The Wizard's Misery The Chronicles of the Midlands Book One

Chapter Eight

After they had been riding for almost an hour, Robin turned his head and looked back at her. "How are you feeling?" he asked kindly. She was still very pale and leaning up against him with her eyes closed.

"I still feel dizzy when I keep my eyes are open and I'm really tired," she answered, yawning.

They were far enough behind the other two men that they couldn't be overheard. "I've been thinking that the first thing we need to do is get the stone to whoever was supposed to get it in Conjurer's Swamp. I think it was supposed to go to the old wizard that lives there," Robin explained.

"Hey! I just remembered something," Celine said suddenly. "Back at the Midway Tavern, the tavern keeper's wife said something about having to change their plans because the wizard had gone over to Maledictor's side," she explained. "So, if he's the one who was supposed to get it, what are we going to do now?"

"That's a good question. I guess I'll need to get in touch with my contact in King's Port and see what's going on. Maybe once we know everything that's happened over the past few days, it'll shed some light on what we should do next," he explained hopefully. "So, I guess we should stay at the Wayfarer's Inn this evening when we get to King's Port."

"Brandon mentioned the Wayfarer earlier and said that we would be having dinner there," Celine replied. "But, if I don't start feeling better, I may just skip dinner and just go to bed," she said frowning.

"It was magic, you know," Robin said, turning back to look at her with concern showing on his handsome face.

"What was magic?"

"The gem. I was told that it was magic," he explained mournfully.

"Magic? Why didn't you tell me?" she said in shock.

"I didn't think it would matter since you couldn't use it," he said regretfully. "I'm sorry," he added looking at her apologetically.

"Well, it's too late now," she replied. "But, I probably would've swallowed it anyway. It still seems to me to have been the best course of action under the circumstances," she said sadly.

"I hope it isn't the reason for you being sick, though," he said remorsefully as he turned his attention back to the road.

"Don't worry, Robin, I'm feeling better than I did this morning," she said encouragingly. "My stomach seems to have settled down. It's just that my head is spinning a little and I feel really tired," she said, yawning again.

"Well, we should be there in about another hour. So, you just try to get some rest," he suggested, turning his attention back to the road. They rode the rest of the way in silence.

As they approached the city of King's Port, they encountered more people so they rode closer together and more slowly. Robin and Celine were riding beside Brandon with Haverty following close behind as they entered city.

Celine sat upright with her arms around Robin's waist, feeling much better since the dizziness had diminished. It only flared up if she moved her head too quickly and her stomach was greatly improved. She even felt a little hungry. The only thing wrong was that she was exhausted. "All the walking and the excitement of the past few days are really catching up to me," she thought as she tried to stifle another yawn.

She could smell the water front as she listened to the sea gulls calling above them. King's Port was a bustling water front community, a hub of commerce both to and from the Eastern Lands which lay just across White Water Bay. Boats of all shapes and sizes could be seen bobbing in the water ahead of them as they turned down a side street heading towards the docks. A little down the road, was a busy inn with a stable behind it and Celine thought that it must be the Wayfarer. Sure enough, as they got closer she could read the sign and her hunch was proven correct.