“Thank you, Alois.”
“Just because I’m fighting you on this particular issue, doesn’t mean I don’t respect you and cherish you, Rohak.” There was a lilt of sadness to his admission. “And I’m slightly disappointed that you think so little of me in this regard.”
“It’s not that I think little of you, Alois,” I was quick to rebut, “I just don’t get a great feeling about this girl, there’s something . . . not right with her. I fear that you’re too preoccupied with the Keeper’s visions and can’t see the potential traps on this path.”
“As always, I appreciate your concern, Rohak, but my order stands. Ineed her close for this to work. Every Keeper has insisted she is the key in one way or another, and I need to keep a close eye on her at all times.” Alois was firm but not unkind, and I knew that was the last time he would entertain me on the subject of Ellowyn d’Aelius.
I nodded once before changing subjects.
“So, the Academy, then? And the training grounds?”
“She needs to learn how to control and channel her magic. You know that as well as I. Her parents are also wealthy and in a position of power, no one will bat an eye at her attending the Academy and training with one of the most powerful Mages Elyria has ever seen.” His eyebrows rose at that last bit, pinning me with his stare.
I forced a smile.
“All well and good, but how do you plan on getting her family to agree to her attending the Academy? As you mentioned, they’re wealthy with resources and private tutors at their fingertips. Not to mention the fact that she’s betrothed to that Southern lord. There’s a lot of lines you’ll have to cross to get this to happen,” I admonished.
Alois waved his hand at me in a dismissive gesture. “Bah. You let me worry about that. Let’s just say that her parents are going to be begging me to take her here and do what I wish once I am through.” His grin was positively maniacal. “You just worry about the Academy and harnessing that power.”
Alois was affable, relaxed even, and I decided to push my luck a bit and ask for help.
“Speaking of the Academy,” I said, “I feel like I’m pulled in too many directions right now. I spent the afternoon in my office at the administration building and got nothing of importance done. I have a mountain of paperwork on my desk that is only growing taller, representatives from every part of our council stopping in to ask me mundane questions. It’s unbearable. I signed a petition today that we wouldnothave wanted and only caught the mistake when Lex read it before leaving my office.” I ran a hand through my hair, tugging lightly on the strands.
“Mmm, so that’s where the anger is coming from, then?” As always, Alois understood.
“It’s a piece of it, yes.” I paused. “A large piece,” I begrudgingly admitted.
“And you haven’t been to the Academy or training grounds since before we left for Hestin.”
I nodded once. Alois leaned his head back and seemed to contemplate my words for a second.
“Sounds like you need a secretary.”
I barked out a laugh. “And here I thought it was going to be difficult to get you to agree.”
Alois’ smile was infectious at my forced humor. “No, in this I agree with you. I need you focused, especially with Ellowyn coming and with the rebels getting more aggressive. Any word on that, by the way?”
“If I have a missive, it’s buried on my desk somewhere,” I admitted rather sheepishly. “It’s my plan, first thing tomorrow, to update our maps from the intelligence reports.”
“We also need to discuss sending someone in the old-fashioned way, as we discussed on our way to Hestin.”
I scrubbed my face again and yawned widely, suddenly hit by a fresh wave of exhaustion. “Yes, we do.”
Alois raised his eyebrows at me before chuckling lightly.
“Go. Sleep. This can wait until tomorrow. We will meet first thing in the morning, then you will update our information on the rebels before heading to the Academy and training grounds. I will send out a proclamation to our territories in search of a secretary for you that I will want to double as a scholar for me. I have some important research that needs to be done and don’t have the capabilities to do it.”
“The book?” I asked as I stood, stretching my back and brushing my pants off.
Alois nodded once. “Yes. Amongst other things.” There was a gleam in his eyes that indicated there was more to his statement, but I decided not to press, he’d tell me when it was prudent.
“As long as my paperwork gets done, I don’t care if you find them from the NUT group.” Alois looked at me in apparent confusion. “Did you know we have a group called the NUT? Nudists for the Utopia of Trees or some shit like that. That was the petition I almost put through today. They wanted to host a naked parade in our courtyard, with us involved.”
Alois threw his head back and laughed until his body was shaking, and I felt a laugh tugging at my own lips in response.
“Good gods, Rohak! Can you imagine?” He wiped tears from his eyes, laughter still falling from his lips.
“Thing is, I’ve seen yours, often, and it’s not anything impressive,” I teased. Alois laughed again.
