The following morning, Stuart was perched on a secondfloor balcony that overlooked the rear gardens and the hillside beyond. On the narrow dirt lane that wound over the distant hills, he could make out a traveler approaching on horseback. The trail of dust left behind as the horse progressed down the road reminded Stuart of how dry the season had been.
Akil, being the plant lover that he was, had enchanted the gardens to draw moisture from the surrounding area, which kept it lush and green despite the dry weather. He and Margaret had come up with the plan to intercept Mr. Ammoncourt as he made his way from the stable to the house and question him. If they didn’t like his answer, he would be dismissed immediately, and they would relocate to their next destination. Margaret had asked Tabitha Ogilvy to come stay with James during the questioning in the event they didn’t like what he had to say.
Stuart hadn’t admitted it to Margaret, but something about this Mr. Ammoncourt struck a chord of fear inside him. It wasn’t fear of what he’d do to James or Margaret; it was something more subtle. It was as if the little old man held a vast amount of power and knowledge that he only revealed in bits at a time. With Akil, everyone knew he was a powerful sorcerer, and he made no efforts to hide it. Ammoncourt was different. The quiet man had a way about him that made Stuart nervous. He followed the horse with his eyes until it dipped out of sight where the lane descended and crossed the creek. Stuart turned and made his way downstairs. He had approximately ten minutes to make the walk to the stable.
As he descended the wide marble stairs, Stuart nodded at Margaret, who was standing in the foyer quietly speaking with Tabitha. James was finishing his breakfast at the table. The couple strode out of the house and up the drive toward the barn. As they approached the stable, Stuart and Margaret began to grow concerned. Ten minutes had come and gone and still they saw no sign of the old man. They turned the corner and could finally see inside the stable. Mr. Ammoncourt’s grey mare stood tethered in the first stall greedily eating straw out of the manger in front of it. As for Mr. Ammoncourt, there was no sign of him.
Without a second thought, both Stuart and Margaret transported directly into the main hall.
Stuart slowed his breathing and fought desperately to keep his calm as he approached Mr. Ammoncourt, who was speaking quietly with James at the far end of the room beside a pile of books. It appeared as though neither of them had even noticed Stuart and Margaret’s hasty arrival. He put his hand on the old man’s shoulder and spoke quite loudly.
“Mr. Ammoncourt, a word please.”
The old man slowly turned with a confused smile on his face. “Ah, Mr. Stuart. Glad to finally see you,” he said, examining Stuart’s disheveled appearance.
“May we speak with you in private for a moment?” Margaret asked, now beside her husband.
“Of course,” he said. “James, practice what I’ve told you. Perhaps Mrs. Ogilvy can be your partner.”
James looked pleadingly at Tabitha, who did her best to conceal her nervousness behind a smile. She nodded and walked across the room to him. Stuart, Margaret, and Mr. Ammoncourt made their way into the kitchen.
“What can I do for you?” Mr. Ammoncourt asked.
“We’d like to know how it is that you are able to transport so close to our son.”
“What do you mean?
“Akil cast an incantation that prevents anyone from transporting within a quarter mile of James, with the exception of myself and my wife. Until yesterday, we believed it was still working.”
“Did he?” he chuckled. “Silly old fool should have known better. He was never very good with those types of incantations.”
Stuart and Margaret exchanged looks of disbelief. Could this little old man be saying that the great Akil Karanis wasn’t the greatest sorcerer alive? Mr. Ammoncourt saw their faces and quickly began to backpedal.
“Don’t get me wrong, the man is a great sorcerer. One of the greatest. Only an experienced sorcerer who was familiar with his spells would be able to work around this incantation. Your son remains quite safe. I am an old man, so when I’m able, I take certain liberties. Do you understand?”
“Not at all,” Stuart replied.
“This old body can’t travel as well as it used to. I need every shortcut I can take to get from here to there. I came on foot for our first several meetings. First because it is rude to do otherwise and second as you both know you can’t transport anywhere you’ve never been physically-law number one. I did notice a barrier of sorts when I tried to transport the other day, but I simply used an alternate transporting incantation. An incantation I’ve come up with on my own, actually. It seems to work without issue. Now, if it would make the pair of you feel better if I didn’t transport so close to your son, I’ll shall oblige your request.”
“Akil never mentioned that his antitransporting incantation could so easily be avoided. In fact, he’s never mentioned alternate transporting incantations at all.”
“Don’t be alarmed, my good man. This is highly, highly advanced magic best left for those of us who’ve been around a bit longer. Neither Alvaro, nor anyone in his employ have the ability to do what I’ve just done, and I assure you, your son “remains quite safe,” he said, looking from Margaret to Stuart, willing them to believe him with his eyes. “Now, if it makes you feel better, I will strengthen Akil’s incantation and make it completely impossible for anyone to transport near your son, save the pair of you, but I must ask a favor of you if I do this.”
“Name it,” Stuart said.
“Please send someone to fetch my horse at the end of our lesson, my knees are bloody killing me.”
“Consider it done,” Margaret said. “And in the future, you are welcome to ride your horse to the front door, and I will see that he gets stabled for you.”
“Thank you. That is most kind,” he said turning to Stuart. “Marry the woman, before I beat you to it,” he said with a smile and then turned and hobbled through the door back into the great room, his cane clacking on the floor as he went.
Stuart and Margaret looked at each other, both trying to read the other’s expression. After a moment, Stuart began to chuckle and soon, Margaret couldn’t help but join in. Stuart stopped abruptly, reached out, and pulled his wife close. Their eyes met, and he paused, drinking in the deep hazel color. Slowly, he touched his lips to hers. Without a word, he turned and made his way through the kitchen door to watch the old man work. Margaret stood in place for a moment, transfixed by all that she had learned in the last few minutes. Her mind also wondered back to what Mr. Ammoncourt had mentioned the day before. She would ask Tabitha about a sorcerer’s marriage.
— 14 -
That isn’t possible. I know Akil Karanis. I’ve seen him within the year. How long ago was this?” James asked. Luno turned quickly. “Seventy years almost to the day. You must be mistaken. Perhaps someone shared his name… or took it after they knew he’d been exiled.”
“None of this makes any sense,” James said, standing. He began to pace about the room. “If the council exiled Akil over seventy years ago they wouldn’t exactly embrace his return, yet he was high in rank until just recently.
“He wasn’t banished by the council. Have you not heard the legend of Karanis and the Siren?”
“I have not. My parents were unfaithful until they were converted.”
Luno stopped and stared at James for a moment. He shook his head and regained his train of thought.
“One thing at a time,” he said more to himself than to James. “Where was I?”
“Karanis and the Siren,” Kilani said impatiently.
“Yes, Karanis and the Siren. Akil went seeking information that would help him determine the identity of the anointed one determined by the greatest of all seers. In his travels he encountered a Siren. She was the craftiest of all Sirens, the mother of all Sirens, so it is said. He was the first and only lone sorcerer to ever challenge a Siren. It was the battle to end all battles. Magic never before seen or henceforth used rained from the sky like shooting stars destroying the landscape for miles. The battle raged for days until neither had the strength to stand let alone cast a spell. Desperate, exhausted, and delirious the pair cast a combination of spells that when thrust together opened a rift in our world. What happened next depends on who is telling the story. Some believe Akil killed the Siren. He would be the first and only sorcerer to do so, and as he cast his lethal spell, he slipped into the rift and ended up
