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〃Big Julie！〃 Grimble beamed。 〃I'd like to wele you and your men to Possiltum。〃
〃I'm weling him first！〃 Badaxe growled。 〃He's my advisor。〃
As he spoke； the general dropped his hand to the hilt of his axe； a move which was not lost on the chancellor。
〃Of course； General；〃 Grimble acknowledged； forcing a grin。 〃I'll just wait here until you're through。 There are a few things I want to discuss with our new citizens。〃
〃While you're waiting； Grimble；〃 Aahz smiled； 〃there are a few things we have to discuss with you。〃
〃Such as what？〃 the chancellor scowled。
〃Such as the Court Magician's pay！〃 my mentor retorted。
〃Of course；〃 Grimble laughed。 〃As soon as we're done here we'll go inside and I'll pay him his first month's wages。〃
〃Actually；〃 Aahz drawled。 〃What we wanted to discuss was an increase。〃
The chancellor stopped laughing。
〃You mean a bonus； don't you？〃 he asked hopefully。 〃I'm sure we can work something out； considering…〃
〃I mean an increase！〃 Aahz corrected firmly。 〃C'mon； Grimble。 The kingdom's bigger now。 That means the magician's job is bigger and deserves more pay。〃
〃I'm not sure I can approve that；〃 the chancellor responded cagily。
〃With the increase of your tax base；〃 Aahz pressed； 〃I figure you can afford…〃
〃Now let's be careful；〃 Grimble countered。 〃Our overhead has gone up right along with that increase。 In fact； I wouldn't be surprised if 。 。 。〃
〃C'mon； Gleep；〃 I murmured to my pet。 〃Let's go see Buttercup。〃
I had a feeling the wage debate was going to last for a while。
Chapter Twenty…Six
〃All's well that ends well。〃
…E。 A。 POE
I was spending a leisurely afternoon killing time in my immense room in the palace。
The bargaining session between Aahz and Grimble had gone well for us。 Not only had I gotten a substantial wage increase； I was also now housed in a room which was only a little smaller than Grimble's； which in turn was second only to the king's in size。 What was more； the room had a large window； which was nice even if it did look out over the stables。 Aahz had insisted on this； hinting darkly that I might be receiving winged visitors in the night。 I think this scared me more than it did Grimble； but I got my window。
When I chose； I could look down from my perch and keep an eye on Gleep and Buttercup in the stables。 I could also watch the hapless stable boy who had been assigned to catering to their every need。 That had been part of the deal； too； though I had pushed for it a lot harder than Aahz。
Aahz was housed in the adjoining room； which was nice； though smaller than mine。 The royal architects were scheduled to open a door in our shared wall； and I had a hunch that when they did； the room arrangement would change drastically。 For the moment； at least； I had a bit of unaccustomed privacy。
The room itself； however； was not what was currently manding my attention。 My mind was focused on Garkin's old brazier。 I had been trying all afternoon to unlock its secrets； thus far without success。 It stood firmly in the center of the floor where I had first placed it； stubbornly resisting my efforts。
I perched on my windowsill and studied the object glumly。 I could levitate it easily enough； but that wasn't what I wanted。 I wanted it to e alive and follow me around the way it used to follow Garkin。
That triggered an idea in my mind。 It seemed silly； but nothing else had worked。
Drawing my eyebrows together； I addressed the brazier without focusing my energies on it。
〃e here！〃 I thought。
The brazier seemed to waiver for a moment； then it trotted to my side； clacking across the floor on its spindly legs。
It worked！ Even though it was a silly little detail； the brazier's obedience somehow made me feel more like a magician。
〃Hey； kid！〃 Aahz called； barging through my door without knocking。 〃Have you got a corkscrew？〃
〃What's a corkscrew？〃 I asked reflexively。
〃Never mind；〃 my mentor sighed。 〃I'll do it myself。〃
With that； he shifted the bottle of wine he was holding to his left hand； and inserted the claw on his right forefinger into the cork。 The cork made a soft pop as he gently eased it from the neck of the bottle； whereupon the cork was casually tossed into a corner as Aahz drank deeply of the wine。
〃Ahh！〃 he gasped； ing up for air。 〃Terrific bouquet！〃
〃Urn 。 。 。 Aahz？〃 I said shyly； leaving my window perch and moving to the table。 〃I have something to show you。〃
〃First； could you answer a question？〃 Aahz asked。
〃What？〃 I frowned。
〃Why is that brazier following you around the room？〃
I looked； and was startled to find he was right！ The brazier had scuttled from the window to the table to remain by my side。 The strange part was that I hadn't summoned it。
〃Um 。 。 。 that's what I was going to show you；〃 I admitted。 〃I've figured out how to get the brazier to e to me all by itself 。 。 。 no levitation or anything。〃
〃Swell；〃 Aahz grunted。 〃Now； can you make it stop？〃
〃Um 。 。 。 I don't know；〃 I said； sitting down quickly in one of the chairs。
I didn't want to admit it； but while we were talking I had tried several mental mands to get the brazier to go away； all without noticeable effect。 I'd have to work this out on my own once Aahz had left。
〃Say； Aahz；〃 I said casually； propping my feet on the table。 〃Could you pour me some of that wine？〃
Aahz cocked an eyebrow at me； then crossed the room slowly to stand by my side。
〃Kid；〃 he said gently； 〃I want you to look around real carefully。 Do you see anybody here except you and me？〃
〃No；〃 I admitted。
〃Then we're in private； not in public 。 。 。 right？〃 he smiled。
〃That's right；〃 I agreed。
〃Then get your own wine； apprentice！〃 he roared； kicking my chair out from under me。
Actually； it wasn't as bad as it sounds。 I exerted my mind before I hit the floor and hovered safely in thin air。 From that position； I reached out with my mind and lifted the bottle from Aahz's hand； transferring it to my own。
〃If you insist；〃 I said casually； taking a long pull on the bottle。
〃Think you're pretty smart； don't you！〃 Aahz snarled； then he grinned。 〃Well； I guess you are at that。 You've done pretty well 。 。 。 for an amateur。〃
〃A professional；〃 I corrected with a grin。 〃A salaried professional。〃
〃I know。〃 Aahz grinned back。 〃For an amateur； you're pretty smart。 For a professional you've got a lot to learn。〃
〃C'mon； Aahz！〃 I protested。
〃But that can wait for another day；〃 Aahz conceded。 〃You might as well relax for a while and enjoy yourself 。 。 。 while you can。〃
〃What's that supposed to mean？〃 I frowned。
〃Nothing！〃 Aahz shrugged innocently。 〃Nothing at all。〃
〃Wait a minute； Aahz；〃 I said sharply； regaining my feet。 〃I'm Court Magician now； right？〃
〃That's right； Skeeve；〃 my mentor nodded。
〃Court Magician is the job you pushed me into because it's so easy； right？〃 I pressed。
〃Right again； kid。〃 He smiled； …his nodding being even more vigorous。
〃Then nothing can go wrong？ Nothing serious？〃 I asked anxiously。
Aahz retrieved his wine bottle and took a long swallow before answering。
〃Just keep thinking that； kid。〃 He grinned。 〃It'll help you sleep nights。〃
〃C'mon； Aahz！〃 I whined。 〃You're supposed to