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an area away from the house. In the moonlight he saw a partially constructed circular wall that was easily a hundred feet in diameter. “A magic user’s tower?” he asked.
    Riyan nodded. “It does look similar to Kevik’s and others we’ve seen,” he stated.
    Bart grew thoughtful as he turned his attention back to the house. A magic user? Moving forward, he was suddenly stopped by Riyan placing a hand on his arm.
    “Remember the wards Kevik’s master had in place back at the estate?” he asked. “May have something similar here.”
    That thought made Bart stop in his tracks. Most things he felt confident to handle, but the workings of a magic user gave him cause for concern. Turning back to Riyan he whispered, “I’m going to take a peek through a window.” Despite the dangers, he had to know who it was that was in there.
    “Are you sure?” questioned Riyan worriedly.
    Bart nodded. “Don’t worry, I’ll be careful,” replied Bart. When Riyan moved to join him, he stopped him and said “Stay here.” And with that, he moved toward the side of the estate.
    Riyan watched his friend with growing anxiety. One of these days, he thought to himself, Bart’s going to press his luck a little too far.
    Stepping carefully, he reached the side of the house then continued down toward the nearest window. It wasn’t one of those emitting light. When he came to it, he glanced inside. Not seeing anything, he continued down. The next window was the one through which they had seen the silhouettes of those living here. Moving cautiously, Bart edged his way closer.
    A child’s laughter came from within before he reached the window which startled him. A child, especially a laughing one, was the last thing he expected to encounter here. Moving to the window’s edge, he very slowly peered around the edge to the inside.
    A child who couldn’t be more than three or four was being chased by a man of middle years wearing a magic user’s robe. Giggling and laughing, the child eluded the man as he ducked around the couch sitting in the middle of the room. The man who was chasing him had the look of amusement on his face.
    When Riyan had first pointed out the tower’s construction, he had thought it might have been the same magic user who had accompanied Durik on his raid of Kevik’s place. But this man was a bit shorter and thinner than the other had been.
    Sitting on the couch about which the man was chasing the child, was another man dressed in regular, everyday attire. Next to him was a woman who was the spitting image of the child. Must be the mother, Bart figured.
    The scene playing out inside the house looked for all the world like a father, or maybe an uncle, playing with his child. As the child rounded the corner, he dove for his mother’s lap where she wrapped her arms about him and laughed in merriment.
    Bart ducked back away from the window. All the stories he’d ever heard of magic users were in stark contrast to what he had just witnessed. They’re supposed to be a bit standoffish, not the family man who chases a child just for the fun of it.
    He peered once again through the corner of the window and was surprised to find the child lying on his back on the floor. What was even more startling was the sight of the magic user bent over the boy. He had his mouth pressed to the boy’s stomach and looked for all the world like he was making raspberry noises. Whatever he was doing, the child found it incredibly funny and laughed while waving his arms and legs frantically.
    Bart again moved his head away from the window confused. This wasn’t what he was expecting to find. Glancing back to Riyan, he saw him there in the moonlight watching. He cast still one more look through the window and saw more of the same. Finally, he turned away and hurried back to Riyan.
    “You’re not going to believe this, but…” He then quietly explained what he had seen in the house as they returned to their horses. They made sure to