Read Online Abuse of Power (Rise of the Mages 1) by Brian W. Foster - Free Book Online
Authors: Brian W. Foster
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milord?”
“I can’t be responsible for your death.” He pointed at a saddlebag a few yards away. “That contains provisions for several days, your clothes, and enough money to get you set up somewhere.”
“But I’m a mage. I—”
“You don’t deserve what was done to you and your fiancé.”
“My lord …”
“I’m serious, Alaina. Take the money and go.” He turned away from her, not moving, obviously feigning sleep.
She stared at his back for a while. When she got up, she bent down and kissed him on the cheek. “You’re a good man, August Asher, and you’re going to make a good duke.”
She grabbed the saddlebag and stepped toward the edge of the camp.
“Alaina!”
She froze. Was he changing his mind? Her heart thudded. Should she run?
No. Trust him, blast it! “Yes?”
“The world is a better place with you in it.”
She dashed away before he saw the tears in her eyes.
11.
Auggie massaged his temples.
“I can’t believe you let her get away,” Benj said. “And you call me immature?”
Auggie felt bad enough with the way things ended with Alaina without having his actions thrown in his face. Even with the money he’d given her—he could have been more generous there, too, if he’d been willing to compromise on the quality of the horses he needed to buy—how was she going to make a life for herself with a bounty on her head?
“I’m sorry,” Auggie said. “I take full responsibility for nodding off before waking you for your watch. Her escape is completely on me.”
Benj shook his head. “I am not now—nor have I ever been—stupid.”
“What?”
“You can’t really think I believe you accidentally let that tiny slip of a girl get away from you.”
“Fine,” Auggie said. “You win. I let her go. Sorry. Are you happy now?’
“I think you’re an idiot. She’s got over an hours’ head start on us. It’s going to take forever to find her.”
“My duty was to have her executed, but none of this was her fault. It just wasn’t right. And you’re not going to convince me that it was!”
“By the Holy One, you’re stupid today. Gather your wits, man! I’ve been your sidekick since we were too young to know what a girl was, and I have never seen you react to a woman like you did to her. You’re not an idiot for allowing her to escape; you’re an idiot for not grabbing hold of her and not letting go.”
“You’re blasted nuts!” Auggie grabbed a stone and hurled it into the woods. “Sure, she was attractive, but I’ve dated a dozen women more … Okay, but the others were more … I mean …”
Benj smirked.
“It wouldn’t have worked,” Auggie said. “I couldn’t have hidden her forever.”
Benj raised his eyebrows. “Really? That’s your rationalization?”
“Even if you’re right—and I am not saying you are—what can I do about it? Nothing. Even if we tracked her down, she wants nothing to do with me.” Auggie took a deep breath. “We go to the nearest village, buy some horses, and return to the garrison.”
12.
Alaina stumbled.
Her hand flew out and found a tree. Barely, she managed to stay upright. She hadn’t even seen the rock in the predawn light. Idiot. Slow down.
Oh, the joys of traveling on her own. Even if she managed to avoid the people actively trying to kill her, a simple accident could lead to her death. No one to help her up if she fell. No one to share the load if her burden got heavy. No one to nurse her back to health if she got sick or injured.
Nothing but the unending drudgery of putting one foot in front of the other, always afraid the next rise or curve in the trail would reveal a catcher. Being accompanied by someone who could have actually protected her had been such a blessing. A gift from the Holy One, really.
But she was well and truly—once again—on her own, and having had company, even for a short time, made the lack that much more evident. Perhaps the worst was simply not having anyone to talk
“I can’t be responsible for your death.” He pointed at a saddlebag a few yards away. “That contains provisions for several days, your clothes, and enough money to get you set up somewhere.”
“But I’m a mage. I—”
“You don’t deserve what was done to you and your fiancé.”
“My lord …”
“I’m serious, Alaina. Take the money and go.” He turned away from her, not moving, obviously feigning sleep.
She stared at his back for a while. When she got up, she bent down and kissed him on the cheek. “You’re a good man, August Asher, and you’re going to make a good duke.”
She grabbed the saddlebag and stepped toward the edge of the camp.
“Alaina!”
She froze. Was he changing his mind? Her heart thudded. Should she run?
No. Trust him, blast it! “Yes?”
“The world is a better place with you in it.”
She dashed away before he saw the tears in her eyes.
11.
Auggie massaged his temples.
“I can’t believe you let her get away,” Benj said. “And you call me immature?”
Auggie felt bad enough with the way things ended with Alaina without having his actions thrown in his face. Even with the money he’d given her—he could have been more generous there, too, if he’d been willing to compromise on the quality of the horses he needed to buy—how was she going to make a life for herself with a bounty on her head?
“I’m sorry,” Auggie said. “I take full responsibility for nodding off before waking you for your watch. Her escape is completely on me.”
Benj shook his head. “I am not now—nor have I ever been—stupid.”
“What?”
“You can’t really think I believe you accidentally let that tiny slip of a girl get away from you.”
“Fine,” Auggie said. “You win. I let her go. Sorry. Are you happy now?’
“I think you’re an idiot. She’s got over an hours’ head start on us. It’s going to take forever to find her.”
“My duty was to have her executed, but none of this was her fault. It just wasn’t right. And you’re not going to convince me that it was!”
“By the Holy One, you’re stupid today. Gather your wits, man! I’ve been your sidekick since we were too young to know what a girl was, and I have never seen you react to a woman like you did to her. You’re not an idiot for allowing her to escape; you’re an idiot for not grabbing hold of her and not letting go.”
“You’re blasted nuts!” Auggie grabbed a stone and hurled it into the woods. “Sure, she was attractive, but I’ve dated a dozen women more … Okay, but the others were more … I mean …”
Benj smirked.
“It wouldn’t have worked,” Auggie said. “I couldn’t have hidden her forever.”
Benj raised his eyebrows. “Really? That’s your rationalization?”
“Even if you’re right—and I am not saying you are—what can I do about it? Nothing. Even if we tracked her down, she wants nothing to do with me.” Auggie took a deep breath. “We go to the nearest village, buy some horses, and return to the garrison.”
12.
Alaina stumbled.
Her hand flew out and found a tree. Barely, she managed to stay upright. She hadn’t even seen the rock in the predawn light. Idiot. Slow down.
Oh, the joys of traveling on her own. Even if she managed to avoid the people actively trying to kill her, a simple accident could lead to her death. No one to help her up if she fell. No one to share the load if her burden got heavy. No one to nurse her back to health if she got sick or injured.
Nothing but the unending drudgery of putting one foot in front of the other, always afraid the next rise or curve in the trail would reveal a catcher. Being accompanied by someone who could have actually protected her had been such a blessing. A gift from the Holy One, really.
But she was well and truly—once again—on her own, and having had company, even for a short time, made the lack that much more evident. Perhaps the worst was simply not having anyone to talk
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