Darman lost control as he yowled in pain. Edmond darted away and took a running leap back into the air and out of Darman's reach. The fae was far beyond reasoning now, and it didn't help that the flying monkeys pelted him with more apples.
We still didn't have the upper hand. Momba tried a direct attack, and he waved her away so that she flew backward. I didn't see where she landed, but her magic had disappeared, too. Darman had rage on his side. I tried to call up wrath of my own, but that wasn't the kind of magic I used. It just made it harder for me to concentrate, and I nearly lost Lord Snow because I wasn't focused on helping others.
No matter what I did, I could see no way to win.
Luckily for all of us, I had allies.
Edmond had gone through the gate. I don't know how he found Maggie, Five, and my father so quickly, but they surged through the opening in such a blaze of magic that I gave a cry of despair before I realized they came to help us. I stepped back. Then I went to my knees and watched in numb amazement as Maggie flew upward and tossed chains of magic down at Cayman. At the same time, my father enveloped his brother in a glow of powerful magic so bright I couldn't see within it. Cayman had not been ready for them, and they captured Cayman and the dire wolves in moments. What I had counted as lost a few minutes before was now won.
"I lost," I said, looking up at Maggie. "If you hadn't arrived --"
"You held him. We were hunting -- could sense trouble -- and then Edmond started shouting -- but you held him. If he'd gotten the sword, we never would have taken him down. Come on. Let's go home."
I let her help me back up. "No more side trips? No more surprises?"
"I hope not."
"Momba --" I said, glancing around. Lord Snow stood at my side. Five sat on Maggie's shoulder, and Edmond swept down, grabbed at me, and arranged himself across the back of my neck with a contented sigh.
Momba walked up to us and gave a nod. She looked a little bedraggled, but I saw a fire in her eyes when she looked at Cayman draped in a hundred magical chains.
"Thank you for your help," I said with a bow of my head. "I'll do what I can for your cause."
"Good then," she said with a smile. She looked around. "I better get the monkeys back, so it's not too late to watch Godzilla vs. Mothra."
The monkeys let out peals of pleasure and took to the sky. Edmond watched them go.
"Not bad guys, really," he admitted.
Maggie led us through the gate and back to the Elsewhere I knew. I could feel the difference even before I saw the castle on a hill to the right. I wish it had been closer. If we hadn't been so near the gate still, I would have just laid down in the grass and slept.
I did sheath the sword.
Maggie said little as we hiked toward the castle. I sensed my father and Cayman coming through the gate, but he took Cayman somewhere else, and I drew my hand back from the sword.
Dinner, and the kittens, were waiting for us. I assured Six more than once that this had not been his fault. He told us all about the person who had given him the book and pointed out the spell.
"Sounds like Darman to me," Maggie said. "I'm going to talk to some of the staff. We need to find out how he got in. Even if he's captured, it's still not safe."
I nodded and left her to it. I honestly didn't have the strength or ambition to get up and go do anything useful. I had put Akanthursta on the table, and it had spread frost around it. I didn't have to warn anyone else away from it, either. One glance at the weapon, and they wisely stayed clear of it.
Unlike me.
Lord Darman, my father -- I could not get used to that -- came and sat across the table from me. He did nod toward Akanthursta, but he did not try to touch it. I had the feeling I was not going to be able to give it over to him.
"I am not surprised that the sword chose you," he said, confirming my belief. "It comes with responsibilities, too."
"I need to know more. About the sword, about magic, about Elsewhere -- everything."
He nodded agreement. "I thought we had more time, and I wouldn't have to push you. We'll talk more about it tomorrow, Mark. Meet me in the library when you are ready. I'll know when you get there -- sleep late if you can. That will help."
"Yes, thank you."
He smiled suddenly, and for the first time, I thought I saw a bit of myself in him. "You did well. Maggie and Five filled me in on most of the adventure. You have the right instincts."
"We need to talk about Oz," I said and met his look. "I promised I would discuss the matter with you."
"Yes, of course. I think it is time we reconsider the Oz situation. We'll discuss that as well. Good night, Mark."
"Good night ... father."
He grinned and left whistling a tune that I recognized. Changes -- who would have guessed he was a Bowie fan? Maybe we would have something to talk about besides magic and battles, after all.
Time to head to bed. Lord Snow was asleep in the cooler air by the open doorway, but it took me a moment to find Edmond. He and the kittens had curled up in a basked by the hearth, all of them asleep.
Though Edmond's tail twitched as he dreamed about adventures.
We still didn't have the upper hand. Momba tried a direct attack, and he waved her away so that she flew backward. I didn't see where she landed, but her magic had disappeared, too. Darman had rage on his side. I tried to call up wrath of my own, but that wasn't the kind of magic I used. It just made it harder for me to concentrate, and I nearly lost Lord Snow because I wasn't focused on helping others.
No matter what I did, I could see no way to win.
Luckily for all of us, I had allies.
Edmond had gone through the gate. I don't know how he found Maggie, Five, and my father so quickly, but they surged through the opening in such a blaze of magic that I gave a cry of despair before I realized they came to help us. I stepped back. Then I went to my knees and watched in numb amazement as Maggie flew upward and tossed chains of magic down at Cayman. At the same time, my father enveloped his brother in a glow of powerful magic so bright I couldn't see within it. Cayman had not been ready for them, and they captured Cayman and the dire wolves in moments. What I had counted as lost a few minutes before was now won.
"I lost," I said, looking up at Maggie. "If you hadn't arrived --"
"You held him. We were hunting -- could sense trouble -- and then Edmond started shouting -- but you held him. If he'd gotten the sword, we never would have taken him down. Come on. Let's go home."
I let her help me back up. "No more side trips? No more surprises?"
"I hope not."
"Momba --" I said, glancing around. Lord Snow stood at my side. Five sat on Maggie's shoulder, and Edmond swept down, grabbed at me, and arranged himself across the back of my neck with a contented sigh.
Momba walked up to us and gave a nod. She looked a little bedraggled, but I saw a fire in her eyes when she looked at Cayman draped in a hundred magical chains.
"Thank you for your help," I said with a bow of my head. "I'll do what I can for your cause."
"Good then," she said with a smile. She looked around. "I better get the monkeys back, so it's not too late to watch Godzilla vs. Mothra."
The monkeys let out peals of pleasure and took to the sky. Edmond watched them go.
"Not bad guys, really," he admitted.
Maggie led us through the gate and back to the Elsewhere I knew. I could feel the difference even before I saw the castle on a hill to the right. I wish it had been closer. If we hadn't been so near the gate still, I would have just laid down in the grass and slept.
I did sheath the sword.
Maggie said little as we hiked toward the castle. I sensed my father and Cayman coming through the gate, but he took Cayman somewhere else, and I drew my hand back from the sword.
Dinner, and the kittens, were waiting for us. I assured Six more than once that this had not been his fault. He told us all about the person who had given him the book and pointed out the spell.
"Sounds like Darman to me," Maggie said. "I'm going to talk to some of the staff. We need to find out how he got in. Even if he's captured, it's still not safe."
I nodded and left her to it. I honestly didn't have the strength or ambition to get up and go do anything useful. I had put Akanthursta on the table, and it had spread frost around it. I didn't have to warn anyone else away from it, either. One glance at the weapon, and they wisely stayed clear of it.
Unlike me.
Lord Darman, my father -- I could not get used to that -- came and sat across the table from me. He did nod toward Akanthursta, but he did not try to touch it. I had the feeling I was not going to be able to give it over to him.
"I am not surprised that the sword chose you," he said, confirming my belief. "It comes with responsibilities, too."
"I need to know more. About the sword, about magic, about Elsewhere -- everything."
He nodded agreement. "I thought we had more time, and I wouldn't have to push you. We'll talk more about it tomorrow, Mark. Meet me in the library when you are ready. I'll know when you get there -- sleep late if you can. That will help."
"Yes, thank you."
He smiled suddenly, and for the first time, I thought I saw a bit of myself in him. "You did well. Maggie and Five filled me in on most of the adventure. You have the right instincts."
"We need to talk about Oz," I said and met his look. "I promised I would discuss the matter with you."
"Yes, of course. I think it is time we reconsider the Oz situation. We'll discuss that as well. Good night, Mark."
"Good night ... father."
He grinned and left whistling a tune that I recognized. Changes -- who would have guessed he was a Bowie fan? Maybe we would have something to talk about besides magic and battles, after all.
Time to head to bed. Lord Snow was asleep in the cooler air by the open doorway, but it took me a moment to find Edmond. He and the kittens had curled up in a basked by the hearth, all of them asleep.
Though Edmond's tail twitched as he dreamed about adventures.
The End
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