The Archmage Unbound Read Free Page B

hid my
impatience poorly.
    “In a hurry to get back to work again? Sit down,
you can spare a few minutes. Have a drink.” He waved at Joe who had been listening
intently and the older man went to draw a tankard for me. “It’s about Marc,”
he added.
    “Ariadne was asking about him as well,” I told him.
    “She’s right to be worried, he isn’t getting any
better.”
    “He’s just depressed. He’ll snap out of it eventually.
He seemed alright when we were together the other night,” I said.
    “That’s the only time, when he’s with us, and drunk…
we can’t do that every day,” Dorian answered. It was odd to hear him urging
sobriety, since reaching his majority Dorian had shown a great fondness for
drinking.
    “Where is he today? I notice you’re sitting here
alone,” I remarked pointedly.
    “Joe asked me to come by this morning and take him
back to his room. He passed out a little before noon,” he replied.
    “Point taken,” I said, grimacing. “He hasn’t done
that before has he?”
    Dorian sighed, “It hardly matters. It’s almost
random, he starts drinking whenever he wakes up, and usually that’s in the
afternoon. You’d know this if you paid more attention.” I could hear a tone of
rebuke in his voice.
    “Look I’m sorry Dorian, I’ve just been busy.
There’s so much to do…,” I told him, hoping he would understand.
    “Yeah I know. There always is, but you have to make
some time for your friends. What have you been working on anyway? Every free
minute you have, you sneak off to the smithy.”
    I was glad he had turned the conversation to a more
positive topic. “Actually I was thinking of having you come over and look at
it. I could use a second opinion,” I answered smiling. Of everyone living in
the area Dorian was the first I wanted to see this new project. I took a long
draught, trying to finish my beer quickly. “Now would be an excellent time,
you should come see,” I said rising to my feet.
    “Always in a hurry aren’t you?” Dorian took a long
breath and then finished his mug. “Alright, let’s see what monstrosity you’ve
cooked up this time!” He rose and followed me to the door.
    When we finally reached the smithy I spent a moment
and a word to light the work area. I had installed several enchanted globes around
the perimeter of the room for lighting. I could have made do by conjuring
light myself each time but I had been experimenting again. These simple glass
globes could be lit by anyone, provided that they knew the proper command
word. I had initially created them with Penny in mind, but now that they were
finished I was considering making more for our rooms in the castle. They might
be useful for lighting the streets of Washbrook too, but I doubted I’d have
time to start mass producing them.
    “Those are really nice!” Dorian said looking at the
enchanted glass.
    “No not the lights… I made those weeks ago,” I told
him. “This is something I think you will really appreciate.” I moved
over to one of the long workbenches set along the wall. The top of it was
covered with a large canvas drop cloth, concealing what lay beneath it. Dorian
looked over my shoulder curiously. “You remember how I enchanted your armor?”
I said reminding him.
    “Of course, the damn stuff still hasn’t started
rusting,” he remarked.
    “This is like that… only better.” I drew the cloth
back, revealing a beautiful set of armor. Unlike most of the armor currently
in the keep this was actual plate armor, crafted from carefully shaped and
articulated steel plates. Armor of this type was still extremely rare in
Lothion, and usually reserved for the very wealthy. Technically I was
currently one of the wealthiest nobles in Lothion, but given my outlaw status I
really had no way to spend my money, or even access it, since most of it was
still in the Royal Bank. But I hadn’t bought this armor; I had carefully
crafted it over a period of two weeks.
    “Holy…