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〃Of course it isn't；〃 my mentor moaned。 〃It's special effects gear。〃
〃Special effects？〃
〃Don't you remember anything； kid？〃 Aahz scowled。 〃I told you all this when we first met。 However easy magik is； you can't let it look easy。 You need a few hand props； a line of patter 。 。 。 you know； like Garkin had。〃
Garkin's hut； where I had first been introduced to magik； had been full of candles； vials of strange powders； dusty books 。 。 。 now there was a magician's lair！ Of course； I had since discovered most of what he had was unnecessary for the actual working of magik itself。
I was beginning to see what Aahz meant when he said I'd have to learn to put on a show：
〃We've got a lot of stuff we can work into your presentation；〃 Aahz continued。 〃Isstvan left a lot of his junk behind when he left。 Oh； and you might find some familiar items when we unload。 I think the Imps helped themselves to some of Garkin's equipment and brought it back to the inn with them。〃
〃Really？〃 I said； genuinely interested。 〃Did they get Garkin's brazier？〃
〃Brazier？〃 My mentor frowned。
〃You remember；〃 I prompted。 〃You used it to drink wine out of when you first arrived。〃
〃That's right！ Yeah； I think I saw it in there。 Why？〃
〃No special reason；〃 I replied innocently。 〃It was always a favorite of mine； that's all。〃
From watching Garkin back in my early apprentice days； I knew there were secrets to that brazier I was dying to learn。 I also knew that； if possible； I wanted to save it as a surprise for Aahz。
〃We're going to have to do something about your physical appearance； too；〃 Aahz continued thoughtfully。
〃What's…〃
〃You're too young！〃 he answered； anticipating my question。 〃Nobody hires a young magician。 They want one who's been around for a while。 If we…〃
He broke off suddenly and craned his neck to look around。
〃Kid；〃 he said carefully； studying the sky。 〃Your dragon's gone again。〃
I did a fast scan。 He was right。
〃Gleep！〃 I called。 〃Here； fella！ 〃
The dragon's head appeared from the depths of a bush behind us。 There was something slimy with legs dangling from his mouth； but before I could manage an exact identification； my pet swallowed and the whatzit disappeared。
〃Gleep！〃 he said proudly； licking his lips with his long forked tongue。
〃Stupid dragon；〃 Aahz muttered darkly。
〃He's cheap to feed；〃 I countered； playing on what I knew to be Aahz's tight…fisted nature。
As we waited for the dragon to catch up； I had time to reflect that for once I felt no moral or ethical qualms about taking part in one of Aahz's schemes。 If the unsuspecting Rodrick the Fifth was taken in by our charade and hired us； I was confident the king would be getting more than he bargained for。
Chapter Four
〃If the proper preparations have been made and the necessary precautions taken； any staged event is guaranteed success。〃
ETHELRED THE UNREADY
The candle lit at the barest flick from my mind。
Delighted； I snuffed it and tried again。
A sidelong glance； a fleeting concentration of my will； and the smoldering wick burst into flame again。
I snuffed the flame and sat smiling at the familiar candle。
This was the first real proof I'd had as to how far my magical powers had developed in the past year。 I knew this candle from my years as Garkin's apprentice。 In those days； it was my arch nemesis。 Even focusing all my energies failed to light it then。 But now。。。
I glanced at the wick again； and again it rewarded me with a burst of flame。
I snuffed it and repeated the exercise； my confidence growing as I realized how easily I could now do something I once thought impossible。
〃Will you knock it off with the candle！〃
I jumped at the sound of Aahz's outburst； nearly upsetting the candle and setting the blanket afire。
〃I'm sorry； Aahz；〃 I said； hastily snuffing the candle for the last time。 〃I just…〃
〃You're here to audition for court magician；〃 he interrupted。 〃Not for town Christmas tree！〃
I considered asking what a Christmas tree was； but decided against it。 Aahz seemed unmonly irritable and nervous； and I was pretty sure； however I chose to phrase my question； that the answer would be both sarcastic and unproductive。
〃Stupid candle blinking on and off；〃 Aahz grumbled half to himself。 〃Attract the attention of every guard in the castle。〃
〃I thought we were trying to attract their attention；〃 I pointed out； but Aahz ignored me； peering at the castle through the early…morning light。
He didn't have to peer far； as we were camped in the middle of the road just short of the castle's main gates。
As I said； I was under the impression our position was specifically chosen to attract attention to ourselves。
We had crept into position in the dead of night； clumsily picking our way through the sleeping buildings clustered about the main gate。 Not wishing to show a light； unpacking had been minimal； but even in the dark； I had recognized Garkin's candle。
All of this had to do with something Aahz called a 〃dramatic entrance。〃 As near as I could tell； all this meant was we couldn't do anything the easy way。
Our appearance was also carefully designed for effect； with the aid of the Imps' abandoned wardrobe and my disguise spells。
Aahz was outfitted in my now traditional 〃dubious character〃 disguise。 Gleep was standing placidly beside Buttercup disguised as a unicorn； giving us a matched pair。 It was my own appearance； however； which had been the main focus of our attentions。
Both Aahz and I had agreed that the Garkin disguise would be unsuitable for this effort。 While my own natural appearance was too young； Garkin's would be too old。 Since we could pretty much choose the image we wanted； we decided to field a magician in his mid to late thirties； young without being youthful； experienced without being old； and powerful but still learning。
To achieve this disguise involved a bit more work than normal； as I did not have an image in mind to superimpose over my own。 Instead； I closed my eyes and envisioned myself as I appeared normally； then slowly erased the features until I had a blank face to begin on。 Then I set to work with Aahz watching carefully and offering suggestions and modifications。
The first thing I changed was my height； adjusting the image until the new figure stood a head and a half taller than my actual diminutive stature。 My hair was next and I changed my strawberry…blond thatch to a more sinister black； at the same time darkening my plexion several shades。
The face gave us the most trouble。
〃Elongate the chin a little more；〃 Aahz instructed。 〃Put on a beard 。 。 。 not that much； stupid！ Just a little goatee！ 。 。 。 That's better！ 。 。 。 Now lower the sideburns 。 。 。 okay； build up the nose 。 。 。 narrow it 。 。 。 make the eyebrows bushier 。 。 。 no； change 'em back and sink the eyes a little instead 。 。 。 for crying out loud change the eye color！ Make 'em brown 。 。 。 okay； now a couple of frown wrinkles in the middle of the forehead 。 。 。 Good。 That should do it。〃
I stared at the figure in my mind； burning the image into my memory。 It was effective； maybe a bit more sinister than I would have designed if left to my own devices； but Aahz was the