watched with some amusementpicking dried berries and crumbs off his tunic and popping them in his mouth.
Safar used a narrow brush to paint sorcerous symbols on the rough white surface of the scroll, building up the spellcast's foundation.
'You can tell you're a student, Gundara criticized. Too complicated. And do you really want to put the water sign in the center? Most wizards I know shove it in a corner out of the way.'
'I'm not other wizards, Safar said. And in this particular spell water goes in the center.'
'O-kay, Gundara said. If that's what you really want. But I think it's pretty stupid. He'd finished the rolls and with no other tasties in sight he didn't see any reason for continued politeness.
'You'd better pray I'm right, Safar said, because you're the one who's going to carry it out.'
'Oh, that's just wonderful, Gundara complained. Here I am, the product of history's greatest wizardly minds, reduced to student pranks.'
'This happens to be a prank, Safar pointed out, that may save your master's life.'
'Oh, in that case, Gundara said, leave the water sign in the center. I'll get a new master quicker.'
Safar, mind buzzing with the spell cast he was forming, started to get irritated. But when he saw the Favorite licking the sugary remains off his ugly little face he had to laugh.
'You win, he said. He dabbed white magical paint over the blue water sign. Will the right hand corner do, O Wise One?'
Gundara shrugged. Put it where you like. Makes no never mind to me. The Master knows best, that's my motto from now on.'
'Fine, I'll put it there, Safar said. Now, what symbol would you suggest for the center?'
Gundara got interested in spite of himself. How about Fire? he said. That's a good symbol.'
'Fire it is, then, Safar said, loading his brush with new paint and making red flame-like flares in the center.'
'Of course, Lord Asper would've used his serpent symbol, Gundara said. But I suppose he's out of favor with the younger wizards these days.'
The name caught Safar by surprise. Asper? he goggled. You know of Asper?'
Gundara sniffed, superior. Certainly I do. You don't spend a couple of thousands years knocking around wizards laboratories and not run into Lord Asper. Of course, his stuff was always more popular with demons. Since he was one. And I don't do demons. That's Gundaree's job. But I've picked up enough about him over the millennia to get by.'
Safar pushed the scroll in front of him. Show me, he said, holding out the brush.
Gundara hopped closer and grabbed the brush. Small as it was, it looked like a large spear in the little Favorite's taloned paws. He washed off the red in a water dish and loaded it with green paint.
Gundara lectured as he drew. The serpent had four heads so it could see in every direction. Each head had four poison fangs to help guard the center. He daubed in the long body. And there was a poison stinger on the tail in case the serpent was attacked from overhead. And then up here, right below where the heads join, you need to give the serpent wings so he can escape into the air if he needs to.'
When he was done, Gundara stepped back to examine his work. Not bad, he said, even if I do say so myself.'
His twin must have uttered an insult, for he suddenly turned toward the turtle idol, which was sitting next to the brazier. Oh, shut up, Gundaree! he snarled. Shut up, shut up! He turned back to Safar. He's so rude, the Favorite said. You can't believe the things he says to me!'
Safar, who was getting used to the one-way exchange between the twins, paid no attention. He examined the scroll and when he was satisfied he made a magical gesture, stirring the air with a forefinger. A miniature tornadoabout the size of Safar's little fingersprang up over the paper, quickly drying the paint. When it was done Safar blew on it and the tornado vanished.
Then he rolled the scroll into a tight tube and gave it to Gundara.
'Keep it, he commanded. When you hear me chant the words to the spell you are to activate it. Do you understand?'
'What's to understand? Gundara said. You humans make such work out of magic. Demon wizards know it all comes from the gut, not the head. They just do it, while you're still thinking about it.'
Despite the retort the Favorite did as he was told, collapsing the paper tube into an object the size of an infant's finger and tucking it into his sleeve for safe keeping. For a change, however, Safar was stung by Gundara's comments.
He'd learned much in Walaria. He had a mental storehouse of spells to confront almost any possibility. And he had the sound intellectual knowledge to create new spells to meet eventualities rote learning didn't cover. Compared to the other students and, yes, even compared to Umurhan, he had much greater power. He could feel it surging forward when he cast a spellso strong he had to hold back so he didn't betray his true abilities. Still, the force was nothing like he'd experienced when he'd bested the demons in the snowy pass years before. He'd tried in private many times but he'd never been able to equal the river-like surge he'd felt during that life-and-death moment. The failure frustrated him. At first he tried to tell himself it didn't matter. That magic really wasn't his true purposewhich was to find the answer to the puzzle of Hadin. But the more he'd studied, the more he'd realized the solution would only come through sorcery.
'When I have time, Safar said, which probably won't be until I'm safely on my way home, you and I need to sit down and have a long talk about Hadin.'
'Best place in the world, Gundara said. Smartest mortals around. They made me, which ought to be proof enough. Although, somebody sure made a big mistake when they made Gundaree. Probably a human assistant. You know how there are. Of course, anything I have to say will be pretty old news. The gods were still in swaddling clothes last time we were there.'
'Anything will help, Safar said. Also I want to hear about Asper.'
Gundara yawned. That'll be a pretty short conversation, he said. All I know is what I've heard from other wizards.'
'I understand he wrote a book about his theories, Safar said. Have you ever seen it?'
'No. And I don't know anyone who has.'
'I think there's a copy in Umurhan's library, Safar said. Among his forbidden books.'
'Then why didn't you steal it today? Gundara asked. You could have gone upstairs. I told you it was safe. And once you were inside I could have sniffed it out for you easy. You wouldn't have even had to give me another sweet roll.'
'There's wasn't time, Safar said. Now I'm afraid there never will be. I don't dare go back to the University. And after Founder's Day I'll be running as fast as I can. With a lot of angry Walarians chasing me.'
Nerisa's voice came from behind them'I can get it for you.'
Safar and Gundara turned to see her perched on the window sill.
'I was starting to worry about you, Safar said.
Gundara snickered. Stick with worrying about yourself, Master, he said. She does just fine. I sensed her climbing the watchtower fifteen minutes ago. But you didn't notice a thing until she was inside and announced herself.'
Nerisa giggled. She jumped off the sill, dug a sweet out of her pocket and walked over to give it to the Favorite.
'I knew it was my lucky century, Gundara said, soon as you stole me from that stall. He popped the sweet into his mouth, closing his eyes and chewing with great gusto.
'Why don't you go rest for awhile? Safar told him. He gestured and the Favorite disappeared in a cloud of smoke. The turtle idol rocked on its legs as the smoke funneled into the stone. Then all was silent.
'His lip smacking gets to you after awhile, he told Nerisa.
'Never mind that, Safar, Nerisa said. I really meant it. About the book. I can get in and out of Umurhan's place in no time. Especially with Gundara to help me.'
'It's too dangerous, Safar said.
Nerisa put a hand on her hip. Nobody's ever gotten close to me yet, she said. What could be so hard about an old library? Let me have Gundara and I'll be back before First Prayer.'
Safar shook his head. You don't know what you're saying, Nerisa, he said. Things are a lot worse since last
