The next day at breakfast, Folas is missing. Adamar had told Briareth and I what had happened before he left, but we had all expected that Folas would get a slap on the wrist and be sent off to bed. Apparently, it was a bit worse than that.

He doesn’t arrive during any of the morning classes either, and by lunch I am getting really worried. We decide to meet out by the greenhouse to discuss his disappearance in private. After Adamar describes the night's experience again, we are all quiet for a bit, thinking. Briareth of course, breaks the silence.

“We know he was definitely caught.” Briareth says. “Question is where is he now? It wouldn’t feel right starting the next phase until we at least know what happened to him, and, if necessary, rescue him.”

“I agree.” says Adamar, “We can’t just forget about him and continue onwards, but how do we find out what happened to him without revealing that we were in cahoots? Just go up to one of the Masters, put on our best innocent face, and ask if they know where our friend has gone?”

“That sounds rather good to me.” Valkallyn says. “I could do it because he is my twin. It’s natural for me to worry about him.”

“Which one would you ask though?” I say. “I feel like that would be vital to them not realizing we were involved. We would need someone of a high enough position to know what happened, but very knowledgeable about you and your twin. You would also want it to be someone who you know you have a good relationship with.”

“I suppose.” Valkallyn frowns at this. “I was originally going to ask Master Kolvar, because my brother has his class, and Adamar says that he was the one to catch him. But now that you point that out, I suppose I should ask Master Cellica. I was always good in her class, and I think she liked me and Folas, although he was always goofing off with Briareth.”

“If they didn’t want that to happen they shouldn’t have put us in a class together.” Briareth murmurs. This earns a small chuckle from me, and Adamar may have snorted into his teacup. Although, that could have been a muffled sneeze.

“Did someone say my name?” says a familiar voice, and Folas comes walking up. “I was wondering where you guys had disappeared off too. Eldrin and Erryn said you just had grabbed your plates and gone. I thought you might have come back here.”

“You're alive!” Briareth happily shouts. He drops his donut onto his plate and bounds over to his friend to give him a hug. He nearly knocks Folas’s plate out of his hands.

“Whoah, Briareth! Don’t tackle me!” He says grinning. “Now hold up a second. Why did you think I was dead?”

“Well,” Briareth says. “You were captured, and then you disappeared! Anything could have happened!”

“We thought you were captured,” Valkallyn states. “and continuing without knowing what happened to you didn’t sit right, so we were just talking about how we could make one of the Masters spill on what happened to you.”

“So what happened to you after Adamar left?” I ask curiously.

“Master Kolvar captured me.” Folas begins, striding over to our little group and taking a seat. “He took me through a lot of corridors, and I think he changed them up some more along the way, so I had no clue where we were going. Eventually we arrived in a large room. All the Masters were there, and there were even a couple faces I didn’t recognise, but the HeadMaster wasn’t there.

“They talked for quite some time, calling me ‘the repeating offender’, and discussing what should be done with me. They mentioned that you, Briareth, had already been dealt with by the HeadMaster, and some suggested that they should take me to him as well. Others disagreed though, saying that since I had actually trespassed into the Masters’ Tower, which was their territory, they should deal with me themselves.

“They of course asked me what I was doing there, and I gave them the excuse about the kitchens. I’m not sure if they believed me or not, but it didn’t seem to help my case any.” Folas pauses and takes a swig of water. “Eventually though, the HeadMaster arrived and asked what was going on. One of the Masters told him, and he asked why he wasn’t invited. They all bumbled around a bit, blaming each other for the ‘oversight’. Eventually Master Cellica blurted out that many thought they should deal with it themselves, which some people got mad at her for. The HeadMaster shut them all up soon enough though, and then he asked what they had decided to do with me, which of course they couldn’t answer, so he said ‘why not give him in-school suspension and get it over with then?’ So I was suspended.”

Briareth blinks. “He just suggested it, and they all were like ‘okay’? That doesn’t seem like people who were trying to keep him from a meeting.”

“Well they can’t directly stand up against his decision.” Folas explains. “And he also pointed out that if they expel me right now, I still have to stay on campus but can’t attend classes, so I’ll only have more time to get into trouble. And technically because I’m not a student any more, they wouldn’t be able to punish me unless I do something illegal.

“Now I know this will seem completely off topic,” Folas continues, “but are we going to put the next part of our plan into action tonight? The part with Valkallyn and Adamar? Also, do we have any extra bracelets? I need to get a replacement for mine if I’m going to be able to help anymore.”

“I think we have some extras back in the dorm.” I say, “But shouldn’t you lay low in case you get kicked out?”

“But what if you need me for backup? Or need to call me in a hurry?” Folas replies. “I might not use it often, but I should have it just in case. Either way, I guess this means we’re continuing with the mission then?”

“Well since you're here,” I say. “I don’t see why not. Perhaps you can stop by our dorm later for the bracelets.”

“Excellent!” Folas smiles. “Oh Briareth, by the way, what did you get punished with?” Folas asks.

“Nothing much,” Briareth responds. “a ‘don’t ever do that again’ and detention with Ms. Gennixia because I stole some of her supplies. But I got off really easy because I bribed the HeadMaster and Master Gennixia with the leftover explosives. I can’t wait to see what they do with them.” I feel a small sense of dread as he says that and try not to think about the possibilities.

The bell rings and we head back to our classes. I feel pleased that Folas is safe. All he needs to do is stay out of trouble for a while and then it will be like nothing happened. Classes drag on like they did yesterday, but I’m able to pay more attention to them today and I concentrate to make up for yesterday's distracted state. After all, I might still be here long after this mess with the disappearing animals has cleared up. It wouldn’t be good for me to fall behind on my work.

At supper Erryn and Eldrin ask about Folas’s disappearance and reappearance last night, and if it had anything to do with Briareth’s explosions. Folas doesn’t answer them directly, but neither does he lie. This seems to upset them somewhat and they set off on a series of guesses to try and figure out the answer, which provides amusement for the whole table.

Eventually supper ends and we head back to our dorms. Folas picks up his new bracelet and then hurries off to his room. The rules are firmly in place now, and so everyone else will be going to bed shortly. As the curfew draws closer Adamar gets out his orb again.