Quest Maker

by Laurie McKay

  “You have your proof,” Brynne said. “It will be enough. All you have to do is get it to Ms. Primrose tomorrow.” She smiled. “Then you and Prince Jasan will be saved.”

  “What you need to be worrying about now is the meeting with the caseworker,” Tito said.

  “There are more pressing matters.”

  “If you’re hauled away, the other matters won’t get solved, bro. Not by you, anyway.”

  Brynne stretched and looked at the sky. “I’m going to bed.” She pointed to Caden. “You go to bed, too. You need to rest. Admit it, I’m right.”

  That was an order. It didn’t seem Brynne, Tito, or Jane realized it. Caden got up to head to his bed. “You’re right,” he mumbled.

  In one last-ditch effort before bed, he asked Sir Tito to tie his hands with the laces of his shoes. “Bro, no,” Tito said. “Go to sleep already.”

  Caden went to sleep. He awoke in the middle of the night. Tito was sprawled across his bed, his eyes were shut, his face slack and peaceful. His purple quilt was in a wad at the corner of his bed.

  Caden felt his rebellious legs swing out of the covers. He gripped the sheets until his fingers were numb. He had to stay in bed. He didn’t. He got up.

  As he passed Tito, he tried to knock the bed, hit the wall, slam the bathroom door. Do something to wake him. But his body wouldn’t do as he wanted.

  In the bathroom, he grabbed the sharp scissors he used to trim his hair every two weeks. Then he sneaked down the stairs. The creaky step didn’t even creak.

  The door to Rosa’s room was open, and he heard her snoring. If he could just wake her somehow, she’d know something wasn’t right. With all his willpower he tried to turn into her room. As soon as she awoke and saw the scissors, she’d stop him.

  He didn’t walk into her room. His feet turned. His hands quietly opened the door to the girls’ room. It was dimly lit from a nightlight in the corner and the moon out the window. Brynne slept in the bottom bunk curled up like a wind cat. Jane was in the top, a small lump under the pink-and-white quilt. He tried to scream. To bang into the nightstand. He tried to stomp on the floor but ended up simply doing a light-footed dance. He’d trained with third-born Lucian in stealth. No matter how hard he tried, he made no sound.

  The girls didn’t wake.

  Like usual, Brynne had braided her hair to sleep. It hung across her face. He crouched and willed her to awaken. She didn’t. With three swift cuts, her braid was in his hand and he was creeping back upstairs.

  He felt the deep heat of shame on his cheeks. Maybe Brynne was right to like Jasan so much more than him. Jasan had saved Brynne’s hair. Caden had cut it.

  He tucked the hair in the pocket of his coat and climbed into bed. Tomorrow, he’d give Rath Dunn the hair. He looked at the half-moon shining from the window. Caden would help his enemy and his enemy would wonder why. If Rath Dunn figured his curse out, the next order might be to hurt Brynne or Jane or Tito. Or maybe he’d order Caden to collect Jasan’s blood, and Jasan would be betrayed by yet another brother.

  Caden awoke to screaming. He hadn’t realized he’d fallen asleep. The hair. He jumped from bed and ran down the steps. He heard Tito run behind him. Rosa was out of her room, baseball bat in hand, nightgown crooked. She stood at the door to the girls’ room.

  “Brynne, calm down.” That was Jane. “It . . . it doesn’t look that bad.” She did not sound convincing.

  Caden stopped in the hall. Tito ran past him until he was standing beside Rosa. He looked into the room, then out at Caden, then back into the room. Tito creased his brow.

  Brynne burst from the doorway. “My hair!” She was crying. Her hair frizzed in short strands. It was uneven and longer on the left than the right. “My hair . . .” She turned and saw Caden standing at the end of the hall. She knew at once. “You did this.”

  Everyone stared at him. Rosa’s mouth was agape. Caden felt a flush fill his cheeks. It was his fault, but if Brynne hadn’t cursed him, this never would have happened. He hadn’t wanted to cut her hair. He would never hurt her. “I tried to warn you.” Suddenly, he felt angry, too. “It’s because you cursed me.”

  Brynne looked ready to tackle him.

  Rosa grabbed Brynne by the shoulder to stop her, then made her take several deep breaths. With great care, she released her. “You’re just as lovely with short hair,” Rosa said. “You girls get dressed and wait for me downstairs. You too, Tito.”

  “I didn’t have a choice,” Caden said again. What use was it? Rosa wouldn’t believe him.

  Brynne hadn’t moved. Rosa gently pushed her toward her room. “Get dressed,” she said. She gave Jane and Tito pointed looks, and they ambled toward their respective rooms and day clothes. “You three have school.” She hadn’t included Caden in that.

  Soon, Caden and Rosa were alone in the hall. “Did you cut Brynne’s hair last night?”

  “Tell no one.” Caden frowned. “I can’t say.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “Nothing good.”

  Brynne opened her bedroom door and said, “I can’t go to school like this.”

  “Brynne, you can’t miss school. The awards ceremony is today. We’ll fix it.” She motioned her back inside. “I need to talk to Caden.”

  She was going to take him to the nuthouse. He’d lose his friends and his horse. And if he didn’t go to school today to give Ms. Primrose the evidence and complete his quest, he’d lose his life.

  He felt his heart plummet.

  Brynne took a shaky breath. Through gritted teeth, she said, “It’s not his fault, not really. Please don’t send him away.” Brynne sometimes withheld information. She teased him and tormented him. But she would never truly let harm come to him. They were allies. They were friends. “It’s . . . I cursed him. Someone must have ordered him. Rath Dunn, no doubt. Or Mr. Bellows.” Her tone became scathing again. “He already tried to get my hair once. He’ll regret that.”

  Rosa looked even more concerned.

  While Caden appreciated Brynne finally admitting he was telling the truth, this wasn’t the best time to do it. “You’re doing nothing to convince her I’m a good influence,” he said.

  Brynne put her hands on her hips. “I’m trying to help you, prince.”

  Rosa looked at Caden. “Go get dressed, too, while I figure out what to do with you.”

  An order. “As you wish.”

  Tito was dressed and pacing the attic room. “What the crap, Caden?” he said. “Rosa will send you away for sure now. How did this happen?”

  “I can’t say.”

  Rosa called for Tito. She probably didn’t want him alone with Caden, lest Tito start talking about tyrants and witches, too. Tito turned toward the steps. “Be there in a minute.”

  Caden sat on the bed. The hair was tucked in his coat pocket. “Bring it to me.” The order was like a physical pull. He couldn’t let anyone keep him from the school today.

  From under the bed, he saw the edge of the escape rope. The pull of compliance was strong. He had to get to the school before he was carted away to the Ashevillian nuthouse.

  He chose the blue T-shirt with pictures of snowflakes. It reminded him of home. In the mountains of the Winterlands, there was always snow. Asheville was turning warm. There hadn’t been snow in weeks. Perhaps the flakes on his shirt would give him luck. He pulled on his coat, his cell phone and magic paper clips in one pocket, his compass and Brynne’s hair in the other. Hot or not, he would wear it.

  Tito watched him. “What’s going on?”

  “I told you, I can’t say.”

  Tito frowned. “Don’t do it.”

  Like before, Tito’s order seemed to have no precedence over the earlier one. “I’m going to do what I’m going to do.” Of that, Caden was certain.

  “Okay. I order you not to do it.”

  “It doesn’t work that way.” How Caden wished it did. “You know whatever order I get first, I have to follow. Especially if it’s from someone of
higher rank.”

  Tito walked back and forth across the room. He seemed to be thinking hard. “Yeah, okay,” he said. He was sharp. Surely, he’d guessed what was happening with Brynne’s magical locks, whose order Caden was following.

  “And you know what I’m about to do,” Caden said.

  “Based on Brynne’s new hairdo, I can guess.” Tito looked worried. “I could try to stop you,” he said.

  Caden wasn’t sure if that would work. “I feel like I’d fight you on that.” As good as Tito was with training, as much natural talent as he possessed, Caden still had years of experience on him. Years where he’d trained with brothers gifted in leadership, strength, stealth, accuracy, fortitude, agility, and speed. “I feel like I’d win.”

  Despite Tito’s worry, he snorted at that. “Yeah, you just keep telling yourself that, Your Smugness.”

  “I feel like I’d win,” Caden said again. He grabbed the escape rope. “I feel like I’d win.” With exasperation, he turned to Tito and gave him a look. “I feel like I’d win.”

  “You can stop now.”

  Caden stopped. He placed his hand on Tito’s shoulder. After stealing Brynne’s braid, Caden had spent the night in fitful dreams. But he’d also come up with a plan, one that might help them on this dark day. He might have no choice but to give Rath Dunn the hair, but maybe he could use it to his advantage.

  “I’ve an idea,” Caden said, and he sounded more confident than he felt. “It should work.”

  Rosa called for Tito once more. She seemed impatient.

  “I’ll be right there!” Tito yelled down. He turned back to Caden and peered at the escape rope near Caden’s boot. “You’re going to bolt.”

  “Bolt” was Ashevillian slang for “run.” And, yes, that was the exact thing Caden was going to do. “I’m going to the school. Look for me there.”

  Tito shook his head. “Nah,” he said. “I’ll come with you.”

  “That’s a bad idea.”

  “You sure about that?”

  Caden was sure. “Rosa will be beyond worried if you run away with me,” he said as he lowered the rope out the window.

  “Bro, she’s beyond worried already.”

  “Then help me by distracting her.”

  Tito grabbed his phone. He texted someone—Jane, it seemed. “I told her to stall Rosa, but that won’t last long.” He frowned his lopsided frown. “Are you sure I shouldn’t come with you?”

  “For now,” Caden said, “it would raise suspicions. Trust me.”

  As soon as he said it, Caden realized how much he wanted someone to actually trust him, for someone to believe he could handle himself. To believe in him.

  Tito hesitated. “Okay.”

  “Okay?”

  “Yeah, weirdo, okay. I trust you.” Tito took a deep breath. “Look, meet me right after you get done doing this thing you can’t tell me about. We’ll come up with a plan. Rosa will be looking for you, and trust me, she won’t let you out of her sight again.”

  “Where?”

  Tito took a breath. “Outside, behind the auditorium. I’ll get there as soon as I can. And don’t talk to anyone until you get there. Go immediately after you do the thing. Those are orders.”

  And they were good ones. Truly, Tito would make a formidable Elite Paladin. Caden would have to leave as soon as he gave Rath Dunn the hair. He would be able to escape the tyrant’s power.

  “Then I’ll go with you to talk to Ms. Primrose, bro.”

  “There’s a chance my evidence won’t satisfy her.” Caden held Tito’s gaze. “It will be dangerous.”

  “Bro,” Tito said, “as future Elite Paladins, isn’t danger our middle name?”

  “My middle name is Axelochson. It means eighth son of Axel.” He made sure his compass, enchanted paper clips, and cell phone were secure. “But we do face danger with courage.” There was, however, one thing Tito did fear more than all others. “What about Rosa?”

  Tito stared down at his sneakers. “Maybe she’ll understand one day?”

  That was a big maybe. But there were terrible things afoot. Stopping them was more important than having a warm bed and loving mother. “You are a true friend, Sir Tito.”

  “You’ve got that right,” Tito said.

  Three minutes later, Caden scaled down the side of the house. It was early. The sun wasn’t even over the mountains yet. As such, he used his compass to navigate through the woods to Sir Horace’s horse prison. He crouched at the edge of the trees and whistled. Within moments, Sir Horace was leaping the fence, a magnificent gray-and-white athlete.

  Caden reached the school before most other students. The blackened roses looked particularly ominous in the deserted early morning. This day, the school looked like a tomb. Sir Horace bucked as they approached, spooked by the dark magic and dead trees.

  “It is important that you wait here for me,” Caden said. “If I don’t return, take care of Brynne and the others. Continue to fight.”

  Sir Horace nudged his cheek.

  Soon after, Caden pushed the double doors at the entrance.

  As expected, Rath Dunn was in the math room. He had his back to Caden. In red marker, he’d written problem after problem on the whiteboard until it looked as if it was dripping blood. Obviously, he was preparing to torture his first-period class.

  Caden aligned his posture. He focused on the back of Rath Dunn’s head.

  “And what might you want?” Rath Dunn said without turning.

  Caden had to bring Rath Dunn the hair. The pull of compulsion was like an energy moving his body. He had to obey, and he had to do it this morning to satisfy the curse. No one would be able to stop him and save him now. He was here. He was going to give him the hair. But with the objective certain, Caden could speak before he handed Rath Dunn the hair. Rath Dunn hadn’t said, “Bring me the hair immediately.” The other students wouldn’t enter until the warning bell rang. Until then, until others found Caden, he could keep the hair.

  Rath Dunn called the order a deal. Hair in exchange for his good favor. In exchange for not killing him.

  The thing about Rath Dunn was he liked making deals. He liked talking and deceiving. He foolishly believed he couldn’t be outwitted. That was his mistake. No one should be underestimated. Especially Caden.

  “I’ve come for the deal,” Caden said, although he doubted Rath Dunn understood that he had actually completed his end of it.

  Rath Dunn turned and looked suitably suspicious. The scar across his face pulled at his mouth as he peered at Caden. “This is unexpected. You want to join me?”

  “I’d never join you.” Caden let some of his anger show. “But I don’t want you hurting Brynne for her braid.” That was absolutely true. “And I need to know something.” Also true. “Tell me, and I’ll give you the hair.”

  Caden could feel the curse pressing down on him. The old clock on the wall was three ticks from the warning bell. When it reached it, when students entered, Caden knew he’d be compelled to hand over the hair.

  Rath Dunn was unhurried. “You’ll cut your little sorceress’s hair in exchange for information? Really, boy?”

  “It’s only hair.”

  Rath Dunn peered at him. Then he grinned like a wolf. When he spoke next, he sounded amused. Well, Rath Dunn did enjoy games. “What is it you want to know?”

  A minute had passed. Two ticks left.

  Caden reached into his coat. He didn’t grab the hair—he could resist a bit longer—but squeezed his phone instead. He started the record app. “You and my second-born brother, Maden, are communicating. Why?”

  Rath Dunn wore the slightly impressed look he had when Tito or Brynne or Derek answered a particularly difficult problem in class. But there was nothing in his reaction to Maden’s name to suggest Caden was wrong.

  So that was it. Maden was the traitor.

  Caden’s breath caught. Despite the evidence, he’d still expected to find out he was wrong, that it wasn’t one of his brothers who had t
urned traitor. Rath Dunn’s casual acceptance seemed to make it real.

  “I tell you, and you cut her hair?” Rath Dunn said. He was definitely amused now.

  Caden knew exactly what to say to that. “I cut her hair.” Matter of point, he had, and it was in his pocket.

  Rath Dunn’s eyes took on a greedy glint. His smile could have frightened a fear wraith. “Why not?” he said. “After all, it’s too late to stop me, son of Axel.”

  Rath Dunn leaned back against a front-row desk. Jane’s desk. “I am communicating with Maden,” he said, “to shatter the boundary between worlds. Perhaps you’ll get to see your homeland again before I burn it to ashes.”

  Was this the purpose of the spell ingredients? Ritual magic required sacrifice. What type of destruction would a spell like that wreak? It would kill more than plants. That Caden didn’t doubt. And maybe more. Caden didn’t want to get home like that. “With ritual magic?”

  “Well, I do have a ritual magic master in my sway, and a city of unwitting sacrifices for such a spell,” Rath Dunn said. “And Maden has an equivalent across the realm.”

  He intended to destroy the city, to kill its inhabitants—to sacrifice Asheville—to get home. And Maden planned the same on the other side. Caden stood speechless.

  “There are many who would follow Maden.”

  Caden’s fingers were beginning to tingle. The curse would demand he hand over the braid soon. “It is first-born Valon who is gifted in leadership.”

  “Some follow charisma, others follow strength.” He gave Caden an appraising look. “Some will even follow charm.”

  A second minute had passed. There was but a minute left. “But why destroy the science room? What does that have to do with spells and kings and realms?”

  “Is that part of our deal?”

  “You want the hair,” Caden said. “Tell me.”

  Rath Dunn leaned into Caden’s space. Caden leaned back. He felt his coat smear the red numbers and letters and grimaced at the thought of his coat’s embroidered Winterbird pushed against the mess. “This city needs to see this school’s poorly run.”