The Unicorn Must Die

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The magician's home was built between two towering rock formations, overlooking the edge of the city. It took about an hour for Isla-Dove to make her way from the seamstress shop to this part of town. As she approached the rickety stairwell that led up to the large house's door, she took a moment to compose herself.

The magician was well-known for agreeing to help people, yet everybody spoke of him with hesitancy and caution. Something about him didn't seem right. Isla-Dove had never met him personally. All she knew was through sources such as Marina, Princess Kerensa, and Prince Romare.

The house was covered in ivy and moss, yet it still looked fresh and welcoming. There were six different pieces to the home spread out, with ladders attaching them all to one another. It was intriguing, as if instead of consolidating each space into separate rooms like what was normally done in a house, each room was placed individually on the rock formation for extra privacy. It was beautiful. It was daunting. Isla-Dove didn't like heights if she didn't feel stable and safe from falling. As she climbed the stairwell, she clenched the railing rather tightly.

Small waterfalls cascaded down between the rocks. As she got closer to the house, she realized there were even waterfalls directly behind each room, the water spraying its droplets against the ladders.

That wasn't safe at all.

There was one room situated at the top of the rock formation. It was the largest room. There were two beneath that one, two more beneath the first set, and then one at the bottom.

The one Isla-Dove had just reached.

She caught her breath as she stood by the door, the waterfalls cool mist meeting her skin and leaving tiny droplets of dew in her curls. Two ladders hung at either side of her, swaying and inviting her to climb one of them up to a higher room.

Not today, she thought to herself. She inhaled deeply before rapping on the door. She almost couldn't hear it over the rush of water around her. She did hear a sudden scratching noise a moment later. Isla-Dove took a quick step back, gaze falling to the threshold where the sound came from. She didn't see anything.

It must have been coming from the other side of the door.

She was even more cautious now, glancing around. What was on the other side? She knocked again, louder that time. Was the magician even home?

No sound but the continuation of scratching. Isla-Dove glanced over her shoulder, finding comfort that this home wasn't in a remote area but, instead, on the border of civilization. It made going there less intimidating.

When she turned back to the door, a dark figure was emerging from the waterfall behind the room. She gasped, stumbling back, which resulted in her tripping over her dress. She cried out, hands flying to grab something before she fell down the stairwell. Something grabbed hold of her hand and yanked her back up, not letting go until she was stable on her feet. Her legs shook rather violently as she glanced back down the stairwell.

That would've been a painful fall.

"Can I help you?"

She turned to the person who had come through the waterfall. He eyed her curiously, wet hair hanging around his face. His drenched clothes clung to his body.

"H-Hi." Isla-Dove cleared her throat. "I'm here to speak with the magician."

His dark eyes held her gaze for a moment before he extended a hand. "Enid The Magician, at your service."

She accepted his cold hand, wincing when he squeezed it. "Isla-Dove Kepperton, sir. I...I'm here to request help."

His thin lips lifted into a smile that changed his dark eyes to a light hue of green. Isla-Dove was taken aback at the sight, but before she could say anything, he spoke. "My eyes change with my mood. Quite rare and rather annoying. A betrayal when I want to be unreadable."