is kind of creepy.”
“So creepy,” Cayla mumbled.
“Yeah,” I chuckled, “and besides that, he just tore the place apart, so we have a lot of repairs to do. Oh, and the Baroness was there, and she knew about the whole attack, but she only told Pindor.”
Aurora snorted. “That’s the least helpful thing she could have done.”
“She’s so sexy,” Cayla said with a nod, and I raised my brows.
“What?”
“What?” Cayla parroted.
“You’re not wrong,” Aurora admitted with a hazy tilt of her head. “Sometimes, I think about what she would look like under Mason. You know, she touched my neck once. It was … ”
I laughed as the two women exchanged a drunken look, and I couldn’t believe they weren’t going on about how scary the Baroness was for once. This was definitely unexpected, but their mugs were empty, so that probably had a lot to do with it.
“She is sexy,” I allowed, “but I don’t think--”
“What was she wearing?” Cayla interrupted.
I smirked. “Same as usual. A black dress. It was see-through.”
“Ughhh,” Aurora groaned. “Of course, it was. What color were her nipples?”
“What?” I scoffed. “You’re ridiculous.”
Cayla furrowed her brows. “Yeah, but what color were they?”
“The same color as the rest of her,” I sighed as I shook my head. “We’re getting completely off topic. Look, I don’t know what to say about the Baroness, but if she knew about that attack and did nothing, that’s probably a bad sign. Plus, she said she sells people’s secrets, which is dangerous for us, because she knows about Deya, and she follows me around, and she knows about my runes now, too. So--”
“She likes you,” Cayla snorted. “She follows you around, and she hasn’t gotten you murdered yet. Proof.”
“How many mugs have you had?” I cocked a brow.
“Three,” Cayla said with a shrug. “Four, soon.”
“Great,” I chuckled as I caught sight of Defender Urn heading over. “We’ll just discuss this later, then.”
“Yes, sir,” Cayla purred.
“No, Lord!” Aurora blurted, and the princess giggled as she grabbed her empty mug and dragged the half-elf to her feet.
“Yes, my Lo--”
“Don’t say it,” I warned. “Go get your Rosh.”
The two women were laughing their asses off as they ran right into Defender Urn, and they rebounded by several feet before they managed to wander back toward the barrels on each other’s arm.
“I see your women are enjoying the celebration,” Urn muttered as he sat beside me.
“Yeah, this is gonna be a shit show,” I chuckled, and I gestured to the man’s ale. “You’re not a Rosh man?”
Urn sent me a sober shake of the head. “Last time I drank Rosh, I woke up in a Cedis dungeon with a life sentence for robbing every pub between Serin and Gyton. It took a petition from eighty Defenders to overturn the charges, and Temin suspended my service for a full year over it.”
“Hoooly shit,” I laughed.
“I’ll stick to ale,” he said with a grin, but after a moment, he eyed me uneasily. “So, I’ve been talkin’ with the Defenders about earlier.”
I nodded. “Look, I know you didn’t want to kill the mages, and I know I took it upon myself to--”
“No, not that,” he assured me with a dismissive wave of his hand. “You … you were right about the mages. I’m not saying we shouldn’t try to save them, but what happened today … I didn’t think we were gonna make it. Those possessed mages were too fast and too strong. We’d have lost every mage in the Oculus if you hadn’t arrived, that’s just the truth of it. You did what needed to be done.”
“I’m glad you see it that way,” I admitted, and Urn furrowed his brow at his pint.
“But what Hulsan said,” he continued, “about you and that elf. Is it true? Did you really take that girl from Nalnora against the law?”
“It’s a shit law,” I told him in a low voice, and I sent him a pointed look. “Trust me.”
“I do,” Urn assured me, “but there would be a war over it?”
I sighed and finished my Rosh before answering. “Most likely. Her brother has a decent army, which might change things, but for now, I’m not really too worried about it to be honest.”
“Of course, you’re not,” he snorted, but when I looked over, Urn had a broad grin beneath his mustache. “You’re just here to kick ass and fuck your women right, yeah?”
“Hell yeah, I am,” I chuckled.
“Was that the official oath you took when you signed on as a Defender?” he asked. “Just to clarify.”
“Not in so many words,” I said with a grin. “That’s just my personal take on it. I think I’m doing alright, though.”
“Well, if it does come to it,” Urn said, and he sent me a sobering look, “I meant what I said about this Order. We protect our own no matter the stakes, and if it came to a war with the Elven houses, you’d have the Defenders on your side. Can’t say it’d do much good with that crazy lot, but it’s something.”
“Thanks, Urn,” I replied as I blinked in surprise. “I appreciate the support.”
“By the way, two of your women are robbing the mages,” he informed me as he stood to leave. “Probably wanna look into that.”
“Shit,” I sighed, and I grabbed my mug as I headed into the market. I didn’t find any of my women near the barrels while I refilled my Rosh, though, and I wandered all over the clearing without catching sight of Shoshanne or Deya.
I did see Kurna drunkenly teaching Aurora about magery while Cayla drank beside them, and Stan laid o
n his tummy on the princess’ head like he was enjoying the show.
Then Aurora’s arms burst into flames, and my jaw just about hit the dirt. The half-elf laughed hysterically as she stood there like a fiery, elven demon, and when she caught sight of me, her emerald eyes went wide with excitement.
“Mason, look!” she hollered across the clearing. “I’m on fire!”
I nodded as my brows shot up, and as I looked around me, water was leaping over the crowd from one Flumen Mage to the next like a beach ball at a concert, and several Ignis Mages were half-ignited just like Aurora.
“Yikes,” I mumbled, but all of them were laughing and admittedly getting very good at controlling their elements, and I realized how much had changed since I got back to Serin.
Half of these mages couldn’t even connect with their powers before we began training them, and in so short a time, all of this had developed. They’d stormed the Oculus and shot down our enemies without needing an order from me, and because of what we’d accomplished here, hundreds of mages were spared the onslaught of the Master’s forces tonight.
But Hulsan’s words were rooted in my mind now, and as I watched the other mages celebrate, I couldn’t help taking stock of where I was at this moment.
At this point, I really could unleash both Rhys’ and Dragir’s armies on the Elite of Nalnora if I gave the order, and with just a wave of my hand, they’d have the weaponry to manage a complete overthrow of power.
The ogres were waiting to take on anyone, anytime, anywhere in my name, and with King Temin as a trusted friend, the Oculus and every resource in his kingdom were at my disposal.
Even the King of Cedis would likely hand up his army for the love of his deadly daughter, and the Elders of Aurum were currently awaiting my instructions in the north with their fleet at the ready.
Here I was, the leader of a full-fledged army with the baddest weapons in the realm, which meant Hulsan had been right.
It was undeniably true that I did have the potential and power to take over every region in the realm if I wanted to. If I did, I could probably get with what the Master had in mind for this world, and I’d be his most powerful asset in the fight to do it. I could secure his vision, enact his will, and together, we’d bring the nations to their knees.
We’d have the whole world at our disposal with every kind of magic in hand, and who knew what we could create together? Hulsan said the Master knew what I was capable of, and while I was always getting better with my magery, I didn’t have that kind of foresight to know where I was headed, and part of me was itching to know.
But even as I thought this, a leaden resolve hit me hard in the gut.
If I’d learned anything about myself since coming to this realm, it was that I wasn’t the type of guy who’d be content to enact anyone’s will except my own. I was the guy who got the women I wanted, invented the weapons I needed, and forged the alliances that served me most.
I had it pretty fucking good, and what more could I ask for?
So, I smirked as I downed the last of my Rosh, but as I strutted on tipsy legs to get another refill, my eyes fell on a kid with hair much like my own, who wasn’t remotely sitting in his glory right now.
Pindor was posted against the wall of the library with his hands rooted in his pockets and a cast on his arm, and while he glowered at the clearing of mages, Jenik and Malika glowered right back while they sipped their ale by the pub.
I shook my head as I dunked my mug in a barrel, and then I strolled over to Pindor.
“You did good today,” I told the kid as I leaned against the wall, but he just shrugged.
“Thanks.”
I smirked. “Come on, you could’ve died at least ten times, and you didn’t. You’ve really gotta learn to take a win when they come your way.”
“I’ll work on it,” he muttered and averted his eyes to the ground.
“There’s a very simple solution to this,” I informed him.
“To what?”
“To being the cocky shit no one wants to talk to.”
Pindor scuffed his boot in the dirt, and I did my best not to chuckle at the dejected look of him.
“Just talk to Mina,” I tried. “Half these kids hate your ass because she’s a sweet girl with a lot of friends to look out for her. Go apologize to her, admit you made a mistake, and she’ll probably stop bitching about you to everyone in Falmount. She might even forgive you for leaving her tied to a bed, which would be a huge improvement to plotting your murder with Deli.”
Pindor didn’t respond or stop glaring at the dirt, and as I considered the dozen or so scowls coming his way, I caught sight of Mina across the clearing.
“Do me a favor,” I muttered, and I grabbed the kid by his vest and shoved him around the corner of the library. “Stay there.”
“Wha--seriously?” he groaned. “No one’s gonna hate you just for standing near me. I’m not spending the whole night--”
“Shhh …” I said out of the corner of my mouth, and I sent a friendly wave in Mina’s direction when she noticed me. “I know you’re rocking the stubborn idiot thing, but I’m kind of the same way, so you’re gonna have to trust me on this.”
“What?” Pindor asked in confusion, but Mina was already strolling over with her glass of dwarven wine.
“Hey, Mason!” she said with a dimpled smile. “I heard you kicked ass at the Ocu--” Mina’s smile fell the second she noticed Pindor in the shadows, and she sent me a thoroughly unamused stare. “Really?”
I grinned. “Yes, really. Do me a favor and don’t kill him until you hear him out.”
I clapped Pindor on the shoulder before I turned to track down my women, and I was glad to hear an irritated sigh from Mina rather than a firm slap across Pindor’s face.
Then a mage came barreling out of absolutely nowhere, though, and he crashed into me as he locked his arms around my waist.
I flailed and stumbled for several feet before finally catching myself on the edge of a barrel, and the mage let out a long drunken snort before he finally released me to steady himself on my shoulder.
That’s when I recognized his dense brow curls from the infirmary.
“Sebastian?” I chuckled in confusion.
“You … are my favorite guy,” he slurred and blinked up at me blearily.
“You look like you’re having a great night,” I laughed. “How’s your redheaded friend?”
“Lovely,” he assured me. “You’re her favorite guy, too.”
“Well, that’s cool.”
“No,” he hiccupped. “You saved my baby’s life. I don’t even … you’re my fucking favorite guy. She’s so grateful. I thought that was it. I mean, can a baby be born possessed? I don’t know.”
My grin faded as I tried to process Sebastian’s drunken rambling.
“Wait, do you mean ‘saved your baby’ like an actual baby?” I clarified. “She’s pregnant?”
“Yeah, she is,” he chuckled proudly. “You’re a good guy, Defender Flynt. Tell that curly haired lady she’s so nice, too. Sooo nice to cut that rune off.”
I nodded blankly as Sebastian swayed dangerously close to a torch, and then he stumbled off into the crowd with his mug spilling out all over the ground.
“Damn,” I muttered, and I squinted into the crowd as some Terra Mage threw dust up all over the place to rain down like confetti.
Everything was getting messy now that flames and water jetted all over the place, but I could see the older Defenders posted near the pub and laughing heartily over the scene. They caught the flames before the trees ignited with a lazy wave of their hands, and a few of them were casually sending water spurts at the crowd to confuse the drunken mages.
Even Urn was cutting loose a bit, and he chuckled to himself as the whole ground tipped just enough to throw everyone off balance, but not so much that they knew what was going on.
Then I caught a glimpse of pink hair just before it vanished, and as I narrowed my eyes and wove through
the mages, I finally caught Shoshanne by the wrist.
“Alright, where’s Deya?” I sighed, and the healer burst out laughing without a scrap of guilt.
Then she curled her finger to bring me closer, and as I leaned in, she giggled in my ear.
“She’s invisible!” Shoshanne whispered, and I rolled my eyes.
“You guys can’t rob the mages,” I informed her, but I failed to look stern about this. “Isn’t it against your oath as a healer to take advantage of the inebriated?”
“I would never!” Shoshanne scoffed, and she shoved a pile of coins and daggers into my arms. “I was just holding them for people. Deya’s the one causing trouble.”
“You are such a liar,” I chuckled.
“No, I am working,” she slurred with an indignant pout. “I am going to work because I’m a very important healer. So much bodies to cut up.” Then she giggled and buried her face in her hands. “Not cut up all the way, though, that would be so bad. Bad healing practices.”
“Wait a minute, come here,” I chuckled and pulled Shoshanne onto a stone dragon someone had created, and then I dumped the wares from the mages onto the ground and steadied the healer before she could tip backwards. “Remember that redheaded mage you removed the rune from? It turns out she was pregnant. Sebastian just--”
“Yes!” Shoshanne belted as she slammed her hands down on the dragon, and I jumped about a foot. “Mason, I saw it! It was sooo cute! I didn’t want to say anything because I didn’t know if they knew or not, and that would be so uncomfortable, but I saw it with my staff! Can you believe that?”
“Yeah, I can,” I admitted as she flushed with excitement. “In my world, we have machines that can see inside of people, and they use them to check on how a baby is growing during a pregnancy.”
“I did that!” Shoshanne exclaimed, and she grabbed my arm. “I did that same thing! I could see inside of her, and it was sooo cute! Mason it was like … the size of my hand. So tiny!”
I couldn’t help grinning while she stared adoringly at her palm, and the Rosh in my veins heated me to my core as the idea of a little curly headed baby with dimples and brown eyes came to mind.