Dragons Rising ✔️

Ch 29: Intruder

It was a quick flight to Callah's office building. We barged into the front hall together, and I called for Callah. There was no response.

Leera went back outside. [I'll go look around the island for Gracewing. You check the building.]

"So much for not separating." I headed down the hall to Callah's office. When I reached the end of the hall, I saw that the door was ajar.

"Callah?" I eased the door open.

The office was dark, but I heard someone or something rustling around in there. Just in case it was some type of intruder, I whispered the first magical name I could think of and got ready to fight as I started transforming.

"Hawei Toorab Telmar." I grew at an astounding rate, arms and legs lengthening, all of me sprouting dark brown fur. By the time my own increased weight pulled me down to all fours, I was entirely a thoroughbred horse.

"Who are you?"

The rustling stopped. In the light from the hallway, I made out a tall, skinny figure near a bookshelf. He— though I wasn't sure whether it was a he or a she—ran at me, drawing a sword. I was regretting my choice of animal already. Horses had no armor, and my opponent had a sword.

But to my surprise, he didn't attack right away. He paused at the doorway, and I got a better look at him then. He was covered from head to toe in black clothes, the fabric of his shirt stretched tight over an oddly lumpy middle. On his face, he wore thick, reflective glasses.

"Keep back, or I'll trample you." I raised a sharp hoof off the marble floor.

The hand not holding his sword gripped a small wrapped bundle with the Academy's symbol on it. The red hilt of a dagger peeked out of its end.

Suddenly, he sheathed the sword and drew a small golden sphere out of his pocket. It was a cracked glow orb, and I realized what he was about to do a second later. He hurled the orb at my feet as I started to turn. It hit the floor and exploded with enough force to knock me off all four hooves.

Stunned, I struggled to get up. By the time I was standing again, the intruder had disappeared. I transformed back to talme. Or to paltor, I guessed.

As Leera and Callah came in through the double doors, I quickly transformed my fangs into normal canines.

[What happened?] Leera asked.

My heart was still beating rather quickly, a fact that she would've noticed even if we hadn't shared a mental link.

"Someone broke into your office," I told Callah, "and they chased me out here. I transformed, then they ran. I think they took a dagger from your office."

Her face twitched. "A dagger?"

I nodded.

Leera swung her huge head around to peer into the shadows at the edges of the hall. She sniffed deeply, then looked back at me. [They're not still here.] She paused as Callah headed for her office. [And it doesn't smell like anyone except you has been here for hours.]

[I'm sure someone was here.] I followed Callah down the hall, while Leera stayed in the entranceway.

[Then they smelled like a horse.]

[That was me.] I went into Callah's office.

Callah had turned on a glow orb and was searching through the same bookshelf the thief had been messing with. A panel at the back of the shelf was open to reveal a small storage area. It was just large enough for a short dagger, like the one the thief had taken. The room suddenly felt very cold, and I shivered slightly. Callah's fists were clenched.