Anni Moon & The Elemental Artifact: An Elemental Fantasy Adventure Series: Book For Kids Ages 9-12 (Anni Moon Series)

by Abed, Melanie

  At first she didn’t see it, but inside, barely visible, was a thin tendril connected to a tiny pea. “What is—is it moving?”

  “Only slightly,” he said. “And this is just the baby bud, small enough to put in your ear, but over here―,” he pointed to something that resembled a tiny snapdragon with dusty, pale pink petals― “this little beauty is called Antirrhinum Gemin. I call it Eaves-Dropus. It’s extremely unusual and it isn’t cataloged in Acceptable Elofficial Plant Guides. The thing about this plant is that when you place it next to a different flower species, it mimics what the other flowers look like, but that’s not all. It has another use, which is why it camouflages itself. It’s a listening device.”

  “Really? Could I use it find out more about Lexi?”

  “Yes! And that’s only one of my brilliant ideas,” he said, brushing off one of his shoulders. “But don’t tell Daph, not yet. She won’t approve. Anyway, it’ll be ready in a couple days.”

  “I want to help,” said Anni. If she could just overhear where someone thought Lexi was taken, then she could to tell Jay. “Fort’s coming for me. See you tomorrow.”

  She couldn’t imagine what new twisted job Spongincork’s brain had come up with and arranged for her after shoveling bat poop, compost, and encountering flesh-eating worms. Fort escorted her through the village—it was still raining over the Lake—and finally back to Spadu Hills. The next day was the same as before; she shoveled guano and more compost, even though she couldn’t believe there was the same amount as the previous day. She was left thinking that maybe these would be her only chores, but instead of heading back to Spadu Hills after her second day of compost duties, they stopped in the village.

  Before they turned right by Haberdashers Clothing Emporium, Fort turned left up the cobblestone walk. It was crowded with Elementals under umbrellas that hovered over their heads like the one Daphne had used a few days ago. The narrow walk was a jumble of Elementals coming and going out of a building called Mooncakes Café. Fort stopped in front of another building, Basil Boggle Tea Shoppe, which, from the outside window, looked completely deserted inside.

  A small bell rang when Anni opened the door. The storefront windows provided an excellent view of the bustling village, which stood in contrast to the deserted shop. It was empty except for one person behind a long bar: Mackenzie. He looked just as happy and mellow as when she had seen him the first time, and she secretly admired his repose. If she even had an ounce of his ability to be calm and not worry so much about Lexi, her fingernails wouldn’t be the tiny nubs she had whittled them down to.

  “Hiya,” Mackenzie smiled. “Diana will be down in a few minutes. Thirsty?”

  Remembering that Mackenzie was a Water Elemental, Anni wondered if that was why she felt so calm and agreeable around him. “Okay.” Anni sat down at the bar as Mackenzie went into the back, and didn’t see Miranda.

  “Listen up, Egghead,” said Miranda, forcing her already strong jawline to jut out even more severely. “I don’t know why you’re here, but I don’t trust you. There’s nothing you can do or get away with on this Zephyr that I won’t find out about. So when you do try something, know this: Leach is the first person I’m telling. Just a friendly warning.” She sashayed to the other side of the bar just as Mackenzie reentered from the back room.

  The bell on the door tinkled as someone entered the Tea Shoppe. “Anni,” said Diana. “Let’s take a seat by the window.” They sat at a four-top table next to a huge, sweeping window with a prime view of the village, which was mostly deserted on account of the rain. Diana grinned, “So I hear you had quite the morning the other day.”

  Mackenzie brought over two drinks, and Diana said, “Mac, can you please let Effie know we’re here?” Miranda shot Anni a nasty look that no one else saw. Diana continued. “Anni, I know this is hard, but I have to ask you to try not to escape the Zephyr.”

  Anni focused on her drink: orange-tinted water with a glowing blue petal on top. It was delicious, but she wasn’t going to waste time talking about Elemental drinks or food. “Lexi’s my family, my only family left in the whole entire world. I can’t just hang out here and be happy doing weird chores. I have to find her. I can’t just be okay and leave her all alone. She needs me. We look out for each other. I have to find her.”

  Diana peered deeply into Anni’s eyes and very seriously said, “I understand more than you might know. I know it’s asking a lot of you to try to be patient and not get into trouble, but consider that although your chores are unappealing, they are a far better alternative than what Spongincork originally submitted to the Elofficium.” Her voice softened. “Regardless, first and foremost, I’m concerned with your safety and well-being. Your levels of Funk are too high for you to leave, and we cannot cure it all at once. Simply put, your body cannot withstand Elemental travel until your Funk fades.”

  “How long will that take? It’s not like I asked to come here.”

  “A couple weeks, maybe more, maybe less.” Diana sighed. “It’s hard to say. This wouldn’t be an easy adjustment for any human, withstanding Funk or falling into lakes. Anni, all I ask is that you have a little bit of patience and trust.”

  The mention of the word trust made the small hairs on Anni’s neck bristle, and patience was not in her vocabulary. She hoped Vivian would hurry along her voucher paperwork as soon as possible. Sure, Diana was nice enough, but talking to her about Lexi seemed pointless. Still, there was one thing she needed. “Can you at least help my friend? He’s a Fleet messenger.” She leaned in and whispered. “His name is Brat. He accidentally traveled here with me, and now he’s in big trouble.”

  “Ah, yes, the one with the warrant. I’ll see what I can do. I might be able to pull some strings,” Diana said. “But Anni, hold this thought: Elementals are looking for Lexi as we speak.” She hesitated. “I know what that feels like…to lose a best friend, and even family. If I hear anything about Lexi, I will let you know.”

  Anni could almost see her own hope and fear reflected in Diana’s eyes and believed her, but she couldn’t help but feel that things didn’t end well for the friend Diana was referring to, which made her feel worse.

  “Oh, she’s here at last,” said a little old woman with a bubbly voice. She didn’t move with the same enthusiasm her voice held: she shuffled, and finally embraced Anni. The old woman was slightly hunched, she wore a patchwork dress under a honeycomb shawl, and all the remaining wispy hairs on her head were pulled into a bun by two chopsticks.

  “Uh, hi,” said Anni, not knowing exactly how to respond.

  “Anni, this is my Elmother, Ephegenia OggleBoggle, and this is her Tea Shoppe.”

  “Call me Effie, my dear sweet, sweet girl,” corrected Ephegenia OggleBoggle. “And welcome to our little family’s Tea Shoppe. Diana’s a part owner, you know.” She winked. “Oh my, it’s been so long, too long. Diana darling, I’m just going to spirit this one away for a few minutes, all right?” Old Effie might have been old, but age didn’t touch the youth of her happiness, which lived in every crack and crinkle on her joyously lined face. “We have much to catch up on. Haven’t seen you since you were a baby. Imagine that!”

  “Yes, of course, Effie. I’ll leave you two in peace,” said Diana with a smile. “And Anni, I arranged with Maeleachlainn Spongincork to have you help out here in the afternoons, wash a few dishes, et cetera. Mac will explain. You can eat all your meals here, and Yugi will schedule daily checkups to help your Funk. Now, I’m going to see what I can do about that thing we discussed. Okay?”

  “Secrets?” said Effie, beaming. “Oh, how I delight in the worlds of the unknown!”

  “You can always contact me through Daphne, or Miranda if she’s around,” said Diana. “Miranda, be sure to show her how things work.”

  Anni didn’t dare glance in Miranda’s direction and gladly followed Effie to the back room where they passed through doors and down a short hallway.

  “My husband Basil was batty about tea,” said Eff
ie. “As you see, we’re not very busy. Mooncakes Café is newer, a novelty, but I will say, we still have the best customers, and sometimes in life, you will learn: this is this because that is that.”

  Anni didn’t quite know what to say to that.

  Effie opened a small door, and Anni followed her into a comfortable little hut that was full of windows. Happy shades of lemon yellow and apple green greeted them at every turn, with a merry crackling fireplace in the center of it all. Treasures of all kinds covered every inch of the walls: trinkets, patchwork designs, statues, cards, letters, books, gemstones, beaded necklaces, maps, charts, candles, easels, antique china, rag rugs, plants…the list was endless. It was not the utility room Anni had expected.

  “This looks like someone’s house,” said Anni.

  “It is. It’s my house. Don’t tell anyone, but I’ve got Incantare doors here and there.”

  “Incantare?” asked Anni.

  “It’s a lot like magic!” Effie’s eyes sparkled. “Incantare is enchanted wood, and in the shape of a door, it will whisk you off to a different place, so long as both the doors are made of the same wood. It’s a great help for an old gal like me, takes me where I need to go, but just a bit quicker.” She beamed, looking around her house. “How do you like it? It’s decorated with all my travels so I can see my friends and family every day. I’m a big believer in connecting the dots, because, after all, our lives are made up of little dots. Don’t you agree? You look like the sort that would.”

  Anni nervously smiled. It was true; the place was packed full of stuff, but it didn’t feel cluttered. Everything was exactly in its right place. Effie’s life was literally living on her walls. “It’s nice,” she said, looking at the hand-sewn linen maps. “Do you travel a lot?”

  “Elementals do have that advantage, don’t they? I adore adventures. Do you like treasure maps? I do. I find that life is full of adventures, and many dots to follow.”

  Anni didn’t quite understand what that meant.

  “Yes,” Effie said as if responding to Anni’s own thoughts. “Life is full of dots. There’s always change, rush, and worry—you can count on that—but the dots are there. They are everywhere, waiting for you to connect them.”

  “Dots?” asked Anni. “I don’t see any dots.”

  “Oh, but my darling girl, you will, you will.” Effie’s eyes grew wide. “They pop up when you least expect it, they tug ever so gently at your heart strings, and of course your heart always knows where you can call home. Yes, yes, just listen and look. The dots are everywhere, and then you know, you know it’s time.”

  Anni wondered if Ms. OggleBoggle was a little confused. “You said you knew me when I was little?”

  “Yes, yes.” Effie pulled out photos of various babies she named off. All of the pictures had the same glowing background. “Here’s my Mabel. You remind me of her, and my Diana, I’ve seen them all make their way into this world. It was like yesterday when I met you and Lexi, another special girl. Don’t worry about her, dear. She’ll be just fine. The thing is, in life, sometimes things happen that we cannot explain, but you must know that. We might not always like it, and the passion of youth is hard to match, but really, it’s all just an adventure, only you don’t know it until it’s nearly over. ”

  Hearing Effie say Lexi was fine gave Anni a small spark of hope. “What do you know about Lexi and Mabel?”

  “Lexi is very special. I feel her life force even if she is thousands of miles away. You must believe in her right now. That is very, very important. You have no idea how powerful intention can be. Your strength will give her great strength, and my dear, Lexi will need it.”

  Anni blinked back a tear. Effie patted her arm and said, “Mabel loved you very much. I know that she is with you, even though you do not see her. When you get as old as I do, you often see things that others don’t. Oh, my sweet girl, don’t mind me or the ramblings of an old woman. Before you know it, you’ll be hearing voices in your head, too.” She smiled at Anni and gave her a knowing look that pierced right through her act of senility. “But if you do,” she said seriously, “you should at the very least listen.”

  Was Effie completely befuddled? Did she know about Whiffle?

  “Oh my, oh my, look at the time. You’ve got to get back to the shop. Your friend Daphne has arrived. Thank you for bringing sunshine into an old woman’s home. I’m having a little party in a couple days, and I’d love it if you’d be my guest of honor.” Effie ushered her through the doors that led back into Basil Boggle’s Tea Shoppe. “Remember the dots. Don’t forget the dots.”

  Inside the Tea Shoppe, a few tables had been taken. Mackenzie looked relaxed, chatting up the customers at the bar. When he spotted Anni, he said, “Tomorrow, I’ll fill you in on what to do. It’s easy. Diana said to give you tonight off, but feel free to hang out. Daphne’s over there. Oh, here are your tea leaves; Effie said you’d ask for them.”

  Anni gasped. Mackenzie laughed and said, “You’ll get used to it.”

  She made a beeline for Daphne’s booth and started feeling hopeful. Whether or not Effie OggleBoggle had all her mental faculties well sorted was questionable, but for Lexi, she’d do just about anything.

  “I’ve got it,” Daphne whispered. “Sorry it took me so long to decipher this, but the Scriptorium has been closed for two days on account of the rain and humidity. Apparently, it’s bad for paper. I had to beg the owner’s son to let me sneak in to do research because the Manor’s library had nothing on the D-word.” Daphne secretly handed Anni a list. “Normally, I would say that the first one,” she pointed to the word Dragon, “spells out danger in a major way, or is a really bad omen, but you simply can’t read the stones that way. There’s an art to understanding them. And then there’s the order in which you pulled them from the bag to consider, too. Everything in the Elemental world is interconnected.”

  Anni read the list.

  Dragon – protection, caution, an invitation, insight, life, and power.

  Wood – an Elemental classification, travel or journey, understanding.

  Porcupine – signals faith, innocence, and trust.

  Jaguar – strength, vision, must embrace the gifts, and transformation.

  Bee – circle of life, dedication, positive outcome, goals, and sacrifice.

  Key words are based on the order you chose the cards: PROTECTION, TRAVEL, TRUST, TRANSFORMATION, and SACRIFICE.

  “They don’t say where Lexi is, though.”

  “I told you before they’re not that specific, but if you look only at the key words from the order you pulled the stones, you’re going on a journey,” Daphne whispered. “Anni, this is a big deal. Like I said before, the D-word doesn’t commonly come up. I read about that, and when it does, it’s super important to pay attention to all of the words listed on the line after it, especially because it’s followed by Wood, but because it ended with―” she whispered even softer― “Bee. That’s a huge, big deal. You’re going on an adventure, and I absolutely want to come with you. You’re going to need my help; I’ve been to LimBough.”

  “You didn’t speak with Effie OggleBoggle earlier today, did you?”

  “Effie, as in Ms. OggleBoggle, the oldest Elemental alive? No. I wish. Why?”

  “I was just with her,” said Anni.

  “Really? I’ve only seen her once in a crowd.”

  “Yeah, well, she was telling me about dots, connecting them, and adventure. She also told me to give Lexi strength with my thoughts.”

  “Of course she did. Intentions are the most potent force. Elementals know that better than anyone. We are given a list of words at Haberdashers, and we’re required to use them for every single stitch.” Daphne gasped and grabbed Anni’s hand. “You should do what she says. I’ve heard that she’s attuned to the higher planes and unbelievably wise. I know for a fact that the oldest Elemental family heads come here just to consult her on important issues.”

  “But how do I do that for Lexi?”
>
  “Every night, or when you’re alone, close your eyes, breathe, and see her in your imagination the way that will help her best. If Ms. OggleBoggle says give her strength, see her being strong somehow.” Daphne paused; patches on her cheeks and the tips of her ears were red. “You didn’t answer my question. Can I come with you?”

  “Okay, but first, we have to find out where Lexi is.” The truth was, Anni hadn’t thought that far ahead, and she didn’t know if Jay could even get both of them off the Zephyr. “Why do you want to go? Do you have a way for us to leave?”

  “I might have a way, but trust me, you’ll need help. Everything that’s happened up until now—the news reports, you coming here, the patch, the Moonstones—they’ve been like little signs I’ve been waiting for. It’s like what Effie said. I’m connecting dots, too.”

  The door of the tea shoppe jingled. Miranda walked inside, followed by Oliver. Both of them scanned the crowd. When their eyes landed on Anni, she huffed.

  “What?” Daphne glanced over her shoulder. “Miranda, yeah, I know. We usually avoid each other, but ever since you arrived, I’ve been finding that hard to do. Oliver pulled you out of the Lake, and he’s looking at you right now.”

  “I know. Everywhere I go, there he is. He saved me from becoming compost today, you know, Royal Worm food, but I don’t need a babysitter! What’s his deal?”

  “The Mondays used to be a famous family.” Daphne leaned in. “They’ve lived up to every prophecy made about them; I read about a few of them at the Scriptorium, which is amazing they still have those records in print, especially considering all the Elofficium rules about banning anything to do with Auguriums and prophesizing. Anyway, Oliver’s parents helped build the Elofficium decades ago, but they went missing after the Great Catastrophe, and that’s when the Elofficium changed. I don’t know if there ever was a prophecy made about Oliver, but I’ve heard he despises them, and it’s why he’s an Elofficium apprentice.”

  “What! He’s one of them? But he brought me to the Zephyr. I don’t get it!”