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

that moment of contact to bring her in closer. That’s all for today. We should wash up before we head back.”

Everyone rose to their feet and started for the door except Gregory, who went to the far side of the room to grab a towel to wipe his sweat off.

“Greg?”

Turning back to Elsa, he gave her a questioning look. “Yes?”

Elsa fidgeted, then bowed formally. “I’m sorry for my reaction at breakfast.”

“No,” Gregory said softly. “You have no need to apologize, Elsa.” He draped the towel over his shoulder and crossed the room to her to stand a few feet away. “My unthinking words hurt you. I know how much you do above and beyond merely your assigned tasks. I’m sorry, and I’ll try my best to do better.”

Elsa glanced up at him, then away. “Okay. I’ll try to do better, too.”

As she turned to leave, Gregory spoke again, “Elsa, all three of us are proud of you. I never want you to doubt that.”

Elsa didn’t look back, though she did pause in the doorway for a moment. “I won’t doubt it again, Greg.”

Staring at the empty doorway, Gregory exhaled. I hope she believes me, but that’s all I can do. I’d have been thrilled if he’d done even that much for me...

~*~*~

Dressed and ready to leave, Gregory was surprised that the novices weren’t waiting with Jenn and Yukiko. “Where’d they go?”

“Back. It wouldn’t be good for them to be seen returning with us,” Jenn reminded him.

“Right,” Gregory said, feeling foolish.

“Are you okay, dear one?”

“I remembered something during meditation,” Gregory admitted. “It was when my father chided me for being a failure, before Mother died. I hurt Elsa the same way my father hurt me on that day. More than that, though, I recalled how Mother looked when Father said she’d always be there to help him with me...”

Both women were beside him in seconds, each touching one of his arms.

“Are you okay?” Yukiko asked again.

“Shaken. I know she saw into the future, but not how far. She knew I’d be a magi and that I’d have a rough life, but that’s all I know of it.” His lips ticked upward for a scant moment. “She also said I’d know love. She was obviously right in that, but did she see you both? Would she be happy for us?”

“She would have been,” Jenn said. “She loved you. How could she not have been happy for you to find love with us?”

Gregory blinked at her, then felt his sadness fade a little. “Yeah, that’s a good point. I’m sad you both never got a chance to speak with her, though.”

“As are we, dear one.”

“I’m sure she could have told us so much about you,” Jenn said, trying to lighten the mood a little. “She would have all the best stories.”

Gregory’s lips twitched again and he snorted. “Yeah. She’d have had a few, at least.”

“Magi, if you are ready, I can show you out,” Elsa said from the doorway.

Gregory looked over Jenn’s head toward Elsa. Elsa was standing in the doorway, her uniform spotless and in perfect order. Her hair was drawn back and kept out of the way with combs, and her hands were crossed and resting on her navel.

He gave her a smile before looking at his wives. “I think we’re ready.”

“We are,” Yukiko said, turning to Elsa. “Please show us out, and thank you for your hospitality.”

“It is our pleasure to serve, magi,” Elsa replied as she stepped back out of the room. “Please, follow me.”

Chapter Forty-three

 

Another week came and went by as they followed their routine. The only thing that stood out was when the Eternal Flame apprentices insulted the Han clan on the way out of tactics class, resulting in a challenge. Nick just smiled darkly and accepted. Egil, who was on hand, agreed to adjudicate the match.

The following day, instead of going straight to class, all of the apprentices were in the stands of the blue arena. Nick’s group consisted of him, Jason, and Parks. The three Han apprentices looked unsure as they held their training weapons, clearly having thought they would have an Empire’s Gambit challenge instead of combat.

The fight was quick and brutal. The moment it started, Parks used his barriers to hem the others in while Nick threw a barrage of fire. Instead of the apprentices being burned to death as Nick had done in the past, his fire was toned down. All three opponents were screaming in pain, blistered and slightly burnt, but clearly able to act until Jason reached them. Because the apprentices were still being contained by the barriers, Jason was able to hit them all hard. Egil called the fight seconds after Jason had reached them. Jason backed off, Parks dropped the barriers, and Nick snorted in disgust.

Klim and Mindie rushed out to heal the Han members. They found the burns were bad, though not nearly as bad as they could have been. Jason had broken multiple bones on two of the three apprentices. The last one had been a physical enhancement magi like Jason, so they’d barely managed to stop Jason from doing worse.

Egil announced the winners and ordered everyone back to class, except the apprentices who’d lost— they were ordered to rest and recover. Nick looked over at Gregory and smirked, glanced back at the defeated apprentices, then back to Gregory with a wide smile. The implication was clear to any who watched the exchange.

~*~*~

Gregory stretched, then blinked when he didn’t feel either of his wives in bed with him. His lips turned up at the corners and he rolled to face the darkness. “Darkness, it’s wonderful to see you again.”

“Dear one, it is good to see you, as well. You are still growing wonderfully fast.”

“I’m being helped.”

“Yes,