Wizard Pair (Book 3) (26 page)

"Just get ready. No time to explain."

Zhimosom picked up the packs and started to shoulder them both when Garlath stopped him. "Put yours on, carry hers."

"Why? What's going to happen?"

"Wait," was all Garlath had to say.

Zhimosom waited. He strained to see the wagon and hear the conversation of the Guards. All he could hear was the insistent chirping of crickets.

A bright light illuminated the wagon and the Guards. Zhimosom was surprised to see that the light came from overhead. It was a dragon, breathing fire as it descended.

The dragon washed fire over the campsite setting everything but the wagon ablaze. The Guards ran for cover and dove into the river, leaving the campsite empty. The dragon continued to circle above, spouting flame every time one of the Guards raised their head above water.

The bounty hunter braved the banks and the flame. He dripped water, as he emerged from the river, sword held high, screaming at the dragon.

The dragon snapped its wings, coming to a stop directly in front of the bounty hunter. Fire licked out, and the bounty hunter turned first into a ball of steam, then fire and finally ash.

Garlath elbowed Zhimosom. "Now! Run for it." He grabbed Zhimosom's arm and pulled him towards the wagon.

Garlath ran so fast Zhimosom was hard pressed to keep up until he realized his disguise was still active and slowing him down. He dropped the old man disguise and quickly caught up to the Wizard just as Garlath reached the wagon.

Garlath waved his arms in a circular pattern on the side of the wagon just as he had done with the court house. This time the hole glowed silver. "Get her," Garlath said as the hole became transparent.

Zhimosom reached through the hole and grasped Rotiaqua's hand. She grabbed onto him and he pulled her through, and into his arms. Under the sudden burden, he lost his balance and tumbled to the ground. Rotiaqua landed on top of him and rolled off laughing. Zhimosom felt his face go flush.

"No time to waste. Let's get going," Garlath said. He'd dropped the spell and the wagon was whole once more. The Guards would wonder how they'd gotten her out.

Zhimosom helped Rotiaqua up. He pulled his knife and slit the rope around Rotiaqua's neck. As the strands parted, a tingling sensation ran up his arm and he felt a distinctive flavor of magic, powerful magic. Suddenly, he had full access to Rotiaqua's magic once more.

"Run!" Garlath took off for the stream behind their boulder. "Once we get to the stream, walk in the water to throw them off our trail."

Rotiaqua grabbed Zhimosom's hand and pulled him along. He wanted to resist her, remind her that he was able to run on his own, but she held on tight even though it made her steps clumsy as they ran.

Rohir

After rescuing Rotiaqua from the bounty hunter, Garlath kept a sharp lookout for signs of pursuit. They splashed along shallow streams and slept hidden under the brush by day, walking silently by night. One morning, Garlath told them he could sense that the bounty hunter's people were no longer on their trail; they could resume their normal routine.

Rotiaqua walked along beside Zhimosom as she often did, so that they could converse. "If Sulrad really has a way to summon the dragons, he could very well kill them all."

"How do you defeat a spell like that?" Zhimosom looked to Garlath for guidance.

"There are a number of ways to defeat a spell," Garlath said. "You can defeat a summoning spell by creating a repulsion spell that works on the same object. It won't send it back where it came from, but it will defeat the summoning."

"That doesn't sound like a good idea. We wouldn't just want to push them away. We want to protect the dragons from the summoning spells."

"There are spells that ban an action. You have to learn what barrier separates our realms, and how Sulrad manages to open it. You have to build a counter spell to seal the opening as soon as it is created. You have to be vigilant so that he cannot use the summoning. Blocking must be done while the summoning spell is active.

"There are transformative spells. Spells that change one thing into another thing. Summoning spells usually work on a shape. If a thing has a change in shape, the summoning may no longer work.

"Lastly, some summoning spells work on the essence. If that is the case, there is little you can do. You could not change the thing enough to avoid the summoning without destroying it. It would cease to be itself."

Zhimosom wondered if his mentor could help him learn what he needed. "Do you know of these spells?"

"I know a few, but your best chance is to head to Amedon and ask there. The Wizard's Council will surely know what to do."

The threesome reached Rohir without further incident. The city was constructed of adobe mud baked by the sun. The homes were short and squat, with poles sticking from the walls where drab decorations hung. The gates were open and the Guards friendly.

They entered the market square where they found men of various trades and economic backgrounds. Some of the men were accompanied by what must have been women, but they were completely covered, head to toe, in a pure white silk scarf that hid their face and features. Each one had a thin gold cord around her neck that led to a man's belt.

These women walked behind the men, careful to keep their distance, but not enough to allow the cord to pull tight. Zhimosom wondered at that. The cord looked thin, almost as thin as a single strand of silk. It could easily be broken, should the woman desire to separate herself from the man.

None did.

Zhimosom located an Apothecary who had set up a stall in the market. Garlath had chosen that trade as the most likely to be operated by someone who was friendly and knowledgeable. He said an apothecary knew who was healthy and who was ill, and what went on in every sector of the city, since he gathered plants everywhere, including private lands.

"There are pools near the palace," the Apothecary explained. "They have a healing effect on people who soak there. Hot water and minerals are good for the skin. It also helps heal a lot of ailments if you drink it in moderation."

"Can you direct us there?"

"It's down that way." The Apothecary motioned towards a tall tower rising above the city. When you get to the wide road that heads east, take it. The palace is near the eastern wall of the city. The pools are behind the palace. They're open to every man in the city."

"Man," Rotiaqua said. Zhimosom shot her a look of caution.

The Apothecary looked her over. "You are clearly an outlander. If you are going to stay in this city for long, you will learn. Women here are not seen, nor are they heard in public. It's simply not done." He turned back to Zhimosom. "If you keep her with you, you will have to cover and leash her ... and teach her how to keep silent."

Zhimosom felt Rotiaqua's anger rise through their magical link, but he cautioned her against taking action until they knew why the dragon had directed them here. He tried to soothe her and projected calm towards her, but he felt her resistance.

Zhimosom thanked the man and turned down the street in the indicated direction.

"What was that?" Rotiaqua blurted.

"Please. Other customs are not like our own. We don't want to offend."

"You want me to keep silent and walk behind you on a leash, all covered in silk so no one can see me?"

"No, but let's not offend them until we know more."

The pools were a sight to behold. The palace had a large terraced patio with a covering of plants that trailed vines from the trellis above to the ground below.

The pools edged up to the patio. They were formed from rock ledges that had been carved into shallow pools by the flow of water. Each pool overflowed into the ones just below. The pools were edged with stalactites of sparkling white minerals that stretched to the water below.

The water steamed in the chill night air.

Zhimosom walked to the edge. "Smell that?" he asked. The air had a strange odor to it, salty and sharp. It bit into him as he breathed it.

"That's the minerals in the water. It helps the healing," came a voice from inside the hanging plants.

Zhimosom turned to see a woman. She was dressed in short pants and a loose shirt that rippled in the wind, none of the silk covering for her.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"I am the Queen, Phaos."

Zhimosom shied away, stepping behind Rotiaqua. Rotiaqua reached behind her and grabbed his arm, pulling him tight beside her. He tensed up, but relented.

"Why are you not dressed like the others?" Rotiaqua asked.

"Because I am inside." Phaos looked over her shoulder at someone. "Bring refreshments. We have guests." She turned back to Zhimosom and Rotiaqua. "Please, won't you join me?"

Zhimosom let Rotiaqua drag him onto the patio and shove him into the proffered chair. Rotiaqua took the seat next to him as a girl entered the room carrying a tray of drinks. She set the tray on the table and bowed her head to the Queen.

"Thank you." Phaos nodded to the girl, who backed out of the room.

She turned back to Rotiaqua, gesturing to the pools. "They have healing power. The minerals and heat can be used to cure all manner of external ills and injuries. The minerals are also good for the internals. We drink a small amount each day to maintain a healthy system. If you are ill, take more and it will clean out your insides.

"The water is piped into the palace and the surrounding homes. It keeps us young."

The Queen smiled at Zhimosom. He flushed, but held his peace.

"Why are the women covered so, outside?" Rotiaqua asked.

"The men rule the outside. Any woman who leaves the confines of her home must dress as such. She must be led by a man and go where he goes."

"That sounds terrible," Rotiaqua said. "Why do you permit it?"

"It is the way." Phaos sipped at her drink.

Zhimosom shot Rotiaqua a look and pressed her through their magical connection. He counseled her to be careful with the Queen, but Rotiaqua brushed his efforts away.

"Do all men treat their wives so here? Even the King?" Rotiaqua asked.

"Of course. How could it be otherwise?"

Zhimosom didn't like the way the conversation was going. He looked at Rotiaqua, trying to encourage her to find a less controversial topic. He summoned up his courage to address the Queen. "Tell me more of the healing properties ..."

"Would you change it if you could?" Rotiaqua pressed the Queen.

"There is no other way, so why even consider it?"

"If there were?"

"If there were a way, then yes, I would change things. There is no way, so I don't dwell on it."

"The pools?" Zhimosom said trying to bring the conversation back to something safe. "Why do they have healing properties?"

"It is said that a hot stream of molten rock rises near the surface and heats the water. The water absorbs the minerals, and gets heated, as it passes through the caves below. The hot water surfaces in the pools, just the right temperature for our enjoyment."

Zhimosom sighed inwardly.

"For the enjoyment of the men," Rotiaqua interjected.

Zhimosom placed his hand on hers. "For your enjoyment."

"For our enjoyment." Phaos laughed. "Will you stay the night? Tomorrow, I can have you escorted to the caves. You will find it interesting."

With that, she stood, signaling the end of the discussion. Zhimosom and Rotiaqua were escorted to guest rooms in the palace. They were given a room to share next to Garlath.

Rotiaqua unpacked her things and sat on the bed. Zhimosom stood in the doorway. "I'm staying with Garlath."

"Why so shy?" Rotiaqua gestured to the spacious room.

"What were you trying to do, get us killed?"

"I told you no one is going to put you in the stocks for touching me. We're safe here."

"I don't mean that. It's all the questions about the women. You can't talk to the Queen that way ..." Zhimosom shook with worry. He didn't know what kind of trouble she would get them into. What if the King had overheard her talking that way?

"She needs to hear it. If she doesn't hear it from me, then who's going to tell her?"

"Can't you just leave it alone? This is not our home; these are not our customs. Let's just find out what the dragon wanted from us and get on our way to Amedon."

"I can't just accept it. What they are doing is wrong."

Zhimosom frowned, but he believed she was right. "Be careful." Zhimosom closed the door and went to sleep on the floor in Garlath's room.

In the morning, Zhimosom left Rotiaqua behind as the Queen's men escorted him and Garlath to the caves. The cave entrance was several leagues from the palace. It looked like an innocent crack in the ground, but once inside, it was massive and cold as a winter's night.

The cave wound its way down, deep beneath the earth. Zhimosom felt as if they had been climbing and hiking for days before the guide stopped him. "Feel it?"

Zhimosom stopped and reached out with his magical senses. He felt a slight warming in the air. That and dryness. The cave had been wet all the way down, but now it was starting to dry.

"We're almost there," the guide said.

They squeezed through a tight passageway that Zhimosom thought would have been too small; but it quickly opened onto a large cavern. Inside was a lake of crystal clear water. It was like a mirror, not a ripple on its surface.

Zhimosom felt the magic in the earth around him. The water itself held power, but somewhere off in the distance was even greater magic.

Zhimosom raised his hand. "Incendo ignio." Light sprang forth above his hand. He guided it towards the ceiling of the cavern to illuminate the lake.

The guide looked at him in wonder. "Usually we do this by lantern. I have never seen just how large and beautiful this cavern really is. Thank you." The guide led them along the shore until they came to a small boat.

He gestured to Zhimosom and Garlath to board the boat and stepped in behind them. He pushed off from the shore.