The Sorcerer's Return (The Sorcerer's Path) (35 page)

“I count twenty-four, Azerick,” Roger reported a moment later.

“Finally! Okay, send them back through.”

Azerick was able to see the sheep milling about in North Haven until a couple watchmen prodded them back through using the hafts of their spears. He
counted sheep until their numbers reached twenty-four and breathed another sigh of relief. All three gates were up and functioning as best was possible.

“Good job, son
. I was starting to doubt my theory for a while there.”

“I knew we could get it right, I was
just not certain if it would be before the barrier fell and the Scions crushed us all,” Raijaun replied.

“How do you feel?”

“Not well. I used some combined magic to make the connections. I am tired and sore now.”

Azerick laid a hand on Raijaun’s shoulder. “We are done now. Let’s go home and get some rest.”

Raijaun made sure his hood was pulled up and his face hidden as best he could before following Azerick through the gate. They discovered a crowd with a mixed reactions waiting on the other side. A few people looked amazed and interested, but most wore looks of fear and distrust. Even for the uninitiated, this was obviously a major magical undertaking, and it was now set in the middle of the city.

Seeing that neither the sheep nor Azerick was blend
ed into an unrecognizable mass, the engineers decided to put their faith in their work and passed through the portal as well. A two-week-long caravan back to North Haven was an unattractive proposition and helped to alleviate their fear. It was also important for the common folk to see non wizards passing through the gates as well.

Eager to get home, Azerick made the trip in minutes by opening two subsequent portals. His second rift deposited him just in from of the gates of the school. As much as he wanted to go straight to his lab, gating inside a building was tricky business.

Azerick barely made it through the gates when Miranda came running toward him. “Azerick, thank the gods you are home. Daebian has been hurt.”

Azerick returned her embrace. “Hurt? Hurt how?”

“He fell from his horse and injured his head. He has been unconscious for nearly a week and I am so worried.”

“What has Brother Thomas said?” Azerick asked as Miranda pulled him to the infirmary.

“Brother Thomas said it was best to take it slow. He has let him sleep and kept his healing sessions mild.”

Azerick nodded. “That makes sense. Forcing the brain to heal t
oo rapidly is like casting a broken arm without setting the bone.”

Miranda and Azerick found Brother Thomas seated next to Daebian’s bed. The priest stood as they entered. Azerick stepped next to the bed and laid a gentle hand on his son’s cheek.

“How is he, Thomas?”

“He is doing very well.
He will probably wake tomorrow if he is ready.”

“Is there any permanent damage?”

“None I can detect. He should make a full recovery.”

“That is good news. Please send someone for me before you wake him.”

Miranda grabbed Azerick’s elbow as he turned to leave. “Where are you going?”

“I have been gone nearly a month. I need to check the barrier
. I have allowed the Scions free reign for too long.”

“You
r son is lying in a hospital bed! You can’t spend some time with him even now?” Miranda demanded.

“Miranda, he is unconscious. He has no knowledge of my presence
,” Gloom squawked loudly from his perch on the window sill, “unless the bird tells him,” Azerick quickly amended. “He does not know, nor could he care in his present state, if I were here for five minutes or five hours. The Scions, on the other hand, could create another breech any minute and kill hundreds, maybe thousands of sons and daughters.”

“Maybe they will, but right now this is your son lying in this bed.”

“Brother Thomas said he will be fine. He will wake up in the morning, and I will be here.”

“Fine, just go
. I will not argue with you anymore about the merits of parenting. If you suddenly decide you need me, I will be here with my son!”

“I am sure your
continual vigilance has worked as great a miracle as Brother Thomas’ healing,” Azerick snapped back and stormed out.

“
You seemed troubled, false Guardian. Give yourself to us. We shall end your misery.”

Azerick ignored the Scions’ constant harassment and let his mind fly along the barrier. Several places showed signs of weakening, but only one was critical. It would likely have taken the Scions several more days to have breached it, but he could not have k
nown that. It was just as likely that its fall was imminent.

Keep telling yourself that, human. You know the truth.

“You would not know truth if it bit off your big, black arse,” Azerick snapped at Klaraxis. He was in no mood to listen to the demon.

I know more truth than your kind could ever admit. I know my lies for what they are. You and
your kind are so adept at falsehood you even believe your own lies. Admit it, the reason you did not stay with your son is because you cannot stand to be around him.

“I love my son, but I do not expect you to understand such a concept.”

I may not know love beyond myself, but I do know hate. You hate Daebian!

“I do not hate my son!”

Then why do you avoid him? Why do you feel so uncomfortable in his presence? You cannot hide your feelings from me, human. We are of the same mind and body. I see what you see, feel what you feel. We are one.

“I just don’t have the time. Daebian’s interests and abilities run counter to my responsibilities. It has nothing to do with me hating him.”

I think you fear him. We hate that which we fear.

“I do not fear m
y son.”

You should.

Azerick sat at his small desk inside his laboratory and raised his weary head from his hands when a soft knock sounded at the door. “Enter.”

“Azerick, can I talk to you?” Peck asked nervously.

Azerick smiled, always happy to see the guileless young stableman. “Of course you can, peck. What can I do for you?”

Peck walked carefully across the room, his eyes shifting about nervously as if he expected demons or dragons to leap from the shadows and devour him. He set a small bag on Azerick’s desk with a metallic clink.

“What is this?”

“It is almost everything you have paid me over the years. I want to buy the horses,” Peck said and set his chin resolutely. “I know it is probably not enough, but you can keep taking whatever you want out of my pay until you feel the debt is paid or we’re all dead
and it won’t matter anyway.”

The amount in the purse was substantial. Peck had few desires and virtually no expenses. There was enough there to buy a decent home and live modestly for several years.

“Why do you want to buy the horses?”

“I just need to have more control over them. I have to be able to decide what is best for them and who does what with them.”

“Has there been a problem? Is there something you need to tell me?”

“I just need to buy the horses. Will you sell them to me?”

Azerick looked at the sack of coins on the desk. “Peck, you understand I need those horses and why.”

“I do. I understand their duty
, and I will make sure they do it. That is why I need to have more control, so I know they are ready to perform at any time.”

Azerick grabbed the bag and slid it closer to him. “All right, the horses are yours. Since the majority of their training and conditioning was done by you, I will sell them to you at a standard rate under the
condition that they are available to the school to perform their role no matter how dangerous it may be.”

Peck nodded his agreement. “Thank you.”

“Peck, you know you can come to me if you have any kind of trouble,” Azerick said softly as Peck turned to leave.

“I know. I got this.”

Azerick heaved a sigh as yet another issue arose that he could apparently do nothing about. He flipped idly through the Codex Arcana, looking for and finding nothing in particular. He could have found a much more productive use for his time like apologizing to Miranda or sitting next to his son’s hospital bed, but his mind was too jumbled to put thought into action.

He kept thinking of his strange meeting with Peck. Something had obviously happened that upset him greatly and made him fear for the safety of his horses. It was not hard to deduce that i
t also had something to do with Daebian. He could ask Daebian about it when he woke, but Azerick knew his son would not talk to him, and it was obvious Peck wanted to resolve this on his own. Peck was a man now, or close enough to it, and Azerick respected him enough to let him make his own decisions.

Writing out what he learned with the creation of his gates was time consuming, but it provided the distraction he needed. It was important to get this information to The Academy so they could begin working on their gates.
Azerick wondered what new trouble the knock at his door heralded this time. A young woman, one of Brother Thomas’ acolytes, entered when he beckoned her inside.

“Lord Giles, Brother Thomas wished me to inform you he is ready to wake Daebian.”

“Thank you. I will be there momentarily.”

The acolyte bowed slightly and disappeared back up the stairs. Azerick sat at his desk pondering the best course of action. Miranda would be there
, and he doubted her anger at him had diminished much, but that was unavoidable. Not going was not an option. Should he confront Daebian about Peck? Any intervention would likely only make it worse for Peck if they did have an issue and create one if they did not. Azerick did not really know his son, but he had a good idea of his type. Daebian was naturally defiant and would instinctively do the opposite of just about anything Azerick said.

With a heavy sigh of resignation, Azerick climbed the stairs out of his lab and headed for the infirmary. Miranda and Thomas were already there
, as well as Rusty and Allister. He was glad to see his old friends. Their presence would stifle Miranda’s desire to revisit their argument.

Rusty and Allister nodded a greeting when Azerick entered the room, Thomas smiled, and Miranda looked pointedly away.
Her rejection felt like a knife plunging into his heart. He wanted to apologize, wanted to somehow bring them back together, but the words would not come to him. He nodded to Brother Thomas who then began working his divine magic.

“This should not take long.
Most of the significant healing has already occurred,” Thomas explained as he worked. “The long rest and natural healing has helped prevent any lasting damage and residual pain.”

Daebian began to stir
. Miranda pushed closer and laid a hand on his chest. When his eyes fluttered open, Miranda practically threw herself on top of him and hugged him tightly.

“Mother, what are you doing?”

Miranda straightened up and wiped the tears of relief from her eyes. “You took a fall and have been unconscious for nearly a week. I have been sitting next your bed day and night, praying for you to wake.”

“You have spent hours on end doing nothing but watch me sleep? Why?”

“Because I was worried. Because I thought it important to be with you. It is called love.”

“I would call it a colossal waste of time.
Did not Grandmother need your help during this past week organizing and preparing the people? In case you have not heard, war is approaching and there are more important matters to attend to than watching someone sleep.”

Miranda’s face flushed as a multitude of emotions assaulted her. “You sound like your father.”

“I am surprised to find myself admit that even Father occasionally gets something right. I too have things to do. May I go now?”

Brother Thomas answered. “I would recommend you stay here for at least another day. You will likely have a bit of a headache for a few days and some slight disorientation. I do suggest you get up
, stretch your muscles, and walk about the room, but I strongly recommend against any exertion. You are still injured, and any knock to the head could cause some serious harm.”

“I do feel a bit out of sorts. I am also starving. Mother, would you bring me something to eat?”

“Of course.” Miranda hesitated, not wanting to leave her son, but she forced herself to hurry to the kitchens.

“I am glad you are well, son,” Azerick said.

“Are you really? There is no need for false platitudes. Mother cannot hear you now.”

“Daebian, I know I have not been an attentive father to you
, and I truly regret it. But I want you to know it is not because I do not love you. We walk different paths, you and I, and it can be hard to cut through the foliage and brambles separating us.”

“Do you truly mean that?”

“I do.”

“I understand, Father. I understand what you must do and the sacrifices we all have to make. I understand a great deal
more than anyone gives me credit for.”