The Coming Of Wisdom by Dave Duncan Read Free Book Online Page A

Apprentice Quili! No sorcerers and no dragons.”
    “Dragons? Are there really dragons in the World?”
    Nnanji sniggered. “None! What’s the third clue, lord brother?”
    “You.”
    “Me?”
    Wallie laughed. “I wanted to enlist some good men to guard my back and my sword. I was blocked. I only got one. Of course that one is remarkably good.”
    Nnanji preened.
    “But one is not enough! I’m sure that my mission must involve swordsmen. Now we’ve been brought to a place where there are no swordsmen, and there can’t be many places like that in the World, can there?”
    “No.”
    “So I don’t think my mission has begun yet,” Wallie said cheerfully. “There must be a few more tests or lessons to come first.”
    “Dangerous?”
    “Probably.”
    Nnanji smiled contentedly.
    “But this sounds like a very safe place. So maybe we’ve been brought here just to relax for a few days.”
    “Or to meet someone? Like Ko!”
    “Ko?”
    “Have you never heard . . . It’s a great epic!” Nnanji drew a deep breath, a sign that he was about to start singing. Even if the epic was inordinately long, even if he had only heard it once, or even if that had been years before, he would be capable of rendering the whole thing without a stumble.
    Hastily Wallie said, “Just the gist!”
    “Oh!” Nnanji deflated and pondered for a moment. “Lord Aggaranzi and his band were moved by Her Hand to Ko but the villagers had no work for their swords, and then Inghollo of the Sixth and his band were brought the next night, and the following day two more . . . ”
    The Goddess had collected an army at Ko, apparently, and then ambushed a large brigade of brigands, who had been chopped into small fragments. Nnanji approved.
    “Sounds reasonable,” Wallie said. “So possibly we have been brought to a safe place to meet someone.”
    Then he heard a distant clanking and jingling that must be the long-awaited transportation arriving.
    “So there you are, novice,” he said quickly. “Now, why did I tell you all that?”
    In the shade, Katanji’s eyes gleamed so bright that they almost glowed. “Because ‘another’ might mean ‘another brother,’ my lord?”
    “Correct!”
    “What?” Nnanji shouted. “You think you can gain wisdom from
him
?”
    “We just did . . . didn’t you?”
    Nnanji smiled sheepishly, and then shot another baleful glance at his young brother. “I don’t approve of Firsts thinking,” he said ominously.
     
    The cart was drawn by one of the strange camel-faced horses of the World, and driven—surprisingly—by the little Apprentice Quili herself. She was clearly having some trouble, but she managed to turn the creaking old vehicle, and then she jumped down and bowed to Wallie.
    “Lady Thondi sends her respects, my lord. She will be honored to receive you at the manor at your convenience.”
    “I don’t feel fit to go calling on ladies at the moment.”
    Quili smiled, seeming almost relieved. “You are most welcome to stop at the tenancy to clean up, my lord. The women have prepared a meal. It will be humble fare, compared to what her ladyship could offer, but they would be greatly honored if you cared to partake of it.” She waited hopefully.
    “Then let’s do that.” Wallie began assisting his companions into the cart. There was straw to sit on, and a heap of shabby cloaks and blankets for cover.
    He liked this diminutive child priestess. Her long hair was matted by the rain, and her yellow cloak a shabby, disreputable thing, but there was a quickness about her that told of humor and intelligence. Of course she was nervous and jumpy, which was quite understandable, merely emphasizing her youthful charm. Better groomed and garbed, she would be at least pretty and possibly sensational. She probably deserved a better life than the one she was having, if he read correctly the dirt ingrained in her fingers. With her mentor living half a day’s walk away, she could have little