The Spell Crafter

Chapter Fourteen - Suggestion

There was a chill on the morning air, which cut through Kanick's thin summer robes, although the clear sky, with the sun blazing in the east held the promise of a scorching hot day. He even contemplated leaving his robes behind and continuing with only his tunic and hose. It was a good number of leagues up to Regius's old cave, and they would have to make most of it on foot, though horses would make the journey easier.

Scanning the street, Kanick saw his apprentice in the crowd, his messy black hair and apprentice robes marking him out. He was alone, and Kanick began to slowly walk to meet him, falling in step as they met.

"Where are the horses?" Kanick asked, wondering if he should have gone himself, or that the magister had denied their use after Kanick's heated words the previous night.

"They keep no horses," Bera replied, defensively. "In fact, they keep no animals of any kind," he added quickly.

"Rubbish," Kanick declared. Enclaves were supposed to be almost self-sufficient, and with the Magister's attitude towards the town, this one should be even more so. "Are you sure?"

"I asked one of the magister's acolytes to direct me to the stables, and he had no idea what I was talking about. An older mage then told me they don't have one." He shrugged. "Not even a barn, or anything like that."

"How do they get their food?" Kanick wondered aloud. "Surely, they don't buy it," he mused, as they passed the Black Crown, and Kanick decided the keep his robe, rather than delay and change it.

"Maybe they fish the river?" Bera asked, shrugging.

"Perhaps," Kanick said. "I have heard of smaller enclaves, or hostels sustaining themselves through hunting, so who knows..." There was a pause and Kanick added, "in that case, we had better be underway – I don't want to be climbing down the cliffs at night."

The weather proved Kanick right, and he was already sweating as they approached the east gate. His hands suffered in the prickly heat from within his gloves. One of the soldiers on the gate started when he saw them, pointing and yelling to get their attention.

"Master Kanick! Master Kanick," the guard exclaimed and broke into a shuffling run. He was shorter than the mage, and ready for retirement, Kanick thought from the tightness of his mail shirt. He had already over-exerted himself running the short distance between them as he arrived puffing and clutching his spear. "The governor would like to see you; I have orders to take you there."

"I'm sorry, but we have important business to attend, would you tell the governor we will see him this evening."

The guard paled and gulped down several lungsful of air. "Sorry, Master Kanick but it's urgent." Kanick arched a sceptical eyebrow; a good trick to use against overconfident students. "We caught him, sir."

"Caught who?" Bera questioned the guard, who looked between the two mages.

"The man who killed the mage," The guard looked to Kanick, he was sweating, afraid they might not come with him. "He's in the Keep. Can I take you?"

"I'm glad we caught you," deLan said as he met them in the foyer of the Keep. "We brought him in last night – early this morning, but I thought not to wake you."

"Your guard told me you've caught the man who killed Regius," Kanick said, getting straight to the point.

"So it seems," deLan said enigmatically. "I will take you to him, so you can question him also." deLan gestured that they should follow.