Dragonfly Web: Whitestuff

Fifteen | Looking for Clues

"You can just poke around." Ylva Manladel opened the storeroom door for Ciara. "There's nothing you can hurt in there at the moment. Just storage. Crates are either still sealed or already empty. You go ahead, Dear. I'll just be at the front."

Skye-voice groaned as soon as Ylva was gone. "You don't really want to go in there, do you? It looks pretty small in that cave."

"It's a storeroom."

"Why would you care where their—the pen is?"

"I want to learn—something. About—anything here," Ciara said cautiously, peering ahead.

"You remember. It's your home."

"If it's my home, why can't I remember?" Ciara showed no fear at all. "You can wait near the door if you're scared of small spaces then. And why would the library's special donated pen go missing? I'll just be a minute."

"Graakk! It has nothing to do with you. Why would you care—?"

"Just curious. I like to know what is what. It's like a mystery and maybe something will remind me of—somewhere."

"Fast, then, if you must. We have training to do and Councils to see. What if this thief of yours has hidden in here?"

"Oh, good thinking. I'll take a look."

"I was rather meaning don't take a look—" he grumbled after her.

But Ciara was already creeping inside. She went further in until all that could be heard was bumping followed by bouts of silence.

Skye-voice grew impatient.  "You're taking a long time looking."

"That's how I do it."

"Oh, that doesn't bode well. I need a fast student."

"You can come in and look for yourself then."

"Undignified—small space. Grak. I don't think so. Just hurry up. Ukk."

"Oh, I see."  There was a long pause and then Ciara said, "I don't think I'll be able to do this fast.  Something has happened."

"What? What? Do I need to come in?"

"No. No. I can tell you from here. The crate was undone and replaced with what looks like a seal—fastened on top. A thief in a hurry just wouldn't do that."

"Grak. No danger. Notice these things a little more quickly then, would you?"

"Yes. What do I call you—? —Trainer?"

"I'm a sort of a seer you would say, maybe—akk. I don't know with humans. Yes, 'Trainer' is close enough."

"Skye?"

Skye?

Skye, where did you go?

"Hmm—tracks are out here." Suddenly Ciara could hear Skye's voice, but now it seemed to come from outside the building, instead of inside the huge library chamber.

"How did you get out? Aren't we inside a mountain?"

"Not all of it's mountain from here. A student came in and I went out. Looks like whomever left from the front had a helper back here. I see the tracks leave from both the back and the front. Arraak!"

Ciara opened the back door to see where Skye was outside. She could feel his breath with his nose to the ground.

Beyond a single step, there was a rough access courtyard. A channel in the ground led down toward the steps to the storage room.

"Careful. You'll get your nose stuck in there."

Skye groaned, again. "Now you've got me noticing details—! Please hurry."

"Where? Let me see?" Ciara bumped something again.

"No, ask me later and I can describe it. Just finish what you're doing in there."

"Well, I think some other crates have been opened before—the ones that all seem to have— Hmm—the same seal."

Ciara went silent a moment.

"I think even more now that the pen has been stolen."

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