Quincunx Ch. 23

He bid me good luck and I made my way to Gyatso's office, if he was set to dismiss me I wondered if I could squeeze a day or two more till Cal graduated and Rash's house was ready. I found the nameplate and knocked.

"Come in," called a sweet young voice.

The acolyte that sat at the desk inside had a round smiling face and long chestnut hair, she looked in her early twenties and looked happy with her life.

"Hi, I'm Davor, I believe Councilman Gyatso would like to see me."

"Take a seat," she said standing and waving at the chairs behind the door. "I'll see if he's free

She walked through the door behind her and left me studying the room. She wasn't long, standing in the open doorway and inviting me in after a few moments. I stood and walked in to face him as she closed the door behind her.

"Davor," he said as I took the few paces to his desk. "Swapswisle tells me your studies aren't going well."

"Well, to be honest I don't think I've got any aptitude for magic. I can't get the concentration and focus right. I've tried meditation but it just won't come."

"Yet you see spells and can neutralise them, there's a mystery in you if history is true. Only greats before now have had that talent. Yet here's you without any other magical ability."

"Well it's not strange to me, I've had no interest in magic, seeing spells was a novelty and nothing worth any real consideration."

"What do you suggest we do, Swapswisle tells me you want to go home,?"

I explained my need to stay because of the report of a countryman enquiring about Rash and explained my fears of kidnap or murder. He asked why I had not spoken of it before. The probability was small I told him, until I heard the coachman's tale, and anyway hearsay wasn't evidence enough to start a city wide search.

I then told him of my plan for Rash to move into the abandoned Wizards House, turn it into a home for her. He was surprised and somewhat uneasy at the idea, protesting that it was best left alone but finding no justification to overrule my argument of need and use.

He also argued that Rash should take a wizard bodyguard as well but could think of no suitable candidate off hand when I suggested an undercover young female one was needed and would 'look into it' as soon as our meeting ended.

He agreed to me staying in the dorm until the house was ready and said he would arrange to have fresh protection spells cast; he would also talk with Ngawang who ran the justice ministry. As our meeting finished I was pleased with the way things had worked out but a little guilty for using Rash to stay with Xen and Cal.