“There’s always that risk.” Noadiah didn’t seem troubled, though. In fact, he was almost bouncing. “We could hold this in reserve until our current veins play out. But I have a better plan. I think it’s the perfect opportunity to test my blasting powder.”
Exclamations from the other miners ranged from breathless excitement to deep skepticism. Some of each played across Meira’s face. “You’re still playing with that stuff? I thought you decided it was useless.”
“I had, but then a few new thoughts occurred to me, and I did some more experiments. I made great progress while you were gone. I’ve successfully split boulders as big as a ton. I’m still working on getting precise control of the amount and application to get exactly the results I want, but I think it’s ready for a test in the field. Especially if Wizard Elkan will agree to help us again.”
Seeing Elkan’s puzzled frown, he grinned and slapped the wizard on the back. “A little sideline of mine, playing with fire. There are rocks that burn, you know, different minerals that fizz or pop or flame when set alight, or touched by water, or mixed with each other. A good many years back I made one mixture that exploded with some force. Right away I saw the potential, if only I could produce a big enough explosion. Think how much time and effort could be saved, if my powder could be used to shatter stone. Just the right amount of force, in just the right places, and mines could be cut in days that now take us years.”
Elkan nodded thoughtfully. Josiah had a hard time believing what Noadiah described—rocks that burned?—but at the same time he was fascinated. If only he could get his hands on some of the powder and try it for himself.
“So you want us to put some of this powder in there, I take it?” Elkan glanced at Sar, then looked into the depths of the cleft.
“Just so. And once we’re all a safe distance away, carry a flame to ignite it.” Noadiah watched Elkan expectantly.
“Hmm.” Elkan turned back to Sar and they communed for a bit. Elkan nodded slowly and turned back to Noadiah. “What you ask is easy enough. I trust your knowledge of your craft to plan how it may be safely done.”
“Of course. We won’t proceed until I’m quite sure it can be done without undue risk.”
“As long as that’s reasonably soon. We can’t linger in Shalinthan too long.”
“I think all can be ready in two or three days. Say, Sixthday? Surely you’ll be staying at least until then.”
“Yes, we’ll be starting the judgments and witnessing tomorrow, and they’ll go at least that long. Though if the town council needs to be called into session on any of the cases, that will take you away from your preparations.”
“I can always delegate the responsibility to someone else.” Noadiah grinned broadly. He ran his hands along the wall and crevice. “The Miners’ Guild will of course compensate the Wizards’ Guild for your work, since it falls outside your normal services. We can work out the amount later. While you’re here, why don’t we spend some time charting out the exact dimensions of the space. If you don’t mind giving us a look again?”
“We’d be glad to.” Elkan stretched and scratched Sar’s ears. “Josiah, there’s no need for you to linger here. There won’t be much to see.”
Noadiah turned to his apprentice. “Nisi, fetch me my measuring and drafting gear, and then you can have the rest of the day off. Show Josiah around the mine, if he wants.”
Nisi dashed off. When he got back, Elkan, Sar, and Noadiah were deeply absorbed in their task, clustered around the glowing window. Most of the other miners had left to conduct their own work. Only Meira remained to assist her master. She took the requested items and shooed Nisi and Josiah away.
Nisi showed Josiah the active section of the mine, where miners labored with picks to extract the gold-bearing ore. Josiah was suitably impressed by the shining flakes in the rock Nisi handed him for inspection. He carefully placed it back on the pile under a journeyman’s watchful eye.
They emerged about an hour before sunset and headed back to Shalinthan. Tobi joined them along the road; Josiah enjoyed Nisi’s awed reaction. As they entered the town, they heard a commotion ahead of them, and saw a crowd of people gathered outside the Mother’s Hall.
Nisi grabbed at a younger girl as she dashed by. “Bara, what’s going on?”
“The wizard is here! The other wizard, coming up from the south, and her apprentice. Do you know where Master Elkan went? She wants to talk to him.”
“He’s up at the mine, but he should be back before long. We’ll go tell her.” Nisi headed toward the cluster of people. Bara darted off, eager to spread the news.
Josiah tried to remember the name of the wizard who was traveling the circuit in the opposite direction. He was sure Elkan had told him, but it eluded him. He felt awkward, but supposed it was his responsibility to greet the other wizard in Elkan’s place.
It was easy to pick out the wizard in the middle of the crowd. A short, slightly plump older woman wore the familiar brown cloak. She had curly graying hair and laugh lines around her eyes and mouth. A raccoon perched on her shoulder. The crowd laughed as a young girl held up a bit of bread, and the raccoon accepted it, turning it over and over in its dainty, hand-like paws before beginning to nibble it.
At the wizard’s side stood a girl a full head taller than she, also wearing a wizards’ cloak. As the crowd made way for Josiah and Tobi, her face lit up with lively interest, and she hurried toward them.
“Hello, my name’s Kalti. Are you one of the apprentices from Korisan? We knew Elkan was looking for someone to accompany him, but we never heard if he found anybody.” She eyed Tobi with fascination. “Who’s this? Your familiar, or—” She frowned at Josiah. Josiah felt she was evaluating him and finding him wanting. He squirmed beneath her gaze, suddenly acutely aware that he was wearing his often torn and mended, nearly outgrown tunic. It had seemed wise not to risk his better garment in the mine, but now he felt distressingly shabby.
“I’m not a wizard, actually. I’m a fuller’s apprentice.” Josiah put his chin up as he said it. There was no shame in that admission, no matter how the girl scowled at him. “Elkan bought my contract for a year so I could come with him. I’m Josiah. This is Tobi. She’s Mother-touched, but not bonded to anyone. We’re taking her back to Elathir so she can bond with an apprentice next spring.”
Kalti turned with renewed interest to Tobi. Ignoring Josiah, she held her hand out for Tobi to sniff. “Greetings, Tobi. I’m Kalti Cooperkin Wizard. Would you mind if I pet you?”
Tobi, always happy for attention, shoved her head under Kalti’s offered hand. She began to purr as the girl scratched her ears. When Kalti stopped, Tobi twined around the girl’s legs, nearly knocking Kalti off her feet. Kalti regarded her with an avid, almost greedy look. Josiah resisted an urge to call Tobi back to his side. Kalti was a wizard’s apprentice. Surely there was nothing improper about her attention to Tobi.
“Let me introduce you to my master.” Kalti still directed her words at Tobi, although this time she looked up enough to include Josiah in her invitation. She led them to the other wizard. Josiah felt a bit foolish trailing behind Tobi.
“Master, this is Tobi, Mother-touched and currently unbound. And this is Josiah, um…”
“Potterkin,” Josiah supplied.
“Potterkin… um… Fuller. Elkan’s companion. Tobi, Josiah, this is Master Hadara Candlerkin Wizard, and Whiskers, her familiar.”
“We’re very pleased to meet you.” The wizard held out her hand for Josiah to clasp in greeting. The raccoon peered at him with shiny black eyes. “I’m glad Elkan found someone to accompany him on his journey. I don’t know what I’d do without Kalti’s help. Tobi, Kalti is a third-year apprentice, so she’ll be bonding for the first time next spring. You two will have to spend time getting to know each other.”
Oh. That explained it. Kalti saw Tobi as a potential familiar. Josiah could just imagine how Tobi would stand out among the ordinary cats, dogs, rats, goats, and other common animal
s that made up the majority of familiars. Kalti was probably drooling over the idea of arriving back in Elathir already on good terms with such an impressive animal.
Tobi blinked her great golden eyes, tongue lolling. Josiah couldn’t tell whether she’d understood Hadara’s words, or was just being her usual agreeable self. Hadara smiled at him expectantly, and he hastily gathered his wits. “Elkan was still up at the gold mine when I left—when he sent me back,” he amended, at Kalti’s disapproving look. “Master Noadiah, he’s the head of the town council, was with him. They should be coming back soon.” Josiah looked around. All of the adults present seemed to be deferring to him. “Elkan and I are staying at the inn. I guess Master Noadiah will want to put you two there as well. I can show you the way.”
“That would be lovely.” Hadara followed him. Kalti took the lead rein of a laden mule and fell in behind her master.
To Josiah’s relief, when they arrived the innkeeper took over, showing Hadara and Kalti to rooms, seeing their mule unloaded and stabled. Josiah helped carry some of Master Hadara’s belongings up to her room. The wizard accepted his help graciously, though Kalti declined his offer to assist her as well. Once they were settled, Josiah went to his room to make use of the washbasin and change into his better tunic.
The innkeeper’s apprentice was lighting the lamps when Josiah came back downstairs to the common room. He was delighted to hear familiar voices outside the door. Hadara and Kalti were seated by the fire; now he wouldn’t have to sit and make pleasant conversation with them. They rose as Elkan and Noadiah came into the room, and for a few minutes Josiah was caught in the middle of a flurry of introductions and greetings.
Eventually Noadiah excused himself to return to his own home, and the wizards and apprentices settled at one of the long tables to enjoy the evening meal. Hadara and Elkan were soon deep in conversation, filling each other in on all the work they’d accomplished so far in their journeys, and what the other might expect to find in the coming months.
Hadara listened to Elkan’s account of the events in Tathorlith with a troubled look on her face. “Of course I’ll check in with Sathea. I wonder, though…”
“What?” Elkan cocked his head.
“In Remethera we heard of raids by bandits. Most were nearly a year ago, right after Eisig passed through, but another happened just a week before we got there. We opened a window, but we could only confirm what their watchers had already concluded—there were around fifty of them, and they headed into the mountains after plundering more than a dozen farms. They were wearing masks, the way you described the ones you saw. I think it must be the same group. There can’t be two such bands of thieves roaming Tevenar.”
“I don’t see how it could be. That would have been just a short time after we left Tathorlith. Josiah, run up to my room and fetch my record book.”
“Kalti, get mine, too, please.”
When the apprentices returned, the two wizards flipped pages, finding the relevant entries and confirming the dates. Elkan frowned at the open books. “The robbery in Remethera occurred three weeks after we know Ozor was in Tathorlith. That’s a long way, but possible, I guess, if they pressed hard. We did see horses, and they would have wanted to get far away quickly.”
Hadara spread open her map and studied it. With her finger she traced a long curving line through the mountains, from Tathorlith to Remethera. Then another, much shorter line straight across. “They might have left the mountains and taken the southern route. It would have been a lot faster, though harder for them to pass unnoticed. I wonder if Jevtaran or Thedan have reported any incidents?”
Elkan closed his record book with a snap. “That settles it. If they’re bold enough to venture out of the mountains, they’re too great a threat to ignore any longer. I’m going to recommend to the Guildmaster that she authorize a joint venture with the Watchers’ Guild to capture them.”
Hadara blinked at Elkan’s sudden vehemence. “I know Dabiel was considering it, but do you really think these bandits are dangerous enough to justify such a drastic measure?”
“They’ve been terrorizing people up here for three years. None of these towns have enough watchers to stop them without help. We have proof they’ve committed at least two murders. I don’t think she has any other choice.”
Hadara considered this. “I suppose you’re right.” She sighed. “It’s a shame, but if it must be done…”
“I’ll write up a report tonight, so it can go with the next messenger south.” Elkan nodded decisively, then stretched and shifted in his seat. “You’ll take the first round of disputes tomorrow?”
“Gladly. I’m just pleased you’ve taken care of all the healing already.”
“I’d have saved some for you, if I’d known you’d be here so soon. But there’s plenty to keep us both busy for a while yet. Let me tell you what Noadiah’s got planned for us out at the mine.”
Eighteen
Meira, step inside with me for a moment. I have something for you.” Noadiah gestured toward his office, a spacious room attached to his house. The walls were lined with shelves full of books, papers, maps, rocks of every description, tools, boxes, jars, and all sorts of other miscellany. “The rest of you, too. This will only take a moment.”
Josiah crowded in behind the others. Meira handed Ravid to his grandmother and followed her master to his desk. Noadiah seated himself, dipped a quill in ink, and signed the waiting document with a flourish. “There you are. We finished evaluating the reports of your journey yesterday. The masters all agree you’ve completed a very fine masterwork. You’ve proven your skill and understanding. And more than that, the new sites you found may be of great benefit to the guild in the future. We’ll be glad to welcome you to our number.” He rolled the paper carefully and extended it to her. “Here’s my certification that you’ve fulfilled all the requirements of your journeymanship and will be made master at the ceremonies next Springtide.”
Meira accepted the roll of paper, her hand shaking slightly. “Thank you, master. I’m honored.”
Noadiah spoke gently. “We evaluated Ravid’s work, too, and found it equally worthy. The guild plans to grant him his mastery posthumously, since he completed all the requirements before he was killed.”
Meira swallowed hard and nodded with a shaky smile. “That would have meant a great deal to him. I never thought…” She fell silent for a moment, struggling to regain her composure. “Would you keep it for me? I don’t want to take the time to run it home; we’ve delayed enough already.”
“Certainly.” Noadiah tucked the roll among his papers and rose. “Come, then. Let’s get going.”
The little group set out toward the mine. Elkan and Hadara conversed quietly; Sar plodded along stoically. Whiskers scampered ahead for a while, his ringed tail streaming behind him, then came to Hadara, who scooped him up and cradled him in her arms. Ravid cried, and Meira took him back from Retana and settled him in her carrying cloth to nurse. Kalti walked beside Josiah, pointedly ignoring him. He’d learned not to expect anything different. She spoke to him only as their duties required.
Gradually other miners joined the party. A large group streamed from the apprentice barracks; Josiah was glad to see Nisi among them. The apprentice dashed up, reported to Noadiah in a breathless voice, and dropped back to walk with Josiah once his master had given him leave. The two boys chattered away.
At the mine, people crowded around the entrance. Noadiah had decreed that only he, Elkan, and Sar should be present for the actual detonation of the explosive. After much argument, he reluctantly agreed to allow Meira to accompany them, on the grounds that she needed to learn how this new technique worked. It held the potential to revolutionize mining, and as Noadiah’s journeyman, she was the logical choice for him to share the knowledge with. But everyone else, including the miners who spent every day working deep underground, were banished from the mine until Noadiah and Elkan were sure it was safe. They’d risen early so the task could be acco
mplished with as little disruption as possible to the day’s work.
Some of the miners who waited were assigned what would surely be the formidable task of clearing away the rubble and broken rock the blasting powder would—with any luck—create. But curiosity had drawn the rest of the mine’s workers as well, plus a good number from the iron mine farther down the road. Adding to the crowd was a sizable contingent from the Carpenters’ Guild, ready with carts full of boards and tools to install the bracing the new excavations would require. Everyone milled around, filling the air with an excited buzz.
Noadiah followed a path around the curve of the mountain to a small shed and returned bearing a ceramic pot containing his creation. Yesterday he’d shown Elkan, with Josiah beside him hanging on every word, how he ground the ingredients with a mortar and pestle—a whitish, crumbly mineral he named saltpeter, black hardwood charcoal, and a yellow rock called sulfur that stank like spoiled eggs. Noadiah had stirred the resulting powder with a finger—warning them how important it was to avoid any spark that might set the mixture off—and poured it onto a square of paper he twisted tightly closed. Taking it outside, he’d set it in the middle of a large bare patch of rock, bid Elkan and Josiah to stand well back, and set the paper alight. The little paper package had exploded with a wonderfully thrilling bang and a puff of flame and smoke.
Remembering the force that a single spoonful of powder had released, Josiah eyed the pot in Noadiah’s hands with respect and edged away. He wasn’t the only one—Noadiah eagerly performed his demonstration for anyone who showed an interest, and all the miners had seen what the powder could do.
Josiah couldn’t help trying one last time. “Elkan, please, I promise I’ll be very quiet and stay out of the way—”
“No.” Elkan looked at Josiah in exasperation. “You know it’s much too dangerous. You’re to stay right here with Hadara until we’re done. After that I suppose everyone will want to see, so you may come with them as long as you behave.”
The Fuller's Apprentice (The Chronicles of Tevenar Book 1) Page 25