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

towns and Quasequa. All trade from Lynchbany and

Timswitty and the like goes to the Glittergeist Sea or

Polastrindu."

"Then I'd like to have an old buddy accompany

me."

Clothahump shook his head sadly. "I wonder that

your choice of company does not otherwise mirror

your normal good taste."

"1 Just feel comfortable with Mudge around. He's

clever with words, knows the customs and ins and

outs, is good with weapons, and is reasonably trust-

worthy so long as I keep an eye on him round the

dock and don't let him get his paws on the expense

money."

Clothahump shrugged beneath his shell. "It's your

neck, my boy. You choose your own companions."

Jon-Tom frowned. "The only problem is, I haven't

the slightest idea where he's to be found. Last time I

had to track him all the way up to Timswitty. Since

Quasequa lies in the other direction, I'd lose a lot of

time if I had to hunt through the Bellwoods in..

search of him." He Finished on a hopeful note-

"I agree. And don't give me that innocent-apprentice

look. It doesn't have the slightest effect on me.

However, if you will insist on having him with you..."

"1 wouldn't insist," Jon-Tom said quickly. "It would

Just make me a lot more confident about the whole

business."

"Very well, very well. I will see what I can do. I will

Alan Dean Fowter

64

attempt to locate him and explain that he is wanted

here.

"As for yourself, you'd best begin preparing for

the journey. Fill your backpack with care, make cer-

tain you have ample spare strings for your duar, and

try to get a good night's sleep. 1 will be able to

discuss this matter of your 'friend' with more certainty

tomorrow rooming."

"How long do you think it will take for you to

locate him and give him the message?"

"We will just have to wait and see, my boy. We will

have to wait and see."

Jen-Tom arose the next morning still excited by

the prospect of meeting someone else from home,

someone who might be able to help him get back

where he belonged. It wasn't that Clothahump hadn't

been good to him- In his own distinctive, demanding

fashion, the wizard had gone out of his way to make

the displaced human feel welcome.

Nor had his sojourn in this land. been uneventful.

Quite the contrary. But he was more than ready to

return to the calm, familiar life of an anxiety-ridden

pre-law student in Weslwood, CA.

He washed his hands and face in the wooden basin

that grew from one of the tree's inner walls, wonder-

ing not for the first time what kind of intricate

magical spell could provide indoor plumbing within

the dimensionally expanded trunk of an oak. After

drying himself and dressing carefully, he went through

the contents of his backpack.

It held jerked meat, dried fruit and nuts, a selec-

tion of medicinal herbs and potions, a small metal

box holding the few Band-Aids and pills he'd had on

his person when he'd been sucked into this world, a

change of underclothing, and a small assortment of

toiletry items and personal effects. Packed to bursting,

it was heavier than it had been when he'd set out on

Ttffi StOUKHT W THE MAGICIAN

65

a previous journey to distant Snarken. On that trip

Clolhahump had informed him he would encounter

towns and villages in which to purchase food and

other necessities. The land between here and Quase-

qua, however benign, was apparently a good deal

less urbanized.

That meant living more off the land. Well, he'd

always enjoyed camping out, and if Clothahump's

description of the country south of the river Tailaroam

was accurate, it should be a relaxing experience-

First breakfast, then he'd ask if the wizard had

succeeded in locating Mudge. Probably he'd have to

meet the otter somewhere. A couple of quick hellos,

and off they'd go, traveling at a brisk but unhurried

pace southward, enjoying the clear weather while

reminiscing about—

A terrible scream split this image and pushed

everything else into the background. It pierced the

thick walls of living wood. was followed by a second

and third. Each howl was more horrible than its

predecessor. Jon-Tom's skin prickled.

His first thought was that Markus the Ineluctable

was everything Opiode feared and more, and that

he'd somehow tracked the course of Pandro the

raven and had sent his faceless demons to do away

with any potential allies the flier might have made

contact with. Jon-Tom grabbed his ramwood staff

and rushed for the next rooms.

He flicked the concealed switch in the wooden

shaft, and six inches of sharp steel emerged from the

base of the staff. If only he wasn't too late and

whatever had entered the tree hadn't gotten ahold of

Clothahumpi The screams continued, but their inten-

sity had fallen somewhat. They seemed to be coming

from the vicinity of the kitchen. He turned down a

narrow hall, keeping his head low, and bounced off a

Alafi Dean Porter

66

wall, then skidded to a halt just inside the dining

area.

Clothahump sat in his reinforced chair next to the

table that grew out of the floor. He was spooning

ground fish and water plant from a steaming bowl.

A tall glass of murky, aged pond water stood nearby.

Heat rose from the iron cookstove where Sorbl la-

bored diligently over two bubbling pots and baking

bread. As he watched, the owl dropped from the

perch welded to the front of the stove, slid a couple

of fried mice out of the oven -and slipped them

between slices of fresh bread, and began to munch

on his own breakfast. The bread smelled delicious.

At the moment, though, his thoughts were not on

food. Instead, he stared openmouthed at the con-

struction which had appeared in the middle of the

floor.

It was a cage, and not a very elegant cage at that.

Six feet tall and three or four square, it seemed to

hover in midair a foot or so above the kitchen tiles. It

had six sides instead of four. Instead of bars, thin

threads connected top and bottom. They did not

ripple in the heat of the room. They did not move at

all.

Not even when the berserk, spitting, squalling

creature caged within chose to bang against them

with its body. It bounced off as if the threads were

fashioned of inch-thick steel. It used its shoulders

because its arms were tied to its sides. In fact, the

occupant of the cage wore a mummylike cylinder of

heavy rope that encased him from ankle to neck.

"Good morning, my boy," said Clothahump cheerily,

as though nothing out of the ordinary had occurred.

"Have some breakfast?"

"In a minute." Jon-Tom put his staff aside. He

moved into the kitchen and walked slowly around

the hovering cage, never taking his eyes from it.

TBE MOKBNT OF THE MAOJCJAM

67

With a finger, he tested one of the threads. It

refused to move no matter how hard he pushed or

pulled on it. He had to pull away fast because the

bound creature inside tried to bite off his finger.

Sharp teeth just managed to nick his skin. He sucked

on the thin cut.

"I'm sorry, Mudge," he said, "but I didn't have

anything to do with this."

"Oi now, didn't you, you stretched-out offspring of

an otherworldly bitch? You slippery sliver-tongued

bastard. Of course you didn't 'ave nothin' to do with

it, you and that calcified lump of solid bone wot calls