Undying Legacies: Amulet of Blood

18:Ancient Alcoves

Teagan knows she shouldn't do this.

She shouldn't. She knows this is probably what the fake mage wants. Probably what he's counting on.

But she remembers- she remembers the dark twisting tunnels underneath Rigdemoor Castle. She remembers the maps in a dead language she'd read- he's made sure she remembered. She doesn't know why that information was blocked or why it was released now but she is almost certain it can't be good.

She has the sneaking suspicion that wherever this alcove was- the amulet was hidden in there. And she's certain so is that accursed mage. He can't leave, not yet- he's stuck there, tied to a half broken curse and she refuses to go another day without getting rid of him for good.

She remember the ancient spell she'd read about entrapment. Nobody uses them anymore - the spells request someone to bond with the soul they wish to entrap and force them into prison.

Teagan knows there hasn't been a mage strong enough to do that since the third generation of the elder's bloodline.

Over six hundred years ago.

And that was only the blood related to the elders.

Teagan sighs and rubs at her furrowed brow, her palm inches as she lays it flat on the ancient map in front of her.

She'd snuck away into them library after dinner and went looking for those old tomes she'd supposedly read. She found the map and managed to pinpoint where the stone was.

Call it a hunch or most probably, a magical intuition but - she knows that's where the teachers have hidden the cursed amulet.

Teagan sighs again and rubs her tired eyes this time. She should tell someone - she should tell Lila maybe but then the girl would call her insane and try to talk her out of it. Thad would too - only he'd give her an ultimatum.

Teagan doesn't want either.

She just wants to fix her mistake- she's fourteen years old and dying was not a pleasing prospect but - but she decides that she's lost all hope of being a respectable Monicroff anyway so might as well die trying to get her honor back right?

She lets out a shaky breath and rolls the map up, stuffs it in her satchel and waves a congenial goodbye to Mrs. Kringle who watches her leave with perplexed brow.

She runs right into Scarrow who actually flinches when she does.

"Watch were-"

"I'm going, I know. You really need some new material Scarrow- or at least better argument starters." She's had enough of him for one year.

Scarrow scowls at her as per usual. Teagan refuses to feel bad about his swelled busted lip and puffy cheek.

But she doesn't feel pride in it either.

"You might want to use an icing spell on that more often. It's been a week and it's still swollen." She says flatly.

The boy opens his mouth to retort but nothing comes out.

Teagan ignores him and pushes passes him. She has bigger things to deal with right now. Her blood rivalry will have to wait.

------

Teagan crawls out of bed after she's made sure Lila's asleep. Tipping in a few drops of her sleeping tonic into Lila's water helped too.

Teagan feels guilty about that. But isn't had to be done.

She hadn't told anyone about her plan. She just hopes she wasn't being a complete fool – oh, who was she kidding, she's the biggest fool she's ever met.