Heart of Dorkness

Terror Forty-One - Sneaky

Terror Forty-One - Sneaky

Terror Forty-One - Sneaky

Phase one of Operation Sneaky Stealy is very simple. We cant steal the books if were not inside the academy.

Felix is in the lead mostly because, in the near-total darkness, her special kind of not-blindness is a lot more useful than Esme and Is normal sight.

Esme glances up as we pass under another pipe leading to a grate above. Thats one, she says. Were going to pass three of these before were under the academy.

And then we leave from one inside the academy, right?

Huh? Didnt you pay attention to that part of the plan? She raises her hand, still filled with crackling lightning. No, no, were going to exit into their cistern.

I thought that would be the same thing, I say.

She shakes her head. Nope. The cisterns take up the entire bottom floor of one of the castles. We should be able to just walk right in.

Alright, I said. Then we move on to phase two.

Right!

I splish splash onwards, moving my legs so I can warm them up a little. I think Im getting used to the temperature. You know, I dont know where the water at home comes from. Im pretty sure we dont have a cistern under us.

Maybe you have a cistern on the roof, or a well, Esme says. You need water from somewhere. Which city are you from, again?

Ah, somewhere to the east, I say. We also dont have a pool.

A pool? Like for swimming in? I think some of the temples have those. There certainly isnt anything like that at the great library.

Of course not. Someone might get the books wet, I say.

Mmhmm. If you want to become an archivist, then you need to know how to swim. Esme turns towards me, legs swishing through the water. So I need to learn how soon.

Youre really determined to become an archivist, huh? I ask.

Of course. My parents were both archivists. Its how they met and fell in love.

Felix turns around, walking backwards through the water. Really? You want to become one of those archivists so you can meet someone to marry and have little Esmes with?The source of this content nov(el)bi((n))

What? No! I want to become an archivist so I can discover secrets no one has ever found before. To see the strangest places in the world, to read the rarest books! I want to travel and see all five great nations, see the independent cities, maybe even travel to other continents where they worship strange gods.

I stifled a sigh. I was such a terrible friend. But Id make it up to her!

Thats another, Esme says as she looks up. Were passing under yet another pipe leading up. That should be the last one. The cistern for the academy should be up next.

I can see something around the bend, Felix says. Its an opening, I think, into a big room.

Your joy magic is really good, Esme says.

Its more from necessity than because of talent or anything, Felix says. She grins back at us. I have actual eyes now, you know. I wont need it as much.

Its still good to use, I say. You can sense things from angles you cant see. And your control is super good. I really should teach you a few spells. Or how to readthat way you can learn your own spells.

That would be nice, Felix says. I bet I can get good work if I know how to read and do figures and more magic.

Mmhmm, I say. We also need to teach you more balancing things. Unbalanced cultivations dangerous.

Urgh, tell me about it, Esme says. Miss Gertrude makes me do all these exercises ever since I started to use spark magic by accident. Just because anything metal kept sticking to me, and I let out a few sparks that spooked some of our guests.

Felix and I giggle, and Esme huffs until she breaks out into laughter too.

We turn around the corner and slow to a stop.

The cistern is before us, a deep and wide room, with large stone pillars throughout it. The ceiling is supported by carefully crafted brick arches. Its a pretty room, designed and obviously built to last. I imagine it has to be, with an entire castle sitting above it.

A tunnel just like ours sits at the far end of the cistern, water flowing out of it and to... somewhere in the city, I imagine.

To the right, theres a surface above the water, with barrels and what looks like a pump. I can imagine people coming down and grabbing water from here to use elsewhere in the academy. Probably either servants or the less important members of the church.

There is also a large gate between us and the cistern.

Probably should have expected that, Felix says.

Shucks, I say.

Maybe theres a latch, or some way to open it? Esme asks. Her voice dips when its echo returns from the other side of the room.

Well then, I say. This is a bit of a pickle.

***