The Missing Mage (8 page)

Connard watched in horror as his hired goons quickly fell to the blade of this mysterious intruder. The lord took a reflexive step back, but realized he had nowhere to go. He was caught in his own trap. As Everet retrieved his blade from the dead man’s neck, Connard began to babble. “Wait don’t do this. I have money I can pay you. Please don’t kill me.” Connard was shaking, tears ran down his cheek, snot was bubbling into the man’s mouth, and urine ran down his leg—and from the smell, these weren’t the only bodily fluids leaving the terrified noble’s body. Connard had played the crooked game his whole life, conning and lying his way towards greater power, even bullying and stealing from his own family, but now that he was staring at death his true colors were showing. Connard was a coward.

Everet raised his dagger and slowly cut Connards cheek, leaving a shallow cut from his ear to his lips. The wound was minor, but would leave a permanent scar. Connard, too petrified to move, stood still while the blade sliced through his skin. Everet moved closer until his cloak covered face was almost touching Connard’s. His lips were inches from Connard’s ear. “Now listen carefully Connard, I am only going to say this once. Shelley no longer works for you, if you see her on the street turn and run to the other side. If she is in a tavern, leave it without hesitation. If I ever see you even look at her or try to make any contact with her again I will make you beg me to kill you. Do you understand? Nod if you do.”

Connard nodded through his shivers, blood was starting to combine with the tears and snot, dripping down his chin and onto his fine clothes. He dared not move his hands to wipe his face, fearing any movement would cause the killer to end his life.

Once Connard nodded, Everet continued. “Your cousin Bryant has been quite stressed by your little games. When you leave this alley, IF you leave this alley, you will deliver a thousand gold coins to him. You will explain that there was a misunderstanding and that you are sorry for any inconvenience. You will ask his forgiveness and if he ever calls on you for a favor, you will comply without hesitation. You will never bring up this alley or me with him or anyone else. Do you understand?”

Again Connard fought through his shivers to nod his head, he was beginning to see a glimmer of hope that his life would not end here today, instead he’d do everything this killer asked.

“As for this wound, I would suggest getting it cleaned fairly quickly. My blade was covered in your men’s blood, who knows what sort on nasty bugs those vermin were carrying. You may tell people that you heard a scream and ran into the alley to help. You were attacked, but you overcame the both with only a small scar to show for it. I would clean up and change your underpants before seeing a doctor, but do not delay visiting your good cousin too long. I would hate to have to come looking for you.”

Everet stepped back slowly, then turned and walked out of the alley leaving Connard to compose himself. The second Everet was around the corner, Connard collapsed to the ground dry heaving. While he retched, he thanked his lucky stars for surviving his encounter with that devil. As he began to compose himself Connard thought about his cousin. Who knew his mild-mannered cousin, who seemed such an easy mark, was connected to such dangerous men. Connard would have to borrow the gold, but he vowed to have it in his cousin’s hands before dark. He was not dealing with that man again.

The next day Everet was sitting at his customary seat in the bar when Bryant walked in. Bryant signaled the bartender to bring two drinks and came to Everet’s table. Everet gestured to Bryant to join him. He sat down at the table and silently waited for the bartender to bring the drinks. Once the drinks were on the table and they had privacy, Bryant began. “I don’t know what you did, and I not sure I want to know, but I must thank you. My beloved cousin showed up at my doorstep last night with a heavy bag of coin, begging my forgiveness and vowing to be of any assistance he can be in the future, quite a remarkable change in tune from a week ago. “

Bryant slid two heavy looking bags of coin onto the table. “Here is the coin Connard delivered and here is another thousand of mine, if you need any more I will need time to get it.”

Everet reached across the table and pushed one of the bags back towards Bryant before accepting the other. “Connard’s gold will be more than sufficient. Keep your coin.”

Bryant was shocked, he had come today being prepared to spend a large amount of coin for the job well done. “Well, what else can I do then. You have removed a thorn that would have bled me dry, I certainly owe you more than Connard’s coins.”

Everet smiled. “Well actually there is a small favor I would ask of you…”

“Anything within reason,” spoke Bryant with earnest. He had escaped the claws of one villain, he was hesitant to jump into the claws of another.

“Tell me Bryant, does the king ever throw balls?” asked Everet.

Bryant was taken aback by this question, it certainly was not what he was expecting. “Royal balls are almost monthly occurrences. The king likes to remind his nobles of his palaces’ splendor and has visiting dignitaries and high born citizens come to Morthon specifically for those events. Much business is done during the dinners and in-between dancing.”

“Excellent, would it be too much trouble to gain an invitation to the next one?” asked Everet.

Bryant looked carefully at Everet, and realized he would fit in at court just as well as he did here in this dusty, dirty hole-in-the-wall bar. “It would not be a problem at all. Nor would it be a problem to introduce you as a business associate if you so desired.”

Everet smiled, Bryant Bingham was a perceptive man. His influence and recommendations among the royal families would be worth ten times the gold Everet had returned to him. “There is just one other thing. The girl who they used to blackmail you has had a change of heart. She has reformed her ways. “

Again Bryant was surprised by Everet, the man worked in mysterious ways but he obviously had a plan and Bryant was more than willing to play along—up to a point. “Okay, and how can I assist in her continuing reform?”

“Actually what I ask is rather simple. Connard introduced her as Lady Severa, a visiting daughter of an old family friend. No one at the party other than Connard and yourself know the truth of her past. I would like you to pretend that the lie was true. She truly is Lady Severa. If you could tell Connard that your mutual friend would like him to embrace Lady Severa, assisting her in growing into her role as a visiting noble-born lady, I would appreciate it gladly.

Bryant started to laugh. Everet was a sly one, the royal families would not know what hit them. Bryant was going to enjoy this. He was especially looking forward to the conversation with Connard. It would be nice to watch him squirm a bit. “It would be my pleasure to convey your message to Connard; I would also be delighted to participate by inviting the lovely Lady Severa to tea. A few public outings with myself and a select few of my friends will start the gossip running among the high-class ladies. They will all be dying to introduce themselves. Am I to presume you would like for her to gain an invitation to the next ball as well? I could also make a formal introduction between you, my good business associate, and the lovely lady during the dinner.”

Everet joined his new friend in laughter; Bryant Bingham understood perfectly what he was asking. Everet had found his way into the royal courts.

Chapter eleven

VERIN POINTED TO A strange plant and asked them what it was.

“Crimson Ocriplums,” retorted Ava.

Nathan gave Ava an incredulous look, how the heck did she know that one he pondered, as they walked through the forest with Verin.

Ava gave a Nathan a small knowing smirk, she had taken his aunt’s advice and started reading some of the books in her house on the subject. The first one she read,
Herbology in Mithbea: A Study of Plants and Their Uses
, had been as dry and boring as it sounded, but the look on Nathan’s face when she knew plants he did not was worth every dull moment.

While Nathan mulled over his newfound status as the herbology student instead of the teacher, Ava collected fruit from the small tree. There were a few recipes in the book she was currently reading,
Advanced Salves: Cure Them or Cut It Off,
for preventing gangrene that called for the fruit. If Nathan was going to insist on being a ranger-warrior-mage and keeps getting cut up and hurt, she would be able to help. And, as she was discovering through Balthazar, she had a natural talent for healing. Balthazar recommended she take up an apprenticeship in healing or with a herbalist. Ava wondered if she could do both at the same time. It was nice having a skill set of her own, and not just relying on Nathan and his family.

“Verin is there any Oxblood elm in this forest? I really would like to find some for the bark,” Ava queried, while giving Nathan a wink. Teasing him was a favorite pastime and knowing more about anything, especially the subject that he taught her, was just perfect.

“Yes. As you go further south, you can find them. We can head that way, there are some other things worth seeing in that direction as well.” Verin was impressed by the girl. He had been around when Nathan taught her and her family the basics of potion making but he hadn’t realized the extent of her knowledge about herbs and plants. Nathan might have been a good teacher, but it took a very good memory and sharp wit to decipher those arcane herbology books of his sister’s. It did not surprise Verin, he was used to being surrounded by smart woman. His sister Avera was the smartest person he knew.

As they walked deeper into the forest, a dull roaring noise filled the air. The normal forest sounds of birds and wind-swept branches were drowned out by the sound. Curious, Nathan and Ava glanced at each other. Where was Verin taking them? they both wondered.

Verin smiled as he watched the two teens draw closer to the mysterious noises. The group followed a small path, which dropped them into a large ravine. As they walked through a thick patch of cedars, source of the mysterious roaring sounds was revealed.

Ava’s jaw dropped in awe. A large waterfall stood before her. The rushing water cascaded down in three dramatic drops. The first drop ran down to a ledge of rock about five feet from the top. There the water widen out, transforming from a roaring, narrow funnel of rushing water into a wider torrent. From there the falls dropped another twenty feet into a small pool the size of a bathtub. Here, it foamed and bubbled before spilling over onto an outcropping of rocks which spread the dropping water even further. By the time the water hit the large pond at its base, it fell in one wide blanket, gently touching down into the deep waters. It was a breathtaking sight. She turned to Verin. “It’s so beautiful. “

Verin smiled. He knew how much time Nathan and Ava had spent together at their special spot, the pond outside Elderwood. This place was secluded, majestic, and, once the mind got used to the constant dull roar of the rushing water, it was a peaceful place. In truth, it was one of his favorite places to come when he needed to think. He’d been positive that Nathan and Ava would find the place as comforting as he did; a location that would remind them of home in a small way. “I’ve spent many a summer afternoon swimming in that pond, it’s cool but refreshing. And if you are look carefully there is a small cave behind the bottom set of falls, you can swim right into it.”

The banks of the pond rose sharply along the far edge directly into the rocks and trees of the ravine, but on this side there was a wide, flat strip of grass before the ground sloped up again. It was a perfect area for picnicking or playing in the sun before taking a dip in the water. Ava ran down onto the grassy flats, twirling as she went spinning and spinning before she fell to the ground dizzy. Her infectious laughter caught Verin and Nathan and soon they were laughing along with her. 

“Come on. You two can come back and explore more another day. I have more I want to show you before we head back into Balta,” said Verin as he turned to head back up the steep ravine.

While Verin headed up the ravine, Nathan and Ava stood for a moment longer soaking up the view. Nathan had always found the water to be comforting. It was why the pond back at Elderwood had been his favorite place, it was also why he knew this was going to be his new favorite place. “We are coming back here very soon, okay?” said Nathan as he glanced over at Ava to gauge her response.

“Are you kidding me? This place is amazing; I am coming back here every chance I get.” Ava punched him in the arm. “You are not the only who loves the water. “ She laughed when he pretended her light hit had hurt his shoulder. then continued. “Let’s keep this place to ourselves for a while. Just like our old spot.”

Nathan beamed, “I’d like that a lot, now let’s hurry before our guide decides we are lost.”

When they caught up to Verin he acted as if they had been with him the whole time. Nathan appreciated the subtle ways of his uncle. Silently, the group walked together through the forest, occasionally Verin stopped and pointed out a plant for them to identify, Ava got almost all of them right away. Nathan had to admit to himself he was impressed, they had not been in Mithbea long and already Ava was familiar with almost all the local vegetation. I am going to have to take another look at the books in my room, he thought to himself. Obviously, Ava had learned much from hers. The path became steeper as they continued their climb through the forest.

“What is next on our list to see today?” asked Nathan.

Verin said nothing, walking towards a small rise ahead. When they reached the rise, the trees open up. They were on top of a large hill overlooking the valley below. From this point they could see for miles. To the north, the forest went onwards all the way to the coast. A few miles to the east they could see the beginning of the badlands, the vast desert that spanned between Balta and Morthon. The desert formed a rough triangle with the kingdoms of Balta and Morthon at two corners and the port city of Pailtar forming the third. To the south of the forest they could see a change in vegetation.