The Right Kind of Help

by KC Warwick
14 pages / 5250 words
Available file types - html, lit, pdf, prc, epub, Sony-optimized pdf

Rowan is a well-intentioned young enchanter who could do great things, if only he could get his spells to come out straight. His bad luck also means that his protector and traveling companion -- Valiance, a devastatingly handsome elf -- can't bear his company or his incompetence. When Rowan arrives at the castle he's supposed to aid and finds it missing, he knows he needs help. He's alone save for Valiance; but is the cynical elf going to be willing to lend him a hand... or anything else that Rowan needs?

Sample

“I think I can say, without fear of contradiction, that we are lost.” Valiance stared through the slanting rain that blew into his face, and pulled the hood of his cloak farther down.

Rowan frowned down into the valley that, though filled with rain clouds and rivulets of water, did not appear to contain a castle. His fair hair was soaking wet, as were most of his clothes, but he scarcely noticed this. Something was wrong, because his magic told him that he was in the right place, whatever his companion maintained, and the castle ought to be there.

Why wasn’t it? He favored Valiance with a frown that was entirely wasted on the elf. “We are not lost,” Rowan said. “We are exactly where we should be.”

“Then perhaps you’d tell me why I can’t see the castle of Great Cowarne lying below us in the valley, its numerous inhabitants going about their busy lives with enthusiasm and enjoyment?”

“I don’t know,” Rowan admitted. “All I can tell you is that we’re in the right place --Great Cowarne isn’t.”

Valiance rolled his eyes. “Of course, why didn’t I think of that? They probably got tired of being here and decided to move the entire castle somewhere else. Yeah, right.”

“Oh, shut up!” Rowan had had enough of the elf’s wit, the sharp edge of which always seemed to be directed at him. “Just let me think, will you?”

“Perhaps we ought to get into shelter before you start such a lengthy process,” Valiance suggested. “Otherwise, we could end up completely soaked to the skin, instead of just partially.”

They had set out four days ago from the College of Enchanters, in answer to a request for help from the resident wizard at Great Cowarne. I need a powerful enchanter, the message had said. No clue as to why, or what said enchanter was expected to do -- which, Rowan suspected, was why he had been handed the job.

It will be good experience for a young enchanter like you, his chief had told him. You’re inclined to be a bit erratic. Something like this might steady you down. It’s probably their wizard panicking over nothing, as usual.

Erratic, Rowan thought with irritation. It was his magic that was erratic, because he got flustered and worried. He knew perfectly well that, behind his back, he was called the one whose magic goes wrong, so what good was this supposed to do him? Then, to give him Valiance as a bodyguard was a sure way to guarantee disaster. As far as he could tell, the elf hated him.

He became aware that Valiance was tapping irritably on his saddle with his fingers -- not a good sign. Perhaps his companion was right and they shouldlook for shelter.

He glanced behind them at the rocky track they had just descended. “Maybe there’s a cave. Or something.”