The King's Imposter (The Raven Bringer Saga Book 2)

by C. A. McHugh

  Master Binnius removed the last leaves and cast a healing spell. Within a matter of seconds, the wound closed, leaving only a thin scar behind.

  Ceryst’s breathing deepened as Master Binnius cast a few more spells on him, and his color returned to normal. “Thank you,” the knight uttered in a raw voice.

  “You are most welcome.” The headmaster rose to his feet and leaned on his staff. “You still need to rest and perhaps a few does of sangous potion, but by morning, I suspect you’ll be feeling more like yourself.”

  Aerrin glanced at the threadbare clothes the two men wore and noted that Raimel’s cloak was nothing more than a pile of tattered, blood-soaked rags on the floor. Guilt pried at his insides. After they’d rescued him a few months ago, he’d arranged for fast horses for them, but never thought to replace their worn garments or supply them with sturdy weapons before sending them out to track down the Raven Bringer. He hadn’t even given them a few coins to pay for their meals. He’d just assumed they would have their basic needs taken care of. “You both look like you need new clothes.”

  Raimel held out his foot to reveal the hole in the sole of his boot. “You think.”

  “Watch your tone,” Ceryst ordered, his voice still weak but gruff enough to intimidate his friend.

  Aerrin lowered his head. “I’ve gone about this wrong way, and I wish to apologize. I should’ve rewarded you for saving my life, not turned you back onto the streets with nothing. It didn’t occur to me that you needed funds for your mission.”

  “I was merely upholding my vow,” Ceryst replied with the same determination glittering in his dark eyes.

  “Speak for yourself.” Raimel moved between them and grabbed Aerrin by the shoulder. “As for me, I’d love some new clothes, new boots, a new cloak, new weapons, a satchel full of explosives, not to mention a few hot meals here and there.” He continued to rattle off his list until Ceryst kicked him in the heels.

  Aerrin nodded. “Then you shall have it. Just provide a list, and I’ll see that you get whatever provisions you need.”

  “For the sake of discretion, I suggest that we not involve too many people.” Master Binnius nodded toward Ceryst, who was still a wanted criminal. “Perhaps providing them with enough funds to purchase their needs would be best.”

  “I agree.” Ceryst rose to his feet with a grunt, still leaning heavily on the wall.

  Worry flashed through Aerrin, and he reached out to steady the knight. A mixture of admiration and respect tugged at his heart as he looked up at him. This had been his father’s closest friend, a man who had saved Aerrin twice now from the Raven Bringer. And even now, he was still willing to risk his life to protect the kingdom that condemned him for another man’s crimes. “You heard Master Binnius. You need to rest.”

  Ceryst met his gaze and bowed his head. “As you command, Your Majesty.”

  Aerrin helped lower him back to the floor before turning to the headmaster. “Do you think you can get me to the palace so I can procure some funds for them?”

  “Perhaps it would be safer if I provide the loan now and have you repay me once we are safely back in the Academy. After all, your sudden appearance in Dromore might raise some unnecessary and particularly dangerous questions.”

  “Agreed.” Ceryst’s voice grew stronger every time he spoke. “We don’t need much.” He leveled his gaze on Raimel as though he were daring him to say otherwise.

  “Fine,” the other man replied with an exasperated sigh. “I suppose I can forego the explosives. But food, clothing, and other basic necessities would be appreciated.”

  “And a couple of new horses.” Ceryst pushed back off the wall, and even though he still clutched his side where the wound had been, his color remained good. “Seems we lost ours in Edensdowne.”

  “And good riddance,” Raimel muttered under his breath.

  But Master Binnius nodded and conjured a large pouch of coins. “I’ll procure two new horses and send you a message on how to retrieve them. In the meantime, I suspect this will cover your most emergent needs.”

  Neither man immediately took the money the headmaster offered. Instead, a wordless debate passed between them. Ceryst stiffened his shoulders and held his head a bit higher.

  Raimel rolled his eyes and grabbed the pouch. “Pride doesn’t feed an empty stomach.”

  “Indeed, it doesn’t.” Master Binnius stroked his beard. “Now that we’ve settled that, is there anything else you’d like to tell us about your encounter this evening?”

  Aerrin didn’t miss the use of the word us. Finally, he was being included.

  “It was as Raimel said. We encountered a small band, then he nearly pissed himself from fear—”

  “That’s not what happened, and you know it.” Raimel kicked up the dust on the floor toward his friend and turned to Master Binnius. “He sent me another message.”

  The headmaster nodded and waited for him to continue.

  Raimel cast another nervous glance at Aerrin. “Are you sure he should—”

  Even though Raimel was a head taller, Aerrin made the most of his own height and glared up at him. “I am still the king, and therefore, I should know about everything that could endanger my realm.”

  “He has a point,” Master Binnius added. “So I ask you again, please tell us what he said.”

  Raimel sighed and appeared to choose his words carefully. “He claimed to have more apprentices than just the woman. More importantly, he claimed they’re closer to the king than we realize.”

  Dread pulled at Aerrin until it was all he could do to conceal his fear. He couldn’t let his subjects know how scared he really was. He needed to remain in control. “What woman? Why didn’t you tell me about this before?”

  “Because I’ve only had one encounter with her—the day of the assassination attempt—and she wasn’t nearly as powerful as he was.”

  Raimel’s explanation did little to ease his fear. He was up against more than just one man. Now he was facing what could be an entire legion of dark mages. “Did he give any hints as to who these apprentices were?”

  Raimel shook his head. “No, he was too busy tormenting me and sending his little army to kill us to provide that information.”

  Master Binnius remained silent, staring off into the distance for almost a full minute. “So it seems his net is bigger than we first thought, which means we’ll have to be extra vigilant.”

  “I need to tell the Privy Council.” Aerrin raked his fingers through his hair as he imagined trying to convince the most powerful nobles in the kingdom that the Raven Bringer was back.

  “You need more proof. All we have are a couple of the medallions with his symbol on it.” Raimel rubbed his face, looking wearier than before. “And a couple of singe marks on a field in Edensdowne.”

  “Don’t forget, there were reports of demon activity there.” Master Binnius gave him a weak smile. “Perhaps Lady Sirona should be informed of these reports so she can investigate them herself.”

  Lady Sirona Giltland was the Duchess of Edensdowne. Logically, Aerrin knew he should probably involve her, but he loathed the way she treated him like a child and constantly reminded him how close she’d been to his uncle Rythis, his father’s younger brother by six minutes.

  His uncle had perished at Innishmore in the battle that was believed to have destroyed the Raven Bringer. Rythis had been lauded a hero, a martyr for the kingdom, and Lady Sirona had publically mourned him like a proud widow for the past fourteen years, even though she’d never married him.

  “We’ll see.” He studied Raimel to make sure the man wasn’t withholding any details. “Anything else? Any clues as to the identities of his apprentices? How many there are? Their location?”

  Raimel shook his head. “Just that he had them in positions where they could get to you easily.”

  Aerrin cursed and crossed the length of the small room. He’d be seeing enemies everywhere if he let this get to him, but at the same time, he had reason to be p
aranoid. On the flip side, he’d gotten an unexpected glimpse into the Raven Bringer’s plan. Knowing that he was positioning apprentices around the kingdom gave Aerrin an edge he didn’t have before. It was something he could try to counter before the Raven Bringer’s power grew too strong.

  Raimel raised his hand like a first-year student at the Academy. “I have question. How did you know how to counteract the poison? Might be useful to know in case we find ourselves in a similar scrape.”

  “Seroney knew what the poison was and how to combat it.”

  Ceryst lifted his head, his brows drawing together. “Who’s Seroney?”

  Master Binnius remained silent, so Aerrin answered for him. “A new student.”

  The knight frowned. “Where is she from?”

  Once again, Master Binnius deferred to Aerrin, leaving an awkward pause. If the old man knew about every student in the Academy, why wouldn’t he answer Ceryst’s questions? “No idea. I don’t think anyone’s been able to pry that information from her. But she immediately knew what kind of poison this was and how to cure it.”

  “Don’t trust anyone who’s knowledgeable about poisons,” Raimel cautioned.

  Ceryst replied with a disdainful snort. “Like you have any room to talk.” He focused on Aerrin. “What does your gut tell you about her?”

  Aerrin paused to consider the question. She was powerful. She was a skilled mage who was willing to help him. She’d just given them information that saved Ceryst’s life. All things that made him want her as an ally. But he couldn’t shake the feeling there was more to her than what he’d seen so far. “She’s hiding something.”

  “She’s a woman.” Raimel gave him a cocky grin. “They’re always hiding something.”

  “Shut up and stop trying to distract us.” Ceryst leaned forward, his expression serious. “Listen to your gut, Aerrin. If you think she’s hiding something, she probably is.”

  Master Binnius finally cleared his throat and spoke. “I invited Seroney to the Academy, and I personally made sure her magical skills do not involve dark magics. She is no threat to the king.”

  “But she knew about the poison, Master Binnius.” Aerrin approached him, hoping this time he could glean a little more information about her than before.

  “Her family has guarded the secrets of ancient lore for centuries.”

  “Who is her family?”

  The headmaster arched a brow as though he was calling Aerrin out for rudeness. “Have you even bothered to ask her, Your Majesty?”

  Aerrin looked to Ceryst and Raimel for assistance.

  The same suspicion reflected back from the knight’s eyes. “What are you keeping from us, old man?”

  Master Binnius responded with a serene smile. “Just that things are not always what they seem and Aerrin would be wise not to alienate her, especially after she helped save your life, Ceryst.”

  He hobbled to the door, his staff meeting the floor every other step with a loud thud. “Now we should be getting back to the Academy, don’t you think, Your Majesty? After all, I believe you have classes first thing in the morning and a set of challenges in a week.”

  Aerrin balled his hands into fists. Master Binnius was ending the conversation once again without giving him the answers he needed.

  Ceryst motioned for Aerrin to come closer. When he did, the knight whispered, “Keep your friends close and your enemies even closer. If she’s up to something, she’ll eventually slip up.”

  Aerrin nodded, relieved to know he wasn’t the only one frustrated by Master Binnius’s cryptic explanations. “And it seems I have some research to do, starting with finding out who she is and where she’s from.”

  “After you pass the challenges, though. You can’t learn what you need to know if they kick you out of the Academy.” Ceryst leaned back with a sad smile. “I remember how your father would worry about them, but in the end, he always found a way to pass. You will, too, and then you can focus on what’s really important.”

  If he could ever master the mist form spell. But he hid his doubt behind a mask of confidence. “Thanks, Ceryst.”

  As Aerrin ran to catch up with Master Binnius, Raimel jiggled the pouch of coins. “And thank you for your generous contribution to our welfare, Your Majesty.”

  His sarcasm earned him a growl of warning from Ceryst.

  Somehow amidst the dark and troubling news he’d received tonight, the touch of humor made Aerrin grin. “Let me know if you need anything else.”

  Master Binnius clamped a hand on Aerrin’s shoulder, and the same dizzying disorientation that came from teleportation enveloped him. A few seconds later, they were standing outside the walls of the Academy again.

  The short walk back inside gave him one more opportunity to pull more information from the headmaster. “You’ll vouch for Seroney?”

  “Upon my life, just as I would for Raimel and Ceryst.”

  The reassurance didn’t completely ease his qualms, but it helped to lighten them. “And if she turns me into a dog again?”

  “Then I suggest you avoid fleas, Your Majesty.” The headmaster paused in the grand entryway of the Academy. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have much to attend to, including sending a statement of reimbursement to the Royal Treasury.”

  He bowed and headed toward his tower, leaving Aerrin with plenty of unanswered questions.

  A new plan formed in his mind. Ceryst said to keep an eye on her. Maybe if he continued his private lessons with her, he’d not only master the spell, but he also might have better luck prying information from her than he had from Master Binnius. After all, if she knew about poisons and antidotes, then she might be able to teach him things other than the mist form spell.

  That might be just enough to save another life in the future.

  Maybe even his own.

  Chapter 10

  Despite the fatigue that weighed down his bones from the night before, Aerrin sought Seroney out first thing in the morning. He found her sitting with Nyssa, surrounded by older students—those that had been accepted as mage apprentices and where preparing for their Master’s Trials, much like he hoped to be next year. The conversation over breakfast swirled around magical theory and spells that seemed far beyond his knowledge, yet Seroney held her own in the conversation while Nyssa furiously scribbled notes.

  He hung back and studied Seroney. Yes, she was pretty. There was an exotic appeal to her that made her stand out from the other girls at school. But there was something more than her appearance that entranced them. It was a charm, a charisma in the way she acted and carried herself. At times, she appeared to be more of a master mage than a pupil, and based on the snippets of conversation he overheard, they were more captivated by her knowledge than her looks.

  And just like them, he wanted to pick her mind to discover what information it held.

  He cleared his throat and found his voice. “Seroney, I was wondering if I could have a word with you in private.”

  “Of course.” She rose from the table and followed him to the corner of room, appearing to be completely oblivious to the dozens of eyes that followed them.

  Great. By the end of the afternoon, the Academy’s gossip mill would be in full swing about them. He made sure to keep as much distance from her as he dared while still keeping their conversation to a whisper.

  He scratched the back of his neck, taking the moment to go over his plan one more time. “I, um, wanted to apologize for last night.”

  “Apology accepted.” She bowed her head and turned to leave, but he caught her hand and held her there.

  Which was a mistake, judging by the extra attention from his classmates that the gesture garnered. He dropped her hand as though it burned him and took a step back. “I was hoping we could continue our lessons tonight.”

  She closed the space between them, her eyes narrowing as she studied him. “I don’t know if you can handle my teaching methods.”

  Her insult smacked him like a slap to his pride. “I c
an. In fact, I’m looking forward to them.”

  “Are you?” Her green eyes glittered with an almost predatory gleam, and hesitation curled in his gut.

  But he refused to let her see that. Seroney could be dangerous, but he needed to face his enemies, not back down from them like a coward if wanted to effectively rule his kingdom. And this time, he had to trust Master Binnius’s judgement.

  “Tonight, after dinner.” He walked away before he lost his courage and backed out.

  ***

  By the time the hour arrived, he worried he’d lose his supper. The fencing pit was set up like the night before, complete with the same obstacle course.

  Seroney bowed her head. “Are you ready to face your fears?”

  Not really, but he knew he needed to if he wanted to succeed. He nodded.

  “Then let’s see if we can narrow down the source of your panic.” She cast a spell on him, and he braced for whatever ill effect it might cause.

  He rose a few inches above the ground, his feet no longer in contact with the floor. A basic levitation spell. Nowhere near as intimidating as being transformed into a dog. He grinned at her and flew around the room a few times to show off his ease with this state.

  “So you’re not afraid of flying, which is good.” She ended the spell and brought him back down before rubbing her chin. “How about this?”

  His entire body vanished. An invisibility spell. And something he was more than comfortable with. He snickered inwardly as he came up behind her and tugged her hair.

  She yelped and cast a rapid fire spell to reverse her prior one. “So I see you have no problem with not being able to see your limbs.”

  “None at all.” His confidence grew.

  “Then let me try one more thing.” She pulled out a piece of paper with some writing on it and paused, glancing up at him. “Do you trust me?”

  He swallowed and tried to figure out the best way to answer. In the end, he decided to go with frank honesty. “No.”