by Guy Antibes
“So you can only take so much of that?”
Effie nodded. “She goes through bodyguards on a regular basis.”
Ricky looked at the others. “Have any of you seen her?”
Mina smiled. “Only through reputation. I think Effie’s description is as charitable as you’ll ever hear. My impression is that she is a mercurial tyrant inside the palace walls.”
Saganet grinned. “A mystery. Your broomball instructor knows her, being a distant relative of some sort or another, but not on the king’s side.”
After rubbing his chin for a bit, Ricky raised his eyebrows. “I hope I never meet her. I don’t want to spoil my imagination.” He smiled as the others laughed.
It appeared that the conversation flowed in a different direction, back to boring. Ricky thanked Saganet for dinner and Effie for her entertaining description of the princess. He said his goodbyes and left in the darkness, seeking out his room across the academy grounds.
As he locked the door to his room, he undressed in the darkness. His head found his pillow, and Ricky decided he had had enough of other cities. He’d rather stay in Tossa, even if he would never have the chance to see the mysterious Princess Pira.
~
Mara gazed out the high windows of their ancient library. Ricky thought of the storage building that housed their books. In his mind, they co-owned them.
“Whose are these?” Ricky asked Mara.
“What?” She looked up from her transcription work.
“Who owns the books? It can’t be Mistress Merry. She just owns this building. Warden Nania hasn’t ever claimed ownership, and we are all keeping quiet about finding them in Applia. Neither the old or new Dukes of Applia deserve these books,” Ricky said.
“Do you think you own the library? If you do, then thieves own whatever they steal.”
Ricky narrowed his eyes. “Are you accusing me of being a thief?”
Mara laughed. “Of course not. You own whatever you transcribe. The books must be property of Paranty. They are part of its history. We are just custodians.”
Ricky nodded. “I guess that’s the best answer. We should keep transcribing then.”
“It will take years, I’m afraid.” Mara turned back to her work. She shook her head and then burrowed into a book with her eyes.
After a while, Mara lifted her head. “These books are my lifeline. I earn tuition by copying them. I can do that without owning them, you know.”
“I agree,” Ricky said.
He continued to work for some time before they both heard a key in the lock. Merry Doubli walked in carrying three old volumes.
“Here is a little something I had Mina locate in an old bookstore in Sealio. They just arrived today.” Merry set them on the table.
Ricky walked over and read the titles. “Dictionaries?”
“Old dictionaries. Very old dictionaries,” Merry said. “I thought they might help you with your transcriptions. You mentioned the collection didn’t have such things.”
“You are right, Dean Doubli,” Mara said.
Ricky felt a blast of cold air. Someone opened the door to the storage room.
“Excuse me. I thought this was a dormitory building.”
Ricky looked at the man whose eyes took in Mara working on the table and all the ancient books before he bowed and left them.
“I’m going to follow him,” Ricky said. “Make sure everything is locked up when you leave.”
He exited the building, wearing his dark cloak and saw a figure hurrying around a corner. Ricky ran towards the man and saw him head straight for the main gate. The man turned around to lock the gate back up as he left, but Ricky had made sure he was out of sight.
He rushed back to the storage room.
“The man was an intruder. He had a key to the main gate. He didn’t stop anywhere else on the way out.”
“So he came to the academy to find the library?” Merry said.
Ricky shook his head. “I don’t know. Maybe he came to meet someone here and was surprised by us. We can’t leave the books here for much longer.” Ricky felt disappointment.
Mistress Merry looked distressed. “What will we do?”
“I’ll ask Saganet,” Ricky said. “He’s good at hiding things.”
Saganet was having dinner with Effie when Ricky knocked on the door to the cottage.
“What brings you here? Tired of commissary food?” Saganet asked with a smile.
Ricky sat at the table. “Someone found out about the ancient library. Mistress Merry delivered a few old dictionaries and didn’t lock the door behind her. A man walked in saying he was looking for a dormitory. I followed him, and he left the academy grounds right after. He even had a key to the man-gate.”
Saganet sat straight up. “You are right. We can’t be too careful. It is time to find a new home for the books.”
“I wondered if you could find a more secure place outside the academy… at least for now.”
Ricky’s guardian thought for a moment. “I built a warehouse not far from the academy. It isn’t quite as secure as my townhouse, but it’s better than that storage building. I don’t suggest Mara and you go there every day.”
“You can take a few books with you and transcribe in your rooms,” Effie said.
“That’s better than posting guards.” Saganet nodded. “School is out tomorrow, so Effie and I will clean it out.”
“I’m going to clean?” Effie protested.
“We will have a delicious time. I’ll bring some wine.” Saganet grinned at the woman.
Ricky knew it was time to leave. “Let me know. I’ll help you move.”
“You don’t have to do that,” Saganet said. “But I’ll take you to the new library location after I get the books moved.” He stood.
“I’m sorry, Effie. Our evening is over as soon as you finish. I have to arrange a few things with Merry.”
~~~
CHAPTER SIX
~
S AGANET HADN’T GOTTEN BACK TO RICKY DURING THE WEEKEND, and the swordmaster had Effie take his swordsmanship classes on the first day of the week.
“Where’s Saganet?” Ricky asked.
Effie narrowed her eyes. “I haven’t seen him since you have. We were going to clean out your new location, but all I got was a message saying he’d be back tomorrow.”
“Did I ruin your weekend?”
“Yes, but don’t worry about it. I’m sure there will be more.” She put her hands on her hips and looked at the sparring students. “It’s about time you split off from the rest of this rabble, and we worked on your overall fighting skills in a different place.”
“Where?”
Effie smiled. “Saganet said it would be a surprise. He doesn’t want to share the gymnasium with the broomball contingent again.”
Ricky wondered during his classes what Saganet would reveal the next day. He ran into Mara, who hadn’t heard a word either.
The next morning he showed up for his swordsmanship class and spotted Saganet surrounded by long boxes. Ricky looked inside to see weapons.
“What’s going on?”
“The classes are helping us move to our new studio.”
“Studio, not a gymnasium?” Ricky asked.
“Just wait.”
Saganet didn’t say another word until the class showed up. “We’ll be doing some conditioning today. Find a partner and take one of the boxes. We are moving our equipment.”
Ricky and another boy lifted a long box filled with staffs and struggled with it in the middle of a line of similarly struggling classmates as they walked through two quadrangles and arrived at the ancient library storage building.
“Our new home. We won’t be sharing this with the broomball players,” Saganet said. “Clean your shoes before stepping inside.”
He opened the double doors to an empty facility. The floor was newly covered with hardwood planks. The smell of sawdust mingled with the stench of varnish. There was a stone entry wh
ere Saganet instructed the boys to pile the boxes.
“I’m not done with it, but it’s all ours,” Saganet said.
His tone made it sound like it was all his, and it was. Ricky smiled. Saganet must have made some trade with Merry.
Effie joined Saganet and marveled at the new location. “We still have racks to build,” he said. “But there are two rooms over there.” Saganet pointed across the shiny hardwood towards two new doors that were inset on the far side. “Those are two private rooms for special tutoring.”
“How did you get the wood flooring in so quickly?” Ricky said, remembering the pitted plank flooring from before.
“I know quite a few people,” Saganet said. “I’ll show you the new storage area after I’ve dismissed the class.”
“No class for the rest of the week!” Saganet said after the boxes were piled up. “Make sure you exercise in the old gym during class time.”
Saganet watched the last of the boys leave. He locked up what he now called the fencing studio and crooked his finger. “Both of you, come with me.”
He led them out of the academy and a few streets around towards the back of the academy to a merchant district.
“In here.” Saganet opened the door to an unsigned warehouse and into a windowless office. Like the panels in his hiding places underneath his townhouse, he twisted a sconce, and a door popped open, hidden by heavy paneling.
Effie smiled. “I seem to have seen something like this before.”
Ricky grinned back.
“Brighten our way a bit, Ricky.”
They descended a stairway lit by a sorcerous light to a metal door. Saganet gave two intricate keys to Ricky. “One for you and one for Mara when you show her this. The key opens the front door, too.” Saganet pushed the door open to reveal ten-foot ceilings, and the shelving from the old library were now lined with white velvet cloth. “The best I could do, but you do have a work area here. I still think it best to take a few books to your rooms and work on the transcriptions there. The less traffic to the warehouse the better.”
“Does Duke Bariani know about this?” Ricky asked.
Saganet made a face. “Some things are better kept secret, right?”
Ricky had to nod.
“The office is for the owner, who never shows up, but you may see papers strewn on the desk. It’s a ruse.”
Ricky walked among the stacks. “Will you tell Merry?”
Saganet nodded. “That was a condition for our swap. The broomball crowd always made a mess of the gymnasium, so you have secure storage for the ancient library, and Effie and I have a dedicated training facility.”
“I’ll make sure I bring a valise to transport the books.”
“That would be wise, and don’t forget to carry your cane. Now that you know the secret, it’s time we returned. We all have classes to attend.”
~
Benno walked up to Ricky as the broomball players assembled. “So Saganet has given up the gymnasium?”
“He talked Dean Doubli into taking over one of her storage buildings. You should take another class from Saganet. It’s going to be nice.”
“I like broomball better,” Benno said. “Now that I’m in better shape, that is.” He grinned at Ricky. “Although it’s drudgery until we can play outside.”
“What makes up the drudgery?” Ricky asked.
“Conditioning. Drills. Practices are better outside, but it’s too cold, and the field would be too torn up with all the activity.”
Ricky nodded without full understanding.
Insippa Baldico walked into the gymnasium. “Run. Twenty laps, and then we will work on drills.”
After a collective groan, everyone drifted to the outside walls and began running. Between Ricky’s runs in Saganet’s class and the broomball practices, he could feel his stamina increase. However, his stick play still lagged behind his conditioning.
Baldico pulled Ricky aside after the session. “Did Professor Crabacci ever talk to you about anticipating your opponent?”
“Sure, he did. It’s fundamental.”
“Broomball is much the same thing. The better players anticipate the moves of their opponent on the other team. Approach each encounter with a competitor as a duel, and I think you’ll get the hang of individual play better.”
Ricky thanked Baldico. The coach had given Ricky some insight that he kept thinking about until he met Mara at the academy gate. This would be her first visit to the library’s new location.
“I’m excited to see where are books are. It’s all so secret!” Mara said.
Her comment made Ricky smile. “Don’t get your hopes up. There aren’t any windows.” He looked down at the valise he had asked her to carry. “We’ll look like messengers or something.”
Ricky led her to the warehouse using a different route. “Don’t walk the same way each time you go to the library. I’ll get you a map of the streets.”
“Is this right? Shouldn’t these books be shared?” Mara said, continuing their conversation about who owned the books.
“To share them means they will be destroyed as soon as higher powers discover what they contain,” Ricky said. “Saganet agrees with me that the king is no more in favor of sorcery than his forbearers. The library books would have been burned then, and they’ll be burned now if discovered.”
Mara nodded. “It seems so unfair. These are Paranty’s, not mine and not Dean Doubli’s or Professor Crabacci’s.”
“It is unfair,” Ricky said. “Let’s get the books transcribed as soon as we can, so the knowledge doesn’t go up in flames if someone discovers what we are doing. Have you found a hiding place for your work?”
“Not yet, but Dean Doubli is moving me to a single room with furniture that has hiding places.” Mara flashed a grin at Ricky. “It’s all secret agent stuff without the perils of the Juvenile Home.”
Ricky still had nightmares about his experiences, but he had to agree. They finally arrived at the warehouse. Ricky could see the light from a window. He tried the door latch but had to use his key.
“Hello?” he called when they both entered the main office area.
A single lantern burned on the counter. The door leading into the warehouse proper stood ajar. It opened.
“Karian! What are you doing here?” Ricky said with relief.
“A shopkeeper’s work is never done. Saganet told me you two had a project you were working on outside of the academy.”
“We do, in that office.”
Karian looked at Mara and then at Ricky. “I’m done for now. I should have never attempted to open up more shops at the same time.” Karian shook his head. “Have a good evening.” He grabbed the lantern.
“At least let me introduce Mara Torris.” Ricky looked at Mara. “Mara, this is Karian Grandari, an old friend of mine and an associate of Saganet.”
“Pleased to meet you, Mara.” Karian nodded to both of them and closed the front door behind them.
Ricky poked his head into the warehouse. It was empty when he visited with Saganet, and now the space seemed to be half-full. Karian had been working hard.
Mara stood in the front office and waited for Ricky to take her through the hidden door. She made an appreciative sound when she opened the last door to the library, and Ricky illuminated the warehouse with a lengthy song.
She touched the velvet cloth. “This is a nice touch,” she said.
“Saganet’s work,” Ricky said. “There are work tables over there, but we shouldn’t spend too much time transcribing at the warehouse. Just in and out.”
“After we get the books properly sorted. Whoever moved the books jumbled up the order.”
Ricky looked at the stacks and sighed. Mara was right. She looked around and found a few boxes at the far end of the large storage room that contained her cataloging.
“At least we don’t have to start from scratch,” she said.
The pair of them worked for an hour, but still had more to do. “Let’
s pick what books we will transcribe from what we’ve sorted,” Ricky said.
They agreed to meet at the academy gates in four days. “No more than twice a week,” Mara said.
~
The time had come for private lessons with Effie. Ricky showed up, along with the others in his swordsmanship class. Saganet had had skylights installed in the roof, making the new facility look much brighter. Effie ushered him into one of the two private studios, which had its own skylight broadcasting the sun’s light into the ten-pace square room.
“This is our new training room,” Effie said. “I’m to teach you more about personal weapons and close-in fighting.”
“I thought we did most of that last year. I learned how to use the switch.”
Effie snorted, back to being all business. “We only scratched the surface. There are more weapons and even more techniques with the switch. I trained for years in Sealio; you studied for less than a year.”
“So I have more to learn?”
Effie shot Ricky a dirty glance. “Of course. What if your magic fades?”
“Does that happen?” Ricky said, alarmed at the possibility.
Effie shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know, but you can get tired, right?”
That brought a nod from Ricky. “I know that happens. If I fly, my mind plays tricks on me. Physical activity can eliminate that.”
“So where do we start?”
She folded her arms. “How about a Princess Pira story? I promised you I’d tell one.”
“I’m all ears,” Ricky said.
Effie looked at Ricky closely. “Your ears do seem to be growing faster than your face. The rest of your body better catch up, or you won’t need magic to fly.”
Ricky shook his head, not particularly amused by Effie’s joke.
“A few years after I became one of Princess Pira’s bodyguards, she has two to four at any time, a scholar arrived in Sealio claiming to have a secret salve that would eliminate a sorcerer’s ability to create a spell.”
“Is there such a thing?” Ricky asked.
Effie raised her eyebrows. “Hear the story, first. His name was Jago Peppini, as I recall. He hailed from Applia. I recall the princess asking why the man didn’t sell the salve to the Duke of Applia, who was as against sorcery as the king.”