Chapter 7: How a Mage Prepares

Pendragon had a few instructions, tools, and details for me before I left for my task that night.

First, he drew a charm from his cabinet and pinned it on my chest.  Three green chutes, dried, tied with a light blue piece of thread.  The same cabinet held hundreds of bottles, none of which were labelled.  Still, he searched a specific one, and plucked it from the shelf gingerly.

Approaching where I stood again, he went to kneel at my feet.  I stopped him, 'Let me do it,' and he complied, handing me the bottle.  It was filled with a fine orange powder, nearly to the brim.

'Sprinkle a pinch on each of your shoes, if you please,' were his instructions.

I did so, wondering if there wasn't some kind of magical chant I should be doing.  I wanted to know what this all did, but Pendragon said nothing as he took the bottle back from me and replaced it on his shelf.

He put his hands together and looked at me as if trying to spot a breach in military uniform.  He began at my shoes and worked his way upward, mumbling under his breath minor observations about how I 'should be more muscular' and how 'when he was my age'.  Once he reached my head he looked as if he had suddenly been smacked.

'Your hair, Mikey,' clucked Pendragon.  He walked over to the coat stand and retrieved a pinstripe fedora I hadn't noticed hanging there before.  He plopped it on top of my head and nodded.  'There.'

I felt like I had just been prepared for battle, but in actuality I just had twigs on my lapel, sand on my shoes, and a hat on my head.  I lamented the no questions policy.  I was very curious about what magic I was wearing.

'Do not draw attention to yourself,' instructed Pendragon, making me feel like I was about to be dismissed.  'Talk to no one, even if they talk to you first.  Under no circumstance are you to reply to anything at all.'

I opened my mouth say okay, but Pendragon slapped me across my face before I could.

'No!'  He looked relieved as I recovered and held my cheek in my hand.  It didn't hurt, it was just emasculating.  'Silence... including now.  No responses.  No words.  Just go about your task.'

I wondered briefly about whether this was a real instruction or just an excuse to slap me.  Nevertheless, I headed out the door to break and enter into a crime scene.

Aine gave me a double thumbs up as I left the Shop, like she knew what I was up to.  Did she?  If so, I'm glad her cookies fell on the ground.