Magic, Unfettered? (Inconvenient Magic) by Rhynedahll H. Jonas

Author:Rhynedahll, H. Jonas [Rhynedahll, H. Jonas]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Rhynedahll Software
Published: 2013-05-16T00:00:00+00:00

SEVENTEEN

The first thing that Everett did when he emerged from the doorway was to take Rose in his arms and kiss her cheeks until she giggled herself silly. Then, as his head continued to pound, he spread his newest set of wings to ease the fresh aches and jolts of pain in his back, shoulders, and neck. Serially transforming his body with magic had definitely begun to take a toll.

"I'm sorry everyone," Marshlight said. "I don't understand what made me charge across the room without thinking. I don't usually do that sort of thing."

"I don't think that you could have prevented it," Theddrid reassured her. "It's this spell that you've told me about. I think in a subtle way that it's causing you to behave according to some fixed criteria."

"She's the Damsel in Distress," Poubelle confirmed. "She has to do something without thinking to put us all in peril. Without that sort of mistake, we'd have much less danger in our adventure and who would want that?"

"I, for one," Everett said straightaway. Theddrid and Marshlight both nodded vigorously.

"But -- wait! I almost forgot!" Poubelle drew his tisonnier and started to stalk back and forth with deadly seriousness between the blank walls that defined the street.

"Watch for ambushes," he warned. "When they come, they'll be hundreds of them. Painted green and screaming their heads off."

Marshlight, rallying back to her contrary position, crossed her arms and tapped the toe of her shoe significantly on the cobblestones. "Hmmph! No ruby streets! If you don't have ruby streets to guard, then there's nothing for green savages to protect."

"I think we'd better err on the side of caution" Everett said, raising Rose above his head to wiggle her about and watch her laugh. "I'm never going to doubt Poubelle's warnings again."

"I agree," Theddrid said, not smiling. "After nearly becoming a pancake, I think paranoia is certainly in order."

"I'll take point," Poubelle declared as he moved forward. Channeled by the unpierced stone to either side, the man followed the street towards an intersection that could be seen a few dozen yards away.

Within only a few minutes, it was quite evident that Huhp-hnona-tup was a deserted city. With all of them following a uniform flowing style, every building, every tower, and every arcade was empty and gave every indication that it had been so for a very long time. The quarried granite and marble that gave the city its distinctive white shade from afar looked plain and denuded up close. The place was not a ruin -- each beveled block, column lintel, and dome was in its proper place and none of the structures had suffered collapse -- but there was no wood, metal, or glass anywhere. Except for dust and windblown wrack, the interiors were as empty as the trap chamber, without any sign of furnishings or fixtures. A few had vestiges of plaster clinging to the walls in spots, but this crumbled at a touch. A great number of the interior rooms gave the appearance of never having been completed, with rough quarried stone visible throughout.

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