Hapenny Magick (12 page)

Mae snatched the empty cup and peered into it. Bits of tea leaf were stuck to the sides. Her face shone back at her from the bottom. A familiar smell filled her nose and she knew there would be no talking to Reed until the morning. Aletta had dosed him with the sleeping tea. She banged the cup back onto its saucer. Next to it, on the top of the dresser, lay a small, carved turtle and a fishing fly. Mae picked up the fly. It was tied with red string and had downy black feathers. It looked just like the flies Callum was tying earlier. She dropped it in her pocket. Questions were taking form in her mind.

Reaching into the corner of the windowsill, Mae gathered the cobwebs clinging to the wooden casement. “Strands of spider's silky web, weave together for his bed.”

Mae watched, amazed, as the cobweb grew upon itself, creating a hundred soft folds, and finally emerging as a soft, warm blanket. “It worked!” Her smile faded as she tucked the blanket under Reed's chin. He was safe, but what about Leif? What about Mother Underknoll?

Callum appeared in the doorway. “You've studied
Ahem's Book of Proper Grammar for Spell Casting
.”

“And she didn't even need her wand,” Aletta added.

Mae nodded at the wizards. Her cheeks grew warm with embarrassment. “I couldn't sleep last night. Thought I'd do a little reading. Are you angry with me?”

“What?” Callum harrumphed. “What reason would I have for being angry?”

“I just thought…since I took the book without asking first…and tried a bit of magick…” Mae chewed the inside of her cheek.

Callum put his hands on her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. “No, Maewyn, I'm not angry. This is your home now. The books belong to you as much as anyone.”

“And we all need to learn good spell writing.” Aletta squeezed the top of Callum's arm with affection before gathering the washbasin from Reed's bed. She touched the magicked blanket and smiled. “I'd say this is a very useful spell.” She nodded her approval as she left the room.

Mae pulled the fly from her pocket and held it up. “I found this next to Reed's teacup. Before he fell asleep he said he was looking for someone, but found me. Is it possible that he was looking for you, Callum?”

Callum nodded. “It was our little secret. We crossed paths one day at the bridge. He was upset that Leif had run off without him.”

“And you leave these flies at their doorstep,” Mae said. The threads were beginning to weave together.

Callum cocked his head to the side. “How did you know that?”

“Leif told me the fishing flies would just appear sometimes.” Mae's lower lip trembled. She blinked the tears away. “He will be okay, right, Callum?”

“With a good friend like you, Reed is sure to get well soon.”

Mae nodded, even though she had meant Leif. Would Leif be okay? She sopped her tears with the corner of her apron. She couldn't put her worries into words.

“Let him rest now. We'll question him in the morning and firm up our plans to find Leif.” Callum guided her from the room and into the hallway. Mae peeked back at Reed as the wizard shut the door. He had wanted to tell her something about Gelbane and Leif before the sleeping tea took over, and she wasn't waiting for Reed to wake up to find out what it was.

Chapter Thirteen

The waxing gibbous moon shone through the window, lighting up the printed words of the article about Remington Gythal and the troll invasion. Mae crumpled it in her hand and tossed it across the room. How could she not have noticed there was a troll in her house for all these years? For that matter, how could a wizard not have noticed that the magick on the bridge was being destroyed? She sat up and threw her legs over the edge of the bed. She hadn't bothered to change into a nightgown or crawl under the soft sheets. She couldn't help but think of Leif as she gazed at his brother snoring softly across the room.

Mae slipped from the bed, reached for her boots, and shoved her feet into them. She patted her apron pocket, checking that her flute, raven, and wand were stowed safely as Callum's spell tightened the laces on her boots and tied little bows. Her ears swiveled to listen to the night noises in the cottage.

Callum's breathing was deep and even, and Aletta made little snorting noises. Even when she wasn't a pig, Aletta kind of sounded like one. Mae hoped the wizards were both sound sleepers. She reached into her hair and untangled Trina from her curls. The squirrel looked at her with sleepy eyes. “You have to stay here, Trina.”

Trina shook her head, perked her whiskers, wiggled out of Mae's hand, and jumped into her apron pocket.

“No, Trina. You can't come.” Mae pulled the little squirrel from her pocket and set her on the pillow. “You'll be safe from Gelbane here. Now stay put!”

Mae tiptoed across the room and scuttled up onto the foot of Reed's bed. He didn't stir as she stepped careful-like around him and pushed the window open.

The cloying fragrance of the night-blooming flowers hung in the still air, luring moths toward their nectar. Owls hooted. Coyotes yapped. Crickets chirped. The forest was alive with the sounds of night. Mae lifted her knee to the windowsill and pulled herself up. Shifting her body, she planted her feet in the flowerbox and slid the window shut. Mae pressed her nose against the glass and peered back into the room. She couldn't help but think of the last time she crawled out of a window.

Reed still slept, unmoving except for the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest. Trina stared from Mae's bed. Mae hoped the little squirrel wouldn't run to Callum and tattle.

Before she had a chance to change her mind, Mae jumped out of the flowerbox. She sprinted for the shortcut that would lead her to the Wedge.

Chapter Fourteen

“Shine brightly,” Mae whispered, holding her wand in front of her. The end illuminated the pillars of the bridge. The runes were dark and magickless. She touched them and a jolt of energy sizzled up her arm as the
leyna
charm fizzled and fell away to reveal a vandalized stone face. Nervous moths rose in her stomach at what her wand revealed. Her hand shook as she touched the last pillar. The last bit of protection against the trolls.

A sharp crack, like a twig breaking underfoot, surprised Mae, and the light at the end of her wand winked out. Someone was approaching from the village. Mae scampered into the edge of the woods to hide. Remnants of cloud from the storm floated across the ivory moon, its half-light throwing more shadow than illumination. Mae peered into the blackness at the distant figure.

Lumpy and shambling, the figure drew near, carrying a large sack on its back. Something in the bag clinked together, metal on metal. Mae recognized the awkward gait. Gelbane!

Mae crouched, still as a fence post. She could hear Gelbane snuffle the air with her wide, flat nose, like she was savoring the aroma of a fatty stew.

“She's been here, that wretched spit of a girl,” Gelbane muttered. “Snooping on me, no doubt.”

A shiver ran through Mae. Gelbane had no idea how close she was to the truth. Whiskers had sprouted from Gelbane's chin and her ears were small and bald. They looked like withered, dried pears on the side of her head. Great yellow fangs protruded from under her top lip. Gelbane must have abandoned the
leyna
charm. That wasn't a good sign.

Gelbane dropped the lumpy sack on the road just before the bridge and untied its rope. The clouds blew away and the half moon shone again. She pulled out a pair of worn boots. The soles were thick and riddled with long iron spikes.

Of course! Maewyn slapped her hand against her forehead. Metal hurts magick…that's what Callum had said. Gelbane had found a way around Remington Gythal's protection spell.

Gelbane shoved her feet into the boots. A snigger floated on the air. “Those muffin-brained hapennies have no idea what's coming. Trusting some kitchen wizard to protect them. Well, they've got what's coming to them now. I can almost taste the hapenny stew.” Drawing out a hammer and a chisel from the bag, Gelbane, in her true troll form, crossed the bridge. The nails scraped against the wooden planks. She settled the chisel against the last stone pillar and began to cut away the remaining trace of the runes protecting the Wedge.

Mae stood abruptly. She must get back to Callum and Aletta before Gelbane could tell the other trolls that the bridge was not protected anymore. A heavy hand closed over Mae's shoulder and another covered her mouth. She struggled as her captor pulled her off her feet and dragged her further into the trees. “Looky, Nord! Looky what we ‘ave ‘ere,” a gruff whisper blew against Mae's ear. “A little spysie-wizey.”

“What's going on over there?” Gelbane bellowed. “Nord? Taureck? Be that you?”

“‘Tis me, Taureck!” The troll shouted back. “No worries, Gelbane, we jus' catched ourselves a little rabbit!”

“Well, be quiet, you lousy halfwits,” Gelbane shouted back. “We don't want to give them any warnin's.”

Mae cringed away from the sharp, metallic smell of the female troll's breath. She struggled in her grip as another troll emerged from the trees. He was large and broad across the shoulders. Greasy, dark hair hung around his jowls. He squeezed Mae's arm. “Should make a nice addition to our supper.”

Mae aimed for his nose with her heel, but he grabbed her legs and cinched them in his grasp. Watery black eyes appraised her. “Nice an' pudgy, this ‘un. Ain't like that string bean a coupla weeks ago.”

They'd eaten Mother Underknoll! How had they captured her? Mae squirmed and tried to yell, but the claw against her mouth clamped down hard. She gagged at the feel of moist skin against her lips.

“Oh, Nord, we ain't ate a good hapenny stew in years, and we finally get some and ye still be complainin',” Taureck grumbled.

“Tie her up, Taureck. When Gelbane's chiseled the last of the runes from the pillar, we'll celebrate with this ‘un!” Nord ambled off through the brush and bramble.

Mae struggled hard against her captor. Her mind was wild with fear. The few spells she knew whirled in her head. Mae concentrated on Taureck's arm and imagined red spots growing like a pox on the scrawny green wrist.

“What's that?” The troll's grip on Mae weakened. She shook her arm as if the spots would fall away. Mae wriggled loose, but was snatched by the collar.

“Oh, no, you don't. No hapenny tricksies are gonna work on me!”

A moan of anguish rumbled in Mae's throat. It was daft of her to think she could rid the Wedge of Gelbane and find Leif by herself. Sneaking out was the worst idea she'd ever had. Now she hoped Trina
would
tattle on her.

“Quit your caterwaulin'.” Taureck bound Mae's wrists with a scratchy bit of rope. Mae tried to run again, but the troll shoved her to the ground with a long arm. Mae spat out leaves as her feet were tied together. The troll rolled Mae onto her back and chucked her under the chin with a bone-thin finger. “You be so small, you be cookin' fast; you'll see. The other one was taller, but she only screamed for a few minutes. She was so easy to lure across the bridge. Pity she put that baby down first, though. I haven't had flesh that tender in a lifetime.”