Magi's Path (Aether's Revival Book 3) by Daniel Schinhofen (motivational books to read txt) 📕

Hao looked at everyone around them and gave them a small bow. “Apologies for disrupting your day and distracting you from the fights, though I’m sure you had entertainment enough.” His smile was knowing as he looked at the crowd. “And to answer any lingering doubts, no, I do not hold prejudices against those with eurtik blood. I call them friends and treat them as I would anyone else. Most I speak with are better-mannered and more pleasant than Carlisle. Now, if you will excuse us, my family and I have business elsewhere.”

With that said, Hao led his family away from the stands, though they didn’t go far— they went to the front of the arena, where they waited. After a minute or two, the others came out. Ramon, Gufta, and their wives looked shocked, and the novices looked excited and a little fearful at what they had heard.

Lightshield was wearing a wide smile and laughed when they finally stepped out of the arena. “Goodness, Warlin, you do know how to make an impression. I fully endorse what you did and why,” he said, holding up a hand to forestall any objection. “Those people will be questioning their own ideals for a while now, and maybe, Aether willing, they might even begin to change. Carlisle is a lost cause, though.”

“He is, indeed,” Hao nodded. “Elder, we were told that we could use your box at the auction house, but tonight, my family will pass on that.”

Lightshield’s eyes twinkled. “Yes. I wish you all a good evening, and I will have a staff member waiting to inform you of the correct arena tomorrow, just as I did today. Good eve to you all.”

“Thank you, Elder,” Hao said, bowing his head. “Good eve to you.”

As Lightshield left, Dia, Bishop, and Indara followed him.

Gin chuckled and looked at Hao. “Thought I’d have to draw steel for a moment. If he tries to balk at paying later, I will make sure the debt is extracted. I hope you all have a good evening.” Turning, he walked away with Inda by his side.

“Warlin,” Ramon said as Gin was leaving, “while I’m grateful for your faith in our daughter, I—”

Hao clapped Ramon on the shoulder, cutting him off. “My daughter believes in your daughters, and that belief has taken root in me. The trouble, if he wishes to create some, is a small price to help my friends know that they are not alone.” He looked at Gufta. “That includes you.”

Both Ramon and Gufta shared a look, unsure of how to respond.

“Husband, you are overpowering our friends,” Yoo-jin said with a fond smile. “Why don’t you and our family take the carriage and make the stops you planned? I will go with our friends. We have a reason to celebrate tonight. All three of you,” she addressed the novices, “are undefeated through the first day of the tournament. Hao and I made arrangements.” She gave the parents an apologetic smile. “I do hope that you’ll forgive our presumption, but we thought you’d like to enjoy a meal together without needing to cook it yourself,” she added the last while looking at Vana. “We have a private dining room waiting for all of us at the Golden Boar.”

All four parents looked a little surprised at the destination, but it was Vana who spoke first, “We wouldn’t wish to cost you—!”

“Cost us?” Yoo-jin smiled broadly. “Tonight was paid for by your children.”

Gufta barked a laugh. “Yes! That fat fool paid for disrespecting our Daciana.”

“His face was so purple, I thought he would burst,” Ramon snickered. “We accept.”

“Good. If you’ll come with me, then?” Yoo-jin asked. As she moved, she took Victoria gently by the elbow. “And if it’s alright, I’ll stand in for your mother. I know I’m not her, but you did so well that you deserve someone to celebrate you just as much. Consider me a surrogate mother while I am here.”

Victoria blinked as Yoo-jin guided her away. “But I didn’t win anything more. There were no bets on me.”

“Only because the fool couldn’t be baited into it,” Yoo-jin explained. “We had the same confidence in you. The way you won your second fight…” her voice trailed off as they walked away from the arena.

Hao let them get farther ahead before he looked back at Gregory, Yukiko, and Jenn walking with him. “It appears we have a shopping trip to take care of. Hemet’s?”

“Yes, Father,” Yukiko smiled. “We have a little over seventy thousand to spend.”

“We can go beyond that, if needed,” Hao said. “After all, by tomorrow night, I’ll have nearly three-quarters of a million vela.”

“You played him like a fiddle,” Jenn said with respect.

“Well, he wasn’t that hard to manipulate,” Hao said. “I’ve dealt with too many merchants who took over from their fathers. The Carlisle family has run their business for generations. This one looked like the fool he turned out to be... he is wallowing in his family’s success and not understanding how quickly it can all come crashing down. Unfortunately, he’ll never thank me for this simple lesson.”

“Father has done similar in the past,” Yukiko said proudly. “Six or seven families have been ruined by their disrespect toward me.”

“Ten,” Hao said fondly. “You didn’t know them all, but as I once told Gregory, if you always react to known provocation, it becomes easy to manipulate you. Carlisle’s pride and assuredness that eurtik aren’t as worthy as others made him as easy to move as a jug.”

“Let’s go help our friends. Even if we do have to distance ourselves from it slightly, they’ll still know,” Gregory said. “I don’t know if Lightshield wanted the clan to be synonymous with tolerance of eurtik, but it seems like that’s the path before us now.”

“I doubt he minds,” Jenn said. “Dia has been with the