After the noon meal had been cleared Brinn went looking for Talon. She was startled when Ruthic cornered her in the tavern.
"I've been looking for you." His words sounded lewd.
"I've been working, as I always do." Brinn searched the tavern for any escape.
"I decided to forgive your behavior last night. But if I find out who the coward was that punched me and ran away, I'll kill him." Ruthic twisted his fingers in Brinn's hair. He pulled them swiftly away, as if they'd been burned. "I'll wait for you at the smithy after you finish the floors."
Ruthic left before Brinn could tell him she would rather eat raw eels than ever meet him anywhere. A few guests were staring at her, so she was unable to utter a few choice words. She went outside to continue her search.
Brinn found Talon sitting in the small back garden. He seemed to be deep in thought. She watched him, unnoticed. He was quite handsome. His eyes were bright and full of mischief; his face was tanned and leathery, either from age or weather. Brinn shook her head, bringing herself back to reality, this was no fairy tale, Talon was not the knight in shining armor come to rescue her from evil villains.
Talon felt Brinn watching him, and stood. "Thank you for taking your free time to help me."
Brinn felt her face warm, embarrassed that she had been caught. "Thal's room hasn't been used since he died." She turned to walk back inside. "I'll take you up." She didn't have to turn around to know that he followed her up the narrow stairs. She opened the door and stepped aside, she didn't want to enter the room.
Talon entered and looked around. "Your father said his things had been left untouched." He walked around and picked up a few belongings. "I am grateful that business has been slow enough to allow this room to be left alone." He brushed his hands on the bed; it had been straightened after the body was removed. "I am only sorry that he was buried so quickly."
Brinn watched with curiosity as Talon inspected Thal's belongings. He searched clothing, shuffled through papers, pulled out drawers. The search seemed desperate.
"Why didn't he leave me a message?" The anger in his words startled Brinn. "What am I supposed to do with this girl?"
Brinn stepped into the room. She tried to calm Talon, not understanding his outburst. "He was ill, he couldn't feed himself, much less write a letter."
Talon looked deep into Brinn's eyes. "Ill, yes, but not delirious as you suggested this morning. Fernley knew what he was doing right to the end."
"Fernley?"
"That was Thal's real name." Talon turned away and sat on the bed. He motioned for her to sit. "I'm sorry I lost my temper. We need to talk."
Brinn pulled out the bedside chair. "I don't know what more I can tell you. Thal -- Fernley didn't leave any instructions or messages. He seemed content to have me sit with him, to keep him company."
Talon nodded. "Did Fernley happen to tell you he was a wizard?"
Brinn stared at Talon. Her first reaction was surprise, and then she laughed. "Wizard? There's no such thing. I'm not a little child who believes in fairytales." Well that wasn't exactly true. Brinn felt an uncontrollable need to defend herself. "Just because this is a small isolated village don't think that we are uneducated superstitious bumpkins."
With a snap of his fingers, Talon shut the door, another flick of his hand set the fire ablaze and scattered papers stacked themselves. "No, not uneducated, superstitious bumpkins, just isolated. There are many things in this world you have not been exposed to." A cup of tea appeared on the table next to Brinn. "I think you could use that." When she hesitated, looking at the cup as if it were something horrendous, Talon laughed softly. "It is only a tea cup. I brought it from the kitchen. Please drink." He watched as she cautiously picked up the cup and put it to her lips. "Fernley was a powerful wizard, though he didn't make a big show about it. His specialty was digging up histories, prophecies and that sort of thing. I knew he was not well, and was to meet with him. Now that he has died, others will come looking for his successor. We don't have much time."
The tea was exactly what Brinn needed. Not being without imagination, she didn't find it difficult to accept what Talon told her. Hadn't she spent many dreary days dreaming of wizards, princesses, dragons and knights? She should be thrilled that her dreams were becoming real, even if it meant an adjustment of her comfortable world.
Talon waited for Brinn to think everything through. "I know this is a bit of a shock, but there's more. When a wizard dies, their power doesn't die with him, but is given to a successor. This is normally an apprentice, or perhaps another wizard. On rare occasions the receiver of the power is an innocent bystander." Talon saw that Brinn didn't understand what he was getting at. "The incantation, the gibberish, Fernley spoke just before he died transferred his power to his successor." Brinn looked puzzled. "Has anything unusual happened in the past two days? Objects appearing just where you wanted them, tasks being completed faster than usual, coincidences that made life easier?"
Brinn thought of a dozen instances such as Talon described. The memory of Ruthic knocked unconscious came into her mind. Suddenly the horror of what Talon was suggesting hit her. She jumped to her feet. "Oh no, I don't want any part of this! You just take whatever it is away!"
"I'm sorry, but I can't. I know what you're thinking; I've been where you are. But you have to accept the gift that was given, you have no choice." Talon wanted to comfort the girl but knew sternness was better for her now.
Brinn paced around the room. A number of times she started to speak, but stopped, not able to put her thoughts into words. She sat down and stared into the fire. "No choice," she muttered.
Talon watched the battle of emotions on the young face. He tried to think of anything he could tell her that would ease her distress. "You won't be alone. You will be taught how to use your new power. You don't have to live like a hermit. It isn't like the fairytales, craggy old men living in caves. Many wizards live in towns, or castles, helping Normals in many ways."
Brinn looked intensely at Talon. "How much power do I have? What can this…magic do?"
Talon took his time answering. What did she need to know at this stage? He remembered his own beginning. Was she much different from what he had been? Talon chose honesty. "Your power equals that of Fernley's at his death. You will need to learn how to use that power, then you will be as strong as any of us."
"And just what can I do with this power?" Greed, ambition, compassion, excitement, all tumbled together in her thoughts.
"Just about anything you could want to do."
Brinn grinned. "Quite a temptation isn't it."
Talon hesitated at the tone in her voice. There was so much at stake. "And what would you do with such a temptation?"
Brinn looked at Talon and had to laugh at the serious, almost fearful, expression on his face. "Nothing as awful as you must be thinking. I have no inclination toward the evil that might tempt others."
Talon breathed a sigh of relief. "I thought for a moment my first impression of you had been seriously inaccurate. You are right about the inclination toward evil. There are too many novices that become drunk with their new power, or are led to evil by others."
Brinn took a sip of her lukewarm tea. "There must have been a flaw in their personalities to begin with, I think." She was silent for some time. Then stood, resolute. "I won't be able to stay here, will I?"
Talon stood. "No. You may come back after your training, but you are vulnerable now."
"Can we leave right away?" Brinn was eager to begin her new life.
"There are preparations I have to make. Will the end of the week be soon enough for you?"
Brinn smiled with satisfaction. "Yes."
Talon walked to the door. "It would be wisest not to tell anyone else of what we have discussed."
Brinn nodded, "My father would be too practical to understand." She followed Talon out of the room and went down to the kitchen. There was a new spring to her step.
Back to Chapter One - Brinn and The Dragons of Pallan Cliffs