Chapter 9: Passing on Relics

I was in the Grinning Cat after a long night. Dragon, Griffin and all the drakes were laid out on the table. Teresa was petting the drakes as her miniatures laid on and around Dragon. I smiled as I finished the bowl of oatmeal she had brought, “How are your children?”

She grinned and rubbed the full tummy of one of her dragons, “Well, they love all the attention.”

I smiled and glanced at the door as Jasmine walked in. She was pregnant and showing now. Silver followed her and shook his head when they sat, “You still have all of them?”

I smiled and caressed one of the drakes, “Everyone needs someone.”

He picked a drake up and turned it around before setting it back on the table where it curled up against Griffin. I smiled and let Teresa take my empty bowl along with all the others. Silver watched her leave before looking at me, “I need a favor.”

I sighed and looked at Jasmine, “Why can’t he just come for a visit?”

She smiled, “Because you have your own library now.”

I grinned and looked at Silver, “What now?”

He leaned forward, “I just found a scroll that describes a hidden room in the mage hall. Inside is the ancient mage Emperor’s crown, staff and scepter.”

I shook my head, “And what are you going to do with them? We already have a few thousand miniature griffins flying around outside the city. The king and council made you promise not to do anything else to disrupt the kingdom.”

He grinned and looked at Jasmine, “Well, I was not the only one responsible for that.”

I looked at her and grinned as I reached out to feel our child, “But she is limited in what she can do until the baby comes.”

She laughed and leaned against me to give me a kiss. Silver smiled and finally nodded, “I contacted the Imperial council and they want the items for the heir.”

I looked from him to Jasmine, “The heir is only a child.”

He snorted, “For when he comes of age.”

I sat back, “Why not get it yourself?”

He looked at the fireplace, “The mage hall is warded and those of the mage council here would never let the artifacts go.”

I kept looking at him and he finally sighed, “The emperor is old. The artifacts can help the child survive the change.”

I looked at Jasmine and she touched my hand, “You must wear gloves. The heir is coming here with the emperor.”

I sighed, “My price?”

Silver smiled, “I did a little research and found the entrance you have been looking for.”

I looked at him and then at Jasmine before nodding. Silver grinned, “Look in the bookcases along the eastern wall.”

I caressed Dragon’s full belly, “Time for bed.”

She lifted her head and looked at me pitifully and I sighed before starting to pull drakes closer. I tucked them into my shirt and lifted Griffin to one shoulder and held Dragon on my arm. I glanced at the cats by the fireplace and the phoenixes on the mantle, “Time to go home.”

I stood as Jasmine rose and slipped her hand through my arm. I woke to the hint of a touch and turned my head to see Jasmine in the doorway. She smiled, “It is dark out.”

I nodded and started nudging tiny drakes and then Griffin and Dragon before sitting up and moving the two cats off my feet. Jasmine giggled as I finally moved off the bed and stopped to caress both phoenixes. First was a bath and then I dressed in dark clothing. I slipped my almost empty pack on before stopping in the kitchen to give Jasmine a kiss.

The streets were quiet with men and women hurrying home. I used shadows to cross to the edge of the Wizard’s Walk. The mage hall was granite stone carved by magic to look impressive, instead it just looked gaudy. I moved through the shadows and around to a small side door that was seldom if ever used.

I glanced at Dragon and Griffin, “Find another way in and take the children with you.”

They leaped into the air and vanished into the dark sky. I looked at the door very carefully and smiled before checking to see if it was even locked. I grinned when it swung open and I stepped into the dim darkness. I closed the door behind me and looked around the small entry before crossing to the other door.

This one was spell warded and I knelt to pull out two tiny silver pen knives that had been infused with salt. I carefully began to move the spell strands until they were on the wall beside the door, they were still active but very old. I used a small bulb of oil in the hinges and waited a few minutes before picking the lock and slowly opening the door.

The huge room beyond was filled with comfortable chairs and couches with ever burning iron fire pits. I let my eyes shift and look around and found several mages towards the front by a large open pit with a roaring fire. Dragon dropped out of the shadows and onto my shoulder before patting my cheek and turning my head.

I saw Griffin and several drakes across the room in the tall bookcase. Few real books were on the shelve and those that were had a thick coat of dust. I used the shadows and slowly drifted around and across until I was at the eastern wall. I knelt to look at the floor and slowly moved until I found the old scratches.

I glanced back at the mages still talking and carefully began checking the bookcase. I found the release almost immediately but left it as I moved to check the other side. That was where I found the old spell strands. They were twisted and knotted so I used the silver pen knives to unravel the knots.

It was awhile before I had worked the knots free. I began working to move the twisted strands to the side and onto the solid shelf. I finished and looked back as the mages stood and stretched before heading towards the front door. I waited until long after they left before moving to the release switch.

There was a soft click and I pulled on the bookcase. It pivoted smoothly until there was a passage into the room. I looked carefully as Griffin walked down a shelf and peeked around the corner. He looked at me and chirped softly and I grinned before moving through the bookcase. I looked to the left and down the long room.

I lifted Griffin to my other shoulder, “Nice and slow.”

A few drakes flew in but turned to land on the open bookcase shelves. I walked the entire length of the narrow room before coming to an open doorway. I checked it carefully before looking in and around as I pulled out a tiny mage dark lantern Jasmine had made for me. The room was like a large study with a fire pit in the center and bookcases around the walls.

The shelves held objects and cases and not books and I stepped in, “You can tell the others to come but leave one to watch.”

Dragon chirped and made a rumbling sound. A moment later the drakes were flying in. I crossed the room, “First we take what we came for and then we see what else there is.”

I lifted the crown and a tingle went through the gloves I was wearing. I pulled a small silk bag and slipped it in. Another silk bag and I slipped the scepter in. I put both in my pack before lifting the staff from the back of the shelf. I rolled it in a silk sheet and tied it before turned at Dragon’s pat.

I frowned when I saw the cats rubbing against a glass case next to the floor. Inside a ruby cat was rubbing back. I crossed to them, “No funny stuff.”

I looked at the case before removing four clamps and sliding the top aside. I reached in and lifted the cat out before putting it beside the other two, “Do not get lost.”