The Adventures of Benjamin Skyhammer (12 page)

"And the changes are so specific," Higgins added. "And consistent between your Retrographs and the King's."

"I guess." Skyhammer cut a slice of tart. "Both had people or things stabbed and both had changes related to the Wall drawings."

"What I don't get is why the Retrographs are changed at all?" Higgins pushed back her chair.

Popping a grape in her mouth, Ms. Floss asked, "What do you mean?"

"If you're a powerful Sorcerer, intent on destroying magic or at least keeping it from being spread across Pingala, why would you bother to change the King's Retrographs? Why alert us? Why show us that you want to kill the King? Why not just do it?"

Skyhammer hadn't thought of that.

"Now the King will bring a ton of guards to the ceremony and make sure that nothing interferes with it," she continued, "He will take more measures to protect himself. It doesn't make any sense."

"You're right, Higgins." Ms. Floss leaned forward. "We also don't know if the Sorcerer can actually do those things - kill the King, sabotage the ceremony, destroy magic. We know he or she can change Retrographs but it doesn't necessarily mean anything else. They could be empty threats."

"We can't take that chance unfortunately -" Skyhammer began.

"I know that," Ms. Floss said, a dangerous glint in her eye. "I wasn't suggesting you stop looking for the Sorcerer. I just don't know where you should start looking for him."

Skyhammer shifted in his chair. Seeing the strong principal of the Academy at a loss for what to do was a little unsettling. "You were saying that maybe the Sorcerer was showing off. It's possible but I have to agree with Higgins that the changed Retrographs seem related somehow. Do you know any powerful magicians who graduated from the Academy and who may have been hiding the level of their magic powers? Maybe we should just head back to Four Hills and look inside the Royal Circle for the Sorcerer."

"And how about the Byndari?" Higgins asked.

His eyebrows raised in query.

"The Byndari ambassador was also stabbed in the King's Retrograph. Who doesn't like the Byndari? Who would be threatened by the change?"

"No one!" Ms. Floss burst out. "Being able to perform magic everywhere on the planet is good for all species."

"What if someone found out about the King's plans?" Higgins stared at Skyhammer.

Confused, Ms. Floss looked from Higgins to Skyhammer and back. "What plans?"

"Plans to invade other countries as soon as the change is complete." Higgins crossed her arms.

Ms. Floss didn't say anything for a moment. "Well then. If a member of another species found out about that then they would definitely have reason to stop the ceremony."

"Only if they thought their species' magic couldn't defend them against a human invasion though," Skyhammer said. "Also, other species don't have Retrographs. How would they access the King's Retrographs? Or mine? We were in the middle of the forest when my Retrograph was changed!" Frustrated, he drummed his fingers on the table. They were getting nowhere. They had no information. If the Sorcerer was planning to stop the ceremony, maybe the best thing to do was to wait for him or her at the Kingmaker Tower and be near the King to protect him. Otherwise, they were just running around Pingala like headless chickens.

Skyhammer stood up, stretched and went to the window. Twitching the curtain aside, he peeped into the Academy grounds. Shaped like fat, house-sized cakes, each building's roof was moss- and wildflower-covered, their edges coming down to Skyhammer's waist. Each had a garden out front that was a mixture of vegetables and brightly coloured flowers. The impression was of low, verdant hills, now lit by the warm pinks and purples of a setting sun. Paths of crushed white stone wound between buildings. The view soothed him.

Shouting and the sound of people running came through the door.

Ms. Floss sprang to her feet. "Get your stuff. Out the window. I'm sorry," she hissed. She stood in front of the door, waiting for them to leave.

Skyhammer stuffed the rest of the bread and cheese into his bag and a tart into his mouth, then opened the window.

Loud knocking shook the door. "Open up, Ms. Floss. We need to talk with Skyhammer and Higgins!" a voice shouted.

Chapter 12

Countdown to ceremony: 14 days

"Alright, alright, I'm coming," Ms. Floss called, making shooing gestures at Higgins and Skyhammer towards the window.

Skyhammer mouthed a thank you as he swung his leg over the window sill and dropped to the ground. Now where?

Higgins came down like feather behind him and shut the window.

The grounds were empty; most people in the hall eating their evening meal. They dashed around the corner of the building.

Pausing for a breath, Skyhammer heard the window fly open. Shouts of "They're gone," echoed across the quiet grounds. Ms. Floss's raised voice argued with a few male voices. The principal was trying to detain their pursuers.

"Rantama," Skyhammer whispered.

Higgins nodded and they crept towards the teachers' quarters, scurrying over pathways and hugging the sides of buildings. One building towered above the rest. The Relic research lab. Instead of a low roof all the way around, the back was cut open to allow for over-sized Relics. The ceiling was at least four times Skyhammer's height and the whole lab was the size of four or five houses, windows lacerating the roof to allow light in. An air of excitement and quiet busy-ness pervaded. Each Relic was raised on a shoulder-high platform, researchers moving with purpose around each one.

Skyhammer loved the lab almost as much as he loved the library. He had spent hours there assisting the researchers. In his secret heart, whenever he touched a Relic, he hoped to feel a spark of power, a change inside him that would mean that he possessed magic powers like everyone else. So although he loved the place, each time a new Relic came and went, a tiny slash of disappointment razored his heart. Who knew how many more Relics with the ability to give him magic powers were left out there?

Higgins had to prod him past the building, so strong was his desire to go in and see what new Relics had arrived.

An S-shaped path, bounded by hedges taller than Skyhammer, gated the entrance to the teachers' quarters. Each door opened onto a central courtyard, houses positioned like a circlet of pearls surrounding grass, a few benches and sweet-smelling bushes, only broken by the hedge entrance.

Steps into the first turn, the hedge's fragrance overwhelmed Skyhammer with memories. A giggling Spark pulling him into the next bend and wrapping her arms around him for a long kiss. She'd disappeared a week later. He'd burst into the principal's office when he found out she had gone, sure she had been kidnapped. Ms. Floss had reassured him that Spark had left of her own volition and she had not given a forwarding address or a reason. He wanted to go after her but had no clue which direction she would go. The pain of missing her became a constant ache.

After she left, as he began spending more time with Higgins, he discovered that Spark's constant negativity had affected him more than he realized. He had ignored her put-downs and biting comments about magic-wielders because he was so grateful to be with someone who understood him so completely. Higgins sympathized of course but only Spark had experienced the same degree of hurt and rejection due to a lack of magic power. They shared a past of ostracism and ridicule and a future searching for a Relic that would bestow on them the magic powers given to every other human, Aridizan, Flyer, Katipo and Nasuchu at birth. How could she have divided herself from him so easily? Surely if she'd felt anything for him she would have told him she was leaving or at least why?

The sight of Rantama's familiar doorway across the courtyard curved a smile into Skyhammer's lips, despite his fear of pursuit. The Byndari decorated his door with the shiniest shells and rocks he could find or those students gave him. The wooden doors of the other teachers were dull in contrast.

Skyhammer knocked and the door opened a few seconds later.

"Rantama is pleased to see you!" The Byndari grinned. "Especially since you are rumoured to be dead!" He noticed Higgins and then examined their faces as they stumbled through his doorway. "What's going on?"

"We're being pursued. Hopefully they didn't see us come here although since they know you're a friend, it makes sense that they'd look here next." Skyhammer entered Rantama's sitting room. A couple of over-stuffed couches were positioned in a V-shape to take advantage of the view over the courtyard. Each professor's house was the same layout: a large sitting room overlooked the courtyard, a small kitchen, a toilet room and a bedroom took up the other two thirds of the circular house. Crowded bookshelves, many of them familiar to Skyhammer by way of extensive borrowing, hid most of the walls. Knitted items - blankets, pillows, toys and rugs - covered everything else.

Skyhammer looked around. "We need to hide, Rantama. Is there anywhere we can?"

"Under the bed, dear boy, come right this way."

A true friend, Skyhammer thought as they followed Rantama to the bedroom. He hadn't even hesitated.

The bedroom was as messy and covered with knitted objects as the other room had been. Rantama shoved their bags in a corner and piled blankets on top to hide them while Higgins and Skyhammer squeezed under the bed. Rantama stuffed rugs and blankets under with them so they were well and truly hidden.

Fists pounded on the door. "Open up, Rantama," called a voice similar to the one at Ms. Floss's office. "We need to ask you some questions!"

"Coming," Rantama sang out.

Skyhammer heard the door open and the sound of three or four people entering the hall.

"Ah, Flavius, what can Rantama do for you? Would you like a drink? Do sit down."

"We don't have time for a drink, Rantama. Have you seen Skyhammer?"

"Skyhammer? Not for, oh, a few years. He is Relic hunting, you know." Pride filled Rantama's voice. "Was Relic hunting. He and Higgins died in the Crystal Lines, Rantama heard." Now his voice was filled with sadness.

"No, he's at the Academy right now."

"He's alive? That's great news!" Rantama replied in a happy tone. "He has not been to see Rantama. If he was here he would come and visit."

"We need to find him, Rantama. We believe that he's the Retrograph Sorcerer and a number of people have questions for him."

"He is the Keeper, isn't he?" Rantama said. "You may be right! Rantama will let you know if he comes. The King's changed Retrograph showed a Byndari being killed as well, you know. Very upsetting. Very upsetting indeed."

"We appreciate your help. For your safety, we'll post a guard at the entrance to the teacher's quarters. It's getting dark, so be careful."

"Thank you, thank you, kind Flavius. Good luck with your search." Rantama shut the door.

Higgins and Skyhammer didn't move until they heard Rantama entering the room again. Skyhammer hadn't realized Rantama was such a skilled actor.

"Rantama has shut the curtains in every room. You may come out now." He began to remove piles of knitting from under the bed, freeing Skyhammer and Higgins.

"Rantama, it's lovely to see you but we've been on the run for two days. Mind if I just wash up and go to bed?" Higgins asked.

"Of course, dear girl. Let Rantama show you where everything is. Rantama will join you in a minute, Skyhammer." The Byndari bustled off to the small washroom.

Skyhammer wandered into the sitting room and stood in front of the bookcase, running his fingers over their spines. He hadn't done much reading over the past few years. Books were heavy, as well as hard to come by outside of Quasianti.

"What would you like to drink?" Rantama boomed from his kitchen. "Have a seat. Rantama's got fizzy liquids and a milk. Oops, no, milk has gone off. Should stop keeping that really. Pineapple juice."

In an attempt to be more human-like, the Byndari kept drinks and snacks that humans could eat, despite the fact that he could not ingest anything other than salt.

"Juice please, Rantama. Thank you." Skyhammer sank into the sofa's fat cushions. He felt guilty he hadn't contacted Rantama since he'd left.

"Rantama's heard all about your adventures. He's proud of you." The Byndari set Skyhammer's drink on the small triangular table between the arms of the two couches.

"I'm sorry I never-" Skyhammer began.

Rantama waved a hand. "Water under the bridge, as they say. We're here now, together." He picked up a skein of wool and began winding it into a ball. "So, Keeper. Humans are looking for you. Is what they believe true?"

Nausea filled the pit of Skyhammer's stomach. Rantama thought
he
was threatening the King and the ceremony?

The Byndari peered at Skyhammer then wheezed with laughter, bending forward. "You didn't think that Rantama thought you . . . ha!"

Skyhammer glared at Rantama then couldn't help smiling. He'd forgotten about the Byndari's occasional inappropriate jokes. "Everyone else does. Why not you?" He shrugged.

Rantama raised a seaweed eyebrow. "Never," he said firmly. "Rantama heard that in Four Hills, yesterday, an accountant, Rantama thinks it was, killed a fisherman simply because the fisherman knew something that the accountant thought could only be discovered if someone had seen his Retrographs." He slipped the neatly wound ball of wool under the couch.

Shocked, Skyhammer sat up straight. "But they think it's me! Don't they? If they start suspecting each other. . ." He put his head in his hands.

"Fascinating, isn't it, how attached humans are to their Retrographs. But there is also the good news. How we Byndari have found a Relic!" Rantama smiled proudly. "Found is of course subjective but we were the first ones to see it. Rantama has copies of the drawing here. Did you see them already?" He got up and went into the bedroom before Skyhammer could answer. He laid them out on the table in front of the couches, first pushing back a small bowl filled with white miniature statues out of the way.

Skyhammer slid forward to get a better view of the drawings, excited to be able to record them again. But would the Retrograph Sorcerer turn this set over as well? "How did you get your own copies?" He traced the pictures with his finger.