Scholar of Magic (Art of the Adept #3) - Michael G. Manning Page 0,245

base. “Are you hurt anywhere?”

“I’m not sure. Things are starting to hurt.”

Concerned, Will began checking Tiny over. His armor seemed to be intact, but one of the crossbow quarrels seemed to have penetrated the mail a short distance, though not far enough for the barbs to enter his flesh. He pulled it out and then looked at Tiny’s face and hands, which were bare. There were several small cuts, but none of them bled. Weird.

Tiny began to moan as his agony slowly increased. Will began checking the man’s ribs and found several that appeared to be out of place, though whether they were dislocated or fractured he couldn’t be sure through the padding and mail. The biggest shock came when he realized that the big man’s clavicle had snapped. He shouldn’t even be able to move!

The potion finally ran out, and Will saw the cuts on his friend’s face suddenly begin to bleed, right in front of his eyes. Seconds later, a red bloom appeared on Tiny’s gambeson where the bolt had pierced his side. Tiny tried to move his arm and screamed.

Will summoned a blood-cleanse potion and gave that to him first, to make sure none of the cuts caused him to turn. They looked clean, but he wasn’t going to take the chance. After that, he waited a few minutes and pulled the regeneration potion out of Tiny’s belt case. “Here, take this.” He held the vial up to Tiny’s lips so he wouldn’t have to try and use his arms.

The next few minutes were pure misery for the squire. Will had to help him lie flat while his bones were mending, which prompted a long series of groans and painful cries. When he finally seemed comfortable, Will knew he needed to go, but he still felt guilty.

Tiny’s eyes were closed as he spoke. “We still need to find the king, don’t we?”

“I’m pretty sure I know where he is.”

“Just let me catch my breath and I’ll be right as rain.”

Will shook his head. “Your body was wrecked. The regeneration potion is going to take a toll. I doubt you’ll wake up until tomorrow.”

“I just won’t go to sleep,” insisted the big man, his voice slurring.

Will wished he could move him. Leaving him there on the ground, barely a hundred feet from the school entrance, didn’t seem safe. There probably weren’t any more vampires in the area, but he didn’t know that for sure. “Bring him back in one piece.” Janice’s words rang through his mind.

Tiny surged upward for a moment, then sagged and slumped back down. “My body feels like jelly. Do I still have bones?”

“You still have bones. You’re just tired.”

“I don’t think I can walk without bones.”

Will nodded. “That would be a problem.”

“You’ll have to go without me, Will. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry.”

“But you need help. I said I’d be there…”

Activating the limnthal, he summoned a pillow and blanket. After making his friend as comfortable as possible, he replied, “You were there. Don’t worry. The others are back now. They’re going to help me, so you can get some rest.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.” Tiny was asleep before he finished answering. Standing up, Will pushed his guilt aside and started back out the gate. If anything happens to him, I’ll never forgive myself. But he knew if he didn’t go, his friend would die anyway.

Chapter 55

Alone again, Will jogged at a modest pace, one he could maintain without tiring himself out. He was heading for the wealthy part of town, where the noblemen and rich merchants kept their homes. It was the same area that his father’s house was in, but the specific home Will was going to was a few blocks from the Nerrow home.

As far as he knew, it was still empty, though most would expect that it belonged to the heirs of the Arenata estate. Will knew that wasn’t the case, however. After he had slain Duke Arenata and murdered his guests, some of whom might have been innocents, Will had sacrificed the duchess on her own altar. It sounded horrific, and the actual