Dragonquest - Donita K. Paul [109]
Chief Councilman Meiger stepped back, but only one step. He squared his shoulders and visibly mastered his trepidation. Kale suppressed the urge to mindspeak to her former master. She wanted to say, “Good show!” but knew a voice in his head would completely discombobulate him.
Fenworth towered over the marione men, and Kale thought he’d deliberately added a few inches to his stature. His hat, the point of which never stood straight up, brushed the rafters.
“You dare oppose me. Do you know who I am? I am Fenworth, bog wizard. Do you think to cast me and my party out of your lowly establishment?”
Councilman Meiger’s face hardened. “Yes, we’ll not be bullied, whether you be bog wizard or king.”
Fenworth growled, and this time Kale knew for sure he was casting a spell, for his hat pressed against the blackened beams of the ceiling. The marione men tilted their heads back to look up at the enraged wizard. But none of them faltered. If anything, they looked more stubborn and ill-tempered than before.
Fenworth growled again, and a fog seeped from under the hem of his robe. It rolled across the floor, covering the worn wooden planks. “And who among you do you think can force a great and ancient wizard along with six mighty warriors to leave? Ha! Your words are empty.”
Meiger stiffened. “You can strike me down, but there be three behind me, and unseen to you are fields of workers, strong of arm and purpose. You’ll not overrun this land without a fight.”
A hiss reverberated through the room, Fen shrunk to his normal size, and the fog scudded out the open kitchen door.
Fenworth smiled at the angry mariones and nodded sagely. “Just what I wanted to hear, my good men. You’ll do.”
He put his arm around the cautious chief councilman’s shoulders and called to Dar. “Sir Dar, take these fine gentlemen into our circle of confidants. We shall need men such as these in the trying days ahead.”
Tilting his head down to Meiger, the wizard spoke out of the side of his mouth in a whisper loud enough to be heard on the streets. “Dar is an ambassador from Wittoom. A high lee general, in fact. But traveling incognito.”
Dar came forward and bowed to the men. “It is my pleasure to enlist your assistance. Your knowledge of the territory and its resources shall be invaluable.” He paused to look each one in the eye. “Shall we discuss defense strategies against the impending invasion, gentlemen?”
“Well, now!” Chief Councilman Meiger looked uncertainly at his cohorts.
“It won’t hurt to hear what he has to say,” said one.
“We could discuss it,” said another.
All four men nodded.
Chief Councilman Meiger ushered Dar and the councilmen out of the room.
Fenworth clapped his hands together. Leaves rustled as he walked back to the table.
“Now that’s done. First thing on the list for the day crossed off.” He nodded to Librettowit. “Make note of that, Wit. Number one—recruit an army. Done.”
“Why do we need an army?” asked Toopka.
Fenworth patted her on the head. She grimaced and ducked. The wizard did not seem to notice but moved on around the table. “Once we dissuade the dragons from aiding Risto,” he said, “Risto is going to be a bit put out.”
Fenworth sat down and surveyed the platters of food left over from the others’ breakfast. “Seems a bit of a sloppy way to serve a meal. But no matter. I’m starved. Feel like I haven’t eaten in days. Thought I heard a drummerbug. Turns out it was my stomach. Pass the muffins. Pass the juice. Thirsty, too. I could drink a lake. No offense intended, Cam. Cousin Cam’s a lake wizard, you know. Pass the eggs. Is that sausage?”
He bit into a muffin. “What’s next on our to-do list? Ah! I remember. Confront the wagonload of scalawags, and unmask the villain meech. Gives me a hearty appetite just thinking about it.”
Lyll passed him the butter, and as he took it, he looked at her closely.
“Don’t I know you, dear girl? No, don’t tell me. I’m excellent at remembering faces. Names are a bit of a bother. But I’ll get it.