to become a unicorn keeper. You will learn about the unicorns, the valley, and what will be required of you in your duty. Unicorn keepers must be fleet of foot, able to climb the tallest tree in the valley, swim the rivers, and run all day long.
“Do not think because the unicorns have chosen you today t hat they will always accept you. They won’t. You must move silently, respectfully through their valley when on duty. You must always be vigilant against the dangers inside and outside the valley. You will study hard and train even harder”
She frowned at all of them as she paused. “Your training starts now. I’ll meet all of you outside, in front of the Keep, in five minutes. Be prepared to climb.”
7. UNICORN REQUEST
Jiline stood at the railing and looked down at the valley. As a keeper in training she was allowed here, but not down in the valley yet. How was she supposed to keep her promise to the unicorn? She viewed it as a promise and it itched at her every passing day. It had been four since he had spoken to her.
The real keepers now mingled occasionally with her group of ten. She’d learned there were always five keepers in the valley watching over the unicorns. But she couldn’t figure out why they had to watch over the unicorns. The Keep protected the unicorns from those who would capture them and use their magic for evil. But how were the keepers supposed to prevent that from happening. They had no magic to ward off the evil creatures.
She dreamt of them every night , their delicate features and deadly horns, dancing through the forest.
Yet, she never spotted a single one from this balcony. The gate beckoned to her. It was an hour until curfew. There was no way she would be able to make it down and back up in an hour. But she was tempted. Didn’t matter that the gate was magically locked to keep out non-keepers. She walked over to it and trailed her fingers down the cool metal. The magic was there. She could sense it, but wasn’t sure how.
Someone cleared their throat behind her and she turned expecting another trainee. Instead, Mage Herrick stood before her. She straightened and quickly bowed. Waiting for his instructions, she kept her eyes on the smooth rock of the balcony floor.
“Come here.”
She blinked at his strange instructions, but raised her gaze to take the few steps closer to him. He was frowning at her as he had when she’d been chosen by the unicorn. His cryptic message had told her he knew she was a fraud but nothing had happened.
He held his palm up. “Recognize this ?”
She glanced at his hand and froze. The crystal. Of course , it probably wasn’t the crystal , but one just like the one the mages had brought to her village.
“Keeper in training Madelen,” his voice was sharp. “Do you recognize this?”
She nodded , unable to form the words. He would know for sure she was a fraud now. But how had he known before?
“The Keep Mages believe in these crystals so completely that it just now occurred to me to wonder why they don’t use them when the trainees show up to report for keeper training. Anyone could arrive and say they were someone else. It’s a risk. They don’t know that the mages who tour the villages aren’t the same ones in charge of the Keep or the training. But someone could decide to take the risk. The question would be why.”
She couldn’t pull her gaze from his eyes. They hadn’t left hers the entire time he had spoken. She wondered for the first time what the mages would do to her. Before she had worried about how they would react to Madelen and her family for her not showing up. But now she wondered about her own safety.
He raised an eyebrow. “Why would someone pretend to be a chosen trainee, Madelen?”
She was tempted to confess, but no words came to her. Her promise to the unicorn forced all words out of her mouth. She must return to the valley floor. She shook her head. “I don’t know, Mage Herrick.”
His frown
“Do not think because the unicorns have chosen you today t hat they will always accept you. They won’t. You must move silently, respectfully through their valley when on duty. You must always be vigilant against the dangers inside and outside the valley. You will study hard and train even harder”
She frowned at all of them as she paused. “Your training starts now. I’ll meet all of you outside, in front of the Keep, in five minutes. Be prepared to climb.”
7. UNICORN REQUEST
Jiline stood at the railing and looked down at the valley. As a keeper in training she was allowed here, but not down in the valley yet. How was she supposed to keep her promise to the unicorn? She viewed it as a promise and it itched at her every passing day. It had been four since he had spoken to her.
The real keepers now mingled occasionally with her group of ten. She’d learned there were always five keepers in the valley watching over the unicorns. But she couldn’t figure out why they had to watch over the unicorns. The Keep protected the unicorns from those who would capture them and use their magic for evil. But how were the keepers supposed to prevent that from happening. They had no magic to ward off the evil creatures.
She dreamt of them every night , their delicate features and deadly horns, dancing through the forest.
Yet, she never spotted a single one from this balcony. The gate beckoned to her. It was an hour until curfew. There was no way she would be able to make it down and back up in an hour. But she was tempted. Didn’t matter that the gate was magically locked to keep out non-keepers. She walked over to it and trailed her fingers down the cool metal. The magic was there. She could sense it, but wasn’t sure how.
Someone cleared their throat behind her and she turned expecting another trainee. Instead, Mage Herrick stood before her. She straightened and quickly bowed. Waiting for his instructions, she kept her eyes on the smooth rock of the balcony floor.
“Come here.”
She blinked at his strange instructions, but raised her gaze to take the few steps closer to him. He was frowning at her as he had when she’d been chosen by the unicorn. His cryptic message had told her he knew she was a fraud but nothing had happened.
He held his palm up. “Recognize this ?”
She glanced at his hand and froze. The crystal. Of course , it probably wasn’t the crystal , but one just like the one the mages had brought to her village.
“Keeper in training Madelen,” his voice was sharp. “Do you recognize this?”
She nodded , unable to form the words. He would know for sure she was a fraud now. But how had he known before?
“The Keep Mages believe in these crystals so completely that it just now occurred to me to wonder why they don’t use them when the trainees show up to report for keeper training. Anyone could arrive and say they were someone else. It’s a risk. They don’t know that the mages who tour the villages aren’t the same ones in charge of the Keep or the training. But someone could decide to take the risk. The question would be why.”
She couldn’t pull her gaze from his eyes. They hadn’t left hers the entire time he had spoken. She wondered for the first time what the mages would do to her. Before she had worried about how they would react to Madelen and her family for her not showing up. But now she wondered about her own safety.
He raised an eyebrow. “Why would someone pretend to be a chosen trainee, Madelen?”
She was tempted to confess, but no words came to her. Her promise to the unicorn forced all words out of her mouth. She must return to the valley floor. She shook her head. “I don’t know, Mage Herrick.”
His frown
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