Apparently the boy was simply incapable of feeling fear.
“Indeed, they are too small for us,” the mage replied, “but not for our children. We start their training at an early age.”
He pulled back his hood, revealing long, ravenblack hair with silver streaks running through it, gracefully curved and sharply pointed ears, and a sharp-featured, youthful-looking face that was strikingly handsome.
Aedan drew himself up and gave him a slight bow. “Greetings, Sir Wizard,” he said. “I know not what you intend to do with us, but allow me to thank you for saving us from the goblins.”
The mage gazed at him speculatively for a moment, a faint trace of a smile at the corners of his mouth. He returned the bow. “You are welcome, young lord,” he said. “But in truth, we were less concerned with saving your lives than in taking theirs.”
“As that may be,” said Aedan, “you could still have shot us down along with them, but you chose to spare us. And for that, we are both grateful.”
“Indeed,” said Michael. “I shall see to it that you 112 are well rewarded when we return to Seaharrow.”
Aedan winced inwardly. Would the boy never learn when to keep his mouth shut? There were still elves within the Aelvinnwode who pursued the gheallie Sidhe, and though these elves had spared their lives, at least so far, they could still be held for ransom … which Lord Arwyn would be in no great hurry to deliver.
“What he means, Sir Wizard,” he said, hastily, “is that we will do our utmost to persuade our families to compensate you to the best of their abilities for rescuing us from our captors.” He shot Michael a quick warning glance.
The elven mage watched them with bemused interest. “Knowing what I do of Arwyn of Boeruine,” he said, “he is much more likely to repay us in steel rather than in gold.”
“I would never allow that,” Michael said emphatically.
“You would not allow it?”
Aedan nudged him, but it was already too late.
“I give you my word that you shall always be treated fairly, and with respect, at Seaharrow and throughout the empire,” Michael said, oblivious to the warning.
“Indeed?” the mage said, raising his , sharply arched eyebrows. “I take it, then, that I have the distinct honor of addressing the Prince of Anuire?”
“I am Prince Michael Roele, heir to the Iron Throne of Imperial Anuire, and this is my standardbearer and chamberlain, Lord Aedan Dosiere.”
The mage bowed to them both. “A rare privilege, Your Highness,” he said. “And your lordship,” he added to Aedan.
“And whom have we the honor of addressing?”
Michael asked.
“I am Gylvain Aurealis, wizard to the elven court of Tuarhievel,” the mage replied, inclining his head slightly.
“How did you make those pine needles come down like arrows from the trees?” Michael asked him.
“It was done with magic, Your Highness, as you have doubtless surmised.
However, as to the precise method, I fear I cannot tell you that.”
Michael frowned. “why? Is it an elven secret?”
No, it was an elven spell, Your Highness,” said Gylvain. “But having used it, I have now forgotten it. So even if I wished to, I could not tell you just now how it was done.”
“You mean a spell, once used, is always forgotten and must be learned anew before it can be used again?” asked Aedan.
“Such is the nature of magic,” the mage replied.
He raised his eyebrows in surprise. “They do not teach you such things?”
“Our mages teach only their apprentices,” Aedan replied. “Such knowledge and power is closely guarded.”
“Indeed?” said Gylvain. “Pity. We teach all our children about magic.
They do not all choose to become wizards, of course, for the path is a long and arduous one, but they can all use magic in small ways, to add depth and meaning to their lives.
Magic is a part of nature, as are we, and to understand it is to understand the world around us and become attuned to it.”
“Well, I have learned something new,” said Michael, nodding. “That is useful.”
Gylvain smiled. “Knowledge is always useful, Your Highness. And you will soon have an opportunity to add to your store of it. You shall be my guests at the court of Tuarhievel.”
Aedan was about to protest that they could not go to Tuarhievel and needed to return to Seaharrow as soon as possible, but these elves had saved their lives. They were in their debt, and it would be dishonorable to refuse their hospitality. Aside from which, Aedan was not sure if he could refuse. He was still far from certain as to the elven wizard’s motives.
Gylvain was being very civil, even courtly in his manner, but Aedan knew there was just no telling what an elf would do. The elven king of Tuar
-uevel was officially at peace with the empire, ut humans had nevertheless been their enemies for generations. The gheallie Sidhe was not a distant memory in these parts. For Rhuobhe Manslayer, it was still a way of life, and it was impossible to tell which elves in the Aelvinnwode gave their allegiance to Fhileraene and which followed the Manslayer. In many cases, it was said, they followed both.
Either way, the miracle they’d prayed for had been delivered and they were in Haelyn’s hands now, though unlike Michael, Aedan’s faith in their god was not quite as simple and unquestioning. He did not regularly pray to Haelyn, as devout Anuireans did each night, and he had only been to temple a few times in the last year or so, during official functions on the holy days. He swore by Haelyn in his speech, but that was more from habit than from faith. When it
