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

Chapter Thirty Three

Celine had the hood of her cloak pulled up over her head to stay warm in the cool breeze that was created as the coach sped along through the steep sided canyon. Brandon kept stealing glances at her which she noticed and he wasn't teasing her as she thought he was going to. So, she relaxed and began to feel less embarrassed as the day drew on to afternoon.

Finally, they came to an area where the canyon widened and Celine saw people and horses there waiting for them on the side of the road as Brandon pulled the coach over and parked in the small clearing. A man approached and Brandon jumped down to meet him as Haverty alighted from within the coach. Celine took off her hood and she watched as Brandon shook hands with the man who walked with him over to the group of men who were standing by their horses. Suddenly a short, white haired, older man with spectacles appeared at the side of the coach, startling Celine.

"Hello, Miss," he said as he looked at her intently. "Do you happen to have the Wizard's Misery? I need to see it for a moment, if you please," he asked as he put out his hand.

"I'm sorry. But, I don't have it. Brandon has it," she explained as she pointed over towards him with the group of men.

"It's okay to give it to me, Miss," he said, giving her a small smile. "I'm Martin, the man that was brought here to see i ," he explained as he held out his hand again.

"It's nice to meet you, Martin. I've heard a lot of good things about you," Celine said and smiled. "My name is Celine. But, I really don't have it. Brandon has it," she assured him as Brandon approached with the group of men.

"Hello, Martin!" Brandon greeted the old man as he reached into his pocket and took out the stone, offering it to him while the group of men with Haverty opened the coach door and began bringing out Jackman who yelled repeatedly for Celine.

Martin looked at the stone and held it up to the light and then he looked at Celine again, paying particular attention to her long braid as he handed the stone back to Brandon who put it back into his pocket. "I'll see what I can do," he said as he gave Celine a curious look. "I think I may be able to develop a polymer that will be able to block the anti-magic's resonance so that the magical anti-magic detectors won't be able to detect it. I have a few ideas based on the science I've uncovered about the unique properties of anti-magic and if the logic is correct, I should be able to develop something reasonably quickly," he explained as he suddenly reached out and quickly pulled a few strands of Celine's hair out of her braid.

"Ouch!" Celine said as she quickly grabbed her braid and tossed it over her other shoulder, out of reach, giving the old man a surprised and questioning look.

"Sorry, Miss," Martin replied apologetically. "But, I've never seen hair with properties quite like yours and I couldn't resist taking a sample," he said as he tucked the strands of hair into a vial and placed it into the big, black bag he had been carrying.

Suddenly they could hear riders approaching on the King's Road and placing their hands on the pommels of their swords, everyone turned to look as a group of ten men came charging around the bend and into the clearing where they jumped off their horses, pulling out their swords and started attacking.

Celine immediately stood up, drawing her sword as the rebels engaged the attackers and she jumped down, pushing Martin towards the open door of the coach, telling him to get in as she turned and entered the fray. In an instant she was attacked and she parried a blow then dodged another before delivering a spinning kick to her enemies head, battering him to the ground where he fell unconscious as she charged towards another assailant. She punched him in the jaw, sending him spinning backwards and she quickly jumped on him, hitting him in the head with the pommel of her sword, knocking him out as well.