The Ways of Mages: Starfire (27 page)

“That may be, but there must be a way to communicate with Jewel and Grim to tell them to keep their eye out for this Star and the Three of Three.” Bendon said.

Robert touched the mage’s shoulder and looked him in the eye. “Don’t worry, old friend, we will find a way. After all, we did it once before." He said, reminding Bendon of the temporal and space traveling device they had constructed when Bendon had been Gawin.

Arathin-
Ronrend
,
Marlhema

“
What is
that
?”
Terana asked. A few days had past since they had entered the plains. Night was spreading its fingers across the sky. The companions had traveled on through the day, stopping for meals and continuing on. Eventually they arrived to a large road that Kadrean called the Orsair. In the distance they could see the sparkling gray of water. And on the other side of that glinting ribbon was a huge structure. Or many structures all smashed togethe
r…
Terana could
n’
t tell. The place had places that disappeared into the darkness of night while other places glowed orange.  Terana turned to Kadrean. To her surprise, he looked somewhat grim
.“
Kadrean? What is it
?
”

Kadrean turned to her with a grimaced smile
.“
That, Terana, is the City of Ronrend. Home city of his honorable lordship, Lord Carisda
.”
Kadrean stressed the word honorable too much for it to be a sincere.

“
You do
n’
t like this Lord Carisda
?
”

Zeeve snorted
.“
Wha
t’
s to like? He lives up to his name; a hidden shard
.”
Zeeve wadded up some of Tiviei
s’
s mane like a normal sized man would collect the reigns
.“
Le
t’
s just say, Terana, that there are many not so nice words to describe
Lord
Carisda
.
”

“
Come on
.”
Kadrean gestured for them to keep going
.“
At least there is an inn we can stay at. I do
n’
t know about anyone else, but I would like to sleep in a bed for a change
.
”

“
Sounds good
.”
Liam agreed.

Ronrend was huge. Terana was small. And she felt small. Mouth wide, she gaped at the tall wood buildings on either side of the cobbled road. Even at night there were still people hurrying about. Granted, probably fewer then during the day, but still more then were out at Plarn at the same time.

Kadrean led them through a confusing series of turns. Terana soon lost all sense of direction. She stuck close to Tiviei
s’
s side so she would
n’
t get left behind. Liam stood on the other side of Tivi, his eyes just as busy as her own. Terana watched those people she could see flit in the shadows.

“
Many thieves here
?”
She asked quietly.

“
I
t’
s a city. Of course
.”
Zeeve replied
.“
Just stay close to the horse
.
”

If it was possible, she did so. Tivieis snorted
.“
Sorry
.”
She whispered to the horse. A low growl alerted her to Russ
y’
s interest in the shadows.  Russ
y’
s disguise now was that of a guard dog.  To his pleasure, he did
n’
t have to wear the leash, but he did have to take a collar. Terana ran her fingers through the wol
f’
s fur near his ear. An amber eye glanced her way before continuing to watch the shadows.

Eventually, Kadrean stopped in front of a walled building. Over the gate an old sign creaked. Terana could just make out the words 'Kee
p’
s Inn'. Kadrean moved his hand over the lock and it snitched open.  He glanced at Terana.

“
Tis the only way to unlock it
.
”
 
Terana nodded at his explanation. Kadrean was
n’
t the type to go sneaking around stealing things, she could sense that much. And, besides, magic being used to unlock the gate made sense if th
e‘
Kee
p’
in the name was the same as Razya
n’
s Keep.

To Teran
a’
s surprise, the common room was empty. The inn at Lancha at this time had been overwhelmingly busy at this hour. Where were the customers? Forget that, where were people in general? A small fire burned on its nest in the stone fireplace. It was the only light in the room. Circular tables dotted the room, but there did
n’
t seem to be a single soul around. Terana looked at Kadrean, trying to see from his expression if this was normal. Kadrea
n’
s eyes were locked on the fire.

Pacing slowly, he approached the fireplace. Terana, curious, followed him. Perhaps there was something on the fireplace? A note saying where people had gone? Terana shook her head at her silliness. It was an inn. Why would anyone leave a note? The hour was late, and by the appearance of the room, the place saw very little custom. The inn keeper had probably gone to bed. Kadrean did
n’
t seem concerned by the lack of peopl
e…
well he did
n’
t seem worried at least.

Closer to the fireplace, Terana could see carvings in the stone. With a curious finger she traced the intriguing squiggles.  She could see symbols in the squiggles and each seemed to fall in a chain down the stone. A nagging feeling told her it was writing. Old writing by how faded some of the markings were.

“
Blaano
.
” 
 
Terana blinked and looked toward Kadrean who had spoken. He was peering at the flames expectantly.

Liam approached
.“
Kadrean
?”
His voice conveyed the same puzzlement that Terana herself had. Liam glanced between Kadrean, who had
n’
t moved yet, to the fire and back again
.“
o
h
…
”
His voice resumed its normal dreamy cadence. 

“
What
?”
Terana finally asked.  Liam only smiled knowingly

“
Blaano, come on
.”
Kadrean said
.“
It is Kadrean, if you are blind
.
”

“
Not blind
.”
A deep voice said defensively. Terana blinked as a flame pulled itself away from the rest of the fire
.“
Just sleeping
.”
At each syllable, the flame pulsed. Kadrean backed slowly away. Terana and Liam followed his example. The flame grew in size until it was roughly that of a man. The fire slowly receded from his body. Terana stared at the man in shock. Quickly she hid her eyes with a groan; the man was stark naked
.“
Sorry, little miss. Kadrean, could you hand me my robe
?”
Terana heard Kadrean move, a rustle of cloth. The
n“I’
m decent now
.
” 

Terana hesitantly peeked through her fingers to see the man was truly decent. She let her hands slowly drop from her face. She avoided his eyes, but her gaze nevertheless studied him. There was not a mark of a burn on him that her gaze could find.  Just coal dark skin. There was
n’
t even the smell of burnt hair
.“
How did you do that
?”
She asked, finally meeting his eyes. An orange glow was slowly receding from his steel gray eyes.

“
Curious are you, little miss? Did not Kadrean tell you
?”
He asked with a smile. She shook her head. Blaano glanced at Kadrean with a raised chocolate brown brow
.“
You brought a new mage here without warning her about what she might find
?
”

“
Neither seemed to care too much, now did they
?
”

“
’
Neithe
r’?”
Blaan
o’
s steel gray gaze turned toward Liam who stood near a table half in the shadows. Russy sat next to Liam. Zeeve was leaning against a taper in the middle of the table
.“
Ah, am I to guess the man is one as well
?
”

Liam nodded.

“
So
?”
Terana asked. The curiosity was killing her
.“
How come you are not burned?  And how were you part of the fire
?
”

“
I am what you could call an elemental mage. Fire is in my blood. Fire recognizes its own. It does not hurt me
.
”

“
There are elemental mages
?”
Terana asked turning toward Kadrean.

Kadrean gestured at Blaano
.“
Yes, though they are terribly rare. They tend to scare most people. Reactions to an elemental are typically like those in Plarn, I believe. That is why there are those mages who search the land, we try to save as many as we can
.
”

“
I thought you were just passing through
.”
Terana replied.

“
Yes, well. I was, but if I find a person or two with magic I need to take them to the Keep immediately. You know how magic tends to scare those who do not understand it
.
”

“
Hm
m”
She turned back to Blaano.

“
So what can I do for you, Kadrean
?”
Blaan
o’
s voice was business like as he rose.

“
Some of that excellent food you are known for and several rooms
.
”

“
Sure
.”
Blaano replied
.“
Why do
n’
t you come with me to the kitchen? We can talk more there. And the house is empty, so you can have any of the rooms you want
.
”

The companions followed Blaano into the small stone kitchen
.“
How is it that your house is empty
?”
Kadrean asked.

Blaano glanced at him
.“
Think about where we
are
, Kadrean. Ronrend. If a wizard can avoid Ronrend, he does
.
”

“
True. I might have as well, but I needed the direct route
.
”

“
The direct route, hmm
?”
Blaano said as they entered the kitchen. He disappeared directly into a small room full of shelves, reappearing moments later with his arms full of ingredients
.“
Whatever the reason, I am glad for the company
.
”
 
Terana was impressed as she watched the man mix some ingredients into a huge caldron and lit the flame with his finger. He and Kadrean talked about events progressing in the politics of the land. Evidently the lord of the city was being his usual self in trying to restrict mage movements.

“
His lordship ca
n’
t seem to get it through his head that it is
n’
t his right to control everything
.”
Blaano remarked.

“
Of course not, the idiot is an idiot. Not one iota of sense in his greedy, interbred skull
.”
Zeeve muttered.

“
Lord Carisda can whine around as long as the Council lets him. Razyan still has many allies in the council
.”
Kadrean replied.

Liam and Terana glanced at each other. They would have to learn about this Council. Plarn being where it was, did
n’
t acknowledge the presence of any ruling body outside the mountains. They were self sufficient and did
n’
t even have a money system, instead they bartered. Terana and Liam had a lot to learn.

“
So, since you are taking th
e‘
direct rout
e’
I can assume that you are not staying for the Midsumme
r’
s Festival
?”
Blaano asked as he served them steaming stew.