Foster, Dean - Spellsinger 04 - The Moment Of The Magician

; .^- lice. "Now clean out the rest of it, but leave those

•^ pink blooms over there, the ones under the window.

Alan Dean Foster

00

They're rather attractive, and that part of the floor's

always damp anyway."

"Yes, Master." They left him hacking away with the

shears at Clothahump's bedchamber.

The raven awaited them on the guest perch which

had been installed by Clothahump for the comfort of

winged visitors. He might have come a long ways,

but he didn't look particularly fatigued to Jon'Tbm.

Of more interest was the bruise on his forehead, the

feathers missing from one wing, and the ugly scar

which ran down the back of his neck. The wounds

looked recent, and Jon-Tom wondered if they had

anything to do with the raven's reason for coming to

the Bellwoods.

If Clothahump noticed any of this, he gave no

sign, preferring instead to stare grimly at the

widemouthed glass from which the raven was sip-

ping decorously.

"What's that?"

"What's what?" said the raven uncertainly, looking

up as they entered. "Oh, this?" He gestured with the

glass. "A drink, and nice and strong, too- I sure as

hell needed it. Thanks to your—"

"1 know who to thank," rumbled Clothahump

dangerously, "He did not by any chance have one

himself? Just to prove that he could be a proper

host?"

Before the raven could reply, the wizard had whirled

and was clomping angrily back toward his bedroom.

"SORBL!"

Jon-Tom and Pandro eyed each other uncomfort-

ably for a couple of minutes until Clothahump

returned.

"I'll be lucky if he has my bedroom cleaned out by

nightfall, and he'll be lucky if he doesn't cut off one

of his own feet in the process- I'll deal with him

THE MOMENT OF THE MAOICIAJI 51

Her." He calmed himself as he gazed over at his

;uest.

"Please pardon the interruption. Now then. Your

| name is Pandro and you come from far Quasequa?"

\. The raven put his glass aside on the shelf that was

^attached to the perch- "That's right, sir."

I "That is quite a journey."

I "Tell me about it." Pandro fluttered to the floor

•and hopped over to stand close to them. "Keep in

: mind that I'm just a hired messenger. I'm not

[ completely sure what this is all about. I could tell you

what I know, but 1 imagine these documents I was

instructed to deliver to you will explain what's going

; on in my country much better than I could." He

| removed the papers from the cylinder hanging from

| his neck chain.

[ "These come from Opiode, former chief advisor

' in matters arcane and mystic to the Quorum of

| Quasequa."

" 'Former'?" Clothahump peered at the messages

through his thick glasses. "Um." He turned to read

silently-

Jon-Tbm tried to make conversation. "What hap-

Ipened to your neck?"

| Instinctively, a wing felt of the recently acquired

ground. "I was attacked while on my way here. Some-

tone or something wanted to make sure I didn't n^ake

|cay delivery."

| "Who attacked you?"

| "Demons." Pandro said with admirable casualness.

I^Taceless demons. Gray and black they were, with

pong curved teeth and no eyes."

•is. It wasn't the explanation Jon-Tom expected, and

^he was more than a little taken aback. "You don't

' IW

• • "They were demons," Pandro insisted, mistaking

Jim-Tom's surprise for disbelief. "I know a demon

Alan Dean Poster

when I see one, let alone when it tries to take my

head off."

"I wasn't disputing you," Jon-Tom replied.

The raven studied him with interest. "You're the

biggest human I've ever seen."

"I'm also a spellsinger," Jon-Tom told him proudly.

Clothahump .spoke without looking up from his

reading. "That he is. If you want to see a demonstra-

tion of his powers, have a look in the next room

over."

"It doesn't matter. It's not very impressive," Jon-

Tom said hastily. "This wizard Opiode: you work for

him?"

"I was only hired to make this single delivery. I'm

not in his regular service, if that's what you mean."

Clothahump concluded his perusal of the papers

with a noncommittal grunt. "This doesn't sound too

serious, even though Opiode's language borders on

the hysterical- Certainly not important enough to

warrant my personal attention. Still, if he feels he

needs help, I suppose it is incumbent on me to

provide some." He turned back to face the raven.

"This new advisor, this Markus the Ineluctable

Opiode refers to: have you met him?"

Pandro shook his head. "I just run a small messen-

ger service. I don't get into the halls of the Quorumate

Complex much. No, I haven't met him. From what

I've heard, not many have. Keeps to himself a lot.

But there are plenty of stories about him. And about

his peculiar powers."

"And he's a human?"

Pandro nodded. "That's what they say."

Clothahump examined the papers again. "A hu-

man who claims to have come here from another

world?"

Jon-Tom felt suddenly faint -,. but not so faint that

he couldn't interrupt with anxious questions.

THE MOMENT OF THE MAGICIAN

S3

"Another world! Tell me, does he sing his magic,

spellsing like 1 do, or use a musical instrument when

he's exercising his powers?"

Pandro flinched, taken aback by the gangling young

human's unexpected enthusiasm. "Not that I've heard,

sir, no. It's said that he whispers his spells so that

none can hear him. I haven't heard anyone mention

music."

"It is not used," said Clothahump, "or Opiode

would have mentioned it in his communication. The

rest he does confirm, however." He was watching

Jon-Tom carefully. "A human magician who claims to

have come here from another world."

"It's possible," said Jon-Tom excitedly. "Don't you

think it's possible? It happened once, to me. Why

not to another?"

"All things are possible- However, just because you

have a good heart and good intentions does not

mean that this new visitor is as good and kind as

yourself, or that he even comes from your world.

The plenum is full of other worlds."

"That's right," said Jen-Torn, momentarily downcast.

"I got so excited I forgot about that."

"In fact," the wizard went on, still eyeing the

'papers, "from what Opiode says, this Markus ap-

; pears to be sadly lacking in the social verities. Opiode

• is not only afraid of what the newcomer has done;

he is even more afraid of what he may intend to do

anext. As for the visitor's magic, it is powerful indeed."

L'He folded the papers.

I "This is none of my business. I'm not one to

[insinuate myself into another wizard's difficulties.

Opiode admits that this Markus defeated him in a

battle of talents. These 'fears' he alludes to may

merely be a reflection of his own disappointments.

And he speaks only of worries and concerns, not of

any actual threat. I see no reason for such panic.

Alan Dean Foster

This Markus hasn't instituted any sort of reign of

terror or inquisition or anything so boring since

assuming Optode's office, has he?"

**No sir," Pandro admitted. "As far as the average

citizen is concerned, nothing's changed. At least, not

insofar as I've seen. Of course," he added thoughtfully,

"I was attacked on my way here, and the forest where

I encountered my assailants is not noted for having a

large demonic population."