Nicholas Raven and the Wizards' Web (The Complete Epic Fantasy)

by Thomas J. Prestopnik

  “Only good things, I hope,” he said with a laugh. “But we are second cousins as my father and their mother were first cousins. Still, I don’t begrudge Otto milking the relationship to benefit his village. After all, he helped to prevent the spread of some mischief by that dastardly wizard Caldurian twenty years ago when he wisely contacted me for assistance. Your village had gone through some difficult times back then.”

  “So I’ve been told,” he said, growing quickly at ease. He was delightfully surprised when King Justin mentioned that Kanesbury was an important supplier of flour to the capital city. Nicholas proudly told him that he had been making the deliveries on behalf of Ned Adams over the last two years.

  “As King, I must stay informed about all the details regarding the operation of this realm, including what items are being loaded into the storehouses,” he said. “You must have recently delivered the final shipments of the year, correct? It’s usually this time of autumn that the last purchased supplies from the far reaches of the kingdom roll into Morrenwood.”

  “Not exactly, sir.” Nicholas swallowed, nervously realizing that he now had to explain to the King of Arrondale why he had recently left his job in Kanesbury. He glanced Megan’s way, pleading for help, and she jumped into the conversation.

  “Grandfather, forgive me for interrupting, but the reason Nicholas didn’t make those last deliveries is related to why he was able to escort me back to Morrenwood. He had to leave Kanesbury because of certain–complications?”

  Nicholas felt like burying his head in his hands. He wished that Megan hadn’t brought up his problems back home just yet, but was certain that his past actions were about to be scrutinized for good or ill. He simply stood in silence, knowing there was nothing he could do or say to stop the inevitable.

  King Justin furrowed his brow, curiously eyeing his granddaughter. “I don’t understand, Megan. I was simply discussing flour shipments with your friend.” He scratched the back of his head, perplexed by Megan’s statement and noting the unease on Nicholas’ face. “What are you talking about?”

  Megan sighed. “You’ll understand momentarily if you allow us to explain where we’ve been recently. You see, Grandfather, though I was angry that you sent me away to Boros for my protection in these troubled times, you were correct in a way. Danger was lurking out there, though it had found me someplace else.”

  “Then by all means, let us sit and talk. I look forward to an intriguing tale as soon as your father arrives.”

  “Trust me, King Justin, you won’t be disappointed,” Carmella said. “I’ve heard all the details and even I find some of them hard to believe!”

  As everyone took a seat at the far end of the table, Dooley Kramer, still hidden in the rafters at the opposite end of the chamber, anticipated hearing a stunning saga. After the war council had adjourned a short time ago, he expected the chamber to quickly clear out so he could make an escape from his cramped hiding spot. His neck and back ached and he feared that he might fall asleep again above the constant rising of heat from the fireplace below. He grew angry at first upon hearing the voices of the new arrivals, figuring he would never get out of the Citadel if the meeting were to continue. But when he heard the name and voice of Nicholas Raven, he was shocked into paying careful attention once again.

  At first Dooley couldn’t believe what he was hearing. But when he recognized the words Kanesbury, flour shipments, Otto Nibbs and Caldurian being uttered, a shiver ran up his back, snapping his mind fully awake. How could Nicholas Raven, of all people, be inside the Blue Citadel speaking with the King of Arrondale? Impossible! Dooley shook his head, his mind aflutter. And why was Nicholas with Princess Megan, the King’s granddaughter? It simply couldn’t be, yet Dooley was listening to the very conversation that confirmed it. He settled down, trying to calm his mind and absorb every word. He knew there was no way he would fall asleep this time, giddily speculating what Farnsworth and Caldurian would say when he delivered his report.

  After Prince Gregory returned and greeted his daughter in tearful astonishment, King Justin urged her and the others to tell their story. Megan apologized again for disappearing in the middle of the night, learning that Samuel had returned to Morrenwood after searching for her for several days. King Justin had immediately sent out more scouts, but her trail by then had grown cold.

  Prince Gregory expressed gratitude for what Ivy had done to safeguard his daughter, though he was heartbroken that the young girl had been taken from her family. Upon hearing those sentiments, Nicholas thought it the perfect opportunity to make a case for her rescue.

  “Forgive me if I’m out of place, King Justin, but I was hoping you might dispatch a company of scouts to find Ivy. I’ll join in the search,” he pleaded, his eyes filled with sorrow and remorse.

  The King offered a heartfelt smile. “I understand your thinking, Nicholas, and the affection you have for Ivy, but where exactly would I send my troops? You said that a ship from the Isles was anchored offshore near the grasslands before it disappeared while you were unconscious. Where did it go?”

  Nicholas stared at the table, shaking his head. “I don’t know, sir. I just assumed it would return to the Northern Isles.”

  “I don’t know either, and that is unfortunate,” the King replied. “But do not think that the fate of this young woman doesn’t disturb me, because it does. And if down the road I am able to assist in this matter, I shall.”

  “Something disturbs me even more,” Nedry interjected. The King’s advisor, his thin face edged with graying hair, again looked his usual worried self. “Why was that ship near the grasslands in the first place? Prince Brendan informed us that Montavia is under siege by the Northern Isles, so we must assume that a fleet of their ships is stationed well to our east above Montavia’s northern shore.”

  “Nobody doubts that,” Tolapari said.

  “Nor does anyone doubt the story that the ambassador from Surna regaled us with during the war council,” Nedry continued. “He said that several ships from the Isles were anchored at the mouth of the Lorren River well to our west.”

  “Why is that?” Leo asked.

  “Apparently they are sending rafts laden with soldiers and supplies up the river into the Northern Mountains, making their way to Kargoth,” Prince Gregory explained. “The Islanders are working with Vellan and fortifying his stronghold at Del Norác.”

  “And that brings me back to my original question,” Nedry said. “With part of the Island fleet anchored offshore to our east and west, why was a solitary ship sitting north of Arrondale near the grasslands? From what Nicholas and Leo told us about Ivy’s kidnapping, it appears to have been a spur-of-the-moment undertaking. I doubt the ship was routed to that location simply to pick up the woman who they thought was Princess Megan.”

  King Justin rubbed a hand across his face, contemplating Nedry’s troubling words. “What are you saying, my friend?”

  “Two questions come to mind,” he stated. “One, what was the purpose of Madeline and Mune’s visit with troops from the Northern Isles? And two, if they believe they have Princess Megan, what do they plan to do with her?”

  “Very astute questions,” King Justin said. “I will send out scouts to patrol the area on the off chance that the Islanders will return in such a blatant manner, but my instincts tell me they will not. If that meeting was part of something more sinister, I don’t think they’ll show themselves so readily again. And where that ship–and Ivy–is now, well, that is anybody’s guess. Still, better to have the information than not.”

  “If that’s the case, Grandfather, then you’ll be pleased with our next bit of news,” Megan excitedly told him.

  “There’s more?” he said. “I thought the three of you covered your travels from beginning to end.”

  “We have,” Leo said, “but Carmella has her own story to add to the mix. We felt it best to let her explain the details since we weren’t there for most of it.”

  “Proceed, Carmella,”
the King replied with a cordial smile. “What else do you bring to this table?”

  “One of the Enâri,” she responded a bit uncomfortably, fingering the medallion around her neck.

  The wizard Tolapari wore a bewildered expression. “How did you learn anything about the Enâri creatures, Carmella? What information do you have?”

  “You misunderstood me,” she replied. “I don’t have information about the Enâri. I actually have one of the Enâri creatures with me. He serves as my driver and is camping outdoors along the river near my wagon. His name is Jagga.”

  A half dozen individuals stared at Carmella with shocked and curious expressions, each wondering if what he had just heard had been heard accurately. She removed the medallion from around her neck and set it on the table before describing the events concerning her meeting and befriending Jagga. When she explained how Jagga had stolen the key to the Spirit Box in Kanesbury and had it melted down, the incredulousness of those listening only increased.

  “And that is the key?” King Justin inquired, pointing to the medallion. “Or rather what’s left of it?”

  Carmella nodded. “I know it’s a fanciful story, and I found it difficult to believe myself, but when I first touched the medallion…” She picked up the piece of metal and handed it to Leo, indicating for him to pass it to Tolapari. “Having received training in the magic arts, I sensed something unusual about the object the instant I first touched it, but am no longer able to. My powers are limited. But you, Tolapari, are a fully trained wizard. What is your opinion?”

  Tolapari raked a hand through his unruly hair as he suspiciously eyed the medallion that Leo held out, finally taking the object by the leather cord and holding it up in the light to study. The simple, unadorned disk appeared particularly unremarkable yet seized his attention like an unsolvable riddle. Finally, the wizard grasped the object, his eyes widening the instant his skin came in contact with the piece of metal, his lungs filling with an involuntary intake of breath. The tips of his fingers grew warm and cold at the same moment as the magic churning within the item announced its presence. Tolapari set the medallion on the table, silently contemplating the mighty power that the wizard Frist had instilled inside the object twenty years ago.

  “You are correct, Carmella. There is a potent force inside that piece of metal, a magic undetectable by ordinary folk. Yet it has been altered somewhat when it was reshaped in the intense heat of the forge, perhaps even diminished.” Tolapari continued to stare at the object, recalling some of his past adventures in the world of wizardry. “I was trained by Frist, and during one of our visits many years ago he told me the story about how he created a spirit that would someday be capable of destroying the Enâri race if given enough time to incubate. The spirit was imprisoned in a metal box protected by magic and only able to be opened by a similarly magical key–that key,” he said as he pointed to the medallion. “The particular spell Frist had cast on the outskirts of Kanesbury drained much of the life out of him, he once told me. His challenge to Vellan’s power was the most difficult task he had ever undertaken. Frist thought he might have shortened his lifespan because of it.”

  “Did he?” Brendan asked. Since his brief encounter with Caldurian, the prince was curious about the power of the wizards who roamed Laparia.

  “Fortunately no,” Tolapari replied. “Frist recovered from the ordeal over time, indicating what a force he was in his own right. He still lives as far as I know. He was, after all, one of the true wizards like Vellan, hailing from the Valley of the Wizards far in the west.” He glanced at the King. “It is a fortunate coincidence that Carmella brought this medallion to the Citadel.”

  “What Tolapari means is that the Spirit Box Frist created is currently inside this building,” King Justin explained. “My cousin, Otto Nibbs, who had possession of the box as mayor of Kanesbury, gave it to me several years ago for safekeeping since he believed the Enâri threat to his village had passed. But according to Len Harold and Princes Brendan and William, the Enâri have reawakened.”

  “You spoke to Len Harold?” Nicholas asked, surprised that a member of the Kanesbury village council was in Morrenwood. “What did he say?”

  “Apparently the recent escape of the Enâri has caused quite an uproar in your village, Nicholas. Though Mister Harold mentioned a few particulars during the council, he spoke to me in private beforehand, filling me in on the smaller details.”

  Nicholas’ face paled, fearing the worst. “Have the Enâri attacked Kanesbury again?”

  “No! No! Nothing like that,” the King replied, quickly relating what he had learned, including Otto’s disappearance and George Bane’s excursion into the Spirit Caves after being enticed with gin and money from a stranger named Mune.

  At the mention of Mune’s name, Nicholas thought about all the strange events he had been embroiled in lately, wondering how or if they were related. It intrigued him that one of Ivy’s kidnappers had also been in Kanesbury on the first night of the Harvest Festival, yet he couldn’t connect the events. Maybe it was simply a coincidence.

  Megan noted the distracted look upon his face, her thoughts paralleling his. “You must be wondering why the man who helped Madeline kidnap Ivy was also in your village arranging for the release of the Enâri.”

  “I am,” he said, ready to explain everything that had happened to him in Kanesbury in front of King Justin and the others. He hoped they would indulge the personal speculations of a commoner and not feel that he was wasting their time. “I find it strange that the Enâri were released on the same night that I was arrested for robbery and that Arthur Weeks was murdered.”

  King Justin leaned back in his chair in surprise, wondering exactly who his granddaughter had invited into the Blue Citadel. Carmella sat up at the same moment, a chill running through her at the mention of the name Arthur Weeks.

  “Don’t worry, Grandfather. Nicholas didn’t rob anybody,” Megan said. “He was framed for that crime and the murder, which is why he fled Kanesbury and eventually met me.”

  “Your grandfather and I both look forward to hearing the details surrounding that episode,” Prince Gregory said with an assumed smirk.

  “As do I,” Carmella added, turning to Nicholas, her heart beating wildly and her hands quivering as she gripped the armrest of his chair. “Did you just say a man was murdered in your village on the very night the Enâri were reawakened?”

  “Yes. His name was Arthur Weeks, and word around town was that I killed him,” Nicholas said, still incensed by the accusation. “And since Arthur implicated me in the robbery right to my face, well, apparently most folks found it hard to deny that I was his killer. But like Megan said, I didn’t do it. And I have a witness.”

  “Oh, I believe you,” Carmella said, gazing at the medallion lying upon the table. “Because I think I now know who killed the unfortunate Arthur Weeks.”

  “You do?” he asked in disbelief. “How is that possible?”

  “Because of something Jagga had mentioned to me, which up until now I never gave a second thought,” she replied. “You see, when he told me he had stolen the key from a man in Kanesbury, he briefly mentioned that his name was Arthur Weeks, but said nothing more about him. I didn’t pay much attention to the detail as I was so fascinated that Jagga had stolen the magic key–and it happened around the time you said you had fled Kanesbury.”

  Tolapari leaned back in his chair, nodding. “If a just awakened Enâr needed an excuse for murder, then I guess securing his freedom was as good an excuse as any. And it makes sense, too. If Jagga had abandoned all allegiance to Caldurian and Vellan, then why would anything stop him from pursuing his own agenda at any cost?”

  “Even murder,” Nicholas softly said as some of the pieces of his life’s puzzle fell into place. When he looked up at the others, an enlightened gleam filled his eyes and his world started to make sense again. “If Arthur was killed because he possessed the key to the Spirit Box, and since he and Dooley Kramer were close fr
iends, then I’m guessing that Dooley knew about the key as well. Arthur was killed inside Dooley’s house, after all. And that means–”

  “–that Arthur and Dooley were involved in something more sinister,” Megan jumped in. “You once told me it didn’t make sense that those two would go to all the trouble to frame you for a robbery just to get your old job. But if they had possession of the key when Mune arranged for the release of the Enâri creatures, chances are they were in league with Mune or his associates. Otherwise, how would Jagga have learned that Arthur or Dooley had the key?”

  “Meaning what?” Nicholas asked.

  “Meaning that they needed you out of the way for some reason other than your job,” Megan said. “You were about to be arrested, Nicholas, most likely to languish in the village lockup for who knows how long.”

  He smiled at Megan. “Perhaps you should have been a constable. But word was around the village that I planned to leave for Morrenwood soon to join up with the King’s Guard and…” Nicholas suddenly felt embarrassed for blurting out such words in front of King Justin, now feeling a bit presumptuous to have even imagined that the King would want someone like him in the royal guard. But King Justin put him immediately at ease.

  “You would have made a fine addition to my guard,” he said, the sincerity evident in his voice.

  “I’ll take the blame for Nicholas not fulfilling his original intention,” Megan said. “Remember, after meeting me on the road, he decided to escort me to Boros.”

  “Which we are very grateful for,” Prince Gregory replied. “In a way, Nicholas was soldiering for the King in an unofficial capacity.”

  “Precisely,” King Justin replied, urging him and Megan to continue with their thoughts.

  “My point was,” Nicholas said, “that if I was already planning to leave Kanesbury, why would Dooley and Arthur go to all the trouble to make it look like I committed a crime?”

  “Maybe they had other motives,” Megan said. “But it appears that those two were involved in framing you and were probably associating with people connected to the key, including that Mune fellow. So the big question you need to think about is why they wanted you out of the way? How could your presence interfere with their plans, whatever they are?”