The Fuller's Apprentice (The Chronicles of Tevenar Book 1) (31 page)

Before he finished, the door burst open again. Josiah scowled. Couldn’t the patient have waited just a little longer, until Josiah was safely away and Elkan would have to deal with him alone?

It was a boy around Josiah’s age, face and hands smudged with dirt. He nodded to Elkan. “Wizard Elkan sir, I’m Nisi, Master Noadiah’s apprentice. He says you told him you’d probably be free this afternoon, so if you are, he’d like to invite you up to the gold mine to show you around. He says he has a question for you. I’m to bring you back with me, if you can come.”

Elkan nodded thoughtfully. “I think I can do that.” He noticed Josiah squirming. “Would you like to come along?”

“Yes, sir!” Josiah scrambled to put away the log book, quill, and ink. In his eagerness he almost tipped over the ink pot.

Elkan caught it before it could spill and deftly corked it. “We’ll stop by the inn and drop these things off on our way. Sar, you coming?”

Sar swiveled his ears toward Elkan and the miner apprentice in turn. He snorted. Elkan laughed. “No, I won’t let them load you up with ore.”

An hour later they approached the gold mine. A side road branched off from the wide main track around an outcropping of rock. Nisi led them down it. Ahead, a clearing opened up, a level terrace cut into the slope of the mountain.

It was evident to Josiah that people had made this open space. The area was bare of any trees, and they walked on crushed rock where low areas had been filled in. There was a great deal of rock rising in piles and spilling into the valley. As Josiah watched, a donkey made its way to the edge and stopped so its handler could unfasten its burden of stones and tip them to fall, bouncing and clattering, into the ravine.

A dark hole yawned in the side of the mountain. A wave of cool air washed over Josiah, heavy with the scent of dust and stone. He twisted around, trying to take it all in. The mine seemed an inky well of blackness, but as they passed out of the bright sunlight and Josiah’s eyes adjusted, he could see lamps inside, giving dim but adequate light.

The path into the mine was level at first, but soon sloped downward. Out of consideration for Sar, Nisi led them down the wide earthen ramp on one side of the cavern. It switched back and forth, giving a long, gentle descent into the depths. Beside it ran a shorter but more arduous path of steps and ladders.

The patch of sunlight vanished behind them. It was quiet down here, a deep smothering hush that swallowed their footfalls and the thud of Sar’s hooves.

Every now and then they passed a much narrower side tunnel. Once they crowded aside to let another donkey, laden with rocks, pass. Finally they reached the bottom of the descent and entered a low tunnel, just high enough to allow them to walk upright. Marks of tools were clear on the rough stone of the walls and ceiling. Wooden bracing arched overhead.

Nisi led them through a maze of branching tunnels. Josiah pressed close to Elkan’s heels, sure if he were separated from their guide he could wander lost for days down here. Down some tunnels they heard voices and the ring of tools striking stone, but much of the extensive labyrinth was deserted and silent.

At length they came to a long room, wider and a little higher than the tunnels. A group of miners gathered at the far end. They carried picks and shovels, but at the moment they weren’t using them, instead carrying on an animated discussion, running their hands along the surface of the rock and pointing out minor variations to each other.

Noadiah broke away from the group and approached them, beaming. “You’ve arrived in good time, Wizard Elkan. We were just discussing the problem we hope you’ll help us with. Meira agrees it should be possible.” He gestured to one of the miners, who Josiah belatedly recognized under her heavy protective gear and leather cap.

“It’s good to see you.” Elkan nodded at her. “You’re back at work?”

Meira wiped her dusty face with the back of a gloved hand, leaving smudges across her cheek and nose. “Today’s my first day. Master Noadiah’s been catching me up on progress since I’ve been gone. It’s wonderful to be back, but I feel like an apprentice again. I’m afraid it will be a while before I’ll be much use to you, master. I’m so out of condition, it’s only been a few hours and already I feel like I can hardly lift my pick.” She hefted it in her hand, easily enough as far as Josiah could tell.

“So you worked things out with care for Ravid?” Elkan asked.

“Mother insisted she was willing to keep him. I know, I know, it’s not going to be our permanent arrangement, but for a week or two I thought it might be all right. Just until the Guild can work something out.” Elkan’s eyebrows were raised in skepticism, but he said nothing. “Master Noadiah said there was no rush, but I so wanted to get back down here.”

“And we’re very glad to have you back. Now, Elkan.” Noadiah turned to him. “As I was just explaining to Meira, last spring there was a small earthquake up here. It triggered that cave-in at the big iron mine I’m sure you’ve heard all about.”

Josiah nodded along with Elkan. Much of their time for the past several days had been spent dealing with the aftereffects of injuries suffered in that cave-in. There was nothing Elkan could do for Master Zelman, whose foot had been crushed beneath the falling stone, except proclaim the amputation well done and cleanly healed. Most of the other wounds they saw were like that, too, either long healed or damaged beyond the ability of the Mother’s power to restore. There was one broken arm that hadn’t been set properly; Elkan and Sar were able to reverse the still recent healing, shift the bones to the correct alignment, and heal it again. One damaged leg had never fully healed, and they cleared up the lingering infection that caused the problem. But for the most part there was little they could offer that time had not already taken care of.

Noadiah continued. “The gold mine took some damage also. Nothing serious, but we spent a good many days shoring up weak spots and clearing out rubble. One section we were working in was blocked off, and we’ve only just gotten it into production again. But some good came of it, too. A number of cracks and crevices opened up. We’ve been evaluating them as we’ve gotten the chance. One across the way shows promise of a new vein. And then there’s this one.”

He gestured to the wall of the cavern in front of him. A long, jagged fissure cut diagonally across the surface. Josiah ducked to peer into it after Elkan, but all was black within.

“We’ve put in flares on rods, but it goes farther back than we can see. But there’s something. A few times when the angle of the light was just so, we’ve caught a glimpse. But it’s deep, and we’re not certain enough to make it worth committing time and labor to cut our way in. This whole area played out many years ago, and plenty in the guild think there’s little chance what’s back there is enough to make a profit on. But I think, and Meira concurs with me, that you might be able to settle the matter for us.” He turned his hand and slid it sideways into the crevice. “It’s not big enough for a lamp or a torch, but perhaps you could send a candle back far enough so we could see.”

Elkan smiled. “We can do better than that.” He put one hand on Sar and opened the other. Golden light bloomed, and Josiah felt a brush of moving air on his cheek. “Will this be enough?”

“Perfect!” Master Noadiah stepped toward the crack.

“Wait. This will be a little tricky, but we should be able to manage.” Man and donkey rearranged themselves so both Elkan’s hands were free. A window opened, revealing an image of Elkan and Sar. Josiah felt disoriented by the weird double vision.

“Can everyone see?” Elkan asked. Noadiah and the other miners crowded around, maneuvering for position. Sar, neck bent at an awkward angle so one eye could stare into the window, flicked an ear. “All right then. Let’s get started.”

The blob of light over Elkan’s hand elongated and flowed into the crack. The window followed its progress, revealing rock walls illuminated by the Mother’s golden light.

It was easier for Josiah to focus once the window no longer showed what he could see around him. The light snaked deeper into the fissure. “It widens a bit farther in,” Elkan said unnecessarily, as everyone could see the glow reflecting off the cracked planes of the walls. “It goes off this way…” The light skimmed one wall of the hollow, revealing a side crack that receded into darkness.

“We can look that way later. Right now, if you could guide it straight back…” Noadiah gestured, though the differing angles of image and reality left Josiah hopelessly confused as to which direction he meant. But Elkan and Sar understood, for the light kept advancing. The window followed the illuminated area farther and farther, past jagged outcroppings and more dark fingers of space cutting into the rock.

“To the right.” Noadiah’s eyes fixed intently on the window. The crevice extended much farther back than Josiah would have guessed.

“There!” Meira exclaimed. “Back a little, and down…”

Elkan followed her directions. A whisper of indrawn breath rippled among the miners. A second strand of golden light, as bright as the one flowing from Elkan’s fingers, gleamed from the fractured plane of rock. The window traced the long ribbon of gold from where it emerged from an outcropping of stone to where it split into a network of fine threads and vanished as the crack narrowed to nothing.

“Thank you, Wizard Elkan. That’s enough.” Noadiah’s voice glowed with satisfaction. Elkan let the light die and the window shrank away. “I trust you’ll all agree the wizard has done us a great service. That has to be the finest vein I’ve seen in all my years as a miner.” A murmur of assent answered him.

Meira nodded, but she turned to study the crevice with a frown creasing her forehead. “Master, I know it’s likely the vein continues. But it’s possible there’s little more than what we saw. It’s very deep. Even if you take half the miners off the current proven zones, it would take three or four months to tunnel back that far. We could spend all that time and effort and only end up breaking even.”

“There’s always that risk.” Noadiah didn’t seem troubled, though. In fact, he was almost bouncing. “We could hold this in reserve until our current veins play out. But I have a better plan. I think it’s the perfect opportunity to test my blasting powder.”

Exclamations from the other miners ranged from breathless excitement to deep skepticism. Some of each played across Meira’s face. “You’re still playing with that stuff? I thought you decided it was useless.”

“I had, but then a few new thoughts occurred to me, and I did some more experiments. I made great progress while you were gone. I’ve successfully split boulders as big as a ton. I’m still working on getting precise control of the amount and application to get exactly the results I want, but I think it’s ready for a test in the field. Especially if Wizard Elkan will agree to help us again.”

Seeing Elkan’s puzzled frown, he grinned and slapped the wizard on the back. “A little sideline of mine, playing with fire. There are rocks that burn, you know, different minerals that fizz or pop or flame when set alight, or touched by water, or mixed with each other. A good many years back I made one mixture that exploded with some force. Right away I saw the potential, if only I could produce a big enough explosion. Think how much time and effort could be saved, if my powder could be used to shatter stone. Just the right amount of force, in just the right places, and mines could be cut in days that now take us years.”

Elkan nodded thoughtfully. Josiah had a hard time believing what Noadiah described—rocks that burned?—but at the same time he was fascinated. If only he could get his hands on some of the powder and try it for himself.

“So you want us to put some of this powder in there, I take it?” Elkan glanced at Sar, then looked into the depths of the cleft.

“Just so. And once we’re all a safe distance away, carry a flame to ignite it.” Noadiah watched Elkan expectantly.

“Hmm.” Elkan turned back to Sar and they communed for a bit. Elkan nodded slowly and turned back to Noadiah. “What you ask is easy enough. I trust your knowledge of your craft to plan how it may be safely done.”

“Of course. We won’t proceed until I’m quite sure it can be done without undue risk.”

“As long as that’s reasonably soon. We can’t linger in Shalinthan too long.”

“I think all can be ready in two or three days. Say, Sixthday? Surely you’ll be staying at least until then.”

“Yes, we’ll be starting the judgments and witnessing tomorrow, and they’ll go at least that long. Though if the town council needs to be called into session on any of the cases, that will take you away from your preparations.”

“I can always delegate the responsibility to someone else.” Noadiah grinned broadly. He ran his hands along the wall and crevice. “The Miners’ Guild will of course compensate the Wizards’ Guild for your work, since it falls outside your normal services. We can work out the amount later. While you’re here, why don’t we spend some time charting out the exact dimensions of the space. If you don’t mind giving us a look again?”

“We’d be glad to.” Elkan stretched and scratched Sar’s ears. “Josiah, there’s no need for you to linger here. There won’t be much to see.”

Noadiah turned to his apprentice. “Nisi, fetch me my measuring and drafting gear, and then you can have the rest of the day off. Show Josiah around the mine, if he wants.”

Nisi dashed off. When he got back, Elkan, Sar, and Noadiah were deeply absorbed in their task, clustered around the glowing window. Most of the other miners had left to conduct their own work. Only Meira remained to assist her master. She took the requested items and shooed Nisi and Josiah away.

Nisi showed Josiah the active section of the mine, where miners labored with picks to extract the gold-bearing ore. Josiah was suitably impressed by the shining flakes in the rock Nisi handed him for inspection. He carefully placed it back on the pile under a journeyman’s watchful eye.

They emerged about an hour before sunset and headed back to Shalinthan. Tobi joined them along the road; Josiah enjoyed Nisi’s awed reaction. As they entered the town, they heard a commotion ahead of them, and saw a crowd of people gathered outside the Mother’s Hall.