Gryphon (Rise of the Mages Book 2)

by Brian W. Foster

  Dylan snarled. “You have no right to talk to me like that!”

  Tasia sighed. “Look, don’t make the same mistake I did. I had the choice to embrace something dangerous and scary, and I let fear decide for me. Frankly, I was an idiot, and now, it’s too late.”

  “I’m not you,” Dylan said. “I make the right choices. I always make the right choices.”

  “Nonetheless,” Tasia said, “you are an idiot.”

  Before he could respond, she turned and walked away, leaving him sputtering.

  * * *

  Dylan found a shaded spot on the wall and sat.

  The girls’ caravan passed through the castle gate, wound through the town, and disappeared on the other side of Asherton’s north wall. That was it, then. Even if he wanted to change his mind—which he most definitely didn’t—it was too late. They were off.

  At least he didn’t have to worry about her being safe. Lainey that was. He didn’t have to worry about Lainey being safe, his good friend of so many years. What with the platoon of soldiers, she’d be fine. Besides, they had three mages along, even if Lady Ashley didn’t know how to use her powers.

  Yes, she, Lainey, would be perfectly fine.

  Dylan could use his time worrying about more profitable areas of concern, like finding more buildings for his family’s business in Asherton. They already had a small presence, of course, with their storefront in the Lesser Commons and a warehouse by the river, but that simply wouldn’t do for the company possessing the Asher house concession on dye.

  How nice was it that so many merchants had abandoned their locations due to the troubles, taking all their guards with them? Duke Asher surely couldn’t be too happy with them, considering how generous he’d been to those who’d stayed.

  Dylan grinned. Kicking out one of those cowardly families from their buildings wouldn’t take much. A bribe here. A handshake there. A word to the right person. To the victors went the spoils, and you can’t win if you don’t play.

  Who would have thought becoming a mage and participating in a battle—where he was never even in danger!—would be so profitable for him?

  So much to do, though, and he didn’t know exactly how long before he’d have to leave on his mission. Not long enough.

  After acquiring real estate, his top priority was to build up his business contacts, which meant figuring out the best choice to be his bride. The daughter of the guild patriarch was an interesting match. Transport was always one of his largest costs. Even a small reduction in fees would increase profits greatly. But the garment merchant’s daughter would be helpful as well. After all, dye and clothes naturally went together.

  Too bad a man couldn’t have more than one wife.

  Dylan scowled. Not a good line of thought.

  Okay, first to his quarters to make lists and write letters. His wrist would be sore from writing by the end of the day, but the pain would be worth it. His father was going to be so pleased.

  Oh, and another letter that needed to be penned was …

  His mental to-do list grew over the next quarter hour as he walked, and he wondered if he could do it all in a month, much less a week or two. He stopped. Where was he? The stable. But he’d been heading to his room.

  Riding around town visiting suppliers was time he couldn’t afford. He could simply reach more by paper and messenger. Besides, while the personal touch was to be utilized sometimes, there was something about demonstrating wealth by using actual paper that got negotiations started on the correct path.

  He spun, intending to go to his room, but he didn’t move.

  Tasia was right about him being an idiot. He had no desire to marry strategically. Who gave a fig about what a girl could do for his family?

  Mari. That was who he wanted. Her, and only her. But she’d left hours ago.

  Yes, but in a slow-moving caravan consisting of dozens of people and wagons.

  Dylan jumped on Clover and galloped as if his life depended on it.

  * * *

  Dylan topped a rise several miles outside of the city.

  A half-dozen of the duke’s blue-and-gold-liveried soldiers flanked each side of the road, weapons drawn.

  “Halt!” a captain yelled.

  Dylan grimaced. Pretty stupid of him to gallop toward the niskma unannounced. He reined his horse to a stop. “Sorry, sir. I have an important message for the niskma’s party.” Well, he kind of did. For one member of the party, anyway.

  Luckily, the soldiers remembered him from the castle, and after a quick search to verify he carried no weapons, they escorted him to Lady Ashley.

  The girls waited for him around a bend, still mounted. Lady Ashley fumed at the sight of him, but Dylan ignored her, as he did Tasia’s knowing smile. Lainey gave him an encouraging nod, the most animated he’d seen her in a while.

  Mari, on the other hand, wheeled her horse from him and took off in the opposite direction.

  “Mari! Mari!”

  The louder he yelled, the faster she urged her horse. Luckily, he had the better horse and, since he was already moving a lot faster than her, caught her pretty quickly. He grabbed the reins from her and brought them both to a stop.

  “Come with me to Eagleton,” he said.

  “No.”

  “Come with me.”

  She turned away to stare at the woods. “Why? So you can hug me again? To give you a chance to reject me again when you get tired of me? Why would I?”

  Her voice was rough. Dylan suspected she was crying. Because of him. He’d hurt her.

  “Because I don’t want to be an idiot, anymore.” He glanced back at Tasia, who grinned at him. “Look I was scared and conflicted about what the right thing to do was. So I did something incredibly stupid, and I’m so, so sorry that I did. All I want is you!”

  “I don’t care what you want!” she yelled.

  Wait. Mari had taken him breaking things off much better than he’d expected. Sure, she was mad but not heartbroken. And she wasn’t exactly swooning at his trying to win her back.

  Which meant that, maybe, she didn’t want him as much as he wanted her.

  Dylan had never considered the possibility. He really was an idiot.

  8.

  Dylan’s heart sputtered.

  The world spun. He felt like he was falling.

  Mari didn’t care about him.

  “Get away from me!” she yelled, finally looking at him.

  He recoiled from her. “Oh.”

  “Oh? Oh! That’s all you can say?” Tears streamed down her face.

  He’d made her so mad that she was crying.

  “I … I didn’t … I didn’t realize … I’m … sorry.” Dylan spun his horse, desperate to be away from there. From her.

  Instead of urging Clover to a gallop, he stopped. What was he doing? A few years ago when a tribal elder had insisted on a twenty-five percent increase in the price of dye, had he given up because he couldn’t afford to pay that much? When the wagon master had told him last spring that there was no room for the d’Adreci casks, had he accepted the man reneging on his contract?

  No. He’d fought, done whatever it took, and he’d do no less for the most important negotiation of his life.

  Dylan wheeled his horse back around to face her. “I do not accept your terms.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “You heard me,” he said. “I will not stay away from you, so if you won’t come with me, I’ll go with you.”

  Maybe if he stayed close enough to her, she could come to care for him.

  Mari frowned. “You can’t.”

  “Says who?”

  “The duke!” she said. “He ordered you to go to Eagleton.”

  Dylan shrugged. “I guess I’ll have to risk being arrested. Maybe executed.”

  “No.” She clenched her hands. “I won’t allow it.”

  “You can’t stop me.”

  “Maybe I can’t, but Lady Ashley sure can.”

  “I’ll follow behind y
ou,” he said, “and no matter how many times her soldiers drive me off, I’ll just return.”

  “I’m serious, Dylan. Duke Asher isn’t going to just let you do whatever you want. Don’t get into trouble over me.”

  “Sorry.”

  She set her jaw. “If you disobey the duke, you’ll lose your contract with him. There go your dreams of expanding your family’s business.”

  “I don’t care.”

  Her eyes widened, obviously unbelieving he’d said that. So was he. Even more surprising was that the statement was true.

  “Why would you do that?” she said.

  “Because …” He swallowed hard. “Because I love you.”

  “You do? But …”

  “But I acted like a total idiot?” he said.

  “Yes!”

  Dylan softened his voice. “I hurt you, and I’m so, so sorry. And I can’t even promise it won’t happen again because sometimes I do stupid things. But I can …” He moved his horse closer to hers and took her hands in his. “Mari Greenfield, I promise that I will always love you and that I will never stop trying to make you feel the same.”

  She sighed. “Too late.”

  “Until one of us is dead, it’s never too late.”

  “No, I meant that it’s too late because I already do.”

  “Huh?”

  She grinned. “I love you, too, idiot.”

  * * *

  Ashley seethed

  That simpleton, Dylan, courted her lady-in-waiting.

  As if the girl had any control over her life. As if she could simply choose to go off with the boy instead of following Ashley’s commands. As if Ashley had no power.

  And Tasia, always so emotional. She looked like she was going to cry. No, not going to. Was. Her eyes glistened.

  By the Holy One!

  Dylan dismounted and pulled Marisol to him. They embraced. And kissed. And cried. And professed undying love for each other.

  If it weren’t such an unladylike act, Ashley would have thrown up.

  She waited, not saying anything, until Marisol was mounted again. Until she’d ridden back to where Ashley and her coterie watched.

  Marisol approached. Smiling. Happy. Until she noticed Ashley’s expression.

  “I’m … uh,” Marisol said. “I mean, my lady, may I …”

  Ashley fixed her with an icy stare. “You’re what?”

  “Uh, my lady, may I, uh, request that I be allowed to …”

  “To what?”

  “Uh, to go with … um.”

  “Lady Ashley,” Tasia said, “may I speak with you? Privately.”

  Ashley glared at her but nodded. They rode a short distance away ahead.

  “You are just making her sweat, right?” Tasia said. “You are planning on letting her go?”

  “She is my lady-in-waiting, a duty she committed to perform. A duty her father agreed to. One does not simply abandon commitments.”

  “And you need her like you need a third leg. Really? You’d make her give up her chance at happiness?” Tasia paused. “I know things aren’t great for you right now, but that’s no excuse for making others miserable.”

  One day, she would go too far, and Ashley would have to do something about it. There was value, though, in having someone to speak truth without fear of reprisal.

  “I am not miserable,” Ashley said.

  Tasia rolled her eyes. “Oh really? You haven’t been on the verge of tears since your father told the story of your mother’s death? I imagined all that?”

  Ashley pursed her lips. “I’m fine.”

  “You are anything but fine,” Tasia said. “Instead of holding all your emotions in until you erupt, you need to work through them. I’m here when you want to talk about it.”

  “Sure,” Ashley said. “We’ll do that. Let’s see, how about we schedule that chat for … a quarter to never? That work for you?”

  “Ashley …”

  “My mother is my business. You will not mention her again.”

  “Fine!” Tasia said. “How about Xan, then? I know you’re worried about him.”

  “He’s a blasted wizard, for the Holy One’s sake!”

  Tasia scowled. If there was one thing she hated, it was when someone cursed against the church.

  Ashley softened her tone. “He’s literally the most powerful man in the three kingdoms. I’m sure he’s fine.”

  “No one has sensed any magic use.”

  “Of course they haven’t!” Ashley said. “He’s not idiot enough to give his position away. My father wants him dead.”

  “Meaning he’s alone and hunted. Your definition of ‘fine’ sure is strange.”

  “He can take care of himself!”

  “And if he is ‘fine’ and we eventually find him,” Tasia said, “what then?”

  “Oh for the love of …” Ashley said. “Can we please end this ridiculous discussion?”

  Tasia sighed. “You’ll let Mari go?”

  “Fine.”

  “Great,” Tasia said. “Go tell her.”

  Ashley glared daggers. “I will not ride all the way back there.”

  “Okay, I’ll do it.” Infuriatingly, Tasia grinned.

  She rode off, and a short while later, Lainey approached.

  “There will be a brief delay, my lady, while they unpack Mari’s clothes and stuff.” Lainey hunched her shoulders, clearly expecting an explosion. “Sorry, my lady.”

  Ashley had not been hiding her emotions well enough if everyone sensed her mood. “I can wait. The sun dropping low on the horizon, ruining our chance to get to a good inn before nightfall, is no matter.”

  “Yes, my lady.”

  They sat in silence for a good while.

  “Lainey. That’s not a common name.”

  “I’ve always had it, my lady, but come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve met another.”

  “My mother’s name was Alaina. So similar. You lost your mom, too. Right?”

  Lainey nodded.

  “We have much in common, considering the distance between our stations. Both mages. Both of us both love and hate a particular young man.” Ashley paused. “Both grew up with no mom.”

  “Yes, my lady.”

  Another silence fell.

  “How was it that your mom died?” Ashley said.

  Lainey reminded her about the plague.

  “Ah, another similarity. Both our mothers’ deaths had something to do with magic.” Ashley frowned. “Wait. I thought only the really old and really young died.”

  “And those who were weak, my lady.”

  “There the similarities end,” Ashley said. “Your father didn’t cause your mother to die.”

  “Yeah, but I kind of did, my lady.”

  “How so?”

  “My mom had just given birth when the plague hit, my lady. If not for me being born, she probably would have survived.”

  “You carry a lot of guilt, don’t you? Why?”

  Lainey shrugged. “I don’t know, my lady. I wish I could not carry it.”

  “How do you cope?”

  “Right now, my lady?” Lainey barked out a harsh chuckle. “Not very well.” She paused. “With my mom, I was a baby, and there really was nothing I could have done about it. Bad timing was all. Logically, it’s stupid feeling too bad over something I had no control over. That helps some.”

  Ashley nodded.

  “And with the guardsman, my lady, Tasia helped a lot, made me see that, warts and all, I’d rather Xan still be alive than that man in the stable. If, you know, Xan actually still is alive. And if he’s not …”

  “Yeah,” Ashley said. “My father. Again.”

  They lapsed back into silence.

  “If I were in your shoes, my lady …” Lainey paused. “It’s not my place to say.”

  “You’ve started. Finish.”

  Lainey sighed. “It’s just that … well, I’d have a hard time blaming your father for what happened to your mother, my lady.”<
br />
  “How so?”

  “He did what he thought was best, my lady. He was trying to protect her, right?”

  “What matters more, results or intentions?” Ashley said. “In my experience, I’ll take results every time.”

  “Still, my lady, being angry at someone tends to hurt you more than it ever does them.”

  “We’ll see about that,” Ashley said.

  No matter what cost to her, she would not let her father off the hook for killing her mother.

  9.

  Ashley glared at the endless road ahead.

  Her butt hurt, and her muscles were stiff. Dust and trees and bugs were no replacement for chilled wine and silk sheets and her nice, soft bed. Even the “best” accommodations the previous night’s inn could provide didn’t compare to hers. In fact, the only credible explanation for all the mattress’ lumps was that the innkeeper added them on purpose.

  After only two days of travel, she was ready for the trip to end, and she still had at least a dozen to go. Ugh!

  Someone behind her laughed. She snarled and glanced back.

  Tasia was happy and smiling as she chatted with Lainey. Ashley glared. Did anything ever get her cousin down?

  Hmm.

  “Tasia,” Ashley said, “attend me, please.”

  “Yes, my lady?” Tasia said after she’d pulled even with Ashley.

  “Are you being sarcastic?”

  “Of course not, my lady!”

  Ashley frowned. “I’ve traveled this road recently. Up until Ruferburg, anyway. That’s where I was held captive.”

  Tasia scrunched up her nose with worry.

  “Oh good grief,” Ashley said. “I’m not that fragile.”

  “My lady?”

  “Drop whatever nonsense just crossed your mind,” Ashley said. “What was it, concern that the trip is dredging up bad memories or some such idiocy?”

  “You’re sure you’re okay?”

  That didn’t dignify a response. Time to turn the screws.

  “Except for Lainey, my company on the journey back was very different from now. Different soldiers. Brant. Dylan.” Ashley paused dramatically. “Xan.”

  She glanced at Tasia. No reaction.

  “At the time, I didn’t know the full story of our dream visits, only that he’d rescued me and that I loathed him to the core of my being.” Ashley laughed. “You would have been so mad at me. I tortured the poor boy, and the funniest part was how he took it. He was so obviously smitten with me. My every insult was a knife pricking at his heart.”