Imagination 1: Into the Necklace

Chapter 5: Kivan Gomez

When Matim and I entered Darin's building, I noticed that Grey was already back. This was normal because he usually needed more help with his training. However, today something was different. Typically, he would be engaged in combat by the time we got back, in a good mood because he did a bad/good deed that day.

That was how Matim and I described his daily habits. He would steal from one of the stuffy, overcharging, heartless Trinisulan shops, only to give it away to a poor family in need. He claimed that it was okay, and obviously, I believed him, but I liked to tease him anyway.

Still, today he just seemed... damp. That is the only way that I can explain it. Judging by his body language, he seemed disappointed. While his face was emotionless, his eyes were a different story. They were clouded with pain and regret, but I couldn't guess why.

"Welcome back, boys," Darin called to Matim and I. "What did you get done today?"

"I looked into the Freda Case," Matim told him. "It was a misunderstanding. Freda had only stolen an apple, instead of trashing the entire produce store like we had been told."

Darin nodded. "Kivan?'

"I watched the wand shop like you had asked," I said proudly. "There was only one thief today, but I was able to get close enough to figure out who he was. I followed him to a back alley, where he put the wand down in order to prepare for a spell. I snatched it when we weren't looking and was long gone by the time he noticed it was missing."

"Did you bring it back to the shop?" My mentor asked me.

"Of course not," I replied. I tossed the want to him, and he caught it with ease. He inspected it, then nodded to me.

"Good work, boys," Darin told us. "Now, get in the sparring circle."

Matim and I exchanged looks. Usually, Darin would wait to say this until we had all shared our achievements of the day, but Grey had stayed silent the entire time that we were back. Normally, he would tell some fib about how he scouted for possible moles in Trinisula, here to bring back word to Queen Chelsea's side of Fanhalla. We all knew that he really was playing Robin Hood, stealing from the wealthy to give to families in need. However, he told us of no such thing.

I reluctantly walked into the sparring circle, with Matim following. Grey stayed on his bedroll, looking like he had just found out that his father had gone to war and not come back, and when his mother went to look for him, she hadn't returned either, thus leaving Grey to grow up alone with somebody that he barely knew and to learn that he shouldn't care for anyone.

I wonder what that feels like.

"Well, boys," Darin said, interrupting my train of thought. "Today has been a long day, so we are only going to have one practice match. Kivan, Matim, fight!"

Normally, I would leap into action, and Matim would be pinned under me in less than a minute. But I was still shocked by how Grey had been completely ignored that evening.

Matim, on the other hand, leaped into action. He grabbed one of the practice swords from the wall and ran toward me at full tilt. He swung at me, and I barely had time to leap out of the way. Shaking the fog out of my head, I grabbed a sword as well and leaped at him.

We began to duel, and the sound of crashing wood filled the building. Darin cheered us on, shouting, "Go for his shoulder! Roll to the left! Remember his tactics, and whatever you do, don't get distracted!"

I couldn't tell if he was talking to me or Matim but fought on anyway. After all, Darin was right, I had to keep a clear head.

Suddenly, there was a pounding at the front door. Instinctively, I put my sword in the empty sheath that I always kept at my waist, and silently dove behind a trunk. Matim and Grey followed suit, hiding behind various pieces of furniture in the room.

After checking that we were all safely hidden, Darin opened the door. "What do you want?" He barked at the person outside the door.

The person shoved their way inside, ignoring Darin's shouted warnings. I noticed that Grey, who was crouching behind a desk in the corner, had stiffened up, and he seemed... afraid. Guilty.

The person pulled down their hood, revealing their face. It was a man, a warlock, who was tall and had short black hair. I recognized him immediately.

"Taril?" I asked in surprise, coming out from behind the trunk. He looked at me and smiled, then signed a tired hello.

"What? Taril? What are you doing here?" Darin demanded.

Taril only reached into his satchel and took out an envelope, printed with the seal of the Peacemakers. He held it out to my mentor, who then took it.

As he read it, his face paled and then returned to its normal color.

"Oh, that's nice," Darin told Taril. "But I can't send away my boys. I need them here, or else my school is going to close. Well, at least, I need most of them. You can take Grey and go."

I glanced and Grey, shocked. He didn't seem surprised, though. He just seemed... disappointed. In himself.

Oh. I finally understood. Grey must have proved himself unworthy to Darin, and he was going to be sent home, rejected and disgraced. That was why he was so sad earlier.

But wait. I knew that he would be expelled from our small academy no matter what, but he didn't have to go back to the West Camp. If he went on a mission, he would be a hero, and Mystical would be thrilled. I had noticed their crushes on each other long ago, and this way their relationship would progress even more. But I couldn't let him go by himself. He would get himself killed even if he had a whole team with him. I needed to go along, but how could I convince Darin to let me go?

Apparently, I didn't have to. Taril impatiently pointed to one section of the letter, and over his shoulder, I could read my name and Grey's. Haha! He had to let us! Even though Darin didn't like to admit it, Stakr was still in charge of the three prodigies at his school. He could withdraw us at any time.

Even though I was pleased with the prospect of my friend and I going on a Peacemaker mission, I knew that Darin would argue. I could even see his face turning red, preparing to holler.

"How about we go in your study to talk about this, Darin," I interrupted.

He turned to me. "We?"

"Well, you and Taril obviously need to talk, so you have to be there, and I need to be there to translate," I replied.

"Fine," Darin grumbled reluctantly.

Both Grey and Matim gave me strange looks when I followed the two adults into the room. I just smiled, however, the smile that let them know that I had a plan. When they saw this, they both grinned back, despite Matim's confusion and Grey's gloomy mood.

As I followed Taril and Darin into the study, I grinned even more. I couldn't wait to start this adventure.