Read Wizard Dawning (The Battle Wizard Saga, No. 1) for Free Online Page A

already dressed, shaved, and combed. "Yesterday gave you a lot to absorb at once, but today is a new day. There's work to do."
    Fetching Sig's robe from a hook by the door, he tossed it to him. "Breakfast will be ready by the time you get downstairs. After yesterday, you should be hungry." He gestured with his thumb over his shoulder. "I'll meet you in the kitchen." Then he turned and left, shutting the door.
    Sig glanced up at the holes and the dented beam in the ceiling. Some called him hardheaded, if they only knew. He shucked off the covers and shambled to the bathroom, tugging on his robe.
    Back in his room, he stood indecisively in the center of the room. What's the proper attire to train as a Battle Wizard? He shrugged and pulled on jeans, a wool sweater over a thermal shirt and his waterproof kangaroo leather boots over thermal socks. Grampa long ago told him to care for his feet. He said he learned it in the war, but didn't say which war. Sig regretted that he never asked.
    He realized he was famished. It felt like he hadn't eaten in days. Hopefully, there would be mass quantities of breakfast.
    Grampa stood facing the stove when Sig strolled into the kitchen. There were two frying pans where sausage, bacon, and hash brown potatoes sizzled while he poured pancake batter onto the griddle. A stack of pancakes sat on a plate. Grampa glanced over his shoulder and waved a spatula over the food, "Help yourself."
    Sig filled his plate and dug in. By the third plate, he decided he could make it through the day. Grampa watched the process indulgently while he prepared food for Sig's Mom. "You'll find that you'll eat more when you change shape, although for you, it may not be noticeable."
    Sig nodded and mumbled an unintelligible while he shoveled food in.
    Meredith entered the kitchen and observed the activity with surprise.
    Grampa waved at the food he had prepared. "Good morning. Sig and I already ate. I cooked up some fresh for you."
    She smiled. "This is very nice. It's not often I get to eat someone else's cooking." After she had a few bites, she looked up with a smile. "Wonderful, I could get used to this. How long are you staying?"
    Grampa chuckled. "You deserve to be waited on, but I'll be busy with Sig for a while. I'll see if I can handle breakfast while I'm here."
    Meredith looked apprehensive. "Is training dangerous?"
    He shook his head. "Meredith, he's already been in training with his martial arts, riding, football, and basketball. It's no more dangerous than that."
    Sig watched their exchange while he mopped up the eggs on his plate with his last bite of pancake. Grampa turned to him. "Are you ready?"
    Sig startled out of his bystander role. "Yes sir. Ready when you are."
    "Since we want to stay out of sight of prying eyes, let's head to the covered riding arena."
    †††
     
    Grampa Thor spent an hour and a half with Sig, trying out various magics. He brought a number of items to the arena; a pan of water in which he could view distant scenes—Sig could see the bottom of the pan. Grampa's magic made unlit candles burst into flame—when Sig tried, he felt like his head would burst. Crystals that Thor used to sense magical flows and heal wounds were only clear lumps of rock to Sig. He couldn't work dowsing wands, read cards, or affect various potions and amulets.
    Grampa demonstrated and Sig failed. Grampa talked him through each spell several times. Nothing worked. Grampa Thor watched him carefully.
    Finally, Thor threw his hands in the air. "I see changes in your aura whenever you try. Lots of churning, then sparks, but nothing happens. It's as if your magic shorts out. That's the best way I can describe what I see."
    Sig's frustration and disappointment grew as failures piled up. "I guess those tests were right. I don't have any magic."
    Grampa Thor snorted. "OK, let's try a change to dispel that ridiculous notion. You have the amulet don't you?"
    Sig reached into his shirt and pulled it free. He let it