The Laws Of Elios (Book 2) (9 page)

Ponder this: 
Are you up to the challenge or are you not the man I think you are?  I believe you are.

As to your last question, the leader
of our group will introduce him-self when he feels it is necessary; not because he is above doing so, but mostly because at this time he is in need of anonymity and even more to the point he is extremely busy.  If you could speak with him what would you have me relay?”

The Minister of Law and Order was silent for a moment then with a
stern expression he stood and addressed the room.  “I would like to apologize for my behavior to this room and to the young man that has addressed me as none have since my grandmother.  You were correct to address me as you have.  If all the mages of Yllyan have the wisdom that you have shown to me then my worries are not with those in this room.  I would like to revise my earlier statements by saying that I will meet with my ministry and prepare what should have been obvious to me all along; and prepare for the right way to welcome our new citizens that are pouring across our borders.

As to a message to the leader of the mages I will bide my time and will meet him when it is a time of his choosing.” 

The minister sat down – suddenly the room seemed a bit livelier as if everyone had been holding their breath.

With a mental sigh now that the contention had been eliminated Shane resumed
answering questions; some he answered himself others he referred to Ari and Shew or deferring to when Shew and or Ari would explain in detail at a later time.  Looking at his time piece Shane glanced at Admiral Cyrado who nodded back.  “It’s getting late and I think that is about all the time we have,” Shane said at last.  “Thank you for your questions and it has been a privilege to meet you all.  I turn the time back to you Admiral.”

Admiral Cyrado stood and glanced around the room.  “Thank you everyone.  I think this has been a most productive meeting.  Secretary Jacques will schedule our next meeting through my office and that of Monsieur Oiseau.  I encourage you to introduce yourself to my staff on the way out as I will be relying on their organizational expertise throughout the duration of this conflict.  Meeting dismissed.

After several minutes of hand shaking and light conversations of looking forward to their next meeting, Minister Golan walked up to Shane and Shew who were conversing with General D’Mere and held out his hand.  Taking it and giving it a hearty shake Shane greeted the minister with an open smile, hoping for the best.

“Young man,” Golan opened
with a blank expression,” for a Wonstrowd Wizard you have a pretty good head on your shoulders.”

Taken back Shane grasped for something to say fearing
for a moment that the unity that he had hoped for had been almost lost.  With a large grin Golan slapped him on the back and laughed.  “Luion Aggies of twenty three.  I was a handler and kicker.  I was hoping Wonstrowd would win.  Mostly because they beat us to get to the finals; you played amazingly.”

“You saw the game?” Shane almost blurted
reeling from the unexpected topic from the previously antagonistic minister.”  Shane’s expression brightened as the topic of the sport he loved and diverted the conversation away from the war.

“I didn’t just see it I was there with my grandson.  Wait until I tell him that I met Shane Chason; he wants to play just like you.  I suppose now that you are a mage you are giving up the sport?”

Shane frowned.  He hadn’t thought about that.  The thought of giving up something that had consumed so much of his life was a bit disheartening.  “I might not play anymore but maybe after this war I can do a little coaching.”

“I wish I had something for you to sign.  Perhaps one day when things settle down I will be able to invite you over for dinner and in
troduce you to your biggest fan,” the minister said enthusiastically.

Shane thought for moment and then
with glyph mastery produced a small plate of brass approximately a hand square.  Taking out his scribe he wrote a few glyphs then imbued them with lumen.  Depressing an activation glyph he held it up and spoke clearly.  “The three ‘H’s of a warball winner are: Play
hard
, Play with
heart
, Play with
honor
.”  Using his scribe he sealed the actuator so the message wouldn’t erase and he handed the metal plate to the minister.  “Here, give him this.  Tell him that as long as this is how he plays he will always succeed in the end.”  Shane showed him a glyph to push, “Press here,” he demonstrated and a projection of the words of the phrase that he had spoken appeared in large glowing letters above the plate.  “Press again and they go away.”

“This
is incredible, he’ll love it.”  The minister was almost acting like a young boy.  Shane wasn’t sure if the grandfather would have more fun with the device than the grandson.

“Monsieur Golan, I
’m sorry to cut our conversation short but a number of our team hasn’t had any sleep, or a good bath, for the last two days and we need to see to a few more tasks before we can call it a day.  That and I haven’t seen my fiancé in several days and need to give her a hug before she forgets who I am.”

Golan smiled, “I understand.  There’s an old saying in my family:  ‘
Happy Wife Happy Life
’.  I know said that she’s not your wife yet but as she is your fiancée you may as well get started.”  The older man laughed seemingly at a memory.    

Shaking his hand in parting Shane said before heading for the door, “
I look forward our next meeting.  If you don’t mind I’d like to introduce you to some of the relocation team and see if there is any collaboration that we can join in helping each other naturalize the refugees that are being accepted from Infin.”

Shane
moved toward the door followed by Ari, Roger, Shew, and Lieutenant Arvada. The other ministers and staff of the Luion government remained behind still discussing various items.  When the group was in the hall Shane asked Ari, “the sloop?”

Ari shook his head in the affirmative.  After looking through the hand held viewer to make sure he wouldn’t
interfere with Nuekirk, Shane opened a portal to the boat’s store room and the group walked through; the portal closing behind them.

Tired and hungry the group regrouped
in the galley which seemed to be the ad hock meeting place when aboard the boat, and reviewed their next tasks at hand.  In his anxiousness to go see how Leslie was faring, Ari hurried through the most urgent items.

“First,” he outlined.  Shew and I have meetings with D’Mere and Cyrado in the morning.  Roger I need you and Lieutenant Arvada to start making a list of
what items are needed and where.  Have you or Shew told anyone that you have a portal device?”  Both men shook their heads no. “Then don’t, you are the only non-mages that will ever have them.  They are too dangerous and if they get lost they are a way for the enemy to infiltrate into Luion.  Where is the kid?”  Shew hustled down the stairs to the cabins and was soon back.

“He’s asleep on his bunk below,” the old spy announced.

“Shew, I’m going to need you to stay here on the boat with him until you know his mettle.  Make sure he knows what not to touch, that he has food and knows how to protect himself.  As far as operational intelligence goes until we know more about him keep it compartmentalized.  When you get done with D’Mere tomorrow I want you two to do another bank run like you did this morning let’s keep working on that for the next week or so I want to be able to give some of these refugees jobs, with winter coming on jobs and money are going to be in demand.  Keep an eye on the kid let me know if he steals or does anything else untoward, but just let me know don’t take him out.  If he turns out to be untrustworthy then I will use him as a tool.  Roger, if you need anything comm me or Shane and we will get together as needed.”

Ari turned to the Lieutenant. “Thanks for all of the help if we don’t explain everything it
is mostly because we don’t realize what you don’t know.  Just ask Roger and before you know it you will be up to speed.”

“Yes Sir,” the lieutenant answered smartly.

Turning to Shane he asked, “What have you got going on?”

“In the morning I’ll be back at the lab,  I’ve got to get Leo, John, and Lance going on duplicating the navigation and viewer devices the navy is going to need and I need to figure out what Allion is using those wrist bands for and how to combat them
.  After this morning I have a pretty good idea.  Tonight I have a date with Ava and I need a bath and a change of clothes; so do you.  I don’t think the two of us have eaten in the last twenty four hours and bathed in the last forty eight.  I suggest you get cleaned up before you go start making eyes at your sister-in-law or she’s likely to go back to Infin due to the smell.”

Shew, Roger, and Arvada l
aughed at the banter.  Shew winked are Roger, “I like this kid.  He’s the only one I ever met that could zing Stafford, err Ari and not end up looking at the sky wondering what hit him.”

“It’s only because he’s practically family and
my niece would be impossible to live with.” Ari retorted.

With
a few parting comments the group departed the sloop except for Shew; looking forward to mentoring his new trainee asleep below deck.

~~~~~

A tired Ava stepped into the foyer of her parent’s spacious home through the doorway reserved for portal entrances.  Hearing laughter from the hallway that led to the kitchen Ava hung her jacket in the closet next to the portal door and started toward the mirthful sounds.  Her heart jumped as she realized that one of the voices was that of her aunt Leslie.  With a burst of speed she ran the rest of the way and hurried into the kitchen.

“Aunt Leslie!” she excl
aimed as she saw her mother and her aunt standing together near a cupboard putting away dishes.  “You’re safe!” she joyfully exclaimed as she threw her arms around her aunt.  “How did you manage it?  Shane and Ari are out looking for you.”

“It
was Ari and Shane that freed me,” answered her aunt as she released from the embrace.  “I’m still a little bit fuzzy on how it all happened.  Your mother has been filling me in on what has been going on since we last met and things are starting to make sense, but I still have a lot of questions for my rescuers.” 

Leslie stood back with her hands on Ava’s shoulders and looked her up and down.  “What have you been up to?  You look
positively radiant.  Your mother has been telling me you are a bit beyond magetech yourself; that you are a glyph mage now.”  Rolling her eyes dramatically Leslie continued, “I go away for a few weeks and the entire world passes me by.  I also hear that you are engaged to be married?”  She added giving her a knowing smile.  “I want to hear everything.”

“It’s not official yet but Shane and I have discussed it
, I’m still waiting for an official proposal.  He and Ari have been so busy with the war and with planning the rescue - all discussions of amour have been on hold.”

“Tell me everything when did you know he was
the one,” romanticized her aunt.

“There is so much to tell I don’t know where to begin.”  With a yawn Ava stretched, “
Excusez-moi, it has been a very long day and I need to freshen up,” Ava apologized.

“You go have a nice bath and I’ll fix you something to eat,” Louisa
interjected, interrupting her sisters questioning, and gently guided her daughter to the hallway that led to her bedroom.  When you are cleaned up and changed into some comfortable clothes you will feel much better, then we will have a nice visit.”

As
Louisa reentered the room and there came a brisk knock from behind the pantry door from across the kitchen.  “What in the world,” Leslie said as she turned toward the sound.

Louisa waved her to stay at
the table.  “That will be Shane; he is so creative and unpredictable.  He built a portal into the foyer closet but he knows we always seem to be in the kitchen so most of the time he just uses the pantry.  The more I get to know him that more I feel like he is already my son.  I can’t think of a better match for Ava; she can be so focused and he is so spontaneous, I think they completely balance each other out.  “Come in Shane,” Louisa said loudly so that her voice would carry and ignored the pantry door and opened the cooler and began pulling out food and Shane’s favorite juice.

The door opened and a showered and shaved Shane stepped into the room with a bouquet of roses.  “Louisa, Sorry to barge in but I missed Ava at her office so I figured she would be here.”

“Nonsense, Shane, you are not barging in,” she said as she greeted him with a hug and a kiss on each cheek.  “Ava just got home and is getting cleaned up.  Let me take those,” Louisa said as she took the flowers from Shane.  “They are beautiful - I have a lovely vase that will be perfect for them.  Ava will love them. You are so thoughtful”

“I can’t take all the credit. Mom had them all arranged and suggested I bring them. By–the-way she says to tell you hello and to please bring Lesl
ie over when next you come for tea.

Shane walked to the table and bent and kissed Leslie on each cheek in the Luion.  “Leslie you look well considering your condition this morning
.  How are you feeling?”