Taking Flight

her actions as long as they were in Syndisha.

Azraya was not at all pleased about this, but tolerated it until one of the soldiers approached too closely. Then, suddenly, her belt knife was in her hand and she barked, “Don’t touch me!”

The soldier in question spoke no Ethsharitic, but he got the message. After that, the officials quickly finished up, and sent the party on its way.

They reached Syndisha Castle a little over an hour later, and as promised, Irith was waiting for them.

The castle was immense, incorporating the entire town; it was built in four concentric rings. Kelder could see that much, and Irith confirmed it, while admitting that she might have missed additional inner layers.

The outermost ring was a broad field between two stone walls that served as the public market, where farmers wheeled wagons of produce about, crying their wares, and various groups stood about, discussing various business.

The next ring was the town itself, a single circular street lined with inns and shops, with alleys branching off here and there and a single broad cross-street that led from the market gate across to the inner gate.

Irith said that the next layer in was where the wealthier townsfolk lived, and the king’s keep stood within that, but Kelder never saw those for himself except for glimpses through the gate.

“Why did they build it like this?” Kelder wondered aloud.

“Seems like good sense to me,” Azraya said.

“Seems excessive to me,” Kelder returned. “It must have been expensive.”

Irith shrugged. “This part of the Small Kingdoms has the smallest and nastiest kingdoms of them all,” she said. “I mean, there’s just one stupid little war after another, and it seems like half the princes go out and build castles and declare themselves kings. Maybe the Syndishans got thinking about that and got a little carried away.”

Attempts to locate a wizard turned up three warlocks, four witches, and a theurgist, but no wizards. Since Irith’s magic was purely wizardry, that meant no chance of finding a countercharm in Syndisha.

On Irith’s recommendation, they took lodgings at an inn called the Broken Blade — and took two rooms. “If this Azraya person is going to stay with us,” Irith said, “we have to. I mean, five people in one room is just too many!”

It didn’t seem all that excessive to Kelder, who had seen farmhands at harvest sleeping fifteen or twenty to a room, but he didn’t argue. Asha and Ezdral were in no shape to go any farther, so the entire party was definitely staying the night in Syndisha, and he wanted to keep things peaceful. Besides, dividing up three and two could mean that he would share a room with Irith.

It could, but it didn’t.

Kelder was never quite sure just how the decision was made, but somehow the question never even came up; Irith, Asha, and Azraya took one room, and he and Ezdral got the other.

This did not suit him much — particularly since the dividing wall was thin enough that he could hear Irith and Azraya arguing, and later, when they had quieted and Ezdral was out cold, he found himself fantasizing that Irith might slip into the room in the middle of the night...

Or Azraya, for that matter, though he didn’t really think she would.

Ezdral had gotten hold of oushka at dinner — he had had money, somehow, and had bought a bottle from the innkeeper. Kelder had tried to talk him out of it, but Ezdral was a free man and would do as he pleased, the lad had no authority over him.

Kelder had looked to Irith for support, knowing Ezdral would do whatever she told him, but she said, “Oh, let him drink it.”

It was not a good night at all.

The next day’s journey to Tuyoa wasn’t any better; Asha and Ezdral seemed to be taking turns collapsing. Asha’s falls were minor, and she recovered quickly, but Ezdral seemed to be deteriorating as Kelder watched. He stumbled all the time, now, and his hands shook constantly. He spoke little, and mumbled when he did. It took the entire day to get the five of them the twelve miles from Syndisha to Tuyoa.

This time it was Azraya who got fed up and marched on ahead, and Kelder feared he had seen the last of the short-tempered little Ethsharite, but when they reached Tuyoa she was leaning against the wall of a smithy, watching the village children chase a ball down the street.

Again, they took two rooms at an inn of Irith’s choosing, and again divided the accommodations by sex. Kelder mentioned the sorry state of Asha’s garb to Irith, who suggested they wait until they reached Ethshar.

“You can find some really good bargains there,” she said. “You’d be surprised.”

They had found no wizards in Syndisha, and they found none in Tuyoa. When they inquired, they were directed to two personable young men who turned out to be witches, rather than wizards.

“I mean no offense,” Irith said, turning away, “but it’s not the same.”

The following day was better; they reached Shesta Keep by noon, and Castle Lamum well before dark. The road was veering westward again, toward the boundary between the Small Kingdoms and the Hegemony of Ethshar, and the landscape was changing from gently rolling hills to flat plain.

Lamum was blessed with two wizards (and a sorcerer and a warlock), but one knew no counter for Fendel’s Infatuous Love Spell, and the other was in the middle of a three-day ritual and could not be disturbed.

“Should we wait?” Irith asked.

Kelder looked at Ezdral, asleep on a bench in the town square, and said, “I don’t think we should.”

“It’s two days to Ethshar yet,” Irith said, “and long days, very long. Maybe we should rest here and see before we walk that far. Maybe it’s the walking that’s wearing Ezdral out.”

Kelder considered that.

“I think we should wait,” Asha said. “Walking is wearing me out.”

Kelder looked for Azraya, but she was off window-shopping at a nearby bakery, out of earshot. “All right,” he said, “we’ll wait here, Ezdral and Asha and I — and Irith, you fly ahead, why don’t you, and see what you can find, and then come back here.”

“Fly to Ethshar, you mean?” she asked, startled.

“Well, yes, why not?”

“I don’t know,” she said. “Let me think about it.”

She thought about it, and decided she didn’t like the idea. “It’s a long way,” she said, “and we’ll get there soon enough. What if I fly to some of the other kingdoms around here, instead? There’s Thurion, to the north, and Porona to the east, and Thrullimion to the south.”

Kelder had to admit that that was a perfectly sound idea, and so it was agreed. Irith would stay the night in Lamum, and in the morning would start visiting the neighboring kingdoms, while the others waited.

At least, it was agreed among four of them. Asha wanted to rest; Ezdral did whatever Irith wanted; Irith and Kelder had arrived at this arrangement. Azraya, however, had other ideas.

“What, just sit here and fester?” she demanded.

“Or find work, if you like,” Kelder answered mildly. “We don’t have very much money left.”

“Ha!” Azraya stamped off.

She made no mention of her plans that night, but in the morning she came down to the inn’s breakfast with her shoulder-bag packed, glaring belligerently at the others.

“You’re going on without us?” Kelder asked, as they finished eating.

“You’re damned right I am,” she snarled.

“I wish you wouldn’t,” Kelder said, “but if you’re going, good luck.”

She stared at him for a moment, as if challenging him to say more, then said, “Goodbye, Kelder.”

“Is there somewhere we can find you, when we get to Ethshar?” he called to her, as she turned toward the door.

She hesitated, then paused in the doorway and turned back. “If you really do ever get there,” she said, “and if you really do want to find me, and it’s not too late, come to the northeast corner of Shiphaven Market each morning. I’ve decided to take another try at finding a berth as a sailor, and that’s the best place to look.”

“Thank you,” Kelder said, “I’ll do that.”

She almost smiled, then thought better of it. She turned and marched out.

“Well,” Irith said when the door had closed, “we’re well rid of her!”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Asha replied. “I sort of liked her.”