Clash (The Arinthian Line Book 4) Read Free

Leera groaned simultaneously. Both hated training with Harvus, who had the sense of humor of a bullfrog. He looked like one too—a pale, sickly bullfrog with a blonde hairpiece once probably belonging to some unfortunate minstrel. Mrs. Stone had hired the warlock before they departed for Bahbell to train Haylee and Jengo. The man constantly got on the trio’s nerves with his particular ways and constant nagging, but because Mrs. Stone ordered it, they had to do as he asked. And the more time Mrs. Stone spent away, the worse the man seemed to become. Maybe they could find a way to train on their own tonight …
    “Can’t you come and train us again, Mrs. Stone?” Leera whined. “Mr. Harvus is just so … annoying.”
    “And his breath stinks like rot,” Augum added. More like sewage.
    “You are perfectly aware that it is dangerous for me to remain in one place for too long. And I will not place Milham in any more danger than necessary. Mr. Harvus is more than adequate for the job. I will not suffer another word on the matter. You shall obey him as you do me, is that understood?”
    “Yes, Mrs. Stone,” Augum and Leera chorused blandly.
    “And you will practice the Reflect spell until you have it mastered.”
    “Yes, Mrs. Stone.”
    Mrs. Stone shook her head, muttering, “Merciful spirits give me patience.”
    Augum had the impression she would have lambasted them for not working hard enough with the spell—if she hadn’t been so tired.
    “Bridget, Haylee and Jengo have already begun today’s lesson with Mr. Harvus. You are to have your lunch and join them. Inform me when you are ready to return.”
    “Yes, Mrs. Stone.”
    She frowned before teleporting away with a THWOMP.
    Leera slumped down beside the basket and fished out a banana. “You’d think Harvus would be more worried about his city falling to the Legion.”
    Augum scoffed as he sat beside her. The stumpy Tiberran hardly cared about trivial things like family, or being a good citizen. All he cared about was money and looking clean—the man utterly despised dirt.
    “Still can’t believe he had us wash the outside of the cabin,” Augum said, recalling two tendays back when Harvus suddenly declared the entire facade of the Okeke home contaminated because a bird had pooped on it.
    “And he didn’t even lift a finger to help,” Leera added. “Sat on his rump picking at those stupid white cotton gloves of his.” She squeezed her hands together, strangling thin air.
    “Not true, he did point out all the spots you missed. Helped a lot.”
    Leera smirked. “I swear that one day I’m going to steal that awful hairpiece of his and dump it into a washbasin of filthy water. And I know I’m not the only one who thinks it looks like a horse’s—”
    “Then you better make sure you’re leagues away when he finds out.” There were two things Harvus could not stand—dirt, and anyone drawing attention to his hairpiece. But complaining about Harvus to Mrs. Stone did little, for she had apparently taken up the position that he was good for them somehow, though Augum thought it might be the eat-your-vegetables kind of good. In any case, Augum, Leera, Haylee and Jengo certainly made a sport of griping about the man.
    Bridget was Harvus’ favorite, probably because she was the only one never to talk back to him, though she did crack up when Leera told her what she thought of his hairpiece. Nonetheless, Bridget had promptly declared that a truly awful thing to say and made Leera promise never to repeat it within earshot, a promise Leera crept around with winks or sly grins every time she noticed Harvus carefully adjusting his hairpiece. It never ceased to draw a smile from Augum, who occasionally had to suffer a silencing look from Bridget for encouraging Leera’s rebelliousness.
    Leera shoved a banana at him. “Eat it. It’s not like you get to have one often.” She watched him dully peel back the skin. “You have that worried look on your face