A Store of Magic

Karth looked down at Colinus. He was a bit taller and could do so with ease.

“As I said, none of the thicker heads are at work, you’ll do fine. A few scratches might do your face good.” Karth said condescending.

Gwen had to hold him back from punching forward. “We’ll do it. Just get the book. Liam, here,” she said, pushing Colinus behind her so she could grab Liam’s hand with both hers.

A faint purple light shone from between their fingers, and when she let go, there was a small egg in his hands. It hatched immediately and out flew a small creature. The closest to a normal bug it looked like was a ladybug; the small shell was yellow; the eyes were small antennas, similar to snails; but it only had four legs.

“Tell her when you have the book, it will make the journey back a lot easier.” she said.

“Her?”

Gwen nodded at the ladybug-like creature.

Liam nodded back. “Alright,” he said, standing up as well so he could stand by Karth.

Colinus crossed his arm. His face was sour but before the other two were departing he called out for them, “Wait. What’s the sentence?”

“Hm?”

“The secret sentence to your camp,” he repeated mockingly.

A nervously evil smile crept up on Karth’s leisurely expression. He walked up to the prince, making sure the lady next to him didn’t hear, he whispered something into Colinus’ ear.

The man turned red. He turned around, grabbing Gwen as they left. She waved goodbye and good luck while being dragged away. Karth returned to Liam who gave a curious smile.

“What did you say to him?”

Karth smiled, “Just the sentence, like he wanted,”

“Hm?” Liam said. He wanted to ask what the sentence was since it made Colinus turn tomato red, but he didn’t want to pry. “Oh! Watch out!” he called.

Karth stopped in his step. His head tilted.

“You nearly stepped on Lady,” Liam explained.

“Lady?” Karth asked.

“Um, Gwen’s… bug? I gave her a name since I don’t know what they’re called. Should I change it?” Liam crouched down and picked up Lady, she had flown down from his hand to drink from a small puddle on the path.

“It’s a nice name,” Karth chuckled.

Liam felt relieved.

They began walking.

A few hours into the journey for the book, Liam grew curious of the book, and where they were going. He hadn’t realised it earlier but Karth never mentioned why they had to get the book instead of Gwen and Colinus. So, he asked, and Karth had answered.

“The book is far from legal so you have to know the store owner to even get a glance at it. Someone like the prince won’t even get to sniff the air of that store.” he scoffed. “I also happen to be acquainted with the owner,”

Liam thought it through and it made sense, nothing more to question. He gave Lady some food. Karth gave him a look of disapproval, then his face loosened up and he slowed down his steps. Liam scanned the man’s expression. It seemed shy.

“Here,” he said, extending his hand.

“What is it?” Liam asked as he received a small emerald with a thin piece of string coming from it.

Karth cleared his throat, “A precaution. Smash it and call my name, I’ll be there.”

“Really?” Liam’s eyes grew big.

“Yeah.”

“Thank you,” Liam said appreciatively. He put the thread around his head and wore the stone as a necklace. His eyes were drawn to the shimmer and he stopped to appreciate the emerald’s beauty before they continued.

The “store” was a cave. Actually, it was more of a small hole in the wall of a mountain. Liam thought Karth was joking when he said they reached their destination. A day or so had passed since they’d seen Gwen and Colinus. He wondered if they were fine, alive at most.

Observing the store up closer it didn’t even look like a hole in the wall of a mountain but a door on a stone wall. Like someone left their door off its hinges, leaning against the wall so they could grab it later.

A bit bizarre, sure, but Karth was unfazed.

The door was a dark blue. At night it would almost be unrecognisable against the cold grey background. Karth went up to it. He knocked once, then waited for a few seconds before knocking twice.

The door opened.

Karth gestured for Liam to take the lead. Liam walked in in awe. The store was bigger on the inside!

It was like walking into a whole new world. The outside looked like those sketchy places your mother always told you to stay away from, but the inside was the fairytale imagination of a wondrous toy store where all children ran around with stars in their eyes.

The roof was made of tree crowns, however, you wouldn’t get the feeling of being outside. The whooshing sound of a waterfall lingered in the background; the air was slightly humid but in a pleasant way; birds flew around twittering; shelves were beautifully carved.

Items were scattered on every shelf, no place with space was untouched. Was it a store or a forest? Either way, Liam’s eyes ran past everything as his attention moved around constantly.

A sudden pace of footsteps became audible from behind a shelf filled with rings of all sizes and colours; some had a visible aura; some even spoke whispers.

Liam was startled when a short goblin-man appeared before them. The man was even more startled. His expression only softened when Karth came into his line of sight.

“Lord Karthremith! What are you doing here? I thought you’d never return,” he cackled as he walked away with a box in his hands.

Liam glanced at Karth who turned his head away. They followed the man.

“Is that a new doctor you have?” he asked, then he introduced himself to Liam, “I’m Guk, the pretentious owner of this magical establishment. If you need anything magic, I’ve probably got it.”

Karth clenched his hand, “He’s not a new doctor, and don’t sell him your things,”

“He’s not?” Guk wondered enthusiastically, “I even bet with one of your warriors that Verthral wouldn’t last for the rest of winter…” he continued with disappointment.

“Well, you didn’t help in making him stay-”

“That wasn’t the point!” Guk clapped. He stopped by a shelf to place a caterpillar from the box on a miniature tree with pink leaves. Then he rushed away.

Karth followed while Liam stayed to watch the caterpillar. It ate off the tree, but the bite mark on the leaf disappeared. It regenerated, like poking a hole in slime, the hole was refilled and the leaf was as if nothing happened.

When he looked up, Liam couldn’t see Guk or Karth, but he could hear their voices. He followed the faint noises and found them by a door frame. Beads hung down from the frame, they were a luscious blue. He saw them enter.

Liam scurried after, he pushed the beads to the side and walked into a large library. Shelfs high as trees, like a giant's library, there were books everywhere. To the side leaned a tall ladder against one of the few walls that weren’t occupied by literature. Instead there was a family picture of goblins.

Guk grabbed the ladder. He pulled out a small spider from his chest pocket and placed it on the shelf edge. One quiet whisper and the spider began walking away, Guk followed which meant Karth and Liam also followed.

Eventually the spider stopped, it looked back and stepped aside. Guk placed the ladder by the shelf and began climbing up. Liam tilted his head to gaze at all the books. He noticed something by his neck tickling him and he looked to his shoulder.

He couldn’t really see but it was easy enough noticing a small figure hiding behind some of his longer hair strands. He was in need of a haircut.

Lady was trying to stay out of sight of a particular spider keeping its eyes on her. All eight were staring. It made Liam just as uncomfortable; he didn’t like spiders.

He sighed and tried batting an eye at the spider, but its hairy body and freaky eyes made his complexion turn pale. He backed away. Karth must’ve noticed because not even a moment later, he also stepped back slightly to stand between the shelf with the stalkery spider and Liam who tried to calm Lady by petting her.

He gave him an appreciative look. Karth gave him a glance then turned his attention to Guk once more. The goblin came down with a rather thick book. As thick as an encyclopaedia, Liam was surprised he was strong enough to carry it with one hand while the other held onto the ladder.

“Here is your damn book, you always have the most odd of requests,” Guk said.

He was no stranger to strange requests but depending on who it was from, he could always get the gist of their person and what eventually became normal for them to get at his store. The Khethovians didn’t have such a red string in any sense. When they came by he could never guess what they wanted, be it medicinal herbs, entertaining toys or even self-destructing books.

But they were his best customers, and they never complained. Except for one fellow, Verthral. He’d been going on about some herbs not being worth the price. Guk and Vertharal never could see eye to eye.

Guk smiled slyly. Lord Karthremith never fussed about the prices, he never really cared. It was something Guk could appreciate, and he didn’t try to scam the man. He liked living after all.

“That’s the right book isn’t it?” he asked.

“Yes.” Karth responded dreadingly, “Price?”

“Ha! You know me, I’ve got a little something that needs testing. You’ll be perfect for it.”