Oh, I see! muttered Querida.
You do? said a great hollow voice. It was deep as a coalmine. Then ask.
Thank you, said Querida and, just as before, she asked, What do we do to abolish the Pilgrim Parties and get rid of Mr Chesney for good?
There was a long, long silence. The darkness remained absolutely still while the silence lasted, and then abruptly quivered and broke up, with shoots of light rushing through it from either side. When it spoke again, the deep voice shook a little.
You must appoint as Wizard Guide to the last tour the second person you see on leaving here.
Then, as in the white temple, the space was small and empty and they were crowded together, standing among rubbish. It was slightly less hot.
I swear that thing was laughing! Barnabas said as they turned to go and found, as before, that the doorway was now wide enough to take all of them.
Something glittered in the sand by Regins boot. This time he did not pick it up. He put his toe under it and nudged it until he could see that it was a scrap of paper with one gold edge. Sure enough, it had written on it: Be careful what you ask for: you may get it. He decided not to mention it to the others.
Well, the deserts still empty, said King Luther. Oh!
A man was just coming out of the temple of the White Oracle. He was a tall, fattish, mild-faced man, dressed in the kind of clothes farmers wore. He was edging sideways out of the narrow entrance with one arm up to shade his eyes, but they could all see his face quite clearly.
Barnabas said, Oh no! and King Luther said, Ill be damned! Umru shook his head. Be careful what you ask for, he sighed. Querida drew in a little hiss of breath.
Whats the matter? asked Regin. Who is he? Who are they, I mean? he added as someone else squeezed out of the white doorway behind the wide man. This person was a boy of about fourteen who looked rather like the man, except that he was skinny where the man was wide. As he asked, the man rounded on the boy.
There, he said. Youre answered. Satisfied?
No I am not! said the boy. Ive never heard of this person. Who is he?
Goodness knows, replied the man. But hes no one at the University, so its quite clear youre not going to the University to learn your wizardry anyway. I was right.
The boys chin bunched angrily. Theres no need to look so pleased. You always try to stop me doing what I want!
And the two of them stood in the sand and shouted at one another.
Who are they? Regin asked again.
I dont know the boy, Querida said, but I know the man all right. His name is Derk. And he did once qualify at the University as a wizard. There is no doubt Mr Chesney would accept him as Dark Lord.
The boys his son, Barnabas said. His names Blade. Querida, I dont want to do this. Derk is a nice man and a friend of mine. Hes actually very gifted
There are two opinions about that, Querida snapped. Has the boy any talent?
Bags of it, Barnabas said miserably. Takes after his mother.
Oh Mara, I remember, Querida said. I must talk to Mara. Thats settled then. We have our Dark Lord and our Wizard Guide according
to both the Oracles.
We could always pretend we hadnt seen them and choose the next two people we see, King Luther suggested.
The gods forfend! Umru gasped, mopping his face with his undercape.
Querida shot King Luther her snakiest look and marched over to the two outside the white temple. As she reached them, Derk was leaning forward to bawl into his sons face, with a wholly reasonable air, as if he were simply discussing something quietly, I tell you, the Universitys not a place to learn anything these days. They havent had a new idea for thirty years. All they do is crawl to Mr Chesney.
Querida could easily pretend not to hear this, because Blade was at the same time screaming, I dont want to hear! Its just excuses to stop me doing what I want! You let Shona go to Bardic College, so why dont you let me learn magic?
ER HEM! said Querida, loudly enlarged by magic.
Derk and Blade both whirled round. Tyrant! Blade screamed in her face and then bowed over, consumed with embarrassment.
Derk surveyed the tiny glistening lady in the robes of High Chancellor. His eyes travelled on to the tall glum sweaty figure of King Luther and the huge shape of Umru and the blisters of sweat popping out on his vast red-blotched cheeks. He nodded to them and smiled at Barnabas, whose curls were wet and whose face was even redder than Umrus. Finally he looked at the young man in the rear who was a stranger to him and only pretending not to be hot. Oh hallo, he said. What are you all doing here? Is there some reason you arent using a refrigeration spell?
No, I forgot, bother it! said Querida. I like the heat.
Derk nudged Blade. Blade recovered from his embarrassment enough to make a slight gesture. Incredible, blessed coolness spread over the four men. Bags of talent indeed, Regin murmured.
Thank you, young man, Umru said gratefully.
Blade was clearly intending to demonstrate that it was not usual for him to scream into peoples faces. He bowed. Youre welcome, Your Reverence, he said with great politeness. And excuse me do any of you know a wizard called Deucalion? He looked round them anxiously as they all shrugged and shook their heads. Magic user then? he asked, with his voice dropping hopelessly.