Anais and the Broken War (The Blood Mage Chronicles Book 5) (16 page)

“Before we go, could I send a note to Fynn? I think he would appreciate an invitation to tonight’s party. He’s staying at the Rockside Tavern. Would that be a problem?”

Thomas and I went into his study, which neighbored the morning room, with Erlich trailing after us. Thomas handed me a sheet of paper from out of a drawer in a large oak desk along with a quill. The paper was cleaner and whiter than the paper we had used in the East. I wondered how it had been made, but I doubted Thomas would know. I dipped the quill in a small ceramic cup of black ink and jotted down a quick note.
 

Rockside Tavern

Fynn,

There is going to be an event in the courtyard of Worthington Square tonight. I will ask Thomas put you on the guest list.
 

Anais

Thomas read the note. “Does this Fynn have a surname?” he asked.

I shook my head. “I don’t think so.”

“Just Fynn then.” Thomas looked to Erlich who was standing at attention underneath the doorframe. “Have Fynn placed on the guest list for tonight. And have this letter delivered to the Rockside Tavern.” Thomas handed over the sheet of paper.

“I’ll see to it, my lord,” Erlich said.

Before we left the small office, Thomas pulled a tall top hat off a rack in the corner of the room and settled it on the top of his head.

“I look like quite the dandy, don’t I?” he asked as we left the townhouse by the back entrance.
 

“You do,” I agreed. It was an odd fashion trend–terribly impractical. Everything about Courtshire’s dress seemed bizarrely embellished.

Once we were outside, an elderly man in a clean black suit assisted us into a waiting carriage. The carriage, harnessed to a single white horse, was a sporty open vehicle with four very large wheels, a pair of swan-neck leaf springs, and opened seating. The carriages used in Barriershire seemed much larger and sturdier and were generally covered with thick fabric, and could easily seat six people and a driver. This one looked like it would barely fit the two of us.

Thomas shrugged when he noticed my examination of the carriage. “It’s a phaeton–quite fashionable in Courtshire. It’s lightweight and enables rapid transport. You’ll love it.”
 

“Where does the driver sit?” I asked.

“I’m driving.”
 

“You? What about him?” I gestured to the man in the black suit.

“He just delivers the phaeton. It’s too small for a driver. It took me awhile to get used to driving, but I’m growing fond of it.”

My stomach folded into a thousand knots as Thomas drove the horses. The phaeton flew over the ground, and I felt every bump as it careened forward. It reminded me of the ride on the coal cart–entirely too rocky for my taste. I decided I needed to do something to take my mind off the churning in my stomach.

“How can you afford all of this?” I asked Thomas. “The townhouse, the staff, the carriage, the clothes… You don’t have anyone to collect rents from anymore.”

“The lords’ council allotted both Mediera and myself a sizable allowance. There are a few privileges to being a lord in the Seven Shires.”

“If Mediera has an allowance, why is she living with you?”

“Oh, it seemed easier. She’s barely been here more than a week, and setting up a household takes time. Clara and I are her nearest relatives. And it’s nice to have them, even if all Cedric and I do is argue. It was lonely with just Clara and myself.” Thomas paused. “Don’t tell Cedric I said any of this. I don’t want it getting to his head.”

I had forgotten that Mediera and Cedric had really only just gotten here. Somehow it seemed as if they had been residents of Courtshire for years. But of course, that wasn’t true. As the carriage took us through the city, I was struck by the size of the buildings. They soared into the sky. I couldn’t understand how mere men could construct anything so large. Some of the buildings jutted into the sky with walls made of sheer glass, though most had white sandstone exteriors. The smooth black roads we traveled upon were unlike the cobbled stones of Barriershire or the hard packed dirt roads of Brightshire. I had imagined that Courtshire looked different. I had read descriptions in some of Thellium’s books when I was younger, but I hadn’t ever been able to conjure up an image that matched this.
 

“This city is so grand,” I said.

“Indeed it is. I don’t think I will ever feel as if I belong here.”

“Is Thellium in Courtshire?” I asked as we continued moving south through the city.

“No. And he wouldn’t like it if you called him that. He’s pretty particular about us calling him Merdin now.”

“Why did he change his name?”

Thomas shrugged. “He wouldn’t tell me. But it’s like he’s an entirely different person. I can’t explain it. You’ll see when he comes back.”

“Where is he?”

“He went to Candel to look for mages to help with the war. He should return soon. The last letter he sent said he found what he was looking for.”

“I didn’t think that there were many mages left…”

“Well, he wasn’t very optimistic when he set off. But he felt we needed to rebuild the boundary between the Southlands and the Seven Shires. He said the only way it could be done was through magic.”
 

“Oh.”

“Is it something you can help with? If I had a way to contact him, I would let him know that you’re back.”

“I’m not sure. My control isn’t very good. Hopefully, he’ll find someone with more skill.” I couldn’t even imagine where to start if I were tasked with resurrecting the barrier. It seemed an impossible sort of thing.
 

We left the section of the city filled with tall buildings and moved to a large field, where what looked like thousands of tents were scattered across the ground. A large group of men were marching in formation in the center of the field, while on the outskirts men in small bands trained with weapons. It was a dizzying and inspiring sight. This had to be enough men to push the furies back.

We left the horse and the phaeton with a groom at a makeshift stable near the entrance of the field and then walked in the direction of a group of rectangular leather tents in the center of the field to the west of where the men were marching. I followed Thomas as he ducked under the flap to one of the tents. A young man in a decorated uniform with dimples and an impish grin looked up from a table full of letters. It was Captain Brentwood. I hadn’t expected to see him again. I thought he had been in Barriershire during the battle.

He smiled as he looked up at us. “Now that’s a face I recognize. Sister Anais, I’m glad to see you made it out of Barriershire in time.”

“It was a close thing,” I acknowledged. “I thought you were still stationed in Barriershire. How did
you
get here?”

“Carenhail kicked me out a few days before the battle. I didn’t want to go, but I didn’t have a choice. He didn’t mean to share the credit as he expected a sweeping victory. He was such a fool.”
 

“Do you know if Carenhail survived?” I asked.

“The word is that he fell during the battle. To be honest, I’m not entirely devastated by the news.” Brentwood pursed his lips. “I’ve wondered about your friend Gorman… Do you know if he made it out?”

“He didn’t make it,” I said, a lump forming in my throat as I remembered the hoard of furies descending on him.

“Well, that’s unfortunate. He had the love of his men. I would have angled to put him through officer’s training if it had been up to me.”

Brentwood turned to Thomas. “I assume Lord Thomas didn’t decide to visit me to hear us banter about old times.”
 

“No, but it’s certainly illuminating,” Thomas said. “Do you have any news for me?”

“Well, we’ve had a few communications from the scouts since your last visit. They say the battle is truly over. The city has fallen. A fire swept through and demolished most of the buildings after the fight was lost. The furies seem to be nesting in the shells of the structures. There’s been no sign that they are approaching the mountain pass, but the consensus is that it’s only a matter of time.”

“I appreciate the information. It does me no end of good to have an informant.”
 

“If you waited until tomorrow afternoon, you would receive the same update from General Errol at the council meeting.”

“I like to know what’s he’s going to say before he says it. It gives me time to decide how to respond.”

Brentwood nodded. “Way to take the initiative. However did you manage while I was in Barriershire?”

“Captain Howard very kindly offered his insights.”

“Howard. That makes sense. It’s hard to believe the old man retired. I miss him.”

“He didn’t retire.”

“What?” Brentwood asked.
 

“General Errol asked him to step down.”

“Why?”

Thomas shrugged. “I don’t know.”

Brentwood groaned. “I hope it wasn’t because he was passing you information. General Errol isn’t my biggest fan as it is. He wanted to have me brought up on charges for leaving before the battle. But I had a writ from Captain Carenhail ordering me out. So the General couldn’t actually throw me in shackles or demote me.”

“I’m fairly sure there was more to it than that.”

“Mm, probably,” Brentwood conceded. “I looked into your problem with Cedric to see if I could find out exactly what would happen if you forced General Errol to take him back.”

“I didn’t think you would have an answer so soon.”

“You’re not going to like it. If Cedric comes back, he’ll be demoted to an enlisted man. And he’ll be on the short list for unsavory missions. It really would be best to keep him away from the army. At least while General Errol holds command.”

“That’s unfortunate,” Thomas said.

“I know. But I don’t think there’s much to be done about it. Some fights aren’t worth pursuing.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Thomas said. “Look, is there anything I can do for you? You’ve been so helpful.”

“An invitation to tonight’s party wouldn’t go amiss…” Brentwood grinned. “It would do my career a world of good if I was seen socializing with the cream of society.”
 

“Done,” Thomas said. “Anything else?”

“Same thing as last time. The men are growing restless. During the next council meeting, do what you can to get this war moving. The scout missions are going well, but the captains are at loose ends, and you know General Errol wants to send men east.”

“He brings it up at every meeting.”

“Well, he’s not wrong.”

Thomas sighed. “My power is limited, but I’ll do what I can.”

“I need to get back to my work. If I get too behind…”

“We’ll leave you to it,” Thomas said. “And we’ll see you tonight.”

As Thomas and I left the tent, he said to me, “We should be the ones burning the buildings and salting the earth. Not the furies. Aren’t they supposed to be the menace?”

C
HAPTER
15

I WATCHED AS Mediera’s maid finished embroidering the back of her lavender dress with pearls and tiny flowers. The bustle was enormous, making her backside look like a small piece of furniture. It was a fashion that I was having trouble wrapping my head around. Her hair was done up in soft ringlets that framed her heart shaped face. She picked up a glittery tiara from the small glass-topped table fitted it on top of her head. She looked impossibly lovely.

“It’s your turn next. I would wait for you, but I really ought to dash. Thomas expects me to play the social butterfly tonight.” She sighed. “I haven’t said it to him, but I find the lordling he wants me to marry to be a little disturbing. But, I suppose I’m not being fair.”

“If Thomas approves of him, perhaps you should give him a chance. You will have to marry after all.”

“I know. You’re right of course. I suppose he’s not as bad as Colin. But, it’s hard to know in my position if a man is just being kind so that he might win my hand. He could be dreadful after we marry.”

I took Mediera’s place in the center of the room, and her maid slid a gown over my head and started to tighten ribbons that traced the back of the bodice.
 

“It’s too tight,” I squeaked. The maid loosened the ribbons, but only by a fraction of an inch. I looked down and saw that my chest was spilling out of the front of the dress.

“Shouldn’t I wear something a bit more conservative? I’m a Sister of Mercy. This seems inappropriate.”

“Don’t be silly. The sisters in Courtshire dress more like courtesans than religious acolytes.” She touched my arm. “Trust me.”

I suppressed a groan. It was one thing for Mediera to dress like this, but it made me feel uncomfortable.

 
“You’re going to need your own maid, you know,” Mediera said. “I won’t share mine for much longer.”

“Me?” I snorted. “I can’t afford a maid.”
 

“I’ll pay for it. My allowance is very generous, and I don’t really have any expenses. I got my girl from a service in town. Their girls are very reputable.”
 

“There’s a girl who works here, named Sophie. If I must have someone, I’d like to ask her if she’s interested. She cleans the rooms, I think.”