The Lost Mage (6 page)

Chapter Five

Darakin spent the evening carrying heavy crates of liquor and glasses around. He liked the atmosphere in the bar, its bulky tables and heavy wooden bar stools reminded him of the pubs in his home realm. Other than those powerful magic boxes of miniaturized people, there were few things in the tavern that startled him. It was very late by the time he was done and made his way to the little room in the back of the bar.

He opened the door and looked for Mrowley. The cat lay on the bed and opened one eye at Darakin’s arrival.
You look tired.

Darakin yawned. “I am.” Then he remembered the can of cat food in his pocket. “Oh, I have a present for you!”

For me?
The cat raised himself up, looking pleased.

“Yes.” He pulled the can out of his pocket and held it out for the cat to see.

Cat food? Wow, I haven’t had any of this stuff in a long time.

Darakin stared at the can, trying to figure out how to open it. He noticed a tab on the top and pulled at it. To his pleasure, the edge of the can popped open. He pulled it in the opposite direction and the lid came off. “What an ingenious invention.” He held the lid up, admiring it.

The cat’s head moved back and forth as he followed the can in Darakin’s hand. Darakin noticed and apologized. “Sorry, I forgot, you must be starving.”

Nah … well, yeah actually. I am hungry. After all, it has been weeks since I ate.

“Weeks? You said days a few hours ago. And I’ll remind you again that you had a mouse this morning!” Darakin said in surprise.

Dude, that was like weeks ago.

“It was not weeks … oh, never mind. Here you go.” Darakin put the can down and the cat dug in. “I’ll have to get more tomorrow, now that I know where they sell it.”

He lay down on the bed and was asleep before his head hit the pillow.

He awoke to a paw in the face.
Dude?

“Huh? What … what time is it?”

I don’t know, but I need to use the box.

“What box? What are you talking about?”

It’s just an expression. I have to answer nature’s call.

“Oh! Sorry, I didn’t think of that.”

Well, I need you to work the knob thingy and let me out unless you’d prefer I just used the corner.

“No, no!” Darakin jumped up quickly. “Do you want to stay out then? Or are you coming back in?”

I’ll come back in. I need to keep you warm, remember?

“Oh, that’s right.” Darakin picked up the cat and left the small room. He went through the dark kitchen and opened the back door that led to a small alley where he put the cat down.

Mrowley took a few steps and turned back.
Um, do you mind? Could I have a little privacy?

“Sorry, yes.” Darakin turned to go back inside.

But only for a minute. I’ll be right back to keep you warm.

“Okay, I’ll wait here.”

Darakin leaned against the door to wait until the cat came back. He must have fallen asleep standing up, because he was startled by the feel of the cat’s body rubbing against his legs. He bent over and picked the cat up. He took him back to the small room and put him on the bed. The cat dropped something on the floor.

“What was that?”

Dinner,
Mrowley said as he pounced on it.

“Dinner? But I gave you that can of food.”

Dude, that was days ago.

“No, it was only a few hours!”

Well, a mousie ran by me, it was impossible to resist.

“Mrowley, you can’t bring rodents into a food establishment.”

Don’t worry. I’m gonna eat it.

“Okay, but please don’t leave the carcass around for Sean to find. I’m going to sleep.”

Mrowley finished his mouse and curled up next to Darakin, purring loudly. The mage started to pet the cat, but was soon fast asleep.

Darakin woke up again a few hours later feeling refreshed. He went out to the bar area. Sean greeted him.

“Ah, Darakin. Listen, lad, I’m going to give you your wages for last night and you can have the night off.”

“But I don’t want the night off; I need to work to get some gold … money.”

“I know that, lad, but I’m afraid there’s a rumor going ‘round that the INS will be snooping about, so I’m gonna need you and Nora to make yourselves scarce.”

“Make myself scarce?”

“Yeah, like I said, take the night off. Sorry, but you’ll need to find someplace else to stay tonight, too. I can’t risk having you here. You can check back tomorrow and I’ll tell you if it’s clear.”

Darakin went back to his room to find Mrowley. “We have to leave.”

Story of my life,
said the cat, looking sad.
What did I do wrong this time? Was it the mousie?

“No, it’s not you. It’s only for one night, Sean says.”

Yeah sure. They always say it’s only for a little while.

Darakin picked up the cat and went back to the bar to pick up his pay.

Sean slid an envelope with some money next to a pint glass. “Listen, I called Nora, she has to stay away tonight, too. She’s coming by to take you to her place for the night. Have a stout in the meantime.”

Mrowley crouched low in Sean’s lap, waiting for the inevitable screaming and kicking that always occurred when he was inside a shop. Darakin stroked the trembling cat to reassure him.

After a few minutes, Nora walked in. “Come on then, Darakin. Time for us to disappear.”

“You can do that kind of magic?” He asked in surprise as he fell in step alongside her, carrying Mrowley.

“Magic? No, no. I mean we can’t be in the bar tonight. Sean has to pretend that we don’t work for him.”

“Oh, why?”

“Because the INS is going to be around.”

“Who is the eye en es?”

“You don’t know? INS means Immigration and Naturalization Services. They’re the ones who will send you home if they catch you.”

Darakin stopped short. “Really? They can send me home?”

“Can they? They want to. It’s all they do. Find illegal aliens and send us home.”

“Why did nobody say so? I must go back and find this INS.”

“Why would you want to get sent home?”

“Because I don’t know how to get there myself. They must be powerful wizards indeed, if they can send me home.”

“What on earth are you talking about?”

“Well, those who summoned me couldn’t even send me back, so if these men can, they must be more powerful than the others.”

“Summoned? Darakin, you’re starting to freak me out.”

Dude,
the cat hissed.
Ixnay on the agicmay alktay or she won’t let us go to her place.

“See? You’re freaking your cat out, too. He’s hissing at you.”

“Him? No, he’s … well, actually he is speaking in some strange language right now.”

Not strange, dude, it’s Pig Latin. So she won’t understand me.

“Pig Latin? What’s that? You crazy cat, she can’t understand you anyway.”

“Okay, not only is the cat speaking to you, but he’s speaking Pig Latin? Maybe you should find somewhere else to stay. I don’t need any loonies in my life.”

“Loonies?”

See, she thinks you’re nuts now.

“Crazy people,” Nora clarified.

“I’m not crazy. It’s just that everything is so different here.”

“Oh, I get it, you’re homesick. I get that way, too, but not enough to want to get locked up by the INS.”

“Locked up? I thought you said they’d send me home.”

“Yeah, first they put you in jail and then they put you on a plane.”

“Another plane of existence?” Darakin asked in fear.

“What the hell are you talking about? Plane of existence? No, silly, an airplane. Are you afraid to fly?”

“They could make me fly?” Darakin gulped, thinking that perhaps these were wizards he did not want to meet after all.

“I don’t know, maybe a boat is an option. Look, just come back to my place for awhile. Turning yourself over to the INS is too drastic. I can’t let you do it, even if you are nuts.”

Mrowley relaxed and started to purr in Darakin’s arms as they followed the pretty woman home.

Chapter Six