“How can you—”
Suddenly they were out of the fog, in brilliant daylight. Members of the crew looked over their shoulders and saw a wall of fog which circled the island like a fortress.
The castle still stood atop the cliffs, a looming black presence that seemed to cast a pall over the area. “Should we move farther down the coast?” asked the Captain.
“This is very good,” said Nakor. “They’ve added some new tricks.” He looked at the Captain. “Everything is fine. You just lower a boat, drop me on the beach, then you can go back to Krondor.” The relief was obvious on the man’s face. “How do we plot our course?”
“Just sail through the fog, that way.” Nakor pointed. “If you’re turned around a little in the fog, that’s fine, because it will want to turn you away from the island anyway. You’ll come out more or less pointed east, and you can get your bearings off the sun or stars. You’ll be fine.”
The Captain tried to look reassured, but failed.
The sails were hauled in and a boat lowered, and within an hour Nakor stood on the beach of Sorcerer’s Island. He didn’t bother to watch the ship depart, as he knew the Captain would be raising sail even as the boat that had dropped Nakor off was rowing furiously back. Pug had done a wonderful job of casting a pall of woe and despair over anyone sitting off the coast.
Nakor hiked the path up from the beach, and where it split toward the castle and down into the small valley, he chose the valley path. Nakor didn’t even bother using the energy needed to shift his perceptions, as he knew that when he reached the limit of the illusion he would pass from the seemingly wild woodlands into a lovely pasture, dominated by a rambling villa.
When the illusion finally did shift, Nakor almost tripped in surprise. For while the landscape was as he had expected it to be, there was one feature that was totally unexpected. A golden dragon rested comfortably next to the house, apparently asleep.
Nakor hiked up his faded orange robe and hurried on spindly shanks until he was before the dragon. “Ryana!” he shouted.
The dragon opened one eye and said, “Hello, Nakor. Is there a reason you’re waking me?”
“Why don’t you change and come inside?”
“Because it’s more comfortable sleeping like this,” said the dragon, her voice revealing her mood as less than pleased.
“Late night?”
“Flying all night. Tomas asked me to bring him.”
“Tomas is here! That is wonderful news.”
“You may be the only one in Midkemia to think so,” rejoined the dragon.
“No, I don’t mean the reason he’s here, I mean the fact he’s here. That means I don’t have to explain things to Pug.”
“Probably for the best,” said the dragon as a nimbus of golden light surrounded her. Her form shimmered, the edges blurring, and the light seemed to shrink until she was human size. Then she resolved into the form of a striking woman with reddish blond hair, enormous blue eyes, and a deep tan of gold.
“Put some clothing on,” said Nakor. “I can’t concentrate when you run around naked.”
With a slight movement, Ryana created a long blue gown, which accentuated her coloring. “How you can be the age you are and still act like such an adolescent at times is beyond me, Nakor.”
“It’s part of my charm,” said Nakor with a grin.
Ryana slipped her arm in his and said, “No, I don’t think that’s it. Let’s go inside.”
They walked into the house and headed toward Pug’s study. When they got there, they heard voices inside, and when Nakor knocked, Pug’s voice said, “Come in.”
Ryana entered first, and Nakor came in behind her. Pug’s study was large, with a broad windowseat upon which Miranda sat. Tomas sat uncomfortably in a chair that was obviously a little too small for him, while Pug sat facing the two of them. If either Tomas or Pug were surprised to see Nakor, neither showed it. Miranda grinned. “Why am I not surprised to see you here?”
“I give up,” said Nakor sitting down. “So, what are we to do?”
All eyes turned toward him, and Pug said, “Why don’t you tell us?”
Nakor opened his sack and reached in, up to his shoulder, as if feeling around. Everyone in the room had seen him do the trick before, but the effect was still comic. He fished out an orange and said, “Anyone want one?”
Miranda held up her hand and Nakor tossed it to her. He got another one for himself. Nakor began to peel the orange. “Something amazing happened in Krondor last week. A terrible thing and a wonderful thing. Or they were both the same thing. Anyway, one of my students, a very special woman named Aleta, was studying with Sho Pi—meditation, just the basics—when suddenly a light gathered around her. She rose in the air, and below her, trapped, was a very black thing.”