Magic's Promise by Mercedes Lackey Read Free Book Online Page A

I'd be greatly tempted to take my chances with Randale finding another emergency and stay here. ”
    “ I thought Lissa was stationed right near Forst Reach. She always used to be able to protect you. ” Savil gave him a half smile. “ She was a very good little protector when you were a child. ”
    “ I don't think she's going to feel she can leave her assigned post, ” he said. “ It seems that Border is heating up. ”
    “ Just what we need. Another Situation. ”
    “ Exactly. ”
    “ You could have dealt with this earlier, I suppose. ”
    He snorted. “ Not likely. That whole monstrous mess of tangled emotions and misconception is why I never have spent more than a day at home if I can help it. If it isn't Mother flinging women at me, it's Father watching me out of the corner of his eye. ” He throttled down savagely on the wave of bitterness that crawled up his throat, but some of it emerged despite his good intentions. “ Gods, Savil, I am so damned tired of the whole dance. I really need to take a couple of weeks to rest, and where else can I go? You know I daren't stay here; if I do, Randale will recruit me. He won't want to, he won't mean to, but something will come up, and he'll have to-and I won't be able to say no. If I went to Liss-assuming she has someplace to put me -she'd end up doing the same thing. I'm a tool, and neither of them dares let a tool stand idle, even when it might break. ”
    “ Easy, lad, ” Savil cautioned, her face clouded and troubled.
    He grimaced. “ Did it again. Sorry. I won't break. I'm not sure I can break. The fact is, I still look all right, and I really don't want Randi to guess how drained out I am. If he knows, he'll feel guilty, and there's nothing he can do. He has to do what he does to me. So - “ Vanyel shrugged. “ The strain doesn't show; it won't take long to put right. I'm as much to blame for the overload as Randi. I could say 'no' - but I never have the heart to. ”
    “ Maybe you should choose somewhere to go besides Forst Reach. Or only stay there for a day or two, then go off visiting friends, or by yourself. ”
    “ I don't want to go off somewhere alone, I'll just brood. And I haven't anyone to go to; k'Treva is too far away. You, at least, have had Andy for longer than I've known you. ” He sighed. “ I'm sorry, I'm whining again. I can't seem to help it, which might be a symptom of how on edge I am. That is the only thing that really worries me; I'm hair - triggered and dangerous, and I need some peace to get balanced again. All I can hope is that Mother and Father decide that I look as bad as you and Jays think, and leave me alone for a bit. Long enough to get some reserves back, anyway. ”
    It was the closest he'd come to admitting that he wasn't really certain how much - or how little - reserves he still had, and he quelled the rest of what he almost said.
    “ You don't look good, even they should see that, ke'chara.'' She toyed with a bit of his hair, and worried at her lower lip with her teeth. “ You know, I haven't been back in - ye gods, not since I checked you all for Mage-Gift! My Familial Visitation is more than overdue. ”
    “ But - you're a Guardian - “ Hope rose in him. If only Savil would be there, he'd have one kindred soul in the lions' den! He had no doubt she was more than up to the trip; he could feel her strength even as he leaned on it.
    “ Won't take me but a day to set my focus in the Web and then I can Guard from Forst Reach as easily as from here. It's only a matter of Sensing threat and sending the alert, you know. It's not as if I actually had to fight anything. And it's only because I need to keep that little corner of my mind tuned to the Web waking and sleeping that I don't have a protégé - ten years ago I could have done what Jays is doing; Guard and teach three. ” She nodded. “ This is no bad notion. Provided you don't mind having me there- ”
    “Mind?” He seized her hand and kissed it.
    “