Chapter 4

In her bedroom, Phae paced restlessly.

She couldn't sleep. Truth be told, she hadn't been sleeping well for over a week now as her body changed and she sought to control the raging fire that grew within her.

This night though, this night was different.

Though she hadn't heard the news directly, she knew that poor Master Kulgrim had died in the night, just as she predicted he would the first victim of her frightening power. She had wept bitterly when she felt his passing from the mortal plain, though by now her tears had long dried up. Now all she felt was anger: anger at herself; anger at her parents; anger at her mother for not being there; anger at her life. Why couldn't she just be normal?

Phae sighed as she paced her way across her cluttered bed chamber, working her way carefully around the piles of books and trinkets that she had thrown from her desk in an earlier moment of despair. She glanced across the room. In the far corner sat her pack. Ever since her first "accident" she had kept it half-packed and ready just in case.

Needless to say, she had never meant to leave really she loved her parents too much for that. The act of packing and making to escape had been cathartic, a plan she never intended to see through.

But now was a different matter. Someone had died. She couldn't stay on the 'Isle any more.

She stared long and hard at her backpack that lay slumped in the corner. Her mother had bought it for her on one of the rare occasions she had returned home in the last two years. She said it would be just right for the summer when she promised she would take her to Lake Forever one of the wonders of the realm.

"Like that will ever happen," Phae thought to herself sullenly. Too many times her mother had returned home only to leave almost as soon as she had come; called away by the mysterious pull of her order that kept her away from the 'Isle, often for many months at a time.

Of course, her father had taken her camping on the mainland whenever he had the chance, but compared to the tales of adventure she had so often heard from Aaron (whose story-telling was second to none), camping with her father in the woods surrounding Pegwell paled in comparison.

Ever since she had learnt about the fantastic beauty of the Lake it had been a place she had always wanted to visit, a place she hoped she might find some comfort and peace. Legend had it that the strange magical properties of the Lake even offered healing to the sick and those in need. If ever there was a person in need at this time, it was her. She hoped desperately that the Lake might offer her some release from her torment even if just for a few days before she returned to the 'Isle and the comfort of her parents whose forgiveness she worried she might never earn. She would certainly never forgive herself for the terrible accident that had led to Master Kulgrim's untimely death. He didn't deserve to die: she did.

Phae strode decisively now over to her pack and picked it up to test its weight. It sure was heavy, and she hadn't even filled it with food yet.

She brought it back over to her bed and emptied its contents on her quilt to see if there was anything she could conceivably leave behind. She looked at the maps she had found and at once threw most of them on the floor. She didn't intend on going any further than the Lake and for that she would need just the one.

Along with the maps she discarded her compass, her small collection of pretty stones, her favourite blanket, and the framed picture of her parents given to her on her birthday. As it fell to the floor the glass protecting the artist's drawing smashed, sending hundreds of tiny shards across the floor to bury themselves in the thick carpet pile. Phae winced as she reached over to pick the small picture out of its discarded frame. She folded it up and put it in her breast pocket. Some things were just too precious to throw away.

Hastily stuffing the remaining items into her pack, Phae picked it up again to check its weight. It was better now, but still by no means perfect. Along with the food she had stored in a cupboard down the hall, it would still be a burden for one of her stature, but it was a burden she would have to endure. With her pack now securely fastened and pulled high upon her back she risked a quick glance out of the window, picked up an extra jacket from her pile of discarded clothes, and made her way to the door.

Outside, in the long, daunting corridors of the east wing, the Citadel was silent. If she stretched out her senses far enough she could just make out the sound of the night-watch patrolling the floor below; their faint hollow footsteps the only sound of movement she could detect.

She turned back briefly as she made the first tentative steps of her escape. A tiny voice in the back of her head beckoned her back inside. Phae shook her head vigorously and dismissed the thought at once. She had given up on her planned escape at least half a dozen times or more in the past. She would not give up again.

All of a sudden Phae's body was wracked in pain. Memories flooded her mind. Somewhere in her head the voice of poor Master Kulgrim called out to her telling her to pass on a message to her father. She did the best she could to ignore it but just then the pain increased further still. She winced and brought her hand to her head. Her whole body shook. As she trembled she could feel her pack slipping from her shoulders.

Just then, a sound reached her from down the hallway. Members of the night-watch were climbing the stairs. Even at this distance she could hear their muffled voices getting closer. She covered her face in her hands. As the footsteps drew nearer, piercing beams of light shone down the corridor and swept side to side in search of intruders. Phae could see two mages approaching, and recognised the man on the left as one of her father's friends. He certainly wouldn't be happy if he learnt she had tried to run away again

Phae removed her hands from her eyes.

Removed her hands from her eyes.

She stared down at her hands and realised with mute horror that her hands simply weren't there. She looked down to her feet to find nothing there her entire body had vanished. She was invisible!

Phae held her breath tightly as the two watchmen spotted her pack lying on the floor and hurried over to pick it up. One of them the one she didn't recognise tutted and shook his head sadly. "Miss Phae must be planning another one of her little adventures I see."

His companion nodded agreement. "That or she's trying to run away again," he said softly. "Can't say I blame her really."

"Poor girl," the first man sighed. "So much power, and so young too. Master Callum's certainly going to have to find something to do with her. She can't go on as she is anymore. Not now. Not now Kulgrim's passed."

The second man picked up the pack and examined its contents. "She's trying to run away alright," he said. "Look there's a map and everything."

"Perhaps she just gave up and left her pack where she dropped it," the first mage shrugged. "Better take it and leave it with Master Callum. He'll know what to do."

His companion nodded. "Good thinking. We can't just leave it here in the hallway for people to fall over in the middle of the night."

"Indeed not brother," the first mage agreed as they started to head off. "Can't have people falling over and breaking their necks in the middle of the night can we. I tell you what though, I don't envy Master Callum the difficult decisions he's going to have to make. Just think what the council will say after today's events"

As the two mages moved away Phae took a massive gasp of air. She had come within a hair's breadth of being detected and worse luck had lost her pack in the process.

She looked once more at her bed chamber door and considered turning back. As the pain in her head faded she clenched her teeth. No, she wouldn't turn back this time. It really was now or never.