Fil looked amused at Eril’s consternation. “You did realize that someone owns this land? Someone’s got to own it, and right now that’s Old Man Torch. As soon as word gets out that anyone has found anything, he’s always right there to assert his ownership.”
Eril sat back. “Huh, I guess I should have thought of that. Even though there’s no town or anything here, I guess it makes sense that someone would have to own the land.”
Rubbing his chin in thought, Eril asked, “How long has this Old Man Torch owned the ruins?”
Fil looked up, then said, “Not all that long I guess, maybe twenty years or something like that. My whole life, but Da said it was someone else when he was young. He says every decade or two the ruins change hands with some new owner convinced that he’ll find something wonderful or magical. Pretty much they never do, and all they get out of it is fees for when folks haul away stone.”
Eril turned his attention back to the blockage. He focused and pulled on it with his zdrell. This time it moved a few inches out before it stuck again. Panting, he said, “Well, I’m gonna get this plug out, but before I go further I’ll have to see if Master Silurian can find a way to buy off this Old Man Torch. It really wouldn’t do to have me finally clear a way below only to have some local landowner try and assert ownership.”
“Good luck with that,” Fil snorted. “Old Man Torch doesn’t live around here, he’s too important-like for that. He lives in Argaland and supposedly owns tracts and tracts of land all over. I bet he wouldn’t want to give this up, especially if he thinks you’ve found something.”
“Well, I have no intention of telling him I’ve found anything. I probably won’t even be the one negotiating. Master Silurian said he has a financial agent in Argaland. I’m betting he’ll know what to do. But I’ll ask Master Silurian and see what he says.”
“How can you do that? It will take weeks for a message to get to Salaways and back.”
“I’ll talk to him tonight. I can do that, you know, magic?”
“Now you’re just making fun of me. No one can talk to someone hundreds of miles away,” Fil said indignantly.
Eril just shook his head. “I’m not making fun of you. I’m serious. Talking long distances used to be a fairly common thing. I might even be able to talk to him right now if I’m lucky.”
Eril crawled out of the stairwell and walked over to his pack. He stopped long enough to take a long pull on his water bottle then started rummaging until he found the sending stone. He held it and willed the connection to begin. In moments he was talking to an apprentice who had been assigned to listen at the hub for incoming calls. It took a few more minutes for Master Silurian to get on the line. Eril quickly explained the situation with the landowner. Master Silurian confirmed with Eril that he should go to Argaland the next day to talk with Silurian’s financial contact. Finally, Eril gave the sending stone to Fil.
“Wrap your hand around it and talk,” he said.
Fil looked at the stone doubtfully, then grasped it.
“Hello?” she said hesitantly. She nearly dropped the stone as she heard Master Silurian reply. She quickly calmed down and talked for several minutes with the Master.
Finally, she handed the stone back to Eril. “He wants to give you directions to his adviser in Argaland,” she said.
Eril took the sending stone back and committed the contact information to memory, thanked Master Silurian, and put the stone away.
“I can’t believe you did that. I can’t believe I did that,” Fil said with wonder in her voice. “He’s hundreds of miles away, and it felt like he was talking while standing next to me.”
“Prodigious, huh? Makes staying in touch a whole lot easier.”
“Uh, yeah, lot’s easier. You say this used to be more common?”
“Oh, yeah, lots more common. Master Silurian and I are working on making it common again. I’m sure we can do it. We need to if we’re ever going to win people over from the demon wizards.”
“You really do all this without demons? I’ve never heard of a wizard doing stuff like what you’re doing without using a demon.”
“Not if I can help it. I’ve only ever summoned one demon in my life, and I don’t ever want to do it again. I hate them.”
Eril descended back down the stairwell and sat on a step. “Now I just want to see if I can get this plug out.”
Chapter 35
Skryla, City of Randoluvria, Hath
Ebony, known here as Eb, walked out of the meeting with another trader, disappointed. As a country, Hath wasn’t exactly welcoming to people from Grimor, but they were one of the few countries that still openly traded with Grimoridans. They had the reputation that they’d trade even with the Kraken, if the beasts had money.
He’d spent the last month in the sweltering ever-summer following lead after lead, but was still no closer than the first day he’d arrived to finding a line-cutter, or zdrell wizard either. He’d found rumor and speculation, but no solid evidence. There were many ancient ruins as the Hathians continued to trade on greatness they’d enjoyed prior to the Great War, but nothing new.
The only thing he’d seen that at all seemed like a possible lead was a knife, that ruputadly came from Salaways. Salaways was half a continent to the north, and every day Ebony became more convinced that if anything was to be found, that was where he should be looking.
Chapter 36
The next morning, Eril set off for Argaland. He considered walking, since it was only about fifteen miles, but then dismissed the idea remembering yesterday’s walk to the ruins. Instead, he invoked his invisibility amulet and flew to the city, and once above it found the square that Master Silurian had described, then started looking for a nearby unoccupied alleyway. He flew down into it and spent several moments checking very carefully that no one was observing his position before he dropped the invisibility.
Eril walked confidently into the square, paused a moment to orient himself and strode towards the building where Silurian had said that Jesstell, his financial contact, kept his offices. On entering, he found an open foyer with several low couches and potted plants, and at its end, behind a large but unadorned desk an old, bald, thin man, pouring over several large open ledgers.
Before Eril could say anything, the man looked up in annoyance and said, “Who are you? Why are you here? I’m not aware of any appointments.”
Eril was taken aback by the man’s abrupt tone. “Um,” Eril said faltering for a moment, but then remembering that he had nothing to be ashamed of, and nothing to fear from this man, he continued more confidently, “I’m here to see Master Jesstell. I have business from the ruler of Salaways, Master Wizard Silurian.”
Eril watched the man’s reaction to his words. As he had begun to reply, the man had started with an irritated expression which slowly changed as Eril had gotten to the end of his statement. His final expression was one of frank incredulity.
“You expect me to believe,” the man said, nearly sneering at Eril, “that the ruler of Salaways sent a boy, with no advance notice on important business that concerns my master?”
Eril did not back down. “That’s exactly what I’m saying. I have come by the fastest means possible from Salaways directly myself, so there is no way advance word could have been sent. And I see no reason why it should matter that I’m not a dried old stick like yourself. Please inform your master that I’m here and waiting.” With that, Eril turned and walked over to one of the low couches and seated himself. He made a point of not looking at the old man.
The room wasn’t particularly large, so even without trying Eril could hear the old man muttering to himself about the indignities he was forced to suffer as he got up and knocked softly on the door behind the desk. He then stepped inside, closing the door behind him. Two or three minutes later, he re-emerged and motioned for Eril to proceed into the office.
“Master Jesstell will see you, young sir.” As Eril was about to step past him, the old man whispered, with
venom in his voice, “If I find you’ve lied about your errand. I will personally have the city guard put you in irons.”
Eril said nothing, but stepped through the door and made a point of closing the door behind himself.
Turning to look at Master Jesstell, Eril saw a room that reminded him of one of Master Silurian’s studies. The walls on every side contained tall bookshelves. Unlike in Silurian’s studies, the bookshelves contained nothing but books and ledgers. Standing behind an immense desk was a man who was the polar opposite of the one who had guarded the foyer. Where the first had been old, short, thin, and bald, this man was tall, broad, middle-aged, and had an impressive unruly mop of black hair. He was dressed in a white shirt with ruffled collar and cuffs, though, those were rolled to just above his elbows. The pants he wore were of a dark green brocade, and he had dark green suspenders that strained with his girth.
Jesstell said, with a booming voice, “You’ll have to forgive, Harlan, my assistant. He doesn’t like unscheduled changes.”
Eril was nonplussed, “Aren’t most changes unscheduled? Otherwise, they wouldn’t be changes.”
Jesstell laughed, “You are right, and that sort of wit confirms to me that you are likely who you say you are, one of Silurian’s journeymen, are you?”
“I am a journeyman, sir, though I’d hesitate to say I’m one of Master Silurian’s journeymen per se.”
“Hmmmmm,” Jesstell said thoughtfully. “There’s a lot said and unsaid in that statement. Well, no matter. Where’s this important missive Silurian sent you with that required hand delivery?”
Eril was a bit uncomfortable. “I don’t have a document for you, sir. Master Silurian sent me with his message by voice.”
Jesstell’s joviality disappeared. He growled, “What do you mean, he sent you with a verbal message? How am I to know if you are telling me the truth, or if he even sent you at all. Silurian is a careful man, he would never have sent you without some way of confirming the message. If it isn’t a letter, what have you got?”
Eril was starting to believe that this man and his assistant shared more in common than he’d first thought. Jesstell looked ready to throw Eril out himself.
Eril said, “Please let me deliver my message first, sir, and when I’m done, I’ll provide you sufficient proof that the message is genuine.”
The man’s mood shifted yet again. He looked thoughtful. “Alright, tell me your message, and then show me your proof. It’s some kind of magical thing, isn’t it? Silurian is never content to do things the simple way.”
“Yes, sir,” Eril said, feeling a little less threatened by this bear of a man. “The message is uncomplicated. Master Silurian wishes to acquire the ruins of the ancient castle near Chilzen. We understand that there is an ‘Old Man Torch’ who is the current owner.”
“He wants the ruins of Darlock, huh? Well, I never would have suspected that, though I guess being a wizard he would have as much reason as any to own that pile of stone. Much good it will do him.
“And calling Carolinius Torch, ‘Old Man Torch’ in polite society would probably result in a duel or some such. Where did you hear him referred to by that unfortunate, though appropriate, title?”
“Yesterday, and the day before, when I was in Chilzen. That was all anyone called him.”
“Chilzen, huh? You do get around. I would bet they do call him that and worse things there. He owns more land in that direction than anyone else, and I understand he isn’t a lenient landlord.
“Alright, you’ve delivered your message. Where’s your proof that it comes from Silurian?”
Eril had been prepared for this moment. The Master had warned him that Jesstell would be suspicious of so significant a request without written proof, but Eril still had the sending stone. He now pulled it out.
“Sir, you may find this hard to believe, but this stone allows me to communicate directly with Master Silurian. I’m sure you’re skeptical about its veracity, but all you have to do is hold onto it and say ‘Master Silurian’ and you’ll have your proof.” He handed the sending stone to Jesstell.
Eril had been holding the stone in his hand ever since he’d entered the room with Master Silurian listening to Eril’s side of the conversation the entire time, so Eril knew The Master would be ready to back up his story.
Jesstell took the stone and held it gingerly, examining it. Then he glanced at Eril who nodded. He gripped the stone and said, “Master Silurian.”
Eril had a hard time not laughing at the reaction on Jesstell’s face. He did not know precisely what Master Silurian said to him, but judging from the variety of expressions which passed across the man’s features, Master Silurian was saying things which left no doubt in Jesstell’s mind that he was indeed talking to him. They spoke for several exchanges, and then Jesstell looked to Eril. “If I hold this, while I’m talking to you, will he hear?”
Before Eril could respond, it seemed that Master Silurian did, because Jesstell, said, “Of course, of course. Sorry, stupid of me.”
He looked at Eril and said, clearly talking to both Eril and Silurian, “Master Torch has owned the ruins for a couple of decades. I have heard from more than one source that he feels he was tricked into buying them by the previous owner. He, like most others, was under the impression that after over one thousand years, there was still something of value there besides stone. He was mistaken, and he also found most people don’t even want the stone as it tends to be much too hard to work, compared to simply quarrying new stone. So, I don’t think you’ll have too much trouble acquiring the property, so long as he doesn’t know it’s you who is making the acquisition. I’m pretty sure I can approach it indirectly, and he’ll jump at the chance to sell. How much are you willing to pay, and how soon do you need this done?”
Again Eril didn’t have to respond. Jesstell said, “That soon, huh? Alright, and how much . . . Very well, but I won’t tell him that. I think I can make it happen in a month . . . Well sooner if, . . . Yes, sir. I will take care of it.”
Jesstell set down the sending stone on the table, looking at it suspiciously. “Can he hear me when I’m not holding it?”
Eril shook his head and said, “He can’t hear you except when you’re holding it. If he wants to talk to you, the stone will vibrate, making a buzzing sound on anything other than a soft surface. Before I came, Master Silurian said I should leave the stone with you for now. I came with another. This stone is hooked to a hub stone, and either an apprentice or Master Silurian is supposed to be near it at all times. So, if you need to talk to him, or me, just pick up the stone and say the name of who you want to talk to, and whoever is at the hub will connect you with the person you want, if they have a stone.”
Jesstell picked up the stone with two fingers and examined it, turning it in the light. “So, with this, I can talk to anyone else who has one of the matching stones to this hub anywhere in the world, anywhere at all?”
“Yes. Prodigious isn’t it,” Eril said grinning.
“That is the word for it.” He continued to stare at the stone, deep in thought. “So, I could find out the price of wheat or barley or anything else in Salaways today, not have to wait for news to come on the next trade caravan?”
“I suppose so,” Eril said, unsure of what the older man was implying.
“You have no idea how much trade is influenced by information or lack thereof. I can see it in your face. You don’t realize that knowing if Salaways had a bumper crop or an early frost that ruined the harvest or some such thing can change prices here, and knowing that before anyone else is a key way to fortune. So, if Silurian is willing to share some of that information, I will be able to parlay this deal for the ruins into something much greater for my house.”
“I guess that makes sense,” Eril said.
“Do you think Master Silurian would be amenable to helping me?”
“I’m really not sure about Master Silurian, but I’m pretty sure that Lord Feldor would either get you the informa
tion you need or have someone do it. Master Silurian likes to make sure that his allies are well compensated.”
“That too has been my experience. It’s really the main reason I am his agent here in Argrave.” Jesstell nodded happily.
“So, what will you do, now, young Eril?”
“I guess I’ll go back to the ruins.”
“Very well, but make sure that whatever you do, do not bring anything above ground until you hear from me that the deal is concluded. As long as nothing reaches the surface, Master Torch will have nothing to know or complain about. Also, make sure as few people as possible know of your activities.”
“That might be a bit difficult. The whole village pretty much knows I’m there, and I’m fairly certain that many if not all know that I’m poking around the ruins.”
“How did that happen? I would have thought that Silurian would have made a point to you about being discreet.”
Eril explained his arrival in the village and his dispatch of the bandits. This both impressed and annoyed Jesstell because he hadn’t heard anything himself of the bandits’ end. He explained that his primary business was brokering information, and this was something he should have heard by now.
They concluded their business and Jesstell pointed Eril to an enclosed courtyard within the building which would allow Eril to fly out. Eril waited to invoke his invisibility amulet until he was ten feet above the ground so that Jesstell could witness his departure. Instead of flying off immediately, Eril waited, invisible, to see what Jesstell did when he thought Eril was gone. The man simply shook his head and slowly turned and went back into the building. Eril felt the man was mostly trustworthy, but he worried that one who brokers in information may always find a time or circumstance where a higher bidder might come along.
§ § §
Eril took some time flying invisible above Argaland familiarizing himself with the general layout of the large city. The more he looked, the more convinced he was that entering the way he had was the correct decision. All entrances to the community were guarded. The city watch was at all gates and patrolled the streets, providing a visible presence. Though the city was supposedly at peace, the amount of armed and uniformed men suggested to Eril that all was not well with Argrave or possibly its neighbors.
The Journeyman for Zdrell Page 21