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

by Thomas J. Prestopnik

  “Now I must be off,” Gavin said shortly after. “Though it will be a tedious trial waiting around here for a few more days, it must be done. I will do some spying of my own in the meantime, peering through windows and listening in on conversations and such, hoping to glean more specifics about the fate of this medallion.”

  “If you must,” Dooley said, “but try not to arouse suspicion. Your main task is to track the movements of the two who will deliver the medallion. Caldurian can handle the rest.”

  After Gavin left, Dooley continued home, eager to leave the miles of tired and dreary road behind. All the while he silently fumed, contemplating how Nicholas Raven had escaped the traps that had been set for him in Kanesbury and was once again a detriment to their glorious plans. Farnsworth would be furious that Nicholas had linked Dooley to the robbery, Arthur Weeks’ murder and the release of the Enâri, though he would happily report that Farnsworth had not been implicated in any way. It was a minor consolation, but for his own sake, Dooley knew that Nicholas Raven could never be allowed to step foot in Kanesbury again, no matter what the cost.

  Chapter 31

  Alterations

  Nedry pushed open the pale blue stained glass window in his office early the next morning. A cool draft slipped inside, refreshing his already tired body. He sipped a cup of hot tea as he observed the billowy swirl of gray and white clouds lounging above the trees along the Edelin River, mourning the absent sunshine and buoyant atmosphere of the previous day. A murder of crows raised mayhem above the distant pines, their floating forms appearing as tiny black dots against the milky backdrop.

  But being into the fifth week of the autumn season, quick changes from delightful sunshine and blue skies to long stretches of ashen clouds and damp spirits was hardly unexpected. Nedry missed the lazy, recuperative walks he would take along the road near the fruit orchards on warm summer days, feeling as if it would be a lifetime before that season would again flourish in the valley. And though he knew there would be glorious days to enjoy in the fall and approaching winter, he assumed that the recent muddying of the political landscape and his nagging desire to retire had magnified his glum disposition. He was considering submitting his resignation to King Justin after matters were settled in Montavia and Rhiál. The King probably suspected as much as Nedry had dropped hints, but as his next meeting was starting shortly, he pushed aside such thoughts and concentrated on the task at hand.

  He took another sip of tea and closed the window, turning around to face the tiny room with a single fireplace and a cluttered desk that served as his private office for so many years. But today’s meeting would be held in one of King Justin’s private chambers to discuss Nicholas and Leo’s mission to find the wizard Frist. And though he rarely contradicted the King’s judgment and trust in other people, he felt uneasy about sending the medallion off with two strangers into the wild. Despite Princess Megan’s faith in the two men and their obvious success in guiding her safely to Morrenwood, he had a nagging suspicion that something could go wrong.

  Having suddenly been given a chance to strike a blow at Vellan, Nedry wondered if they might be risking it too casually. Or were old age and obstinacy coloring his views? Nicholas and Leo had demonstrated courage and responsibility in the starkest terms, so perhaps they were the wise choice. If secrecy was at the root of the mission, what better way to cloak it than by recruiting such an inconspicuous pair? He tried to convince himself that that was the way to proceed as he hurried down a flight of stairs to the meeting room. Still, an added layer of precaution couldn’t hurt, he mused, racking his brain for a solution.

  Tolapari unfolded a large parchment map upon a table in King Justin’s upper study, the dull morning light faintly highlighting the black, brown, green and blue images of mountains, trees and rivers in and around Arrondale. He was seated at the table with Nicholas and Leo. The wizard tapped his finger upon a small dot on the western border of the kingdom indicating the capital city of Morrenwood.

  “Your journey is quite simple. You’ll be traveling from Morrenwood, located here,” he said, sliding the tip of his finger in a slight arc to the northwest, “to Wolf Lake in the Dunn Hills right here.” He pointed to a lake on the eastern edge of the vast mountainous, tree-covered region. “There is a small island upon the lake where the wizard Frist resides. I guided him there myself. He had spent many happy years exploring the wilderness and climbing the mountains in that region in his younger days, deciding it was where he would spend his final years.” Nicholas and Leo studied the map as King Justin and Nedry gazed over their shoulders.

  “Well, Leo, it looks easy enough on paper,” Nicholas joked, scanning the inky terrain before glancing up at the wizard. “Any suggestions on the best path to take?”

  “Of course,” he replied, again using his finger to trace out a more specific route. “After leaving Morrenwood and crossing the Edelin River here, you’ll ride across this grassy region between the two southern stretches of the Trent Hills, approaching the Gliwice Gap on the western edge. Once you pass through that, the Cashua Forest will stand before you in all its glory. It won’t be a difficult journey to this point.”

  “Good to hear,” Leo said. “And from there? Do we go around the southern tip of the forest or go through it?”

  “Definitely through it,” the wizard said. “And for a couple of reasons. First, you will save time, and the quicker this deed is done, the better. Second, if you did go around the southern tip, as you headed back north you’d be traveling for many miles along the banks of the Lorren River in open view of any troops from the Northern Isles. Their rafts are traveling upriver to Kargoth.”

  “Why risk a possible encounter with them?” King Justin posed. “They may sail on their merry way, but who is to say that they don’t have foot soldiers patrolling the banks here and there? Though various communities thrive along the narrow strip of shore bordering the eastern expanse of the Dunn Hills, there is no formal government in those parts. The Northern Isles are probably being shown token resistance, if any. It is best to avoid trouble if you can.”

  “We’ll go through Cashua Forest,” Nicholas said, studying the stretch of woodland tucked between the Lorren River and the Trent Hills. “How difficult can it be?”

  “After leaving Gliwice Gap, if you bear slightly southwest to the edge of the forest and enter it there, you should come to a narrow ravine a mile or two inside the woods,” Tolapari informed them. “It is the remains of a dry river bed. Of course, your horses won’t be able to handle that terrain, so you’ll have to sell them as you near the woods. Following the ravine will take you almost to the other side of the forest. If you keep to those bearings until you exit, you’ll arrive at a point on the Lorren River opposite the village of Woodwater.” The wizard pointed out another tiny dot on the map on the west bank of the river. “You’ll have to hire a guide in that village to take you through the Dunn Hills to Wolf Lake. Following a ravine through the Cashua Forest is one thing, but traversing the wilds of the Dunn is a challenge for anybody not intimately familiar with the terrain.”

  Nicholas nodded as he studied the map, eager to start the journey yet feeling the weight of its purpose. “And Frist will be able to transform the medallion back into the key?”

  “If he can’t, then your journey is in vain,” King Justin said with grim humor.

  “Don’t say such a thing,” Nedry replied, worriedly walking about the room, his chest tightening. He opened a window overlooking the fruit orchards and inhaled the fresh morning air to calm himself, observing the slow passage of clouds. On a nearby ledge he noted a large black crow picking at a sprig of dried berries it had carried from the woods along the river, the chaotic cawing of its fellow crows still audible in the distance. Nedry wondered why this particular bird preferred to remain alone. “I’m anxious enough as it is about this mission,” he added, looking back into the room and leaning against the sill with folded arms. “Restoring the key to the Spirit Box is no small matter. I don
’t think one should joke about its failure.”

  “You must relax, Nedry,” the King said. “Enduring too many late nights pondering over matters of state is not healthy for a man of your years.”

  “I’m afraid, sir, old habits are hard to break,” he replied. “The only way I know how to perform my job is to thoroughly fret over the details. And since the details of this journey are confined to the five of us, I shall delegate none of the preparations to my assistants. I’ll personally arrange for the food supplies, transportation and clothing required for our travelers.” He approached Nicholas and Leo. “Since the two of you have three days to spare before you leave, I thought some training with the King’s troops might do some good.”

  “Training?” Leo asked.

  “One never knows when a bit of sword fighting or outdoor survival skills might come in handy,” King Justin said. “Besides, Nicholas had revealed his intentions of joining up with my guard, so I’m offering you an opportunity to briefly train with my best men.”

  “I’m willing,” Nicholas said, accepting the King’s offer.

  “Then count me in,” Leo replied. “Besides, it might be fun learning how to wield a sword, though I don’t expect we’ll need to use one on our journey.”

  “Let’s hope not,” Nedry said, adding another worry to his long list as he closed the window. He noticed the crow still stationed outside, only now it was perched nearer to the study, its ebony eyes appearing to lock gazes with him. The King’s advisor felt a chill run through him as he locked the window, unable to shake a sense of unease that suddenly gripped his spirit.

  “Still, we’ll look quite a sight roaming about armed in such a manner.” Nicholas said, suddenly subdued. “If only we had been better prepared along the grasslands, then maybe Ivy might…” He sighed. “Well, you understand.”

  “With luck, there won’t be many people observing your trek,” Nedry replied. “You’ll be off the main roads for the most part.”

  “If on any roads at all,” King Justin said. “You’ll be traveling through mostly unsettled parts of the kingdom and beyond, but that will be to your advantage. It’s been some time since I’ve ridden to the western border of Arrondale. I envy you the adventure ahead.”

  “You’ll have your own adventure when you leave for Rhiál, my friend,” Tolapari remarked. “And unlike Nicholas and Leo, no one will be unaware of your departure from the Citadel with an army in tow as you set out.”

  Nedry nodded as he glanced at the window again, observing that the crow was no longer perched outside. For some reason the bird’s presence had upset him, though he couldn’t fathom why.

  “Then I had better prepare as well,” the King said, offering goodbyes to Nicholas and Leo, explaining that he had to meet with his son and top captains. “Remain here with Tolapari as long as you need to plan your route,” he added before exiting the room.

  “I shall take my leave, too,” Nedry said as a shadow of doubt clouded his mind. “I have other matters that need my attention.” He slipped out the study door and drifted down the corridor, his thoughts in a whirl.

  Despite a chill in the air, Nedry took a walk along his favorite orchard road before lunch to clear his head and ease his heartburn about the upcoming battles and the secret mission to the Dunn Hills. He knew that he agonized too much about such matters as if he were king himself, wondering how he would ever adjust to retirement.

  He paused and leaned against a wooden fence to study a row of apple trees closing down for the approaching winter, feeling just as vulnerable himself in the cooling air and lessening light of each passing day. But before a sense of melancholy overwhelmed him, he heard fluttering in a nearby branch and turned suddenly. There he spotted a lone black crow apparently inspecting the limb for bugs, certain that it was the same crow perched upon the window ledge earlier. Was he being followed? Was the crow a spy, he wondered, trying to recall what words were spoken in King Justin’s study while the window was open. But his troubled feelings soon lifted. Nedry chuckled as he walked back to the Citadel, chiding himself for wallowing in paranoia until he noticed the crow flying back to the building as well, sailing aloft upon the currents toward the upper turrets bathed in milky gray light.

  Throughout the rest of the day, Nedry attended to his regular duties as well as making sure that horses and adequate food supplies were prepared for Nicholas and Leo’s journey, making no mention of the purpose for such requests. Later in the afternoon while on his way to check in with the seamstresses about clothing arrangements, he heard a shuffle of hurried footsteps behind. Just as he turned around, Brendan and William were barreling toward him. Nedry slowed down the two princes with a raised hand, wondering what the fuss was about.

  “You’re a difficult person to track down,” William said, grinning and out of breath.

  “Sorry for the intrusion,” Brendan added, “but we were hoping for a moment of your time. My brother saw you turn the corner and bolted after you.”

  “Quite all right,” Nedry replied, leading them to a large alcove with two oak benches. A single oil lamp on the wall cast subdued light and flickering shadows upon the surroundings, highlighting a stone sculpture of a horse standing upon its hind legs. Nedry sat down while Brendan and William took a seat on the opposite bench, the younger prince anxiously tapping his feet upon the floor. “Now how may I help you?”

  “We didn’t think we should bother King Justin with our request,” Brendan began, “not wanting to appear ungrateful and all.”

  “Is there a problem?”

  “Not at all,” he said. “But William and I were wondering if we might have the King’s permission to leave the Citadel for a few days to wander the countryside.”

  “To explore,” William said, his light brown eyes wide and eager.

  Brendan sighed, finding his words awkward and ungracious even before they were spoken. “The truth is that–”

  “–you’re bored to death?” Nedry guessed with a note of amusement.

  Brendan nodded, slightly embarrassed. “You might say that, Nedry. And we don’t mean to sound ungrateful, but it’s going to be a long month before we return to Montavia. And truth be told, though we’ve already sat in on a meeting with Prince Gregory and informed him of all we know about the invasion of our kingdom, there is really little else for us to do until we ride. He and his captains have everything under control.”

  “No doubt,” he agreed. “Therefore, I shall be happy to present your request to King Justin in the morning. I see no reason why he should object.”

  “Thank you!” William said. “As much as I like it here, I feel kind of useless doing nothing. I wish we could have gone with the others, wherever they’re headed.”

  “You mean Nicholas and Leo?”

  “Yes,” Brendan said. “You don’t suppose the King would change his mind and let us tag along, do you?”

  “No chance, I’m afraid.” He lowered his voice and glanced out the alcove, wary of any passersby. “King Justin prefers that that journey be made in secret. The fewer eyes that notice, the better.”

  “I understand. So I hope we can go on our own journey,” William said, “even if it is just tramping around the countryside for a few days. And I don’t care who sees us!”

  Nedry raised an eyebrow upon hearing those words, a new thought taking hold. “Where would you go?” he asked.

  “We want to explore the southern reaches of the kingdom,” Brendan said. “Perhaps along the Pine River into Bridgewater County and a bit beyond. I’ve been studying maps in the Citadel library.”

  “Excellent choice,” Nedry said, noting to himself that they would be taking a route opposite that of Nicholas and Leo. He rose and shook hands with Brendan and William, apologizing that he must be on his way but assuring them that their request was as good as granted. “But keep this matter between us. I’ll let you know the King’s decision soon,” he promised as the two princes repeatedly thanked him before they departed, leaving the King’s a
dvisor alone in the alcove to ponder the matter for a few more minutes before his meeting with the seamstresses.

  When Nedry dropped by a short while later, the women were busily tailoring travel clothes and long wool overcoats for Nicholas and Leo’s trip, laughing and enjoying tea as they attended to their duties. As Nedry entered the large stone room replete with looms and spinning wheels and shelves crammed with bolts of materials and spools of thread, an older woman in charge greeted him.

  “Hello again, Nedry,” she said with an eager smile. “It’s a rare chance that you ever stop by, and here it is that you visit us twice in two days. Why are we so honored?”

  Nedry grinned as a stream of sunlight breaking through the clouds spilled onto a slate floor through a round stained glass window. “I’m flattered that you consider my visit an honor, Miss Alb, but I wanted to see how you were progressing on my request.”

  “Swimmingly!” she said, gently touching the back of her graying hair and wiping out the wrinkles in her work dress. “Everything will be ready by tomorrow morning.”

  “Excellent. But I’m wondering if I might make an additional request,” he added, “hoping it won’t be too much of an inconvenience.”

  “Certainly not,” she said, motioning him to a small table that served as her desk. She sat down, offering Nedry a chair on the opposite side. “Some tea?”

  “None at the moment, thank you.”

  “Then how may I further help you, Nedry, with this mysterious assignment?” Miss Alb asked, brimming with anticipation.

  “Well, ma’am, if at all possible, I’d like you and your seamstresses to make two second sets of travel clothes, though not as many are needed in this case. And two more wool overcoats as well.” Nedry furrowed his brow as he gazed appreciatively at Miss Alb. “Will that present any problems or delays?”