Free Inexperienced Mage (Reawakening Saga) by D.W. Jackson

on his gender.
    Early the next morning, Brand brought over a map as Monique had promised. His new friend bid Thad farewell and ran off to meet up with the leaving caravan.
    Once he was dressed, Thad made his way down to the main hall to pay for another night at the inn. He was greeted by the surly innkeeper, who looked none too happy to see him. “No, your friends are gone. I’ll not have you stay another night at my inn. Take yourself over to the Horse Head Inn in the squatters district.”
    With all his belongings in his sack, Thad made his way into the poor district of the town. After a short search, he found the Horse Head inn. Inside, he inquired about a private room, but was shocked to learn that all they had was one large common room. Leaving the inn he walked around town looking for any place where he could practice his magic undisturbed.
    He searched every inch of the squatter’s district, but everything was jammed so close together, he couldn’t find any place that offered even a hint of solitude. The sun was going down, so he decided it was time to make his way back to the Horse Head Inn and take up his search again in the morning.
    His mind wandering, Thad walked right into a poorly dressed man with matted and dirty hair. “What have we here? That’s a nice looking sack you’re holding there. What do you think boys? Should we see what our friend is carrying to make sure it isn’t anything dangerous?”
    Thad glanced around noticing six others with the man in front of him. Thinking quickly, Thad kneed the man who had spoken in the crotch and ran back the way he came, as fast as his legs could carry him. As loaded down as he was, the group behind him was gaining fast. He had to do something or his life in the capital would be a very short one indeed. His panic p eaked as he turned down a small alley and found himself trapped by a dead end. He backed into the corner staying as quiet as possible, hoping that the mob would pass him by. He noticed a sewage drain and quickly dropped to his knees, pulling at the grate. The grate lifted free with a loud screech.
    The smell, as he reached the bottom, made him gag. The sewer was larger than he expected. The system allowed waste to flow under the city where bacteria decomposed it to nutrient rich compost. Three times a year, the sewers were flooded, carrying the fertilizer into the farmlands south of the city. The celling of the sewer had a thick growth of moss that absorbed the smell. In the Academy’s history book, it was said the sewer was built before the Fae Wars and had been the combined efforts of many imperial mages.
    Thad made his way down the dark tunnels using his light ring to illuminate the damp, discolored walls. One by one, he checked each of the many branches off the main tunnel. While not the most desirable location, it did offer the one thing he needed - privacy. He found three suitable sites to make his new home. After carefully considering all three, he decided on the small room below the school for highborn children.
    Not only did it allow him privacy, it wasn’t far from the Market District. The sewer port allowed him fairly easy access to the largest source of information in the Queendom. Though he would have to break-in at night and find a way to move around unseen, the school’s library was too tempting to pass up.
    Within hours, he had devised a shield that would protect his sanctuary when the sewer was flooded. Next, he conjured a few lights to help explore the library. Finally, he imported moss from the area surrounding his home site. The added moss filtered the air to the point it was breathable.

Chapter IV
    Within a span of days after making a few trips topside to purchase cleaning supplies and scented candles his new home was becoming more habitable. With nothing to keep him busy he had spent most of his time reading through his book. The alchemy book was interesting but he just couldn’t understand most of it, not having studied