Thankfully, no one was out on the streets at this time in the day. Most were at home enjoying lunch, so it was the perfect opportunity for Keenan to steal the book. He slipped quietly into the library and headed for the section that held the forbidden and reference articles.
As he�d expected, he didn�t have any trouble using the lock-picks he carried to open the door on the case. It was meant to stop magical theft. No one expected a mage to do anything mundanely. That�s why Keenan was generally successful in these types of missions. He did the last thing anyone expected him to do.
He scanned through the dusty titles sitting on the shelf until he found the one he wanted. Then he carefully lifted it and slid it into a silk bag. Tucking the bag under his arm, he locked the door and slipped back outside.
As he was making his way back to the portal that would return him to the Dark Castle, he came face-to-face with Phillip Long-blade, the Lord Elder of the Good Mages. He froze at first, unsure how to proceed.
�Keenan,� Phillip exclaimed. �What are you doing here?�
�Leaving,� Keenan replied. Without giving Phillip a chance to reply, he turned and ran back the other direction. He got about ten feet before he ran into an invisible wall and bounced off it to land hard on his back. The book, still in the silk bag, flew from his hands on impact and slid to a stop at Phillip�s feet.
The warlock bent and lifted the package. He opened it to see what it was, while Keenan tried to see if he could get away in another way. Just as he�d expected, Phillip had thrown a dome shield over him. There was no where he could run. �Bartholomew,� he muttered.
�What does Elayne want with this, Keenan?� Phillip asked. �What spell was she planning on using and for what purpose?�
While the older man was speaking, Keenan felt his familiar arrive and began wringing his hands, the prearranged signal to be ready to teleport him back to his suite in the Dark Castle. �I don�t ask questions,� he said honestly. Still wringing his hands, he added, �Lady Elayne told me to get the book, so I came to get it. You might as well just let me go.�
�Sorry,� Phillip said softly. �I�m afraid you�ve crimes that you need to stand trial for.� Phillip paused and then said, �Keenan Meadows, you�re under arrest for: theft of a forbidden grimoire, assault with magic and using magic to kill ��
�Trees,� Keenan spat angrily.
Phillip scowled. �Wizards are not to use magic to kill any living thing,� he replied. �Even trees. Now, are you going to come along peacefully?�
�No,� Keenan replied, shaking his head. A moment later, he clapped and vanished from sight.
�Bloody Hell,� Phillip grumbled. Turning to Alaric, he said, �He teleported away.�
The tall conjuror sighed. �At least you were able to retrieve the book,� he said calmly.
�But � but I didn�t even hear him do a spell!� Phillip grumbled. Then his eyes widened as he realized how Keenan had performed the spell and he looked up at Alaric. �He�s a contact wizard,� he whispered.
�Have to remember that next time,� Alaric replied. �The only thing we need do to prevent his escape by magic is prevent his hands from touching.�
Phillip nodded silently and they headed toward the library to return the book to its proper place.
**
Keenan appeared in his suite a moment after he�d vanished from the street on Cygma. Sighing, he pulled off his weathering cloak and headed down to the Great Hall. �Lady Elayne,� he said softly, as he entered the room.
�Keenan,� she replied evenly.
Meadows looked up at her where she sat enthroned on her dais and sighed deeply. Dropping to one knee, he said, �I�m sorry, my lady�I � I failed to retrieve the book.� Keenan swallowed a sudden lump in his throat and looked up at the woman. �Phillip and Alaric found me while I was trying to get back to the portal. When I tried to get away, Phillip threw a dome shield over me � the kind living things can�t go through.� He looked down at the tiled floor and said, �He got the book from me and I only just managed to get away from him. I�ll accept whatever punishment you think I deserve.�
Elayne looked thoughtful for a moment; then said, �You got closer to stealing the book than any of the others have, Keenan. I applaud your honesty and I won�t punish you.�
�Really?� Keenan asked in disbelief.
Elayne smiled. �If I killed all my best people, what would that get me?� she asked rhetorically. �No, I won�t punish you this time, but don�t make a habit of this, Keenan.�
�I won�t, my lady,� Keean replied, getting to his feet. Bowing graciously, he said, �Thank you.� At her nod, he turned and hurried out of the room.
�You like him,� Elise said softly.
Elayne smiled and nodded. �Find out what you can about him,� she told Ellery. �He may be what I�ve been searching for.�
�Right,� the fire wizard replied. Shaking his head slightly, he followed the wizard out of the Great Hall. If Elayne continued to like what she saw in this young wizard, Keenan Meadows was in for quite a surprise.
End
