by Sam Ferguson
For this plan to work, you will need to succeed where I have failed. You must find a book written by Archmage Durit entitled, Arts of the Soul Thief. Find that book, and then follow the instructions you will find in my other letter, which is waiting for you in my desk drawer at home.
With all the love and hope I possess,
Your Mother
Kyra could hardly breathe. Cyrus had that very book! She stood up, about to run down the hall to the classroom and grab it, but she stopped before taking a single step. The last time she had tried to read from that book, she had been trapped in a nightmare by a terrible spell. Kyra figured it best to leave reading that book until tomorrow, when Cyrus could ensure her safety. She had no desire to fall prey to those terrible nightmares again.
However, if she was careful, she could get to her home tonight and retrieve the final letter from her mother.
Kyra grabbed her blue dress and slipped it over her nightgown, not wanting to take the time to fully change clothes. She then moved the broken door to the side and stepped into the hallway.
Herion had cursed her room so that she could not summon portals, but there was no longer anyone outside of her room to stop her from doing so somewhere else.
She walked part way down the hall and then opened a glowing portal. Through the hole in space, she could see her mother’s library. Her heart jumped with both joy and grief at the sight of the books strewn about the floor. She had always hoped her father would have cleaned the room and put it back in order.
Kyra stepped through and looked around the library as the portal disappeared. There was a layer of dust on everything, giving the room a gray and lonely appearance accentuated by the stale air. In the far corner was a dead, brown fern that had once been a vibrant and green plant.
She looked to the door leading to the hallway and thought, just for a moment, to go back into her old room, or into her mother’s room. She took in a deep breath and decided that regardless of the memories created in this manor, it was no longer her home.
Padding quietly to the overturned desk, she wondered whether the letter would still be there for her to find. She shuffled through books and papers that had fallen on the floor nearby, but saw nothing of interest addressed to her. She then went to the desk and found one of the drawers still in place. She slid it out and found a single piece of paper. The only words written on it were ‘Dearest Kyra.’
She kissed the paper and spoke the phrase, but nothing happened. Kyra sighed and let the paper fall to the ground as she reached into the drawer, feeling around for anything else.
Her fingers fell upon an envelope. She pulled it out and hastily removed the letter inside. This one was fairly generic, asking how Kyra liked her classes and whether she had made many friends. It even asked whether Kyra had been able to get along with Lady Priscilla despite the instructor’s insistence to use wands. Kyra laughed at that one, wondering what her mother would think of the fact that Kyra had actually gotten into a duel with Lady Priscilla and ended up knocking the instructor into a wall. Kyra then finished the letter and smiled. Her mother had always been a crafty one. She kissed it and spoke the special phrase.
The letter disappeared and new words appeared on the paper, telling her all that she should do next.
It took several minutes to read all of the instructions, for the words filled not only the entire page, but when she reached the bottom of the paper, the words would vanish to make room for the message to continue on the same piece of paper. This happened four times, turning a single page into a three and a half page letter filled with instructions.
When she finished, she folded the letter and placed it back into the drawer. She closed the drawer and spoke the words the letter had instructed her to say as she tapped the drawer three times. When Kyra pulled the drawer out once more, a red book was inside where the letter had been.
She didn’t open the book, for the letter had already told her not to look for the dagger inside. Kyra had to take the book to a special altar in the forest to the north. Only there could she retrieve the dagger from where her mother had hidden it.
All she needed now was the book from Cyrus, and not a small amount of luck.
Chapter 17
Kyra woke early the next morning. Despite the difficulty she had had in calming herself after returning to her room the previous night, and the time she had spent tossing and turning as she contemplated how Lepkin might be punished for the efforts he had taken to bring her the letter, her excitement gave her more than enough energy to prepare for the day as though she had comfortably slept the whole night through.
She concealed the red book in her satchel, sandwiching it between two other text books just in case someone were to look through her things. Bolting down the hall, she nearly bumped into one of the staffers on her way to the laundry room with an armload of sheets.
“Sorry!” Kyra offered over her shoulder as she continued running to her classroom. She was so fast that she didn’t even hear what the lady had said in response, but she didn’t care. She finally had everything figured out, and she was so close to avenging her mother.
She burst into the classroom and her mirth disappeared quickly.
Master Fenn was in the room, speaking in hushed tones with Cyrus.
Cyrus saw her, and motioned with his head for Kyra to take a seat.
Master Fenn turned around and peered down his nose at her for a few moments, making her squirm on the inside.
“As I was saying,” Fenn said as he turned back to Cyrus, “Kathair Lepkin has been sent away during the night. That should help you keep an eye on your student a bit better, as the two of them always seemed to get into trouble together.”
“Might I remind you,” Cyrus began, “Kyra has not only gotten into trouble, but she has killed a shade and hunted beasts that normally a man of your station should be out hunting.”
Kyra smirked and took great joy in watching Master Fenn bristle at the comment.
“I know very well what she has done,” Master Fenn said. “What neither of you know is that I have been out hunting creatures of the night. In the same time that Kyra has been here at the academy, I have dispatched four wraiths, a garunda beast, and a wylkin as well as a shadowfiend. You would do well not to question my abilities, or my zeal in carrying out the tasks given to me.”
That surprised Kyra very much. She had not been aware of that many creatures nearby. In fact, she had honestly thought that she and Leatherback had hunted everything down themselves.
Master Fenn turned around and glared at her. “Surprised?” he asked. “Let’s just say that there were meetings you and your friends didn’t eavesdrop on and leave it at that.”
Kyra nodded silently.
“Also, I should note that these types of incidents have increased tremendously since your arrival.”
Was he trying to make her feel guilty? Surely he had to know that none of these things were her fault. The creatures were looking for the dagger, but she had nothing to do with taking the weapon.
“I think that’s enough,” Cyrus put in quickly. “I’ll take your suggestions under advisement, but there is no reason to saddle her with the blame.”
“Cyrus, you should be careful,” Master Fenn said over his shoulder, his eyes still fixed on Kyra. “I will be the headmaster here very soon. The dragon slayers will be here within a short time as well. I would tread lightly if I were you.” He then turned around and offered his hand, as if a handshake would smooth everything over once more.
Cyrus shook the man’s hand and then Master Fenn left the classroom.
When the door was closed, Kyra asked, “What did he want?”
Cyrus smiled. “It started amicably enough,” he replied. “He had come to inform me that he wanted me to accompany you while you hunted Severin.”
“The coward should come himself,” Kyra said angrily.
Cyrus shook his head. “He is not as coarse as he would have you believe,” Cyrus said. “Apparently, the K
eeper of Secrets has set up a few rules for you. Chief among them is the fact that if you are to be considered as a candidate for the Test of Arophim, then you must defeat the vampire either by yourself, or with the dragon for help. All other masters have been forbidden from helping you. The Keeper of Secrets says it is the only way he will accept your candidacy. As such, Master Fenn is bound by the Keeper’s wishes in this instance.”
“But you aren’t?” Kyra asked skeptically.
“I would be, but I am not technically a titled noble. I am not known as ‘Master Cyrus,’ so it is a kind of legal technicality that would allow me to work with you.”
“Why would Master Fenn care?”
“That is my point,” Cyrus replied evenly. “Despite his callous, sometimes hurtful display, he does care about you and this school very much.”
“Sometimes hurtful?” Kyra spat sarcastically.
Cyrus smiled and shrugged. “Come, are you ready for the day’s lesson?”
Kyra then forgot all about Master Fenn and let the widest smile she had ever worn stretch her face. “Actually, I came to read Arts of the Soul Thief again.”
Cyrus eyed her suspiciously. “What for?”
“I think I may know where the dagger is. I found a note from my mother, and she gave me a passage to read from the book. I think it has the last piece of the puzzle.”
Cyrus’ mouth fell open. “Where did you find the letter?”
“It was a magical letter. I received it a long time ago, but it had been written with a spell on it concealing the true message.”
“And you happened to find the right letter with this special charm?” Cyrus asked skeptically, folding his arms across his chest.
Kyra nodded. “It wasn’t just one letter. Every letter she sent had the same message on it once I knew how to open the charm.” After returning to her room, Kyra had searched all the other letters from her mother for additional clues. She had found only the same initial message behind each charm, but it had served to put her mind at ease, knowing she hadn’t missed any important clues.
“Remarkable,” Cyrus said. He stroked his bearded chin and then shook his head. “I would have thought that if your mother had any leads, she would have followed them through herself.”
“She did,” Kyra said. “But, the one lead she couldn’t follow was written in the book. She never had a copy of it.”
Cyrus nodded. “Not surprising. There are only two copies in existence that I am aware of. Too bad we didn’t know that was the last piece to the puzzle. I could have provided that long ago!” Cyrus wheeled around and went for his bookcase. He took the book in hand and then walked back to Kyra. “If it was your mother’s clue, then you should have the honor of reading it.”
Kyra smiled and held her hands out, but stopped short of taking the book. “Could you check it first?” she asked. “Last time didn’t go so well.”
Cyrus smiled knowingly and pulled the book back a bit. “I have already cleared it of the wards and traps that were placed upon it. Don’t worry, you will not be caught in nightmares again, I assure you.” He extended his arm once more, holding the book out for her to take.
She nodded, but couldn’t keep the butterflies from forming in her stomach as she reached a trembling hand out to take the book. She opened it slowly, and read through the first page, half expecting herself to be sucked back into that terrible nightmare. After finishing the first page, she let out a breath that she hadn’t even realized she had been holding in anticipation. The book was safe now.
Kyra set it on her desk and eagerly flipped through the pages until she found the passage her mother had spoken of in her letter. She read it eagerly, devouring each detail. Her heart was pounding inside of her now as she realized how delicate this plan was. One misstep would mean disaster, and dying at Severin’s hand was not necessarily the worst option that occurred to her while reading what it was she needed to do.
After reading it through for a third time, she closed the book and slipped it into her book bag. “I may need to refresh myself once or twice more,” she told Cyrus.
The man was sitting at his chair behind his desk, eagerly leaning forward and watching her. “Well?” he asked.
“I think we can do this,” Kyra replied. “It should work. We should be able to get the dagger tonight.”
“Gods be praised!” Cyrus said as he slapped his hand down on his desk. He struck the surface with such force, the setting of the ring which he wore on that hand cracked under the impact and a strange, orange spark shot off of the metal as the stone become dislodged and fell away, but he didn’t notice. He was jumping in the air and dancing around his chair as if he were a much, much younger man.
Kyra did notice, however. As the emerald from the ring rolled across the desk, Cyrus changed a little before her eyes. It was as if his image was blurred by a film of running water, or smoke perhaps. His features blurred, as if a burst of heat had caused the air before him to waver.
Kyra leapt up from her desk and hooked the strap of her book bag over her shoulder. Something was very wrong. “Who are you?” she asked.
Cyrus turned around. Confusion was on his blurred face.
Kyra cast a dispelling enchantment that she had been working on with Cyrus, and then the truth was revealed.
The old, long bearded wizard melted away to reveal a man with dark hair, maybe in his late thirties or early forties. Kyra’s mouth hung open and she shook her head as she stumbled away from her desk and back toward the door.
Cyrus looked down at himself and then his eyes found the broken ring.
“Kyra, wait, listen!” Cyrus begged.
Kyra shook her head and turned to run for the door.
WHOOSH!
Cyrus was now standing in front of the door, one hand on the knob and the other out toward Kyra, gesturing for her to stop.
“You must listen!” he said emphatically.
“You deceived me!” Kyra replied. “Who are you? Where is Cyrus?”
“I am Cyrus,” he said. “I am the same I have always been. I was the man who saved your mother with Janik those sixteen years ago. I am the same who has been here, teaching you.”
Kyra shook her head. “Why the disguise then? Who are you, really?” A terrible thought ran through her head then as she put the pieces together. Cyrus had gone to save her mother, but maybe it hadn’t really been her mother he had been after. “You wanted the dagger,” Kyra said as she pointed a finger at the man. “You went to where my mother was held captive to find the dagger, didn’t you?”
The man’s face turned from one of worry to something colder. “Kyra, what did you read? Tell me the last clue, I am begging you.”
Kyra shook her head. She stuck her hand into her book bag and prepared a fire spell to consume the books just in case the pretender tried anything. “Why do you want the dagger?”
“Give me the book,” Cyrus said with his eyes fixed on her bag. “I can help raise your mother from the dead, I swear.”
Tears of anger came to Kyra’s eyes. “No,” she said.
“Give me the book!” Cyrus shouted.
A blast of air rushed toward Kyra, but she had already put up a ward before it struck her. She quickly prepared a few more spells and cast them. She knew she couldn’t likely beat Cyrus in a fair fight. She would have to use her wits.
“GIVE ME THE BOOK!” Cyrus boomed as he sent a series of lightning bolts at Kyra. The first two slammed into the ward, cracking the shield as the continuing gust of wind ripped and pulled at the magical shield. The next three bolts went through the crack and slammed into Kyra. She went flying across the room and crashed into the bookcase so hard that two of the shelves broke and books went everywhere.
Cyrus advanced so quickly that Kyra had no time to move. A black web extended from his left hand, grabbing her and pinning her back up against the wall as he yanked the book bag free from her.
Kyra let tears of anger and grief roll down her face.
“Headm
aster Herion once told me that illusions work best when they play off of others’ emotions, or show them what they already expect to see,” Kyra said softly. “I guess he was right.”
Cyrus looked up and his mouth fell open as he realized his mistake. He dispelled the fake image of Kyra and then spun around to locate where she really was.
Kyra was standing on the opposite side of the room, next to an open portal. She had created an illusion of herself to see what Cyrus would do if she refused to give him the book. Now that she knew who he really was, she was ready to do the rest alone, and ensure that neither Severin nor Cyrus would ever get the dagger.
“Kyra, wait!”
Kyra stepped through the portal and was gone.
*****
Cyrus sat in the room for over an hour, replaying everything in his mind. He kept staring at the fragments of the broken ring and shaking his head. Without the ring given to him by the warlocks, he would be hard-pressed to fool Kyra again, let alone Master Fenn.
He had no way to know where Kyra had gone when she teleported away. Possibly to the aspen grove, or perhaps back to Caspen Manor. In any case, he already knew he could not fight her for the dagger. Despite his otherwise cold heart, he had grown fond of her. He hadn’t lied when he had told her that she reminded him of his own daughter. Then there was the fact that she had the same name as his late wife.
No, he couldn’t fight her for the dagger.
The only option was to wait. Perhaps someday he could steal it back from her, but that would require hiding in wait for a long time. He cursed himself for messing this opportunity up so badly. He was so close to the dagger just a short while ago, and now he had little chance of recovering it in the near future.
Kyra would find it first. The hunt would start anew for Cyrus now.
