Mary winked. "I would rather you like me for my wit, not just my bosom." She held out her hand and allowed Fisgig to return to his perch.

Brayson took a moment to enjoy her confidence. "To answer your question, the Source guards the Eye from all beings. In order for a being to look into the Eye, he must prove himself worthy to venture beyond the dragon. If deemed worthy, the Eye will invite this aspiring mage to look into it. Many beings have been swallowed by the Eye and lost forever. Their souls are spit into the darkness beyond our worlds and left to find their way to the G.o.ds."

"That's horrible," Mary responded. "Why would someone want to look into the Eye if they could perish? Is that much power truly worth the risk, and are males the only beings who are allowed to look into the Eye? What about females? You have constantly said he. Do you not consider women good enough?" She put her hands on her hips and waited for the answer.

Brayson took note of Mary's body language. "Power is considered worth the risk." The Head Master removed Fisgig from his perch and set the bird on his shoulder. "To answer your question regarding females ... I've never met a female who has been ready to meet the Source. I have nothing against women seeking power. In fact, I'd welcome the Peak when this happens. Until then, I can only speak of what has transpired."

Mary pondered his answer. "I'm glad you're open to the idea. I admire strong women. I hope to know a woman like that some Peak."

"As do I." Brayson found Mary's eyes and held her hands in his. "I see much strength in you, Mary. I also see a delightful wit and an ardent mind that has the ability to enjoy the moment. I watched from the bar inside Kebble's Kettle as you and your daughters made your family laugh."

Mary slapped Brayson's arm. "You mean to tell me you were at the inn and never said h.e.l.lo? Why?"

"I had to work up the nerve. I needed to figure out how to approach you. The dresses were intended to buy me the moments necessary to accomplish this." Brayson bowed. "Please forgive me."

Mary giggled. "There's no forgiveness necessary. I find your vulnerability flattering." After giving another wink, she changed the subject. "You were going to tell me about the men who seek the power of the Eye."

Brayson smiled. "Many men seek power, but this search causes doubt. A man may succeed and convince the Source he's worthy to pa.s.s, but it's not the dragon a man should fear. In fact, the Source has been known to allow a man to pa.s.s without questioning him.

"It's the Eye that all beings should be afraid of. When a man is invited by the Eye to look into it, it sees doubt. It hates doubt. It devours this weakness by swallowing the being's soul.

"Only those who believe they are ready to receive the Eye's gift survive. These men are granted power far beyond their comprehension. They spend the rest of their lives as scholars of the arts trying to understand how to evoke this power. They strive to become immortal ... G.o.d-like ... but to my knowledge, no one has managed to attain this level of glory prior to pa.s.sing."

Mary's brow furrowed. "Is this your goal? Do you wish to become a G.o.d? Do you desire to have so much power that you would forget to live your life in search of it?"

Brayson smiled. "I do enjoy your directness. I have no desire to become an exalted being. Furthermore, I enjoy living life to its fullest. If I had been so focused on attaining greater power, I would not have noticed you, now would I?"

Again, Mary slapped his arm, but now there was a satisfied twinkle in her eyes. "Good answer, Mr. Id. There just might be hope for you and me." Taking his hand, she gave it a squeeze. "Tell me more about you."

Brayson cleared his throat. "I'm the last man to look into the Eye and survive. Before me, it was my father. Both my brothers were turned away by the Source, and they were not allowed to look into the Eye. That said, my father was 1,200 seasons when he pa.s.sed."

Removing Fisgig from his shoulder, Brayson returned the phoenix to his perch before he continued. "Twelve men over the last 10,000 seasons have pa.s.sed this ultimate test while 7,432 beings were turned away by the Source. Sadly, 2,764 beings have tried and lost their souls."

Brayson could see the look of shock on Mary's face. "Are you okay? You look as if you have concerns."

"Of course she does," Fisgig responded. "You would, too." The phoenix redirected his gaze. "It's alright, Mary. Ask anything you wish."

"I have so many questions, I'm not sure where to start." She paused in thought. "Is George going to look into the Eye?"

Brayson answered. "If the Peak comes when he's ready, I'll tell you. But for now, how would you like to meet your first dragon?"

Mary's eyes widened. "Dragon? Me ... meet a dragon?"

Brayson's Desk Inside the Book of Bonding George sat in frustration, careful to avoid the water that surrounded his dry spot at the bottom of the hole. Trying to figure a way out was exhausting. Payne had made an attempt to fly to the surface of the shaft, but some unseen force did not let him pa.s.s.

"I don't know what to do!" George barked as he threw a small stone against the wall of the shaft. "This place is p.i.s.sing me off!" George looked at a skull that was partially covered by water. "I don't want to end up like that poor b.a.s.t.a.r.d."

Payne tilted his head. "What 'b.a.s.t.a.r.d' mean?"

"Just forget about it!" George stood and adjusted his tunic. "I feel filthy, and I need a d.a.m.n bath." His ragged appearance was a far cry from his Gucci persona he sported on Earth.

Again, Payne tilted his head. "What 'bath' mean?"

George glared at Payne. "Shut up! Don't say anything else. I need to figure out how to get out of here."

Payne growled, "Ebbish nay!" The fairy-demon flew up and sat on a heavy root that protruded from the wall. "Payne, no like Master."

"Blah, blah, blah! Whatever!"

Many moments pa.s.sed before George refocused on the task at hand. "Payne, get down here. We must be missing something. I wonder what Brayson would do in a situation like this?"

"Sleep," Payne responded as he hovered next to George.

"Sleep? What the h.e.l.l are you talking about? Brayson wouldn't do that. Are you even paying attention? What does sleep have to do with what I asked?"

"Master tired. Master sleep. Sleep make Master think gooder."

"I don't need to sleep. I need to find a way out of here, or we'll starve to death. We've got to focus. There's got to be a way out."

George thought long and hard as he scanned his surroundings. "Didn't Brayson say he had a phoenix? Doesn't a phoenix use fire? At least they did in the movies I've seen. Perhaps fire would work on these roots."

"What 'movies' mean?"

George rolled his eyes. "You're killing me. You know that, right?"

"Ebbish nay! Master grouchy to Payne."

The mage shook his head and then took another look around. His eyes settled on a gathering of thick roots that protruded from the base of the wall. "I wonder how they managed to grow this deep?" He walked over, grabbed the roots and pulled, but they wouldn't budge. "Screw me sideways!"

Payne flew over and sat on the roots above George's head. "What 'screw' mean?"

"Nothing, and don't repeat that in front of Athena. She doesn't like it when we talk that way, so forget I said anything."

George backed up and rubbed his chin. "Those tulips freaked out when you pulled one of them out of the ground. Perhaps the plants connected to these roots will freak out and pull their roots to the surface. Perhaps they'll-" He stopped. "Payne, get behind me."

Once the fairy-demon was out of the way, the mage lifted his hands. A wave of fire torched the area. The roots retracted, and as they did, a small crack appeared in the wall near the floor.

George boasted. "I knew there had to be a way out!"

"Again!" Payne shouted. "Again, Master!"

George did, and the crack widened further. George put his hands on his hips. "This looks promising. Payne, take a look at this. There's a cave on the other side, but the crack is still too small to fit through. Stand back, let me do it again."

George kept at it until the hole was large enough for them to pa.s.s through it. Satisfied with his results, he commanded, "Payne, get through before it closes."

Payne did as he was told. Once George was through, the wall shut behind them. A long, well-lit cave stretched into the distance with no end in sight. The light seemed to come from within the walls. They were glowing.

George took a deep breath. "This is freaking eerie. I don't like this one bit. Something tells me we're not out of trouble. I have a bad feeling about this joint."

"What 'freaking' mean?"

"It means I'm scared."

"Payne not scared." The fairy-demon pushed out his chest as he hovered above the floor.

"That's because you're brave."

"Yes, Payne brave."

"That's good. We may need your bravery. At least this place is a change of scenery."

"What 'scenery' mean?"

"I swear to the G.o.ds, Payne, I'm going to make you memorize a dictionary."

"Ebbish nay. Be nice to Payne. Payne save you. What 'dictionary' mean?"

"Payne!"

"Okay!"

Suddenly, a loud scream echoed off the walls of the cave. It sounded like a frightened woman.

George ran toward the noise with Payne flying behind him. I can't believe I'm doing this, he thought. Only idiots run toward danger. As he ran, the screams grew louder. I'm going to regret this, I just know it.

It took 400 footsteps before the cave ended. George pa.s.sed through the threshold of a large room that had been made out of shaped stones. At the center of the room, an old woman had been left hanging by her arms. The shackles around her wrists were connected to opposing ends of a chain that had been pulled through an iron hoop that was attached to the ceiling.

Suspended high above a banquet table covered with food, the woman's dress had been shredded and beneath the mess, claw marks ran down her calves. Blood dripped from the end of her foot and fell into a wooden pot that had been placed at the end of the table.

The pain on the woman's face was evident as she looked down at George. After struggling to get her breath, she warned, "You must run!"

Before George could respond, four large creatures appeared, one in each corner of the room. They began to crawl along the ceiling toward the woman. The figures were dark, without faces, and they were covered with hair. Their claws ripped into the stones with every step, and the rubble that released fell to the floor and broke apart.

That's just great ... a bunch of p.i.s.sed off Cousin Its, George thought. Could this world get any more messed up? George lifted his hands and sent his magic flying. Thousands of needles filled the air in two directions. As a result, an equal number of creatures fell lifeless to the floor and landed with a thud.

Again, George shot his needles, but when they made contact with the two beasts that remained, nothing happened. The needles bounced off. The creatures turned their attention toward their visitors.

Again, the woman shouted. "You must run! They'll kill you! You can't save me! Run!"

Payne did not wait for George to give a command. He teleported next to one of the beasts and used his claws to cut the creature free from its grip. Only three of its four claws released, but Payne adjusted his a.s.sault and took a bite out of the leg that remained attached. The squeal the menace made as it fell 30 paces to the floor before it landed on its head was unnerving.

George unsheathed his sword as he ran toward the beast. He buried the blade deep within the center of the animal's ma.s.s and then turned to find the final beast.

As the creature scurried down the wall, Payne attacked, but found his claws were no longer able to cause damage. The next thing the fairy-demon knew, he was being clubbed across his face. He was knocked across the room and landed on the table, his fall softened by a cooked bird that was sitting at its center. The impact was severe enough to leave him dazed.

The beast finished its descent. Its claws found the floor as the woman screamed yet again for George to make his retreat. The creature began to crawl toward the mage. As it did, the three beasts that had already been ended vanished, and then they reappeared at its side, alive and well.

Again, the woman shouted, "Save yourself! You can't kill them!"

George heard something in the woman's voice. She sounded too desperate. His seasons of deception triggered his internal alarm. Something's not right, he thought. Why would she tell me to run? Why isn't she begging me to save her? This is a con. There's no way she's in trouble. This is a set-up ... and she's the bait.

With the beasts surrounding him. George had to make a choice. Run or fight, but one or the other had to be done, and done now.

The beasts leapt toward George, but before they could seize him, he teleported to the end of the table where the large wooden pot sat. The mage lifted his hands. A pulverizing blast of wind shot from his fingertips. It hit the woman with such force that she was hurled into the ceiling that was more than seven paces above her outstretched arms. She was instantly knocked unconscious.

The chains around her wrists had coiled on her way up, and as she fell toward the floor, her arms took the brunt of the pressure. The chains snapped against her weight, ripping her arms off at the elbows. She tumbled head over heels before her head smashed against the floor. Her skull cracked, leaving her brain exposed.

George was forced to redirect his attention. From the corner of his eye, he saw the creatures throw themselves into the air. He teleported, but only after a claw tore open a nasty gash across his right shoulder. When he reappeared at the opposite end of the table, he used his good arm to send his magic flying. The woman's exposed brain was peppered with needles, and as they penetrated the soft tissue, the magic's effect was instantaneous. The beasts disappeared in an explosion of smoke, and the woman's body began to expand.

George quickly a.s.sessed the situation. Something was causing pressure to build from inside the woman's stomach. George teleported, grabbed Payne and then threw up a wall of force. A split moment later, the woman's gut burst open, fumigating the room with a green, deadly gas. They would need to stay inside the barrier until the air cleared.

Marcus Id's Dark Tower-palace Boyafed was sitting on Marcus' throne. The Order leader was tapping his foot against the edge of the chair as Marcus entered the room.

"This better be important!" Marcus snapped as he watched Boyafed lean back into a more comfortable position. The chancellor cringed. "I see you've made yourself at home."

Boyafed smiled. "Your throne suits me."

Marcus hated Boyafed's nerve, but he would not allow Boyafed to see his irritation. "Have you found Gage?"

"No, but I have other news."

"And that news is?"

Boyafed stood, brushed past Marcus and then retrieved a piece of parchment from his back pocket. He tossed it at the chancellor.

"What's this?" Marcus grumbled as he caught the letter and then opened the doc.u.ment. It was not long before a smile appeared on the chancellor's face. "Boyafed, my good man. This is, indeed, pleasant news. Are you sure of this?"

"I am. Your brother has taken on a new Mystic Learner. My spies have since lost sight of him, but we know he exists."

Marcus crumpled the paper into a ball. "This news makes me believe your service is of some use. But the absence of my goswig is a matter I must remedy before I confront my brother again. See to it that your best men are looking for Gage. Have your son lead the search. This would make a fine first a.s.signment."

Boyafed gave the chancellor a look of defiance. "I cannot, nor would I waste Kiayasis' moments on your nonsense."

"Careful, Boyafed. You should remember with whom you speak."

Boyafed smiled. "It appears that as of late, my memory often fails to remind me of your supposed position. Besides, Lord Hosseff requested that Kiayasis be sent to Merchant Island to escort a woman from Grayham. She needs to go to Grogger's Swamp. She has business there, and furthermore, it's not my problem that you can't keep your goswig under control. I have many men who are capable of finding Gage. I will send my lackeys to look for your inconvenience."

Marcus hated Boyafed's tone, but he said nothing of it. "Lord Hosseff was here? Why wasn't I told? Why didn't you send for me?"

"I came to you when it suited me. I carried out our lord's instructions as I saw fit. Besides, Hosseff didn't ask for you. He came seeking my company ... company I'm sure he would consider more pleasant."

The Dark Chancellor's glare spoke volumes. "Boyafed, you've clearly forgotten your place."

Boyafed chuckled. "I haven't forgotten who created this city. Perhaps you've lost sight of who commands the army that you claim to rule. My men respect you only because they follow my command. It would be wise for you to remember that I'm the only reason you have your illusion of control."

It took everything within Marcus to stay calm. "I'll remember that." The chancellor changed the subject. "Why would Hosseff want Kiayasis to escort this woman to Grogger's Swamp?"

"Does 'why' really matter? Our G.o.d has spoken." Boyafed plucked the balled-up parchment from Marcus' hand and then threw it across the room into the cold fireplace. "I haven't eaten. Perhaps you could bore me with other matters over a corgan steak and a cold ale."