by S. E. Smith
What shoulds I do? He asked his dragon.
Looks in the magic book, his dragon responded. Magic book knows.
Zohar nodded his head before he cleared his throat. “I needs to look in the magic book,” he stated with determination.
“What’s the magic book?” Jade and Amber asked at the same time.
“It’s the one Zohar’s mommy has,” Jabir answered, surprising everyone. “I heard her tell my mommy,” he replied with a shrug.
“But… What’s it for?” Bálint asked in confusion.
“It’s a book that my mommy draws in. It has all kinds of pictures in it and tells stories,” Zohar explained. “It’s in her office.”
“Buts… How’s you going to get it without being seen?” Amber asked with a puzzled frown.
“We’s could try to go through a window,” Jade suggested.
“I’s don’t likes heights,” Roam groaned with a shake of his head.
“No, it’s on the other side of my house. It’s too far to go and there’s no balcony offs it,” Zohar said with a sigh.
“Maybe you could ask Goldie to get it,” Jabir suggested.
Zohar shook his head. “I don’t want Goldie to gets in trouble,” he said with a frustrated frown.
“I could take you,” Alice suggested.
“No!” Bálint exclaimed, grabbing Alice’s hand. “You knows what happened when you did that before.”
“I’s stronger now,” Alice replied. “I know I can do it.”
“No,” Bálint said stubbornly.
“Are you sure, Alice?” Zohar asked in a hesitant voice.
“I’ll get Bio to help me get in,” Bálint stated in a fierce voice. “You tell me what it looks like.”
“Yes, I’s sure,” Alice said in a stubborn tone, glaring at Bálint. “I’s much stronger.”
Zohar studied Alice’s face for a moment before he nodded. He knew where his mom kept the magic book. Swallowing, he held out his hand.
“Alice…,” Bálint started to protest before he pursed his lips together in a tight line when he saw her stubborn face. “You’s better be careful or else I’s going to tell your mommy and daddy you’s wouldn’t listen to me,” he finally muttered as he reluctantly released her hand. “I’s be waiting for you.”
“I know,” Alice whispered before she brushed a kiss across Bálint’s cheek.
“Yew! Bálint’s got Alice’s yuckies now,” Jabir and Roam giggled.
“I’s do nots!” Bálint scowled, turning and tackling Roam.
Zohar decided the distraction was a good time for Alice to do her own magic. His breath caught and he bit back a startled cry when everything blurred for a moment. When he blinked again, they were in his mom’s office on the other side of the apartments.
“I’s not sure I’s wants to know how you do that,” Zohar muttered in a wobbly voice before he suddenly sat down on the rug and shook his head. “I’s seeing stars.”
“You’s be okay,” Alice promised, looking around the room. “Where’s the magic book?”
“I’ll gets it,” Zohar murmured with a shake of his head to clear the slight disorientation.
He climbed slowly to his feet and took several shaky steps before he felt the strength in his legs return. Behind him, Alice stared in fascination at all the beautiful pictures and wide variety of blown glass along the walls and shelves.
Pushing his mom’s drafting chair to the side, he climbed up onto it. On the desk was a large, thick book with a beautifully carved cover. He ran his small fingers over the images. On the cover several dragons danced among the stars. He could see a warship that he imagined was his father’s and two planets. His fingers traced the one that he knew had been his mother’s. She told him about the cover once when he was in the office with her.
“What is that?” Alice asked in a soft voice. “It is pretty.”
“It is where my mommy came from,” Zohar whispered, turning to stare into Alice’s curious blue eyes. “She came from far aways.”
“So did my mommy,” Alice replied, touching the cover.
“They’s all come from the same world, just like Grandpa Paul,” Zohar explained.
“Do you’s thinks this is where the Queen is coming from? My daddy won’t lets her take my mommy away,” Alice said in a small voice, turning to look at Zohar with a worried gaze.
“No, they don’t haves symbiots there,” he said reassuringly. “Let’s see if we cans find out what the magic book says about the Queen.”
Alice nodded and returned her attention back to the book. With a wave of her hand, it opened. Zohar drew in a deep breath and shook his head.
“You’s is more powerful,” he whispered in awe.
Alice giggled. “I’s been practicing likes my daddy does,” she admitted. “What’s this?”
“It’s the entrance to the castle,” Zohar stated, carefully turning the page. “You’s hasn’t seen it yet.”
“Oh,” Alice replied.
Zohar and Alice looked at the doors. The drawing was done in vivid colors with elaborate attention to detail. Zohar frowned as he stared at the illustrations. The doors were covered in beautiful circles and swirls. In each one, there appeared to be smaller creatures inside them that looked a lot like….
“That looks like little symbiots, but they looks – different,” Alice murmured, turning to look at Zohar.
“Yes,” he muttered. “Looks at these.” Two large faces adorned the door and appeared to be talking. “I wish I could hears them.”
Alice nodded. “Me too. My powers don’t make this kinds of things come to life,” she answered with a shudder. “I’s not so sure I’s want to, even if I could,” she admitted.
Zohar silently agreed. He didn’t want to see it come to life either. Turning the page, the inside lobby of the castle appeared. He leaned forward, carefully studying each page.
One by one, they traveled through the Queen’s castle. The front foyer where gleaming columns of gold held up a ceiling that moved and danced with the creatures among the stars, and through a side door where ghosts talked and moved around.
“That looks like my mommy!” Alice exclaimed in horror. “And there’s my daddy.”
“There’s Jade and Amber’s mommy and daddy, too,” Zohar stated grimly.
“Turns the page,” Alice demanded, waving her fingers and doing it before Zohar could.
“You’s bossy,” Zohar muttered.
“I’s know,” Alice replied in a clipped tone. “My’s daddy says that, too. Mommy says it's okay to be’s a little bossy sometimes.”
“I’s always bossy, ‘cause I’s gonna be the leader one day,” Zohar stated before returning his focus to the book. In between the next two pages was another one that had been ripped out and folded. “Someone’s ripped my mommy’s book.”
He swallowed when he heard Alice’s low cry of dismay when he unfolded it. The picture showed the throne room. It looked just like the one he’d seen when his mom had taken him inside the castle a few days ago, only this time, the Queen was there and she was holding up a baby that looked just like….
“That’s Leo! That’s Roam’s Auntie Tina’s baby,” Alice whispered in a louder voice. “Zohar, we’s gots to do something!”
“That’s Morah and Hope, too,” Zohar responded in an angry tone. “That’s why my daddy called the Twin Dragons.”
“But – why woulds Aunty Cara build a Castle for the Queen?” Alice asked, puzzled.
“Maybe’s the book will tells us,” Zohar muttered, turning the pages.
One by one, the illustrations brought to life the inside of the castle. It looked as if whoever entered became captured by the Queen. She turned them into ghostly figures.
Her minions, small odd shaped golden figures could be seen sneaking into the palace. When they came almost to the end of the book, they saw where the page had been ripped out. It showed the Queen’s minions taking the babies. The very last page was a picture of a world filled with all kinds of unusual creat
ures, they had seen some before, others they had not.
“What…,” Zohar started to say when he heard the sound of footsteps coming down the hall, before he recognized his mom’s husky voice. “We’s got to go back to the nursery.”
“I’ll get the book,” Abby said outside the door. “This way we can show the others what we are talking about, Cara.”
“Holds on to me,” Alice said, closing her eyes and focusing.
Zohar barely had time to close the book before they vanished. His left hand was wrapped tightly around Alice’s arm while his right hand gripped the torn out page. He wanted to show it to the others to see what they thought it meant.
8
“I knows this story,” Phoenix whispered, staring at the illustration that Zohar was holding up, his eyes wide.
“Yeah, our mommy told it to us the other night,” Spring added, gazing over her sister’s shoulder. “Tells them, Phoenix.”
Phoenix nodded, her dark hair swirling around her. Roam, Alice, and the other dragonlings scooted closer to Phoenix and her twin sister, Spring.
“Once, long, long ago, theres was a magical land calls Halloween,” Phoenix started to say.
“It’s where the pumpkins comes from,” Spring interjected.
Phoenix nodded before continuing. “They’s called Jack-o-Lanterns because the first one was named Jack. He was the Captains of the Guards for the Queen,” she explained.
“The Queen turned him into a pumpkin because he tried to leave. He fell in loves with a girl,” Spring said excitedly added.
“Did he sees her colors like Bálint can see Alice’s?” Jabir asked in a curious tone.
“I don’t know. Mommy didn’t tell us about colors,” Phoenix admitted after a brief pause.
“So, what happened?” Zohar demanded, waving the paper. “What’s that got to do with the babies?”
“Each year, the Queen searches for Jack and the girl that he fell in loves with,” Phoenix said.
“But, what’s that gots to do with the babies?” Jade demanded with a shake of her head.
“They’s Jack’s and the girl’s babies,” Phoenix explained before she shook her head. “Lets me tell you the story the way my mommy did.”
“Does we gets a snack whiles you tells it?” Jabir asked with a hopeful look.
“No,” Spring snapped in annoyance. “Now be quiets so Phoenix cans tell you the story.”
“You’s don’t have to be so bossy. I’s just asking ‘cause I’s hungry,” Jabir grumbled with a pout as he sat down and folded his arms across his chest.
“You’s always hungry,” Roam teased, scooting over so that he was sitting next to Jabir.
“Alice is bossy, too,” Zohar leaned over and whispered. “I’s thinks it’s just ‘cause they are girls.”
“Oh,” Jabir mumbled. “That explains everythings. I still wish we had somethings to eats.”
“Here, Jabir. You can have my’s cookie from dinner. I’s was saving it for later, but I’s not hungry,” Alice said, carefully opening the small, colorful purse that was lying next to her before she pulled out a large cookie.
“Spring, the lights!” Phoenix said with a wave of her hand.
Spring giggled and hopped up to turn off the main light in the nursery. She sprinted back and sat down next to Phoenix with a nod. Her eyes gleamed with mischief and she rubbed her tiny hands together in anticipation.
“Once, long, long ago theres lived a Queen,” Phoenix said in a low voice as she rose to her feet. Her hands cut through the air as she talked. “The Queen fells in love with a handsome and mighty warrior.”
“Her Captains of the Guard,” Spring whispered.
Phoenix nodded. “With Jack, her Captains of the Guard. Jack protected the queen from all kinds of monsters that tried to breaks into the castle, but none of them could get through the mighty doors,” she dramatically stated, lifting her hands into the air as if trying to break through. “One day, Jack was protecting the door when a soft knock sounded on its. Nevers before had anyone knocked on the castle door.”
“He’s didn’t answer it rights away, though, did he, Phoenix? He mades her knock again,” Spring excitedly whispered.
“He’s made her knock three times before he opened the door,” Phoenix stated.
“But… Who’s she?” Jade demanded.
“Yeah! How did he know it was a she?” Amber complained.
“He didn’t at firsts,” Phoenix admitted. “Not untils he opened the door.”
“And there she was,” Spring sighed, resting her chin on her hand.
“There was who?” Zohar demanded.
“This story isn’t very good,” Jabir complained. “I’s thought there’d be fighting and swords and symbiots.”
“Shush! There is!” Spring growled with a wave of her hand.
Phoenix nodded in agreement. “Justs waits,” she promised. “Now’s where was I?”
“The knocking,” Alice said with a smile.
“Yes, the knocking. Jack had never had nobody knocks to get into the castle, so’s he wasn’t too sure whats to do. Finally, on the third knock, he pulled his sword and opens the door.” Phoenix paused to look around, making eye contact with each one of her captive audience before she continued. “Ands on the other side, there was a beautiful Huntress from the forest.”
“Just like my mommy!” Bálint exclaimed, suddenly perking up.
“She was wearing a long, dark green clo… cloaks. That’s like a cape,” Spring said, clapping her hands together.
“She had long, curly hair and carried a bows with arrows,” Phoenix added. “She came to confronts the queen.”
“But... whys?” Zohar asked, confused.
“Because, the monsters that were coming to the castle were not really monsters,” Phoenix explained. “They were magical beings who had been transformed by the evil queen when she got mad at them. Jack didn’t know this. The Huntress was the magical beings friend and she came to make the queen change them back.”
“But, wasn’t she scared?” Jabir asked in a small voice. “I’s would be scared.”
Phoenix shook her head. “No, because she was very powerful, too,” she said.
“Likes me,” Alice beamed. “I’d fight the Queen!”
“Me’s too!” Echoed the others.
“Jack stoods staring at the Huntress. ’Who are you and what do you want?’ he demanded. ‘I’ve come to defeat the Queen,’ the Huntress said. ‘I will not let you,’ said Jack. ‘Then, we will fight,’ the Huntress exclaimed.” Phoenix said, turning in a circle and acting like she was pulling a bow back.
“But… Where’s the symbiots?” Jabir demanded around a mouthful of cookie crumbs.
“You’s got to be patient,” Spring growled.
Phoenix paused and looked at Jabir. He mumbled a quick apology and swallowed. She refocused on her story.
“They’s fights from one side of the hallway to the others. All day and all night, before they’s finally stopped ‘cause they’s was tired and nobody was winnings. Jack couldn’t believes how good the Huntress was at fighting. ‘What is your name, Huntress?’ Jack demanded.”
“I know! I know!” Spring interrupted, raising her hand in the air. “It’s Sally.”
“Her name was Sally,” Phoenix replied with a dreamy smile. “Sally stared back at the handsome warrior before she replied. ‘My name is Sally. What are you called? I am Jack, Captains of the Guard for the Queen,’ he responded. ‘But, whys would you protect someone so evil?’ Sally demanded. ‘Why do you calls her evil, Sally?’ Jack asked. ‘Because, she tries to harm my friends,’ Sally told him.”
“But… Where’s the symbiots?” Roam demanded.
Phoenix sighed and shook her head. “I’s not very good at telling stories. Sally and Jack falled in love after they fought,” she said with a wave of her hand.
“I’s think you are doing a beautiful story, Phoenix,” Alice said.
Everyone turned and blinked at Alice in
surprise. She was sitting dressed in tiny dark brown boots, brown pants, a light green shirt, and a dark green cape. Her hair, while still blonde, was now curly and she had a play bow and arrow lying across her lap.
“The more Sally told Jack, the more he realized that what she said was true. She took him into the forests beyond the castle and through the forest of ghostly wolves,” Phoenix whispered.
The soft sound of a whimper escaped Roam. “Me and my cat don’t like the forest of ghostly wolves,” he admitted, staring back at Phoenix.
“Then, she took him along the river and down to the town with Auntie Abby’s talking head. That’s the village where all the creatures lived,” Phoenix said.
“That’s how my mommy got in there!” Zohar exclaimed with a start. “But… What about the babies?”
“And the symbiots!” Jabir added with a grin.
Phoenix shook her head in exasperation. “Okay! Jack and Sally went to the Queen and there was a bigs fight. The Queen turned to Jack and was going to turns him into a monster, but Sally jumped in fronts of him and stops her. The other monsters came from the forest and the village to help,” she explained.
“Buts not only them! The Goddess sent some symbiots because she could see how much Jack and Sally loved each other,” Spring exclaimed jumping to her feet and dancing around.
“Oh, good!” Jabir laughed with a clap of his hands.
“But, what abouts the babies?” Zohar demanded again.
“I’s getting to the babies,” Phoenix said. “Everybodys keeps interrupting me!”
“We learns that word from Mommy,” Spring whispered. “It means stopping her from telling the story.”
“I knows what it means,” Zohar growled. “But… I wants to know what this means!” He added, waving the paper.
“It means the Queen is coming to take the babies back to the land of Halloween, so she can make them her warriors. She comes once every year, whens the door between the land of Halloween and here opens. She picks three new babies to take back with her.”
“But… She nevers come for us,” Zohar said, puzzled.
“That’s ‘cause she didn’t knows we were here,” Spring said. “The Queen has her minions look for new babies. We’re not new no more.”
