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request to see him. He is, after all, a busy
man.”
    “ Understandable,” Matthias nodded. “Ask what you need of
me.”
    “ Very well. Let us get the basics out of the way. Do you have
your proof of identity? Your papers of entrance?”
    “ Papers? No, I have none,’ Matthias answered
calmly.
    “ You have no papers?” The man exclaimed. “Then how
in the names of the three gods did you get into the city in the first place? No - one gets into Rina
without being issued with papers!”
    “ Let’s just say I found a way in. As I said, I am trying to
remain hidden. I could not risk being compromised.”
    “ By
our own guards? The men trusted with the safety of this
kingdom?”
    “ These are treacherous times,” Matthias replied with a raised
brow. “You might trust them, but I am afraid I don’t.” Matthias
thought for a moment as the guard’s face became ever more
concerned. The man was shaking his head, clearly vexed by it all.
An idea came to Matthias and he placed his hands behind his neck,
undid the latch holding the chain and locket and gave the pendant
to the guard. The man studied what he had been given blankly and
then looked up at Matthias.
    “ My
identity,” Matthias said with a smile, folding his arms.
    “ You
expect this jewellery to confirm your identity?” the man exclaimed,
holding it up by the chain. There was more than a hint of disbelief
in his voice as he stared at the grubby, battered pendant swinging
within his grip.
    “ That is a wizard’s pendant.”
    “ I know what it is, sir,” the guard replied. “But how does it help
me prove who you are?”
    “ They are only given to a wizard who has been
admitted to the Order. It should at least prove to you I am from where I say I
am.”
    “ For all I know this could have been stolen from a wizard and
you could be an imposter!” the man declared
loudly.
    Matthias smiled and shook his head. This
infuriated the man even further. His eyes were sharp and analysing.
“Believe me, if anyone tried to steal a pendant from a wizard, they
wouldn’t try again. To us, these pendants are like an arm or a leg.
Wizards have died rather than lose them. Men have died stealing
them – or at least, trying to. Never in our entire existence has a pendant found its way into another’s hands.
I would destroy that pendant or destroy myself before giving it up to a
thief. To give that to you as I do now feels as if I am ripping out
my heart and placing it in your hand.”
    The
guard probed Matthias’s eyes as if he were peering into the inner
recesses of his soul, looking for any hint of deceit in those deep,
hazel eyes. He fumbled absently with the jewellery in his palm,
stroking the rough arrowhead with his thumb. Then he sighed again
and put the pendant carefully in his pocket. Matthias watched it
intently as a mother watched her child when being held by
another.
    “ I
will take it to the king and I will tell him what you have told me.
You are free to wait here, though I cannot say how long I will
be.”
“Thank you. What’s your name, by the way?” Matthias
asked.
    “ My
name is Thadius. I’m an officer to the Knights of Aralia. And on
occasion I also sit here and tend to this place, on a quiet day
like this,” he added. “I will return as soon as I can.” He snorted
as he stood up from his chair. “I’ll say this for you; you’ve
certainly made my day a lot more interesting.” He moved quickly to
the back of the room and opened a door, and spoke in hushed tones.
A moment later, another guardsman appeared. “This is Lauric. He
will be here to assist with anything you require whilst I’m gone.”
The man nodded to Matthias and he in turn bowed his head. With
that, Thadius turned and marched through the main doors.
    Matthias watched him go and drummed his fingers on the table.
Lauric stood in front of him and for a moment there was an awkward
silence.
    “ Can
I get you anything sir?” he asked.
    Matthias shook his head. “All that I