The Shadowseeker - Victor Kloss Page 0,69
under his arm, before leaving the room. The moment he stepped outside, he noticed that the diamond on his right shoulder was flashing. The Institute members and apprentices he passed made it clear they would not talk or interrupt anything he was doing.
Ben hurried up the main staircase and went straight to the library. He found an empty table, sat down, and opened the file. He started reading, slowly and methodically, about the sorry and often illegal story of Grignak Bronny. There was a wealth of information on Grignak's past employment, his family, and even the various crimes he had committed. When he was done, he put the file down. Now what? There were plenty of other potential avenues he could explore, but Ben wasn't sure how much they would help. He checked his watch. It was almost 10am. No, there simply wasn't enough time to sit here and do research all day. However, there was one thing he did need to find out about.
Ben hit the library shelves, searching for anything he could find on street goblins, which turned out to be frustratingly difficult. He eventually found a book titled 101 Goblins and Where to Find Them in the children's section. Inside, Ben found a helpful description of the street goblin.
“Hundreds of years of city dwelling has turned these goblins into street-smart, survival experts. They are smaller than your typical goblin and often scrawny in appearance, with a hooked nose and intelligent, scheming eyes. They are ferocious fighters, and particularly resistant to Earth magic and most mind spells. Many street goblins now live within the UK, having migrated from the Unseen Kingdoms to London, Birmingham and Leeds. Those that manage to avoid petty crime normally work in the food industry. Due to their physical prowess, some have managed to find employment in the sporting world, most notably, Bolgop Grimp, who plays League 1 football for Crawley Town.”
Ben spent a further twenty minutes gleaning what information he could from other books, but he made slow progress, and the time factor was starting to weigh heavily on him. After a fruitless search through Goblins: A Political History, Ben had had enough. It was now coming up to 11am. Ben felt a tiny quiver of panic, which he quelled instantly. There was still time, but he couldn't hang around here any longer.
Ben took a few pieces of the file on Grignak that he felt he might need and tucked them in his pocket. He then left the Institute at a jog.
The next step in his mission had become obvious as soon as he had read the task and seen the money. There was no way Ben could defeat a street goblin without some assistance. He needed spells.
Ben headed to Taecia Square, following a series of winding lanes, which eventually led to a large, well-trodden path filled with people with shopping on their minds. A mighty arch soon came into view, towering above the buildings. On the front it read “Queen Elizabeth’s Taecia”.
As soon as he passed underneath, the pavement opened up to a square surrounded on all sides by timber-framed shops. In the middle was a throng of people, many walking with shopping bags, others basking in the sun while sipping on cool drinks. The relaxed sound of chatter was a stark contrast to the pressure Ben felt under.
Ben headed to the “W” store, which, as usual, had a crowd of people waiting to get in. Ben briefly admired the elegant shop signage – a wizard’s hat, cast in silver with the letter “W” imprinted on it – remembering the first time he’d set eyes upon the store. He felt the cash in his pocket. Ben wouldn't be able to buy many spells, as the place was so expensive, but it would be quick, easy and the choice was incredible.
Ben thought back to the exam, and quickly realised buying spells from the “W” store would be a big mistake. This was the perfect opportunity to demonstrate his ability in the Department of Trade. Ben immediately dismissed the “W” store from his mind. He knew exactly where he needed to go.
There were many alleyways leading off Taecia Square, and Ben took one of the more popular ones, which had a steady stream of people going in both directions. He set a quick pace and it wasn't long before he came upon exactly what he was looking for. The road opened up and stalls started appearing either side. Up ahead, a banner floated above