To aid in their studies and tutoring of Max, Phaedra acquired an additional inn room that the three then rearranged as a private meeting room and makeshift study. This finally gave Enchoron an private place to teach Max and a place to allow them to discuss things not meant for any outside ears.

Enchoron brought forth such a vast assortment of books that he’d temporarily hired an assistant to carry them to their private meeting room. “So many lessons, so much of this world to go over. You need to become not just a back country peasant.”

“Hey.” Max looked over at Phaedra, not wanting to seem so simple.

Enchoron noticed the glance, “I meant nothing by it. We all know you have something that we can sculpt into a special talent indeed.”

**

The boy that Enchoron had hired looked strong of back. He didn’t look as though he was an apprentice or one that lives a sedate life. Max had to wonder what it was around here a laborer would do, other than carry books.

Max followed the boy. His hair was in a perfect, plain straight cut at medium length around his head like a bowl. His clothes were functional with a number of pouches and a sturdy looking belt.

Max felt like a bit of a slouch. He realized as he looked at the boy’s attire and appearance, that Max’s hair was a mess of a brown mop on his head and his tunic was stained still with dried blood as well as dirt and particles of grass and even a little bit of leaves. Max was used to life out in the country, and he was not used to getting cleaned up to look so nice as this boy.

As the boy dropped off a small stack of books and went to walk to the main floor of the tavern where most of the people staying in the inn took their sup, Max followed him.

The boy looked at Max with a raised eyebrow and then Max spoke as he felt the cool collection of the boy’s outlook, “Hi, I’m sort of new to this whole kind of place. I’m a...” he didn’t want to use the terms Enchoron had, not to describe himself. “Anyway, my name is Max. I was wondering, we seem about the same age. Do you know of anything fun to do in the city for someone like us?”

The boy didn’t stop walking as he went to grab some more of the papers and quills in a box as he dropped them in the spare room turned study. “I don’t have a lot of time for idle chit chat. That’s not what he paid me for. Grab a box or get out of the way.”

Max blushed and nodded as he took another box with some strange looking bracelet like devices and set them down where he was instructed by his peer.

As the two finished, the boy collapsed onto a comfy chair and panted. “Thanks. If I don’t finish my task before I goof off, the clients can get mad. Anyway, my name is Coriander.”

Max raised an eyebrow. “Like the plant?”

The boy nodded as he pulled a pick out from his pocket and used it to get at something between two of his teeth. “That’s right. You’re not the only farm boy in town. My father was not very imaginative. He just liked the taste of the seeds.”

“What brought you to the city?” Max asked.

Coriander nodded, as he stopped picking at his teeth and pocketed the little stick. “The farm isn’t far from here. When I saw an opportunity not to be a farmer like my father, I took it.” He saw a look in Max that there was some empathy there. “So, when one of the Paladins of Rothe came through our village when we were selling product after the harvest, I begged him to let me come along. I showed him what a strong back I had and that I had a good work ethic. He took me with him here to Rotheburg.”

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“Paladins of Rothe?”

Coriander chuckled, “You aren’t from nearby. The Paladins are known well here but their name is spoken far to the South and all the way up to the Northern summer ports as well. They maintain a barracks and temple here and they keep an eye on the mists of below.”

Max nodded and laughed. “Oh yeah, one of the local drunks in the tavern tried to scare me with tales of the mists. That’s the fog below all the bridges and towers right?”

Coriander nodded, taking on a serious expression. “Its no laughing matter. Lots of rumors about where the mist came from, but its been here for many generations. The Paladins were here before the mists set in, but they don’t plan to leave their presence here behind until the mists are long gone. They seem themselves as the protectors of the remnants of the city towers. I want to be one some day. But, well, I don’t know if I’ll ever make it.”

Max thought to ask why, but then Coriander raised his arm and he could see that Coriander’s hand was malformed. Perhaps an accident, or perhaps something from birth, but either way, he only had one good hand. He didn’t know how he’d missed that with all the physical labor Coriander had just done.

“Oh.” Max said quietly and blushed. “I’m sorry.”

Coriander shook his head, “Don’t be. I’ll be the first to join the order with only one good hand. There are certainly Paladins that lose limbs during their service, but I’ll be the first to start that way.”

Max nodded and respected that. He could sense that Coriander had long since left any shame behind and was proud of who he was. “You’re great. Can we be friends? Mine are all long behind me.”

Coriander put out his good hand and Max shook it. “You were asking about what boys our age can do around here for fun. Well, it is dangerous around the city with the mists, but there is a game they play near the West Watch tower called Grafter.”

Max’s ears perked up, “Really? We played that back home all the time. How do they play it here without a field and trees?”

“I don’t know how you’d play it in a field to be honest. The ball is sticky with sap and it gets tossed or kicked up on the side of the tower. Points for how high up the tower it goes and then more points for whichever team climbs to it first.”

Max blushes. “That sounds dangerous. What if they fall into the mists?”

Coriander replies, “Well, its become something of a hobby for many that travel here from the East. So, they have put in a good many nets and rope webs to cover the whole playing area. There hasn’t been an incident that I’ve ever known.”

“I hope I get to play some time.”

“I hope so too. Maybe I’ll see you there.”

“Can you play even with your hand being unable to grab things?” Max asked.

Coriander nods and grins, “You saw how I carried the books. I make do just fine. Well, if you find yourself near the auxiliary quarters of the Paladins, keep an eye out for me.”

With that, a new friend made, Coriander stood and Max stood and they both embraced in a friendly hug. Coriander and Max said nearly at the same time, “country boys stick together.”

They laughed as Coriander left and Max looked over and felt intimidated by the grand stack of books that was to be his work to come. At least it was his work until he could find one of these Scions.

He’d never done so much reading as Mathew had, but he did seem to pick up on things of those around him when they let him. He hoped the same would be true of Enchoron, who he had already seen rapidly read through a number of dense looking texts.

He slid his fingers along the covers of the books, most of them leather bound, but a few were just bound stacks of tough looking paper. “The History of Sargovia. Metamagic and other math. Sargovian Dynasty. A Brief History of the Homesteads. The Pantheons and You. Myths of the Creator. When a God Dies. Traveling the Outer Realms. Casting your First Spell. Huh.”

He heard a chuckle and looked up to see Enchoron now leaning in the doorway. “I hadn’t heard of that last one, is it an acronym?” And without Max answering him about his quizzical sound, Enchoron came over and kicked his feet up on the table. “So where do you want to start Mr. Max?”