“This is a matter of life and death for the elven people, Jandra,” Garl said. “You know that I left the Society of Mages without putting up a fight. I did so because it was in the best interests of Elvangar at the time. I act in the same vein today. You said that my life is forfeit if I am found in this city. That is true, yet I am willing to risk that for the elven people. Is that not enough to convince you of the importance of what I must do?”
Jandra stared at his old tutor for several silent moments. Finally he nodded.
“You must be disguised,” warned Jandra, “and not magically. The royal vaults will detect any magical disguises. Meet me outside in an hour. Do not be late, or I will be gone. I hope you realize the risk that I am taking for you, Garl?”
“I do, Jandra,” nodded Garl, “but the risk that you are taking is for Elvangar, not me. I will be there in an hour.”
Jandra turned and walked out of the illusion. Garl waited until his old pupil had entered the Hall of the Society of Mages before dropping the illusion and leaving the park. He quickly made his way to the School of Drama and slid in through a back door. He roamed the hallways quietly until he found an empty preparation room. He entered the room and silently closed the door. Less than an hour later, an old woman left the room and headed for the royal vaults.
The old woman hobbled along the streets of Morada. She dallied in a small park near the royal vaults until she saw Jandra approaching. She timed her approach to coincide with Jandra’s arrival and looped her arm though his as he approached the guards. Jandra looked briefly at the old woman and shook his head. He did not say a word.
As they stood in front of the guards, Jandra showed his credentials. The guards looked at them and then looked expectantly at the old woman.
“She is to take notes,” explained Jandra. “My hands have been trembling of late, and I cannot read my own writing.”
The guards nodded and Jandra led the old woman through the doors. They worked their way to the inner vaults where copies of the Prophecies of Kieran and other most important documents were kept. The old woman immediately scanned the shelves and pulled an old scroll down to read.
“What exactly are you looking for?” asked Jandra as his head swiveled to see whom else was about.
“It is better if you do not know at this point,” answered Garl. “I think this information could get people killed.”
“Killed?” balked Jandra. “Do you mean someone would murder me for knowing what is in those scrolls?”
“Murder, execution,” shrugged Garl. “There is little difference in the terms to the deceased. These are the original prophecies that Kieran made while in Angragar. I need the ones that Kieran made after he returned to Elvangar. See if you can find them.”
Jandra opened a large book that rested on a small table. He flipped through the pages until he came to what he was looking for. He tapped the entry in the book and returned to the shelves. He found the numbered slot and stared puzzlingly at it.
“The slot is empty,” Jandra said softly. “The scroll is not where it should be.”
“Karaza has been expecting me then,” frowned Garl. “There is only one other choice. We must get in to see the originals.”
“That is not possible,” Jandra shook his head vigorously. “It takes a royal decree to get into the innermost vaults. Even I do not have the power to let you in.”
Garl put the scroll back on the shelf. He turned and stared at the bars blocking the entrance to the innermost vaults and pondered how he could get inside.
“Leave the vaults, Jandra,” advised the old woman. “Pretend that you were never here today. Just go about your business as if it was a normal day.”
“The guards will have recorded my visit,” protested Jandra. “I do not like this turn of events. You are going to do something horrendously foolish and get us both arrested.”
“The responsibility will be mine alone,” promised Garl. “I will destroy the records of you coming here today before I leave.”
“But the guards will still remember me,” Jandra shook his head vigorously. “You can’t erase their memories, too.”
“I can and I will,” retorted Garl. “Go now. On your way out, tell one of the guards that I have fallen sick and that you are going to get a healer.”
“But…” protested Jandra.
“Go!” Garl shouted so loud that Jandra was afraid that it was heard all the way to the front doors.
Jandra turned and fled. He raced to the front of the building and told the guards that his helper had fallen ill and that he was off to find a healer. One of the guards left his post and ran to the inner vaults. Garl was waiting for him. He fixed the guard with a stare and immediately bent him to his will.
“Open the innermost vault,” ordered Garl.
The guard did not even hesitate. He took a key off of his belt and unlocked the metal gate.
“Wait here for me,” commanded Garl as he stepped into the guarded room.
Garl moved swiftly through the small room. He found the scrolls easily as they were among the oldest in the vaults. He carefully opened the scroll and memorized it. When he was satisfied that he could duplicate it later, he replaced the scroll on the shelf and left the room. He ordered the guard to lock the gate, and then told him to escort him to the front of the building.
The other guard saw his partner returning with the old woman. He looked questioningly for an explanation. Garl stared at the man and gave him none. With both guards under the compulsion spell, Garl took the ledger they used to record the names of people entering the vaults. He lifted the ink off the page that recorded the last entry and then put the ledger back in place.
Garl cast another spell upon the two guards that would jumble their memories of the last hour. He then dropped the compulsion spells. The guards blinked their eyes and stared at the old woman. They looked briefly at each other in confusion and then back at the old woman.
“Is this the library?” asked the old woman.
“No,” answered one of the guards. “This is the royal vault. The library is across the park and a block to the left.”
“Thank you,” smiled the old woman as she turned to leave.
“Where did she come from?” one of the guards asked the other. “Did you see her arrive?”
“I wasn’t paying attention,” replied the other guard.
Garl smiled and hurried away. He made his way to the library and requested writing materials. Finding a place to sit that was out of sight of everyone, Garl duplicated the scroll that he had memorized. Only after the scroll was duplicated did he take the time to read it with an understanding mind. His brow creased deeply as he began to understand what was going on in Elvangar and the danger that the elves were in. Kieran had seen in it clearly in his vision, but even he could not see the ending of the drama that was about to unfold in the land of the elves. One thing was exceedingly clear to Garl. He had to race back to Etta to protect the twin sisters. If the queen got her hands on them, the elven people were doomed.
Chapter 23
Tales of Long Ago
The door burst open to the small room that Mistake and MistyTrail slept in. Soldiers quickly filed in and threw cloth sacks over the heads of the sisters. Despite their muted protests, their hands and feet were bound. As the bound bodies were passed out of the room, the bunk beds collapsed, strewing Garl’s belongings all over the floor.
The bodies were lowered by rope and placed in the back of a wagon. By the time the villagers, who had been awakened by the noise, had gathered below the trees, the wagon was already leaving the glade. Eltor raced to Garl’s house and climbed up the rope. He saw the front door wide open and entered anxiously. When he saw the destruction of the girls’ room, a rage built inside him. He raced out of the house and jumped to the ground.