The Seven Seals: Dragon Crusade
Chapter 10: City of Wolves

The next day, the three of them rationed their food and ate a small fraction before being on their way. As they went on, the land became clearer and clearer of trees. Hills rose and fell, studded with rocks, some areas with far drops. Beyond the clouds were snow-capped mountains that sat humbly in the distance. This land, Grendalia, sat right at the foot of the Payr Highlands, and beyond that were endless valleys of ice where the Felorian High Elves lived.

Several days passed as they continued to follow the crystal’s light. Rations were becoming low and there was barely any natural source of food to be found. The strength they once had began to dwindle like dying flames in a hearth. Their pace became much slower.

“Are we almost there?” Travis asked impatiently. “We’ve been walking for days with barely any signs of life!”

“I don’t know, Travis,” Kate sighed, rubbing her eyes.

“This is familiar...” Kirith murmured, gazing down at the barely visible dirt path amongst the trees and pines.

“Kirith, the last time you said that, we walked right into a bear cave,” Travis relented.

“But this is different,” Kirith continued and pressed his palm to a tree. His head quickly turned to the path ahead. “It’s here.” Kirith dashed forward past the trees, nearly disappearing from sight.

Kate threw her head back and groaned. “You think it’s his hunger that’s speaking for him?”

Travis shook his head. “I don’t even know at this point.”

Kate looked back ahead. “We should probably follow him.”

Kate and Travis dashed on ahead after Kirith, snapping twigs and crunching leaves under their feet. Kirith could just barely be seen when he suddenly came to a stop where the trees parted.

“Kirith!” Kate called. “What is this all about—” She stopped in her tracks when she saw it.

Before them was a wide valley spanning far off. In the distance was a large city that stood proudly in the center. Light touched the walls and spires of the massive structure, causing it to give off a bright white effect. A magnificent castle loomed behind the walls of the city in a strong fashion. The sight looked like something out of a painting.

“There it is...” Kirith said. “City of Grendalia.”

“It’s beautiful...” Kate murmured. She held up the Althrist and watched as the light pointed directly towards the city. “The next Seal, it’s in there.” Kate looked to Kirith a bit anxiously. “We have to go in there.”

Kirith stared directly at city, a troubled look on his face. He inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly. “Then we’ll go in,” Kirith stated.

Travis furrowed his brow and looked back at Kate. “Maybe Kirith could stay back while we retrieved the Seal. We can handle ourselves.”

“Travis is right,” Kate added. “We’ll come right back out.”

“No. You don’t know the city like I do,” Kirith said. “I have to go with you both.”

Travis sighed. “So be it, then.”

After Kirith put on the one cloak they had, for safety reasons, the three of them traversed through the field and towards the city. Farmland surrounded the outside of the city and beyond with small homes dotting the land. At each step they took, the city seemed to grow in size. But to Kate, it felt like they had been walking for an eternity.

Finally, after an exhausting amount of time, the walls of the city stood not too far away. Two flags with a wolf like symbol on them were posted above the gates on either side. The entrance sat wide open as several carriages sat waiting outside of it in a line. There seemed to be a hold up far up in front.

Kate cocked an eyebrow as they began walking past the last one in line. “What’s this all about?” she asked.

“I think they’re checking the cargo,” Kirith replied from under his hood. “They never do this though...”

Travis leaned down towards them and whispered, “Probably to make sure Kirith isn’t hiding in one of them.”

Kirith rolled his eyes and pushed Travis’s face away. “Sure they are,” he said sarcastically.

As they walked passed the carriage, a cranky voice shrieked, “GET BACK IN LINE!”

The three of them whipped around to see a short old man with a long beard sitting at the front of the carriage. A deep scowl was etched across his wrinkled face.

“S-sorry about that!” Kate apologized. And the three of them were right back in their spot at the back of the line.

“That dwarf’s got a real temper,” Travis muttered.

“You have GOT to be kidding me!” Kirith groaned. “This is going to take forever! Why did my father— or whoever’s stupid idea, even bother to have this as a law?”

“Shush! Kirith, what if someone hears you?!” Kate hissed. “We can wait in line. It’s not like the next Seal is going to go anywhere!”

Travis crossed his arms and looked ahead to where the end of the line was. “By the time we get in there, Shangorn would’ve probably conquered half of Teannan. Just sayin’.”

“I second that,” Kirith scoffed.

“You guys are such wimps! Travis, I know you’ve been through worse so shut it!”

The line gradually diminished ever so slowly. Kirith, Kate and Travis were getting closer and closer, but not at the rate that they had hoped. There was just one more carriage in front of them. Two armored guards were station at the front gates, giving anyone who passed through a small glance. A round man with a bush of a mustache, holding a parchment and a quill, walked to the old man’s cart and pulled up the flap to see inside. He snorted, before walking back over to where the old dwarf was. “Name?” he asked loudly.

“Grutdram Goldbraid!” The dwarf snapped.

The man wrote on the parchment. “Grutdrum Goldbraid...” he mumbled.

“It’s Grut-DRAM! DRAM!” the dwarf said angrily.

“Alright, whatever, get in there,” the man said absentmindedly and sighed. “NEXT!”

“We can’t tell him our real names,” Kirith whispered.

“What?” Travis asked. “Why?”

“Just don’t!”

Kate felt the anxiety hit her hard in the stomach. What if he wouldn’t let them in? What if he learned about Kirith’s identity? Come on, Kate, think of something! she thought. Before Kate knew it, they were already walking up to the name-taker.

The man looked up from his parchment with his blank beady eyes. “Names?” he asked.

Kirith opened his mouth to say something but it only ended in a quiet grunt.

Kate felt her palms grow clammy from the pressure. “We are—” she choked on her words, “I mean— I’m...Arwen!” Kate forced a smile on her face before motioning to Kirith. “T-this is Aragorn and the tall one is Gimley!”

The man squinted at them for a moment. He snorted and looked back down at the parchment, beginning to write. “Raised by the dwarves?” he asked, looking up at Travis.

“U-um...” Travis stuttered, “sure?”

The name-taker looked up from his paper and towards Kirith. “Take off ’yer hood boy,” he said.

Kirith gulped but didn’t move.

“I said off with the hood—”

“Oh, sir, please!” Kate exclaimed suddenly, trying to improvise.

The man snapped his head towards her and glared. “Please, what?!?”

“What’s the hold up?!?” a stationed guard at the gate demanded.

“Just some inconvenience!” the man replied back, obviously very annoyed. He shook his head and locked eyes on Kirith. “Take off the hood or I’ll get someone to do it for ya’!”

“Too lazy too do it yourself?” Kirith muttered.

Kate slammed her foot on Kirith’s foot. She opened her mouth to say something but was suddenly stopped.

“What he means to say is that he’s very ill, good sir!” Travis said, putting an arm around Kirith’s shoulder. “It is best that the hood stays on.”

Kirith played along. “Ah— er— yes,” he said before attempting a fake cough.

The man recoiled in disgust. “By the Abyss why would you bring the blasted boy here?!? And what good will a hood do?!? You’ll infect the city!”

“The hood...is a magical hood!” Kate said. “It doesn’t allow contagion to spread.”

“We believe there’s a...healer here who can help him!”

The man stared at them long and hard. He grumbled to himself and wrote some more on the parchment. “Get in there.”

Kate felt a real smile emerge on her lips at those very words. The three of them hastily entered the city without a second glance back.

Before them were streets bustling with people, merchants, carts, and the other odd assortments. The air was a mix of excitement, smoke from the blacksmith, baked pastries, and the scent of morning glory. Bargainers made their bids and those at their tents called out to the crowd with their sales on this and that. Though the city was alive and active, something about it was amiss. There weren’t any gladdened smiles on any of the civilians. Not even the common courtesy towards another.

Kate touched Kirith’s shoulder. “Kirith, the crystal—”

“I know,” he said. “Not out here. C’mon.” Kirith motioned for them to follow as he walked into an empty alley. When they all entered, he locked eyes on Kate and nodded.

Kate pulled the Althrist stone out from beneath her corset. She spoke the words and waited for a reaction. The stone began to light up but fade. It lit up again repeatedly but no segment of light appeared. Kate furrowed her brow. “I don’t understand,” she said. “This isn’t what it’s supposed to do.”

Kirith narrowed his eyes at the crystal. “Try again.”

Kate repeated the words.

Still, no reaction. Kate hung her arms. “I don’t understand, it was working before,” she said. “How come it won’t now?”

“Maybe something is blocking it?” Travis suggested.

“You mean like, something here is causing it to distort?”

“Yeah! Something like that.”

Kirith smacked the side of his fist on the wall. “It has to be that demon!” he hissed. “He knew I would come back searching.” Kirith looked away as his expression darkened. “So help me I’ll march up there and cut off his bloody head!”

Kate met Travis’s concerned gaze and looked back at Kirith. She sighed and placed her hand on Kirith’s shoulder. “Kirith, you’ll avenge your brother in due time,” Kate said. “I’m sure we can find this next seal. Let’s show Aydonin we don’t give up easily.”

Kirith blinked and paused. He sighed and looked to Kate. “You’re right,” he said, his expression easing. “Let’s go find the next seal.”

Kate suppressed a smile and nodded. “Right!”

There, in the streets, was a stirring of commotion. A couple came rushing through the alley. One of them bumped into Travis. Travis grabbed hold of the woman’s arm. “Hey hey! What’s with the rush?” he asked.

She looked back at him in disbelief. “Get your hands off me! Don’t you know? The parade is about to start!”

Laela sat on the small hay-filled mattress she called a bed. It was the only place she could call her place of peaceful rest. It wasn’t much, but it was something. Many nights on that bed had turned Laela’s underside red from all the straws of hay sticking through the fabric. But she had learned to live with that throughout the twelve years of her life. Not only the stabbing of the hay, but the whip cracking authority of her head mistress at the orphanage. It was a routine of waking up, cleaning, possible chance of getting to play, more cleaning, and finally back to their beds they went. But if one of them didn’t follow through, they were given a whacking of the belt and no mattress to sleep on.

But there was no need to think upon such harshness. Today was a special day, a day only Laela and a few other orphans would recognize; her twelfth birthday. It was the same every year. Her friends could barely scrape up a crumb as a present. And it was the same for the rest of them. Though it brought some hope to Laela, there was the other factor that she was very close to the age of thirteen, an age she wished never to be. If an orphan struck the age of thirteen, he or she was forced to leave the orphanage. It sounded nice, but when it came to reality, it was a scary thing. Boys would have to find some form of a job or maybe become a Page if they were lucky. Girls tried to be hired maids, which some succeeded, but the others who didn’t became slaves to the night. This was all said and done, that is if the orphan wasn’t adopted beforehand.

Laela looked down at the one pendant she had, the one remnant she had of her family. She clutched it tightly and shut her eyes. “Creator, hear my plea and send a family to me,” Laela prayed quietly.

“Laela?” a small voice called.

Laela opened her eyes to see a familiar round face. It was one of the younger girls, Maria. sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ Find_Nøvel.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Laela quickly stuck the pendant into her pocket and smiled at the girl. “Hello, Maria,” she greeted.

Maria peered towards her pocket. “What’s that?” she asked innocently.

“Oh...it’s nothing! Just something I found,” Laela lied.

Maria put her hands behind her back. “Are you coming to the parade?”

Laela blinked. “Parade?”

Maria tilted her head to the side. “Do you not remember? Everyone in Grendalia comes to see it!”

“I think I remember now,” Laela said and nodded.

Maria clasped her hands together as a big smile spread across her face. “I can’t wait to go! It’ll be so pretty! With horses and the dancers!”

Laela giggled, trying to get the negative thoughts out of her head. “Yeah, me too!”

Heel in toe, a thin old woman walked into the room. A deep scowl was rooted in her wrinkled face. “What are you two still doing in here?!?” she hissed. “Get downstairs right now or you won’t come to the parade at all!”

“Yes ma’am!” Laela and Maria answered in unison.

Maria looked to Laela. “One last thing,” she said. Maria leaned forward and cupped her hand over Laela’s ear, “happy birthday!” Maria giggled and quickly went off and out of the room.

Laela felt the heat rise to her cheeks from such innocent kindness. She was going to miss that girl the most out of all the children there.

“Laela!” the headmistress croaked.

“Coming!” Laela said before quickly following after.

“Parade?” Travis looked towards Kirith and Kate.

“I forgot…” Kirith said, rubbing the back of his neck, “Grendalia holds a parade once a year for its nationality and independence. Great.”

“You don’t...seem very excited,” Kate said.

“Well this parade is probably going to make it harder to actually find this next seal.”

“Aren’t we good at picking days to go Seal hunting,” Travis said sarcastically.

“You guys, come on!” Kate said and put her hands on her hips. “Could you at least have a little enthusiasm? We’re going to find this seal! Whatever it takes!” She grabbed the two boys wrists and pulled them out of the alley. Kate let them go as they approached a long crowd that was accumulating in the street. The crowd buzzed and murmured with onlookers, curiously looking up the road. A loud trumpet blasted off in the distance. Everyone went into an uproar of cheers.

From over the tops of the people’s heads, Kate could just barely see a carriage passing on through the parade. People cheered and threw up their hands, but not everyone did... She looked around at the many different faces as they maneuvered through the crowd. Would the seal stand out? Or were they just like any other person there? Now that Kate thought about it, this really did seem hopeless.

“Did we ever consider the seal might be a performer in the parade?” Travis tried to speak over the crowd.

“Let’s not think too far, Travis!” Kate replied.

Travis looked down at her and smiled. “You never know!”

Minutes passed, and the three of them were growing weary. They studied each and every person they passed but with no clues. Still, there was no luck in finding the next Seal and they were beginning to lose hope. Kirith looked back at Kate and Travis. “We’re getting nowhere! Let’s wait a little while for the chaos to clear,” he said. Kirith was just about to turn around when both his shoulder and a burly man’s shoulder collided. He stumbled back as his hood suddenly slipped from his head.

The sturdily built man whipped his head towards Kirith and snarled, “Watch where you’re going— wait a minute...” He narrowed his eyes at him. “You...”

Kirith’s eyes widened a bit but he quickly turned away, making ready to run for it.

The man snatched him by collar and turned him back around. “I know you!” he hissed, pulling him up to his level. “You got a lot of nerve showing your face here!”

Several others in the crowd turned to see what the commotion was before quickly realizing.

“I-I don’t—” Kirith stammered.

“Sir, let him go!” Kate exclaimed.

“I think you have him mistaken for someone else!” Travis said, trying to calm the situation.

The man glared at Kate and Travis. “You’re both blind! He’s none other than our king’s murderer!” He looked back at Kirith. “Kirith Palemoon.”

Some of the people looked in disgust and gasped.

Kirith didn’t say anything. He didn’t look any of them in the eye.

“Please, just let him go!” Kate cried.

“You took away his future, our future!” the man said. “Now we’re going to take yours away—” The man slammed his fist into Kirith’s face.

Kirith did nothing to react. He stumbled back as two other men shoved him back into the ring. Kirith’s lip had already cut open, leaving a bit of stained blood.

The fighter didn’t let him have another chance of fighting back. He immediately grabbed Kirith by the collar and punched him again with his big meaty fist.

Kate watched in horror of the scene playing out before her. This was outrageous! She had to get Kirith out of there. Kate tried to push through to Kirith, wriggling through the group. “Stop! Stop it!” she cried.

A bald, burly man shoved Kate back and displayed his yellow crooked teeth. “BACK OFF, WENCH!” he hissed.

Travis had already been trying to break through, but to Kate’s surprise, it was no use. Kate grabbed Travis’ arm. “We have to do something!” she said over the crowd.

“You think?!” Travis snapped back and looked to the fight frantically.

Kirith had taken another blow, his face smeared in red. He fell back, hitting the ground. Spitting up blood, Kirith opened his eyes. Why wasn’t he fighting back? He could have taken out this man with his power.

The man approached him again as some people cheered him on, wiping blood from his beard. He grinned and kneeled down, grabbing Kirith’s collar and pulled him close. “You’re dead to me, boy,” the man hissed. He raised his fist again and punched.

Kirith yelled in pain as his head lolled to the side.

Another strike to the nose.

Kirith again hit the stone ground. There were more and more repeated hits as blood sprayed and stained the cobblestone in red.

Kate felt on the verge of tears. She looked around the crowd for something. But she froze when she caught sight of a guard approaching the crowd. His angered call was barely audible over the crowd but Kate caught a “what is going on.” Her heart hammered in her chest as the paranoia grew. She whipped her head to Travis. “Travis, the guards are coming! If they find Kirith they’ll lock him up!!”

Travis looked to the guards and back towards the crowd. He cursed under his breath and grabbed Kate’s wrist. “Hold on!” Travis said before slamming through the crowd. He shoved people aside, knocked people over until he got into the ring. Travis shoved the attacker back and grabbed Kirith’s shoulder, forcing him to stand. The guards were almost there.

“Go! Go! Go!” Kate hissed pulling them forward.

Travis had already gotten the memo and shoved them back into the crowd, helping Kirith stay on his feet. They quickly made their way past confused, angered faces, unsure of their destination. They just had to get out of there, away from the crowd.

Travis eventually pulled them into an alley. The three of them ran near the back and hid behind several crates.

Laela stood quietly with the group of orphans and their nanny, watching the parade begin. The colors and the many adornments that were set upon the performers and horses alike were exquisite and beautiful, all tying in with the deep blue colors. Though, she couldn’t tell if this was an omen for good times to come or the long-suffering kingdom for their king. Laela relaxed her shoulders. Savor the joy while it lasts, she thought and clutched her pendant.

Suddenly, there was an angered shout, followed by another. Laela looked around to find the source. Her gaze landed on a certain group, which looked to be engaging in a fistfight. Laela could barely tell who specifically was being attacked over all the people. Guards began shoving past people when three teens broke through the crowd. She had a split second before this group disappeared that one seemed to have gotten himself into the fight.

“What’s going on over there?” one of the children asked.

“Oh a fight! I wanna see! Can we go see?” another exclaimed.

“Quiet all of you!” The headmistress hissed.

Laela could only stare after where they went. She felt a driving force towards them. Deep down, something urged her to find out who they were. It could be quite an adventure, though she would probably get in a lot of trouble. Its time to step over your boundaries, you have to have some fun in your life, Laela thought. She stepped back from her group, hoping they wouldn’t notice. The Headmistress was too busy with all the children, so she wouldn’t bat an eye.

Laela turned away and smiled before slipping right into the crowd to find these teens.

Kate peeked around the crates hesitantly. None of the guards were there, nor any of those rioters. She sighed and pulled back, her gaze landing on Kirith. He was beaten and bruised, blood splattered on his face. His left eye was swollen and purple.

Kate pushed back her bangs and looked upon him frightfully. “Wh-what are we supposed to do? Do...do you know a-anything— anything that could heal him?!” she stammered and glanced to Travis. “We can’t just bring him to a-a hospital or healer.”

Travis opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out. “I-I don’t know—

I thought you knew!”

“Maybe I could help...?” a feminine voice sounded from behind. Travis and Kate whipped around to face a young girl. She looked to be no older than twelve or thirteen with deep brown hair and blond highlights pulled back into a braid. The girl wore but a dull grey and teal colored dress with dirt covered boots. She smiled hopefully at them, standing several paces away.

Kate furrowed her brow. “I...” she trailed, glancing to Travis and shrugging. “Er— go ahead.”

The girl nodded and walked over to Kirith. She kneeled down next to him and inspected his face.

Kirith had his eyes clenched shut. The numbing pain must have worn him out dearly.

The girl took his face in her small hands. Upon touching him, her hands began to glow gold. Her brow knitted as she began moving her hands across his face. Kirith winced and grunted a little. The girl kept moving her hands over his face. The blood and cuts began to disappear until nothing was left on his face except for the long lasting scar. The girl lowered her hands down to her lap and sighed shakily. She wiped her brow and smiled weakly. “That always wears me out...” the girl said.

Kate’s jaw dropped. How did she do that? Who was she?

Kirith opened his eyes and touched his face. He looked the girl puzzled. “Who...who are you?” he asked.

The girl beamed at the question. “Laela! Laela Albion,” she said. “Or at least, Albion was the last name my dad had…”

The three introduced themselves in return.

“So you’re a witch I presume?” Travis asked.

Laela glanced thoughtfully to the ground and shrugged. “I’m not sure...that’s what I’m still trying to figure out,” she said. Laela pulled back her right sleeve to reveal the symbol of the Seals on her hand. “I guess this just has something to do with it—” she stopped and covered her mouth with her hands. “That was supposed to be a secret!”

Kate, Kirith and Travis looked at the symbol in shock.

“That’s—” Kate began.

“A Seal!” Travis exclaimed.

Laela looked at them confused. “A what?” she asked.

“A Seal, Laela,” Kirith said. “You’re one of the six Seals of legend.”

Kate held up her hand to show the seal on her hand. “We’re Seals too.”

Laela still looked very confused. “I don’t know what that is...but Creator willing, he has guided us here together.” She clasped her hands together hopefully and nodded.

“We can explain later, but we’ve been looking for you,” Kirith said, sitting up straight. “To sum it up for you, the six Seals are a group of six imbued with ancient power from the Creator. Our mission is to find the rest and join together to defeat the darkness that inhabits Teannan. You must join us on this journey.”

“Whoa, whoa, wait a minute—” Travis said and waved his hands. “She has a choice. And look at her, she’s only a child! Are we really going to force such a dangerous journey on her?!”

The three looked to Laela expectantly.

Laela straightened herself. “I know...this must be a very dangerous quest. And yes I’m only a child...and probably not as skilled as you three are,” she said. Laela met their gazes determinedly. “But this is the Creator’s calling, I can feel it. My assistance is needed amongst your group. If I go back to the life I had, I would be no more then a helpless girl living on the streets.”

Travis furrowed his brow. “Don’t you have a family?” he asked.

Laela shook her head. “Just an orphaned girl.”

Kate felt a strong sense of emotion from Laela’s words. She was willing to embark on a journey that meant possible death, a journey that would be much more horrifying then what she had. But it was a life worth living, and better than one of being stuck to beg for food or coin.

Kirith nodded and rose. “Good,” he said. “Then we best be looking for a place to stay for the night.”

“Wait!” Laela said, getting up. “There’s something I need to get before we go.”

Travis rose to his full height, towering over the small girl. “We’ll accompany you there,” he said.

Laela grinned and clapped her hands together. “Great!”

Kate stood up along with them.

“Make it quick then,” Kirith said, pulling his hood back over his head. “We don’t want the guards to become suspicious.”

Laela nodded and motioned for them to follow. “Follow me.” She turned towards the opposite end from where they came and jogged to the street. The others followed closely behind.

Kate was intrigued by this girl’s sense of adventure and mystery. What was it that she had to retrieve? Kate could only think up the many possible things she could get. A momento? Maybe a letter from her parents long ago, she thought.

They passed through the bustling streets, keeping close to the crowds to not rouse suspicion. Kate was careful not to run into any of the carts nor sketchy looking people.

Travis, Kirith, and Kate, led by Laela, reached a street corner and turned. Laela made her way to an old quaint little building. A sign at the elevated entrance had barely readable words, but Kate could make out that it was an orphanage.

Laela jogged along side a black, steel fence surrounding the orphanage and reached a back wall parallel to the fence. The vegetation looked to have over grown. Vines were sprawled across the wall like ravenous snakes. The grass had grown tall as if it had not been touched in many months.

Kirith took awkwardly large steps through the grass. “Are you sure this is safe? The snakes in Grendalia like to hide out in this kind of grass...and I would know.”

Laela skipped through the grass and to the wall. “It’s okay!” she said. Laela reached the wall and traced her fingers along it. “Where is it?” she hummed.

Kate approached Laela and looked to the wall. “What are you looking for?”

“A certain stone,” Laela replied, prodding the wall. “Ah! Here it is!” She grabbed one of the stones and pulled it out of the wall, setting it down in the grass. Laela grabbed two others that were horizontal to the opening. She reached inside and pulled out a long wooden staff. On the end of the staff was a pale crystal wrapped in the horns of a small elk engraving below it.

Kate gaped. “How did you—”

“Wait!” Laela exclaimed. She kneeled down to the earth and pushed back the grass. There sat a small wooden box. Laela opened the box and pulled out a yellow sleeveless coat. It was lined with fine silver-ish blue that made it seem almost heavenly. To their surprise, the coat was untouched and clean. Laela rapped it around her shoulders and buckled it at the top. She picked the staff back up and turned to them, smiling.

Travis, Kirith and Kate looked at the girl in awe.

“Laela...I don’t mean to pry but orphans aren’t really gifted with such things,” Kate said. “Where did you get them?”

“I thought you might ask,” Laela giggled. “I got them from my guardian angel! ...I think.”

“Guardian angel?” Kirith said in a rather unimpressed tone, cocking an eyebrow.

Laela shrugged innocently. “Maybe metaphorically… I don’t know who it is, but they’ve been giving me these little notes, sometimes packages. I was afraid my headmistress would find them and dispose of them. So I hid them where no one would look!”

Kirith approached Laela and touched the staff. “This must be a Seal’s Instrument. Have you come into contact with this ‘guardian’ of yours?”

Laela pressed a finger to her lip and shook her head. “Nope... What’s a Seal’s Instrument?”

Kirith pulled his hand back. “I’ll explain later. We’re wasting time here. Let’s search for a place to stay.”

Travis nodded. “I suppose you know this city better then us. Lead the way.”

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