Dirge for a Necromancer - By Ash Stinson Page 0,78

about Raettonus, and for Slade’s eyes, which cast his face in blue. “Master,” said Raettonus tentatively. “I—”

“Never mind,” said Slade, straightening and walking away from the window. He put his smile back on, but it was the last expression in the world Raettonus wanted to see. “I suppose we should dress for the feast, right? I’ve never had dragon before. I wonder what it’s like. Come on, let’s not dawdle or we’ll be late.”

“Yes, Master,” said Raettonus reluctantly, and he lit a tiny fire in his hand to give them some light as they made their way back to their chambers.

After a time spent in silence, Raettonus said, “I kept a lot of your clothes, all these years. Um, Brecan returned with them just this afternoon. They should be in your room by now.”

“That’s good. Thank you, Raettonus,” said Slade. “I’m very interested to meet your unicorn friend.”

“Well, you’ll probably get a chance to tonight,” Raettonus said. They reached a landing with torches burning on the walls, and he extinguished the flame in his palm. “Brecan would sooner die than miss a feast.”

Slade chuckled. “He sounds delightful,” he said, running a hand through his dark hair and gazing upwards as they walked, toward the drab ceiling. “When I was a page, I knew a girl who claimed she’d seen unicorns before. She said she’d gone out early one morning to the apple orchard to sit beneath a tree and work on her needlepoint, but that she fell asleep. She woke up, she told me, and saw a unicorn coming toward her through the morning fog. It got frightened and ran off, but that wasn’t the last one she saw in that apple orchard, she said. She swore on a Bible that it was the honest truth, and may God strike her down if she was lying. I always thought she was pulling my leg though. She always told me I was naïve, and it wasn’t going to end well for me if I didn’t wise up some day.” He bit his lower lip. “We were…we were engaged to marry, she and I. Our parents made the betrothal, but I did love her all the same.”

Raising his eyebrows, Raettonus said, “I didn’t know you were engaged once. What happened?”

The dark-haired magician turned his softly glowing eyes on Raettonus and gave him a heart-breaking smile. You already know, his expression seemed to say. It’s the same thing that happened with everyone who knew me before I became a magician. Instead, Slade said, “She broke off the engagement. I couldn’t hold it against her, but it hurt. She was entirely right to though. After the church excommunicated me for necromancy, I had nothing but what land I could hold onto with my own sword. It wouldn’t have been right for her to have to live that kind of life. I think if she hadn’t broken off our engagement, I would have. I…I like to believe I would have.” The thought hung in the air a moment, floating uneasily on a brief silence which passed between them.

“What was her name?” Raettonus asked quietly. He got the feeling he shouldn’t probe any further, but he did always have more curiosity than he had politeness.

With a soft sigh, Slade answered, “Alurea, from the house White and Green.”

They reached the door to Raettonus’ room and opened it. Raettonus entered and set his rapier in the corner and began going through his clothes, looking for something to wear. Slade hesitated in the doorway for a moment before following him in and sitting on his bed. “I shouldn’t have said any of that,” Slade said, looking at his hands. “I feel like you’re upset now.”

Raettonus shrugged. “I’m not,” he said evenly. “I was thinking that was a pretty cruel thing of her to do. I was only thinking…”

“I suppose I’m feeling…a little reminiscent tonight. You’ll have to forgive me,” said Slade, looking up. His gaze fell on the desk, and he stood and walked over to it. He picked up the little gryphon figure and turned it over in his hands. “These are beautiful. Where did you get them?”

Raettonus slipped out of his dirty black tunic. “Kimohr Raulinn gave them to me,” he said, frowning.

Slade picked up the phoenix to examine it. “They’re beautiful,” he said again, and he turned to look at Raettonus. “Oh, you should wear a green tunic. It brings out your eye—oh. Never mind.” He grimaced slightly, and a blush crept up the back of