Feral Mage Book 3: Chapter 5

Bryce dipped the biscuit in the mixture of honey and butter, then lifted it and took a bite. The smell of the freshly baked bread fought against the mildew smell of the cell, and he stayed hunched over the basket of biscuits to protect them from any drops of water from the ceiling.

He figured the guard who gave it to him must have spent two coppers for the meal from his own stipend. The man had been nervously polite when he slipped the food through the bars this morning, asking Bryce if there was anything else he could do for him. The forced smile the man wore told Bryce he was getting this treatment because of Isabelle.

Bryce thanked the man and just asked if he would get word to the guildhall that he was okay. He knew Vex would be throwing a fit because he didn’t come home last night, and he hoped the girls would keep the wolfkin sensible. The last thing he needed right now was Vex stirring up trouble.

He heard several footsteps echoing against the prison’s brick walls as they approached his cell. Bryce turned and watched as two guards wearing armor too well-crafted for the city guard entered his field of view first. They took up stations not far from the bars of his cell, their posture indicating that they were disciplined.

Jasper, the man with the pencil mustache, stepped into view next. He frowned slightly at the sight of the basket of biscuits. Bryce gave a nod in greeting before taking another bite of his breakfast. Jasper met his eyes and returned the gesture.

Duke Leon Brook was the next person Bryce saw, followed by two more guards. The Duke gave a surprised look at the basket and scoffed.

“I’ve heard reports from the city guards that the prisoners complain about their food. Do you have any complaints?” the Duke asked.

Bryce chewed his bite as he studied the person before him. Duke Leon was an older man, of decent build, who spoke of a life of training or enjoying outdoor pursuits. His posture was relaxed and confident, but he didn’t seem arrogant like many of the nobles Bryce had seen. He decided to take a risk in his response to better judge the kind of man he was dealing with.

“It’s a bit dry, My lord,” he answered. “Some tea would be nice.”

The Duke roared with laughter, while Jasper frowned.

A sense of humor. That’s a good sign.

“Well, I’m glad your stay here wasn’t too uncomfortable,” the Duke said, gesturing to the cell. “After the attack by those creatures, we needed to take precautions. I’ve been informed that you have acted as Princess Thea Volson’s personal bodyguard over the past few months. Is that correct?”

Bryce set the basket of biscuits aside.

“That’s correct, My lord,” he answered.

Duke Leon nodded and looked to Jasper.

“Two Counts of good standing within the Kingdom of Brook said Princess Volson knew about the creatures, that they were something created by her uncle,” Jasper stated.

Bryce could already see them trying to pin this attack on Thea, even if they knew the girl wasn’t directly involved. She could be used as leverage by the Duke or the Kingdom of Brook.

“Many nobles in Witchbrook have heard Lady Thea’s warnings about her Uncle over the past few months. I have stood by her side as those warnings fell on deaf ears, My lord,” Bryce said.

Were this man not the Duke of Witchbrook and held his fate in his hands, Bryce would have continued and said that had they listened, then perhaps this attack could have been avoided. The night in the cell had let him reflect on the Duke’s party, which in hindsight was too tempting an offer for Harold Volson to pass up.

“What happened to the ship’s captain?” Bryce asked. “We were sailing away from the port, and that wasn’t the doing of the musicians.”

“I killed him,” Jasper answered. “I inquired why we were sailing away from Witchbrook, and he tried to attack me. His First Officer sailed us into port.”

“I would like to meet with Princess Volson and hear this warning for myself,” Duke Leon said as Jasper pulled an envelope from his pocket. “This is an invitation to my estate in three days. I entrust you to deliver it to her?”

Bryce looked around his cell, which prompted the Duke to laugh once more.

“The guards will release you here shortly,” Jasper stated in a dry tone.

Once Bryce took the envelope from Jasper, the Duke and his company left the prison. Bryce examined the envelope, the back sealed with a purple wax that depicted a stag, the crest of House Brook. He hadn’t even returned to his breakfast when he heard footsteps once more on the stone floor of the prison. Two guards approached, one holding Bryce’s sheathed sword, while the other quickly unlocked the door to his cell.

“The Duke’s assistant requested we return this to you,” the guard said, holding out his blade.

Bryce took the blade as the guards stood aside.

“You’re free to leave,” the one who opened the door said.

***

Bryce half expected to run into Isabelle on his return to the guildhall, but the redhead gang boss was nowhere to be seen. He breathed a sigh of relief at that, already dreading his promise to take one of her contracts.

When he opened the door to the guildhall and stepped inside, he froze as his gaze landed on a hog-tied Vex on the ground by Janna and Callie’s table. Vex spotted him, and her tail started to wag as she said something through the cloth gag in her mouth.

“You’re back!” Janna said, standing and running to him.

He wrapped the kitsune in a hug as he watched Callie untie the gag in Vex’s mouth.

“My Bryce!” Vex yelled as she started fighting against her bindings.

Callie swore as she tried to untie the wolfkin.

“Be still for just a second,” the swordswoman growled.

Vex didn’t listen, but was untied a few seconds later and raced toward him, almost knocking both him and Janna to the floor as she tackled him with a hug. He felt the wolfkin’s arms squeeze him tightly before she started to sniff him.

“I’m fine, Vex,” Bryce said. “Why were you tied up?”

Vex’s ears went flat as she turned to glare at Callie.

“Stupid elf,” Vex growled.

Callie matched her glare.

“If I let you go through with your bullheaded plan to rescue Bryce, both you and he would be in deep shit with the city guards,” Callie growled. “When Baroness Julia told us what happened, I told you just to wait.”

Vex kept her glare on Callie.

“I would have rescued my mate. Stupid grumpy elf with no tail for anyone to brush,” Vex said in beastkin.

Bryce pulled Vex against him so she would stop giving Callie dirty looks. The wolfkin just rubbed her face into his chest.

“Thank you, Callie. I mean that,” Bryce said to the snow elf. “I tried to get the guards to send word I was okay.”

Callie huffed.

“They came, but your mutt didn’t believe them,” she answered.

He sighed before looking around the tavern, hoping to spot Thea or Julia, but he didn’t see either of them. Even Alice was missing from behind the bar.

“Where’s Lady Thea?” he asked.

Janna’s lips thinned.

“She’s been in her room since last night. She was a mess when Julia brought her back here,” Janna replied before shivering. “The fact that her Uncle’s puppets can even be in Witchbrook is a scary thought.”

Bryce recalled Thea crying when he told her to flee with Julia. The girl was more afraid of using her Aspect Magic than she was of the puppets.

“I’ll go check on her,” he said. “But first, I need to see Mark.”

He tried to break away from Vex, only for the wolfkin to look up at him and pout.

“No,” she whined.

Bryce sighed.

“You can come with me, Vex,” he reasoned.

He had already expected her to be a little clingy when he returned. Vex nodded, then took his hand and led him to Mark’s office. He silently cursed himself for the decision as Vex forwent knocking on the door to open it, stepping inside immediately. The conversation Mark was having in his office was interrupted as Vex and he entered.

“Oh, hello again, Bryce,” Alex greeted from where he sat across from Mark’s desk.

Mark’s gaze shifted from Bryce and Vex to their joined hands.

“You barging in here to ask me to officiate your wedding or something?” Mark teased.

Vex tilted her head.

“What’s a wedding?” she asked.

A massive grin broke out on Mark’s face as Bryce glared daggers at him.

“Just a big party,” Mark answered. “Glad to see you’re no longer in a jail cell, Bryce.”

Bryce nodded in greeting to Alex before looking back to Mark. “Sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt.”

Mark shook his head and pointed to the other free chair.

“Sit, Alex is just telling me the University is being temporarily closed to those not enrolled there,” Mark said.

Bryce frowned as he took a seat, Vex sitting in his lap since there wasn’t another chair. Mark chuckled at that, but Bryce ignored it.

“What happened at the University?” he asked.

Alex sighed.

“A fire broke out in one of the rooms, burning several books. Odd part is the books were certain ones gathered together and deliberately set on fire.”

Bryce swore.

“Do you think Harold Volson is on to us and trying to stop us from looking into what he is?” Bryce asked.

“These weren’t restricted books, well, one was, but none of them pertained to the Soul Mimics or even the Selkie Isles,” Alex answered. “I’m still doing research into the Soul Mimic, but I’ll need to make copies and notes to bring to you from now on.”

“What was the subject of the restricted book that was burned?” he asked.

Alex paused, looked at Mark, then at Vex, before glancing at the door.

“Just on the off chance it is connected to this Volson bastard. The book was called “The Downfall of the Drow” and is a detailed retelling of how the drow angered a Goddess and she drove them to extinction.”

Bryce grimaced.

“So a legend about a divine that is considered heretical, I take it?” he asked.

Alex nodded.

“Ciarra, Goddess of Monsters. I’ve only heard about cults worshiping her in the history books, nothing recent. Still, the Kingdoms like to keep such knowledge from spreading and forming new cults of heretics.”

Bryce froze at the name, his heart racing as memories flooded into his mind of a ruined castle, stone thorn, and the elven woman with four eyes.

“Bryce?” Vex asked.

He turned to see her staring at him with a worried expression. He took a deep breath, calming his nerves as he patted her on the back. “I’m fine.”

He looked to Mark, who had furrowed brows.

“I was going to ask if you knew anything about the Duke of Witchbrook?”

The concern left Mark as the old Berserker tapped his desk.

“So you met the old unicorn,” Mark said. “He’s from a branch family of House Brook that has a deep martial history. Witchbrook has been both the trading hub and buffer for the Kingdom of Brook and the elven kingdoms. To my knowledge, Duke Leon has only overseen a few border skirmishes, but he was raised to be a disciplined general.”

Bryce checked the door to ensure it was closed. Even in the guildhall, he didn’t want to be heard speaking ill of a noble.

“So a warhound?” he asked.

Alex shifted uncomfortably, but Mark shrugged.

“He may be too level-headed for that term, but he won’t shy away from the thought of war. The Duke is a loyalist to the crown and will stand against any threat to the Kingdom of Brook.”

Bryce licked his lips.

“He wants to meet with Thea about her Uncle in three days at his estate,” he said. “You’re better with the nobles than I am. Do you think it’s safe?”

Mark rubbed his chin in thought.

“I don’t think it’s an offer she can refuse,” he answered. “The Duke has the ear of the King. This is her best opportunity to get the King to heed her warning. Also, it would seem suspicious after the attack for her to refuse.”

Alex frowned.

“I’ve only known Duke Leon by reputation, but I doubt he’s the kind of man who would try to pull any tricks. Some nobles would see a foreign Princess as a bargaining chip or attempt to wed one of their sons to her for a claim on her family’s titles, but Duke Leon’s reputation is that of an honorable man,” Alex said.

Bryce looked to Mark to see if the old Berserker would counter the statement, but when he didn’t, Bryce patted Vex on the shoulder and both of them stood.

“Sorry for the intrusion. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go speak to a Princess,” Bryce said.