Kyra shook her head. “That is like saying that I will have a pretty bed set up in a dungeon. You can dress it up as you like, but you are still trapped.”
Janik frowned. The amulet didn’t seem to have any effect on her. He tried again. He placed his right hand on her shoulder and pressed the amulet back into place until she finally let it hang freely, close to her heart. “There are many who would give much to marry my brother. You should consider yourself lucky to be his future bride.”
Anger flashed in her eyes. “Well I don’t,” she said flatly. She turned and stormed off.
Janik stood and watched her go for a few moments before apologizing sincerely enough that she let him catch up with her. “I won’t speak of it again,” he offered. “I didn’t want to upset you. Come, let us get back to the Headmaster and see what kind of arrangement we can come to.”
The two of them returned to find Feberik and two other instructors waiting at the western door for them.
“I’ll handle this,” Janik said. “Wait here a moment.” Kyra stood and waited while Janik moved up to approach the others. Besides his brother there was Master Fenn, one of the sorcery instructors, and Lady Gerigan, one of the healing instructors.
“Is she alright?” Feberik asked.
Janik nodded and patted the air with his good hand. “She is a bit ruffled, as you might imagine,” Janik replied. “Physically, she is fine.”
“What does she have to say for herself?” Master Fenn pressed.
Janik turned a hard eye on him. “I suspect that is for the Headmaster to hear, and not you.”
“I will not be told my place by a janitor,” Master Fenn said gruffly. He started down the granite steps but Feberik snatched out with one hand and gripped the front of the man’s cloak.
“I shouldn’t have to remind you of what Janik has done in the past. He is not a janitor because of his lack of ability,” Feberik snarled.
“On the contrary,” Master Fenn said in an even tone. “His physical handicap is precisely why he can’t instruct. He is literally useless in terms of instructing pupils how best to fight with weapons. I suppose that is why they let you take his place when he was disfigured. The headmaster pitied him his deformation, and pitied you for your lack of promise in the field.”
Feberik picked Fenn off the ground several inches and held him there. “Would you like to see my abilities?”
Janik grinned. There were times indeed when Feberik’s temper was amusing to watch.
“Go on, show me what you can do with your hands,” Fenn said. “Though I dare say that a man of true abilities could win the fight without lifting a finger.”
“Oh, stop it, both of you!” Lady Gerigan said. “Janik is right. The Headmaster shall be the one to decide her fate. There is no need for this useless display.”
Master Fenn arched an eyebrow and turned a fierce eye on Feberik. “There is nothing to worry about, Lady Gerigan. Feberik was just beating his chest like a wild ape might in front of a mate to display strength and dominance. It’s just a basic instinct, you might say.” Fenn vanished into thin air only to reappear behind Lady Gerigan in the doorway. “Should I have been worried at any point I would have reduced him to a writhing worm on the ground.”
Feberik glared at the sorcerer. “When I am headmaster of this place, you will be looking for a new job,” Feberik promised.
“The day you are headmaster, is the day I will throw myself from the Verignian Cliffs,” Fenn replied. “Fie the day they should ever put a brute swordsman in place as the headmaster here. This is first and foremost a school of thought and magic. We only allow the brutes in so we have fodder to put on the field before the real heroes.” With that, Master Fenn turned and vanished into the hall.
“Honestly!” Lady Gerigan huffed. She flattened the front of her dress and shook her head in disgust. “I know sorcerers have large egos, but that one takes the cake.”
“It’s alright,” Janik said. “I am used to it.”
“You shouldn’t be,” Feberik said. “It isn’t a man’s position that denotes his worth, it’s his character.”
“Quite right,” Lady Gerigan agreed. “Now let’s get her up to the Headmaster.” She gestured toward Kyra.
Janik held up a hand. “Actually, it is probably best if I take her myself,” Janik said. Feberik was the first to protest, but Janik shook his head. “She needs a bit of space from you brother, as you might imagine. It was not in small part due to your betrothal that she finds herself in this precise predicament.”
Feberik sighed, and then walked away. Janik smiled on the inside, wishing he had always had such control over his brother. Lady Gerigan looked as though she would put up an argument, but she followed Feberik inside without another word.
After they left, Janik waved for Kyra to come to him.
“What was that about?” Kyra asked.
“Ah, you mean my brother and Master Fenn?” Janik smiled. “They were arguing the finer points of magic versus strength.”
“Who won?” she pressed.
“As always,” Janik began. “The one with the brains won out.” He offered her a wink and she let it go at that. The two of them made their way up into the second level of the west wing. They found the Headmaster waiting in a small study.
Janik had Kyra wait outside the room and closed the door behind him.
Headmaster Herion sat in his favored high-backed chair. Some had said it was fashioned out of dragon teeth and scales, but Janik knew better. The frame was made of cherry wood, and the inlay was of ivory and colorful scales. As masterful and inspiring as it was, there was nothing from a dragon on that chair. The detailed carvings within the frame were crafted out of ivory tusks from the north. The scales came from the ridgeback crocodile, a ferocious beast that had once plagued the inland waterways of the Middle Kingdom but was now found only in Verishtahng. Still, the carvings depicted Kuldiga Academy’s different areas of instruction and was often referred to as “the throne” despite the fact that it, of course, did not relay any amount of power to the one sitting in it. Still, that didn’t stop Headmaster Herion from treating it as through it were the throne of the Middle Kingdom.
If Feberik ever is headmaster, that chair would be the first thing to leave the adacemy, Janik promised himself. Master Fenn would be a close second.
The Headmaster looked up from a thick book and peered through a pair of gold-rimmed glasses. Headmaster Herion was old, but not so aged that his face was covered in liverspots. There were a few deep creases around the mouth and on the forehead, but otherwise he still held the visage of youth and strength. His kind, blue eyes sparkled as he flashed a smile filled with impeccably white teeth. Unlike many of the other wizards, Herion was clean-shaven, and dressed in a normal looking tunic. If not for the chair, one might actually suspect him to be nothing more than an understudy, or perhaps a visiting scholar.
“What can I do for you?” Herion asked in his gravelly voice.
Janik limped in and sat on the opposite side of the table from the headmaster. “I know you heard about Kyra Caspen,” Janik began.
“Yes, yes, that was quite a bit of naughty mischief,” Herion said with a nod of his head. “Though I must say it is not the first time something like this has happened.”
Janik offered a knowing grin. Something similar had happened once or twice in the many years he had been involved with the academy. “I wanted to ask whether there can be any lenience granted?”
“I see.” Herion leaned back in his chair and folded his fingers together over the open book. “The problem is that this was not a private affair. An entire classroom of students watched as their instructor was flung into a wall and frogs were leaping out of throats. No, no leniency can be granted here. The students must know that there is a consequence for all actions.”
“Might I interject?” Janik asked.
Herion sighed and cocked his head to the side. “I know who you are Janik,” Herion began. “I was headmaster here when y
ou and your brother came through as apprentices. Still, your heroic career notwithstanding, the other masters will see it as improper if I show you mercy just because Kyra is betrothed to your brother. They won’t like it, not one bit.”
“Then hear me on my merits alone,” Janik pressed.
“They won’t be satisfied with that either,” Herion replied. “Think of the rumors that would spread if the Masters believed that the Headmaster bends his ear to the janitor alone. No, there must be a punishment.”
Janik was undaunted by the old man’s words. “Her mother has recently died,” Janik said quickly. “Her father has all but abandoned her here. He writes much less than any other parent who has a student here. She is alone.”
“I know of her personal problems, Janik. I was there to deliver the news of her mother’s death myself, but that is no excuse!” Herion shouted in a raspy voice. “She threw Lady Priscilla into a wall!”
Janik smiled. “Yes, well, she should have blasted Lady Priscilla into oblivion, from what I have seen.” Janik rose to his feet and slammed his good fist down on the table before Herion. “The other instructors spread rumors about Kyra, despite the fact that everyone here know she has had no improper relations with my brother. It is not her fault that he works here. He checks in on her because she is alone. Furthermore, nothing would have happened today if Amelia hadn’t been taunting Kyra to begin with. You don’t see it because you are up here in your books all day, but I see it. I sweep the chow hall and clean the dorms. I have seen the apprentices throw food at her, or play tricks on her, and I have heard their nasty rumors. Given her talent, it is a wonder that Kyra hasn’t set fire to the Academy.”
Herion mouthed a couple of words, but no sound came from his lips. He pressed his hands into the pages in front of him and then gestured about as if to redirect Janik’s attention. Janik just glowered into the old man’s eyes.
“If that isn’t enough, then name your price,” Janik said. “I control the dowry promised to Kyra. She and I have discussed the possibility of making an arrangement that might persuade you to overlook her transgression.”
Headmaster Herion slowly rose to his feet. “Janik, I am insulted that you would think this is a matter of money. I assure you, it is not.” Herion paused and pursed his lips while sucking in his cheeks for a moment. Then he took in a breath and nodded. “However, should an amount of funds find its way to the Academy’s coffers sufficient to cover the cost of hiring a substitute instructor who can fill in for Lady Priscilla, then I suppose we can come to an agreement easily enough.”
“No expulsion,” Janik said. “Give her demerits and let her work them off with me. As janitor, there are many tasks that I have to complete that should be viewed by others as a punishment.”
“Agreed,” Herion said. “She will spend weekday afternoons with you. Her service will go on until the Midwinter Festival. After that, her service will be finished.”
Janik nodded. “How long will Lady Priscilla be absent?”
Herion’s face turned grim and he looked to the floor. “Lady Priscilla is pregnant,” he said somberly. “That stunt today nearly caused her to lose the child.” Herion held up a hand and shook his head. “Our healers were able to save the child, but I think it appropriate she take an extended leave of absence. I think it best for everyone involved.”
“I didn’t know Lady Priscilla was married,” Janik replied with as much sincere empathy as he could muster.
Herion nodded. “After her first husband died at Ten Forts, she was sent here as an instructor. She and Master Fenn became quite close. Master Fenn’s first wife had died several years before during childbirth. The two of them married quietly and have only told me and a few others of their pregnancy. I expect you will keep this to yourself.”
“Of course,” Janik said.
“So we have our agreement, I would appreciate it if you would leave me to my work.”
Janik nodded. “Thank you for your time,” he said. Herion waved him out and went back to his book. Janik limped out of the room and found a very nervous Kyra pacing the hall. She looked up expectantly.
“Well, what did he say?”
Janik smiled warmly. “Good news,” he said. “I managed to talk him into giving you janitor duty with me.”
Kyra scrunched up her face. “What did you have to pay him?”
Janik shrugged. “The windows can get really dirty, and with only one good hand it is hard for me to make them sparkle. With your magic, on the other hand, we should be done in no time. Then, I suppose if you happen to finish your work early, you could have more time for your personal studies.”
Kyra’s face lit up and she froze in place as she clasped her hands in front of her. “So I can go to the library whenever I want?”
“Well, when you are done with each day’s tasks,” Janik said.
“But I can use magic?” Kyra pressed.
Janik nodded. “There is no law that says we can’t use magic to make things clean. Seeing as how the other students have already gone home for the weekend, we can start on Monday. Go and clear your head for the weekend.”
“Thank you!” Kyra jumped up and gave the man a hug. She was so sincere that he almost forgot himself. Then, as she ran away he went back into his scheming again. Perhaps the amulet didn’t work, but there were other ways to gain trust. With Kyra now working with him each afternoon, he could ply other, subtler techniques to gain her trust. More than that, Janik had the perfect candidate in mind to replace Lady Priscilla.
CHAPTER SIX
Kyra returned to the rocky hillside early the following morning. She crept up to the bowl-shaped depression where the egg had been when she left. She was careful to watch for any creature in the area. When she found nothing there, she felt both joy and sadness. Sad that the egg was abandoned, but glad that she would be able to examine it more fully without fear of being eaten by some unknown monster.
After ensuring there was no animal nearby, she made her way across the boulders.
She wasn’t less than forty yards away when the little gray lizard came skittering around a rock and chirped at her. Kyra was surprised to see the charm spell was still holding strong on the creature. She had only meant to set a temporary charm, but it also made her happy to see the little animal. It followed her, chirping as it jumped from rock to rock, until she got to the site where the egg stood. She gently slid the flat rock aside and rested it on some nearby rocks. Then she reached around and pulled a small satchel around her waist and set it in her lap.
She pulled three books from the satchel and took in a deep breath of excitement. Being that it was the first day in the weekend, there would be no instructors looking for her. She could remain there all day long if she wished, which gave her the perfect opportunity to identify her find.
“Let’s see what we have here, Guardian,” she said to the little gray lizard on the rock beside her. It chirped and launched onto her lap. Kyra laughed and watched as the little lizard stretched toward the nearest book and then tested it with its tongue. A second later it leapt away onto another rock and stretched out to sun itself.
Kyra shook her head and opened the first of the books she had brought. It was a compendium on known reptiles throughout the Middle Kingdom. She flipped through the first few chapters, knowing that this far inland it could not possibly be a marine reptile from the sea. She started going through the list of various reptiles, discounting most of them by their size, as there were not many exceedingly large lizards in the Middle Kingdom. There were pages and pages on whiptails and racers and several different types of thorned lizards. She was nearly to the end of the book before she found something that appeared large enough.
“A cavedog,” she said aloud as she read the name next to the expertly drawn image on the page. “These giant lizards are so large that dwarves ride them into battle.” She stopped reading and looked at the egg. She tried to imagine something as large as the egg coming out of a cavedog. “No, that wouldn’t work
unless we were talking about some very big dwarves,” she said. Kyra confirmed her doubts when she skipped down to the length of an adult cavedog. “Ranging from five to nine feet,” she said in frustration. “Definitely not a cavedog.”
She skipped through the pages and then sighed when she realized that the last several pages had gone back to talking about smaller, more rare lizards. She took heart though when one of the drawings looked a lot like Guardian, the little gray lizard that was still sunning itself nearby. She read through the description, glancing back to Guardian after each line. If she was right, then he was a juvenile mountain pagona. A gentle natured lizard that had all but gone extinct since the decline of the dragon. Though the entry didn’t mention why that was.
“Is that it then? Guardian is a little mountain pagona is he?” The gray lizard lifted its head and offered two chirps. Kyra smiled. “Too bad you can’t tell me what is inside this egg over here.”
Guardian jumped up and launched into Kyra’s lap. It must have been coincidence, she knew, for it couldnt have been intentional, but Guardian landed on the book in such a way that his nose pointed to the word ‘dragon.’ He looked up at her and puffed his throat. He looked down, licked the page and then jumped off to land on the egg.
Kyra shook her head. It couldn’t be that easy. She flipped through the last few pages of the book. The entries on rare lizards had a few flying lizard species, all but extinct, a couple of mountain tegus and monitors, but nothing large enough to produce the egg in front of her. That is, until she turned to the final page and saw the very last entry.
Her fingers trembled as she moved her index finger down on the page. There were several drawings on the left hand side, each with a small human figure drawn next to it for scale. They ranged from creatures as little as a sparrow to some that appeared larger than a manor. The title at the top of the page read simply ‘dragons’ and the page on the right held only a short entry.
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