Path of the Magi (Tales of Tiberius) Read Online Free Page A

was worth turning your back on that.
    The sermon ended with a warning from Pastor Adams to beware of charlatans, which were all too common.  Even here by the borders of the fairy lands, it was more common to find frauds claiming to have great powers for sale when they had none, than the real thing.  Tiberius saw about as much real magic as the typical New Yorker saw drug dealers.  One knew they were really out there somewhere, but mostly heard about them in the news.  It was rare one actually saw true magic.  When the sermon ended, the family went up and greeted the minister.  Afterwards there was the usual socializing, and Tiberius went up to Pastor Adams with a question. 
    “Reverend, I was talking with Mr. Okubo about the Old World.  He says they don’t have magic there.  Yet we have witches and goblins all the time here.  Why do you suppose that is?”
    “Magic and miracles seem to go in and out of season to some extent,” the pastor explained.  “When Christ first sent out His disciples there were miracles at every turn.  Yet when Christ Himself came to his own hometown, He could do no great works there due to their lack of faith in Him.  I don’t really know why we hear of so little magic from the Old World these days.  But I know magic and miracles are everywhere.  It’s just that sometimes miracles are bigger and flashier than at other times,” the pastor answered. 
    It was more to think about.  Pastor Adams was a good friend and Tiberius enjoyed talking with him.  Tiberius was a bright lad and a good student of the Bible.  Pastor Adams was always glad to answer his questions.  Recently he had started Tiberius on the Apologetic writers, so he could better appreciate the Bible.    
    After church, Tiberius joined his brother and everyone else in town at the firing range.  All able-bodied men were required to spend a portion of Sunday afternoon at clout shooting, practicing the use of the longbow.  Tiberius wasn’t as great a shot as Mr. Okubo, but he was improving and he’d already won a couple of small prizes for archers of his age.  Mr. Okubo led their team in the group shooting, calling out the ranges as the assembled group of archers fired at circles on the ground.  This was good fun, but also serious military training.  If goblins or raiders ever did dare to attack the city, they’d find plenty of well trained archers able to lob a storm of arrows their way.
    Afterwards they switched to target shooting, practicing more direct fire archery techniques.  These were more useful in hunting than war, but productive training for either.  Julian had promised to take his boys hunting again soon. 
    While standing at the ranks, Tiberius heard a small warning from his brother. 
    “Uh-oh, I’d run for it if I were you, Ti,” he chided.
    Ti finished his shot.  It went slightly wide of the bull’s-eye, to his annoyance.  He thought for a second that Marcus was just giving him grief, but he saw his eyes looking down the road.
    He followed his brother’s glance and saw a pretty young woman, Marybeth Conner, approaching.  He smiled her way, but she did not return the smile. 
      “TIBERIUS FULLER!” came the sharp shrill voice of a young lady. 
    “You’re in for it,”  Marcus said unhelpfully as they watched the small tornado approaching.
    Tiberius took a deep breath and tried to steel himself for the onslaught.  The approaching tornado was his girlfriend.  She was a cute little thing, fifteen years old, the same as Tiberius.  Five foot three with curly brown hair, curvy hips, and a gleaming smile.  Tiberius and she had grown up together and always had been friends to a degree.  Lately Tiberius had started taking her to the local dances.  Marybeth had noted that Ti was a good dancer.  Since Tiberius was from a nice, respectable family and had excellent prospects, Marybeth had decided that she and Tiberius should be married someday.  Preferably someday soon. 
    She