Red Magic - Jean Rabe [46]
He slowly rose to tower above the girl and indicated she should stand. Jutta stood awkwardly on her short, fleshy legs and smiled expectantly, pleased to be assigned something important to do. The Red Wizard removed a ring from his right middle finger; it was a platinum band edged with brass and covered with tiny runes. Placing it on the smallest of her thick fingers, he grasped both of her hands and looked into her cherubic face.
"This ring will enable you to fly. All you need do is concentrate. The magic is simple. Take the canvas sack and scatter the bones over the cliff, down the length of the First Escarpment. Make sure each of the bones is miles apart… the remains of the clothing, too. Do you understand?"
Jutta was delighted; this sounded like a most important mission. "I understand, master, but even flying, it could take many hours to traverse the entire escarpment," she said. She dropped her gaze to look at the magic ring. She was awed that the Red Wizard would entrust her with one of his own valuable items.
"I can do this thing," she said, pushing her shoulders back to stand proudly. "No one will see me."
"Very good, Jutta," Maligor praised. "I have chosen my apprentice well. When you return, you will be rewarded. I will teach you new spells."
Jutta rushed excitedly from the study, her right hand out in front of her as she went, her eyes on the ring.
Maligor returned to his chair, eased himself down on the soft cushion, and waited for his next visitor. He did not have to wait long.
A shushing sound filtered in from the doorway, becoming louder as Asp slithered closer. She stopped just beyond the door, where the wizard could see her. The spirit naga made no effort to move silently today, her tail undulating back and forth, keeping the guards a respectful distance away. She sniffed the air, and her lidless, serpentine eyes narrowed to imperceptible slits. Asp pointed her chin up, opened her eyes, and glared at Maligor.
"Roses," she hissed. "I smell the perfume of roses."
When the Red Wizard provided no explanation, she glided to his chair. Rocking back on her snake's lower half so her face was lower than the wizard's, she grimaced.
"Maligor, what do you need of a lowly, fat apprentice? I am here to carry out your plans," she hissed.
"Jealousy does not become you, beautiful Asp," he retorted silkily. "Especially in one who has no need to be jealous. Apprentices were made for insignificant tasks… things that are too far beneath you. Apprentices do not share in my greatest plans, nor will they share in the fruits of the conquests."
Slightly appeased, Asp smiled and allowed her face to take on a radiant sheen. "My apologies, zulkir. I will not be jealous again. Now, on to things of greater significance. I have come to report on the gnolls' training."
Maligor leaned back, kicked off his slippers, and extended his feet so Asp could massage them. "I have waited anxiously all day to hear your report," he fabricated.
"I visited each garrison today, and I took them through a variety of fighting maneuvers. Some have difficulty mastering defensive tactics, but the sergeants have been working with them hour after hour."
"Good," Maligor said. "How long will it take to join the three garrisons?"
She gently massaged his rough heels as she continued. "That depends on where they are to be joined. If they are united outside this tower, about a day. But this location poses some problems. There are several Red Wizards in the city, and the presence of so many soldiers will concern the wizards and frighten the officials and people of Amruthar. I suspect the wizards will do something about it.
"I recommend instead that we join them south of the tower, well outside the city boundaries. Uniting the