11. Chapter 11 #2
“Gods, wouldn’t that be amazing? But we’re still early in dating, so it’s too soon to talk about it.”
Roana seemed to not expect this reaction. She stilled, focus intent on his face. “Wait, you really would? Does that mean you’re okay with living up here?”
Why was he getting this reaction…? “Listen. I adore your uncle to bits. I’d stay for him alone, but the honest answer is, I really like being here.
I know I haven’t been in Gravegarde very long, but everyone is kind, and I love the land.
It’s amazing up here, and I feel like I’m a part of something bigger.
I’m sure the record snows you get will be a challenge, but I’m a mage—I thrive on challenge.
I don’t see it as an insurmountable problem. ”
Roana’s face unfurled into a brilliant smile as he talked. Reagan was her perfect mirror. The twins shared another glance before Roana pressed this point.
“So will you ask to be permanently stationed here?”
“Probably? I’ll ask, at least, but I have to get this job done. The Magic Council won’t consider any other request until I’ve actually completed my original task, see.”
“Ohhh.” Roana bounced in her chair, blue eyes alight with glee. “Can you teach me magic?”
“I’d have to test you to see if you have the aptitude for it.”
“I do,” she surprised him by saying. “We were both tested last year, but Mom and Dad can’t get a good teacher up here for us. They were talking about sending us down to a boarding school in Goldguard next year. Reagan wasn’t super happy about the idea of boarding school, though.”
Reagan gave a grumbled noise that may have been agreement.
Such talent was normally shared with twins. “Great! I’m quite happy to teach both of you.”
Roana clapped her hands, lighting up with excitement. “Really?!”
“Sure. I’m working on my villain origin story. You can be my first minions.”
Reagan snorted a laugh, listing sideways.
“I mean, we’ll still have to go into Goldguard to get you properly certified as an apprentice, but that’s after I teach you at least the basics.”
“No one will argue with you about teaching us? I mean, you have, like, the credentials?” Roana tucked a wayward lock of ginger hair behind one ear. “I don’t know how this works.”
“Ah, well, anyone above Third Circle can teach. I’m Second Circle, so no problem.”
The twins looked downright poleaxed, as if he’d just announced he could fly. What, had no one told them his rank?
The door opened without warning and Raina stepped in. She took them in with a blink before shutting the door behind her.
“Mom!” Reagan pointed to Milo, still bouncing in her seat. “Milo said he’d teach us!”
Raina looked surprised. “Will you really?”
“Would love to.” Milo meant every word. The girls were sweet, and he honestly didn’t mind teaching.
Enjoyed it, even, but he rarely got the chance.
“I’m staying up here anyway, so I might as well teach them.
Just, uh, let me get the wards finished first. Then I’ll have enough time to squeeze some lessons in. ”
“That’s absolutely fine, and what I would request of you.” Raina hesitated before asking, “Should I pay you…?”
“Don’t you fucking dare. Your family has already been beyond generous, I’m just paying back. Ah. I will need money for supplies, though, as I have no teaching materials. I can sort of make do until we get things up here.”
“I’m happy to pay for the expenses.”
“Then that’s what we’ll do.”
Raina took a seat as well, her eyes scanning everything on the table. “I actually came in here to ask about Advocate Latimer. Rowan was muttering something about needing an alibi and Drachifel, so I have to ask, just how bad is this man?”
“Bad. Do not trust him. At all.”
Her blue eyes narrowed in rising anger. “And why is he still chasing after you?”
“I legit do not know. My friend Ray theorizes I was the best relationship Andrew ever had, and he’s regretting ever being a little shit to me, so he’s trying to win me back. Don’t know how much truth there is to that theory. I just want him to go away. I really don’t care what his motives are.”
She accepted this with a slow nod, but you could see she wasn’t happy.
“I did speak with Advocate Nottle. He was verifying everything you said in your report. Really, I think he already believed what you told him, but he had to fact check. I backed what you said and explained some more, and he’s satisfied that he has enough evidence to fine the previous five mages who came up here, with intent to look into the others as well. So there’s that.”
“Delightful. I hoped that would be the case. Then maybe those two will leave now?”
“Advocate Nottle said he wanted to remain here another two days. He wants to see you complete the primary ward so he can report it in.”
“Ah. Well, if he’s willing to help me with the ward, I can get it done much faster.”
“I think he’s also needing a break from riding.”
“I mean, he rode for several days, so it makes complete sense. I couldn’t stomach looking at a horse after I got here, either.” Milo shrugged. So long as Andrew didn’t make a nuisance of himself, Milo really didn’t care.
“I’ll squash the fool if he tries to come near you again.” Raina made another face. “I really do not like cheaters.”
“Neither do I.”
Roana piped up. “How did you and jerk face meet anyway?”
“Well, almost two years ago now, we were on the same job. It was kind of like this one, in a way, where something had gone very wrong with a ward and I’d been sent in to fix it.
Once I realized the previous mage had made the screwup, I reported to the Council, and Andrew was the man sent in to evaluate the situation and make a formal judgment.
It’s his job as the Council’s Advocate. We worked well together, so when he came across another situation, he called on me.
I didn’t mind coming in to help straighten things out.
Work is work, after all. It has to be done.
And I like a challenge, as I admitted before.
Andrew’s habit of calling for me kept ramping up over a few months, and then he confessed his feelings, and we started dating, and for a while it was good.
I took more and more jobs with him, wanting to spend time with him, and I honestly thought of us as this amazing duo.
We got a lot of attention and praise for how we handled problems.”
Remembering what went down at the end of last year, Milo growled his vexation. “Until I realized he’d been cheating on me the entire relationship.”
Raina’s eyes crossed and her tone went up into bird-of-prey screeching. “The entire time?!”
“Yeah. I don’t understand it.” Milo scratched his cheek.
Andrew’s betrayal didn’t hurt anymore, just this twinge of his heart at the reminder.
Like a wound that had healed but left the scar.
“Why ask me out if you’re not interested in staying with me?
But then, I don’t have the cheater’s mentality.
I think he did enjoy my company, and like I said, magically we worked great together. ”
Raina shook her head, brows beetled in a deep furrow. “I like him even less now.”
Milo had the distinct impression Raina was already crafting a good alibi for her youngest brother over there. The way this family rallied around him was incredibly heartwarming. He loved them for it. “I’m really hoping Andrew has seen how attached I am to Rowan and he’ll leave us alone.”
“I hope so too.”
Milo also wasn’t holding his breath.
Notes:
AJ: Raina, do not join Riley in helping Rowan.
Raina: Too late.
AJ: For fuck’s sake.