Disciple of War Disciple of War (Art of the Adept #4) - Michael G. Manning Page 0,83

smoothing his tunic before rising on her toes to deliver a final kiss. “Now, go—before I break down in front of you.”

Will’s eyes started to water. “You’re not the only one—”

Selene closed her eyes tightly, scrunching up her face. “Go!” Then she stepped back and started to shut the door. “Good fortune and fair weather, my love,” she said huskily, repeating a traditional phrase before closing it firmly.

Keeping his lips tightly together, Will turned and went to the carriage, and as he went he tried to dampen his hearing—so that he couldn’t hear the woman crying on the other side of the door. Once he was ensconced in the privacy of the carriage, he let his own emotions run their course for a short while.

The year ahead seemed like it would be his longest yet.

Chapter 23

The carriage stopped at the main cathedral, where it would meet up with one of the last companies to leave the city, along with several other wagons, carriages, and some of his administrative staff. His clerk, Lieutenant Renly, boarded the carriage then, followed by two more figures he hadn’t expected. One of them he recognized immediately.

“What are you doing here?” Will demanded, his voice taking a more severe tone than he’d intended.

Laina Nerrow pushed her hood back and gave him a sharp look. “Selene said she’d explain, or are you already slipping into your dotage?” She moved in and took a seat beside him, while the woman behind her, Darla, entered and sat next to the lieutenant opposite them.

He understood immediately. “Oh, you’re the chaperone.”

His sister glared at him. “I am not a chaperone. Officially I’m here to help as a liaison between the military and the Mothers of Terabinia, but my main purpose is to make sure you get home in one piece. Think of me as your bodyguard.”

Will rubbed his chin, imagining his fierce sister following him around the military camps. “More of an enforcer,” he pronounced finally.

Darla’s stoic expression broke, and a stifled laugh escaped her lips. Laina scowled, then replied, “Enforcer? What’s that supposed to mean?”

He smiled. “You’re more of a thug. I can set you to punish those who annoy me.”

Laina growled, prompting a tiny, mocking ‘bark’ from Darla, who looked at Will with obvious agreement. He laughed, Laina snarled, and poor Lieutenant Renly stared uncomfortably out the window, unsure how to respond in the presence of what was obviously a family conversation.

Will mulled things over, deciding Selene’s choice made more sense than anyone else he could imagine. His sister’s loyalty, both to Selene and to him, was unassailable, and her magical ability was better than most of the sorcerers he’d trained, not to mention Laina had more than one elemental. With Darla along as a bonus, Laina was better protection than any soldier or sorcerer Will could think of, plus she had the benefit of being well versed in politics and the inner workings of Terabinia’s nobility. Add to that the fact that he could trust her completely, and short of Selene actually being there herself, Laina was the perfect choice to accompany him.

After a while everyone grew quiet, and Will found himself mulling over the time it would take to get to Barrowden—seven days. If he traveled with Tailtiu, he could make the journey much more quickly, from a few hours to most of a day, depending on how much risk he was willing to tolerate. Instead he would be trapped in a carriage with three people for the week.

Laina he didn’t mind. Outwardly they fought, but ever since the experience of merging and separating their souls they both felt better when they were together than when they were apart, though neither of them would readily admit it. Darla was a complete failure as a conversationalist, however, and Lieutenant Renly was so awkward socially that it only made matters worse.

It came as a relief when the clerk produced a deck of cards and they were able to pass the hours with games rather than conversation alone.

That evening they stopped at a wayside inn. Such businesses were common along the main arteries that led from the capital out to a distance of several days’ travel, and one could usually find accommodations even if there wasn’t a proper town nearby. Will and Renly shared one room while Laina and Darla had another. The coachman had to sleep in the carriage, something that Will thought was unfair, but everyone looked at him as though he’d grown two heads when he suggested