Диана Дуэйн - So You Want To Be A Wizard

Nita was astonished to find that she was feeling sorry for a creature that had tried to kill her a few minutes before. "Kit," she said, "what about the bright Book? Is it in there?" He glanced down at the dark Book, which was straining in his backpack toward the piled-up hoard. "Uh huh. But how are we going to find it? And are you sure that defense shield is going to hold up at close range, when it comes after us? You know it's not going to just let us take something—"

{Why not trade it something?) Fred asked suddenly.

Nita and Kit both looked at him, struck by the idea. "Like what?" Kit said.

(Like another Book?)

"Oh, no," they said in simultaneous shock.

"Fred," Kit said then, "we can't do that. The—you-know-who—he'll just come right here and get it."

(So where did you get it from, anyway? Doubtless he could Have read from 't any time he wanted. If you can get the bright Book back to the Senior wizards in your world, can't they use it to counteract whatever he does?)

Nita and Kit both thought about it. "He might have a point," Nita said after a second. "Besides, Kit—if we do leave the dark Book here, can you "nagine you-know-who getting it back without some trouble?" She glanced UP at the mound, where the Eldest was whispering threats of death and destruction against whoever might come to steal. "He wouldn't have put the br'ght Book here unless the Eldest was an effective guardian."

Even through the discomfort of holding the dark Book, Kit managed to a small smile. "Gonna try it?"

Nita took a step forward. Instantly the dragon paused in its digging to stare " fir, its scaly lips wrinkled away from black fangs in a snarl, but its eyes frightened. "Eldest," she said in the Speech, "we don't come to steal We r ehere to make a bargain."

The Eldest stared at Nita a moment more, then narrowed its eyes further. "Hss, you're a clever thiefff," it said. "Why ssshould I bargain with you?"

Nita gulped. Wizardryis words, the book had said.Believe, and create the truth; but be careful what you believe. "Because only your hoard, out ofall the other hoards from this world to the next, has what we 're interested in," she said carefully. "Only you ever had the taste to acquire and preserve this thing."

"OA?" said the Eldest. Its voice was still suspicious, but its eyes looked less threatened. Nita began to feel a glimmer of hope. "Whatmight thiss thingbe?" "A book," Nita said, "an old book something like this one." Kit took a step forward and held up the dark Book for the Eldest to see. This close to its bright counterpart, the dark volume was warping the air and light around it so terribly that its outlines writhed like a fistful of snakes. The Eldest peered at the dark Book with interest. 'Wow there is ssome-thing I don't have," it said. "Sssee how it changes. That would be an interest-ing addition… . What did you ssay you wanted to trade it for?"

"Another Book, Eldest. You came by it some time ago, we hear. It's close in value to this one. Maybe a little less,"Nita added, making it sound offhand.

The dragon's eyes brightened like those of a collector about to get the best of a bargain. "Lesss, you say. Hsss… . Sssomeone gave me a book rather like that one, ssome time ago, I forget just who. Let me ssseee… ."Ittumed away from them and began digging again. Nita and Kit stood and watched and tried to be patient while the Eldest pawed through the trash and the treasure, making sounds of possessive affection over everything it touched, mumbling counts and estimating values.

"I wish it would hurry up," Kit whispered. "I can't believe that after we've been chased this far, they're not going to be down here pretty quick. We didn't have too much trouble getting in—"

"You didn't open the wall," Nita muttered back. "Look, I'm still worried about leaving this here."

"Whaddaya want?" Kit snapped. "Do I have to carry it all the way home?" He breathed out, a hiss of annoyance that sounded unnervingly ii* ethe Eldest, and then rubbed his forearm across his eyes. "This thing burn*-I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Nita said, slightly embarrassed. "I just wish there were some way to be sure that you-know-who wouldn't get his hands on it anytime soon."

Kit looked thoughtful and opened his mouth to say something. It was a* that moment that the

Eldest put its face down into the hole it had been digging and came up again with something bright.

The Book of Night with Moon fell with a thump onto a pile of gold and gems and made them look tawdry, outshone them in a way that seemed to have nothing to do with light. Its cover was the same black leather as that of the dark Book—but as one looked at it, the blackness seemed to gain depth; light seemed hidden in it like a secret in a smiling heart. Even the dim green glow of the firefungus looked healthier now that the Book lay out in it. \Vhere page edges showed, they glittered as if brushed with diamond dust rather than gilding. The Eldest bent over the bright Book, squinting as if into a great light but refusing to look away. "Aaaaaahhh," it said, a slow, caress-ing, proprietary sigh. "Thisss is what you wisshed to trade your book ffor?" "Yes, Eldest,"Nita said, starting to worry.

The dragon laid its front paws on either side of the Book. "Ffair, it is ssso ffair. I had forgotten how ssweet it was to look on. No. No, I will not trade. I will not. Mine, mine… ."It nosed the bright Book lovingly.

Nita bit her lip and wondered what in the world to try next. "Eldest,"Kit said from beside her, "we have something more to trade."

"Oh?" The dragon looked away from the Book with difficulty and squinted at Kit. "What might that be?"

(Yeah, what?) Nita said silently.

(Sssh.) "//you will take our book in trade for that one, we'll work suck a wizardry about this place that no thiefwill ever enter. You 'II be safe here for as long as you please. Or forever,"

{What are you talking about!) Nita said, amazed. (We don't have the supplies for a major wizardry like that. The only one you could possibly manage would be one of—)

(—the blank-check spells, I know. Nita, shaddup!)

The Eldest was staring at Kit. 'Wo one would ever come in again to ssteal from me?" it said.

"That's right"

Nita watched the dragon's face as it looked away from Kit, thinking. It was old and tired, and terrified of losing what it had amassed; but now a fright-ened hope was awakening in its eyes. It looked back at Kit after a few seconds. "You will not come back either? No one will trouble me again?" 'Guaranteed," Kit said, meaning it.

'Then I will trade. Give me your book, and work your spell, and go. Leave We with what is mine." And it picked up the Book of Night with Moon in its) aws and dropped it off the hoard- hill, not far from Kit's feet. "Give me, give mt> ' the Eldest said. Warily, Nita dropped the shield spell. Kit took a couple ° Ufieasy steps forward and held out the dark Book, The dragon shot its head Sarlk teeth in the dark Book, and jerked it out of Kit's hands so fast he stared at them for a moment, counting fingers. mine," it hissed as it turned away and started digging at another spot on the hoard, preparing to bury the dark Book. Kit stooped, picked up the Book of Night with Moon. It was as heavy as the dark Book had been about the size of an encyclopedia volume, and strange to hold — the depth of the blackness of its covers made it seem as if the holding hands should sink right through. Kit flipped it open as Nita and Fred came up behind to look over his shoulder. (But the pages are blank,) Fred said, puzzled. (It needs moonlight,) Kit said.