Mirror Sight (Page 146)
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 109
- Page 110
- Page 111
- Page 112
- Page 113
- Page 114
- Page 115
- Page 116
- Page 117
- Page 118
- Page 119
- Page 120
- Page 121
- Page 122
- Page 123
- Page 124
- Page 125
- Page 126
- Page 127
- Page 128
- Page 129
- Page 130
- Page 131
- Page 132
- Page 133
- Page 134
- Page 135
- Page 136
- Page 137
- Page 138
- Page 139
- Page 140
- Page 141
- Page 142
- Page 143
- Page 144
- Page 145
- Page 146
- Page 147
- Page 148
- Page 149
- Page 150
- Page 151
- Page 152
- Page 153
- Page 154
- Page 155
- Page 156
- Page 157
- Page 158
- Page 159
- Page 160
- Page 161
- Page 162
- Page 163
- Page 164
- Page 165
- Page 166
- Page 167
- Page 168
- Page 169
- Page 170
- Page 171
- Page 172
- Page 173
- Page 174
- Page 175
- Page 176
- Page 177
- Page 178
- Page 179
- Page 180
- Page 181
- Page 182
- Page 183
- Page 184
- Page 185
- Page 186
- Page 187
- Page 188
- Page 189
- Page 190
- Page 191
- Page 192
- Page 193
- Page 194
- Page 195
- Page 196
- Page 197
- Page 198
- Page 199
- Page 200
- Page 201
- Page 202
- Page 203
- Page 204
- Page 205
- Page 206
- Page 207
- Page 208
- Page 209
- Page 210
- Page 211
- Page 212
- Page 213
- Page 214
- Page 215
- Page 216
- Page 217
- Page 218
- Page 219
- Page 220
- Page 221
- Page 222
- Page 223
- Page 224
- Page 225
- Page 226
- Page 227
- Page 228
- Page 229
- Page 230
- Page 231
- Page 232
- Page 233
- Page 234
- Page 235
- Page 236
- Page 237
- Page 238
- Page 239
- Page 240
- Page 241
- Page 242
- Page 243
- Page 244
- Page 245
- Page 246
- Page 247
- Page 248
- Page 249
- Page 250
- Page 251
- Page 252
- Page 253
- Page 254
“I have to.” He shrugged to indicate the futility of it. In his normal voice, he added, “We will also step up her education. She is very sharp for a girl, and I suspect boredom with her studies has allowed for mischief. I also request that you reach out to her, my dear. Become her friend. I think you could be a positive influence on her.”
Oh, dear gods. Karigan hardly knew what to do with children under the best of circumstances, much less with such a beastly imp who hated her. Well, she would not be staying around for much longer and would not have to deal with Arhys forever. “I’ll think about it,” she said.
The professor nodded as if her reply was about what he had expected. He turned to leave, but she tugged on his sleeve.
“The Eletian,” she mouthed.
The professor’s wolfish eyebrows shadowed his eyes. He shook his head subtly and bent close to whisper in her ear. “I asked. The opposition said no. Too risky. I’m sorry.”
“I am sorry as well,” she murmured.
“Promise me you will not go after him.”
She nodded because that was what was expected of her. He expected compliance of a woman of his time, but she, of course, was not of this time. She did not, however, have to feign looking upset.
“Very well,” the professor said aloud. “I’ve a few matters to settle at the university today. I shall see you again at suppertime. Also, think on Arhys and how you two might make peace.”
She did not reply, but glowered toward the window. The professor sighed, then left her, once again closing the door behind him as he retreated into the corridor.
Karigan tugged the map of the Capital out from her sleeve. It disappointed her, angered her even, that the professor and his opposition would do nothing to help Lhean, but she hadn’t really expected their aid. Cade’s group was right—the professor and his opposition were a bunch of useless old men. Would Cade’s group help her? She did not know, nor did she know when she’d see Cade again to ask him. Time was slipping away, and the longer she waited, the less of a chance she had of reaching Lhean. She had little idea what she’d face if she tried to enter the Capital by herself, but at least she had a map to show her the way. She also had the entire day to plan.
When she thought of time slipping away, Captain Mapstone’s riddle came back to her.
The scything moon is held captive in the prison of forgotten days. Seek it in the den of the three-faced reptile, for you are the blade of the shadow cast. Beware! The longer you linger, the faster we spin apart.
The final line seemed to reinforce the idea that she was running out of time, that the longer she hesitated to act, the less likely she was to reach home. And if she succeeded in reaching home, would she be too late to prevent the fall of Sacoridia?
• • •
Through the rest of the day, Karigan ran through several scenarios for finding and rescuing Lhean, but all of them were incomplete. She knew too little about the outside world and how she might move safely through it. The professor had done his job of protecting her all too well.
Her planning alternated with quiet recitations of the captain’s riddle as she paced her room. She hoped some inspiration would reveal all to her and somehow tell her both how to save Lhean and how to get home, but none was forthcoming.
She peered into her shard of the looking mask, shivering as she remembered the dream of the mirror eyes. The shard likewise remained elusive. She saw only her reflection.
She decided she must destroy the first message from Captain Mapstone telling her to go to the Heroes Portal. She did not wish to leave behind any evidence that might lead to the tombs. At first she wondered how she might destroy it without attracting attention, then an idea set in. She strode down to the privy, locked herself inside, and ripped up the message. She did so with some regret because it was a link to home.
She dropped the shredded pieces into the sitting bowl and pulled the big lever. She watched sadly as the paper whirled out of sight down unknown pipes and into the fathomless depths.
I will see Captain Mapstone soon, and everyone else, too, she thought, more determined than ever. She returned to her room to resume planning. Tonight was as good a time as any to move and she was tired of waiting.
At supper, it was just her and the professor dining on boiled dinner. Or rather, the professor dined. Karigan stared at her portion with lip curled at the stench of cabbage. Why did her final supper have to be this? Luckily there were dinner rolls.
She had hoped Cade would join them, but he rarely ate supper with them, so she was not really expecting him. Had he been there, however, she would have found a way to speak privately with him, told him what she planned to do. Would he have helped her or tried to dissuade her? Perhaps it was better she did not see him, though it gave her pangs of regret.
“You look preoccupied tonight, my dear,” the professor said.
Karigan looked up, startled. She must not give away her intent. “I am sorry, Uncle, but I am not fond of boiled dinner. I was wondering if there might be some soup left over from midday.”
“Is that all?” He nodded at Grott, indicating the butler should look into the availability of soup. “You look as if you had the weight of the world on your shoulders.”
She did rather feel that way, but said, “It’s the cabbage. And corned beef.” She shuddered.
The professor laughed. “I shall have cook strike it from the menu then. No more boiled dinner for my niece.”
No, there certainly would not be. She was not his niece nor was she staying.
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 109
- Page 110
- Page 111
- Page 112
- Page 113
- Page 114
- Page 115
- Page 116
- Page 117
- Page 118
- Page 119
- Page 120
- Page 121
- Page 122
- Page 123
- Page 124
- Page 125
- Page 126
- Page 127
- Page 128
- Page 129
- Page 130
- Page 131
- Page 132
- Page 133
- Page 134
- Page 135
- Page 136
- Page 137
- Page 138
- Page 139
- Page 140
- Page 141
- Page 142
- Page 143
- Page 144
- Page 145
- Page 146
- Page 147
- Page 148
- Page 149
- Page 150
- Page 151
- Page 152
- Page 153
- Page 154
- Page 155
- Page 156
- Page 157
- Page 158
- Page 159
- Page 160
- Page 161
- Page 162
- Page 163
- Page 164
- Page 165
- Page 166
- Page 167
- Page 168
- Page 169
- Page 170
- Page 171
- Page 172
- Page 173
- Page 174
- Page 175
- Page 176
- Page 177
- Page 178
- Page 179
- Page 180
- Page 181
- Page 182
- Page 183
- Page 184
- Page 185
- Page 186
- Page 187
- Page 188
- Page 189
- Page 190
- Page 191
- Page 192
- Page 193
- Page 194
- Page 195
- Page 196
- Page 197
- Page 198
- Page 199
- Page 200
- Page 201
- Page 202
- Page 203
- Page 204
- Page 205
- Page 206
- Page 207
- Page 208
- Page 209
- Page 210
- Page 211
- Page 212
- Page 213
- Page 214
- Page 215
- Page 216
- Page 217
- Page 218
- Page 219
- Page 220
- Page 221
- Page 222
- Page 223
- Page 224
- Page 225
- Page 226
- Page 227
- Page 228
- Page 229
- Page 230
- Page 231
- Page 232
- Page 233
- Page 234
- Page 235
- Page 236
- Page 237
- Page 238
- Page 239
- Page 240
- Page 241
- Page 242
- Page 243
- Page 244
- Page 245
- Page 246
- Page 247
- Page 248
- Page 249
- Page 250
- Page 251
- Page 252
- Page 253
- Page 254