by Guy Antibes
Baron Mansali softened a bit and smiled. “You didn’t cut your throat right after?”
Ricky recognized the remark as one filled with wry humor. “I found that physical activity helps to eliminate the depression.”
“I am still amazed that you advanced so quickly on your own without tutelage,” Bespa said.
“Ricky is most resourceful,” Baron Mansali said. “He broke through to my daughter, even though their affinity had been effectively cut off.”
Mirano looked at Ricky. “You did? I was surprised enough that you could link with Dean Doubli from the Home.”
Ricky wondered why these two men had gathered to talk to him. “I found that increased will can make up for affinity. I was desperate, you see.”
Both the baron and the healer nodded and looked at each other.
Mirano took a deep breath. “I am here to offer you a fully paid education in Duteria. The baron concurs your abilities would be better managed there than in Paranty. In some ways, you are already at or exceed what is taught at Sealio University.”
Ricky sat back in his chair. “Leave the academy? I don’t know if I can do that,” he said. “I have friends, and this is my home.”
Baron Mansali pursed his lips. “It is an open-ended invitation, Ricky.” He looked at Mirano, who shrugged and nodded. “Sooner the better, in my opinion. I doubt you see your future as a performance sorcerer, although you’d be spectacular as one.”
“I haven’t thought much about it, but I do see more uses for sorcery than entertainment or teaching.” Ricky looked at Mirano. “You can heal, and people respect you for that.”
“Mostly,” Mirano said. His reply told Ricky a lot more than the single word.
“I don’t want to be a healer,” Ricky said. “I think it needs to be something you feel strongly about.”
Mirano smiled. “I never pictured you as a healer, and you are right. I do feel that is the right thing for me to do. I don’t know what is right for you, but you’ll not get an opportunity to choose if you live in Paranty.”
Ricky looked at Mansali. “You live in Paranty.”
“I do, but my talents are more restricted in this country than you may realize. If I didn’t have international linkages that benefit Paranty in more ways than mere trade, I doubt if King Leon would allow me to operate my business.”
Ricky hadn’t heard that before. “If it is an open invitation, then let me contact either one of you when the time becomes right for me. I want to graduate from Doubli Academy. I’ve made friends here, and I’m still only fifteen. I have lots of time to decide.”
Mansali’s eyes swiveled to Mirano. “I told you he’d choose to stay.”
“We are offering you a lifeline, young Valian; you know that, don’t you?” Mirano Bespa said.
Ricky nodded, thinking of the ancient library that still needed transcribing. “I want to grow up a little more.”
“You’ve already done more than most,” Mirano said. “I will leave you.”
“Tell Siria that I’m glad she is doing well.”
Mirano beamed. “I can do that, gladly.” He bowed to the baron and nodded to Ricky on his way out.
“I understand you insulted my daughter when you returned from Applia.”
Ricky nodded. “I did, your grace.”
Mansali ran his tongue along some teeth in his mouth. “She deserved it. The Griama boy barely cut off relations with her before she was about to do the same with him. My daughter is a trial, as I’m sure you painfully know.”
Ricky kept his mouth shut.
“You also nearly apologized to her recently.”
“I see you are well-informed, sir.”
Baron Mansali flitted his hand, waving away Ricky’s comment. “My request to you from last summer still stands. If you can stand her, try to be a friend. She has…wounds that won’t heal properly. Do you understand?”
“I do. I realized recently that I don’t want to see her in pain.”
“Even though she nearly cost you your life?”
Ricky nodded. “I don’t have feelings for her that I once thought I had, but we did share an affinity, and I think that can be the basis of friendship if she is willing.”
The baron looked away for a moment. “I doubt she is, but I’m glad you have a mind to tolerate her. I appreciate your candor. I agreed to accompany Bespa here today. I agree that Sealio University will be a waste of your time. You’ll only get frustrated.”
“I am coming to believe that, as well,” Ricky said, thinking about the ancient texts.
“There are four levels of power-linking. You have progressed to number three; I’ll let you know that. I have been able to exercise will to some extent. I never had the opportunity to rise to the fourth. They can teach you that in Duteria.”
The baron rose, and Ricky did as well.
“Don’t bow to me; here, shake my hand. In a few ways, we are very much equals,” Mansali said, putting out his hand.
“Thank you for your confidence in me,” Ricky said.
“It is not misplaced, I know.” Baron Mansali walked out of the room. Ricky followed and saw the two men out, both nodding to him as they left.
Ricky walked past the lobby and sought out Mistress Merry. He needed to share his experience with somebody, and that meant Merry or Saganet.
“She might have some time after her appointment,” one of her two secretaries said to Ricky as they pointed to a chair in their shared office.
Ricky noticed one of the professors walk past him, leaving Merry’s office.
“Ricky, come in. I don’t have much time. I’d like to hear how your visit went.”
Merry ushered him in and closed the door. “Nice chairs, today.” She walked over to her empty fireplace. She beamed. “I am happy it is spring,” she said. “I don’t need to be heated up all the time. So what just happened?”
Ricky relayed the conversation, even the part about Baron Mansali’s concern about his daughter. Ricky didn’t share the part about the baron calling them equals.
“So you aren’t headed for Duteria? I was a bit afraid.”
Ricky laughed. “Not today, anyway. I think it is in my future, should I last that long,” he said, thinking about the trip to Applia. “I want to graduate from Doubli first.”
“I hope they accepted that.”
“Neither of them tried to talk me out of staying. An open-ended invitation sounds good to me.”
“You didn’t tell them about the library?”
Ricky shook his head. “I did learn one thing. A book that I transcribed talks about five stages of power-linking, although they used to call it mind alignment. Maybe in ancient Parantian, the words were pronounced better. I like the term power-linking better.”
Merry leaned forward and patted Ricky’s hand. “So do I,” she said conspiratorially.
“Anyway, the baron said there were four power-linking levels. That told me that Duteria doesn’t have all the knowledge in the world.”
“Oh, I guess you’re right,” Merry said. “Does that give Paranty an advantage?”
Ricky shook his head. “I’m the only one studying the sorcery texts. It gives me an advantage. King Leon would burn those books.”
Merry sat back. “You are so correct.” She narrowed her eyes, looking into the vacant fireplace. “Perhaps you’ll want to take the books on sorcery with you when you go.”
“No. I can’t do that.” Ricky smiled. “I’ll take transcriptions. Is that acceptable?”
The dean giggled. “It is to me. Do I even count?”
“Of course you do,” Ricky said. “I don’t want to take much more of your time, but don’t be surprised if you get a thought or two of mine calling in your head. I never did much experimentation to power-link with will, just the two times we communicated in Applia. I’d like to have a lifeline when I return. There are some sorcerers on the team, even Jac Griama, but none of them know about the linking.”
Merry thought for a moment. “Do you trust
young Griama?”
“I do.”
“Then tell him a lighter version of what you discovered. I wouldn’t tell anyone about the library, but he is of sufficient rank to be untouchable. If anyone attacked him, there would be an international incident.”
“He is that highly ranked?”
“His father is a cousin to King Courer. Jac is a prince. His older brother is officially first in line to the throne of Dimani.”
“He always calls himself the second son.”
Merry nodded. “He is that, and much more.”
~~~
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
~
F OUR CARRIAGES LINED UP IN FRONT OF THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING. Saganet helped Ricky carry his broomball bag and a bag of clothes, including a brand-new uniform, to the carriage line.
“We won’t be in the same carriage,” Saganet said. “Sippa wants the boys to travel together, so three carriages for the team and one for the team’s advisors.”
“I don’t care. I’m too nervous about returning to Applia to worry about carriage-mates.”
“Did you bring your cane?” Saganet asked.
“It’s in my broomball bag.”
“Make sure you have it ready. Remember the militiamen who stopped our carriage coming out of Applia?”
Ricky nodded.
“There continue to be reports of bandits roaming the hills between the two cities. I’ll be carrying my sword, but that won’t help your group.”
“If nothing else, we have broomball sticks.”
Saganet chuckled. “I forgot about those. Every player is armed, then.”
“Right,” Ricky said.
When the carriage drivers were about to heave Ricky’s things atop the carriage, he withdrew his cane. “An old broomball injury,” Ricky said to the driver. “It acts up at the oddest times.”
“Indeed it does,” Saganet said, patting Ricky on the back before he headed to his coach.
Ricky seemed to be the last to arrive in his carriage. Jac, Ubbo, and Benno watched him enter.
“What’s with the cane?” Ubbo said.
Ricky handed it to the boy. “Self defense.”
Ubbo hefted the cane and knocked it on his palm. “Weighted. This is meant to be a weapon?”
Ricky nodded. “I’ve been known to have enemies.”
“Victor and Lord Taranta,” Benno said. “Ricky killed them both.”
Benno’s callous words made Ricky wince.
“I hadn’t heard that,” Ubbo said.
“Sorry,” Benno said, looking guilty. “It’s not a secret, but it doesn’t get spread around.”
“I know, Ubbo,” Jac said. “I’m not sure I got an accurate version, but Loria told me about some of your adventures last year.”
Ricky shrugged. It looked like Ubbo would know everything before they arrived in Applia, so as they got underway, Ricky told Jac and Ubbo his story from entering Doubli to returning from the Home, leaving out a few important details, of course.
“Professor Asucco teaches you how to use unconventional weapons?” Ubbo asked.
“I recently passed her test for using a candlestick as a weapon,” Ricky admitted.
“I never knew,” Ubbo said, looking at Ricky without the hint of the disdain he usually displayed.
“As I said, the version I originally heard was colored quite differently,” Jac said. “It only makes my decision to befriend you even more prescient.”
“With my help,” Benno said.
Jac nodded to his friend. “With your assistance, indeed, young Vesteria.”
Benno laughed and looked out the window. The other boys did the same. They only traveled four to a carriage, and that made the trip very tolerable.
~
Ricky noticed the steady rise as they passed through the hills between the two cities. “Applia is higher than Tossa?”
“Much,” Benno said. “It’s enough so that it always snows in Applia, while we just get a dusting or two in the winter.”
“I guess that hasn’t come up in any of my classes,” Ricky said.
“That is right; you were illiterate when you first arrived. You’ve made remarkable progress,” Ubbo said.
“I worked hard. That’s how I survived.”
Ubbo nodded and returned to gaze at the scenery.
~
Ricky didn’t care much about celebrating at the inn on their first night. He went out into the stable yard and practiced sword forms with his cane.
“You are anxious, aren’t you?” Saganet said, coming out of the shadows.
“Scared is more like it. Wouldn’t you be?”
Saganet nodded. “I wish we could chance a sword in that cane, but who knows how strict the Applian constabulary is on minors carrying weapons. The cane is about as far as we can go, but let’s hope you won’t need it.”
“If my life is threatened, I can use a touch of sorcery. I know how to be discreet.”
That brought a laugh from his guardian. “You certainly know how to be indiscreet. I don’t have to tell you to be careful.”
“No, because you just did,” Ricky said with a smile.
“Continue. All the vibration of the carriage makes my old bones shake. It’s time for bed. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Ricky watched Saganet walk through the inn’s door. He pursed his lips and went through his form more slowly and sang quietly, putting up shields and deflecting arrows in his mind.
The day barely dawned at all with dreary overcast skies. The threatening rain became a reality, and the carriages had to slow down, even though they traveled through the protection of a forested section in the road.
The carriage stopped. Ricky watched the water drops plummet to a puddle outside the carriage. He reached down for his cane. “If there is a tree down across the road, we should have visitors,” Ricky said as quietly and calmly as he could. He stepped out of the carriage into the puddle he expected and looked forward at the tree. He walked around the carriage, leaning on the cane as bandits emerged from the forest.
“We just want your money, not your lives,” a voice called out. “Empty your pockets.”
Ricky looked up towards Saganet’s coach and saw the men emerge with swords in their hands. Ricky joined them.
“Brigands?” Ricky said.
Saganet glanced at him, but said nothing.
“Drop your weapons,” the voice called.
“The rain has stretched your arrow strings,” Saganet called out. “Come out and earn your keep.”
An arrow zipped out of the forest at Saganet. Ricky shifted it aside and heard it thunk into the side of the carriage.
“That wasn’t very polite,” Saganet called out.
Boys piled out of the carriages and retrieved their broomball sticks at Jac’s urging.
About ten outlaws emerged from the forest.
“Sticks against swords?” a short, skinny man said.
Ricky looked at the mud on the bandit’s face, smeared on purpose. “I don’t know you, but you know me,” Ricky said, rising into the air. “Perhaps you last saw me in a red cloak.”
The man backed up, along with the other brigands.
“If you want to leave here alive, I suggest you go back the way you came after you have removed the tree from the middle of the road. Get to work.” Ricky leveled the cane at the bandit leader as he drifted back to the ground.
“Yes, sorcerer, sir,” the man said. He looked at the other. “You heard him. Get to work!”
Ricky stood with arms folded until the would-be robbers finished their work.
“Secure your bags,” Sippa said, looking at Ricky, but addressing the team. “We’ll be leaving soon.”
The group of carriages wasted no time heading out.
Ricky slipped his cane beneath his feet. “See? It came in handy.”
“You used sorcery,” Ubbo said.
“Very observant,” Jac replied. “Did he use it to attack or defend?”
“Y
ou threatened them,” Ubbo looked uncertainly at Ricky.
“What were you going to do, attack them with our precious broomball sticks? I don’t want mine nicked up. Do you?” Ricky said, acting more confident than he felt.
“I thought you might have been telling stories about Applia, but I have no doubts, now,” Ubbo said. “Where did you learn to fly?”
“I taught myself,” Ricky said. That was a true enough statement. Ricky had used a sorcery book as a guide. “Remember, I had concentrated sorcery training last summer.”
“He gets special instruction, even now,” Jac said.
Ricky nodded. “I generally don’t flaunt my talent, but I didn’t want anyone injured. We have to be in good shape for Briar Preparatory School.” He thought of the arrow whizzing towards Saganet. That was active magic, but no one but Saganet would pick up on that, except Sippa if he stood at the proper angle.
Benno finally laughed. “You scared the pants off them. It made me a bit fearful to watch, gliding up like that. I thought of a ghost or a demon brought out of a novel.”
“Saganet told me they might be ex-militia. There are plenty who fled Applia last Winter’s Day, and without work, what else can they do but prey on travelers?”
“You showed restraint then?” Jac asked.
Ricky nodded.
“Loria said you flew around killing people when the two forces met.”
Her version saddened Ricky. “I flew. I sang a spell that made a battering ram explode. I bluffed my way long enough to get the inmates from the Home closer to the Royal Barracks walls, so they wouldn’t be caught between the two forces. The king’s soldiers did the rest.”
“Was that all bluff, today?” Ubbo asked.
“It was a threat. Luckily, everything turned out to our advantage. We didn’t even have to get soiled moving the tree.”
Jac looked at his hands. “You do know how to think on your feet.” Jac laughed. “In the air, you weren’t on your feet. I wouldn’t have thought to turn the criminals into servants.”
Ricky shrugged.
~
“That was foolhardy, Ricky,” Saganet said, sipping ale at their inn. Sippa and Saganet had called Ricky over for a little talk.
“But not foolish,” Sippa said. “Those men would have made a mess of the boys.”
