We had found a point of agreement and you have to go and spoil it by your allusions.”
Tarsus smiled. “It was illusions I mentioned but we shall forget that. Let me see your hands.”
“They are quite functional.”
“Nonetheless I would like to inspect my work.”
Kormak extended his hands carefully. He knew of a great deal of inimical magic that could be worked by touch and he was not wearing his amulets or carrying his blade and he was still not sure how trustworthy any of these people were. The wizard took his hands and turned them over. He squinted as he inspected them. His touch felt cold.
“Very good,” he said at last. “No permanent damage. You will be able to wield a sword with what I assume will be your customary proficiency.”
“Do you expect me to have to anytime soon?”
“An odd question, Guardian.”
“I have been asked a few odd questions since I arrived.” The wizard tilted his head to one side. The amulets on his neck jingled together. “By whom?”
“By yourself. Among others.”
“This is an isolated place, people are naturally curious.”
“I am surprised to find a wizard so far from the haunts of men.”
“Why? Did you think your order had killed all of them in the area?”
Kormak wondered if Tarsus and the Lady Kathea had talked. “It is strange that a scholar should choose to live so far from the great cities and libraries.”
“You are one of those that think wizards only avoid the haunts of men if they have something to hide.”
“The thought had crossed my mind.”
“And a very suspicious mind it is, I can see. I suppose that is only natural for a man in your profession.”
“Why do you dwell here?”
“I shall have to show you my patron’s library and his collection once you are well, then perhaps you will understand.”
“Your patron?”
“Lord Tomas is a collector of ancient artefacts and a considerable scholar in his own right.”
“Will I be meeting him any time soon?”
“You seem fit enough to be allowed out of bed so I am guessing yes. You will most likely be invited to dine with us.”
Kormak stared hard at the wizard. The old man met his gaze with rheumy eyes. He coughed and once more his lips were speckled with blood. He noticed Kormak looking.
“I have more trouble healing myself than others,” he said. He got up and limped to the door. He stared at Kormak. “I am not the one you are looking for,” he said. “No matter what you think.”
The door closed behind him. Kormak heard it being locked.
Servants brought Kormak clean, warm clothing. It seemed to have been made for a man his height but somewhat larger about the waist. A servant showed him through the manor to the dining hall. Two men at arms accompanied them. Both looked competent and both were armed and armoured and they watched him closely. He suspected there were others within easy call.
The place was larger than he had thought. Corridors ran in many directions and the architectural style belonged to the First Empire, all clean simple lines, not the more ornate gargoyle and Elder Sign encrusted work favoured by those who ruled the West in this age of the world. The place was vast and echoing and seemed half-empty. He saw servants and men-at-arms moving about, enough so that they would have seemed a decent sized retinue for a mid-ranking nobleman in the west. Here they seemed to be lost in the vast draughty space.
All the retainers had a griffon on their tunics and griffon banners adorned the walls. It was worked into some of the ancient stonework too which suggested that either Lord Tomas’s family had been here for a very long time, or possibly more likely, they had taken their heraldic emblem from the iconography of their mansion.
The servant showed him into a huge hall that contained many tables only one of which was occupied. That table, like the others, was large enough to seat scores but there was only four people there, all clustered at the top of the table,
Tarsus smiled. “It was illusions I mentioned but we shall forget that. Let me see your hands.”
“They are quite functional.”
“Nonetheless I would like to inspect my work.”
Kormak extended his hands carefully. He knew of a great deal of inimical magic that could be worked by touch and he was not wearing his amulets or carrying his blade and he was still not sure how trustworthy any of these people were. The wizard took his hands and turned them over. He squinted as he inspected them. His touch felt cold.
“Very good,” he said at last. “No permanent damage. You will be able to wield a sword with what I assume will be your customary proficiency.”
“Do you expect me to have to anytime soon?”
“An odd question, Guardian.”
“I have been asked a few odd questions since I arrived.” The wizard tilted his head to one side. The amulets on his neck jingled together. “By whom?”
“By yourself. Among others.”
“This is an isolated place, people are naturally curious.”
“I am surprised to find a wizard so far from the haunts of men.”
“Why? Did you think your order had killed all of them in the area?”
Kormak wondered if Tarsus and the Lady Kathea had talked. “It is strange that a scholar should choose to live so far from the great cities and libraries.”
“You are one of those that think wizards only avoid the haunts of men if they have something to hide.”
“The thought had crossed my mind.”
“And a very suspicious mind it is, I can see. I suppose that is only natural for a man in your profession.”
“Why do you dwell here?”
“I shall have to show you my patron’s library and his collection once you are well, then perhaps you will understand.”
“Your patron?”
“Lord Tomas is a collector of ancient artefacts and a considerable scholar in his own right.”
“Will I be meeting him any time soon?”
“You seem fit enough to be allowed out of bed so I am guessing yes. You will most likely be invited to dine with us.”
Kormak stared hard at the wizard. The old man met his gaze with rheumy eyes. He coughed and once more his lips were speckled with blood. He noticed Kormak looking.
“I have more trouble healing myself than others,” he said. He got up and limped to the door. He stared at Kormak. “I am not the one you are looking for,” he said. “No matter what you think.”
The door closed behind him. Kormak heard it being locked.
Servants brought Kormak clean, warm clothing. It seemed to have been made for a man his height but somewhat larger about the waist. A servant showed him through the manor to the dining hall. Two men at arms accompanied them. Both looked competent and both were armed and armoured and they watched him closely. He suspected there were others within easy call.
The place was larger than he had thought. Corridors ran in many directions and the architectural style belonged to the First Empire, all clean simple lines, not the more ornate gargoyle and Elder Sign encrusted work favoured by those who ruled the West in this age of the world. The place was vast and echoing and seemed half-empty. He saw servants and men-at-arms moving about, enough so that they would have seemed a decent sized retinue for a mid-ranking nobleman in the west. Here they seemed to be lost in the vast draughty space.
All the retainers had a griffon on their tunics and griffon banners adorned the walls. It was worked into some of the ancient stonework too which suggested that either Lord Tomas’s family had been here for a very long time, or possibly more likely, they had taken their heraldic emblem from the iconography of their mansion.
The servant showed him into a huge hall that contained many tables only one of which was occupied. That table, like the others, was large enough to seat scores but there was only four people there, all clustered at the top of the table,
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