Page 7 of Witchcraft and Fury (Chronicles of the Divided Isle #1)
THE ENCAMPMENT
If your hag reaches your opponent’s central square, slay and erase from the board an opposing character of your choosing.
(Gaming rules, wall bearing sentries’ chalked gaming board and instructions, east gate guardhouse, city of Falcontop)
The next morning Solar was woken by a knock at her front door. She sat up groggily to see Loveday and Bayen standing in the soft light of dawn. Her mother was up with what could only be described as a new sense of purpose. She strode over to the visitors and curtsied.
‘You must be Sir—’
‘—Gaderian Irenbend Freomund Loveday. Brother of Duke Loveday, cousin to the King of Ashwood, and member of His Majesty’s Magic Circle,’ stated Loveday, bowing to kiss Arlice’s hand.
‘This is my friend Bayen. The old greybeard may look as roguish as I but please be assured that he is nothing less than a perfect gentleman. If you should ever need anything, anything at all, whilst Solar is away training with me you may find him every night at The Boys’ Inn on Saddler’s Street. I trust your daughter is ready?’
Solar rose hurriedly from her bed. She’d fallen asleep wearing the same clothes that she had on the night before.
By the door was a small burlap sack with all her worldly possessions: a spare change of clothes, a grey threadbare cloak for the approaching autumn, a small knife, its handle worn from years of use, a full waterskin and one of the stolen loaves of currant bread.
On top of the sack lay a hard-boiled egg and a crimson apple, breakfast that her mother had prepared for the road.
She looked guiltily at her mother. When she had returned home from the inn the night before she had told her everything about the game of Danger!
and its aftermath. There had been a furious row.
Her mother had said she would not be able to cope with her husband absent and her daughter away studying magic.
In the heat of the moment Solar had retorted that her mother was a fool for thinking that her father, missing all these years, would simply stroll through the front door one day.
Someone had to go abroad, find him and bring him safely back, someone with the power to travel for months through foreign lands and return unscathed, someone with the training necessary to undertake such an adventure – someone like a witch .
It was time her mother stopped moping around and concentrated on looking after Tolan, whilst she, Solar, studied.
And once she was fully trained, and equipped with one of the powerful magic staffs that all qualified magicians possessed, she would find her father herself and guide him home to the family.
Solar regretted having spoken so harshly.
But the truth was that Loveday was right: she had no choice other than to leave Falcontop with him.
The only thing that had saved her from Captain Grubber last night was the wizard’s lie that she was a student of his.
If she was going to continue to escape punishment then she had to make that lie a truth by leaving home and learning magic .
To her surprise, her mother gave her a tearful smile and hugged her tightly.
‘I’m sorry for arguing last night,’ Solar mumbled, barely able to move her mouth, squashed as it was against her mother’s shoulder. ‘I’m just … I’m just worried about you and Tolan, that’s all. I shouldn’t have lost my temper.’
‘Don’t you worry about us,’ Arlice replied.
‘We’ll be just fine. And you were right.
I don’t know when your father will come home, but I have to accept that it probably won’t be tomorrow or the day after.
I’m going to get better and work again, for Tolan’s sake.
Now go and say goodbye to your brother before I really start crying. ’
Solar went to sit on her bed next to Tolan. He had been pretending to be asleep, but now he sat upright. ‘You’ll be back soon, won’t you?’ he asked, his eyes wide and frightened.
‘Just once a year, perhaps less,’ replied Solar, her voice hollow. She ruffled his hair. ‘I’m going to miss you, little brother. Look after Mother, won’t you? I expect you to be a fully-fledged hunter by the time I return. You’re getting quite good with that catapult of yours.’
‘I’m definitely improving. And I’m going to practise more from now on.’
‘Soon there won’t be a bird in Falcontop that’s safe,’ Solar said, forcing a smile. ‘Say bye to Muck and Pepper for me when you see ’em, will you?’
Tolan nodded. ‘Are you going to bring father home when you’ve learned spells and stuff?’
‘I will,’ she said fiercely, hugging him tight, her mouth close to his ear. ‘As soon as I’m qualified, and have a magic staff, I’ll go abroad and I’ll find him.’ She kissed him on the cheek and wrenched herself away.
Suddenly she noticed that in the ashes of the fireplace lay An Instructive Manual in Wizardry .
It was completely restored, curiously unblemished by the flames of two nights before.
She retrieved it, marvelling at the book’s latest display of magic, and butterflies of excitement fluttered in her stomach.
This is happening , she told herself, barely able to believe the words. I’m going to learn magic, at the encampment of one of the finest wizards in the land.
She picked up her sack, hard-boiled egg and apple and joined Loveday and Bayen at the door.
She took a deep breath. ‘I’m ready.’
*
Bayen walked with them to the city gate. He clasped Loveday’s hand and they embraced like brothers.
‘Watch yourself on the road. Danger follows you like a persistent cloud,’ said the old man.
Loveday laughed. ‘Isn’t danger what makes life interesting? Don’t be too careful, Bayen. When I am next back in Falcontop, I fully expect you to have the usual tales of reckless escapades and foolish risk-taking to swap with my own.’
Bayen gave a deep, fruity chuckle, then disappeared without so much as a puff of smoke.
Solar just managed to stop herself from crying out in surprise. ‘Where did he go?’ she asked.
‘Oh, some place of ill repute no doubt. He belongs to an ancient race, and of late his kind have dwindled in number. Those that choose to remain in these parts have turned the habit of making themselves scarce into an art.’
‘You mean he can do magic?’
‘Yes, of a sort.’
‘But isn’t it illegal for anyone who isn’t from a noble family or studying with an approved instructor to practise magic? Shouldn’t you arrest him or something?’
‘I didn’t arrest you for casting that spell on Hroth Archdale, did I?’ said Loveday with a patient smile.
Bayen’s departure made Solar feel a pang of regret that she’d had no chance to say bye to Muck and Pepper, mainly because she knew she was going to miss them, but also because she would have sorely liked to have seen the looks on their faces when she told them why she was leaving, and with whom.
Loveday led her through the gate. In the morning sun the road was only partly visible beneath a golden haze of dust, and they followed it down into the primaeval forest that surrounded the city.
‘A wizard’s path, or a witch’s for that matter, is not an easy one,’ Loveday said.
‘You will not be poring over dusty old books each day. My cousin King Algar employs me not just to train the next generation of magic practitioners, but also to solve the magical problems that plague the towns and cities of Ashwood. You will work with me on the road, and from the very beginning I expect you to earn your keep by putting what you learn in class to good use.’
‘So you travel up and down the country, saving people from dark magic? And the king pays you to do this?’ asked Solar, thirsting for information.
The more daring exploits of not only wizards but often also their students were famous throughout the land, retold again and again round taprooms, hearths and campfires to breathless audiences.
Solar could not wait to discover the part she would play in Loveday’s own missions.
‘He does. Indeed, my work has taken me all over the realm. Some call wizards like me “rovers” .
‘For the next six months we will be travelling north to Riverhawk, to attend King Algar’s coronation.’
Riverhawk! Solar thought excitedly. She’d always dreamt of visiting the kingdom’s capital, a city so large that it was said to make Falcontop look like little more than a provincial town.
‘What with the kingdom being in a period of mourning following the recent death of his father, King Edric,’ Loveday continued, ‘we have no need to make haste, and will most likely make a number of detours, visiting places with magical problems that need solving.’
‘How do you know exactly where your help is needed? I mean, you can’t just roam the country at random, sorting out whatever problems you come across, can you?’
Loveday reached inside his cloak and produced an elegant, rectangular vial, its contents violet like the priestsbane flower.
He removed the stopper, took a swig from it and licked his lips.
‘In the capital resides a wizard called Kenric Storrbury. He is the head of the king’s Magic Circle, an organisation made up of wizards in His Majesty’s service.
Storrbury has a network of spies throughout the country who report to him any magical goings-on.
Based upon this constant feed of intelligence he directs me or another wizard-rover to scenes of magical disturbance with orders to resolve the issue.
We communicate via mind roosting, a form of magic that allows two magicians to hear the other’s voice inside their own head, even when physically separated. ’
‘I know what mind roosting is,’ Solar said quickly, eager to impress. ‘Heard of it in the songs.’
‘Very good. I see you’re not such a blank slate after all.