AO 4 Ch 17 (Patreon)

Chapter 17

I managed to get a shower and a nap without interruption. A moment to myself had been nice, but now I wanted to check in on our guests and make sure everyone was situated.

“All settled in?” I poked my head in the doorway to find Eva alone.

“Yes. Thank you.” She nodded towards me. “I’m afraid I’ll have to rely on your hospitality quite heavily. My ability to roam the city is limited.”

That was an understatement, especially now that Uncle Valken was off doing who knows what. She was very stuck.

Presently, only my grandfather had been informed of Eva’s true identity. “We can probably sneak you around later. After all the bragging you did about Zenovia, I’m tempted to let you see our city. We’ll just pretend you’re some mage from a minor house.”

“I’d love that.” She smiled. “Seems you are going to be busy playing host.” Her eyes danced over my shoulder.

I turned.

Vivi was behind me, giving me a little finger wave. “Emlyn let me in. She’s such a sweet woman, no wonder you were pining after her for so long.”

I scratched my cheek awkwardly. “Something like that.”

“Eva.” Vivi swept herself into the room. “I’ll have to get the room next to you. The two of us are going to be held captive here by this brute, aren’t we?” She had no idea who Eva actually was, but once again, she managed to win over everyone in the room.

“That seems to be the case. Why are you stuck here?” Eva asked with a smile.

“We’re captive of House Aldis. They gobbled up my father’s merchant business, and I’m to stay here as a token of goodwill.” Vivi sniffed and wiped at her eyes.

“That is not at all what is happening. We offered her father some business and I’m sure they are here to talk contracts.” I clarified.

“Actually, my father’s first point with your mother was that we could stay here for a while. After the attack on your caravan, he wants to make it clear that we are protected by House Aldis. Which means spending lots of time here.” Vivi smiled and stopped faking crying. “I’ll see you at the meals, otherwise I promise to stay out of your hair. Mages I’m sure are very busy.”

I glanced at Eva to see if it was okay if Vivi stayed, but the other mage just shrugged. I did not like the smirk on her face.

“Alright, well. I’m off to round up my anchors before dinner. Don’t be late.” I headed out of Eva’s room and Maribelle fell into step behind me.

“Zuri has returned, and Emlyn hasn’t seen any activity from Carmilla.” Maribelle reported.

It was nice to have my maid around.

“Huh. I could have sworn that Carmilla would swoop down on me instantly.” That she hadn’t was actually a little unsettling. “Do we know what she is doing?”

“Plotting your demise?” Maribelle offered.

“Probably, but we already knew that. What about Aurelia?” I asked.

“No word.” Maribelle spoke softly.

I scowled at that statement and pivoted in the middle of the hall. I headed out of the estate. “Going to drag her back if I have to.” I cut through the manor and out the front doors spotting Emlyn. “Em. We are going next door. Aurelia hasn’t come back.”

“Oh goodie.” She pushed off the wall. “See you guys later.” She waved at the guards and skipped over to fall in line with me. “Are we dragging her back?”

“Yep. I told her that I’d kidnap her if she tried to escape. Maribelle, if her family gives us too much trouble, make sure to look around. We’ll have to make a plan to come back at night and steal her.” I really doubted we’d have to do that, but I was going to have a backup plan.

The walk over to the neighboring estate was a short one and the guards became alert at my approach.

“Sir Mage, what can we do for you?”

“Step aside if you know what’s good.” Emlyn smiled at the guard. “He’s in a bad mood and about to go start a fight.”

“Mage Aldis? Louise told us to send you to the back training fields.” The guard said quickly as he got out of the way.

“Oh. Louise?” I asked as I walked through the gate. “That’s her mother?”

“Yep. Seems that the momma manticore wants a fight.” Emlyn said. “That’s a good sign. I hear manticores settle disputes with fighting. You can just ‘Ard’ her with your magic and get Aurelia back.” She made it sound like the easiest thing in the world.

I sighed. “When I ‘Ard’ with my magic as you call it, things tend to die. Or explode. Pretty sure I shouldn’t kill her mother.”

“That would be poor taste.” Maribelle agreed.

I hooked a thumb at the maid who had once delivered me a bag of heads. “She says violence isn’t the answer, so we are clearly well away from the violent option.”

The Virel estate was clean, but simpler, than the Aldis estate. Where we’d have decorative tiles, the ones here were nice quality and clean, but simple.

I didn’t go inside after the guard’s instructions. Instead I walked around the main building to find four hard packed training grounds in what most estates would have as some gazebo or other tranquil center piece.

But what I found tracked for House Virel.

Aurelia had her kingdom blues unzipped and around her waist, only wearing a heavy binding around her chest. My anchor was currently on the ground panting. A towering man was leaning on his sword, bent over and trying to catch his breath.

“Ah.” A woman who was unmistakably Aurelia’s mother, if a little shorter than her, greeted me. “You must be Arden. We haven’t had the pleasure yet. Soon you might see the end of this spar.”

Aurelia looked over, saw me, grit her teeth, and then jumped to her feet and picked up her sword again. “Come on. Is that all you got, old man?! You won’t keep me here any longer.” She pointed her sword at the giant of a man. It would have been more convincing that she wasn’t exhausted if her arm wasn’t shaking and she hadn’t been out of breath as she’d spoken.

She was bone tired.

“How long have they been fighting?” I asked Louise.

“She came home spouting something about returning to her mage before she did a few necessary things. Her father thought she must have improved considerably to mouth off like that.” Louise said offhandedly. “So he’s been putting her through her paces. It seems though that she can’t beat her father, so she’ll have to stay here.”

I narrowed my eyes at the games she was playing before cupping my hands around my mouth. “Manticore! If you can’t put that old man down in the dirt, I’m going to have to go through your mother and father to kidnap you.”

“Kidnapping isn’t very effective when you live next door.” Louise said to my side.

However, my words had the desired impact and Aurelia found her second wind, rushing her father with a rapid series of blows.

“Also, don’t call my daughter a manticore.” Louise added.

“I’ll do whatever I want to your daughter.” I turned to her. “She’s my anchor, and I’ll fight you for her if need be.”

“Ard, don’t antagonize them. Virels love to fight.” Emlyn warned.

It was too late.

“Is that so?” Flames coiled around Aurelia’s mother and turned into a serpent of fire that raised its head to strike.

I felt no hostility from her, instead she was testing me. Though, it was a fairly convincing act. My retaliation needed to be swift and decisive.

As a four sphere mage, I had a reputation to uphold. And I did love making a big impression.

Grabbing hold of my soul magic, I focused on the serpent of flame. I targeted it with the goal of outright freezing her fire. Yet, before I used just soul magic, my intention opened up the fox sphere and ice magic flowed out and filled my soul.

I channeled that fox magic into the same purpose I was trying to use my soul magic towards.

It took me a second, giving Louise time to have her serpent strike. Fangs made of flame grew in my vision.

But when the fangs were a foot from me, they stopped. The entire serpent was encased in crackling ice. “I said, I am here for my anchor.”

Aurelia screamed as she continued to beat back her father to the edge of the training area.

“She can leave when she’s finished.” Louise smiled and touched her frozen spell, quickly drawing back her hand as she felt how cold I had turned the serpent. “It’s been a pleasure to meet you, Arden.”

“I can’t entirely say it’s been the same. Then again, I’m not in the best of mood, having to come get my anchor who promised she’d come back. Did she at least deal with what she needed for her two family members? What about adding her notes to the bestiary? She was quite excited about that one.”

“She delivered them and they’ll be prepared for burial.” Louise said. “What monster?”

“Big bertha and a creslin.” I said.

Louise touched her chin and looked to the side thoughtfully. “Creslin? I think I recall that one. Not many encounters, so we might be able to use what she saw. What’s Big Bertha?”

“We fought it underground and had it cornered. It was a different kind of fight than recorded in what she was able to find.” I hoped to add to Aurelia validity. “Big Bertha was the name I gave the giant wyrm that destroyed Faylin.”

“Ah.” Louise nodded. “I’ll have to let her present what she’s seen.”

“She’ll be able to come back here and return without trouble?” I gave Louise a hard look. Her flame serpent spell was still active and she was trying to break it from the icy prison.

If it weren’t for my soul magic, I’d have never been able to seal it in ice like I had. It was exhausting me to hold it as she struggled. Yet, I wasn’t about to show any weakness in front of the martial family.

“I can’t say her father won’t spar with her again. She takes after him and his enjoyment of battle.” Louise was pouring magic into her serpent, even while she claimed Aurelia got the desire to fight from her father.

The whole family was battle crazy weren’t they?

Feeling in relatively better control with my magic, I focused on lifting her magic but not the ice.

The rebound from using my soul magic hit me like a punch to the head, but her spell exploded, contained by the ice.

I smiled.

Aurelia let out a shout and when I turned back, she’d driven her father out of the arena. “My win. Now, I’ll be going.” She took two weary steps backwards before I lifted my hand. A glob of earth came up to catch her and mold around her body to cradle her.

“It seems she won. I’ll be taking my anchor back.” Carrying her with magic was much easier than trying to do it with my hands.

“You take good care of my girl.” The large anchor leaned on his sword with a grimace.

I couldn’t quite tell if the statement was a threat or acknowledgment. I decided given how incredible I was, it had to be an acknowledgment.

Pulling Aurelia over to me, I pumped her full of life magic. She was covered in bruises and small scrapes. Despite the two of them using their actual swords, they hadn’t left any lasting damage to each other.

Otherwise, my anchor was just exhausted.

“She’s my anchor. I only take Ard’s Oath, not the anchor’s oath.” I told her.

Aurelia was still awake if exhausted, but she had enough to recite her oath to me. “I, Aurelia Virel, swear to uphold my mage’s name in honor. To stand for everything noble and defend those under my care. My mage and I will fight and fuck together as one. Neither of us shall be put before the other. Success is only succeeding together.” She blushed a little during part of the oath and glanced furtively at her mother.

However, her mother and father both nodded at her oath.

“She can come and go in the future.” Louise said. “I was going to make sure she got home to you by dinner; that’s when she said she had to be back.” The woman took her spell being destroyed in stride, continuing to evaluate me.

It seemed the Virel family approved of me, but I had a feeling there would be more tests to come. I was bound to provoke another fight with them, and I was learning they would happily lean into one.

“Thank you for your hospitality.” I nodded to Aurelia’s mom and walked off. If I stayed any longer I was going to hurt my soul dealing with her mother.

Emlyn and Maribelle kept up with me as I brought the earth bearing Aurelia towards me.

As soon as I was facing away from Aurelia’s parents, I let a little pain show across my face. I needed to figure out a better way to use soul magic. Somehow operating in the same space as the spheres allowed me to lean in them, but it still wasn’t perfect.

“I did it.” Aurelia said weakly. “I came back.”

Humming, I glanced at her with the thought of teasing her but realizing that wasn’t what my manticore needed. “Yes. Yes you did. Good job coming back.” I rubbed the top of her head and she gave me a loopy grin before passing out.

“Her father really worked her over.” Emlyn glanced at the woman. “I didn’t know the Virels were so tough on each other.”

“You don’t become as good as she is at fighting, and as ferocious, if you are raised with a loving tender hand. Seems more like tough love and an unhealthy dose of training.” I smiled at her. “But it made the woman that’s my anchor, so whatever. If I have to, I will just bully her whole family into letting me keep her.”

“Yes, bully the whole Virel family.” Emlyn’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “Everytime he opens his mouth, jot it down. We’ll make a book of ‘things not to do’.” She turned to Maribelle.

“Shall I include your words too?” Maribelle gave Emlyn a smirk.

I burst into laughter. “She got you.”

“In fairness, she left herself wide open.” Maribelle dipped her head.

“Still got her.” I enjoyed having my anchors back. “Now, Zuri was bathing. Eva and Vivi are apparently my captives. I’ve successfully kidnapped Aurelia back. That just leaves Sienna?”

“She wasn’t back before we left.” Maribelle informed me.

“Go ahead and check the manor. If I need to go fetch another, then I’d rather not settle in.” I glanced at Aurelia in the earth ball next to me. “Here I was hoping to treat her a little better.”

“She’s unconscious, Ard.” Emlyn pointed out.

“Yeah. A bath would probably wake her up and make her quite happy. She’s my manticore and went to battle with her family for me. I have to reward that.” Knowing the struggle that Aurelia had at the inn during our travels, it was doubly important.

“Not sure how she’ll feel about that before officially courting.” Emlyn tapped her chin as we made the short walk back to the Aldis Estate.

“Don’t worry. I’m slowly corrupting her.” I rubbed my hands together and let out an evil laugh.

“Uh huh.” Emlyn was unimpressed. “Remember that time you tried to hypnotize me?”

“Nope. I vaguely remember a fry pan though.” I looked down the street for something interesting. “That rock! So cool.”

“Ard.” Emlyn deadpanned. “That was bad, even for you.”

“I panicked. Yeah. Beth played along for the first two times and then she hit me with a frying pan when I tried to hypnotize you.”

“You were a horny teenager… still are sometimes.” Emlyn blushed.

Thankfully, the guards of the Aldis estate provided an excuse for me not to respond to that particular comment.

Maribelle landed in front of us with Zuri in tow. “Sienna has not returned.”

“Take Aurelia. Make sure she’s comfortable and draw up a bath.” I started making plans. “Em, Zuri. With me. We’ll go get Sienna.” I floated Aurelia over until Maribelle could pluck her out of the ball of earth and then sank it into the ground before turning around. “Now which one of you knows the way?”

Zuri laughed and took the lead with long strides. “This way. There’s really been nothing from Carmilla?”

“Nope.” Emlyn answered for me. “Not even a watcher.”

“She’s going to wait and make her moment public.” I realized. “Which is only going to make my response that much sweeter.” The letter from Old Man Trevis was getting worn with how much I was keeping it in my pocket.

“Careful.” Zuri warned. “She’ll likely know about your assignment before she acts. It seems to me that she’s content waiting for now, which will give her enough time to learn about it.”

I huffed. “If she ruins my big move then I’m just going to invert her.”

Emlyn laughed. “I would pay to see that.”

“Me too.” Zuri added. “However, if she has access to soul magic as you suspect, it might not be so easy.”

“Don’t care.” I hadn’t shared Missy’s revelations with anyone yet. Eventually I’d talk about it, but it was hard to get the privacy required on the road and in the Aldis manor.

Either way, I’d just have to find some easy way to make Carmilla dead.

Speaking of my soul magic, I held onto Emlyn’s hand and focused inward, letting her lead me.

My attack on Louise’s fire serpent had left my soul scorched. The reaction made sense. The world was pushing back if I froze something; it would burn my defenses in my soul.

Quickly, I went about fixing what I could. It seemed my play with ice wasn’t nearly as damaging as inverting the creslin. Then again, I had felt my fox sphere contribute to the action.

Perhaps there was a way to mix the two? Give the intent with soul magic and have my spheres pick up some of the load?

I wasn’t sure, but I’d have to test it out. Perhaps I’d have more epiphanies. It had been a while since I had any now that most of my basic magic was mastered.

Emlyn tugged at my hand, pulling me from examining my soul. “We’re here. Did you hurt yourself when you froze Louise’s spell?”

“Just a tad.” I downplayed it. “Learning more as I do it. That was largely done by my sphere as well, not only my soul.”

House Graystone was a massive castle with thick walls made and maintained by the army of wolf sphere mages that made up their family.

A guard stopped us. “Purpose?”

“Kidnapping Sienna Graystone.” I answered without batting an eyelash.

Zuri palmed her face. “Don’t say things like that, Ard.”

“My mage is courting Sienna and has a marriage contract with her.” Emlyn hurried to clarify. “He has an interesting sense of humor.”

“Ah.” The guard didn’t quite know what to say. “Please come in. I’ll send someone to inform the house.” He awkwardly turned around.