by Kara Jaynes
It hadn’t occurred to the beast tamer that I could fly us over in the cover of darkness, and escape most if not all eyes. To be fair, Taloos had only seen me shift once, and that was if he was even conscious when I’d battled with the beast that plagued his home village. Thinking like a dragon wasn’t something either of my companions was familiar with.
Glacia tripped on a tree root, and I caught and steadied her before she fell on her face. “Thank you,” she muttered, keeping her gaze down. I kept a hand around her waist, the other holding her by her wrist. She needs me to help her. The trail is turning treacherous. That was the only reason. Nothing to do with the feel of her.
We followed Taloos at a distance as the beast tamer bounded down the trail, the trees thinning to expose a hilly land, open with dry grass.
“I’ve never been to a city before,” Glacia said. “Not a real one, like this. What should I expect?”
I wanted to tell her that it’d be fine, that it was just like the village, only bigger, noisier and smellier. But as we approached it, and the foggy city loomed before us, my apprehension grew as I studied the thick haze of enchantment. “I don’t know,” I said. “I don’t know.”
3
Glacia
When we reached the bottom of the incline, Silvan released me as if I had burned him. “I’m going to scout ahead,” he said, and took off like an arrow from a bow. I watched him go as I rubbed my wrist, still feeling the press of his fingers.
Swallowing hard, I inhaled deeply, smelling the sweet grass in the autumn air. He’d come back. He’d return.
“You’ve never been to a city?” Taloos said, hanging back now that Silvan was gone. “You’re going to love Stagfort.”
“What’s it like?” I asked. I frowned, peering ahead. The grass was so tall it reached my waist. I didn’t see Silvan anywhere. Other people trudged to the gate. They looked like farmers; backs bent as they pulled hand-wagons or pushed wheelbarrows. They were going to the city to sell their wares.
“It’s great,” Taloos answered, his eyes bright with excitement. “It’s busy, all the time, so there’s always something to do. You have to watch for thugs and pickpockets, but there are nice people, too, like vendors, musicians, and street performers.” He laughed. “It’s like having a massive family all living in the same place.”
That didn’t sound too bad. The knot of nerves in my stomach loosened a little, but only until we reached the gate, and I still didn’t see any sign of Silvan. Where was he?
As we approached the entrance, I shied closer to Taloos, not liking the glare that the gatekeeper shot us.
“State your name and business,” he barked.
Taloos bowed with a flourish. “Just a couple of travelers, my dear fellow. I’m Taloos Colsworth, and this is the lady Glacia Ironheart.”
Ironheart, was it? I scowled at Taloos, but the beast tamer refused to look at me, the corners of his lips twitching in a suppressed grin.
The gatekeeper gave me a sardonic smile. “Lady, eh?” He glanced at my torn and dirty dress. “Just remember to keep to the west side of the city. The east is trouble.”
“Trouble, sir?” Taloos asked. “What sort of trouble might that be?”
“Sorcerer trouble,” the gatekeeper growled. “Even the guards don’t go there.” He waved at us to continue through. “You’re holding up the line, boy.”
Glancing over our shoulders showed that some of the farmers had caught up, and were waiting their turn to come through the gate and into the city.
Puffing his chest out, Taloos strode ahead and into the city of Stagfort. I followed.
The fog was thick, making it difficult to see until the haze passed on, leaving a temporary rift in the gray. The roar of noise hit me like a wall, and I flinched, instinctively reaching for Taloos’s hand.
Taloos’s fingers twined with mine, and he arched an eyebrow at me, his lips curving in a sly smile.
I didn’t know this many people existed. It was much busier than the Halls of the Chosen, and at least a hundred times bigger than the village. People screamed at us, trying to lure us over to inspect their wares. Fruit, vegetables, jewelry, paper, thread, quill pens, knives; the city seemed to have anything anyone could want. I even saw a little house where all sorts of shoes were lined up in the window. I glanced down at my feet, dusty and sore. I hoped I’d be able to afford some soon.
Exactly at that moment, a rat scampered over my foot. I screamed, halfway climbing Taloos in my attempt to widen the distance between myself and the creature.
Taloos staggered under me and shrugged his shoulder, causing me to slip, my feet making contact with the ground. “Calm down, it's only a rat,” he grumbled.
“Only a rat?” I sputtered. Some of the passersby were watching me, and my face reddened. “What's a rat doing out here in the thick of things?”
“You're right, that's usually uncommon,” Taloos agreed. “But there are so many here, they're a lot bolder by necessity.” We began walking, and with his fingers determinedly wrapped around mine again, he used his free hand to gesture toward the houses and shops clustered along the streets. “See? Rats are everywhere. Under the gutters, lurking in ditches, in the trash . . .” He trailed off, his brown eyes troubled. “Land quake, there are a lot. Even by city standards.”
I inhaled, trying to keep my rat-induced anxiety at bay. I hoped Silvan would find me soon. I didn't want to stay in a rat-infested city.
In the middle of the street, horses thundered by, drawing polished carriages, some gilded with gold. The horses’ coats ranged from milk-white to coal-black, and every shade of gray and brown in between.
Taloos glared at one of the passing carriages; a huge golden thing pulled by four gray horses.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, and Taloos exhaled heavily.
“I often forget others don’t hear them,” he said, putting his mouth close to my ear so I could hear him over the din. “That carriage was heavy to pull, especially in this early fall heat, and the horses were complaining.”
I nodded, not sure how to respond. I supposed I wouldn’t want to pull a carriage in any weather.
Music played on every street corner, the sound jarring as they mixed with each other. A fiddle playing a jig here, a flute playing a lullaby there, drums pulsing a heart pounding beat. Taloos bobbed his head to one to the songs, and I glanced at his back trouser pocket where he always kept his tin whistle. Sure as fire, he'd be playing later.
Taloos and I stopped and stared at a couple of women doing handstands. They were wearing scandalously little, their stomachs exposed, their feet pointed straight up.
“I’ll save my money and get you clothes like that, if you like,” Taloos said with a wink and a grin, laughing when I stood on tip-toe to smack the top of his head. He ducked away, trying to dodge another mock-blow from me, and stumbled into another passerby.
“Watch it!” the man snarled, pushing roughly past us.
I scowled at the man’s retreating back before he was swallowed up by the crowd. “What’s put a bee in his bonnet?” I huffed.
Taloos shrugged, taking my hand again. “It’s not just him. The whole city seems gloomier this visit.”
I frowned in puzzlement. “What do you mean?”
Taloos shrugged. “Something’s off this time. Not sure what. Maybe a raise in taxes.” His face turned anxious. “I hope there isn’t sickness being spread about by the rats, or we’ll have to leave immediately.”
I began studying passing faces as we continued walking. Taloos was right. The people seemed anxious, on edge, and we got more than one distrustful glance in the shifting fog.
“Oust the mage!” I turned to see a man standing several yards away, waving his hands in the air. “He will bring doom on us all.”
“Where’s Silvan?” I asked, anxiety beginning to creep up on me. My feet hurt on the uneven cobblestones.
“I have no idea,” Taloos admitted. “But I’m sure he’ll turn up, eventually. I’m a lucky
sort, at times, but it’ll take more than luck to lose him.” His gaze traveled to the protesting man. “Well, he can't mean Silvan, if you're worried. We've only been here less than an hour.”
The beast tamer tugged me over to a large, worn-out building. The sign showed a gray goose on the swinging sign, the paint faded with age.
“The Gray Goose Inn.” Taloos walked up the steps, pulling me along with him. “We’ll stay here for the night, and see what rumors we can pick up. Hopefully, we can figure out why everyone is so grouchy.”
Taloos opened the door and bowed with a dramatic flourish. “After you, my lady.”
I stepped inside, unsure of what to expect. I knew that inns were a place for people to sleep, but my knowledge ended there.
I found a large room, filled with tables and chairs, all of which were empty. I shuddered when I saw a rat scuttle across the room and into a hole in the wall.
“Good afternoon, sir and lady.” A middle-aged man trundled in from a back door, dry washing his hands. “May I be of any assistance?”
“We’ll need two rooms,” Taloos said. “One of our companions should be arriving this evening.”
The innkeeper’s eyes suddenly narrowed as he took in our appearance. Shabby clothing, worn out shoes—or none, in my case—and Taloos had pieces of dry grass sticking out of his hair.
“And you intend to pay for these rooms, I presume?”
“Of course,” Taloos said. “Just not with money.”
The innkeeper’s skeptical frown deepened. He opened his mouth to reply when Taloos spoke up first. “Do you have a problem with rats, good sir?”
The man laughed. “You must have just arrived. Everyone has trouble with rats, even worse than usual, lately.”
“I see.” I could tell Taloos was trying to reign his excitement in, but he was unsuccessful in holding back a smug smile. “How about this? I’ll rid you of your rats, in exchange for a couple of rooms and a hearty dinner.”
The innkeeper was already shaking his head before Taloos finished. “If I thought you really could, boy, I’d jump at the offer, make no mistake. But I already have three cats, and even they can’t keep up with the number of rodents.”
I jumped at the sound of scritching from under one of the tables. The innkeeper noticed my reaction. “See? They even come out in the daytime, now.”
Taloos squared his shoulders. “I don’t make promises, lightly, innkeeper. I can clean this inn of rats, or I will find a different inn, and make them the talk of the town instead. It’s your choice.”
The innkeeper rubbed his chin. “Well, I don’t suppose it could hurt to try . . .. Deal.” He held a hand out, and Taloos shook it.
The beast tamer smiled. “Show me the kitchen. I’ll start immediately.”
The innkeeper waved at us to follow, and we went through the same door the innkeeper had come out of earlier.
The kitchen was nearly as big as the front room. It began as a hall that widened out into a large room with a hearth and stove, table and ceramic basin.
Shelves lined the walls near the door and were packed with food. I shuddered at the rat droppings I saw where the shelves met the floor.
A couple of women were in the kitchen, one stirring a pot at the fire, the other chopping celery at the table.
Taloos paused, mid-stride, his head cocked to the side, listening. I didn’t hear anything, but the beast tamer stood frozen, his expression a mask of concentration, eyes unfocused.
“What’s he doing?” the innkeeper asked me in a hushed whisper.
“Listening, I think,” I whispered back. “To the rats.”
“Rather a strange fellow, don’t you think?”
I didn’t respond, still watching my friend. With his head still cocked to the side, Taloos pulled his whistle from his back pocket, and began to play a tune. It was a jig, one of the melodies I’d heard played in the streets. The tune was bright and pleasant, and he rocked slightly on his heels in rhythm to the song.
I smiled, feeling the music seep into my bones. I couldn’t help but tap my toe to the beat, and I noticed the innkeeper and the cooks were, too. What was Taloos up to?
Taloos’s eyes were half-closed as if in a trance, his body weaving slightly, like a tree in a soft breeze. His breaths were strong and sure.
The innkeeper bit back a startled oath as rats jumped out of crevices in the wall, from the space under the shelves, and from behind the bags of potatoes by the hearth. Dozens of rats, boiling from their hidden spaces as they, presumably all down to the last creature, surged toward the open door leading to the front room. The two women shrieked and climbed onto the large table, pulling their feet up, their gazes locked on the rodents below.
“The common room!” the innkeeper shouted. “I want you to get them out, boy, not send them to where my company gathers.”
Taloos ignored him, his whistle turning low and urgent. Rats began to squeak, and their scrambling intensified. More scrambled from underneath the table, all fleeing to the common room.
The innkeeper and I ran into the front room to see rats squeezing under the crack of the front door, desperate to flee Taloos and his music.
When the last rat had left, the innkeeper and I exchanged looks, mirroring the same amazement. “Did you know he could do that?” the older man asked.
I shook my head, and the innkeeper laughed. “A mage, that he is. A strange one, but I’m a half-wit if that wasn’t magic he used just now.” He held a hand out to me. “My name is Barrett. At your service.”
I returned the handshake, feeling a surge of happiness. It always felt good to have someone acknowledge me, and I wondered if I’d ever grow used to it. “Glacia.”
“Nice to meet you,” Barrett said. “You and your friend are welcome to stay a whole week, if you like, so long as those rats don’t come back. I’ll have the cleanest inn here in Stagfort.”
The whistling stopped, and Taloos stepped into the common room with us, rubbing his eyes. “That should take care of the rats,” he said. “I don’t think they’ll be returning anytime soon.”
“Brilliant!” Barrett clapped his hands together delightedly. “Tonight’s dinner shall be in your honor, Master . . .”
“Taloos,” the beast tamer replied. He stuck his hands in his pockets, rocking back on his heels. He looked so common and unassuming, but it was obvious that Taloos was anything but normal.
“Master Taloos.” The innkeeper waved a hand at us. “Come with me, and I’ll show you to your rooms.”
We followed him up the stairs. The two rooms he offered were farther back down one of two halls. “They are the finest I have to offer,” he said.
They looked like luxury after sleeping on the ground for so long. Plump pillows and goose down comforters covered the beds. There was one bed in each room, but both were much larger than the beds I was used to. Perfect for two. My face warmed, and I quickly walked over to the window overlooking the inn’s backyard.
Taloos joined me by the window, and with shuffling footsteps and the click of the door shutting, the innkeeper left us alone.
“That was incredible, what you did,” I said. “Is that why your village was so clean?”
“Yeah,” Taloos said. “I put my intention in my music, and the rats understood I wanted them to leave. Most animals are pretty agreeable once they know I can understand and speak to them.”
“Except dragons?” I smiled.
Taloos laughed sheepishly, lifting his fingers to scratch the back of his head. “Except dragons. Unpredictable fellows. Speaking of which, where do you think Silvan ran off to?”
Exhaling, my good mood left as I remembered Silvan’s absence. “I don’t know. He said he was going to scout the area.”
Taloos read my expression and clapped me on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, Glacia. I’m sure he’ll turn up soon. He always does.”
I nodded silently, hoping he was right, and that Silvan would somehow manage to find me in the sprawling mess of shops and
inns of Stagfort.
4
Silvan
I did a quick scout of the perimeter of the city, studying the enchantment from the outside. The web of magic began on the east side. Whoever had roped this fog to stay in the city was a powerful magic user.
I scowled. Not as powerful as me, but he or she obviously knew some tricks that I didn’t. The fog for instance.
And the rats.
On entering the city, I found them everywhere. Skittering underfoot and slinking through the fog, I was astounded by how many rodents were in the city. An infestation. I needed to get Glacia out of here.
Fortunately, it didn't prove difficult to find her. As soon as I entered the city, I heard rumors about the beast tamer, words being traded faster than silver.
“And just like that, poof! The rats were gone,” a washer woman said to some passersby. “The inn is completely clear of them. That boy's a mage, I tell you.”
“Elymas won't be pleased,” someone in the group said before he was hushed by another.
“No one is more powerful than Elymas,” the washer woman replied, her face going pale under her sunburned cheeks. “Be off with you, now. I have no time to gossip with the likes of you. Be off! I have work to do.”
“Lord Dubauer should have dealt with the rats,” a voice muttered, a bystander slinking into the crowd. “The man isn’t worth his weight in salt.”
Interesting. I continued walking down the streets of Stagfort, and the rumors led me to an inn called the Gray Goose.
I almost couldn't get inside. People were gathered around the windows and door, all trying to get a glimpse of Taloos. I hoped Glacia wasn't getting trampled by the sheer number of people.
I got as close to the door as I could, and tapped the bloke in front of me on the shoulder. “Excuse me,” I said, almost having to shout in the din. “I need to get by.”
“Who are you?” He glowered. “I'm trying to get a look at the animal mage.”
“You mean beast tamer,” I said, annoyed with myself for picking points with the stranger. “And I'm his friend. Excuse me.”