A scholar who reveres wizards and a street rat who despises them both find themselves apprenticed to a mage with a dark storied past and discover he is not what either of them expected. They may end up learning more from each other than they do from...
Tenet returned to the kitchen, carrying the wheel of cheese. Bria had stayed downstairs, tidying up. Momma Henny was waiting for him with the promised bread loaf, which she handed to him. "Back so soon? Such a shame. Why, if I were still Bria's age, alone with a handsome lad such as yerself! Ooh, if ye had seen me then, Tenet. Willowy and lovely as a summer's day. But no more, I'm afraid. Still, it brings me joy to see the way ye look at young Bria."
Tenet leaned against the counter, glancing at the stairs to make sure the chambermaid wasn't returning. "I hope it brings her joy. She doesn't smile much for me."
"Nay, she does nae smile much fer anyone, Tenet. She's had a hard life. I see it in her eyes. But I know her heart is lighter fer knowing ye."
Tenet smiled a bit. "That makes two of us. Thank you for the provisions, Momma. I'll be heading back."
"Oh, stars! I almost forgot!" Momma grabbed a tied roll of parchment and handed it to Tenet. "This came earlier today fer the wizard, it did. All the way from Fenhollow. There's been sightings of bogwisps, it seems."
Tenet took the letter, expecting it to be ignored like all the other letters sent to the wizard. "Bogwisps aren't real, Momma."
"Well, yer the wizard, Tenet. So, I trust ye know what yer speakin' of, but thems o'er in Fenhollow might disagree with ye. Just see that yer master gets it, dearie."
"Of course, Momma." Tenet strode out of the inn, his packages in hand.
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Once Tenet had returned to the tower, he set the bread and cheese down on the table, getting the attention of Widdershanks, who smelled cheese. Tenet picked the little critter up and set him on his shoulder where the ferret nipped at Tenet's ear for attention.
Madrigal sat in his favorite chair, smoking his mahogany pipe. Bickers sat on the table across from him, fluttering madly. "Has your brain turned to rot, wizard? Empress Tethyra was of the Nuall Dynasty, which ended before the foundation of Cerya had been set!"
Madrigal pulled the pipe out and blew a ring of smoke. "And yet Cerya seems to have influenced her policies."
Bickers stammered and mimed gasping for breath rather well for a book with no lungs. "Are you even listening to me? You're speaking nonsense, old man! Why if I had half a mind— "
"You would still have half a mind more than I do. Yes, you've told me this before, Bickers. You must be growing forgetful." He turned to Tenet as Bickers angrily slammed himself shut. "Another correspondence?"
Tenet handed the scroll over. "Yes. From Fenhollow. Reports of bogwisps." He waited for the wizard to dismiss it and send it off to the Ordo like the other letters preceding it.
Madrigal untied the ribbon and read the parchment, raising an eyebrow. "Indeed. Well, I scarcely think we should ignore this, Tenet. We will set out tomorrow. Inform Quinn."
