Free To Be Grand Maestro (Book 5) by John Buttrick

matter the reason. She summoned the potential for, Vitality, and focused her fuchsia-colored life force energy into the Maestro, funneling the entire flow into his vat. Twenty percent of her reservoir only made a larger puddle in the lakebed, but it was all she could afford to give after so many healings performed over the last day and a half. She ceased the potential and stood up while watching the Maestro being pulled to his feet by Leah, even though he did not require any help.
    “That was strange,” he said and his left eyebrow arched up. “I felt fine right up to the moment I fell.”
    Jennel nodded agreement. “That is because there is nothing wrong with your body,” she began to explain. “The problem is you have no life force energy of your own and are functioning on what I and others have donated.”
    Simon, whom Jennel forgot was there, spoke up. “This means he loses life force energy whether or not he casts any spells. This is even more serious than we first believed.” The closest members of the crowd evidently heard and seemed on the verge of panic.
    “Everyone stay calm. The Lead Healer will see him well,” Leah assured them.
    “Maestro, I am glad you composed the spell, What Is This. It in conjunction with the spell, Vitality; allows for the specific targeting of your reservoir. Otherwise it would be like pouring in energy like rain over a farm. Without being able to focus the flow some energy would go into your vat but most would be scattered over your entire being. This new way is like having all of the rain on a farm diverted to fall only in the barrel.” Jennel explained in terms the former mountaineer could easily relate.
    Daniel’s lips formed a half smile, as if he understood she was simplifying a principle he well understood, but was used to people speaking to him that way. He glanced at Sherree Jenna and the First Accomplished before answering Jennel. “This is not the first time spells I have composed have been wielded by another person to save my life. It seems I’m going to have to get used to delegating even more of my chores to others.”
    “You got that right,” Leah, Sherree, and Simon replied in perfect harmony. They each looked at the other with raised eyebrows and then spontaneously nodded in unison as if the action had been choreographed.
    “You will also need to get used to having your vat closely monitored multiple times a day,” Jennel was quick to add.
    “I will check your vat every evening and morning,” Sherree told him in a way that brooked no argument.
    “And I want Accomplished Obenport to check you four times a day,” Leah told him, although her tone suggested a request rather than insistence.
    “I will gladly perform this service, if you will allow it,” Jennel said, truly hoping the Maestro would agree.
    He nodded and glanced at building two before speaking. “It will be as you say. But I still have many chores yet and we need to get at them. Leah, I need you to contact Accomplished Meado and have her inform Queen Cleona of the events at Shantear, that I am alive, and not to worry about the amulet not working,” he took a deep breath and addressed the crowd at large. “As an Accomplished, I am weaker than a newly hatched sparrow. Nothing can be done about it at the moment, so let’s not bandy the fact about to folk who are not members of our association. Why frighten people more than they already are or risk our enemies learning and taking advantage of the situation?”
    “It will be as you say, Maestro,” the First Accomplished replied and then glowed brightly and conveyed elsewhere. The whip-crack sound of displaced air underscored her departure.
    Everyone in the crowd acknowledged the Maestro’s will and then continued with whatever task they had been in the middle of performing before he stepped into Center Court. Jennel followed the Maestro and his entourage back into building two. She began thinking of what to do for an Accomplished who no