His shirt lay in a reeking puddle of sewage by the far wall. His padded boot rested near the center of the courtyard, and the normal one was near the exit. The regular exit, not the one Kyri had taken. Praise the Thunderer, he didn’t need to creep across roofs this morning.
What did he need to do?
To start out with, he should rinse out his shirt. He couldn’t run around half naked the way he had as a child in Setoya.
Hadn’t he visited the plains recently? But why?
And what was he doing on Feda? The local priests hated sorcerers.
How did he know that? He’d never been on the island before.
One thing at a time. He limped on his stump to retrieve his shirt, and to find a reasonably clean puddle where he could wash it. The water was warm enough he slid it over his head without even trying to dry it.
He dug a handful of leaves out of the corner and wiped his boots passably clean. He’d talk the inn’s staff into scrubbing them later.
Which inn?
Blast. The one where he’d left his crew, including the obstreperous Aramiel. Why was he traveling with his boneheaded brother?
Because they were on a quest. Because they needed to find a wizard to bind the magical weapons to their holders.
Blast!
He leapt to his foot, but his knee gave out. His rear end thudded back onto the muddy flagstones.
Pain shocked his mind clear.
He’d found a wizard. And Egret nearly killed him. Or left him wishing he was dead.
The woman was so terrified she’d lost her mind.
She had reason to be afraid. All the wizards he’d located had fled the mainland. Or died. What could destroy a wizard?
A Mindbender. The one he had to stop.
He’d never find a wizard to help him.
What could he do? He wasn’t about to give up. What was left?
One thing. Just one. He had to become a wizard himself. He had to take the Wizard’s Route.
Lorel would kill him.
Kyri said he was clearly ready to molt. That obscure statement finally made sense. It was up to him to complete the quest.
He could do it. Would. A journey as impossible as the Wizard’s Route couldn’t stop him.
Right.
Still, he was more afraid of telling Lorel he was abandoning her than of the journey itself. But she could only yell until her voice gave out. He’d outlast her fury.
Feda was a safe place to leave his turybird for a few lunars. How much trouble could she get into on a quaint little island?
About the Author
I’m a misplaced Californian who now lives in Texas, but I’d love to become an interstellar traveler.
The novels in The Mindbender’s Rise series are
Illusion’s Child
Sorcery’s Child
Serpent’s Child
Dragon’s Child
Alchemy’s Child
Coming Next: Wizard’s Child
And: Magic’s Child
Necromancer’s Anchor
is a stand-alone novel based in the same world.
You can read more about my novels at www.DJSalisburyBooks.com.
I’m also the owner of The Mantua-Maker, quality historical sewing patterns for the modern sewing artist, established in 1993. I fell in love with costuming when my boyfriend took me to BayCon’s Masquerade, and I’ve been making historical and fantastic clothing ever since.
If you’re interested in costume history, please have a look at my website. You can see my costumes, nonfiction books, and historical sewing patterns at www.mantua-maker.com.
Please have a look at my nonfiction books:
Elephant’s Breath and London Smoke:
Historical Color Names, Definitions, and Uses in Fashion, Fabric and Art
Fabric à la Romantic Regency:
A Glossary of Fabrics from Original Sources 1795 – 1836
Victorian Bathing and Bathing Suits:
The Culture of the Two-Piece Bathing Dress from 1837 – 1901
The Art of the Mantua-Maker: 1870 - 1879
Fashion, Sewing, and Clothes Care Advice
The Art of the Fashion: 1850 - 1859
Fashion, Sewing, and Clothes Care Advice
Alchemy's Child (The Mindbender's Rise Book 5) Page 41