Avondale (3 page)

On the main thoroughfare, the street was wide and paved with flagstones. The homes were large, with grand views of the forest, fields, and lake in the center of the crater. The shops were set against the city’s massive wall and were decorated with brightly colored banners and signs.

On the lower levels, the streets were narrow. The homes and shops were simple structures and everything was either dull wood or red stone. There were taverns and brothels on the lowest levels that catered to the farmers and hunters who rarely came up into the city proper. In some of the dark tunnels and natural caverns along the edges of the city, outlaws hid from the Paladins who searched for them. It was not a safe place, but Tiberius was drawn to the darker side of Avondale and in his wanderings he had met Lexi, who had become his friend and guide.

They walked quickly, weaving up and down among the winding streets of the lower levels before finally going into a natural cavern that was roughly the size of half a dozen shops on the upper level of the city. The cavern was filled with stalls, and goods were being sold in the semi-darkness of the cavern. Lanterns gave a dim, grungy light to the space, which only made it more mysterious to Tiberius.

“What is this?” he asked.

“It’s a market, silly,” she said. “Only you won’t find regular goods here.”

“So why am I here?” he asked, feeling self-conscious.

“Because I found something I know you’ll be interested in,” she insisted.

She took his hand and led him down through the center aisle, past the shady looking patrons and between the tightly packed booths of strange items. Lexi saw the look of surprise on Ti’s face when they passed a stand selling human bones and jars of organs. They also saw a booth with covert weapons, boot knives, straps with spring-loaded shivs that were worn under a person’s sleeves, and gloves with metal spikes on the knuckles.

“There it is,” Lexi said pointing.

Ti smiled at her and she led him to a table with ancient books. Most were leather bound, but the covers were rotting or damaged. The old man selling the books looked as if he hadn’t eaten in weeks. His smile revealed several missing teeth.

“My lord,” he said, bowing his head.

“He doesn’t know you,” Lexi whispered to Ti, who had tensed at the title. “He says that everyone who stops here. He called me a lady.”

Tiberius laughed, but it wasn’t cruel. Lexi knew that the Earl’s third son didn’t like titles or the rules of society that kept Lexi down, and elevated him without cause or achievement.

“You did well,” he told her.

His smile was more than genuine—it was warm and appreciative. It made Lexi feel happy, even though she secretly scolded herself for letting Ti’s praise get to her. She had struggled to get by once her parents died. Women in her position had only one real choice in life, and that was to find work in a brothel. She could sell her body for a few years and if she saved the pennies she got from the pimps working the taverns or seedy bordellos, she might have enough to open her own place once she was too old to attract customers anymore, that’s if she lived long enough. Lexi had decided early on that she would rather die than wench her way through a grim existence, so she had taught herself other skills. She had learned to find out what people needed and then found a way to get it for them, for a fee of course. Tiberius had offered to help her before, to try and get her an apprenticeship or a place serving in a wealthy house, but Lexi refused. She knew her lifestyle was dangerous, but she enjoyed the freedom it gave her too much to try to fit into an acceptable roll in society.

Ti was looking at each of the books, his hands feverishly opening each book cover to read the hand-copied title, before closing it just as quickly. Lexi didn’t know what he was looking for, but he was always interested in old things, so she had brought him here once she discovered the old man’s booth of antiquated books.

She leaned against the table, her back to the old man, her fingers absently rubbing the outline of the gold coin in its hidden pocket as she watched the crowd of people around them. It was gloomy in the cavern, and the smell of unwashed bodies was strong. Her sharp eyes watched for any sort of threat, while her friend searched through the books.

“Do you have anything else?” Tiberius asked.

There was note of desperation in his voice.

“Just some old books that were damaged over the years,” the old man said as he pulled a box from underneath his table.

Ti began rummaging through it. Lexi saw him freeze, his body tensed as if he were afraid that what he had found would disappear if he moved. She stepped closer to him, but couldn’t see what he was looking at. He pulled a small ancient-looking book from the box. Lexi could tell that most of it was missing, only the front cover and the first several pages were intact.

“Do you have the rest of this book?” Ti asked, his voice sounded strange to Lexi.

“I don’t know,” the old man said, taking it from him.

Tiberius searched franticly through the box, finally coming out with what appeared to Lexi to be the back cover of the book. The covers weren’t large, even though both had yellowed paper still sticking to the ruined spine.

“This was all that survived the purge,” the man said in a low voice.

“Most of it is missing,” Ti observed.

“It was once a widely copied title, but that was long ago, before the cataclysm. This book was saved from the fires by my great-grandfather.”

“I want it,” Ti said.

“It’s not for sale,” the man croaked, suddenly clutching the two pieces of the book to his frail chest. “It’s too dangerous.”

Lexi frowned. She couldn’t imagine what sort of bargaining tactic the old man was employing. Everything in the underground was for sale for the right price.

“I have silver,” Ti said.

“No,” the man insisted.

“Sell him the book, old man,” Lexi hissed menacingly.

“It’s not for sale,” the man said again.

“Everything is for sale,” Lexi said, noticing the look of disappointment on Ti’s face.

“Silver isn’t enough,” the man said.

“It’s not even a whole book,” Lexi argued.

“I can get gold,” Ti said.

Lexi’s jaw dropped. She knew Tiberius was sheltered and used to getting what he wanted, but he needed serious help with his negotiating skills.

“I don’t want gold,” the man said. “I want your promise. If anyone finds the book, you don’t know where you got it.”

“I swear,” Tiberius said.

“Promise on your mother’s grave,” the man insisted.

“My mother’s not dead,” Tiberius said indignantly.

“Then swear on her life.”

“I swear. I couldn’t find this place again without Lexi’s help anyway.”

“You too, missy,” the old man said. “Swear you won’t tell a soul.”

“I swear,” she said, not caring what kind of oath she took.

The man started to hand the book over to Tiberius, then hesitated.

“Silver?” he asked.

Ti emptied his coin purse on the table, the silver coins rattled noisily. Lexi looked around suspiciously, and decided she would have to give Ti a stern warning about flaunting his wealth in such a place.

The old man handed Ti the fragments of the books and then gathered the coins. As Ti tucked the book into his shirt where it wouldn’t be seen, the old man began gathering his other books and boxing them up.

“Let’s go,” Ti said.

Lexi nodded and led him back out into the late afternoon sunlight. They walked in silence for a while, then stopped in an alley that was empty of everything but trash. Ti looked nervous, but Lexi wanted to know what he’d found.

“What type of book are you willing to pay silver for?” she asked. “It was just remnants anyway.”

“It isn’t important,” Tiberius said. “But I really appreciate you bringing me down.”

“Wait, you can’t just leave me hanging. Show me the book.”

“No, I better not,” he said.

“Seriously? I bring you down here, and practically drop that little gem in your lap, and you don’t trust me enough to show me the book?”

“I trust you, but I don’t want to get you into trouble.”

“What kind of book would get anyone into trouble?”

“A banned book,” Tiberius said. “Look, you have been great and you know I appreciate you.”

“I don’t want appreciation,” Lexi said angrily. “I thought we were friends.”

“We are.”

“But you don’t trust me. I’m just a bottom dweller, good enough to slum around with, but not good enough to be privy to your plans.”

“You know that isn’t true,” Ti said.

“I don’t know anything apparently.”

“Look, this book, it’s important to me. I can’t say why; it just is. I’ve been looking for something like this for a long time.”

“I don’t understand. Your father is the Earl. You can have whatever you want. Why is this book such a big deal?”

“Because it’s a book about magic.”

Tiberius cringed a little when he said the word. He was afraid they would be overheard, although there was no one in sight. He was also afraid of what Lexi’s reaction might be, but she seemed so calm. Her large eyes bored into him as if she could see into his soul. He waited, scarcely daring to breathe while she watched him. Then, to his horror, she started laughing.

“That’s hilarious,” she said, holding her side as she laughed. “You had me going for a minute, I almost believed you.”

“I’m serious,” he whispered.

“You’re not that stupid,” she said, finally calming down.

“Maybe, maybe not.”

“Magic? Really? You bought a book of magic?”

“It’s the
Essence of Magic
,” he said quietly. “Translated by Horace Masstivus, Wizard of the 3rd Order.”

“Oh my god, you’ve lost your mind.”

“Why, because I’m curious?”

“Because everyone knows that magic is outlawed. If you start dabbling in it, you’re likely to kill yourself, or worse, hurt some poor innocent.”

“Thanks,” Tiberius said, holding his arm close to his side protectively over where the book was hidden under his tunic.

“Is nothing sacred to you people?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means you can have or do whatever you want, but you aren’t happy with normal things; you have to delve into magic and put us all at risk.”

“Hey, you were the one who insisted on knowing what it was,” Tiberius said.

“I just don’t get you.”

“No one asked you to. I’m not a puzzle you need to figure out.”

“You’re an idiot,” she said. “I don’t know why I waste my time with you.”

She turned and stalked out of the alley. Tiberius wanted to catch up with her. He liked Lexi; she was the first truly fearless person he’d ever met. She lived from day to day, never worrying about what might happen tomorrow or trying to be something she wasn’t. She faced danger regularly from people who had no qualms about killing a young girl. Yet she never complained about her life. He loved that about her, and the fact that she treated him like a person, not like the Earl’s son. But her reaction to his incredible find was disappointing. He had hoped that she would understand, but how could she? Tiberius didn’t really understand it himself.

His whole life, he’d known what was expected of him. As a child, he was to be seen and not heard. He was shuffled between nannies and nurses, rarely seeing his parents. His brothers bullied him and then blamed him for their poor behavior. Leonosis was given every advantage and treated like royalty, even by the servants. Brutas was also allowed certain liberties, but Tiberius was taught from a very young age that he was expected to follow every rule. They were tutored together at first, but then Tiberius was sent to the temple complex and forced to learn the ancient scriptures. His workload tripled while his brothers continued to be spoon-fed by their tutors.

Then the physical training began. Leonosis was taught strategy and basic swordsmanship. Brutas trained to be a knight, fighting on horseback and leading groups of foot soldiers. Everyone knew that Leonosis would be Earl someday, and that Brutas would be Commander of the war band. Not that Avondale ever went to war. They fought off the beasts that sometimes came near the city, but otherwise, the war band was mostly ceremonial. Still, it gave the Earl’s second son a respectable position.

Tiberius was a different matter, almost a problem for his royal family. Daughters could be married to other nobles, securing trade or political alliances, but Tiberius was of no value as long as his brothers lived. Everyone expected him to become a Paladin, taking vows of chastity and patrolling the city or leading civic functions. If that failed, he could always become a Priest—either way, he would no longer be his brother’s responsibility.

Unfortunately, Tiberius was not like his older brothers. The physical training was difficult and unnatural to him. He had learned to use a whip from one of his father’s cattlemen as a boy, often practicing long hours before he’d been taken to the temple. But fighting with a heavy sword was another matter entirely. He tired quickly, and didn’t have the speed needed to be proficient with a sword. In time, it became clear to Tiberius that he would end up being a Priest, stuck copying scrolls in the temple or learning to bind books with the aged Priests. It was a life he detested, although he saw no way out of it. And all along, through the difficulties of his formative years, a secret desire burned like a fiery ember in his soul. At night, when he lay in the darkness of his room, he fantasized about being a wizard.