Magic Study. Maria Snyder V.

as to each side, and almost all the way behind. The horse was hot and tired, and he wondered why there were two people on his back. Peppermint Man was the only one who usually rode him. But sometimes Straw Boy took him out for exercise back home. He longed for his cool quiet stall filled with hay and a bucket of water.

      Water soon, I thought to the horse. I hoped. What’s your name? I asked.

       Topaz.

      I marveled at our communication. Contact with other animals had only given me a glimpse through their eyes and a hint of their desires. I never had an actual conversation with an animal before.

      My back began to ache. Smoother? I asked. Topaz changed his gait. Cahil grunted in surprise, but I exhaled with relief. It was as if I rode on a sled down a snow-covered hill.

      With the new gait, we moved faster, and the men fell farther behind us. Cahil tried to slow Topaz down, but the horse was determined to get his water.

      We reached the base of a tall tower and stopped in the shade. Cahil jumped down from the horse and inspected Topaz’s legs.

      “I’ve never seen him do that before,” Cahil said.

      “Do what?”

      “He’s a three-gaited horse.”

      “Meaning?”

      “Meaning he knows how to trot, canter and gallop.”

      “So?”

      “So that wasn’t one of his gaits. Some horses can do up to five, but I’m not even sure what that was.”

      “It was smooth and fast. I liked it,” I said.

      Cahil looked at me with suspicion.

      “How do I get down?” I asked.

      “Left foot in the stirrup. Swing your right leg back around to the left, then hop off.”

      I landed on wobbly legs. Topaz swung his head and looked at me. He wanted water. I took one of Topaz’s water bags off the saddle and held it open for him. Cahil narrowed his eyes at me, then at his horse.

      “Is this Magician’s Keep?” I asked to distract Cahil.

      “Yes. The entrance is around the corner. We’ll wait for my men, then go in.”

      It didn’t take long for his men to catch up. We walked to the Keep’s entrance, where high scalloped arches framed the massive marble doors. Pink columns supported the arches that spanned two stories. The gates stood open, and we entered without any resistance from the guards.

      Inside was a courtyard and beyond that was a collection of buildings. Another city within the city. I couldn’t believe the sizes and colors. A patchwork of different-colored marble formed the structures. Statues of various animals peeked out from corners and roofs. There were gardens and lawns. My eyes were relieved to view the greenery after enduring the white glare of the Citadel’s walls.

      I could see that the Keep’s thick outer wall formed a rectangle that enclosed the entire area. A tower occupied each of the four corners.