Page 20 of The Lost Art of Seducing a Mage Warrior

“It’s less awesome when it’s dropped on your head.” This came from the man Nisal had called Molun. He was working with some Mage Warriors Perian didn’t recognize.

Perian laughed. “Is that so?”

Molun headed over to them, nodding his head emphatically. He had a cluster of over-sized bright blue and green beads braided into his hair. Perian didn’t know him that well yet, but they definitely seemed to fit his personality.

“You’re smiling now, but just wait until he tells you that you need to feel what it’s like to be buried alive so that you can deal with it.”

Perian slewed around to look at Brannal. “Seriously?”

He looked entirely serious. “Would you rather experience it for the first time being used against you, or would you like to learn how to counter it in a safe environment?”

Perian eyed him. “Have you ever actually fought someone who buried you alive?”

“No.”

“So, in fact, you’re making them suffer on the off chance?”

Molun was laughing now.

“What do you think training is for?” Brannal pointed out sternly. “To prepare for any eventuality.”

Perian was still skeptical. “Uh huh. Do you throw fireballs at people just to see how they deal with it, too?”

Brannal’s face answered the question without him actually having to say anything, and Molun laughed again.

“I mean, I do see the value of practical examples,” Perian admitted, “but I’m warning you right now that if you throw a fireball at me or bury me in dirt to see how I’m going to react to it, you’re going to besleepingin that pile of dirt. Understood?”

Brannal’s eyebrow raised.

“I’m just saying,” Perian said with a shrug. “Wasn’t it you who mentioned changing other people’s behavior if you didn’t like it?”

Molun came closer to sling an arm over Perian’s shoulder. They were nearly the same height, Molun a little shorter but far broader.

“I like him. We’re keeping him.”

Brannal tugged Perian out of Molun’s arms and didn’t bother to dignify that with a response.

“And the tour continues.”

Molun was still laughing as Perian grinned and waved goodbye.

There were all sorts of facilities in the Mage Warrior section of the castle—rooms where they could read theory, where they could fight, where they could practice with the elements, living quarters, bathing rooms, a library, kitchen, and rooms to prepare tonics and bandages and other healing supplies.

“But they’re not magical, are they?”

Brannal shook his head. “No, our magic is the elements in the moment. It can’t be transferred to other objects. The medicine is all natural remedies. The doctor supervises us. If you know how to hurt people, then you should know how to heal them as well.”

Perian smiled. “I like that.”

“Entirely practical,” Brannal told him with a shrug. “We do tend to injure ourselves during practice, and it helps to have remedies on hand.”

Perian could only laugh.

“We could be nearly self-sufficient if we wished to be, but we work with the rest of the castle. We aren’t filled to capacity, so the main kitchen produces most of our meals, and we usually eat them with the Warriors in their wing. There is a large dining hall there that we tend to share.”

The Warrior wing was similar to that of the Mage Warrior’s, just minus the Mage part. And there were dungeons as well, though they were apparently rarely used these days, with most criminals staying in the city jail or being transported to the larger district jails for hard labor. There were a variety of public rooms in the third wing of the castle: ballrooms, music rooms, galleries, guest accommodations, receiving rooms, and more. This area also housed the live-in staff themselves and many services including the kitchens, laundry, and supply rooms. The fourth section of the castle belonged to the royal family and came with its own library, gallery, ballroom, guest rooms, and more.

Brannal actually asked if Perian wanted to visit, and Perian hurriedly shook his head and just made a note of where not to go, because he definitely didn’t need to run into any royalty anytime soon. He was sure he was going to have his hands full with the Mage Warriors—possibly with onlyoneMage Warrior.

---