by Linda McNabb
CHAPTER SEVEN
WHO IS MASTER?
It was almost two days before an opportunity came up to search for Prince Blaise’s talisman. Toby still wasn’t sure if he believed Sanelle about the powers it held, but surely someone wouldn’t make up tales like that about their own mother? He had been brought up sensible and logically minded so people trapped in tiny stones or disappearing by drawing pictures in the air didn’t make sense to him. As for him being the same as she was, he doubted it.
“Toby, take these clothes to be cleaned.” Prince Blaise threw his clothes over the privacy screen and Toby heard him sink into the hot bath.
Toby felt like he needed a bath too after carrying that much water up and heating it over the fire. But only fools bathed in the winter and he wouldn’t be surprised if his master fell ill tomorrow. He took the clothes and realised that this was his chance to search for the talisman. He tried to get Sanelle alone in the last few days to ask her what it looked like but she was constantly with the queen and her circle of royal companions.
He looked through the clothing but found nothing. He hadn’t really expected to find the stone talisman among the clothes. If it were so powerful the prince would be unlikely to let it out of his sight. Toby realised that he was starting to believe Sanelle’s strange tale.
After delivering the clothes to the women in the laundry he raced out to check on Klel. Sanelle had been visiting him each day but he did not seem to be improving. The wounds were healing but he just lay in the corner and slept most of the time. Today he looked no better and Toby had to shake him gently to wake him up.
“Klel, how are you?” Toby tried not to sound worried but it was hard.
Tired. Klel went to tuck his snout under his tail again but Toby caught it and forced the dragon to look at him.
“You have to start getting up and moving around,” Toby said gently. He wasn’t sure why but whenever he had been injured Aggie had always said he shouldn’t stay in bed too long.
No. Klel replied flatly. He was nothing like the glowing golden dragon that Toby had grown up knowing. He was a pasty brown colour and his eyes were pools of the palest yellow, almost white. Klel sleep forever.
“Forever?” Toby repeated, shocked as he realised what Klel was saying. “No! There must be something I can do. Something Sanelle can do.”
No. Only band will heal. Maybe gems. Klel sighed as he laid his head on his front legs and looked up sadly at Toby.
“Your band. You were talking about that the other day.” Toby lay down on his stomach so that his head was level with Klel’s. “What is it?”
Goes here. Klel raised one front leg and pointed at Toby’s neck.
“Oh, like a necklace… a neckband?” Toby asked and Klel nodded.
Many gems. Large crystal in centre. Klel’s eyes brightened slightly as he spoke of his neckband but Toby’s heart sank.
“There are no gems in the West Kingdom so your neckband cannot be here.” Toby said sadly. “The king does not allow gems or crystals at all, only coloured glass.”
Knew that. Would feel if band or gems close by. Klel’s voice was so soft that Toby had to creep closer to hear.
“Would they heal you? Are they magic?” Toby wondered if that was why the king had banned them, because they had magical powers like Klel’s scales.
Yes, heal me. Draw magic from them. Live forever… Flame strong… Find home…
“Find home?” Toby was worried that he sounded so weak. He had never spoken about his home before.
Band… neckband lead me home. King took it. Klel must stay.
Toby’s mind began to race. If the king took the neckband then it would still be here. King Herat did not part with anything valuable.
“Can the king draw the magic from the gems?” Toby thought that maybe the king had drained them.
Only dragons… Sorcerers… Klel’s eyelids were beginning to close.
“I’m a sorcerer,” Toby blurted out. Until that second he would have never believed he would say those words out loud. “Well… Sanelle says I am.”
Klel’s eyes opened wider and stared at Toby.
Knew that, he said in a quiet voice. But who is master? Every apprentice need master.
“Prince Blaise is my master,” Toby replied automatically.
No master. Never real sorcerer. Klel sighed as he tucked his snout under his tail and shut his eyes.
“Klel?” Toby gently shook his friend but received no answer.
He laid a hand on Klel’s side and felt the slow rhythmic beat of his heart. Relieved that he was just sleeping, Toby slowly stood up and walked out of the shelter. There had to be a way to help Klel and what had he meant, never a real sorcerer? He had to talk to Sanelle, and soon. Toby hurried back to see if Prince Blaise was out of his bath yet and breathed a sigh of relief that he wasn’t.