Brink Mage Page 4

  “Our lucky night indeed,” Wyatt said. It was a good night no matter what tavern a person was in, if a minstrel was playing.

  “Anything for the lovely lady?”

  “Just wine,” Cat said.

  The owner of the place left, and the pair sat down. “Just to warn you. The wine is terrible.”

  “I figured as much,” Cat said. “But I want something to watch a minstrel. I’ve never seen one in person.”

  “Will be my second time.” Wyatt had been invited, or forced, to go to a Brotherhood meeting where they’d had one. He was just as good as Wyatt had hoped. This was going to be a treat, and with the hopes of a night in the hay with Cat afterward.

  Just as Logan returned with the stew and wine, the minstrel took the stage. The man was tall and lanky with salt-and-pepper hair. All minstrels wore a long robe that was a deep purple and lined with gold. It made them stand out, and his was in pristine condition.

  On the stage with the man were several instruments, and he picked up the lute. The song he started to play was slow and methodical. It built up in intensity as he continued to play. Soon his fingers were dancing on the strings, and the melody was pleasant. Then he started to sing in a buttery-smooth baritone voice.

  The man looked over to Wyatt and Cat and winked. The song he sang was an old one, about an elf and a mage. How the minstrel knew that Wyatt was a mage, was beyond Wyatt. Never in all Wyatt’s years had he ventured into the tavern in the mage robes, or told Logan about his abilities.

  “I love this song,” Cat said. “He sings it better than elder Link.”

  It didn’t surprise Wyatt that the forest elves also sang the song. This was one of the most popular ones around and sung often in any tavern or festival in the country, maybe even the world. Though this was the best rendition of it that Wyatt had ever heard. The mage and elf in the song were forbidden to be together but fought to love each other and eventually found love with each other, even though it ended up with both their families murdered. It was both sad and lovely. They had each other, but no one else.

  Wyatt ate the stew and sipped his terrible wine as the man played. The wine was even worse than last time. Cat sipped hers. “Wow, even worse than I thought.”

  “It’s especially bad tonight,” Wyatt said.

  “Well, the minstrel makes up for it.”

  Wyatt agreed. The night went on, and the minstrel played some of the best songs around and told some epic tales. It helped distract Wyatt from the attack early in the day. This was sorely needed and made Wyatt happy for the first time in a while.

  The night went on, and the longer Wyatt and Cat were there, the better he felt.

  7

  A night to Remember

  Back at Wyatt’s place, he was on cloud nine. Even though they hadn’t done a thing to help him with his job, and that daunting task was hanging over him. The evening had been a needed break from the dread of the world. The minstrel was just as good as the first one, and scary. He told and played a lot of songs dealing with mages, elves, and goblins. Much of it hit home and made Wyatt think.

  Not to mention talking to Cat all night. She was a blast to get to know, and of course, very pleasing on the eyes. They lingered in the office for a moment; Wyatt wanted to take her to his actual room upstairs but didn’t want to ruin the chance.

  Throughout the night, he learned that she liked to be in charge. Wyatt let her be the one to make the first move, even if that wasn’t his norm. He leaned against the stairway that led up to his apartment above the office. Wyatt tried to remember if he had cleaned up the night before. He wasn’t known among his family and friends for being a neat freak.

  Cat ambled over to him and pressed against his body. It was hard not to get aroused as she did that. Her toned muscles were both hard and soft against him. Not to mention the way her large, perky breasts felt. Wyatt wanted to rip off her clothes then and there. To see her body entirely.

  She was shorter than him, but not by much. Her head tilted up for him, he went most of the way, and then she finished it. Their lips meet. The kiss was soft and gentle to start. Cat’s hands at first were pressed against his chest, then began to roam over his body. Sending a chill through him. The speed with which she was able to move was like nothing he had ever experienced in his life. Wyatt had been with a lot of women, but only humans. This was his first time with an elf.

  Each touch from her was something new and exciting. Her strength was incredible, and she nearly picked him up off the ground as they kissed. He let his own hands go from her hips to her ass. It was just as luscious as he thought. Gripping her cheeks made her squeal.

  “I want you,” Wyatt said. More than he had ever wanted another in his life. Cat had a pull on him, and he couldn’t explain it. Wyatt felt tied to her in more than just a physical way, though at the moment that was all that mattered to him. He wanted to fuck the shit out of her and see her completely nude. Just the way her breasts and ass felt was terrific.

  “Lead on, cowboy,” Cat purred.

  That was all the encouragement Wyatt needed. Up the narrow stairs, he led them to his tiny little apartment and even smaller bedroom. He knew that it was par for the course in the city, and the rest of the country for that matter. Outside of the nobles that lived a life of luxury with their large stone houses and gas lamps.

  None of that mattered at the moment, Wyatt had Cat in the room and began to remove the little clothes that she did wear. Seeing her glorious breasts for the first time. Her nipples were hard and could slice his skin open. Wyatt dove right in and kissed her breasts, then licked around the nipple before giving that a kiss and a suck.

  Cat moaned out in pleasure as he played with her breasts, and let his hand go down to her pussy. She was completely shaved, not a hair on her body; that wasn’t the norm, and it excited Wyatt. Her body was soft and smooth. Her lower lips even more so, and it was easy to find her clit to start to play with it.

  Wyatt’s fingers danced on her clitoris as his tongue teased her nipples. His cock rock hard and ready to enter her and make love. It hadn’t been that long since he had been with a woman, but with Cat, it felt like his first time again. Like he was just experiencing sex and a true woman.

  She was something else, and it made Wyatt wonder if all elves were like this, or if it was just Cat. He let that thought go and focused on the here and now. Taking in her body.

  “Fuck me,” she said.

  Wyatt was more than ready to obey her command. His dick was ready to enter her slick flower and feel her dripping walls. He needed her and her pussy. Craved it. Until this moment, he hadn’t realized just how much this was needed and required for him.

  He was still fully dressed. In a blink of an eye, he disrobed and was in the buff like she was. His cock was erect and more prominent than he had seen before. Cat took in the full girth of johnson.

  “It’s my lucky day,” Cat said with a smile on her face.

  Wyatt had the same thought running through his own head, looking at her lying on the bed. Her bright silver hair shining in the moonlight through the window, and her face tattoo glimmering in the light. Her breasts with some of the largest areolas staring up at him. Perfection.

  Before he just rushed in with his dick, he kissed her legs. Starting at her feet, moving up her body, and skipping her pussy. Going to her stomach, and her toned abs. To her breasts, to her shoulder, up to her lips. His member teased her fold, with the tip just pressing against her. Threatening to enter her, but not doing it. He let it linger then and moved just enough to make her think he was going to enter.

  “Fuck me, please.” Her eyes had a pure desire in them.

  His cock entered her tight pussy. She was tighter than any of the women he had ever been with. It was a fight to fit all the way in her, but worth the effort. Once he was entirely in her, he let his dick sit for a moment, filling her completely.

  “Oh my lord,” Cat moaned. She had a look of bliss on her face, and joy. That was all that Wyatt neede
d to see.

  He made love to her, moving back and forth. Using his dick to please her, and she used her pussy to please him. She knew just how to increase the intensity as they made love. Staying in the same position the whole time, yet, it felt different for each thrust. Each moment.

  How long they fucked, Wyatt wasn’t sure, but by the time he came, Cat already had several times. It was the best time he had ever had.

  He pulled out after he ejaculated in her and lay next to her. Taking in her beauty and how exotic she was.

  “That was—”

  “Amazing,” Cat finished for him.

  8

  Breakfast

  The next day, Wyatt woke up with Cat still in the bed. She was fast asleep and looked peaceful. He didn’t want to wake her up, and with that in mind he set out to get them some breakfast.

  Today they couldn’t waste time. The mission they were on couldn’t be put off. As much as Wyatt wished he wasn’t on a strict deadline, he was. That was the case for him on most of his jobs, and the fact that he hadn’t pushed it for the one job was the reason that Cat beat him to the punch.

  Wyatt dressed and left his place to visit the closest grocery. There weren’t many merchants in this part of the city, but a little-known gem was the place that made some of the best bread in the city. Wyatt would visit the baker and his shop once a month to get food.

  He went into the small building that from the outside appeared to be crumbling down, and it smelled of freshly baked bread—one of the best smells around, and a shock. Outside of the place, the city was filthy and smelled like horse dung. Here it was pleasant and made his stomach rumble. This would be even better than the stew at Logan’s.

  “Wyatt,” Powell Sprunt said. “It’s good to see you. A little early this month.”

  Wyatt shrugged. “I know, just couldn’t wait to have your delicious treats.”

  Powell smiled and was clearly pleased. “I’ll get you your regular.”

  “Double it,” Wyatt said.

  The baker whistled. “Did someone get lucky?”

  Wyatt laughed. “I never kiss and tell.”

  “We both know that is a lie, spill it.”

  The man was ordinarily right, Wyatt had told him of a few of his conquests in the past, but this time telling Powell about Cat just didn’t feel right. “Sorry I can’t.”

  Powell’s eyebrows shot up. “Okay.”

  With his order in his hands, Wyatt went back to his place. When he entered, Cat was up and in the office. She was reading some of his paperwork from the research he had done. This wasn’t the first time she went over it. Yesterday they had looked it over and over. It led to nothing.

  She looked up as he entered. “That smells wonderful.”

  “It’s even better than it smells.”

  A bold claim, but Wyatt knew the food would live up to it. Dishing out the breakfast, they both ate in silence. It was just as good as always.

  “You weren’t lying,” Cat said. “The best bread in Imlay. Almost as good as back home. Almost.”

  Wyatt would have to tell Powell of the compliment the next time he went to the shop. The baker would like to hear that, since many people spoke of how great the elven bread was. That none compared to it.

  Once they were done eating, Wyatt focused on the task at hand. “We have to get into the castle and not be seen.”

  “Going to be hard if the king sent those men after you.”

  Wyatt knew that and had been thinking about it on the walk back. “I can use my magic to alter my look, but if they have any wards against that, I’m toast.”

  “You have a look on your face.”

  “Uh, I guess I do, I was thinking about a man that might be able to help us, but it comes with a cost.”

  Cat narrowed her eyes. “Am I going to like this?”

  Wyatt knew she was going to hate it if any of the rumors were true. The city elves that Wyatt talked to hated the man and spoke of bitter hate among the two races. “Gareth Stone.”

  Cat jumped up from her seat behind his desk. “You can’t be serious.”

  Wyatt took a deep breath and remained silent. He wasn’t sure of the best way to bring her on board with this option, but he saw no other path. From the look of horror on her face, Cat didn’t like the man or his race, or both.

  “He’s powerful,” Wyatt said. “Has a lot of connections, and can tell us what we need. Or at least give us the contacts we need.”

  “And if he is like the others of his kind, you’ll be bound to him. Owe him something, and he will collect.”

  That was the cost of doing business, and that was the norm for Wyatt. He was on both ends of that deal often, and he wasn’t going to pretend he liked being on the owing end. Yet, this was bigger than him and the rest of the others.

  “I see no other option,” Wyatt said. “We’ve spent a day together, and both of us have been working on this for a month. It took my mystery client to even give us any real info.”

  Cat pursed her lips and began to pace behind the desk. She didn’t say a word to Wyatt, just walked back and forth. For ten long minutes, Cat did that and didn’t even look at Wyatt. He worried she might just leave and not help him anymore, might become an enemy.

  That was the last thing he wanted. He enjoyed her company, and not just from the bedroom. Both the day before and at the tavern last night were pleasant, and Wyatt hoped to do that again with her very soon.

  She stopped mid-step. “You are right. I might be able to sneak in alone, but only might. King Martin isn’t known for having elves. I’ll stand out, and we don’t have any contacts in the castle.”

  That had been a mistake and one that Wyatt planned on correcting. Once this was done, he was going to make sure he had at least two there. How he let that slip, he didn’t know, but it was a mistake beyond measure.

  “It’s settled then,” Wyatt said. “We visit Gareth Stone and see if he can help us.”

  Cat sighed. “I guess so. I don’t like it at all, and it just might kill me, but we will.”

  9

  Gareth Stone

  Wyatt led the way across Imlay to the estate that Gareth Stone called home. It wasn’t in the inner section of the city since he wasn’t a noble. Though he had as much respect and money as one, they didn’t want to be seen with him.

  The estate was in an elegant section of the city. It housed many of the merchants that weren’t willing to move to the noble part and pretend to be something they weren’t, but still had a lot of coin and influence.

  It was also part of the city that had the biggest church in Imlay. Many of the people in Imlay no longer believed in the gods, many switching to one god. Wyatt didn’t know who was right and wasn’t ever going to try to figure it out, but here many believed in the one and had built a mammoth building to go worship him.

  “That’s impressive,” Cat said. “It looked big from my part of the city, but this close it’s even more massive.”

  Wyatt nodded. “It is, and I don’t want to be dragged in. Keep your wits about you. They can be piranha about converting people.”

  Cat smiled. “I’m an elf. They have to know, I have my own faith.”

  “It won’t stop them,” Wyatt said. “They call all other faiths heathen and try to convert all. Even goblins.”

  That shocked her. He had never seen her eyes get so wide. “You can’t be serious.”

  “I am.”

  “Don’t they know that goblins don’t believe in any gods or god?”

  Wyatt shrugged. “One would think so. They would probably try to convert a dwarf too.”

  Cat just shook her head. Both of them knew that it was a waste of time, and they could be doing other things to help the people around them. Wyatt knew that if they tried to tell the one God believers, they would just redouble their efforts on him, and it would get in his way.

  Both Wyatt and Cat kept their heads down and continued to Gareth Stone’s estate. It was a large stone building. Much like the inn
er circle, it was well made and used some of the most expensive stone one could buy. Unlike the place that Wyatt lived in, which was wood, or even worse, out in the country where people lived in mud shacks. That was the real crime in the world, but there was nothing that Wyatt could do.

  Unlike the noble's places, there was no gate to keep people out. That would go against what Gareth Stone stood for and what he wanted. His home was different from many of the other houses. It was a large single-story place with high ceilings.

  One quick knock on the door, and it was opened by the man himself. He was no ordinary man, his upper body was muscular and human, with deep black mane of hair, and a beard. His lower half was what really made him, and those of his race, different. It was a horse body. Gareth Stone was a centaur, and one of the few remaining in the world.

  They lived long lives but were dying out, having been hunted and killed for many years by humans, elves, and dwarves. Not to mention living in places that were home to some of the most dangerous predators, like dragons.

  “Wyatt Ryder, and Cat,” Gareth said.

  The centaur knowing who they were was no shock. It was part of the power most of them held, and why they were hunted. The elves hated centaurs for many reasons, but the ability to see the future or read a person and know what they wanted was one of the main reasons.

  It made Wyatt uneasy. Gareth didn’t have magic, but his ability was closely related to it, and he liked to show it. At least that was the story all the people in Imlay liked to speak of. This was the first time that Wyatt had ever met the man.

  “Gareth,” Wyatt said. “We need to talk.”

  The centaur nodded. “I know. Do come in.”

  The large half man moved to the side to let Wyatt and Cat walk into his place. He might be hunted and hated, but he lived in a lavish house. It had some of the most expensive art that Wyatt had seen. Even more so than Francis, which was saying something.