Now here he was, saying his goodbyes to Treasa before leaving for months to work at a fishery in the south.
“I will miss you,” Varg said gently.
“And I will miss you,” Treasa said on his lips. “I promise I will wait for you.”
Varg only wished that he hadn't left, that he'd convinced Treasa to leave with him and forget about her father's prejudices. They could have gone anywhere in the world and done anything they wanted, as long as they had been together. It wasn't until he returned to Wild Valley that his world would change forever and his heavy heart would always know regret.
CHAPTER 9
VARG MANAGED TO PUT the dream out of his mind by the time he arrived downstairs to the entrance hall for breakfast. Milea already cleared half her plate by the time Varg sat beside her. She bid him a good morning before taking another bite of cheese. Erril soon joined them and looked more rested than she had since they'd met her.
“I can't remember the last time I slept so well,” Milea said.
“Me too,” Varg lied. “It's been so long I forgot how to dream.”
“I can't remember the last time I slept in a bed,” Erril remarked.
Fortunately Milea was able to break the uncomfortable silence that ensued when she said, “By the way, the captain of the guard told me Conley would be waiting for us outside by the stables when we're done.”
Varg scarfed down a loaf of bread and took a big gulp of his drink, then asked, “I'm ready when you are.”
They finished their food, thanked Catrina and the servants once again, and emerged from the entrance hall to the courtyard just outside the castle. Near the gate just before the drawbridge, Varg and his companions found Conley waiting with two horses and a pony.
Conley held up the reigns and said, “I am a man of my word. These horses are for your journey to Balik. The saddle bags contain canteens, medic supplies, and camp equipment for your journey. I have also taken the liberty of writing an order for the guards to allow you entry into the school and I also wrote a letter directly to Oliva so she will know you are trustworthy. I will pay you half of your money up front so that you may use it for expenses, and when you return with Oliva safely I will pay you in full.”
After they received the supplies, Varg, Milea, and Erril mounted their horses and rode to the entrance of Ironbarrow and continued onto the trail southwest. They found the southern edge of the forest where Wild Valley lie and made camp as dusk approached. With the dawn light, the companions packed their camp and set off on horseback once again. The hooves of their steeds clopped on the rocky ground, but soon the flat trail of the Virland countryside led them out of the mountains and the brilliant city of Balik came into view by late afternoon.
The trail led Varg and his companions straight to Balik's gates. The travelers left their steeds in the care of the stable hand nearby and approached the gates, where they were met by the city guard. The guards offered no resistance, but there was a level of tension coming from them that gave Varg the impression that outsiders such as them weren't exactly welcome in Balik. Nevertheless, Varg did as he always did and ignored their stares as he walked through the gates.
As Varg held one of the large doors open for Milea and Erril to pass, Milea turned to a guard and asked, “Where is the Academy of Arcane Arts?”
The guard huffed and answered, “In the Crown District at the heart of the city, but first you have to go through the Trade District and the Commons District.”
Milea nodded, then followed the others through the doors. The Trade District made of the outer circle of the city and, as the name suggested, was made up of various merchant stands, taverns, and shops. The merchants tried to get Varg's attention as he walked past, but he as well as his companions ignored the persistent salesmen and continued towards the next district.
The Commons District housed the residents of Balik. The homes varied from small and humble to larger and finer the closer they came to the final district. The more prominent residents stared at the passing “riff-raff,” as Varg heard the all too familiar whisperers utter, but it did nothing to deter him from his mission.
“It doesn't look like they appreciate visitors,” Milea commented.
“Like I care,” Erril remarked.
The Crown District, the splendor of Balik that set the city's reputation, opened to much taller, polished structures like manors and halls that set the standards for the more common folk in the previous district. The passing citizens of the Crown District scoffed as the travelers dared to set foot in their precious neighborhood and stared accusingly as they waited for trouble to start. It was soon evident that the previous district would gladly throw them a party before the high class citizens of the Crown District would even spit at them.
The Academy was impossible to miss, for it was the tallest building in the district. A large courtyard with a running fountain—Milea pointed out some runes carved into the stonework which allowed for the water to flow—and the very top of the stone building was adorned with three large A's side by side. The Academy also seemed to be the most guarded place in the city not just by men stationed outside the entrance, but also by, to the travelers' astonishment, living gargoyles that marched along the rooftops and balconies just daring anyone to start trouble within their domain.
“What magnificent creatures,” Milea said. “I've heard of such magic used to enchant the statues along castles so that they may offer protection to their masters, but I've never seen it in action.”
Milea and Erril followed Varg to the front entrance of the school where two city guards waited. When they approached, Varg began to pull out the letter from Conley when the guards readied their weapons.
“Halt,” ordered one of the guards, “what is it you are pulling from your pocket? There will be no hidden weapons allowed in the school.”
“Calm down, I'm only presenting a letter from the Count of Ironbarrow,” Varg replied as he removed the paper from his pocket and offered it to the guard.
After the guard accepted and read the letter, he folded it again and returned it to Varg. “Very well, you may enter. Please keep your voice down inside.”
Varg nodded and when he stepped through the doorway, he realized why the guard advised them to be quiet. The entrance hall held an enormous library where dozens of students sat at long, wooden tables and hovered over parchment and books in silence. The walls were covered in book shelves on either side of the room. On top of the shelves rested a wooden walkway that wrapped around the room and attached to the staircase on the opposite wall from the entrance. This walkway held even more bookshelves, and atop them rested a third walkway that started at the staircase and held even more bookshelves. The three stories of shelves left no speck of wall uncovered and assured that no student would go without the knowledge they needed to succeed.
A walkway that was decorated with a long, ornate rug led from the entrance all the way to a desk that sat directly in front of the staircase. She fiddled with paperwork and wrote something in a book, which hinted that she was more than likely the keeper of the grand library.
Varg approached her as quietly as he could, and asked, “I'm looking for a student named Oliva.”
The woman looked up and blinked when she saw Varg, then said, “What business does a man like you have with a student?”
Varg ignored the tone in her voice and replied, “I am here to escort her to Ironbarrow by the request of the Count.”
He then showed her Conley's pass and, though she still gave him a suspicious look, she replied, “I will return shortly. Please have a seat.”
The woman left her post and retreated into the door behind her while Varg, Milea, and Erril took seats nearby. A few minutes later, the woman emerged with another, much older woman.
The second woman wore rich green robes and had gray hair that was tied up in loose knot. She gave the trio a stern look and said, “My name is Emila Vahn, and I am the headmistress of the Academy of Arcane Arts. I understand that you
wish to speak with my apprentice, Oliva. May I ask what business you have with her?”
Varg stood up and stepped forward. “I was hired by her uncle, Conley Rowan, to escort her back to his castle. He would like for her to leave immediately.”
“You will understand that I am skeptical of Lord Rowan hiring a group of individuals off the street to escort his niece to Ironbarrow?” Mistress Vahn replied.
Varg didn't try to hide an annoyed sigh as he once again showed the pass, but Mistress Vahn put her hand up to stop him. “I know that the pass has been authenticated, but I still find it hard to believe that Lord Ronley wouldn't send his own men for such a mission.”
Before Varg could say another word, Milea stepped up. “Headmistress Vahn, with all due respect, the circumstances are very serious and the Lord sent us only because this is a very urgent matter that he trusts us to handle. I can assure you that Oliva will be safe with us.”
“With all due respect,” Vahn replied, “I believe that as her guardian I reserve the right to know why it is appropriate for total strangers to demand I release Oliva to them.”
“I apologize, but Count Rowan requested that this remain a private matter. He wishes to explain things to Oliva in person,” Milea replied. “We have a letter from the Lord to give to Oliva so that she may authenticate our visit as well.”
Emila paused for a moment, then somberly uttered, “Something's happened to her grandfather.”
Varg straightened up and said, “Why would you say that?”
“She's been writing to him for a while with no response. He always took the time to contact her immediately even for simple conversation, but she hasn't heard any word from him since he told her he was going to Rivershire. That was several weeks ago,” Emila explained. Varg and Milea both remained silent, at which point she nodded and said, “I see. I assume this is the private matter in which the Lord wishes to speak to Oliva about, so I will not breath a word to her. She is in my study chambers at the moment working on her last project of the term, so I will bring you to meet with her.”
Emila led them into the higher floors of the school, where they saw various practice halls and corridors full of class rooms. The higher floors were quieter, and it could be assumed that those were the living quarters for students. At the top floor, she veered right and led them to a door on the end. The headmistress opened the door to reveal a large study inside where a petite young lady darted back and forth from bookshelf to bookshelf.
“Oh dear, where is that volume on fire enchantments?” the girl muttered frantically.
“Oliva, you have visitors,” Emila said.
The girl turned to face the headmistress with curious blue eyes. Thin, reddish blonde hair hung over her narrow shoulders and framed her fair face. When she saw Varg and his comrades, she tilted her head as if trying to place their faces.
“I am sorry, but do I know you?” Oliva asked with a soft voice.
Varg cautiously stepped forward and replied, “You don't. Your uncle hired me to escort you to his home.”
Oliva eyed him curiously, almost as if she were trying to read his mind to find out if what he said was indeed the truth. With a tilt of her head, the girl wondered aloud, “What could be so important that Uncle Conley would he hire complete strangers to fetch me from school?”
“It's all in this letter,” Varg said, pulling the sealed paper from his pouch.
Oliva accepted the paper, release the seal, and read in silence. She took longer than any of them had expected, almost as if she reread the paper several times. It was clear that the inquisitive girl had a keen eye for detail in every situation. After several minutes, Oliva finally folded the paper and said, “Yes, this is my uncle's seal and handwriting, but he only says he needs to speak to me urgently. Curious indeed . . .”
“Your uncle asked us not to reveal anything until he and your aunt have a chance to speak with you,” Varg replied.
Oliva pondered in silence, as if trying to search her mind for a correct answer. When she was satisfied, she finally answered, “I do hate to leave school so suddenly, but if Uncle says it's urgent, I have no cause to distrust his reasons.”
“You'll come with us, then?” Varg asked.
Oliva nodded. “Yes, and I suppose we should leave immediately if the situation truly is urgent.”
“Traveling at night would be far too dangerous,” the headmistress objected. “I would highly recommend that you wait until morning. Besides, I'm sure your guests are tired from their trip.”
“I suppose,” Oliva conceded, “but I want to leave at the crack of dawn.”
“We can do that,” Varg answered.
“At the very least, I could finish my work before I retire for the evening,” Oliva said. “Now if I am to leave school and travel to Ironbarrow with people I've never met, could I at the very least know your names?”
“My name is Varg,” Varg replied. He then gestured to his comrades and added, “This is Milea and Erril.”
Oliva's eyes widened at the sight of Milea. “My goodness, you're an elf! I have never met one of your kind before. How intriguing!”
Milea gave a nervous shrug and replied, “I am only half-elf.”
“Even still, I find your language and your culture fascinating,” Oliva cried. “My family has studied the language for generations.”
“How interesting,” Milea said with a smile.
Emila then approached Varg and said, “There is an inn near the entrance to the Commons District. Show them Lord Conley's pass and they should allow you to stay for no charge.”
“Thank you,” Varg replied.
“I will send word to you in the morning once I am ready to leave,” Oliva said.
“Very well,” Varg told her. “We will set out immediately after.”
“Of course. It was a pleasure to meet all of you,” Oliva smiled.
“Likewise,” Milea replied with a smile.
Oliva then turned back to her work after she found the book she was searching for. After the headmistress gave them directions to the inn, Varg and his crew then left the girl to her studies and left the Academy just as the sun went down.
Emila Vahn had always seen Oliva as a model student with a bright future. Her curious nature gave her the drive to learn things most students only ever dreamed of. The girl had the intelligence to lead the school herself someday, and the headmistress took every measure to ensure she reached her highest potential. If there was one thing Emila taught Oliva about leadership, it was that leaders sometimes had to make sacrifices for the greater good. It was a cruel responsibility, one she only hoped Oliva would understand.
Emila left Oliva in her study to finish her work and once the bounty hunters had left the school, she took a door down the top floor corridor that led to a different, lesser known set of stairs. The stairs led town a dark, empty tower and the creaking of the old steps was the only sound that could be heard. To see where she was going, the headmistress summoned a ball of light to guide her. She climbed down to the bottom floor and then into an underground chamber.
Emila looked to the corner of the chamber where a man sat at a table. She took a step out of the shadows and said, “We have a problem. Count Rowan has discovered Lionel's fate and sent the White Wolf and his comrades to fetch Oliva. She's set to leave at dawn, so you will have to make the grab tonight, Tain.”
Tain sheathed the blade he was twirling in his hands and replied, “Good, I hate waiting.”
CHAPTER 10
RAIN POURED FROM THE NIGHT SKY as Oliva, with only the dim light of a candle to guide her, struggled to stay awake to finish her project. She silently admitted that she normally could have finished much sooner, but the past day's events kept her curious mind occupied. First she wrote yet another letter to her grandfather in the morning, then three complete strangers arrive to tell her that Uncle Conley desired her immediate presence at his castle. She had no idea why her uncle would hire bounty hunters to fetch her, but she read the letter
several times over and she had faith that he had a sound reason for trusting strangers with her safety.
With a quick stroke of her quill, Oliva put the finishing touches on her paper. She cleaned off her quill, replaced the cap on the ink bottle, and looked over what she'd just written on the parchment. Normally, she would have rewritten this, but given the circumstances of having to travel early in the morning and that it would take too long to write the paper again, she grudgingly decided it was time to stop. She blew on the ink until it was dry, rolled up her parchment, and placed it on Mistress Vahn's desk. She then packed her quill and ink bottle back in the case her grandfather had given her, replaced the books she was borrowing onto their respective shelves, and packed her own notes into her satchel.
As Oliva reached for her candle to return to her chamber, she could have sworn she caught sight of a dark figure moving in the corner of her eye. She shined her candle in the direction of the shadow, but saw nothing. She reasoned that she was simply tired and her mind was playing tricks on her, but she still couldn't shake the odd feeling that someone was watching her.
Oliva emerged from Mistress Vahn's study and locked the door with her spare key. The dark corridor seemed eerie with the pounding rain, but she was confident that her candle would provide enough light to see her to her chamber. She approached the staircase and climbed down to the fourth floor, where the girls' living quarters were. She emerged from the stairs on the fourth floor and walked down the corridor towards the tower door when she spotted another shadow moving. She turned sharply to the left to investigate, but again saw nothing. Despite her constant reminding herself that she was just imagining things, she could have sworn she heard snickering.
The White Wolf (Half-Breed Book 1) Page 11