Drakonika (Book 1) (9 page)

Magnus knew what was going to happen but before he could even formulate the thought in his mind, Maren was already shaking him in the armchair.

“Magnus! Magnus! He's totally cool!” she screamed zestfully.

Magnus just rolled his eyes as he let out a disgruntled groan, his head resting on his hand. Until this moment, it was
him
who was the cool one. Did he even stand a chance against Valezar now?

“
Well,” said Valezar, when he realised it was time to change the topic, “I still don't understand what stopped that beast from killing you.”

Apparently it worked because they both looked at him.

“Oh, that's not how I meant it,” laughed Valezar as he took a sip from his tea cup. “Though, you were really asking for it. But of course not you, dear Maren.”

“
And what should I have done? The thief stole my whole rucksack with the residence permit in it! I had to get it back!” Magnus defended himself, while Maren had completely forgotten that she was still holding his coat. Magnus wanted to tell her something but in the end he didn't say anything. He looked at her wordlessly with his silver eyes.

“
Oh, sorry,” Maren said as she let go of him immediately, though Valezar saw that she didn't really want to.

“
Hmm, and I am sure you think it was very heroic,” continued Valezar, sipping the hot tea.

Magnus' gaze darted downwards. “You're right, I shouldn't have done that. But in that moment, I simply didn't think of it,” he said, this time sounding a bit tamer.

“Relax, I didn't say you were wrong to do it. You listened to your intuition, and only thanks to that you now have your... eh.... friend,” said Valezar in a doubtful tone. In addition to preaching, he also liked doing something else - provoking. And that always worked well on children.

Magnus gave Valezar another grumpy look.

“By any chance, do you know what that monster was that you met last night?” asked Valezar, his face looking yellowish in the candle light.

Magnus found it difficult to not start laughing. That must have been a joke! “You are asking
me
? Me, who doesn't even remember what happened two days ago? I would expect more likely
you
to give an answer to
me
.”

Valezar taunted back. “
Me
? Me, who can only read thoughts and the past? Don't be ridiculous,” he said and waved his hand airily, “I'm not a walking bestiary.”

“Wait,” Maren interrupted them, “you don't remember the day before yesterday? You must have a really short memory then!” she said, looking startled, as she turned to Magnus. It looked as though she was about to start laughing.

“Exactly!” Valezar interjected quickly. “Magnus has the shortest memory of all the people I ever met! And believe me, there were lots. He doesn't even remember anything about himself!” There was a pause in which Valezar looked at Magnus, a slightly puzzled expression on his face. “Oops, I guess I shouldn't have said that, huh?” Valezar grinned guiltily.

Magnus shot him an annoyed glance. Valezar was raking through his mind again!

“But if that's true, how do you know your name and your age?” said Maren curiously.

Magnus looked for a moment as though he was hesitating. After a short while he decided to reveal his secret, although he was sure that Valezar had already known everything. He raised his hand to the chain hanging around his neck as he drew a pendant of silver colour from under his tunic. The amulet contained a beautiful faceted black stone, just as big as his eyes, glinting in the yellow candle light.

Maren gazed upon this small thing, but not even Valezar could tell what material it was made of. But whatever it was, it surely wasn't cheap.

When Magnus flipped the amulet over, there was something engraved with tiny letters on the opposite side:

Magnus Il'Idiel

10

“Hmm,” Maren was thinking, “that could be anyone's pendant. How do you know it's yours?”

Valezar was leaning over the table, staring at the pendant intensely, but the light was dim and the letters were too small for his elderly sight to read them. He gave up and sat back into his armchair.

“Because I feel inexplicably connected to it. I know it's mine,” said Magnus, hiding the locket back under his shirt. “I just wish I knew more about myself. I feel such emptiness inside me, insecurity,” he sighed, sounding rather downcast now. “I don't know what to do. I don't know where I belong. I don't even know why I came here in the first place. I know nothing!”

“Don't worry,” said Valezar soothingly, “One day you will remember everything. Perhaps even things that you would prefer not to remember at all. What can you tell me about the flame in Zimbadur's reception salon?” asked Valezar in an effort to revive Magnus' memory.

“I don't know. Nothing, I guess,” said Magnus dully.

“Not even that the flame came out of your own mouth?” asked Valezar calmly.

“What?” Maren couldn't believe what she just heard. She thought it was anything else but this! Her eyes were running from Valezar to Magnus and back. She was putting together everything she had learned about Magnus so far. They met at night, when everyone else is afraid to go out. The talking backpack, immunity to fire (even though that was probably her doing), extreme sensitivity to cold and now even spewing fire? Magnus must have been the weirdest guy she had ever seen! “That's so cool!” Maren squeaked suddenly. Clearly, she was looking for the most unusual things that existed in the whole wide world.

“Well, maybe you just have an extraordinary talent in magick, but it's strange nonetheless,” said Valezar, deep in thought. “And you, Maren, I don't know how it's possible that no one arrested you for the fire shield spell last night, but you better not push your luck next time.”

There was a moment of silence. Everyone seemed to have something on their mind.

“Well, enough of worries, it's time to eat now,” said Valezar. His worried expression changed to a caring smile.

Magnus and Maren's eyes brightened when Valezar lifted the lid off of a pot full of tasty delicacies that smelled absolutely wonderful.

After the lunch at Valezar's place and talking about all the shocking news, they walked down the street that Magnus had ran through when the thief stole his backpack.

Maren seemed to be strangely silent.

“What's the matter?” asked Magnus considerately.

Maren shook her head. “Nothing... It's just... I should go home now. I wasn't there all night and I'm sure my mum won't be too happy about it,” she said drearily. But it wasn't only the thought of her angry mum
what made her sad. She was to spend the rest of the day without Magnus, till the next morning!

Obviously, that caught Magnus' interest. “You're going home? Then I should go with you! I'd be very pleased to meet your mum-”

“Are you insane?” Maren interrupted him, “She won't let you cross the threshold.”

Magnus smiled. “I made it to Ragna through two guards, I'm sure I can handle your mum,” he proclaimed proudly.

In a short while, he wasn't so sure about what he had said any more.

As Maren knocked on the door of a medium sized house, her mother instantly emerged on the doorstep, a sour expression on her face. She must have been a little before her thirties, and if her face wasn't so scowled, she'd be very pretty as well. Her wavy hair was just as light as Maren's, combed to one side and covered with a deep red scarf which was tied on the top of her head with a black bandana. That was nothing unusual among the women of Ragna. Her clothes weren't exactly luxurious, but even so it was clear that she was keen on good fashion taste and tidiness.

Mrs. Samai placed her hands to her sides in order to evoke even more respect in front of her daughter. It didn't seem that she would jump from happiness when Maren introduced Magnus to her.

“Mum,” Maren said carefully, “This is Magnus.”

Maren's mother surveyed Magnus with her piercing blue eyes from head to toe. “Well, at least I know who gives you the bad influence in clothing,” she said sourly, looking back at Maren, as if Magnus had suddenly disappeared. “Where have you been? Yesterday I was waiting for you with dinner, today with lunch - and you are nowhere in sight. Don't tell me you were in school because I know that you weren't. All of your books are at home,” said Mrs. Samai strictly, clacking with the tip of her shoe on the floor as she waited for an answer.

Magnus had a feeling this couldn't have a happy ending. Maren went to school! No matter how hard he thought about this, he couldn't imagine how she would manage the school in Ragna and also attend the preliminary guild an hour of travel away!

This time it was Maren who stammered. “I... I was...” she mumbled, not sure what to make up.

“All this time you were skipping school with this ragamuffin of a boy, weren't you?” said Mrs. Samai, breathing heavily under her pointy nose.

Although Magnus was used to name-calling of various kinds, this was something different. It was Maren's mother.

“Inside, at once,” Mrs. Samai ordered.

“But mum, it's not his fault that I wasn't at school. He attended all the classes. I have met him just now. He goes to school every day, he's very diligent,” Maren lied. “Right, Magnus?” she said carefully, hoping that he would understand what to do.

Magnus didn't like the fact that Maren had to lie because of him, and even more so when he had to join her and start lying himself. “Y-yes... I do... I go to school diligently,” he said, as he made short, scared eye contact with Maren's mother.

“Magnus is going to have straight As on his report card,” Maren went on, letting out a fake giggle. “He knows everything, he could even teach others.”

Magnus didn't laugh so effortlessly, though. “Of course, it's a piece of cake,” he said, staring into nothingness.

“Why are you wasting his time then? I am sure he has lots to study and so do you,” said Mrs. Samai, looking at Magnus, though a bit less harshly now. “And
you
,
tell your parents to get you something proper to wear.” At these words, she pointed her finger in the room and Maren vanished inside with a downcast expression. Her mum slammed the door with a snap.

Maren and her mother were gone, the door had been closed, if not locked also, and yet Magnus remained staring in front of him as though he was still waiting for something to happen. In fact, he wasn't really sure if he should wait for Maren by the city gate the next morning. Oh no, the city gate! Suddenly it struck him; he would  encounter Eagle and Jackal once more! And now that he thought on it,  problems were gathering again.

Just as he turned around to leave, he saw a group of little children crossing the street, led by an elderly lady with grey hair. She spotted Magnus as if she had radar in her eyes.

“My, my, skipping school like that!” she chided, waving her index finger to show him that he was a bad student who didn't fulfil his duties. Clearly, she couldn't believe that someone didn't care about such a great thing like school. But she would never guess that Magnus actually didn't attend any school, not even in her dreams. “How can your parents let you out in such dirty old rags?” she mumbled angrily as she passed by Magnus, followed by the chortling children.

That was too much even for Magnus. He was hearing that all the time! There was a free afternoon ahead of him, no plans and a pouch loaded with heavy coins. That was clearly a perfect day for shopping! Moreover, he didn't have to worry about any girls who would slow him down.

Magnus went back to the town plaza by the one and only road he already knew in Ragna. He certainly didn't want to get lost, especially since tomorrow was such an important day.

In spite of his mind buzzing with thoughts again, he couldn't pass by a scroll nailed to one of the stone walls in the street without a further inspection. He drew closer and started reading curiously.

Thief wanted!

Tall figure, long green cloak, hands as big as shovels, a rag over his head, his voice as deep as your darkest nightmare, sneaky like a cat's shadow, and what's worst – he steals!

Magnus didn't have to be a sage to know who wrote this. There was no mistaking Eagle's and Jackal's speech style. There was a doodle scribbled beneath the text, probably a picture of the criminal. Our dear guards probably didn't realise that with such a sketch people would more likely bring them a troll instead of a human.

Magnus' previous experience with thieves led him to the conclusion it would be for the best if he just pretended he hadn't seen the notice at all and just continued on his trek back to the main square. Right now he really didn't want any extra trouble.

Shortly, he safely reached the huge plaza in the town's midst. Considering how much free time he had, Magnus decided to visit the local shops. He wasn't in the mood for the vendor crowds which were probably just full of pick-pockets anyway, so he chose to take a peek into the house shops that encompassed the square.

“Hmm,” Magnus was thinking, passing from one shop to another. “So - Pathico?  No, I've been there  already and it was quite enough for today. What do we have next? Laborer's tools and attire? No, thanks, I already have that. And this? Potions, let's see,” mumbled Magnus under his nose as he moved to another window-case which was full of potion bottles, herbs and ingredients of all sorts strewn on scraps of parchment. His eyes popped in amazement. “Wow, that's so... creepy,” said Magnus, when he noticed centipedes, spiders and other vermin tuck in jars of various shapes. He could feel his hair stand up. But what terrified him even more was a pale face encircled by a  mass of white hair, staring right at him from the opposite side of the window.