Warden by Kevin Hardman Read Free Book Online Page A

result of rote memorization.
    Presumably he had drawn the wards correctly, because Bander, after reviewing Errol’s handiwork, had not made a single change to any of them. (At that point, Errol had muttered an incantation, making the wards glow with power as they became active.) Bearing that in mind, Errol wasn’t concerned that he had perhaps failed a critical portion of the assessment. No, what bothered him about the wards was something else entirely: the changes he’d made to the symbols on Bander’s order actually made the protection for their campsite weaker .
    By Errol’s estimate, it was only moderately – not excessively – weaker, but weaker nonetheless. Errol was tempted to ask Bander about it, but decided to hold his tongue. Bander was not only Errol’s senior, but also a Warden of the first rank. He surely knew what he was doing. Moreover, even in their current state, the wards should be able to keep out most threats.
    “ Well,” Bander said, cutting off Errol’s thoughts as he sat down on the other side of their campfire. “ I’m sure you’re anxious to know how you did.”
    Errol shrugged noncommittally as a sly smile crept onto his face. Bander saw it and smiled back.
    “ Let’s just say your father would be proud,” the veteran said with a grin of his own. “ You’re a fine heir to the Magnus legacy.”
    Errol could only nod at this, his face almost going slack as he suddenly thought of Tom. It should have been his brother carrying on any family legacy. It should be his brother getting lauded as the person their father would be proud of. It should be–
    Errol’s thoughts came up short as he suddenly realized that his companion had been speaking and was now looking at him expectantly, apparently waiting for a response of some sort.
    “I’m sorry, Bander – my head was somewhere else,” Errol apologized. “What were you saying?”
    “It was just a joke.” Bander laughed. “But you really zoned out there. Must be a girl.”
    “What?” Errol was confused.
    Bander was still grinning. “The only time I’ve ever seen a guy space out like that, it was about a girl.”
    “No, no. It was…something else.”
    “But there is a girl, right? Someone special?”
    “Yes,” Errol said sheepishly, as if it were something to be ashamed of.
    “I knew it!” Bander laughed. “At your age, there’s always a girl! So, tell me about her.”
    Errol frowned, not sure where to begin. The girl in question was Gale Beverly, and – up until a few months ago – the very idea of becoming romantically involved with each other would have been anathema to them both. He had always seen Gale as an insufferable virago – an incessant nag who was constantly complaining about something. From her point of view, Errol had spent his life being little more than a wastrel, a mooch who wanted all the benefits of being a Warden without the attendant obligations.
    Their unexpected relationship had its genesis in the fact that, somewhat recently, they’d found themselves hunted by one of the worst monsters in the Badlands: the legendary Wendigo. Surviving the encounter had required that they work together, which resulted in them developing a newfound respect and admiration (and affection) for each other.
    That said, Gale was still as headstrong and opinionated as ever. For instance, three days earlier, when Errol had told her that he would be having guests (and the purpose of their visit), she had told him not to come see her until everything was resolved.
    “You need to focus,” she’d said. “If being Warden is something that you really want now, I refuse to be a distraction.”
    His protests – that she wouldn’t be a distraction and that spending time with her would actually help him by reminding him of what was important – fell on deaf ears. Gale was convinced that trying to divide his attention between competing interests would likely result in Errol half-neglecting one or the other – or