A Clash of Magics by Guy Antibes (read this if txt) 📕

“Then I will make what arrangements I can from my side. There are plenty of people who will want to see my only daughter marry a duke of Brachia—Dryden’s messenger.

“The duke part is better,” Trevor said. “I have a house big enough for you to visit as long as you’d like in Listenwell.”

“That sounds enticing,” Caspur said. “You are leaving me soon?”

Lissa nodded. “I didn’t want to wait to tell you, and since Trevor can move around quickly, we decided to let you know immediately.”

“And the war went well?”

Trevor frowned. “As well as wars can go.” He gave Caspur a brief description. “Lissa served as a healer with Brother Yvan and Glynna.”

“That is better than fighting at your side, for me anyway,” the seer said. “Stay safe on your journey to Jiksara.”

Trevor grasped Lissa’s hand and held it up for Caspur to see. “I will.”

The next moment, they had returned to the clearing where his friends were cleaning up from a quick meal. “I saved something for both of you to eat while we ride,” Win said.

They spent almost a week in Maskum before skirting the Jarkanese plains on their way through Kyria. They caught up to a detachment of Kyrian troops returning home from Khartoo and were guests at an impromptu feast by the soldiers. They reached the Viksar border a few days later.

Trevor could sense all of his friends were more than relieved to be back in their home country. Volst led them unerringly to an inn that served Zinkel’s ale, and they spent a raucous evening celebrating their return to Viksar. Trevor could see that Lissa looked more nervous as they drew closer to Jiksara.

They finally passed under the south gate, and all of them cheered except for Lissa and Trevor. Win left them not far from the city center to return to Siranda.

Trevor was happy that he could ride Snowflake all the way from the southern tip of the world, and now he had returned Lissa safely to her home. He grimaced and thought perhaps not too safe.

“Have you heard from Brother Yvan?” Lissa asked her father.

“He will arrive tomorrow if I’m not out of tune,” Seer Caspur said. “Come to my private dining room. I have the space for all of you here in the church if you don’t want to stay at an inn.”

“Win Fenton was with us, but his wife still lives in Jiksara,” Lissa said.

“That will just mean more food and ale for the rest of us.” Volst patted his stomach.

Trevor knew he was joking, and they enjoyed a meal with Trevor’s future father-in-law. Lissa continued to look a little anxious about the wedding, but so was he.

Chapter Thirty

~

B rother Yvan and Reena arrived in a carriage and stayed at an inn. Trevor was happy to have his long-time mentor at his wedding. Brother Yvan sat with Reena and next to Win and Siranda at the wedding. The ceremony was to be a straightforward service, but the church was filled with the seer’s friends. Trevor even spotted Hamel Rorsik in the crowd, sitting close to Glynna’s sister and her husband.

Lissa looked beautiful in a light blue gown, walking toward Trevor, who waited at the church’s front. Singers, unusual for any kind of Dryden service, colored the air with a beautiful song Trevor had never heard. Lissa’s smile beamed in the shafts of light that lit up the space. Seer Caspur raised his hands to stop the singers and conducted the short exchange of wedding vows. Suddenly, it was over, and Trevor was a married man.

Walking through the well-wishers who crowded around them as they walked down the central aisle to the church’s entrance took forever in Trevor’s mind. He barely remembered what he heard anyone say and nothing of what he said to others. Finally, they emerged on a sunny day. Trevor took a deep breath. Life had taken a delightful change. He wished Desolation Boxster was there to share it with him, and fleetingly, had wanted to his late youngest brother, Renny, there to brighten things up.

They left the church, entering a decorated hired carriage for a night at the best inn that Jiksara had to offer. When Trevor got there, he was disappointed the inn didn’t serve Zinkel’s ale.

“I’m sure you can handle it, dear,” Lissa said, her hand on Trevor’s wrist in the inn’s posh dining room.

“As long as I can handle you,” Trevor said with a smile.

Lissa assumed a mock shocked look. “That might not be a nice thing to say.”

“We will see a bit later,” Trevor said.

After a very fancy and very expensive meal, Trevor took Lissa up to their room. It was much larger than they needed.

Trevor frowned. “No barrier tonight?”

“No barrier again,” Lissa said, “unless you don’t behave.”

“Then I reserve the right to do the same,” Trevor said. “Isn’t that fair?”

“We will see what is fair…”

The pair enjoyed themselves as they had never done before, but as they slumbered in the early morning hours, Trevor woke to the sound of something creaking in the room. The Jarkanese sword that had served Trevor so faithfully was sitting on the bed in his room at Caspur’s church. However, not trusting to chance, he pulled out the ancient rod, thankful that he could feel the magic.

Unfortunately, neither he nor his new wife had any clothes on, putting him at a distinct disadvantage since his Jarkanese sword sat next to his ancient leather cuirass. Trevor kept his eyes partially closed in the gloom as he grunted and turned toward the intruders as he tried to come up with a strategy.

Trevor didn’t know how many attackers there were in the room, but he had quickly determined there were at least two. He wanted to teleport elsewhere but being without clothes made him