Early the next morning Zarin grabbed his stuff and quickly ran out pass his bewildered parents. "ZARIN!!" His father called him back. Zarin stopped and walked back in smiling at them.
"Where are you going in such a hurry." Lowell Testa asked his son.
"Sorry, dad." Zarin kissed his mom. "Trip was missing last night. I'm in a hurry to find out if Reno found him."
"Oh dear!." His mother Lisette said looking worried. "I hope he's ok. I know how well he takes care of him."
"You think we need to get the guards on this?" Lowell asked worried. "I can organize something to help."
"I'll let you know." Zarin told them." But I have to get going."
"Be careful!" His mother called after him
Zarin ran off out the door. As he reached the street, he found Reno and Thalia waiting for him.
"You didn't find him." Zarin frowned. "My dad wants to call the guards in to look for him."
"We don't think that's going to help." Reno said. He sat on the wall and looked up the lane. Dack was running towards then.
"So what happened?" He stopped in front of them breathing hard. Thalia waved them all closer.
"We searched the whole city." She told them. "Everywhere but in peoples homes. We would need the councils approval for that."
"What about Tabor's manor?" Dack asked.
"We couldn't get near the place." Reno said. "To much magic guarding the house."
"Then that's it." Dack's eyes lit up."That's where he is. We should have known Tabor took him to get the ring back"
"We can't prove that Dack." Thalia grabbed her school bag and looked at the others ready to get going. Reno, Dack and Zarin shoulder their bags and followed her down the lane away from Zarin's house.
"So what are we going to do?" Dack asked. "Just go to school? We have to find Trip."
"Relax Dack." Zarin looked around at his friends. "Trip is more important then school. We'll find him and soon."
Zarin turned to Reno and Thalia. "Thalia, you don't think he's been taken to Tabor's right?"
"Reno and I don't think so." She said looking at Reno for his agreement. He nodded. "We don't think he's in Winterhaven. We think he's been taken out of the city. We tracked his scent as far as we could until at just vanished."
"Was that anywhere near Tabor's house?" Zarin asked.
"No." Reno said. "His scent ended behind a shop on the boulevard. From there we searched the city and found nothing. Not a single scent or clue."
"Then where?" Dack asked. "If he's not in the city, what's left?"
"Outside the city walls." Zarin had that look of discovery on his face. "The underground! Did you check there?"
Reno and Thalia smiled at him. Zarin had come to the same conclusion they had.
"No. We were waiting for the two of you so we could go together."
"Then let's get going." Dack smiled at his friends anxious to go find his Trip.
"Hold on all of you." Zarin stopped. "If we're not going to school Professor Insa's going to look for us. I think we should tell him what's going on."
"So do I." Reno told them. "He is our legal guardian after all."
"And he can investigate the Larin's." Thalia's eyes brightened at that thought. "But if we go to the school, they'll make us stay. We can't do that."
"Don't worry. I can inform the Professor without going in." Zarin turned up the lane that went to Shayn's place. "We'll leave our bags at Shayn's and head underground from there. Come on."
Together they ran towards their hideout to stash there things. In his mind Zarin called out to the Professor.
[Professor!] He called
[Zarin.] Came the answer. [You're late. You have class in just a few minutes. Where are you?]
[Professor, Trip is missing.] Zarin sent to him. [We think he's been taken by the Larin's to get that ring back.]
[I knew this was going to become an issue. How can I help?]
[Can you search the Larin's manor?] Zarin asked.
[Not without some kind of proof he's involved.] Professor Insa told him. [He's a councilor of the highest rank. The best I can do is ask him and see how he reacts. But that will let him know somethings wrong, if he's not guilty. Do we want that?]
[We have to know if he has Trip.] Zarin know they had to take the chance. [Talk to him. We're going to look for him. If we find any thing I'll let you know.]
[Be careful. And bring Trip home.]
[We will Professor.]
It didn't take them long to find an entrance to the city sewer system. The smell from all the garbage was overwhelming coming from the gates. Reno stepped up to the gate and rattled the chain on the gate. He whispered a spell and began to twist. Heat flowed from his hand into the lock making it soft and malleable. It broke off in his hand and he dropped it as the gate swung open.
"Can you find a scent over all this smell?" Zarin asked.
Reno took a few sniffs of the air as his form became more wolf like. His ears perked up as he found a scent.
"I smell him." He said. "He was down here. He went that way."
Reno took off into the sewers with the others following him. Quickly they moved through the tunnels taking turns and running threw ankle deep water. They ran for a time until Reno lost the scent then they walked. Less then an hour later Reno found the scent again and was off. Soon the smell of fresh cool air began to hit them. They looked ahead and saw the sunlight coming from outside. They slowed as the came to the end of the tunnel and a broken gate.
"This is how he was taken out of the city." Thalia said stepping through the gate. Outside they found the forest in front of them. Large trees, grasses and wild animals. This was the first time Dack had been outside of the city other then the trip to Lands End. He looked around amazed at the sights of the forest.
Reno stepped up beside him and put his hand on his shoulder. Dack looked at him in wonder.
"I know this is all new to you." Reno said still in his wolfen form. "But Trip is still out there somewhere. We have to keep moving.
"OK." He nodded. "I'm with you."
"He went this way." Reno pointed walking on.
"Was he alone?" Zarin asked.
"No, he wasn't." Reno sniffed the air again to assure himself of the direction to go and Trips scent. "I don't know the other scent. Its familiar but strange. Somethings masking it."
"Whoever it is knew we would track him this way." Zarin said. "They know we're coming I think."
"Then lets not disappoint them." Thalia joined Reno and waved them on. "Let's find Trip."
Once outside the sewers they looked back at the high walls of Winterhaven. They could see the guards patrolling at the top. Zarin told them to keep close to the wall so they would not be seen.
"Where are we going?" Dack asked keeping close to Zarin.
"There are a few small villages and villas out here." Zarin told them. "The villagers hunt for Winterhaven and the villas are private homes of some of our citizens."
"Does Tabor's family have one?" Thalia asked.
"That's a good question." Zarin said. "I don't know, maybe. I guess we'll see."
"Shh!!!" Reno held up his hand to stop then. He had heard something in the distance. He sniffed the air to try and see if he could recognize the scent.
"What is it?" Thalia whispered moving closer to Reno.
"We're not alone out here." He said. "We may be in trouble."
"What is it?" Dack asked a little worried. They all looked around trying to locate what was crashing through the forest towards them. Zarin and Dack readied themselves for a fight as a great Garmr broke through the trees howling at them. It was a monstrous hound confronting them snarling with red eyes blazing.
"Everyone get back!!" Reno yelled.
He took a fighting stance as the beast charged him. Zarin let loose a stunning spell that the Garmr just shook off and kept coming. It snapped at Reno as he jumped to the side missing him by inches. Dack sent a spell of darkness at it. The Garmr howled shaking its head trying to find them in the dark. Reno leaped on its back striking at its head again and again. Pushing itself up on its hind legs it dislodged him from its back knocking him to the ground. Quickly Reno rolled away as it dropped back down to crush him. Plunging forward, the Garmr swung its head blindly knocking Dack into the brush. Thalia ran to him casting a protective shield around them as the beast paw smacked at them.
"Reno!" Zarin called. "My stun wasn't strong enough. We'll do it together. On the count of three. One, Two, Three!!"
Together the two cast their spell on the enraged beast striking it in the head. It howled in pain as it fell to the ground and stopped moving. Zarin ran to Thalia and Dack and helped them to their feet while Reno checked on the Garmr. It's was still and it's breathing was deep.
"Are you alright?" He asked.
"We're fine." Dack said brushing himself off. "Thalia saved me. Thank you."
"I couldn't let it hurt my little brother." She smiled. "Did you kill it?"
"No." Reno walked over to them. "But we should get out of her. It won't be out for long."
"Then let's go." Zarin said. "There's a village close to here. That will be a good place to start looking."
"Yeah, its creepy out here." Dack walked beside Zarin. He put his arm around his shoulder comforting his best friend. Dack thought it was funny but he always felt so warm when he touched Zarin.
"You're doing fine." Zarin told him. "That darkness spell saved all of us. Just everybody stay close. You never know what will come out of this forest."
Sitting at the head of the council table, Insa listened to the arguments made by various members on different issues. They were all minor unimportant issues, but Insa tried to keep his mind on what they were saying. But it wasn't easy. He was worried about his three wards and his two favorite students. They where out there somewhere in who knows what kind of trouble.
He looked across the table to see Tayor looking back at him. Tayor might know what kind of trouble they where in. Insa sat forward and stared back at the dark mage. He was hoping his dragon could sense what he was thinking. He sent has senses across the table at Tayor trying to enter his mind.
[Your wasting your time Insa.] He heard in his mind. [You'll never read me.]
[Where are they?] He sent.
[I have no idea who your talking about.] Tayor smiled. [Is someone missing?]
[If any of those children are hurt.] Insa thundered in his mind. I will not rest until you and your family are driven from Winterhaven in disgrace. I will make sure you and Tabor's magic is bound and your estates are confiscated. I promise you, I WILL DESTROY YOU!!]
Tayor's face showed fear for the first time. He got up from his chair knocking it over and stormed from the council chamber. Everyone looked at him as he left.
"Is something wrong?" Councilman Hamil asked.
"No." Insa told them. "Is there anymore important business to discuss today?"
" No, But there's someone waiting to see you in your office." Hamil told him.
He got up with the rest of the council and left. Insa sat for a minute. He couldn't get Trip off his mind. He was thinking he should be out there looking for him with Zarin and Reno. But he know he needed to keep an eye on Tayor. He was very dangerous and there was no telling what he might do. Especially now that he's been threatened. Tayor would push forward whatever plan he's been working on. Insa just had to learn what that plan was.
Rising from his chair, Insa gathered his paperwork and left the chamber. His office was on the top floor of the council building. He walked to the window and shifted to smoke and flowed out and up into the outer chamber of his office. Sitting behind her desk, his secretary and elder elven woman dressed in her green clan colors watched as he reformed.
"Shera." He smiled handing her his notes from the meeting. "I hear I have guest."
"Yes. I sat them in your office and served them tea." Shera turned to the serving table and whispered a spell. Fire ignited under the tea pot as she readied the sugar and lemon. "I'll have your tea ready shortly. I'll bring it in for you."
"Thank you Shera." Insa walked to his door, opened it and went in. Waiting for him in his office was two young men that were very familiar to him. He smiled as Azeal Zlenka and Tanis Gaelich stood to greet him.
"What are you two doing here?" Insa hugged Azeal then Tanis. "I thought you Azeal were with your father rebuilding Vasagi. And you were suppose to be in Prafa."
"We were." Azeal said sitting back down. "But father thinks the future king of Vasagi needs more schooling. Of course I disagree."
Insa laughed. "And you?"
"Same story." Tanis told him. "Jandar convinced my mother that you could help with my magic. But I don't need magic. I do fine as I am."
"I see." Insa leaned back in his chair. A moment later Shera came in and served him his tea.
"Thank you Shera." She nodded and left the room. "Boys, they're right. Azeal, as the future king you'll need training in diplomacy and strategy, etiquette and history. You've learned a lot from Valkar, but there's so much more. That's why he sent you here."
"I guess." The young vampire said slumping in his chair.
"And you, Tanis." He looked to the handsome youth next to somber Azeal. "With all the magic in your family, is there any doubt you possess strong magic too? You just don't know now to access it. We can teach you how to unlock your magic. Just trust us."
"I don't really have a choice." Tanis frowned. "Do I?"
"Yes you do. If you don't want to learn." Insa told him. "Don't waste my time. I have enough on my mind with a missing student and dark mages trying to turn Winterhaven into their own private kingdom."
Insa climbed to his feet and walked to the window. He stared out forgetting his guest for a time. Tanis and Azeal looked each other puzzled at Insa's behavior. They both could tell he was worried. Maybe they had arrived just in time to help.
"Professor." Insa turned back to them. "I think you should tell us exactly what's going on here."
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