Free Dimwater's Dragon by Sam Ferguson

scrambled to exit the room. Kyra stood in the center of the floor and waited as the adults filtered in and closed the door behind them.
    “Kyra, I am afraid we have some bad news,” Master Lorry said.
    “You may want to sit down, child,” Master Fenn added.
    Kyra looked to each of their faces and shook her head. “Just tell me,” she said.
    Feberik sighed and his large head hung low as his shoulders drooped. In his hand was a letter. “Kyra, it’s about your mother,” he said softly.
    Kyra’s heart stopped and her tongue caught in her throat as she tried to swallow down her fear. “My mother?” she squeaked.
    Master Lorry moved in quickly and guided her to a bed and sat her down on it. He knelt in front of her as the others gathered around.
    “This isn’t easy,” Master Fenn said.
    Master Lorry nodded and looked up at Kyra with teary eyes. “Did you know that I was friends with your mother?” he asked. “We both graduated the same year from the academy.”
    Kyra’s mouth hung open and her brow drew together as water gathered at the corners of her eyes. “What do you mean you were friends with her?” The words barely left her mouth. It was almost as if some unknown force pushed them out for her.
    Master Lorry reached for the letter and placed it in Kyra’s lap. “There was an intruder at your home, Kyra. Your mother was killed.”
    Kyra’s world collapsed around her. Tears fell as the adults all swooped in to hug her and tell her everything was going to be alright. Her body was numb to their embraces, and her mind rejected their assurances. How could it be alright? Nothing was the way it should be. Kyra sat still, letting the adults take turns holding her and pulling her close to console her. She hardly noticed when they stepped away from her. The door opened and closed, but she couldn’t say who left first.
    Feberik was the last to stay with her. He sat on the floor in front of her silently as she let the tears fall from her face. She glanced down to the letter and reached for it, but her fingers fumbled it and it fell to the floor. Feberik gently picked it up and held it out for her.
    “Shall I read it for you?” he asked.
    Kyra shook her head and took the paper from him. She opened it and her eyes traced the words on the page. She must have read the first line more than a dozen times, but she couldn’t comprehend it. None of the letters made any sense to her. After several minutes of trying unsuccessfully to focus on the letter, she dropped the paper to the floor and let herself fall onto her side on the bed.
    Feberik rose up from the floor and placed the letter beside her.
    “I will arrange to find you a private dorm, if you like,” he offered. “Usually they don’t do that until you are a fourth year and working on your own research, but I think we can make an exception.”
    She didn’t respond.
    “Is there anything I can do for you?”
    Again, Kyra was silent. She closed her eyes and rolled away to face the wall. A moment later she heard footsteps followed by the sound of the door opening and closing.
    She cried until her body had spent all of its strength, and then she gave in to sleep.
     
    *****
     
    Janik closed the door to his small room and began to unbutton his shirt. He stopped suddenly, now aware of the fact that he was not alone. He turned toward his bed and waited for the man sitting there to speak.
    “Lady Caspen is dead,” Cyrus said in hushed tones.
    Janik nodded. “My brother told me,” he said. “Was that your doing?”
    Cyrus snapped his fingers and the candles on the nightstand burst into flame, their yellow light chasing the shadows away. The old wizard shook his head and tugged on his beard with his left hand. “I was there, but not until after it had already happened.”
    Janik nodded, not sure if he believed Cyrus. “Who was it?” he pressed.
    Cyrus turned a fierce eye on Janik and pointed a bony finger at him. “I want you to go to Kyra’s room and look