Duality by Rowan Erlking (classic books for 13 year olds txt) 📕

“You look like you could use a friend,” a man’s voice said at Bernum’s right.

Bernum looked up at the wrinkled face of an elderly man whose hair had already gone white. He was standing, bent, on the boardwalk with his hands behind his back, wearing nothing more than a plain sleeveless top and some shorts. His eyes smiled.

“Actually, I could,” Bernum said, straightening up a little, only to see the man better. “I have a predicament, and I’m not so sure anyone can or would be willing to help me.”

“It is worth to ask, don’t you think?” the man replied, his eyes twinkling with wisdom. That was comforting enough. So Bernum beckoned the man closer.

Shuffling, the man then sat down on the stone next to him, leaning his arms on his knees, turning his head to look at Bernum. “What is it that troubles you?”

Drawing in a breath then looking back towards the hilly district, Bernum whispered, “I’m looking for someone who is lost. A particular woman. Her name is Malkia.”

Nodding the man continue to listen attentively.

“You’ve never heard of her, have you?” Bernum said, still reading his face.

With an aged chuckle, the man leaned back some. “As names go, I’ve heard such a name in many years before, but I don’t know any current significance to it.”

Moaning, Bernum set his head into his hands. 

“Does she have any distinguishing features?” the man added, trying to be helpful.

Lifting his head only slightly, Bernum peered at him. “She’s a beauty. She has a bright smile, narrow face, long hair.”

Sighing, the man did not sound satisfied by his description. “There are many beauties in Jonori.”

“She is a stand-out beauty,” Bernum said with bite. “The kind of woman that men have a hard time taking their eyes off of.”

The elderly man stiffened. His eyes narrowed slightly. “Would another of her distinguishing features be an inclination towards magic?”

Bernum’s head popped up. “Yes!”

He watched the elderly man rise, sighing with a mark of disappointment. The man started to walk away.

“What? Do you know where she is?” Bernum hopped up after him, rounding around the man to get in front. The passersby stared then turned away, losing interest.

Halting, the elderly man gave Bernum a dry look. “Give it up boy. Your girlfriend is the property of Merchant Omoni.”

“Property?” Bernum made a face. “A woman cannot be property!”

Rounding on him, poking Bernum with his bony finger, the old man snapped back, “She’s his concubine!”

Bernum stiffened.

“Now get out of my way.” The old man shuffled to the side, going around the young man.

Bernum turned and followed him. “Wait just one more minute. If Malkia became someone’s concubine, don’t you think her family would know about it?”

“They probably do,” the old man said, still going.

“No, they don’t!” Bernum snapped. “I’m her brother!”

The old man halted turning back with a stare. “What?”

Looking around, Bernum hunched over to whisper. “I’m her brother. I’ve been looking everywhere for her. We haven’t heard a word from Malkia since last summer, and that’s not like her.”

He heard the old man exhale, his expression now going soft with sympathy. He set a hand on Bernum’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry. But you have to give her up. Once the Merchant Omoni gets his hands on someone, he never lets go—not in business and not in life. He has the law on his side. You have to give up on the witch wife.”

“The what?” Bernum stared at him.

But the man turned to go without another word. And though Bernum followed him and tried to get more information out of him, the elderly man only repeated the same thing, telling Bernum to go home. Bernum stood on the boardwalk, shuddering when the sun set.

He walked back to the inn.

Bernum’s hands were in his pockets, his heart dragging into his shoes, his mind spinning over and over the horrible facts the old man had told him. Some merchant with the law of Jonori in his pocket had his sister in one of those fancy manor houses in a position that even she could not escape with all her magical knowledge, keeping all means for her to send them letters out of her reach; a man who had poisoned his father rather than ask permission for her hand—it was clearly a dirty scene that would be difficult to break. He wondered if Malkia figured out the man had poisoned her father, and further if Omoni knew about him. If the man did know about him, he was in trouble. What would a murderous letch do to eliminate a magician-in-training?

His eyes lifted once on his way back to the inn, but when he did they fixed on a poster outside a marquee. Brightly colored, he saw one word above vibrant depictions of foreigners in flashy clothing that barely covered the skin—Omoni.

Bernum read the entire poster from top to bottom.

Omoni Presents: the Amazing Flying Circus of daredevils, magic, and mayhem! Come see rare animals, trained beasts, the amazing snake dancers, the flying white-haired birdman, the fire woman from the north in battle with the blue-warrior from the south, and much, much more!

One element of the poster was crossed off. There was mention of a magic show by a real wizard, but it was marked as cancelled. There was also an additional note about auditions for a replacement magician, but clearly it had been dated several months ago. Apparently no one wanted to work for Merchant Omoni if they could help it.

Bernum grabbed one of the fliers for the auditions and rushed back to the inn, a plan already whirling through his head.

Bernum hurried home to Yapan, quickly sharing his news with his father and brother, also making sure Malkia’s friend had sent everything from Kibilla. So far, two packages already arrived. After one night’s rest he hurried on back to Yolund to present his idea to Head Magician Jimmit. The school was still empty for the holidays when he arrived.

“Jimmit! Head Magician Jimmit!” Bernum called out the moment he walked through the door with his travel bag.

“Bernum!” The caretaker walked in to greet him. “You’re going beyond obsessive now. The head magician is on holiday. You should be too.”

Clenching his teeth, Bernum spun around, stomping his foot. “Blast.” He looked over to the caretaker. “Do you know where he is vacationing?”

With a shrug the caretaker said, “No. I rarely nose into his business.”

Nodding, Bernum then looked around, wondering if he had to scry for the head magician. “Do you know when he’ll be back?”

“In about a week,” the caretaker replied.

Nodding, Bernum turned to the dormitory doors. “Alright. I’m heading to my quarters. Let me know if he comes back early. Ok?”

And the man watched Bernum march out of the main hall, slowly shaking his head at the student’s erratic behavior.

The head magician did not arrive until two weeks from that time, and when he did, the caretaker recited everything from Bernum’s arrival to present. At that urging, Jimmit hurried directly to Bernum’s dorm room, walking in on the young man working out a trick with a flying scarf.

“Ok, what is going on,” Jimmit asked the moment he entered. “Why are you back early? You are usually so eager to see your family.”

Turning around, Bernum’s shoulders eased with relief. “You’re back!” He rushed over to the head magician. “I need your help. I need to intern at Merchant Omoni’s circus in Jonori City.”

Jimmit flinched.

“Omoni?” He took a step back. “Bernum, what has gotten into you? I wouldn’t even send a student I hated to that Omoni. I rejected his request for an intern just this last term. That man is a lying—”

“I know it.” Bernum grabbed a hold of the head magician’s sleeve. “But I have to get close to him.”

He could see his mentor’s relative discomfort from this conversation. Jimmit frowned deep crevices in his face, his arms pulling to his sides with disgust. Jimmit’s eyes fixed on Bernum’s face. “Why do you have to get close to him?”

“He has my sister.”

Head Magician Jimmit leaned further back, his lips going white.

“And I think he tried to poison my father to keep him from going after her.” Bernum then pulled out from off his bed the flier for auditions at the circus. “This place needs a magic user. It is one of his businesses. I need to have access to his house to find out why Malkia can’t escape on her own then get her out of there. If you send me as an intern, I can have access to his home. I did some inquiries in Jonori, and internal hires Merchant Omoni does himself, especially for jobs like this. I can get in and—”

“Wait.” Head Magician Jimmit held up his hand, closing his eyes with pain. “You are talking about Omoni. You should know his reputation. Once he gets his hands into you he—”

“Never lets go, I know. I heard.” Bernum stuffed the audition paper into Head Magician Jimmit’s hands. “But I have to do this.”

Opening his eyes, Jimmit turned wincing, his arms tight across his chest as he walked, pacing really. “Bernum…. If he gets his hands on you, he will never let go. He will find legal means to keep you there. Can’t you break your sister out at a distance?”

Bernum shook his head. “I can’t. I don’t know where he is keeping her, exactly.”

Jimmit groaned.

“Look, Malkia knows the same magic as I do,” Bernum said, following Jimmit to the window where the man had stopped and stared out, shaking his head. “That means Merchant Omoni is using some kind of force that is beyond both of us. I have no doubt she is trying her best to fight against him. She’s earned the reputation as the ‘witch wife’ in Jonori. The locals talk about her.”

Jimmit turned to look at him with a jerk, his eyes widening.

Nodding, Bernum stepped back. “That’s right. She’s not hiding anything in her fight to get out.”

“That’s bad,” Head Magician Jimmit said, clutching his arms closer to his body, frowning. “That is very bad. But what about Ludy? What is she doing about it?”

Bernum exhaled softly, lowering his head. “I scryed for Ludy in Jonori. The result mapped her just off the shore in the Eastern Ocean. There’s no…there’s no islands there, Head Magician.”

For a moment Jimmit froze. Then he blinked sticking his head out at Bernum. “What?”

Nodding, Bernum lifted his eyes to his. “I think…she’s dead.”

The head magician nearly fell against the windowsill. He started to slowly shake his head.

“Head Magician?” Bernum leaned over to peer into his face.

With a howl, Jimmit swooped up, his face flushed and his eyes burning. “He killed Ludy?”

Bernum staggered back, nodding. “I think so.”

Howling louder, Jimmit turned as if to stomp out of there to curse Omoni with a scathing disease. Bernum chased after him, but the man