The Road To Kalbakar, Wyrms of Pasandir #1

CHAPTER 14 - CONFRONTATION AT A CAMP (Part 1)

We both screamed. Some deep, dark streak inside of me had made me do it. Scared? Of course I was scared – Amaj was right; it was over a mile to the bottom. We'd make a nice splat when we spread ourselves out over those rocks below. Only we didn't.

'Slow ahead,' I said. My first ship had been a steam tug, and automatically, I took over her skipper's words. Luckily the broom was clever enough to understand my thoughts and we ambled away over that awful nothingness.

A shadow passed over me. Above our broom, Naudin made a thumbs-up gesture. To my left was Kellani, and she looked... She looked proud. I waved my hook at her and she applauded.

'You can stop yellin',' I thought at Amaj. 'We're fine.'

He started. 'Get out,' he said, tremulously. 'Out of my head.'

'It works faster this way. I'm just thinking at you, not reading your mind or anything. See it as battle talk. We can do this over miles; beats shouting.'

'You're spying on me.'

'I swear I'm not. Open your eyes.'

'Can't.'

'Just do it. You won't fall off.' That I had noticed almost immediately. The spell held us safely glued in some sort of harness. I wasn't ready to try, but I was sure I could turn us over without any mishap.

'Bodrus of the Mountains, keep me safe,' I heard him pray. At least he'd stopped screaming, so I let him be for a while. I had another call to make.

'Teodar?' I said, and I laid a massive dose of anger in my thought. That got his attention immediately.

'Yes, bud?'

'Stow your "bud", Teodar. Tell me one thing, did you know about those jinn?'

'Ah, I...'

'Yes or no?'

'I knew they had escaped. I did not know they had infiltrated that old fool's hideaway.'

He sounded strained as he said that.

'You swear?'

'Yes. Look, bud, I would have stopped you going there if I had known.'

'Sure?'

'Of course! I need your help, and you can't help me if you're dead.'

What? Teodar, my great mentor, needs my help? 'You're kidding.'

'By the Breath of the Mountains, I'm not.'

'But you have all those superpowers you taught me. And now I must help you?'

'I am a teacher; I may not use violence in any form.' He sounded strangled as he said that.

'Then tell me what I should help you with.'

'I can't. You're not ready yet.'

I sighed; nice going, this.

'Those jinn, where do they fit in?'

'I... don't know yet.'

'Then what must I do now?'

'Find your birthright. Train. Grow. I can't say more; it's not safe. You must find it out yourself. I have to go now.'

'Last question, Teodar... Can I call a wyrm?'

I sensed I caught him unprepared with that one.