The Rogue Sorcerer: The Caldronian Guild : Book 2

by Andrew G. Wood

  As the pair eventually walked the perimeter and back to the home used by Fennick they came to a stop. Mia had mentioned something about the Royal family that seemed to have the man intrigued, and sensing it was something important, Mia was considering to hold back any more information. When asked what other details she had, the former guild apprentice just happened to mention the fact that the young prince and heir to the throne had been taken out of the city. With the nation at war with Belaria, and the fact Surmont had only just managed to repel the attacks, the young royal had moved elsewhere for safety.

  Fennick immediately wanted more information, and at first Mia had obliged before realising her knowing such things, gave her an air of importance. Should she tell Fennick everything she knew, her use would be somewhat less so. Although she did not know the exact location of the prince, she did know he had been moved to a northern town. Being as there were only a few with defensive walls and the like, usually those that protected the mining areas, she could probably narrow it down to just a few. However, this information she thought best to keep to herself, for now at least.

  Although Fennick did not say as much, it was clear her withholding details had annoyed him, something she could detect by the change in his tone. “Perhaps if you tell me why the interest in the prince, I might divulge a little more,” she said casually. The old Mia would have probably just blurted out everything straight away, but her new persona was far more calculating. Fennick stopped and looked down at her with a stern stare. Mia just smiled back up at him, thinking that if the face was supposed to intimidate her, then he was greatly mistaken. “Very well,” the man eventually said, before suggesting they head back inside for refreshments.

  Mia sat down as Fennick poured her a small glass of red wine from his decanter sat upon the sideboard in his living quarters. Through the half-open doorway, she could see into the bedroom, and glanced over at the man with her wondering if it was his intention to try and lure her in there. Despite Fennick being old enough to be her father he did have a certain kind of charm, although whether that warranted sharing a bed with him, she was as yet unsure. Now if Gallien was the one to offer, maybe the chances of something happening would be far more likely. Although he was still several years older than her, Mia felt he was quite a handsome man.

  She watched as Fennick sat opposite her, and waited for him to drink from his glass first, before she touched her own drink. It was not that she thought Fennick would try drugging her, more a new way of behaving, less naïve than she perhaps had once been. Knowing to survive she needed to keep her wits about her, Mia was a far more cautious person than before.

  After sipping the wine, she nearly spat it out, finding it not to her liking. Instead she swallowed what she had in her mouth and placed the glass down on the small table beside her chair. “So,” she said starting the conversation off, “You were going to tell me why you are so interested in the prince.” Fennick smiled, highlighting the wrinkles around his eyes, confirming her earlier thoughts that he was too old for her liking.

  To his credit Fennick explained his reasons in some depth, although Mia had already made her own mind up that she was not going to divulge any further information just yet. Most of what she knew she had already said anyway, and even that was more hearsay than actual fact. She actually felt a little sorry for the man with her as he explained that the king had executed his brother. Apparently Fennick had been selected for the guild but his younger brother had not, despite having some magical ability of his own. “Naturally I did not want him to miss the chance and showed him how to connect with his power,” he continued.

  Mia listened, although thought the man was probably as much to blame for his brother’s demise as anyone. “You should have known the guild would not allow a sorcerer to remain unchecked for long,” she eventually said. Fennick paused and stared at her again, but did not show any sign of anger from her rather critical response. Instead he nodded and accepted he had probably been responsible for some part, although it was the king who had given the execution order after the guild had captured him.

  “So what had your brother done that drew the guild’s attention to him?” she asked. Fennick paused a while, taking a sip from his glass before answering. Deric, his brother, by all accounts had been seen showing off to a girl in Surmont, and had been reported to the guild. Within a matter of hours, he had been hunted down and captured. “They were like a pack of wolves, and I was forced to stand by and could do nothing to help.”

  Fennick said that he pleaded with the Masters to be allowed to see him but they refused, even trying to gain access to the palace to plead on his behalf. “They executed him without so much as a trial,” he said choking a little on the words. “After that, I myself felt I could not serve the king nor the guild so I fled the capital. After a while I found others who were being hunted, and eventually we started staying together, although the guild tracked us down, killing a few of us.”

  Fennick then explained that was when he decided to find the perfect hideaway, and had decided here was as good a place as any. “It has a nearby link in and out of the city, and secluded enough that we are not seen by anybody,” he said regaining his composure. Mia nodded her understanding, “So you want revenge…If I told you the whereabouts of the prince you would seek to kill him?” Fennick’s face took a far more serious look, “I would indeed, and deliver the body to the steps of the palace myself,” he said with strong emotion to his voice.

  Although Mia quite liked the thought of travelling north and finding the prince, she played it coy. The thought of killing the boy actually quite appealed to her, and knew the old Mia would not have approved of such a thing. Yet now she felt different, she had already killed and felt absolutely no regrets, and doing so again she knew would not be a problem. “I would want to come with you,” she found herself saying, although why she was not sure.

  Chapter 11.

  Leo felt his head pounding, as if someone was beating it like a drum. His behaviour in Gardham had been most unusual and had not only come as shock to his friends but himself as well. Sasha for one had reprimanded him for his actions, and he knew when they stopped to camp for the night Samuel would likely do so as well. He tried to recall the point when his mindset had changed, but was finding any concentration very difficult.

  All the new recruits were clearly afraid of him, as were the non-guild members who drove the wagons. Even Alec, someone he considered to be his closest friend was clearly now unsure of him, and knew this was something he needed to set straight. Having grown up without friends, he did not want to lose the ones he had made since his arrival in to the guild.

  Considering his loss, Alec was holding up well, and even though Leo knew his friend must have been hurting, he was doing a good job of hiding it. To keep the three new apprentice sorcerers appeased, Jake had thought it best for him to ride in one of the wagons with them. Even he and Mason treated Leo with some small amount of uncertainty, both unsure as to why their friend had behaved so out of character.

  With the last of the daylight fading away, Samuel called a halt to their travels, picking a spot beside the slow lumbering River Ebe. Leo thought it best to keep away from the others, isolating himself just a little, not wanting to cause any more trouble. After dismounting, he started removing the saddle from his own horse, something that was usually carried out by others. However, he thought he had seen it done enough times to manage by himself.

  Although a little tricky keeping the animal still whilst unbuckling some of the straps, Leo felt some modicum of self-satisfaction at having managed to do something for the first time. He patted his horse on the neck, before leading it over to where some of the others were already being rubbed down. One step at a time he thought.

  After finding a quiet spot to rest, Leo closed his eyes and slowed his breathing. After just a few minutes he could feel his headache easing, allowing him to think a little clearer. He cast his mind back to the figure he had sensed behind him in Gardham, a
nd that his strange behaviour had only happened after that. Had that person done something to him? If indeed that was the case, Leo had no idea of how or what had been done, only that it had made him act so out of character.

  He opened his eyes quickly as he heard footsteps nearing. He assumed them to be Samuel’s but was surprised to see Alec approaching. He looked up at his friend and watched as he sat down beside him. “Are you okay?” he asked not quite sure what else to say. What did you say to someone who had just discovered his family had been brutally murdered?

  Alec gave a wry smile, “I’m coping,” he eventually replied, showing Leo a strength he doubted many had. “What about you Leo?” Alec then asked. “We’re all quite worried about you…I have never seen you act in such a way before.” Leo just shrugged, he knew he had reacted strangely, and although he knew what he was doing at the time, did not know why.

  Being as they had a while yet before supper was ready, Leo decided to confide in Alec about what he had done in Gardham. Explaining that he had reached out his power to sense other sorcerers, although Samuel had specifically forbid him to do so. Alec did not seem over surprised, “That sounds more like you,” his friend said with a grin. Leo then moved on to the part where he had sensed the mystery figure positioned behind them, “I am sure it has something to do with that,” he added. At first he was unsure as to whether Alec believed him or not, after all no one else had seen or sensed anybody else.

  After a silence Alec then added, “Strange that neither Mason or Jake did not pick up the same feeling, yet they both felt something unusual.”

  “Ah! So it’s not just me,” Leo said a little louder than he meant too.

  “No that’s not what I meant Leo. I think the feeling they got was you,” Alec replied adding more confusion. Noticing his friend was puzzled Alec explained his theory.

  During his time in the library he had ready many books on sorcery and several on what were classed as forbidden practices. Alec explained that the guild knew the Belarians had a strange taint to their magic, probably caused by the fact they drained the life from their victims. Leo just shrugged accepting what he was being told as true. “Both Mason and Jake said it felt like they had been touched…but not physically. I think that was you trying to sense magic. I would ask the new ones but I’m not sure they’d understand what I mean,” he added.

  Leo lifted his hand and scratched at his head, feeling even more confused than before. “I think you might have touched this other person’s magic source…and had some kind of reaction from the dark taint it contained,” Alec summarised. He continued on by explaining his theory in much more detail, and was starting to get Leo worried. “I do hope the effects are not permanent,” Leo said with an element of panic. Alec calmed his fears a little, by thinking that was not the case. “You don’t feel the same now as you did earlier?” he asked. Leo told his friend that aside from the banging headache, which was now subsiding, he felt fine.

  After a few more minutes of listening to Alec’s theory, the Literary Apprentice suggested they move, “Come on we need to explain to the others why you behaved like you did.”

  “Well we are only presuming, aren’t we?”

  “Hmm, a little yes, but I am sure I’m right,” Alec replied setting off with a renewed spring in his step. Leo was not sure whether Alec behaving like this was a good thing, but he worked on the assumption that if his mind was preoccupied, perhaps it meant him not having to think about his loss; something he would have to come to terms with sooner or later.

  Leo’s approach naturally caused a little concern, especially amongst the young apprentice sorcerers. Alec, noticing their uncertainty reassured them everything was fine and that they had nothing to fear. Samuel immediately stood placing one of his large arms across Leo’s midriff barring him from moving any closer. “Are you feeling okay?” the man whispered to him. Leo nodded, “Sorry about earlier…I really do not know what happened, but I think Alec has a possible theory.” Samuel looked over to the young literary apprentice, deciding if he thought Leo was safe, then that was probably the case.

  Leo decided it was probably best to seat himself away from the younger members of the group. He immediately cast his gaze towards Sasha and thought he saw the makings of a smile there making him feel a little better. As they sat around the newly made camp fire, Alec stood and once happy everyone was listening to him started explaining his theory.

  Leo tried to watch for any reaction on the faces of those around him, but in the encroaching darkness it was getting harder to see despite the light being given off by the flames. Samuel naturally had questions, and asked them not because he doubted Alec’s theory but more for clarification on certain points. “We hadn’t even reached Gardham when he attacked me!” came the more dubious sounding voice of Carlton. There was a short silence and Leo thought perhaps it was best if he stood and sat by himself again. However, Alec answered that remark for him, “I think that was in truth just Leo being a jerk.”

  “Yeh! That does sound like Leo,” Mason added to the proceedings.

  “A powerful a sorcerer as we’ve seen in years, yet totally useless when it comes to the finer skills.

  “Okay, okay…Let’s not get carried away from the subject in hand. Yes, we know Leo has a few control problems,” Samuel added choosing his words a little more carefully than the others had.

  Leo smirked quietly to himself, surprisingly not offended by any of the comments made about him. After all, he knew only too well how his lack of control had led to one or two disastrous and comical outcomes. Daron though had already told him that was best left to those who were more capable. Leo was for all intent and purposes a weapon, ‘A very powerful one’ Daron had called him, and therefore his training had been directed more in his destructive capabilities.

  “Have you got anything to add Leo?” Samuel eventually said, as Alec finally finished explaining his theory. Leo stood, not quite sure what he was supposed to say, “Umm…Yes, Thankyou Alec,” he said.

  “Anything else Leo,” Samuel replied, “Perhaps something to our newer members,” he added as Leo watched the large frame of the warrior step around the fire towards him. Leo felt a small amount of uncertainty, and never the sharpest tool in the box, took a few seconds to realise what Samuel was getting at.

  Leo stood and slowly walked around the fire to where the three sorcery apprentices were sat. “Carlton, Deana and Chad…Please accept my apology. I genuinely would never wish to harm any of you,” he added trying to sound as sincere as he could. In the flickering firelight Leo looked at three faces before him, awaiting some kind of response. Surprisingly it was Carlton, the boy whom he had nearly crushed to death who stood. “Master Jake tells me you a good person really, and Sasha seems to think likewise, so I’m willing to forgive and forget,” the youngster said sounding far more grown up than anybody would have given him credit for.

  “Well that’s all sorted then,” Mason said standing and resitting down beside Leo. Samuel strolled over and sat the other side, “Not really,” he said keeping his voice low so as not to be heard outside the small group. “We have the problem of some sorcerer following our every move,” he added. After waving Sasha over to join their rather exclusive conversation he explained to them all that Leo felt he was being watched the previous night, added to that Jake had sensed another sorcerer during their first stop, before it had suddenly vanished. “Sasha I need you to patrol our perimeter tonight. Just watch and follow, don’t engage unless you absolutely have to.”

  The young ranger stood up straight, and after picking up her bow and checking her quiver for arrows, she vanished off into the night. Leo tried to keep an eye on her in the darkness but lost sight within a few seconds, worried for her safety. As good as Sasha was, he knew she was putting herself in great danger. As if picking up on his concerns Samuel patted him on the back, “Don’t worry she’ll be fine,” he said before getting back to his feet. “And with her gone I’ll need you to keep an eye on Jon,” he a
dded before turning to walk away.

  Leo thought he would have been the last person trusted to care for the young apprentice ranger, especially after recent events. After a rather boring meal of camp stew and bread rolls, the group seem to split up a little. Carlton, Deana and Chad were sat with Jake and Mason as the pair continued in the newcomers first theory lessons in sorcery. Leo actually thought it quite funny that the three youngsters all referred to both Jake and Mason as Masters. In fact, they were little more than first year apprentices, something he was certain would be set straight when they returned to Surmont.

  Kenton was stood a few yards to Leo’s left holding his sword in one hand and a shield in the other, showing Theo some different moves. It was then he noticed Alec sat by himself just staring into the flames of the fire. “Come on Jon, let’s sit over there,” he suggested to the youngster sat quietly beside him. “Why?” came the rather annoying reply.

  “Because I said so,” he said trying to remain calm, and not sound irritated.