Shifting Stars by Gary Stringer (best fiction books of all time txt) 📗

had hinted contained such information. Yes, I know that’s a bit tentative, but it was good enough for my mother, so she went to see him.

The problem with this idea lies in the word ‘recluse.’

Renjaf was one of those people who simply didn’t have much use for other people and would prefer to be left alone. He was a grumpy old man with poor eyesight and terrible manners.

*****

The door was yanked open, suddenly.

“Who are you?” a scowling, squinting Renjaf snarled before Cat could get a word in. “You don’t look like my usual delivery boy!”

“Oh, no,” she giggled. “I’m sure I don’t! In fact, I’m quite glad I don’t look like him. Not that there’s anything wrong with how he looks, as far as I know. I just don’t really want to look like a boy at all.” She giggled again. “And I’m afraid I don’t have any delivery to give you. In fact, I want to get something from you. I—”

He slammed the door in her face. She knocked again and the door opened.

“Sorry, bit nervous,” she said. “Short version: all I want is a book.”

“A book?”

“Yes,” she confirmed. “Specifically, something called Shifting Stars; it’s pretty rare from what I gather. In fact, you have the only copy as far as I can tell. You see, I have this staff,” she held it up to show him.

He tried to slam the door again, but Cat was quicker and shoved her staff in the door.

“Please, let just let me pop in and borrow the book and I’ll be out of your hair. I’ve been working on a locator spell that should be able to find a specific title pretty quickly. Or you can get the book, if that’s easier – although, given your eyesight, I’m not sure it would be, no offence. Can you still read, these days? Either way, your hair will be free of me.”

“Go away!” he yelled.

“Not until I get that book,” Cat insisted. “Sorry, but it’s really important to me. Look, I’ll pay you for it,” she offered.

“Don’t want your money.”

“Alright then, I’ll trade you for it! Anything you want. Name it, and I’ll get it for you.”

“Don’t want anything from you! I just want you gone!”

“Oh, come on!” Catriona pleaded. “It’s not like I’m asking for the moon! Actually, I’ll give you the moon if that’s what you want. I mean, I’m not exactly sure how I’d do it, but that’s not the point. The point is I’m willing to give you the moon if you’ll just give me what I want. A moon for a book – that’s not a bad deal! Please just let me have it.”

By the way, gentle reader, if you were wondering where I get my tendency to ramble, I trust that question has now been answered to your satisfaction.

Forcing herself to calm down, Catriona asked, simply, “Why not? Just tell me that. What would it cost you just to let me borrow one book?”

“Nothing,” Renjaf said. “Just don’t care.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean I don’t and never ever will care! My whole life nobody ever did a damn thing for me, so why should I do anything for anybody else?”

Cat was so stunned by that response that she involuntarily stepped back and relaxed her grip on her staff. The wizard kicked it out of her grasp, and it skittered down the path, forcing her to scamper after it. Renjaf waited until she retrieved it and ran back, and then deliberately slammed the door in her face. Cat yelped in pain, her eyes watering. Just a bit more force and he could easily have broken her nose. In fact, she wasn’t altogether sure he hadn’t been trying.

Still, she refused to get angry.

“I’m sorry you feel that way, Mr Renjaf,” Cat said to the closed door, “but one way or another I’m getting that book. Tell you what: I will do something for you! I’ll…I don’t know…” she paused to consider.

As she looked around for inspiration, she could see how the grounds were grown wild and out of control. It seemed to Cat that it wouldn’t be long before Renjaf’s delivery boy would have to bring an axe to cut his way through a forest just to reach the door.

“I’ll work on your garden!” she declared, triumphantly. “I’m a druid – druid magic is great for garden maintenance!”

Still no response.

She had no idea if he could still hear her, but it didn’t matter – even with his bad eyesight, he’d be able to see the results soon enough.

And so, Catriona spent all of her free time for the next few days, tidying and reshaping the land, gathering up fallen leaves and branches, removing the moss from paths, cleaning up the overgrown pond she had discovered, and encouraging flowers to grow.

Then, one day, as she was regrowing the wooden fence that surrounded the property, the delivery boy turned up with a horse and cart decked out in a distinctive blue and white company livery. The gate wasn’t wide enough for his transport, so he dismounted. The boy began to struggle up the long path on foot, armed with a load of heavy groceries and Catriona saw an opportunity.

Chapter 5

As I gaze through Time, gentle reader, I can watch my mother living her life. I’ve done that for a long, long time. Ever since I first discovered that I could manipulate the temporal dimensions in this way. Given this ability, you might expect me to watch the major events for which she is renowned: her roles in the Fall of Kullos, establishing the Guardianship, battling demons, defeating an Angel. But often, I get the greatest joy from her, shall we say, less than stellar moments. They make me feel better about my own mistakes, mishaps and misunderstandings. Perhaps my favourite of these is the story of ‘The Cat Who Smelled of Horse.’

*****

Catriona immediately rushed over to give the delivery boy a helping hand.

“Hi,” she said, “I’d shake your hand, but you don’t seem