The Missing Mage Read Online Free Page B

spoiled Baltan prince. One look in the opulent room was all it took to understand this comment. Nathan’s first step into the room was onto the thick furs covering the floor. The entire floor was covered in a quilt work of bear, sheep, wolf, and a few other furs that Nathan did not recognize. The bed was beyond huge. With a laugh, Nathan jumped on the mammoth sleeping area and sprawled out. As tall and long as Nathan was, he came nowhere close to being able to touch the corners from the middle. The comfortable mattress, covered in luxurious maroon and gold satin sheets, was without doubt the most comfortable bed Nathan had ever encountered. Further inspecting the bed Nathan noted the four corner posts had curtains of thin black gold embroidered silk. Nathan looked around the room. Two oversized end tables bookended the bed. Each had several candles in gold holders. Nathan just laughed to himself, he could never live in a room this nice. He would be afraid to touch anything, spoiled prince indeed.
    By Baltan standards, this dinner was a simple affair. To Ava it seemed like a feast beyond compare. Three courses, multiple main dishes, desserts… Rose was in heaven, trying a little bit of everything, especially the desserts, until her belly bloated like an over-filled canvas sack.
    Besides Rose, Sharon, and Nathan were Lady Avera Albet, King Verbon Albet, Verin Albet, and Anya Brisson. Anya was Nathan’s aunt as well, but was married to Brisson Bayson who was not present; he was leading the royal fleet in its pursuit of the pirates who had attacked Balta, their son Quinton accompanied him.
    The conversation around the table was pleasant. Lady Avera, or Avera as she continually insisted on being called, was very good at managing the flow of dinner topics. Anytime the conversation went towards the youth’s journey, and the trials they suffered, she would redirect it to current gossip. Nathan, Ava noted, spent a large percentage of the evening conversing with the king. It didn’t really surprise Ava, after all he had already spent a great deal more time with his uncle Verin and had just met King Verbon. Avera and Anya spent most of the evening chatting with the girls.
    Ava found Verin and Nathan’s exploits after they’d left the docks fascinating: Nathan shooting a magic bow and hitting a fire mage, who in turn blew himself up, allowing Verin and his men to rescue the stranded villagers and workers caught outside the city walls. Magic bows, fire mages it all seemed so surreal. She really needed to sit Nathan down alone and have a good chat. It seemed that he has been holding out on her.
    Ava’s musings were momentarily interrupted when Nathan addressed Avera. “So aunty, if the offer still stands, I would like to come live with you.”
    “Of course the offer stands, you silly goose. I will be delighted to have you come live with us. What do you say girls do you think we can handle a stinky boy living in the house with us?” Avera replied in delight, her satisfaction evident by the large smile across her face.
    Ava watched as Rose wrinkled her nose and retorted, “I suppose, but he better have baths, no stinky people allowed.”
    Everyone at the table had a good laugh at this, even Nathan who cheekily replied, “For you my dear Rose, I shall bathe every day and wear the finest cologne so I smell like a warm summer breeze in a mountain meadow.”
    Rose stuck her tongue out at Nathan. “Ewww, gross, please just don’t be stinky.” Again, the precocious child had the table in stitches.
    Towards the end of the evening, Verin addressed Avera, “I know you have plans for the girls tomorrow, but I would like to steal Ava from you in the afternoon. I have someone I would like her and Nathan to meet.”
    Ava was intrigued but didn’t comment on it, she simply nodded when Avera asked her if she was okay with Verin stealing her for a while.
    After a while, Ava took Rose and headed off to their room, leaving Sharon to talk with