The Guardian's Apprentice (Beyond the Veil) (26 page)

”Incendia!”

Again, nothing but sparks rewarded his effort; although this time they were a scintillating red instead of blue-white.
 
With nothing to show for his efforts but scorch marks on the hearth, he decided to give up and wander around the study for a while since the door still refused to open for him.
 

No one had seen or heard from Ducat since his sudden disappearance and the remainder of the Council had effectively banished him.
 
If he appeared in any of the towns, villages or other populated area his presence would be immediately reported to the Council by the sentries – small glowing orbs sent out to find the renegade.
 
Once spotted, the Council would dispatch the goblins to deal with him.
 
The goblins had been the law enforcement and military arm of the Council since the creation of the veil; being highly regimented creatures, naturally resistant to magic and terrifying fighters in close combat, they were a perfect fit for the job.
 
Keegan had seen his first two goblins when he had accompanied Phineas to a Council meeting.
 
The sight of the burly five-foot tall guards stationed outside the Council chambers had given him chills; though shorter than most humans they were abnormally muscular and sported large lower tusks, not unlike a wild boar.
 
Although they had not said a word as he and Phineas passed by, their beady black eyes had followed his every movement.
 

Keegan, still wrapped in his blankets, crossed the room and absently stared out the frost-covered window.
 
Suddenly a loud banging sound at the study door roused him from his dream-state. He shuffled over to the door and tried to shout through the thick oak planks.

 
“I’m afraid it won’t open – it’s been charmed to stay locked until I’ve lit the fire.”

“Mmmph mmph mm-mmph.”

“What?”

He could not make out a word the other person was saying – it couldn’t be Acamar or he would have simply lifted the hex from the door and come in.
 
Surely, his grandfather would not be stymied by a simple locking hex either.
 
There was another muffled sound outside the door and the voice came through somewhat louder, though it remained unintelligible.

“I said wmmph you mmph mph mmph?”

“I’m sorry but I still can’t here you,” Keegan shouted.

“I
said
would you like some tea?” came a woman’s voice directly behind him.

Keegan jumped at the nearness of the voice and whirled around in a panic.
 
He was startled to find a matronly woman dressed in grey robes and a white apron.
 
She was a short woman, with Keegan standing a good head higher.
 
Her silver hair bundled up into an impossibly tight bun, she was peering at Keegan over a pair of wire-rimmed glasses perched on the end of her nose.
 
Her icy blue eyes were twinkling in obvious amusement at having scared him half out of his wits.
 
She was holding a tray laden with a teapot and cups as well as what smelled like freshly baked pastries.

“Who the hell are you?!”

“Oh, that’s a fine way to greet someone when they’re offering you a fresh pot of tea in the morning,” she said with a soft Scottish brogue.

Still flustered from the witch’s sudden appearance, Keegan was speechless.
 
She placed the tray on the hearth and gave Keegan a disapproving look.

“You’ve been up here for over an hour and you haven’t kindled the fire?
 
You’ll catch your death of cold at this rate.
 
I’ll pluck the whiskers from that cat if I end up nurse-maiding you through pneumonia,” she said with a frown.
 
She glanced over at the still empty hearth, snapped her fingers and said “
Incinerata absentia!
”

She was rewarded with a blazing fire, which flashed into existence out of nowhere.
 
Having made up the fire, she busied herself with pouring the tea and serving up the scones.
 
She sat down on the edge of the hearth near the fire and brought the teacup up to test the aroma of the tea, her glasses fogging up from the steam.
 
She shifted her gaze to Keegan again.
 
“Well?
 
Are you just going to stand there gaping or are you going to take some tea?”

Keegan, still in shock from the old woman’s sudden appearance, sat cautiously down by the fire and took a cup of tea.

“Croissant?
 
They’re fresh from the oven and handmade – not a drop of magic involved,” she said as she beamed proudly.

Still not sure of what to say, he helped himself to one of the warm, flaky rolls.
 
They were still quite warm and the smell was absolute heaven.

After a couple of sips of tea, the old woman sat her cup down on the hearth and continued to peer at Keegan over the rims of her glasses.

“Now then, I believe you were wondering just ‘who the hell’ I am, yes?” she asked with sly grin.

Still holding his cup of tea and croissant, both still untouched, Keegan nodded dumbly.

“Ms. Hoskins, dear.
 
I’m the caretaker, housekeeper, maid and so forth.”
 
She straightened the white apron that she wore over her robes.
 
“I keep this place neat and tidy and make sure our guests are well taken care of.
 
If you had to depend on that damn cat for food you would be having raw tuna for supper every night.”

“But, Acamar is human.”

“Bah!
 
Whiskers has been cursed for so many years now he’s taking on feline traits if you ask me,” she said with a disapproving look.
 
Bustling about the room, she collected the leftover tea cups from the night before and gathered up the tray.

“Ms. Hoskins?”

“Yes, dear?”

“If you don’t mind my asking…”

“
Yes
, dear?”

“Well, it’s just that I can’t seem to make out the color of your robes.
 
One minute I look and they’re off-white and then the next moment they seem grey or almost black.”

Holding the tray of dishes, she looked over the rims of her glasses at him.
 
“Now don’t tell me you’re one of them what try to judge a person by the color of the robes they wear.
 
A wizard’s robes are an extension of their inner being; except for the Guardian of course who represents us all and bears all the colors of the castes, except red of course.”

“Red?
 
I’m sorry but I’ve only ever seen the three castes – white, grey and black.
 
Who wears the red robes?”

“Now, young Master it’s not my place to be teaching you about the likes of the fourth order.
 
Just you hope that you never have the misfortune to meet a red robe while on your own.
 
Heaven forbid you do, get your hex in first before they have a chance!
 
Now then, you get yourself back to your studies; I
believe
you had a fire to light.
 
Lunch will be served promptly at eleven-thirty.”
 

Having gathered up the last of the errant cups, she bid Keegan good day and walked to the door.
 
With a snap of her fingers, the once roaring fire went out with a hiss, followed by the thud of the door slamming shut as Ms. Hoskins went about her daily chores.

###

Phineas was standing on the balcony overlooking the lake below when Acamar found him.

“Master?”

Phineas did not respond.
 
Obviously lost in thoughts far away, his eyes clouded and sightless, Acamar grabbed his shoulder and shook him roughly.
 

“Master Whitestone!”

Phineas blinked quickly and shook his head, grabbing the stone railing for support.

 
“Yes, Acamar?
 
What is it?”

“The Council has sent word.”

“And?”

“There is still no sign of Ducat or the renegade dragon, but..”

“But WHAT, Acamar, spit it out man!”

“Information has been given to the Council that Ducat visited the Central Repository – the restricted section in the dungeons.
 
The Tome of Andromedus Blackstone has been taken.”

Phineas looked very tired; leaning on his staff, he sighed deeply.
 
“Events are unfolding faster than I would have them, my old friend.”

“What do you mean, Master?”

Acamar had walked over to stand by Phineas.
 
His hour was very nearly up and soon he would be forced to revert to his feline form until the next day.

“My time is coming to a close, Acamar; Keegan must be ready sooner rather than later and it is time that some old debts were settled.
 
You have served me without fail these past centuries and it is time you were rewarded.”

Puzzled by Phineas’ remarks, Acamar was about to question his master when Phineas silenced him with a wave of his hand.
 
The Guardian then traced several silvery glyphs in the air and muttered an incantation under his breath.
 
When the spell was complete, the spidery symbols swirled through the air around Acamar, encasing him in a whirlwind of ghostly signs.
 
The force of the magic held him where he stood, arms extended downward and unable to move until finally the silvery glyphs were absorbed into his skin.
 
Visibly shaken, Acamar steadied himself against the railing of the balcony.
 
His hands shaking, he examined the pendant that hung from the gold chain around his neck; what had once been a blood red crystal had now turned pure white.

“What…what did… you just do?”

Phineas smiled at his long time assistant.
 
“I have officially given you what you have earned – your freedom.
 
You are no longer indentured to me or to the Council; you may stay in human form for as long as you wish, unhindered.”

Acamar, still weak from the effects of the spell, wiped his brow.
 
“But my sentence, Master; I’ve not fulfilled my obligations as mandated by my trial.”

Phineas laughed.
 
“You forget Acamar, I was
at
your trial and, if I remember correctly, I sat on the tribunal itself.
 
You may still change yourself into your feline form of course, though now it shall be strictly at your whim.”
 

“But…why, Master?”

“Because you have never failed in your duty to me and this way I know that my wishes are honored.”

Acamar did not like his Master’s tone; he had been the Guardian’s assistant for many, many years but had never heard him talk like this before.

“What exactly do you mean, ‘
you’ll know that your wishes are honored
’?”

Gazing back out over the lake, Phineas held a faraway look in his eyes.
 
“There is no guarantee that I or any of us will survive what is coming, Acamar.
 
I believe that Alexander plans to use either the Oracle or the Blackstar Amulet to try and ensnare the Shadow and bend them to his will.”

Acamar blanched.
 
“
WHAT?!
 
But that would likely destroy both worlds, not to mention he would have to confront us here at the castle!
 
Surely, even he would not be so foolish!”

“Never underestimate one so tainted by evil or so tempted by power, Acamar.
 
He was a powerful wizard to begin with; now that he is willing to go beyond the bounds of what is acceptable I fear what he may be capable of attempting.
 
He also knows many of our secrets, as both head of his order and former Vice-Chair of the Council.”

Phineas walked back to the balcony and gazed out across the lake below.
 
The mist from the morning had not yet burned off, leaving most of the lake and valley beyond shrouded from sight in a silvery fog.

“Keegan must be ready, Acamar.
 
I believe we might have two weeks, maybe three at the most in which to prepare him for what is ahead.”

“Master, I know the boy has proven to be a fast learner, but do you really expect him to be able to defend himself in just two weeks?”

“He doesn’t have a choice, I’m afraid.”