difficult as ours,’ Samuel stated. ‘While it took us a week to make our way back to Cintar on foot, he saw himself back here in a jiffy. I’m not surprised he didn’t mention it. We were rushing back in a panic to spread the news of the Paatin invasion and he was sitting in a local tavern with his feet up the whole time. It is an abuse of power, if you ask me.’
‘So he can use his Great Spell , after all,’ Glim said with interest. It seemed to attract the curiosity of magicians at any hint of its mention.
‘Whenever he chooses, so it seems.’
‘Then that is interesting. He chose wisely to conceal the fact.’
Samuel was surprised by this. ‘Do you mean you agree with him?’
‘Not wholly, no, but it is fortunate in many ways that he has concealed the spell for so long. Such a Great Spell has many connotations. I need to think about this.’ Master Glim looked quite concerned by the revelation. ‘Have you had your dinner yet?’
‘No, not yet.’
‘Then go fetch yourself something from the larder before your stomach devours the rest of you. I’m sure we have at least a few more hours before the Paatin come shouting at our gates. Get some decent sleep in one of the vacant cottages and we can discuss this more in the morning, unless of course you’d rather get back to the palace? You look as if you haven’t had a decent night’s sleep in some time.’
‘Even when I do sleep, my dreams keep me awake most of the night.’
‘Oh? Then we have that to talk about as well. Go on now.’
Samuel acceded and left Master Glim’s room. As he left, he heard music begin behind him as his old teacher began strumming his lute-like instrument. He had seen the man play it often, but had never bothered to ask of its origin, for it was the only one of its kind he had ever seen. The noise that came from it was lilting and harmonious, with each note melding into the others. Glim had asked his students to take the time to master any instrument of their choice, for he told them that such practice would benefit their studies but , between his troubles and his various adventures, Samuel had just never found the time.
Old Master Sanctus was fossicking merrily in the larder and had himself a platter of grapes balanced in one hand and was fiercely protecting a long , crusty loaf in the other.
‘Young Samuel!’ he declared with a crackled voice. ‘I thought you were long dead, my boy. You always seem to be proving me wrong, lad and—at least sometimes—pleasantly so.’
‘Thank you, Master Sanctus,’ Samuel replied as politely as he could, for he was not sure whether he had just received a compliment or an insult.
‘Well, don’t just stand there with your mouth hung open like a blowfish in a bucket. Get some food into you.’
Samuel needed no further prompting and took a wide , ceramic plate from the shelving and began looking for whatever could tempt his palate . Despite the grim situation the Empire now found itself in, the Order’s shelves remained as excessively stocked as ever.
Master Sanctus finished gathering what he needed and tottered off into the night with his armful of food, chewing ravenously on a length of sausage. Samuel took his time loading his plate, savouring the thought of his dinner, tossing the occasional morsel into his mouth as he gleaned the room of whatever caught his fancy. Once prepared, he started back out into the night with his hefty load in one hand, setting towards the rooms.
He was only halfway along the path and back towards the cottages when something scratching in the darkness caught his ear. He paused, peering into the blackness to where he perceived that something sat: a patch of darkness itself on the grass. It was only his sight that alerted him to the fact that it was a magician lying on the grass and another moment to recognise the familiar aura of the man.
‘Master Sanctus!’ Samuel gasped and dropped to
‘So he can use his Great Spell , after all,’ Glim said with interest. It seemed to attract the curiosity of magicians at any hint of its mention.
‘Whenever he chooses, so it seems.’
‘Then that is interesting. He chose wisely to conceal the fact.’
Samuel was surprised by this. ‘Do you mean you agree with him?’
‘Not wholly, no, but it is fortunate in many ways that he has concealed the spell for so long. Such a Great Spell has many connotations. I need to think about this.’ Master Glim looked quite concerned by the revelation. ‘Have you had your dinner yet?’
‘No, not yet.’
‘Then go fetch yourself something from the larder before your stomach devours the rest of you. I’m sure we have at least a few more hours before the Paatin come shouting at our gates. Get some decent sleep in one of the vacant cottages and we can discuss this more in the morning, unless of course you’d rather get back to the palace? You look as if you haven’t had a decent night’s sleep in some time.’
‘Even when I do sleep, my dreams keep me awake most of the night.’
‘Oh? Then we have that to talk about as well. Go on now.’
Samuel acceded and left Master Glim’s room. As he left, he heard music begin behind him as his old teacher began strumming his lute-like instrument. He had seen the man play it often, but had never bothered to ask of its origin, for it was the only one of its kind he had ever seen. The noise that came from it was lilting and harmonious, with each note melding into the others. Glim had asked his students to take the time to master any instrument of their choice, for he told them that such practice would benefit their studies but , between his troubles and his various adventures, Samuel had just never found the time.
Old Master Sanctus was fossicking merrily in the larder and had himself a platter of grapes balanced in one hand and was fiercely protecting a long , crusty loaf in the other.
‘Young Samuel!’ he declared with a crackled voice. ‘I thought you were long dead, my boy. You always seem to be proving me wrong, lad and—at least sometimes—pleasantly so.’
‘Thank you, Master Sanctus,’ Samuel replied as politely as he could, for he was not sure whether he had just received a compliment or an insult.
‘Well, don’t just stand there with your mouth hung open like a blowfish in a bucket. Get some food into you.’
Samuel needed no further prompting and took a wide , ceramic plate from the shelving and began looking for whatever could tempt his palate . Despite the grim situation the Empire now found itself in, the Order’s shelves remained as excessively stocked as ever.
Master Sanctus finished gathering what he needed and tottered off into the night with his armful of food, chewing ravenously on a length of sausage. Samuel took his time loading his plate, savouring the thought of his dinner, tossing the occasional morsel into his mouth as he gleaned the room of whatever caught his fancy. Once prepared, he started back out into the night with his hefty load in one hand, setting towards the rooms.
He was only halfway along the path and back towards the cottages when something scratching in the darkness caught his ear. He paused, peering into the blackness to where he perceived that something sat: a patch of darkness itself on the grass. It was only his sight that alerted him to the fact that it was a magician lying on the grass and another moment to recognise the familiar aura of the man.
‘Master Sanctus!’ Samuel gasped and dropped to
Similar Books
