Rising of a Mage Read Online Free Page A

for a few moments, committed it to memory and then left it. the priest enjoyed this, knowing that she was testing herself, and they would often give here long list with random numbers of many different items just to make it difficult—just like the list she had recently been given.
    As she walked through the market, however, she saw Guild Master Gabriel walking with two teenage farm boys. This caught her curiosity. She knew she should let it go—her curiosity always got her into trouble, but what was the point of life if you didn’t get in a little trouble. She moved to a position near where they were talking with an older women and two girls. These must be the mother and sisters of those two boys. She watched as the family moved behind the cart. She moved to a place where she could see around the cart; she would be obviously trying to see something now to anyone who paid her any attention. What she saw next, however, was very unexpected. The younger boy, who seemed to be about sixteen, looked at Master Gabriel who nodded and then a blue flame appeared in his palm. Now she was really interested. She did not recognize this boy from the guild, and she made a point of knowing who everyone was. It was part of the way she was training her mind to remember details and when something was different. Could it be that this farm boy had taught himself to use magic on his own? She also knew that the flame that this quite nice-looking boy had just made was something that most of the apprentices didn’t learn until they neared their second year of apprenticeship. Nice looking? Why had she thought that? Well, he was… but she wasn’t focused on things like that. After talking for a while, Master Gabriel left, so she approached the nearest stand, and bought some vegetables, while listening intently. The boy whose name was Anwar was to be Master Gabriel’s personal apprentice. So Master Gabriel thought this boy was beyond the normal training of the guild and was going to train him personally! Before she left, a young man a few years older than her approached and she learned that he was the oldest brother and was to be apprenticed to one of the local blacksmiths. Well, all these brothers were definitely built for such work. The oldest brother was excited to hear his youngest brother would be staying in the city as well. Hmm, I would have guessed the other brother the youngest, she thought. Mariah went on her way, collected the rest of the items for Master Phillip and had to do some negotiating of price to make up for the extra items she had purchased to cover her eavesdropping.
    When she returned to Master Phillip with his ingredients, Master Gibbins, the Priest Guild Master, was there. She greeted them both with a short curtsy.
    “Anything interesting happen in the market?” Master Gibbins asked.
    “Actually, sir, I learned that Master Gabriel is taking an apprentice.” “Really? He has not spoken to me of it. Are you quite sure?”
    “Yes, sir. He is a farmer. I saw him talking with Master Gabriel and watched him make a blue flame dance in his palm. He is to arrive tomorrow.”
    “It seems the young ones continue to know everything before we do, doesn’t it, Phil?”
    “I hear you will be leaving the city for the night, Mariah.”
    “Yes, sir. I was going to go for a hunt and begin my practice of campfire cooking, a skill I have no aptitude for yet, and I would see that when I leave this city one day my travels are not a torture of gut-wrenching meals. I shall return in the morn if this is still acceptable.”
    “It is. Just be careful. I have no doubt in your abilities, but just keep to mind the woods are not a safe place.”
    “Yes sir, thank you, sir.”
    When she was gone Master Phillips looked at Guild Master Gibbins. “That one worries me. I fear she will find her death before it comes for her.”
    That night Mariah went into the woods. She took a flint, her bow and quiver, her sword, a tin cup, and her cloak. She