Mounting the wagon, he slung the backpack he’d worn when he arrived onto his back. He swung his leg over and sat down, astride the chest. The top of the oak chest had a slight upward curve to it, so sitting as he was didn’t feel much different from being atop a horse. Except, once he was airborne, his feet would dangle below the chest. He felt a bit foolish sitting here now, but knew that the feeling would pass as soon as he was flying.
Master Silurian walked up beside the wagon. “Is there anything else you need?”
“I can’t think of anything, Master. Really, you’ve given me all the advice and things I require. Besides that, if I have questions, I can just ask with the communicator.”
“Yes, yes. You are quite correct. I’ve still not adjusted to the reality that though you will be on a long journey, you are only a call away. So, make sure you check-in, wherever you end up tonight.”
“I will, Master. I will.”
With that, Eril knew he needed to get going. Much of the castle complement was there to watch his departure. Most weren’t supposed to be there, or know he was going, but the knowledge of his departure couldn’t be contained.
Mindful that he had an audience, he made a point of raising roughly fifteen feet in the air riding the chest like a steed. He paused to adjust his seat and experimented with moving the chest and himself as a single unit back and forth in the air. Eril heard gasps and quiet exclamations, but ignored them.
Still below the level of the tops of the outer castle wall, he waved and said goodbye one more time. Then, he invoked first his shield amulet, then his invisibility amulet to yet more gasps as he rapidly sailed up and out of the castle and high above the valley heading just north of the rising sun.
Chapter 45
City of Chezney, Floric
Ebony sat glaring across the table at the large man, who was trying hard not to tremble. “Aside from the weapons coming out of Salaways, are you sure you haven’t seen any sign of unusual non-demon magic?”
“No, Master Ebony. I have neither heard nor seen anything. The only big magical event was at last year’s trade fair, and that was decidedly a demon magic event.”
“Tell me about it,” Ebony said, without much hope.
The man, Ktorcal, a local demon wizard, told Ebony the story of wizard Keltrode and his most spectacular demise.
“And the reason his demon would turn on him so publicly?”
“Well, Keltrode was always excessive in his summonings. It appears that one of his sacrifices might have gotten away during the performance, and the demon discovered it, and . . .”
“Yes,” Ebony said, “that would do it. But did anyone investigate further?”
“No,” Ktorcal said, shaking his head. “No one who was a known demon wizard was welcome anywhere in the fair after that. Once the people found out how Keltrode had been ‘paying’ for his demons, there was an immense uproar. I’ve had to keep a low profile myself. It destroyed years of goodwill towards any who follow the demon path, more than anything Salaways has done in years.”
“Is there any chance a non-demon wizard engineered it?”
“I suppose so, but I have no idea how they would have known or acted. The only other real wizard at the fair at the time was an odd litte man who provides magical security for the fair officials, and he claimed to be as surprised as everyone else.”
“He would,” Ebony grunted. He would have to look more into this.
What he really wanted to do was go into Salaways and tear the place up, but there were already two other charzen there and he had been instructed to continue to hunt for the line cutter and/or zdrell master. He hadn’t been one of the lucky ones to be given a device to find the line cutter magically, so he had to do it like any other mundane.
It was frustrating. Several charzen had been sent to lead armies in the eastern part of the continent, but as the most junior charzen he was tasked with searching and being in place for when the next phase of the battle would begin. So he would search. At least he wasn’t alone, from what he knew there were five other charzen searching too.
Chapter 46
Village of Chilzen, Argaland
Eril’s flight back to Argaland was largely uneventful, except the one time when he started to nod off, only to wake with a start as he realized he had begun to fall. That kept him well awake the remainder of the journey.
The only other mishap came as he was landing behind the inn. As he descended, still invisible, he startled a sleeping pair of crows that in turn startled him as they tried to fly into the sky and screamed in outrage as they rebounded off of the bottom of the chest. Eril nearly crashed, but long sessions of practicing for this sort of distraction caused him only to drop a pair of feet before he brought his descent under control and landed softly.
He rose stiffly. Once again, he’d flown the entire distance in one continuous go of over four hours. When he’d first flown, he thought it could never get dull or routine. Now, having made this long trip three times, he was beginning to see how anything, no matter how wondrous can become routine, even tedious.
After casting a quick invisibility spell on the chest, he entered the inn by the back door. It was late afternoon, and he could smell the inviting aroma of the evening meal wafting from the kitchen.
“Eril,” Marta exclaimed, looking up from the tables she’d been cleaning as he walked into the common room. “Where’d you come from?”
Pointing, he said, “Just came in the back door, Marta.”
She put her hands and her hips and scowled fiercely at him. “You know what I mean. I didn’t see anyone out on the road, and I’m betting you didn’t come from the village. Where’ve you been these last days?”
Eril shrugged and pulled out a chair nonchalantly, “Oh, you know, wizard business. Not really something I can talk about.”
She fumed. “That’s just what Da and Fil said. No one tells me anything.” She began to wipe furiously with her rag at some imagined spot on one of the tables.
Seeing she was near to crying, Eril relented. “Marta, I’m really sorry,” he said as he got up to stand beside her. “I really can’t talk about it. I was away for a few days. Now I’m back. I’ll probably be here for some time now, but I may have to go off again. I’ll make sure I tell you before I go next time, though.”
Marta grunted, still polishing. Eril could see from the set of her body that she was a bit mollified. She stopped after a couple of moments and stood facing him, trying to scowl, but it was fighting with a smile.
“I expect you’re hungry from all your ‘wizarding business’ then,” she said businesslike.
Eril grinned. “In point of fact, I am rather hungry. I had a fine breakfast, but I haven’t eaten since, and I am feeling the lack.”
§ § §
That evening, he reported to Master Silurian and enjoyed the company of those who frequented the inn. He could see that both Fil and her father were glad to see him back, and was surprised that he too felt at home here, more than he would have thought after such a short stay.
He also was more than a little surprised at how happy he was to see Fil again. He hadn’t thought of her while back at castle Salaways, but he found himself smiling when he looked towards her now.
This was a unique experience for him. He’d heard ‘all about women’ from the other apprentices and journeymen when he’d apprenticed with Master Kason, the metal worker. The rough talk had always made him more than a little uncomfortable, and he’d had very little chance to interact with women or girls since he’d become an apprentice wizard, and even less while he stayed with Master Dorull.
When Eril had first been paired with Filora to explore the ruins, he’d hardly thought of her as a girl at all. Her dress and attitude had reinforced this. But now, having had a few days away from her and returning, he noticed he couldn’t look at her quite the same way. He even suspected when he looked at her, she might be reacting differently too. He shook his head and decided he must be imagining things.
Chapter 47
The next day Eril set out with a borrowed wagon to carry the chest with payment for the ruins to Lord Torch in Argaland. Fil drove the team, as it was her father’s wagon. They talked of the weather and other small things each had done while they’d been apart. Since Fil knew he’d flown to Salaways, she was one of the few he could confide in as to what his ‘wizard’s business’ had been.
For her part, Fil spoke to him of the gossip of the village and how she’d occupied her time. Neither said anything about missing each other, but they found things to talk about, so the hour and a half ride to the city gates seemed but minutes.
Once again, Eril noted that the city of Argaland had a martial appearance. The high city walls stretched away into the distance, the immense gates manned by a group of eight guards checking folk both entering and exiting. Those afoot stood in one queue while those on horseback, wagons or carriages waited while a pair of guards questioned them.
When they arrived at the head of the line, a senior guard asked them their business.
Eril spoke up before Fil could say anything. “We’re here to conduct business with Master Jestell and then meet with Lord Torch.”
“Lord Torch, you?” he looked askance at Filora and somewhat less skeptically at Eril. Eril was once again thankful that his journeyman’s robes looked sufficiently rich that the man didn’t laugh outright. Instead, his eyes tracked back to the chest sitting in the wagon bed.
“What’s in the chest? We’ll have to inspect it,” he said, moving to the rear of the wagon to mount.
Eril hurriedly said, “I’m afraid that is something for Lord Torch and is sealed for only him.”
“And I’m afraid that we have orders to search everything that comes into the city. The Lord Mayor has no interest in untaxed contraband going in or out,” the guard said, puffing out his chest.
Eril knew that since he’d magically sealed the chest, they wouldn’t be able to get it open, which, since they were curious guards likely meant that they’d try to confiscate it. He reached into his pouch and pulled out a full silver round. He felt certain that it was probably more than he should be offering, but thought it was the quickest way.
He waved the coin and said in a low voice. “I’m sure, Lord Torch would appreciate your discretion in this matter.”
The man’s eyes widened, and his manner changed instantly. He jumped down from the wagon and snatched the coin so quickly that Eril was sure the man must have practiced for days to be so smooth. “Well,” he said, “since this is something going to Lord Torch . . . we wouldn’t want to interfere with important business. Move along.” He waved them ahead, and Fil clucked the horses into motion.
“I can’t believe you gave him a whole silver round,” Fil said, incredulous, after they had gone a few hundred yards into the city. “You could have gotten away with a couple copper, easy. The guards can’t be too greedy, or people would complain. Offering him that much, he is probably ten times more curious about what is in the chest now.”
“Yes, but by giving him that much, he’ll content himself with only guessing and take the money in place of knowledge.”
“I hope it was worth it,” Fil said. He hadn’t told her what was in the chest, only that he owed it to Lord Torch. Eril felt confident she’d agree when she found out.
They continued on without incident to the building where Master Jesstell was waiting for them. He walked alongside them as they covered the final few blocks to Lord Torch’s block.
This part of the city was nothing but buildings and streets between them. Lord Torch had what looked almost like a castle that took up a whole city block. With Jesstell along, they were only briefly challenged as they drove the wagon into a cavernous stable yard.
They left the wagon and team with the grooms, while all three of them were led by a servant to Lord Torch’s rooms. They made quite a sight with Jesstell in his somber solicitor’s robes, carrying an elegant satchel, Filora, looking very much a village girl in both dress and bearing, and finally Eril, in his journeyman’s robes with the large chest floating along unsupported in the air in front of him.
As they entered the spacious formal chambers Lord Torch maintained, he rose from behind the broad ornate mahogany desk he been sitting at and came forward to greet them. He stepped first to Jesstell and formally clasped wrists.
“Jesstell, good to see you again,” he said as they shook and then turned to Eril. “Young master wizard,” he said, reaching to grasp Eril’s wrist and then seeing the chest floating unsupported behind him, stopped in momentary shock. “Um, yes,” he still stared at the chest, which Eril allowed to quietly settle to the floor. “It truly is a pleasure to see you,” he continued the previously aborted move to clasp hands.
Eril could see from his expression that he really was happy to see him. Eril was taken aback at how much younger and fitter the man appeared. “You look very well, Lord Torch,” Eril said as they shook hands.
“I do, don’t I?” the man said, holding up both hands and giving a bit of a twirl. “I not only look better, but I feel better than I have in decades. And I owe my good fortune to you, young sir. My physicians are at a complete loss, as I haven’t told them what happened between us.” He laughed. “Not only that, but my relations are most annoyed with my returned health.” He grinned wolfishly, “They had felt they were about to receive their inheritances, and now they must go back to being patient.”
He paused for a moment and looked Fil up and down. “And who have we here? Are you one of the good innkeeper’s daughters?”
“Aye, I am,” Fil said blushing slightly while curtseying awkwardly. “I came to drive the wagon for master Eril’s chest.”
“Ah, you didn’t parade the whole distance between here and Chilzen with that chest bobbing along like an obedient soap bubble? Well done.” Torch nodded, solemn, thinking. “I gather the chest is rather heavy, which explains why you weren’t carrying it?”
“Yes,” Eril replied. “It was much easier to bring in the wagon, though the guards at the city gate were loath to let it into the city without ‘inspecting’ it.”
Torch snorted, “I expect they were. They are always looking to increase their earnings. I’ve talked to the Lord Mayor about it, but he doesn’t seem inclined to remedy the situation. How much did they extort from you?”
Before Eril could respond, Fil piped up. “A whole silver round, can you believe it?”
Lord Torch arched an eyebrow, “Why so much, Eril?”
Feeling a bit chagrined Eril responded, “They didn’t seem impressed when I mentioned Master Jesstell, nor when I told them the chest contained items for you. So, it just seemed that it would go much quicker and make them less inclined to ask questions if I gave them more than the standard ‘toll.’”
“Hmmm,” Lord Torch said, rubbing his chin. “That might have been good sense, considering how they’d have reacted if they’d seen the contents of this chest.”
“There was never any chance of that,” Eril said hastily. “I sealed it magically. I doubt they could have opened it without destroying the chest, and I’m not even sure they could have done that. But, they did look inclined to confiscate it, and I didn’t want the time and grief that would have entailed.”
“Yes . . . yes, I think that was wise.” Lord Torch looked thoughtful. “Right then, on to business. Jesstell, I presume you have all the final documents?”
“Indeed, my Lord,” he said, stepping forward and holding up the satchel he was carrying.
“Very good,” Torch said, moving back to the large desk and clearing away some other papers. “Lay the documents out here, and I’ll look at them while you remove the funds from the chest so that I can witness them here.” He stepped behind the desk and rang a bell. “I’ll just have my steward to witness the documents for my side and the transfer of funds.”
Almost immediately, an older gentleman, dressed somberly, nearly a match to Jesstell, entered the room. Both the Steward and
Jesstell watched as Lord Torch signed the elaborate title documents, then each placed their seals on it as well.
Eril had brought the chest over and unsealed it. Once the documents were sanded to dry them, they were placed to the side, and Eril began pulling out heavy sacks, each the size of a man’s head. Clearly full of coin they were sealed with an elaborate red wax seal that had the number 100 emblazoned large in its center. After he had placed five of the sacks on the desktop, everyone stood and stared at them for a moment.
Lord Torch motioned for his steward, “Karl, please check them, if you will.” He turned to Jesstell and continued, “It isn’t that I don’t trust you or Master Wizard Silurian, or young Eril for that matter, but, when dealing in these quantities . . .”
“Quite right and proper, my Lord,” Jesstell responded stiffly.
Meanwhile, Karl had pulled out a knife and levered the seal off the first bag. He unrolled the top and extracted a large gold round. Behind them, there was a sharp intake of breath from Fil.
“We were carrying five hundred gold rounds in that chest?” she said with shocked incredulity.
“Actually, there was more than that in the chest,” Eril said, calmly. “I have other money in there for Jesstell from Master Silurian.”
“I’ve never even imagined that much coin,” Fil said, shocked. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen more than five gold rounds together in one place before.”
“Land is not cheap, young miss,” Lord Torch said. “I actually paid nearly this much for those ruins myself. But you do realize that the armor and weapons you retained from the ancient cache are worth more than five gold rounds, possibly as much as ten or twenty?”
“No, no I hadn’t realized. . . I mean I knew they were valuable, but not worth that much . . .” Her voice had gotten very small.
He turned to Eril, “I imagine you were aware of the values here?”
“Yes,” Eril said, distracted as the steward continued opening and examining the contents of each sack. “Yes, I sometimes have trouble with money. When I was young, my family had nothing. Then when I became an apprentice wizard, I still had nothing, but didn’t need anything. Now, as a journeyman, I regularly deal with things that are worth many times my family’s annual income from when I was a child. It is hard to keep straight at times.”
The Journeyman for Zdrell Page 27