by Linda McNabb
Several times he heard Neras trying to get his attention but he was too focused to stop. He knew what he was doing and that it was the right way to do it. It took almost ten minutes before the circle reached all the way to the trees, then Seth let out a deep sigh and stopped drawing life.
He blinked a few times as he surveyed the extent of the damage he had caused. Apart from a small area just around his feet, the landscape would recover. He had not taken everything the land could give, just enough that the plants and bushes would be able to draw on the life in the ground to regrow in time.
Seth flexed his fingers, jumped up and down a few times and jogged on the spot. He felt fantastic.
‘It worked!’ he exclaimed loudly. He looked around for Neras but the young wizard was nowhere to be seen and a glance up at the ridge told him the dragons were not back yet. Then he felt an odd sensation, as if he were being watched. He spun around to where the tree line showed faint signs of life being drawn. Two figures stood there, Ryker and the wavering Oran.
Both appeared to be in a state of shock as they stared at Seth. The circle had stopped just by their feet and Seth wondered if they had been standing there for long. Had they seen what he had done? At least that explained why Neras had vanished.
Seth had nowhere to run to and strangely he didn’t feel the need to run away from Ryker and his wizard this time. The apprentice’s voice drifted across the quiet land.
‘I thought you said he couldn’t draw on the power of the wizard in the staff,’ Ryker said, still not taking his eyes off Seth.
‘He can’t, he’s bonded to a dragon,’ Oran replied with a small shake of his head. ‘Even if he wasn’t, I don’t think there’s even a spell to do what Seth just did.’
Ryker frowned and turned to the wizard. ‘You mean Seth did that?’
‘It appears that way,’ Oran said dryly.
‘So maybe he’s not bonded to the dragon any longer and he might have the power from the staff now. So what are we going to do? We need a spell to counteract it if he does it again. How much do we have left?’ Ryker stepped back a pace so that his shoe wasn’t on the brown grass. He looked as if he expected the damage to travel up onto his leg.
‘Count me out on this one,’ Oran said with a shrug. ‘You used so much magic just trying to get through that barrier that I’m not doing anything else for you until we find that boy again. I need to renew my magic to do much of anything!’
Seth stood watching and listening to the exchange then scuffed at the small circle of dead grass by his feet.
‘I think it’s safe to come out, Neras,’ he said very quietly.
He saw Neras appear next to him and the boy wizard seemed nervous.
‘I don’t think they’re planning anything,’ Seth assured him in a low whisper. ‘They think I can draw on your magic. Perhaps it would be better for both of us if they continue to believe that?’
Neras nodded quickly and a small smile curved his mouth. ‘I’d gladly let you if I could.’
Seth wasn’t really worried about Ryker attacking him. His ability to draw life did not need to be kept hidden any longer and now that he knew he could do it without actually killing anything he did not need to fear it.
‘He appears to be talking to someone,’ Ryker had lowered his voice but Seth could still hear it quite well. With the absence of wildlife sounds travelled easily.
‘The wizard has come out of the staff. It is Neras…’ Oran’s sneer as he said Neras’ name showed how much he disliked the young wizard. ‘Perhaps I can use some magic to destroy him. I have just enough.’
‘I think not,’ Ryker said hurriedly. ‘You’ll have me end up in that staff, stuck for eternity!’
‘The boy needs to be taught a lesson…’
Ryker scowled. ‘I don’t care what sort of grudge you’ve got against him. We’re not using magic for anything except defence.’
Ryker straightened his cloak and stood a little taller. Then he cleared his throat and raised his voice. ‘Seth, perhaps we can talk. I’m willing to forgive you for taking the child.’
Seth just stared at Ryker without answering. Ryker walked slowly out onto the almost-dead grass circle and when it had no effect on him he strode a little faster towards Seth.
‘All I ask is that you return the child to me and we’ll forget it ever happened.’
His voice held a tone of a forgiving uncle with a hint of reprimand as he shook his head. Seth wasn’t fooled for a moment and one eyebrow arched just a touch in response. If Ryker noticed the gesture he chose to ignore it and came to a halt just before the dead grass in the small circle around Seth’s feet. Ryker stared at the brown grass and swallowed as he fixed a smile on his face and squared his shoulders a little more.
‘Where did you take the boy?’
‘I didn’t take Caden from you,’ Seth said quietly and evenly. He was surprised to see that his eyes were level with the apprentice’s and Ryker was the first one to break the stare. Seth cocked his head to the side and grimaced as he spoke again. ‘But I did bring him to you, and I regret that very much.’
Ryker’s gaze flicked down to the staff Seth held, and then back up to Seth’s face. ‘I think we’d both have a need for the boy now.’
Seth kept his expression completely blank. Neras moved in front of Seth as if to protect him. Oran was glaring at them both as if that alone would be enough to hurt them. Seth ignored the wizard. He had kept up the pretence of not being able to see Oran for so long now that he wasn’t quite ready to reveal his secret.
‘Well, that’s not possible now anyway,’ Seth said with a shrug. He wasn’t sure how this conversation was going to go when Ryker found out about the wizards of Deek taking Caden. No doubt the apprentice would turn tail and run as far away as he could, as fast as possible.
Ryker looked alarmed. ‘Is Caden still alive?’
Seth was saved from answering by the sound of beating wings. He did not look up, and kept staring at Ryker as he heard a dragon land beside him.
Chapter Five - Water Haven
Ryker’s manner changed immediately and he looked very uncomfortable. He shot a look at Oran that demanded he do something.
‘Even if I had my full store of magic to draw on I’m no match for a dragon and two wizards.’ Oran shrugged and turned to look at the new arrivals. He had lost interest in Neras and even though he pretended he didn’t care about the dragon he gulped visibly.
‘Seth, are you okay?’ Eagan asked as he hurried over and looked a little worried by the huge circle of almost dead vegetation.
‘Yes, I’m very well actually,’ Seth replied with a small nod. ‘Neras suggested a way to recover my strength and it worked perfectly.’
At the mention of Neras, Oran’s attention flicked back to Seth.
‘How did he become your apprentice, Neras? It shouldn’t be possible after you were stuck in the staff.’
Neras ignored the question.
‘I don’t see Caden.’ Ryker glared at Eagan. ‘What did you do with him?’
‘Me?’ Eagan asked with an innocent expression. ‘I had nothing to do with it.’
‘We did use the spell to copy Caden - which didn’t help,’ Darius pointed out.
‘You copied him?’ Oran snapped. He looked confused, as if he had no idea what that meant. ‘Why would you copy him? Where is he? Where is the copy?’
Eagan shrugged. ‘I guess it was partly my fault, but he’s gone and we’re all in big trouble now.’
‘Gone. Gone where?’ Ryker asked and he looked worried.
‘I’ll bet Neras had something to do with it. He always was trouble…’ Oran stepped towards Neras with a menacing glare.
‘Enough!’ Seth snapped, as he stepped between the two wizards. He stamped his foot and the grass around it died instantly. He glared at Oran. ‘Leave the boy alone. What harm did he ever do to you?’
Oran’s mouth took on a fish-like action as he stared back at Seth.
‘You can hear me?
’ Oran paused, then said even louder. ‘You can see me?’
‘I’ve always heard you and seen you. I hear and see all wizards,’ Seth snapped, pushing away the anger and taking a deep breath then letting it out slowly. He glanced at the ground and frowned at the dead grass. He needed to keep better control when he was angry.
‘And you’re not bonded with this foolish child?’ Oran asked, his gaze moved from Seth to Neras and then to the dead grass and finally back up to Seth’s face. ‘I didn’t feel the same draw of power when you killed the grass but I felt something strange.’
‘He doesn’t need my magic. He has his own,’ Neras answered for Seth.
Oran took several paces backwards and looked at Seth with both fear and hatred. ‘So he’s a real wizard, just like the ones that we banished so many years ago.’
Seth sighed. He was tired of people, any sort of people, being scared of him. ‘No, I’m just me. I’m not special, just cursed.’
Eagan couldn’t hear Oran and looked confused. ‘Did Oran say something?’
‘I think we need a small spell here,’ Darius muttered. ‘I’m not going to stand here and relay everything he says.’
Darius pulled his large leather book from the folds of his robes and flicked through several pages.
‘I think you’ll find it on page 720,’ Oran said, and he looked annoyed when Darius ignored him and continued to flick slowly through the pages. Two thirds through the book he paused, muttered one word under his breath, and slammed it shut.
‘Now all apprentices can hear us. It will last until the next sunrise,’ Darius said, and to prove him right Ryker looked directly towards where Darius stood.
‘But I can’t see you,’ Ryker commented, and looked at Seth as if he didn’t like that Seth could see all wizards.
Eagan took the silence that followed as an opportunity to change the subject and Seth glanced up gratefully as the apprentice spoke up.
‘Oran, you took up residence in the staff long before I was even born and about that time all the wizards except two were stuck in their staff with no apprentice. Is that why you dislike all other wizards?’
‘In a way.’ Oran seemed to sink in stature as his eyes glazed over and he recalled what was clearly a bad memory.
‘I was born over three hundred years ago. My younger brother, Jestan, and I were guards at High Gate. We were always competing to be the best at everything. Neither of us had any ambition to take the staff but we enjoyed a good battle as much as the next guard.’ Oran glanced up at Darius. ‘Darius, you would have heard of the day of the battle?’
Darius shook his head and then spoke quietly. ‘Rayaz, the wizard resident in this staff before me was away from High Gate at the time and missed the battle. All he could tell me was that all the wizards except one were completely defeated.’
Oran took several deep breaths and continued. ‘There were twelve apprentices back then and eleven of them were in the pass using up their magic very fast. My brother was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He found himself next to one of the apprentices as their wizard’s magic ran out. The apprentice thrust his staff out for Jestan to grab and take over the role.’ Oran gulped, chewed on his lower lip and looked embarrassed. Then he looked over at Neras and a hardness grew in his eyes. ‘But Neras pushed Jestan out of the way and the staff landed in my hand.’
‘I’m sorry, Uncle. I didn’t know you would take the staff.’ Neras hung his head and scuffed at the blackened ground with one toe. ‘I was just trying to stop father becoming an apprentice. The night-shadows were attacking the apprentices more than anyone else and I didn’t want him hurt.’
Uncle? Both of Seth’s eyebrows rose at the revelation of the relationship between Neras and Oran.
Silence fell again but nobody attempted to change the subject this time. Seth watched and waited to see if Neras or Oran were going to continue the tale. It was Oran who eventually cleared his throat and continued.
‘I was angry, very angry… I didn’t want a life of servitude to a wizard. There was a young lass I wanted to marry. Nobody marries an apprentice.’
‘And…’ Darius prompted when the wizard fell silent again.
‘I refused to fight the night-shadows, despite the begging of my new teacher. Instead I forced him to put up a wall between the guards and apprentices. I told him it was to protect the guards. There was only one person I pulled through - Neras.’
Seth could see that Oran was reliving the anger in his head and also the shame of what he had done but Seth still didn’t understand why he had blocked the guards off.
Neras sighed. ‘The next apprentice grabbed me and passed the staff on to me. The guards, including my father, were desperately trying to get through to help us. They couldn’t even see what was happening.’
Seth glared at Oran, he could see where this was going and wondered how he could have been so heartless. Oran remained silent, either he was too embarrassed to admit what he had done or simply didn’t care. Neras continued.
‘By this time, the rest of the wizards, including my own, were sealing off the pass and had just finished when Oran attacked. None of us had much magic left. He attacked us with lightning and fire. Every single one of us vanished into the staff with no apprentice on hand to take over. None of the others even realised what had happened. I never told them because he was my uncle and I thought they would blame me for it.’
Darius and Eagan both looked shocked at the revelations. Seth realised that explained the burned and injured state Neras had lived with for 300 years.
‘So, Ryker, your wizard killed every other wizard there that day because he was upset at having to take the staff?’ Seth summed it all up.
Oran glared at Seth. ‘It was all the boy’s fault. I shouldn’t have been given the staff.’
Even Ryker looked less than impressed but Oran just folded his arms defiantly and grumbled softly under his breath.
Eagan’s cheek twitched as he took a deep breath. Darius pointed out where Oran was standing and Eagan walked towards him menacingly even though he couldn’t see the wizard. ‘So when the wall came down between you and the guards there was just you left and ten staffs on the ground. You were the hero.’
Oran jutted his chin out as he turned his head away. ‘It was the boy’s fault. He shouldn’t have even been there.’
‘My father had banned me from joining the fight that day.’ Neras added. ‘He told me I was too young but I snuck into the pass when they were busy fighting. He didn’t even know I was there and he spent the rest of his life wondering where I had vanished to. Oran never told him.’
Seth was ready to direct his entire force of anger at Oran, he could feel the power building within him and was about to release it when Neras stepped in front of him.
‘It would not help us. I forgave him a long time ago as it is bad for the soul to carry such anger. You know very well how much destruction anger can cause.’
Seth let out a long breath. Neras was right but he avoided looking at Oran for he knew he wouldn’t be able to control his anger again without a huge effort.
MoonFlame lowered her head to look more closely at Seth.
‘You are healed?’ MoonFlame asked as she nudged him with her snout. The dragon’s eyes sparkled as he nodded.
‘You didn’t stay to watch,’ Seth commented. He wasn’t really bothered, and it was more something to fill the silence as MoonFlame looked out at the large circle of almost-dead grass and shrubs.
‘I went to fetch the wizard to help you. You did not appear to be succeeding in healing yourself. And StarFire said we were wasting valuable time that we could be using to search for Rem. He flew off to have another go at crossing The Gap.’
‘The Gap?’ Ryker butted in and frowned. ‘Why would anyone want to go there?’
Seth sighed. They were going to need the apprentice’s help no doubt so he might as well tell him.
‘That’s where Caden is.’
Oran turned back towards the
m at the mention of Caden’s name. ‘So the boy is still alive?’
‘The wizards on Deek have him,’ Eagan added.
‘You gave him to the wizards? Why?’ Ryker shouted.
‘I didn’t give them anything. But we do need to get him back - and fast. So, you’ll be helping us.’
For once Ryker didn’t argue, and neither did Oran. It seemed they had a common goal that was more important than their differences.
MoonFlame carried them all back to the city and landed gently in the back lane behind the Inn. There was no sign of StarFire so she let them dismount and flew off to find him.
Ryker moved away from Eagan and Seth as soon as he could and looked very uncomfortable. ‘So, how are we supposed to get Caden back?’
‘Asher has a plan. As soon as the dragons come back we’ll be leaving,’ Eagan said in a slightly vague manner.
‘Who is Asher?’ Ryker asked.
‘You’ll meet the rest of our group soon,’ Eagan assured him. ‘They’ll no doubt be still finishing up their evening meal.’
‘Actually, I’m really hungry,’ Seth said and licked his lips at the thought of food. He couldn’t remember the last time he had eaten.
‘I’m sure there will be plenty to eat. We appear to be the only guests at the Inn today,’ Eagan said with a grin.
They walked up the alleyway and around to the front of the Inn. A sudden muttering drew Seth’s attention to dozens of people who were crowded into nearby alleyways and peered out at them with fear and curiosity.
‘That’s them,’ someone said in a loud whisper. ‘They’re the ones who burned down the overseer’s house.’
‘Are you going to burn the city too?’ a voice yelled out, full of the bravery of anonymity within the crowd.
Eagan ushered everyone inside and shut the door without responding to the crowd. Seth sniffed deeply as they walked through to the bar, the smell of food was making his mouth water.
