The Chronicles of the Thirteen Books

The Legends of Htrae

The Chronicles of the Thirteen Books:

One

Chapter One                                       The Missing Book 1-13

Chapter Two                            The Betrayer 14-17

Chapter Three                           The Outline 18-31

Chapter Four                            The Forest of Tref 32-38

Chapter Five                             The Reunion 39-46

Chapter Six                                         Mary Bronxe 47- 53

Chapter Seven       While in the Forest of Abes 54-

Chapter Eight                           Success

Chapter Nine                            The Book of Vandrib

Chapter Ten                              Port of Nevice

Chapter Eleven                         The Book of Marsta

Chapter Twelve                         Another Lost

Chapter Thirteen                       Grieving and Decisions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter One

The Missing Book

          “I’m telling you two there is something wr0ong,” said Antonio for what seemed the umpteenth time. They were going to go fishing but now Edwin was just annoyed with Antonio he decided it was time to turn around and go home to see what was wrong! Nothing was going to be wrong but to prove Antonio that he and Trey were right they were going to turn around.    

            “Fine,” said Edwin.

            “Yes I am tired of hearing your griping so let’s go back and find nothing,” said Trey agitated.

            “Good! We should go back,” said Antonio.

            Just like Antonio Edwin said to himself. He had known Trey and Antonio since they were all thirteen years old and in the past thirteen years, nothing had changed about Antonio. He insisted he had some weird sixth sense, and he was stubborn.

            “We wasted an entire day of walking for what?” yelled Trey.

            Trey had a point. They had left early that morning before the sun had even risen and now the sun was setting. They were in the middle of the forest, Trey, probably hungry, was agitated because he would have to wait to eat, and he was going back home for nothing, and Antonio was probably worried for the same reason they were going to go back home. Nothing.

            “I’m hot, hungry, and now angry,” Trey yelled.

            “I don’t care,” said Antonio. “I’m leaving.”

            With that, Antonio was engulfed in a white mist and when it evaporated, he had gone with it as well.

            “He did not just vanishiate in my face?”

            “Calm down Trey, gosh, it is just magic,” and laughing to himself he grasped his pack he had been carrying on his back since they left home and said, “Versilleselve.”

            Edwin hated the sensation of being ripped into tiny particles and then being put back together again. It made him think he was not solid. He was standing on the edge of a forest and he saw Antonio round the corner ahead. He stepped out into the road as a bright light appeared behind him�"Trey�"and started after Antonio. It was twilight here in the city and the lampposts were being lit by the street-keepers. Edwin rounded the corner and saw Antonio crossing the courtyard of the city in a hurry.

            There is nothing wrong! Edwin told himself but the closer he got to home, the more something made him feel as if something could be wrong. He crossed the courtyard, all of the stalls were closed and the only sound was the fountain running. The street-keepers would shut it off. Edwin could hear Trey following him, angry. They lived on the outskirts of the city in one of the mansions with their master. His name was Caun. He had raised them all since they were thirteen, training them to control their magic abilities so it would not expose them and get them killed. He taught them the wizard’s laws. He told them of the Htrae Wizard Act, which put wizards in hiding.

            The act had begun 7649, way before his master or he were alive. It was dark times too, according to history. The humans had gone absolutely insane about magic and began to slaughter and kill innocent witches and wizards, young or old. The skilled and trained escaped, many faking their deaths so they could be left alone in peace. The reason for the humans’ madness was understandable though. They were tired of magic interfering with their lives. The First and Second War of Wars were both magical problems that caused many problems in Valisania. Evil wizards took over the Kingdom of Arick and almost the entire Nation and the humans grew in fear of them according to the wizard’s assumptions and struck hard upon wizards who were forced into hiding after many battles.

            They rounded a bend out of the main city and began down a slope into a darker, dense area. Light could not be made out as trees surrounded the road. They continued on though, Antonio leading the way, Trey bringing up the tail. Edwin was becoming a bit paranoid now because something was wrong. He would sense it. The mansion was coming into view and he looked over his shoulders to see Trey who he knew could sense trouble as well. They did not expect to see light shining up the road to them. That meant the door had been left open. But at this time of night? Why would Mytwaun do such a thing? Edwin kept his eye on the trees around him, glancing ahead of him to check on Antonio periodically. He turned to see Trey, and then as he turned his head he saw Antonio break into a run.

            He followed suite, and so did Trey. When he reached the house, Antonio was standing at the foot of the steps, wand at the ready. Edwin came to halt. One door had been blasted off its hinges, the other hanging from his. He stepped up the steps, Antonio beside him. He had not drawn his wand, because whatever had happened, had already taken place, and there was no fight to be had here. There was a creaking sound behind them and Antonio turned and Edwin did the same, drawing his wand, and raising his hand. It was Trey. They turned their attention back to the house and entered the foyer.

            The table had been shattered, the mirrors smashed. They stepped into the family room and saw the furniture overturned. The fire was still burning bright as if it had just been lit for their welcome. Whoever did this had known they were leaving, but he had not expected to find Mytwaun here. Mytwaun always went on the fishing trips with them when they found the time to go. Mytwaun was still very busy though with other studies. Trey never really bothered doing much open book work, and Antonio liked adventures but he loved to learn about what he was going to do before doing it. Edwin on the other hand, had just gotten married and his wife was here when he had left. He would go to check if she had made it home safely after he made sure Kendo his younger cousin was ok and his master as well.

            “I’ll find Mytwaun,” Trey said. He took a flight of stairs to the far right and Antonio took the others to the far left. They both led up to the library and the other parts of the house. Edwin decided that he would check this room then the library. He did not need to search long because after turning the sofa into its right position he found his wife. He fell to his knees, tears burning his eyes. She was so still. She had to be…

            He slowly reached to touch her when he noticed her neck had been cut, and also he heard her soft breathing.

            “Mia! Mia!”

            “E-e-d-d-win…”

            “Oh Mia, heal!” Edwin pointed his wand, the blood on her robes vanished, and her cut only visible for a moment sealed itself. She sat up and tears rolled from her eyes.

            “Edwin!” yelled she.

            “Mia! Are you ok?” He pulled her into his arms.

            “Caun…Caun…”

            “What about him?” Edwin asked. His master had not seen him off because he had been asleep.

            “He’s dead!”

            Then the scream came.

            “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO…”

            Edwin released his wife and ran up the stairs Antonio had taken. He found Antonio, sitting on their master’s bed, with their master’s body lying in his arms. He looked up as Edwin entered the room, looking murderous.

            “I”LL KILL WHOEVER DID THIS!”

            Edwin could not speak. Trey pushed his way into the room, wand out to see what they had both just discovered. Edwin could not handle the sight and he backed out the room, descended the stairs, and found Mia waiting at the bottom.

            “Kendo…” she said.

            Edwin looked at her. He could not handle if his cousin had been killed too.

            “Who did this?”

            “Mytwaun,” cried Mia. “We fought, but he was to strong…Kendo and he began in the library. Mytwaun blasted me off the balcony…”

            Edwin looked up and saw the broken banister. He did not take his eyes off it as he ascended the stairs and stepped into the library. The bookcases were knocked over scrolls of ancient information destroyed and Kendo nowhere to be found.

            “Kendo!”

            “Kendo!” Mia yelled, in the doorway.

            “He-ere…”the faintest voice Edwin had ever heard said. He went over to three shelves that had somehow supported each other, keeping them from swashing his cousin. Mia helped pull him out and Trey came in and healed Kendo, much better then what he could have done. Kendo stood and retrieved his wand.

            “Kendo, what happened?” Trey asked.

            Kendo passed them without a word. They followed him down the stairs into the family room where Antonio sat near the fire, looking shocked now. Kendo slumped down to the floor, not looking at them.

            “Kendo! What happened?” yelled Trey again.

            “Trey, don’t,” Edwin said, dropping to his knees in front if his cousin. He looked at his face which showed no emotion. “Kendo,” he said, “we need to know what happened.”

            Kendo looked at him and said nothing.

            “UH!” Trey stormed away and stood on the wall.

            “Kendo?”

            “DARN IT!” Antonio yelled. Edwin spun and saw him coming at them, wand at the ready.

            “Antonio,” he said.

            “Answer us!” Antonio yelled.”Now.”

            With that, Kendo looked up and began to talk.

            “I was just in the library a bit after you all left�"studying you know�"and I heard a creaking sound in the corridor. At first, I thought nothing of it until I heard the faintest sigh and I got nervous. But I thought I was imagining things because my third year of training was coming to an end and I did not know if I had mastered all of the spells and the information. I continued to work then I heard the library door open and I turned to see Mytwaun…”

            Edwin could see everything happening as Kendo told him, the faint sigh of Caun as he died and the Mytwaun coming into the library…

            “…wand drawn, pointing at me…muttering an incantation that would surely kill me. I reacted instinctively and we began to battle. He was crazy almost and then I fell and Mia came and thankfully she did because if she had not he had killed me. Once the battle had ended between the two of them I was left buried under the bookshelves and to watch Mytwaun leave…”

            “He can’t have gotten far.”

            “How do you know Trey?” asked Edwin, knowing what Trey was thinking.

            “Mytwaun moves the slowest but faster than Antonio,” said Trey. “We can catch him.”

            “He left shortly after us, surely he’s far gone and probably on a ship,” said Edwin. He did not want to chase Mytwaun right now.

            “You stay and we’ll go,” said Antonio and with that, he was engulfed in the white mist.

            “Sorry Edwin,” said Trey and he vanished just as Antonio had.

            He turned to Mia and Kendo and said, “I’ll be back.”

            “I’m going,” said Kendo rising.

            “You can’t vanishiate,” Edwin said.

            “With you I can,” said Kendo. “I’m still learning.”

            “Fine,” decided Edwin decided. “But stay close; I want you in arms reach so I can grab you.”

            “Fine,” said Kendo grasping his shoulder firmly.

            “Versilleselve,” said Edwin and he saw Kendo ripped into particles and felt himself ripped into them.

            When his feet touched the ground, he was still engulfed in darkness. “Kendo,” he asked.

            “I’m here cousin,” said Kendo and Edwin felt him place his hand on his shoulder.

            “Enjera!”

            The darkness was suddenly filled with a light that was not bright but was not dark. Trey and Antonio was just a few feet away wand at the ready.

            “Libitall,” said Trey, jabbing his wand at the air and a ball of light appeared. “Be quiet and follow us.”

            Edwin and Kendo did as told, Kendo bring up the rear of the line. The black orbs that were floating in the air giving off light were just bright enough to be followed. Edwin heard the breaking of a twig behind him.

            Should have left him home, he thought. They continued to follow the orbs then suddenly the trail ended.

           

            “I do not know Trey,” answered Edwin. “Antonio, are you alright?”

            Antonio looked pale and a bit depressed. He had not said anything since they had left the house.

            Antonio looked up and gave a nod which meant no. Edwin relaxed up against a tree as he let realization hit him head on. His master was dead; Mytwaun had killed him and tried to kill his wife and cousin; Mytwaun had fled. There was only one question; why did he kill Caun and try to kill the others? What was he doing?

            The wind blew and Edwin pulled his cloak tighter. There was another breaking of a branch and he turned to tell Kendo to watch where he was stepping but there was no sign of Kendo.

            “Trey!”

            “Where’s Kendo,” he asked.

            “I don’t know,” Edwin said, scared. He began to backtrack and the last time he had heard Kendo was when he had stepped on the branch.

            The light came from the left so unexpectedly that they all turned but it was losing energy now and fast. The moved toward it and Antonio reached the area first and found Kendo standing there in the small clearing.

            “What in the world are you doing?”

            “I just…thought…thought I heard something…”Kendo stuttered.

            “I told you to stay within my reach! What if Mytwaun had been waiting for us?” screamed Edwin.

            “I’d killed him,” Kendo stated, simply.

            “You’re unbelievable! We save your life less than an hour ago and you go wandering off through the forest alone? Are you sane?”

            “I think so,” Kendo said and with that he took his place next to Edwin and grabbed his arm.

            “You all go,” said Trey. “We’ll keep look�"

            “No,” said Antonio suddenly, “we’ll stick together.” He was eyeing Kendo suspiciously.

            “Ver�"

            “Wait!” shouted Antonio. “Why did you make a bright light? How did you do that?”

            “A charm Master Caun taught me in my last lesson.”

            “That all,” asked Edwin. Antonio nodded and with that was engulfed in a white mist. “�"silleselve!”

            They came out of the mist on the opposite side of the city. Trey and Antonio were already walking. Kendo did not pay attention to much but he looked around at everything�"almost as if it were all new to him.

            Shock, he thought. Poor boy, I have to be strong for you and Mia.

            Edwin caught up with the other leaving Kendo behind; he caught a piece of their conversation as he approached.

            “�"he would do that,” Trey was saying.

            “I don’t know,” answered Antonio angrily. Edwin realized he was crying and he placed his arm around him.

            “It’ll be ok,” he told him.

            Antonio stopped and they did the same turning to see him looking aghast. “No it won’t. Caun is dead, Mytwaun killed him and you think it’ll be ok? Do you know there’ll be some explaining to do?”

            “Yes,” answered Trey, so blunt that Edwin figured they had probably already had this conversation. Kendo had caught up by now too and was listening intently. “We know there will be explaining to do so we’d better get home and fix the place up for the funeral and began the guest list! Many people of the city knew Master Caun and will want to pay their respects.”

            “How are we going to explain�"?

            “He’s dead Antonio and he’s not coming back,” yelled Trey, tearing streaming from his eyes. “I’m sad too, but things here must be dealt with before we can go after Mytwaun. Caun would not want us to just leave like this unless it was necessary. So if we leave now we could expose magic because of the council here in this city really hates us and they’ll go deep.”

            “They don’t hate us, they hate you, Mr. Know-it-all, and some of the things you know aren’t supposed to be known!”

            “Enough,” shouted Edwin. “We can’t fall apart if we’re going to find Mytwaun! We have to work together and Trey Antonio’s right you have a big mouth�"but Antonio Trey’s right also, we have to stay and cover this up. It’s a mess out of this world and magic is written all over it. We can’t expose magic so let’s clean up here and then we can leave.”

            “We,” asked Antonio.

            “Yes, we,” he answered.

            “Since when were you going with us?” asked Trey.

            “What do you mean since when?”

            “We mean�"you’re married and all that good stuff…” Antonio said. “Trey and I�"

            “And me,” Kendo said and they all turned on him.

            “No way,” said Trey.

            “You’re not a magician Kendo,” Edwin explained. “You’re a wizard, a magician in the making.”

            “And a really fine one too,” Trey assured him, “but you aren’t ready for this.”

            “How do you all know? I’m sixteen and I know I’m ready. I can help,” Kendo said.

            “No, you cannot help,” Edwin stated, agitated. Kendo must have had a death wish or thought he was a cat and had nine lives, but he had cut it close enough already.

            “You’ll see,” said Kendo, but Edwin realized this as a stalemate and he would take it.

            “Now Edwin I know you’re not going�"

            “Enough,” he stated firmly. He gave Trey a look that told him he had better listen and Antonio also. They understood and gave him the, we will talk about this later look as they continued home.

            When they arrived at the mansion, it had been restored to its original state before they had left that morning. Something was cooking and the fire had been reset. They all made their way through the arch under the balcony into the kitchen. Mia was there standing over the fire stirring something that smelt great. Edwin felt hungry enough to eat a cow. He hoped the others would not mind his behavior.

            They ate dinner in silence, nowhere daring to say a word while Kendo was awake and in their presence. Kendo departed for bed after they had had a few glasses of wine.

            “Think he’s really going to bed?” asked Antonio.

            “Yeah,” said Mia. “I read his thoughts, he’s tired. The fight took some energy out of him like it had any of us.”     

            “So…” said Trey after a moment’s silence. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

            There was silence that was broken by Antonio who stood and said, “We need to have the funeral with two days at least, four the most. We can preserve the body like average humans for that long. We’ll need to report him dead.”

            “Um…also we need to make sure there’s nothing out of place so when the funeral begins no one here can be a suspect�"

            “He died of old age,” Mia said suddenly. She looked at them all and continued, “and he left you everything in his ‘will’�"if we have to make one I can�"and the funeral with be within two days so we can�"

            “Hold on Mia,” said Edwin. “We? What do you mean by 'we'? Antonio, Trey and I�"

            “No, we, as in Antonio, you, Trey, Kendo, and I,” she answered.

            “You can’t go,” he said. “You can’t your master needs�"

            “I love my master dearly, but I will have to move on soon anyway and I need to get a bit of fresh air. My mistress will understand and I will be sure of it. I’m going home tonight.”

            “To stay?”

            “No Edwin,” said Mia exiting the room. They followed her into the family quarters where the fire was still burning cheerfully. “I’m packing and getting ready. I’ll need to buy new robes and dresses and other…things.”

            “Why are you going home tonight? Can’t packing wait till morning?”

“No, no, no,” said Mia. “We’ll be busy with informing the city, neighbors and others.”

“So…?” Edwin asked, confused still.

            “We all need to pack tonight,” she answered. “I’m going home and you all get ready here, but make seem as if we’re not leaving. It’ll look to suspicious.”

            “We’ll you all look after the house,” said Edwin.

            “Yeah,” said Mia, “we’ll have watches. I’ll take the last watch�"

            “You’ll take the first until midnight, starting in the next hour, so we should do�"

            “I can perfectly vanishiate myself,” said Mia. She looked a bit angry. “I am going to be fine.”

            “Ok,” Edwin said. “I’ll wake Kendo so he can pack�"

            “I’ll pack his things.”

            “Are you sure darling,” he asked her, pulling her into his arms. She was everything he could want. She was brave, beautiful, smart, and all his.

            “Yes,” she said. He reached down and kissed her gently before letting her go. She gave him a smile and was engulfed in a mist.

            “Don’t worry about her,” said Antonio sitting down on the sofa. “She’ll be fine.”

            He still looked pale. It was scary to him like this. “Will you?” asked Trey.

            “Yes, yeas, I’m recovering,” said Antonio.

            They all went up stairs to pack. Edwin found his first wand Master Caun had carved him. He placed it in his robe with his other and continued to rummage through things. He hoped Mia knew not to bring much. A pack was all that was going to be welcome on this trip. Once he knew he had his necessities and all the gold, silver, and a few bronze, he sat his pack under his bed for safekeeping. He moved over to his balcony doors and pulled them ajar, listening to their creek. He stepped out onto the balcony and looked at the forest. Then he looked to his right and saw the city that was only seeable because of the lamppost. There was no moon out, nor stars. The sky seemed dead and he just hated it. He wished he had not left that morning. That he had stayed home and this would not have happened…? Why would Mytwaun do this? Why?

            The thought dawned on him and he ran back inside to find the others back in the family quarters. Mia had not returned. They were sitting in the chairs nearest the fire and he sat on the sofa.

            “What’s wrong?” Trey asked.

            “Have you all wondered why he did it?” he asked them.

            “Yes,” said Antonio, “I have. I just don’t know why though,” he said rising, moving over to the mantle.

            A portrait of Luke, Cauns master, hung there.

            “There was a reason though,” said Trey, beginning to think. “He’d been acting strange for some time now, now that I think of it.”

            “And he was really excited when we decided to go camping…I heard him whooping that night�"but I did not think anything of it…he planned it…”

            “He had to,” Edwin said. It made since. Mytwaun had been on his edge for the past few months�"his excuse always he was working on something major�"never giving any subject or area which he was working on. Now it all made sense. He had been waiting and working for today. He planned to kill Caun, Kendo, and Mia but for what?

            “He planned it but right now I don’t know why,” Antonio said. “Mia has first watch, so I’m off to bed. Wake me for my watch and when Mia arrives.”

            “Goodnight,” said Trey. “I love you.”

            “I love you too,” said Edwin.

            “I love you both also,” said Antonio. “Goodnight.”

            “I’m not waking him for a watch,” said Trey once they heard Antonio’s room door close. “He needs a good night’s rest and he’ll be recovered tomorrow.”

            “So, I’ll take second watch and you can have the last. I wake you four hours after midnight,” said Edwin.

            “Ok,” said Trey. “Love you.”

            “Love you too.”

            Trey went to bed and Edwin was left to ponder on why Mytwaun would betray them. What was so important that he needed to kill Caun, Kendo, and Mia? If he were in Mytwaun’s shoes and Mytwaun his, Mytwaun had figured this out by now. Edwin heard the door open and Mia stepped into the room with a pack over her shoulders. She sat it in the closet and joined him on the sofa.

            “What are you thinking about,” she asked after he had not greeted her.

            “Mytwaun…he planned this,” he answered.

            “I know! I’m so angry with myself…I didn’t notice till it was too late that I have not been able to read his mind�"

            “He blocked you?” he asked shocked at this information.

            “Yes,” she answered. “But I didn’t notice. Mytwaun doesn’t usually let on much with thoughts just pictures, but even those haven’t been in my head. He used magic�"some form of it�"to keep me out completely.”

            “The others need to know this�"

            “Not now,” said Mia. “Let them rest. We’ll talk to them tomorrow. You go up to bed�"and I’ll wake you for second watch.”

            “I love that you can pick thoughts out of my mind,” he said, kissing her. He would not know what he would do if he lost her.

            “Sweet,” she said, pulling out of his grasp. She turned and pointed her wand at the door, it glowed for a moment; then the walls and windows did the same.

            “What was that?”

            “Just a charm of my own that Mytwaun won’t know how to counter,” Mia answered.

            “Good,” he replied turning her back to him.

            “Go to bed,” she said.

            “Ok,” he said but he did not move.

            “Now,” she said, grinning.

            “Ok, ok,” he said turning.

            In his room, he bathed and changed into his night robes. He put out the fire and got in bed only to be waked a few hours later by his wife.

            “Your watch,” she said, yawning.

            He got up and went downstairs. The fire had been reset and was as cheerful as it had been before he had gone to bed. He hated waiting inside so he took a cloak from inside the closet and stepped out into the bitter cold, spring night.

            He woke Trey four hours past midnight. He had strolled through the garden twice and up and down the dark road three times. He went and joined his wife in bed, sleep taking him instantly.

            He awoke a few hours before noon and dressed, going down to find breakfast being prepared by Trey.

            “Trey…” he began, deciding he had better pick his words right with all of the knives around. “It’s smells great…?”

            It did smell great, but Trey did not usually cook. Weird.

            “Smells great,” said Trey nodding. “The others said my mouth would get us inspected, so they went into the city without me. They’re announcing to the people whom he knew that he’s dead and telling them the day of the funeral. Kendo’s gone to pick out a coffin and I was left to cook breakfast for us all. They said they would be back�"

            He looked at the clock.

            “Now,” he finished. There were voices suddenly and Mia, Kendo, and Antonio entered the kitchen talking.

            “�"I think he would love his resting bed…I mean they always say you can sleep when you’re dead, might as well be comfortable,” Kendo said.

            “I perfectly agree,” said Mia.

            “Since when have you quoted,” asked Edwin. That was an un-Kendo-ish thing to do.

            “Since I became wiser?”

            “Oh,” said Edwin.

            “We’re going to have a full house tomorrow. I told the guest that we’d be best left alone today because we we’d busy with preparations. I say we start at noon with the seating arrangements.”

            “Breakfast looks great!” said Antonio suddenly.

            Trey gave him the, you are dead look and said, “You’re going to love.”

            Everyone began to laugh and yesterday seemed as if it could have been years ago for a moment, then they ate in silence that crept among them. They all wanted to be alone in their heads but they were going to have to talk soon.

            Noon came and everyone got up and went to pretend to be busy. Edwin stayed in the family quarters with Mia who waved her wand and the sofa vanished he was going to vacate on.

            “Sorry, seating arrangements must be done,” she said flicking her wand and chairs appeared in columns and rows. She turned toward the curtains and shook her head�"

            “Wait,” said Edwin suddenly. “Let me get that. I’m the enchanter. Flaywoyt Gant Black!”

            He flicked his wand, the golden curtains turned to a black for mourning, and Mia raised an eyebrow. “Impressive.”

            “Ah,” said Edwin looking the portrait of Luke, “Can’t have him,” he jabbed his wand at the picture “Flaywoyt Gant Caun!” The portrait immediately changed to his balding master. His beard hung to his chest his robes were a marvelous black, they looked blue and his blue eyes held a twinkle in them. He almost cried at the sight of him but controlled himself. “There’s another true masterpiece.”

            “That’s enough for now,” said Mia. “Let’s have lunch.” She crabbed his arm and pulled him away. In the kitchen, she gathered bread and cheese and a blanket and they went out into the garden and had lunch. He could feel her probing his mind and he tried his best to black her but was unsuccessful.

            “Why are you so worried about Kendo?”

            “I’m not,” he lied shoving the last piece of bread into his mouth.

            “He’s dealing with a lot,” she continued, “and I don’t think he had anything to do with it.”

            “Can you read everyone’s mind still,” he asked seriously.

            “Yes,” she said. “Everyone is mourning in their own way�"even you�"and Kendo is too. he keeps replaying a memory of him and Caun walking through the garden together talking. I can’t make out the words but Kendo looked happy and Caun did also.”
            “How didn’t Caun see this?” asked Edwin angrily. How did Mytwaun outsmart their master?

            “He probably didn’t want to,” comforted Mia. “None of us did.”

            “Caun could read Mytwaun’s mind effortlessly,” he continued, ignoring her, “so why didn’t he do anything.”

            “Mytwaun blocked him like he did me,” said Mia.

            “But why didn’t Caun warn us?” asked Edwin, fuming with anger now.

            “He probably didn’t think of importance,” said Mia, grabbing his hand. He wanted to pull away because he did not want to trust anyone but he knew it would be useless. “You’re right it would be! Don’t you�"

            She did not finish however, but covered her mouth and rose and ran into the garden and vomited.

            “Are you alright,” he asked when he reached her.

            “Ye�"

            She vomited again and pushed Edwin away.

            “It’s fine,” she said. “I’ve been sick for the last few weeks…hiding it but now you know…”

            He wanted to hold her but she held her arms up to tell him to stay away.

            “Don’t know if I’m contagious.”

            “You’re not,” he said, grabbing her and holding her. “Go wash up so we can finish this conversation�"

            “One thing�"we’ll have to each take turns being Mytwaun so they’ll think he’s here and that way no one will suspect anything.”

            “Ok,” he said. “Go wash up�"we have a funeral tomorrow and we’ll need our rest. Also, we need to talk about how we’re going to protect the house�"

            “You don’t think Mytwaun would attack with�"

            “�"just as a precautious at dinner. Kendo will have to participate in this. We’ll need to make sure everyone who comes into this house is who he or she says they are. I’ll have a list written by dinner.”

            “Ok,” said Mia, “I’m going to clean up and I’ll make dinner. We can talk then and also I’ll need to make a quick detour to the baker and pick up the hundred loaves of bread and the meet shall arrive in the morning. I figured we would have plenty of wine and water�"the garden will be set for the reception and then everyone will leave…including us.”

            “Sounds good,” he said.

            “Now, you can set up the garden for me and I’ll get the bread,” said Mia.

            Ok, he thought.

            “See you at dinner,” she said and with that went back into the house. He cleared away their mess and set the garden with round tables, chairs, and candles. He lit the candles so they would have burned down by time for the reception and he went into the house where he found the family quarters ready for the speakers and people. He made a note that he would need to wear a dress-hose and a shirt�"he had to play human. He got his clothes prepared for the next day and saw Mia had done the same. He then went to see Kendo in his room.

            “Kendo?”

            “Yes,” answered Kendo, not looking up from his book.

            “Since when do you read voluntarily?”

            “Since…I decided I wanted to better myself,” he answered stilled not looking up from his book. Edwin saw the page turned.

            “Will you look at me?”

            Kendo gave a deep sigh, slammed the book on the desk, and rose from the chair he had been sitting in and asked, “WHAT? I’m not going to go mourning about like you all. And is dinner ready I’m starving!?”

            Edwin did not know how to react to Kendo’s sudden thirst to learn, non-sympathetic attitude, and rudeness and he was not going to learn.

            “Listen, Kendo, don’t take off your rubber boots in the cold! And do not disrespect Master Caun�"he gave us everything!”

            “You don’t know that you all haven’t found his ‘will’ yet.”

            “Kennn-do!”

            “Just saying.”

            “Dinner will be ready in a bit,” said Edwin. “Come down at your leisure.”

            With that Edwin left Kendo who had sat back down and began reading. He made his way to the back of the house and up to the third floor, where his master spent some of his time in his studies. He found the door cracked open�"which was unusual.

            Caun never leaves his study open, he thought. He drew his wand and pushed the door ajar. Inside the office was a mess. Papers were thrown about, chair unturned and his books all over the floor. It did not take him long to notice what was missing…the book. Caun had showed it to them long ago and when Mytwaun first laid his eyes on it, he had ideas of power.

            This is what he killed him for!

            Edwin stepped over to the podium where the book usually sat under many enchantments and charms of protection but of course that is what Mytwaun had been working on all those days and he had figured it too. All he needed was them out of the way and the fishing trip was the perfect time. He had been planning this for years! Now he was off looking for its brothers�"the twelve books that had only been seen by few eyes�"books of nothing but power and evil in the wrong hands. In Mytwaun’s hands.

            Mia, he thought to himself. Bring the others to Cauns study.

            He did not wait long. The others came into the office wands at the ready looking around at the mess.

            “What happened in here?” asked Antonio.

            “Mytwaun,” said Edwin. “He planned everything years ago!” He explained to them what he had just learned himself and Antonio moved over to the podium and rubbed his hands over it.

            “Well he did not find everything,” said Antonio. He pointed his wand at the podium, engravings appeared and then papers, and when Antonio’s spell finished its work he was holding a stack of parchment. Edwin and Trey were at his side instantly and looking at the papers.

            “Well here’s his ‘will,’” said Trey. He read it and said, “He left us everything�"well almost…the mansion is yours Edwin and Mia.”

            “What?” Edwin asked taking the parchment. The words upon it changed immediately and Edwin read:

 

                        My dear Edwin, you are like a son to me just like the others and I don’t want you to feel you’ve failed to protect me. I have left you everything you’ll need�"I know you don’t understand why I let this happen but the reason is I hoped he would change, I was wrong if you’re reading this will. I am not sorry for not stopping him for I love him too, no more or less than you and the others. Eye-it Edwin and get it…stop him…spare his life if you can…but kill him if you must. Show mercy as if it were he reading this letter for you had done what he did. Below I’ve listed a few items I’ve left you and the others:

 

For You                                     For All of You

 

The Mansion                             My love, hope, luck and spirit…

My wand                                       The Outline of the Thirteenth Book

A fourth of my fortune    

 

Love your Master

Caun, the Great

 

            “How could he do that?” Edwin asked Mia once she had read what Caun left him.

            “I don’t know,” she was crying like the rest of them. “Dinner’s ready and we have to eat and calm down. I’ll take the last watch�"

            “No,” said Edwin firmly. “I will.”

            “I have to go,” said Kendo. “I have to see if I can find any loose end trails Mytwaun may have left.”

            “I’ll help you,” said Trey.

            “I’ll take the eastside of the city,” said Kendo.

            “The west and north, you can have the south,” said Trey. They left the room.

            “Dinner,” called Mia after them.

            “Not hungry,” they both called back.

            “Mytwaun information,” she yelled.

            “Three and six!” Trey shouted.

            “Four and eight!”

            “It’s settled Mia and you look tired�"

            “What about your list?”

            “I’ll greet tomorrow and you can seat them,” said Edwin. He had not forgotten of what precautions he wanted to take. Also whoever was impersonating Mytwaun would make a round in the mansion and return to the gathering.

            “Ok,” said Mia. “And you’re right I’m tired. I’ll clean the kitchen and take first watch�"

            “No,” said Edwin firmly. “I’ll take your watch and mine. You need to rest.”

            “Ok,” she agreed.

            “Antonio,” said Edwin turning to Antonio who had been quiet since he had found the ‘will.’

            “Yes?”

            “You’ll have to impersonate Mytwaun first.”

            “Ok,” he said not looking at them.

            “You ok?”

            “Better�"much better now that I know Caun let this happen but now I want to kill Mytwaun! He knew Caun knew and he did not care! He’s dead!”

            With that, Antonio left the room and Edwin and Mia followed. Mia went to clean the kitchen then was off to bed and Antonio sat in a conservatory reading the outline Master Caun had left for them. Kendo and Trey return late that night and said they had not found another trail.

            “You all should come here and listen,” said Antonio suddenly.

            They went over and Antonio began to read to them, “‘This book is located in a forest and the moon will have to shine bright�"three full moons�"three nights for you to get this book. The forest seems to be quite large but all do�"you all much search and find this book before Mytwaun. Good luck and much love.”

            “Carlivan,” said Antonio. “I think it’s there.”

            “May be but we’ll find out soon, won’t we?” asked Trey.

            “Yes,” said Edwin, “we will.”

            “What do you think Kendo,” asked Antonio.

            “Um,” replied Kendo.

            “Um…? What does that mean?” asked Antonio.

            “Don’t know. But I’m off to bed�"hope I don’t have watch tonight.”

            “You don’t now Kendo,” said Edwin angrily. “Goodnight.”

            “‘Night,” said Kendo, leaving them sitting there all looking confused and angry.