Kevin nodded. “No problem.”
“And while we’re on the topic of spring, it brings a lot of work for local sorcerers. And speaking of which…”
Kevin grinned. “I may have someone.”
“Who?”
“Darwyn.”
“From the island?”
Kevin nodded and told Chris about his conversation with Warren. “After I bring Darwyn here, I thought I’d get Darrell to go out there and work with the guards. They’re used to guarding a door, not a person. They need to learn how to keep her safe when she’s out and about, especially when she’s working with magic.”
“How long are you planning to leave him there?”
Kevin shrugged. “Maybe a month at the beginning and then go back for a few days every couple of weeks until he thinks they’ll be able to keep her safe.”
“Have you talked this over with him?”
“Not yet.”
“He may not be willing to do it.”
“Why not? It’s the same stuff he does here.”
“Yeah, but Serra’s here. Not there.”
Kevin nodded. “I wasn’t thinking about that. I guess she could go with him.”
“What about her work here? Cryslyn has handed several things over to her now. Who’ll do it while she’s gone? And who’ll take over Darrell’s classes?”
Kevin paused. “Maybe Alek could go to the island.”
“He’s had plenty of experience.”
“I’ll talk to him tomorrow. Is he going with Rigel?”
Chris shrugged. “He may be on duty. If he is, he could go with you. If not, I’ll find him and set it up for after lunch.”
“If he agrees to do it, we’ll go out to the island tomorrow evening and let Darwyn and Cpt. Garen know what’s going on.”
“We? As in you and Alek?”
Kevin shook his head. “No, you and me. I thought you could talk to Darwyn, explain the position, and see if he’s interested, while I talk to Cpt. Garen about the bodyguard bit. Oh, and by the way, Darwyn knows Warren was going to ask me to bring him back to Camden so Landis will have to take over. You won’t have to break that news to him.”
Chris frowned. “Wouldn’t it be better if you talked to him? You know, sorcerer to sorcerer?”
Kevin shook his head. “It wouldn’t be sorcerer to sorcerer. It would be the Master Sorcerer to sorcerer. No way he’d tell me if he didn’t want to do it. He’d take it as an assignment, something he has to do. I don’t want him coming here because he has no choice.”
“Well, does he have a choice?”
“Of course. In fact, I want you to offer him an alternative.”
“What alternative?” Chris asked. “As far as I know, we don’t have any openings.”
“If he doesn’t want to work here, we’ll have to find someone who does, which means some district will have an opening. Darwyn can go there.”
“Any idea where that might be?”
Kevin shrugged. “There are a couple I’ve gotten to know over the past few years who might work out. I’d need to give it some thought, and talk to them, or maybe you should, but I agree we need to find someone. I’d like to have this settled before summer sets in.”
Chris nodded. “Okay. I’ll tell him if he doesn’t like the idea of being sent to Timbuktu every time there’s an emergency, he can take over for the sorcerer who does, that we’re just giving him first option on the position.”
“That’ll work.”
“Do you know when you want to bring him back to Camden?”
“Let’s say end of the month. That’ll give him a couple of weeks to get ready to leave and for Landis to get used to the idea of her new role.”
~~~~
Alek was on duty the next morning, so Kevin called him into his office. “I want to talk to you about something but I’m supposed to help with a roof this morning. Want to go with me?”
Once they reached the farm, Kevin explained that he wanted Alek to train some guards who were interested in being bodyguards for his apprentice.
Alek frowned. “Some of our guards?”
Kevin shook his head. “Some of her father’s. They approached me because they wanted to try to keep her safe from Rolan so I let them go with her. She’s safe where they are right now, but when she comes back she’ll be a target and they’ll need to know what they’re doing.”
Alek nodded.
“I’d like for you to teach them what to look for, explain what it’s like guarding sorcerers, especially when they’re working with magic.”
Alek smiled. “You mean when they’re so focused on what they’re doing they wouldn’t notice a tornado headed their way?”
“Exactly.”
At that point, Rigel called down from the roof and asked Kevin to hand up some more wooden shingles. After he did, he said, “I haven’t talked to the guards yet, but I’m sure they’ll want to work with you. The problem’s going to be Landis. She’ll resist anything and everything you want her to do.”
“Like you did?”
“Yes, but more so. With me it wasn’t a matter of trust. I didn’t like the idea of anyone risking his life to protect me, and that’s what you do every time you go out with me.”
Alek shrugged. “Haven’t been killed yet, so I don’t think it’s as dangerous as you do. But I do think you would be in danger if people didn’t realize there’s always someone watching your back. That’s what keeps you safe.”
“I like to think my ability as a sorcerer has a little to do with it, but I get your point. And that may be the approach you’ll need to take with her, that the appearance of protection might prevent the need for it, and in the long run keep everyone safe.”
“Wait a minute. I’ll have to explain this to her?”
Kevin nodded. “I’ll tell her to listen to you, and do what you ask, and she will while you’re there, but as soon as you leave, she’s just as likely to tell them to forget it, that she doesn’t want anyone following her around, and if she tells them no, they’ll accept that.”
“We didn’t.”
“No, but you had Darrell and Chris on your side. Cpt. Garen wants her to have bodyguards, but he doesn’t have the relationship with her that Darrell had with me. You’ll need to sell her on the idea while you’re there. Ariel’s there. He can help, but ultimately it’s going to be you. ”
“Yes, sir,” Alek said. “Have they at least been around her while she works with magic?”
“Not to my knowledge. There’s another sorcerer, Darwyn, who takes care of anything they need. She spends her time working with Warren. But when I take you out, I’m bringing Darwyn back. She’ll have to be their sorcerer whether she wants to or not. Warren will be there, but as her instructor, not to do her work for her.”
“Warren?”
“You know him. Sorcerer Warren, from Walnut Springs.”
Alek’s eyes lit up. “Is Torrey there, too?”
Kevin laughed. “Yes, and she still bakes.”
Alek grinned, then turned serious. “The guards need to be around her while she’s using magic, even if she’s just practicing or learning something new. They need to get used to how she is when she’s focusing, and they need to become so comfortable with magic that they don’t end up watching it instead of everything else. Learning to ignore magic takes a lot of time around a working sorcerer.”
Kevin nodded. “And she needs to get used to having them around so she can ignore them and concentrate on what she’s doing. Otherwise, someone’s going to get hurt.”
Alek nodded. “Were Darrell and Chris around while you were learning?”
“Chris more than Darrell, but yes. They traveled with me from home to Glendymere, lived with me while I trained, and then came with me to Milhaven. Darrell was in charge of security from the moment we left home, so when he insisted on bodyguards, I gave in. I guess it boils down to the fact that I trust him and his judgment, same as he trusts me and my magic. I’d like for Landis to have that ty
pe of relationship with Cpt. Garen, but you’ll have to help them build it.”
Alek didn’t look happy. “Yes, sir. I’ll do my best.”
“I know, which is why I’m asking you to do this.”
“When do I start?”
“I want to take you out at the end of the month. You can stay in the same cave Darwyn’s using now.”
Alek’s eyebrows inched up.
“Everyone lives in caves out there. You’ll be fine. But you can’t tell anyone where you’re going or where you went when you get back, not until she’s fully trained and ready to come back. If Rolan finds out where she is, he’ll do everything he can to get to her and kill her. The only way I can keep her safe is to keep her hidden.”
“Understood.”
“Anyway, I thought you could work with them for a month, and then go out for a couple of days every few weeks to check on things. Whenever I ask them how things are going, they say fine, no problems. I know Landis. I seriously doubt things are always fine. I’m hoping they’ll talk to you so you can find out how things are really going, if they’re comfortable with her, if they’re getting to know her, and if she’s getting to know and trust them.” When Alek nodded, Kevin asked, “Any questions?”
“Just one. You know not all guards are suited to being bodyguards, don’t you?”
Kevin nodded. “I’m well aware of that. She’ll need both bodyguards and regular guards, but I’d like for all of them to have some training as a bodyguard. If we get two or three good bodyguards out of the group, I’ll consider this a huge success. And I realize we may not get any.”
Before either of them could say anything else, Rigel called down for more shingles. As Kevin lifted them to the roof, he said, “That’s all I wanted to talk to you about. If you want to go back to the castle, it’s fine,”
“If it’s all right with you, I’ll help with the roof.”
Kevin nodded as he picked up another group of shingles and handed them up. “Just don’t get hurt. Hard to teach defensive moves with a broken leg.”
Alek laughed and started up the ladder. “That won’t happen. You’re here. You’ll catch me.”
~~~~
After dinner, Chris was in the office when Kevin and Nikki got there. Kevin took out his key and asked, “Ready?”
“Not really. I don’t think I’m the right person for this.”
“I do,” Kevin said as he put a sphere around Nikki. “I’ll be busy explaining it to Cpt. Garen.”
Chris sighed and put his hand on Kevin’s arm.
Breakfast was over by the time they got to the island and most people had scattered to begin their day. Logan and his brother, Bengie, were playing outside the main building. As soon as they saw Nikki, they ran over to greet her. As they fell to the ground beside her, Kevin asked, “Could I get you to do something for me?”
“Sure,” Logan said as he petted Nikki. “What?”
“Would you help Chris find Darwyn?”
Logan nodded without looking up. “Can Nikki come with us?”
Kevin acted like he was thinking it over.
“Please? We’ll take real good care of her,” Logan insisted.
“All right.” As the boys stood up to go with Chris, Kevin asked, “Do you know if Cpt. Garen’s in his office?”
Logan started to nod and then stopped. “He usually is by now, but the last time I saw him, he was sitting at the table drinking coffee.”
“But he’s in the building?”
Logan shrugged. “He hasn’t come out this door.”
Kevin nodded. “After you find Darwyn for Chris, bring Nikki back here. If you need to go anywhere else, bring her to me in Cpt. Garen’s office, all right?”
“Yes, sir, but we’ll be here until lunch. Mother said we could play this morning, but we have to do chores this afternoon.” Logan turned his nose up at the last bit.
Kevin smiled. “That’s fine. I won’t be here that long.”
As Kevin headed towards the building, Chris looked at the boys. “Where would we find Darwyn?”
Ten minutes later, Chris stood off to the side and watched Darwyn help a few of the other children build something that looked like a fort out of tree limbs and string. When they reached a stopping point, Darwyn sent them to find more limbs. As the children ran off, he turned to Chris. “Did you want to see me?”
Chris nodded. “We need to talk. Can you leave them on their own? Or do we need to find someone?”
“They’ll be fine. They have the run of the valley as long as they stay out of the caves.” Darwyn dusted his hands on his leggings. “Shall we go to my place and have some coffee?”
Fifteen minutes later, they were seated at a table in Darwyn’s cave drinking coffee. “So, what can I do for you?”
Chris explained about the Associate Sorcerer position and why there was a vacancy. “I’ve been after Myron for a couple of months to find someone to take Marcus’s place, but he’s picky about who he works with. I wasn’t getting anywhere until Warren asked him to take you back to Camden so Landis would have to take over as sorcerer. He thinks you’d be perfect, but if you’d rather not do it, just say so. We’ll find someone else and you can take their district. It won’t be a problem.” Chris sipped his coffee. “But we both hope you’ll consider it. After all, you’re already doing it.”
Darwyn frowned. “How?”
“You’re here, looking after people he feels responsible for. Then there was that blizzard in Edgeland that you helped out with. Things like that come up on a regular basis. One day you might be helping clear up after bad storms and then fighting fires the next, or you might go weeks without any emergencies at all. You’ll do the same stuff you do as a district sorcerer. The difference is you’ll be doing it all over the place, not just one district, and not just in Camden. Emergencies come up all over Terah, and if it’s the type of thing where having an extra sorcerer will help, he’ll want you to go with him.”
Darwyn leaned back in his chair. “Sounds interesting.”
“It is, but at times it can get too interesting for comfort. And there are a couple of other things I need to mention. The people of Milhaven considered Marcus their personal sorcerer. You’d have to take care of the town if you take the position. And sometimes you’ll have to work with other races. While Marcus was with us, he worked with elves, gnomes, and dragons. Do you have a problem with dragons?”
Darwyn’s eyes widened at first, but then a smile teased his lips. “I have no idea, but it might be fun as long as he’s not trying to kill me.”
“So, are you interested? Or would you rather wait for a district position?”
Darwyn didn’t answer for a moment. “I’m interested, but I’m not sure I’m good enough. If I do take it, I need to know that if I’m not what he needs, if my work isn’t completely satisfactory, you’ll say so and find someone else. I can find another position. That’s not a problem. But I’d need your word on it.”
Chris laughed. “That’s the same thing I said when he asked me to be his assistant.” Chris picked up his cup and finished off his coffee. “So, can I tell him he has an Associate Sorcerer?”
Darwyn took a deep breath and nodded. “I guess so.”
“Any questions?”
“Only about a thousand.”
Chris laughed. “Any I can answer?”
“For one, when do I start?”
“I think he’s planning to wait until the end of the month to take you back to Camden, so I guess the beginning of April.”
“When can I let the folks around here know I’m leaving?”
“I don’t know. We’ll need to ask Myron about that. I don’t know whether or not he’s mentioned it to Cpt. Garen, but I know he hasn’t told Landis yet.”
Darwyn nodded. “Then I’ll wait until one of you says I can.” Darwyn stood up and stretched. “More coffee?”
Chris shook his head as he stood up. “If you don’t have any more questions, I’ll let you get back to the kids.�
��
Darwyn grinned. “I’m going to miss them. They’ve been a lot of fun. Do you know your way back?”
Chris nodded. “By the way, thanks for taking the position. I think Myron’s right. You’ll be perfect.”
~~~~
While Kevin was talking to Cpt. Garen he explained that Darwyn would be leaving and why. Then he asked the captain if he’d like to have someone teach his men how to be bodyguards.
“I think it’s a good idea. I was going to ask you if I could talk to Cpt. Darrell about it after we leave here. None of us has ever had any training along that line, and I think Landis will need one.”
“She will. I had planned to ask Darrell to come work with you and your men now that he’s not Captain of the Guard anymore. He was teaching so many classes he had to make a choice. He chose to stay with the classes and let someone else take over the guard.”
Cpt. Garen frowned. “You said you had planned to ask him. Why did you change your mind?”
“He got married a couple of months ago and I hated to ask him to leave his wife for a month.”
“She could come with him,” Cpt. Garen argued. “We have plenty of room and our wives would love to have her.”
Kevin shook his head. “My Head of Housekeeping would kill me. Darrell’s wife is her assistant, which is another reason Darrell resigned as Captain of the Guard.”
“So who is coming?”
“Alek. He’s one of my bodyguards, and he was my father’s before that. He’s had years of experience and knows what he’s doing. I think you’ll get along fine with him.”
Cpt. Garen nodded. “If he’s who I think he is, most of us know him, or at least know who he is. We saw him around Milhaven.” Then Cpt. Garen sighed. “You know this may be all for nothing, don’t you? I’m not sure we’ll be able to convince Landis she needs one.”
“I can insist that she go along with it while she’s here, but once she’s trained and ready to be on her own, it’ll be up to you to work that out with her. Hopefully you and she will get to know each other and trust each other over the next year or so. If not, I don’t hold out a lot of hope for your survival or hers.”
The Rambling Spy Page 65
