Read Online The Pogrom of Mages: The Healers of Glastamear: Volume One by Charles Williamson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Charles Williamson
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first two men fall; he would know that an invisible person had been involved. The priest might also figure out that the healers’ spell anesthesia release was used on all three guards. The combination might let them know a healer had also learned water magic.
He made his way back to the inn an hour before dawn and climbed the invisible rope ladder he’d left hanging from his balcony. A few hours later a knock on his door roused him.
“Good sir, sorry to bother you, but some men from the temple are checking the rooms in every inn in town.” The innkeeper used his key to open the door.
Michael sat up in bed and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. “Come on in.”
Two temple guards, one priest, and one Knight Protector in full armor entered the room and began to search it. They even had Michael get out of bed so they could search under it. It was clear they were physically searching, not relying on eyesight.
The priest opened his pack and found the letter of credit for fifty gold crowns: it was more than enough to buy several substantial houses in the city or large estate in the country. He could also see the other coins totaling about ten gold crowns and the remaining pearls.
The priest turned to him and said, “Good sir, we’re sorry to bother you. I see you’re in Northport on business. It looks like a successful trip.”
“I would like to share my success with the Perry’s Holy Church. Can you accept a donation on their behalf or should I go to the temple?” Michael expected the coins to never reach the temple’s poor box.
“I would be glad to see that it gets to the needy, sir. I thank you.”
Michael handed him two gold crowns. The priest smiled, bowed in thanks and left. Michael asked the innkeeper to send the chambermaid to prepare a bath and to send up a huge breakfast. He planned to take the leftovers with him when he checked on the warehouse later in the day.
He wondered if the churchmen were also searching the warehouse district, but decided that it would take all their manpower just to check every inn in one day. To search every building in this large city was impossible, so he assumed they had started with inns because they suspected the healers had out-of-town help.
He went to see his banker, Arthur of Stone Lane. He had told the merchant that the naiads had allowed him to search for pearls at Black Sand Beach, something they had never previously permitted. He claimed that they had granted him an exclusive. The merchant had seemed doubtful since no one had ever fished in the naiads’ territory, but he didn’t argue the point.
Michael’s plan was to approach Arthur about buying one of his oyster boats. They were shallow-drafted single-sail boats suitable to traveling short distances near shore. It was customary for six to ten pearl divers to be onboard. The boats would anchor near a shallow oyster bed. The divers would grab the oysters from the bottom and bring them onboard. The oysters were usually shucked and smoked on shore and then loaded into pots of olive oil, after checking for pearls of course.
He didn’t want to ask strangers at the docks if any ships were for sale, but a private sale of an oyster boat would probably go unnoticed. He wouldn’t need a crew because the rigging was so simple that Herb and Gail would be able to sail it if necessary.
The small boat would be safe on the high seas in autumn if he could enchant something with a powerful still water spell. The more gold and jewels in an item, the more powerful a spell it could hold. He still had the ruby and gold necklace he had chosen as a gift for Diana. If he could enchant it with a large still water spell, he could send it as a gift to Diana along with the four rescued healers. Of course, he couldn’t enchant it in Northport or the whole bay would suddenly become glass smooth.
After half an hour of dickering, he and Arthur agreed to meet at the fishing dock and choose one of the six oyster boats still in port.
He made his way back to the inn an hour before dawn and climbed the invisible rope ladder he’d left hanging from his balcony. A few hours later a knock on his door roused him.
“Good sir, sorry to bother you, but some men from the temple are checking the rooms in every inn in town.” The innkeeper used his key to open the door.
Michael sat up in bed and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. “Come on in.”
Two temple guards, one priest, and one Knight Protector in full armor entered the room and began to search it. They even had Michael get out of bed so they could search under it. It was clear they were physically searching, not relying on eyesight.
The priest opened his pack and found the letter of credit for fifty gold crowns: it was more than enough to buy several substantial houses in the city or large estate in the country. He could also see the other coins totaling about ten gold crowns and the remaining pearls.
The priest turned to him and said, “Good sir, we’re sorry to bother you. I see you’re in Northport on business. It looks like a successful trip.”
“I would like to share my success with the Perry’s Holy Church. Can you accept a donation on their behalf or should I go to the temple?” Michael expected the coins to never reach the temple’s poor box.
“I would be glad to see that it gets to the needy, sir. I thank you.”
Michael handed him two gold crowns. The priest smiled, bowed in thanks and left. Michael asked the innkeeper to send the chambermaid to prepare a bath and to send up a huge breakfast. He planned to take the leftovers with him when he checked on the warehouse later in the day.
He wondered if the churchmen were also searching the warehouse district, but decided that it would take all their manpower just to check every inn in one day. To search every building in this large city was impossible, so he assumed they had started with inns because they suspected the healers had out-of-town help.
He went to see his banker, Arthur of Stone Lane. He had told the merchant that the naiads had allowed him to search for pearls at Black Sand Beach, something they had never previously permitted. He claimed that they had granted him an exclusive. The merchant had seemed doubtful since no one had ever fished in the naiads’ territory, but he didn’t argue the point.
Michael’s plan was to approach Arthur about buying one of his oyster boats. They were shallow-drafted single-sail boats suitable to traveling short distances near shore. It was customary for six to ten pearl divers to be onboard. The boats would anchor near a shallow oyster bed. The divers would grab the oysters from the bottom and bring them onboard. The oysters were usually shucked and smoked on shore and then loaded into pots of olive oil, after checking for pearls of course.
He didn’t want to ask strangers at the docks if any ships were for sale, but a private sale of an oyster boat would probably go unnoticed. He wouldn’t need a crew because the rigging was so simple that Herb and Gail would be able to sail it if necessary.
The small boat would be safe on the high seas in autumn if he could enchant something with a powerful still water spell. The more gold and jewels in an item, the more powerful a spell it could hold. He still had the ruby and gold necklace he had chosen as a gift for Diana. If he could enchant it with a large still water spell, he could send it as a gift to Diana along with the four rescued healers. Of course, he couldn’t enchant it in Northport or the whole bay would suddenly become glass smooth.
After half an hour of dickering, he and Arthur agreed to meet at the fishing dock and choose one of the six oyster boats still in port.
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