Rune Mage [Fantasy/Adventure | Book 1 +2 | Complete]

Chapter 63: Woodbead and Woodbead

"I don't think this is a good idea, Maura."

"I think you should get out of my way, Rowan Woodbead."

"Think about it--" Rowan moved to the left to block Maura's attempt to sidestep him. She glared at him with intent to murder. "--the king's mages suddenly declaring we should kill our own to initiate war? All the while we've been biding our time, neither attacking nor fully prepared to be attacked. The rest of the country has heard nothing about the impending war except for King Mephis's ill health. Isn't that a bit strange to you?"

"If they employed me to critically think, I would not be a military mage. I would be a war advisor."

"Just because you're not employed to think doesn't mean you don't think, right?"

She looked as if she wanted to tear him a new one and make him eat it. "I'd watch my words if I were you, baby brother. We both know you've never had much of a spine. I don't think you'd like to not have a mouth as well."

"What's more important to you, Maura? Doing what you're told? Or doing what's right?"

Her eyes narrowed. "What does it matter what I want? I'm a military mage. I'm sworn to the country to be the king's right arm. Not everyone is privileged to make whimsical decisions on morality or conscience. You do as you're told or people die."

"You're doing as you're told now and people are going to die."

"Just because we haven't crossed paths in two years it doesn't make you any stronger or wiser. Don't flatter yourself. All the duties you've shirked when you abandoned your military mage post and ran away with your tail between your legs two years ago -- someone has to pick up the pieces."

Rowan gritted his teeth. "Don't patronise me."

"You don't even realise how lucky you are: the youngest child." Maura's nostrils flared. "Bolliver fulfilled all military expectations by becoming a soldier and as a colonel. I fulfilled all magical expectations by becoming a military mage. You had no expectations, no obligations -- you could do anything. And you choose to screw up and drag others down with you. Do you feel any shame?"

"I made a mistake. I was foolish. I paid for it."

"No, we paid for it. I took on all your duties in addition to mine, with people doubting my abilities all the time because you got to where you were from my recommendations. Bolliver withstood months of ridicule and undermining from his peers and seniors. Father was banished to the wastelands for shaming the Woodbead name. You? You got to start anew, no repercussions. Heck, you even got yourself a little baby mage who thinks you're some sort of prodigy!" Maura snickered, but there was no mirth. "I suppose you can now add 'traitor' to your list of credentials. No, wait, you've betrayed your family already. Figures."

"What do you want me to do, Maura? You want me to say I'm sorry? I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for being a disappointment to Father. I'm sorry I was never as good as you or Bolliver. I'm sorry I was pushed into a career I did not want. I don't want war. I don't want death. If it's preposterous for a Woodbead to say all that, then I will happily renounce my name. Will it change anything? It won't bring back Eiden Slora or my old team. But if it's shame and disgust you want me to feel, I've been feeling plenty of that for the past two years."

"You dare speak Eiden's name?" Maura's green eyes burned with hellfire.

"He was my tutor. He died because of me. I realise that." Rowan swallowed and kept his back straight. "I know what he was to you."

"Oh?" she scoffed.

"He told me. We spent a lot of time together in Ebbsfleet. He was going to propose, wasn't he? He asked me everything I knew about Father so he could ready himself for the 'bloodbath', as he put it."