CHAPTER 10

"Why?"

"Because suddenly I'll decide that you're flirting with me," I lied.

Aldric flirting with a common man? Very funny.

"Oh, even so. And why should I flirt with you, Lysandra?" Aldric smiled broadly.

When I said this phrase, I sincerely expected that the dragon would deny everything, be deeply offended, and generally leave me alone!

"To seduce," I didn't give up.

"Honestly, Lysandra, I didn't think about it just now…"

Of course he didn't think so. Wait, what do you mean "right now"?! I raised my head and stared at Aldric, who was laughing at me in the most brazen way. And then he added:

"But you sit there with such an expression as if it is impossible and unreal. And because of this, as a dark one and a dragon, I really want to prove you the opposite. Are you deliberately provoking me?"

Okay, Lysandra, breathe, breathe, I have the blessing of peace, but it refused to work properly! The last thing I needed was for Aldric, out of stubbornness and a desire to have fun, to actually decide to seduce me.

I'm not a flighty, stupid girl who falls for dangerous and handsome men, but if you contrast my meager experience, I'm sure, with Aldric's absolutely gorgeous experience… I don't even want to think about it!

"Take a breath, Lysandra, I'm not going to do anything to you," Aldric said unexpectedly calmly.

There wasn't even the usual smirk.

"Thank you," I replied, relaxing.

"I'm not planning on it yet," Aldric chuckled again. "Veyra came for us, so we won't have time to do anything interesting—she's a little earlier than she said. Apparently, those observation artifacts didn't die of old age."

Not even a minute passed before the door swung open and Veyra confidently stepped inside:

"Finished, huh? Well, let me show you, dear visitors of our library, back. We've done our part; it's time for you to help us."

The way back seemed even shorter than the way here. I entered Veyra's office, a little nervous. What would she ask for?

"Have a seat," Veyra offered politely. "And you, Aldric, may leave us. The request for a blessing is very personal; I would prefer to keep it a secret."

"Aren't you afraid that I'll make my assistant tell me your secret?" Aldric grinned, but he didn't go inside and sit down somewhere more comfortable; he stopped at the door.

"And you will allow her powers to weaken?"

Ah, the life of a light mage is hard. If you reveal a blessing, the essence of which you were asked to keep secret, then you can not only weaken, but also lose the entire gift.

"You will explain the essence of the blessing to her in private; I will not eavesdrop out of respect for you. However, you will carry out the blessing itself in my presence." Aldric left no opportunity to object, leaving Veyra's office and closing the door behind him.

Is he still curious about how my power works? Wants to study it better?

Veyra looked at the closed door for a long time, so long that I had to pretend to clear my throat:

"So what is your wish? How can I bless you?"

"I need an anti-curse. The most powerful one possible," Veyra said with feigned indifference, shuffling through the papers on her desk. "One that can last at least a couple of months."

Unexpected. Anti-curse is a protective spell that allows you to be near cursed objects, artifacts, or… people painlessly and without side effects. Regular light mages can cast a blessing of this type for one or two weeks, a little stronger—for a month.

If she turned to me, then did she curse someone or something strongly? Brrr, I don't like such tasks.

"For what?" I asked, frowning.

"Do I have to answer?"

"Well, I would like to understand how and with what to bless." I shrugged, leaning back in my chair. "I can bless you in such a way that for the damned you would be akin to a quick and very painful poison."

"No need," Veyra reacted immediately. "I need what will protect me from two damned people. So that I can calmly be with them, use magic, teleport, receive treatment… Can you?"

"I need to see. Imagine those on whom a curse lies and close your eyes."

As soon as Veyra closed her eyes, I allowed light power to spread around the office.

How much magic I have to spend depends on many factors: the stability and duration of the curse, the personal power of the one who curses, the forces of Veyra herself, her ability to resist negative energy. Fortunately, you do not need to count all this yourself.

The original bright magic "knew" everything and helped to understand what power the blessing needed and what return awaits me.

Good. A good return is waiting for me. I clenched my teeth, finishing the analysis.

"Well?" asked Veyra, opening her eyes—she felt that the bright energy returned to me.

"You and Aldric made a very profitable deal," I remarked, grinning crookedly. "Just a visit to the library for such a blessing…"

Veyra, contrary to my expectations, did not object.

"What do you want? The transaction is indeed not the most honest. Money? Artifacts? Apparently nothing of this."

Well, yes, it is not difficult to read on my face.

"I have this good in abundance," I answered, without clarifying that I didn't really need artifacts with my strength.

"Then… what about a debt? We, the guild of thieves, will be in debt to you, a bright healer, Lysandra?" Veyra suggested.

"I agree," I did not hesitate for a second.

The possibilities of the guild of thieves are such that this proposal is comparable to obtaining a second life! And I, you see, am not immortal to refuse this.

"Magic is a witness to us," Veyra confirmed, snapped her fingers, and the magic of silence, which did not allow anyone to eavesdrop on us, disappeared. "Well, Aldric, you can enter. You wanted to attend when Lysandra will bless me."

The door swung open at the same second—was he really guarding it?

"How do you guard the true dragon?" Veyra grinned.

Bold woman.