The Journey to Omstadt

A few hours before Ronan’s return, Reagan borrowed a bowl from Aislinn’s kitchen while she was taking care of patrons at the inn. He filled it with water and took it to the bedroom, closing the door in case Aislinn or Braiden came home unexpectedly.

Despite Alan’s assurances that the detection spell would remain inactive, Reagan hesitated. He stared down at his own reflection in the bowl until Liam appeared beside him.

“Even if it activates,” he said, “It’s not like we’re trying to keep it a secret.”

Reagan conceded and swallowed around the lump in his throat. Clearing his mind, he focused on Elisa’s face as he cast his scrying spell over the bowl.

To both his and Liam’s relief, she looked healthy. Her face had a natural rosy tint, and he noticed no injuries. As he watched, she looked to the side and subtly nodded at something he couldn’t see. The area around her was too blurry for Reagan to make anything out, but he judged that the dim setting was likely to be indoors.

She might still be in the middle of being interrogated, Reagan thought with a pang of guilt as he let the image dissipate. At least we know she’s okay, and Alan said he’d send word to her…

Pushing thoughts of Elisa out of his head, Reagan kept staring into the water. It took far more concentration to conjure Dietfried’s face, having only caught a brief glimpse of his current appearance, but he managed to pull a blurry likeness into the bowl. It was too indistinct to make out anything about his surroundings, much to Reagan’s dismay.

He let that image dissipate too and lay back on the bed with a sigh. “I have no idea where he is,” he said. “But the only lead we have is the royal archives in Omstadt.”

“And if Vierdorth is the second largest library and still didn’t have what you needed…”

“We don’t have any other options,” Reagan finished with a sigh.

Reagan emptied and replaced the bowl in the kitchen, then he and Liam spent the rest of the afternoon preparing for the journey. By the time Ronan returned, Reagan had bid goodbye to Aislinn and Braiden, then secured enough provisions from the general store to last a week. Most of them were gifted to him by the shop clerk, who had heard about his help with the barrier and insisted on thanking him.

He walked to the western edge of town and was surprised to find Alan awaiting him at the exit. “I swapped with Ronan,” he said as Reagan approached, “So that we could leave immediately.”

Reagan thanked him and settled into the caravan. There would only be one wagon for this journey, and it was mostly empty. He had the bench to himself, across from a few boxes that had been secured to the side of the wagon.

Alan pulled back the cloth and peeked in. “I’m afraid I’m as yet unable to cast the spell, not until we reach the capital, and I swap this amulet for a new one. We use the same barrier spell for the caravans as for the town, and nobody will be joining you in here, so you’re free to cast it when you’re ready. The peg is under the bench.”

Reagan nodded, and he waited for Alan to leave before casting the spell. As soon as he finished and had checked outside to make sure the barrier had gone up as intended, he retrieved the tinctures from his satchel and put a drop of each under his tongue.

The nettle leaves were bitter, the dandelion a little milder, but still unpleasant. He coughed, much to Liam’s amusement. “I’ll make you try these the second after I resurrect you,” Reagan said with a glare.

“After ten years of watching you eat delicious meals, at least let me have something good before you try to poison me,” Liam said.

Reagan softened. That must have been difficult, especially when Helen cooked his favorites… “What would you want to have first?” he asked. The caravan lurched beneath him, and he had to grip the bench hard to keep from tipping over.

Liam thought for a long moment, then shook his head. “I honestly don’t know,” he said. “But that’ll be the first thing I tell you when the spell works.”

Reagan smiled. “I’ll hold you to that.”

Halfway through the trip, the caravan stopped and Alan entered the wagon. “The horse needs a break,” he said. “We’ll resume traveling in a short while. If you want to step out and stretch your legs, now would be a good time to do so.”

Reagan nodded and stood, noting the stiffness in his knees. He followed Alan outside into a grassy clearing surrounded by tall pine trees. A small stream bisected the clearing, and Alan walked the horse over to it to let him drink before walking him back to the caravan to graze.

Alan leaned against the side of the wagon and pulled out half a loaf of bread wrapped in wax paper and some cured meat. He offered some to Reagan, who accepted and offered a pickled egg in response. The pair ate in companionable silence, protected by the caravan’s barrier, for several minutes before Alan asked, “Will you be settling into Omstadt with your cousin?” When Reagan hesitated to respond, he added, “I only wish to caution you. Omstadt is where most of the ‘amulet mages’ such as myself reside. While most are unaware of the truth behind our ‘magic’, there are certainly some who would see you as a threat.” The look in his eyes was one of genuine concern.

Reagan exchanged a look with Liam, who said, “You can tell him the truth about me. I trust him.”

Reagan nodded and looked down at the pine needles beneath his shoes. “When my parents were murdered,” he started, his voice low, “I was hiding in a closet. Whoever it was mistook my friend for me, and he was killed in my place. I’ve been searching for information on necromancy, so that I can bring him back home, and the only lead we have is the royal archives in Omstadt.”

“Your friend, is that who you looked at just now?” Alan asked. “Is he here?”

Reagan nodded. “He’s attached to me via a spell, yes.” He looked at Liam again, then at the tether attached to his wrist.

Alan turned in Liam’s direction and bowed his head. “Then allow me to apologize for the danger I put you in, as well, and to offer whatever help I can as penance for using these amulets.”

Liam gave the guard a warm smile and accepted Alan’s apology, which Reagan relayed.

When Alan raised his head and straightened back up, Reagan asked, “Would you know how we can get access to the archives?”

Alan shook his head. “I’m afraid I’ve never been inside. The head mage, a man named Dietfried, is incredibly strict about magic usage, and he limits the spread of knowledge, too. The archives are locked, and only his two direct advisors have a key, which they must keep on their persons at all times.

“A few scholars have gotten permission to enter the archives, but that was before my time, and from what I know, the process is long, arduous, and risky. Even if it were still possible, I wouldn’t recommend it.”

“Is there anything more you could tell us about the building, in case we manage to get inside?”

Alan gave Reagan a questioning look, but responded anyway.“The best I can offer is the general layout of the building.” He cleared away a pile of pine needles at their feet and picked up a small stick from nearby. In the dirt, he drew a diagram of the first floor and labeled the archives in the center of the map.

“Dietfried’s office is this room here,” he said, pointing to a square in the northwest corner of the crude map. “His advisors will often wait outside of the office if he’s occupied.”

After Reagan and Liam had studied the map long enough, Alan wiped it away and spread the pine needles back out. “I don’t know what you’re planning, and it’s certainly safer if I don’t ask, but whatever it is, be careful.”

With one more look at Reagan, he turned away to hitch the horse back to the caravan and resume their journey.