Roselyn is sent to study at a magic school, as she guesses, in order to protect her from the threat. A certain order of dark spells kidnap the children of wizards. Will Roselyn be safe at this school? She also has to unravel the secret of the educational institution concerning her family.

The long-committed deeds of people of the past, their thoughts and dreams, desires, passions and grief, still echo in the Universe. Sometimes they take on such a strange shape that, even by seeing them, it is impossible to determine the source. And this story will try to reveal the secrets hovering around us.

He. The youngest agent

Do you believe in love at first sight? I am.

I’m in my new room on the second floor in the boys’ dorm tower. My neighbor, blond and smiling, has just left to hurry into the large hall of the castle. We met him five minutes ago, chatted on friendly terms. In half an hour there will be a festive dinner in the refectory hall. Or lunch. I don’t know what time and customs in this country, but in my opinion, it gets dark quite late here. But first there will be a solemn part. Director Madame Brutilde Escalotte will give a speech in honor of the beginning of the new academic semester, congratulate the students who have entered and wish them success in their studies. I already saw this last year at my old school.

Now I am alone in the room and there is a moment to look at «her» again. I take a paper envelope and a photograph from my suitcase. They were hidden in a secret pocket behind the lining.

The photo shows a cute little girl’s face. Beautiful eyes. I could not help admiring them. Again. Even if I hadn’t been told who she really was, I would still have paid attention to her. Miss Burling! And her name?! A unique combination of letters that caresses the ear. I whisper it, repeat it again in a whisper. Then I hide the photo in my cache and go downstairs.

There is a noise and a din of cheerful voices all around. Lots of boys and girls, guys and girls. They are bustling about in the large hall, waiting for everyone to be invited to the refectory.

In my mind is a beautiful girl from a photograph. She should be a little older now than in the photo. Of course, a girl, and no longer a child. And probably even more beautiful. I really want to see her.

I look around the guys with concern, look into new and unfamiliar faces. «She» is not among the first-Grant students, not in the large hall. Maybe she was late and is about to come up? I turn around and wait.

Rose

Chapter 1. Breaking News

– New kidnapping. – The sorceress spoke in a business tone from the TV screen, leaving no doubt that the morning music program was again interrupted by breaking news from the wizarding world. Grandmother gasped and rushed past me, hastily wiping her hands on her apron, and turned up the TV.

«This time the incident took place in Hansville, northwest of Meldal County. At night, the young Alexandra Johnson, ten years old, was abducted from the Johnson home. A brigade of magical trackers arrived at the scene of the incident. This is all very similar to the incident that took place at the end of last month. Then a group of five people in black kidnapped a young wizard, Jeremy Cormen, twelve years old in the evening on the street. The Magic Police have made no comment on the Johnson case. But we believe that these incidents are related and are the case of the illegal organization Black Magicians of Mechanical Sciences. If you know something about…

It was a sunny morning and I was in a great mood. My grandmother was kneading the dough, and I had breakfast: toasts with homemade jam and washed down with flower tea, and looked forward to my adventure plans for the day. In the vicinity of the town of Wiggia, sunny days are rare. Therefore, today it was just great with my friend Jessica to go to the elephant cliff and admire the huge waves of the north sea from it, breaking against the rocks. Now it looks like this walk will not happen. Maybe my grandmother won’t let me out of the house again for a whole month. Remembering the pile of old dusty books with which I managed to make friends until recently while in captivity, I felt scared.

Frowning at me and my grandmother from the screen, the sorceress news announcer continued:

«Our reporter was able to speak with Mrs Johnson…

The grandmother moaned softly and sat down wearily on a chair.

– Did you know them? – I asked. Grandmother pursed her lips and shook her head slowly. It could have meant no, «I didn’t know»; and at the same time, «oh, poor Mrs Johnson! How she suffers!..»

Grandma looked at me with a hard twinkle in her eyes. I’ve seen a similar look before. Then, when she conjured complex spells that not every experienced sorceress was given. But my grandmother always does. No wonder she was considered one of the strongest sorceresses in her order.

«Oh, poor Elizabeth Johnson! Such grief … – the grandmother lamented. I asked again:

– Grandma, do you know them, Johnson? Are they from your Order?

«Oh, I know… She doesn’t belong to the Order, honey, no… I worked with her in the dungeons of Buckingham Palace. Then the Order learned that the Black Magicians had learned about the cache of books by magic. I had to urgently fly to England and take out the most valuable manuscripts under cover of night. To deal with such a body of knowledge captured on paper, you need to be a professional librarian and magic. There were only four of us then, but we got it done in the shortest possible time. It was a great team. I think that the «Blacks» showed up the next morning, they didn’t find anything efficient and didn’t even notice our interference. It was Elizabeth who cleaned everything with sweat magic and hid the traces of our stay. Nice woman.

Grandma sighed heavily and frowned.

«Oh, Roselyn, you can’t wait any longer!

– Wait?

– Nordlig is not that far away. I don’t want you to be kidnapped by the Black Magicians.

– But they have no proof that they are «black»?! And now, – I pointed to the TV. The news ended and now the entertainment program resumed at a high volume. I almost had to scream to be sure that my grandmother would hear me. – Why are you sure it’s them? And what do they want me?

– You will go to this «school»! – Grandmother said imperatively, sternly shaking her index finger. Grandmother’s voice sounded unusually loud. The TV suddenly turned off the moment she spoke. Of course, it was not without magic.

I froze at the sight of my grandmother’s ring glittering with a green sparkle on her index finger. It was with this magical artifact, inherited from her mother, and from hers, that my grandmother did such magical things that I could only dream about. Probably, this ring will pass to me someday. And this thought was unpleasant to me, to put it mildly. Such an old-fashioned item will ruin my appearance.

– Don’t argue with me and don’t even dare stutter that you don’t want to go! The Nordlig School of Magic and Occultism is the best in its endeavors and traditions! Now I will write a letter to Brutilde, my old friend. She has been the permanent director of this institution for a hundred years. Grandmother’s face softened a little, and a slight smile touched her.

– I remember, I remember what Brutilda and I did during my youth. The teaching staff of that time had to endure a lot of our pranks. Especially Mrs. Fossel. Yeah… Hmm, I’d better email Brutilde.

Grandmother jumped up eagerly from her chair and jumped out of the kitchen. But then she came back.

– No, I’d rather call. The Internet is not a reliable medium. And you can’t hesitate.

My grandmother picked up the receiver of an old rotary telephone set, and I finally realized: my «home days» are over.

Chapter 2. Travel

On the morning of the next day, grandmother fussed like never before. I packed my things for Nordlig school. And the blues attacked me. When I packed the most important things, I wandered from the hallway to the kitchen and back, yawned and looked sadly at my breakfast. I was not hungry. And even more – to leave home. I, of course, agreed with my grandmother, the school of wizardry is something to which I must finally devote myself and not hide from the unknown to me «Black magicians of mechanical sciences.» I didn’t even know what it meant, «mechanical sciences». Grandma never answered my questions. And about them, and about dad and mom. More precisely, about their death. I was already sure that these «blacks» had killed them. I would not have thought that their goal was to kill me too, but the zeal with which my grandmother fenced me off from the outside world, the enchantment and isolation in which we stayed for a couple of years, told me more than my grandmother. The enemy needed me too. Perhaps they wanted to exterminate all Berlings. Or maybe there was more to it.

After the news breaking news about the Johnsons, Grandma became alarmed. She immediately decided to send me to the school where she studied herself. Granny was scared, that’s for sure. She was more afraid now than ever. Why? She knew these Johnsons. All I knew was that someone was kidnapping children my age. And I can be next.

My grandmother phoned her friend the night before, who was supposed to help me get to school. So we got up early today. The friend waited two hours, but he never showed up. I already thought that he would not come for me at all.

And yet, I diligently combed my hair in front of the mirror. My chestnut locks fell in waves over my shoulders and shone in the light of gold. They always shone, even in rainy and gloomy weather. And I really liked that. Only I could boast of this. And also my grandmother. Her hair, too, had a golden sheen.

Now the bouncy hair was giving me a slightly messy look. Grandma came to the rescue. She pulled the strands behind my ears and secured with two thin hairpins.

«Never use magic on your hair, Rosie. And a pair of almost invisible hairpins will add more elegance than a curl spell or long-lasting hairstyle. Remember?

– Sure. I will definitely consider. No hair magic.

– Franklin will be here soon! At any moment! – Grandmother suddenly exclaimed, looking at the clock in the corridor. Wait, though. Not. She looked out the window. Outside there was a clear sky and forest. How she saw Franklin, I did not understand.

– Who? Is this your friend who should come for me?

– One very reliable friend! – The grandmother specified with an important look. – And he is also an aeronaut!

I frowned. I don’t remember that I’ve ever heard anything about Franklin or any balloonists. The first time I hear about him – here’s your reliable friend. Sounds like a bodyguard. But I, and of course my grandmother, know perfectly well that I am afraid of heights. I don’t want to float in the air, even with a trusted friend.

«Will this Franklin take me to school by air?»

– Not just to school. Do not forget! To Nordlig L & Payordkanten!

I nodded, agreeing that this very school is a significant institution in the world of wizards. And then she thought: shelter? What kind of school could it be that has the word «refuge» in its name? Was it not for nothing that my grandmother was going to define me there? And not just so she studied there herself? Maybe she was also hunted when she was a girl?

Then I realized that I was fantasizing and climbing into such a jungle that it is better not to meddle in. Breakfast! That’s what I need to distract myself. I went into the kitchen and sat down at the table. The oatmeal is already cold. And a glass of milk just came to my taste. A suitcase with my belongings stood in front of the front door. So does the sports bag. And I finally relaxed. Grandma disappeared from sight. And I, holding a glass of milk, indulged in dreams. School Nordlig. A beautiful castle. Against the background of mountains covered with snow caps, clouds, curly and imposingly floating over the horizon. A bunch of cheerful boys smiling at me… And where did my grandmother go?

I heard an unusual sound, a pop, and then a whistle of wind was heard.

– Grandmother? – I got up from the chair and ran out into the corridor. The whistle began to subside until it echoed over the trees. The door to the street was open. I ran to the threshold. Grandmother stood on the lawn and talked sweetly with a gray-haired little old man. And above them!.. A blue-red balloon hovered. Huge, but not blown away. And here it was not without magic. The old man nodded and smiled. Grandmother held his hands. So romantic! It was like meeting lovers. This is what a romantic date looks like in my opinion. The only thing missing is candles and a table with champagne. Then I noticed how my luggage jumped by itself into a square basket under the ball and fear attacked me. Is it possible for me to ride a balloon? In the clouds, high above the ground?

– Grandmother! – I exclaimed pitifully. But the rising wind drowned out my plea. I winced. Without losing hope to decide everything in her favor, she went to her grandmother.

– Rosie, there you are! – The grandmother smiled. – Obedient girl!

Old Man Franklin examined me with interest. His shaggy brows came together on the bridge of his nose. And the wind around began to intensify.

– Greetings, dear lady, and I ask you to board my ship! – Suddenly cried Franklin. I froze for a second, but immediately bowed. You must always be polite. Without this, no one will respect you either. I remembered this lesson of my grandmother.

– Honey, let me hug you, goodbye! – Grandmother stretched out her hands to me, I stepped towards her arms. The rumble of the wind died down. Then I realized. That this wind was magical.

– I’ll miss you. – said touching grandmother. I pulled away and saw tears in her eyes.

– Don’t, grandma. I hugged her again. I wanted to say something else, to find words of consolation that could calm my grandmother, but I could not. I got a lump in my throat, and suddenly it stabbed in my eyes. – I… not on…d o … – I whispered stifledly. Thoughts were confused and I said nothing more. I just sobbed. And even louder than grandma.

Here I am so strong. Grandma stroked my hair gently. And I could not stop my tears.

– Rosalia, my dear Rosalia, my girl … – Affectionately my grandmother calmed me down. I will miss you and I will also be calm knowing that you are at school.

– Don’t miss me, please. – I whined. – This will make me very bad.

– Well, well, don’t worry about me. – Granny said deliberately cheerfully. I heard that her voice had grown stronger, and almost no trace of sorrow remained in it. This made me happy. Still, grandmother is a strong person. And I came up with an idea.

– Promise that you will write me a letter. By email. – I demanded.

– Traditions! Remember this. Respect for tradition is part of discipline and proper parenting. Therefore, no internet.

– Well, grandma. Even one email?! You are the only native person! At least one is possible?

– I’ll call you. On Saturday. Good? I’ll ask Brutilde to call you on the phone, or I’ll think of something like that.

– Good. So the phone is an old-fashioned thing?

– Rosalia!

– That is, I mean, traditional? – My lips slightly stretched into a smile.

– Yes. The phone is much closer to tradition than your internet. – Grandma was still holding me by the shoulders. Then she nodded in agreement and said: – Write me your email address.

– Grandmother? – I did not believe it and wiped my eyes.

– It’s just in case. Suddenly Brutilde will be busy.

I ran to my room and hastily wrote my email address on a small piece of notebook paper.

– I’ll hang it on the fridge. – I said, running past the open door and stopping for a second to triumphantly wave a leaf. Grandma was busy talking to Franklin. I ran into the kitchen, hung a piece of paper with a magnet in the very middle of the refrigerator (here my grandmother will definitely notice it right away) and ran back.

– Forward, on a journey! Franklin yelled at me quite cheerfully. My grandmother called me over, sneezed and spoke in my ear:

«I put you a little present in your suitcase. Don’t look at it until you arrive at school!

I took one last look at my grandmother, into her watery eyes, and jumped into the basket of the balloon. I was bitter to fly away from my grandmother. It’s even worse to see her crying in front of our house. The lawn remained far below and I, a coward, immediately fell to the bottom of the basket. I could not look at the distant land. Franklin exclaimed cheerfully:

– To the north! Wow-oh!

He pulled on the side cable. And the sails opened behind the ball. Blue and red. Semitransparent, as if not material, but illusions. The basket shook slightly. The sky above with a blue blue sparkled with green waves, lilac sparks. I closed my eyes. She bent her head to her knees, just not to see these glow. It seemed to me that the ball could fall and break on the ground at any moment. I started humming an unlucky children’s song, just to distract myself and…

– Wow-oh! Great view! The northern shores and mountains are amazing as always! Grandpa Franklin wheezed. «Does the young lady want to see this picture? Nordlig Castle on the horizon! Majestic as always!

I caught the name of the school and leaned over to the edge of the basket. A gust of wind hit me in the face, and I immediately lay down on the floor again.

Grandpa Franklin stood over me and pulled one cable, then another. The wind tugged at his gray hair, and the wizard was happy.

– Let’s sit down on the front lawn, young lady! And you, as I see, are already being met!

How? Already? So fast? Less than five minutes of flight? Then I noticed that the flashes of the blue sky disappeared, the green color too. A clear blue sky has appeared overboard and black trees can be seen at the edge of the view.

The pitching stopped. And I looked around the lawn with joy, and then jumped out of the basket onto the soft green grass. My suitcase and bag landed nearby. I waved goodbye to Grandpa Franklin.

– Thank you! – I shouted, trying to shout over the wind and glad that I left the aeronautical board. He rose higher and higher into the sky. Franklin waved to me too. He shouted something, and his balloon spread the sails. Another minute, and I have a clear sky over my head. Franklin was swept away in the winds in an unknown direction.

I turned to the gray stone building. The castle is really beautiful. On the steps by the door stood a lone figure in a blue robe. Enchantress. She looked at me. And I went to her.

«Miss Burling, Madame Director is expecting you. Please follow me. – She said and disappeared in the doorway. I turned to my things, and they obediently floated through the air past me to the door, as if it was said to them. I ran after.

Finding myself in the large front hall of the castle, I admired the huge bronze clock, towering between the columns and arches. On the wall hung a huge tapestry with the school’s emblem – a huge gilded globe, against the background of the sun, whose rays in sharp lines diverged in all directions, and in the center there was a beautiful letter N with curls. Around this sun was the inscription: «Nordlig ly på jordkanten». This whole composition was cast in gold and glittered in the lights of a huge chandelier on the ceiling.

My suitcase crashed against the left wall of the hall. The sorceress who meets me is gone. I was at a loss for a minute, but realized that the door in front of which my suitcase stood was where I should go.

I went over and knocked on the door.

Chapter 3. In the office of Brutilde

I entered the office of the director, Madame Brutilde Escalotte, a sorceress of the highest order, as the golden plaque at the door said. The room in which I found myself was round, all in dark brown tones and with only one narrow window, filled with flowers so densely that it was impossible to see what was outside. The chocolate-colored bookcases filled with books and stacks of yellowed papers lent the cabinet a tangible library aura. A light rustled in the small fireplace. A chandelier hung over the table itself, illuminating the room, cabinets and table with the yellow light of an electric lamp, not penetrating into the shadows under the table and the mysterious gloom above the ceiling.

A thin lady was seated at the table on a high-backed chair. She was the same age as my grandmother, but in her stern form and sharp-sighted look, one could feel energy and power. Brutilde looked at me.

Hello Miss Burling. I’m tired of waiting for you. – said the director imperiously, calmly and unhurriedly. She tapped her finger lightly on the table. I noticed that on her thick wrinkled fingers large emeralds on the rings shimmered with a dull light. My grandmother has a similar ring. I greeted and handed to Brutilde a letter written by my grandmother, my application for admission.

– Have a seat.

On the left, I noticed a black figure. At first it scared me. I thought that someone was hiding against the wall. But it turned out to be just a raincoat hanging on a hanger. No, most likely, on a hook, because underneath the hanger legs were not visible. Someone from afar could have mistaken him for a man in a long cloak. But I saw that there were no boots under it. And the cloak itself was a thin shapeless matter and was too thin to hide a person under it. At the top of the cloak was a black head – a helmet-like mask, but made with small triangular ears and a pointed nose. The black eye sockets were empty. This made me happy. I felt creepy when the thought came that there was someone else in the office besides me and Madame Brutilde. This head itself was staring at the floor in front of it. She probably hung on the same hook as the cloak. To myself, I called this outfit «Black Fox». It was the fox that reminded me of the head-mask. I had no time to think why the director would need such an outfit. But this made Madame Brutilde seem even more stern and stern to me.

Brutilda unrolled the pages on the table in front of her. She put on her glasses and

12 3 4 Weiter

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