Free A Bad Spell in Yurt - Wizard of Yurt - 1 by C. Dale Brittain Page A

into magic properties."
    "What do you mean, at least some? I brought everything I had and swept out my study when I was done. If you're trying to find out by hints and insinuations what might be in my study, you must not have been listening to what I said. There is nothing left in my study, but for reasons of my own I want it locked while the kingdom remains! Can I make it any clearer than that?"
    He stirred the fire vigorously, and the smoke found me again. The old wizard coughed a few times as wel . I realized I had almost been hoping he had left something in his study that had escaped, but now I just felt disappointed. It was likely only an old man's pride that had made him not want any other wizard to ever use the room where he had studied and done his research for so many years. If he had put a magic lock on the door, wel , even City-trained wizards like me didn't always get the spel s just right.
    We sat and listened to the rain for several more minutes. Time seemed to stretch out endlessly in the dark room. I wasn't even hungry, even though it must have been long past dinner time. A smal calico cat appeared suddenly from behind a chair, startling me for a second into thinking it was a large rat, rubbed against me, then crossed the room to hop up on the old wizard's lap. He stroked it absently, staring into the fire.
    I tried again. "Master, in spite of my degree from the wizards' school, which seemed to impress them up at the castle, I'm real y not a very good wizard."
    "You didn't need to tel me that."
    "But I want to learn! If I came here regularly, could you teach me about the magic of air and herbs?"
    He glared at me so fixedly that I was sure he would refuse. The cat in his lap, unconcerned, gave a wide pink yawn and settled itself more comfortably. But then the old wizard's shoulders seemed to relax a little. He rocked in silence for a moment while I held my breath, then answered at last. "Maybe. Just maybe. After the last time, I'd determined I'd never teach anyone again."
    This must be the time that Dominic and the Lady Maria had tried to learn magic, I thought, but did not dare speak.
    "But I don't think you're as stupid as you seem at first." This was apparently a compliment. "I'l have to consider it. I haven't had an apprentice for many years, maybe for a century."
    If he was trying to pretend an old man's forgetfulness, he wasn't fooling me; I was sure he knew exactly who his last apprentice had been and when he had taught him.
    "No one wanted to be an apprentice anymore after that wizards' school started." This thought roused him into a new glare. "But the old magic cannot be forgotten. You young whippersnappers are going to need it when your 'modern' magic gets into trouble. I'l think about it for a while."
    I was delighted but dared not show it. This was virtual y a promise. During his "while," as he thought about it, I could teach myself a lot of the magic I was supposed to know already if I spent every evening with my books. Then if I started coming down here regularly, maybe I could actual y become a competent wizard. I imagined myself going back to the City for a visit and showing off al my new skil s.
    He interrupted my imaginings with almost a shout. "But would you then go back and tel everything I taught you to that chaplain friend of yours?"
    This had never occurred to me as a possibility. "No, of course not! Why should I do that? He doesn't even real y approve of magic."
    "But you said he was your friend," said the wizard with a grunt.
    "Just because he's the most intel igent person my age in the castle. It's nice to have someone to talk to over wine in the evening."
    "And you like your wine, don't you?" If I wasn't careful, he was going to rescind his offer to think for a while about teaching me the old herbal magic.
    "He seems to think even ordinary magic is black magic. I might have a glass of wine with him, but I certainly wouldn't tel him anything I'd learned."
    This seemed to irritate the