Not Again

"You have to believe me!" Nick Sayer stood before King Touchstone I and his Abhorsen Queen. "Rogir is rising! And he is a Shiner now! Not like the Nine, but still, this is bad news!" He was slowly getting more frustrated as the rulers ignored him, he was resorting to shouting. "The Free Magic Creatures of a lesser order are gathering. Older, nastier beings are awakening when they ought not! The last time this happened,"

"YOU almost destroyed all we know!" Touchstone stood, signaling the meeting was over. "I will not allow you and your lies to ruin all that Sabriel and I have rebuilt!"

Nick glared at the crowned heads and Ellimere. He smartly turned on his heel before saying something he would regret later; and marched out. He stormed down the halls in foul temper. The thought he was looking for trouble! He didn't dare let on that he knew more than he told them. Their royal majesties were being controlled by Free Magic, but the sorcerer was cleverly avoiding all Nicks attempts to find him. Suddenly it hit him.

Nick stopped dead. The Free Magic had a certain taste to it, like a woman's perfume, and it was always stronger around one person. He knew who the sorcerer was, or rather sorceress. It was Ellimere. He mentally smacked himself. How could he not have seen it before? She acted overly respectful to him, as did every other Free Magic Being and sorcerer; because he had the blood of the Destroyer. It had started after her return from the embassy to the northwest barbarians. Not to mention she had powerful Free Magic sorcerers on both sides of her family. Nick shuddered at the thought of Chlorr of the Mask, former Abhorsen. Ellimere also spent most of her time at the House. Yreal had told him about how Rogir was trapped there.

Nick broke out into a run. He had to find someone who believed him. Maybe Sam, or Lirael. He rounded a corner and ran face first into Lirael. They both fell over, and the stack of books and artifacts she was carrying flew everywhere; including the small soapstone dog that had been precariously perched atop the whole pile.

"Oh, I'm so sorry." Nick began to apologize, still focused on his goal of finding someone who believed him.

"Hello, Nick."

He finally focused on the girl sprawled beneath him. "Lirael" he breathed. He realized the awkward position they were in, her trapped between the floor and his warm body. He scrambled off her.

"Are you alright?" they asked each other at the same time. She smiled. Nick warmed up, almost forgetting his mission to tell someone. He started to gather the plethora of papers and books. The books were old and in some language he couldn't read. He couldn't decide if he should tell her now, or wait until he tried Sam.

"Oh no!" Lirael cried, breaking through Nick's thoughts. "The Dog!" Lirael shoved all that was in her arms into Nick's and began searching the floor.

"The Magic of the Dead Adept, The Laws of Free Magic, and The Free Magic in the Charter. This is not light reading material, Lirael. What have you been doing in my absence?" The Dog was sitting before Nick reading the titles of some of the books.

"Dog!" Nick and Lirael cried out joyfully.

"Yes, yes. I'm here. I'm alive." The Dog muttered from underneath the hugs. "Lirael, we must leave. Nick, you must come with us."

"Where are we going?" asked Lirael as she released the Dog.

"The Glacier, then Ancessleteirre. We need to talk."