Adventurers Wanted, Book 4: Sands of Nezza (21 page)

Tom looked up for the first time since he’d begun to speak, a wide smile on his face. Virgil, Skeld, and Dain were all smiling as well.

“Another moment, if you please,” said Alex, getting to his feet. “If I am to teach Tom the art of healing, I must take his oath now. I would ask you all to be witnesses.”

“As you wish,” Virgil answered for the group.

“Thomas Aquil,” Alex began, holding Tom’s gaze with his own. “You have the gift of healing and desire to be trained. I have agreed to be your first teacher, so I am your finder. As such, my honor will be linked to yours. As your honor grows, so will mine. If you ever use your gift for evil, your honor—and mine—will be diminished. If you diminish my honor, I will call you to account. Do accept this linking of our honors?”

“I accept,” said Tom. “I will do as you teach me to do, and use my gift only for good.”

“Then I ask all here to witness,” Alex said. “Thomas Aquil has accepted the linking of our honors. Will you all witness?”

“We will witness,” four voices answered. Rallian spoke slowly but firmly.

“So be it,” said Alex, holding out his hand toward Tom. “Take my hand in friendship and as a brother healer.”

Tom moved forward and took Alex’s hand, bowing to him as he did so. Alex smiled and returned Tom’s bow.

“Well then, Thomas the healer it shall be,” said Virgil, slapping Tom on the back. “A fine gift for any adventurer to have.”

“And a fine teacher to learn from,” added Skeld, winking at Alex.

“And a lot to learn,” said Tom.

Virgil, Skeld, Dain, and Rallian all took turns congratulating Tom on his newfound gift.

“Tempe said there was something special about him,” Stonebill said in Alex’s ear.

“Not to me she didn’t,” said Alex.

“She knew you would find it when the time was right.”

“Did Tempe tell you things about all of us?” Alex asked, looking at the raven on his shoulder.

“A little about all and more about others,” said Stonebill. “Some things she told me; others I see for myself.”

“Then you can do more than spy out the land and speak to animals?”

“I see things that others do not, as you already know,” said Stonebill. “Tempe would say that I am a seer, but I do not understand what she means by that.”

Alex continued to ride at the back of the group and lead the extra horses behind him. As they started to climb over the mountains, Tom rode beside him but did not ask any questions. Alex was still considering the best way to start teaching Tom about being a healer. He had never thought about teaching anyone before, and the idea was something he had to get used to. He had learned a great deal about healing on a previous adventure, and he thought he might try to teach Tom the same way that he had learned.

When Virgil stopped them for their midday meal, Alex walked a short distance into the woods. He had decided to give Tom one of his own magic books so Tom could study on his own, but first he needed to make sure there was nothing too dangerous in the book. He had also decided that teaching Tom about plants and their use in healing would be a good place to start.

Alex found a familiar plant as he walked and was happy to see it was in bloom. Picking a few of the flowers, he returned to the group with them in his hand. Tom looked at him expectantly.

“Do you know what these are?” Alex asked, handing the flowers to Tom.

“I’ve seen them before,” said Tom, studying the flowers. “In Barkia they are called sun maids, but I do not know if that is their correct name.”

“Sun maids is one name for them, also day stars and midget lilies,” said Alex. “Do you know what they might be good for?”

“Apart from being nice to look at, no,” answered Tom.

“The flowers can be brewed into a tea,” Alex explained. “The tea will relax the mind and give the drinker a feeling of well-being. The leaves and stem of the plant can be chewed to relieve headaches and small pains.”

“And the roots of the plant?” Tom asked.

“The roots can be mixed with other things to make a strong sleeping potion,” said Alex.

“What other things?” Tom asked quickly.

“In time,” said Alex. “For now, study these flowers and the plant they came from. Tonight, I will try to find a book of herb lore for you. I think I have one in my bag that will be useful.”

“You are too kind,” said Tom.

Alex smiled and turned his attention to the food Dain was preparing. Tom wanted to learn, and that was good. Alex hoped there would be time to teach him. Once Virgil and his company reached Lord Talbot with Rallian, their adventure would be over. Alex knew he had to stay and help Rallian win his crown, but what would Virgil and his company do?

Chapter Thirteen

The Castle of Lord Talbot

The days passed slowly as Alex and his friends made their way along the ancient path over the mountains. It took several days longer than Rallian had thought it would, and the need to hurry was pressing on them. The road was bad, and they were slowed because parts of the road were overgrown or covered by landslides. More than once they had to send Stonebill ahead to find the way for them.

Alex continued to teach Tom about the different plants he found in the forest, and Tom remembered everything that Alex told him. Tom was also learning from the book Alex had given him. The two of them would sit up late into the night, Alex answering Tom’s many questions and explaining as much as he could. A few times Alex had to insist that Tom go to sleep because he was afraid that Tom would stay up all night if he let him.

“He learns quickly,” Stonebill said to Alex as they were preparing to ride forward one morning.

“Faster than I expected,” said Alex, saddling his horse.

“As his knowledge grows, so will his power.”

“Do you think that will be a problem?”

“He will want to test himself at the wall,” said Stonebill. “He has a great desire to know more about the shadowlands.”

“I will not take him there until I’m sure he’s ready,” said Alex.

“He already knows the way,” Stonebill warned. “He may not know that he knows, but just the same, he knows.”

“I will be watchful,” Alex promised.

Stonebill flew ahead, but Alex continued to think about the raven’s words. Tom did know how to get to the wall. It would be dangerous if he went there alone, and chances were high he would not return. Until now, Alex had deliberately not discussed the wall or the shadowlands beyond it. Stonebill’s warning, however, made Alex think that he should start talking to Tom about the most dangerous part of being a healer.

As they traveled down the north side of the mountains, the trees of the forest began to change. There were fewer pines and more aspen and birch trees now. Alex noticed the change and knew they were in Lord Talbot’s lands. If Rallian was correct, they should reach Talbot’s castle in ten days or perhaps two weeks.

“Lord Talbot’s castle is very fine,” said Rallian in an excited tone. “His kingdom has had fewer wars than most, and far less damage has been done here.”

“He has an army, doesn’t he?” Virgil asked.

“A large one,” said Rallian. “His army is one of the reasons he’s had so few wars. None of the outer kingdoms, and few of the inner kingdoms, could raise an army to match Talbot’s.”

“Then why has Talbot not claimed the kingdom for himself?” Tom asked.

“Talbot is a noble man and would not make such a claim for himself,” said Rallian. “He knows he is not the true king of Nezza, so he is content to protect what is his and not make war on his neighbors.”

“Then he is wise as well as noble,” said Skeld.

The talk of Lord Talbot ended, but Alex could see Virgil still had questions and doubts. Alex also had questions, but he kept them to himself. Lord Talbot might be as noble as Rallian said he was, but would he be willing to give up his power and see someone else crowned king of Nezza? That was a question that only time could answer.

They rode more quickly once they had left the mountains, and their increased speed made Alex happy. He knew that Lazar would not have been idle during these past few weeks, and he would not be likely to surrender to Rallian no matter what happened. It was more likely that he would launch an all-out war now that Rallian had escaped. Where would he start? Would he challenge Talbot? Perhaps he would begin with some of the smaller kingdoms first, building his own strength as he went.

The most important question Alex had was, what was Magnus doing? Alex didn’t know what Magnus’s plans were, but he was sure they included Rallian. He had kept Rallian as a prisoner instead of killing him. The serpent in the desert had used magic to draw Rallian away but then spared him. Having Rallian alive and well seemed to be important to Magnus, but Alex couldn’t guess why.

Alex was glad he had Tom’s training to take his mind off his worries. Late one afternoon, when the company had camped near a small pond, Alex started teaching Tom how to focus his magic.

“Try using your magic to hold those floating sticks together, like a raft,” Alex instructed.

“I’m not sure how,” said Tom.

“Reach out with your thoughts, and let your mind feel the sticks and the water,” said Alex. “It might help you focus if you hold out your hand like you are actually touching the sticks.”

Tom did as he was told, and after several minutes, the sticks floated together on the smooth water. Tom smiled and let his hand drop. As soon as he stopped concentrating, the sticks drifted apart.

“Keep them together,” said Alex. “You can’t let your magic stop working like that. If you were trying to heal someone, stopping your magic like that might be fatal.”

Tom raised his hand again and pulled the sticks back together. He held them in place on the water, a determined look on his face.

Alex watched for a moment and then tossed a stone into the pond next to Tom’s raft of sticks. The raft came apart instantly, the sticks drifting away in different directions.

“That’s not fair,” Tom complained.

“No, it’s not,” Alex agreed. “Life is not always fair. When you can hold the raft together even when stones fall around it, you will be ready to use your magic to help others.”

Tom accepted what Alex told him and continued to practice with his magic. Learning about plants and how they could be used to heal different sicknesses was easier for Tom than learning to focus his magic was.

“Has anyone ever crossed the wall and returned?” Tom asked.

It was late, and Alex was ending his lesson. Alex had explained how dangerous the wall between life and death was, but he knew that Tom would not truly understand until he stood before the wall in spirit.

“No one that I know of,” Alex answered. “The call of the shadowlands is strong on this side of the wall. On the other side, I doubt that anyone could resist the desire to stay.”

“How close can you get to the wall?” Tom asked, putting away the book Alex had given him.

“The closer you get to the wall, the stronger your desire to cross it becomes,” said Alex. “I have been close, but I would prefer to stay as far away as possible.”

Alex could see that Tom’s desire to go to the wall was increasing as his understanding grew. He knew that soon, much sooner than he would have guessed, he would have to take Tom there. He would go with him the first time to make sure Tom returned, but then what? What troubled Alex most was that to be a true healer of power, Tom would have to go to the wall alone and return without help. It was a dangerous test, but one that all true healers of power had to pass.

As the days went by, the landscape continued to change, and so did the weather. It had been sunny and dry since Alex had come to Nezza, like a long and pleasant springtime. Now the sky was dark with clouds, and heavy rain fell almost every day. The muddy ground slowed their progress, but they continued north and east, counting the days until they would reach Talbot’s castle.

“The rains will continue for the next month or so,” said Rallian, sitting beside the fire one night. “Tomorrow we should start to see towns and villages. The roads will improve, and we will reach Lord Talbot’s castle the next day.”