A scream echoed through the tunnels. On instinct, Sevana threw herself out of her bed, snatching up a sword from her bedside as she moved, smacking her bedroom door aside. “Big, which way?!” With the echoing effect of the tunnels, she couldn’t tell where the sound originated from.
The floor sloped abruptly to her right. Bel’s room? She spun and sprinted down the tunnel as fast as she dared, bare feet slapping against the hard stone, nightgown flapping around her ankles. The scream had died out by the time she got there, and she didn’t hear anything except inarticulate gibbering as she slammed the door fully open.
“What?” she demanded as she skidded to a stop inside, sword at the ready. “What’s—”
Bel had scrunched himself into a ball next to his headboard, one of his swords out and in his hand, a look of sheer panic on his face. At the footboard, a mountain lion lurked, with his head and front paws on top of the mattress, back end twitching as if preparing to pounce at any moment.
Disgusted, Sevana slammed the sword back into its sheath. “Baby, really.”
The prince froze, eyes slowly moving to her. “That’s Baby?”
“Yes, that’s Baby,” she answered in resignation. Not to mention irritation. What gods’ forsaken time was it, anyway? She doubted the birds were even up yet. “I’m glad that you finally stopped stalking the kid,” she told the cat, “but did you have to wake him up this early?”
The cat blinked at her innocently, tail still twitching.
Relaxing his guard, Bel also sheathed his sword. “What I want to know is, why did he have to surprise me like that? Couldn’t he just come up and introduce himself normally?”
“No, he couldn’t,” Sevana assured him dryly. The cat’s manners were worse than hers. He also took great delight in terrorizing everything within reach. Well, they were all awake now, regardless. Might as well start the day. She stepped closer and gave Baby’s head a good scratch, especially behind the ears. The cat rubbed up against her hand and purred loudly. “Come along, you pest. Bel, get dressed. We’re testing wood today.”
“Right.” With a cautious eye on Baby, he jumped off his bed and headed for his chest.
It took them a good hour to get dressed, eat breakfast, and get ready to depart. Fortunately, they had a virgin forest right behind Big. Technically, Noppers Woods lay within the bordering country of Haixi, but Sevana paid little attention to borders. If she needed to borrow the natural power of a landmark, then she did. It didn’t matter if it were in Windamere’s borders or not.
Since this would likely take most of the day—not the test itself, but getting there—she packed a picnic lunch as well.
She slung everything she needed into a pack, strapped her sword onto her hip, grabbed up the picnic basket and headed for the main tunnel with both prince and cat in tow. Well, actually, she didn’t call for Baby. He just followed along out of curiosity. Or possibly because he hoped to snatch the ham she’d packed.
Bel followed along in silence for several minutes before curiosity got the better of him. “Where are we going?”
“Noppers Woods.”
“Ah. But if we’re going behind the mountain, then shouldn’t we be heading that way?” he pointed over his shoulder in the opposite direction, where the front door lay.
“Back door,” she succinctly explained.
“That’s true, I suppose it would be a more direct route.” Bel’s tone suggested he didn’t really need a confirmation to that statement, he was just expressing interest. He did that a lot, actually, talking when there wasn’t any real need to. But she knew the root cause. After years of having only his own voice for company, he was in the habit of talking to himself.
She should know. She had the same bad habit.
They took a right branch in the tunnel that inclined steeply. Sevana used this path often, as she travelled about, and so she navigated it without a problem. Bel huffed and puffed behind her, not used to climbing anything. By the time they reached the top, he sounded like a blacksmith’s bellows.
She paused just outside the door and looked back at him. Bel had his hands on his knees, mouth wide open as he sucked in air, sweat pouring from his temples. “You have no stamina.”
“Wor-king on it,” he panted out.
Well, from here it was all downhill and then a short hike into Noppers Woods to a particular tree that she had in mind. So he should be able to get his wind back. Coming back, though…he probably wouldn’t be able to climb his way back up. She had a bad feeling that she’d end up carrying him at some point.
While she waited for him to catch his breath, she took the time to issue a few warnings. “There are several species that live in these woods that like children. You especially will look like a prime target to them because of your supposed youth. The Fae are the ones that I’m the most worried about, as they’re the boldest about kidnapping children. Now, I’ve lived here long enough that they know me well and know better than to cross me. As long as you’re with me, they likely won’t try anything. But don’t wander out of my sight. I can’t guarantee your safety if you do.”
He nodded in understanding, still pulling in breath harshly through his mouth. When he’d recovered a little, he took a long look around him. “Is there a trail that leads into the woods from here?”
“Of course.”
Bel’s breathing slowed back to normal. Sevana waved him forward and led the way down. She’d gone this way often enough that a natural trail had formed over the years, winding its way in and out of the trees. The branches overhead shaded the trail they were on, protecting them against the heat of the day, and so the hike down was pleasant.
By the time they made it down to the base of the mountain, Sevana judged it prudent to stop there and have an early lunch. Baby, of course, thought this a marvelous plan and volunteered to clean up any leftover ham.
Sevana, used to his antics, pushed him aside and finished her sandwich to the last crumb. Bel, still nervous around him, ended up losing half of his before he had the nerve to fight Baby off.
Packing everything back into the basket, she herded them back into motion. Fortunately for Bel, they didn’t need to go much further and reached the tree she wanted within a quarter hour.
No matter how many times she saw it, this tree always impressed her. It was an ancient oak, probably older than most of the countries that existed. It stood higher than any other tree in this forest, limbs spreading in every possible direction, some of them twisting about so that they actually touched the ground in spots.
“Incredible,” Bel breathed, looking at it. “I’ve never seen a tree this large. What is it?”
“An oak tree, actually. I estimate that it’s about eight hundred years old.”
“It would have to be, to be that big,” he agreed with wide-eyed wonder.
Adult he might be, but he reacted to the world with child-like innocence. She didn’t dislike that about him, though. But enough ogling for the day. “Go hug the tree,” Sevana commanded.
Bel’s eyes almost crossed. “What?!”
“You heard me.”
“Can’t I just climb up on it instead?”
“Yes, that too.”
Bel looked up at the sky, clearing praying for patience from any god that might be listening, and then heaved a resigned sigh. He headed for the roots, using them as a step ladder as he climbed upwards. Baby, ever a fan of high places, bounded ahead of him and quickly climbed up several branches until he found one with the perfect perch. He settled down, tail hanging off to one side and twitching in contentment as he looked down on the rest of the world.
Sevana found a nice, steady log to sit down on as Bel made his way up to one of the lower branches. Since he’d never climbed a tree before, it took him a while and even once he was up, he didn’t look very comfortable up there. In fact, he almost looked glad that he had to hug the trunk of the tree.
“How long should I stay up here?” Bel called down to her.
“About an
hour or so,” she answered absently, already pulling out her notes and setting up the diagnostic wand to give her readings. “The tree you’re sitting on is very ancient and has a lot of power to it. I should be able to see the effects against your curse in a short amount of time.”
Bel looked relieved to hear this. “Might I ask what yesterday’s test revealed?”
“Flowing water is effective. I’ll probably end up using it, or some form of it. But I need to test different combinations before I make any decisions.”
Heartening news for him. He abruptly became more comfortable with sitting up there. “So that means earth still needs to be tested?”
“Hmmm? Oh, no need.” She looked up briefly from the book and the numbers writing themselves on the page. “I know that from you staying inside Big. Earth is effective, but not at much as flowing water.” Not surprising, as earth didn’t have as much inherent power as water.
His brows furrowed as he thought about that for a moment. “So just by staying inside of Big, the curse is weakening?”
“At a very slow rate, yes.”
“So…so locking me away in that room in Lockbright was exactly the wrong approach.” Bel sounded disturbed as he worked through it aloud. “I wasn’t anywhere near the earth, or flowing water, or wood. If I had been, then the curse would have been naturally worn down over the years and I would already be free of it.”
Not a point that she had considered before, but yes, he was exactly right. “Yes.” She waited, watching him from the corner of her eye. Learning how to think about things from different angles was also a very necessary trait for a king. She had no intention of feeding him the answers when he could work it out for himself.
“Sevana,” he said slowly, eyes looking out toward the forest, “why didn’t anyone realize all of this before? I was examined by hundreds of different magical practitioners. Not one thought to test what would happen if I were near elemental sources.”
A very good question. “Think it through yourself. Why do you think they overlooked that?”
His brows furrowed together in a deep groove as he thought. “Artifactors do more than create magical tools, right? I read once that they also create spells and potions.”
“That’s right.”
“So if you’re the one creating all of the spells, then do magicians not know how? Do they only know how to use the spells and tools you create?”
“Most of them are that way.” She gave him a faint smile of approval. Good, he’d figured that out on his own. It saved her from tedious explanations. “Magicians like Pierpoint are the exception. He actually creates most of his own spells and potions.”
“Which is why he’s one of the more famous and powerful magicians in Mander,” Bel finished in understanding. “But why does it work like that? Why don’t more magicians create their own spells?”
A good question. “In order to create a spell or magical tool, you have to know mathematics, science, magic elements, elementology, mythology and runes. A spell is not simply one ingredient, but several mixed together that forms a specific result. To top it all off, the spell must be combined in such a way that it can be released by saying three or four words.”
“I think I see. Most magicians I met didn’t know any of that.”
“Few people have the intelligence necessary to learn everything much less master each field of study to be an Artifactor. That’s why there’s so few of us. It’s not just knowledge, but talent.”
Bel nodded, accepting this but he looked oddly disturbed. “So really, if you want a curse broken, then the first person you should call is an Artifactor.”
“That would be the best approach,” she agreed. That’s how she’d known from the beginning that no one in Lockbright really wanted that curse broken. If they had, they’d have called for her or one of the other Artifactors.
He apparently reached the same conclusion. “When I am restored, I’m dismissing everyone on the Council. They obviously were trying to steal power for themselves from the very beginning.”
“A good plan,” she approved. “They’re a bunch of greedy old fools anyway. Ahhh, don’t lean back! I need to take more readings.”
He gave her quite the look for that even as he reluctantly leaned forward again.
She lifted the wand a bit more and aimed it directly at him, reading the numbers appearing in her book avidly. “Hmm, very interesting.”
“You mean amusing,” Bel accused.
“Yes, that too,” she agreed with a straight face. “You can stop hugging the tree now.”
Relieved, Bel let go and quickly climbed down. “So, will it work?”
“It’s effective, but about as effective as earth alone.” Sevana rubbed at her chin and thought about it. Earth and wood were very hard to combine so if she had a choice, she wouldn’t do that. Instead, she wanted to try an easier combination of elements. “We’re going to have to try a mix of water and earth next.”
Bel stopped short and looked at her sideways. “Water and earth mixed together is mud, Sevana.”
She patted him on the head mockingly. “What a smart little prince you are.”
He knocked her hand off his head and stepped away. “Stop that! You’re not seriously going to make a mud puddle for me to sit in, are you?”
“Heavens no,” she answered dismissively. He let out a breath of relief. Biting back an evil smile, she said seriously, “That wouldn’t have enough power to show me anything within a day. We’ll have to go to a place with natural mud.”
His head creaked around to face her, a look of horror on his face. “T—” he had to swallow before he could speak in a hoarse voice. “The only natural mud large enough in the world is the Mudlands in Kindin.”
As expected, he knew the place. “That’s right. It’ll be a bit of a trip as we have to go through the Sea of Grass, past Guide City and over the Izusa Sea to reach it.” But he frankly needed to see more of the world anyway, so it served a dual purpose to her mind.
Bel closed his eyes in fatalistic acceptance. “When do we leave?”
“Ugh, that stinks.”
“I warned you,” Sevana said dispassionately.
“I know you did, but….” Bellomi blinked several times as his eyes started to water up. In self-preservation, his nose shut down completely. What had she said earlier? Something about this being a sulfur-fed spring?
For some strange reason he had expected the mud here to bubble up and pop like some evil witch’s potion. But it only moved in a slow, sluggish manner, slowly rippling outwards. The thick, black mud appeared to have gravel mixed in, looking a hundred times worse than that riverbed a week ago had. Bellomi stared at the mud in distaste. She didn’t honestly expect him to—
Sevana jerked a thump toward the nearest mud. “Hop in.”
He kept his feet firmly planted on solid ground. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” he accused.
“Of course. Now hop in.”
His shoulders slumped. She could have tried denying it, at least.
He couldn’t just stand there. That wouldn’t solve anything. Besides, it was only mud. Was he not the 49th Prince of Windamere and its future king? Did he not swear that he would do anything, sacrifice anything, to break the curse?
Bellomi eyed the mud again. The princes in fairytales got to do something heroic like slaying a dragon or capturing an ogre, curse it. Of course, they also got fairy godmothers while he was stuck with…he stole a glance at his cranky Artifactor and heaved a resigned sigh.
Mustering up his courage, he stripped down to shorts and gingerly put a toe into the mud. It slid over his skin with a squelching sound and a slimy, sandpapery feel. “W-wait, what is this?” he demanded, half-panicked. “It feels like it’s trying to suck me in!”
“It probably is,” she responded with a distinct lack of concern. In fact, she’d already pulled out some sort of large umbrella and folding chair so that she could relax comfortably in the shade.
He pointed
at them. “Where did those come from? You didn’t have them before.” Had she crafted them out of thin air? She certainly hadn’t done it from nearby wood as the nearest forest lay a good three far-sees away.
“No, I had them on me. They were just smaller.”
He looked around in a pointed manner. “And where’s my umbrella?”
“It will interfere with the test.”
He didn’t believe that. Not for one moment.
“And having your foot in the mud does not cut it.” Sevana arched a commanding eyebrow.
Grumbling under his breath, he eased into the sticky mud one inch at a time, face wrinkling up in distaste. How could anyone live near such a revolting place?
From the safety of her comfortable chair, she called to him, “The longer it takes for you to get in, the longer you have to stay in!”
In a swift movement, Bellomi dipped his hand into the mud, got a good hand full of it, and slung it at her. Sevana dodged it with a simple twist of her torso, chuckling like a demented jack-o-lantern.
He sank into the mud up to his shoulders with a plop, controlling his reflex to gag. I swear, by my name as Dragonmanovich, that I will somehow pull her in here with me. Somehow, some way, I will coat her with mud.
“I can hear your evil plotting from here, Bel.”
Perhaps she could, but it wouldn’t save her.
He hunkered down in the mud, trying to breathe through his mouth and waited. And waited. And…waited….
The sun rose incrementally higher in the sky, slowly warming up the day. The underground spring kept the mud moving, fortunately, otherwise he would be baked into place at this rate.
He watched Sevana for a while, but she clearly had no intention of idly chatting to pass the time. Her head had been buried in a book ever since he got in. Bored, he tried luring her out with a sensible question. “Sevana. After the curse is broken, how do I win my throne back? The Council isn’t just going to hand it meekly over.”
“That sounds like a Bel problem, not a Sevana problem.” She flipped a page without looking up at him. “My job is to break the curse. Everything else is up to you.”
The Child Prince (The Artifactor) Page 10
