The Unsuspecting Mage (29 page)

Looking him up and down with an expression bordering on snooty, she says, “It’ll be a gold a night and another silver for your horse.” The expression on her face clearly says that she doesn’t think he will take the room, much less be able to afford it.

James reaches in and pulls out two golds and two silvers, handing them over to her.

Upon seeing the money, her mood completely changes. Where disdain once reigned supreme, now smiles and cheerfulness rule. Snatching the money from his hand, she says, “Welcome to the Silver Bells good sir.” Reaching under the counter, she brings forth a room key and hands it to James. “We have one room left. It’s on the third floor, top of the stairs, all the way at the end on the right.”

Taking the key, he replies, “That will be just fine, thank you.”

“The stables are out back,” she says, gesturing to a door at the back of the common room. “Gunther should be out there and he’ll find a stall for your horse.”

“Thank you,” he says gratefully. “There is a young boy with me by the name of Miko who will be coming by a little later. Could you direct him to my room when he gets here?” Seeing her nod yes, he turns and goes back out the front for his horse. Miss Gilena returns to her glasses, placing the last one upon the stack.

James takes his horse around to the back and finds Gunther who soon has his horse settled in. Taking his belongings, he returns to the inn where a boy comes over to show him to his room. Taking his bags from him, the boy carries them as he leads him up the stairs to the third floor. At the top of the stairs, he proceeds down the hallway to the last door on the right and holds it open, allowing James to enter first.

The boy then brings in the bags and sets them down by the bed. He stands there looking at James, not making any move to leave. Understanding dawns and James pulls out a couple coppers, handing them to the boy who pockets them and promptly leaves, shutting the door behind him.

James settles down on one of the beds just as he breaks into a big yawn. Realizing just how tired he is, he decides to relax and rest until Miko arrives. He lays there for a time worrying about how Miko is making out, but soon exhaustion overcomes him and falls asleep.

_______________________

Miko opens the door to find James fast asleep. Keeping quiet, he begins to close the door slowly until a mischievous grin spreads across his face. Realizing such an opportunity may never repeat itself, he opens the door wider and slams it shut with all his might.

Wham!

He watches in amusement as James jumps two inches off the bed and proceeds to fall over the side where he lands on the floor with a thud. Smiling and chuckling quietly to himself, he goes over and sits at the table while a startled James flashes quick glances around the room.

“There is an archive located near the castle, past the inner wall. Supposedly it has hundreds of books scholars come from near and far to research.”

“Well first of all,” Miko begins, “only those with business in the castle area are allowed within the castle area. If you try, they will at best turn you away, at worst take you in for questioning.”

“I see,” says James. “What else?”

“Since the Empire has attacked Madoc, their security has been doubled. Anyone caught there without a reason will be treated as a spy and taken to the castle’s dungeon for questioning.”

“After lunch, I plan to go down to the city jail and find out what is going on. Until then, I suggest we adjourn to the common room and see what there is to eat.”

Never one to turn down food, Miko quickly agrees and head downstairs with James who is carrying the ever present backpack. Coming into the common room, they find an empty table next to a window overlooking the street. It isn’t long before a girl comes over to take their order. In less than a minute, she returns with two big steaming bowls filled with chicken stew, a loaf of bread, and two foaming mugs of ale.

Miko eats with his regular gusto, while James takes his time, savoring each bite. Between, and during, mouthfuls of stew Miko offers to ferret out what those on the streets may know about Lord Colerain’s presence in the city, while James finds out about Perrilin.

“Try to draw as little attention to yourself as possible,” James cautions. “We don’t need any more surprises.”

“Not to worry,” Miko assures him as he puts a last bite of stew soaked bread into his mouth, “I’ll be careful.” Getting up, he hurries across the common room and soon has disappeared out the door.

James finishes the last of his lunch while he gazes out the window, watching Miko walk down the street until he’s lost amidst the crowd of people. After downing the remaining dregs of ale he scoots his chair back and comes to his feet. Shouldering his backpack he makes for the door. Once outside he heads further into the city in the hopes of finding the jail and discovering what has happened to Perrilin. It’s not long before he spots one of the city’s constables and questions him as to the whereabouts of the city jail. The constable gives him directions and he’s quickly on his way.

The city jail lies within the second wall near the gate leading into the castle, not far from where he is now. The jail as it turns out is an imposing three story building with only the barest slits passing for windows on the ground floor. A very solid door stands ajar at the top of three steps, so he goes on up and walks inside.

Entering a large room, he sees a man wearing a constable’s uniform sitting behind a desk reading one of many papers stacked neatly before him. The sound of James entering draws his attention. As James approaches, the man sets the paper down and asks, “Can I help you?”

“Yes,” replies James as he comes to stand before the desk. “A friend of mine was brought in by the city watch last night and I was wondering if it would be possible to talk with him?”

“But I heard that several constables came to the Silver Bells last night and dragged him out right in the middle of his performance,” he protested.

“Yeah, I heard about that,” the constable replies. “Nevertheless, he’s not here, sorry.”

“Where can I find him?” he asks.

“Don’t know,” the constable replies. He holds up a hand to forestall any more questions. “I am not privy to all that goes on. I just know he’s not here and I don’t know where he would be.”

James looks at the constable in quiet frustration. He can tell there will be no more help forthcoming. After a moment, he turns about and leaves the jail.

He walks across the street to an alley and takes a moment to make sure he won’t be observed. Reaching into his backpack, he draws out the compass he made earlier in Trendle. Using a variation of the spell he used while looking for Hern, he watches in surprise as the pointer turns and indicates a direction down the street. He had thought for sure it would point toward the jail.

Stepping back out of the alley, he turns in the direction indicated by the compass and proceeds down the street. Trying to maintain a course as true as possible to the direction indicated by the compass, he eventually comes to a dead end against the inner surface of Cardri’s middle protective wall.

The pointer continues indicating Perrilin’s position to be somewhere on the other side. James quickly makes his way to the gate and passes through Cardri’s middle wall and enters its outer ring. From there he once again allows the compass to lead the way.

Down several streets and passing around various buildings, his search comes to a stop again as he comes up against the inner surface of the outer wall. There is no denying the truth of what the compass is telling: Perrilin lies somewhere outside of Cardri. Making his way to Cardri’s main gates, James leaves the city.

The compass leads him through the buildings built outside the city’s protective wall, to the outskirts of Cardri. When he reaches the last building before entering the countryside, the compass still directs him on.

James contemplates returning to the inn for his horse, but discards that idea. Moving out, he enters the countryside with the plan to continue on until an hour before nightfall. If he doesn’t come across the bard by then, he’ll return to the inn and set out on horseback the following day.

Now that he no longer has to wend his way through crowded streets and around buildings, he’s able to progress much faster. Hours of trudging through fields later finds him cresting one of the many rolling hills dotting the area. He pauses when a farmhouse comes into view on the far side of the hill. A glance to the compass reveals the pointer directing him straight toward the abandoned looking building.

The farmhouse has seen better days. One side of the roof sags in precariously and the front door sits slightly askew, with only the lower hinge still attaching it to the door frame. The ground surrounding the house is choked with weeds and appears not to have been tended by anyone for quite a while. Behind the house sits a barn which is in slightly better shape, though still bears the appearance of disuse.

Despite the look of abandonment, a small plume of smoke makes its way from the farmhouse’s chimney. The faint sound of horses can also be heard coming from the barn. James quickly returns back down the hill until he no longer casts a silhouette against the afternoon sky. He then keeps low as he carefully makes his way around the farm, doing his best not to be observed by anyone that may be in the house or barn. As he circles around the farmhouse, he keeps an eye on the compass. As he moves, so does the compass, continuously pointing toward the structure.

Satisfied that he knows where Perrilin is, he finds a place amidst tall grass from where he can keep an eye on the house yet remain unobserved should anyone be about. The sun is low in the sky, he hadn’t realized that his trek out here had taken so much time, but it seems that sunset is only an hour or so away. He settles into his hiding place and waits for the coming of dark. If Perrilin is in that farmhouse then it can only mean that he’s in trouble and when darkness comes he’ll see what he can do. Guards on business of the city would have taken him to the jail. The fact that he was taken here could only bode ill.

He keeps an eye on the farmhouse for the next hour until the sun sets and the light begins to fade. Just as the sun dips below the horizon, a man emerges through the front door of the farmhouse and makes his way toward the barn.
This is no farmer!
The man has the look of a street tough and carries a sword at his hip. James watches through the tall grass as the man crosses to, and then enters, the barn. Before James can make up his mind whether or not to investigate what the man is doing, the barn door swings open and the man heads back toward the farmhouse.

What is going on?
he wonders. And should he even get involved? If it wasn’t for the need he felt to enter the Royal Archives, he would turn around and get out of there. But, he needed information and it appeared Perrilin may be his only avenue through which he could get it. Plus, he liked the bard. During the evening they spent together on the road he found him to be a friendly, and good-natured individual. He couldn’t leave without finding out what was going on, things did not feel right. Settling down in the grass once more, he waited for the coming of night at which time he would find out what was going on. Making himself comfortable, he waited.

The barn was quiet as he approached under the cover of darkness. Peering through an open window, he discovered six horses occupying the stalls. Except for the horses the barn was deserted, their owners must be within the farmhouse. Leaving the barn, he carefully makes his way to the side of the farmhouse, doing his best not to stumble over anything in the dark. Coming to one of the windows through which light was emerging, he carefully looks through.

On the other side he sees an empty room with a single doorway on the opposite wall. The light coming through the window originates from the room on the other side of the doorway. It looks to be the main room of the house. Four men are taking their ease on a couch and a couple of chairs. A fifth man stands in the middle of the room with his back to James.