Scholar of Magic (Art of the Adept #3) - Michael G. Manning Page 0,150

out of her hair, but you’re still a newlywed. I doubt your wife would approve.”

Ignoring the intense pain his movements required, Will managed to get up and onto his good leg without assistance. His stomach was insistent, and he could only comply with its demands. The buns were simple and sweet, a confection made of little more than ordinary dough supplemented with honey and extra butter, but just then, they were heaven on earth. He had devoured one and was struggling to swallow before he poured his first cup of black tea.

The tea was strong and bitter. Too much had been used, and it had been steeped far too long and at too high a temperature, but it complemented the sticky sweetness of the bread, and Will welcomed the extra energy it would hopefully give him. He fell to eating with a vengeance, and a few minutes later the plate and teapot were both empty. Belatedly, he looked over at the professor, feeling guilty, for he hadn’t left any for his savior.

Karlovic glanced at him and laughed, then patted his slightly rounded paunch. “I didn’t need it anyway, while you obviously did.” He stepped back from the worktable and gestured at the vials. “Care to see your product?” There were five vials lined up on the table.

Will frowned. “I only planned on four. How did you manage five?”

“You had more set out than you realized, so I redid the math and worked out the other ingredients to make five. It was just small enough that it wouldn’t require larger vessels so I knew it wouldn’t cost you any time.” The older man paused. “Will you be able to activate that many at one time?”

“Sure,” said Will. “I’m not using my turyn. I absorb it from the environment, so I can replace it without too much trouble.” He hobbled over to the bench and proceeded to begin doing just that. Each potion took fifteen to twenty minutes, as he had to draw in turyn, convert it, infuse the potion, then repeat the process until it had been saturated with energy.

After a little over an hour and a half, the five regeneration potions were done. Will gazed at them thoughtfully. He needed three—two for his friends, one for himself, and another for emergencies. Then he looked at Professor Karlovic. With one hand he offered the man one of the potions.

His teacher wanted to take the vial. Will could see the hesitation in the man’s movements, as his hand started to reach out before he pulled it back again. “You keep them,” said Karlovic.

“I couldn’t have done this without you.”

“That potion is worth nearly a thousand gold marks.”

Will shrugged. “I don’t need the money.”

The professor’s hand started to move again, but then he tucked it behind his back and turned away. “I don’t know what sort of things you’re up to, William, but I think you’re far more likely to need that extra potion than I am to need a thousand marks. If you still feel grateful, offer me one later, when things are back to normal. Right now, I won’t take it.”

He sighed, then stored the five potions in the limnthal. At the same time, he removed his coin purse and took out a few coins. Hobbling over, he grabbed his teacher’s hand and put the coins in his palm.

“What’s this?” asked Karlovic, staring at the silver.

“Two clima,” said Will with a grin. “Isn’t that the going rate for a lab assistant?”

They both laughed, and then his professor asked, “Aren’t you going to take one of those potions for your leg?”

“Not until I go to the Healing and Psyche building. They make you very sleepy afterward. I don’t want to pass out before I make sure my friends are taken care of.”

“You’d better get going then.”

“What time is it?”

“It’s just past seventh bell. The dining halls are still open if you need more breakfast.”

Chapter 34

Doctor Morris met him before he could enter Janice’s room, having been summoned by an orderly who spotted the man who had absconded two nights before. “You’ve a lot of nerve,” said the doctor. “Do