Nagan | Broken Time Series: Book One

Chapter 37

"It all started when I woke up in the middle of the night with a letter on my bedside table," Nagan began once Master Dagmire and Az were seated. Master Dagmire sitting in the chair while Az sat at the foot of the bed. "There really wasn't anything special about it, just a plain envelope with a red seal, but I had no idea how it got there or why it was there in the first place. Thinking it was harmless, I opened it."

He watched as Az tensed and Master Dagmire furrowed his brows. That was when Nagan thought of something. Perhaps...it wasn't the best idea to tell them exactly what happened. He willingly followed the letter's instructions, and his actions could be seen as traitorous.

"Immediately I felt something enter my throat, and a voice echoed in my head telling me to follow its instructions or risk losing my head." It was easier to lie when there was still some truth to it. "I tried to speak or call for help, but whatever was inside me threatened to cut my tongue out. So, I did as it said."

"And I slept through this?" Az asked in a wavering voice, his face pale and expression guilty.

Nagan kicked him lightly. "Don't beat yourself up over it. Besides, it would've been worse if we both got involved."

Az looked even more miserable than before. "But it just feels like you keep getting caught into all these bad situations and I keep on leaving you behind. Like when we were nearly kidnapped and you held them off as I ran away." That earned him an even harder kick.

"Don't be stupid. Both of us really could have been kidnapped if you didn't go get help," Nagan responded sharply. "But funny you should mention that..."

"Are the two events connected?" Master Dagmire asked.

"Every time they--" Nagan swallowed and took a breath, the bedsheets crumpled in his grip, "--said something about selling me, their leader would shoot down the idea and rage about how a hooded man would be angry if they didn't provide a Carvolier student as he had asked.

"Going back to the night with the letter, the voice led me to that dark library and made me retrieve a book. By the time I found it, I wasn't in control of my body, and it brought me into the woods and to a clearing. And...there he was. A man with his hood up and a shadow completely covering his face. The only thing you could see was his eyes which were an inhuman yellowy green. I'm sure he's the same hooded man who they were talking about and probably the one who killed them."

"So you think you were targeted because of the previous event?" Master Dagmire asked gently.

"Maybe...it doesn't seem like a coincidence to me since he also knew my name. After I gave him the book, he told me to be in Tekanlab in 80 days if I wanted to see what I've done."

"So...is that the real reason why you went to Tekanlab?" Az folded his legs under him and fiddled with the hem of his sleeve. "And that's why you couldn't have anyone go with you? Because if you did, your tongue would be cut out?"

Nagan nodded. "And the main reason why I wanted to start in Korgany was because I knew it would take about 80 days to get there from there. I didn't want to be waiting around Tekanlab for long." Nagan glanced at Master Dagmire sheepishly. "I'm sorry for deceiving you."

For deceiving you then and deceiving you now.

"In this case it's understandable, but it was unnecessary to follow the man to Tekanlab in the first place. What if something happened while you were there?" Master Dagmire paused before narrowing his eyes at Nagan. "Something did happen when you were there. You teleported to my office completely out of breath as if you were running from something."

"Uhhh..." Nagan cleared his throat and looked anywhere besides Master Dagmire. "Long story short, I found where they were, and they began to chase me. Thankfully the Fae was there to get me out."

"They?"

"The hooded man was talking to others with hoods and had a wild dragon chained down behind him. He called them kinsmen--"

Both Nagan and Az jumped as Master Dagmire suddenly rose to his feet, his fists clenched and his eyes wide with alarm. "What did they want?" he demanded.

"I'm not sure," Nagan replied quickly, "but they said something about Norbaiya and...and..."

"And what?"

"I'm sorry, Master Dagmire..." Nagan felt the man's heavy gaze on him as he pulled his knees to his chest and said, "The book I gave him was the Codex of Drakarmir..."

The room fell into silence before Master Dagmire gave a long sigh and slowly sat back into the chair.

"What is the Codex of Drakarmir?" Az asked hesitantly.

"The Codex..." Master Dagmire began, "is a very dark book filled with forbidden rituals and incantations." He directed his next words to Nagan. "You were in that library to learn what you had done, am I correct?"

Nagan's silence was all the confirmation he needed.

"I will need to inform the Council of this," Master Dagmire said as he stood back up, "but I can assure you, Nagan, you will not be punished for this. You were unwilling and had no way to defend yourself."

"What do we do now?" Nagan asked quietly with his eyes staring down at the bed.

"I'm afraid all we can do is wait and prepare for what's to come."