[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.He could fight, but with what? His little knife against this wizard's sword? And how came these wizards to be wearingswords anyway? No wizard on Krynn had, up until now, been permitted to combine sword andsorcery! The Dark Queen was certainly granting her minions favors!Palin knew without doubt that this knight-wizard was more powerful than he was.He could onlygo along with the man, pretend to be cooperative and pray to Solinari that the Gray Knight didn'tget too curious about the Staff of Magius.Letting the staff fall against a counter, as if it were nothing of value or important, Palin feigned great reluctance in taking off and handing over his pouches and the few scroll cases he carried.Hespread them out in front of the Gray Knight, who did not touch any of them.Muttering a fewwords, he cast an enchantment on them.Each pouch and scroll case began to glow with an eerie light-some with a red cast to it.Satisfied that they were all magic, the Gray Knight ordered Palin to empty the contents of pouchand scroll case onto the table.Palin put up a brief protest, but did as he was told.Rings, including the one given him by Dalamar, rolled out onto the tabletop.He removed the scrolls, untied the ribbons, permitted the Gray Knightto glance over the spells.All the while, his anger at this treatment mounted, as did his concern.What would happen when the Gray Knight turned his attention to the Staff of Magius?Palin glanced surreptitiously around the shop in hopes of finding something to use as a weapon.The brooches and other enchanted objects were locked in cases, which were undoubtedly furtherguarded by magical spells.He had no idea what any of them did, might well grab a ring that wouldbe more harmful to himself than the Gray Knight.The same held true with the scrolls and thespellbooks; he didn't have time to go leafing through them.If nothing else, I can always hit him over the head with a jar, Palin determined grimly, and chosethe one he would grab.The knight had his head bent, scanning the contents of one of Palin's small spellbooks.Palin began edging his way over to the shelves, was just reaching out his hand to take hold of thejar, when the Gray Knight raised his head."Oh, there you are! What are you doing over there?""Just looking to see if this marjoram in here is fresh," Palin replied, lifting the jar down from the shelf.He removed the stopper, sniffed."Quite nice.Care to smell for yourself?"The Gray Knight's eyes narrowed in suspicion."Put the jar down and come back over here.TheseI'm keeping." He gestured to a large pile of scrolls, rings-including Dalamar's-and other objects."These"-he pointed to the spellbook, a pouch containing sand, and one containing bat guano-"you can have back."Palin flushed in anger, started to protest, but the Gray Knight turned away.He reached for the staff."Now, lef s take a look at this.""It's an ordinary walking staff," Palin said, barely able to speak past the tightness in his throat."You can see for yourself that I am of low rank.What would I be doing with a magical staff?""What indeed? But that's quite an unusual adornment for a walking staff-a dragon's claw clutching a crystal.You won't mind if I inspect it more closely?"The Gray Knight spoke his words, cast the spell that would reveal the magical properties of thestaff, just as it had revealed the magical properties of everything else Palin carried.Palin tensed, waited for the telltale glow to spread over the staff.The moment the knight went totouch it, Palin was ready to hurl himself bodily at the man, wrestle him to the floor.The staff did nothing.Palin gaped in astonishment.The Staff of Magius, one of the most powerful arcane artifacts in allof Krynn, stood propped against a counter, looking as plain and innocent as any kender hoopak.The Gray Knight frowned.He was certain that the staff was magical, but could not very well admitthat he doubted his own spell-casting.He glared at Palin suspiciously, thinking that perhaps theyoung mage had managed to slip one past him.Palin stood with his hands folded in the sleeves of his robes.He smiled deprecatingly."I told you.""You did indeed," the Gray Knight returned.He stared at the staff, was obviously tempted to cast the spell again, perhaps realized this would make him look foolish.He contented himself with arebuke."A fancy-looking staff like that could get you into trouble, young man.If you insist on playacting a wizard, wait until the Night of the Eye.At least you'll get a cookie out of it."Palin's face burned at the insult.He dared say nothing, however; certainly he could not argue.Swallowing his pride, he comforted himself by imagining the expression on the knighf s face if heever learned that he'd had in his grasp the famed Staff of Magius and let it go."Sign your name." The Gray Knight shoved the book at Palin.Lifting the quill pen, Palin was about to comply, when footsteps, the rustle of robes, and the heady fragrance of some expensive perfume caused him to turn his head.A woman-one of the most lovely and exotic women Palin had ever seen-entered the shop.She wasdressed in red robes, expensive red robes, made of velvet and silk, trimmed with golden stitchery.She wore the perfume to mask the occasionally unpleasant smells of the spell components shecarried in silken bags that hung from a braided leather-and-silver chain belt.She was alluring,powerful, mysterious, and, at her arrival, even the Gray Knight straightened, bowed.She paused, regarded Palin curiously."How do you do, Master Mage? I am Jenna, owner of thisshop.I apologize for not being here when you arrived.I was called to the lord's house.One of theservants broke a valuable vase and they asked me to mend it.A menial task, and one I wouldordinarily refuse, but there are so few magic-users left in town these days.What can I do for you?""Mistress Jenna," Palin said, with marked admiration, "my name is Pal-""Palas! Palas Margoyle!" Jenna swept forward, took him by the hand."My dear boy, I should have recognized you sooner.But then it's been so long and you've changed.When did we last meet?Almost five years ago.During your Test.And you are here for your scroll-writing session.You'reearly, but, never mind.I don't seem to do much business these days," she added, with a cool glance at the Gray Knight.Jenna clasped Palin's arm, started to lead him away, to the part of the shop mat was curtained offfrom the rest."He hasn't signed the book, yet, Mistress," the Gray Knight said.Jenna halted, cast Palin a look of warning that chilled his blood."Oh, yes, we must sign the book," Jenna said archly, turning around [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]