The Ways of Mages: Two Worlds (23 page)

“
Enough
.”
Terana said before things got to blows, which she was sure the Zeeve creature would not survive. She finished her pastry
.“
Where do you live, Zeeve
?
”

“
Zeeve tell you, in Zeevria
.
”

Terana heard the slight tremor in Zeev
e’
s voice. It was like he wa
s…
trying to hide something. Something sensitive like the fact that he did
n’
t have a home, but did
n’
t want her to know. Her heart went out to him. If he had nowhere to stay then she could offer it
.“
Come now. Where do you live
?”
She pressed.

Zeeve looked down and dug his toe in the ground
.“
Zeeve sleep where ever Zeeve can
.”
He looked positively pathetic.

Russy snorted.

“
Oh, poor Zeeve. Would Zeeve like to live with me
?
”

Zeeve brightened up like sunshine
.“
Zeeve would love that! Love it, love it
!
”

“
Cool. Here get in this
.”
Terana opened her knapsack and Zeeve jumped into it. As she slung it over her shoulder she muttered
.“
Hope
I’
m not late for dinner. Or else mother will have a fit
.
”

“
Zeeve hope too
!
”

“
You do
n’
t want my mother mad at me either
?
”

“
No. Zeeve just want food
.
”

“
What are you? Some kind of bottomless pit
?
”

She watched Zeev
e’
s head disappear then reappear, saying
.“
No. Zeeve got butt, see
?
”

“
No, but what happened to the pastry?  Did you store it in your feet
?
”

“
No. i
t’
s just gone and Zeeve is starting to get hungry again
.
”

“
You are a pi
t”
Terana muttered.

“
Zeeve give up, Miss Terana Giant ca
n’
t keep her pits and Zeeves straight
.
”

Pershara

“
Hunting, oh wise and venerable one
?”
Tommy asked Bendon once the communication spell terminated.

“
Yes. And no,
I’
m not telling you for what until later
.”
Bendon said as he left the young thief.

Tommy crossed his arms
.“
I bet
I’
ll find out what it is before Perela does
.
”

Bendon glanced at him over his shoulder with a bushy brow raised
.“
Oh really? Sure you want to take that bet
?
”

“
I’
m with you. She is
n’
t. It stands to reason that I have a better chance of learning before she doe
s…
That is, of course, unless she uses that mental communication that you mages use so much
.
“

Bendon grinned and shooed the thief away. Tommy rolled his eyes with a grin in return and went back to the rest of the group.  Bendon went back to the small study room where he had left Robert.  Robert was sitting in a chair with his head back.

“
Do you have the image
?”
Bendon asked his friend.  Robert nodded. Bendon picked up the missing swor
d’
s sheath and stood across from Rober
t’
s chair.  Pressure brushed against the back of Rober
t’
s neck as Bendon poured power into the object
.“
Good, focus it on it on the sheath
.”
The wizard murmured.  The sheath began to glow a gentle blue light. Between the two men an image began to appear. There was an outcrop of rock amidst evergreen trees. A horse was tethered to a tree branch. A girl with dark brown hair was working to remove the beas
t’
s saddle, but the horse would have none of it. Eventually the girl raised her hands in defeat and backed away. The horse calmed when the girl sat some distance away from it.

The girl pulled a bundle of cloth toward her. Once it was in her lap, she unwrapped what was within.

“
There it is
.”
Robert murmured as the sword was revealed.

“
She did have it
.”
Bendon whispered.

  Robert met Bendo
n’
s gaze
.“
Who is the girl
?
”

Bendon shrugged
.“
I have not a clue. She got it away from Altana somehow
.
”

“
Regardless of who she is, I need to get that sword back. I do
n’
t trust it in anothe
r’
s hands. I only left it because I had no choice
.
”

Bendon nodded in understanding. He understood his frien
d’
s fear. It was valid considering the shared history between Robert and the sword
.“
Then I suggest we attach that tracking spell
.”
Bendon said. Robert nodded. They both focused on the sword for a moment
.“
There
.”
The wizard said once the spell hooked.

The girl looked uncertainly about before covering the sword again. She began building a fire in a well shielded place.

“
Did she sense what we did? Is that even possible
?”
Robert asked.

Bendon shrugged in amazement. Then aske
d“
Can you sense were the sword is
?
”

“
To the south of us
.
”

“
Oh good, so we will likely cross paths on our way to Perela
.
”

“
Maybe
.”
Robert said thoughtfully
.“
We are meeting your daughter
?
”

“
I figured being with the army would be a good thing.
I’
m sure Altana will be on Raymon
d’
s side. Perela is good, but it would be better for her if Kindra, yourself, and I were there as well
.
”

***

Kairevasigh stared into the flames of her small fire. She had this strang
e…
feeling that someone was watching her. She hugged the bundled sword closer to her chest. The horse whickered, making her start. Kairevasigh shot a glare at the beast. She loved its speed, but it was obvious that the animal had never met a Sheyestivan before. Horses in Sheyestiva had to be acclimated to the presence of a Sheyestivan. Sheyestiva
n’
s tended to be just like the Night Eagle of legend; the ultimate predator. Animals tended to pick this vibe up and reacted accordingly. Mostly that meant trying desperately to flee and hide.

The horse was shifting uncomfortably. Kairevasigh gritted her teeth and took a deep breath. She had tried to remove the tack earlier, but the horse fought her at every turn. She had backed off because she was terrified that it would hurt itself. Kairevasigh sighed and said as calmly as she coul
d“
I tried to take that off so you could be comfortable
.”
The horse stilled at the sound of her voice
.“
I can try again. You just have to let me be near you
.”
The horse eyed her warily, its ears flattening against its skull.

On the farm, leaving a horse tacked would have gotten her thrashed. Kairevasigh put the bundled sword back on the ground and slowly turned toward the horse. Keeping her eyes on the ground she got up. The horse immediately began pulling on its tether. Kairevasigh slowly sat down again.   The horse lowered its head, its snort stirred up a cloud of dust from the ground. It pranced about, obviously uneasy and wanting desperately to get away.

Kairevasigh studied her hands; glancing at the horse through her lashes. The animal was watching her too. Its dark bay hide was hidden under road grim. Its tail was tangled with burrs. The horse chewed on its bit. Since the horse had
n’
t allowed her to remove the tack, she had tied it so it could
n’
t reach the grass. Chewing on grass would be very bad for a horse with a metal object in its mouth. Kairevasigh had an idea for how to shed the horse of its tack. She just hoped that Kaizir was the only one who could sense her use of magic, otherwise she was about to broadcast her location.

“
You had better keep an eye out for the really bad things
.”
She warned the horse. Kairevasigh took a deep breath and focused on the task at hand. The saddle flaps rose, exposing the belts that the girth was attached to. One by one, Kairevasigh unfastened all three of the connecting belts. The freed end of the girth slipped to the ground. The horse breathed deeply. Kairevasig
h’
s brow furrowed, sweat started to bead on her head as she fought to keep things slow and undetectable. The finesse of the movements was easier after all of her practice with Kaizir.

The horse shifted when it felt the weight of the saddle leave its back. She had to keep her mind focused on the saddle so it would
n’
t fall back on the horse. After putting it down, Kairevasigh turned her attention to the bridle.

“
Please stay still
.”
She whispered
.“
Please
.”
She bent her will on the tight clasps. Once the horse felt the belts loosening, it started to yawn and tongue the bit; trying to force it out
.“
Be still, be still. I
t’
s coming out, just let m
e
…
”
The horse shook its head. Muttering a curse, Kairevasigh mentally grabbed hold of the top part of the bridle and pulled it up and over the ears. The bit fell from the hors
e’
s mouth.

Freed, the horse nickered and attacked the nearest patch of grass. Kairevasigh, for her part let her head fall back as her hands messaged her aching temples. She laid down near the fire, the sword she tucked up against her body.

I should move
. Kairevasigh thought. She was terrified that the evil woman would have felt her use of
telecy
.

Should keep moving farther north. Safer places there.
A quiet thought whispered.

Kairevasigh stiffened. Where had that thought come from? It had
n’
t been her own. After all, how would she know if there was safety further north or not?

I
’
ll go east.
She thought to see if the other would answer.

The ocean lies that way.

Fine,
I’
ll go west.

The lake, or did your forget? And if you say south next, we both know that way is the most dangerous.

Who are you?

The damn horse.
The other thought answered. Kairevasigh sat up to see the horse. It currently had its butt facing her way, head down enjoying the grass it was eating. 
No way.
Kairevasigh thought.

And why not?

There are several reasons.
Kairevasigh replied.

Oh?

The horse is
n’
t looking at me.

Well of course
I’
m not. It would be weird, would
n’
t you think, to stumble upon a girl and a horse staring at each other? Better a girl staring into the flames and a horse patently ignoring her.

The second reason,
Kairevasigh continued,
is that you would have let me take the tack off without putting up a fuss. 

Ah, but I did
n’
t understand your intentions.

I talked to you!

Human sound
s…
did
n’
t make any sense. You make sense no
w…
well the words anyway.

I still do
n’
t believe it.

Your choice. We should keep traveling north. It is the safest direction.

Says the horse.
Kairevasigh mocked.

Says the horse.
The voice replied.
Though we might as well rest here for the night. You are very good at masking the power and no one is around, not that I hear any way. And besides, you just got the tack off and
I’
m
hungry. The voice that claimed it was the horse continued.

I want to believe you, but I do
n’
t feel overly safe here.

You have good instincts lass, why I let you drag me out here, but it is dark, and here there is some shelter. Rest.
I’
ll let you know if something happens.

Kairevasigh glanced at the horse that was still outwardly ignoring her. She then looked into the fire. Her run from the evil woman had tired her more than she liked to admit. She soon found herself slipping into slee
p
…