The Fuller's Apprentice (The Chronicles of Tevenar Book 1) (53 page)

“Wait—” Josiah clamped his mouth shut and tried again.
Wait! What could happen, if they leave Tevenar? Are there really other people out there? Would it be so bad if they found us?

Sar hesitated before answering.
We’ve enjoyed nearly a thousand years of peace because we remain hidden, forgotten by the rest of the world. Tevenar is small, and rich, and defenseless against the forces they could bring against us. It’s not likely Ozor would venture far enough to be in danger of discovery, but even a slim chance might be too much.

Josiah didn’t understand why it would be such a disaster. What harm could folk of other lands intend them, even if they discovered Tevenar’s existence? But he ran to keep up when the donkey broke into a canter.

“Slow down! You’re going to hurt him.” Elkan’s head bounced alarmingly where it hung down Sar’s side. Sar slackened his pace a little. Josiah labored to keep up. His muscles ached. He felt more tired than he ever had in his life, drained to the point of collapse. But he managed to keep going, to keep taking the next step in Sar’s wake.

They emerged onto the docks. The sound under Sar’s hoofs changed from the clatter of paving stones to the hollow thud of wood. Side by side they raced to the far end.

A flash of lightning showed they’d come too late. The ship had cast off and was far across the water already, the fierce wind catching a single small triangle of sail hoisted at its prow.

Put your hand out!
Sar demanded, slamming into Josiah’s side.
Now!

“What are you going to do?” Josiah stared at the donkey.

Sink the ship. One good hole under the waterline should do it. Quick, before they get too far!

“But they’ll drown!” Josiah stepped back, breaking contact with the donkey. Elkan had been ready to give his life to save these same people. Josiah didn’t understand how Sar could now be so indifferent to their fate.

We’ll pull them out. Hurry!

“But there’s too many. We’ll never save them all.”

It doesn’t matter. This is more important. We’re running out of time. Touch me now, Josiah, and put your hand out!

Reluctantly, Josiah laid one hand on Sar’s neck and extended the other toward the ship. Golden light spooled from his hand, pulling energy in a steady stream from his body. Josiah felt Sar laboring as the light extended farther and farther away. Josiah panted and his heart raced. The light splashed against the ship’s hull just above the water and slid down.

At that moment a flash of lightning illuminated the ship. Two figures stood at the stern, looking back toward the dock. One of them was Kabos, glowering darkly, his hair whipping in the wind, mouth opened to shout news of the attack to Ozor.

Beside him stood Nirel.

Josiah snatched his hand away from Sar’s back. The golden light winked out abruptly as their contact broke. The ship sailed on, undamaged.

Sar flattened his ears, glaring at Josiah. Josiah glared back, full of righteous outrage. No matter what Sar said, he wasn’t going to cooperate in getting Nirel killed! Why hadn’t she listened to him?

But before Sar’s unrelenting gaze, Josiah’s certainty wilted. What if Sar was right, and the bandits’ escape brought disaster to Tevenar? It would be Josiah’s fault.

Had he violated his responsibility as a wizard? Had he broken the Mother’s Law? Would Sar be forced to break their new-formed bond?

Perhaps it would be best if he did, Josiah thought, despairing. He wasn’t prepared for this. He didn’t know what he was supposed to do, how he was supposed to act. Elkan would have followed the Mother’s will without flinching, no matter what it cost.

Though Elkan would be dead now, if Sar and the Mother hadn’t put their faith in Josiah.

Josiah’s eyes dropped. “I’m sorry.” Contritely, he extended a hand toward Sar’s neck. “I’m ready, now.”

The donkey flicked one ear forward, then laid it back again.
They’ve moved out of range.

Josiah quailed at the bleakness of Sar’s thought. “I’m sorry,” he repeated. He gulped. “If—if I’ve failed the Mother—if you have to—I understand—” He closed his eyes and braced himself for the same agony he’d seen on Elkan’s face.

Nothing happened. Josiah cracked his eyes open.

For a long time Sar looked at him. Finally, his ears relaxed, swiveling forward.
And have to carry you both back unconscious to the Mother’s Hall?
Sar heaved a sigh.
There’d be no Wizards’ Guild if bonds were broken for every beginner’s mistake. What’s done is done. The future is in the hands of the Mother.

Thirty

T
he Mother’s Hall teemed with refugees, noisy and chaotic. Josiah pressed through the mob toward Dabiel’s table. She wasn’t there, though several watchers huddled over the maps and spoke in low voices.

There she is.
Josiah looked where Sar indicated. Not far away, Dabiel knelt by a young girl thickly wrapped in blankets, one hand on Buttons’ head, golden light radiating from the other.

Josiah looked at Buttons with new appreciation. The hog’s beady black eyes focused intently on the girl’s face. He gave a little huff, and the light faded away. Now that Josiah knew the truth, it was obvious Buttons was in control of the whole process. He wondered how he could ever have deceived himself into seeing anything else.

Dabiel stood, brushing off her tunic. “She was badly chilled, but we’ve warmed her back up to a normal temperature. Take her over by the fire; tell them I sent you and you’re to have a good warm spot. She should be fine.” The girl cried softly. Her father gathered her in his arms and carried her toward the large hearth at the side of the Hall.

Scratching Buttons’ ears, Dabiel turned back toward the table. Josiah cleared his throat. “Master… Master Dabiel?”

She turned to him, ready to deal with whatever new request this latest in a long line of supplicants had for her. Her sharp eyes took in Josiah, and Sar, and Elkan limp on Sar’s back. She froze, then clutched Button’s head. Gold light shot from her hand and washed over Elkan.

She took a deep breath and shook her head as Buttons let the light fade. To Josiah’s relief, she wasted no time on questions. “Seriti! Fetch Master Firah to come help Josiah and Sar take Elkan to his room. Master Adon, another unavoidable distraction has arisen, but I’ll be back to continue our discussion shortly.”

Sar butted Josiah.
Tell her about the ship.

“Wait, Master Dabiel, Sar says I have to tell you—” Dabiel’s eyes widened, but she gestured for Josiah to continue when he faltered. “The big trading ship that was going to sail south, Braon said a wizard was going along, you must know about it?”

Dabiel nodded.

“The bandits took it, Ozor and the others that captured us. The watchers brought them out of the prison before it fell in the river, but they escaped. They took the ship and got away. Sar tried to stop them, but I couldn’t—” He gulped, ashamed of his failure. “We think they plan to sail out of Tevenar, past the boundary stones. Sar says that would be bad.”

A sharp frown creased Dabiel’s forehead, but she laid a reassuring hand on Josiah’s shoulder. “You did well, Josiah. Thank you for bringing me the news.” She turned and called across the hall. “Savir! Come here a moment.”

Josiah recognized one of the wizards they’d met in Remethera, who’d pursued the bandits and captured them. As he hurried up, a large hound loping at his side, Dabiel beckoned to the watchers by the table.

“Savir, the bandits you captured have escaped. Josiah reports they boarded a ship and are sailing away. I believe they intend to violate the Law of Isolation and leave Tevenar. We have to stop them. I want you to locate Guildmaster Shimon, have him assign you the fastest ship he’s got, and do your best to track them.”

Savir hurried with the watchers toward the door. Josiah watched them go, biting his lip. Dabiel put a comforting arm around his shoulders. “Don’t worry. It will be all right.”

Firah bustled up, clucked at Elkan’s condition, and ordered Seriti to bring fresh blankets and coals. Josiah gratefully surrendered Elkan to her care, dropping back to trail behind Sar as he bore Elkan toward his quarters.

Dabiel walked beside him. “Can you tell me what else happened?” she asked in a gentle voice.

Josiah rubbed his eyes. He was tired. The warmth of the hall was starting to penetrate his chilled body, and he was shaken by uncontrollable shivering.

Dabiel patted his arm. “I’ll wait, if you can’t talk about it right now.”

“No.” Josiah took a deep breath. “There were all these people, they were trapped. The dam broke and the water was washing away Prison Point. We had to save them. Elkan was too tired, but he was going to do it anyway.” Josiah faltered.

A grave nod from Dabiel told him she understood what that would have meant. “Sar—he broke his bond with Elkan, and bit me. I talked to the Mother. We stopped the water, and everyone got out, but then the bandits got away…” He trailed off, knowing she couldn’t possibly follow such a spotty account, but too tired to formulate anything more complete.

Dabiel patted his arm. “You’ve told me what I need to know. I can wait for the rest until later.”

“Will Elkan get better? Sar said he couldn’t heal him.” All the worry Josiah had pushed aside while he’d done what was necessary flooded over him.

“He’ll be fine. We’ll take care of him. He’ll wake in three days. A broken bond is traumatic, but he’ll recover.”

Josiah nodded. To his embarrassment his eyes dampened. He swiped self-consciously at them. “I hope he’s not mad at me. I didn’t want to take Sar away from him, I swear.”

Dabiel put an around his shoulders. “He’ll understand.”

Josiah swallowed. Despite what the Mother had told him, he felt like an interloper. “I know I don’t really belong here. I wasn’t supposed to end up bonded, it was just that it was an emergency—” He couldn’t continue.

Dabiel stopped and looked sternly at him. “Josiah, no matter how unusual the circumstances, the Mother chose you. You’re a member of the Wizards’ Guild now. We can work out the details once things have settled down. But know that we welcome you.”

Josiah’s eyes were really threatening to overflow now, and his throat was much to tight to say anything, but he nodded. Dabiel smiled at him, and they resumed following Sar.

Once they reached Elkan’s room, Firah marshaled a number of others to help. Together they unbound Elkan from Sar’s back, replaced his wet clothes with warm dry ones, and tucked him into bed. Josiah badly wanted to crawl into his own bed, but he stayed and helped until Elkan was settled.

As the others left, he lingered awkwardly. He didn’t feel right leaving Elkan’s side. Sar took up a station beside Elkan’s bed; it didn’t feel right to leave the donkey, either.

Dabiel noticed his hesitation. “Firah, have a bed for Josiah moved in here. He can keep an eye on Elkan for us. Have the kitchen send a meal in here as well; some of that nice hot soup would be good.” She took both Josiah’s hands in hers. “I’ve got to get back to the Hall. At last report, the water was still rising, but we’re almost finished evacuating the affected areas. They need me in charge. But never fear, I’ll come check on my journeyman as often as I can. Rest safe in the hollow of the Mother’s hands.”

She smiled at him and left.

After Josiah ate the warm soup and went to the bath for a long hot soak, he started to feel thawed out. Back in Elkan’s room he found a bed ready for him and Tobi waiting, curled up by the fire. When she saw him, she started purring and came to twine around his legs.

Josiah put his arms around her. “You missed all the excitement,” he told her shakily. “Looks like I get to be a wizard, after all. Can you believe it?” He felt guilty, unfaithful, to find himself bonded to another animal instead of her. But she showed no sign of change in her manner toward him, accepting his caresses with her usual contented affection.

Josiah, if you don’t mind, Elkan keeps my brushes in that cabinet.
The donkey’s mental voice was hesitant.
I would appreciate some brushing, if you’re not too tired.

“Of course.” Josiah jumped up and rummaged in the cabinet. Everything was neatly in place, so it was easy to find the brush. He pulled a chair over to the donkey and started brushing him. The task was familiar and soothing. When he finished, Sar thanked him, and Josiah crawled into bed.

* * *

The next two days passed in a blur. By morning the rain stopped and the floods began to subside, but much remained for the Wizards’ Guild to do. People needing healing thronged the Hall. The Watch still wanted aid keeping order, and the Builders’ Guild clamored for help reconstructing the extensive damage. The lake above the mill dam had provided most of the city’s fresh water. The public fountains were dry; caravans of wagons bearing barrels of clean water were organized to supply the need until the dam could be repaired.

Dabiel presided over the chaos with tireless calm authority. She organized the Council of Guildmasters into responding effectively as their guilds’ expertise allowed, soothing those who were near panic, redirecting the angry and acrimonious to constructive pursuits. Josiah wasn’t sure if she ever ate or slept, but she checked on Elkan several times each day.

Josiah and Sar were called into service to help with the healing. Though various experienced wizards helped Josiah, and he was assigned the simplest cases, he still felt overwhelmed and inadequate. But Sar was always a confident, steady presence at his side and in his mind. The donkey gave lengthy mental explanations of everything he did, so that by the end of the second day Josiah was starting to understand some of the confusing imagery that swamped his senses with every healing. Sar also provided appropriate words for Josiah to repeat to their patients. It worked; the people he helped accepted his competence and trusted themselves to his care, but Josiah felt very much the junior partner in his and Sar’s relationship. If it weren’t for his voice, and the energy the donkey sucked relentlessly from him, Sar wouldn’t have needed him at all. He wondered how many years of training it would take until he and Sar could function with the sort of seamless partnership the donkey and Elkan had always exhibited.