Daughter of Azeroth

66 | A SUMMONS

The next morning, almost as soon as Idira took her seat in the archive hall, the familiar shimmering of a portal blossomed on her desk. She watched, grumpy and resigned, wondering what far flung part of the Academy she would have to drag herself to this time. She picked up the card, vaguely noticing it felt heavier than the others she had received. The handwriting was different too, a beautiful calligraphy, and the card's edges bore fat borders of gold curlicues. She rolled her eyes. Typical Dalaran excess. It was a long list, and mostly books from the stacks. She scoffed, bitter. How in the Void was she supposed to carry so many books all by her—

She reached the bottom of the card. No. It couldn't be. She looked at it again, incredulous. Unable to stop herself she jumped up out of her chair and did a little happy dance. The Council of Six finally had need of her services. She was going to the Citadel! She stopped dancing and looked down at herself, her joy sliding away in a torrent of shame. Today was laundry day. She had left her violet dress on her bed for collection and worn the only other dress she owned, the faded one from Westfall. She slumped down onto her chair, defeated. Typical. Just typical.

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Before she even reached the vast staircase leading up to the main entrance of the Violet Citadel, Idira was already exhausted. She struggled under the weight of nine fat tomes, barely able to see the way ahead. Dodging yet another self-absorbed Dalaran citizen shoving his way through the press, she managed to cling onto the books without dropping them. Back when she'd started, Duncan had warned her just before she made her first delivery that dropping books was a very serious offence, the punishment so dire, he wouldn't even say it, but the certainty of expulsion afterwards was guaranteed.

Halfway up the staircase, she huddled against the wall, leaning against it, trying to catch her breath. She was beginning to see spots in front of her eyes and her arms ached so much, they were starting to go numb. The Citadel looked so close when one looked at it from the Academy, but she was beginning to realise its magical aura distorted the sense of distance from it. In fact, the tower was halfway across the city from the Academy. She staggered up the remaining stairs, counting as she went, to distract herself from the burning sensation of pins and needles in her shoulders. Seventy-three, seventy-four, seventy-five. The staircase finally ended. Trying not to stagger, she crossed the large courtyard and approached the outer gates, her arms quaking with fatigue.

'Halt!' A hand on her arm, holding her back. 'You must have documentation to enter.'

Idira peeked around the stack of books at the guard bearing down her, fierce. She sighed and knelt, setting the books down with great care onto the polished floor tiles. She opened the cover of the top book and held out the card with the order. The guard took it and looked it over, dubious, calling over one of the other guards to check it. Surreptitiously, Idira rubbed the circulation back into her arms, secretly grateful for the chance to rest while the other guard inspected the card.

'Everything looks in order,' he said, 'though why the library would send that disgrace into the High Council's Chamber is beyond me.' They stood, side by side, eyeing her, disdainful. Self-conscious, Idira tugged at her skirt and straightened it.

'Go on then,' the first guard said, waving her through. 'They're waiting.'

'How do I find them?' Idira asked as she knelt and gathered up the books again, her arms screaming in protest.

The guards rolled their eyes at each other. The second one jerked his head at the open glass doors of the tower's entrance. 'Just keep going straight up the stairs, the Chamber is right in the middle. Even an idiot couldn't miss it. Then again, you might.' They laughed, mean, as she walked away. 'Have you ever seen such a thing?' the first one said, speaking loud enough so she would be sure to hear. 'Purple eyes, and that raggedy dress, where did she find that? In the sewers? People like her don't belong here. Hope the Council sends her back to whatever hole she crawled out from.'