Tak

Aldervale - Part 7

     His shoulder was beginning to hurt by the time he reached the gates and passed through them. His head was pounding harder than ever and his legs were cramped from having been tied for so long, but he barely noticed the discomfort as he crept timidly across the outer courtyard and through the gate in the curtain wall. His heart was pounding with fear as he expected Philip to jump into view at any moment, furious with him for having run away and ordering him to carry out terrible penalties that the hypnosis spells would compel him to perform.

     He reached the main doors without seeing anyone, though. Without seeing any sign that the castle was inhabited at all, or had been for at least a hundred years. He grinned as he thought that he could have brought Jack and Toby and his two sons in with him, in perfect safety, or could he? In the two years he'd been here he'd seen many spells cast by Molos Gomm that lay dormant until triggered by a specific event. Who knew what spells might have been cast to defend against unwanted intruders?

     Reaching the old wizard's bedchamber, he paused by the door before entering, listening intently for any sound coming from inside, just in case. He heard nothing, though, and indeed the room was empty when he cautiously opened the door. Everything neatly arranged and tidy, waiting for the master's return. Tak stumbled eagerly across to a large wooden chest standing against the far wall. It was locked, but the key was hidden in a secret alcove in the wall above it. He'd seen Molos Gomm putting it there many times.

     The chest was full of old, yellowing papers, creased and torn from the old wizard's impatient rummaging. In amongst them were old faded items of clothing, a couple of books and some small boxes, locked shut and no doubt containing some interesting things. Tak pushed them aside, looking for what was underneath. There it was, right at the bottom. About the size of an egg box and bearing the symbol of Caroli, Goddess of Healing. Opening it carefully, he saw green velvet moulded to form six soft depressions, two of which contained small glass ampoules filled with a clear fluid. He carefully picked one up, snapped off the top where the glass had been deliberately weakened and gulped down the contents.

     Tak had never been healed by holy power before, and the sensation that filled him as it took effect made him gasp out loud. It was as if someone had deluged him with ice cold water, except that the sensation went through him as well as over him. New strength washed through him and suddenly he was better. Much better. His body sang with health and vitality. His skin was pink and healthy and the skin of his wrists was clear and unmarked. He laughed with pure joy, closed the chest and danced back out into the corridor.

     He was closing the door behind him when a thought struck him. Why hadn't he taken a potion of healing with him to Aldervale? He'd been hoping it was simple poisoning that had been afflicting Lyssa's father, and he'd known Molos Gomm had potions of healing in stock. If he'd taken one of them with him, he could have cured Jack Nowl as soon as he'd arrived. They wouldn't have had to send away for the cleric. They could have started back to Castle Nagra there and then, with Toby with them, and he could have spared himself his whole ordeal as Jack's captive.

     He laughed as he thought of it. Wizards were supposed to be intelligent. Evil, but intelligent, but how bright was he to have overlooked something so simple and obvious? Well, he'd had other things on his mind, like just overcoming his hypnotic conditioning long enough to get out of the castle. He consoled himself with that thought as he trotted down the corridor, still chuckling to himself under his breath.

     He sobered as he approached Philip's room, though. Chances were he was still in there, giving Lyssa a last seeing to before rising to start the say, and Tak didn't want to confront him just yet. He listened, therefore, trying to hear movement. Any clue that the older apprentice might still be in there.