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e expert and I had to trust his judgment。 I opened my eyes。
〃Terrific； kid！〃 Aahz beamed。 〃Now put on that black robe with the gold and red trim the Imps left； and you'll cut a figure fit to grace any court。〃
〃Move along there！ You're blocking the road！〃
The rude order wrenched my thoughts back to the present。
A soldier； resplendent in leather armor and brandishing an evil…looking pike； was angrily approaching our crude encampment。 Behind him the gates stood slightly ajar； and I could see the heads of several other soldiers watching us curiously。
Now that the light was improving； I could see the wall better。 It wasn't much of a wall； barely ten feet high。 That figured。 From what we had seen since we crossed the border； it wasn't much of a kingdom； either。
〃You deaf or something？〃 the soldier barked drawing close。 〃I said move along！〃
Aahz scuttled forward and planted himself in the soldier's path。
〃Skeeve the Magnificent has arrived；〃 he announced。 〃And he…〃
〃I don't care who you are！〃 the soldier snarled； wasting no time placing his pike between himself and the figure addressing him。 〃You can't…〃
He broke off abruptly as his pike leaped from his grasp and floated horizontally in mid…air until it was forming a barricade between him and Aahz。
The occurrence was my doing； a simple feat of levitation。 Regardless of our planned gambit； I felt I should take a direct hand in the proceedings before things got pletely out of hand。
〃I am Skeeve！〃 I boomed； forcing my voice into a resonant bass。 〃And that is my assistant you are attempting to threaten with your feeble weapon。 We have e in response to an invitation from Rodrick the Fifth； King of Possiltum！〃
〃That's right； Bosco！〃 Aahz leered at the soldier。 〃Now just run along like a good fellow and pass the word we're here 。 。 。 eh？〃
As I noted earlier； all this was designed to impress the hell out of the general populace。 Apparently the guard hadn't read the script。 He did not cower in terror or cringe with fear。 If anything； our little act seemed to have the exact opposite effect on him。
〃A magician； eh？〃 he said with a mocking sneer。 〃For that I've got standing orders。 Go around to the back where the others are。〃
This took us aback。 Well； at least it took me aback。 According to our plan； we would end up arguing whether we entered the palace to perform in the king's court； or if the king had to bring his court outside to where we were。 Being sent to the back door was not an option we had considered。
〃To the back？〃 Aahz glowered。 〃You dare to suggest a magician of my master's stature go to the back door like a mon servant？〃
The soldier didn't budge an inch。
〃If it were up to me； I'd ‘dare to suggest' a far less pleasant activity for you。 As it is； I have my orders。 You're to go around to the back like all the others。〃
〃Others？〃 I asked carefully。
〃That's right；〃 the guard sneered。 〃The king is holding an open air court to deal with all you ‘miracle workers。' Every hack charm…peddler for eight kingdoms is in town。 Some of 'em have been in line since noon yesterday。 Now get around to the back and quit blocking the road！〃
With that he turned on his heel and marched back to the gate； leaving his pike hanging in mid…air。
For once； Aahz was as speechless as I was。 Apparently I wasn't the only one the king had invited to drop by。 Apparently we were in big trouble。
Chapter Five
〃。 。 。 Eve of newt； toe of frog。 。 。 〃…Believed to be the first recipe for an explosive mixture 。 。 。
The forerunner of gunpowder。
〃What are we going to do； Aahz？〃
With the guard out of earshot； I could revert to my normal voice and speech patterns； though it was still necessary to keep my physical disguise intact。
〃That's easy；〃 he responded。 〃We pack up our things and go around the back。 Weren't you listening； kid？〃
〃But what are we going to do about 。 。 。〃
But Aahz was already at work； rebinding the few items we had unpacked。
〃Don't do anything； kid；〃 he warned over his shoulder。 〃We can't let anyone see you doing menial work。 It's bad for the image。〃
〃He said there were other magicians here！〃 I blurted at last。
〃Yeah。 So？〃
〃Well； what are we going to do？〃
Aahz scowled。 〃I told you once。 We're going to pack our things and…〃
〃What are we going to do about the other magicians？〃
〃Do？ We aren't going to do anything。 You aren't up to dueling； you know。〃
He had finished packing and stepped back to survey his handiwork。 Nodding in satisfaction； he turned and shot a glance over my shoulder。
〃Do something about the pike； will ya； kid？〃
I followed his gaze。 The guard's pike was still hanging suspended in mid…air。 Even though I hadn't been thinking about it； part of my mind had been keeping it afloat until I decided what to do with it。 The question was； what should I do with it？
〃Say； Aahz 。 。 。〃 I began； but Aahz had already started walking along the wall。
For a moment I was immobilized with indecision。 The guard had gone so I couldn't return his weapon to him。 Still； simply letting it drop to the ground seemed somehow anticlimactic。
Unable to think of anything to do that would have the proper dramatic flair； I decided to postpone the decision。 For the time being； I let the pike float along behind me as I hurried after Aahz； first giving it additional elevation so it would not be a danger to Gleep and Buttercup。
〃Were you expecting other magicians to be here？〃 I asked； drawing abreast of my mentor。
〃Not really；〃 Aahz admitted。 〃It was a possibility； of course； but I didn't give it a very high probability rating。 Still； it's not all that surprising。 A job like this is bound to draw petition out of the woodwork。〃
He didn't seem particularly upset； so I tried to take this new development in stride。
〃Okay；〃 I said calmly。 〃How does this change our plans？〃
〃It doesn't。 Just do your thing like I showed you and everything should e out fine。〃
〃But if the other magicians…〃
Aahz stopped short and turned to face me。
〃Look； kid；〃 he said seriously； 〃just because I keep telling you you've got a long way to go before you're a master magician doesn't mean you're a hack！ I wouldn't have encouraged you to show up for this interview if I didn't think you were good enough to land the job。〃
〃Really； Aahz？〃
He turned and started walking again。
〃Just remember； as dimensions go； Klah isn't noted for its magicians。 You're no master； but masters are few and far between。 I'm betting that pared to the petition； you'll look like a real expert。 〃
That made sense。 Aahz was quite outspoken in his low opinion of Klah and the Klahds that inhabited it； including me。 That last thought made me fish for a bit more reassurance。
〃Aahz？〃
〃Yeah； kid？〃
〃What's your honest appraisal of my chances？〃
There was a moment of silence before he answered。
〃Kid； you know how you're always plaining that I keep tearing down your confidence？〃
〃Yeah？〃
〃Well； for both our sakes； don't push too hard for my honest appraisal。〃
I didn't。
Getting through the back gate proved to be no problem 。 。 。 mostly because there wasn't a back gate。 To my surprise and Aahz's disgust； the wall did not e