The Wilder (The Trouble with Magic Book 1) (19 page)

Catching sight of Pedar and his brother shrugging into long, leather ridingotes in the wide entrance porch, he ambled over to them. “Hi. Pedar, Jonas.”

Pedar straightened his collar, looked at his brother, then at Karryl, and they both grinned. “Just in time. If you’re going our way you can tell us all about your conquest. We saw you dancing with her. I think you’ve made an impression there.”

Karryl shrugged. “There’s not much to tell really. Where do you live? “

Pedar and Jonas pointed together towards the left of the courtyard. “We go that way out, through a little side gate. Our house is about a mile down the hill. What about you?”

Disappointed, Karryl shook his head. “That’s a pity. I’m going the other way. Anyway, I’m glad we met.”

The twins nodded, and Karryl gave a little chuckle. “I hope we don’t have to wait for the next Apprentices’ party before we meet again. I’ll look out for you in town.”

“Same here. We’ll look out for silent people, or clouds of floating engineers. We’ll know then that you’re about somewhere!”

With a laugh and a wave they turned away, and Karryl watched them until they reached the end of the building. They looked back and gave him another wave before disappearing round the corner.

Thrusting his hands into his pockets Karryl half-heartedly replied to one or two last shouts of “Goodnight!”. As he turned and headed in the opposite direction, a large snowflake drifted slowly and softly down, to settle on the very spot on his cheek which Aenys had kissed. With a wistful smile he turned his face up to the steadily increasing snowfall. Holding his hands out to feel the soft chill on his palms, he stood for a few moments listening as the distant voices of those last to leave the party carried across to him on the still night air. Shaking the snow-melt from his hands, he stuffed them in his pockets, turned away from the sounds, and started ambling homewards.

Lost in thought, Karryl hardly noticed the little lane along which he was walking. With a start, he realised he was on the path which came out in the glade at the rear of Symon’s tower.

Bewildered, he looked about him.”This isn’t where I’m supposed to be! Now I’m going to be late home. How did I end up here?”

Realising he had spoken out loud, he looked about him once again, then peered through the snow-dusted branches of the trees. From where he was standing he could just see the top of the tower and one small window. No light showed, but that was something he could understand. Symon was still in temporary residence at the palace, and was probably still at the Great Hall or visiting with King Vailin. What Karryl couldn’t understand was how he had found his way here in the first place. The only way to this little glade was along Symon’s secret route, and as Karryl now knew, that route was magically guarded to prevent anyone from wandering along it accidentally. He didn’t even remember finding the path to begin with. Baffled and bemused, he carried on towards the tower until he spotted the narrow pathway which followed round the base of the tower to the front door. Trotting along the path, he was about to turn the corner and approach the door, when he felt a now familiar prickling sensation in his hands and arms. Rather alarmingly, his scalp also began to tingle, and he could hear a faint humming sound.

He stopped and looked around. “Master Symon? Is that you?”

His call went unanswered. Tiptoeing cautiously round the base of the wall, he moved forward until he could see the little porch which sheltered the door, then stopped once more and looked about him. Snow was still falling, though not so heavily, and its reflective whiteness clearly revealed everything around. From where he stood he could see the vague snow-filled outline of the path which would take him past the huge oak tree to the parade ground. Uncertain whether to find the key and let himself into the tower, or to start making his long way home through the streets of the city, he called out once more. “Master Symon? Are you here?”

The magician’s calm mellow voice came from behind him. “Indeed I am, and it would seem that my arrival is most opportune.”

Karryl spun round, his explosive sigh of relief forming a small cloud in front of his chilled face. “It was you! I don’t even know what I’m doing here! I suddenly found myself in the glade, and then I felt the touch of magic on my skin, and my head prickled and my ears hummed and…”

Symon frowned and held up his hand. “Wait! A little more sense and a little less hysteria if you please. I am well aware of what you felt. I felt the same things myself. However, I have the advantage. I am fairly certain I know the reason. It is just rather unfortunate that it should have chosen tonight of all nights.”

Karryl scratched his head as he stared open-mouthed at his mentor.

Symon frowned. “Close your mouth Karryl. I have not lost my wits. Take a few deep breaths and clear your mind. Your relaxation technique would be most appropriate at this time. While you are doing that I will have a message sent to your family, then we will venture inside. Hopefully everything will then become clear.”

He turned sharply and scurried round the side of the tower, his small feet sending up little puffs of powdery snow. Karryl craned his neck to watch Symon’s progress along the side of the tower, hoping to see who or where this messenger might be, but the magician rounded the angle of the wall and disappeared from Karryl’s line of vision.

Karryl had just finished the mental exercises which would enable him to think clearly and remain relaxed, when Symon returned. “A message will be sent to your home shortly. Now if you are ready, we will go inside.”

Pleased to discover the humming in his ears and the prickling in his scalp, although still present, were significantly reduced, Karryl placed a restraining hand on Symon’s arm. “Before we go in, can you tell me how I got here? I seem to have come along the secret path, but you never showed me how to use it, and I had every intention of going home anyway. So what am I doing here?”

Symon cocked his head on one side and looked thoughtfully at Karryl, as if deciding on a suitable answer. “You were brought here, as was I. Now I am hoping that something about which I have had my suspicions for some time, will be confirmed. If I am right then there is nothing to fear. Now, no more questions. Be guided by me, and we shall see what we shall see.”

As Karryl was letting the cryptic remark sink in, to his surprise Symon retrieved the door-key from under its flowerpot and opened the door.

He anticipated Karryl’s question as he pushed inside.”Our magic will not have any effect here for a while. Greater powers than mine are at work. Leave the door open, so we can see by the snow-light. We must find candles to light our way upstairs.”

On the far side of the small cold room which accommodated the foot of the stairs, Symon reached up to a shelf and took down a cloth wrapped bundle, then patted along the shelf with his hand. With a satisfied “Aaah.” he took down a small wooden box. Returning to the comparative brightness of the open doorway, he handed the bundle to Karryl who unwrapped it while Symon opened the palm-sized box. Inside were stone, flint and tinder. With a practised hand he struck a small flame into life and touched it to the cotton wicks of two of the candles which Karryl had unwrapped. Leaving him to hold the lighted candles, Symon returned the tinderbox.

Choosing two candlesticks from a jumbled assortment perched on the end of the shelf, he firmly pushed the lighted candles into them. “There. That will stop them dripping over our hands . Now, if you will close the door…”

The pair hurried up the first flight of stairs. Symon stopped on the landing in the dog-leg, and looked up to the door to his rooms, his head on one side as if listening.

Karryl stopped beside him. “Did you know your hair’s standing on end?”

Symon gave him a wry smile. “You mean more so than usual? Anyway, so’s yours for that matter. Now, let us go and discover the reason why. I never thought in all my seven hundred years that I would live to see this come to pass.”

Karryl nearly dropped his candle. “Seven hun…what? Do you, I mean, are you really …?”

He stumbled up the stairs behind the magician, trying to phrase a coherent question while coming to grips with this newly acquired piece of knowledge. Symon pressed the thumb-latch and slowly pushed the door open. With his candlestick raised high in the air, he took a couple of steps into the room, Karryl close on his heels. The room was not in total darkness. A soft purplish blue glow bathed a small area on the right of the room, just past the kitchen door. Pulsing slowly and rhythmically, it seemed in unison with some great beating heart. In his eagerness Symon almost ran across the room to hurriedly place his candlestick on the table. Taking a few steps further, he looked up to the apparent source of the light, his hands together in front of his face as if in prayer. Seemingly transfixed, he stood for a few moments, the glow lending an unearthly radiance to his small round face.

Turning only his head, he beckoned to Karryl. “Come in Karryl. There is nothing to fear. After all, this is all for you.”

Still standing in the doorway, his expression that of one who is seriously anticipating flight, Karryl gave an involuntary little shudder. Hesitant and not a little baffled, the magician’s apprentice tiptoed across the room. Having placed his candlestick beside Symon’s, he moved with some trepidation to stand behind him, as if seeking any scant protection his diminutive master might provide. “What do you mean, it’s all for me? What
is
that?”

Symon gave no reply. Instead, he reached up into the heart of the amethyst hued light. Slowly pulling open the double doors of a small cupboard hanging on nothing, he pushed them wide. The tingling in Karryl’s scalp and the humming in his ears increased in intensity, though not unpleasantly so. As if in response to some given signal, the light ceased its rhythmic pulsing, coalescing into a single shimmering globe of deep rich purple, which confined itself to the deep recess of the cupboard. Within its depths, magician and apprentice could just make out a dark, vaguely rectangular shape. The humming in their ears gradually ceased, rigid hairs drifted back into their approximate place, and the globe of deep purple light diminished until it barely illuminated the shadowed object .

Karryl peered in. “That’s the bag that I found in the old house! I didn’t imagine it was going to do anything like that. What do we do now?”

Symon raised an eyebrow and gave his apprentice a knowing smile. “Now we get a nice fire going, light the lamps, and have a cup of tea. Then we can investigate further. Or rather, you can investigate while I observe. Whatever power lies within there, it has acknowledged your presence and will wait until you are ready.” Patting his palms together in undisguised enthusiasm, he headed for the tiny kitchen. “I’m quite looking forward to this. Oh yes!”

Karryl turned, just in time to see a grey fluffy tail preceding his master through the kitchen door.

Symon emerged from the kitchen with plates of sandwiches and large mugs of aromatic herbal tea, to find Karryl had the lamps lit and a good fire blazing in the hearth.

Placing sandwiches and mugs on the table, Symon looked askance at the merrily dancing flames. “That’s a nice fire.”

“Yes. I cheated. The magic’s working again now. The fire was by way of an experiment.”

They both turned at the sound of voices and the rapid tread of feet on the wooden stairs. Before either of them could query the possible identity of their visitors, Mordas and Kimi had appeared in the doorway. Throwing back the hood of her cloak, the tall physician-mage stamped the last remaining vestiges of snow from her boots then strode into the room.

She stared at Symon who was slowly rocking back and forth on his heels, his hands folded with forefingers held pensively against his mouth. “So-o-o. She has sent for you too. That is indeed a surprise, but you are most welcome. I will make some more tea.”

Smiling to himself, he went back into the kitchen, leaving Karryl with their unexpected guests.

Mordas reached out to take both Karryl’s hands between her own. “It is good to see you again Karryl. I am so pleased you’ve made such a complete recovery. Symon has told me how well you are progressing.”

“Ah. Thank you.”

He glanced round the side of her arm, to where Kimi, clad in shirt and trousers of a soft dark brown leather, was standing looking hard at him from the centre of the room.

Giving the tattooed hill ranger a brief nod, Karryl looked earnestly into Mordas’ stunning green eyes. “Do you know what’s going on? Is that why you’re here? Whatever it is, I think you’ve missed the exciting part.”

Letting go of his hands, Mordas removed her cloak, draped it over the back of a chair and sat down. “Then perhaps you can tell us about it. To be quite honest, we’re not quite sure why we were sent for either. We simply received a message to come to the tower as soon as we could.” Glancing at Kimi, she raised her eyebrows. “I didn’t even have to go and find Kimi, which is surprising. He was already waiting for me at the entrance to my apartment.”

Karryl seated himself beside the Physician-Mage. “What I don’t understand is, who is this mysterious messenger that always seems to be available but I never see?”

The wiry tattooed hill ranger had moved to stand behind Mordas’ chair, and the two of them looked at Symon who had just emerged from the kitchen with the refilled teapot.

After placing it carefully on the table, the magician sat down, the vestige of a smile twitching the corner of his mouth. “I’m surprised you haven’t figured that out already. After all, you have met her on more than one occasion. However, the time has come to reveal our little deception, as I think matters are about to be taken out of our hands, to a certain extent. It will be better I’m sure, if you are cognisant of all the facts.”

As he finished speaking, the door of the kitchen opened and Karryl jumped to his feet when he saw who was standing there. “Detelia! Master Symon, this is the lady I was telling you about, who gave me the silver pendant on my birthday!”

The fair-haired young woman moved forward into the room, and Karryl looked about and frowned. “I didn’t see you come in. Were you here when we arrived?”

Detelia gave a little chuckle. “In a manner of speaking I was.” Stepping up to the table, she placed her hand lightly on Symon’s shoulder. “Perhaps, dear Symon, you would be so kind as to formally introduce me. Then I believe these good people deserve some explanations, which I will endeavour to provide.”

Symon nodded and stood up, his grey eyes sparkling. “This may come as rather a shock to you all, but I ask you not to be alarmed. It gives me great pleasure, and an inestimable amount of relief, to at long last introduce her glorious divinity, the goddess D’ta. You are no doubt more accustomed to seeing her as a large, fluffy grey cat.”

Responses were mixed. Kimi had dropped to one knee, his hands crossed on his chest, and was staring fixedly at a spot on the floor. Mordas was now standing, her head bowed, hands clasped in an attitude of prayer. Karryl, already on his feet, did none of these.

He first looked at Mordas and Kimi, then with a wide grin of delight on his face, stuck out his hand towards the young woman he had first known as Detelia. “I’m very pleased to meet you…again.”

D’ta took his outstretched hand in both of her slender ones and gave him a warm smile. “Somehow I didn’t expect
you
to be overwhelmed.”

She looked across to Mordas and Kimi. “Please, I sense your fear and your regret at not having paid more attention to me, but you were not to know. In this place and time I hope you will treat me as simply a friend and colleague with important work to do. All I ask is that you will assist me in this to the best of your ability, and treat me as you would any other friend. However, if at any time you should feel an irrepressible desire to worship me, I have a delightful little temple just off the Great Market. I would be happy to meet you there. Until then we have things to do, but I’m sure that it can wait a few moments longer while we have a nice refreshing cup of tea. Shall we all sit down?”

* * *

Karryl looked dubious as he peered into the cupboard. “You want me to take the bag out?”

Symon placed a reassuring hand on his apprentice’s arm. “I doubt whether any other of us would be allowed to at this stage. Mordas and I have removed the wards which we placed on it, and I have been assured that this task is yours, and yours alone.”

“Well, if you say so, but if it makes me feel sick again, I’m having nothing more to do with it.”

Detelia’s voice was firm. “Take the bag out, Karryl. It will not make you feel sick. You are the one who found the bag at the cottage, and you are meant to do this.” She smiled and her tone softened. “At the risk of seeming overly dramatic, if you don’t do this now, the lives of thousands of people, and the world as you know it, could be at risk.”

Karryl looked at the four of them in turn, then grinned. “Well then, why didn’t you say so?”

Symon threw his hands up in mock despair. “Can’t this boy take anything seriously?”

Mordas and Detelia chuckled together. “He’ll have plenty of time to be serious later.” said Mordas.

“To be honest, I find his irreverence somewhat refreshing.” replied D’ta.

They lapsed into a breath-holding silence as Karryl reached up into the little cupboard. His fingers entered the narrow, pale blue nimbus which still surrounded the bag, and he felt the now familiar prickling on his skin. This time it seemed stronger. Undeterred, he grasped the bag firmly in both hands, lifted it down and carried it slowly to the table. He placed it on the polished wooden surface, the blue glow gradually diminishing, before disappearing entirely, leaving the small company looking at a very ordinary, plain brown leather bag.

Karryl gave it a gentle prod. “Shall I open it?”

Symon sighed “Please do!” his long-suffering expression even coaxing a tiny smile from the normally unsmiling Kimi.

Karryl’s long fingers quickly teased apart the knot in the leather draw-string. Pulling open the neck of the bag, he peered inside. “It’s a book!”

The others leaned forward for a closer look, as Karryl slid his hand inside the bag and took out the book, placing it on the table beside the bag. It was a thick, blocky sort of volume, the almost square pages bound in some kind of soft black leather.

Karryl ran his fingers over the crinkled surface. “Is this calf-skin?”

Bending closer, Symon peered at it while he fumbled in the deep pocket of his robe. He drew out a small lens on a long brass handle, and held it for a few moments over a small area of the book’s cover.

Then he stood bolt upright, his eyes wide with astonishment. “Good grief !”

Kimi also leaned closer, risking a tentative stroke of his finger over the black cover of the book, before standing back. His dark eyes locked on Symon’s grey ones.

Magician and ranger spoke as one. “Grelfon skin?”

Karryl’s face screwed up in perplexity. “Doesn’t that make this very old?”

Symon nodded, and steepled his fingers under his chin. “It does indeed. And if you are what I have suspected for some time, then you should be able to read what is contained within it.” The magician patted his palms together, a flush of suppressed excitement diffusing his round face. “To think that this would occur in my lifetime! Open the book Karryl! We’ll discuss its provenance later.”

Karryl made to pick up the book, then deciding against it, took a step back and frowned at Symon. “What do you mean, ‘if I am what you have suspected’? Has this got something to do with that book I saw in the Museum, with the drawings in it, about the archaeological dig in the ancient city?”

“It does indeed, and a lot more besides. I was always of the opinion that there was more to it than just an ancient legend. So, if you would like to make yourselves comfortable, I will relate it to you.”

Symon seated himself at the end of the table. Detelia and Karryl sat side by side to his left, and Mordas and Kimi sat to his right.

Resting his elbows on the table and steepling his fingers, Symon began. “As you all well know, the foundations of this fair city of Vellethen are quite ancient, although in historical terms the city itself is of far more modern construction. It is said that most of the old city was razed to the ground in a massive conflagration, the result of a great magical war almost a thousand years ago. The details have now passed into the realms of legend.”

Karryl’s eyes widened as a thought struck him. “Was that when there were Grelfons still alive?”

Kimi made a sharp hissing noise through his teeth, and Detelia’s lips moved silently, while Mordas gave Karryl a dark look of disapproval.

He raised his hands, perplexed. “What did I say?”

Symon flicked a dismissive finger, and gave Mordas and Kimi a withering glance. “It is of no matter now. May I continue?” Looking a little shamefaced, the others nodded.

The little magician stood up and began slowly pacing the room. “According to the legend, there was a great book written by an extremely wise, accomplished and powerful mage, who was accorded the title Mage-Prime. Not only was he a witness to the war, it is said that only when he was forced to bring his full strength and skill to bear, was the war, which had raged for many long days, brought to a conclusion.

“The Mage-Prime is believed to have been the only surviving magician of the dozens who originally participated. When peace was restored, he is said to have written a great book. This book is purported to contain an eye-witness account, along with details of many of the powerful and complex spells he employed. It was also said to be magical, protected by powerful wardings, and could only be located and read by another Mage-Prime.

“However, during the hundreds of years that have passed since the war ended, none has ever appeared. Consequently, the Mage-Prime, both past and future, has also become a creature of legend.”

Karryl reached out and wistfully ran a finger over the cover of the book. “Well, this isn’t it then, is it?”

Symon inclined his head. “What makes you say that?”

“Well, there’s no Mage-Primes here, are there? So, it stands to reason that this can’t be the great book of the legend because I…unless…” His face paled and he looked suddenly stricken. “You’re not thinking it’s me, are you? It can’t be! I’m not old enough. I don’t have the kind of knowledge and power that someone like that would have!”

From under his eyebrows Symon looked hard at his slightly hysterical apprentice. “That remains to be seen. However, I firmly believe that you are destined to be the legendary second Mage-Prime, and that some power has chosen you, and given you time to prepare for your task.”

Karryl gulped. “What task?”

Symon tapped the side of his nose. “That also remains to be seen.”

Karryl was about to protest further, when Detelia placed her slender hand gently on his arm. “I know what you are thinking Karryl, and I appreciate how you must be feeling at this moment, but everything Symon has said is essentially true. That is why you have been called here. It is now our task to assist you in every way we can. We were brought together for the first time by your apparent accident, and…”

“Apparent? It
was
an accident! I lost my footing on that stepping stone! “

Detelia smiled, and looked in turn at Symon, Mordas and Kimi, who each gave an almost imperceptible nod before she continued. “I am not at liberty to disclose the reason behind it, but some power beyond your comprehension has decided that you are destined to be the long awaited Mage-Prime. Now the time has come to take the first steps towards the fulfilment of this particular legend, and the task that lies before you.”

Karryl’s brow furrowed as he stuck his hands into his hair. “Oh Gods!”

Detelia gave him an old-fashioned look. “Well,
I’m
still here. Will I do?”

Karryl looked baffled and removed his hands from his hair. “What? Oh! Yes, I see what you mean. Sorry, I didn’t think.”

Symon cleared his throat. “Well, you can have all the thinking time you need later, but I’m sure that if you’ll listen to the rest of the story, it will help you to think more clearly and objectively. It will also help to refresh everyone else’s minds, mine included.”