The Third Apprentice Read Online Free PDF

fruit were stocked in abundance. A thin
man with a gaunt face smiled at them from behind the counter.
    “What’ll ye have?”
he asked.
    “Do you have any
dried meat?” Taren asked, hoping the local cuisine was not too different from
what he was used to.
    “Aye,” the man
replied. “We got beef strips and crickers.”
    Taren paused a
moment, wondering if he should ask what crickers were. “Two pounds of beef for
me,” he said, before looking over at Zamna.
    “A pound of
crickers,” Zamna said. “We also need three pounds of dry fruit and four pounds
of nuts. You can mix a variety together.”
    With a nod, the man
began filling thick paper pouches with the requested provisions.
    “Do you think that
will be enough?” Taren asked.
    “There will be more
along the way,” Zamna promised. “I know what’s edible out there.”
    Taren nodded, glad
to have his companion’s knowledge of the area. The young apprentice had a good
knowledge of plants, so he doubted he would accidentally ingest anything
poisonous, but he wasn’t sure what he would find in this strange land. Of
course, what was poisonous to him might not be to someone of Zamna’s race.
Taren had no idea.
    The merchant handed
over the bags to Zamna, who shoved them inside his pack. With his hand out, the
man stared at Taren. Rummaging in his sack, Taren pulled out a few copper
coins.
    “Is this enough?”
he asked.
    The man nodded.
“Good day to ye.”
    “What are
crickers?” Taren asked as the pair headed back to the road.
    “Dried crickets,”
Zamna replied. “Good source of protein.”
    Taren felt himself
start to gag, but he swallowed hard to fight it. Zamna could keep the entire
bag of crickers for himself.
    As they approached
the city gate, they stepped aside to allow a few farmers to enter with their
carts. The bright-blue fur of the mules hauling the wares into town caught
Taren’s eye. They were much more impressive than the brownish-red mules he was
used to seeing. They trotted along the road, bringing a splash of color to an
otherwise drab city.
    “We’re leaving just
in time,” Zamna commented. “It’s market day.”
    Taren wouldn’t mind
taking a look at the colorful wares in the cart, but he knew there was no time
to waste. The sooner he could get going, the sooner he could find the symbol
and return to his master. With a final look, he said goodbye to the city of
Rixville. He hoped to be passing this way again soon, when it was time to
return home.
    Stepping outside
the gate, a system of well-worn roads spread out before them. Those running
east-west had seen the most travel, as evidenced by the deep ruts cut into
them. The road leading south was less worn, but it was clearly visible. The
landscape was dotted with houses and farms of varying size, but there was
little to be seen close to the road. The land was mostly flat and covered in
the spongy, bright-colored grass Taren had noticed before.
    Choosing the
south-leading path, they marched side by side in silence while Taren took in
the sights of the area. Zamna kept his eyes forward, carefully watching the way
ahead. He moved in a businesslike manner, his head occasionally glancing to the
side. After a few miles, Taren could bear the silence no longer.
    “How long do you
think it will take to reach the tomb?” he asked.
    “Hard to say,”
Zamna replied. “A few weeks at least, assuming the land is traversable and we
don’t have to go out of our way.” He kept his gaze forward as he spoke.
    “Are you originally
from Rixville?” Taren asked, in an effort to prolong the conversation.
    “No,” he snorted,
shaking his head. Clearly he thought the question was daft.
    “Then where are you
from?” Taren wondered aloud. Zamna was the first he had seen of a reptilian
race, and he’d never read about them in his studies.
    Dropping his head,
Zamna sighed. He disliked being interrogated, and he had no intention of
sharing much with this young wizard. However, in order to