Retana answered. “We haven’t heard from them recently. It was a terrible shock to them when the news arrived. Jered carried the message himself. I’m sure they’d love to see you.
“I’ll plan to do that, then.” After a pause, Meira went on to relate the rest of her and her husband’s travels, spending a long time describing each potential mine site in loving detail. Eventually she reached the bandit attack and the elder Ravid’s death, which she told in the same stark fashion she’d recounted it to Elkan.
There was a long silence. Josiah propped his head in his hand and watched the crackling fire. Meira eased the sleeping Ravid off her breast and rearranged her clothes. Retana reached for the baby, but Meira shook her head and settled him on her shoulder.
Noadiah asked, calmly but with an undertone of anger, “What do you know about these bandits?”
“Only that the name of their leader is Ozor. Apparently he was a trader until about three years ago”
Retana sat up straighter at the name. “Not Master Ozor Sailorkin Trader? It can’t be. Although I guess it has been about three years since he was last here.”
Elkan leaned forward. “You know him?”
She shrugged. “He came through each year on his way into the mountains, and again on his way back to Thedan and Elathir. He tried to persuade me to place some of my work with him on commission. Promised exorbitant prices. But I’ve always been pleased with the Smiths’ Guild’s service. My pieces arrive in Elathir in good order and sell very well. Ozor wanted to set up a private exclusive arrangement with a few wealthy clients, but I wasn’t interested. I did buy a lovely soft shawl from him once, though. Ridiculously expensive, but it was so fine I couldn’t resist.”
Jered frowned at her. “I think I remember him. Wasn’t he the one whose journeyman reported him to the town council? Something about the treatment of his mules?”
“Him?” Noadiah started. “I’d forgotten the name, but that was a nasty case. Normally I’d disapprove of a journeyman turning against his master like that, but those mules were in bad shape. And the journeyman was Herderkin, if I recall. I was with the group that investigated the claims. Overloaded, underfed, wounds left to fester. Most of them bore whip marks. We fined him and forced him to remain in town until the mules recovered. Ronit of the Herders’ Guild wanted to confiscate the beasts, but the man made such a fuss about being unable to practice his craft that in the end we let him keep them, with a stern warning. We sent word to the Herder Guildmaster in Elathir to keep an eye on him.” Noadiah shook his head. “He’s never shown his face in Shalinthan since.”
Josiah turned eagerly to Elkan. “It’s got to be the same one, don’t you think? I wonder why he quit trading and started stealing?”
“Don’t rush to judgment.” But Elkan looked troubled. “I wish we’d learned of this sooner. Three years is far beyond the reach of a window. Now all we have to go on is people’s memories. And anyone who’s heard testimony and then looked through a window to confirm it knows how unreliable those can be.”
The conversation turned to other things. It was late when the gathering broke up. Josiah could barely keep his eyes open, so he was glad Elkan took an equal part in reloading Sar with their gear. Sometime during the evening Tobi had returned; Josiah found her sprawled asleep in one of the empty stalls. He roused her, and she padded after them into the night, her eyes glowing gold discs in the moonlight.
Shalinthan was large enough to boast an inn. Master Noadiah led them there and made the arrangements. Noadiah and Elkan briefly argued, in exquisitely polite tones and terms, whether the town council or the Wizards’ Guild would have the privilege of paying for the accommodations. Eventually Elkan yielded, but when the innkeeper eyed Tobi with a mix of fascination and fear and demanded a higher price because of her presence, Elkan smoothly assured the man that the Wizards’ Guild would cover the surcharge.
Josiah’s delight in the unaccustomed luxury of a room to himself was tempered when Tobi leaped up and stretched to her full length on his bed. But once he shoved her aside to make room, he found her presence comforting, for the night was crisp, the late summer heat already giving way at this high altitude to the chill of autumn. He snuggled into her warmth. He was sure a great deal of hard work awaited them in the morning.
Seventeen
But… surely there’s something you can do?” The woman’s voice had been low, directed only at Elkan, but now it rose, so Josiah could hear it clearly across the empty hall. He sat at his table near the door, finishing up the day’s records. It was their fourth day of healing in Shalinthan, and only now at midafternoon had the steady flow of patients dried up. The woman had waited patiently all day, sitting quietly in a corner knitting, deferring to others, until finally the room emptied and she could have privacy. Josiah felt guilty for his curiosity, but he shifted in his chair until he could see anyway.
Elkan sighed and stroked Sar. “I’m afraid not, Hansine. The scarring is extensive and long healed. If a wizard had seen you back when the infection occurred, something could have been done, but now… It was probably years ago, and you might not have had any symptoms at the time. It can happen that way, with no indication that anything is wrong until a couple tries to conceive.”
Hansine stared at him, biting her lip. “I thought surely, when the wizard came… You’re saying I can never have children?”
Elkan’s fingers tightened in Sar’s mane. “That’s right.”
For a moment more Hansine looked at him. Then she turned away, bending to gather up her bundle of knitting from the floor beside her. “Thank you for your time, Wizard. I’ll be going now.”
Elkan reached a hand toward her, then let it fall. “I’m very sorry…” The woman ignored him.
Elkan watched her go, but before she reached the door he jumped up and hurried to stop her. They were right in front of Josiah. He made himself as small and inconspicuous as possible. Across the room, Sar laid his ears back and snorted.
“Hansine, I know you’re not ready to hear this, you need time to grieve first, and in any case it should be your place to seek out counsel, not mine to impose it on you. But the time will come when you need to know this, and I won’t be here. So I’m going to say it now.” He took a deep breath. “Hansine, all creation is sacred to the Mother. Bearing children, raising them, is a way to honor her by carrying on her work, but it’s only one, and she values it no higher than any other. Your condition… it’s just an unfortunate chance. You might come to feel it’s some sort of judgment, but I assure you, it’s not. The Mother loves you, and values you, and though your path of service to her won’t include bearing children, it’s no less precious to her for that.”
Hansine just looked at him, her eyes cold. Elkan stepped back from the door, ran a hand through his hair, and gestured for her to exit. “Again, I’m very sorry. I know I can’t really understand what you’re going through—”
“No,” she cut him off. “You can’t.” She swept out, pushing the door so hard it swung wide, bounced on its hinges, and crashed shut in her wake.
Elkan blinked after her for a moment. Finally he turned, to see Josiah and Sar watching him. “That didn’t go very well.”
Sar came to his side, bumping his head under Elkan’s hand. Elkan rested both hands on Sar’s neck, grinned ruefully, and shook his head. “One of these years I’ll learn to listen to my master. She really does know what she’s talking about. Well, what’s done is done. Here, Josiah, let me see what you’ve got. I think you’ve more than earned the rest of the afternoon off while I finish up my notes.”
Josiah bounced to attention. Finally, a few hours to himself. All this time they’d been in Shalinthan, and he hadn’t been anywhere close to their famous mines. He’d learned which road led to the gold mine and the largest iron mine. Perhaps he could find a way to slip inside and watch the miners at their work. He hastened to show Elkan all he’d done that afternoon.
Before he finished, the door burst open again. Jo
siah scowled. Couldn’t the patient have waited just a little longer, until Josiah was safely away and Elkan would have to deal with him alone?
It was a boy around Josiah’s age, face and hands smudged with dirt. He nodded to Elkan. “Wizard Elkan sir, I’m Nisi, Master Noadiah’s apprentice. He says you told him you’d probably be free this afternoon, so if you are, he’d like to invite you up to the gold mine to show you around. He says he has a question for you. I’m to bring you back with me, if you can come.”
Elkan nodded thoughtfully. “I think I can do that.” He noticed Josiah squirming. “Would you like to come along?”
“Yes, sir!” Josiah scrambled to put away the log book, quill, and ink. In his eagerness he almost tipped over the ink pot.
Elkan caught it before it could spill and deftly corked it. “We’ll stop by the inn and drop these things off on our way. Sar, you coming?”
Sar swiveled his ears toward Elkan and the miner apprentice in turn. He snorted. Elkan laughed. “No, I won’t let them load you up with ore.”
An hour later they approached the gold mine. A side road branched off from the wide main track around an outcropping of rock. Nisi led them down it. Ahead, a clearing opened up, a level terrace cut into the slope of the mountain.
It was evident to Josiah that people had made this open space. The area was bare of any trees, and they walked on crushed rock where low areas had been filled in. There was a great deal of rock rising in piles and spilling into the valley. As Josiah watched, a donkey made its way to the edge and stopped so its handler could unfasten its burden of stones and tip them to fall, bouncing and clattering, into the ravine.
A dark hole yawned in the side of the mountain. A wave of cool air washed over Josiah, heavy with the scent of dust and stone. He twisted around, trying to take it all in. The mine seemed an inky well of blackness, but as they passed out of the bright sunlight and Josiah’s eyes adjusted, he could see lamps inside, giving dim but adequate light.
The path into the mine was level at first, but soon sloped downward. Out of consideration for Sar, Nisi led them down the wide earthen ramp on one side of the cavern. It switched back and forth, giving a long, gentle descent into the depths. Beside it ran a shorter but more arduous path of steps and ladders.
The patch of sunlight vanished behind them. It was quiet down here, a deep smothering hush that swallowed their footfalls and the thud of Sar’s hooves.
Every now and then they passed a much narrower side tunnel. Once they crowded aside to let another donkey, laden with rocks, pass. Finally they reached the bottom of the descent and entered a low tunnel, just high enough to allow them to walk upright. Marks of tools were clear on the rough stone of the walls and ceiling. Wooden bracing arched overhead.
Nisi led them through a maze of branching tunnels. Josiah pressed close to Elkan’s heels, sure if he were separated from their guide he could wander lost for days down here. Down some tunnels they heard voices and the ring of tools striking stone, but much of the extensive labyrinth was deserted and silent.
At length they came to a long room, wider and a little higher than the tunnels. A group of miners gathered at the far end. They carried picks and shovels, but at the moment they weren’t using them, instead carrying on an animated discussion, running their hands along the surface of the rock and pointing out minor variations to each other.
Noadiah broke away from the group and approached them, beaming. “You’ve arrived in good time, Wizard Elkan. We were just discussing the problem we hope you’ll help us with. Meira agrees it should be possible.” He gestured to one of the miners, who Josiah belatedly recognized under her heavy protective gear and leather cap.
“It’s good to see you.” Elkan nodded at her. “You’re back at work?”
Meira wiped her dusty face with the back of a gloved hand, leaving smudges across her cheek and nose. “Today’s my first day. Master Noadiah’s been catching me up on progress since I’ve been gone. It’s wonderful to be back, but I feel like an apprentice again. I’m afraid it will be a while before I’ll be much use to you, master. I’m so out of condition, it’s only been a few hours and already I feel like I can hardly lift my pick.” She hefted it in her hand, easily enough as far as Josiah could tell.
“So you worked things out with care for Ravid?” Elkan asked.
“Mother insisted she was willing to keep him. I know, I know, it’s not going to be our permanent arrangement, but for a week or two I thought it might be all right. Just until the Guild can work something out.” Elkan’s eyebrows were raised in skepticism, but he said nothing. “Master Noadiah said there was no rush, but I so wanted to get back down here.”
“And we’re very glad to have you back. Now, Elkan.” Noadiah turned to him. “As I was just explaining to Meira, last spring there was a small earthquake up here. It triggered that cave-in at the big iron mine I’m sure you’ve heard all about.”
Josiah nodded along with Elkan. Much of their time for the past several days had been spent dealing with the aftereffects of injuries suffered in that cave-in. There was nothing Elkan could do for Master Zelman, whose foot had been crushed beneath the falling stone, except proclaim the amputation well done and cleanly healed. Most of the other wounds they saw were like that, too, either long healed or damaged beyond the ability of the Mother’s power to restore. There was one broken arm that hadn’t been set properly; Elkan and Sar were able to reverse the still recent healing, shift the bones to the correct alignment, and heal it again. One damaged leg had never fully healed, and they cleared up the lingering infection that caused the problem. But for the most part there was little they could offer that time had not already taken care of.
Noadiah continued. “The gold mine took some damage also. Nothing serious, but we spent a good many days shoring up weak spots and clearing out rubble. One section we were working in was blocked off, and we’ve only just gotten it into production again. But some good came of it, too. A number of cracks and crevices opened up. We’ve been evaluating them as we’ve gotten the chance. One across the way shows promise of a new vein. And then there’s this one.”
He gestured to the wall of the cavern in front of him. A long, jagged fissure cut diagonally across the surface. Josiah ducked to peer into it after Elkan, but all was black within.
“We’ve put in flares on rods, but it goes farther back than we can see. But there’s something. A few times when the angle of the light was just so, we’ve caught a glimpse. But it’s deep, and we’re not certain enough to make it worth committing time and labor to cut our way in. This whole area played out many years ago, and plenty in the guild think there’s little chance what’s back there is enough to make a profit on. But I think, and Meira concurs with me, that you might be able to settle the matter for us.” He turned his hand and slid it sideways into the crevice. “It’s not big enough for a lamp or a torch, but perhaps you could send a candle back far enough so we could see.”
Elkan smiled. “We can do better than that.” He put one hand on Sar and opened the other. Golden light bloomed, and Josiah felt a brush of moving air on his cheek. “Will this be enough?”
“Perfect!” Master Noadiah stepped toward the crack.
“Wait. This will be a little tricky, but we should be able to manage.” Man and donkey rearranged themselves so both Elkan’s hands were free. A window opened, revealing an image of Elkan and Sar. Josiah felt disoriented by the weird double vision.
“Can everyone see?” Elkan asked. Noadiah and the other miners crowded around, maneuvering for position. Sar, neck bent at an awkward angle so one eye could stare into the window, flicked an ear. “All right then. Let’s get started.”
The blob of light over Elkan’s hand elongated and flowed into the crack. The window followed its progress, revealing rock walls illuminated by the Mother’s golden light.
It was easier for Josiah to focus once the window no longer showed what he could see around him. The light snaked deeper into the fissure. “It w
idens a bit farther in,” Elkan said unnecessarily, as everyone could see the glow reflecting off the cracked planes of the walls. “It goes off this way…” The light skimmed one wall of the hollow, revealing a side crack that receded into darkness.
“We can look that way later. Right now, if you could guide it straight back…” Noadiah gestured, though the differing angles of image and reality left Josiah hopelessly confused as to which direction he meant. But Elkan and Sar understood, for the light kept advancing. The window followed the illuminated area farther and farther, past jagged outcroppings and more dark fingers of space cutting into the rock.
“To the right.” Noadiah’s eyes fixed intently on the window. The crevice extended much farther back than Josiah would have guessed.
“There!” Meira exclaimed. “Back a little, and down…”
Elkan followed her directions. A whisper of indrawn breath rippled among the miners. A second strand of golden light, as bright as the one flowing from Elkan’s fingers, gleamed from the fractured plane of rock. The window traced the long ribbon of gold from where it emerged from an outcropping of stone to where it split into a network of fine threads and vanished as the crack narrowed to nothing.
“Thank you, Wizard Elkan. That’s enough.” Noadiah’s voice glowed with satisfaction. Elkan let the light die and the window shrank away. “I trust you’ll all agree the wizard has done us a great service. That has to be the finest vein I’ve seen in all my years as a miner.” A murmur of assent answered him.
Meira nodded, but she turned to study the crevice with a frown creasing her forehead. “Master, I know it’s likely the vein continues. But it’s possible there’s little more than what we saw. It’s very deep. Even if you take half the miners off the current proven zones, it would take three or four months to tunnel back that far. We could spend all that time and effort and only end up breaking even.”
The Fuller's Apprentice (The Chronicles of Tevenar Book 1) Page 24