Scholar of Magic (Art of the Adept #3) - Michael G. Manning Page 0,253

he announced faintly. His head felt dizzy, and he knew he was about to pass out. Not yet.

Will summoned two blood-cleanse potions and drank one. He poured the other in Lognion’s mouth and held the man’s mouth and nose shut. “I hope you fucking choke on it.”

The king did choke a little, but he swallowed reflexively, and most of it went down. Will released him and lay back. Damn, that was probably my last chance to get rid of him. Then he closed his eyes and let the darkness take him.

***

When he woke again, he was still in the underground chamber and he could feel someone watching him. With a start, he realized that Lognion had propped himself up near the wall and was staring at him with baleful eyes.

“I see you’re awake finally,” said the king.

“You too, unfortunately,” admitted Will.

Lognion laughed, but he lacked the energy to do it properly. “That’s entirely your fault.” He held up his bandaged wrist. “Does it feel good to be my savior?”

Will closed his eyes. “I was hoping I’d wake up in a soft bed with friends around me. How long have you been waiting just so you could irritate me? Couldn’t you summon someone to get us out?”

“A few hours,” admitted the king. “I thought we should talk first. Have a little father-to-son chat as it were.”

“You aren’t my father.”

“You married Selene.”

“She doesn’t recognize you anymore.”

The king shrugged. “Too bad. I don’t give a damn what she thinks. You have to listen anyway.”

“Just get it over with.” Will sat up. He still felt drained, but he was no longer sleepy, just exhausted. The potion had had to heal a lot.

“I’m disappointed in you. You had your chance to be rid of me.”

Will shrugged. “I thought about it.”

“If you had killed me, Selene would have been crowned queen and you could have ruled by her side. I probably would have given you my blessing—”

“You’d have been dead,” interjected Will.

“In a spiritual sense. I might have felt comfortable leaving it all to someone ruthless enough to save the capital and murder me at the same time. Instead, I find myself mildly disgusted by your weakness.”

“I don’t give a rat’s ass what you think about me. Selene can’t come back just because you’re dead. I don’t even know where she is. The kingdom might have fallen into civil war before she returned.”

The king laughed again. “So you sacrificed your dream of freeing the elementals, the other wizards, your family—you sacrificed all that just so the kingdom would be safer? A stronger man might have taken the reins of power regardless of Selene’s absence. You’re powerful, William. You might have managed it.”

“Someday. You’ll be the first to know,” said Will, miming the thrust of a dagger with one hand.

“You might just be the funniest man I’ve ever met. I’ll regret killing you one day.”

“That’s where we’re different.”

“How so?”

Will grinned maliciously. “I’ll be a happy man the day I put an end to you. I won’t regret it at all.”

“Work hard. If you can manage it, I’ll cheer you on from the grave. No one has succeeded yet, though many have tried.”

“Today would have been the day. Just remember that.”

“Never fear, I’ve already got your reward in mind.”

“Which is?”

“The Duchy of Arenata. The current heir is weak. I was planning to eliminate him anyway. The reward fits the deed, and I will gain a mighty vassal in the process,” said the king.

“Piss off. I’m not swearing fealty to you.”

“You’ve already given me more reason to trust you than any of the other vipers who have sworn their oaths. I won’t ask for it.”

Will frowned. “The ceremony will seem rather odd then.”

“I’ll confer the title in private. Decorum will be saved, and you will have a proper rank to merit Selene as your wife.”

“Where’s the catch? You never do anything