We ended up in a coffee shop in the next town. We couldn't risk staying in Flinton. By that time it was already three in the evening. We ordered pasties, pancake and three big mugs of coffee since we both were really hungry. Karl Rightson or Augustus Blake didn't speak for a long time. His eyes went up when I took out my Mystica book.

'Y-you read it?'

'It's one of my favorites,' I said. 'I tried to contact you... but it seems you were off grid.'

'So, you noticed?' he said.

I nodded.

It was pouring heavily outside. Andrew was staring outside, watching people in umbrellas walk by. I waited for the writer to talk while he stared at the book. He then sighed.

'This scepter,' he said. 'Had my daughter's magic sealed inside.'

Andrew and I jerked our heads towards him.

'You mean, it's real?' I said.

'I-I have a daughter,' he said. 'Her name is Mystica. We are... mages. I took her to the visible side once my wife passed away. I was involved in some dangerous research back then. I knew Taramen during that time. Living in the invisible realm is rather hard. People don't notice you that well. I home schooled my daughter but she was pretty lonely.

'It was party my fault. I didn't think that it had much effect on her. She always wanted to go to school like all the children but her magic was rather... unstable. She caught up with my work on magical research... I never knew. Then one day when I got home, she somehow managed to take her magic out of her and store it in that scepter she made. She only lasted a few hours with her magic out.'

He stopped talking.

'W-what happened?'

'She fell into a coma,' he finally said. 'I could not take her to the invisible side. So, I had to admit her to a visible hospital. They could not help her much; they just put her in life support. Since she was an invisible, the doctors hardly took notice of her. Then she started to fade...'

'And you wrote a book about her to keep her alive,' said Andrew.

'That was the only thing I could think of,' said the writer. 'She stopped fading when I published the first book. I turned it into a series while I tried to find a way to save her. I contacted Taramen to ask help. He helped at first but then... he stole the scepter instead. I need your help, Miss. Stone. If you are trying to get the throne back I will help in any way I can. I just need the scepter back so I can continue my research.'

I stared out at the glass window. 'The magical core, does it last forever in the scepter?'

'My daughter made it so that it can be externally provided with energy.'

'So there is nothing to worry with over usage then.'

The writer nodded. 'Not in my knowledge.'

'The wedding is tomorrow. I need a way into Sightless. You are a mage, I hope you can help.'

'Only a spell casted by a mage can be removed by the same mage,' he said. 'But I think I can make an anti-charm to dispel the shield created form my daughter's magic, temporarily.'

I nodded. I stuffed a pastry into my mouth. 'You worked with Taramen, right. I see you are on the run as well. Tell me, what do you know about the arch that he had made in Sightless?'

Mr. Blake rubbed his beard. 'It's a part of a ceremony in ancient time to bring hoards of invisibles to the visible side after the veil started to form. I know a bit since I worked with him once. Taramen is an expert on magical artifacts. I have no idea what lead him to act as he did, but he always did mention that he was a descendant from the Enchanter Bloodline and was rather angry about how the human race remained so ignorant about tour existence. I kept ton reminding him that we were not actually real but it never got through to him... the arch can only be used to open a portal by using an Enchanter's voice and blood and only the one with the gift of Sightless can command the spell. That's what I remember.'

'Voice and blood?' I said, gawking. 'Like-like a sacrifice?'

Mr. Blake shook his head. 'I doubt it's a sacrifice.'

'Taramen can accomplish the voice part,' said Andrew. 'But not the blood part... He's a Seer.'

I spaced out a bit, 'I guess that's why we want to catch us so bad. But why did he bring the date of the wedding closer. I thought he did that so that we won't have much time to be able to cause much trouble.'

'Because the veil is thin tomorrow,' said Mr. Blake.

'Huh?'

'Can't you feel it? The veil is getting thinner. It's a normal random occurrence, predictable to some degree. Taramen's calculations went wrong, that's why the wedding was placed in a later day. I believe he felt that the veil had started to thin. It had not been so thin so far. Tomorrow, it will get thinner, allowing more invisibles to pass through.'

Andrew and I looked at each other.

Well, anyways, no way am I going to become pagan sacrifice to some wacko. Well, no time to be thinking about that.

'Mr. Blake, can you shift?'

He shook his head.

I sighed. 'Then we will have to go to Sightless the hard way.'

Before that, I needed to go into the washroom and fan girl a bit.

You have no idea how hard it was just to keep a cool face in front of Karl Rightson without wanting his autograph and smiling like a lunatic.

We called Salzar. He arrived just in time. Mr. Blake stared at the magnificent beast with awe.

'I've never seen a Chinese dragon this close,' he said.

But Andrew and I were not in the mood of admiring Salzar since we both here in the verge of fainting after opening a portal in an abandoned construction site. But compared to last time, this time it was easier. The veil was easier to pull and hold on to, but it still did sap our energy. We ended up in a forest and fortunately, it wasn't raining in this side.

And so we three got onto Salzar and flew our way straight to Sightless.

Along the way, I told Salzar to stop near the fairy village so that I can get back-up from the tooth fairies. But Andrew said it was unnecessary.

'We need all the help we can get,' I said.

'They will know when you need them,' he said.

Well, he had been an Enchanter for a longer time than me. So I trusted his words.

We flew past the Alps, the Mediterranean ocean, the Sahara desert and finally caught sight of the honeycomb domed city in the distance. Salzar flew low so that no one will notice us. There seemed to be some specks flying around the dome, so Salzar dropped us far away from Sightless near the river banks of the Nile.

'I will return when summoned,' said Salzar before he left.

And so, Andrew, Karl Rightson and I were left alone in the African wilderness in the middle of the night.

Good thing I brought a torch. But then again, Karl Rightson was a mage so, you get the idea.

We had a very bad time walking along the River Nile while pushing our way through the tall reeds. There were crocodiles in some places reminding me of Sobek. I wonder what that idiot was doing. He too was somehow stuck in the Imprisonatorium for some reason.

After about walking for an hour, we came in clear sight of Sightless. There were harpies patrolling the skies and the ground. I wonder how the water of the Nile flowed in and out of the city. And if it did flow in and out that means we can swim in and out. Well, that was a bad idea since I didn't know how to swim.

'We will have to beat up some guards,' said Andrew drawing his sword out. He turned to Mr. Blake. 'How long will it take for to make an opening?'

'Quite some time,' he said.

'Maybe we can try trough the entrance,' I said. 'You know, with disguises.'

'The entrance has DNA filters,' said Mr. Blake.

I stared at him. 'Seriously? This is fairyland, not sci-fi-vill.'

'I tried entering the city two months ago. I almost got caught at the very entrance.'

I sighed. 'We... have no choice then...'

The Nile was not so guarded as I expected and that was because there was a large grid lain across the Nile with the same "thing" the force field was made of. We did had no shoot and knock down about two of three guards.

Then we waited while Mr. Blake muttered under his breath for quite a long time. Then, co-centric circled with symbols and runes etched inside materialized around him. At first it laid horizontal, then it shifted to a vertical position and flew towards the force field creating a hole.

'Get in, quick!' he said. He seemed to be concentrating as more symbols and circles appeared surrounding the hole. I could tell that the hole was trying it's beast to close. Andrew went through first while I went second. Mr. Blake came in last and the hole closed.

We waited for a few minutes while Mr. Blake caught his breath.

Andrew turned to me. 'Where now?'

'Where else,' I said. 'The Imprisonatorium!'

Mr. Blake was still panting. 'I-I have an acquaintance here... I meant to help you get to the palace but_'

'We can take it from here,' I said. 'Thank you for the help.'

'Then... I will see you at the wedding.'

Then we parted our ways. Cleo went with him for some reason after staying dead quiet inside my bad, saying that she'll gather Intel and keep an eye on Mr. Blake. I didn't argue. She'll never listen even if I did tell I wanted her to come we us.

'And how are you planning to get into the palace?' said Andrew. 'It must be probably guarded.'

We were still standing at the edge of the Nile and the reed grasses were still quite high here.

'But no one guards the Nile,' I said. 'We'll keep on following it.'

And it seemed to be a good idea since no one much roamed around the river banks. We saw an occasional harpy, a few eagles screeching above us and more crocodiles. We quickly skipped over openings and hid under docks and piers. I think I even saw some mermen.

'They must have come for the wedding,' said Andrew.

We kept on creeping our way into the center of the city. And then, I saw it. The most majestic creature even created on earth in its white gleaming beauty standing at the edge of the Nile.

'Pst, hay! Slitzer!'

The creature jumped and turned its head to us. He narrowed his horsey eyes and said, 'It that.... You?'

I rolled my eyes and crept out of the reeds along with Andrew. We did pick quite a covered up spot for revealing it's gleaming self.

'Why are you on the ground?'

'Mermaids everywhere!' he screeched in his Scottish accent. 'It they see me, they will report to the guards and when they do, I will be shipped back to that hell-hole. I have a prize on my head! And a big one! Now, what are you doing in Sightless?'

'I came to crash a wedding,' I said in a matter of fact.

Slitzer stared at the two for a while. 'Well, whatever.'

'Can you help us sneak into the palace?' I said.

The horse's eyes bulged. 'No. No, no, no, no, no! NO! I will not participate in any political event. Look at the trouble you caused me just because I know you.'

'You got out because of me,' I said. 'He will eventually find you, you know. But as long as I get the throne back you won't have to worry about jail-time.'

'Or, if you somehow fail, I will still get thrown into the Imprisonatorium.'

'But if I succeed, I will make sure that the first decree I will declare is to send you back into the Imprisonatorium.'

There was a pause of silence.

'You won't d-do t-that... right?' he said. 'I mean, you are not the type to_'

'Mark my word, kelpie,' I said stepping forward. 'Either you are with me, or against me. No in between.'

Slitzer turned to Andrew.

'She's serious,' said Andrew.

Slitzer whined and snorted. 'Fine! But if you do get back the throne. I'm free. Get it. No supervisors or threats or_'

'I get it,' I said. 'Just get us to the Breakfast hall.'