A Slave to Magic (11 page)

“Because you came uninvited to my home,” the beast
replied. “Normally those types become my dinner.”

Kwil took that as his cue to leave. Obviously he
had worn out his welcome. Keeping his reflective shield at the ready, he backed
away from the monster, heading for the exit. Stepping out into the light, he
broke into a run for fear the monster might pursue.

“M
agnificent!”
Rili exclaimed, holding the claw up to the light. “Simply magnificent.” Strands
of blue magic pulsated through the claw as the master wizard tested its purity.
Kwil had retrieved the finest specimen he’d ever seen. It would serve many
purposes in the wizard’s experiments.

“But how did you
manage it?” Nera asked, thankful to see her friend alive.

“It was the rock
formation,” Kwil replied. “I was drawn to it.”

“As I knew you
would be,” Rili said with a smirk. “Come, there is much to learn.”

Satisfied that Rili
hadn’t intended for Kwil to be killed, Nera followed the two of them as they
headed for the library. Stacks upon stacks of bookshelves lined the walls and
filled the room, leaving barely enough space to squeeze between them and find
what one was looking for. Rili quickly climbed a ladder and searched out
several volumes, which he dropped for Kwil to catch. Only when the young man’s
arms were well laden did Rili cease and climb down.

“This will get you
started,” he said, grabbing one last book. Heading for the attached study area,
he paused and asked, “You can read the runes, right?”

“Yes, Master,” Kwil
replied.

“Good,” Rili said.
“It will save us some time.”

Eager to begin his
lessons, Kwil took a seat and laid the books on the table before him. Rubbing
his hand over their covers, he inhaled deeply, basking in the scent of the
aging pages. Euphoric, he realized that this was the true beginning of his
studies as a wizard. With proper training, he felt sure that one day he would
become a master of the arcane. Opening his eyes, he looked upon his master. “I
can’t thank you enough for this opportunity,” he said. “This means everything
to me.”

Standing above his
student, Rili crossed his arms. “You speak eloquently for a slave,” he said
with a frown.

“My former mistress
insisted on it,” Kwil replied. “She’s the one who taught me to read.”

Still frowning,
Rili replied, “That will serve you well in life, but while you’re here you must
pose as a slave. At least when someone comes to visit.” Though Rili would have
preferred to send Kwil away to a land inhabited by humans, he knew the boy
might have difficulties finding a teacher. After all, he was of low birth—the
same as Rili himself. “The punishment for training you would be severe,” he
added. “I’m sure you realize this.”

Kwil nodded.

“What of your
servants?” Nera asked, concerned that one of them might be willing to turn Kwil
in.

With a dismissive
wave of his hand, Rili said, “My two servants are sympathetic to the cause. I
have entrusted them with my life, and you can as well.”

Nera was satisfied
with Rili’s answer. The rumors she had heard about him were true. Master Rili
was one of the few Gatans out there willing to help slaves escape to freedom.
He was likely the only person in a thousand miles who would be willing to help
Kwil learn magic. She smiled to herself, her heart full of hope for her friend.
He had earned his place as an apprentice, and now he would live his dream.

As Kwil and Rili
settled in for what appeared to be a long lesson, Nera decided to make herself
useful. Since she’d be taking advantage of Rili’s generosity, the least she
could do was tend to a few chores around the house. With no talent for laundry
or gardening, she decided she could help most by running errands in the nearby
town. Though its citizens had proved themselves cruel and heartless in their
treatment of Kwil, Nera would have to deal with them. It was the closest town
to obtain supplies, the next being more than fifty miles away.

“Can I fetch you
anything from town?” she asked, not bothering to wait for a break in their
conversation. She knew they would likely be discussing magic until sunset, and
it would be too late for her to travel.

“Yes, yes,” Rili
said, annoyed by the interruption. From the pocket of his robe, he produced a
small bit of parchment. “These are the things I’ll be needing.” He handed the
list to Nera without looking at her.

Nera’s eyes scanned
the list. She recognized most of the items and assumed the town’s apothecary
would know the rest. “Do you have a horse I could borrow?”

“Only one of them
takes a saddle,” he replied. “The black one.” He flipped through the pages of an
old tome, anxiously pointing to a passage he wished to share with his student.

Silently exiting
the room, Nera felt a sense of relief. She had no desire to sit around all day
listening to them discuss magic. Instead, she would spend an hour or two in town
before returning home to work on her music. She would surprise Kwil with a song
of his triumph against the cockatrice. Humming to herself, she strolled toward
the stable.

Nera smiled at the
sight of the black horse, its mouth shoved full of alfalfa. “Snack time’s
over,” she said, rubbing her hand along the horse’s neck. Reaching for the
saddle that hung on a nearby post, she positioned it onto the horse’s back.
Luckily, Master Rili was not a large man. His stallion was a perfect size for
Nera to ride.

Climbing into the
saddle, she nudged the horse forward. His gait was smooth and easy, giving Nera
the opportunity to enjoy the countryside rather than hanging on for her life.
She didn’t have a lot of experience with horses, her father having declared it unladylike,
but she had a love of all creatures and found horses to be quite beautiful.
They served her kind in return for food and affection. From what she’d seen,
most horses were treated far better than human slaves.

Banishing the
negativity from her mind, Nera pressed forward. If she couldn’t let go of her
resentment of the townspeople, she would have trouble dealing with them on
Rili’s behalf. She didn’t have to like them, but she had to be civil, even
though she would have preferred to take revenge on those who had wronged her
friend. But Kwil would not want that, and Nera was trying her best to put her
own feelings aside.

Thanks to the quick
stride of the stallion, Nera arrived in the town much faster than she expected.
Apparently she and Kwil had been more lost than she realized when looking for
Rili’s home. The path was easy to follow, and it was less than an hour’s
journey by horse.

Stopping first
outside the bookseller, she tethered the horse near a trough. With a whinny, he
bid her not to take too long, which brought a smile to the girl’s face.
Stepping inside she was nearly overwhelmed by the scent of books. Unlike her
friend, she did not enjoy the smell. To her it was the odor of dust and mold.

The elderly Gatan
behind the counter peered at her over his spectacles. “Yes?” he asked.

“I’m here to
retrieve Master Rili’s special order,” Nera said.

“Ah,” the man
replied, rising from his seat. He fiddled for several moments with something
beneath the counter before producing a bundle of books. “Here they are,” he
said.

“Thank you,” she
replied, taking the bundle. It was heavier than it looked. Returning outside,
she tied the bundle to the horse, which snorted. “I don’t know either,” she
said to the horse. “What could he possibly need with more books?” Laughing, she
looked around to see if anyone had noticed her speaking to the animal. One
woman was staring at her from across the path, but Nera didn’t mind. She
flashed a smile and continued about her business, while the woman shook her
head.

Entering the apothecary’s
shop, she was immediately taken in by his selection of lute strings. At home
she had been lucky to find three varieties. This shop carried seven—each with
their own unique set of musical properties. She wondered how the strings would
feel under her fingers and which would produce the purest tones. Choosing
strings was a personal matter, and many well-known lute players would travel
long distances to find their perfect match.

“Do you play?” a
voice asked.

Jumping at the
sound of his voice, Nera pressed her hand to her heart.

“I didn’t mean to
startle you, Miss,” the man said, smiling. He was a tall Gatan with a brown
pelt and long white whiskers.

“Yes, I do play,”
Nera replied. “You have quite a selection of strings here. I wasn’t expecting
that.”

The man laughed. “I
wanted to be a luthier when I was young, but alas I had no talent for
woodwork.” Opening the case, he added, “Thankfully, I’m quite good at
fashioning the strings.” Retrieving a set of strings, he stretched out one and
extended it toward Nera. “Feel,” he said.

Nera pressed the
string between her fingers. It was soft but strong, and she could already hear
it singing to her. Her eyes sparkling with wonder, she said, “I’d love to try
them.”

“These strings will
take your music to new heights,” the apothecary promised. Disappearing into a
back room, the Gatan soon returned with a lute. “Mind you, these will sound
different on your particular instrument,” he said.

With a smile, Nera
took the lute from him and began to play. Her fingers flew over the strings as
she strummed a cheerful melody. Pausing a moment, she said, “These are
wonderful!” They felt like velvet beneath her fingertips, and her heart yearned
to try them on her own lute. “How much do they cost?” she dared to ask. Though
she had some money, she wasn’t sure how she would obtain more. She had planned
only for emergencies, not luxury items.

“For a pretty girl
like you?” the man replied. “Five silver.” He grinned, his white teeth
glistening.

Nera bit her bottom
lip as she tried to rationalize the expensive purchase. The strings she was
currently using were in fine condition, and there was no need to change them.
But they were student quality, not at all like the ones the apothecary crafted.
Knowing she would probably regret spending so much, she nodded. “I’ll take
them.”

“Splendid,” the man
replied.

“Oh, and these
items on Master Rili’s account,” she said, producing the list form her pocket.

The apothecary took
the list and busied himself preparing Rili’s order. Meanwhile, Nera continued
to strum at the lute, her heart swelling with musical joy. She wasn’t sure how
much time had passed when the man finally handed her a box full of pouches and
bottles. Wrapping the strings in brown paper, he placed them on top of the box.

“You’re all set,”
he said.

Fishing out five
silver pieces, she handed them to the apothecary. “Thank you,” she said.

“Enjoy the
strings,” he replied as she stepped out the door.

Eager to return to
the manor and restring her lute, Nera rushed to the stallion and secured the box
behind her saddle. The horse licked her hand as she untethered him and prepared
to climb aboard. A flash of green and yellow caught her eye, and she halted in
her motion to see a familiar sight. The Orva family colors and crest stood out
among the townspeople, and she froze on the spot. What could her father’s men
be doing here? Luckily they had not seen her, and she felt a strong urge to flee.
Hopping into the saddle, she nudged the horse forward, prompting him to a run.

Once she could no
longer see the town behind her, she slowed the horse to a walk, giving herself
time to think.
Father must have business in this town,
she thought. But
all his business ventures of which she was aware were far to the south, not
here. Her hands trembled slightly as she gripped the reins, wondering if he
might have sent his guards looking for her.

Arriving at the
manor, she stabled the horse and removed its saddle. Kwil and Rili were still
chatting away in the study, so she set the items she’d retrieved on a table and
silently walked away. There was no need to worry them until she was certain
there was trouble. For now, she decided to take her mind off the situation by
restringing her lute.

Though the strings
held magic for her, she still found her mind wandering as she tightened them
onto her instrument. What would her father do if he found her? The thought sent
a shiver through her body. Her hasty departure from the College would bring
shame on their house, and Lord Orva cared more for his pride than his child. He
would probably be angrier than she’d ever seen him.

Strumming at the
strings, she closed her eyes and immersed herself in the melody. In music there
was peace, and her cares dropped away, allowing the melody to take control of
her thoughts. The new strings gave her lute a softer tone, and her fingers
moved over the strings with ease. She played on till sunset, never stopping for
more than a minute.

A heavy knock at
the door dragged her back to reality. Her heart pounding, she knew who must be
calling. Setting her lute aside, she slowly rose to her feet and crept toward
the rear of the manor. Rili crossed her as he headed for the front door, but he
took no notice of her behavior.

“Open up!” a gruff male
voice demanded.

“Yes, yes,” Rili
said, his hand reaching for the latch. As he opened the door, he stared into
the face of a large Gatan wearing a yellow and green tunic. “What can I do for
you?” he asked, annoyed by the interruption.

“I have reason to
believe Lady Nera is staying here,” the man said. “Some merchants in town had
dealings with her today.”