The Unsuspecting Mage - Brian S. Pratt [158]
“We can’t accept this,” Silas says and makes to hand it back.
“No, you keep it,” James says, refusing to take it. “Money I have plenty of, what good is it if you can’t use it to help out your fellow man.”
“How can I ever repay your generosity?” Silas asks.
“Before the year is out, help two people who are less fortunate than yourselves,” James explains. “Also, ask them each to help two people within a year. Start a chain of giving, who knows where it might lead.” When all is ready he mounts up as does Miko.
“We will,” says Bellon, the rest of the adults nod their heads in agreement.
James reaches down and shakes hands with Bellon and Silas, “Good bye now, and good luck.”
“May the gods speed you on your way,” Silas says.
“And be careful,” his wife adds.
With a final wave, James and Miko turn to head back toward the summit and over into Madoc. Behind them, James can hear one of the little girls begin to sing, “Little bunny Foo Foo…” With a tear beginning to well in his eye, he hurries along toward the way stop.
They don’t get far before they are once again challenged by a soldier, a different one than the day before. “Travelers are not allowed beyond the way stop,” the soldier tells them.
“We can take care of ourselves,” James assures him.
“Be that as it may, my orders are clear. No one and I mean no one is to be allowed to endanger themselves by traveling into the Madoc area.” He stands there and bars their way, staring at them.
“What if we just ride around you and go anyway?” he asks.
“Then the soldiers further east will stop you,” the soldier explains. “If you persist after that, they will arrest you and place you in jail for your own safety until you realize that it’s not safe for you to go there.”
“Damn!” James mutters under his breath. Turning his horse around, he heads back toward the west. As they return, they find that Silas and Bellon have already returned to the refugee area with their families.
James glances at Miko who is looking at him with a questioning look on his face. “Don’t ask me!” he says to him.
“I wasn’t,” Miko replies innocently. “I am simply waiting patiently to find out what we are going to do now.” Smiling, he continues to look at James.
“I don’t know,” he says. “I certainly don’t want to waste the time backtracking all the way to Trademeet and then going north through the Dragon’s Pass. That will add days to our travel time.”
“Why don’t you use that compass thing of yours,” suggests Miko.
“It might just be time to do that,” James agrees. “Good idea.”
Miko beams at the praise as they return to the spot where they spent the night before. There they dismount and James removes the compass from his backpack.
He sits as far from the road as he can with his back to the rock wall. Motioning Miko over he says, “This may take a while, so make sure I am not disturbed. And remember, we don’t want anyone to find out I can do magic, alright?”
“Alright,” agrees Miko as he takes position a little closer to the road.
James settles down and holds the compass in his hands on his lap as he begins to tap the magic. He concentrates on finding a way through the mountains that he and Miko will be able to travel, which will avoid the soldiers patrolling the road. He concentrates harder and harder and then feels the magic surging forth when he releases it to begin hunting for a way. To James, it feels as if the magic is expanding from him in a spherical radius, causing ever increasing amounts to be drawn from him, searching every nook and cranny of the mountain for the elusive path.
The spell continues to draw large amounts of power from him and after just a short time, he begins feeling the effects. His head starts to throb and his breathing becomes more labored. Yet still the spell isn’t finished, has not yet found a path through the mountains.
Suddenly, the flow of power eases as the powers begin to merge and flow in a more singular direction like a pack of dogs that’s caught