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

Chapter 45: New to Iwade

"Where is Seiren Nithercott?"

Rowan swept into his office, surprised to not see Seiren's brooding face in his armchair. He'd slipped into her pigeon hole the scroll with an apology only the afternoon before; she would have dropped into the council room and seen that by now. Perhaps she skipped the meeting to spite him? But surely she had more professionalism than that, even if Rowan did accuse her of being a murderer.

"Regretting your action, short-ass?"

Rowan flinched at the coarse voice. Kommora's snipe from yesterday gnawed on his conscience. He never thought he'd lose his cool like that. And there Kommora stood now, leaning against his shelf, her arms crossed and a most disgruntled expression on her face.

"Can I help you, Mage Haigh?"

"Rinoa Gruger. You can help me eviscerate her."

Rowan did a double take. Kommora's glower did not falter.

"Wh... what did Mage Gruger do?"

"Stick her nose in where it didn't belong, like the rest of them damned king's mages."

Rowan's heart skipped a beat. It couldn't be.

"Loren...?"

"Yes. They took over the bloody investigation. Again." Kommora seethed. Her greying hair almost crackled with rage. "It's no longer within my jurisdiction, they said. It was endangering mages, so it was the duty of the king's mages to facilitate further investigation. It was about all I could do to not let them get rid of the guards outside Rummage's room."

"But why?" His mouth dried. "Why would -- she's the only who's seen the rogue mages! Why would they get rid of her guards when she's so vulnerable and she's the only survivor?"

"That's the question, isn't it?" Heat radiated off Kommora's slim body. He didn't like the way Kommora's thought process was going. "Butterworth's magic was at the site where Loren was found. They're saying it was the rogue mages attacking her... and yet they aren't concerned about her safety."

"But Loren's safe?"

"Of course. Don't be brain-dead. At least those ass-kissing imbeciles have no control over my guardianship of Rummage. I have every right to ensure her safety until she regains consciousness. Every one of those guards has been personally vetted. It'll be over my dead body if anything were to happen to her again."

"I--"

"And if you have even a single active brain cell, Woodbead, I'd go make sure Nithercott stays safe. She's seen Halen Ashworth and lived. She's next on their kill list, just like Rummage is, and you can bet your short ass she doesn't have an inkling of Rummage's sense and will run straight into her doom soon enough." A small explosion appeared to take place within Kommora's remarkable mind. Her eyes bulged. Rowan took a step back. "I need access to the royal archives. Whatever Rummage discovered, I need to get my hands on it."

"Be--" Rowan started, but Kommora already vanished out of the door. "...careful."

"Um..." Tylene poked her head through the door, biting her lip, her spiky short brown hair defying gravity as usual. She gave a nervous glance over her shoulder at the whirlwind that would have been Kommora Haigh about to threaten some higher-up to gain the restricted access to royal archives.

"Yes, Tylene?"

"I spoke to Felora yesterday. Mage Nithercott's heading to Iwade."

Rowan frowned. "But today's her teaching day! Why has she headed to Iwade of all places? And why would Felora of all people know?"