The Weaving of Wells (Osric's Wand, Book Four)

by Jack D. Albrecht Jr.

  “Do you know how many there are?” Osric asked.

  “No, I can’t be certain, but there must be at least twenty. The one that Dredek seeks is the largest and most powerful. It is the center of the network, a direct line into the source of Archana’s magic.”

  “What?” Gus interrupted. “What does that mean?”

  “All of life, all magic, comes from Archana. Not only in a generative way, but literally from within Archana. Beneath the ground, perhaps at the core, I’m not sure exactly how it works. Just as our magic can be harvested from Archana, as any Wand-Maker would understand, so too our life strands and all the potential magic the world has to offer is stored within the ground beneath our feet.” Gus glared at the man, as if this information wasn’t obvious to him as a world-renowned Wand-Maker. “It is a closed system. When a creature dies, or a spell diminishes, the magic returns to the soil and to the source within Archana. The wells, for lack of a clearer description, are taps into that system. They open a vein into the heart of Archana’s magic stores, and they allow the wizard to draw on the unlimited source of strands all at once. It is probably far more dangerous and terrifying than any of you have considered.” All eyes were riveted on Pendres, staring silently at the implications of his words. Osric could not even formulate a question as he considered what it would mean for Dredek to have access to that much power. “Are you sure you don’t want him assassinated?” Pendres could see Osric’s fears written on his face.

  “While I understand your desire to end the threat quickly, I do not yet believe that one man could manage such a thing. And I can’t help but suspect that Dredek is motivated more by a devotion to the kin that he lost than by evil inclinations in grabbing for power and world domination.” Osric thought back to the pain he had seen in Dredek’s eyes, though he feared he was misleading himself in giving the caldereth such credit.

  “You don’t really think that a man who intends to bring an entire race back from the dead will relinquish the power that allows him to do so, do you?” Aridis was eyeing Osric like a specimen in an experiment.

  “No, I suppose I don’t. Regardless of his current goals, it would be devastating to allow Dredek to harness the power of the Well of Strands. We have to stop him, but sending an assassin would be futile. Even if you made it close to Dredek, he is too fast and too well versed in the use of his many abilities for any one man to take him out.” Osric winced at the truth of his own words, remembering how Dredek had defeated him the last time they met in battle.

  “When you say ‘many abilities,’ you don’t mean…”

  “Yes, Pendres, I do mean abilities. Somehow Dredek is capable of severing the strands that house a man’s innate gift and taking it for himself. He has a half-dozen gifts, at least, and he knows how to use them with lethal efficiency.”

  Pendres’s only response was a long, slow whistle as he leaned back in his seat.

  “Pendres, do you know what the wells were built for? Was there a specific purpose in mind?” Aridis asked.

  “As far as I can tell, they were built to end the war of all wars. In those times, every realm was at war with someone, and oftentimes we weren’t even sure who we were fighting. We would start marching toward a battle with the injuk and end up in skirmishes with every town and tribe along the way. It’s no wonder history has erased the names of so many peoples and forgotten so many of the atrocities of that hundred-year span. It was a terrible chapter for the Human Realm, and I have spent centuries wishing I hadn’t been a part of it.”

  “Who built them?” Gus asked, humbled by the peaceful life he had taken for granted for so many years in the comfort of Stanton’s economic and political stability.

  “The Alliance,” Pendres said. “A few hundred talented folks around Archana who wanted to see a unified world and more efficient uses of magic than violence and warfare. My wife was a member.” He had to pause for a moment as memories washed over him and constricted his throat. “While I marched off to war, she was traveling the world trying to save us all.”

  Before Pendres could explain how the wells were constructed, Kenneth walked into the room with Toby right behind him. Osric noticed the arrival with surprise, as the Ryhain had come to the Aranthian headquarters only a few times since it had been founded. There would have to be a good reason for Toby to be there. Osric hoped his presence wasn’t an ominous sign. He stood up to greet the two as those surrounding him took notice of the newcomers.

  “Ryhain Toby, Contege Kenneth, this is Pendres. He is a guest of the Aranthians.” The two men nodded with friendly smiles in greeting. “So, to what do we owe the honor of this visit? It’s good to see you both. Will you join us for a meal?” Osric indicated the free chairs to his left.

  “We at least have time for a drink. Don’t worry, we won’t distract you for long. We’ve come to ask a favor.” Toby brushed his hands down the front of his jacket and sat down as a server approached the table. “A mug of mead each for the two of us, please.” The server left with a nod of his head to get the drinks.

  “You’re a welcome distraction. What can the Aranthians do for you? We are at your service,” Osric replied. “Ask what favor you will, and if it is within our ability you will have it.” Osric kept the conversation official, avoiding their typical friendly banter. They had come on business, and the stranger who sat listening to them engage in the conversation was cause for a more professional interaction than usual. Toby’s body language echoed his feelings on the subject.

  “We need men,” Toby said plainly.

  “Men?” Osric cocked his head.

  “Three, four dozen should work. I’ll need them for several days. We have a situation brewing with all of the refugees coming to our town from Rowain,” Toby continued.

  “A situation?” Osric leaned in. “What kind of situation?”

  “Well, the farms outside our new walls are being inhabited by”—Toby tilted his head, choosing his words carefully—“less than respectable individuals. We need to bolster the support from the Vigiles with Aranthian troops to see that our citizens and food sources are safe. I was hoping that, since you and Kenneth are old friends, you might allow us to borrow some of your troops.”

  “Of course. You will have them first thing in the morning.” Osric looked at Kenneth, and then anxiously back toward Toby again. “Can I ask what you intend to do about the refugees? I don’t want to send our men out if they are going to be a part of sending away the hungry and homeless.”

  “Actually, we are going to hold a welcome for the families and those who have an honest interest in making Stanton a home. In the wake of the attacks on Stanton over the last year, there are many jobs that need to be filled.” Toby leaned back in his chair. “We need your men to help keep our resources secure until we can sort through the rabble that comes with them. It shouldn’t be more than a few men in a hundred that we turn away, but we need to be sure we can protect our citizens.”

  “The Aranthians are happy to help. I’ll spread the word that we are looking for volunteers, so you’ll probably have more than you asked for by evening.” Osric looked around and stood up, addressing the room.

  “We’re looking for as many volunteers as we can get to work with the Vigile force to secure Stanton’s wall, as well as helping to secure our farms. There are many refugees of Rowain outside, and we need to treat them with respect while making sure our town’s resources are kept safe. Spread the word to all of our members and meet us back here for dinner.” Osric sat back down, looking to Toby for approval.

  “I think that will do.” Toby chuckled lightly. “But I don’t think I’ll be able to be here for dinner.”

  “No need, we’ll have our men report directly to the Vigile office at the palace first thing in the morning.” Osric looked to Kenneth with a smile.

  “I promise I won’t take them from you for too long. I have recruiters working full-time already. We have our training crews working every day right now.” Kenneth nodded respectfully.
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  “No need to rush,” Osric replied. “There may be some benefit to the Aranthians to get in some real-time patrolling the streets.”

  “It certainly did good for you.” Kenneth laughed.

  “Then it’s settled.” Toby stood up, leaning over the table to shake Osric’s hand. “But, if I could have a word with you in private, I would appreciate it.” His eyes drifted to the surrounding ears.

  Pendres looked relieved to have a reason to excuse himself from the discussion of Stanton business and from all of the people gathering at their table. “If you don’t mind my departing your company for a while, there are a few books I would love to locate in your library. I haven’t laid eyes on a library in decades,” Pendres said. Osric gripped his wrist and gave him leave to seek out the library. Pendres excused himself with a tight smile and a polite bow, and Eublin offered to escort Pendres to the library and help him navigate the shelves.

  “I have to speak to my fellow sight-enabled fools about another project they have going. They seem to think they are about to create a tool that would allow the non-gifted to manipulate strands so they could make their own wands. I am not a fan.” Gus jumped down from his chair with a feigned frown, failing to hide his newfound excitement, then scampered out of the room.

  “I think I could use the solitude of a good book myself to divert my mind from our world. Could you offer me a few suggestions?” Aridis looked questioningly to Eublin. “Somewhat of an escape would be nice.”

  “Of course.” Eublin motioned for him to follow them. “I’ve got just the thing. Have you ever heard of the grand epic Saulsman’s Journey?” Their voices trailed off as they exited the room, leaving Osric at the table with Kenneth and Toby.

  “Kenneth, you should stay so you know what I’d like to have happen.” Toby looked around the room. “Would this be a good place to talk?”

  “It’s as good a place as any; every person within the protection spell has been trusted in. You can say anything you want and not worry about your words being used against you.” Osric motioned for him to continue.

  “Very well.” Toby sat back down in his chair and thanked the server as their mead arrived. “I don’t suppose we have time to sample some of James’s famous cooking? I miss that damned cart he used to push around, and I haven’t had a chance to visit the new establishment.”

  “If you have the time, I am always willing to partake in what he creates.” Osric turned to the expectant face of the young man who brought the mead. “I’ll have mead as well. Then, get a message to James. Tell him the Ryhain is here and would love to sample some of his restaurant food.”

  “Very good, sir. I’ll let him know, straight away.” He turned sharply toward the kitchen and became lost in the activity of the room.

  “He’s a good kid, but a bit too stiff,” Osric said, referring to the waiter. “He’s a new Aranthian who James brought in for the kitchen specifically. Too stiff to work in any environment other than a kitchen, that is. He is the best server in this place, though. Just wish I could remember his name.” He laughed. It was just the three of them now, so all pretense of formality quickly dispersed.

  “I’m a bit envious of what you’ve managed to create here. The food alone, from what I’m told, is enough to make me want to abandon my post and enlist as an Aranthian.” Toby relaxed into his chair, sipping his mead as the three men laughed.

  “You might as well.” Kenneth smirked. “It’s not like they’d miss you all that much. Put a goat in the office and nobody would notice you’re missing.”

  “A goat?” Toby scoffed playfully. “They’d never want me to come back if they did that.”

  “I don’t know.” Remembering some of the whispers he heard, Osric probed. “I hear people are petitioning to make you Turgent.”

  “Nah.” Toby waved his hand. “There are always people talking, but that will never happen.”

  “Not when they get a taste of what the goat can do.” Kenneth slapped him on the shoulder.

  They laughed, slowly drained the mead from their mugs, and watched as the server brought in three wide-brimmed, small, white bowls. He sat one in front of each of them, then pulled silver spoons from his spotless white apron.

  “Our first course is potato pillows and mushrooms in cream sauce,” he continued, pointing with an outstretched hand to a second server placing a wooden carving board with a steaming loaf of bread atop it. “And rosemary salted loaf. Enjoy.” He bowed and backed away from the table.

  Toby listened expectantly to the description of the meal and closed his eyes while breathing in the aroma that rose in vapor trails above the dish. Then, he sighed again as the bread was placed in the center of the table.

  “He didn’t have anything like this on his cart.” Toby shook his head in awe. Then, filling the spoon, he tasted the dish for the first time. The potato pillows had a soft, velvety texture. The mushroom flavor carried itself through the buttery cream sauce. Slowly savoring the taste, he sighed with delight and reached for the bread, tearing a large chunk off of the loaf. “I’m going to have to get a vat of this sent to my rooms.”

  “Can you have me reassigned to be your chamber servant?” Kenneth was already cleaning the bowl with his spoon.

  “I’m sorry, the Vigiles need you. But I’ll have you inspect my quarters for hidden threats on a regular basis.” Toby’s belly shook with joy as he dipped the bread into the bowl unceremoniously.

  “That could take some time. It would go faster if I helped him.” Osric licked the last of the cream off of the backside of his spoon and leaned back, watching Toby finish his portion.

  It didn’t take long for him to finish. Then he cleaned whatever he could out of the bowl with the remnants of his bread, looking to the kitchen with great eagerness.

  “If that was just the first dish, I can’t wait to see what comes next.” Toby whistled.

  They each nodded in agreement. Their eyes traced the dishes on the table for signs of remnants as they smiled contentedly. Osric placed a hand on his chin, trying to remember the reason for this unannounced visit. But something else came to mind before he could recall.

  “So, what do you think is the reason behind the talk of you becoming Turgent?” Osric inclined his head.

  “Well.” Toby pushed his dish to the edge of the table. “The irony of all this is that our home has become more stable since the attack than Rowain.” He shrugged. “Whispers come to us that the family of Bartholo have reasserted themselves in the leadership of Rowain, but have found their ledger balance is in the negative after Dredek sailed to the Irua Realm. They simply don’t have the coin to operate effectively. Dredek bled the Rowainites dry. It will take some time for them to be effective in governing the realm. But when they do, I have no intention of challenging their claim.”

  They continued with the small talk as their next two courses came and went. The second dish was, as their server described it, “lemon chicken served over a bed of quinoa, kale, and a balsamic reduction,” which left Toby speechless. The meal was finished with a simple yet delightful raspberry tart. They each leaned back and Toby patted his belly happily.

  “I guess we’ve spent enough time with lax conversation. I must admit that I miss the time we had before each of us had so much responsibility.” Toby’s eyes looked lost in memories, but in an instant they refocused and he continued. “Still, responsibilities abound. There was a favor I wished to ask of you, and that’s why I am here.” He sat upright pleasantly enough, but it was clear that business was once again at the forefront of his mind.

  “He didn’t even tip the waiter. And look at him, he’s already fled from the Aranthian paradise and returned to the drudgery of palace politics.” Kenneth shot a jibe at Toby for the sudden shift in formality.

  “Fair enough.” Toby reached in his satchel and five gold coins spilled out onto the tabletop. He smiled back at Kenneth and winked. “I just felt I had been gone from the palace for long enough. I feel guilty leaving them for so long,
but maybe I can bring back something for my efforts. I can only handle so much relaxing and being spoiled with phenomenal food, so I figured I should at least get back on track with this brief visit.”

  “We understand.” Osric laughed lightly and nodded in agreement. “And I was honest when I told you earlier that we are at your service if there is anything else we could do for you. Did you have something in mind?”

  “Well, I do have a concern that some of the folks outside our walls may not be entirely trustworthy, and I was hoping you might lend me three or four of your Trusts? I’d like to make sure that we don’t invite anyone in who would only contribute to the problems we’re having.” Toby winced slightly in his request. It wasn’t the normal function of a Trust, and he knew it.

  “It’s entirely possible that some who live in Stanton are not entirely trustworthy. Would you be asking them to leave as well?” There was a small amount of skepticism in Osric’s tone, and he narrowed his eyes at the question.

  “Now, I know a Trust is typically only used in small circles.” Toby raised his hands, trying to calm any suspicions.

  “And for good reason. A hungry man may have theft in his heart only as long as he is hungry and has no option to work for it. A Trust could only see his intent to steal, not that he would work for it given the chance,” Osric replied.

  “Now, that’s not fair. You would have sole control of the Trusts, and I would invite you to join them, if you wish.” Toby took a deep breath and leaned in, speaking with a reasoning tone. “I wouldn’t ask to keep out all, just those who may have been sent with orders to cause mischief. We will be feeding them before they enter the gates, so I would think that they would go unused for most of the day. I’ve thought this through. Anyone intent on wrongdoings not directed at the palace should be allowed to pass. I have faith that the giving nature of our people would negate most of the other intentions by eliminating their need.”