THE WIZARD'S APPRENTICE

t to give the door a plainer, less secure appearance." "Good. What else?" I studied the entry again, letting my senses linger a little more than I had previously. Something about the r

the strangeness of wizards, not so much about what had just been said. With Captain Davus at our side, we swept past three sets of guards as we made our way up three floors and along a pair of busy hallways. We proceeded without opposition until we stood before a closed door guarded by two somber and beefy soldiers. A desk sat beside the door and a large man with pale skin and a graying, tangled mustache sat at the desk. "Ethric of the Vale, and apprentice," the captain spoke. The large man gave a token glance at the papers on his desk before nodding to the guards at the door. They pulled the door open and again in the captain's wake, we entered. Two men stood at the far end, one in royal red and white and the other in wizard's green. "your highness," Ethric bowed his head more than the several inches he gave most royalty. I followed suit, but actually bent my head low. "Ah Ethric!" The king came forward and clasped my master's hand. I could only see the back of his head but knew he had to be frowning at the contact. He did not like to be touched. "Here we are again, mustering at the border, eh? Just like old times." "Indeed," Ethric answered. "He's still the insufferable windbag, eh Jager?" "Indeed, your majesty," the wizard behind him answered. "and still trailing nameless apprentices, I see." "You managed to get my last one killed, Jager, and while he was saving your life. You should be a little more appreciative of my apprentices." "His act was unselfish, I grant you that, Ethric, but he was an insensitive, unimaginative pretender to power, and you knew it when you left him on that wall with me." "I left him with you in hopes that you would keep him safe. Imagine my surprise when it turned out that the reverse was true." "Come Ethric, you remember what it was like on that wall. It was sheer power that kept me from the same fate. Any man with me then would have suffered the same fate." "P