by Taki Drake
Mage and Mate
by Kat Lind
and Paul C. Middleton
Book Three of
The Unfettered Mage Series
Table of Contents
Title Page
Legal Stuff
Dedications
Chapter 1 – Warnings
Chapter 2 – Ruminations on Power
Chapter 3 – Low Hanging Fruit
Chapter 4 – Intelligence
Chapter 5 – New Adjustments
Chapter 6 – Lay of the Land
Chapter 7 – Foray
Chapter 8 – Connections Force X
Chapter 9 – Distraction
Chapter 10 – Con and Sting
Chapter 11 – Surprise!
Chapter 12 – Sorrow and Guilt
Chapter 13 – After the Storm
Chapter 14 – Breaking Bread
Chapter 15 – Explorations
Chapter 16 – Eidolon
Chapter 17 – Pardon our Mess
Chapter 18 – Memory Paths
Chapter 19 – Escaping the Past
Chapter 20 – Not a Thing to Wear
Chapter 21 – Scouting Territory
Chapter 22 – Prejudice and Pride
Chapter 23 – Hateful Crimes
Chapter 24 – Rescue and Succor
Chapter 25 – Call for Help
Chapter 26 – Team Away
Chapter 27 – Transit is Torture
Chapter 28 – Extraction and Action
Chapter 29 – Teamwork is Hard
Chapter 30 – Clearing Channels
Chapter 31 – Hot Wash
Chapter 32 – Alternate Routes
Chapter 33 – Complications
Chapter 34 – Whirlwind
Chapter 35 – Shopping Tsunami
Chapter 36 – Fashion Tidal Wave
Chapter 37 – Checking In
Chapter 38 – On the Job Training
Chapter 39 – More Shopping
Chapter 40 – Stitch in Time
Chapter 41 – Polite Society
Chapter 42 – Thought Counts
Chapter 43 – Gift Judging
Chapter 44 – Balancing Scales
Chapter 45 – Directions of the Heart
Chapter 46 – Miscommunication Bites
Chapter 47 – Danger Ahead
Author Notes
Author - Taki Drake
Notes from the Author
Author - Paul C. Middleton
Keep Connected
Legal Stuff
Copyright © Taki Drake, All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction of any kind is strictly prohibited unless written permission granted by the author.
Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Published by All Chaos Press.
Dedications
First and foremost, this book is dedicated to my husband. His support and devotion have created an environment in which I have been able to dare to extend myself into new areas with the absolute certainty that someone will always have my back. Thank you, John. Thank you for your love and support, and being there in my life.
This book is also dedicated to the great group of crazy writers at Phoenix Prime. Those supportive, encouraging, and crazy indie authors have provided guidance, encouragement, and participation in my growth as writer of fiction.
None of this would be possible without the incomparable Ds, Dorene and Diane. Editors, beta readers, cheerleaders, and a bright spot in my life.
Getting the story to publish is the result of a ton of work from the All Chaos Press team. Thank you Ann and Sha for putting in the effort to get me going!
My loving thanks to you all!
Chapter 1 – Warnings
Borachland Castle, Planet Arkken
There were so many things to get used to on this planet, Ruth thought to herself. She had expected the different creatures and plants. However, never having played politics in her youth, the difference in culture and authoritative structure on Arkken clashed badly in her mind. Thankfully, her Anchor, Pawlik, Lord of Borachland, was an expert at the infighting that was common on this world.
Pawlik had been off-planet for a considerable time while a captive of the Insectoids. He and Ruth had only returned a few weeks ago, and he was still trying to catch up on all the maneuvering that had occurred while he was absent. Tonight, he had gone off to attend a dinner with some of his cronies. Ruth knew that the evening would be filled with discussions of people, places, and situations that made no sense to her.
Ruth was still recovering from her captivity and the traumatic transformation to a Mage. The woman was thankful that she had not been expected to attend the event. A quiet evening at home was just the thing to calm her down.
Of course, she wasn’t alone. Even now, in the protection of Ruth’s private quarters, she had a bodyguard. Jenna was on duty and stood within the room. The former Marine was armed and exuded danger and power.
The Mage glanced at her companion, words flowing through her head, clashing with images of her life on Earth and what she was experiencing now. Ruth tried very hard not to compare the two. They were almost different lifetimes so great were the differences in the smell of the air and the colors of the sun.
Different buildings, altered shapes, and wide varieties of people all contributed to the strangeness. Both Earth and Arkken created their own environment but traveling from one to the other, even in her mind, still left Ruth feeling untethered and floating. It was only when Pawlik put his large hands on her shoulders that she felt connected to this world.
I think I’m doing pretty well in adjusting to Arkken. I’m coping with bodyguards following me everywhere and living in something that looks like a cross between a medieval castle and a modern tech fantasy. Spaceships and swords. Who would’ve thought the reading of my youth would make this seem familiar?
Outside of the people at the castle, and those that had been on the slave ship with her, Ruth did not know many people. For the most part, her schedule was her own, and she told people when she wanted to talk to them. That meant that she could restrict the barrage of interaction, but left her feeling a bit isolated and alone.
The alert tone of the communicator on the wall of her room was even more startling because she had expected to be totally undisturbed. The source of the call was hidden, an icon going the equivalent of what on earth would have been an unlisted number notification. With a wide-eyed glance at Jenna, Ruth asked, “Who do you suppose it is? I don’t know that many people.”
Jenna frowned and said, “Even more importantly, how did they get your number?”
“Only one way to find out. Let me answer it.”
The bodyguard moved to be out of the view of the caller but pulled a recording device from her belt. At Jenna’s nod, Ruth tapped the icon to accept the call.
Shocked, the Mage recognized the man whose image now showed. Unsure of why he was calling her, Ruth greeted him by name, “Senior Auditor Rick, what a surprise. To what do I owe the honor of your call?”
The slender, precise man twitched his face into the approximation of a smile. Leaning slightly forward toward the screen, he said, “I wanted to extend my thanks and the gratitude of others in the Auditors Guild for your handling of the misfortunate audit problems. We deeply appreciated your cooperation in this and wanted you to know that nothing like that will ever happen again.”
Ruth knew how mortified the man must feel and how important it was to the Auditors Guild that they were seen as incorruptible and perfect. It had never cross
ed her mind to trumpet the fact that they had made an error. Any gratitude for her perceived forbearance was simply a plus.
“You are very welcome, and I truly hope that you never have to deal with something like that again.”
When Ruth would’ve ended the call, Auditor Rick raised his hand to stop her, and said, “It occurred to me after we had left our meeting that there might be some information that someone raised in the Alliance would have that you are missing.”
“Yes, I’m finding all sorts of holes in my understanding and patching them as quickly as I can. I just hope that nothing critical is missing. I would hate to have people injured or other accidents happen because of my ignorance.”
“With that in mind, several of us prepared some information packets that we thought you might find useful. I am transmitting them over to your incoming message queue now. Some of them concern local laws and regulations as well as the definition of the powers and responsibility that an Unfettered Mage holds.
“Additional information covers similar topics for anyone wearing the circlet of the Archmage. Since there hasn’t been either a powerful Fettered Mage or any Unfettered Mage in multiple millennia, you might find it difficult to find those guidelines.”
Ruth smiled in gratitude, and said happily, “Thank you! That will be very helpful.”
Looking satisfied, the dignified Auditor added, “Some of the other packets of information cover areas that might actually be dangerous for you and your people. After so long, the existence of an emerging Unfettered Mage may excite some of the more radical organizations throughout the galaxy. While most of these tend to be poorly funded and not particularly powerful, many of them have members that are fanatics and will go to great lengths to cause you harm.”
“That sounds perilous, and frankly wasn’t something I expected to hear. Are there any specific groups that you think would be the most concerning?”
Sighing, the Auditor look suddenly tired. Running a hand across his face, he scrubbed his eyes for a moment and looked deeply into Ruth’s eyes across the electronic interface.
“Some of the worst ones go by names that cover their fury at the galaxy in general and twisted logic with labels that proclaim them to be on the side of good. Two of the worst are the Protectorate Cadre and the Order of the Just. Most of the others are just flash and no substance.”
Ruth sighed in dismay and heard a very soft echo from Jenna. Once again trying to look appreciative, the Mage responded, saying, “Thank you again for your consideration, Senior Auditor Rick. I will definitely delve into the information you have sent me. I will also make sure that all the necessary people on my staff see it.”
The man nodded in acknowledgment and ended the call, calling out an ending farewell, “You are very welcome, Mage. The Auditors Guild always balances its transactions.”
The ping of arriving information packets sounded in the suddenly quiet room. Jenna joined Ruth in staring at the data that was displayed. Quickly, Ruth routed copies of the information to Jenna and Marta’s message queues before commenting to her bodyguard, “Another thing we have to look out for.”
Jenna nodded but added, “Not today. Tomorrow we can look at all of the information and come up with a plan. But for right now, I think the Mage really needs to relax.”
The Archmage Ruth took her bodyguard’s suggestion to heart and proceeded to let the worries of the day wait until morning came again.
Chapter 2 –Ruminations on Power
Tod Werfer – Sector AF5-G5023-14.5.13
The Auditor’s Guild emergency broadcast about the last battle had Gwilliam worried. He could feel it in the uneasiness that weighed against the back of his mind, lurking like an assassin. It was like waiting for a blow to be struck. Something that would be painful and damaging, but arriving from somewhere random or unknown.
The space-wide broadcast had slammed the Holding Action – Withdraw message to all known broadcast points on the Empire’s communications net. In Gwilliam’s lifetime, he had only known three times that such a protocol had been employed. Two of those times had been associated with a declaration of war. This time, the message seemed to be serving the opposite objective.
Anyone hearing the alert was immediately required to cease all punitive actions or combat with the Insectoids. Failure to comply carried with it substantial sanctions. No one that Gwilliam knew would dare to cross the Auditors Guild declaration.
Even the Emperor walked softly around the Guild. To have violated their edict would have destroyed the legal and financial underpinnings of the Empire, reducing it to a shadow of itself in just a short time. Gwilliam knew that even the Imperial worlds would falter before the condemnation by the organization that oversaw finances and interstellar law across the known galaxies.
The corrosive sorrow from past experience seared Gwilliam’s throat and stomach. He had seen the damage and destruction that followed such ill-advised action in the past and had no desire to see such desolation ever again.
It was both fantastic and frightening how quickly a world of people could be reduced to poverty, and a desperate struggle for survival when its ability to access banking systems was removed. The elimination of legal protection under interstellar law made such a world prey to whichever group had the resources to attack.
Many years ago, Gwilliam and his forces had no choice but to leave a world that ignored an Auditors Guild edict. Unbeknownst to the Mercenary Commander, his client had attacked a neighboring world without a declaration.
The Auditors Guild was quick to notify the world leadership of the loss of sanction status and promptly informed Gwilliam of the situation. Under the Interstellar Mercenary Charter, he and his forces were obliged to follow the AG guidance or risk consequences of their own.
He could still remember the sharp, cold blow of shock that hit his chest when he read the message. Even now, the disorienting sense of disbelief haunted his nightmares. Why would anyone be so foolish?
Even before Gwilliam and his troops made it back to their home base, the world of their former employers had fallen to the Insectoids. Without the protection of the legal and financial network administered by the Auditors Guild, a single world stood no chance of survival. Within a year, the population was decimated. Enslaved and consumed.
Gwilliam and his forces made a living by providing mercenary services. Any violation of Auditors Guild declarations or guidelines would cost him his certification. The thought of that sent chills down his spine as he remembered the struggles that he had as a new Force Leader. It was an extremely rough path to hold his team together until they received their first of many certifications. Just the initial accreditation made a total difference in how they were regarded as mercenaries and how valuable their services were seen to be.
The last job that they had performed before the certification and the first job afterward were about the same level of difficulty and duration. However, the accreditation allowed Gwilliam to charge four times more for the second job than he had for the first.
In the mercenary world, that financial pad could be the difference between life and death. Over the years, Gwilliam could point to many jobs they had gotten based on their AG certification. He was certainly not going to endanger that.
The current situation had similarities to the trauma in his past. Gwilliam had front row seats in the final battle with the Insectoids from the bridge of the Empire battleship Thymestyl. He and half his naval personnel had been hired directly by the Emperor to train the Imperial fleet.
The mercenary commander was the Emperor’s insurance policy, someone with a strong talent of combat foresight who could provide crucial direction in the heat of battle. His demonstrated strength in this area was the reason for his quick advancement to the top of the Emperor’s personal specialists list.
The Emperor trusted Gwilliam. Without that level of confidence, the mercenary commander would never have been provided with the authority to override the man in charge of the fleet, Admiral Schafe
r.
Gwilliam had been in this position many times before when doing work for the Emperor. Most of the time, the Imperial warrant was returned at the end of the engagement without being acted on.
Unfortunately, this time, Gwilliam was forced to use it.
The Admiral had put the fleet at unwarranted risk, acting against the interests of the Emperor and in direct violation of the Auditors Guild broadcast. He had become focused on his objective and refused to listen to his staff or his conscience.
When the enemy fleet stopped firing simultaneously, Schafer had believed he saw a weakness in the enemy action and strategy. He lacked the experience to realize that no navy acted that way and that something unusual and unplanned had occurred. Anxious to make a name for himself, Admiral Schafer had pushed to attack the frozen enemy, contravening the edict of the Auditors’ Guild.
Desperate to limit the damage to the Empire and unable to stop the Admiral any other way, Gwilliam was forced to play his trump card and relieved Schafer of command. The resulting political and legal uproar had taken Gwilliam weeks to resolve. Awarded another honor and bonus from the Emperor in thanks, the Mercenary Commander knew that he had done the right thing, but the ramifications were far-reaching.
There would be no salvage rights, or battle spoils registered after the timestamp of the broadcast. Gwilliam had heard groans and muttering across the command bridge when the transmission played on the ship’s comm. Even now, the muttering continued as all over the galaxy speculation flared.
For many soldiers, the spoils of war provided a strong incentive to risk their life and limb in the struggle. Building up a prize account was one of the best ways for spacer or soldier to fatten their retirement fund. The loss of that inducement in the middle of their last action was horrible for morale. Anything that affected soldiers’ pay was doomed to be the target of much angry discussion.
Other than the financial impact, it was clear that something had radically altered to change the Insectoids from an active enemy to a non-entity. With all of the information sources that Gwilliam had built up over the years, there had been no sign or even a whisper of an action or a force that would have resulted in this turnabout.
