Page 31 of The Mage's Rake
“Yes, yes.” Aileen’s fingers were already unclasping the belt and revealing the runes carved into the hard dark brown leather. “Yes. I would say we found our missing potion maker. Poor soul. May the Lady of the Night grant her rest.”
“Any eyewitnesses?” Alan mused aloud. “Perhaps that is too much to ask.”
“I spoke with the scouts and the others,” Captain Tam said. “There was one young lad we found who was out chasing down a missing sheep.” She raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical about the reason for the young lad’s foray. “At any rate,” she continued, “he said he passed by four rogues along a path in the forest. Four rogues, he said, all kitted out for some no-good business. He just ducked his head and kept moving in their opposite direction, which was north.”
“Any details of what they looked like?” I asked.
“I have a list.” Captain Tam handed over a rather crumpled, folded set of papers. “You can see for yourself, but I imagine His Grace, Duke Wright, will want to know.”
“I will send a report promptly,” I promised her.
I scanned through the details that had been written down.Most of them are the usual types—older toms with scars, dark tans…I raised an eyebrow over that.From the south then. And the fourth was a red-headed young tom. A slender tom with red hair, pale skin, and green eyes.That reminded me of the servantfrom before.The one that had gone missing.I pursed my lips and made a mental note to highlight that for Gareth, just in case.
“Well, good work the lot of you,” I said, smiling at Captain Tam. “I think we have confirmation about a few things. Withdraw our troops and take your ease tonight. You all earned it.”
Leaving Captain Tam to share the good news, I escorted Alan, Aileen, the field medic, and the body of the unfortunate hedge witch back to the castle. I could see that Alan was excited about investigating the hedge witch’s pack. Sure enough, as soon as we passed into the castle courtyard, Alan was dismounting, commandeering the pack, and conferring with Aileen about the “autopsy,’ which would be held by the field medic.
An hour later, after finishing my lengthy report to Gareth and sending yet another messenger to the Wright estate, I discovered Alan drooping over his books. More precisely, his head was buried in his arms as he napped soundly on top of a pile of scattered parchment and paper. His favorite raven’s quill had dropped forward out of his long, lax fingers. I leaned forward to set it carefully back in its wood slot.
For a second, I stood there, reveling in the silence. Alan’s laboratory was no longer a foreign land. It felt like home. For the first time, I truly felt as though I had found a place that I had truly embraced as my home, right here in the castle. Who would have guessed that Hugh Starr, extravagant knight and gentlecat would harbor such sentimental thoughts?
Something warm sparked in the cold depths of my heart. After all the years I have spent at Landis’s side, working with Gareth and the others, I had never thought about making a home. One might say I had avoided the idea, deluding myself that I was content with a life of wandering and whimsy. But there was something here. Something precious that I wished to keep.
I placed a hand on Alan’s shoulder and then allowed my fingers to ghost across the now frazzled line of his braided white hair. A smile crossed my face as Alan mumbled something like, “Not now, Hu…”
“Time for bed, I think, young tom,” I said with a dry chuckle. I leaned forward to whisper in his ear, “Time to go to bed, Alan.”
Alan jerked a bit, nearly banging his head on my nose, but I dodged him easily as he stretched and yawned. I gently resettled his crooked glasses on the tip of his reddened nose. He flicked his tail lazily and growled a little.
“Supper first,” he said.
“I have a plate for you keeping warm in the kitchens,” I told him. “We can have it delivered to your rooms.”
“Hmmm…”
Alan let me guide him out of the laboratory as I gently coaxed him along the halls to his suite. Hopefully, he wouldn’t notice or protest if I decided to stay. I didn’t want to leave Alan’s side. If I could, I’d want to stay forever.
Forever…Now, that sounded quite nice.
Chapter 12
Alan
Now is not the time, little one. Have faith and bide the hour. For when it comes, he who was unfettered shall find freedom in the bonds of love.
So had Nyria spoken to me. Her voice echoed in my dreams. Even now, I found myself musing over her enigmatic words. The only response I had been given that night of magic and passion. I had not spoken of them to Hugh. I had known instinctively that those words had been for my ears alone.
Bide the hour…
“I’ve been thinking,” Hugh said suddenly in my ear.
Since the night we spent together two days ago, Hugh would appear at my elbow without warning. He was my own personal haunting, quite literally. Perhaps he had come to enjoy my company and missed me. I suspected that he simply enjoyed startling me. This time, he got only a small squeak out of me. I was, after all, at a Wintermas court ball.
As usual, I felt tension thrumming through me at the sight of everyone crammed together in the king’s Great Hall. Most of the guests were clearly enjoying themselves, chatting and drinking and sampling the sweets and hot drinks served by the royal household. I was not part of their number. I rarely enjoyed social occasions, even smaller balls like this one. The idea of talking with people with whom I was barely acquainted was exhausting and daunting.
Instead, I preferred to stand as I was now far from the crowd, half-hidden in shadows. From this more private vantage point, I was able to survey the room, tracking the few guests I recognized. Inevitably, my gaze was drawn to the heart of the largest knot of activity. By the hearth, Landis lounged next to Corrin. While they held court with decorum, it was clear from the rare touches of Landis’s hand on Corrin’s that they found comfort in each other’s touches.
Some lords and ladies frowned at the sight. Those who held to Lord Morne’s more traditional beliefs disliked the idea of a Sunna and Munni courting each other so openly, particularly among the royal house. Others were concerned with matters of succession.
