Total pages in book: 151
Estimated words: 140644 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 703(@200wpm)___ 563(@250wpm)___ 469(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 140644 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 703(@200wpm)___ 563(@250wpm)___ 469(@300wpm)
Pleasantly overwhelmed, Tori nodded. He got to live in this amazing castle with these incredibly sweet people, and he couldn’t be more thrilled. It was almost impossible to sit still, but he forced himself to stay planted. “I look forward to it.”
“I didn’t ask before about how to approach your clan head and inform him? Her?”
Oh yes! That’s right. “I don’t know the procedure, I’m sorry. No one in living memory has left the clan. I’m not even sure if we have a procedure. But I can tell you the clan head’s contact information, and you can call her. Um, I should warn you—” He winced, imagining the reaction Alric was likely to get. “They won’t take this well. I snuck out and abandoned them. I’ve been either fielding or ignoring messages and phone calls for weeks now about returning home. They won’t take it well that I’ve chosen a dragon clan over them.”
“I don’t anticipate anything else.” Still, Alric frowned, brows drawn together as he stared down at his hands. “I worry about how to straighten out this lie they’ve been told.”
He had to tell them. Tori hated to, but he had to tell them. “I don’t think you can draw any other mages from my old clan or make friends with them. It’s not just the lie they believe. It’s…everything else. They’re extremely homophobic. They won’t be able to accept the same-sex pairings in this clan, especially your marriage, King Alric. It’s bad enough in their eyes that you chose a male consort, but a male mage? Only women are supposed to be mages, in their eyes.”
Oh, Alric didn’t like that. His nostrils flared with anger, and was that a hint of steam coming out? Like he would actually blow fire in his human form? “Nonsense. That is utter nonsense. How did your clan become so skewed by hatred?”
“I have no idea. It’s just been that way for a long time. Certainly as long as I’ve been alive. It’s why I had to leave.” And Tori blessed that decision more with every passing day. “I really don’t think you can get through to them. Although I’ll understand if you try anyway.”
“We must,” Alric sighed, although he looked troubled. “We have so few mages, and I’ve already promised the ice dragons that I would introduce them. We also have the Jaeggi to worry about. Still, I take your words of caution to heart. I will approach them as carefully as I know how. I would appreciate you sitting with me later and crafting an initial message.”
“I’ll be happy to help.” He just wasn’t sure if words existed in any language that could break through his clan’s icy guard.
Lisette came to stand at Alric’s shoulder, and she poked him. “Let’s leave that aside for a moment. You’ve skipped over something important. Alric, it’s all well and good for you to accept Tori into the clan, but I want him appointed as a mage of the clan.”
Tori’s jaw dropped. What did she just say?!
Head canted to look up at her, Alric inquired, “He has all the skills required, then?”
“From what I’ve seen, he does. His herbology is top-notch. At least on that subject, I doubt there’s much left for me to teach him, not as a student.” Lisette threw Tori a wink. “After a full day of working alongside him, not to mention all that he did on the way here, I think he’ll pass every possible trial I can think to set him. I only need to formally sit down with him and review his knowledge so I know how to best employ his skills.”
“Ah. Very well, then he’s a mage of Burkhard.” Alric rubbed his hands together like a giddy child. “More mages for the clan. I never thought I’d see the day we gained so many in such a short amount of time.”
Tori sat there, reeling under the casual declaration. He was a mage. For the first time in his life, he was accepted as a mage in the clan. He felt lightheaded and dizzy with it.
A warm hand settled over his chest. “Tori? Tori, breathe.”
He sucked in a ragged breath, realizing belatedly that his mind had been so shocked, he’d forgotten that basic function. He was a mage. A mage, and one recognized and appointed in a clan. He’d never sleep again. He was far too excited and in shock to ever settle enough to sleep.
“Oh dear, I didn’t mean to shock him like that.” Lisette crossed over to him in three quick strides, leaning in. “Tori? Baldewin, why is he reacting like this?”
“We didn’t explain enough, apparently.” Baldewin sighed gustily. “He wasn’t allowed mage status in his old clan.”
Several voices demanded incredulously, “What!”
Lisette growled, a ferocious animal ready to tear something limb from limb. “Because he’s a man?”