Chapter 6

The night was still dark and the city streets still thick with fog by the time Callum descended from his tower to hurry to the far side of the city, right by the city wall, to the small place his two dear friends called home.

In any other city in the whole Kingdom, to walk the streets alone at this hour would be asking for trouble, but here in Asturia, things weren't quite the same as they were on the mainland. People came to the Magical Isle voluntarily of their own free will and in so doing, agreed to abide by the charter that had been set in place in order to keep the city streets safe. Of course, after all that had happened with the treachery of the Inner Circle, Callum had had to have the charter amended somewhat from its old, authoritarian style, but the principle was still the same; Asturia would be a safe-haven for all who wanted to keep it that way, and if you didn't like it, you were asked to leave.

Naturally, there were still patrols that watched the streets and patrolled the coast beyond the city walls, but other than the odd incident every few years, Asturia was perhaps the safest place Callum could imagine for anyone to live.

This in mind, he nodded his greeting as he was saluted by a small group of watch-men and women patrolling the city centre. Though he could appreciate their surprise at seeing him rushing through the streets, he didn't stop to say hello or see how they fared. Instead he continued on at pace through the open square of the market district on into the narrower streets where many of the 'Isle's more "long term" residents lived.

Knowing the route like the back of his hand, it didn't take him long to navigate his way through the warren of side-streets and alleyways to the large brown door that marked the entrance to his friends' home. Above the door was marked the inscription "wisdom exalteth her children and layeth hold of them that seek her". Very Lena, he thought to himself fondly. She always had been the clever one.

Taking a tentative step forward, he rapped on the door.

No one answered.

He knocked again, this time louder.

Still no response.

Just as he considered calling out and knocking for a third time, he heard the sound of movement and someone stumbling their way to the door. A loud bang followed by a curse and a grumble told him Aaron was clumsily making his way to the door. His magical sight was so powerful these days Callum sometimes forgot that his best friend was effectively blind to the "real" world.

Another grumble and the figure behind the door started rattling with a number of bolts and chains. Though the Magical Isle was without doubt one of the safest places to live in the whole Kingdom, Lena always did like to be careful.

Eventually, after what seemed like an awful lot of rattling and grumbling, the door was opened a crack and a familiar face peered out.

"Who is it? This better be important do you know what time it is?!"

Callum stepped forward. "Open the door Aaron, it's me."

"Callum? I should have known it would be you disturbing me. Never could let me get a good night's sleep could you!"

Callum couldn't help but smile as Aaron opened the door wider and beckoned him in. He always did like to grumble. "This better be worth it." Callum stepped inside. "Tea?"

Callum nodded and followed obediently as Aaron led him through the house, past a small study, and on through into the kitchen. As was always the way, Aaron kept a good supply of biscuits. He reached for the tin. "Want one?" he asked. Callum just shook his head. Aaron shrugged and took one for himself before lighting the stove and preparing the tea. Callum helped himself to a seat.

"What's so important that it couldn't wait until the morning eh? If I had known it was you I probably wouldn't have been so quick in rushing to the door!" Though he joked, Callum could detect a subtle undertone of concern in his friend's voice. Typical Aaron.

"Well I've been thinking"

"Oh no, here we go"

"About Phae."

"Oh."

"I take it you heard about what happened yesterday?"

"Kind of hard not to hear about it if I'm honest with you. It is true about Kulgrim?"

"Afraid so," Callum sighed. He accepted the cup of tea his friend offered him gratefully. He took a sip. "You know I was worried something like this would happen. Worried someone would get hurt I mean really hurt."

Aaron remained silent as Callum put his tea down on the table and rested his head in his hands. He began to massage his temples with his fingers. "I just don't know what to do Aaron. She's only a girl."

"A girl with very unique parentage," Aaron added.

"A girl with very unique parentage," Callum agreed. "Who through no real fault of her own just burnt down the Halls of Meditation and killed a man in the process. They were Halls of Meditation Aaron she wasn't even supposed to be practising magic!" He sighed. "She's getting out of control. I just don't know what to do"

Aaron laid a hand on his friend's shoulder as he took a sip of tea. Just then a bleary-eyed figure came to stand at the doorway. She wore a dressing gown wrapped tightly around her. She came in and sat down beside them. "Oh, it's you Callum. Can't sleep either eh?" she said, taking the cup of tea Aaron offered her with a polite nod of thanks. "I'd only just got off to sleep myself."

"You heard then?"

"About Phae? Yes, I had heard some rumours. That wasn't why I couldn't sleep though. I've been having these really strange dreams recently. Really not nice."

Callum let out another sigh. "Tell me about it," he said. "For over a week now I've barely had a wink of sleep. There's something not quite right in the realm, though for the life of me yet I can't figure out what."

"Have you been to the Seer about it?"

"Not yet." Callum shook his head. "I've been kind of preoccupied with other matters"

"Poor girl," Lena sighed. "And it doesn't help her mother isn't around much to help. Have you heard from Kiera at all?"

"She sent a message a week or so ago now saying she might be making progress tracking down the last members of the Inner Circle. She thinks she's getting somewhere but I'm not so sure."

"Do you think the Lintari will ever find them?" Aaron asked.

Callum shrugged. "I don't honestly know," he replied. "If there's one thing I will say about this island's former masters, it's that they really know how to stay out of sight."

"Well they've had centuries of experience at it I guess," Aaron said wearily, "crafty buggers."

"I'm afraid you're right there my friend," Callum nodded, taking another sip of tea. He shook his head as Aaron again offered him a biscuit. "I'm afraid the longer this hunt goes on the more likely it is we'll never find them. It's been over twenty years now"

Aaron tutted. "Twenty years," he said slowly, looking towards Lena, "can you really believe it's been twenty years already?"

Lena raised an eyebrow but remained silent. Somewhere below the surface Callum was sure he could sense some tension. He had known for some time now Lena wanted to get married but Aaron still hadn't summoned the courage to propose. He made a mental note to speak to him about it later.

After a long moment's pause, Lena finally spoke. "So anyway," she said, "this still doesn't solve the problem we have with Phae. Nor indeed does it answer our questions about the strange dreams we've been having. It seems there's only really one solution at this moment in time to me"

Aaron knew what was coming. His expression was pained. "Oh, do we have to?"

Lena nodded firmly. "Yes we do have to Aaron. It will do you good to speak to the Seer again after your last little falling out."

Callum shot her a questioning look. "He's been arguing with Elidor again has he?"

"You could say that yes, though arguing is perhaps not the right word."

"Aaron?"

"What?!" Aaron looked indignant. "I only made a comment about his weather forecasts which I note Lena, he got wrong yet again. He's really not as good as he used to be you know."

"Well you could have been a bit more tactful about it, couldn't you?"

"Aaron? Tactful?" Callum snorted.

"That's enough from you Mister Mage," Aaron wagged his finger in Callum's general direction. "It's not easy being nice to the Seer when he's so grumpy all the time."

"So, you've noticed it as well have you?" Callum asked.

"Who hasn't? He's just so morbid these days. Every time I see him he seems to be in a worse mood than before. It's almost like he's got a death-wish or something."

With these words the conversation drew to a close. Death-wish or not, when the sun rose, they would all have to go and visit the Seer.