Hamilton Swoop, Wizard of Green Ridge (18 page)

"We're going to see Will?"

Hamilton winced at the ‘Will’ but shook it off. It was hard to dislike someone as affable as Beaumont but, considering how Thalia had reacted to him, Hamilton decided to redouble his efforts. They arrived at the shop and entered as the baker was removing his wares from the window.

Will looked up and recognized Thalia. “Be with you in a minute. I'm just getting rid of this stuff.” He pitched the display items in a waste can. “Want something to nibble on? The pebble cakes are still fresh."

"No thanks. We just ate,” Hamilton looked about the shop.

The baker did a double take when he looked at Hamilton. “Weren't you, er, older last week?"

"I'll have one,” Thalia pointed to the pebble cakes. She smiled.

William bent and collected a pebble cake and a napkin. “Would you care for some coffee as well? Pebble cakes are, by their nature, somewhat dry."

"Yes, please,” replied Thalia.

"And you, Master, ah, Citrine was it not? Would you like some coffee as well?"

"Sure,” Hamilton replied, frowning at the attention Thalia received. “But I didn't come for coffee. I came to find out about your progress with the bow. Thalia told me that you said it would be ready soon. I assume you know what it's for."

"You intend to kill the dragon with it, right?” Will put a pot of water on a small stove behind the counter.

"I hope so, but I doubt that we'll get more than one shot at it and if we miss, well, the wizards who first shot flaming arrows at it died. Just how accurate will it be?"

"Depends on how far the target is. The bolt should be able to fly one or two hundred yards, but as far as accuracy goes, figure fifty yards, maybe seventy tops, but I don't think it will work."

"The bow won't work?” Hamilton asked. “Why not?"

Beaumont poured the now boiling water over coffee grounds wrapped in a cloth. “The bow will work fine, but it's designed to hit a stationary target. From what I've heard, Thermite is anything but stationary. The only time it stops is when it's flattening a building.” Will turned to Thalia. “How's the pebble cake?"

"Mmm,” she replied with a smile.

Hamilton ignored the exchange. “That shouldn't be a problem. I think I can predict what building the dragon will hit far enough in advance for you to set up your weapon and be ready for it."

Will turned back to Hamilton. “Really? How can you do that?” He jerked a string on the coffee sack like a giant tea bag a few times.

"I am a wizard, remember? Such things are not difficult. How long will it take you to setup your bow, once I determine the location for the target?"

"That would depend on how far I have to travel. I can get it to anywhere within Norkon in an hour or so. Figure another half hour to set it up, brace it, and aim.” He removed the sack and poured the coffee into three mugs. “Sugar?"

"Two spoons, please."

Hamilton shook his head.

Will fixed Thalia's coffee and offered the cup to her saying, “Careful, it's quite hot."

Hamilton lifted his mug off the counter and took a drink. He refused to show the pain as the coffee burned his lips and tongue and he fought to maintain a calm demeanor. He dug his right heel into the toe of his left boot to shift the pain. “When will the bow be completed?” he asked through gritted teeth.

The baker, still looking at Thalia, replied, “As you can guess, I am only able to work on it at night. I figure it will take me another two nights to finish, but then I have to test it and I can't test it in the stable where I built it. Perhaps you could come back and help, three nights hence?"

"Are you asking me or Thalia?"

Will shifted back to Hamilton. “You, of course, sir."

"Well, notify me when it's complete. I'm at the King's Arms Inn, but I'm sure Thalia already told you that."

"Yes, sir. She did."

"One other thing. I believe that someone has some, er, ill feelings toward me. Serious ill feelings. If anyone comes around asking about me or Thalia, mum's the word."

Will nodded. “I understand. Maybe I should only communicate with you through Thalia."

Hamilton was working on a slow burn. “No. Just keep your yap shut about us, okay?"

"Of course, sir."

"Good. Come on, Thalia, let's go."

Once outside Thalia asked, “Why were you mean to him? He's only trying to help."

Hamilton was able to fight back the tirade brewing in his soul and replied, “You're right. I'm sorry. Guess I'm just on edge because of the Assassins Guild thing."

The tip of his tongue touched a newly formed blister on the inside of his lower lip. Stupid.

The trip back to the inn was unusually silent due in part to Hamilton's damaged mouth, but more because of his mixed feelings toward Thalia. He tried to resolve the latter by reminding himself that he was sixty and she was only twenty or so, but his newly rejuvenated body kept raising arguments. He wasn't quite sure if he was angry with Thalia, the baker, or himself.

As they approached the inn, Thalia asked, “Did I say something wrong?"

"Wrong? No. I'm just a bit worried about this Zip Cardin person. No one's ever taken out a silver contract on me before."

"That's understandable. I don't know what I would do. You could still hire some bodyguards."

"No. Having a couple of goons traveling with us would only complicate things. Besides, now that I have my magic back...” Hamilton wanted to sound convincing even though he had more than a few doubts in his mind. “Everything will be fine. Trust me."

Back at the inn, he stared into the mirror in his bathroom. “No reason to make it easy for the assassin to spot me.” He wet down, then lathered his face. Straight razor in hand, he took a final look. “Good-bye, beard.” He shaved off what had been a part of his face for the last twenty years. He managed to nick himself twice in the process, but not seriously. After rinsing off the remains and toweling his face dry, he wiped the condensation from the mirror and looked at the new Hamilton. “Damn,” he thought, “I've got a chin.” He made a few different faces at himself and smiled.

You look weird. I never could understand why humans would want to cut off their fur
.

"It's not fur, it's hair. And if we didn't shave, it would just keep growing. He looked at himself in semi-profile, shrugged, and left the bathroom after rinsing out the sink.

He still wasn't sure if his new appearance might confuse the assassin. Thalia looked up as he entered the main room. “Did you do another rejuve spell? You look even younger."

Hamilton beamed. “No, I just shaved off my beard. Like the effect?"

She stood up and looked at him. She bit her lip in thought. “Well, I liked the beard. It sort of made you look distinguished, but I like the dimple too."

Her response gave Hamilton mixed feelings. “Well, I can always grow it back, but right now, I want to look less like a target."

"Of course.” She continued to look at his face for another moment. “I think I like it better this way. Takes some getting used to."

Ahem
, chimed in Whiskers.
If you two are done with the Old Man's naked face, maybe someone could get me something to eat?

Hamilton looked down at the cat's bowl. “Finish your cow. It's what you asked for."

I know, but I think they marinated it in something. Anyway, I think I'd rather have some fish. They've never messed that up.

"Deal with it. I'm not hungry. Besides, I've got some writing to do.” Hamilton got a piece of paper and a pen, sat down at the table.

"What should I do?” Thalia resumed her seat on the couch.

"Once I get this done, I want you to deliver it to the messenger."

"I don't think that his shop is open. The sun's already set. I could deliver it myself if you wish."

Hamilton glanced at the window. “No. I forgot that we got such a late start. It can wait until tomorrow."

"What are you writing?"

"The fourth rune, the one the Runemaster spoke of. I found it in Green Ridge burned into the bottom of Obsidian's trunk. I couldn't have carried it back here on Bethesda and I didn't want anyone else, like Topaz, to find it so I memorized the runes and then smashed and burned the trunk."

Thalia got up, sashayed over to Hamilton, and looked over his shoulder at the runes. “What do they mean?"

Hamilton put down his pen and looked up at her. Her perfume wafted over him. “I wish I knew. Reading runes was to be the final part of my training, but Obsidian was killed just a day after we started. That was pretty much the end of part one of my career as a wizard."

"Such a shame."

"Oh, I don't know, my life hasn't been that bad. I managed to live almost 60 years in Green Ridge without a single broken bone. Believe it or not, that, alone, is quite an achievement. I may not have been the richest man in town, but I did all right. I suppose that it might have been better if I had married, but the only woman I ever loved died before I could propose."

"I didn't think that you liked women."

"What made you think that?"

"Well, I am sleeping on the couch. After what you said, I just figured that you were, you know..."

A fluffy?
The cat actually laughed.
You thought that he liked boys?
Whiskers continued to laugh producing a noise like a loud meow coupled with the sound of hocking up a hairball.

"Shut up, cat.” The cat continued to laugh and Hamilton took a roll off the corner of the table and pitched it at Whiskers. The cat dodged it easily, but stopped laughing.

Hamilton turned to Thalia. “Trust me, I do like women. They're number one on my list of favorites, but the choices in Green Ridge were somewhat limited."

Limited to the ones that could stand you.
Whiskers leapt aside dodging the second roll.

"Well, that changes things. At least I won't have to sleep on the couch anymore."

"But,” Hamilton began and stopped because he couldn't think of anything else to say. “What about the baker? You seemed to be, well, interested in him."

"Why do you think he is being so helpful? You were the one that told me to, you know, smile and be nice to him. Remember?"

"Uh,” was all he could manage.

"Master Citrine, Hamilton, I've wanted to be with you since the first time we met. I heard what those in power had said about you at the Guild before you arrived. A Master Wizard, stripped of his talent, when he was my age; powers that make Diamond's talents look like those of a beginning acolyte. Diamond wouldn't have sent that summons at all, but the other wizards in the Guild, the few real wizards left, insisted. And no, I never slept with him. I knew that he was there just for show. The only reason that they let him run the Guild was because none of the true wizards there could stand doing administration.

I joined the Guild because I wanted to be a wizard. I do have the talent, but Master Diamond is, well, not the best teacher. You, on the other hand, are the most powerful wizard that ever was. You may still hate Obsidian, but I've seen what he wrote about you in the Guild archives. He was afraid of you."

"That's ridiculous. He wasn't afraid of me. He told me I was an idiot at least once a week. It took me years to learn all the spells he wanted me to learn."

"According to the archives, you were the only one who ever managed to do that. All of the wizards were afraid of you. They tried to get Obsidian to drop you. When they couldn't manage that, well, Obsidian's death wasn't exactly an accident. That's why they locked you out."

"But I don't feel that powerful. Just because I know a few spells..."

"You still don't get it. You know
all
the spells. Not just the ones in the Trilogy."

Hamilton was shaken by this turn of events. He didn't believe all that super wizard stuff. Sure he knew a bunch of spells, but that wasn't what made a wizard great. And as far as Thalia went, he still found it hard to believe that this girl could be interested in him. In actuality, he could never figure out why any woman could be interested in him so he had pretty much shelved such thoughts a decade ago. And now...

And so the night came and went. Hamilton discovered many things. He discovered that his memory was a lot better than he thought it was. He discovered that Thalia was a virgin, but what she lacked in experience, she more than made up for in enthusiasm. And finally, he discovered that his lust for the girl wasn't lust at all. He discovered that he didn't just want to have her. He wanted to keep her. Even Rosie Thurp, his first love, didn't hold a candle to this girl. Mixed emotions cascaded through his brain and other organs as well. On the one hand, he felt like a dirty old man and on the other, he felt like he had just graduated from Puberty University magna cum laude. And the turbulence in his soul only made it that much more exciting.

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Late the next morning, Hamilton awoke. Thalia slept peacefully beside him and her sandalwood scent enveloped them both. He looked at her and smiled a smile that had never graced his face before. He sat up in bed and Thalia awoke. She looked up at him and stifled a yawn. She returned his smile in kind. “You were wonderful,” she said.

"You were pretty good too.” Thalia's smile wilted slightly. He felt like an idiot at the inadequacy of his response. “No. That's not what I mean. What I mean is that you are really, really special.” Hamilton frowned. That still wasn't right. “I, well, you, er, ah ... never leave me, never ever leave me!” Thalia's smile went back to a hundred and ten percent.

Whiskers padded in from the main room, looked up at Hamilton and Thalia on the bed, and shook her head.
You two make a lot of noise. I'm sure that the other guests in this inn enjoyed listening to the show as well.

"What's the matter, cat? Jealous?” asked Hamilton.

Whiskers’ tail went straight up and she turned back toward the main room. Then she looked over her shoulder.
You think she's pretty hot, huh? Listen, Old Man. I had a Carthag bit-cat once. Now that was an experience. I had eight kittens. How many kittens is she going to have?
Whiskers walked out of the room, her tail still held high with distain.