After Silverthorn left, Electrum hung up the robe. It was looking more like a rag for dockhands than a royal garment. Even the morning mist wouldn’t do much to restore its shape.
Too tired to care, he slipped into his nightshirt and leaned over the wastebasket. After shaking the thought dust out of his hair, he pulled on a snug nightcap and popped his ears through the holes.
The fuzzy blanket wrapped warmly around his cold feet. He reached out to the shelf beside his hammock and pushed the cover over the glowstone. The room darkened with warm sleepy shadows. Contented, he lay back.
There was a soft knock and the door tapestry opened briefly outlining a tall slim figure. Electrum sat up. The tapestry fell back in place and the figure faded into the shadows.
“Now what,” he muttered as he uncovered the lamp. “Simon,” he said in surprise. “Is there more news?” The dim light accented lines on the sprite’s face making him look old and tired.
“Well, yes,” Electrum said. The cold air on his bare feet made him shiver. “I didn’t know you meant this evening.”
“I’m sorry to disturb your repose, but we are facing a potential crisis. If the Salamander was carrying Mirta’s tapestry, its disappearance could lead to some serious political consequences.”
“What’s so special about this tapestry?”
Simon’s voice was barely above a whisper. “It holds a secret key needed by the gatekeepers. Its loss is a setback, but if it falls into the wrong hands it could mean the end of trade as we know it.”
Electrum pulled the blanket around his shoulders. He was wide-awake now. “If it’s a secret, why are you telling me?”
“You’re a pookah. I need someone to visit Mirta and find out if the tapestry was on the Salamander.”
“Wouldn’t it be easier to just check the cargo list?”
Simon shook his head. “We couldn’t take the chance of listing it outright. It was to be shipped as a common rug. Several were on the shipping list, but there is no way of knowing if one of them was the Silver Harbor without looking at the tags. Now the rugs and the tags are missing, and only Mirta can tell us if the Silver Harbor was one of them. I need you to ask her.”
“I was planning to visit Ragnar tomorrow. He will need a friend.”
“I will look after Ragnar and explain your absence.”
Electrum nodded. “If you feel it is that important, I will leave in the morning to see Mirta. But if you don’t mind me asking, how are you connected with the gatekeepers?”
Simon placed a finger over his lips and stepped toward the door. “They do not like their secrets discussed. There are those who would like to close the gates forever. The tapestry will help keep them open.”
He slipped through the door, his soft boots making only a faint whisper. Electrum covered the glowstone and stared into the night. The starlit sky brought back memories.
As a tad, he often fell asleep listening to his father’s stories about an elite group called gatekeepers. These mysterious sprites took on mythical proportions, using their secret magic to keep the gates open. The tales were full of their daring adventures as they held diligent watch so that nothing dangerous could pass through from the Tween World.
Every tad was fascinated with the stories of the gatekeepers. They dreamed of meeting or even becoming one. While growing up, Electrum had often hung around the gates hoping to discover something that would lead him to the keepers. Could it be possible that Simon was a gatekeeper?
This would have been an exhilarating adventure for a young pookah, but Electrum felt the upcoming eclipse made life exciting enough. He burrowed under the blanket and closed his eyes.
Morning mist was already gathering. With only a few hours left before sunrise he fell into a fitful sleep.