Rodrigo Zacara and the Mirror of Power

10. The Injured Wolf

It didn't take them long to find Donegan. They started by taking the floor beneath his study and heading to where the room was located above them before Vega was able to check that he wasn't there. Then they decided to take a look at his bedroom but, before they set off, Vega saw him through the roof, walking along the corridor right above them.

'Shh! He's above us,' the girl whispered. 'He's going in.'

The six of them followed him (well, Vega followed him) and tried not to make any noise with their footsteps. Vega suddenly stopped and indicated with hand movements that Donegan was above them. While she was alert to all of the knight's movements, the others looked at her wondering what she could see.

'It's the seer's bedroom!' Vega whispered. 'He's just entered it. He's looking for something. I imagine it's her diary. He's opening all the drawers.'

'How did he unlock the door?' Noa asked.

'He didn't open it. It looked like... like he passed through it. He stopped in front of it and a minute later he was inside.'

The girl was silent, her gaze still fixed on the roof where it remained for a further two minutes.

'He's left. Let's follow him,' she said, retracing their steps along the same corridor.

'Did he find the diary?' Rodrigo asked.

'I don't think so. I don't think it was there.'

'Where's he going now?' Oliver inquired.

'I don't know,' said Vega. 'I think he's going to his bedroom. No, wait. He's going down the stairs. Hide!'

The six of them backed away several metres and huddled against a wall as Donegan passed a few metres from the place they were hiding. He had been so close to discovering them but fortunately he disappeared without noticing their presence.

'He's still going down,' Vega whispered. 'We can follow him now.'

Step by step, they began to descend the staircase as they paid attention to their friend's indications as she tried to keep Donegan in her sight at all times. After descending two more floors, Vega stopped and the rest of them copied her.

'He's on the ground floor where the studies are,' she said. 'We'll watch him from here.'

Once again they followed Vega as she hurried through the fortress' corridors, this time with her stare concentrated on the floor. After turning a corner, she stopped so suddenly that Oliver couldn't avoid bumping into her.

'He's gone into Balkar's study!' she said. 'He's looking through all the drawers and wardrobes again.'

'He'll keep looking for the diary,' Rodrigo said. 'If it wasn't in the seer's bedroom the grand master probably has it.'

'You're right. He's just found it,' said Vega. 'He's put it under his tunic and... and...'

Vega's eyes looked as though they might fall out of her head as she began to turn her head to look in different directions.

'What's wrong?' Darion asked.

'He disappeared!'

'He what?' Oliver asked.

'Donegan suddenly disappeared!'

'Come on,' said Rodrigo. 'We need to let Balkar know, even if it's too late.'