Mayta, dressed only in her white nightgown and a pair of slippers, began her check of the University children. Although they all occupied the same hall Mayta maintained that there should be more than just her to try and care for them all. Six children was too many for one adult to look after. Six magical children who already knew how to handcraft spells for whatever mischief they wanted to make was even worse.

Cramming them all down one University hall did little to make Mayta’s job easier. Even after all of her hard work to make sure they stayed safe, they had begun to find their ways around her magic. Theocharista was the first, but as soon as the other children saw her break through spells they bombarded their limits as well until they shattered. It was expected of every Mayta to try and contain the reincarnations, just as it was expected for every reincarnation to make leaps and bounds to avoid being contained.

Mayta began at the first door on the left and made her way down. Cracking the door open wide enough to see if her little wards were soundly asleep or not. Isolde was in her room, tucked snugly into bed, her covers bundled around her head and thumb securely in her mouth. Theocharista’s bed was empty, but that wasn’t new. It was the time of night for her bed to be empty. If Mayta was lucky Theocharista had only gone one door over and fallen asleep with Morgana. Mayta wasn’t so lucky. Morgana was asleep. Hovering a few inches off her bed with the soft winds of her dreams rocking her deeper into sleep.

Across the hall, Taliesin sat at his desk with the lamp lit. Mayta waved her hand and the candlelight flickered out.

“Go to sleep, Taliesin VII,” Mayta said.

“But, Mayta-” Taliesin tried to argue.

“No arguments,” Mayta interrupted.

Mayta ushered Taliesin into bed, tucking his covers around him and patting his head.

“Goodnight, Taliesin VII,” Mayta whispered.

“Goodnight, Mayta,” Taliesin whispered back.

Mayta exited, softly closing the door behind her. Looking into Bedwyr’s room she saw something new. He muttered and tossed in his sleep and with every flung arm another one of his belongings fell from his shelf and cracked against the floor. Mayta waved her hand, bringing everything back to its rightful place before going to check on Medraut. As usual Medraut was also not in his bed.

Sometimes Mayta wondered why she even bothered checking for Medraut and Theocharista in their own bedrooms. Without a second thought Mayta made her way down to the kitchens, winding down stairwells and across dark corridors until the faint glow of stove fires greeted her. A dozen women were going about their jobs and keeping the fires lit. One held Medraut on her hip, his face pressed against her shoulder and his body sleep slackened, as she stirred a pot.

“Good evening, Mayta,” the woman said.

“Good evening,” Mayta replied. “Only Medraut tonight, Theocharista didn’t come down?”

“She was adamant about being done with divination,” the woman grinned. “Mayhaps you’ll find her in the library.”

Mayta held out her arms to take Medraut and whispered her goodbyes to all the women in the kitchen. With Medraut in her arms, Mayta hurried up the stairs and across the University’s sprawling campus then passed the heavy wooden double doors of the library. The librarian was always there but she had her own opinions on reincarnations and Maytas, so Mayta decided to forego asking her if Theocharista was present. Scholars lined rows of books, each with their own lamps hovering nearby. Mayta didn’t bother asking any of them if they’d seen Theocharista either. Scholars were single mindedly focused with whatever they were reading. So, Mayta made her way to the divination section only to find it empty.

Mayta whipped her head back and forth letting her eyes scan every inch of the aisle before going down every aisle until she had combed through the entire library. As fast as she could without waking Medraut, Mayta made her way to the librarian’s desk. The librarian had become the librarian long before Mayta had become Mayta. She had a pair of thick glasses perched on her too thin nose. As Mayta approached the librarian adjusted her glasses, pursued her wrinkled lips, and sneered.

“Excuse me, exalted librarian,” Mayta said softly. “Have you seen Theocharista Hellysent Yost VII?”

The librarian hacked one loud cough into her black handkerchief before answering.

“Mayta’s have always been too lenient with their charges, especially their Theocharistas,” the librarian accused. “You are no different. Your Theocharista hasn’t been here since before supper. I suggest you quell her tendency to wander before she wanders too far.”

“Thank you, exalted librarian,” Mayta replied. “I’m endeavoring to do just that.”

With all the grace of someone trying to look like they aren’t hurrying, Mayta fled. She deposited Medraut back into his room, adjusting his covers just so before closing the door. In the hallway Mayta fished a pale crystal necklace from under the neckline of her nightgown. She clutched it in her fist before whispering.

“Find Theocharista Hellysent Yost VII,” she ordered.

When she opened her hand though the crystal did nothing. As long as the reincarnations were on University grounds the crystal should've been able to pinpoint exactly where they were. Leading Mayta to them would be no problem after that.

"If Theocharista isn't in the University," Mayta muttered.

She careened back down the hall, not bothering to put on her winter cloak or her boots, before crashing through the main doors. In the growing snow Mayta observed the staircase. Mayta heaved a bitingly cold breath.

"Please," she said to herself. "Not yet."

Then Mayta began ascending the staircase.