“I mean you no harm in any case,” said Jon-Tom.
“What does your Zancresta want with us?”
“Nothin’ good. You can be certain o’ that, mate,” said
Mudge.
“So one of you, at least, has heard of our master.”
“Aye, I’ve ‘eard of ‘im, thVmgh I don’t mean to flatter
THE DAY OF THE DISSONANCE
39
‘is reputation by it.” He turned to Jon-Tom. “This ‘ere
Zancresta chap’s the ‘ead wizard not only for the town of
Malderpot but for much of the northern part o’ the Bellwoods.
See, each town or village ‘as its own wizard or sorcerer or
witch, and each o’ them claims to be better than ‘is
neighbor at the arts o’ magickin’.”
“Zancresta is the best,” said the coati. “He is the
master.”
“I ain’t goin’ to argue the point with you,” said Mudge.
“I ‘ave no interest whatsoever in wizardry debates and
functions, for all that I seem to be gettin’ repeatedly
screwed by ’em.
“Now, if it’s the spellsinger ‘ere you’re come after, take
‘im and let me go. I’m only a poor traveler tryin’ ‘is best
to make it down the windy road o’ life, and I’ve ‘ad a ‘ard
enough time makin* ends meet as it is without gettin’
caught up again in the world’s troubles.”
“It may be true,” said the coati, eyeing him unflatteringly.
“But I have my orders. They say I am to bring back the
spellsinger known as Jon-Tom and any who travel with
him. You will have the chance to plead your case before
the master. Perhaps he will let you go.”
“And if *e don’t?”
The coati shrugged. “That’s not my affair.”
“Easy for you to say,” Mudge grumbled.
Spears prodded Jon-Tom and Mudge into the back of the