Mageborn The Line of Illeniel by Michael Manning (interesting novels to read .txt) 📕

I bade him goodbye and we set out. I double checked the separate shields I had place around each of us as we went. It paid to be careful, otherwise a single arrow might put an end us both. I had tried to project an air of calm and confidence around the others, but now that Penny and I were on our own my doubts were worrying me. I pulled my cloak closer about myself.

“Feeling cold?” Penny asked as we walked. She hardly seemed to notice the chill air. Winter had begun and it would probably only be another month or two before the first snows.

“A bit,” I admitted.

She moved closer to share my cloak, purely for my benefit. Her body put out heat like a furnace. So many things that had changed since we formed the bond, she was hardly discomfited by the cold anymore. I wondered how she would fare in hot weather. Still, it was pleasant to have her so close. I shivered deliberately as the wind blew harder.

“Still cold?” she asked, slipping an arm around my waist.

I nodded and pulled her closer. It was harder to walk that way, but I didn’t care. It was worth the inconvenience.

“Mort?”

“Hmm yes?” I answered, smiling inwardly.

“Why is your hand on my ass?”

“It was cold and that seemed the warmest place,” I replied with a smirk.

“You are absolutely hopeless. We’re about to break into someone’s home and face who knows what sort of dangers... and you’re still trying to cop a feel.” She gave me a look of mock indignation.

“Yep... does that bother you?”

She laughed and placed her own hand strategically over my own posterior, “Not at all, as long as it’s just my rear-end you’re grabbing.”

“The duchess certainly found it amusing,” I reminded her.

She growled, “I could have strangled you for that! Don’t you ever think first?”

“I wouldn’t have minded, as long as it was you strangling me,” I joked.

Chapter 27

Lord Hightower’s home was easy enough to find. We had ridden right by it on our way into Albamarl earlier. As the commander of the king’s guard and the city garrison he occupied the large bailey that guarded the capital’s largest gate. As homes went it was a veritable fortress in and of itself, nearly as large as the main keep of Cameron Castle.

From what James had told me I knew his family kept their residence in the top two floors of the bailey. Below that were primarily defensive structures and housing for the guards that defended the city, as well as the mechanisms that controlled the two great portcullises and the gate. Looking at it from the outside I had to pity any invader that might try to force their way through it.

There was a large door that served as an entrance to the interior of the bailey on the left hand side of the inner portcullis. Since there was currently no threat to the city I presumed it would be unlocked, but naturally enough it was still guarded. Two men stood at attention outside the door. Unlike guards I had seen at other points in the city these two looked alert and not the least bit bored. Lord Hightower was known for stern discipline.

I could feel Penny tensing as we drew closer, like a cat preparing to pounce. We were no longer sharing my cloak so I had to lean over to whisper to her, “No need, just relax.” Her eyes darted back to meet mine but she said nothing. The tension went out of her stance but I could sense her hand still gripping the hilt of her sword beneath her cloak.

Without pausing we walked directly toward the guards. “Who goes there?” one of them called as we drew close. I didn’t bother answering... a whispered word and they both slumped to the ground unconscious. I stepped up to the door and knocked while Penny stood behind me scanning the street.

“You know the drill, you have to identify yourself before you knock!” came a muffled voice through the wood of the door.

“Open up, there’s someone here to see Lord Hightower!” I responded.

A small wooden door set at head height opened up revealing a face covered in a very poor example of a beard, “That’s not the call sign... honestly the sergeant will have your hide...” I didn’t bother with further discussion and a moment later the man slumped down behind the door, soundly asleep.

“Now how are we going to open the door?” Penny hissed at me.

“Watch and learn sweetheart,” I replied.

“Last time you tried to force a door you nearly got blown up,” she said snidely.

“I doubt that will be a problem here.” I put my hand on the door. It had an actual lock which made things easier. A simple bar would have been slightly more trouble for me to move, though not by much. “Grabol ni’shieran,” I said softly. With an audible click the mechanism released the bolt and I pulled the door wide. I started to step through but Penny stopped me.

“Fool,” she whispered and went ahead of me with her sword drawn. As luck had it only one man was within, and he was already asleep. We dragged the other two in and laid them carefully beside him. “How long will they stay like that?” Penny asked.

“Unless there’s an earthquake or someone shakes the hell out of them... several hours at least,” I judged. We left them there and moved further in. A wooden stair to the left led us to the second floor. No one seemed to have spotted us yet so we kept going. On the landing to the third floor we saw two more men. They took no notice of us for a moment, seemingly involved in their conversation. I put them to sleep just as one looked at me... a question still on his lips as he collapsed.

“I have to admit, this is a lot easier than I thought it would