Undestined: Fight your Fate

Chapter Seven: The Strange Magician, Pt. 2

“Fight?”

“We were attacked when we reached the road. You didn't think we had wandered off and abandoned you, did you?”

Silay shook her head. “I was attacked too. I just didn't…” she trailed off. “Well, there wasn't really much of a fight.”

Jarlen chuckled softly “You don’t become a swordmaster overnight.”

“Still.” Silay sighed, then looked up. “If you were both taken captive like me, how did you get free?”

“Riya managed to free herself. She found me, then we found you.”

“But she isn’t able to use magic right now. How could she have gotten free?”

“Not all tricks require magic. You should know that, Silay the Bored.”

Startled, Silay and Jarlen turned to face Riya.

“You’re awake!”

Riya gave Silay a small smile. “I noticed.” Yawning, she slowly climbed to her feet, leaning against the wall for support. “We need to find water.”

“We've already established that.” Jarlen crossed the room and grasped Riya's hand, helping to pull her upright. “Let’s go see what we can find.”

***

They'd been watching the small house for nearly half an hour. "I think it should be Silay." Riya's voice was low, just above a whisper. "Are you all right with that?"

Silay nodded. She still felt that this whole situation was her fault, so although she was nervous, she was willing to do what she needed to get them out of it. The room she had been tied up in had turned out to be in an abandoned building, well out of sight from any roads or paths. After wandering around, she, Jarlen, and Riya had managed to find a small spring. They'd drunk their fill, then followed it until it led them to this house. Now they were debating whether or not it was safe to approach it, and who would be the best person to do so.

"Well, here I go." Silay looked at her companions. "Luck?"

Jarlen nodded. "It will be fine."

"I'd go but..." Riya gave a rueful shrug.

"I understand." Lots of people were uneasy around magic, and the collar clearly marked Riya as a magician, even if a currently useless one. And Jarlen, tall as he was, might frighten whoever lived in the house.

Silay stepped out of the woods and approached the house. She hesitated a moment, then knocked on the door. There was clearly a fire burning inside, but no one answered. She knocked again, louder.

"Go away!"

"But..."

"I said, go away!" It was a woman's voice, gruff with age.

"Please. I-- We need help. We were attacked on the road."

"And if I open the door and you'll attack me! Go before I call my dogs."

"Please!" Silay was surprised by how desperate her voice sounded. There was no response. She started to walk away, then thought of something. She turned back to the door. "My name is Silay Gallegis. I'm traveling with Jarlen, the alchemist, and Riya, a magician. The Seer of Dagrosa sent us. Maybe you've heard about us? We're trying to stop the plague."

Again, there was no response. Silay had just stepped off the front step when the voice spoke up, softer this time.

"Did you say Jarlen the alchemist?"

"Yes."

"Let me speak with him."

Silay waved Jarlen and Riya out of the woods.

"She wants to speak with you," she told Jarlen, when he reached her.

Jarlen shrugged and faced the door. "Hello?"

"Jarlen?"

"Yes?"

"What is the danger of mixing of poppy oil with nutmeg?"

Jarlen blinked, clearly taken aback. Then a grin spread across his face. "Healer Aibas?"

The door opened, revealing an old women with a small, though muscular, frame. "Well, if it isn't my worst student. What have you gotten yourself into this time?"

*****

"Sire?"

"Hmmm?" The king looked up from the tax report on his desk.

"I have the information you wanted." The scribe paused, waiting for a response. When he didn't get one, he continued. "About the girl? And the people traveling with her?"

"Ah, yes." The king moved the tax report aside. "Tell me."

The scribe, who was, in fact, considerably more than a scribe, shrugged his shoulders. "There isn't much to tell. My contact says they're harmless. The Seers just think the girl is special because they couldn't see her future. Magical anomalies like that are rare, but they happen. And the medicine man has no magic. He just deals with herbs and such."

"What about the magician?"

"No more of a threat than any other magician. Just to sure, my contact had her collared."

"Good, good." The king nodded. "No point in taking risks. You've done well. You can tell your contact that."

______________________

A/N: Was Jarlen actually being kind to Riya!? And who is this Healer person? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments, and would apprciate your vote if you liked the chapter.

Dedicated to @SarahBensonBooks, author of Born of Shadows, a wonderful blend of real history, myth, and current events, all wrapped up in an exciting YA fanstay adventure. I highly recommend it. You can check out her blog at http://sarahbensonbooks.com.