“If either had caught you, this book would have been forfeit. Your life as well, of course.” Jehenna told her. Edwyrd had to swallow; he could imagine what was running through Jenn’s mind. Exador’s people had caught her. It was only blind luck Rupert had grabbed the book back. Further given Jenn’s opinions on demons she couldn’t like the idea of an archdemon hunting for the book.
Edwyrd wasn’t sure what an archdemon was, but he’d heard himself referred to as a greater demon, an archdemon must be like a fifth order demon or so. He really wouldn’t have wanted to meet one of those on the road. That would have been unpleasant to say the least. Much worse than the Rod. He wondered where the archdemon was and what it would do when it got to Freehold.
Lenamare and Jehenna both seemed to notice the rest of the party at the same time. They looked at Rupert, who they recognized. The rest of the party they didn’t know and were frowning over. “Who are your friends, girl?” Jehenna asked. She was staring at Tizzy most intently.
“Uhm,” Jenn could hardly think she was so stunned, so Edwyrd spoke up.
“I’m Edwyrd, Rupert’s cousin.” He stuck out his hand. Both Lenamare and Jehenna just stared at him coldly, making no move to take it. Needing to do something with it, he pointed to the others. “This is Maelen a Seer and Healer,” Maelen nodded coldly. Edwyrd pointed to Gastropé, “This is the wizard Gastropé who we encountered and was of great assistance in returning. And that’s his demon.” He pointed last to Tizzy. He didn’t want to give Lenamare any indication of Tizzy’s name, full or not.
The two simply stared at them for a moment. “Seer and Healer, hmm?” Jehenna said turning her attention to Maelen. Maelen stared her straight in the eyes. Neither blinked. Finally, Lenamare intervened as it began to look like it would go on forever.
“Yes, well. We can always use another lightning bolt in the fray that’s coming,” he nodded to Gastropé. “And healers are always welcome in a battle.” He stepped so as to block the stares between Jehenna and Maelen. Maelen nodded to him. “Rupert is one of ours of course. Do you do anything useful?” He asked Edwyrd.
Edwyrd had really had it with this asshole. He nearly turned to flame right then and there and gave the guy a bear hug, but he restrained himself, somehow. He frowned at Lenamare and said very sternly, “I am not without my own... talents.” While Lenamare might be a super-powerful wizard, and Edwyrd a sixteen year old boy, Tom was a greater demon who’d gone head to head with Lenamare before and made the man sweat. He wasn’t going to be intimidated at this point.
Whatever Lenamare saw or heard was apparently sufficient for he shrugged and said, “Very well, I’m sure we’ll find uses for your... talents. I’ll arrange rooms for you. I suppose at the same time I should see about some for Trisfelt and his students. They’ll be arriving sometime in the next few days.”
Perhaps an hour later, Lenamare had gotten them rooms. Nothing quite so fancy as Lenamare’s own, of course. However, still much nicer than what they’d had on the ship. As on the ship after the battle, it was once again two to a room. Rupert and Edwyrd took one, Gastropé and Maelen another. Jenn got one of her own. Tizzy got shoved in with Gastropé and Maelen, since he was theoretically Gastropé’s demon. The rooms were in a part of the palace that was about fifteen minutes’ walk from Lenamare’s quarters. Edwyrd did not object too much to the close proximity, he figured it could have been worse; it could have been a lot closer.
As they left Lenamare with a steward to show them the way, Lenamare told them that he’d expect them for dinner in the evening and would send someone for them. After they were out of sight, Jenn had remarked “How generous of him to allow us to dine with him. Maybe then he’ll bother to ask how Rupert and I managed to survive being abandoned by his girlfriend.” She just shook her head. Edwyrd felt about the same way.
The steward showed them to their rooms and gave them directions to the closest cafeteria where they could charge food to their rooms and Lenamare’s account. Jenn smiled at that, obviously planning for a feast.
After they settled into their rooms, deciding to get some long deserved rest. Rupert jumped in his bed, smiling at Edwyrd. “Thanks again for the flying lesson, Father. I really enjoyed them.” Rupert seemed a bit tired, and ready to close his eyes at any moment.
“Me too.” Edwyrd smiled back. He, of course, was not the least bit tired. He leaned back in his bed anyway. He didn’t have much else to do. Actually, he could think about strategies, he supposed. If an archdemon was coming, guess who’d get shoved into battle. Not to mention the Rod. They’d still probably have to deal with them. At least for the moment they were in a slightly safer position.
