Is This Apocalypse Necessary? - Wizard of Yurt - 6 by C. Dale Brittain

Author:C. Dale Brittain [Brittain, C. Dale]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy, General, Wizards, Fiction
ISBN: 9781888683066
Google: tAACAAAACAAJ
Amazon: 1888683066
Publisher: Wooster Book Co.
Published: 2000-09-15T07:00:00+00:00

And then on a black marble table I saw it, what I had hoped to find: the face section of a skull, the eye sockets set with crystals.

Putting itchy fingers into my pocket, I sat down on an uncomfortable chair by a cold fireplace, thrusting out my sore leg before me. "Glad to meet you too, Count," I mumbled, much too late.

Basil didn't seem to mind. "You see, Daimbert," he said, sitting across from me and leaning forward, "I owe you a debt of gratitude. I understand that you were responsible for the death of Prince Vlad."

I jumped at the name but tried to appear calm. "Well, not exactly," I said, half an octave too high. "I didn't actually kill him myself."

He waved my objections away with a slim white hand. The nails, like his lips, were a deep blood red. "The details are unimportant. He left here to pursue you, but instead of your death he found his own. Not merely the half-death with which he had long lived, but a final one, " with what was probably supposed to be an ironic chuckle. "And with his castle empty, I was able to claim it for myself.

"In years past," he continued, "I had had to give myself in miserable service to older wizards, but now, though younger than most, I rule as equal to them all. Do you remember Vlad's apprentice Cyrus?" I nodded without speaking, remembering all too well. "When Cyrus left for the West, Vlad took me on as his assistant, which was an improvement from where I had been." I didn't like to imagine where he had been if Vlad was an improvement. "I even hoped that within fifty years or so I might be able to succeed to this castle. But then Vlad went west himself and died in Yurt! So my success begins with you, Daimbert, and I have spent much time in thinking how I might express my gratitude."

I made what was supposed to be a humble and dismissive noise, but not too dismissive—I wanted that crystal-eyed skull.

"Those of you from what you call the Western Kingdoms cross the mountains into our lands but rarely," he continued, "unless you are on some sort of quest or pilgrimage. Are you on your way to Xantium, Daimbert, or even to the Holy Land? Perhaps I could accompany you, to add my store of magic to yours, for I am sure there are spells known to me that are unknown to you. Certainly you are expert in your western magic of glass and steel, but there is much in this earth which responds best to a different magic."

I turned my face away so he wouldn't see the expression of horror. I was not going to face Elerius accompanied by a dark eastern wizard, who would be stopping to find corpses for his pet every time I looked for melons for Naurag. At my funeral Joachim had said I was good at making friends; if this was the result of my personal charm, I would have to try harder to make enemies.

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