Below the Wizards' Tower (The Royal Wizard of Yurt Book 8) by C. Dale Brittain Read Free Book Online

have
enormous power but none of religion’s morality.”
    I thought of several answers I might
have made and let them all pass.   The problem with having a priest for a friend was that we had had some
version of this discussion dozens of times, and I was never going to change his
mind.
    “But I was also saved by a wizard,”
I replied.   “And the one who
paralyzed me could have killed me, but he didn’t.   We school-trained wizard are bound by powerful oaths not to harm.”
    “As long as terrifying someone into
thinking he’s about to die is not seen as ‘harm,’” he commented.   It was probably meant as a joke.
    “I just wish I could find this
Marcus,” I said, ignoring the joke.   “But if he was here, it may have been only very briefly.”
    There was a short pause while the
waitress brought our sole, then Joachim said, “Do you
think there is a renegade wizard here in the City?   One who is not school-trained and
oath-bound?”
    “Elerius was looking for such a
renegade.”
    Joachim knew who Elerius was.
“Yesterday the chancellor told me that a wizard he did not recognize had come
to the cathedral office.   He was
asking for the bishop.   Apparently
the chancellor sent him away with a sharp word.   I am sorry, Daimbert, but the cathedral
here is barely able to tolerate the school wizards they have come to know, and
will not have dealings with strange wizards at all.   Could this have been the renegade who
captured you?”
    “Elerius said he
couldn’t find him, that if a renegade had ever been in the City, then he was
gone again.   But in fact—”
    I stopped, almost choking on a bite
of vegetable.   Outside the window
was Elerius himself.
    He stood talking for a moment to the
young assistant wizard, who then turned and started back up the hill, quickly
vanishing into the crowd.   Elerius
swung open the restaurant door and came in with the assurance of coming into
his own chamber.   He spotted me at
once, snagged an empty chair from a nearby table, and sat down with us.
    The waitress came hurrying over,
with a friendly smile such as she had not given me.   “No, I don’t need a menu,” said Elerius
easily.   “I’ll just have a bowl of
your delicious chowder.”
    He lifted his eyebrows at Joachim,
who gave him a long look, then said, “I believe we met once.   I am Father Joachim, a cathedral canon
in Caelrhon, but I used to be the Royal Chaplain of Yurt.”   He held out a hand, and Elerius shook it
almost automatically.   For a second even
he seemed overawed by the intensity of Joachim’s deep-set eyes.
    I found my voice.   “So, have you come to tell me of your
progress finding the renegade wizard?”   Although I was fairly sure there was no such “renegade,” I was not going
to give him the satisfaction of insisting there was.
    “Here’s your chowder, sir,” said the
waitress, again with a very friendly smile.   Elerius seemed able to charm people
effortlessly, I thought to myself as the waitress bustled away again, a skill I
only managed if they imagined I was somebody else.
    “I think the renegade must have
realized I was after him and fled,” said Elerius, regaining his composure.   He tucked into his soup with evident
enjoyment.   “Oh, by the way,”
looking at me with calculating tawny eyes, “I think I found the man you
referred to as ‘Marcus,’ the one who looks like you.”
    I was getting too many shocks to
enjoy my lunch properly.   I forced
myself to put more sole on my fork.   “Oh?” I said, determinedly looking at my plate.
    “As soon as you’re done, I’ll take
you to him,” said Elerius.   “I sent
that young wizard back to the school—no use two of us
following you around, especially as I know you could protect yourself now that
you’re on guard, using your special talents. ”
    “Where is this Marcus?” I asked, trying
to keep my voice steady and unconcerned, still not looking up.   Only Elerius could make a sentence