Magi's Path (Aether's Revival Book 3) Daniel Schinhofen (books to read in a lifetime .txt) 📖

Igorson still hadn’t told her to stop, so she continued with her attack, stomping down when Xandia was thrown onto his back.

“Break!” Igorson shouted. “Healers!”

The crowd had been nearly silent during the brief fight, shocked at what had happened. When the healers came rushing out to see to Xandia, it broke the moment and the crowd started to cheer, jeer, and talk in confusion.

As her adrenaline wore off, Daciana’s smile grew wide when she realized she’d won. Her plan had been foolish and flimsy, but it had worked. She spun to face the stands where her friends and family were sitting. Her father was grabbing the rail and shouting in joy. Nessa was grinning at her, and Victoria hugged Nessa with one arm and waved at Daciana with the other as if calling her to come join them.

“Winner, Novice Lyall!” Igorson announced as Mindie worked on Xandia’s throat.

“Bullshit!” Carlisle snapped. “She broke the rules!”

“What rule did she break?” Hao asked as he stood, turning to face the irate merchant.

“She kicked him in the groin!”

“There’s no rule against that,” Gin said, having turned in his seat to speak.

Carlisle was shaking with fury as he felt all the eyes on him from everyone nearby. “You all planned this!” he seethed.

“Honestly, no,” Hao said. “I would have never even bet against you if you hadn’t spoken out on the first match of the first day. It was just your misfortune to do so in my presence. Now, I believe you owe me nearly one and a half million vela. I’ll take a bond.”

Carlisle was trapped. If he refused to pay the debt, his family name would be dragged through the mud, but paying would be accepting that Hao was right, and that burned his pride. Seconds ticked by as he wavered on what to do.

Gin stood and went over to the stairs that led up to where Carlisle sat. “Honorable Carlisle, there is a debt that needs to be paid,” Gin said the words evenly, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword as he stood at the bottom of the stairs.

Carlisle swallowed and stared at Gin. With shaky hands, he pulled a bond from his belt pouch and filled in the information. Carlisle got to his feet when he finished, thrusting the bond at Hao. “We’re even.”

Hao didn’t move to take the bond. “You have to seal it, first.”

Carlisle’s jaw tightened as he snatched his knife from his belt and nicked his thumb. Pressing the bleeding digit to the bond beside his name, he again thrust it toward Hao.

Hao took it this time, smiling. “A pleasure.” With a glance at the bond, he sighed and pulled two coins from his belt pouch, holding them out to Carlisle. “You overpaid. Here is your change.”

Nostrils flaring, Carlisle slapped Hao’s hand and sent the coins flying. Without speaking, he stalked past Hao, his bodyguard following him. Gin stepped aside, keeping his eyes on the bodyguard. He dipped his head fractionally to Gin as he passed.

“That was amazing!” someone said in the nearby crowd, making people laugh.

Hao grinned and shrugged as he stuffed the bond into his pouch. “Well, I need to go. I hope you all enjoy the rest of the fights.”

Yoo-jin was already on her feet and leading the apprentices away by the time Hao stopped speaking. Gregory and his wives gave Nessa and Victoria grins and winks when they went by.

~*~*~

They weren’t waiting for too long before the others came out of the arena. The novices were smiling broadly and chatting animatedly about Daciana’s fight.

“You did well,” Gin said when they were finally away from the arena. “Some might look down on you for that first blow, but you did what you had to to beat him. Besides, it’s the least he deserved, considering his other fights.”

Daciana beamed with pride. “Magus Igorson always told us the only thing that matters is who is still standing at the end.”

“In a real fight, it is, and they want these fights to be as close to that as possible. A word of warning, though? In the next tournament, your kick might not work.”

“He’ll use his aether to dampen the damage,” Jenn said. “It’s why physical enhancement magi have an edge in the tournaments.”

“Do you think Igorson will be upset with her?” Victoria asked. “Xandia was clearly being favored by the magus during training.”

“No,” Gin said. “He’ll use it to drive him harder. While Igorson might never tell anyone, he’ll be glad that the novice lost. The novice himself is likely to be quite upset, so be prepared for a challenge after the tournament.”

“That is very likely,” Lightshield said. “The tournament will get harder for you now, as well.” His gaze shifted from the novices to Hao. “Warlin, will you be joining me in the box tonight?”

“Not this evening,” Hao said apologetically. “Though I do have a question regarding novices who will join the clan. Will they be given alchemical aids to help them?”

“We will do our very best for them,” Lightshield replied.

“Very well.” Hao turned to Yoo-jin. “Dear one, would you be so kind as to accompany our friends to the Golden Boar again?”

“Of course,” Yoo-jin smiled. “We will see you there.”

The novices looked back at the three apprentices as they left with their parents and Yoo-jin. They clearly wanted to stay and talk or go with their older friends, but instead, they let themselves be shepherded away.

Lightshield and the clan members left in the other direction, going back toward the clan hall, leaving Hao and the three apprentices standing where they had been.

Once he was sure they wouldn’t be overheard by Daciana or Gufta’s exceptional hearing, Hao spoke, “Well, now that I am much richer, I think we can purchase each of them another item. While I do