Jonny set up the dagger and flicked the guard. The dagger barely moved. “Hmmm, I guess that’s why he grabbed the edge of the guard to make it spin.” Jonny grabbed the guard, tried to flip it, and only succeeded in knocking it loose from his hand and sending it spinning across the table at Roald.
“Hey, watch out what you’re doing,” he said as he jumped back from the table.
“Fine,” Jonny said. “If you think you can do better, then you try it.”
“But I’m not the one with the talent.”
“Yeah, then why don’t you just back off and let me try.”
He picked up the dagger and tried again with equally poor results. He tried five more times without any more success. He sighed.
“Roald, what am I doing wrong? I can’t even get the thing started to spin. This isn’t working.”
“How should I know?” Roald asked, obviously frustrated as well. “You’re the one with the trick. I can’t make anything spin. How do you do it when you spin the coin?”
“Well,” Jonny replied, thinking. “I sort of feel the coin. Not really like you feel it in your hand, but like I feel it in my head, and, then I just . . . kind of push it in my head and it spins.”
“So can you feel the dagger?”
“No,” Jonny said, clearly perplexed. “I guess I never really tried to feel it, or anything else for that matter before except for coins. I wonder if I can.” He squinted at the dagger. “Hmmm, hmmm . . . No, I just don’t feel anything. What am I going to do?”
“I don’t know Jonny, but I don’t want to be sleeping on the floor up here tonight, so you need to figure it out.”
“Yeah, but how do I do it?”
“If I knew that, I’d be the one The Master was in love with,” Roald replied, sadly.
Chapter 14
An hour later when Eleander came into the room to check on them, Jonny and Roald were no closer to making the dagger spin. They were scarcely talking to one another. He knew unless something changed they would never make any progress.
As he watched Jonny and Roald, he knew he had to do something; he just had to make sure he did not give him any direct help, or he would incur The Master’s wrath.
“So how’s it going?” Eleander asked, trying to sound cheerful, even though things looked bad. Jonny sat looking at the table, toying with the dagger and did not answer. “That well, huh?” Eleander said, trying to at least get him talking.
“Oh, it’s going just swell,” Roald answered from the floor where he sat toying with some loose grout between the stones. “See how Jonny’s got the knife spinning?” he said, gesturing to the table. “It spins so well, it looks like it’s just sitting there.”
Eleander could see that they were stuck, but he was starting to be frustrated with the boys’ attitude. “I told you this wouldn’t be easy work. I warned you that working for The Master directly would be about the hardest thing you have ever done in your whole life.”
“But you didn’t tell me he’d ask me to do an impossible thing and then walk off and not bother to give me any idea on how to do it,” Jonny said, looking up at last.
“He might as well have asked me to move the whole castle with a spade. I don’t know how to do this! I don’t even know how I do it when I spin the coin. I just do it. How am I supposed to make a dagger spin when I can’t even get it to spin without magic?” Jonny shouted in exasperation.
Eleander knew he had to tread a fine line here. He decided asking a question could not be construed as giving him an answer. “Jonny,” he asked. “Do you have any idea how you make the coin spin?”
“No,” Jonny answered gruffly. “I just do it. That’s it.” He glared at Eleander.
“So, don’t you think it might be a good idea to forget about the knife until you’ve figured out how you make the coin spin? Then you might be able to see how the coin and the dagger are alike and use that knowledge to make it spin too?” Eleander asked carefully.
“But how can I figure out how I do it, when I don’t know?” Jonny moaned.
“You told The Master you could spin different coins, didn’t you?” Eleander asked, hoping he was not being too obvious.
“Yeah, I can spin different coins,” Jonny answered, with slightly less belligerence. “What difference does that make?”
“Well,” Eleander began, trying not to let Jonny see he was leading him. “I can’t do what you do, but if you could compare what it’s like to spin several different coins and see what they have in common, it might help you see what it is that lets you spin them.”
“Yeah,” Jonny said, starting to get excited. “Maybe if I—“As quickly as he had become excited, Jonny lost the spark. “But I don’t have a bunch of different coins to use,” he sighed. “That won’t work.”
“Maybe you could take something shaped like a coin and spin it instead, Jonny,” Roald said. He started to get excited too. “I’ve been playing with these loose bits of stone here and trying to spin them cause I was so bored. Some of them spin pretty good even though I’ve got no magic to keep them going.”
“Sure,” Jonny said, excited again. “That could work. My biggest problem with this dumb knife is I can’t get it to spin on its point at all, magic or no magic.”
Eleander felt like they were past the roadblock and decided to get out before he influenced them any further. But he had to try one more thing. He reached into his pouch. “That’s a really good idea there, Roald. Jonny, you should try it, and,” he brought out four coins of different sizes and metals and set them on the table. “You might also want to try using these too, if the stone idea doesn’t work out.”
“Wow, thanks Eleander,” Jonny said.
“Just make sure you don’t lose them. That’s a lot of money for me. I’ll expect it back later.”
“Sure, sure,” Jonny said, staring at the money. “I’ll guard it with my life. This could be just the thing. Thank you, thank you so much.”
“That’s all right, Jonny. We may not even have to tell The Master about this, if you figure it out fast enough. Good luck,” he said, and went out the door before Jonny could even ask him any questions.
§ § §
When he came back nearly two hours later, Eleander was very anxious to see what had happened. He was a little concerned he had gone too far in leading Jonny to see what to him was an obvious approach to figuring out how to accomplish the task The Master had set him.
One of the reasons Eleander had ended up staying in magic was he could see the kind of method needed to solve a problem. His logical attitude had won his previous Master’s interest and eventually with that and a little talent, though not much, he had progressed until he was a journeyman. Now he was nearly ready to go before the board of wizards to become a master.
The atmosphere when he entered the room this time was completely different. The boys both excitedly started talking to him at once as soon as he came through the door. He had to calm them down in order to figure out what either of them was saying. “Slow down both of you,” he said, waving his hands. “One at a time.”
Jonny nodded at Roald. “Well, we did what you said, and Jonny tried spinning a bunch of things. We started with the rocks I’d been messing with. I would spin them and then Jonny would keep them going.”
“Yeah,” Jonny continued. “It took me a bunch of tries before I could get one of the rocks to spin like a coin, but finally, I figured it out.”
“And then,” Roald picked up the story. “Jonny started to spin those coins you let us borrow, and boy he could really make those spin!”
“After the rocks, the coins were really easy,” Jonny enthused. “Each of them feels different, but sort of the same.”
“Yeah,” Roald jumped in. “Jonny even got so he could keep two of them spinning at the same time!”
“Hmm,” Eleander said. “I’m sure The Master would like to see that.”
“But the best part,” Roald said, “happened just before you came in. Jonny got the da
gger to spin!”
“Really,” Eleander said, impressed because he had just thought it would take longer. “How did you do it, Jonny?”
“It was really Roald’s idea,” Jonny began. “He should be the one to tell you.”
Eleander turned to Roald, who suddenly looked bashful. “So what was your idea, Roald?”
“Well, after Jonny spun the coins and the rocks, he said he could kind of feel the knife to make it spin, but the problem was we didn’t know how to make it spin at all. We tried all kinds of ways of holding it, but when you flip it, it just falls over. It’s not like a coin. It won’t stand on its point. That was what gave me the idea; it was like some of the rocks I’d been playing with. You have to put it with one point down and hold the top with just the tip of your finger. Then you can rub your other finger on the edge to get it to spin fast enough to stand.
“So we tried that with the dagger, but it’s flat on the sides so you can’t spin it by rubbing against it like my rocks. We couldn’t make it spin fast enough so when we let it go it would still stay up.”
“Then Roald had an idea,” Jonny jumped in. “He asked me if it had to already be spinning for me to make it spin. I’d never tried before, but I had let coins get real slow and then sped them up so that was what we did. Roald held the dagger really light with the tip of his finger and I started it spinning while he held it. Then when it was going fast enough he took his finger off and it stayed up!” Jonny beamed and so did Roald.
“So show me,” Eleander said. He was really hoping they were telling the truth. Their excitement was contagious.
“Okay,” Jonny said, pointing. “Set it up, Roald.”
Roald eagerly took the knife and put it point down in the center of the table. He held it up with only the tip of his index finger. “Ready!”
Jonny took a deep breath and stared intently at the knife. For a moment he closed his eyes then said, “That’s it,” and opened them. Almost immediately, there was movement from the dagger. It began to turn under Roald’s finger. It started slow, but soon turned faster and faster. It kept accelerating until it was only a blur. As it had sped up, Roald had placed less and less force on it, until now he took his finger off the knife entirely and it stood spinning in place.
It continued to spin, not moving because it was cutting a small indentation in the surface of the table. Eleander let out a breath he had not known he had been holding. “Wow, Jonny,” he said beaming. “That’s great. The Master is going to be very impressed. How long can you keep it going?”
“Not much longer,” Jonny replied, still gazing steadily at the knife. “This is harder to do than coins, but I think it’s easier this time than the last. Roald grab it so it doesn’t go shooting out like last time.”
Roald moved forward and put his hand directly above the spinning hilt of the knife, then reached down and grabbed it in a quick gesture as Jonny signaled, “Now!”
Jonny relaxed his gaze and stretched. “Last time when I stopped concentrating, it was still spinning pretty fast and it shot off the table and bounced off the wall.”
“Yeah, it nearly killed me,” Roald griped. “If I’d been two feet to the left of where I was, I think it would have gone right through me. I wish it weren’t so sharp.” He stood looking at the knife, shook his head and sat down.
“So what do you think?” Jonny asked anxiously.
“I think The Master is going to be very impressed with both of you,” Eleander said. “Yes, I’d say he’s going to be very pleased indeed. I think you exceeded anything he expected. You’ve been working at it no more than half the day and you already accomplished what he wanted, and I think more.
“I fully expected to be coming up here tonight with your dinners and bedding, but I guess I won’t be needing to do that now,” he laughed. “Could you show me that bit where you spin two coins at once, Jonny? I think The Master is going to be interested to see that one too.”
“Sure, it’s not really all that different than doing one. I just kind of focus back and forth between the two.” He took a coin and started it spinning. “Roald, start one of the others,” he said still looking at the coin he had started and making it spin faster and faster.
Roald took one of the larger coins and flicked it spinning. “There you go, Jonny.”
Jonny glanced over at the second coin and it began to accelerate. He looked back at the first coin and made it speed up again. He continued to look back and forth between the two coins, shifting his attention from one to the other. After a couple of minutes he sighed and let both of the coins slow down and drop.
“Oy, that’s work,” he said. “When we did it the first time they were closer together and it wasn’t so hard. When they’re that far apart it’s a lot harder.”
“I’d say you both have more than earned your lunch,” Eleander said as he brought a sack up to the table that the boys in their excitement had not seen. He started to take bread, cheese and sausage out of the bag. As soon as they saw the food, they both started eating quickly.
Roald, with his mouth full of cheese said, “I’ll show you what this knife is really good for.” He took the dagger and started to cut the sausage into chunks so he could more easily get them in his mouth.
“Slow down you two,” Eleander said chuckling. “If you eat too fast, I’ll have to explain to The Master how I let his prize apprentice die choking on a piece of sausage. Don’t worry. I’ve already had lunch and there’s no one else to eat the food so you might as well enjoy it. You’ve earned it.”
§ § §
After they had finished eating and sat for a few minutes relaxing, Eleander looked at them both and said, “The Master will be very interested in seeing this, but he said he would be busy all afternoon. He let me know that in the unlikely event you two figured out how to spin the dagger before dinner you could go to the creek and swim, after you’ve practiced to be sure you can perform after all.”
Roald jumped up and shouted, “Yes! That’s great. I never get liberty when the weather is good.”
“Didn’t we have liberty just yesterday?” Jonny asked, smiling.
“Not like this,” Roald replied. “Anyway, don’t you want to get out of this stuffy castle and have some fun?”
“Sure.”
“Then I would suggest you practice a bit more,” Eleander said. “Then go off to the creek and have your swim. The Master will want to see you after dinner.” He paused, then added, “And dinner will be in the great hall again tonight. Someone very important is visiting, and The Master wants everyone there. You both are lucky enough not to have to serve. I wish I’d been that lucky when I was an apprentice,” he said, with a sigh.
He turned to leave, “Just be sure you can do it well Jonny. You may have more of an audience than The Master tonight.” He left the boys looking a little more concerned, but still happy.
Chapter 15
Jonny practiced for more than an hour, with Roald’s help. He got so he could spin the knife easily, but always had to have it held to start. He tried holding it himself, and having Roald do it. He even managed one time to keep the dagger spinning while spinning a coin. After he tried it one last time, with Roald yelling and running around the room and banging on the table to try to distract him, Jonny decided he was ready and they went off to swim.
By the time they got to where the creek that ran by the castle widened into a swimming pond, they only had about an hour to swim. They both thoroughly enjoyed playing in the water and were refreshed and hungry when they headed back to the castle. They changed into fresh clothes to be ready for dinner and headed down to the great hall to see who The Master’s guest would be.
§ § §
“What’s the matter, Silurian?” Alira, the wizard’s wife asked. “You’re stomping around here like someone put sour milk in your tea.”
“I can’t figure out why Boregond is here,” he said as finished taking off his work robes.
“He said we were just on the way, didn�
�t he?” Alira sat mending one of the apprentice’s shirts.
“Yes, he said that, but I think there has to be more to it. He might be trying to poach some of my journeyman.” He stood in front of his wardrobe deciding what to wear. “Or maybe he’s trying to size up the support I’m getting from the other local wizards.
“Who knows, he might even be trying to see if he can find or create some discord in Salaways?” Silurian finished putting on the robe he selected and started looking for suitable hose.
“But I thought he was one of your favorite journeymen, when he stayed here?”
“He was.” Silurian bent to put on his hose. “One of the most talented journeymen I’ve seen in the last hundred years, but that was before he threw in with the demon wizards; more go to them every year. What a waste.” He stomped as he put on his shoes. “He is too talented to be working with that lot. I don’t understand it, and I don’t trust him any more. I’m not sure I ever should have.”
“Well, he’s here now. Try not to antagonize him. Show him the courtesy you would any visiting master. I doubt he’ll stay long.”
“No doubt, my old weidge,” Silurian said, as he leaned down to peck his wife on the cheek. “He will stay just long enough to accomplish whatever underhanded deed he must be planning. I’ll try not to irritate him too much, but I think I might just make him think a bit when he sees Jonny tonight.” He grinned at himself in mirror, adjusting his neck bow.
“You’re not going to have the boy perform in front of Boregond!”
“I am. Maybe when he sees a genuine zdrell trick it will give him pause. But I would wager he won’t believe. Even as a journeyman he was adamant that zdrell was just a legend, even with all the evidence to the contrary.”
“I hope this new boy, Jonny, can perform,” she said, shaking her head and continuing with her mending.
“So do I, dear, so do I.” Silurian looked thoughtful as he left the room.
Chapter 16
The Apprentice to Zdrell Page 7
