When we arrived outside Alexander’s shop, I gave Biff the sack of viper heads and flowers to hold while I went inside.

  Alexander’s smile at seeing me turned into a furrowed brow as he realized I was trudging mud and water across his pristine stone floor.

  “I take it your quests did not quite go to plan?” He asked with arms crossed.

  “That is an understatement,” I replied.

  “Tell me all about it.” He said, motioning to one of his henchmen to take a mop to the floor.

  The guard who had paid me respect yesterday gave me a dirty look, but I slid up to the counter and leaned against it. At least while my upper body was damp, all the mud was on my boots and lower legs.

  “Where to begin? You know about the legends of the great white shark in the bay?”

  Alexander nodded. “Oh yes. Old Sergeant. I remember it well. I saw the beast years ago. It had taken a chunk out of the ship I was on and ultimately sank a small fishing boat nearby.

  “Well, he made a visit when we were at the dropoff.”

  “Oh no. What happened?” He said with a look of sincere concern on his face.

  “It was touch and go. We nearly lost one of our group. Two, actually. The dwarf only stopped being swallowed by sticking his shield in the shark’s jaws.”

  I had Alexander’s complete attention. Even the guard with the mop, irritated with me, stood and listened.

  I told the story, trying to convey the fear and danger we all faced.

  “He stuck his shield in Old Sergeant’s mouth?” Alexander asked. “My word. What happened?”

  “The shark crunched down on it and bent the magical shield in half.”

  “It was magical, and the shark could bend it?” The alchemist asked, amazed.

  “Like it was made of tin,” I said. “Well, copper, it was Dwarven copper,” I added.

  The alchemist smiled. “I assume he survived?”

  “Oh yes, we all did. It was not easy. Old Sergeant was immune to our first two levels of offensive spells.”

  “How did you escape?”

  I paused. “I levitated him out of the water, and he drowned in the air.”

  Everyone in the shop froze, letting that image settle into their heads. Then, all three men—the alchemist, the guard with the mop, and the other guard at the back of the shop—burst out laughing.

  The guard with the mop slapped my shoulder and continued cleaning the floor with a chuckle.

  Alexander whistled. “I would have liked to get a fin or two off that shark.”

  “If you hurry, I donated him to the harbor museum. They were going to boil him down and display the giant skeleton.”

  The alchemist turned to the other guard standing by the potion vest wall display. “Charlie, get to the Harbor Master. Give him this with my compliments and ask for the fins off of Old Sergeant. I just need the fins, none of the cartilage they will want for their skeleton.” A bag of coins flew through the air, and the guard caught it and was out of the door in seconds.

  “Well, I can’t be too upset with you for your muddy boots with a story like that. Did you manage to collect any pearls while you were down there?”

  I opened the bag of pearls and dumped dozens of them on a square of cloth sitting on the counter. Alexander whistled again. “There are some beauties in here. I am interested in the giant oyster pearls, for sure. You will get a better price from a jeweler for the smaller ones. I can introduce you to one if you like.”

  “I can handle that, thanks, though,” I said as I left the large ones out and scooped the smaller ones back into my bag, knowing that they would fetch 10 to 100gp each in Sundance’s shop.

  “Too bad you didn’t find a lustrous black pearl, but nobody has.”

  When he looked up, I was holding the black pearl in my fingers. “Oh, you mean like this?”

  He whistled again, even louder than he had during my story. “May I see it?”

  “Of course.” And I handed him the black pearl.

  The AL whispered into my ear. Enchanter Gwydion earns a spell or skill point to be placed as desired for completing the Lustrous Black Pearl quest. Spell and skill points must be reclaimed at a guild hall or sanctuary. Additions and notes have been added to your Book of Quests that remain unread.

  I was thrilled to have more spell points to work with.

  He looked it over and ran his fingers over it. “I take it you are willing to accept coin or something in trade for this?” He asked.

  “Everything is negotiable,” I said with a smile.

  He held it again and then passed it back to me. “I can’t believe I am doing this, but I would like to share some information with you, and then you can decide if you want to part with it.”

  I looked puzzled.

  “You will discover this at some point in your career, and while I could certainly use this to great advantage right now, I fear that it would potentially ruin what could be a promising future relationship between us.”

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  “I don’t follow you, Alexander,” I said.

  “I can use this pearl in a variety of special ways, including as a component to a complicated and valuable magical seventh orbital potion recipe. But it is even more highly prized among enchanters. You know that you need valuable pearls for use in your fourth arcana Seal Enchantment spell.”

  “Yes, I need 100 gold coins worth of pearls for every level sealed. It is one of the most expensive and common spells among enchanters.”

  “Indeed. I help procure pearls for several mage clients for that exact purpose. Some of these,” he said, motioning to the Giant Oyster pearls I had placed before him, “if we agree on a price, they will find their way to the mages later today. As you may know, each is valued between 500 and 750 gold standards. Maybe more based on heightened qualities.”

  “I still don’t see the conflict,” I said.

  “That is because, like many mages, you do not know what I know.”

  I could tell that Alexander enjoyed stretching this out, much like I had with my story of Old Sergeant. He had been such a good listener; I could do no less for him.

  “But what is that master alchemist?” I asked with my eyes locked on his.

  “This lustrous black pearl of yours can be used as a component every time you use a spell that requires any type or value of pearl. That pearl you hold is worth hundreds of times the cost of lustrous pearls.”

  I let that sink in. “You mean that with this black pearl, I would never need to use regular pearls for that spell again? And it is not consumed?”

  “That is exactly what I am saying. It is worth 20,000 gold to the right enchanter. Maybe more.” He nodded. “Now you see what I mean. When you would have learned this, you would have known that I would certainly have known its value. Had I taken it from you for anything less than a fortune in gold, you would have been quite displeased with me.”

  “If I had discovered it.”

  “Do you think there is any chance you would share today’s exploits with your master?” He asked with a raised eyebrow.

  “Probably yes.”

  “Then I would have two irritated enchanters. That’s not worth the trouble.” He added. “And besides, I like you.” He said.

  “I thank you. In that spirit, let me fetch the contents of the other two completed quests as well.” I walked out of the shop and back in with Biff. We placed the sack of viper heads on the floor where he could see them and all nine blossoms on his counter.

  “Double the viper quest and nine times the blossom quest.” He looked at me with a very different and calculating glint in his eyes. “I continue to underestimate you despite your master’s warning. I will, of course, accept these additional quest items.”

  The AL whispered into my ear. Enchanter Gwydion earns a spell or skill point to be placed as desired for completing the Giant Marsh Viper Venom quest. Enchanter Gwydion earns a spell or skill point to be placed as desired for completing the Flowering Lavender Sunburst quest. Gwydion Istari earns one attribute point for the Advanced Quester Achievement. Spell and skill points must be reclaimed at a guild hall or sanctuary. Additions and notes have been added to your Book of Quests that remain unread.

  And that makes even more spell or skill points that I can use. If I were lucky, I was about to find a way to use at least three of them today.

  Staring at the flowers and then at me, Alexander’s eyes narrowed slightly. “What are you looking for? You did not do all of this for some coins or a couple of potions in trade.”

  I turned to Biff, who had been shuffling his feet, anxious to return to his guild hall and prepare for his morning’s work.

  “Biff, I’m sorry. I delivered the quest items, and I know you must get to your guild hall. You can go; I’ll be fine.”

  He looked at me, at the alchemist, and he eyed the guard at the door, who nodded to him. I was right; the other guards were hired brawlers.

  Biff nodded back to the other man and then said, “Fine, I’ll see you later today for a celebratory meal after we all complete our trials.”

  “Sounds good.” I clasped his arm, and he departed.

  I looked at Alexander and then over to his remaining guard.

  The alchemist said, “Donny, do me a favor and fetch the long chest in the cellar. The dark brown one, if you don’t mind.”

  “Are you sure, sir? I can wait until Charlie gets back.”

  “I think I am safe here with the sharkslayer should a ruffian choose this moment to intrude.”

  The brawler looked me over as if studying my face and features. “Very well, sir. I’ll be back up as soon as I can. It may take a little while.”

  “There is no rush. Be sure you don’t break anything. Some things down there don’t take well to rushing about.”

  He blanched. “Yes, sir. I remember.” And with that, he departed.

  Alexander turned back to me. “Well? You wanted to talk alone, and here we are, alone.”

  “Yes, I want to ask a favor. I would like for you to break a rule and teach me how to make some potions.”

  Whatever he might have expected, that was certainly not it. His brow furrowed again. “What potions?”

  “I would like you to teach me how to make healing, skill, and magical restoration potions.”

  He laughed. “You can’t be serious.”

  “I am very serious,” I replied.

  “It violates guild rules. I could be sanctioned. No, it's out of the question.”

  I frowned. “I'm sorry about that. It was worth a try.” I bent down, picked up the sack, and scooped up all nine blossoms, which would not bloom again for an entire year.

  “Wait a minute. It's just unheard of.” He glanced at the pearls and lingered over the blossoms. “Why would you want to learn this? It is far easier for you to commission or buy these than to take the trouble to make them.”

  “Perhaps, but I know which I prefer when the choices are coin, magic, or knowledge. And a teacher and colleague like yourself is worth far more than some coins or potions.”

  He stared hard at me. “You are serious about this.”

  “Yes, master, I am.”

  He smiled. “There is an exception to every rule. One exception allows master alchemists to choose their own students. The rule does not stipulate how long the student must remain under tutelage.”

  He thought some more. “But your price is still too steep. Regular healing, skills, and magic potions are too difficult and expensive to teach someone uninitiated. Even someone as bright and ambitious as you.”

  “What potions would you accept?” I asked.

  He stared at me some more. “You are Lord Istari’s son, are you not? The Royal Librarian?”

  “I am.”

  “The potions I have in mind for you, minor potions, can just as easily be gleaned with some hard work in the library. Even minor potions of magical restoration could be discovered and worked out by you and certainly by your father.”

  “So you would accept all of these, the white lustrous pearls, the venom sacs, and the Flowering Lavender Sunburst for teaching me those three potions?”

  “Even knowing you could learn to make them from the library?” He asked.

  “Yes. I can learn how to make them from books. But I believe that learning the tricks of a master alchemist could be far more valuable to me.”

  He smiled. “Yes, I could probably teach you a few things the books would not reveal, even about such weak potions as those.”

  “How long would it take me to learn them?” I asked.

  “For you, with me teaching you?” He asked rhetorically. “Probably a few hours, a long afternoon at the most.”

  “Do we have an accord?” I asked.

  “We do. I still think I am getting the better of the deal, but as my student, my apprentice, you will obey my exact instructions.” He said, all pleasantness and salesmanship gone.

  “It is why I wished to speak privately. Biff is my best friend, and we would sacrifice our lives for each other.”

  “Yes. And you asked him to leave to protect my honor with your request. I have seen and heard enough. We have a deal.” He replied. “But I will also let you take one of the large, lustrous white pearls with you. Choose the best one. With the lustrous black pearl, you only need a lustrous golden pearl to have a trio. I’ll leave it to you to determine why that could be important to an enchanter.”

  “Thank you, master.”

  “Call me Alexander. Otherwise, people will talk.” He smirked.

  I said, “I can come back here after you close for the day if that is convenient. "

  “That would be acceptable.” He replied. He tilted his head and asked, “I don’t suppose you want to sell that black pearl?”

  I smirked back, chose the largest lustrous white pearl that Biff found at the dropoff, bowed, and exited his shop without answering. As Alexander suggested, I would keep the two pearls with me and use the lustrous black pearl. It would save much money over time, and who knows what other properties it might possess that even the master alchemist did not know. He hinted at yet further mysteries involving pearls, which I would need to explore later.

  I had an hour and a half to prepare for the journeyman trials, but the most demanding challenge was yet to come.