Nicholas Raven and the Wizards' Web - Volume 1 (47 page)

“They won’t be able to do anything,” he said. “Besides, if whoever has Ivy still believes she’s the princess, then that might be her best protection right now. Why risk word getting back to them, however improbable, that Ivy isn’t of the royal bloodline.”

When Nicholas explained that they would go to Morrenwood to request help from King Justin, the news cheered Ivy’s father. He was proud that his daughter had offered to help protect the King’s granddaughter, but he knew a perpetual black cloud of doubt and regret would follow him until he held her in his arms once again.

“It feels so discouraging,” he whispered. “But if the King can help find my daughter, I suppose I can hang on to that bit of hope.”

“Sometimes the tiniest bit of hope is all you need to go on,” Nell said. “Just like having one lit candle–and I know a thing or two about candles,” she said with an encouraging smile to her brother-in-law. “From a single burning candle you can light another one and then another one still, until…”

“It felt like we were stuck with nothing but wet wicks over the last few days,” Nicholas said with a hint of desperation. “How are you supposed to go on like that?”

Nell shrugged. “I didn’t say it would be easy, dear, but you have to find a way. Light the first candle–and perhaps your trip to Morrenwood will be just that–and then see if you can light another one with it.”

“We’ll try,” he said, giving a smile of encouragement to Ivy’s father.

Aubrey, though, offered one bit of good news when he tossed the pouch of fifty copper pieces on the table that he and his sons had retrieved from Sims.

“That scoundrel will think twice about plying his shady deeds in these parts again!” he said, pleased to return Leo’s apple money.

Though Megan had hoped to leave the following morning, a series of treacherous rainstorms rolled in at dawn, battering the region for two days and flooding some of the roads, making travel impossible. Castella, though, was happy for the company and Megan was grateful that Nicholas and Leo could fully rest and recover. They talked often around a warm fire as flashes of lightning ignited the skies and thunder reverberated across the bay, wondering how realistic a chance they had at finding Ivy, yet determined to try.

They remained with Castella for one more day after the skies cleared to allow the soaked lands to dry out. In the meantime, they helped her clean up the storm damage around the house. But when the following dawn broke sunny and cold, Nicholas, Leo and Megan finally made a sad and somber departure. They hugged Castella and promised to get word back to her as soon as possible. They left Boros in Leo’s apple wagon, leaving behind Madeline’s wagon and horses for her to keep or sell as she saw fit.

They headed south, and by early afternoon they neared the village of Plum Orchard. Megan insisted that they make a brief stop for lunch at their favorite inn. Leo had planned to anyway, and all were happy to greet Ron and Mabel Knott once again, conversing with them over a meal in the back dining room. The trio decided not to reveal Megan’s true identity to their friends, though it was more out of concern for Megan’s protection and for the safety of Ron, Mabel and their family rather than a lack of trust. Leo hoped one day he could reveal everything to them about the mysterious goings-on which occurred that one fateful night at their lovely establishment.

Several hours later just after sunset, Leo finally neared his parents’ farmhouse aglow with yellow light as a stream of wood smoke escaped from the chimney under a moonless sky. He brought the wagon to a halt near the huge willow tree silently standing guard in the murky twilight. He was happy to see the apple red barn and inhale the sweet smell of soil and decaying leaves lingering in the evening air. Leo held Megan’s hand and smiled, delighted to be back home but knowing it would only be for a short stay. There was still much hardship the trio had to face in the days ahead, with no one knowing where the long and tiring roads would finally lead them.

CHAPTER 29

The Medallion

Leo’s parents sat side by side near the fireplace, gazing wide-eyed at their son and his two friends who had just finished explaining the events of the past several days. Joe Marsh puffed on a pipe, letting trails of bluish-gray smoke rise lazily to the ceiling while his wife crossed her arms, allowing the surreal words to sink in. Henry, Leo’s younger brother, sat contentedly on the floor near the hearth eating a piece of apple pie, taking the fascinating narrative in stride.

“So you’re an actual princess? And right here in my house,” Annabelle calmly remarked, fidgeting with her dress sleeve while gazing at Megan. “I would have served something fancier than beef stew had I known.”

“And you’re really wanted for murder?” a fascinated Henry asked Nicholas as he downed another forkful of pie.

Nicholas grinned uneasily. “As I said before, Henry, I didn’t kill anybody. I was framed for the murder.”

“
Still
…” he replied, munching on his dessert.

When Leo announced that he and Nicholas would escort Megan to the capital and request the King’s help in rescuing Ivy, his parents fully supported their actions. After they learned about his and Nicholas’ trials along the coastline, they felt confident their son could manage a trip to Morrenwood, certain that King Justin’s soldiers would handle any dangerous matters regarding Ivy thereafter.

In the meantime, Leo and his friends stayed for three days on the Marsh farm, helping with some pre-winter chores. He also found time to give Megan a tour of the farm and apple orchard, regaling her with his plans for the future.

“No doubt it involves everything related to apples,” she said with a chuckle as she and Leo walked hand in hand through the frosted grass alongside the barn.

“And you too, I hope,” he said, stopping to look into her eyes as Megan returned his tender gaze. For the first time in the many days they had known each other, they were finally able to enjoy each other’s company alone. He thought she looked beautiful wrapped in the elegant folds of her cloak in the brisk autumn chill, though feeling as if it were a fine spring morning. “Would it be forward of me if I…”

“Not at all…” she whispered as she leaned forward to accept his kiss, both bathed in a splash of sunlight filtering through some nearby pines.

“It’s not every day that I’m allowed to kiss a princess,” Leo remarked with an affectionate smile.

“And it’s not every day that I allow it,” Megan replied, returning a mischievous grin. “But fortunately for you, my father and grandfather aren’t around. They would have thrown you in a dungeon for sure!” She laughed, leading Leo by the hand toward the large willow tree near the front of the house.

“I’ll behave myself in Morrenwood,” he said as he happily followed Megan wherever she wished to go. “I’d never forgive myself if I got kicked out of the Blue Citadel on my first visit!”

The trip to the capital commenced on a clear morning under sapphire blue skies. Leo didn’t know when he would return and promised to send his parents a post to keep them updated. After an exchange of many hugs and goodbyes, Nicholas, Megan and Leo traveled south down the last stretch of Orchard Road in an apple-less cart, the surrounding trees still ablaze in spots with autumn’s fiery colors. When they reached River Road and turned west, Nicholas recalled when he and Megan had stood at that very spot on the second day after they had first met. It was here he had agreed to accompany her to Boros to avoid going back to Kanesbury and face his troubles. He glanced at Megan and they smiled, both recalling the conversation.

“And you’re
still
not going home,” she said with a friendly chuckle. “What you’ll do to avoid facing those complications.”

“I’m happy that one of us is finally going home,” he replied. “I’m looking forward to meeting your father and grandfather and telling them how much trouble you’ve been. Leo and I should be rewarded handsomely for our efforts, saving royalty and all.”

“You’ll enjoy a few fine meals compliments of the King’s kitchen and consider yourself well compensated.” She patted Leo’s knee and smiled. “Don’t you agree?”

“Wholeheartedly!” he said.

Megan leaned close, giving Leo a quick hug. “Oh, that was the perfect answer. Now I know why I like you so much.”

“See that, Leo, you’re a quick learner,” Nicholas joked. “This should be a much more pleasant trip than the one to Boros.”

After everyone laughed, Nicholas settled back into silence, his thoughts automatically drifting to Ivy and where she might be. It didn’t seem proper that he should enjoy even a fleeting moment of camaraderie among friends while she silently endured her trials, but he knew that life would go on while he planned a way to find her. Yet a part of him feared to acknowledge that one day he might accept the idea that Ivy was gone forever. As empty as he felt after leaving Kanesbury, he knew that abandoning Ivy in his thoughts and to those who had kidnapped her would be far worse, carving out another piece of his soul that could never be replaced.

They spent the night alongside River Road as it gradually turned southwest, the Pine River flowing silently to their left under a blanket of stars. The Fox Moon, now a mere sliver, had already dipped below the western horizon as they sat around a small fire and talked. Leo asked Megan about life in the Blue Citadel.

“Though my opinion is somewhat prejudiced, you won’t find a more magnificent structure in all of Arrondale,” she said, honored to have lived there all her life.

“The Blue Citadel is a beautiful place,” Nicholas agreed, “though I’ve only seen it from the outside when I made my deliveries for Ned Adams. However, the storage cellars are first-rate!”

“I look forward to a grand tour,” Leo said, noting the smile on Megan’s face in the dancing firelight. He was happy that she seemed content and relaxed in his presence and hoped he felt the same when meeting her father and the King.

A gray morning dawned the next day and the smell of rain lingered in the air as they made an early start. By midmorning they turned west onto King’s Road, leaving behind River Road that continued southwest to Bridgewater County and the southern border of Arrondale. Small forests of pine grew on each side of King’s Road along its first few miles. Nicholas and Megan recognized this as the place where they first met and had shared a campfire in the Darden Wood to their right.

“Who knows where we’d be now if I had continued on to Morrenwood alone while you evaded Samuel in the wilderness,” Nicholas said, recalling their distrustful first encounter. “But it seems I’ll get to make that journey after all.”

“And you’ll get to spend more time in these woods again,” Leo said, quickly guiding the team of horses through the narrow strip of field on the right leading to the border of the Darden.

In the distance, a swath of dark gray clouds suddenly let loose a pounding rainfall that rapidly sailed eastward. Sheets of cold droplets swept across the area. Nicholas, Megan and Leo had just time enough to seek shelter under the trees before the storm hit with a fury. In time the breezes calmed down, yet the rain steadily fell, halting their progress for several hours. They cheerfully endured the delay, building a fire and enjoying a leisurely lunch under the treetops. Not until mid-afternoon did the rain cease and they once again took to the waterlogged road, slowly making their way westward through an occasional village or passing by a tract of tired farmland. Leo stayed on the road as long as he could to make up for lost time, but as the waning daylight dissolved into shadowy darkness, they were forced to call it a day. They pulled off to the side of King’s Road and spent a chilly night under the cover of the low, dreary clouds.

Their glum demeanors disappeared at midmorning the following day when the clouds broke and a freshening wind sweetened the air. Warm and glorious sunshine dried the roads and revived the travelers’ spirits, making the next leg of the journey tolerable despite a lingering chill. The sight of deer feeding in nearby fields or a rafter of wild turkeys gobbling and strutting on a grassy hillside served as occasional diversions to the monotony of the long stretch of road. A fleeting shadow of a soaring hawk or crow sped across the dirt road from time to time as Leo held the reins, leading them steadily westward through the passing hours. But what finally caught the trio’s attention most was a colorfully painted wagon sitting on the side of the road under a thicket of maple trees up ahead, a nearby campfire sending swirls of blue-gray smoke into the mid-afternoon air. A solitary figure in a hooded cloak stooped over the fire, adding pieces of wood to the blaze.

“I can’t believe it!” Megan softly said. “It’s
her
.”

“Who?” Nicholas asked.

“Slow down, Leo.” Megan excitedly patted his wrist as he brought the wagon to a halt near the side of the rode. “I need to speak with her.”

“Do you know what she’s talking about?” Nicholas asked Leo, who simply returned a shrug and shook his head. Soon the figure by the fire looked up at them, apparently delighted to have some company on the lonely road.

“A pleasant welcome, travelers!” the woman said, bundled in a cloak splashed with colorful swirls, geometric shapes and images of stars, leaves and comets, all bursting in shades of green, yellow, indigo and tangerine. She flipped back the hood to reveal a slightly unkempt head of light blond hair above a set of lively eyes and a contagious smile. She also wore a pair of thin beige gloves that extended partway up her forearms.

Leo hopped off the wagon and assisted Megan down while Nicholas jumped off the other side, finding the woman strangely familiar. When he took a closer look at the large wagon under the maple trees, the back section enclosed with wooden panels and painted as vibrantly as the woman’s cloak, he suddenly remembered the story Megan had told them in her room after her attempted kidnapping at the Plum Orchard Inn.

“You must be–”

“
Carmella
!” Megan shouted, walking over to greet the woman who was old enough to be her mother. “It’s Megan. Do you remember allowing me and Samuel to spend the night on the road with you about three weeks ago?”

“How could I forget such a pretty face?” she said, giving her a hug. “But where did you disappear to, young lady? And who are these fine gentlemen with you?”

“That’s a long story, and I’ll be happy to tell you all about it,” she said, introducing Leo and Nicholas. “But first I’d like to apologize for sneaking off in the night without thanking you for your hospitality. And second–can you tell me what happened to Samuel?”

Carmella tossed her arms in the air and laughed. “He abandoned me the very next day, all in a panic when he realized that you had left. We had searched for hours looking for you and then gave up, assuming you were long gone in whichever direction you set out. Samuel quit as my driver, leaving me stranded alone in the wild after he decided to return to Morrenwood, assuming you had probably gone that way, too.” She offered an impish smile. “Apparently he chose the wrong path, seeing as you’re traveling from the opposite direction. Did you ever make it to Boros?”

“I did,” Megan replied, “with help from my two friends.”

“Reluctantly at first,” Nicholas said. “But we’ve sorted through all that.”

“Wonderful! I want to hear every detail.” Carmella invited them to sit on some logs near the fire as she chatted away. In short order, she served hot tea and raisin biscuits which everyone eagerly accepted, enjoying the respite from the weary road with a friendly voice and some warm food.

“Carmella, you mentioned that Samuel agreed to be your driver before he left you in the wilderness,” Leo said as he munched on a second biscuit.

“That’s right. I’d been traveling the back roads searching for my cousin, having heard weeks ago that she passed through those parts,” she said, pulling off her long gloves to reveal a pair of pumpkin-colored hands. “Liney did this to me with one of her spells years ago, the wicked girl. And the little magical training that I’ve had isn’t enough to reverse her handiwork. I need to find her to get the counter spell and to give her a piece of my mind. But as I haven’t had any success in tracking her down, I’ll be heading back home to the village of Red Fern for the winter. But that’s another story,” she said, putting the gloves back on. “Anyway, Samuel left me and looked for Megan, leaving me without a driver again. And though I drive myself when I absolutely must, I prefer to hire that task out to others so I can concentrate on my magic studies and my pursuit of Liney. I’m a wizard, after all, or nearly one. Or at least on my way to being one–probably closer to the initial steps in that journey rather than the latter. Still, someone of my yet-to-be-attainted status should have her own driver, don’t you think?”

“I don’t see why not,” Nicholas said, concealing a smile. “So, Carmella, how long have you been studying the magic arts?”

“About twenty years,” she said matter-of-factly, sipping her tea. “But after my first teacher deserted me, I was left to learn what I could on my own. His loss!”

“How long ago was that?” Leo asked, as amused as Nicholas was by her story but keeping a straight face out of courtesy to Carmella and for fear of upsetting Megan.