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it.”
    “You’ve been a great help to me,” said Alex. “I think, with a change of clothes, I can do what I came here to do.”
    “Perhaps, if rescuing your friend and his company is all you want to do. I saw the look in your eye when I told you about Magnus,” said Savage. “I know enough about wizards to know that you have some code or rule of wizardry that says you have to make him answer for any evil he has done with his magic. Is that not true?”
    “There are rules, but I don’t have to go looking for trouble,” said Alex, avoiding the question.
    “When it comes to Magnus, you may not go looking for trouble, but I think you’ll find it just the same,” Savage said.
    “What do you mean?” Alex asked.
    “Since I’ve been in Nezza, I’ve taken the time to listen to the old stories and find out a bit of the history of the land. I’ve learned some interesting things about Magnus.”
    “What have you learned?”
    “Magnus is just the name he uses now,” said Savage. “Twenty years ago, he was called Simeon, and he had another name before that. I can’t prove it, but I think Magnus has been here in Nezza for at least two hundred years—maybe longer.”
    “So what is he doing here?” Alex asked. “Why would he stay in Nezza for so long?”
    “I can’t say why, but I know what he’s been doing. He’s been stirring up old hatreds between the lords and keeping the kingdoms of Nezza from working together,” said Savage. “The stories about Simeon all talk about how war and trouble followed him. He used to travel the land, never staying in one place for long. Wherever he went, something bad followed. Sometimes it was war, sometimes the crops failed, sometimes there would be a drought or a flood.”
    “So what has changed since he became Magnus?” Alex questioned.
    “Ah, that is the question,” said Savage. “He’s stopped traveling around Nezza—or at least nobody’s seen him travel. He keeps himself close to Karmus, and he pretends to serve Lazar.”
    “Pretends to serve?”
    “Lazar is a bully and a fool. I think it likely that Lazar serves Magnus, and not the other way around.”
    “But why?” said Alex.
    “I can’t say,” Savage answered. “You know how you can look at some people and just sort of know what they are like? Well, I know that Magnus is no good.”
    “It sounds like he’s the cause of the trouble here in Nezza,” Alex commented.
    “Let me give you some advice about dealing with Magnus: he is a planner. What I mean is that if you face him, for whatever reason, he will have at least three plans.”
    “Three plans?” Alex asked.
    “One to defeat you,” Savage continued. “A second one for his own escape, and a third one that you never thought about.”
    “That will make it hard for me to defeat the third plan,” said Alex with a slight smile.
    “Laugh if you will, but I’m serious,” said Savage. “I know enough about Magnus to know he probably already has a plan to avoid running into any wizard who might come to Nezza, and a second plan to deal with them if he does meet them.”
    “I’m sure you’re right,” said Alex. “But the fact remains, I don’t have to go looking for trouble, so I might not have to worry about his plans at all.”
    “Worry about them anyway,” Savage warned. “He might have a plan to use you in some way and turn your sudden appearance here to his advantage.”
    “You have a devious mind,” said Alex. “But no one knows I’m in Nezza except for you and Mr. Clutter, so I can’t see how Magnus could plan to use me.”
    “Just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean it won’t happen.”
    “I’ll keep that in mind,” said Alex.
    “Good. Now, I don’t suppose you have anything worth eating in that magic bag of yours? My own bag isn’t as well stocked as I would like, and with the current situation in Nezza, it might be some time before I can restock it,” said Savage.
    “I’m sure I have plenty for the two of