by RG Long
They never even heard him tread around them.
He listened hard and couldn’t tell if there was any guard behind the doors or not. He certainly couldn’t hear any hum of magical enchantment. Having been around Jurgon and Blume for so long, he had become familiar with how magic felt and moved in the air.
Looking over his shoulder, he waved Blume over to join him at the door. As far as he could tell, the coast was clear.
“So, do you want to just head inside?” he asked calmly.
Blume nodded her head and pushed against the door. It wasn’t locked, but the heavy door did offer up a crack or two that made Jurrin check the halls again.
They were empty for now. The two of them slipped inside the door and into the library.
“Hurry up there, Miss Blume,” Jurrin said as he turned to close the door as Blume stepped past. “We don’t want to be caught here if we’re not supposed to be here.”
“No, you are certainly not,” said a reedy voice from just inside the library. Jurrin let out a small squeak and Jurrin spun around to see who had addressed them. He thought he had heard that voice before.
Turning around, he saw that they weren’t the only Speakers trying to gain information from the magical tomes of the library.
“Dangler!?” Blume said as Jurrin turned to see the wild haired speaker standing just in front of them in the library entrance.
“What are you doing here?” Dangler said as he looked from side to side. He pulled at the neck of his robe, his were eyes moving back and forth from Blume to Jurrin and then around the room.
“We were just...” Jurrin began. But Blume cut in front of him.
“What are you doing here?” she stood in-between the halfling and the speaker. Jurrin saw her put her hands on her hips.
“The last time we spoke, you were in the Court of Three looking to study with Jeremy.”
The fiery girl put a finger on Dangler’s chest.
“What have you done with Jeremy?” she asked him. Jurrin could tell by the tone in voice that she was less than pleased.
“She... I mean, he...” Dangler spluttered.
“I found it!” came a voice from above them. Jurrin recognized it.
“Jeremy!?” Blume shouted. “What are you doing here?”
“Blume?” came the reply. “Is that you?”
Jurrin stepped beside Blume in order to get a better look at what was going on. The dwarf from Thoran was up on the platform a few levels off the ground floor. Jurrin was impressed with how big the library was and how many books were stacked inside of it. There had been large places he had been inside of in Rerial so far, but this was impressive by far.
More so was the fact that the speaker who had attracted so much trouble in the Court of Three had managed to sneak into the library like they had.
“What are you stealing from the library?” Blume asked with a tone that Jurrin had heard many times.
Jurrin thought that was quite the accusation. He was under the assumption they were here to take something as well.
“We are here on official business!” Dangler replied. He looked defensive.
“Is that true Jeremy?” Blume asked as she continued to stare up at Dangler's reddening face.
“Are you here on official business?” She asked.
The dwarf stuttered. He began to stutter an answer.
That was apparently all the information Blume needed.
“You are not here on Business you are stealing books!”
“That is a very offensive claim young lady!” Dangler said. It’s seemed to Jurrin that the older man was trying to be authoritative. Perhaps he thought he could intimidate Blume if he reminded her that she was a child and he was in adult.
Apparently, the poor man did not have a good understanding of who Blume was.
“The king himself asked me to come to this room,” Blume said. “I don’t think you’re the one who is able to be questioning me!”
Jordan thought that Blume was digging herself into a hole that could easily be filled in over the top of her. It wouldn’t take long to question the king about who was supposed to be in this room and I was not. The only thing that was going for them at the moment, however, was the lateness of the hour and the fact that the Lord Evan had been called so quickly to the King side. At least that’s what Blume had said on their way over here.
By the time the two had finished this conversation of back-and-forth, Jeremy had come down to stand and join them. He held a book in his hands and Jurrin was trying to get a good look at it. The dwarf did seem to appear guilty looking.
Jurrin knew that he and Blume are friends. He also knew that the dwarf was studying under Dangler. Which relation would take priority over the other, he didn’t know.
“Why do you have that book on ancient ruins?” Blume asked as Jeremy tried to shift the book behind his back. That’s the book that King sent me to come and get!”
Jurrin knew the king had not sent Blume anywhere, but the likelihood that this was the book she had intended to come and take was very unlikely. There were so many books in the library to find. How could it be that they were seeking after the exact same one? Which made for what happen next to be that much more surprising.
Dangler raised his hand up into the air and a spark of magic flew from it. Jurrin was sure that the speaker was gifted. But he had never tried his talents against Blume Dearcrest.
Before he could cast any spell, the older speaker was flying halfway across the room, head over heels.
“No!” the dwarf shouted. His own bit of magic flew out towards the speaker and grabbed him, preventing Dangler from falling into a large mass of books. Carefully, the dwarf lowered him down and looked at Blume with a harsh expression.
“Look! I know he’s an imbecilie and a coward but we have to help him!”
“Help him!?” Blume shouted. “Help me!”
“Jurrin! Grab that book!” Erin did not like being caught up in the middle of anything but he knew who he had come with and who he had more history with in the room. He made a grab for the book at the dwarf was holding, but he missed.
In the time that it this exchange took place, Dangler had regained himself and was readying another spell to fly in their direction. Blume caused an arc of energy to flow his way just as Dangler’s spell left his hands. A shield appeared in the middle of them that prevented both spells from making contact with each other.
“What the devil are you doing in my library!?” a severe looking woman in red robes with stripes on her sleeves exclaimed from the doorway.
23: Nothing
Blume was still ready to unleash a spell in the direction of either the headmistress or the incompetent speaker from Thoran.
She didn’t care that the headmistress of the school of magic was right behind her. She didn’t care that the dwarf she had trusted to be on her side was indecisive or that Jurrin hadn’t been able to snatch the book away from him.
Well, that last one she had really been counting on.
“Who are you!?” Headmistress Cactus shouted at Dangler. “And why are you back in the library?”
This last phrase she shouted at Blume. Whatever happy emotion that had been rising to the surface when she heard that the headmistress didn’t know who Dangler was vanished at this last part. She wasn’t going to be on anyone’s side in this matter. The Headmistress was plain mad at everyone.
“I am an ambassador from Thoran,” Dangler said, puffing his chest out. “I am here under official business and in hopes to make a partnership between our two great schools of magic. I’m sorry for the late hour I was escorted here but this is where I and my protégée were led by our escort.”
At this last statement, he indicated Jeremy who was standing a few paces away from him after being blown back by Blume’s magic. He snapped his fingers and pointed at the ground beside him. Apparently, this was to summon Jeremy to his side.
Looking rather embarrassed, Jeremy shuffled over to Dangler, still clut
ching the book that Blume knew was the one she had come to the library for.
“Another ambassador from Thoran!?” the headmistress exclaimed. “How much of your meddling nation must I endure!? And what escort? I fail to see anyone who has permission to be inside my library!”
“An... Another?” Dangler faltered. “I wasn’t aware...”
“That your princess was here in our midst as well?” the headmistress said. “Then I’m sure she would be most unhappy to know that her country has wasted resources on sending two delegates separately to the same place!”
“What is the meaning of this?” she shouted, turning to Blume. “You traveled with Princess Teresa. Why have you returned to the library after you were escorted from it earlier?”
Jurrin was doing his best to shrink behind Blume. She took a step over to ensure that he couldn’t.
“We were sent by the king to come over and retrieve this book for him!” Blume said, indicating the book that Jeremy had. “He needs it for his trip to the Court of Three tomorrow.”
The headmistress fixed her with a terrible stare. Blume did her best to return the hard gaze without betraying the lies that she hid behind her lips. After a moment, the headmistress turned from Blume to Dangler.
“That book,” she said, holding her hand out. “I’ll take that for now, since it seems to be the thing his majesty so desperately needs. I’ll ensure it is delivered to him as soon as the morning suns rise up over the horizons.”
Her robes fluttered as she shook her hand once more, showing Blume that she didn’t want to wait any more. Dangler looked from Jeremy, who stood quivering beside him, to the headmistress. Blume could almost see the steam rising off of her forehead, she was so livid.
Dangler cleared his throat and nodded towards the headmistress. Jeremy dropped his shoulders and shuffled over to the headmistress and gave the book into her hands. She nodded at him and then turned to walk out of the door.
“I’ll see you all out of my library. Do not return tomorrow. I’ll need time to consult with his majesty over what has transpired and why he so desperately needs this tome that he would send so many after it without my knowledge!”
Blume hung her shoulders as she left with Jurrin, Jeremy and Dangler. She had been so close to the book she could have grabbed it on her own.
Now it was leaving the library and going to wherever the headmistress thought it was appropriate for the evening.
She sighed deeply.
“What a terrifying woman,” Dangler muttered as they walked out to the platform where the airship pilot waved happily at them.
“Agreed,” Blume thought.
“Still need a ride to His Majesty’s tower?”
Blume perked up a bit at this remembrance.
“Yes!” She said, jumping onto the airship and hoping Dangler would say he needed to be anywhere else. Jeremy too for that matter.
“And I’ll accompany you,” the bumbling speaker said.
“Ugh,” Blume muttered.
“What was that?” the pilot asked, fastening his goggles to his head.
“Nothing,” Blume said loudly. And most of it was true. She was leaving with nothing.
24: Chapter
Lord Evan stood in the chamber of the king as His Majesty sat in a chair, his head in his hands. The room was lavishly decorated, but Lord Evan knew that was from before King Belfast came into power. He had been Commodore under King Beltrame as well and had seen this room many times.
The glowing orbs of Rimstone that illuminated the vast room were giving off a pale orange light that made the fire seem to be casting shadows in many different directions at once. The fireplace, by comparison, was low and needed tending. But that wasn’t why Lord Evan was here.
He was present to comfort the king.
“Three times now have assassins attempted to take my life. Twice in the last month alone.”
Lord Evan nodded.
“You are a good king,” he said. “But change can be unpopular.”
This was an understatement and he and the king both knew it. King Belfast had spent his entire reign trying to undo the corruption and greed that had plagued the kings before him. Unfortunately, the same power lords and nobles who could afford to bribe royalty could also afford to hire assassins.
And they were getting closer to their target.
Had Ealrin not been there today, Lord Evan was sure he would have seen the death of his king.
“I do not believe there is cause to worry for your life your majesty,” Lord Evan said. He meant more to comfort his king rather than speak truth. Every assassin that has come for you has thus far been thwarted.
“One thanks to your son and not to my guards, the king said leaning back into his chair and taking a deep breath. I fear they are not seeing the threats as easily as others,” the king said as he let out a sigh.
“I’m beginning to sound like Commander Polk, aren’t I?” he said with a slight chuckle.
Lord Evan smirked.
“Not quite yet, my king.”
King Belfast nodded.
“But beyond my own life, I fear for what is happening. There is something happening on the continent that is greater than the threat of one king. All this movement we’ve observed with the dwarves and the elves concerns me. And, of course, Darc wants nothing to do with it. Now this business with a Court of Three. I know your son meant no harm, but I worry that a war could break out at any moment. Despite all my best efforts for peace, I feel we are on the precipice of conflict.”
Lord Evan could not help but agree. It did seem like there was more and more violence. The rumors were that the nation of Severn had also lost its governor in an assassination. And their intelligence reported that the elves of the east were attacking Taystone, the dwarven kingdom. Lord Evan would find himself having to agree with the king. Something was moving. A greater force. If that movement achieved its goal of destabilizing the continent, there would be all out war that would not end in fifteen years or maybe even a hundred.
“What would you have us to do your majesty?” he asked in earnest.
The king stood up from his chair and wrapped his rope around him. It was not an elegant piece of cloth, but a much plainer one.
“When we depart tomorrow morning for the Gift of Laurels, I want you to send out ships with delegations to Severn, the dwarves, La Grove, and Darc. We need to know how we can come along these other nations in such trouble times. We need not cast blame where it does not lie, but rather seek out alliances.”
King Belfast strode over the window that overlooked the kingdom. Lights from the city below illuminated the glass and a few airships flew past, Lord Evan was sure, finishing their last few tasks for the day. The king stared out for some time before speaking again.
“I do not think anyone of these nations have such a plot in mind. Perhaps, more likely it’s the Blackthorn Gang or some other mover that we’ve not taken into account. However, the Court of Three...” the king trailed off.
Lord Evan agreed. If there was any one nation among the others that thrived on war, it was the Court.
“Ensure that these delegations know that we desire peace and to help with these nations it anyway we can. I don’t want to see our continent consumed with another war like it was with the Skrilx or the Sundering of the Court,” the king it.
“It will be done your majesty,” Lord Evan said, bowing low. “I will have the ships ready to depart at the same time we are, along with their delegations.”
“Thank you,” King Belfast said, turning around and looking visibly relieved. “I never truly thanked you son for today. Tell him of my gratefulness until I am able to relay the message myself. Any new developments since we departed? Have any of those memories return to him?”
“I’m afraid not,” Lord Evan said heavily. “We spent the day talking about his childhood and I showed him around the hangar. Nothing seem to spark his memory, though he is as interested in airships as he was the day he left. “
“Perhaps while we are gone your daughter can take them around town to some of their old places,” the king suggested.
Lord Evan nodded. This was indeed his plan. Perhaps if the two of them spent time together they would rekindle the old sparks they shared. It grieved him to know that Ealrin had forgotten his closest friend and sister. There were no other siblings as close. To see them reunited would bring him great joy in the troubled times that were quickly approaching.
“I will ensure that they do this,” Lord Evan said.
He bowed deeply again.
“If the king has no more need of me, I will make preparations for the morning.”
“Get all the rest you can, Lord Evan,” Belfast said. “I look forward to having you at my side. I don’t enjoy speaking to Commander Sefen any more than I have to. The elf thrives on war more than the country he serves.”
Lord Evan inclined his head again and turned to leave the room. He was surprised, however, to hear shouting just outside. He turned to look at the king who had grabbed a short sword that was on the desk near his table. He really was concerned for his life.
Lord Evan took a sword from his own sheath as he heard the shouting growing in intensity outside.
“We were sent by the headmistress to petition the king!” a boisterous voice said.
Lord Evan did not recognize it.
“We are on orders from Lord Evan!” said another voice that Lord Evan did recognize. One of Ealrin’s companions.
He put his own blade back into his sheath.
“I don’t believe we have anything to worry about your majesty,” Lord Evan said as he moved to open the door.
Just as his hand reached the handle, the door was flung open away from him and in came Blume, the halfling Jurrin, a dwarf in robes and a man with flaming red hair that he did not recognize.
