The Wizard's Treasure (The Dragon Nimbus) (42 page)

Read The Wizard's Treasure (The Dragon Nimbus) Online

Authors: Irene Radford

“I think I’d best stay here, Marcus,” Robb replied. “Vareena and I have much to discuss. And someone needs to try to restore order to this mess.”
“Yeah, maybe the time has come for us to work alone. We’ve always relied on each other and that is a good thing. But some things can only be done alone.”
“I can’t give you the secret of the transport spell until you are confirmed a master magician, Marcus, but I can send you on your way in a matter of heartbeats rather than weeks. We don’t have time to wait for you to walk there and back,” Jack offered.
“And my brother Yeenos may return at any time with an edict from the priests and Council of Provinces removing our responsibility to these ghosts,” Vareena reminded them. “We have to free all of these people before then.”
“And free yourself as well,” Robb added. “As long as there is a chance someone will wander in here and become a ghost, you will feel honor-bound to remain here. I can’t allow you to do that, Vareena.”
Jack took a moment to assess the status of the captured people. Marcus and Robb had returned from the gloaming. Katrina, Margit, Zebbiah, and Queen Miranda had never transferred into a ghostly state. All of the Rovers seemed to be gone, as well as Rejiia. Rejiia and Zolltarn continued to tussle over possession of Krej. The Rovers and the nobles continued to argue and brawl.
The noise began to make his head spin.
Amaranth screeched and flapped his wings, not liking the loud chaos much either.
“I’ll take the offer of the transport spell.” Marcus firmed his chin. “Though the way my luck has been running lately, I’ll probably get lost in the void.”
“I did that once, Marcus.” Jack could smile now at the devastating mistake that had begun his adventures. But he’d been young and too arrogant of his talent then. “Have you undergone a trial by Tambootie smoke?”
“Of course. We all do upon advancement to journeyman from apprentice. It centers the talent and opens true life paths,” Marcus replied.
“And protects young magicians from the inconsistency of raging growth and change when we reach puberty,” Jack confirmed. He hadn’t undergone the important magical trial when he’d become lost in the void. His body and talent had rebelled against each other. “I’ll make sure you don’t get lost. But just to be sure, I’ll send Amaranth along with you to guide you home.”
And that way, he’d also have some privacy with Katrina. If this mob would ever settle down.
“One problem at a time,” he told himself.
 
Vareena joined the Rover girl kneeling beside the blond man Jack and Rejiia had reduced to immobility.
Rejiia, who seemed to be everyone’s enemy, had time and attention only for the hideous statue. But the Rover chieftain had secreted it once more inside one of the funny looking hovels atop the sledges. Vareena had watched him hand it over to a subordinate who in turn passed it to another and another until she’d lost track of who had it.
“Where have you hidden my father?” Rejiia screeched, much like the flywacket. With magic, she blasted open the door of the closest bardo. While the wooden panels smoldered, she began pawing through the possessions inside. She discarded clothing and boxes, cooking pots and camp furniture in her desperate search.
“Get away from my things!” a Rover woman howled at Rejiia in protest, louder than the ghost of Ackerly had. She launched herself at Rejiia’s back, fingers arched to claws and teeth exposed to bite.
Rejiia flicked her wrist and her assailant landed on her back in the middle of the compound. Rejiia continued her disorderly search.
“Murderer!” Maija screamed. She dove after Rejiia. “You murdered Lanciar for no reason.” The two women rolled out of the bardo, the Rover clinging to Rejiia’s back, fingernails raking the fine, white skin of Rejiia’s neck and face.
“But he’s not dead,” Vareena said quietly. Beneath her fingertips, the pulse on Lanciar’s neck pounded in a regular rhythm. Surely Maija had felt the same life sign.
Lanciar opened his eyes a crack. “Wha . . . what?” he croaked.
“Hush. I’m trying to sort this out,” Vareena whispered.
Then Jack, Marcus, and Robb joined the attack on Rejiia. First one, then the other aimed their staffs at the woman.
“Get off me!” Rejiia fought Maija with one hand while her other plucked at something invisible that seemed to be encircling her.
If only the brawling Rovers would be quiet, she could figure out more of the complex relationships in this strange group. For a moment she understood Marcus’ disgust with the entire situation. She wanted little more than to leave the mess and let these people sort it out themselves as best they could.
“You cannot bind me,” Rejiia proclaimed. “I lead the coven. My magic is stronger than yours.” She bucked backward, much as a plow steed rejects a rider. Maija sprang free of her victim, a sly smile on her face.
Jack directed Marcus and Robb with his staff. The three men circled Rejiia three times, each chanting something slightly different in a language Vareena did not understand. She was only aware of the fact that they did not speak in unison.
“Three different spells to break, each with a different solution,” Maija told her. “Even Rejiia will have a hard time getting out of their bindings.
With each circle, Rejiia’s movements became more restrained. Her hands and arms pressed tightly against her sides, immobile. Only her mouth remained free and she spewed invective on every head.
“Oh, shut up,” Vareena finally exclaimed. “I’m sick and tired of all this noise and chaos in
my
monastery.”
“
Your
monastery? My dear young woman, this entire province belongs to me and only me!” Lord Laislac said. He puffed out his chest and attempted to look down his nose.
“At the moment, milord, you, your lady, and your daughter are all ghosts trapped within these walls. I have inherited the responsibility for this place and the ghosts it holds. Therefore, you belong to me at the moment, and I said, ‘Shut up!’ ”
Stunned silence followed her words. One by one the Rover brawls stilled. The combatants dusted themselves off and offered a hand up to the people they had been fighting only moments before. Only the pregnant girl continued to tussle for possession of a coin-laden scarf.
“That goes for you, too.” Vareena shoved herself between the two women. The energy barrier that separated her from the ghosts forced the last combatants apart. The scarf tore and both women moved to attack Vareena. They bounced off her into the arms of their families, waiting to receive them.
“Now, Robb, see that Rejiia is locked in one of the towers,” Vareena ordered. “Please.”
“One of the lesser towers, I think.” Robb grinned back at her, still anchoring Rejiia with magic from his staff.
“Jack, you and Marcus go to his room and do whatever it is you have to do. Zolltarn, see that your people find places to settle. Lord Laislac, I suggest you do the same for your party. And as for you, Ackerly, you’d better stay in the library where you belong.”
Surprisingly, everyone obeyed her.
Satisfaction nestled comfortably on her shoulders.
“You can’t have the big room,” the pregnant girl said imperiously to Zolltarn. “I carry the heir to all of Coronnan. Therefore I am entitled to the biggest room with the private facilities.”
Zolltarn snarled at her. The expression carried almost as much weight as his smile.
The girl backed away from him, but she did not bow her head or lower her eyes.
“You, Lady whoever you are, can have the scriptorium above the south wing all to yourself. I’ll stand guard at the foot of the stairs if necessary to keep you there and out of mischief.” Vareena glared at her.
“That will not be necessary, miss,” the other lord said. “The six of us will settle into that same scriptorium. My daughter-in-law will not disturb you.” He bowed slightly and offered his arm to his lady. They retreated in silent dignity.
Lord Laislac and his lady followed suit. The moon-faced young man with a little drool at the corner of his mouth copied the men in offering his arm to the pregnant girl. She batted it away and huffed in the wake of her elders. The simple boy shrugged and flashed a smile to one and all.
“Good luck,” Vareena called to him, utterly charmed. “I wish I could do something for him,” she said to herself.
“Perhaps we can do something for him,” Jack said. “But that is a plan I cannot implement without some serious consultation with the Commune. Marcus is ready. Do you want to see him off?”
“I . . . uh . . .” What did she want? Marcus had earned her respect as a clear thinker and leader in this adventure, but he wasn’t Robb. “I think I’ll remain out here and keep order. My eldest brother has just arrived at the gate looking very puzzled. I’d best inform him of this newest crisis and arrange for food for all of these people. You and I may have to go hunting later.”
She picked up her skirts and rushed to the gate to confer with Uustass. She hoped he had some better ideas for provisioning two dozen Rovers, two lords and their retinues, an exiled queen, and a host of magicians.
“Hurry back, Marcus. We need whatever answers you can find quickly.”
She’d never wanted to leave this place more. Freedom beckoned to her just beyond the room where Jack and Marcus had firmly closed the door against intruders. She fingered the silver-and-amethyst amulet. Boldly, she pulled it from beneath her shift. She needed to see it in the sunlight as a symbol of the future freedom she only dared dream of.
 
These invaders with their iron and their greed do not frighten me. But the wounds I suffer from their iron will plague me forever. For that they must pay.
They have betrayed me, as Nimbulan did. As my son and daughter did when they rejected me as their father, preferring Nimbulan to raise them.
They will all die before another night passes, or they will wish themselves dead. In this place, such wishes come true.
CHAPTER 37
 
 
 
 
M
arcus stuffed his few possessions into his pack. Excitement fluttered in his belly, making his movements jerky and imprecise.
“Be sure to check on Old Lyman,” Margit said, throwing open the door to his room with a bang.
Marcus jumped a little at her abrupt entrance. Then he settled into his packing once more.
“He was ailing when I left. Sleeping more than waking and acting a little confused when he did bother to open his eyes.”
“Lyman is older than dirt and always acts confused. Untangling his cryptic statements is one of the best learning tools at the University,” Marcus countered.
“Ask about Jaylor’s newborn twins as well,” Jack added right on Margit’s heels. He caressed his ever-present flywacket, murmuring to it. “Gossip among the Masters said that one of the twins was too small and weak to survive long. Such a loss will devastate Jaylor and Brevelan. We need them both hale and thinking clearly as long as the Gnuls have power in Coronnan.”
“Yeah, I noticed Jaylor was acting distracted, always wanting to be back at the clearing rather than in the University. I thought he was just acting the new father,” Margit confirmed. “But there wasn’t the triumphant shout announcing the births either.”

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