by E. G. Foley
Isabelle wore a lavender dress trimmed with white lace, and Dani wore a green that matched her eyes. But as pretty as they both looked, somehow it was even more startling to see Nixie arrive wearing a splash of color rather than her usual all-black. Granted, there was still black in her dress, along with the crimson, but at least it was a start. Much to their amusement, she had tied a tiny bowtie around Malwort’s neck, so even the spider would look smart for the occasion.
“Everyone ready?” Miss Helena inquired.
“Shouldn’t we wait for Uncle Richard and Aunt Claire?” Jake asked.
“They’re already there,” she answered. “Shall we?”
They all started down the rest of the stairs in a group.
“One moment, please, children!” a crisp voice called from behind them.
“Aunt Ramona!” Jake greeted her.
The Dowager Baroness stood tall and stately in her dark indigo gown. With her gray hair gathered in a severe bun, her lips pursed, her knife-hilt cheekbones etched with disapproval, they instantly realized the Elder witch did not look happy.
“Good! You’re all here,” she said. “I should like to speak to you, please. Yes, all of you. This way. Follow me.”
Glances were exchanged. Uh-oh.
“Miss Helena, you may wait in the entrance hall.”
“Yes, Your Ladyship.” The governess stepped aside but sent Jake a startled look that demanded, What did you do now? He lowered his gaze and followed his aunt.
All the kids exchanged worried looks as Aunt Ramona led them down the hallway and into an empty parlor.
“Shut the door, thank you.” When Maddox had pulled the door closed behind the last of them, everybody waited tensely. “Sit, please.” She gestured to the center couch.
The three girls sat down in a tidy row; the three boys went and stood behind the couch, leaning against it.
Aunt Ramona swept them all with a piercing gaze. She rested her hip against the writing desk before them. “I heard the most interesting tale today from Dr. Plantagenet.”
Gulp. Jake’s heart pounded.
“You know that unfortunate half-troll boy, his assistant? Well, it seems Ogden Trumbull showed up at the zoo this morning with a ghastly creature called a Nuckalavee, asking if he could keep it as a pet. Fancy that! He would not say how he came by the beast, but the doctor noticed that one of his large medicine sprayers was missing, as well.”
Archie sent Jake a subtle, panicked glance. They had slept all day and hadn’t had a chance to return it yet.
“I don’t suppose any of you would know…anything about that, would you?” Aunt Ramona inquired.
Maddox drew breath to speak, but Jake stepped hard on his foot to keep him quiet. Knowing Aunt Ramona, she probably already knew the answer, anyway. Admitting to everything would only have lost them a smidgen of her respect.
“Hmm,” Dani said noncommittally.
Jake took it further. “What’s a Nuckalavee, ma’am?”
Aunt Ramona pursed her lips—perhaps in disapproval, or just maybe, holding back an exasperated smile. “Look it up,” she said tersely. “In any case, we leave in the morning, so be ready, and that goes for all of you. Miss Valentine will be coming with us. And the spider, I suppose.”
“I will?” Nixie echoed in surprise.
“I spoke to the Elders on your behalf, Miss Valentine. They said you could either remain here at Merlin Hall to continue your education or be entrusted to my custody for more personalized attention. I surmised you would rather come with us so you could be with your new friends. I hope I was not mistaken?”
“No, Your Ladyship. Thank you, I am grateful,” Nixie murmured, though she looked a little torn about having lost the freedom she had enjoyed, roaming the countryside with the gypsies.
“Good. Because the Elders agreed that a young mage of your abilities can by no means be left unsupervised. I am afraid, Miss Valentine, that you will always have a target on your back for recruitment by the Dark Druids—just like Jake. We can’t let that happen to either of you, especially now.” Aunt Ramona did not explain that comment, but obviously, it had to do with the threat of war that they, as mere kids, weren’t supposed to know about. “Don’t worry, you will be quite happy, in any case.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Nixie lowered her gaze, while Archie grinned from ear to ear.
“As for you, Mr. St. Trinian.”
“Yes, my lady?” Maddox stood at attention.
“You’ll be coming with us, too. All the equipment and clothing you will need for your new assignment will be provided for you, as per protocol.”
He sliced a nod, concealing any twinge of hurt pride he might have felt at the reminder of his relative poverty. “Guardian Stone informed me of my assignment before he departed, ma’am.”
“Any questions?”
He looked askance at Jake. “Permission to throttle my charge as needed on occasion?”
“Oh, I’d be grateful for it, believe me,” she answered in amusement. “Within reason, of course.”
Jake scowled while Isabelle tried to hide her joy at the news that Maddox would be coming with them, too.
“Very well, then. Off we go to the ball. You are dismissed. Except for you, Jacob. Remain behind with me for a moment, please. You may rejoin your friends shortly.”
That sounded like trouble, but he did not dream of disobeying the Elder witch. “Yes, ma’am.”
While the others left the room, sending him discreet, worried glances, Jake started mentally rehearsing possible excuses for his most recent round of mischief.
His aunt studied him intently. “I’m afraid I have some rather troubling news for you, Jacob. You’ve probably heard by now about the vampire prince who arrived the other night. Well, I’m sorry to have to tell you that the reason for his visit concerns you. He came to bring us warning that the Dark Druids may have discovered your defeat of Garnock the Sorcerer. I don’t wish to scare you, but we’re going to have to be very careful with your safety for a bit. They may…want revenge.”
Jake nodded but did not bother explaining that he already knew.
She arched a brow. “Well, you don’t look too rattled by the news. You’re a very brave lad. Which is good. You’ll have to be, if you want to become a Lightrider.”
He kept his gaze down as he recalled Janos saying that the Dark Druids were targeting Lightriders now.
“We’ll return to Gryphondale and sort out our affairs, but very soon, I shall be taking you and the others abroad. Someplace where our enemies wouldn’t know to look for you. Think of it as a nice, long holiday—at least, until the unpleasantness dies down a bit.”
“Where?”
“Oh, somewhere pleasant, to be sure. The seaside is nice this time of year, and I daresay you children would enjoy the ocean. The Mediterranean, perhaps. I was thinking the south of France or one of those lovely Greek islands. Unless you’d prefer the Italian coast?”
Jake looked at her, wide-eyed. As if he’d know! “Whatever you think best,” he answered eagerly.
She nodded. “There is quite good Society in Naples these days, what with all the consumptive Englishmen living abroad. Yes, Italy, I think. I have many friends there… ’Twould be good for your education, as well. And the food! You in particular will appreciate that,” she added with a knowing smile. “Any questions?”
“Not really.”
“Very well, then, come along.”
Jake hesitated, wondering if she had got in trouble with the other Elders for trying to hide his secret. He also wondered if Derek had volunteered to go for the same reason—because of his involvement in keeping Jake’s feat quiet.
Crossing to the door, Jake’s thoughts strayed back to how his battle against Garnock had unfolded this past autumn in Wales.
His aunt paused and turned to him. “Something on your mind?”
“What about the people who helped me?” He could not hide his worry. “I didn’t defeat Garnock alone. Isabelle was there.
Emrys and the mining dwarves helped me. Red, Derek, Helena. Those ghosts in the town. They all had a hand in it.”
“We’re taking measures,” she assured him.
“And what about Celestus and the other three angels who came down at the end? If they hadn’t arrived, that huge demon could have busted out of the underworld to terrorize the Earth.”
“La, child! You needn’t worry about the angels, for heaven’s sakes! The Dark Druids’ evil is powerful, but they don’t have anywhere near the capability to harm one of the Light Beings.” She paused. “I mean, there were stories in the ancient past, long, long ago, of that happening every now and then… But that knowledge has been lost for at least a thousand years. So, don’t worry your head about all that. Just concentrate on being a boy a while longer, why don’t you? Lord knows being thirteen is hard enough.”
Jake smiled ruefully and hugged the old woman, then they left the parlor and rejoined the others.
His friends were waiting in the entrance hall, looking impatient to get to the party.
“Did you get in trouble?” Dani whispered as he approached.
“Nah, but guess what! They’re taking us to Italy!” he confided in her ear.
“Italy?” she echoed in excitement.
“Aye, the beach! But you can’t tell anybody yet.”
Halfway across the entrance hall, Jake suddenly felt a small jolt of lightning run through his entire body, making his arms and legs go rigid. His eyes bugged. He stopped in his tracks. “Ack!”
“Jake! What’s wrong?” Dani cried, right beside him. She grabbed his arm to keep him upright.
Just as quickly as the sensation had burst through him, it stopped, leaving him slightly dazed. “What the…ugh.”
As the spasm wore off, he became aware of the sound of hilarious laughter from behind him. He turned around and found Archie belly-laughing with a downright devilish twinkle in his dark eyes.
“Got you, coz!” He held up the little controller in his hand.
Jake’s jaw dropped as understanding filled him. “You Bully Buzzered me?”
“That’s for kissing Nixie! Aw, come on, you know you had it coming! And Og didn’t need it anymore.”
“Wait.” Dani turned to Jake. “You kissed Nixie?”
“No! I mean—not exactly!” he stammered.
“Actually, he missed,” Nixie said in amusement.
Maddox turned to him, lifting an eyebrow. “You missed?”
“Ugh.” Blushing scarlet with embarrassment, Jake hid his face in his hands.
Archie, still snickering over his diabolical revenge, sauntered over and peeled the two brass nodes off Jake’s back where he had surreptitiously planted them earlier.
“Now we’re even, coz,” he said with a jovial slap on his shoulder. “Aw, don’t worry, you’ll be fine. I cut the voltage in half.”
“Guess I deserved that,” he mumbled to him.
Nixie shook her head at them both, rolled her eyes, and walked away. Archie strutted after her.
“Seriously. You missed?” Maddox drawled while Isabelle went ahead. Then he, too, walked away, chuckling and shaking his head.
Only Dani was left glowering at him, her fists planted on her waist.
Jake threw up his hands. “It wasn’t my fault! It was a Cupid arrow! What do you care, anyway?” he challenged her. “Jealous or something?”
“You’re gross,” she replied. Then she pivoted on her heel and flounced off with a huff.
Jake heaved a sigh, slid his hands into his trouser pockets, and strode after his party with a grumble under his breath.
Outside in the balmy spring evening, the rose-pink sunset was fading, slowly revealing a dark blue sky full of twinkling stars. It was too beautiful a night to stay annoyed for long.
Soon they arrived in the center of the yew maze and found it lit up like a fairyland—which, of course, it was. Huge purple amethyst geodes sparkled, with candles set inside them. Dramatic quartz crystal formations in many different colors were set up here and there and lit from behind so they glowed.
There was music to enjoy. An elven orchestra played on mysterious magical instruments, while Constanzio, King of the Tenors, dazzled the psychic-mediums present as he sang along, crooning dramatically into the spring night.
Jake listened with pleasure, and wondered if everyone in Italy would prove to be as jolly as the opera ghost.
He supposed he’d soon find out.
At that moment, the mighty Crafanc-y-Gwrool, otherwise known as Claw the Courageous, but more commonly called Red, made his entrance. The Gryphon came flying over the outdoor ballroom, soaring in a circle as his eagle-eyes searched the crowd for Jake.
People pointed at the magnificent beast above, but Jake waved, delighted to see his friend could fly again. “I’m down here, boy!”
“Caw!” With a few beats of his wings, Red descended. The people around Jake moved back to clear a spot for the regal beast to land. In the next moment, his lion paws hit the ground with a graceful pounce.
“Look at you!” Jake said admiringly as the Gryphon marched proudly toward him, resplendent in his new array of bright scarlet feathers. The smattering of gold ones winked like tiny flames in the torchlight. “Why, you’re handsomer than ever!”
“Becaw,” Red replied with his beak in the air, as if to say, Oh, yes, I know. He tapped his tufted tail in time with the music. Jake scratched his pet fondly on the back.
“Hors d’oeuvre, sir?” Maddox drily offered the Gryphon as he returned from the refreshments table.
“He likes anything with salmon,” Jake said.
“Here.” Maddox tossed the beast a tiny salmon ball crusted with almonds.
Red caught it in the air, but this small taste of his favorite food only whetted his appetite. “Caw!” With a flick of his tail, he padded off in the direction of the refreshments.
“He’ll eat the whole tray of them, likely,” Maddox said with a smile.
Jake nodded. “And possibly the table.”
“He looks good.”
“What a relief to have him back to normal. I do wish I knew why some of his feathers grew back in gold, though. I wonder what it means.”
“Oh, he didn’t have those before?”
“No! And if the red ones have those amazing healing powers, I can barely imagine what the gold ones do.”
“Go ask Dr. Plantagenet. Bet he’d know. He’s right there,” Maddox said, gesturing with a celery stick smothered with soft cheese.
“Where? Oh, crikey.” He spotted the Green Man escorting a female of his kind across the ballroom, flowers sprouting from the twigs that crowned her head.
At once, Jake turned away and hid his face behind his hand to avoid being seen.
“What’s the matter? Go ask him. He’s a magical veterinarian. If anyone would know about the feathers—”
“Can’t! I’m too embarrassed,” Jake said. “He must’ve seen me stealing the sprayer last night. That’s how Aunt Ramona must have known. I could’ve sworn he was asleep!”
“Well, you can quit hiding. He’s looking right at you.”
Awkwardly, Jake glanced over and met the Green Man’s gaze. He raised his glass of punch to him in a token apology as Dr. Plantagenet sauntered by with the Green Lady. The mild-mannered veterinarian sent him a pointed look in answer, but nodded politely.
“Where did you and Archie leave the sprayer, anyway?” Maddox asked after they had gone past.
“We hid it in our room. Why?”
“I could go return it for you in a little while.”
“You’re that desperate to escape?”
“Frankly, I’d rather be welding,” he muttered. “Or at least fighting goblins.”
“Oh, come on, it’s not that bad for a ball.”
Maddox let out a wordless grumble of frustration and did not seem to know where to look. “Yes, but your cousin keeps staring at me!”
Obviously, he did not mean Archie.
Maddox ru
bbed the back of his neck with an air of tension. “I think she wants me to ask her to dance.”
“So, why don’t you? Don’t tell me the mighty Guardian is scared of a girl.”
Maddox scowled at him. “It’s not going to happen. I’m on duty.”
“You are not on duty!” Jake scoffed. “Lord, you’re such a stick.”
“I am not a stick.”
“Yes, you are. Believe me. You need to loosen up!”
“How am I supposed to do that? Look at me! I look like a penguin for starters! You and your cousins might be aristocrats, but me, I’m not used to all this. All these people in their finery and jewels…”
“So? You’re a prince’s son.”
“Illegitimate!” he reminded him defensively, as though it were a badge of honor.
Jake shrugged. “Well, you might want to try to acclimate because you’re right. I am an earl and this is the kind of life I’m going to have, and if they’ve assigned you to be my Guardian, then I think you better get used to it.”
Maddox growled under his breath.
“As for Izzy, don’t worry, she’ll forget about you soon. Chaps are always falling in love with her. She’ll find somebody else.”
Maddox turned and glared at him.
Despite his claims to the contrary, this was apparently not what the lad had wanted to hear. He grumbled and stared forward, like a sentry alone on the night watch.
“Maddox,” Jake prompted in amusement.
“Of course I like her!” he finally admitted in an angry whisper. “How could anybody not? She’s…beautiful. She’s one of a kind. But it’s out of the question.”
“Why?”
“Let’s just say that seeing Ravyn again refreshed my memory about the consequences that can result from a Guardian getting involved with someone in a way they shouldn’t. I don’t intend to make the same mistake. It wouldn’t be fair to Isabelle. I just wish she’d take the hint. I don’t want to hurt her feelings, and I know I will. I’m too blunt. I always say the wrong thing. Maybe…you could talk to her for me.”
“Me? Crikey, no. I’m not getting in the middle of that, thank you very much. Tell her yourself.”
“Ah, Maddox! There you are. How smart you look, son.”
