The Dark Amulet Collection

Chapter 17

Three weeks later, to the horror of both boys, Sheldrake entered the workshop carrying a small leather book, worn and dog-eared, and announced that it was time for them to start following their own formulae.

“This,” he said, “was my first spellcaster’s book. It is a primer, if you like.” He handed it to Jayhan. “You will have to share, of course, since there is only one. Now today, begin with something simple and innocuous. I want you to make up an antiseptic lotion, probably similar to those Beth uses. Turn to page 4, the recipe is there. Most things you need will be in the labelled jars on the shelves but ask me if you need particular ingredients.”

The boys took the book to their place on the bench.

“Well,” said Jayhan, “Finding page 4 should be easy enough.”

They opened the book and studied the ingredients on page 4. After a couple of minutes, by mutual agreement, they took the book to the shelves so they could match words to labels on jars. Two ingredients stumped them. They whispered together trying to find labels to match but eventually decided they need to ask. Then ensued a heated whispering match about who would ask, both valiantly insisting on taking the fall. Finally, Jayhan won by simply walking over to his father and saying, “We have everything but ‘Hone-ee’ and ‘Thime.’”

Sheldrake looked at him for a long moment before saying mildly. “Well done on the other words. I think you will find honey and thyme in the kitchen. Ask Hannah.”

As they walked to the kitchen, Jayhan said disparagingly, “How are we supposed to know that? Why don’t they spell them as they say them? Stupid books.”

Sasha gave a jaunty laugh. “Yeah, stupid books.”

Jayhan glanced at him then threw his hands up. “Right. Confession time.” He stopped and faced Sasha. “I saw my readers in Beth’s office and she told me about you learning to read. She tried to avoid it but I figured it out myself from seeing the books there. So, if we have to read b****y recipes, it will be better if we both know where we stand. I am not a great reader. In fact, you seem to have nearly caught up to me already, which is just shocking as far as I’m concerned, but ask if you need help and I will try…. Might not succeed, but I will try.”

Sasha let out a sigh of relief. “And you won’t tell your Dad?”

“No. I’ve known for a couple of weeks and haven’t told him. I completely understand why you wouldn’t want to waste your mornings in the library with Eloquin and me. Much more fun mucking out the stables.”

“Absolutely,” said Sasha, with a relieved smile.

Over the coming months, both boys’ reading improved as they used it practically. They realised that Sheldrake wasn’t going to bite their heads off if they didn’t know particular words and, in fact, would prefer them to check with him if they were uncertain, rather than wreck a potion. Unbeknownst to the boys, Sheldrake was leading them through their little book based on the reading level rather than on the relative difficulty of the potion-making.

“Jayhan, you’re nearly ready to continue your research, I would think,” said Sheldrake, one sunny afternoon as the boys proudly presented a concoction designed for reducing swelling.

“What research?” asked Sasha.

Jayhan looked puzzled for a moment before his brow cleared. “Oh. I’d almost forgotten about that. I put the books in the back of my wardrobe because they were too hard for me.” He explained to Sasha about his search for information about his light-eyed grandmother. He shrugged and gave little self-deprecating smile. “I think the books are probably still too hard for us, but I suppose we could have a try. I’ll bring them down tomorrow.”

The next afternoon, Sasha walked into Sheldrake’s workshop to find a daunting pile of books piled on top of their bench. He glanced at Jayhan who nodded permission. So he reached out, but instead of opening one and attempting to read it, he laid the books side by side along the bench. Then he stood back, surveying his handiwork.

“Hmm. They look pretty old.” He looked at his friend and grimaced. “Thick, aren’t they?”

“Yep. And full of hard words.”

Sasha suppressed a sigh. “So what are we looking for? Stuff about your grandmother?”

“Yep.”

“So what was her name? Madison?” Then with a surreptitious glance at Sheldrake, whispered, “How do you spell it? Write it down for me.”

Jayhan found a piece of chalk and wrote the name carefully on the bench next to the end of the line of books.

Sasha peered at it then grinned triumphantly. “So all we have to do is start by looking for the name ‘Madison’ in the books and read in front and behind it.”

“If we can read the stuff in front and behind,” responded Jayhan gloomily.

Sasha gave him a reproving punch on the arm. “Don’t be such a gloomy-guts! I come up with a great idea for cutting down on hundreds of pages of reading and all you can do is whinge.”

Feeling Sheldrake’s eyes on him, Jayhan forced a smile, worried that either his friend might get into trouble for hitting him or he might get into trouble for sulking, “All right. Good idea, I guess. A good start, anyway.” He picked up the nearest book. “So we can take one book each, write down its title and then look through it for Madison’s name. Then we just write down the page numbers where her name appears and come back to it when we’ve gone through all the books. What do you think?”

Sasha smiled. “Great idea.” He leaned in and added, “And puts off the time when we have to be able to read them.”

“Splendid!” Both boys started, finding Sheldrake suddenly standing right behind them. “Of course, you will do this investigating in your own time. We have more important things to do here.” As the boys began to protest, Sheldrake raised his hand. “This is Jayhan’s project, not mine. You will do it in your own time or not at all.”

“Oh.” The colour had risen in Jayhan’s face, more from embarrassment than anger. Without a word, he packed up the books and put them in a pile near the door.

“Today,” continued Sheldrake, “we will spend some time on investigating Sasha’s amulet. Would you mind showing us your amulet again please, Sasha?” When Sasha had pulled it out from beneath his shirt and placed it in Sheldrake’s hand, he continued “I have made a copy and have been researching it but now, I want both of you to draw it as accurately as you can. Here, Sasha, have it back.”

Sash breathed a sigh of relief as he regained possession of his beloved amulet. “Thank you, sir.” He laid the amulet and its chain out, almost reverently, on the bench so that Jayhan and he could copy its markings onto pieces of paper. As soon as they had finished, he put it back on and let the amulet dangle within his shirt, once more out of sight.

Sheldrake walked over to inspect their work and nodded his approval, before handing Sasha an old leatherbound book entitled Symbols and badges of guilds, sects and dynasties. “Look through this and see whether you can work out the meaning of your amulet’s symbol.”

Symbols and badges of guilds, sects and dynasties.“Do you know, sir, what it means?” asked Sasha.

“Yes, I do now,” said Sheldrake, looking over his spectacles at him, “but it has taken some considerable effort to find out. The book I have given you is the product of weeks of searching. I give it to you now so that you can enjoy, as I did, finding the last part of the puzzle. When you have discovered its meaning, we will talk further.”

Sasha glanced at him uncertainly, perhaps sensing some undercurrent in his words, but the mage turned away and went back to his own work on the other side of the shed. When he turned his attention to Jayhan, he saw his friend’s eyes alight with curiosity.

“Well, come on then,” Jayhan said impatiently. “Share.”

Sasha smiled at him and placed the book on the bench. “Well, come on then, yourself.”

Together, they worked their way through the book, past sections on heraldry, stonemason’s marks, insignias, watermarks and even the seals made by signet rings belonging to the more prominent houses in Carrador.

“Look,” said Jayhan suddenly. “That’s my mum’s mark. See? A centaur; half woman, half animal. That’s because Mum shape-changes.”

“Where’s Sheldrake’s seal?”

“I don’t know. Wait. Yes, I do. Here it is.”

Sasha peered down at an angular S within a diamond within a circle. “Hmm. I’ve seen that before. It’s on some of Beth’s paperwork.” He smiled. “It suits him.”

Jayhan tilted his head, thinking about it. “What? No nonsense? With sharp angles? But with an air about him?”

Sasha laughed. “Exactly.”

“Come on you two. What are you up to?” came Sheldrake’s voice from across the shed.

“Nothing.” They chorused, then laughed. Smothering a fit of the giggles, they turned back to the book and flipped a few more pages.

Suddenly, there in front of them was the symbol from Sasha’s amulet, although the vertical line only began half way down the triangle, whereas Sash’s began at the top point. Beside it was a drawing of a small bush covered in red and yellow flowers.

“Huh! See?” exclaimed Sasha, “It does represent a flame tree.”

“Read the small print,” said Sheldrake dryly, from the other side of the shed. “One day, missing details might get you killed.”

Two heads, one brown, one black, leant over the book, reading the small writing beneath the symbol.

“Oooh. That’s tricky’ isn’t it? Most people wouldn’t notice that extra bit of vertical line but it completely changes the meaning. It’s like secret code. Amazing,” said Jayhan grinning. He looked at Sasha speculatively. “So what does that mean about you, I wonder?”

Sasha shrugged, looking uncomfortable.

“It means,” said Sheldrake, right behind them again, in that disconcerting way he had, “that our little friend here is a shaman, from a long line of shamans… and he is, as he told you, from the Eastern Plains, which is indeed from whence this symbol originates.”

Jayhan almost winced when he asked the next question. “And how do you know that someone didn’t just put the amulet round his neck?” He grimaced at Sasha. “Sorry. Just need to know. Then you can be sure.”

Sasha just c****d his head at Sheldrake and waited. In answer, Sheldrake requested him to take off his amulet again. “Just a small demonstration. I won’t keep it long this time.” He handed it to Jayhan. “Put it on over your head, just as Sasha did.”

Glancing at Sasha who gave a small nod of agreement, Jayhan lifted it. But as the silver chain passed above his head, his hands burned and his head felt as though someone were driving spikes into it. He yowled and dropped the amulet. Predicting the reaction, Sheldrake caught it well before it could fall to the floor.

Sasha’s eyes grew round. He looked knowingly at Sheldrake. “Is that what happened when you tried to put it on?”

Sheldrake smiled. “Yes. Exactly the same. And I believe the same would happen to anyone other than you.”

“Wow. That’s wonderful, isn’t it?” Sasha beamed. “Something that is really, truly my own and nobody else’s.”

Sheldrake and Jayhan, who both owned so much, exchanged a glance of shared sympathy for Sasha. The mage put his arm around the boy’s shoulders and gave him a squeeze, “Yes. It is rather wonderful, isn’t it?” After a pause, he added, “Your amulet has other properties too. Your mother or father, usually the mother, would have passed it on at the moment before her death to the heir of her bloodline… and with it, all the knowledge of generations of shamans.”

“But it’s supposed to protect you. That’s what Old Tom said,” protested Sasha. “How could my mother die if she was wearing it?”

“It didn’t stop you from hurting your knee,” Jayhan pointed out.

“No, but I didn’t die and you found me.”

Sheldrake was looking thoughtful. “You have raised an interesting point, Sasha. From what I’ve read, it does indeed protect you. But how much, I don’t know. I will see what else I can find out.”

“So is that why Sasha can tell it’s my mum when she is in different shapes?” asked Jayhan. “Because he is a shaman?”

Sheldrake directed his response to Sasha rather than to his son. “You are not yet a shaman, just as Jayhan is not yet a mage. You both need guidance to develop your potential. However, in your case, Sasha, I believe your amulet is gradually imbuing you with knowledge as you mature. Hopefully, what you learn from me will enhance that.” He gave a little smile. “I think those flashes of wisdom that you produce that seem far beyond your years, can be attributed to your connection with the wisdom of the shamans of your ancestry.”

“Huh. Not as brilliant as you thought you were,” chortled Jayhan.

“Huh yourself. It may the wisdom of my ancestors but it was me who drew on it.” Sasha gave a little smile. “At least I have ancestors. That’s a good start. Excuse me Sheldrake, sir, do you have any books about the people and shamans I come from? I don’t know anything about my family and people, or shamans or anything.”

“I do have some books, but more than that, I know of a woman, an ambassador for the Eastern Plains, who resides at the Kimoran Embassy in Highkington. I will see whether she might be willing to talk to you about your people.”

“Wow! Really? That would be wonderful. Could Jayhan come too?”

Sheldrake smiled at his enthusiasm. “I’ll see what I can do.”

On their way out of the workshop, Sasha bent down to pick up one of Jayhan’s books to work on, but Jayhan forestalled him.

“No, don’t Sasha.” Jayhan said awkwardly. “I thought we would be doing it in our magic lesson time. I don’t want to you to spend your spare time on these stuffy old books. You have enough to do. It wouldn’t be fair.”

“But…”

“No. We’ll leave it for now,” said Jayhan firmly. He managed a smile. “Anyway, we’ll be busy learning about shamans, won’t we?”

Sasha glanced at him but, reading the determination on his face, subsided.

Later that evening after dinner, Sasha sat down with a jaunty little book, The cat that lost its tail, in his hand, ready to read it to Beth, who was sewing an insignia onto a saddle cloth. Instead of reading, he said, “If I could get hold of some of Jayhan’s books, I could help him find out about his great grandmother. He’s put them away again in his wardrobe, but it won’t feel good if we’re only looking at my history and not his. I would have said that to him, but he had that stubborn look on and I knew he wouldn’t listen… We could make the books into my reading lessons,” he suggested hopefully. He c****d his head. “What do you think?”

The cat that lost its tail, “I think you two are lucky to have each other as friends. So, just how were you thinking you might get any of these books out of Jayhan’s wardrobe?”

outSasha gave a little smile. “Clive?”

Beth put down her sewing to look at him. “Now Sasha, Clive is a respectable, trustworthy member of the household…”

“Yes, but it wouldn’t be stealing. It would be borrowing… and to be helpful. I’m sure Clive wouldn’t mind.”

“Clive wouldn’t mind what?” asked a third, deeper voice.

Sasha turned melting, dark eyes on the new arrival and beamed. “Hello Clive.”

Beth rolled her eyes and resigned herself to the inevitable.