Letter 14

Poppy,

I’m guessing there must be more than one wraith here. Today I was ambushed by another one, and I had such a lucky escape. I wouldn't be here to write this without Magnar, again. That’s twice now he’s saved my life.

I’ll start at the beginning. I had to take the staff down to sublevel 10, the armoury. On the way I stopped at sublevel 3 to check on the moss filling the crack. I think it will last a few more days. Then I went straight to the armoury.

Although I filed the staff at the other end of the vault, the weapons of the First War seemed to call to me. I couldn't resist having another look before I left.

On one of the old tomes, a symbol stuck out to me. It was just like the one on Marcus's treasured book.

I stumbled out of the armoury, thoughts spinning, and somewhere between sublevel 4 and 5, something grabbed my ankle, tripping me on the staircase.

I smacked my head hard on the stone floor, and pain rattled through me.

My vision swam, and there in front of me, hovering over me, was yet another wraith. Its breath was rancid and sour, yet not rattling like the last one.

Its skeletal fingers, blackened and almost charred, fastened around the front of my cloak and I cringed back from the stench as it started to hiss into speech.

“Yessss. We’re growing sssstronger. The longer we sssspend in the living realm, the sssstronger we are becoming…”

It didn't finish its speech as Magnar flew, actually flew, into the wraith. His ears were glowing a bright white, and he looked like a meteor. The wraith fell backwards, shrieking and shielding its eyes. I used the distraction to try to plunge the dagger down into its midriff, but it twisted to the left, the dagger jabbing into thin air.

Then, Magnar was there, following up. The wraith hissed away from the brightness of the light as Magnar again swept towards it. And this time I struck true. I swung at the wraith, lifting off the floor with strength I didn't know I had. The dagger sank into the wraith's shoulder, turning the wraith to ash.

Filled with adrenaline, I sprinted out of the vaults.

My thoughts whirled. We were on the regular staircase, nowhere near the shadows. The wraiths are getting bolder, avoiding the wards. And what is the connection with Marcus's book and the First War?

This time, I headed straight to Nella out in the gardens. Magnar flew at my side, pipping and twirling, pleased with himself. I explained that I tripped on the stairs and needed something for my head, and she was so helpful and caring. I felt a little ashamed to be lying to her. But I didn’t want her to respond in the same way as the Chief Librarian.

While Nella worked, Magnar hopped around her medicine cabinet, and I heard several small clicks. But Nella just laughed and told me to keep an eye on him, as gorbles and locks can be troublesome, or useful, depending on the circumstances.

With a tonic and a salve the bruising hasn’t come out, so with luck I won't need to explain myself, or lie, to anyone else.

Your friend

Willow