Battle Mage: Dragon Mage (Tales of Alus) (35 page)

“It’s where all the rich folk who go to the castle stay, the inner city,” he stated pointing towards the far off white wall surrounding the black keep of Hala.

Following the boy’s finger, the wizard frowned thinking that there was still a lot of ground to hide in within the inner ring of the city, but at least if that was where they had been directed then it eliminated the outer ring. As long as the embassy afforded them a place to sleep anyway, then they just needed to find that building to put an end to Cheleya’s running.

“Is that all they asked about?” he questioned one last time looking at the boy who waited on his reward.

After a nod, Malaketh tossed the silver coins to the boy and turned to the gargoyles and asked, “Do you think you will be able to pick them up within the inner city?”

Alk’leyal answered, “We are more likely to find them in the smaller area than out here.” The reply wasn’t any assurance, but simply the truth. Running into the girl in the large outer city was certainly going to be more difficult, especially if she was moving around to try and hide her trail. Only if they found the girl’s inn or common haunts would they be able to find her for now.

On the other hand, those masking her presence could only stay awake to mask it for so long.

A grim smile came to Malaketh’s lips as he began to walk the winding path towards the city’s inner gates.

The hooded man watched Malaketh and his team questioning the boys without being noticed in return. He had spotted them predictably entering the gate they had assumed since it was the easiest path from the wall. When they paused in confusion to try their tracking magic only to have it fail, Elenek had watched them from the building he leaned against. A shopkeeper’s clutter of baskets and crates were enough to keep him from their eyes, though the trackers were hardly looking. They suffered from the flaw of most wizards, relying on their magic to a fault.

When defeated after using their various tricks, he had followed the men and woman to the stable. They had deduced that the others had rid themselves of the horses amidst the danger of the crowds around them. With the tournament bringing in thousands more than normal, every inn was filled and more had begun setting up camp outside the city walls. Still the mar’goyn’lya and Malaketh ignored the people moving along the crowded streets missing the hooded che’ther shadowing them. They hadn’t expected their quarry to come find them after all.

The dragon had learned to read lips. It was non-magical and would bring no attention to him from the trackers. Magic cast too close would certainly make them wary and a true tracker made it a skill to keep hidden while gathering information.

As the second boy pointed out the inner city, Elenek knew the net was closing slightly. They could hide the girl as long as they kept moving, but eventually they would have to sleep and settle in one place. Perhaps the two could continue to take turns in shifts for a few days, but even the set spell drew energy and required the caster to remain awake to maintain.

Pulling a simple stone on a string from his pocket, Elenek watched as the rock pulled towards the south and its creator. He let the mar’goyn’lya pass to the east before moving across their path to work his way towards the others to let them know that Malaketh was here.

“Oh, you pretty ladies look like you could use a nice hat,” an older woman stated calling to Cheleya and Colbie. “It’s winter still and those pretty heads should really be covered or you’ll catch your death of cold.”

Cheleya smiled and wondered how the woman could think a hat would make a difference to her health. She wore her blue skirt cut above the knee and the green blouse which wasn’t that heavy of cloth, but her cloak remained open and draped down her back. Someone affected by the cold would have drawn its warmth around them. “I am fine. Thank you,” the dragoness replied politely.

“You don’t have to be so nice,” Colbie warned as they continued to walk through the street lined with sellers. Despite the cold of winter, several markets dotted Hala and still teemed with merchants
selling from carts or shops as if the days held the warmth of spring. The tournament gave them a reason to brave the cold even more than usual, so they were out in full force and pushing their wares.

Shrugging as the girl quickly wrapped her hands over Colbie’s arm, the blond moved close to her side and said, “But there is no reason to be mean. They are simply trying to make a living. Come on, Colbie, smile as we walk. You know that she is right. You are a pretty girl.”

Grunting without belief, the redheaded mage replied, “Like you would know. You’ve been in that little body for less than two weeks and suddenly you know who is and is not pretty?”

Evantus was close enough to overhear and annoyed Colbie as he informed them, “As a man, I would have to agree with Cheleya. I really like the way she’s done your hair too.”

“Pfft, you’re more like an annoying little boy,” Colbie retorted as she turned to look at his face. His eyes said he wasn’t lying or teasing, but she was hardly willing to agree with them so easily. The mage had never thought of herself as pretty or beautiful and being a battle mage in a man’s world made it easier if she wasn’t.

“Well, I’ve been human all my life, so I think Cheleya knows beauty more than you give her credit for. The woman looked human enough who just called you two pretty. Cheleya’s certainly a beautiful young woman,” he added and reddened slightly though he could blame the flush in his cheeks on the cool breeze as well.

Still not giving in, Colbie replied, “She’s trying to sell hats, so she’ll say anything to help do so. As to you being human, well you’re kind of a stupid one.”

Laughing at his friend’s attempts to put him off, Evantus stopped a man and a woman walking together. “Excuse me, kind folks, would you mind putting some confusion to rest?”

They looked at each other and shrugged refusing to say anything, but they didn’t leave either.

Assuming he had their attention, the mage waved his hands as if presenting the two girls. “Would you call these two women pretty or do you think that the saleswoman was just trying to sell them something?”

The couple was perhaps a decade older than the young mages and smiled at the silly antics of Evantus. Apparently a sensible and wise man, the gentleman looked to the woman beside him without commenting. She didn’t even bother consulting her husband as the woman answered, “You’re both beautiful. I wish I was as beautiful at your age.”

Being wise indeed, her husband smiled and added, “You still are.”

Receiving a kiss to the cheek for his compliment, the couple moved off into the crowd.

“Are you done?” Colbie asked feeling her cheeks redden from embarrassment.

“Only if you agree now,” he laughed. “Or I can poll some more people for you, if you’d like?”

With a frustrated grumble, Colbie punched the young man in the arm with her free hand. “Don’t you dare embarrass me like that again.”

Cheleya leaned her head against the girl’s shoulder a moment before looking her in the eye asking, “Oh, why do you fight it? You see? You are a pretty girl.”

The heat in her cheeks wouldn’t go away, but Colbie sighed as she answered her new friend, “A girl can’t be considered too pretty as a mage or the men will look at her as weak. They ignore what you say though they pretend to listen yet they don’t hear your words. If I am not tough enough, the other mages will never respect me and just expect me to hide away at home rather than go on missions like a man.”

Evan frowned and quickly retorted, “I don’t think that would happen. I’ve known you forever and always thought you were pretty, but I have the bruises to show how tough you are.”

“That’s because you’re like a brother to me. You’re not just another mage. Now just drop it.”

Though he looked like he wanted to say more, Evantus dropped the conversation as requested and Cheleya fell in line. Lystheir and Dargan held back caring less about the conversation than their need to keep moving.

“We have another hour before the noon meal at the delegation’s inn,” her father remarked into the silence between the three. “We had better try and cover a few more streets to help disperse your location for the seekers.”

They had barely gone another block when a hooded Elenek suddenly appeared through the crowd. “Fa’Dargan’zer, Malaketh and his trackers are in the city,” he said with little delay. “They found the stable our friends used and were directed towards the inner city to look for them.”

Conversations held in their throats as the collective group settled their minds on worrying over the news.

Chapter 21- Crystal Well

The Crystal Well Inn was small compared to the lavish and large Two Circles Inn. At a mere two stories, the inn looked like little more than a single home from the front, but that was a bit of an illusion as the store attached to the inn was actually a part of the business as well. The Crystal Well store had a vast array of beautiful glass work that brought even lords and ladies from the inner city out to the shop.

Cheleya had noticed the various glass figurines and art made by the artist wife of the inn keeper. Other local artisans sold through their store for a price with its reputation being such a powerful draw to
the rich. The dragoness looked in through the windows for several long minutes before the others drew her into the inn’s eating area.

Like the White Mare in Televal, the Crystal Well had a more comforting homey feel to the entry restaurant. Holding a little over a dozen large tables, the surrounding room had just enough room for dancing at night to draw the locals into the bar for extra revenue. It was most likely a haven for the closest residents of the city only, despite the draw of the store next door.

Arriving at just after noon, the newest arrivals found most of the tables full though one held enough seats for them beside the che’ther they had come to meet. One new addition, an older man with gray hair, looking thin and wrinkled with age, had joined them for the meal and looked at the new arrivals with interest. He sat beside the youngest of the che’ther, the pretty girl with copper colored hair appearing of a similar age to Cheleya from the enlistment line. She seemed almost possessive of the old man and Cheleya awaited the explanation of the man’s presence.

Arronnon greeted Dargan first before gesturing for the others to find places at the table. “Welcome, friends,” the wizard said almost too formally for comfort. “This is Ambassador Theress Sselanus, Isstmira’s grandfather,” he added as both the old man and the copper haired girl nodded at the general introductions.

The elder looked at Dargan with extra interest as he asked, “Has the Stone Runner decided to bless us with his interest in the humans’ tournament as well?”

Cheleya had heard the term used towards her father on occasion, but was unsure of the history of the term other than that Dargan was a respected earth user wizard. Her father took the term in stride as he shook his head a moment, “No, Fa’Theress’zer, I still use my talents to farm. It gives me more time to spend with my wife, Sorqesta, to build a family. In fact, the blond human is my first child, Cheleya.”

A head bow of respect to the elder from her father brought Cheleya’s interest quickly, though other than his title of ambassador, she had never heard of this Theress person. Her father had also conferred the title of master, which made the little dragoness even more curious about the withered looking old man.

“Arronnon says that you have a question about the chameleon amulets. He also inferred that it was something that we need to keep from prying ears.” The old man gestured to Arronnon, who quickly cast a spell. Stirring the air slightly, it was like a wind now swirled around their table and chairs.

Nodding to his elder, Dargan attempted to slowly reveal what he knew and needed to know, “Has there ever been any word of an amulet that can control other amulets?”

Eyes narrowing, as the old man frowned, he ignored the questioning looks of the other che’ther. “The original question posed to me by these children was that of a che’ther being caught in their transformation by having an amulet broken. Now you bring another dark question to the table my former apprentice.”

Bowing as he sat in his chair, her father amended his question as he continued, “There has been word of someone who can both break an amulet and lock the victim into the form chosen. Also a black amulet that controlled others through their amulets is another dark magic that seems likely, so if Arronnon brought you into this conversation, we can assume that you are also an expert on our amulets, master.”

Waving off the word expert, the old man responded, “I don’t know about being an expert, but I am as close to one as you will probably find these days. The children have come to take them for granted and use the things without truly learning anything about them. I have heard of no knew amulets created since the earliest centuries of the arrival. Those masters took their secrets to the grave, I think, though perhaps there might be some ancient wyrm holed up somewhere withering away.”

The copper haired girl had been staring at Cheleya the whole time even as the blond tried to ignore her. Finally Isstmira wondered aloud, “I am no expert with the amulets, but I find it curious that his daughter wears none. When most che’ther part with their amulets for too long or in a drastic break from the piece, they tend to return to their dragon form.”