The Unicorn Quest

by J. A. Armitage

  She pulled out her coin purse and handed it to me.”

  “You’re giving this to me?”

  Opal nodded. “There’s five hundred coins in there. You promised her the money. You can be the one to give it to her.”

  I narrowed my eyes, surprised Opal had given up so easily. It wasn’t like her at all. Maybe she understood the severity of the situation. If she was a pain in the ass before, she was going to be horrific after handing over all her coins. I almost would prefer Herou and the Order of the Sky henchman.

  “We’ll be in the next room when you pay her—just for your safety.”

  “Thank you, Opal. I truly am sorry.”

  I looked to River, but he clenched his jaw and turned away, striding from the room without a look back. I wanted to rush after him, wanted to make everything better, but as we left the room, Opal put her hand on my arm.

  “Let him go. He needs time to calm himself. He's angry you went up the mountain without him where he couldn't protect you, and he's angry with himself for not seeing what you were up to and insisting on going.” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “I saw how you kept glancing at the painting.”

  I gasped. I'd tried so hard not to…

  Opal smirked at me. "You have many tells when you're nervous. I have more coin; our journey is not at an end. But I thought that would be enough to buy her help should we need it in the future. We could do worse, in a city half-full of bigots who hate us, than to have a secret group of mercenaries in our pocket.”

  “Mercenaries?” I cocked my head. “Yes, I suppose they are, now that you say it. Smart thinking.”

  Opal chuckled. “Don't think you won't owe me for the rest of your life, though. It's still a lot of money, even for me.”

  I nodded, but my thoughts were on River. He had never turned his back on me before. I bit my lip and only paid half-attention to Opal's banter as we headed to Herou to pay her back.

  Chapter 20

  The next morning, I found myself still breathing. I’d half thought Herou would have us all killed in our sleep. Whether there was honor among thieves or not, Opal's hint at future riches couldn't have hurt.

  I sat up and rubbed my eyes. A beautiful sunrise full of pink and lavender filtered through the gauzy curtains, warming the room.

  I yawned, stretched, and climbed out of bed, my feet finding the downy-soft slippers the attendants had left in my room. A quick look at Opal and Kaida’s beds told me that they were still asleep. Without waking them, I dressed hurriedly and sneaked out. I needed to speak to River, and I preferred to do it alone.

  I found him in the dining room, already tucking into breakfast. The queen and prince were nowhere in sight. This was my chance to try to make up with him. He didn’t look up as I took the seat beside him. Before I had the chance to open my mouth, Opal and Kaida bounded into the room.

  “You should have woken us,” Opal grumbled as she sat in the seat next to me. “Is James not joining us today?”

  “He already ate,” River said before going back to his food. Blu and Ivy sat on the table, guzzling down the food as though there was no tomorrow. For such tiny creatures, they sure ate a lot. I didn’t know where they put it.

  Normally Opal’s crestfallen expression would have made me laugh, but I felt miserable enough on my own.

  I waited for River to say something else, but when it became apparent he wasn’t going to, I began to eat. My stomach heaved at the mere thought of food, but I forced some down. I’d barely eaten the day before.

  “Did you sleep well?” I asked River, desperately searching for a mundane topic of conversation just so he’d speak to me again.

  “Yes.” He replied, not even bothering to flick his eyes in my direction.

  I sighed and ate the rest of my meal in silence. As I pushed my last bit of toast through the remains of my oatmeal, my somber thoughts about River were interrupted by Kaida clearing her throat. Thank goodness for a distraction… I looked up, as did the others.

  Kaida, speaking in a near-whisper, said, "Thanks to reckless opportunism, we have one of the endangered pendants in our possession. I assume we're not done yet." She looked pointedly at Opal.

  The unicorn shook her head.

  "Nope. We know one is gone for good, and one is in the royal vault safe and sound. But while we have one piece that was at risk, the one in the university vault is not in the safest place it could be either."

  River smiled without looking up. "That one should be easy. We know where it is, and it's under the queen's direct authority. She'll grant us permission to fetch it, I bet."

  “We’re not going to find Jet in a university bank vault,” Kaida sighed.

  While the rest of us had been thinking about the other missing pieces, Kaida had only been thinking about Jet. We were no closer to finding him than when we set off on this crazy expedition. “Are you sure you didn’t see him when you were up there?”

  I couldn’t bring myself to tell her the truth, that I’d not even gone looking for him. I didn’t have the chance, and if I was going to be honest with myself, I’d been so consumed with getting the pendant that I’d forgotten the real reason we were here. I’d already told Kaida the night before that I hadn’t seen him, but I could see she was clutching at straws.

  “We’ll find him, won’t we, River?”

  River gave a non-committal grunt.

  I furrowed my eyebrows at him, staring for a moment. He looked everywhere but me. His cold-shoulder treatment had gone far enough, as far as I was concerned. He'd made his point. And it wasn't like he didn't keep secrets. He was still hiding something about his mother—I was certain of that—and there was the question of his late-night visitor the other night. I shook my head, then looked away to Opal. "Let’s go to the university anyway. It might give us more clues."

  Opal and Kaida rose, and River got up after a brief pause before saying, “I know where it is. I'll play the role of dutiful guide. If you will all follow me, please.”

  He turned his back and strode from the dining hall. Opal shrugged at me before following.

  Kaida took my arm and walked with me toward the door. Before we reached it, she said softly, “Don't worry about him. His ego is bruised, that's all. I promise you, the very next time we're facing people intent on killing us, he'll forget all about this.”

  I smirked. “Great. So I have that to look forward to.”

  James found us as we were heading out. As soon as she saw him, Opal’s face lit up.

  “Hey, where are you all off to?”

  “We were thinking of heading over to the university to see if the other pendant is still safe,” Opal said, twirling her hair around her finger. The mannerism didn’t suit her at all, but James looked enthralled by her. “Would you like to join us?”

  “I’d be delighted.”

  I suppressed a smile. With James with us, Opal was sure to not be her usual miserable self. Having James around would make all our lives a bit easier. If only I could twirl my hair around my finger and have River talk to me again.

  I marveled at the narrow alleyways and quaint little houses that flanked them. The town was so picturesque, nothing like the majestic stone city way above us on the mountain.

  As we had James with us, River wasn’t needed to guide, so he stuck back. When I waited for him, he sped up, passing James and Opal, who were deep in conversation about the city’s origins.

  Kaida had taken the mantle of most miserable from Opal, though River wasn’t far behind. I wanted to tell her that everything would be alright, that we’d find Jet, but I’d told her that at breakfast and it had made no difference. Plus, I wasn’t sure if it was true. We’d chosen to come here because of the winged Anorians. If they didn’t have Jet, and it didn’t look like they did, then we were looking in the wrong kingdom altogether. The Order of the Sky were the only winged creatures I knew of here. Something else must have taken Jet.

  I walked silently with the group, wrapped in my own thoughts. After a shor
t walk, we came to a stop in front of a large set of stone steps leading up to a magnificent building. Above the double doors, a sign read Anoria University.

  Marble stonework covered the front wall, and the broad, arching entryway was supported by four marble columns that had a swirling pattern of gold inlaid into them. But the real impact of the ancient, wealthy institution didn't hit me until we went through the arch and stepped inside.

  That's when my jaw dropped, and for a moment, I held my breath in awe. The lavish wealth that generations of rich and powerful Anorian alumni had poured into the institution was on full display. Marble statues of famous alumni lined the walls along with antique imported hardwood furniture and hand-woven silk tapestries with glorious images of animals. James led us through the common areas, crowded with students, to a quieter area. Names on doors told me that this was an area for the staff. The corridor ended in a set of double doors with the title of Dean etched into them. James didn't bother to knock. He pushed the doors open and strode inside.

  “Honorable Ateris,” he bellowed. “How are you, my old nemesis?”

  The man behind the desk was elderly, but when he stood bolt upright at the doors flying open, he did so with surprising agility. He adjusted the deep blue robes he wore, then came out from behind his desk to embrace James. “My least favorite student ever. How are you? Did you get my last letter?”

  “Yes, I did. It was wonderful to hear about your granddaughter's pairing ceremony. I hope they got the nest egg I sent them?”

  Ateris backed up from their embrace, though he kept his hands on James's shoulders. “They did, of course. It was far more generous than they could have hoped. Thank you, and the queen. But you haven't written back yet. It has been nearly a moon cycle, already. I hope all is well? It's not like you to leave a paper without ink when a quill is about.”

  “Just busy, I assure you. I had intended to write a couple of days ago, but a more urgent matter arose.”

  Ateris let his hands fall away as he nodded. Then, he moved back behind his desk and motioned the chairs opposite him across from the desk. "Have a seat, then. I assume that's why you've graced me with this inconvenient intrusion?”

  I shifted from one foot to the other, nervous, but James smiled warmly in response to the man.

  Ateris nodded to Kaida, Opal, River, and me. “Also, introduce me to your… delightfully unusual company. Shifters, if I’m not mistaken and pixies. It’s been many a year since I’ve had the pleasure of meeting with pixies.”

  Blu and Ivy grinned from ear to ear and flew over to sit on his shoulders.

  James threw his head back and barked laughter. His face was split by a grin as he replied, ”stop it, you old pigeon. You'll scare them away with your 'enigmatic professor' routine.”

  As I glanced at him, he continued and motioned to each of us in turn, “These are new friends of ours from the East Kingdom. Kaida and Opal are guardians of a sort, to use the term you'd understand best. River is their guide, brought into the group by way of Freya, who is the granddaughter of a very important protector.”

  “And who are these two delights?” he asked, looking left and right at Blu and Ivy, who had settled on his shoulder.

  “May I introduce Blu and Ivy,” James said, taking the empty seat next to River.

  Ateris brought his hand up and shook hands with Blu and Ivy in turn, taking their tiny hands between his thumb and forefinger.

  “My pleasure. Now how can I help you all?”

  “It is because of my friends that I've come to you.”

  Ateris raised his eyebrows. His gaze on each of us was unsettlingly direct.

  “You may recall a time when my grandmother came to you with a very important item, a ruby pendant. As I hear it, she instructed that it be placed in its own vault here in the university with the strictest warning against ever opening it again.”

  The old man stared at James, head tilting to one side, almost imperceptibly. He was silent for several seconds. “I do recall that, though I hadn't thought of it in at least a decade. Am I to understand that these guardians relate to it in some way?”

  “I'll let them tell you for themselves.” He emphasized the last words.

  Opal stood from her chair and began to pace behind the row of chairs.

  “We have protected three artifacts for centuries. Each was split into several pieces to ensure their safety. Anyone wishing to use them for harm—and there are many such beings—would have to find all the pieces in order to do so. One, we know is safe. Another, we have retrieved to place it somewhere safer, still. But we need to account for the piece the late queen gave you to safeguard.”

  “Why now?" His simple question was spoken softly, but I thought I could hear the heavy weight it carried and hoped Opal could as well.

  Opal stopped pacing to face Ateris, and inclined her head, lowering her eyes. “My brother is missing. We think that whoever took him, did so because of the key he wore.”

  “How did this new threat come to hear of the pendants? Surely, if they'd known sooner, they would have begun their search sooner.”

  “I'm sorry, Ateris, but how they heard of the pendants, we don't yet know. But that's not what is important.”

  “Then what is? Speak directly, if you please. I'm too old to care for soft speech and the time it takes to cut through it.”

  Opal's mouth turned up at the corners for a moment, a hint of a smile flashed by. She seemed to like the old man. “Seeing to the pendant’s safety is my sacred duty to the world, and it's yours, too, if you care for the world. One of the pendant's creators herself is very long-lived, and though powerful, even she is coming to an end of her time.”

  Ateris nodded, but no surprise showed on his face. “So, as a grave new threat looms, with many details unknown, it has become vital that whoever takes on that duty after she passes can account for every item. Is that it?”

  “We must see that the pendant remains safe from the looming storm that threatens us all.”

  Ateris paused. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly as he looked up at the ceiling. When he looked down again, he had set a certain firmness to his lips, his jaw clenched tightly.

  Then, abruptly, he stood. “Very well. I have many questions, but I sense an aura of truthfulness about you. Let us go, then, and see to this artifact of yours.”

  Ateris led us away from the offices of important people into a little-used wing that was, he said, once used to study the supernatural before the people became hostile to such things. A stairwell led down into the old archives. As we entered the vaults, my breath was taken away at the sheer amount of information stored there. Lines of bookshelves filled with books ran the length of the room, and wooden crates stuffed with parchment or vellum scrolls sealed with waxes of a hundred colors took up space on the stone floor. Paintings leaned stacked against walls with canvas tarps protecting them from the dust—and everywhere, dust. On the shelves, on the books, sometimes thick enough to obscure the emblems stamped into scroll seals. The entire subterranean archive was a huge maze. A huge maze in need of a good cleaning. My mother would pass out at the sight of it if she was here.

  As we walked through the room, my excitement escalated at all the treasures hidden down here. I was almost sad when Ateris stopped at a massive steel door that was oval in shape and taller than it was wide. A heavy-looking iron wheel protruded from it, and chains led in a crisscrossed pattern from corner to opposing corner, through the wheel; it couldn't possibly turn with the chains in place, and it'd take a decade, I decided, to hammer through that imposing metallic monster of a door.

  “This leads to the bottom level in which hides the vault we seek. It hasn't been opened since shortly after I—”

  He froze, staring at the floor.

  My gaze naturally followed his—and I, too, froze. The even, grey-colored carpet of dust was disturbed, in front of the hatch. Footprints, the clear outlines of boot toes and heels, far fresher than the dust we had disturbed.

&n
bsp; Opal charged forward, half-knocking Kaida aside in her haste to get closer. She bent down and joined us in staring at the footprints. One set going into the vault, the same set going out. When she turned her head to look at Ateris, a glint of fire shone in her eyes. “Who have you told of this artifact?” she demanded.

  “I assure you, the late queen never spoke of it once she put it in my possession, and I never spoke of it to anyone until you came.”

  “Then how?” Opal's voice cracked, but I could see the building inferno inside her. Opal was ready to blow, and not even James’ presence was going to stop her.

  “It's possible someone merely needed one of the oldest records we possess, which are stored down there. Your pendant isn’t the only thing in this vault”"

  Wordlessly, Ateris unlocked rune-etched padlocks at all four corners and drew the chains out from the spoked wheel before motioning to James to turn it. As soon as the door creaked open widely enough, he was through the door and stooping to examine the floor. He seemed to follow the footsteps in the dust, but I felt a gnawing certainty that he was going to the pendant, and the prints merely accompanied us on the same path.

  “No one should have come down here. No one asked my permission.” Ateris’ pace never slowed as he followed the footprints through the massive vault.

  At last, he stopped in front of a set of small vaults, each no bigger than the size of a mailbox and each with a keyhole. All but one was shut. The one that lay open was where the footprints stopped before turning back on themselves.

  The pendant was gone.

  Chapter 21

  James moved beside Ateris, looking into the little, empty vault as though looking a few more times might reveal it in there, somewhere.

  Opal shoved her way between River and me, elbowing her way past Kaida to do so. She spun to face Ateris. “This is your fault. Why would any queen entrust something so important to a glorified librarian?”

  James seemed to hear Opal's rude tone for the first time and turned to her, startled. “This is not his fault. There must be a logical explanation for this.”