Searching for Dragons - Wrede Patricia Collins (мир бесплатных книг TXT) 📗

"Enchanting his house?" Mendanbar said. "You mean, to keep ogres and things from bothering it, the way you did Herman's?"

Telemain shook his head. "I offered, but Jack wasn't interested. He has his own way of discouraging unpleasant company. No, what he wanted was a spell to keep the paint from fading."

"Why does he need you to put spells on his house?" Cimorene asked.

'Jack isn't a magician," Telemain said. "He does a little bit of every-thing-smithing, gardening, music, tailoring, pretty much any trade you can think of. For example, he designed and built his house.

He has a rare knack for patching up a spell that's wearing thin, but he can't set up a complex enchantment on his own. That's why he deals with me."

One of the windows scraped open and a head poked out. "Yo! You going to stand there all night and maybe get eaten by a dragon? Not that I would dream of interfering with your plans, but if a quick exit is what you want, I got a dozen faster ways, all very cheap."

"Hello, Jack," Telemain called. "I've brought you some customers."

"Customers! Why didn't you say so? I'll be right out." The head vanished and the window screeched closed.

"Customers?" Cimorene said, looking at Telemain.

"You want that carpet fixed, don't you? Jack can-" The door of the house flew open with a bang, and a large man leaped over the steps and landed in front of them. He had a thick black mustache, long black hair, bright black eyes, and a wide white grin. Pushing a soft, baggy cap back from his forehead, he bowed deeply.

"Welcome to my home, friends of Telemain!" he boomed. "And very welcome you are. What's the problem?"

"A little difficulty about transportation, Jack," Telemain said before Mendanbar or Cimorene had quite recovered from the man's abrupt appearance.

"We were hoping you could help."

"No trouble! What do you need? Shoes? I got a barrel full-sandals, clogs, dancing shoes, walking shoes, horse shoes…" His voice trailed off and he looked hopefully at Telemain.

"Nothing that simple," Telemain said. "The difficulty is magical in nature."

"Ah! You want seven-league boots! Well, you're in luck. A pair of them just came in this morning. They're practically brand-new, hardly been used at all. Or there's a swell pair of ruby slippers that'd be perfect for the lady.

I'll throw in the magic belt that goes with them for free. On" "No, no, Jack," Telemain interrupted. "The problem is with this." He stepped aside and let Jack get a good look at the magic carpet.

Jack's eyes narrowed to slits of concentration. He stepped forward and studied the carpet, then paced around it, much as Telemain had done earlier. "No kidding," he said at last. "That carpet's a problem, all right."

"Can you fix it?" Cimorene asked.

"Sure. Give me a week, and she'll be good as new."

"A week? Cimorene looked at him in dismay. "Can't you fix it any faster than that?"

Jack spread his hands out and shrugged. "Maybe, but I can't promise.

It depends on how fast I can get parts."

"Then we'll leave it here and go on without it tomorrow," Mendanbar said. At least they wouldn't have to carry the thing around anymore, and they wouldn't be tempted to use it in spite of its hazards. "You can send it home when it's finished, can't you?"

"Shouldn't be a problem." Jack smiled. "Where do you want it?"

Cimorene hesitated. "You're not one of those Jacks who go around killing giants, are you?"

"Lady, what do you think I am, stupid or something?" Jack asked.

"I'm a businessman. I don't do giants."

"Then please send the carpet to Ballimore the Giantess on Flat Top Mountain when you're done fixing it," Cimorene said. "And the bill to Cimorene, Chief Cook and Librarian, in care of the King of the Dragons."

"King of the Dragons, eh?" Jack said thoughtfully.

"Yes, and don't go padding the bill, Jack," Telemain warned.

"Me? Wouldn't dream of it." Jack kicked the carpet into a loose roll and heaved it up onto his shoulder. "Anything else?"

"Is there a safe place near here where we can spend the night?"

Mendanbar asked.

"Sure," Jack said. He balanced the carpet with one hand and jerked the thumb of the other at the blue-and-yellow house on wheels. "Right there. I got two spare rooms on the end I can rent you for as long as you want 'em."

"Tonight is all we need," Mendanbar said, and Cimorene nodded.

Jack bobbed his head in a way that managed to suggest a full-fledged formal bow, then started toward the house, carrying the carpet.

Mendanbar turned to Telemain. "Thank you very much for your help."

"You're welcome," Telemain said, and started after Jack.

"Hey!" Cimorene said. "Where are you going?"

"To arrange for my own bed and board," Telemain explained patiently.

"You didn't really expect me to leave before you'd answered my questions, did you?"

Without waiting for a reply, the magician followed Jack into the house.

Mendanbar and Cimorene looked at each other, shrugged, and went in after them.

The front door of Jack's house opened into a cluttered room painted a bright green that clashed with almost everything. Fortunately, most of the walls were hidden behind piles of boxes, barrels, bales, and bundles. Jack propped the carpet in a crowded corner, where it leaned precariously against two paintings balanced on a stack of books. Then he set about fixing dinner.

Cimorene kept Telemain's attention occupied while Jack worked, and at first Mendanbar was glad of it. He wanted time to think and sort out some of the confusing things that had happened in the last two days.

He was sure that a few of them were important, and if he could only concentrate for a little while he could figure out which ones.

He quickly discovered that it was not going to work. The conversation between Cimorene and Telemain was much too distracting, even though he was not particularly interested in anything they were talking about.

Finally he gave up trying to think and listened instead.

"-window wasn't up to it," Cimorene was saying. "So I used a spell to boost it."

"And that broke it?" Telemain said, frowning.

"No," Cimorene replied. "It worked just fine. The window turned white, and then showed Kazul and a lot of wizards." Her face darkened.

"And when I catch up with them-" "Yes, of course," Telemain said hastily. "What happened next?"

"I told the window to show me where they were, and then it broke."

"I can fix up a new one for you," Jack put in over his shoulder. "I got some glass around somewhere, and it's no trick at all to cut it to size."

"I'll think about it,Jack," Telemain said. He looked at Cimorene.

"The window just… broke? It didn't show anything at all?"

Cimorene nodded. "Not a thing. Right, Mendanbar?"

"Right," Mendanbar said. "The picture of Kazul and the wizards disappeared, and the window turned bright green, and then it broke. I think it was trying to show us a place inside the Enchanted Forest and couldn't."

"It should have been able to," Telemain said. "I tested it very thoroughly.

I suppose the enchantment might have been wearing thin. What kind of spell did you say you used to boost it?" he asked, turning to Cimorene.

Cimorene hesitated, then shrugged. "It was a dragon spell I found in Kazul's library last year. It's very adaptable, and-" A shout from outside the house interrupted Cimorene in mid-sentence.

"You in there! Come out at once. There's no point in hiding."

Jack muttered something and stuck his head out the window. "Hang on!" he shouted. "I'll just be a min-" Something exploded outside, knocking Jack back through the window and making the whole house rock. "Come out!" the voice repeated.

"Wow!"

"Wizards got no patience," Jack muttered, glaring at the window.