Read Online The Wizard's Secret by Rain Oxford - Free Book Online

necromancer?” Asiago asked. “That’s
about as likely as a sorcerer and a mage being friends.”
    “Can we transport ourselves to Livia?” I asked,
trying to ignore him.
    “No. Veronica has traps in place and spies
everywhere.”
    “Spies?”
    “She can control animals, excluding magical beasts
like unicorns and dragons. You may have to fight on the way.”
    “You’re not going?” Asiago asked.
    “I cannot. Veronica has tricked Livia into leaving
her castle before. As soon as Livia left, Veronica took all of Livia’s hidden
tools of dark magic.”
    “But you’re a wizard. You don’t have any tools of
dark magic.”
    The wizard looked very uncomfortable. “I have never used dark magic, but I have acquired tools and books that would have otherwise
fallen into my enemies’ hands. I considered giving them to you, but you haven’t
yet figured out that you can be both a wizard and sorcerer.”
    “I thought I could when I turned against my brothers,
but I was wrong. Even Livia had to choose to be one or the other.”
    He sighed. “You are young and stubborn, and I must
allow you to make mistakes, because that is the only way you will learn. You
are more like your mother than you realize. If you can save Livia without the
use of sorcery, and if you still want your sorcery removed in the end, I will
do it.”
    I jumped up from my seat, causing my staff to clatter
to the ground. “I’ll do it!”
    “Slow down. It will be a long and difficult journey.
First, you need rest. Fluffy said you could barely hang onto Kirin’s back.”
    “Kirin?”
    “Livia’s unicorn, who brought you here, of course.”
    “I didn’t know unicorns could be owned.”
    “They can’t be owned, but Kirin and Livia have a
close friendship.”
    “Do you have a horse or anything that I can ride?”
Asiago inquired.
    “Veronica would be able to control a horse, so that
would be dangerous. I do have a magical creature that can help you, though. You
may have a difficult time riding him, but not as difficult as you would with a
unicorn. I’m amazed Kirin let you touch him, necromancer.”
    “Did you hear anything from Merlin?” I asked. Magnus
shook his head.
    When I was full, Magnus told me to sleep for a while.
I would have argued, but I knew once Magnus decided on something, he wasn’t
easily swayed. Besides, I really was exhausted and I didn’t want to fall off
the unicorn.
    While Magnus showed Asiago to a room, I went to mine,
got into bed, and promptly fell asleep.
     
    *          *          *
     
    I woke about midday with a painful headache. After I
dressed and repacked my bag, I headed downstairs. Magnus and Asiago were
sitting at the table, eating porridge. Asiago’s discomfort was evident by his
stiff posture and how focused he was on his food.
    Magnus was a wizard, so he would never harm anyone,
but there were still issues between magic users. Unfortunately, the issues
revolved around wizards and sorcerers. Sorcerers and wizards made their living
in magic, and that required being smart about their alliances. The problem was
that sorcerers and wizards both needed help from magicians, mages,
necromancers, and other magic users sometimes. It was fine if a non-magic user
wanted to work with both wizards and sorcerers, but if a magic user dealt with
one, they were distrusted by the other.
    Since necromancy was usually regarded as dark magic,
necromancers never really had the opportunity to work with wizards. Similarly,
the healing magic that mages used was associated with light magic, so sorcerers
disliked them, even though I had never heard of a mage refusing to heal a
sorcerer. The only ones I believed were truly untrustworthy were warlocks.
    I spotted a bowl of steaming porridge at my normal
seat and sat down. Magnus was very considerate of me, which made me feel
uncomfortable. I was a sorcerer; I grew up without any kindness in the house. I
expected it to be different when I was a real