by Sam Ferguson
Njar shook his head. “Let the shepherds deal with wolves. If they were to see you, Leatherback would be condemned to death, and you would have to flee as well. You have already been blessed to receive lenience from those in authority, but don’t underestimate how thin their tolerance is. If the public at large were to discover that a dragon lived in the Middle Kingdom, they would call for his blood.
Leatherback snarled and spat a small orb of blue fire into the air. “I hear you,” Leatherback said.
Njar nodded. “I don’t say this to upset either of you. I say it as a sincere warning.”
Kyra finally put all the signs together and recalled the name of the beasts that they had seen. She blurted it out, partly because she was happy that she finally remembered what they were, and partly to show Njar that they were doing something important. “They were wylkins,” she said. “Two of them, in fact.”
Njar stepped back from Kyra and glanced from her to Leatherback. “Wylkins you say?”
Kyra nodded. “I remember now. I had read about them before, but I couldn’t remember their name when I saw them. They had three tails, walked on two legs, had large, scimitar like hooks for arms, and they had spikes along their shoulders and backs.”
“You killed them?” Njar pressed.
“I hit one with a lightning bolt, but it only stunned him, so Leatherback finished him off along with the other.”
“Did you use fire?” Njar asked as he turned to Leatherback.
The dragon shook his massive head. “No, I used claws.”
Njar nodded. “That is good. A dragon’s flame could be seen for a long way, and there is nothing else quite like it. I won’t say that what you did was smart, but I am impressed that you found and killed two wylkins.”
Kyra smiled smugly. “It was nothing.”
Njar shook his head. “But tell me this, what were you after?”
Kyra’s smile faded. Did Njar know about the garunda beasts also? Surely he hadn’t heard her read the story out loud to Leatherback, so how could he know? Perhaps he had seen a vision in those magical pools he had shown her before. That must be it; he had looked into the future.
“I was hunting garunda beasts,” she said honestly.
Njar nodded and reached up to stroke his beard thoughtfully. “You are going to hunt the shade that attacked you, aren’t you?”
Kyra folded her arms. “Why does everyone seem so surprised by this? He killed my mother.”
“I am a satyr,” Njar said. “I do not understand vengeance. I seek balance. If you tell me that you are hunting this creature out of anger, then I would caution you to alter your path. Remember, you must help Leatherback stave off Nagar’s Blight. The more you remove him from this glade, the more the power of the curse will affect him.”
Kyra hung her head low and nodded. She hadn’t thought of that. She had been so focused on the garunda that her only thought was of getting closer to the shade. “I understand, she said.”
Njar produced a staff in his hand and held it out. “I noticed you had misplaced your staff. Remember, it was made with the same magic as that which flows in this glade. If you must hunt outside, then take it with you at all times. It does not offer the full protection of the glade, but it will help Leatherback. I’ll make a harness for it attached to the side of your saddle so you can carry it easier.”
Kyra nodded. “I am sorry,” she said. She took the staff. “I promise I will keep it with us.”
“One more thing,” Njar said. “If you were to tell me that you seek to kill the shade in order to protect and restore the natural balance in this realm, then I would grant my blessing upon your quest.”
Kyra looked up at him, wondering whether he might be willing to help her in a more active capacity. “What do you mean, exactly?”
Njar sighed and shrugged. “I may know a thing or two that could help.”
Kyra shook her head. “I can’t lie to you. I would do it partly to rid the Middle Kingdom of the shade and his evil powers, and to stop the creatures which obey him, but mostly I am hunting him to avenge my mother.”
Njar stepped in and placed a heavy hand on Kyra’s shoulder. “Would you hunt him even if your activities threatened to kill Leatherback? Remember, those priests will see the taint in him. I will see the taint in him. If it appears to grow at all, we will use all of our powers to destroy him.”
Leatherback snarled fiercely, but Kyra held out her hand. The dragon’s eyes glowed angrily and the fire burned in his throat.
Njar pressed his questions. “If you had to choose between protecting Leatherback, and slaying the shade, which would you choose?”
Kyra sighed and looked longingly to her angry friend. She would be torn if she could not find and kill the shade, but she could not risk losing her best friend. “If it came to that choice, then Leatherback and I would fly north, and we would forget about the shade,” she said.
Njar patted her shoulder. “Then I will lend what help I can. Go back and sleep tonight. Return tomorrow, and after the priests leave, I will show you something.”
“What?” Kyra asked.
Njar turned and walked away. An orb of light opened up, and Kyra could see Viverandon through the portal. The satyr stopped and turned back. “I know of strange creatures attacking throughout the Middle Kingdom. They are dark, evil beings, so it is hard for me to completely discern what they are, but perhaps we can find the garunda together. I will show you what I know tomorrow.”
*****
Linny shook off the early morning chills that had grabbed hold of her on the short walk she had taken from the carriage to the entrance to the school. The sun had not quite peeked over the horizon, and the weak light that was seeping into the area did little to chase away the yawns that beset the young girl as a result of her bumpy ride to Kuldiga Academy. She shuffled her feet nervously as the man in front of her limped terribly, nearly dragging his left leg with each step. It was painful to watch him walk, and the young girl could only wonder what had caused such a deformity in his leg and his bent wrist.
When they finally stopped in front of an open door, the man with the crooked hand knocked on the doorway and an old voice instructed them to enter.
Linny passed through the doorway to see an elderly man sitting in a chair reading a book while dressed in what appeared to be his pajamas. The man looked up and smiled from behind a pair of gold-rimmed glasses.
“Janik, what has you up here so early this morning?”
The man with the crooked hand bowed his head and then replied, “Headmaster, this is Linny Ravia. She has come for the remainder of summer term in preparation for her first year here at the academy.”
The headmaster closed his book and stood on his feet, pouting out his lower lip and clasping his hands behind his back as he approached them. “It’s a bit late to begin summer term,” he said. “You are already a couple of weeks behind. There will be much to catch up on.”
Linny nodded. “I will do my best, sir,” she said in a mousy voice.
The headmaster smiled. “Well, I suppose we can make it work. What school will you be in?”
Linny didn’t understand the question. She was here at this school. Where else would she intend to go?
Janik answered for her. “I have her papers,” he said. “She is studying sorcery.”
The headmaster frowned. “Hmm.” He reached out and took the papers in hand, shuffling through them and giving them only a cursory once-over. “Well, all of the sorcery masters are away at the moment on assignment. You’ll have to give me some time to scrounge up a suitable instructor.”
Linny nodded.
The headmaster tossed the papers onto the chair behind him and then turned back with a smile. “My administrator is on leave for the summer as well, but I will have him process your paperwork properly upon his return. Until then, let’s have you bunk with the other first-years that are here for summer term.”
Janik cleared his throat. “Beg your pardon, Headmaster, but
we don’t have any other first-years here. We are renovating their dorms this summer, as you instructed.”
“Ah yes, quite right,” the headmaster said with a nod. “Very well then, I have an idea. Janik, take her up to bunk with Kyra Dimwater.”
“With Kyra, sir?” Janik echoed.
The headmaster nodded. “Sure,” he said. “She is the only other apprentice sorceress here at the moment. Besides, she is only going in to her second year, so she is close enough to young…” The headmaster stopped and looked to the young girl. “What was your name again, dear?”
“Linny, sir,” she said.
“Right! As I was saying, Kyra will be close enough to young Linny’s age. Once the renovations are done, and the other incoming first-years arrive, we can move her back into her proper age group.”
“As you wish,” Janik said with a slight nod. “Come on, Linny, let’s go.”
Chapter 7
Kyra was had only been able to get a few hours of rest by the time she had made it back to Kuldiga Academy and before someone knocked on her door. She stretched and yawned, trying to shake the sleepiness from her body. Another knock came at the door.
“I’m coming,” Kyra said wearily.
The door cracked open just a bit.
“Kyra, are you dressed?”
Kyra smiled when she recognized the voice. It was Janik, a once powerful warrior who had saved her mother from the vampire, along with Cyrus. Now, he was reduced to a janitor within Kuldiga Academy, but he never appeared to her to mind. His face was always smiling when she saw him. More than that, he had become a welcome buffer from Feberik.
“I’m dressed, come in,” she said.
The door swung open and Janik limped into the room. He waved with his good arm while his gnarled left wrist hung stiff at his side. His green eyes seemed to sparkle as he entered the room. “I have a special announcement,” Janik said.
Kyra smiled and then she noticed something behind the large man. At first she couldn’t tell what it was, but soon she saw it was a head of hair. Kyra leaned to the side on her bed, trying to get a better look.
“This is Linny Ravia,” Janik said. “She has come to the academy early and Headmaster Herion has decided to bunk her with you.”
Kyra balked. “Don’t the new students usually live with their peers?” Kyra asked.
Janik nodded. “We are renovating the dorms for the first-year girls. If you two don’t get on together nicely, we can move her back after the start of the year, but until then, Headmaster Herion thought it best for you to show her the ropes. Maybe even help her with some of her studies a bit.”
A young girl stepped out from behind Janik as the man turned and gently pushed her forward.
“Don’t be shy now,” Janik said.
Kyra smiled at the sandy-haired girl. Linny had gorgeous blue eyes, a narrow nose, and freckles across her face. Her hair was tied up with a pair of green silk bows that matched her dress.
“Hello,” Linny said nervously.
Kyra couldn’t help but realize that this was going to make visiting Leatherback quite difficult. Still, there was something about the girl that she felt drawn to, though she had no idea what that might be.
Janik turned back to the hallway and waved. A pair of large men shuffled into the room and set a large trunk down, then turned and left. Janik then nodded to Kyra and smiled.
“Perhaps you two can get to know each other. Breakfast will be ready shortly.”
Kyra smiled to him and nodded. Linny wrung her hands and bit her lower lip, her eyes shifting to look at her trunk. Janik limped out of the room and closed the door behind himself.
“What are you going to study?” Kyra asked.
Linny offered a half-smile. “Magic, I think,” she said in a mousy voice.
“You think?” Kyra echoed. “Don’t you know?”
Linny shrugged. “Not really. I heard that I have magic in my blood, but I have never tried anything before. I don’t know anything about it, really.”
Kyra thought her statement odd, after all, having magical ability was something as natural to her as breathing, and she couldn’t remember a time when she had been unable to do simple spells. How is it that a noble family had known of magical abilities in their daughter, and not helped her to develop the gift? Even the least talented of the students she had been in classes with before being assigned to Cyrus had come to school knowing a few basics. Perhaps that is why she had been sent to school early for the summer term— to help prepare her for the beginning of regular classes in the fall.
Instead of dwelling on this too much, she thought to ask about Linny’s family. “Where are you from?” Kyra asked.
“Nortwyn Abbey,” Linny said. “It’s a small town in the east.”
Kyra nodded. “And your father and mother live there, then?”
Linny winced.
“Sorry,” Kyra offered. “This is probably your first time away from your family, I suppose.”
Linny nodded. “Yes, it is,” she said.
Kyra noticed the tears in the young girl’s eyes, but tried her best to redirect the subject.
“Would you like me to show you a spell?” she asked as she patted the bed beside where she sat.
Linny didn’t move. She fidgeted with her fingers and bit her lip once more.
“I won’t bite,” Kyra said with a genuine smile. “Come on, I can show you something.” Kyra waved her hand in the air in front of her and then turned her palm upward. She snapped her fingers and whispered the words to summon a small spark of blue flame. It hovered and danced above her hand, then she blew on it gently and sent it into the air. It grew into a round orb of fire, roughly the size of a small tangerine, and then it disappeared. Kyra watched Linny’s eyes grow wide and a smile creep upon the girl’s face.
“Come on,” Kyra said. “Let’s have you try it.”
Linny took a step, and then hesitated for a moment before finally skipping over to the bed and jumping up onto it. “I don’t know the spell,” Linny confessed.
Kyra leaned in and whispered the words into Linny’s ear. “Got it?” Kyra asked.
Linny nodded.
“All right, now, it isn’t enough just to speak the words. You also have to focus on the spell, and picture the flame in your mind. Can you do that?”
Linny nodded again.
She held her hand out and closed her eyes, squinting them shut. “Plami yavlai,” she said in a whisper. She opened her eyes, a bright smile on her face and an excited giggle issuing out from her. Linny’s excitement died down when she saw nothing in her hand.
“Don’t worry, it takes a bit of practice. Try again,” Kyra coaxed.
Linny closed her eyes again and repeated the words to the spell. Again nothing happened. Three times more she tried, and with each disappointment her frown grew longer.
Kyra then hopped off the bed and walked toward the large, black trunk. “Some students use wands,” she said. “Do you have a wand?”
“I don’t know,” Linny replied.
Kyra shook her head. “You should know if you have a wand,” she said.
Linny shot off the bed. “Oh yes, I do have a wand. Sorry, I didn’t hear you right the first time.” Linny bounded over to the trunk and opened it, while Kyra studied her carefully. Linny didn’t act like any of the other girls Kyra had met here last year. There was no air of arrogance about her. She didn’t move in stiff, “proper” movements like all the other young women at the academy subscribed to. She was different. The clothes fit. The ornate trunk was like any other. Even the ornate wand Linny pulled out appeared to be similar to what any other apprentice at the school would have, but none of them would behave like Linny, or talk like her for that matter. Even the shyest of girls had always talked down to Kyra before.
Linny waved her wand, which was made of ebony and had four opals set into the handle. “Here it is!”
Kyra nodded approvingly. “A wand helps to enhance your focus. So, this time t
ry to perform the same spell, but don’t focus the image into your hand. Instead, imagine the flame leaping off the end of the wand.”
Linny nodded. She turned and pointed her wand at the stone wall. “Plami yavlai,” she said. Nothing happened.
“It’s all right, just focus on the tip of your wand,” Kyra encouraged her.
Linny nodded. She took in a deep breath and stared at the wand. “Plami yavlai!” A blue spark jumped from the end of the wand, circled around the air for a second, and then vanished. Linny’s eyes went wide as eggs and she turned around, jumping up and down. “I did it! I did magic!”
Kyra smiled. “See, you’ll be just fine here,” she said. “Shall we go get breakfast?”
Linny shook her head and practiced the spell again. Her smile disappeared once more when there was not even so much as a hint of a spark. She shook her wand. “Come on,” she said. “Plami yavlai!”
Kyra stepped in and gently took the wand. “It’s all right, you can’t force it. Come, let’s go have something to eat, then we can try again.” Kyra placed the wand back into the trunk and closed the lid. “I can help you unpack later as well, if you like.”
Linny sighed and nodded. “I never thought I could do that,” Linny said under her breath as she stared at the spot where the spark had floated.
“You know, I bet they have ham steak and eggs today. Do you like ham steak?”
Linny nodded.
“Come on, then, let’s go.” Kyra slipped her hand in through Linny’s elbow, something Kyra’s mother used to do sometimes when she was sad, and pulled her out into the corridor.
*****
Cyrus was sitting in the classroom when Janik found him. The curtains were drawn over the windows and only a few candles illuminated the room. Janik closed the door and cleared his throat. Cyrus looked up from a book and leaned back in his chair.
“What is it?” Cyrus asked. “I am expecting Kyra to come for classes soon, so we need to be brief.”
“She hasn’t yet gone down for breakfast. We have time,” Janik countered. The lame man limped into the room, dragging his twisted leg with each step. “We have a slight problem,” Janik said.
