Soul of the Fire

"I said I hope you will come back tomorrow. I'd love to help you again." She smiled in her shy way. "You're more of a challenge than most who come in here. Few people care to research such ancient books as do you. I think that's a shame. People nowadays don't respect the knowledge of the past."

"No, they don't," he said in all seriousness. "I'd love to return tomorrow, Vedetta."

Her face went red again. "Perhaps… if you'd like, you could come back to my apartment and I could fix you something to eat?"

Zedd smiled. "I would love that, Vedetta, and you truly are a kind lady, but it wouldn't be possible. I'm with Franca. She's my hostess, and we must get back to Fairfield and discuss all our research. My project, you know. The law."

Her wrinkles sagged. "I understand. Well, I hope to see you tomorrow."

Zedd caught her sleeve as she started to turn away. "Vedetta, perhaps tomorrow I could take you up on your offer? If it would be open for tomorrow, that is."

Her beaming smile reappeared. "Why, yes, tomorrow would be better, actually. I would have a chance to-well, tomorrow would be fine. My daughter will be gone tomorrow evening, I'm sure, and we could have a lovely dinner, just the two of us.

"My husband died six years ago," she added as she fussed with her collar. "A fine man."

"I'm sure he was." Zedd stood and bowed deeply. "Tomorrow it is, then." He held up a finger. "And thank you for showing me the special book from the vault. I was most honored."

She turned and started off, taking a big smile with her'. "Good night, Ruben."

He waggled his fingers in a wave while giving her a wide grin. As soon as he saw her vanish into the vault, Zedd turned and gestured to Franca.

"Let's go."

Franca closed her books and came around the table. Zedd offered his arm as they ascended the grand staircase together. The oak railing, nearly a foot across and sculpted in an exquisite profile, reflected the points of lamplight from the lamps flanking the stairwell.

"Any luck?" she whispered when they were out of earshot of the others.

Zedd checked over his shoulder to make sure none of the people who had shown interest in the two of them were closing in behind. There were at least three people Zedd found suspicious, but they were too far back cleaning up their papers and putting away books to hear-unless they were gifted.

Since magic didn't work, he didn't need fear that. A small convenience of magic's failure.

"No," Zedd said with resignation. "I didn't see anything of any use at all."

"What was that little book she brought out of the vaults? The one she wouldn't let you hold?"

Zedd waved a hand. "Nothing of any use. It was in High D'Haran." He looked over out of the corner of his eye. "Unless you know High D'Haran?"

"No. I've only seen it a couple of times in my life."

Zedd sighed. "The woman knew the meaning of only two words out of the entire book: 'The Ovens. »

Franca halted on the stairs. They were near the top.

"The Ovens?"

Zedd frowned. "Do you know what that means?"

Franca nodded. "It's a place. Not many people but the gifted would know it. My mother took me there once."

"What is it? What kind of place?"

Franca squinted off into her memories. "Well… it's an abnormally hot place. A cave. You can feel the power-the magic-in that hot cave, but there's nothing there."

"I don't understand."

Franca shrugged. "Neither do I. There's nothing there, but it's a strange place that only the gifted would appreciate. It just gives you a kind of… I don't know. Kind of a thrill of power running through you just to stand in there, in the Ovens. But those without the gift can't feel anything."

She checked the others, to make sure they weren't listening. "It's a place we don't tell people about. A secret place-just for the gifted. Since we don't know what's in there, we keep it secret."

"I need to 'go see this place. Can we go now?"

"It's way up in the mountains-several days away. If you want, we can leave in the morning."

Zedd thought it over. "No, I think I would prefer to go alone."

Franca seemed hurt, but if it was what he thought it might be, he didn't want her anywhere near it. Besides, he didn't really know this woman, and he wasn't sure he could trust her.

"Look, Franca, it could be dangerous, and I'd never forgive myself if anything happened to you. You've already given me selflessly of your time and trouble-and risked enough."

That seemed to make her feel better. "I guess someone will have to tell Vedetta you won't be able to make dinner tomorrow. She will be disappointed." Franca smiled. "I know I would be, were I her."

CHAPTER 48

Zedd grunted with the weight as he slid the saddle off Spider. He was getting too old for this sort of thing, he decided. He smiled at the irony. He flopped the saddle down over a log to keep it off the ground. Spider happily surrendered the rest of the tack, which Zedd laid over the top of the saddle. He covered it all with the saddle blanket.