Rune Mage [Fantasy/Adventure | Book 1 +2 | Complete]

Chapter 53: Woodbead Legacy

This place sucks.

Seiren stared up at the wall of the fortress from the bottom of the steps. Non-Acrise-based personnel were not permitted beyond this spot up onto the edge of the walls that overlooked Hanna. They didn't want to compromise security or risk unwarranted communication with the enemy, they said.

Despite Tylene accompanying her every step of the way, even to the bathroom, Seiren felt she was being watched. Tall, impenetrable walls in all four directions, ominous shadows lurking at every corner watching her every move. And yet the citizens of Acrise moved about their daily tasks, unperturbed by the surveillance, lugging heavy building material and equipment everywhere. Preparation to survive winter apparently continued well into winter itself.

Seiren shivered and wrapped her cloak and scarf around herself tighter. The world was covered by an eternal drizzle and the ground threatened to slide away from her feet with every step. The air was damp, eating into the wood and gnawing at the metal structures. Puffs of her breath rose into the air against the unforgiving backdrop.

"Don't hesitate to call by. I'll make more time for you next time. I'm sorry it's been quite slap-dash from my end. Keep practising your stuff and next time I'd love to see how much you've improved."

Loren would never see how much Seiren had improved, now. And Seiren would never have another chaos magic lesson. She held a fist to the middle of her chest. It felt so hollow underneath.

"Come on, Mage Nithercott. We don't want to be late for the briefing."

She wrenched her eyes off the black lookout tower, so high up she couldn't even see the outlines of the soldiers posted there. Tylene waited with expectation. About twenty steps ahead, Rowan and Dent stood without a word. Rowan hadn't said anything to her since they'd arrived in Acrise.

The briefing. Tylene had mentioned something after Seiren and Rowan had registered their runes as present in Acrise. She hadn't taken much notice. It was hard to focus on anything else.

There were maybe eight other mages in the meeting room when Seiren and Rowan entered. Tylene and Dent waited outside with the other military personnel. Seiren cast a disinterested glance at the other faces and did not recognise any of them beyond what she'd seen in the registry.

Rowan sat down in the far corner. Seiren lowered herself into the chair beside him. A newcomer sat down beside her. She turned, shuffling her chair to maintain personal space, and froze.

The newcomer reclined in his chair, resting his ankle on his other knee with leisure. He wore the same wide-brimmed black hat as the last time Seiren had seen him. Meeting her wide eyes with his own dark ones, Tahir Portendorfer's lips parted in a sinister grin beneath a bushy moustache.

"Fancy seeing you here, Seiren Nithercott," he said in a mild voice.

Rowan showed no signs that he'd seen his former tutor. Seiren's mouth opened and shut without a sound. Portendorfer doffed his hat at her with a hand clad in a white glove. Madeleine shuddered.

The summons was for Iwade and northwards. Sarre isn't that north. He shouldn't be here.

"If you're wondering why I'm here, it's because it'll be a shame to miss some action."

"Action?"

"Don't you know? We're on the brink of war, here. That's what 'winter support' means, my sweet." His smile broadened, his teeth pearly white against his dark brown skin. "Our presence here is quite fortuitous, indeed."

Don't... don't say anything. Just ignore him, Seiren. Madeleine's voice trembled with fear. Seiren swallowed and smiled politely in return, a muscle in her cheek twitching. A tenth person entered the room, a slim black-haired woman, and then a broad-shouldered man in military uniform came in and shut the double doors. A hush settled.