Please… tell me everything…”
“Oh yes… the Great Hiding Spell… A great spell was that, yes, indeed. Quite proud I am, pretty good for a crazy old woman like me… Haradin, with his great power, helped me do it. It was impressive. Yes, I cast the spell over that mysterious night-black medallion. While the medallion is with you it will hide your power, your Gift, your essence, from anyone searching for you. That’s why you weren’t found in eighteen years. Its effect covers several leagues; as long as you’re not further away than that, you won’t be found.”
“Then how did they find me?”
“Ah, young people have so little memory for the detail that matters… That unpleasant incident at the Bear Ceremony unleashed all kinds of rumors, and you’d be surprised to learn how far they can reach, particularly if they’re juicy ones… and the ears those rumors can reach, if the listeners are on the alert…”
“I see… that was why… your spell didn’t fail…”
“No, it didn’t fail, and what’s more it should be still effective, as it was a great spell,” she repeated proudly. “Come to think about it… I worked another spell like it sometime later.”
“A second hiding spell?”
“Yes, very powerful too, very much like yours.”
“Who for?”
“Haradin, who else?” the Witch said with a smile.
“Who else did the Mage want to hide?”
“He never told me, said it was better if I didn’t know for my own good, and I took his advice. When an old friend tries to protect you it’s best to do as he says, it tends to keep you alive longer. Some time had passed when he appeared in my cave one night, and asked me to repeat the Great Hiding Spell. Five men were with him. His Keepers, he called them.”
“What did you enchant, Amtoko, another Ilenian medallion?”
“No, that’s what surprised me about his request. They brought me four runic stones, the size of a man’s arm, and he asked me to cast the spell over them.”
“Runic stones? What are they, what are they for?”
“Hah! My young Norriel, it would take me years to explain all the concepts connected with magic, energy, nature and spirit. Unfortunately, and although I’d gladly teach you, it’s not the right time. Let’s say, in terms that your bear-cub mind can understand, that those runic stones Haradin brought me had a special ability: the power to absorb and hold the magic of a spell for a long time. Where he’d found them, and the inscriptions carved on them, I don’t know. I didn’t ask, it wasn’t this old witch’s business. What I do know is that it was a matter of life or death for Haradin, and he asked me to hurry.”
“Why hadn’t you ever told me until now?”
“For two reasons, my dear Norriel. The first and most important: Haradin asked me never to reveal to anyone the reason for that secret visit because the life of innocent people was at stake. And the second: you never asked me,” she said with a mischievous smile.
“Would you have told me?”
“Hmmm… perhaps I would, or perhaps I would have waited for the right moment. For a moment like this…”
Komir breathed out in frustration. How he hated the secretiveness of all these Mages and Witches!
“Is the spell on the Dark Medallion still working?”
“Of course, my young warrior, and on the runic stones too. Don’t you have it with you?”
“No, I don’t… Lindaro has it…”
“It’s no good for him. It can only work for you, or for someone who also has a Gift, a power like yours… You should get it back as soon as possible. It has great value, and will hide your movements from the enemy. It’s more than likely they’re still looking for you… to kill you. Yes, I very much fear it’s so.”
Komir remained thoughtful. He had to find Lindaro to get back the Dark Medallion, but he had no idea where to find the man of faith.
“All right, Amtoko, now tell me, what’s this summons about? If you’ve come to tell me we’re
“Oh yes… the Great Hiding Spell… A great spell was that, yes, indeed. Quite proud I am, pretty good for a crazy old woman like me… Haradin, with his great power, helped me do it. It was impressive. Yes, I cast the spell over that mysterious night-black medallion. While the medallion is with you it will hide your power, your Gift, your essence, from anyone searching for you. That’s why you weren’t found in eighteen years. Its effect covers several leagues; as long as you’re not further away than that, you won’t be found.”
“Then how did they find me?”
“Ah, young people have so little memory for the detail that matters… That unpleasant incident at the Bear Ceremony unleashed all kinds of rumors, and you’d be surprised to learn how far they can reach, particularly if they’re juicy ones… and the ears those rumors can reach, if the listeners are on the alert…”
“I see… that was why… your spell didn’t fail…”
“No, it didn’t fail, and what’s more it should be still effective, as it was a great spell,” she repeated proudly. “Come to think about it… I worked another spell like it sometime later.”
“A second hiding spell?”
“Yes, very powerful too, very much like yours.”
“Who for?”
“Haradin, who else?” the Witch said with a smile.
“Who else did the Mage want to hide?”
“He never told me, said it was better if I didn’t know for my own good, and I took his advice. When an old friend tries to protect you it’s best to do as he says, it tends to keep you alive longer. Some time had passed when he appeared in my cave one night, and asked me to repeat the Great Hiding Spell. Five men were with him. His Keepers, he called them.”
“What did you enchant, Amtoko, another Ilenian medallion?”
“No, that’s what surprised me about his request. They brought me four runic stones, the size of a man’s arm, and he asked me to cast the spell over them.”
“Runic stones? What are they, what are they for?”
“Hah! My young Norriel, it would take me years to explain all the concepts connected with magic, energy, nature and spirit. Unfortunately, and although I’d gladly teach you, it’s not the right time. Let’s say, in terms that your bear-cub mind can understand, that those runic stones Haradin brought me had a special ability: the power to absorb and hold the magic of a spell for a long time. Where he’d found them, and the inscriptions carved on them, I don’t know. I didn’t ask, it wasn’t this old witch’s business. What I do know is that it was a matter of life or death for Haradin, and he asked me to hurry.”
“Why hadn’t you ever told me until now?”
“For two reasons, my dear Norriel. The first and most important: Haradin asked me never to reveal to anyone the reason for that secret visit because the life of innocent people was at stake. And the second: you never asked me,” she said with a mischievous smile.
“Would you have told me?”
“Hmmm… perhaps I would, or perhaps I would have waited for the right moment. For a moment like this…”
Komir breathed out in frustration. How he hated the secretiveness of all these Mages and Witches!
“Is the spell on the Dark Medallion still working?”
“Of course, my young warrior, and on the runic stones too. Don’t you have it with you?”
“No, I don’t… Lindaro has it…”
“It’s no good for him. It can only work for you, or for someone who also has a Gift, a power like yours… You should get it back as soon as possible. It has great value, and will hide your movements from the enemy. It’s more than likely they’re still looking for you… to kill you. Yes, I very much fear it’s so.”
Komir remained thoughtful. He had to find Lindaro to get back the Dark Medallion, but he had no idea where to find the man of faith.
“All right, Amtoko, now tell me, what’s this summons about? If you’ve come to tell me we’re
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