Karsten shook his head. “Look, this is what I’ll do. I’ll give you directions. Go straight across the city until you come to the square. There you can ask anyone for Marga the witch, and tell her Karsten sent you. She will read your dream and scry your fortune too, if you want.”
I nodded. I looked at the food still in front of me.
“Take the rolls with you,” Karsten said. “The porridge I’ll give to our goat. My mother will calm you, and when you’re hungry again, you can eat. No matter how upsetting you find what she reads in her ball, or in your dream, she has a
way of relaxing people while they are in her tent. Eat the rolls over there. Tell her that her son Karsten baked them, and share them with her.”
I nodded, and stood up.
Karsten gave me a slight slap on the back. Later I would remember that last contact before everything changed.
“You’re a good person, Anders, remember that. That has nothing to do with who you’re uncle is or isn’t.”
I thanked him and walked out of the dining hall.
There were more people out now in the streets but I couldn’t say they were really crowded; Karsten had told me the only time there was a big crowd was when they had festen, the big holiday, and all the people, young and old, partied together in the old square, with face painting, and music, and dancing, and spells of light and music.
There would be a festen soon, but I would miss it.
I followed Karsten’s directions as best I could, but when I came to a dark shady street that I didn’t remember, I had to ask my way once again. I looked back and forth on the blue cobblestones and saw no one.
Wait, there was someone. A little boy, perhaps 6, or 7, sitting on a circular stone, his legs crossed, his face calm, as if asleep. But his eyes were open, and when I looked at him, the boy smiled.
Anders.
Do I know you?
No, but I’ve been watching you ever since you came to the old city. My name is Elias. Do you need help?
I nodded.
The boy opened his mouth and looked at me. “How can I help you?”
“I’m looking for a witch, who tells fortunes and reads dreams. Marga is her name.”
The boy’s face lit up. “Marga is my auntie! Come on, follow me. I’ll take you there.”
I followed the boy into a small alley that you could barely see from the street. The walls to either side glowed so strongly with magic that they lit the alley even with my third eye closed. I tried closing my eyes and found I could see just as well with my third eye.
Elias must have seen me close my eyes.
“The walls here are as full of energy as the ground we walk on,” he said. “When I feel tired, I just reach out and grab some of it. Sometimes I forget to eat.” He gave a little chuckle.
I opened my eyes and looked at him. He was very thin, but looked healthy. When I looked at him with my third eye, the boy was blindingly bright orange. I had never seen anyone so vibrant. Not even Woltan glowed so brightly. And something the boy had said, about reaching out to the energy all around him and sucking it in... had I heard of that, before?
The boy was odd, but powerful. I would have to remember him.
Elias stopped suddenly and looked at me. You think I’m strange?
I paused for a moment, swallowed hard, then nodded. But you seem like a good kid, and people find me strange too. After all I’m a wizard.
And a three-blooded prince to boot.
Elias was smiling. I relaxed a little.
We kept walking. Suddenly Elias stopped in front of a blank wall. “She doesn’t like to be disturbed when she’s not open for business, so her business just disappears. Let me see...”
I could see runes, like those of the gateway. The boy was mouthing words silently with his lips as he touched the runes in sequence. Then there was a door in front of us.