Dragon's Mage (An Advent Mage Novel), The - Raconteur, Honor (26 page)

Merton was very much a trading city-state, the only one in the whole of the Empire, really, that did major trading. Actually, the city spread out as far as the eye could see, even on dragonback, seemingly taking up every inch of land in Merton’s borders. Because it sat right on the edge of the Arapeen Sea, facing the same gulf that connected to Hain, it hosted a sea-faring populace. That was to say, almost every nationality could be found in this one city, all of them brought on the massive wooden trading ships lining the harbor.

I’d never seen the place before, just read about it and heard rumors, and the reality of it spread out in front of my eyes was far different than I’d imagined. I’d lived in cities practically my entire life (aside from my schooling at Strae) and I was quite accustomed to being within close proximity to my neighbors. But this place looked stacked in on itself in a ramshackled way, as if people were practically living and working on top of each other. ‘Crowded’ didn’t do the place justice.

As we came in closer, Kaya started lowering her altitude so that we had only a hundred feet of air above the buildings.

“We’re getting a lot of attention from the ground,” Mari noted behind me.

“Hmmm?” I hadn’t been paying any attention to the people, trying instead to find some sort of clear space to land in this overly crowded city. At her observation, I leaned forward, looking over Kaya’s shoulder. A lot of people were gaping and pointing upwards. “Ah. I’m so used to that reaction I don’t really notice anymore. Everyone’s astonished the first time they see Kaya.” More importantly, where to land?

Mari let out a sigh. “I think the docks have the only clear space available.”

“I hate to get that far away from the inn Enri recommended, though.” Although it might come down to that. But I didn’t know how Kaya would navigate through these narrow streets.

“Wait, what about that roof there?” Mari leaned around me and pointed. “See it?”

Kaya’s nose shifted about. “See.”

The roof she’d pointed out lay almost directly ahead, and it looked remarkably flat and large. From here, I couldn’t see what building it was for, though. Too many other structures in the way.

“Um…ladies? Are you sure it’s strong enough?”

“We’ll soon find out, won’t we?”

Not quite the reassurance I was looking for. Still, with a building that big, the support structure should be enough to handle Kaya. I hoped. “The question is, is it closer to the inn?”

“According to the directions he gave us.”

I’d take what I could get.

Kaya banked left slightly, coming around in a short curve and gliding in for a gentle landing. I had my ears straining for any sound of cracking or creaking from the roof, but it seemed to handle the extra weight without strain. Phew. I hadn’t been looking forward to a repair bill. Unbuckling, I asked Mari over my shoulder, “So where is the inn exactly from here?”

“Well, if this is the city library—and I think it is—then it should be one street up and two over from here.”

Remarkably close, then. “And the Hall of Records?”

“A good ten streets away from here.”

Not so close. I looked up at the sky. It was about mid-afternoon now. “I think by the time we get checked into the inn and walk over to the Hall, it will almost be closed for the day.”

“Basically.” Mari stood up and started climbing out of the saddle. “I say we check in, stow our gear, and find a good place for dinner. Work can wait until tomorrow.”

“I vote for that.” Although I wasn’t particularly looking forward to tomorrow. It would be a full day of dusty, illegibly written reports. Ugghhhh. I hopped down from the saddle as well, looking around the top of the roof. It looked quite barren up here, but I didn’t care about roof top decorations. I just wanted…and there they were. Stairs leading down. Perfect. “I bet we can unload her right here and carry everything over there.”

Mari looked up at our packs and the saddle with a judicious eye. “If you can handle that saddle, I can take care of the rest.”

“Then let’s do that. Kaya.” I pointed at the rooftop inn. “See the building with the smoke coming out the back? We’re going to be staying there. Why don’t you go deep sea fishing for dinner and meet us there later?” I didn’t dare just show up with her in tow and not give the innkeeper warning.

Her eyes lit up and sparkled. “Have big fish?”

Uhhh…by big fish, she didn’t mean a whale or something…did she? “Sure?”

Putting a paw to her heart she promised solemnly, “Only eat one.”

I decided right then and there that I didn’t want to know. Quickly stripping everything off her, I gave her a quick pat on the neck. “Go fish now.”

In a flurry of wings, she took off and sped toward the shoreline.

Mari watched her go, worrying at her bottom lip. “I hope she doesn’t get tangled in a fisherman’s net out there.”

“Naw. She’s used to avoiding them after fishing for so long in Paswaters.” Shouldering the saddle with a single heave, I led the way to the stairs.

~*~

The innkeeper turned out to be an easy-going sort who took in the idea of a Chahiran Mage as a Solian firefighter and a dragon familiar with nothing more than a blink and a chuckle. The inn was spacious as well having plenty of room in the stable yard for Kaya. Enri had recommended the perfect place.

Mari and I threw our gear into a room, cleaned up quickly, and then went back down to the main room for a very scrumptious, if very sea-oriented, dinner. But with that done, we were rather at a loss of what do with ourselves. After so much time in the saddle, the very last thing we wanted was to sit around leisurely somewhere. Since we had two hours or so until sunset, I pitched the idea of getting some custom-made gear made by a wizard or witch, if we could find one.

Agreeable to this, Mari and I set back out into the city.

It took us a good half hour to get out of the heart of the city and into the right neighborhood. I looked out over the docks, the strong smell of salt and sea in my lungs, the wind whipping through my hair hard enough to throw a few wayward strands into my mouth. Absently spitting them out, I looked further inland. The serving girl at the inn had told me that a Wizard Chadron Grosvener had set up shop somewhere along here. She’d rattled off directions on exactly where, but they only made sense to someone who actually lived here and knew the area. Still, I felt reasonably sure I could find the place. Every witch’s or wizard’s shop had certain elements to it, making them all look alike.

Aha. And there it was. “I see it.”

“How can you possibly tell?” Mari asked in bemusement. “I swear that every shop down there looks the same.”

I pointed at it. “See that wind vane up top? The one shaped like a large wand?”

“Ohhh.” She narrowed her eyes against the sun’s rays. “You’ve got good eyes. I can barely see that.”

“All magicians who set up shop have a vane like that,” I told her, setting off down the cobbled streets. “Don’t ask me why. I have no idea why they do it. I just know they all do.”

“Maybe to make their shop easily recognizable?” she suggested, matching my pace.

“Maybe,” I agreed.

We rather lost track of the conversation as the roads through here were very winding, narrow, and sometimes treacherous because of the clogging traffic. Every Solian city I had ever stepped foot in had been built upon a grid system, with a very rigid layout. Whatever this city’s original design had been now lay buried under generations of renovations, expansions, and downright building code violations. It didn’t help that everyone from traders to housewives wanted to go up the street while we tried to make our way down. I felt like a fish swimming against the tide.

I had just started to regret not flying here and having Kaya simply drop us on the roof when we suddenly arrived. In between the chaos and the press of people all around us, I almost passed by it completely. Fortunately, the door to the shop stood open, and the smell of simmering potions wafted in the air. No one, after experiencing that strangely medicinal scent, could ever forget it. I grabbed Mari by the arm, maneuvering her in front of me so that I could block the flow of traffic long enough for her to safely make it inside. I had to muscle off two impatient dockmen who were trying to get past me before I could follow.

Once I crossed the threshold, I took in a breath of relief and looked around. Yes, definitely a wizard’s shop. It had a long counter blocking off the back half of the room, with shelves taking up every inch of available wall space, all of them stuffed to bursting with every conceivable potions ingredient. Things were hanging from the ceiling, too, in bunches as the herbs dried. It made the room feel almost uncomfortably small. And my nose itched because of that potion brewing somewhere in the back.

Mari stepped forward and knocked her knuckles against the wooden counter. “Excuse me! Anyone here!”

From just out of sight around the corner, a few thuds and thumps could be heard, as if a person had just hastily set something down. Within seconds a man appeared that simply had to be Hainian. Tall, wavy brown hair, with a rather homely face that looked very weather beaten. He didn’t have on a wizard’s robes, but a simple shirt with sleeves rolled up, pants that had seen better days, and a protective black apron that wouldn’t be out of place in a smithy. He greeted us with a smile and said in perfect Solish, “Hello! What can I do for you?”

“We need something custom made,” I responded, also in Solish—mostly for Mari’s benefit.

For the first time, I think he really looked at me, and then he did something of a double take. But I’d been getting that a lot in this city. No one expected to see a Chahiran in a Solian uniform. His eyes flew to the patch on my left shoulder that had my Fire Mage crest on it, and he looked a little dumbstruck for a moment.

“Fire Mage Haikrysen, by chance?”

Now just how far had rumor flown that even here, he knew about me? “That’s me. This is Mari Wangsgard, Mellor City’s Firefighting Coordinator,” I introduced with a wave of the hand.

Proving that he had been living here for quite some time, the wizard automatically raised a hand of greeting. “Ainlie. I’m Chadron Grosvener, Wizard 1
^st
Class.”

Quite high ranking for someone who appeared to be in his thirties. Of course, you had to be fairly skilled and cocky to come live so far away from home to begin with.

“Ainlie,” Mari returned the greeting with a professional smile, putting her hand flat against his. “Wizard Grosvener, we are glad you are here.”

“So am I, most days.” Dropping his hand, he gestured to two barstools nearby. “Take a seat. What is it that you need?”

I scooted over to the far one, leaving the nearest for Mari, and slid up into the padded stool. “Tell me first if this is feasible or not. I need goggles that I can wear that will repel smoke and not smear under any circumstances.”

“Not a problem,” he assured me without a second of hesitation. “I make something similar for sailors all the time so that they can be on deck during a storm.”

Excellent. “I also need something that will go around the mouth and nose,” I lifted my hands to illustrate where exactly, “that will filter the air. I have to be able to breathe, but it needs to be sturdy enough to keep smoke out.”

“Ahhh.” Grosvener rocked back on his heels, regarding both of us for a moment. “I can see how that would be hazardous with firefighting.”

“It’s not as bad on the ground,” Mari admitted while making a face. “Or at least, not compared to how it is in the air. I thought I understood the term ‘eating smoke’ until I climbed up onto a dragon’s back.”

“Well, to answer you, I think I can do that.” Grosvener turned to a nearby table and quickly sketched something out on a piece of paper in short, sure strokes. “I’ve done something similar before. I might have to field test them, you understand, to make sure that it does the job properly.”

Any custom order required some tweaking. “I understand. We’re only going to be here for a few days, though. Can you do it in a short amount of time?”

“I would think so.” He turned and placed the sketch on the counter so that we both could see it. “Something like this?”

For such a quick sketch, he’d done very well. It was a picture of half a man’s face with mask that wrapped from one ear to the other. The section directly over the man’s nose and mouth had a sort of wired, grill look to it.

Mari tapped the sketch with her finger. “Is this secure enough to stay on our faces even if we’re flipped upside down in the air?”

Good question. I hadn’t thought of that.

Grosvener gave a nod. “Should be. I can add an extra buckle in the back so you can adjust it for a more perfect fit. I’ll add several layers of protection spells as well to make sure you can breathe without anything coming through.”

“Can you make riding leathers that will protect against fire as well?” I asked, suddenly inspired by how easily he was accepting this job.

He blinked at me, surprised. “You need something like that?”

“Well, not me, no.” My personal shields would keep anything like that well away from my skin. “But she does.”

Mari let out an indignant squawk. “I’m not
that
delicate, Krys!”

Without a word, I reached over and grabbed her arm, flipping it over to show the burn she’d gotten on her wrist the last time we were up in the air, from a stray ember that had struck her. Then I met her eyes pointedly, eyebrow raised in challenge.

She rolled her eyes and let out a puff of breath. “That sort of thing happens on the job. It’s nothing to worry over.”

“We don’t
have
to put up with burns like this,” I said patiently. “Just like we don’t have to go around for days after a job hacking up black gunk. That’s what protective gear is
for
, Mari.”

Matching my stare, she said in resignation, “You’re not going to leave this be, are you?”

I just smiled. It was good she realized that.

“Oh fine. Although I hate to think what all of this is adding up to.” With an anticipated wince on her face, she asked, “Wizard Grosvener, how insanely expensive is this going to be?”