The Master's Chair (The Chronicles of Terah) (58 page)

“What do you mean?” Kevin stammered. “What did I do?”

“Every time things get tough, you waste time complaining that you’re not good enough, that you can’t do it. You give up and decide that you’re a failure at the first sign of trouble. You’re constantly doubting your ability, whining that you’re not sure you can handle this, don’t know how to handle that, and I’m sick of it. I’m tired of propping you up! Instead of sitting on your backside feeling sorry for yourself, come up with a way to deal with it!”
Glendymere snapped.
“It might be beyond you, but how do you know? Have you given it any real thought? Have you tried to come up with a way to survive? Or are you just sitting around waiting for someone else to point the way? Well, I’ve got news for you! It’s time for you to grow up and act like the Master Sorcerer of Terah, the best of the best, because that’s what you are!”
And with that, Glendymere turned away from them and stormed out of the chamber.

For a few moments, they were both too stunned to speak. Then finally Chris said, “I think your apprenticeship just ended. School is out.”

Kevin nodded slowly. “Let’s go home. I want something to eat. Then I’m going to figure out some way to defend us.”

~ ~ ~ ~

The next morning, as Kevin and Chris were walking over to Willow Canyon, Chris asked Kevin if he had come up with a plan.

“Yes and no,” Kevin said. “I think the object of the game this time is to protect us, not to try to ‘win’. If we were up against a human sorcerer, I might be able to take him out of action, but there’s no way I can take Jonquin out, so I’m going to quit trying. All I’m aiming for is survival.”

“Okay. Sounds good to me, but what would we do if this were real?” Chris asked. “Would we have any hope of surviving?”

“Not if a dragon joined the other side, but that’s not likely. And if it should happen, it happens. I’m not going to worry about that when we have so many other things to worry about that are a lot more likely to happen.”

“Speaking of which, you might want to give some thought as to whom you are going to name Governor of Camden,” Chris said. “While you were in your room thinking about all of this last night, I talked to Tyree. You have to have a new governor in place by the time you go to the council meeting in April.”

“I was hoping to have a little more time.”

“Yeah, well, you don’t. And about the assistant thing, it’s an actual position. You’re supposed to name an assistant as soon as you become the Seated Sorcerer of Camden. Your assistant is like the Chief of Staff at the White House. He manages your schedule, meets with people for you when you don’t have time, brings you up-to-date on things, and so on. The assistant is the same thing as a second, only he isn’t called a second until there’s a child involved. I got the feeling that Tyree sort of expects that you’ll name someone from our little group for both positions.”

“I’d prefer to,” Kevin said thoughtfully. “But none of us know much about Terah. It’ll be like the blind leading the blind.”

“From what Tyree said, it always is at the beginning. You can ask the current governor to stay on as an advisor for a little while if you want to, and he said that he felt sure that Laryn wouldn’t just pack up and leave the castle as soon as you take over. She’ll be there for you to turn to, but you’ll have to name your own people,” Chris explained. “I asked him why. He said that he didn’t know, that that’s just the way it’s done.”

“Probably to keep the people who hold the positions of power loyal to the current sorcerer. It would be really awkward if a new sorcerer defeated a seated sorcerer and then had to try to get along with the old staff.”

“Oh, and one more thing, you have the final word on the positions that you appoint. If you want to replace anyone, it’s your prerogative. No one else is involved. And if any of your people want to resign or retire, it’s up to you to grant the request.”

“How does that saying go? ‘I serve at the pleasure of the President’? Isn’t that what the people who work in the White House always say? I guess this is ‘I serve at the pleasure of the Sorcerer’,” Kevin replied.

“Tyree didn’t mention the general’s post. I wonder if you’re going to have to name a new general, too.”

“I have no idea.”

“I guess that’s the next thing I need to find out, huh?”

“Yes, but there’s no hurry. I’d just like to know before we leave here.”           

“In a little over two weeks.”

“I know. It feels strange to think of leaving,” Kevin said. “This place has been home more than any place I’ve ever lived. I hate to leave.”

“Me, too. It’s like leaving my mother’s house all over again. Except that then I was excited about being out on my own. Now …”

“I didn’t feel one way or the other about leaving my parents, but the thought of leaving Rainbow Valley makes me feel almost physically sick. I really like it here. And it isn’t just because we’re safe, tucked away inside our mountain. I don’t think the idea of danger is entering into the dread I feel.”

“No, it’s the good-byes,” Chris agreed as they stepped out into the canyon. “Well, time to concentrate on the present. Looks like Glendymere and Jonquin are waiting for us.”

“Here goes nothing,” Kevin mumbled.

~ ~ ~ ~

For the rest of the day, Kevin fended off attacks of arrows and magical bolts. By the time Glendymere called a halt to the practice, Kevin felt a lot more confident about defending himself and his friends, even if he couldn’t manage attacking at the same time.

“I see you figured out what’s most important,”
Glendymere said after Jonquin had left.

“I just decided that since there was no way that I could defeat Jonquin, maybe I should quit trying and concentrate on defense,” Kevin answered.

“Wise decision. But keep in mind that the sorcerers you’re going to face are not that good, not like a dragon. You’ll have to attack them or the battle will go on indefinitely.”

“Do two or more sorcerers ever gang up against one?”

“It happens, but not in a power struggle for a chair. After all, which one would become the new seated sorcerer? Usually when two or more sorcerers join forces, it’s to fend off an invasion, whether it’s slavers, renegades or whatever.”

“Would a band of slavers or bandits ever employ two sorcerers?” Chris asked.

“The only way I can see that happening is if the sorcerer they hired had an apprentice,”
Glendymere answered.
“But if you happen to run across that situation, don’t hesitate to take them both out, Kevin. Even an apprentice can get in a lucky shot. Go for the kill. They certainly wouldn’t have any qualms about killing you or they never would have signed on with a band of cutthroats in the first place.”

“I guess that’s one way of looking at it.”

“It’s the only way.”

~ ~ ~ ~

During the next two weeks, Kevin’s skill at defending himself and his friends improved to the point that he could provide some backup for their offensive actions. He was still not able to do too much about Jonquin other than defend against his attacks, but he did manage to get in a few strikes.

The rest of the Tellurians became accustomed to having strange things happen in the middle of battle, such as being pummeled by golf ball sized hailstones, blinded by swirling dirt or snow, threatened by flood waters, or chased by an approaching tornado. Their confidence in Kevin’s ability to handle such emergencies grew to the point that by the end of the two weeks, they didn’t pay any attention to them.

About the only weather disaster that Jonquin didn’t conjure up during the war games was ground tremors. One afternoon, towards the end of the second week, Kevin asked Glendymere about that. Glendymere said that no one ever intentionally started tremors because they were impossible to control. A tremor in Nandelia could cause tidal waves out in the ocean, or cause a volcano to erupt several thousand miles away. Glendymere told him that since even the dragons were powerless to stop the tremors, no one was willing to take the responsibility of triggering such a chain reaction.

The final practice battle was on Friday, the eighteenth of January. The clouds were so thick and heavy with snow that it was completely dark by mid-afternoon, so Glendymere called off the games a little early. The giants had spent the afternoon setting out food and drink in the main reception area of Glendymere’s caves, and after the elves and dwarves had eaten their fill, they bid the Tellurians good-bye and good luck and headed off for their own camp. The Tellurians sat around talking with Tyree, Blalick, Ashni, and the kids while Jonquin and Glendymere rested nearby and listened to the conversations floating around.

“Looks like your boy will make it,”
Jonquin said privately to Glendymere.

“I hope so, but you never know. A stray energy bolt can be as deadly as a full-scale assault. More so if you aren’t expecting it.”

“True, but you’ve done all you can. And he seems to be smart enough.”

“That he is. I just hope I don’t have to go to his funeral for a long, long time.”

Jonquin sighed and said,
“That’s the biggest problem with caring about any of the humans. They don’t live long even if no one kills them. They’re gone almost before you get to know them.”

“Too true. But he has enough elven blood running through his veins to keep him alive longer than most.”

“So did Badec.”

Glendymere sighed.
“I wonder how young Myron is going to handle it when Laryn tells him that Badec’s illness isn’t natural.”

“Oh? You hadn’t mentioned that,”
Jonquin’s interest picked up.

“I know. She hasn’t said anything yet, to anyone. But it’s one of those things that I just know.”

“I don’t suppose you also just happen to know which human is responsible, do you?”

“No, or that human just might wake up dead one morning.”

“You can’t do that,”
Jonquin said quietly.

“Actually I can,”
Glendymere grumbled.

“No, you can’t. I’d worry if I didn’t know you better. Leave it to the boy. It’s his battle,”
Jonquin said as he nodded in Kevin’s direction.

Much later, long after night had fallen over the canyon, Joan said, “I guess we need to get this mess cleaned up and head home. Karl, if you and the guys will take care of putting all the tables and chairs back in the store room, we’ll take care of packing up the dishes and left-over food.”

The guys all stood up, stretched, groaned over aching muscles, and began clearing up. Soon, all evidence of the feast was gone, and Glendymere’s reception area once again looked like a barren cavern.

Jonquin and Glendymere magically transported all of the food containers to Blalick’s house and then Glendymere offered to provide air transportation to Rainbow Valley for anyone who wanted a ride home. The storm clouds had moved out and left a clear moonless night full of stars.

Darrell surprised everyone by quickly accepting the offer. “I’ve never flown, and from the way Kevin and Chris talk about it, it’s terrific. I’ll probably never get the chance again, so yes, I’d like a lift. And don’t feel like you have to go straight there either,” he said with a grin.

“You’ve got a point,” Steve said. “It might be fun.”

Glendymere chuckled and said that if they would all like to come, he was sure that Jonquin would be happy to help out. When Jonquin agreed and knelt so that the humans could climb aboard, everyone except Tyree, Chris and Kevin quickly scrambled for a seat on one of the two dragons.

Kevin made sure that all of the Tellurians were buckled to the chains that the dragons wore and then he settled back down on the ground beside Chris and Tyree. “I guess we should head back now. I imagine they’ll get there long before we do, even if Glendymere takes what we would call the scenic route.”

While they were walking back through the tunnels, Tyree asked Kevin if he had any more questions that he wanted to ask. Kevin hesitated, so Chris said, “I have one. Who names the general? Is that up to the sorcerer, the governor, or do the two of them decide together?”

“The general is not exactly an appointed position. I imagine he could be replaced if you really had problems with him, but on the whole, the sorcerer and governor sort of leave him alone. When the general feels like it’s time to step aside, he usually meets with the sorcerer and governor and tells them which one of his captains he plans to name to his position. His loyalty is to Camden, to its army, and to protecting the people of the province.”

“But what if the general didn’t like the current sorcerer? Would he be likely to try to help get rid of him?” Chris asked.

“No. If he really just couldn’t stand the sorcerer, he’d probably resign and leave the province. There’s no way a general would risk scheming against a sorcerer. It would be suicide. A non-magical human doesn’t stand a chance against a sorcerer.”

“What about treachery?” Kevin asked, thinking in part of Badec.

“How could a general command respect among his officers if he stooped to anything as dishonorable as treachery? That’s not a problem,” Tyree assured him.

“So my father’s general will remain in control of the army, no matter what happens when I return?” Kevin asked.

“Yes. He’s a good man. I knew him before I left Milhaven. His name is Crandal, and you couldn’t ask for a man with a more commendable character. As long as you do not use your magic to harm the inhabitants of Camden, he’ll support and defend you to his last breath. But I will warn you of one thing, he will be completely truthful. If you ask his opinion, and sometimes even if you don’t, he’ll tell you what he really thinks, whether it’s what you want to hear or not.”