Page 8 of The Mage's Rake
Alan stared at me, obviously waiting. I didn’t continue. I hoped his curiosity was torturing him.
“So, where do we go first?” I said cheerfully.
We ended up stopping by our rooms in the castle first. After stopping by to say hello to Landis, who was in the middle of a meeting with Lord Berrymay, we parted ways. I, to find a fresh change of clothing; Alan, to drop off his night pack and change as well. With that done, we met at Alan’s alchemical laboratory.
I wouldn’t say that Alan’s little den was my favorite place in the castle. That would be the ballroom. However, there was something homey with the small, packed room he had been given for his brewing and spell-making. The walls were lined with shelves that were either packed with books and papers or with potion bottles, glass jars, and sealed containers filled with various colored, mysterious potions and elixirs. One side of the table in the center of the room was covered with beakers and little burners, now lying cold and empty of flame. The other side was jammed with papers filled with scribbling, several inkwells of various colors, and papers covered with sigils, runes, and spell circles. Next to the low fire stoked on the large hearth at one end, three cauldrons sat bubbling with various unknown substances.
It was wise not to touch anything or even ask about anything. Touching got you hand smacks from Alan. Asking questions got you lengthy discussions about the intricacies of crafting spells or brewing potions. I opted to stand by the door, leaning against a bookshelf. A place I knew to be safe.
My gaze followed Alan. Now that I had seen him without his clothing, I was gifted with Alan-related magical vision. I nowknew what was hidden beneath those thick layers. Long, slender limbs. Velvety, pale skin. Light muscle that ran down to…
Gods, Hugh.I mentally groaned.There’s no point in torturing yourself, and besides it does Alan an injustice. It is not as though he is actively courting your attention. He isn’t interested.
I told myself that, but my cock had other ideas. So, I crossed my legs and instead forced myself to truly look at Alan. I made myself notice the small things about the young tom. The way his shoulders relaxed a little as he puttered around the room. The smile that flitted across his face as he stirred the three cauldrons by the fire. The light steam that fogged up his spectacles and made him mutter a couple curses under his breath. The soft hum that escaped him as he began to search his large potions cabinet beside the hearth. And the faraway look that entered his eye as he rifled through the thick tome he had opened on a lectern in another corner.
Alan was home. It pleased me to see that he had rediscovered the usual quiet happiness that I noted most times on his face. Eventually, Alan finished the few preparations that needed to be completed. He scrawled out a small note based on some information he’d found in the thick tome. Then, readjusting his spectacles, Alan glanced over to me and smiled a little.
“Ready to start?” he asked.
I nodded.
“Ready whenever you are!”
Chapter 4
Alan
Iwas not certain what Hugh was expecting. But a non-eventful investigation probably wasn’t it.Honestly, sometimes I wonder how the tom ended up as a commander in the King’s forces, I mused.Hugh is a capable knight, but he often behaves as though he has as much common sense as a sheep.
Alright, I suppose that is rather harsh, I admitted to myself. Years spent at King Landis’s side honed Hugh’s awareness. He had a sixth sense for danger… when it came to his liege, but for himself, Hugh appeared to be largely carefree. The thought weighed heavily on me, even as I felt the steady, light brown-eyed gaze of my companion on my back.
Today, Hugh was, against all odds, taking his mission seriously. I ought not be surprised. Underneath the veneer of flirtatious coquetry, jests, and flamboyant gestures, a certain toughness lay hidden. I simply had not expected it to be applied so assiduously to the task of ferrying myself about.
As I became more aware of how quiet Hugh had become, I found myself focusing even more on the task. If I were to allow myself to meander, my mission would take all day long. With Hugh on my heels, however, I attempted to remain on target—entering shops, talking with the shopkeeper, looking around at the wares, and then reviewing ledgers.
Dull stuff. Unbelievably, Hugh held his tongue until we left the last shop, Earyn’s Emporium for Magickal Materials and Stuffs. Standing out on the small, creaking, wooden stoop, Hugh stretched lazily and huffed a sigh. He glanced over at me and raised a quizzical eyebrow.
“Is that the last of them then?” he asked lightly.
“It is,” I said, offering him a small smile.
I barely managed to stop myself from patting him on the head as though he were a well-behaved kitten.
“And you did so well,” I added.
I couldn’t help myself. Hugh squinted at me suspiciously and pursed his pouty lips. His hands now rested on his hips as I descended the short three steps and turned to look up at him.
“Ex-cuse me. Is that some lip I’m hearing, my young kitten?”
He was calling me a kitten? I couldn’t help but chuckle. Hugh folded his arms and glared down at me, ignoring a plump housewife pushing past him with a blush to enter the emporium. The knight’s ears had flicked straight up and the fur of his tail fluffed a little. Hugh’s reddish-brown hair stirred as the light wind brushed against his thick locks. Suddenly, I wanted to push them back, comb them into place. Fighting a blush, I glanced away. Hugh finally deigned to descend, no doubt scenting my weakness.
“I thought not,” huffed Hugh with mock annoyance. “And here I was, attempting to be professional, and my companion is attempting to—“
“I am not attempting anything,” I said with my most freezingly cold voice.
“Hm. Yes. And pigs are flying.”
“I am not.”
