Wizard Pair (Book 3) (24 page)

"Please tell us about Amedon," Zhimosom said.

"Amedon is located along the Swion Mountains, against an arm of the ridge that stretches to the sea. The city is in the foothills and it is much like any other; there are tradesmen and farmers. They have a market and shops.

"The Wizards' Keep is located up the mountain. The tower itself is built into the stone and reaches into the sky.

"Why do they have markets and shops? I thought they were Wizards," Rotiaqua said.

"Do you think Wizards sit around all day, doing magic? You can't make food out of magic. Someone has to farm and craft the things that we use every day. Most of the Wizards have a life outside of their study. They study Wizardry after they've completed their regular chores.

"They go to the library to study when they get the chance. You will love the library. There are books that are older than the hills. They have been translated and translated again as the language changes and the old tongue is lost."

"Will we be permitted to study in the library?" Zhimosom asked. "Rotiaqua taught me to read. I've never been inside a library."

"Most likely," Garlath said. "I will advocate for you with the Wizards' Council. They are the ones who approve of new students. I don't see why they wouldn't allow you."

"When do we start?" Rotiaqua asked. She was eager to get to Amedon and learn from the masters.

"As soon as I wrap up my business." Garlath said no more about Amedon for the rest of the meal.

It took four days to wrap up Garlath's business and secure provisions for their journey. Rotiaqua wanted to purchase horses, but Garlath argued against that.

"I have Golds that we can use to purchase the horses," Rotiaqua said. "We can get a spare horse to haul the supplies. It will make the journey much easier."

"Horses will only make us into a target for bandits along the way."

"You're a Wizard. Surely you can handle a few bandits, should they come at us."

"No horses. We walk. Consider it part of your training."

Rotiaqua relented and picked up her pack.

"I'm glad to be on the road again," Zhimosom said.

Rotiaqua would rather have stayed in inns and traveled by coach, but she had gotten used to the outdoor lifestyle. She almost looked forward to it herself.

The trio had walked almost a full moon before Rotiaqua saw the dragon again. They rolled their bedrolls out in an open meadow and prepared to sleep beneath the stars. The weather was cool but not yet cold, and there was no need of shelter.

Rotiaqua watched the sky, too restless to sleep. She heard the light snoring of both men and knew she was alone with her thoughts. As the sliver of a moon set, the stars came out in numbers beyond counting.

She lay there, straining to see the faintest stars, when something strange and beautiful appeared. It was as if there were curtains of the most delicate silk rolling and billowing in the sky. They looked to be leagues tall, stretching across the sky, glowing brightly in colors of red and green.

She stared at the lights in wonder. She knew she should share this with Zhimosom, but she jealously kept it for herself. She decided to let him sleep and lay back watching as the flimsy curtains fluttered lazily.

High up in the sky, she saw something, a flash of darkness, slicing through the curtains of light. It grew larger as it descended towards her. She couldn't keep this to herself.

"Zhimosom," she whispered. "Wake up. You need to see this."

Zhimosom sat up rubbing his eyes. It took him a while to wake, but when he saw the lights, he came quickly to his senses.

"What is that?" Zhimosom whispered back.

"I think it's the dragon." She leaned in close to him and pointed to the shadow streaking through the lights. "There."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. It's the dragon. I caught sight of it earlier as it crossed through the strange lights. It's coming closer."

They watched the dragon approach. Zhimosom straightened up, but didn't shy away from her touch as she sat with her shoulder pressed against him. He kept his gaze on the shadow as it played with the lights, slowly descending towards them.

It came closer and they were certain it was a dragon, large and red, like fire. Just like the one they saw earlier. It passed over their heads and turned in the night sky, to return again and again. It swooped overhead several times, before it folded its wings and came to a halt in mid flight.

It dropped to the ground like a stone. Just before it reached the ground, it made one last beat of its wings, stopped just above the grass and gently settled to the ground.

The dragon was easily three times taller than a man. It was so large, that Rotiaqua felt she would barely come up to the crook of its knee. It lowered its massive head to the ground and spoke.

The dragon's voice was low and powerful, yet gentle and quiet.

"You may approach."

Rotiaqua stood and reached out her hand to Zhimosom. She walked slowly towards the dragon. The top of its head came up to her shoulder. It could easily have eaten her in one bite. Rotiaqua walked haltingly towards the dragon, unsure of its intent. The last one had not harmed them, but the beast still frightened her.

She smelled brimstone and swamp gas as she drew near to that smoldering jaw. Rotiaqua's heart beat faster and she felt the trembling in Zhimosom's hand.

"Wizard. Sorceress. You must stop him."

"Stop who?" Rotiaqua asked.

"The Wizard who has discovered a spell to command my kind. He is calling us from our home into yours. Soon he will devise a way to kill us and take our power. We are doomed if you do not stop him."

"Why us?"

"Because you have dragon's blood running in your veins and you are tied to this Wizard. Your magic is mingled with his."

"Sulrad!" Rotiaqua just knew that someday they would cross paths with Sulrad once again.

"You know him," the dragon said. "You and he are tied. I can feel a faint echo of you in his call. Through you, we may yet survive."

"What do you want us to do?"

"There is magic that lies deep beneath the earth. You can tap into it, and gain the power to defeat him."

"What spells do we need to save you?"

"Go to Rohir to gain power. From there we will guide you on the remainder of your journey."

"What are we to do there?" Rotiaqua squeezed Zhimosom's hand.

"It is hidden. You may save us, at a great cost to both Wizards and dragons alike. There is no easy way. Many will die on both sides. If you fail or refuse to help, all of the dragons will die. If you succeed, we will live on. Not as we are today, but we will continue, one day to be reborn. More than that I cannot say."

"How can we possibly help you? There must be some way to save the dragons without lives being lost," Rotiaqua said.

"You will have all the power you need to save us." The dragon smiled, showing teeth as long as Rotiaqua's forearm. "The dragon's blood runs in your veins. You are part of the dragon clan. If we die, so do you."

With that, the dragon lifted its mighty head. It inhaled a deep breath and shot fire into the night sky. Rotiaqua was blinded by the light, but she heard the flap of the dragon's wings and knew that it was gone.

Rotiaqua reached out and squeezed Zhimosom's hand once more before letting go.

"Dragon's blood?" Zhimosom asked.

She peered into his eyes. "I fear you have the dragon's blood in your veins, as well. When we swore our blood oath, I felt it enter your body."

Hodon

Zhimosom was in favor of camping outside the city when they reached Hodon, but he let Rotiaqua and Garlath talk him into hiring a room at the White Rose Inn. They arrived just before the noon meal and made themselves comfortable in the dining room.

"We only have enough funds to stay at the inn one night," Zhimosom grumbled into his ale. "We could have bought supplies."

"There is not enough coin for supplies as it is. We'll have to live off the land from now on," Garlath said. "Might as well enjoy one night in the inn before we start out again."

"I still have coin." Rotiaqua fingered her belt.

"We can't change that at the inn," Zhimosom said.

"Not at the inn," Rotiaqua said. "But there are factors here, in Hodon, who would be able to. I'll look around for someone who might have the coin. Maybe a lumber dealer or a horse trader. They have lots of coin on hand."

"You know how I feel about it." Zhimosom still worried that there would be agents of the Baron on their trail somehow, even though they hadn't seen any indication of pursuit since they left the Barony.

"I'll be careful." Rotiaqua stood up to leave.

"Now?" Zhimosom asked. "By yourself?"

"Yes, by myself. I think I'll be less conspicuous if I go alone, don't you?"

"I'm coming with you," Zhimosom said.

Rotiaqua just shrugged.

Zhimosom turned to Garlath. "Are you coming?"

"Not me." Garlath attacked the roast fowl in front of him. "I'm eating."

"We'll meet you back at the Inn later tonight," Zhimosom said.

Garlath simply waved the fowl leg in the air at Zhimosom and turned back to grab another hunk of bread.

Near the outskirts of town Zhimosom and Rotiaqua found a large building stacked with logs and cut lumber. The smell of pine mingled with a faint odor of burned wood. Sawdust drifted out of it and down the street. Zhimosom watched in silence as Rotiaqua approached the factor.

"Kind sir, I am looking to exchange some coin. I fear that many cannot change my Golds for me, but you look like a prosperous man. Can you provide me with a fair exchange?"

The factor was a large man, towering over Rotiaqua. He was wide and powerfully built from all the lifting and cutting. "I could, but I'd need a little bit for my trouble."

"How much for two Golds?" Rotiaqua asked.

The factor held out his hand. "Let me see them."

Rotiaqua fished them out of her belt and handed them over. The factor weighed them in his hand, tossing them up and catching them to judge their weight. "Hmmm... I can give you eighteen Silvers for the two of these."

"Eighteen Silvers?" Rotiaqua extended her palm.

"Wait a moment, miss. These are Frostan. Frostan Golds are a little lighter than we use around here. Eighteen is fair. You'll find our Silvers are heavier than you get in Frostan, too."

"Dala!" he shouted.

A girl about eleven summers in age answered his call. "Yes, father?"

He hunched down to look the girl in the eyes. "Run and tell your mother that I need coin to change two Golds ... Frostan Golds."

"Right away, father." The girl turned to leave, but the factor restrained her.

"Frostan Golds. Don't forget to tell her they're Frostan Golds."

"Yes, father." The girl disappeared into the factorage.

"How about eighteen Silvers and ten coppers," Rotiaqua said. "That should be more than fair if I recall my exchange rates. Frostan Gold's not that light compared to Hodon."

The factor raised his eyebrow at Rotiaqua. "Were you raised by a factor? You sure know your coin."

"Father was a cloth merchant," she lied.

"You have a sharp mind there. How about eighteen Silver and five coppers?"

Rotiaqua drummed her fingers on the table. She stared the factor in the eye the whole time and didn't look away. Zhimosom saw the factor grow restless under her glare.

Before either one of them spoke, the girl returned with a small leather pouch. She handed it to the factor.

The factor hunched down again as he spoke to her. "Did you tell your mother it was Frostan Golds?"

"Yes father, just like you asked."

"Thank you, Dala."

The girl nodded her head and rushed back inside.

The factor picked his way through the coins in the pouch. He set them on the table, counting out eighteen Silvers and six Coppers. He looked up at Rotiaqua questioningly.

"I'll take them." Rotiaqua picked up each coin and examined it. She dropped them one by one onto the table, then onto another coin. She selected one and lifted it up, judging the weight of it in her hand. She handed it back to the factor. "Not this one."

The factor took the proffered coin and stuffed it into his pouch. He came away with another coin that proved to be satisfactory.

"Thank you." Rotiaqua bowed to the Factor. She turned to Zhimosom and extended her arm. "Let's do a little shopping on the way back to the inn."

Zhimosom reluctantly followed Rotiaqua through the market. She strolled along poking her head into stalls, fingering merchandise, talking to the proprietors, and engaging in conversations about the weather, the price of merchandise and even the state of the world until he grew impatient and left Rotiaqua to explore on his own. He agreed to meet Rotiaqua at the market entrance when she was done.

He found a stall where the proprietor sold knives and swords. Zhimosom looked them over wishfully.

"This knife is the finest steel money can buy." The proprietor lifted a finely crafted knife out of the display and handed it to Zhimosom. "Be careful with it. It's so sharp, it can split a hair lengthwise ... twice."

Zhimosom looked it over. The handle was carved from the finest ivory, the blade was so shiny, it could have been made of silver, but Zhimosom knew it wasn't. It was sky iron, worked by a Wizard. Indeed, this was a fine specimen.

"What do you think?" the proprietor asked.

"I think I could never afford one of these." Zhimosom handed the knife back.

"What are you carrying?" the proprietor leaned over the table and grabbed Zhimosom's knife before he could protest. The knife had been old and rusty when he received it. He had honed it and worked it as they walked and it had taken on a clear sheen, just like the scythe blade back home. The blade looked like sky iron and the handle had morphed from wood glued together into the finest ebony. It was polished to a mirror finish. The knife was perfectly balanced and as sharp as any razor.