It wasn"t until they"d lost sight of his hirsute form that it occurred to Ari a simple thing he"d said.
“Didn"t he say he was the High Magician of the Wizened Forest?”
Bere shot a glance at her. “I believe he did.”
“ "… every High Magician compelled to wear that belt in turn down through the ages unto this very day." ” Ari shook her head.
“It"s buckle of burnished sword-steel, a small ruby …” Bere repeated.
“Then why wasn"t he wearing it? Why wasn"t the High Magician of the Wizened Forest wearing the belt with the burnished sword steel buckle, a ruby in its center? What wasn"t he telling us?” Ari asked, glanced back as though to read his face from many miles distant.
* * *
Pavo Pagewright winced a little with each step, the center of his soreness between his mid-thigh and lower back
