Forever Boy

By Lita Burke

Life is dirty, difficult, and all too short for the dogs digging up the deadly mandrake roots that wizards animate with minor demons. A pup named Go Fer has an odd magical talent. He does not die from the fatal screams of newly-unearthed mandrakes. Go Fer’s master, a prideful minor magician, sees Go Fer’s talent as a fluke saving him the cost of replacing dogs killed by the mandrakes’ cries.

One morning, a young Wizard Kadmeion and his half-elf assistant Bright watch Go Fer at work. This mandrake extraction goes horribly wrong, and Go Fer runs away during the hubbub. After seeking out the wizard, the dog’s life is not the same. In fact, Kadmeion discovers Go Fer is no longer a dog.

An exciting life as the wizard’s familiar awaits Go Fer. Bright built clever clockwork men who pilot Kadmeion’s wonderful airship. Go Fer would have a new name, a new boy appearance, and he would fly with his new master between islands that float above the sea.

But Magic Guild law makes the mandrake harvester Go Fer’s master, and Kadmeion will not go against the guild. Go Fer must return to the dog-murderer, lose his wondrous boy form, and dig mandrake roots until he dies. Which will be the very next time, unless the clever clockwork man and the kindly wizard can get him out of this fatal mess.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lita Burke
• Release date: Oct 27, 2012
• ISBN: 9781301680733

Lita Burke

I’m an indie fantasy author. I’m an avid reader and enjoy downloading titles by new writers onto my Kindle. I work a day job and write my novels early in the morning before the day clutters up my brain.

Book preview

Forever Boy

by

Lita Burke

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, business establishments, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2012 by Lita Burke

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 - Old Gallows Field

Chapter 2 - Bath Time

Chapter 3 - Copernicus

Chapter 4 - Furgo Found

Chapter 5 - Kadmeion’s Mentor

Chapter 6 - Metal-Man and Meat-Man

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Chapter 1

Old Gallows Field, Holcomb Island

Are you sure the mandrake’s demon won’t hurt us, Kadmeion?

The wizard crossed his arms and released a sigh. You worry too much, Bright. We are a safe distance away.

I don’t like Meat-Men.

Squeamish over a little dirt and drama?

I can’t abide the death of a Go Fer in exchange for a homunculus. Tell me again why we’re here.

We need to be here.

Magical reasons?

Correct.

Bright turned back to the men and dogs down on Old Gallows Field. Looked like the Meat-Men had dug a trench around the mandrake plant. They now huddled and talked. Two men waved their arms.

Something’s wrong, Bright said.

They argue about which Go Fer will pull out the mandrake root.

You can hear their words?

Easily. I cast a listening spell before we left the airship.

The Meat-Men finished their talk. A man left the group, went to the Go Fer cages, and selected a smaller black dog. He and the pup returned to the mandrake trench. The man fitted the mongrel with a pull rope, lowered himself into the hole, then bent out of sight.

He’s tying the dog’s pull-rope to the mandrake root, the wizard said. Soon now.

Poor trade. I’ll take the dog any day.

You are a true Metal-Man, Bright.

I can’t help it. My clockwork automata are cleaner.

I agree. That is why you’re my assistant, not a Meat-Man.

The dog handler climbed out of the hole and walked away from the tethered dog. He turned. Called the dog. Now the dog would run to the man and die. Bright cringed.

The dog instead plopped down his hind quarters. Cocked his head.

Wait for it, Kadmeion said.

The man trudged back to the dog, snatched up the dangling rope, and again walked away from the hole. This time the dog came. The pull-rope tightened against the dog’s collar. The animal swung around, grabbed the pull-rope in its mouth, and tugged. Its haunches went into the air, front paws down. Wagged its tail. Doggie playtime. The other dogs howled.

Here it comes.

The mandrake plant jerked free. The surprised dog tumbled. An ashen-colored root crawled from the hole. The root resembled a gnarled little man. It ignored the dog and scurried to the man holding the dog’s leash.

The man screamed. Turned. Fled. He made three