CHAPTER 8

Kairi followed Jaspyrr into the room, which looked much more friendly with light streaming in through the open windows. Kairi noted they were not the fake ones that lined the halls, but real windows, open to a small courtyard beyond. The room was completely bare except for the charcoal circle that remained on the floor.

Instead of stopping in the centre of the room, as Kairi expected, Jaspyrr strode all the way to the other wall, walking carefully around the outside of the circle, and placed his hand on the centre of the back wall. He muttered something unintelligible and a section of the wall pulled away, revealing a hidden doorway.

Kairi hesitated, then followed Jaspyrr into a room that was much more like what Kairi would have expected the Head Mage’s office to look like. One side of the room was taken up by three windows, in front of which was a large desk with an assortment of odd items strewn across the dark wood. Across the room from the desk, the walls were covered in tall bookshelves, and Kairi marvelled at the books, many of which looked ancient.

Jaspyrr gestured to a comfy-looking chair in front of the desk, and Kairi timidly took a seat. Jaspyrr moved to the other side of the desk and sat, watching Kairi with his hands clasped together on the desktop, in between a small bronze figurine of a dragon and something that looked like a large egg of some sort. They sat in silence for a moment. 

Kairi looked around the room nervously, wondering what Jaspyrr was waiting for. A tumult of questions swirled around her mind. Why was Jaspyrr doing her Training personally? She looked up into Jaspyrr’s eyes, which seemed to have so much wisdom and kindness behind them, but Kairi could almost sense a deep sadness within the grey-blue pools, still clear despite his age.

Blue? She looked at her reflection in the egg-like thing, where her eyes looked back at her, still clearly gold even through the deep red of the egg’s surface.

“Sir?” Kairi asked timidly.

“Hmm?” Jaspyrr untwined his fingers and pulled the egg to the centre of the table. “This,” he paused, taking it from the pedestal, “is a sapphire. Mages use jewels like this for Scrying and storing power, which hopefully will be introduced you to in time. But that’s not what you were going to ask,” he paused, putting on a pair of spectacles and gazing knowingly at her, “is it?”

“N-no, Sir. It’s just,” Kairi paused. She had so many questions, and she didn’t know which to start with. “Why are you taking so much interest in me?”

“Ah.” Jaspyrr smiled. “You’ll be taking normal classes as well. However after your Test, it was clear to me that you need a bit more advanced tutelage.”

Kairi sensed that there was much more to it than that. However, something about the way Jaspyrr said it made her think that whatever the reasons, he wasn’t going to tell her. She suspected he wanted to keep an eye on her after the disastrous Test.

Jaspyrr cleared his throat, and Kairi looked up at him, about to speak, but he raised a hand and cut her off. “I imagine you have many more questions to ask. However, I think you will learn all you need to know in time. What I would like, first, is for you to tell me everything that happened to you since you came into your Power.”

Kairi hesitated. “Everything?”

Jaspyrr nodded, his gaze solemn. “Yes. I need to know exactly what happened, so I know exactly what we’re dealing with here, both regarding your Power, and Olbin’s sudden focus on your village.”

Kairi’s breath caught in her throat. “Olbin?”

“Yes, Olbin. As Tevel and I feared, it was he who gave the orders to have your family captured.”

Kairi looked down at her trembling hands. “Why does he care about my family?”

Jaspyrr sighed, “That is what we are trying to find out. It may be coincidence. Olbin has been focused on your village and the nearby area for a long time, and given the surge Tevel claimed he felt when you used your Power for the first time, and the accusations of the boy in your village, I think it was just what he was expecting and waiting for, and it gave him the excuse he needed to interrogate the townsfolk.”

Kairi took a deep breath, clenching her hands into fists. “So it was all my fault then. I’m the reason—.”

“Kairi,” Jaspyrr interrupted. “None of this is your fault. Olbin would have found another reason if it weren’t for you. Please. Tell me everything.”

Trembling, Kairi began to speak.

***

Jaspyrr let her finish her entire narrative without interrupting, something that Kairi was grateful for, as it was easier to keep talking once she started.

Once she was finished, Jaspyrr sat silent for a moment, thinking, tapping his fingers against the desk. Finally he asked, “You said your ears suddenly became pointed. Did you notice anything strange about them before?”

Kairi looked at the dragon statue on the desk, replaying everything in her head. She opened her mouth, then shut it again, unsure of herself.

“Mm?” Jaspyrr encouraged her.

“Well,” she began, “they were—” she broke off, running a finger over the tip of her ear, “—bothering me, I guess you could say.”

Jaspyrr leaned forward, “Describe it.”

“Well, Sir, they sort of tingled. I noticed it first the night after my eyes changed. Then once or twice in town. It stopped, though, as soon as I left Tevel’s bookshop,” she paused. “Actually, right after that was when I noticed they were different.”

Jaspyrr nodded. “That makes sense. Tevel did tell me he noticed there was some kind of concealment charm on you. I believe he inadvertently removed it.”

Kairi’s eyes widened. “Who would have done that?”

“That is the question, isn’t it? Tevel is the only Mage in that area as far as I know, and has been for a long time. My guess, therefore, would be that it was put on you by one of your parents.”

Kairi shook her head. “That can’t be right, my father and mother weren’t—,” she broke off with a sharp intake of breath.

Jaspyrr raised an eyebrow. “Weren’t what?”

“Oh, I forgot that part. My mother, she wasn’t my real mother. My brother said they never knew she was pregnant, because they were away. When my father saw my eyes that night, he said she must have lied to him.”

“That fits,” Jaspyrr mumbled to himself, so quietly that Kairi wasn’t sure she heard him correctly.

“Sir?” Kairi looked at him quizzically.

“Sorry, just thinking out loud.” Jaspyrr drummed his fingers on the desktop with one hand and with the other pushed forward a tray of food that Kairi hadn’t noticed before. “Take some food, you must be hungry.” He picked a dumpling-like morsel up and popped the entire thing in his mouth. “Now, tell me again what happened with Wybren?”

Kairi tried the same item Jaspyrr had taken and bit into it. It’s spiciness at first startled her, and she had to take a moment for her mouth to stop burning. Jaspyrr smiled and pushed a glass of water toward her.

As they ate, Jaspyrr questioned Kairi for what felt like ages, until she was weary with recounting the events of the last two weeks, still wondering why Jaspyrr was so interested. Finally Jaspyrr got up and walked across to one of the bookshelves. He ran his finger over the spines of a row of books until he came across a large leather-bound book. He carried the book over and placed it on the desk in front of Kairi.

“Tevel taught you to read, did he not?” When Kairi nodded he continued, “Wonderful. I’d like you to read this book, as much as you can, before our next lesson. This should give you basic background about the Mages, and perhaps answer some of your questions.” He paused, looking back at the bookshelf. He looked calculatingly at Kairi for a moment before returning to the shelves. He reached immediately for a book, smaller than the previous one. This one was red, and looked significantly older. It looked of similar style to the book in Tevel’s bookshop, and Kairi was immediately intrigued.

As Jaspyrr brought the book over, Kairi caught a glimpse of the elaborate script she had seen on Tevel’s book, and her pulse quickened.

“This,” Jaspyrr turned the book over in his hands, “is a very special book.” He looked at her over his spectacles. “I’d like you read this as well. Do you know what it is?”

Kairi nodded, “Yes, Sir.” She looked at the script on the cover. “It’s an account of the Elves.”

Jaspyrr nodded, his expression guarded. “If you have any trouble with it, you can ask Tevel or me. I will let you know when we shall meet next.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Well, then, that will be all for today I think. I imagine I’ve quite worn you out with my interrogation.” He smiled, “You’ll have lessons starting in a fortnight, you’ll receive a schedule soon. Until those begin I have paired you with Sythrian for his chore - students are all assigned to a chore in return for their studies. Sythrian seems well-liked by everyone, so I thought he would be a good person to introduce you to the other students and show you around.”

Kairi nodded, standing, and Jaspyrr walked her to the outside door.

“Well-met, Kairi of the Forest.”

Kairi made a quick bow, making the gesture of greeting, and walked down the hall, gripping Sythrian’s stone in her pocket.

***

Kairi stopped at the end of the hall, whispering Sythrian’s name three times.

“Hey Kairi, I’ll come pick you up in a moment.” Sythrian’s voice sounded in her head and Kairi jumped, looking around her to see where it had come from.

“Sythrian?” She thought tentatively

“It’s mhiin’likh, speaking mind-to-mind. You’ll get used to it. I’ll be there in shortly.” Kairi felt his voice withdraw from her mind, and sat down on a conveniently placed bench on one side of the corridor.

After a moment, Kairi heard a jaunty whistling drawing nearer, and soon Sythrian came around the corner.

“Well-met! Ready to eat?” Kairi nodded and they set off down the corridor.

Sythrian led Kairi back the way she had come for her lesson, past her room, and then down a long straight corridor. They emerged into the entranceway to the Tower, where Tevel and Kairi had first entered. Directly across from the entryway, under a set of staircases, was a large, ornately carved double door, which Sythrian headed for. 

Their steps echoed off the stone floor, and with each step towards the doors, Kairi began to feel more and more anxious about meeting other students. She had known few people her age before, and she had never really fit in, the only person in her village she considered a friend had been Ryn, and he was nearly twenty years older than she.

Sythrian reached the door first, turning the large handle. He glanced over his shoulder at Kairi with a big grin, and gave a big push. With a loud creak the doors swung open and Kairi nervously followed Sythrian inside.