Nicholas Raven and the Wizards' Web - Volume 1 (53 page)

“With your permission, sir, Leo and I would be honored to embark on this mission,” he said.

“We just await your orders, King Justin,” Leo added, “should you consider us up to the task.”

King Justin nodded, a pleased smile upon his face. “Indeed I do think you are both up to the task. Considering all the obstacles you’ve overcome to bring Megan safely back here, I have no doubts whatsoever. I happily accept your service.”

Nicholas and Leo each nodded to the King as Megan and Carmella proudly showered smiles upon their friends. Everyone else in the room was equally confident that the two young men could accomplish the mission just as well as anyone else with proper guidance and preparation. Yet Nedry had a few lingering doubts and decided to address them now while the moment was appropriate.

“Though I’m satisfied with your choice of these fine individuals to seek out the wizard Frist,” he said, “I wonder if we might have acted too swiftly in confining this matter to the ten of us.” Nedry realized that the constant stress of the job was causing him to overanalyze situations and worry for no reason, but he was duty bound to speak his thoughts. “Wouldn’t it be wiser to send a contingent of soldiers with Nicholas and Leo for their protection and to ensure the safekeeping of the medallion?”

“I briefly considered it,” the King replied. “And though I appreciate your concern, Nedry, I think the success of this assignment lies in secrecy and swiftness. We’re not engaging in battlefield maneuvers but in a mission of stealth. Drawing attention to it is the last thing I desire. I will let Tolapari instruct our candidates about where to go and the best way to proceed, trusting that good fortune will follow them each step of the journey. The medallion made its way to us in a most inconspicuous manner. I believe that same simplicity will guide Nicholas and Leo in their task while the rest of us prepare to launch the rumbling engines of warfare.”

“Then I ask, King Justin, that you allow my brother and me to accompany them on this assignment,” Brendan said. “We are happy to contribute to the success of the mission since it will help free Montavia, and frankly, I would hate simply to wait around as a bystander while others do all the work.”

“I agree,” William added with a bit less confidence than his older brother, yet with equal sincerity.

King Justin swiftly tamped down their noble ambitions. “I understand the many reasons why you two would volunteer for this mission, but chances are that you will be leaving for Montavia before Nicholas and Leo return. You will yet have your part to play in this matter. But rest assured, you will not simply wait around until the army sets out. You will be consulting with Prince Gregory on all aspects of the raising and deploying troops to your kingdom. King Rowan will hardly recognize you both when you return.”

Brendan offered a feeble smile. “I realize you’re trying to accommodate and protect William and me at the same time, King Justin, and I will obey your veiled request to remain here. But I wish I could offer something more substantial to this effort, moving events instead of waiting for them to direct me.”

“We must all play the parts we are destined to,” Tolapari said, “no matter how tedious they sometimes seem. Yet you may face grueling challenges before this is all over, whether you wish to or not. So be prepared for the call when you least expect it.”

“Wise words for us all,” King Justin agreed, glancing at his advisor. “Don’t you think so, Nedry?” he asked, wanting to end any further speculation on the matter.

“I do indeed, sir,” he replied, his mind preoccupied with a sudden thought. “I do indeed.”

“When will Leo and Nicholas leave, Grandfather?” Megan asked, gently squeezing Leo’s hand below the table. “Have they no time to rest after their travels?”

“Fear not, Megan,” he replied, noting her obvious affection for Leo. “I won’t boot them out the door right this minute. There are preparations yet to be made, and Nicholas and Leo have earned a bit of rest. However, if this task is to be completed in order to give us an advantage in Montavia, it must commence soon. Though our armies and supply trains must still be assembled and advance scouting parties dispatched, I think that Gregory should leave for Montavia by the end of next month at the latest, though each day sooner, the better. I most assuredly will be in Rhiál before then, facing whatever threat King Drogin has prepared. Therefore, if Nicholas and Leo depart at dawn on the fourteenth of Mid Autumn, three days from tomorrow morning, that will give them four weeks with possibly a few days to spare to complete the journey.” King Justin turned to Tolapari. “Will that be time enough for wherever they’re going?”

“Quite sufficient,” the wizard said, “assuming there are no unusual delays. But who can ever say what trouble might prowl among the shadows on the road, especially when time and secrecy are of the essence?”

Prince Gregory offered an amused grin. “And on that cheerful note, I think we should all repair shortly to one of the dining rooms and have a proper meal if we are done in here, Father.”

King Justin nodded. “I agree. After sitting through both the war council and this impromptu second council, we all need some air and nourishment to clear our heads. There’ll be time enough later to attack the details.”

The King stood and exited the chamber as the others followed amid small talk and whispers, all eager for a leisurely break and a hot meal. Nicholas and Leo talked among themselves as they left the room last of all, wondering exactly what kind of an expedition they would be facing as they closed the door behind them, leaving the room in utter silence.

Dooley remained in the rafters for several minutes, ecstatic that the pair of meetings had finally ended. His neck and back ached terribly and pangs of hunger gnawed at him until he could barely tolerate it. At last, confident that he had a few minutes to make an undetected escape, he flipped off his hood, crawled among the rafters and clambered down one of the wooden support posts, smiling with relief when his feet finally touched the floor. Spying the bowls of leftover fruit on the table, he grabbed two apples and shoved them in his coat pockets before peering out one of the doors into the main corridor. Everyone had left and the hallway was as empty as when he first arrived. Without delay, he slipped out the door and hurried down the steps to the lower lever, making his way outdoors as stealthily as a midnight cat.

About an hour later as the afternoon wore on, Dooley and his workers were once again on the road, a caravan of thirteen wagons leaving the borders of Morrenwood and starting the long journey back to Kanesbury along King’s Road with Dooley at the lead. Less than five minutes outside the city, a large black crow alighted on the seat next to him, cawing once to get his attention, though it was totally unnecessary as Dooley had noted the bird’s fleeting shadow and intimidating wingspan before it landed.

“I was told to expect a visit from you,” he softly spoke to Gavin before glancing at the wagon behind him. But the driver was far enough behind not to hear or notice Dooley speaking.

“What have you to report?” Gavin asked. “Caldurian awaits my return in Montavia, anxious to hear what information you gleaned from the war council.”

Dooley swallowed, prepared to lie to the crow in part to cover up the fact that he had fallen asleep through all of the meeting. Luckily, the mystifying arrival of Nicholas and the others provided him with some useful information to make up for his mistake.

“The war council was short on specifics, Gavin, though King Justin is planning an eventual assault to repel the invasions of Rhiál and Montavia.” Dooley felt fortunate that the King had referred to such actions when he was speaking to Nicholas. “Unfortunately, the details will be hashed out at later meetings.”

Gavin flapped his wings in disgust. “I flew all the way to Morrenwood to receive such a useless report? Caldurian already suspected that King Justin would try to rally his neighbors for support. We wanted to find out the who, when and where of all of it. The wizard will be hugely disappointed!”

“Don’t condemn me so fast,” he replied. “I may not have much to report on the council, but I found out some very interesting bit of news afterward.”

“Oh?” Gavin asked. “Redeem yourself and tell me at once.”

Dooley repeated what he had heard about the medallion and the plan to take it to the wizard Frist and have it reforged, careful not to reveal Nicholas’ name. Though Nicholas had arrived in Morrenwood by chance, Dooley felt that Caldurian would blame him nonetheless should he ever find out since he and Farnsworth had been instructed for some mysterious reason to get Nicholas out of the wizard’s way. “If they succeed, Vellan’s creatures are doomed. King Justin mentioned that he is in possession of the Spirit Box. One turn of the key and it is over for the Enâri. That information alone is worth more than all the words spewed at some tedious war council.”

Gavin agreed. “Caldurian will be distressed after he learns about this–and not too pleased having to report it to Vellan either.”

“But there may be a way to stop it,” Dooley said, grabbing Gavin’s attention. “The two men who will be taking the medallion to Frist are leaving at dawn on the fourteenth day of Mid Autumn. Though it wasn’t revealed where the pair is going, if you remain at the Blue Citadel until then, you can follow them from the air for a while to get a general idea in which direction they will head. Then report the information to Caldurian at once. He will know how to proceed thereafter.”

Gavin congratulated Dooley on this stroke of luck. “Caldurian has stewed for years that the key was stolen from his beloved Xavier who died at the hands of the thief. To get it back will elevate you a few notches in the wizard’s mind.”

“Only happy to assist. The rewards are irrelevant,” Dooley said with feigned indifference. Yet he feared to imagine what might happen to him if Gavin could only read his thoughts and discover that he was the culprit who had thrown the fatal stones at Xavier twenty years ago. Though this new information might absolve part of his childhood crime if the key were returned to Caldurian, he knew that his horrific act would always hang over him for the rest of his life.

“Now I must be off,” Gavin said shortly after. “Though it will be a tedious trial waiting around here for a few more days, it must be done. I will do some spying of my own in the meantime, peering through windows and listening in on conversations and such, hoping to glean more specifics about the fate of this medallion.”

“If you must,” Dooley said, “but try not to arouse suspicion. Your main task is to track the movements of the two who will deliver the medallion. Caldurian can handle the rest.”

After Gavin left, Dooley continued home, eager to leave the miles of tired and dreary road behind. All the while he silently fumed, contemplating how Nicholas Raven had escaped the traps that had been set for him in Kanesbury and was once again a detriment to their glorious plans. Farnsworth would be furious that Nicholas had linked Dooley to the robbery, Arthur Weeks’ murder and the release of the Enâri, though he would happily report that Farnsworth had not been implicated in any way. It was a minor consolation, but for his own sake, Dooley knew that Nicholas Raven could never be allowed to step foot in Kanesbury again, no matter what the cost.

Chapter 31

Alterations

Nedry pushed open the pale blue stained glass window in his office early the next morning. A cool draft slipped inside, refreshing his already tired body. He sipped a cup of hot tea as he observed the billowy swirl of gray and white clouds lounging above the trees along the Edelin River, mourning the absent sunshine and buoyant atmosphere of the previous day. A murder of crows raised mayhem above the distant pines, their floating forms appearing as tiny black dots against the milky backdrop.

But being into the fifth week of the autumn season, quick changes from delightful sunshine and blue skies to long stretches of ashen clouds and damp spirits was hardly unexpected. Nedry missed the lazy, recuperative walks he would take along the road near the fruit orchards on warm summer days, feeling as if it would be a lifetime before that season would again flourish in the valley. And though he knew there would be glorious days to enjoy in the fall and approaching winter, he assumed that the recent muddying of the political landscape and his nagging desire to retire had magnified his glum disposition. He was considering submitting his resignation to King Justin after matters were settled in Montavia and Rhiál. The King probably suspected as much as Nedry had dropped hints, but as his next meeting was starting shortly, he pushed aside such thoughts and concentrated on the task at hand.

He took another sip of tea and closed the window, turning around to face the tiny room with a single fireplace and a cluttered desk that served as his private office for so many years. But today’s meeting would be held in one of King Justin’s private chambers to discuss Nicholas and Leo’s mission to find the wizard Frist. And though he rarely contradicted the King’s judgment and trust in other people, he felt uneasy about sending the medallion off with two strangers into the wild. Despite Princess Megan’s faith in the two men and their obvious success in guiding her safely to Morrenwood, he had a nagging suspicion that something could go wrong.

Having suddenly been given a chance to strike a blow at Vellan, Nedry wondered if they might be risking it too casually. Or were old age and obstinacy coloring his views? Nicholas and Leo had demonstrated courage and responsibility in the starkest terms, so perhaps they were the wise choice. If secrecy was at the root of the mission, what better way to cloak it than by recruiting such an inconspicuous pair? He tried to convince himself that that was the way to proceed as he hurried down a flight of stairs to the meeting room. Still, an added layer of precaution couldn’t hurt, he mused, racking his brain for a solution.

Tolapari unfolded a large parchment map upon a table in King Justin’s upper study, the dull morning light faintly highlighting the black, brown, green and blue images of mountains, trees and rivers in and around Arrondale. He was seated at the table with Nicholas and Leo. The wizard tapped his finger upon a small dot on the western border of the kingdom indicating the capital city of Morrenwood.

“Your journey is quite simple. You’ll be traveling from Morrenwood, located here,” he said, sliding the tip of his finger in a slight arc to the northwest, “to Wolf Lake in the Dunn Hills right
here
.” He pointed to a lake on the eastern edge of the vast mountainous, tree-covered region. “There is a small island upon the lake where the wizard Frist resides. I guided him there myself. He had spent many happy years exploring the wilderness and climbing the mountains in that region in his younger days, deciding it was where he would spend his final years.” Nicholas and Leo studied the map as King Justin and Nedry gazed over their shoulders.

“Well, Leo, it looks easy enough on paper,” Nicholas joked, scanning the inky terrain before glancing up at the wizard. “Any suggestions on the best path to take?”

“Of course,” he replied, again using his finger to trace out a more specific route. “After leaving Morrenwood and crossing the Edelin River here, you’ll ride across this grassy region between the two southern stretches of the Trent Hills, approaching the Gliwice Gap on the western edge. Once you pass through that, the Cashua Forest will stand before you in all its glory. It won’t be a difficult journey to this point.”

“Good to hear,” Leo said. “And from there? Do we go around the southern tip of the forest or go through it?”

“Definitely through it,” the wizard said. “And for a couple of reasons. First, you will save time, and the quicker this deed is done, the better. Second, if you did go around the southern tip, as you headed back north you’d be traveling for many miles along the banks of the Lorren River in open view of any troops from the Northern Isles. Their rafts are traveling upriver to Kargoth.”

“Why risk a possible encounter with them?” King Justin posed. “They may sail on their merry way, but who is to say that they don’t have foot soldiers patrolling the banks here and there? Though various communities thrive along the narrow strip of shore bordering the eastern expanse of the Dunn Hills, there is no formal government in those parts. The Northern Isles are probably being shown token resistance, if any. It is best to avoid trouble if you can.”

“We’ll go through Cashua Forest,” Nicholas said, studying the stretch of woodland tucked between the Lorren River and the Trent Hills. “How difficult can it be?”

“After leaving Gliwice Gap, if you bear slightly southwest to the edge of the forest and enter it there, you should come to a narrow ravine a mile or two inside the woods,” Tolapari informed them. “It is the remains of a dry river bed. Of course, your horses won’t be able to handle that terrain, so you’ll have to sell them as you near the woods. Following the ravine will take you almost to the other side of the forest. If you keep to those bearings until you exit, you’ll arrive at a point on the Lorren River opposite the village of Woodwater.” The wizard pointed out another tiny dot on the map on the west bank of the river. “You’ll have to hire a guide in that village to take you through the Dunn Hills to Wolf Lake. Following a ravine through the Cashua Forest is one thing, but traversing the wilds of the Dunn is a challenge for anybody not intimately familiar with the terrain.”

Nicholas nodded as he studied the map, eager to start the journey yet feeling the weight of its purpose. “And Frist will be able to transform the medallion back into the key?”

“If he can’t, then your journey is in vain,” King Justin said with grim humor.

“Don’t say such a thing,” Nedry replied, worriedly walking about the room, his chest tightening. He opened a window overlooking the fruit orchards and inhaled the fresh morning air to calm himself, observing the slow passage of clouds. On a nearby ledge he noted a large black crow picking at a sprig of dried berries it had carried from the woods along the river, the chaotic cawing of its fellow crows still audible in the distance. Nedry wondered why this particular bird preferred to remain alone. “I’m anxious enough as it is about this mission,” he added, looking back into the room and leaning against the sill with folded arms. “Restoring the key to the Spirit Box is no small matter. I don’t think one should joke about its failure.”

“You must relax, Nedry,” the King said. “Enduring too many late nights pondering over matters of state is not healthy for a man of your years.”

“I’m afraid, sir, old habits are hard to break,” he replied. “The only way I know how to perform my job is to thoroughly fret over the details. And since the details of this journey are confined to the five of us, I shall delegate none of the preparations to my assistants. I’ll personally arrange for the food supplies, transportation and clothing required for our travelers.” He approached Nicholas and Leo. “Since the two of you have three days to spare before you leave, I thought some training with the King’s troops might do some good.”

“Training?” Leo asked.

“One never knows when a bit of sword fighting or outdoor survival skills might come in handy,” King Justin said. “Besides, Nicholas had revealed his intentions of joining up with my guard, so I’m offering you an opportunity to briefly train with my best men.”

“I’m willing,” Nicholas said, accepting the King’s offer.

“Then count me in,” Leo replied. “Besides, it might be fun learning how to wield a sword, though I don’t expect we’ll need to use one on our journey.”

“Let’s hope not,” Nedry said, adding another worry to his long list as he closed the window. He noticed the crow still stationed outside, only now it was perched nearer to the study, its ebony eyes appearing to lock gazes with him. The King’s advisor felt a chill run through him as he locked the window, unable to shake a sense of unease that suddenly gripped his spirit.

“Still, we’ll look quite a sight roaming about armed in such a manner.” Nicholas said, suddenly subdued. “If only we had been better prepared along the grasslands, then maybe Ivy might…” He sighed. “Well, you understand.”

“With luck, there won’t be many people observing your trek,” Nedry replied. “You’ll be off the main roads for the most part.”

“If on any roads at all,” King Justin said. “You’ll be traveling through mostly unsettled parts of the kingdom and beyond, but that will be to your advantage. It’s been some time since I’ve ridden to the western border of Arrondale. I envy you the adventure ahead.”

“You’ll have your own adventure when you leave for Rhiál, my friend,” Tolapari remarked. “And unlike Nicholas and Leo, no one will be unaware of your departure from the Citadel with an army in tow as you set out.”

Nedry nodded as he glanced at the window again, observing that the crow was no longer perched outside. For some reason the bird’s presence had upset him, though he couldn’t fathom why.

“Then I had better prepare as well,” the King said, offering goodbyes to Nicholas and Leo, explaining that he had to meet with his son and top captains. “Remain here with Tolapari as long as you need to plan your route,” he added before exiting the room.

“I shall take my leave, too,” Nedry said as a shadow of doubt clouded his mind. “I have other matters that need my attention.” He slipped out the study door and drifted down the corridor, his thoughts in a whirl.

Despite a chill in the air, Nedry took a walk along his favorite orchard road before lunch to clear his head and ease his heartburn about the upcoming battles and the secret mission to the Dunn Hills. He knew that he agonized too much about such matters as if he were king himself, wondering how he would ever adjust to retirement.

He paused and leaned against a wooden fence to study a row of apple trees closing down for the approaching winter, feeling just as vulnerable himself in the cooling air and lessening light of each passing day. But before a sense of melancholy overwhelmed him, he heard fluttering in a nearby branch and turned suddenly. There he spotted a lone black crow apparently inspecting the limb for bugs, certain that it was the same crow perched upon the window ledge earlier. Was he being followed? Was the crow a spy, he wondered, trying to recall what words were spoken in King Justin’s study while the window was open. But his troubled feelings soon lifted. Nedry chuckled as he walked back to the Citadel, chiding himself for wallowing in paranoia until he noticed the crow flying back to the building as well, sailing aloft upon the currents toward the upper turrets bathed in milky gray light.

Throughout the rest of the day, Nedry attended to his regular duties as well as making sure that horses and adequate food supplies were prepared for Nicholas and Leo’s journey, making no mention of the purpose for such requests. Later in the afternoon while on his way to check in with the seamstresses about clothing arrangements, he heard a shuffle of hurried footsteps behind. Just as he turned around, Brendan and William were barreling toward him. Nedry slowed down the two princes with a raised hand, wondering what the fuss was about.

“You’re a difficult person to track down,” William said, grinning and out of breath.

“Sorry for the intrusion,” Brendan added, “but we were hoping for a moment of your time. My brother saw you turn the corner and bolted after you.”

“Quite all right,” Nedry replied, leading them to a large alcove with two oak benches. A single oil lamp on the wall cast subdued light and flickering shadows upon the surroundings, highlighting a stone sculpture of a horse standing upon its hind legs. Nedry sat down while Brendan and William took a seat on the opposite bench, the younger prince anxiously tapping his feet upon the floor. “Now how may I help you?”

“We didn’t think we should bother King Justin with our request,” Brendan began, “not wanting to appear ungrateful and all.”

“Is there a problem?”

“Not at all,” he said. “But William and I were wondering if we might have the King’s permission to leave the Citadel for a few days to wander the countryside.”

“To explore,” William said, his light brown eyes wide and eager.

Brendan sighed, finding his words awkward and ungracious even before they were spoken. “The truth is that–”

“–you’re bored to death?” Nedry guessed with a note of amusement.

Brendan nodded, slightly embarrassed. “You might say that, Nedry. And we don’t mean to sound ungrateful, but it’s going to be a long month before we return to Montavia. And truth be told, though we’ve already sat in on a meeting with Prince Gregory and informed him of all we know about the invasion of our kingdom, there is really little else for us to do until we ride. He and his captains have everything under control.”