The Wilder (The Trouble with Magic Book 1)

by Beach, B. J.

  Karryl grinned. “Let’s see if it works first. Would you mind if I tried again? If it works, I’ll explain my thinking.”

  Symon shrugged, gave a little smile and stood back as Karryl closed his eyes once more. He breathed slowly and easily, his breath drifting out of his nostrils in tiny wisps as he gave the impression of being asleep on his feet.

  After a few moments during which Symon, eyes open, employed the same procedure almost as second nature, Karryl began to smile and then he too opened his eyes. “It worked that time! I’m as warm as toast!”

  Giving a satisfied nod, Symon stepped forward to stand beside his protégé. “Now all you have to do is learn to maintain it for as long as you need it, and that will only come with practice. I would be interested to hear your theory as to what happened during your previous attempts.”

  Flushed with success, Karryl found it hard not to look smug. “It’s all about outside and inside. You told me to imagine something warming so I did. But I thought of something that warms the outside … and now we have a matching pair of braziers. But when I imagined something that warms the inside, then it worked!”

  The little magician said nothing, just tucked his hands into his waistcoat pockets and stood looking at Karryl as if considering the logic of his theory. Eventually he stepped up close and looking up into the boy’s face, said quietly, “That still doesn’t explain how you managed the Materialisation without a formal spell casting.”

  Karryl lifted his hands in the air in a gesture of frustration. “I don’t know. It just happened! I thought perhaps you could explain it.”

  He began to look rather dejected as Symon frowned and lapsed once more into thoughtful silence.

  After a minute or two, Karryl bent down to pick up one of the braziers. “Shall we take these back to the tower?”

  Symon made a dismissive gesture.”No. Leave them there for now. I’ll deal with them later. I think it’s about time we returned to the tower. You can study some of the basic spells you will need to know for your tests next year. I also have some studying to do, to see if I can find a precedent for your unusual abilities.”

  Taking one last regretful glance at the braziers lying abandoned in their pool of sooty slush, Karryl pushed his hands into his pockets and followed his master back along the snow-covered woodland path, to the warm confines of the tower.

  CHAPTER THIRTYTWO

  Karryl was finding it difficult to concentrate. The fact that there was now only one week to go before the Winter Festival was part of it, but the thing preying on his mind had nothing to do with festivities and merry-making. Most of his weekend had been spent in the company of his best friend Joel. The snow had all melted away, apart from a few patches lying in shaded hollows and corners as reminders, and the days were clear but bitterly cold.

  Wrapped up warm, they had spent a few hours down at the harbour, looking at the boats laid up for the winter. After that, they strolled along the riverbank watching the wide flat body of the river, swollen with snowmelt water treacherously swirling as it rushed between high banks in a reddish muddy torrent towards the estuary below the city. The watery sun was gleaming low in the sky as they started to make their way homewards. It was then Joel told him the news. They had been talking about the coming festivities and the Citizens’ party to be held in the City Hall.

  Noticing a distinct lack of enthusiasm in his friend, Karryl tried to boost Joel’s flagging mood. “If it’s still as good as I remember, then neither of us will have to eat for about a week afterwards. My folks will be going. What about yours?”

  Joel stopped. Leaning against the coarse trunk of a Black Alder, he looked out across the water, his gaze distant and unseeing. He stood motionless, lost in thought while Karryl pushed a lingering patch of snow about with his foot.

  When his friend finally spoke, his voice was quiet and subdued. “It won’t be the same this year, and it may never be the same again; not for a few years anyway.” Karryl was taken aback to see tears starting in his friend’s eyes.

  Gently he grasped Joel’s shoulders and looked into his face. “Why’s that then? Don’t your parents want to go?”

  Joel frowned and shook his head. “It’s not that, although they probably won’t anyway. No. Ghian’s setting sail for Naboria on the evening tide tomorrow, and this time he won’t be coming back. That’s what he said anyway. He and father had a blazing row last week, and they haven’t spoken to each other since, and he’s hardly spoken to me either. In fact he’s been a bit strange altogether, since he’s been back.”

  At the mention of Naboria, Karryl’s mind flew back to the time near the end of Summer, when he had gone to the docks, and the snatch of conversation he had overheard between Ghian and his father.

  Forcing a grin, Karryl slapped his unhappy friend on the shoulder. “Stop worrying about it. He most likely didn’t mean it. You’ll see. He’ll change his mind at the last minute tomorrow and it’ll all be made up. Then we’ll all go to the City Hall together like we used to.”

  Joel forced a weak little smile. “It’s not very likely, but thanks for trying. Ghian really meant it. I could tell. Anyway, he packed his things, all his things, straight after the row and he’s staying with my aunt Melva down in Harbour Terrace. The worst part is, I think they might have come to blows, ‘cos father had a red mark and a bruise on his face next day, and Ghian was walking with a bit of a limp when he left.”

  Karryl was aghast. He would no more think of striking his uncle or Symon than he would of jumping into the rushing icy water of the river. “Don’t you have any idea what the row was about?”

  “Oh yes, but I don’t think I ought to say too much. All I can tell you is that it was something to do with what happened when Ghian was in Naboria.”

  “Wasn’t he supposed to have done some deal for Naborian wine?”

  Joel gave a contemptuous snort. “Supposed to; yes. Naborian wine? No. I think that’s what he led father to believe until it was nearly time for him to go back. Then the truth must have come out. That’s when they had the row. Anyway, let’s leave it for now. I don’t know about you but I’m getting cold. Race you back to our house!”

  Now Karryl sat, his books and scrolls scattered on the table in front of him. With a sigh, he shook his head and pulled a book of spells towards him.

  “Problems, Karryl?”

  He looked up to see Symon watching him from his armchair by the fire. “With these spells? No, I don’t think so. It’s just …well …oh, bother it! Can I talk to you about something? It’s supposed to be a sort of secret. Even so I think it might be a bit too important to keep.”

  Symon chuckled as he stuffed smoking leaf into his pipe. “It’s sort of secret, but a bit too important. Sounds interesting.”

  Karryl sighed again. Leaving his books, he crossed the room and flopped down in the armchair opposite.

  He stared down at his feet for a few moments and worried at a thumbnail with his teeth. “Do you remember when I told you that Joel’s brother Ghian had come back from Naboria, and we decided it wasn’t very likely he’d been buying wine?”

  Symon raised an eyebrow and studied Karryl through a slowly drifting cloud of aromatic silver-blue smoke. “I do indeed. I also remember that His Majesty said exactly the same thing when I related the matter to him. I believe he was setting things in motion to find out what, if anything, was really going on, but so far I have heard nothing. Why? Have you heard something?”

  Karryl’s brow furrowed slightly. “I might have, but no matter which way I look at it, it doesn’t make a lot of sense. Joel didn’t make me promise not to say anything, so I suppose it’s all right, but he did say he didn’t want to talk about it, even though he told me a bit after he’d said it.”

  “I’m intrigued. Do go on.”

  Karryl hesitated at first, but soon got into his stride and related almost verbatim the things Joel had told him. Symon listened, his face expressionless. He sat for a time with his eyes closed, puffing on hi
s pipe. Karryl could do nothing but wait for some kind of response.

  Just as he was about to get out of his chair and return to his books, Symon opened his eyes and gave him a knowing smile. “It doesn’t do to become impatient. If you are going into battle you must first work out your strategy, establish your allies, and ensure that you are fully armed and equipped. Most importantly, you have to know your enemy. Such things take time and preparation.”

  Karryl frowned. “You’re not talking about a real battle, are you?”

  “Not the kind you’re thinking about, with battalions of soldiers all armed to the teeth. No, the battle I am anticipating will be fought with cunning and strategy, and hopefully no one will get hurt.”

  “Why has there got to be a battle anyway? Is it something to do with Ghian?”

  Symon reached up and placed his pipe in the rack fixed on the chimney breast. “All in good time, my boy, all in good time. Now, you said that Ghian’s ship sailed on yesterday’s evening tide. Therefore, time is on our side, as it’s at least a six week voyage to Gamdonia.

  “Assuming he is heading for Negon, which is the capital city of Naboria, he then has another week travelling overland. After that, he will have to board another ship and sail for a further week, before he reaches his destination. Of course, if he intends to stop in the port of Nebir where he will first make landfall, it will make our task that much easier.”

  Karryl sat bolt upright in his chair, his eyes wide.”Are we going after him then?”

  “No, we aren’t. That’s too much like hard work. However, we do have people and powers at our disposal who are far more suited to doing this kind of thing than we are. I think it’s time to set some wheels in motion. First, we must find out if Ghian is actually at sea and if so, whereabouts he is.”

  The magician smiled at Karryl’s perplexed expression. “I can see you’re wondering how we’re going to do that. Time to learn something new! Clear everything off the table please.”

  He pushed himself out of his chair and scuttled off into the kitchen, while a still rather baffled Karryl started to put books back on shelves. He was just putting the last book away when Symon returned, carefully carrying a wide black-glazed bowl filled almost to the brim with clean water.

  After placing it on the table, he folded his hands in front of him and cocked his head to one side. “Do you know what you are going to do?”

  Karryl’s eyebrows made a scramble for his hairline. “Me? You said ‘we’.”

  Symon chuckled. “From what I’ve seen of your improving talents of late, I have no doubt you will be quite capable of doing this. Now, make sure the water is quite still, and look into the bowl.”

  The magician held up a warning finger as Karryl’s hands came forward to grasp the rim. “No! You must have no contact with it. Rest your hands on the table, or fold them behind your back. Stuff them in your pockets if you must, but keep them out of the way. Now, look into the bowl as if you’re trying to see right through it to the table below, and clear your mind of everything except what you are trying to achieve.”

  “What am I trying to achieve?”

  With exaggerated patience, Symon explained. “I have just said to you that we want to find out where Ghian is. Look into the water and think about Ghian. Don’t think of him in any particular place or situation, just think of his face and his personality. Think of the person, not what he does or is doing. The scrying will tell us what he is doing.”

  “Scrying?”

  “Yes. That’s what you are doing; looking into a scrying bowl. I could have given you a ball, but we don’t want that much information at the moment. Perhaps next time. Now, will you please concentrate, and if you do see anything I would appreciate a commentary.”

  Folding his arms, Karryl gave Symon a long hard look. “This isn’t going to work.”

  Symon’s eyebrows twitched slightly. “Would you care to tell me why not?”

  Karryl gave the magician a long-suffering look and raised his hands. “I haven’t clapped eyes on him since he was eighteen. He might be different now.”

  Symon gestured towards the bowl. “No matter. Go with what you remember. It should work if you think clearly.”

  Karryl shrugged, and placed his palms flat on the table. Leaning towards the bowl, he centred his gaze on the bottom. He turned his thoughts to Ghian, and tried to visualise his dark eyes, and the wide, almost cruel mouth which smirked when he teased him. He pictured the long dark hair pulled back to the nape of his neck in a sailor’s queue, the tall broad shouldered figure, and the arrogant head-high swagger. Then he realised that what he was seeing was not just in his mind’s eye, but in the water of the bowl.

  Not daring to look up he whispered “I see him!”

  The deck of the ship rose and fell with the motion of a long low swell. Ghian strode purposefully across to the railing with the sure-footedness of one accustomed to a moving deck. There he rested his elbows on the wooden rail, turned, and looking directly at Karryl, gave a wide smile. Karryl gave a little gasp, and was about to pull back when another figure came into view and joined Ghian at the railing. It was then Karryl realised that it was the new arrival Ghian had been smiling at. He breathed a sigh of relief.

  Continuing to watch, Karryl began to tell Symon in quiet low tones, what he could see. “They’re just talking. I can’t hear what they’re saying but they seem quite excited about something. The other man has just given Ghian a piece of cloth. He’s moved away from the rail and is …oh, I see. The cloth is wrapped round something and Ghian is unwrapping it. I can’t see what it is, but he seems pleased with it.”

  Had he been able to see the item and describe it to Symon, things might have taken a very different course. As it was, it seemed to be of little consequence. It was to turn out that it would cause Symon quite a considerable amount of trouble, and ultimately put Karryl in danger of his life.

  However, the images in the bowl gave them no hint anything was amiss, and Karryl continued with his scrying. “Now he’s shaking the other man’s hand. The other man is leaving, and Ghian has put what the man gave him into his coat pocket. Now he’s leaning on the railing again looking out to sea.”

  Karryl pulled his head back a little and was surprised to find it widened his view. Ghian, and the deck on which he was standing, became smaller as part of the horizon appeared. In the far distance two small islands were visible, one long and low, the other appearing to be a single peak thrusting up out of the ocean.

  He described these to Symon, who stepped forward to dip a slender finger into the water, dispersing the images in a circle of tiny ripples. “Good. That will do.”

  Karryl shook his head, rubbing his hands over his face as Symon picked up the bowl of water and carried it back into the kitchen.

  Karryl followed and leaned on the doorpost. “That was a bit scary. Did you know I could do that, because I didn’t.”

  Symon dried the bowl with a cloth, then placed it on a shelf. “Considering the consummate ease with which you have worked your way through the rest of your studies, I had little doubt of your success. Now we know Ghian is indeed out at sea, and we also know where he is. It was fortunate that we did the scrying at that particular time, as those two small islands you described will be Ghian’s last sight of land until he reaches Gamdonia. One thing does puzzle me though.”

  “What’s that?”

  “How did he manage to find a ship? With the time for the Winter Festival nearly upon us, I would have thought that ships would be laid up, and their captains home with their families or renewing acquaintances in the local taverns.”

  His eyes wide, Karryl held up his hand. “Didn’t I tell you that?” The ship he came in was Naborian. I saw it when I went to the docks.”

  He frowned for a moment and scratched his head. “ If…if Ghian always intended to go back…he could have had it all arranged and it was laid over along with the crew until he was ready.”

  Symon pursed his lips. “In that case G
hian must have a very wealthy backer. It can be a costly business, holding a ship and crew in port indefinitely.”

  Karryl’s mouth twisted in a smirk. “Will there be bad weather out at sea?”

  Pretending not to notice, Symon crossed to the window and looked out. “Almost invariably at this time of year, at least until the ship reaches the halfway point and calmer waters. Even then, good sailing is not guaranteed. It is not a voyage that I would like to undertake.”

  The magician stood in thought for a moment, tapping his forefinger against his chin. “I think there is definitely more to this than we first imagined, and I’d be willing to wager this trip of Ghian’s has nothing to do with wine. I do find it rather puzzling as to why someone like Ghian should have a ship of the Naborian Fleet at his disposal. Perhaps a chat with His Majesty would be in order some time soon, but with preparations for the Festival in full swing it’s not likely to happen this year, what’s left of it. Anyway I’ve decided to let you start your holiday tomorrow.”

  Karryl stared at the little magician, his expression one of delighted surprise. “Thank you! I wasn’t expecting that!”

  “Probably not, but I shall be spending the next few days at the palace, so I need a little time to gather a few things together. I trust I shall see you at the Apprentices’ party in the Great Hall?”

  Karryl grinned. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world. It wouldn’t do to miss my first Apprentices Party would it? This is going to be a really good Winter Festival, what with the Citizens party at the City Hall, and then the Apprentices.”

  Symon patted his palms together, an expression of deep satisfaction on his round face. “That’s settled then. After supper you can pack what you will need, and tomorrow I will take you along the secret path, so you won’t have so far to get home. The weather is going to hold fair for a day or two at least, then if it does take a turn for the worse we shall both be where we want to be. You will be with your family, and I will be in my room at the palace.”