The Flute Keeper's Promise (The Flute Keeper Saga)

by Ashley Setzer

  “Delightful young man,” Anouk said.

  “He’s not much younger than you,” I pointed out.

  Flustered, Anouk tried to refill the water bucket but forgot to tie off the rope. The bucket dropped to the bottom of the well. “Oh bother!”

  “Let me get that,” I said, trying not to laugh. I leaned over the well and focused on the bucket floating at the bottom. It was harder to pull items to me rather than to repel them, but I’d been working on it. The complicated part was projecting a barrier between two distant objects. I had been practicing, though, and it paid off. The bucket sprang out of the well. I handed it to Anouk.

  “Much obliged,” Anouk said. “Oh, almost forgot!” She reached into her robe pocket and pulled out something wrapped in a handkerchief. She handed it to me.

  Inside the handkerchief was a savory slab of pastry speckled with seeds and nuts.

  “Crispy bread!” she sang. “I told you I’d save you some.”

  The hearty aroma of the bread made my stomach rumble. I’d been in such a hurry to get to the cathedral that I’d skipped out on breakfast. “Do you have time to eat with me?” I asked.

  Anouk wiped her brow and hoisted the water bucket. “Afraid not. I already ate and I’m behind on my chores. Go enjoy your free time. With the clergy in council you’ve got the day off. That doesn’t happen very often, especially once you’re inducted.”

  The looming deadline of my induction dampened my spirits. I tried to look on the bright side. Joining the clergy would give me access to a world of knowledge I couldn’t have otherwise. There was much yet to be discovered. At times, I thought my life and Ivywild’s safety depended on it. Certainly the knowledge I needed to defeat Robyn wasn’t going to fall out of the sky and hit me over the head.

  “I only hope I can be as devoted as you after I’m inducted,” I said. “But…”

  “But what?” Anouk asked.

  “But I still want to know why the clergy can’t have children.”

  “Emma—” Anouk said wearily.

  “Can you imagine how smart your and Garland’s kids would be?”

  “Off with you!” Anouk said, turning red as cherry.

  I wasn’t about to waste my day. I had a conversation to continue with Lev. I was surprised that he hadn’t come to talk me after my return from Avalon. It wasn’t uncommon for him to show up on my balcony at odd hours of the night. The bread lady had gotten that part right, but like all rumors the truth wasn’t so juicy. Except for one ill-fated attempt to use my bathtub, Lev had never set foot in my room. I suspected it had a lot to do with the fact that I shared a suite with Chloe who, in addition to being nosy, had never learned to knock.

  Lev’s room, on the other hand, was much more secluded.

  The labyrinth hadn’t changed one bit in all the time I had been at Ivywild. It was still dark as a starless night and smelled of dank earth. Fortunately I didn’t have to go very far into the winding corridors to reach Lev’s room. Not much more than a hole in the wall, the little den housed one table, one hammock and usually one sleeping manticore.

  Today Lev wasn’t home and Ulf was nowhere to be seen. I was disappointed. Lev usually stayed in his den during the daytime. If he wasn’t there, he was at W.R.A.I.T.H.

  Othella had excluded me from practically all W.R.A.I.T.H. business. Now that I had seen behind the cloak of the secret organization, I wanted in for good. I felt as though I’d been kicked outside and they’d bolted the door behind me. Not so with Lev. Othella was only too happy to keep him tied up with mysterious jobs. I tried not to let it bother me. After all, it was good that Lev had something to keep him occupied. He got restless and cranky whenever he was bored.

  With a sigh I settled into Lev’s hammock. Chloe would be busy for a while yet and I had nothing better to do than wait. I lay on my back and stared at the stone ceiling. Lev had taught me that all Slaugh slept in hammocks. It was more comfortable on their folded wings. They couldn’t sleep in a bed without lying on their stomachs and that was unheard of.

  “Never leave your back open to ambush.”

  Lev’s words flitted back to me like so many lessons he’d taught me the past few years: “Take nothing for granted. Assume your enemy knows everything that you know. Don’t be afraid to let go.”

  I had absorbed the lessons by being around him, but I wondered what he’d gone through to gain such insights. The dark notion that he was more than he let on bugged me again.

  Part of a map was etched onto the ceiling. It was the labyrinth. Lev had been charting it in his spare time. He had carved little notations and labels in a few places. They were in Sithean. The fact that he was literate in the written language of Fay nobles had always astounded me.

  The room was dark and quiet. I was all alone. The opportunity to snoop was too tempting. I rose and lit a lantern. It threw shadows all around. I saw nothing out of the ordinary in the dim glow. Spare shirts and underclothes lay folded on the table. The shelf where Lev kept his weapons was empty. Wherever he was, he was fully armed.

  There was nothing to snoop. I chided myself. Lev was trustworthy. It was childish of me to be so suspicious. He was my friend. He could never be more than that, so what did it matter if he didn’t reveal every little thing to me?

  It always stung to admit it. By choosing to serve Ivywild in the clergy, I’d defined the terms of our relationship. Once I was inducted, there would be no going back. To renounce my place would bring shame and banishment—just like my grandfather.

  I picked up one of Lev’s shirts off the table. It was well worn with a few stains here and there. The cloth carried the familiar scents of earth and boy...and something else. Puzzled, I took a long sniff. This time I recognized the faint scent of the ocean. The fabric was gritty with embedded sand.

  Curious, I rubbed some of the sand between my fingertips. What reason did Lev have to be down by the ocean? Unless it had something to do with W.R.A.I.T.H., it didn’t make any sense. Resentment reared its head again. I felt excluded.

  Then I remembered that W.R.A.I.T.H.’s head of research was just upstairs, next door to my own room.

  Bazzlejet was in his maid garb. It looked as though he was supposed to be sweeping Chloe’s floor but instead he was screeching a tune and dancing with the broom. He did not notice me as I tiptoed in. I crouched beside a chest of drawers and watched him.

  Bazzlejet gyrated as he sang, occasionally knocking perfume bottles off tables and stumbling over rugs.

  “Oopsie,” he said as his stuffed bosom knocked a vase off a nightstand. The vase crashed and broke into pieces. Bazzlejet looked around quickly and then swept the pieces under Chloe’s bed. “To bad I’m not and Enchanter.”

  He looked around again to make sure nobody saw. Chuckling, he congratulated himself.

  A buzzing noise suddenly erupted from his dress. He jumped. After a few seconds he calmed himself. He reached into his blouse and pulled out a closed clamshell.

  He flicked open the shell and said, “This is Special Agent Hotstuff.”

  I sprang out and knocked him over with a barrier. He toppled to the floor and the shell phone sailed through the air. I caught it before it landed and put my ear to it.

  “What was that?” said an unfamiliar female voice on the other end. “Agent Hotstuff, do you copy?”

  “Copy,” I said, mimicking Bazzlejet’s voice as best I could. “I just had a little spill.”

  “Get it together, Hotstuff,” said the caller. “We need you back at HQ by moonhigh tonight. We’re expecting to rendezvous with the transport team by sunrise.”

  Hungry for all the information I could get, I said, “Transport team?”

  “Yeah. Oh, and J and W said they have some new blueprints for you.”

  THWACK! Bazzlejet smacked me over the head with one of the pillows he’d used to stuff his dress. The shell phone flew out of my hands and he grabbed it.

  “Please repeat,” Bazzlejet squawked into the phone.

  Reeling, I r
egained my footing and tackled Bazzlejet at knee-level.

  “Close communications,” he shouted into the shell phone. He tumbled over and the phone went skidding across the floor. By the time I recovered it, the person on the other end was gone.

  “What is your problem?” Bazzlejet said, straightening his wig. He found his pillow and stuffed it back down the front of his dress.

  “Who was that?” I said. “What blueprints?”

  “None of your business, Missy. Owwww!” He rubbed his shoulder. “Why’d you have to hit me so hard?”

  “Just tell me what’s going on!” I said. “What is W.R.A.I.T.H. up to and why does it involve Lev? He’s there now, isn’t he? He’s always there.”

  Bazzlejet grinned. “Oh, so that’s why you’re in a tizzy? Sorry, but I don’t know anything about your boyfriend. I’ve got my own orders thankyouverymuch.”

  “Then what are your orders?” I asked in exasperation. “Who are J and W?”

  “I dunno, I’ve never actually met them in person,” Bazzlejet said. “And I wouldn’t tell you if I did know. I’m afraid I can’t be persuaded.”

  “Please, Agent Hotstuff,” I said, trying a sweet, coaxing tone. “I’m not an outsider. I’ve been inside W.R.A.I.T.H. What can it hurt to tell me?”

  “But you are an outsider,” Bazzlejet said. “Last time I checked, you were still in line to be a priestess, right? So you’re on the outside. And that’s where you belong. Boss says it’s the best place for you.”

  I couldn’t hide the anger that crept into my voice. “Othella said that? Is she trying to protect me again? I don’t want to be protected!”

  “Shhhh!” Bazzlejet hissed. “Chloe’s coming.”

  I heard the click of Chloe’s high-heeled slippers in the hallway. Bazzlejet ran to a mirror to check his disguise.

  An army of attendants and Pixies followed the princess. She was dictating orders to them.

  “See to it that they have enough food. I don’t want them living on wild roots and mud,” Chloe said to a Gnome who was scribbling furiously on a piece of parchment.

  “Shall I put out a flyer?” asked a hovering Pixie. “I could forward a message to all stops on their route.”

  “Excellent,” Chloe said. “Make it so. Ah, Emma!”

  I tried to return the greeting but the royal entourage besieged Chloe with questions.

  “You have your orders!” Chloe shouted to her staff. “Direct all further inquiries to Lord Finbarr. I’m retiring until dinner.” She shut the door on the small crowd.

  “Princess!” Bazzlejet exclaimed in his grating girl voice. “How was the council?”

  Chloe glared at him. “Why are you still here? Go busy yourself with something.”

  “Will do, Your Highness!”

  Chloe rolled her eyes as Bazzlejet skipped away to an adjoining parlor. I kept a close watch on him. I hoped to follow him to his clandestine meeting later that night.

  Sweeping a hand to her forehead, Chloe sprawled out on a fat, pink cushion. “Ugh!”

  “Did it go that badly?” I asked.

  “Yes and no,” Chloe said. “The Seelie Court was as stubborn as I expected. They said they didn’t want our best and brightest leaving the castle to share precious expertise with commoners. They absolutely refused to give up any of the clergy for such a mission.”

  “Uh oh,” I said. “So what’s the good news?”

  Chloe sat up and grinned triumphantly. “The good news is that I can commission private parties to do my bidding! You should have seen Kesper’s face when I quoted that bit of policy to him! Lord Finbarr volunteered immediately. Things got nasty when Kesper pointed out that the last time a Finbarr was in charge of a mission…well you know what happened.”

  Fury shot through me so fast that I almost produced a barrier. “That insensitive jerk! How dare he bring up Florrie?”

  “I know!” Chloe said. “I almost set his robe on fire for that. Lord Finbarr was a good sport, though. He said he’d see if he could rouse up any more ‘traveling buddies’ and make plans for his departure. I’m sure Garland will be joining him.”

  “A small victory, at least,” I said. “Maybe the outlanders will feel more secure when they know. When is he leaving?”

  “Two days time,” Chloe said.

  “How long will he be gone?” I asked.

  “A month or two, most likely. As long as it takes for things to settle down. Meanwhile Commander Larue has expanded the search for Robyn. I’m supposed to meet with him at dinner to talk about it. I told him you’d be there, too, seeing as you have that dagger. He wants to know everything about your encounters with Robyn and the mechamen.”

  I saw Bazzlejet prancing around in the parlor out of the corner of my eye. If I got held up too long with Commander Larue, I wouldn’t be able to follow him to his secret meeting.

  “Are you with me?” Chloe asked, watching me curiously. “You seem distracted.”

  “I’m fine,” I said.

  Chloe was not convinced. She tilted her head, letting a tumble of purple curls fall to one shoulder. “You sure? You look kind of ansty. Is it about your induction?”

  The induction was the least of my worries for the moment. “I’m fine.”

  Chloe didn’t press the issue any further as she set about changing her shoes and re-styling her hair. I hung around and tried to provide lively chatter, all the while watching Bazzlejet to see if he got any more calls. If he realized what I was up to, he didn’t let on. He went about humming tunes and badgering the other servants who had arrived with Chloe’s lunch.

  “I’m off to sit with Father again,” Chloe said after she’d put away a whole plate of candied fruit. “Ugh, and I might have to go talk to my tailor, too. My dresses are getting tight.”

  Bazzlejet snickered as Chloe left the room.

  I shot him a frown. “You know, I might just tell her who you are and what you’ve been up to. It’s only fair since you’re holding out on me.”

  “Lighten up,” Bazzlejet said. “It wouldn’t do you any good to blow my cover.”

  “I’m not so sure about that,” I said. “I’m not so sure about Othella, either. Where has she been? Chloe’s been at the king’s bedside every day, but I’ve hardly seen Othella at all.”

  For once Bazzlejet looked ruffled. “Don’t go accusing Boss of anything. You don’t have any idea what—”

  “That’s right, I don’t!” I said hotly. “I wouldn’t, would I? I’m just not cool enough to be a part of her little club!”

  “Oh shut up and eat a cookie,” Bazzlejet said, shoving a plate of warm treats at me.

  Thrown off kilter, I stared suspiciously at the fresh-baked goods. “Why would I want a cookie?”

  “Because Chloe didn’t finish them and they’ll just go to waste if we don’t eat them,” Bazzlejet said.

  “They’re not poisoned or anything, are they?” I asked.

  “Of course not” Bazzlejet said, looking offended. “Watch. I’m gonna eat me some cookies right now.” He grabbed a handful and stuffed them into his mouth. “See?” he said, spitting crumbs.

  I knew better than to trust him. W.R.A.I.T.H. had potions at their disposal that could render a person unconscious for hours. It would be a simple way for Bazzlejet to get me out of the way.

  The cookies did smell really great, though. It had been a few moments and Bazzlejet hadn’t passed out or sprouted warts or anything.

  “Go on,” he urged, waving the plate around under my nose. “I promise you’ll feel better after you’ve eaten one.”

  I took a cookie from the plate and sat down on a pouf. Glaring at Bazzlejet, I nibbled off a bite. It tasted perfectly normal. I swallowed it and nothing happened.

  “Gotta go,” Bazzlejet said, making a dash for the door.

  I jumped up and chased him out to the hall. I was gaining on him when two Gnomes who were taking away the food cart ran up to me and got in the way.

  “What the? Hey…!” I stumbled over them
.

  “Pretty lady!” cooed one of the Gnomes. He picked a flower out of his cap and handed it to me.

  “I saw her first!” said the other.

  “Hello, madam,” said a butler, bowing. “You’re looking absolutely marvelous this evening.”

  They surrounded me.

  “Your beauty has no equal,” purred the butler.

  “Pretty as a spotted velvet toadstool,” said one of the Gnomes.

  “What did you put in that cookie?” I yelled at Bazzlejet.

  But Bazzlejet was long gone. I headed for the elevatree but more men kept coming. The pageboy who brought my mail dropped to his knees and started singing a song about my eyes. “Oh they’re gray as downy feathers…” he crooned.

  My own butler, Fritz, picked up a decorative vase that was in the hall and tried to hand it to me. “A gift for the loveliest creature,” he said.

  I ducked into my room and bolted the door. The men outside started knocking on it. The pageboy was still singing.

  “Sheesh!” I said, making sure the door was locked. “They’re like lovestruck zombies or something.”

  It was my own fault. I should have known better than to trust Bazzlejet. Now I was stuck until the bothersome spell wore off. Exasperated, I went to my balcony for some air.

  “What fair maiden through yonder door comes!” shouted a man down in the street below.

  “Her hair reminds me of the gentle ocean waves!” declared one awestruck observer.

  “Her skin glows with the radiance of ten thousand sunsets!” shouted the market’s fishmonger. He clasped the day’s prize fish to his chest. “How I’d love to hold her!”

  “Now that’s just creepy!” I said, wrinkling my nose.

  “Ahoy there!” said an aerial guardsman. He flew down from his patrol route and landed on my balcony. “Would the young lady care for a dance?”

  I backed away from him, “Um, sir, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

  “My darling!” shouted someone behind me.

  I whirled around. Another aerial guard was blocking my door.