The Damn Artefacts. Lana Gilman

What if love has turned your head?»

      Ted laughed.

      «Not to such an extent! Yes, I love Alice, love her very much, but I haven’t lost my head yet».

      «Thank you! We’ll chat later. I’m going to have supper now».

      «Fine. Bye for now, Jeff!»

      «Bye-bye».

      Another two days flashed past. Ted was working, calling Alice from time to time, trying not to impede her preparations for the examinations. He was talking with Jeffrey on the phone on a daily basis though. The latter had not seen anyone suspicious ever since then and even started to assume that someone had assaulted him by mistake. Ted wanted to believe that it had been a drawback, yet somewhere deep inside he was confident that there had been no mistake at all, and that those who had attacked Jeffrey, made up their minds to alter their tactics.

      About three weeks have passed since Ted began working in the Museum. He got accustomed to the place, made friends with his co-workers and even found it amusing to introduce magic objects to people and to perform his own magic tricks in front of the audience. The search for the mystery among the books had yielded zero outcomes; however, he realized that some of those books were quite informative and bore a lot of useful data.

      «I should ask Mr. Merlegg to permit me to take some of them home, in order to read through them and to study. Novel knowledge will never do any harm, especially before the joust. This coming Saturday I am practicing again and, hopefully, I shall be able to be with Alice all day long,» – Ted was dreaming. «How kind of her to find time in her packed schedule and to devote it to meeting with me!»

      Thursday morning Ted was walking to work as usual, not even suspecting that this very day would change his life. He kept thinking about Alice on the way. She was having an exam that day; therefore he was worried about her.

      Ted entered the Museum and immediately proceeded to his study-room. There he changed his clothes and went to the Department to wait for curious visitors. Some ten minutes later Mr. Merlegg dropped by.

      «Good morning, Ted! How are you doing? As far as I see, you are coping with your job responsibilities pretty well. I have already begun receiving positive feedback from our customers».

      «Morning, Mr. Merlegg! Thanks a lot!»

      «Tell me something: do you know Mr. Iron Starr?»

      «I’d rather say that I know of him, sir, since we haven’t met each other in person. The only thing I know about him is that he is a magician and works as a lawyer. A very expensive one, by the way».

      «I got a phone call from the Magistrate.Mr. Iron Starr would like to meet me, you and the Master. We are to be there at two o’clock».

      «No problem, sir! Which Master exactly?»

      «Ah, yes. The Third Master. In his office».

      «All right. Then at twenty to two p.m. I shall be in your office».

      «Shall we be on time?»

      «Certainly. We’ll use my portal».

      «Fine».

      Exactly at the hour previously agreed upon Ted was coming into Mr. Merlegg’s office.

      «Are you ready, sir?»

      «Yes, I am. But where is the portal?»

      «Here you are, sir. This signet-ring on my finger is the portal, sir,» – Ted showed. «But in order to apply it we must leave the building of the Museum».

      «Then let’s go».

      They stepped outside.

      «Grab me by my hand, Mr. Merlegg,» – said Ted and, seeing his boss’ hesitancy, added, «Don’t you worry, this is completely safe and will take not more than a few seconds».

      Mr. Merlegg took Ted by his hand and the young man pressed his signet-ring gem. Several seconds afterwards they «portalanded» nearby the Magistrate.

      «Here we are. How are you?»

      «Normal. Quite unusual feelings. But very convenient, on the other hand».

      «That’s right. Nonetheless, I prefer to walk to work. A morning stroll is useful to one’s health,» – Ted smiled.

      «So, is it the Magistrate? I haven’t been here yet,» – Mr. Merlegg looked at the building admiringly.

      «Let’s get in».

      At the entrance they were met by a security guard.

      «Hi, what is the purpose of your visit?»

      «Hello,» – answered Ted. «Alan Merlegg and Ted Spencer from the British Museum. We have an appointment with the Third Master».

      «Come in. You need to…»

      «Yes, thank you. I know where it is».

      «Have a good day then!»

      At two o’clock Ted and Mr. Merlegg were in the Third Master’s office. Starr, the lawyer was already sitting at table.

      «Hello,» – the Master greeted them cordially and hospitably. «Come in, have a seat. Do you know Mr. Starr, the lawyer?»

      «We did not have the honor. Pleased to meet you, sir,» – Ted tackled the issue pro-actively. He noticed that Mr. Merlegg had lost his nerve being surrounded by the most powerful representatives of the magic society.

      «Our lawyer Mr. Starr, please meet Mr. Alan Merlegg, Deputy-Director of the British Museum and Head of the Magic Department, and Mr. Ted Spencer, a treasurer, curator and tour-guide of the Magic Department,» – the Third Master introduced them.

      The men shook each other’s hands.

      «I am also very pleased to meet you, gentlemen,» – the lawyer replied. «Furthermore, this is quite a novelty in our world, I mean, the Magic Department in the Museum which discloses our mysteries and our life to non-magicians. I am thankful to the Third Master for his valuable time. I am here on business, unfortunately, for a sad cause».

      «What happened, counsellor? You haven’t touched upon any sad reason in our telephone conversation,» – asked the Master.

      «Five days ago a magician Meryl Greenfield passed away».

      «Really!» – exclaimed the Master. «I wasn’t updated on that! What a loss! What an irretrievable loss!»

      The Master groaned and shook his head.

      «Yes, unfortunately,» – confirmed the lawyer and turned to Ted. «I hope that this name is familiar to you, Mr. Spencer?»

      «Oh, certainly! What a pity! She used to be a famous magician. Besides, she was a writer, a traveler and a collector of magic books».

      «Right. I am her solicitor and executor. She bequeathed all her books and traveler’s notes to the British Museum».

      «Really!» – Mr. Merlegg exclaimed. «Quite unexpectedly and a huge donation to our Museum».

      «Yes, but there is a tiny condition. A letter in some ancient and unknown language has been attached to the will. Allow me to read the will to you, rather the part that concerns you».

      «Please, begin».

      The lawyer started to read.

      «Within my life I have been to many a country and gathered a substantial collection of magic books, scrolls and rarities. I would like to bequeath all of them to the British Museum. For my collection to be useful and not to absorb dust in the archives, I hereby attach a letter which comprises my last wishes. In order to make sure that my decision was correct, I compiled this letter in a language, other than English. Given that within a year’s time my letter is not deciphered and my instructions are not put into effect, the collection