Hadrian had not expected to be charged with an operation that could cripple someone. Or even kill them. But Edwin’s I believe in you gave him the courage to pack up and get back in the carriage together, with everyone else, plus Marisa.
She drove during the day and Daniel drove during the night. They were back at Wandermere in two days. They must have broken quite a bit of regulations in their mad dash, but they weren’t caught. And to Hadrian, that was all that mattered.
Podger Miz was not happy when Hadrian come to his home and showed him the letter from Edwin. He even repeated the line:
And I will spread the word that both you and Hafnon tricked me, with all the consequences that come with it. If you were honest from the start, hundreds, no thousands, wouldn’t have died.
“Who does that up jumped healer thinks he is? I will make sure that he gets the entire backlash! His head will roll by the end of the…” Hadrian stood up. He saw red.
“I will make sure that Edwin gets backing from the vampire council,” he had plenty of dirty laundry on them and the old codgers would have to help him. Or so help them.
“So? They don’t have much influence outside Alanqian,” a cough sounded from the doorway that stopped the charade.
“Podger, we can’t do this anymore. If my life is paid for by lives from all over the world, then I don’t need it,” Hadrian saw a far too pretty lady and wondered how she ended up with the mayor. Miz’s eyes softened, and he went by her side.
“That is all speculations, my love. The healer who woke you is pointing fingers. What is worse, he is too much of a coward to come point the finger in person,” Hadrian snorted.
“He is on his way to destroy a dungeon in the Cold Desert. When was the last time you did something as brave, Miz?”
“I am Paulina Miz,” the pretty woman extended her hand and Hadrian kissed the back of it. He could feel the dead mana circulating around her hands, a little around her stomach, but, apart from that, she was lifelike.
“Can the sickness be stopped?” The without me dying was left unsaid between them, but the hopeful eyes of the woman let Hadrian know that she wanted to ask this question.
“Sure. I am a hedge healer trainee,” Podger Miz raised his hands in the air.
“That is not even a thing!” He hissed and Hadrian rubbed the back of his head.
“Well, I am a healer trainee. And I won’t let myself be tied by regulations, so I will end up as a hedge healer after Eddy clears me as competent. Similarly to how one day he could call himself a rogue if I say he is one,” that rule was fair to both parties. They were experts in their fields and would know best when one was competent.
“But to answer your unspoken question, Paulina. I just need to lock away the Lich mana within you. It will bring about a chronic pain. But, once Eddy gets back from the whole dungeon business, he will do his best to take that away. And his best is quite, well, the best.”
“And what is that charlatan’s research based on? Apart from a weird dream he dreamt after eating spoiled eggs, for all we know?” Hadrian didn’t appreciate Miz’s sarcasm. Even Paulina send him a reproachful look.
“Tell me, mayor Miz, did you found the way to bring darling Paulina here from a book written by Aleric Stormcrow? One on condensed mana?” Podger began to sweat and he sat down.
“Aleric Stormcrow is dead, and I have a feeling that you planted easy to find evidence pointing at him. What is more, Karl Lambert is also dead. That is the Tsardom of Mopia and Duria out for blood. Once they realize they had been had. But do they have to?”
Hadrian didn’t want to let that slime off the hook, but he had little choice. It was not just him that will be put on trial for the deaths of everyone who suffered from the sickness and the two Boliarins. Paulina and little Edwin would be on the chopping block with people throwing tomatoes at them too.
“If you keep this a secret, and heal Paulina, I will pay you your weight in gold,” Hadrian snorted. No, you want to pay for my silence. And just that.
“I’d rather take a different currency. Tell me, mayor Miz, how much influence do you have over Wandermere’s clinics and the hedge healers and wood’s witches in the area?” Podger Miz sneered at him.
“You think that if I could have brought my healers to heel, I would have searched for a healer from Duria?”
“You wanted Edwin to wake her up because his mana wouldn’t have hurt her Lich one,” corrected Hadrian, not really wanting to give the man any wiggle room. “Because he is a necromancer. I, too, have read this letter. I didn’t even have to give it over to you. But felt that a licensed healer’s explanation would put your mind at ease…”
“My mind is not at ease, charlatan!” Screamed Podger Miz, wrinkling the letter in his fist. Was that how Edwin felt every time someone called him that? It was annoying, yet the healer had kept a straight face after each insult.
“Podger, enough! With every second, I remain like this, people die!” Screamed back Paulina. Hadrian admired the woman. She was ready to die and, if Hadrian failed, something told him she would take her life.
“But, sweetling…” the broken tone with which Podger Miz attempted to argue almost made Hadrian feel sorry for him. Almost. This man didn’t deserve pity. It was bad enough that he was getting away with what he had done.
Hadrian knew that he couldn’t forward this information to Ash. She would sell it to the highest buyer, and then Edwin would suffer because he was quick to help and didn’t ask his patients many questions. But, by Harika, did Hadrian felt an urge to ruin Podger Miz’s cookie cutter life.
