Disciple of War Disciple of War (Art of the Adept #4) - Michael G. Manning Page 0,67

normal interpretation of the words I just said.”

“If you’re keeping her from repaying her favor then you become responsible for her debt,” Will remarked, his voice even.

“Is your need so pressing? Have you no concern for her health?”

He felt his anger rising. Once again, Aislinn was trying to play upon his all too human emotions, when neither she nor her daughter had them. “I’m more concerned that you’re keeping her confined.”

“It is well within my rights.”

“Don’t pretend to motherly concern,” he replied angrily.

His grandmother’s eyes were like ice. “She owes me a considerable debt. I may do with her as I please. Until I decide she is herself, again she will remain in my custody.”

“Then you must repay her debt to me.”

“Very well. What is it you need?” Aislinn’s tone was one of bored impatience.

“I need you to release Tailtiu.”

“You can’t use one of her favors to have me release her,” said Aislinn angrily.

He held up two fingers. “She owes me two unbound favors. For just one, I could ask for your life. What seems more unreasonable? Releasing her, or putting an end to everything?”

“You wouldn’t dare.”

“I would. In fact, those terms were too kind. Instead I’ll ask for her debt to you, in exchange for canceling the two favors she currently owes me, that and I’ll let you continue breathing.”

“Or I could simply allow her to answer your call and let you see how foolish you’re being,” said Aislinn, a strange light in her eyes.

Will nodded, a triumphant smile slowly forming on his lips.

His grandmother began to laugh. “As if I would be so kind. No, I won’t release her. Instead I’ll take your foolish offer. Cancel my daughter’s debt to you, and I will give you the debt she owes me in its stead. After that, she will be all yours and I will have no say in matters that concern her from henceforth. Deal?” She licked her lips and leaned forward slightly, a predatory eagerness showing on her hauntingly beautiful features.

Will felt an uncomfortable mixture of fear and desire suffuse him, partly from his body’s treacherous reaction and partly from the knowledge that somehow, despite everything, he had been outmaneuvered again. He didn’t know how or why, but Aislinn never came out on the bad end of a bargain. He knew he should back out quickly, but an image flashed in his mind, a vision of Tailtiu’s eyes when he had finally gotten her free of the vampires.

Fuck me, he thought angrily. He couldn’t leave her captive to Aislinn’s bizarre version of motherhood. “Deal.”

Aislinn leaned back, grinning at some hidden joke. “Very well. Will tomorrow be soon enough? I’m sure you’d like her cleaned up before I release her.”

Cleaned up? What the hell had she been doing to her daughter?

Chapter 19

The next day was a big one for Will. He had his entire group of student sorcerers gathered for an exercise. They’d been learning to march and drill as though they were normal soldiers over the past two weeks, and today, they were to take turns pretending to be regular soldiers, magical support, or magical attackers.

Although all of them had elementals, Wil had decided against letting them be used during exercises due to the lethal potential. Since he wouldn’t allow them for attacking, it didn’t seem fair to allow them for defense either. Instead, the magical support and the magical attackers would rely on fire spells that substituted anti-demon flames. They performed identically to the ordinary fire versions, with the exception of being harmless, so they were perfect for drills. The defenders would be using primarily force spells for defense, along with their own fire spells to return fire.

Since they didn’t have enough participants to provide a group of ordinary enemies, the students who played regular soldiers didn’t have much to do. They mainly served as a pretend shield wall until they were eliminated by the enemy spellcasters. On the next round, everyone would change places so they could all get some practice in.

“Hold!” Will’s voice echoed loudly across the field. Despite his former complaints, he was finding his special talent particularly useful for training. Striding toward the line of defenders, he pointed to Emory Tallowen. “What was that?”

The young nobleman stiffened, the pride on his face replaced with mild confusion. “Excellence?”

Will rolled his eyes. “Look around you. Almost all the soldiers in your line were burned to death.” The students pretending to be soldiers had all fallen to the ground to indicate they had been struck