Disciple of War Disciple of War (Art of the Adept #4) - Michael G. Manning Page 0,86

he passed through. Even Darla failed to notice him from her seat next to Renly at the bar.

Outside, he passed several men standing about but none of them glanced his way or seemed to pay any heed to his presence. Out of curiosity he moved closer to them, and when even that failed to elicit a response, he deliberately stumbled into one fellow. What ensued was almost comical as all three of the strangers were startled. Interestingly though, none of them were shocked or frightened, as they might have been if he had dismissed a camouflage spell. It was more as if they had been aware of him on some level, but their minds had failed to pay any significant attention to him until he had forced them to respond.

Overall, he was pleased. The assassin’s technique might not work in certain circumstances, but it seemed more versatile than his camouflage spell, and unlike it, it would never draw extra attention to him if he did get noticed. In combination, the two things were probably even more effective.

The inn didn’t have a carriage house, so while the horses were stabled away, their carriage was merely parked beside the building. Will walked to the back and undid the straps that held their travel trunks in place and carefully unloaded them so he could open Laina’s. He noted it was uncharacteristically heavy, as his own might have been if he had packed anything significant within.

The top layers were mainly clothing, blankets, personal items, and a box that held several pounds of expensive soap. Obviously, she’s got her priorities straight, thought Will, smiling wryly. He hadn’t packed any for himself, since it seemed like an extravagance. The soldiers made do with the meager supplies of cheap soap they were given once a week; the rest of the time they got by with sand, ashes, or a simple rinse if enough water was available.

Will had lived it himself, although now he was grateful that he could use Selene’s spell to handle such matters. Still, a proper bath is always welcome. He felt guilty almost as soon as he thought it, considering the privations the men of the rank and file had to endure.

Digging deeper, he found a heavy sack of oilcloth wrapped inside a layer of soft leather to keep the oil from getting on everything else in the trunk. Withdrawing it and removing the armor within, he let out a soft whistle. Someone had spared no expense. Laina’s armor was entirely functional, and only decorative in the sense that it had the visual appeal of something clearly crafted by a master armorsmith.

The mail was riveted and would be heavy when combined with the padded gambeson, though it saved some weight in that there were plate greaves and cuisses. There was no breastplate, but that might have been too much for Laina’s small frame without modifying the mail to reduce weight in the areas it would have covered. There was even a domed helm.

All in all, she would be better geared than most of the soldiers, and he wouldn’t need to worry much about her being struck by a stray arrow. Unless it hit her in the face, she would survive. So long as she wasn’t caught by a spear in the gut, she’d be fine. And there’s no way in hell I’m letting her anywhere near the front lines.

A warm feeling over his heart alerted him to activity from Selene’s heart-stone enchantment. He fed a small thread of turyn into it and saw her face appear in front of him. He wished he could cross over and be with her immediately. He also noted that her face was drawn and pale. “It’s only been one day. You’re wearing yourself out,” he chided.

“I don’t care,” she told him, unrepentant. “I wanted to see your face. How do you like your bodyguard?”

“You chose the best chaperone possible,” he replied, a glint of mirth in his eye.

“Where are you?”

“You know how far a carriage travels, and you studied the maps with me. You know exactly which wayside inn we made it to.” Selene’s face was turning grey, and he could see sweat beginning to bead at her temples. “Let’s end the connection,” he told her.

She nodded. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Will broke the contact then. He was glad to see Selene’s face, but knowing how difficult it was for her worried him. The turyn drain had been miniscule, and yet she had seemed close to