In Which the Discord Escalates to a Veritable Quarrel

Morwen returned to the tower the next day with fresh gingerbread and an improved temper. She had decided while baking that there was no point in staying cross at Telemain. He probably didn't even remember their plans to meet at the Green Glass Pool last week, and for all she knew he might have been distracted by something genuinely troubling, like the Darkmorning elf that Chaos and Quiz had recently caught snooping around Morwen's garden with an entire entourage of digging gnomes. That had taken the better part of three days to clean up.

So Morwen decided she wouldn't even mention it, and she came in the door with a friendly smile. Telemain was nowhere to be seen, but Cedric jumped up to greet her. "Morwen! My leg is feeling much better. What did you bring? It smells amazing!"

"Gingerbread," said Morwen. She handed him the basket. "Have a piece while I change the bandage."

Cedric munched away while Morwen removed the old poultice and applied a new one. She gave it a satisfied nod. "You can take this off tomorrow and leave it open to the air. Sunshine's the best thing for clearing up the last traces of an ogre bite."

"Thank you. Really, Morwen, thank you so much." He looked at her too happily.

She shrugged. "It's what I do. One of many things, anyway."

"I have another favor to ask, if I may?" Morwen nodded, and he went on. "Telemain said he could transport me to the Mountains of Morning, but then he added that you might be a better person to introduce me to the dragons if I really don't want to get eaten."

Morwen suppressed a smile. That was typical of the scrupulous Telemain, and she respected him for it. "I can fly you over there, if you don't mind riding a broomstick."

"I don't mind at all. I've always wanted to try, in fact."

And he was wearing robes, so Morwen wouldn't even have to persuade him to ride sidesaddle. "All right. When you do want to go?"

"As soon as Telemain's done with my staff, I guess, if that's all right with you."

"Is he working on it right now?" Morwen lifted an eyebrow. "And you're not watching?"

"I wanted to. It is my staff, after all!" Cedric looked indignant. "But Telemain insisted on being left alone, and, well, he's a bit intimidating. Um. I don't suppose you could talk to him?"

"I'd be glad to. Bring the gingerbread," she said, and they headed upstairs.

Morwen pushed open the door to Telemain's study to find him hunched over the wizard's staff, surrounded by instruments, dials, and dishes of oddly colored liquid. "Telemain, I've brought gingerbread. Why don't you let the poor wizard watch you work?"

"Because he keeps asking questions," grumbled Telemain, without looking up. "And then he interrupts my answers to say 'What?' all the time. It's extremely difficult to concentrate with that sort of thing going on. And I thought he wanted the staff finished as soon as possible, so I sent him away in the interests of expediency."

Morwen sighed. She could see Telemain's point, even if he was being less than gracious about it. "Well, how much longer do you think it will take?"

"An hour, if I am left alone," he said pointedly.

"All right." Morwen turned to Cedric. "Come on, let's go for a walk."

The wizard considered the basket in his hand. "Should we leave him some gingerbread?"

"Let him eat his research," said Morwen impatiently. "And make love to it too."

Cedric let out a surprised laugh, which he quickly covered with his hand, and Morwen saw Telemain's back stiffen. Her heart sank at once. She was used to needling him over his obsessive tendencies, but that had been a step too far.

The kindest thing she could do now, though, was to let him work in peace. So she took Cedric outside and showed him around the forest, telling herself that Telemain had probably already forgotten her unfortunate comment. She pointed out to Cedric the dimpled patches of moss where poison violets would bloom later in the year, and he was so appreciative that she began looking for other things to show him. Together they found an abandoned death bird nest in a nearby tree.

When Telemain joined them exactly one hour later, she could see at once that he hadn't forgotten. His normally bright blue eyes were brooding, and he didn't look at Morwen. "Here's your staff, Cedric. All its prior magical content remains accessible, but the shield will prevent it from accepting input. You can deactivate and reactivate it with the same word, rishmorkel."

Cedric took the staff and practiced turning the shield off and on, nodding when he saw how smoothly it worked. He started to thank Telemain, but the magician brushed him off. "Good luck with the dragons," he said, and went abruptly back inside.

"Wait here," Morwen told Cedric. She hurried after Telemain. As soon as the door closed behind them, she said, "I'm sorry, Telemain. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I just didn't think—"

"You just didn't think I had any."

She'd never expected to hear his voice so bitter, and it cut deeply. "You've never told me about them," she pointed out.

He didn't say anything for a few long seconds. Then, very quietly, he said, "I didn't think I needed to."

Morwen thought that was incredibly foolish, but she bit down on the sharp reply that sprang to her lips. She'd seen Telemain puzzled, irritated, miffed. In fact, miffing Telemain was one of her favorite hobbies. But she'd never seen him so upset. Even in the wake of the wizards' attack on the castle, he'd provided the only calm voice as he helped everyone organize their thoughts and plans.

Now he was angry. And hurt. And for all that Morwen knew about mending nearly any mundane or magical injury, she didn't know how to fix this. There was no spell to make it better, no poultice to apply or couplet to recite.

"Telemain, I'm sorry," she said again.

There was a tap on the door, and Cedric's voice floated through. "Morwen? Are you ready?"

"Go take your wizard to the dragons," said Telemain. "Be sure to tell him about the time I tried to ride your broom. That'll really make him laugh."

Before Morwen could answer, he twisted a ring and disappeared.