Chapter 2

Taylor watched, as the strange girl glanced around in confusion. She must have been at least fifteen, but there was something ageless about her face which suggested she easily could be older or younger. She also had beautifully long blonde hair, which she had tied up into a ponytail with a single white bobble. For a few moments he allowed his eyes to study her outfit. She was dressed in a pair of denim dungarees cut off just above the knee, a white t-shirt, blue pumps and knee length virgin white socks. She reminded him of a girl from some family film, the kind he used to watch when he was a kid; they had felt dated to him then and she felt dated to him now.

As she continued to stare about in confusion, he crept stealthily towards her. He then slapped the wall nearest to her as loudly as he could, making her half jump out of her skin in the process.

'Oh gee,' she nervously turned towards him.

Smirking slightly, he tilted his head and lifted his right hand up to her by way of greeting.

'Hi,' an awkward grin spread across her face, 'my name is Kissy Kyriacou. Well, it's Kisara actually, but no one calls me that. I wonder if you can help me,' she gave a slight cough and the smile on her face became more naturally looking. 'Do you know where I can find a Seto Khoral? Only the TA Academy has sent me here; I only graduated a few hours ago and I thought I was going to be staying with them. I mean, that's what I had applied for and I don't want to be anything but a…' she hesitated and pressed her lips together. 'I'm sorry, I'm babbling, aren't I? I always babble when I'm nervous; False says it's my worst trait.'

Shaking his head, he threw her an understanding look and indicated that she should follow him. Turning, he then started walking towards SK's office. He didn't know if his father's cousin would be in there or not, but it was a good place to start.

'You know I have no idea why I'm here,' Kisara babbled from behind him. 'The Academy just gave me this envelope,' she picked up her pace so she was walking directly beside Taylor and showed him the white envelope she was carrying, 'and told me to come here and find a guy called Seto Khoral. It wasn't until False told me that Seto Khoral was the Mistresses' Helper that I even got this was a big deal. Then imagine my surprise when I was told they weren't expecting me to come back. I mean, I thought the Mistresses were happy with a mortal council since they're on a Mortal Plain at the moment. I mean, I know it's not recognised as an official council or anything, but it's still a group of advisors, right. Well basically a group of advisors; that's what I was told at any rate and I…'

Sighing heavily, Taylor held up a hand to silence her. Her babbling wasn't annoying exactly, but it did make him feel painfully limited.

'I'm sorry,' she lowered her gaze, 'I'm babbling again, aren't I?'

He nodded.

'I really need to learn not to do that, but I never seem to get the time. I guess it's because I don't talk to a lot of people normally so my communication skills are all over the place.'

He shot her an understanding look as he led her into the room which served as SK's office. His father's cousin was sat behind his desk, half buried in paperwork. Taylor knew SK was trying to find a way for his Dad and Parto to get down into hell without being noticed, but he had also been acting as messenger for Taylor and his parents. Although from the look of the letters still waiting in the tray set out for them, he wasn't exactly an efficient one. Then again Taylor had learnt a long time ago SK wasn't exactly the most reliable when it came to jobs he really didn't want to be doing; it was why he normally thought of SK as his father's cousin and not his Daiosen.

'Oh gee, hi,' Kisara gave a nervous laugh, causing SK to stare up at them both, 'you're Seto Khoral, aren't you?'

'What gave me away?' SK's tongue glanced across his lips.

'Well they told me I would know you when I saw you and I guess I do. Here,' she crossed the room towards him and handed him the envelope she'd been carrying, 'I'm supposed to give this to you.'

'Right, right,' he took the envelope off of her, opened it and quickly scanned over the contents of the letter inside. 'I see you graduated top of your class.'

'Yes,' she nodded with proud enthusiasm, 'less than a few hours ago.'

'Was there any specific council or program you were looking to join after you graduated?' SK voice gave away little and Taylor couldn't help but feel like he was watching some kind of informal job interview.

'I just wanted to stay on at the academy; I don't feel like I've finished learning yet.'

'According to this you're fifteen?'

'As of a few days ago; I'm one of the youngest in my class.'

'Right.'

'I must say I was surprised to be sent here, I thought the academy wanted to keep me on. I mean, they had been encouraging me to stay; then out of the blue today they seemed to change their mind. And I hope you don't think it's rude of me Mr Khoral, but I don't see what use I could possibly be to you.'

'I wouldn't suppose you would,' his tongue skated across his lips a few times, as he glanced back at the letter. 'Your name is Kisara Kyriacou?'

'Yes,' she nodded, 'I picked it out myself from a book Dee used to read me and some of my classmates when we were really little. Kisara was the name of one character and Kyriacou the name of another.'

'Hmm,' his tongue made several more passes across his lips.

'Look, if it's just an ex-student of the academy you want Mr Khoral, surely there are better candidates than me,' a weak smile filled her face. 'Only I don't think I'm cut out for work up here. I mean, most of my teachers pretty much told me not to bother applying for any of the councils because I wouldn't fit in and I've pretty much had my heart set on…'

'You talk a lot don't you?' SK cut her off, his tongue skating along his lips once more.

'Only when I'm nervous,' she gave an edgy sounding laugh. 'That's another reason why I've been told I wouldn't get on with council work; babbling is a sign of insecurity and…'

'I see.'

'So rather than take on an insecure little mess like me, maybe you could…'

'You'll do just fine Kisara.'

'What?' Kisara's jaw dropped open in shock and even Taylor couldn't help but throw SK an odd look.

'You're exactly what I'm looking for,' his voice and facial expression gave away little.

'I… I am?'

'Yes and I want you to start right away.'

'Start what exactly?'

'See those envelopes in that tray,' he indicated towards the tray holding the Kaibas' outgoing post, 'I want you to deliver them for me and pick up any return post. There should be other trays like that one at each of the houses you're going to; all magically scented, so you should be able to find them easily enough.'

As he was talking, Taylor examined SK with a strange kind of curiosity. He couldn't believe the Mistresses' Helper, who had spent so many years doing things on his own, had actually hired himself a mail girl. Taylor knew there had to be more to it than that, he just wished he could figure out what.

'You want me to… what?' Kisara made a slightly baffled noise. 'But I… oh gee, seriously if that's all you wanted someone for then…'

'Look Miss Kyriacou, I wouldn't have insisted on the best student if I just wanted to hire a postman,' SK rolled his eyes as his tongue skated across his lips again.

'Then…?'

'Just do as I've asked, everything will become clear soon enough, I'm sure.'

'Okay,' she hesitantly made her way towards the mail tray and carefully shuffled through the letter. 'Oh gee,' Kisara squirmed, 'one of these is addressed to an Ashmar.'

'I know, that's one of Taylor's friends,' SK indicated toward him.

'Oh gee,' she swallowed hard, as her eyes flicked up to meet Taylor's.

'Enough delays Kisara, get going already,' SK began to sound impatient. 'And if you get back here without anyone seeing you, I might just make your next task a little more interesting.'