I closed my eyes and willed myself to hold my temper. “All right. You’re sorry. It's three years too late, but you're sorry.”
“You didn't give me a chance to say so earlier, did you?”
“How about when we went to Bergmondale together? You might have said so then.”
“As I recall, I was pretty drunk throughout that whole experience. At least, I don’t remember much about it.”
“Oh.” I looked away. He didn’t remember much about it because I’d cast a forgetful spell on him, but he didn’t need to know that. “I suppose not.”
“Will you introduce me to your friend now?”
“This is Ivan. He doesn't talk.” Tell him I say hello, Ivan gestured.
Trees slid past as we moved nearer the cottage, although not quick enough for my liking. “What's that mean?” Papa asked. “Why can't he talk?”
“He says hello,” I said. “And I don't know why he can't talk. Some people just can't.”
“Tell him I say hello too.”
“His ears are fine. Tell him yourself.”
“Oh,” Papa said, and then nodded at Ivan. “Hello. Did you make up your language? It’s the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen.”
Ivan grinned. Avery made up the gestures.
“Hush, Ivan,” I said, though he hadn’t spoken out loud. “We did it together.”
“Did you now?” Papa sounded more winded than ever. I slowed further. “Do you both work for the apothecary, then?”
“Apothecary?” I asked, until I remembered what I’d told Papa about where I was working. “Oh. Yes, of course.”
We lapsed into silence for a little while, the three of us traipsing up the Wood Road to the cottage. I tried to think what we would do once we got there. Now that I saw Papa was fine, my previous fears seemed ridiculous. He’d probably just tripped and fallen over the balcony in a drunken stupor, like Yvette had said.
But there was still that note.
Friar’s bones. I couldn’t just leave Papa here when I’d received a note like that. Someone as much as said they were going to kill him. He might even deserve it, but still, I couldn’t just let it happen.
I closed my eyes and sighed. Papa would have to come back to Ryker Hall with us. At least long enough to figure out how to keep him safe.
The cottage loomed before us.
“Look, Papa. I have something to tell you, and I think it’s going to be something of a surprise.”
“Very little surprises me,” Papa said. “Last week—was it last week? I don’t know. I’ve lost time since this little accident. But anyway, whenever it was, this wild little baby boar ran out of the bushes at me. That surprised me.”
“Well. That sounds terrifying, I must say. What I wanted to tell you—”
“Or that time you pushed Gavin over the waterfall. That just about stopped my heart.”
“I did not push him over! He pushed me over.”
“Did he? Well however it happened.”
We climbed the steps of the front porch. The whole cottage looked saggy and tired, as though it had lived past its prime and was ready to be put out to pasture. It needed more care than a careless widower could give it.
“Do you ever listen to anyone but yourself?”
He frowned at me. “Do you ever say anything that’s not insulting?”
I pushed past him into the middle of the kitchen. “Look, old man. I’m trying to tell you something important. But since you seem incapable of listening, I’ll just show you.”
My hands moved up until they were held out at chest height, and I uttered the spell that revealed the wizard's door. It fluttered into solid existence in the middle of the kitchen, and Papa’s eyes grew wide as saucers.
“Holy milk buckets,” Papa said, the color draining from his face. “You can do magic.”
I took hold of the door handle, turned it, and opened the door. “You’re right,” I said. “And it’s time for us to go.”
Papa squinted at the door. “A wizard door? Here? How long has that been there?” He peered at me. “Do you come through it and check on me sometimes?”
I frowned. “What do you know about wizard doors? And why would I ever check on you?” I shook my head. “No, don’t answer that. It’s not important. Just come on.”
Papa looked at the door, then back at me. He shook his head. “I’m not going with you.”
I gestured again, and Ivan slipped past me. Get the master, I gestured at him. May as well get a head start. He nodded and disappeared through.
“Of course you are.”
He tilted his head and stared at me. “Since when do apothecaries teach magic? What’s really going on here?”
“Friar’s bones, will you just come on?” I grabbed him by the arm and, haltingly, he limped through the door. I closed it behind him.
All of me felt shaky. This was new territory I’d entered into, and I wasn’t sure I liked it.
We stood in the room of doors, all eight of the different destinations shimmering behind their tapestries. I waved my hand and brought a light to life.
Ivan had left already, and the room stood empty but for us. I strode across to where my wizard robes lay, still thrown over the cask. I secured them over my dress before sweeping my hair back with my fingers and tying it at the back of my head with my usual piece of string. Only then did I look at Papa.
He stared at me, a deep frown growing. “You’ve disguised yourself as a boy,” he said flatly. “You’ve become an underwizard.” Understanding dawned on his face. “Just like Gavin always wanted to be.”
“Let’s just wait until the master comes. I’ll answer your questions then.” I couldn’t parade my father through the Hall, after all. If we encountered any servants, who knew what revealing things he might say to them.
“This place—where are we?” Papa asked, looking around him.
“Ryker Hall,” I said, because I didn't suppose it mattered what I told him, since we were going to have to oblivion him anyway, once we figured out how to keep him safe. “Near a little town called Bramford, inland from the South Coast. I'm an apprentice here.” I cast the voice modulating spell. “Notice the deep voice.” Now I was just showing off.
Papa looked me up and down. “All this time I thought you were just grieving in your own way, but now I understand. You’ve gone and lost your mind.”
I folded my arms. “All I’ve done is taken some initiative.”
“You know you risk the Punishment, right?” His voice had grown louder. “Parading as a boy?”
I held my hands up. “Lower your voice, will you? Someone will hear you.”
“Hear me? Someone will hear me? Good! Of all the stupid, poorly planned schemes, this has got to be the dumbest. For the first time I’m glad your mother’s already dead, because if she knew about this it would probably kill her.”
I cast a hasty privacy spell, since it didn't seem Papa was going to stop his yelling any time soon. It settled around us, a cocoon of sparking magic.
“How did you find a wizard stupid enough to take you as an apprentice?” Papa continued. “Or is the man also idiotic enough not to know you're a girl?”
“He's not stupid at all,” I said, my irritation mounting. “He's not stupid at all,” I said, my irritation mounting.Beckstead / Shadowed by Death / 96
“And what right do you have to act outraged anyway? You have no say over my life. You haven't for a long time. You walked out on Mama and me and Gavin time and time again. You have no right to tell me what to do.”
He blinked, almost as though surprised by the words. “I’m your father,” he said, as though that explained it all.
“Biologically speaking, perhaps, but you're no father,” I said.
He took a step back.
The door to the room opened and Ivan came in, gesturing things. Master Wendyn followed him into the room. He came to a hasty stop when he saw the two of us standing there.
“Oh. Oh, dear.” He looked back and f
orth from Papa to me. “I wasn't quite sure what Ivan meant when he gestured man father know magic here, but now I understand.” He pursed his lips and surveyed the room, probably checking for a privacy spell. Finally looking satisfied, he stepped forward, hand
outstretched. “Garrick Wendyn at your service, sir.”
Papa whacked his hand away with one cane, and Master Wendyn jumped back, holding his hand to his chest.
“Devil’s dawn, what was that for?”
“I've no interest in shaking the hand of some dandy,” Papa said, looking Master Wendyn up and down. “I want to speak to the master wizard here.”
Master Wendyn looked down at his clothes, at the fine Master Wendyn looked down at his clothes, at the fineBeckstead / Shadowed by Death / 97
leather trousers and silk and lace shirt. “I am the master wizard here, sir. Master Garrick Wendyn.” Papa looked him up and down again, until his eyes settled on the master’s face. “Oh, I see how it is. You have designs on my daughter.”
My mouth opened in indignation, but before I could say anything, Master Wendyn spoke.
“I assure you, there is nothing further from the truth. I didn't know she was a girl until a few months ago. My only interest in your daughter is to train her as a master wizard.”
Papa glared. “Listen to yourself, imbecile. Girls can't be master wizards. You risk the Punishment for my daughter as well as yourself.”
“Only if we're caught,” the master said. “And if your daughter has the skill to practice magic the same as any boy in Faronna, shouldn't she be given the chance to do so?”
“No.” Papa said, his tone sharp. “Whoever's in charge of that sort of thing says no, and I don't appreciate you filling her head with ideas telling her the opposite.”
Master Wendyn gave a bark of a laugh. “Me filling her head? When did I do that, exactly? She decided all of this on her own, long before she ever met me. Perhaps it’s you that’s filled her head with these ideas.”
Papa frowned. “Then you should have been the voice of reason. You don't just give in to a young woman with a stupid reason. You don't just give in to a young woman with a stupidBeckstead / Shadowed by Death / 98
idea because she insists on it.”
“I never—” Master Wendyn began.
“Will you two stop talking about me like I'm not here?!” I
said, stepping between them. “Papa, do you want to know the reason I had ideas like this? Ideas that it was all right to thwart authority and do the things my heart wanted? Because you taught me to break rules. You. And frankly, I'm taken aback by your sudden insistence that we all obey the law. I never noticed you to have any problem breaking rules you didn't agree with.
“And second of all, Master Wendyn is not to blame for this. This was my choice. I forced him into this. I don’t even know why we’re debating.” I turned to the master. “I have to tell you what happened in Waltney before we oblivion him.” I jerked my head in Papa’s direction.
“‘Oblivion him’?” Papa repeated. “You mean me? What's oblivion?” He backed up another step and held one of the canes out. “You wouldn't hurt your own father, would you, Avery? The man who gave you life?”
“You mean the man who abandoned me,” I said over my shoulder.
Master Wendyn was pinching the bridge of his nose when I turned back to him. From the frown on his face I thought for a moment he would light into me, but all he did was jerk his head at the door. “Bring him.”
“Why?” Papa asked, balking when I took his arm. “Where are “Why?” Papa asked, balking when I took his arm. “Where areBeckstead / Shadowed by Death / 99
you taking me?” He looked back at the swinging yellow tapestry. “I’ll go back to Waltney. I’ll forget any of this ever happened. I’m very good at forgetting things.”
I snorted and dragged him out into the hallway. It wasn’t too difficult, since he was already off balance with his broken leg.
“There's dozens of rooms down here,” the master said, nodding at the doors lining the hallway. “Pick one and put him inside.”
“Don't I get a say in this?” Papa asked. I pulled him toward the door. He balked and Ivan tried to help, but got a cane to the knees for his efforts.
“Could you please not fight this?” I asked. “This is for your own good. All we're going to do is have a simple conversation and decide what must be done.”
“And how is that for my own good?” Papa asked, fighting me still. “All right. Fine. Maybe I wasn't the best father in the past. But I'm trying to be better now. And how do you reward me? By manhandling me and plotting to cast spells on me.”
“Devil’s dawn,” Master Wendyn cursed, and cast a freezing spell. It hit Papa square in the chest, and he stopped where he stood.
Thank the heavens. Between the three of us, we secured him in an empty room across the hall in short order. I locked the door and cast three sticking spells. No use being careless, door and cast three sticking spells. No use being careless,Beckstead / Shadowed by Death / 100
after all. Should Papa somehow get out of his freezing spell, he was an expert lockpick. The master’s jaw had set by the time I turned back to him. “Ivan, watch this door. Mullins, explain yourself.” He moved further down the hallway and waved a hand, so that a privacy spell settled around just the two of us. “Would you mind telling me what in the three kingdoms you mean by bringing that man back here? I don’t appreciate having baseless accusations hurled at me.”
“I’m sorry.” My fingers curled into fists. “I didn’t plan to bring him here. But when I found my other two swearers—well, actually, I never found them. I just found out what happened to them.”
His brow shot downward. “‘What happened to them’? What does that mean?”
“They're dead. Both of them.” Even though he was angry with me, I couldn't stop myself from leaning forward and grabbing his arm. “They're dead, Master Wendyn, both within the last six months. And then there’s this note.”
I pulled the shredded parchment out of my pocket and handed it to him. With a raised brow he picked the paper apart and held it together enough to read its message.
The aggravation faded from his face. “Who gave this to you?”
I shook my head. “Ivan found it in his pocket. Probably put I shook my head. “Ivan found it in his pocket. Probably putBeckstead / Shadowed by Death / 101
there by someone in the crowded inn.” After another minute of staring at it, he folded it back up and slipped it inside his shirt pocket. “He may have to stay here with us after all.”
The walls felt like they were closing in. “I was hoping you knew some sort of safety spell. Something that’ll protect him after we oblivion him and send him back.”
“There’s no such thing as a safety spell. The only thing that’ll keep him safe is to put him somewhere you can keep an eye on him.”
“ I’m not keeping an eye on him.”
“He’s your father,” the master rejoined.
“But can’t we—isn’t there something—” I floundered. “Look,” he said patiently, as though he addressed a child.
“Mullins, you have two choices here. Keep him here for his own protection from whoever this lunatic is, or send him back and leave him to his fate. Someone’s apparently already tried to kill him once. I can’t imagine you’d want something like that on your conscience.”
I considered for a fraction of a second before shaking my head. “Of course not. I just—I was hoping I wouldn’t have to live under the same roof.”
“It’ll be fine. So we have an extra house guest for a few weeks while we track down this mysterious note-sender. I’ve had house guests before, even unpleasant ones.”
“Not like Papa. He drinks to excess. He’s endlessly annoying. He’s nosy. He’ll cause mischief.”
Master Wendyn shook his head. “I’ll brew a potion that will combat the craving for drink. And if he’s endlessly annoying, nosy, and causes mischief, well, I’ve gotten used
to those things with you, so how much of a difference will it make to have one more of you around?” He winked to show he was joking and waved a hand for the privacy spell. “Open the door.”
With one last frown, I stepped closer to the door, removed the sticking spells, and unlocked it. When I swung it open, my eyes fell on Papa, standing in the same place we’d left him, frozen.
Of course he would be. Papa didn’t have the ability to break any spell. It was unusual to see him so helpless.
With a wave of his fingers, the master dismissed the freezing spell. Papa fell out of its clutches and nearly tumbled to the floor, just catching himself on his two canes.
“A freezing spell?” he said. “Don’t ever do that to me again. Do you know it's cold in here? Really cold. And I'm hungry. Is this how you treat all your prisoners?”
“You are not my prisoner, sir,” Master Wendyn said. “If you’re willing, I hope you’ll be my guest. Until we determine if there's a danger to you in Waltney, I'm going to have to ask you to stay in this house.”
“Why should there be a danger to me? You mean because of “Why should there be a danger to me? You mean because ofBeckstead / Shadowed by Death / 103
that little accident I had?”
“We can talk about that later,” I broke in. “For now, all
Master Wendyn really needs to know is if you can be trusted not
to rob him blind.”
Papa made a face at me and then turned to the master.
“There’s really just one thing I need to know,” he said
seriously. “How's your wine supply? I mean, you're a wizard,
right? I expect it's endless, then?”
I set my jaw. “There'll be no drinking wine while you're
here,” I said. “Or any alcohol. We’ve got clean water, and lots
of it.”
He frowned over his shoulder at me. “Let the man answer.
It’s his house, after all.” He looked back at the master. “You
wouldn’t deny a house guest food and drink, would you?” Master Wendyn gave a brief shake of his head. “Of course
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