effect, for he managed to pass a squad of marching guards without incident. He stepped directly out through the palace gates and stood momentarily on the street, looking about for Tulan’s friend. He did spy quite a short man standing some distance away, wearing a tight green cap and leaning idly against a wall. He looked vaguely familiar. Still, seemed to be the only one fitting Tulan’s description, so Samuel decided he must be the one. Stopping just short of the man, Samuel cleared his throat. The fellow glanced up and, remembering Tulan’s advice not to speak with him, and not knowing what else to do, Samuel gave his friendliest smile.
The man showed no hint of recognition, but began away at once. Samuel hesitated a moment, at first wondering if there were some mistake, but then he realised that Tulan’s friend was only trying to maintain some secrecy. He started after the man, keeping some pepper in his stride just to keep up. They weaved through half the city like that, with Samuel often needing to bob his head above the crowds just to keep track of the man’s green cap. It was no help that the man was really quite short and often vanished for long periods amongst the throngs of people.
Finally, long after Samuel had begun again wondering if this was even the right man or not, the fellow stepped aside into the entrance of a dilapidated-looking building. Samuel paused a moment in the doorway, then started up the short stairs after him. The green-capped man was waiting at the top of the first flight of creaking old stairs and, as Samuel neared him, he reached over and opened the door beside him. Without so much as a word, he squeezed past Samuel, went back down the stairs and disappeared back into the street.
Samuel guessed he was supposed to wait inside, so he poked his head through the doorway. Inside was a featureless, single room. To the rear, Samuel could see a small squatting chamber with a low open window, built above the outside gutter. There was also a table, having only three and a half of its four legs and two aged chairs. Otherwise, the room was empty. With some trepidation, Samuel stepped inside and pushed the door back shut behind him. There were a couple of iron brackets on each side of the doorframe, and a length of wood leaning beside it, which Samuel put into place, barring the door from opening.
He poked around the room for a while, but, aside from the table, chairs and toilet, there was little else to investigate. He only hoped the others would come and find him sometime soon. It was not too different from his cell-small and confining-but at least here he could still feel his magic. From out of the window he could see the palace towers jutting into the sky, just visible through the haze and smoke of the city. In one of them, his escape had probably already been discovered.
Samuel stayed alone in the small room all day. He occasionally peered carefully out from the window. One time, he saw several black-cloaked magicians pushing determinedly through the crowds. Whether they sought him or not, he could not tell, but it was better not to take any chances-he kept his head well inside from that point on. Eventually, however, being overcome by hunger, Samuel had to creep outside to fetch himself something to eat and drink. He kept his eye out for magicians all the while and only felt safe once he had scurried back up the stairs and had his door barred firmly shut once again.
After a long day of uneventful waiting and a long night of trying to sleep on the rough floorboards, Samuel was roused by a soft tapping at the door. He rolled to his feet as softly as he could and tiptoed to the door. Again, the tapping sounded and a soft voice called, ‘Hello? Anyone in there?’
‘Eric?’ Samuel asked back through the door. His own voice sounded thin and strained from the lack of sleep.
‘Yes, it’s me,’ came the reply and Samuel quickly lifted the bar from the door and opened it. He was greeted by the grinning face of Eric Goodfellow dressed in commoner’s garb.
‘Eric! What are you doing here?’ Samuel asked.
‘I’ve come to join you,’ Goodfellow replied, stepping in past Samuel and shutting the door quickly behind. ‘Lord Goodwin sent word that you had escaped. You wouldn’t believe how much trouble you’ve caused! You’d think you had stolen the Emperor’s crown itself from all the kerfuffle outside. The Archmage has set the whole Order into a frenzy to find you. They came asking questions yesterday, trying to find you or your accomplice. Lord Goodwin said the palace itself had been turned upside down. It was obvious they would not stop harassing everyone until they found whoever helped you escape, so I decided to become him. Once I am reported missing, they will have their accessory and lessen their focus on everyone else-or so I hope.’
‘But how did you find me?’ Samuel asked.
‘Oh,’ Goodfellow responded. ‘This friend of Lord Goodwin’s led me here. A strange chap. Very quiet.’
‘Ah,’ Samuel said. He was still unused to hearing Tulan referred to as
‘Yes,’ Goodfellow admitted, nodding, ‘but I believe it will make our overall task easier. The others will be able to act more freely.’
Samuel conceded and they sat at the wobbly table.
‘We may have to do something about this room when we get the chance,’ Goodfellow noted. ‘This is appalling.’
‘Or get some blankets, at least. I froze half to death last night.’
‘How did you come by this place?’ Goodfellow asked.
‘Tulan’s man led me here. I have no idea what he is doing with such a place,’ Samuel admitted, ‘but I’m assuming we are free to use it. I’ll remember to ask him next time, but I’m not sure we’ll even get an answer.’
‘So, what happened when you saw the Archmage?’ Goodfellow asked, brushing his sandy hair from his eyes. ‘I take it all did not go well, judging from the fact he threw you in the Mage Cell.’
‘He accused me of being a traitor,’ Samuel began. ‘He said everything was happening for the good of the Empire and that Grand Master Anthem was a traitor, too, for resisting their efforts to go to war. They’re planning a full invasion of Garteny and the Order is pivotal in providing victory over King Otgart’s forces-at least, it was before Ash returned with the Argum Stone.’
‘And I assume you didn’t tell him you appreciated his idea?’
Samuel laughed. ‘That’s right. Before I knew it, he used the Staff of Elders to knock me senseless. When I woke up, I was in the Mage Cell.’
‘Is it true what they say about the Mage Cell-that you can’t use magic at all?’ Goodfellow asked.
‘It’s worse,’ Samuel confirmed, a shudder tickling his spine. ‘Not only can you not
‘Do you think we’re safe here?’ Goodfellow asked, glancing towards the window.
‘Well, they won’t be able to find me,’ Samuel said. ‘Nobody can-but now you’re here we may have to think of something. In a way, this room is well chosen, as the sheer number of people outside will help conceal any magician’s presence. You even surprised me just now. Given time, however, they may be able to find us. We may have to ask Master Glim or Lomar if they know any good concealment spells.’
Goodfellow nodded and leaned back in his rickety chair. He looked to all the corners of the room, and at the sorry-looking excuse for a privy that opened up over the rear alleyway. ‘So…what do we do?’ he finally asked.
‘We need to wait until we can speak with Tulan. Perhaps he will have some idea of what to do. The Archmage said the war is inevitable now and that they will use the Argum Stone to ensure victory.’
‘Is it truly that powerful?’
‘So the Archmage seems to believe,’ Samuel replied, ‘but I have no idea what it can actually do. All I know is that it could negate my spells entirely. Perhaps they can find some way to harness that power, or perhaps they have some other use for it entirely.’
Goodfellow sneaked out later that day and returned holding a basket with enough food and water to last them a few days, plus a small satchel containing some common clothes for Samuel, which he promptly changed into. It was another day later, after almost insufferable boredom, when another knock sounded on the door and Samuel felt a familiar presence on the other side.
‘It’s Tulan,’ called a voice from outside, just as Goodfellow was beginning to panic. ‘Open the door.’
They promptly let him in, surprised to see that even he was dressed in common clothes.
‘We cannot afford to let anyone notice magicians coming and going from here,’ Tulan mentioned on noting their glances. ‘It’s quite some trouble to find some place to secretly change clothes so I won’t be able to come here very often in the future, if at all. You’ve made things much more difficult for me, Samuel. And I see that you have
