“I walked into a complicated mess!” Mina said, patting Artemas on the hand.
The magician smiled and took a deep breath of fresh air, enjoying his time talking with Mina without a headache plaguing his every word. “So to continue, it was on that same night after the fainting incident in the library that I kept watch in your living room. I left the house again in the middle of the night and retrieved some items that Mr. Smithers had placed underneath a park bench for me. He had also left me a note. It was a simple yet effective method of communication.”
“A lot of cloak-and-dagger intrigue,” Mr. Jordan said. “I like it!”
“Good thing you weren’t involved, honey,” his wife said. “You would have had way too much fun sneaking around in the dark!”
“I’m still in the dark,” Molly admitted. “What items did Mr. Smithers give you, Artemas? And how do they relate to Belthasar’s destruction?”
“Mr. Smithers’ role was key to my deception of Belthasar. In order to make him believe that I could recreate another of himself, I first had to make you and Christopher believe it.”
“With the rose demonstration in our backyard?” Christopher asked.
“Exactly! When we gathered in the backyard that sunny wintry morning to begin my experiment, you’ll recall that Magic was a bundle of energy,” Artemas said. “He would not leave me alone.”
“I remember,” Molly said with a giggle, hoping that their dog hadn’t missed them too much while they were away. “But why is that fact important?”
“It was part of the plan. I concealed a small strip of grilled steak inside my cloak pocket that Magic was trying to get at. It was one of the two items Mr. Smithers had left for me in the park,” Artemas said, pleased to explain this bit of cleverness.
“Why would you do that?” Mrs. Jordan asked. “Magic gets too many treats as it is.”
“Oh, the dog never got the steak, but he did keep chasing after me which is what I needed him to do.” Artemas observed the puzzled expressions around him. “You see, after I created a rose from the pine needles and held it aloft, Magic was still keyed up, determined to get that piece of steak. After I invited Christopher and Molly to examine the rose, Magic charged at me again and pinned me to the wall, causing me to drop the flower on the other side of the wall. But I dropped it on purpose as I had planned.”
“There is a point to this, isn’t there?” Christopher asked.
“If you think like a detective you should have no problem figuring it out,” Mr. Jordan told him. He was beginning to see where Artemas’ plan was leading.
“I’m not Sherlock Holmes,” Christopher said, recalling what Artemas had done next. “So you walked around the wall and retrieved the rose while Molly and I got hold of Magic. He was quite calm when you returned to the yard.”
“As calm as a clam!” Artemas said. “Magic no longer pursued me because I had left the piece of steak on the other side of the wall and replaced it with a bar of soap waiting for me there. Magic took one sniff when I passed by him, no longer interested in bothering me.”
“As much as I admire detective Holmes, I’m still no match for his intellect,” Molly said. “Why was there a bar of soap on the other side of the wall? Who put it there?”
“I did!” Mr. Smithers said. “Ten minutes before you gathered in the backyard, Artemas had me drop off two special items–a bar of soap and a red long-stem rose.” Christopher and Molly glanced at Artemas, noting the mischievous grin upon his face. “I had parked my car on the street parallel to yours, sneaked through the adjacent yard and left the items behind the wall as instructed.”
“So when I dropped the rose over the wall,” Artemas explained, “I replaced it with the real flower Mr. Smithers had provided. I pretended to be hesitant about taking it into the sunlight to make the demonstration more convincing.”
Christopher smirked. “Now I understand why you came screaming out of the cellar earlier that morning to tell us you had perfected your spell.”
“Just more of the act,” Artemas confessed. “Another performance to convince you and ultimately, Belthasar, that he could have his wish. I cannot create a permanent living entity, and that’s probably a good thing.”
“How ironic,” Mina said. “Belthasar inhabits an actor and learns so much of his craft, yet he couldn’t see through the very act being staged against him.”
“He was blinded by his own arrogance and vanity,” Artemas said, “unable to see the world for what it really is.”
“That’s probably why Belthasar recreated himself taller than he originally was,” Mrs. Jordan concluded. “People who crave unlimited power see themselves larger than life, which ultimately leads to their downfall.”
“No great loss there,” Molly said. “But I have another question, Artemas. After you created a rose, how’d you know it would match the one Mr. Smithers left by the wall?”
“Simple. On that night he left me the piece of grilled steak in the park, he also left a photograph of the rose he planned to leave,” he said. “I modified my spell so the two roses would match. I swiftly buried my created rose and the piece of steak under some snow behind the wall, certain that a squirrel or stray cat would devour the meat when it was discovered. And as soon as the sunlight melted the snow in that area, my rose would disappear. So I never had any worry about someone finding the evidence.”
“Brilliant!” Mr. Jordan said with an enthusiastic pump of his fist. “Now that I know your entire plan, I can say with certainty that Belthasar never had a chance.”
“If only we had known the details going into the game,” Mrs. Jordan replied. “Think of all the gray hairs we could have been spared.”
“Oh, that would have been boring,” Christopher joked. “Didn’t the mystery and intrigue make it more fun?”
“I’m not sure if fun is the right word,” Molly said. “But I am sure of one thing.”
“What’s that?” King Rupert asked with a contented smile as the lines of horses marched proudly through the grass.
“I’m sure glad Artemas was on our side!”
They traveled for several more hours, urging Artemas to repeat parts of his story which he was more than willing to do. So the morning swiftly passed amid talk and laughter until King Rupert’s castle appeared on the horizon against a brilliant blue sky an hour before noontime.
When the front of the line approached the castle drawbridge, standing there to greet everyone were Vergil, Emma and Queen Eleanor. They had heard the good news hours ago and couldn’t wait to welcome the returning heroes. Each had a dozen questions to ask and King Rupert knew that that would only be for starters. As Millicent the cat scurried back and forth across the drawbridge soaking in the warm spring sunshine, Artemas laughed to himself, certain he would be retelling his story at least one more time before finally getting his proper New Year’s day breakfast.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Goodbye and Hello
During the nearly six days that followed until the timedoor reopened, the Jordan family was blessed with the Endoran vacation they had always dreamed about. At the top of Christopher and Molly’s list of things to do was an extended tour of King Rupert’s castle. They wandered about the seemingly endless corridors as if they owned the place. King Rupert and Queen Eleanor were delighted to hear the siblings’ laughter echo off the stone walls, knowing how deeply they would miss the children in the days to come.
Molly also got her wish for a second visit to the Inn of the Twelve Horses. King Jeremiah and Queen Rosalind joined everyone for a leisurely meal, much to the delight of Henry Droon. The proprietor was honored to have two Kings and two Queens feast at his tables, and the royal visit was the talk of the inn for weeks to come. Molly later sat down with Queen Rosalind in the common room and chatted about Rosalind’s wedding day, at last learning all the specifics about the bouquets, gowns and table settings that Ulric had been unable to provide during their journey to Three Frogs. But Molly thought that the extravagant descr
iptions were well worth the wait.
At the end of the evening, Christopher and Molly said goodbye to Rosalind and King Jeremiah, not knowing when they would see the royal couple again. They both hoped to travel to Solárin a few more times to enjoy the peace and beauty of the land that had blossomed after so many years of strife.
The sun shone especially warm the next afternoon, providing ideal weather for lunch in one of the outdoor courtyards. While engrossed in several conversations after their meal, everyone delighted in the honeysweet scent of bayla blossoms wafting through the air as they lingered among ornamental shrubbery and budding flowers along the cobblestone walkways. Mr. Smithers detected a hint of sadness in his wife’s eyes as they talked, knowing the reason without having to ask.
“Artemas will do his best to create another timedoor, my dear. Before you know it, you’ll be back here visiting your sister as if you’d never left.”
Emma smiled. “You’re very sweet, Stanley, trying to cheer me up. But I’ll be fine once I’m busy in the restaurant. I look forward to opening up our place for another year.”
Christopher snapped his fingers. “I have a perfect idea! Queen Eleanor should visit us next time. I think it’s time she stepped into our world.”
Emma burst into a grin. “What a great suggestion! I could show her the sights. Take her to the museum. Even go shopping!”
“Now that our Belthasar problem is solved,” Artemas said, “I’ll have more time to concentrate on the mechanics of my magical timedoors.”
“When will you create another one?” Molly asked.
“Difficult to say, but I’m mulling over a few spells to perfect the process.”
“Perfect it as soon as you can!” Mina said. “I want to come back and spend more time with you. Despite the trials of this first visit, I’ve grown to love Endora very much.”
“This kingdom has that effect on people,” Mr. Jordan admitted as he proudly eyed Christopher and Molly. “I’m sure you’ll be back, Mina. I hope we all will.”
“And since I’ll be living on the other side,” Emma added, “Artemas will have a link to Endora to make his job easier.”
“That’s another problem I hope to solve,” Artemas said. “I’ll start as soon as the timedoor closes for the final time the day after tomorrow.”
“Enough scientific chitchat and making plans about going shopping,” King Rupert said as he and his wife pushed their way to the front of the gathering. “Winter is over and a glorious spring day beckons to us. Let’s celebrate!”
“Easy for you to say,” Vergil remarked. “We have a cold winter waiting for us when we get back.”
Queen Eleanor smiled as the sunlight gently touched her flowing red hair. “I’ll admit my husband is a wonderful King, but he can’t solve every problem.”
“No problem at all,” Mrs. Jordan replied. “Now we’ll have a second spring to look forward to, and my family will all be together when it arrives. I can’t ask for anything more wonderful than that!”
Everyone retired by early evening the next day. The timedoor was to open at the stroke of the fourth hour the following morning when cold and darkness still cloaked the landscape. But few of the travelers got very much sleep that night. Most lay awake at one time or another, contemplating their adventures in Endora and speculating when the timedoor would open next. Some, in the back of their minds, wondered how long such journeys could last.
They awoke when the sky was veiled with a blanket of icy white stars. They ate breakfast in one of King Rupert’s private chambers where a dozen people gathered for their final meal together, hoping to reunite in the near future.
King Rupert proposed a toast. “To my family and friends, the people who mean so much to me,” he said, his voice slightly cracking as he raised his glass. “May we meet here again soon and often, and may our times together never be forgotten.”
In unison, everyone raised their glasses and drank to the King’s touching and comforting words. Christopher and Molly glanced at each other, feeling the same mix of emotions. Though it was wonderful to visit this world, their hearts were always torn whenever they had to leave. Today was no exception.
After their meal, Artemas uttered the words that all were expecting but didn’t want to hear. “It is near the seventh hour. The timedoor will soon close for the last time,” he said, gently resting his hand upon Mina’s shoulder as the early morning sunshine spilled into the room. Mina looked up at him with misty eyes. “We must go to my chamber now and get ready.”
Minutes later, the five members of the Jordan family, Mr. Smithers, Emma and Mina stood dressed in winter coats, saying their final goodbyes. Artemas and Mina hugged, neither wanting to let go.
“I’ll write letters to you and save them,” Mina said. “You can read them when you return and see how much I missed you.”
The magician smiled through the sadness that filled his eyes. “And I will spare no effort to recreate another timedoor to your world, Mina. So you might not have to use up that much writing paper if I have anything to say about it–and I do!”
After a flurry of handshakes and hugs and teary eyes, the eight travelers stepped through the wavy opening in the stone wall and disappeared through the timedoor. King Rupert and Queen Eleanor watched in melancholy silence as Artemas and Ulric looked on, equally downcast.
“There they go again,” King Rupert softly said. “Here–and then gone. It always goes by so fast. Too fast.”
“They’ll be back some day, my dear,” his wife said, placing an arm around his shoulder. “In the meantime, let’s see what kind of day awaits us.” Queen Eleanor opened the balcony doors wide, letting in a flood of warm sunshine. “Apparently a beautiful one!”
The four of them stepped outside and gazed across the northern plains, awed by the beauty and vastness of the greening land and the sun-splashed magnificence of the western mountains. A gentle wind floated in from the south.
“Ulric, I think my wife and I will embark on a short trip to Solárin in a few days to visit Rosalind. It is time that we took a vacation,” King Rupert said. “I trust that you and your men can handle matters while we’re gone.”
“Neither troll nor brigand will breach these walls in your absence!”
“Very good.”
“And, Artemas, make sure to attend to your timedoor studies,” Queen Eleanor said. “I’d like to visit Emma again as soon as possible.” She smiled at the magician. “Besides, I think there’s someone eager for another visit from you.”
“I’ll be most diligent in my research, your highness,” he replied. “All I need is a little time.”
“Well, in the meantime,” King Rupert said, leaning against the stone railing and basking in the warm sunlight, “let’s enjoy this fine moment for a little while longer. I’m in no hurry to go to work just yet!”
They walked through a swirl of stars and darkness as if silently passing through a familiar dream, contemplating when–or if–they would ever return. Then the eight travelers stepped out of the stone support underneath the river bridge as a blast of frosty January air nipped at their faces. The midnight sky was painted with stars on the brand new Saturday that greeted them.
Mrs. Jordan shivered. “On second thought, maybe a quick spring wouldn’t be such a bad idea. My, but it is cold out here.”
“How about some coffee and hot chocolate at the restaurant,” Emma suggested. “I’ll throw a few sandwiches on the griddle.”
“Wonderful idea!” Mr. Smithers said. “Just like on that first morning we went through the timedoor.”
“As I recollect, you sneaked through!” Molly joked.
“And a good thing,” Christopher said, recalling how Mr. Smithers rescued them from Belthasar’s vault.
“I want to see Magic!” Vergil said.
“And I’ll call Lucy to tell her I’m okay,” Mina added. “How am I ever going to explain my absence?”
“You’ll find a way,” Mr. Jordan said. “You can call her from th
e restaurant while Vergil and I drive home and get Magic. We’ll meet you all back there shortly.”
They trudged up the snowy embankment, feeling in better spirits. A few moments after they reached the road, the timedoor closed with a thunderous clap, startling them all.
“Oh my, but is it always that noisy?” Mina asked.
Molly nodded. “Artemas needs to work on that. He–”
She then noticed a dark figure walking toward them down the narrow road that led to their old house. It ran perpendicular to the main road they were standing by. The stranger walked a small dog on a leash and was dressed in a long coat, a fur hat and a thickly knitted scarf. Molly squinted as the pair approached the intersection of the two roads now bathed in the glow of a nearby streetlight. They stared at one another until a flash of recognition illuminated Molly’s face.
“Is that you, Misty?” she called out.
The dog barked a sharp but familiar greeting, furiously wagging its tail.
“It is Misty!” her mother replied, waving at the figure across the road. “Hello, Edna. It’s Sally Jordan. What are you doing out so late?”
The woman loosened the scarf around her face as she ambled over to greet her old neighbors. “Misty and I enjoy late night walks. What on earth brings you here?”
“We were just, uh, out taking a walk ourselves!” Christopher said. “Nice to see you again, Mrs. Halloway.”
Mr. Jordan introduced her to Mr. Smithers, Emma, and Mina. “It’s been a couple of years since I last ran into you in town,” he said. “How are you feeling these days?”
“I’ll be seventy next week. Never felt better!” Edna gazed in amazement at Christopher, Molly and Vergil. “I just can’t get over how you three have grown. Especially you, Vergil. You’re hardly recognizable!”
“Misty’s still as cute as ever,” Molly said, bending down to pet the dog.
Mrs. Halloway shook her head. “You must be at least fifteen, Christopher.”
The Endora Trilogy (The Complete Series) Page 69
