Ephraim's Curious Device

By Lita Burke

Wizard Kadmeion struggles with getting his magician-for-hire business off the ground. With their funds running low, and his familiar Furgo missing, the wizard and his clockmaker assistant Sir Bright answer a summons from a powerful local lord. Finally, they have a job.
Not true. His Lordship has kidnapped Furgo. Kadmeion must find the magical gadget called Ephraim’s Curious Device and use it to buy Furgo’s freedom. He and Bright have a few short weeks before the noble executes Kadmeion’s familiar.

With no information except a coded map, clues lead them to an oracle’s riddle with three impossible tasks. Even worse, they must go to one of the dying lands--a floating island heading for oblivion in the Rim Winds of their plate-shaped world. The island’s magic has soured, and Kadmeion struggles to save his companions and the island’s desperate fey-folk.

Fighting off seductive swamp inhabitants who feed on wizard’s flesh, and keeping His Lordship’s thick-witted bodyguards from getting them all killed, are constant inconveniences. Bloodthirsty harpies and worse opponents delay Kadmeion and Bright from locating Ephraim’s Curious Device and saving their kidnapped friend.

The wizard and his clockworks man know that time is not on their side. They must deliver Ephraim’s Curious Device to His Lordship before time runs out. If they fail, then tick tock. Furgo dies.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lita Burke
• Release date: Dec 21, 2012
• ISBN: 9781301518289

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.

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Ephraim’s Curious Device

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 - His Lordship Hissalumieon

Chapter 2 - Dryad

Chapter 3 - Fey Izlyesende

Chapter 4 - Rod from the Heart of Wrong

Chapter 5 - Harpy Isle

Chapter 6 - Lady Betrayal

Chapter 7 - Kalamazoo Atoll

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Chapter One

His Lordship Hissalumieon, Mevil Island

The air popped at Bright’s elbow. He jerked, then dropped a tiny brass gear from one of their airship’s clockwork automata. A scroll with an unfamiliar wax seal fizzled in to existence on his workbench. The vellum rocked for a moment, then lay still.

Bright slipped off his stool and backed away. He ran a hand through his long blond hair to get it out of his eyes. "Ham-fisted mooncalf of a magician. Our message box is in the next room."

A crash came from Kadmeion’s forward workroom at the end of the hall, followed by rare harsh words. A wizard’s curse flapped through the doorway on leather-like wings and circled Bright’s head. He snagged and crushed the curse. It squeaked. Disappeared. A wisp of mint and pine-scented magic tickled his nose.

"Furgo, fetch my broom now."

Bright blinked. Kadmeion never shouted. Another wizard’s curse winged its way in. Time to lend a hand. Bright snatched his workroom’s broom and trotted toward the commotion. He paused at the wizard’s doorway. Several circling curses swooped toward him. He swatted them away. Need some help?

"Yes. Where’s Furgo?"

Haven’t seen him all morning. I brought a broom.

A porcelain crucible lay shattered at Kadmeion’s feet. Magic dust coated the wizard and surrounding floor.

I also need a collector rod, Kadmeion said.

I’ll get it.

Bright batted away curses, skirted the floor’s chalk circle, and rummaged through a drawer at the workbench. Kadmeion cursed again. Two more of the winged things converged on Bright. He crushed them, then found the drawer with the unused collector rods.

Will this rod work?

Perfect. Toss it here.

The wizard gathered the vermilion powder from his clothes using the magical rod. Bright fetched a rag, wiped away the chalk circle, then swept the scattered magic dust in a tidy pile near Kadmeion.

What were you making, Kadmeion?

Furgo’s employment bonus has all but emptied our accounts, so I tried a money charm.

Even I know those are tricky.

Even if the spell had worked, it would have produced only one copper coin a day. Kadmeion knelt and passed the rod over Bright’s dust pile. I might sell love charms instead.

They’re not your specialty.

I know. Too bad our commission here on Mevil Island fell through. Maybe we should move on. Mevil doesn’t have much demand for conjuring demons or reading magic scrolls.

That reminds me. Someone sent you a scroll, Kadmeion. It landed on my workbench instead of in our message box.

"Imbecile." Kadmeion muttered something inaudible. A new leather-winged curse emerged and dived for Bright.

The scroll’s arrival fouled the money spell? Bright asked.

Yes. Our message box has simple spells. Even a hedge-witch can use it. Mundanes can contact us by courier. There’s no need to drop messages on us willy-nilly.

The wizard muttered another curse. It attacked Bright.

Kadmeion, would you please watch the curses?

Sorry. It isn’t you, of course. I’m in a twitchy mood.

One of the curses nipped his ear before he could catch it. Bright yelped. How many of these are there?

Kadmeion glanced up at the high-peaked ceiling. He shrugged and returned his attention to the dust pile. Don’t know. Looks like a lot.

If you plan to be cranky all day, I might open the windows and let the things find others to torment.

That would literally spread the word.

Would the Magic Guild disapprove?

Oh yes, they would disapprove. They would fine us for every curse they caught. The more they discovered, the stiffer the penalty.

We don’t need more debt, then. Let’s close the door. I’ll catch the curses later.

They tidied the workroom to Kadmeion’s satisfaction. Bright fingered his nipped ear and followed the wizard to the clockwork shop. The scroll sat undisturbed on Bright’s workbench.

Interesting, Kadmeion said. Hissalumieon’s rune.

The wizard gestured. Wooden tongs darted from a nearby shelf in to his hand. Bright ducked to avoid the flying implement.

Do you mean this letter is from the Lord Hissalumieon with the home in Palace Row here in Mevil City?

Yes. Hissalumieon’s wizard sent a message.

Hissalumieon has a reputation. People who cross him end at the bottom of Lethe River. It flows over the island’s edge in to the sea.

All floating island rivers do that.

Have we annoyed Hissalumieon? Bright asked.

He probably wants to commission some magic work.

Why not use his wizard?

We can do things Hissalumieon’s wizard cannot.

I disagree. It’s because we are disposable and his wizard isn’t.

For a shame. Lord Hissalumieon’s reputation intimidates you.

Yes, I’m thoroughly cowed by what he could do to us. Let me open the scroll, Kadmeion. We can’t have you injured. Our money is too scarce to afford a wizard’s healer.

Your materialistic concern for my welfare is touching. Kadmeion surrendered the tongs to Bright and stepped a prudent distance from the worktable. If Hissalumieon wanted us gone, we’d be dead already.

Bright held the scroll with the tongs and broke the wax seal. He unrolled the thick paper, then scanned the text without reading the words. His gaze would awaken any malevolent spells. Cursed scrolls made the eyes bleed, to begin with. This scroll was inert. Kadmeion stepped forward, then read.

Surprise. The Lord Hissalumieon wishes to commission us for a magical task.

Bright let out a sigh. Just roll me in fairy dust and call me a unicorn.

I can arrange that. Kadmeion grinned. Hissalumieon requests our presence at his palace, without delay. He has something of immense value to us that he wants to exchange for our services. See here? He mentions an ‘interesting’ task.

Bright took a deep breath. I’m being practical. Let’s send a polite refusal.

What? And not learn what Hissalumieon has for us? Bright, you’re too cautious.

We’re alive, aren’t we?

But the scroll mentions payment. Or do you want me to try another money spell?

It says that he has something of immense value. It’s different from payment. Have you lost anything, Kadmeion?

Not that I know of. We must see what Hissalumieon has, Bright. We also want to be paid, don’t we?

I see there is no talking you out of this. We’ll go, but with precautions. Please?

I’m not foolish, Bright. Just interested.

* * * *

Mevil City sweltered. Their carriage ride took them through oven-hot streets. Kadmeion had put on a formal wizard’s cowl spangled with silver stars. Bright wore a magic worker’s uniform with a starched shirt and heavy brocade jacket. If not for the comfort spells Kadmeion had cast in the fabric, Bright would have sweated through his finery.

Bright carried a bulky, paper-wrapped parcel for Hissalumieon. Tradition required wizards to give their benefactors a magical gift at the start of a commission. Bright had been elsewhere when Kadmeion had created and wrapped the present.

They crossed the island’s windward-side bridge over the Lethe River. Tidy cobblestone streets surrounded the wealthy villas along the water. The farther they traveled from the water, the richer the homes became. Hissalumieon’s sprawling palace was at the end of the street.

A servant walked them through public rooms crammed with tasteless art objects that each cost more than Bright’s annual salary. Indecent statues in athletic poses perched in alcoves lighted by the soft glow of magic spheres.

Hissalumieon’s garden room was a translucent pimple-like bump on the leeward side of the palace. Besides tasteless art, Hissalumieon also collected an unnerving assortment of lethal plants. Bright recognized three varieties of Lady’s Sleep and Assassin’s