Will was almost certain he was right, but he didn’t have to guess. He resolved to ask Arrogan later and find out the truth. He rolled his shoulder, stretching it to relieve the tightness in it. It was a leftover side effect from his sparring the previous evening with Blake. As he expected, the former special agent for the king had had a lot to teach. The veteran was well acquainted with standard military practices and tactics as well as more formalized fighting styles like the rapier, but Blake’s focus had been on more practical techniques.
The older man’s teaching had focused on two goals, killing and survival. Blake had been emphatic that Will needed to be very aware of which of the two things he was trying to achieve in any given encounter. “For a civilian, survival is almost always the only goal,” the manservant had explained. “But given the life you lead, there may also be times when you are actively trying to end your opponent. In those cases, you need to make sure that your own survival remains the top priority. The only time it might not be is if you’re on a suicide mission.”
The sparring, if it could properly be called that, had been unorthodox to say the least. Apparently, the older man intended to cover everything from ground fighting to dirty tricks and escape tactics. As the class let out and Will rose from his seat, he could feel several additional sore muscles complaining. It reminded him of something Arrogan had once said when he had been complaining. “If it hurts that just means you’re learning something.”
Since Advanced Spell Theory was his last class for the day, Will let his feet head in the direction of home, but a voice caught his attention before he could get away. “Will! Hey, over here!” It was Rob. His friend appeared to have been waiting for him to get out of class.
He walked over, noting the enthusiastic expression on his friend’s face. “What’s on your mind?” Will asked cautiously.
Rob grinned. “Funny you should ask—”
“You called me over. Of course, I’d ask,” he quipped.
Rob rolled his eyes. “Ha, ha. You remember Veronica Wellings?”
Veronica was a third-year student who had helped Will the previous semester when he had needed to learn a bit of quick and dirty enchanting for his plan to disrupt Selene’s wedding to Count Spry. Will hadn’t actually spoken to Veronica himself, but apparently the question had given Rob an opening to get to know her.
“Yes…?”
“The ladies of Primrose House are planning an evening social on Friday and given your newfound fame I’m sure you’ll get an invitation since Stephanie is organizing the affair. Veronica would love to go, and I’d love to take her, but—hey!” Rob chased after him as Will turned and walked away. “Don’t be like that!”
“I’m not interested,” said Will flatly. It wasn’t that he was inherently antisocial—well, perhaps a little—the main problem was his absent wife. Everyone would be expecting the royal princess, and any explanation of her absence would likely create more problems than it solved, especially given how little she had been in the public eye since their unexpected wedding. Tailtiu’s impersonations had been able to keep the curiosity to a minimum, but Will loathed taking her out in public. Each time he worried they would encounter someone who knew Selene personally, someone who would begin to unravel the truth. Someone like Laina, thought Will.
“At least ask Selene,” insisted Rob. “She’s bound to be bored. She’s barely left the house since you two tied the knot. People are starting to think you keep her under lock and key and other silly—”
He rounded on his friend, his face serious. “Don’t even suggest such a thing! Rumors are bad enough, but I don’t expect you to be repeating them.”
Rob blanched for a moment, then his cheeks flushed as his temper rose. “I have ears, Will. I’m not spreading rumors. I’m trying to help you keep them from getting worse. I’d have thought you would understand me better by now, but then again, it isn’t as if I ever see you. You still haven’t invited me over to see your new home.”
Will felt bad for snapping. He tried to apologize. “I didn’t mean it like that, and it isn’t you. I haven’t invited anyone over—”
“And that isn’t normal,” interrupted Rob. “For some people perhaps, maybe even for you, but not for political figures.”
“It’s complicated,” began Will.
“But you won’t explain. You won’t talk to me; you won’t talk to Janice. Who do you talk to? Do you have any real friends? I’m starting to wonder, since I don’t really feel like I’m one.” Rob turned his back and began walking away.
Damn, I really pissed him off. He watched Rob go, wondering if he should chase after him or leave him alone. I should probably go after him, but what would I say? Rob’s complaints were completely valid. Ever since the wedding he had kept his friends, along with everyone else, at arm’s length. Even worse, he still hadn’t been home to see his family. He had sent a letter, which hopefully had outpaced the news, but he hadn’t faced his mother in person yet.
There would be a reckoning for that. Although it was several weeks’ travel via traditional means, his mother already knew he could make the journey safely in less than a day. He could get there in a matter of just hours if he was willing to take some of the more dangerous shortcuts through Faerie.
But he couldn’t do it. It’s bad enough that we eloped without warning her, but I can’t show up alone, he told himself silently. He kept walking, his feet following the path home by force of long habit while his head was filled with morose thoughts.
Blake met him at the door, taking his coat. The man waited afterward, expecting Will to remove his overtunic so he could get out of the brigandine as he usually did. “I’m keeping it on,” said Will. “I’ll be going to watch the Nerrow house after, um, after Selene gets back.” Once again, he stumbled over his words. Keeping up a long-term lie was beginning to tax his reserves.
“Then you’ve recovered your magic?” asked Blake.
Will still hadn’t tested it yet, but he cast a simple spell and conjured a small sphere of visible light, then smiled. His head hadn’t given him even a faint twinge. “It appears so.” Feeling good about the return of his magic, he headed for the kitchen. He wasn’t sure how long he would be out that night, so if he wanted something good to eat, he needed to prepare supper before Tailtiu returned.
Blake accompanied him and graciously accepted Will’s instruction as he coached the older man through the simple process of putting together pottage of peas and ham. It was dark by the time they finished, and Tailtiu still hadn’t returned.
“Should we eat without her?” asked Will.
“That’s entirely up to you, sir.”